Hard Work and Holy Listening
Instead of a well-manicured life, and perfectly organized and aesthetic home, my heart is yearning for more connection with love… His love… and, to be part of His loving presence. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”) (Matthew 1:22-23). I tucked my sleepy toddler in bed and pushed aside his treasures – a stick and a “Biscuit” book. Boys are such shocking and addicting creatures. I want a two-year-old boy always. But mothering was hard today. I messed up, and even though my long-term goal was good and right, my words were impatient and ungracious. I’ve been listening to the Bible out loud – as I drive, wash dishes, and mix bread. God’s story on earth is told through such messy, needy people. The glorious gospel smashed hard up against fighting and deception. It’s staggering. Perplexing. How an immortal God dares to pause and press His fingerprint into the brittle clay of humankind is enough to leave me gasping. In one hand, we have the Holiest of Holies. In the other, we have a person bent on his own stubborn way. How can these two tell one story? It’s not the perfection of the man, Jesus, that makes the gospel of His beautiful, but the miracle of it. The restoration, the breath of heaven rushing into a dead body, the impossible putting on mortal flesh by the eternal and holy. I’m jotting down goals for this year, but I’m eyeing them warily. Instead of a well-manicured life, and perfectly organized and aesthetic home, my heart is yearning for more connection with love… His love… and, to be part of His loving presence. To know His voice, in my most crumbling moments. To speak His words, instead of my hasty ones, to my children. Being fully present where God has me, and honest to goodness, letting everything else go. I’m pushing it all aside. I’m listening. Yes, even listening to the sticks and books in the toddler’s crib and looking for Him. It’s holy work. It’s beautiful breaking. Heaven and earth clasp hands and kiss. Emmanuel, God with us. Among us. Within us. Here. He is here. And I am listening! Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform 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 (Romans 12:1-2). About the author: Melissa Troyer is a stay at home mom with five beautiful children who keep her busy and constantly remind her to get down on her knees, both to laugh with them and to pray for them. Melissa is happily married to the love of her life, Daniel, who is currently studying full time to become a Physician’s Assistant. Melissa has learned to lean against the Father in seasons of loss and to dance through the dust in times where hope is renewed. She is passionate about worshipping in each season and often finds herself weaving words encouraging others to do the same. You can find her on Facebook. You can find more of her writing on her blog.
The Destruction Behind Remodeling
Could God be behind the destruction in your life? “Be ready. … In the same way that earlier I relentlessly pulled up and tore down, took apart and demolished, so now I am sticking with them as they start over, building and planting.” (Jeremiah 31:27-28 The Message) My basement is being remodeled. For the past week, some guys have been banging around down there. Hammers have pounded, saws have screamed. They’ve worked long, hard, dirty days. And guess what? It looks worse now than it did when they started. I’m not unhappy, even though walls have been torn down to the studs and bare concrete is exposed throughout the basement. We’re in demolition phase. The really important work, the part that will make the basement look new, clean, and functional, hasn’t even begun yet. However, that part can’t begin until this week’s work is finished. There are still some electrical repairs to go. The floor needs to be broken up so drain tile can be installed. A pit needs to be dug for the bathroom that is yet to be installed. In fact, this time next week the basement will probably look worse than it does today. That’s the way it has to be, of course. A good remodel doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and hard work. A lot of debris has to come out before the new can begin. In a couple of months, it should all be done. New drywall will cover the exposed studs and ceiling joists. The old florescent lights will be replaced by new incandescent fixtures. There will be new carpet and paint. The basement will be transformed from a dark, damp, catch-all for junk into a livable, usable space. First, however, the old paneling and ceiling tile had to be ripped out. A dumpster full of trash was carted away this afternoon. When you renovate, first you have to destroy. What you’d call vandalism any other time is improvement when it’s intentionally followed by rebuilding. Sometimes it feels like there’s some vandalism going on in your life, doesn’t it? Well-constructed plans end up demolished? Have your hopes been stripped down to the superstructure? Have your dreams been thrown away like outdated wallpaper? Sometimes the destruction in your life seems to be of your own making and that’s hard to face. Worse are the times when you feel torn down and broken apart, but you don’t know why. Has God caused this, or just allowed it, you wonder? Then you realize that it makes no appreciable difference which is true. For all intents and purposes, it feels like God has taken a 20-pound sledge to your life. As a Christian, you can trust that if this is so, it is to rebuild and not destroy. Life can be full of all sorts of destructive moments: A marriage ends. A job is lost. A child gets sick. You suspect your spouse of being unfaithful. Your church lets you down. You’re caught in a lie. You face the shame of having secret sin discovered.The facade of your existence starts to crack and fall away in chunks. The ugliness under the surface starts to show through. But, what Satan intends for harm, God can use to begin remodeling. What others intend to hurt you, God can use to rebuild your life. I met a man this week whose comfortable life was destroyed by a prison term. He violated his parole a year ago and was sent back to prison. Now he’s out again, desperately trying to restart his life. He’s living in his mother’s run-down house in a dangerous neighborhood. Yesterday he had only thirty cents to his name. He’s facing a Chicago winter with no heat, electricity, or job. Through a mixture of bad choices and bad luck, his life has been stripped down to the studs. His life, as it is, is unlivable. If you’re in the same boat, then here’s where you need to start paying attention. If God takes a sledge to your life, it’s because he knows you’re worth saving. He sees that some renovation is in order. No one renovates something that’s worthless, right? You can only renovate something when you have a vision for the finished project – when you know what you want it to look like and what it could look like. When God looks at you, he doesn’t just see the sin, failure, weakness, and ugliness that mar each of us. He sees what we can look like when he’s through with renovation. He sees us as he hopes we’ll be some day: clean and solid and useful. Sometimes, however, he has to do some demolition before construction begins. Pride needs to be ripped out of us. Self-centeredness needs to be pounded into shards on the floor. Anger needs to be softened. Lust eliminated. The corrupt parts of us cut away. Demolition, make no mistake, is a painful process. It requires that we endure a lot of pounding, noise, and dust. It requires us to accept the idea that, for a time, things may look worse before they look better. It calls for patience and endurance. It especially requires that we trust in God’s vision for what he wants us to be. It requires us to like that vision of ourselves better than we like our lives now. Rest assured that God never tears down unless he has plans to build us up again. Understand that demolition is just the beginning of his work of renovation in our hearts, minds, and spirits. Do you think that the apostle Paul enjoyed his Damascus Road experience, that Samson enjoyed his Philistine prison, or that Joseph appreciated an Egyptian jail? Do you think that David enjoyed running for his life for all those years? Do you imagine that Jesus enjoyed the desert, Gethsemane, and Calvary? But they each endured. They continued to seek God in their crises. They learned to trust him even as he took a sledgehammer to
Going Deeper than the Old Commands
Note from Jesus Dear Precious One, Today’s message is very important because many in your religious world turn grace into an excuse to do whatever they want rather than seeing it as a joyous reason to live for the Father. In My days on earth, some accused Me of being easy on sin and negligent on ritualistic obedience to the traditions. So it is important that you not only receive the teaching that you will read below but that you also pay close attention to the emphasis. The words I say are hard words to obey. However, I want you to obey them — to put them into practice, to make them real in your daily life. I’m not giving you a few more rules to obey so that you can feel superior to others who are not as good at being religious. What I want is for your heart to yearn for God’s righteous character as well as His gracious compassion. There are two things I want you to realize as you read and take My words below to heart. First, I speak with authority. My authority doesn’t depend on human sources because I speak with divine authority. Moses and the prophets spoke for God, but I fulfilled the law and the prophets (Matthew 5:17). My words are more important than those from Moses and the prophets because I AM the Son of God (Hebrews 1:1-2)! My words matter eternally. My words must also matter to you and how you choose to live. Second, I want your heart. I want you to move beyond surface obedience to My teaching. Keep asking this simple question: “Lord Jesus, what is the Father’s intent for my heart and my behavior in this truth?” The Father and I have given you the Holy Spirit to help you hear My answer each day (John 14:23-27; Titus 3:3-7). If you do this, you will be a true child of your Father — the Father of all grace and mercy for all those who seek to honor Him! Verses to Live I came to help you see through the vain rule-keeping approach to religion. I want you to look deep into the heart and the will of the Father. So you will notice that I stated what the existing teachings were in My day (the underlined portions below) and that I then intensified the meanings of those truths to point you to the heart of the Father (the portions in bold text). Jesus: Do not think that I have come to overturn or do away with the law or the words of our prophets. To the contrary: I have not come to overturn them but to fulfill them. This, beloved, is the truth: until heaven and earth disappear, not one letter, not one pen stroke, will disappear from the sacred law — for everything, everything in the sacred law will be fulfilled and accomplished. Anyone who breaks even the smallest, most obscure commandment — not to mention teaches others to do the same — will be called small and obscure in the kingdom of heaven. Those who practice the law and teach others how to live the law will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you this: you will not enter the kingdom of heaven unless your righteousness goes deeper than the Pharisees’, even more righteous than the most learned learner of the law. As you know, long ago God instructed Moses to tell His people, “Do not murder; those who murder will be judged and punished.” But here is the even harder truth: anyone who is angry with his brother will be judged for his anger. Anyone who taunts his friend, speaks contemptuously toward him, or calls him “Loser” or “Fool” or “Scum,” will have to answer to the high court. And anyone who calls his brother a fool may find himself in the fires of hell. Therefore, if you are bringing an offering to God and you remember that your brother is angry at you or holds a grudge against you, then leave your gift before the altar, go to your brother, repent and forgive one another, be reconciled, and then return to the altar to offer your gift to God. If someone sues you, settle things with him quickly. Talk to him as you are walking to court; otherwise, he may turn matters over to the judge, and the judge may turn you over to an officer, and you may land in jail. I tell you this: you will not emerge from prison until you have paid your last penny. As you know, long ago God forbade His people to commit adultery. You may think you have abided by this Commandment, walked the straight and narrow, but I tell you this: any man who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery in his heart. If your right eye leads you into sin, gouge it out and throw it in the garbage — for better you lose one part of your body than march your entire body through the gates of sin and into hell. And if your right hand leads you into sin, cut it off and throw it away — for better you lose one part of your body than march your entire body through the gates of sin and into hell. And here is something else: you have read in Deuteronomy that anyone who divorces his wife must do so fairly — he must give her the requisite certificate of divorce and send her on her way, free and unfettered. But I tell you this: unless your wife cheats on you, you must not divorce her, period. Nor are you to marry someone who has been married and divorces, for a divorced person who remarries commits adultery. You know that God expects us to abide by the oaths we swear and the promises we make. But I tell you this: do not
Less of Me
Can I live up to my purpose? Every year I make New Year’s resolutions and every year I break them, so this year I’m trying something different. Instead of hoping I’ll change my habits for twelve months I’m going for one month: January. For just this month I’m doing my best to focus more on the needs of others and less on me. I call it, Less of Me Month. Remember the song, “Less of Me,” by Glen Campbell. The words are as follows: Let me be a little kinder Let me be a little blinder To the faults of those about me Let me praise a little more Let me be when I am weary Just a little bit more cheery Think a little more of others And a little less of me Let me be a little braver When temptation bids me waver Let me strive a little harder To be all that I should be Let me be a little meeker With the brother that is weaker Let me think more of my neighbor And a little less of me Every day I’m thinking about the words to this song – I tried to make it my ringtone on my cell phone but I’m not smart enough to figure out how to do it. I’m beginning my day with Bible reading and prayer. Next I write about “Less of Me Month” on my blog (www.nanahood.com) and then during the day I find at least one random act of kindness I can do for someone else. The month is half over and so far, so good. This experiment has taught me a few things. First, if ever there was a perfect example of someone who thought solely of others it would have to be Jesus. Because of Him … … the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor (Matthew 11:5 NLT). The things we worry about simply didn’t matter to him because he knew God would take care of all his needs and he tells us that we will be treated the same way (Matthew 6:25-34). The more I study the Bible and read about Jesus and see how selfless he was, the more I realize that I was not made to serve myself. I was created to serve Him. I’m taking baby steps to get there and I’m sure sooner or later I will stumble and fall but if I walk with Jesus, together we can win the race. Another thing I’ve learned is that thinking of others, at least for me, is something I have to do intentionally. In the course of a day I go about my business focused on my home, my husband, my children and my grandchild. I have to set aside a time – my morning Bible study and prayer time – to concentrate on the needs of others. If I leave it to chance and my random thought process, it may not happen. Jesus’ brother, James, reminds us to put our thoughts and good intentions to work: Dear brothers and sisters, what’s the use of saying you have faith if you don’t prove it by your actions? That kind of faith can’t save anyone. Suppose you see a brother or sister who needs food or clothing, and you say, “Well, good-bye and God bless you; stay warm and eat well” – but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, it isn’t enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn’t show itself by good deeds is no faith at all – it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” I say, “I can’t see your faith if you don’t have good deeds, but I will show you my faith through my good deeds.” Do you still think it’s enough just to believe that there is one God? Well, even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror! Fool! When will you ever learn that faith that does not result in good deeds is useless? (James 2:14-20) The world is full of people in need. Jesus knows that and he wants us to tell them about him, about the Good News of everlasting life, about a place where there is no poverty, hunger, sickness or tears. We can’t save the world, but He can. He was the master of thinking more of others. I am his apprentice. When I look at his life, I can’t help but feel inadequate; but then I remember that it isn’t the size of the good deed that matters. And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded (Matthew 10:42). About the author: Teresa is an accomplished author, speaker, mother, and grandmother. Teresa has been married to Bill for a lifetime of family, faith, and love. They are members of Pleasant Hill Church of Christ in Kentucky. They have 5 children and 4 grandchildren. Teresa is also the author of the popular women’s blog called “NanaHood”!
Someone for Us
We all need a ‘Someone-For-Us’ Friend! Jesus said it as clearly as humanly possible: Jesus called [his disciples] together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant… just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:25-28). So often, we read Jesus’ words to mean, “When we stand before God in judgment, the greatest person will be determined by who has been the best servant.” We make Jesus’ words into a future promise; something recognized by God about our lives at the end of time. This way, we can go ahead and strive for greatness by our own – or worse, by the world’s – definition of greatness. If we listen, we can catch ourselves thinking, “Those sweet ‘little people’ who do all those menial ministries will be rewarded in the end, but I want to do something great for God, now!” Jesus, however, defines greatness in our world – in our now – as being a servant to others. His example is the supreme example. Jesus wasn’t just great when he ascended triumphantly to God, victorious over death. He was great when he touched the leper, held little children, gave the widow at Nain back her husband, and washed the disciples’ feet. He was great when he humbled himself in the wilderness, protected the woman caught in adultery, privately raised the little girl who had died, and affirmed the sinful woman of the city for her extravagant display of love. Greatness now is being a servant now. The greatest among us – in our churches, our families, our communities – are those who quietly serve to bless others and honor their Savior by serving as he did. This promise isn’t just a future tense reward: it’s a right now reality. Even though most in the world do not usually recognize those who serve, God does. These servants are the great ones. Not the ones who command huge stipends to speak. Not those who stand before large churches or command a great TV audience. The ones who quietly bless, care, toil, and serve behind the scenes right now are the great ones. One of my favorite people in the Bible is Onesiphorus. I like to refer to him with a play on his name – “Someone-For-Us”! That’s because we all need someone like him in our lives. Even more, there are people all around us who need us to be Onesiphorus for them – to be their “Someone-For-Us” friend. In the apostle Paul’s dark night of the soul during his next to last imprisonment, Onesiphorus was there for him. Look how Paul describes his “Someone-For-Us” friend: You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me… May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus (2 Timothy 1:15-18). If we are going to be truly great, Paul’s “Someone-For-Us” friend is a fine example. Notice what Onesiphorus did: He was Paul’s oasis of refreshment when everyone else was deserting Paul: he was a friend in the toughest times. He was not ashamed to be identified with Paul even though Paul was possibly facing death for his faith. He wasn’t just a fair weather friend but was a friend when it was personally dangerous. He searched and worked hard to find Paul to bless him: his service to Paul required devoted attention, not just an opportune moment to serve. He served Paul in the day-to-day grind of life, not just when things were especially challenging or noteworthy. His service was consistent and faithful through all circumstances. What strikes me about Onesiphorus’ greatness is that he is so little known among those who claim to follow Jesus. He is not held up as a hero despite being a “wind beneath my wings” kind of hero. I believe this is because so many of us would like to be grand servants of God that make a world of difference like the apostle Paul. I believe the great apostle would tell us that without people in his life like Onesiphorus, he would not have been as great a world-changer. Instead, he would have been someone who died alone, without friends, and with a much more limited mission. Jesus said greatness must mean service. So, the question for us is not, “Who do I want to be?” Instead, it is this: “Who has God put in my life who needs an Onesiphorus – a ‘Someone-Who-Is-For-Us’ friend?” Greatness is at our fingertips. Will we choose to be a servant – a ‘Someone-For-Us’ friend – or will we pursue our self-aggrandizing version of greatness? Final Note:I want to dedicate this article to the “Someone-For-Us” person in my life: my wife of nearly forty years, Donna. Over the last two years of transition, she has tirelessly served our daughter and me in far too many ways to count. She believes this is her call from God at this time in our lives. Without her efforts, our work with Heartlight.org and Verse of the Day as well my work with missionary renewals and serving churches in their interim seasons would not be possible. I am thankful to God for this bright and talented woman who has chosen to serve so sacrificially. On top of that, she has been the beauty in my life all these years! About the author: Phil Ware has authored 11 years of daily devotionals, including VerseoftheDay.com, read by
What You Need to Move Ahead
Does the New Year already seem like an old one? You try to leave them behind on December 31 so you don’t have to carry them with you into January 1. But for many of us, after waking up for several weeks into the New Year, we find ourselves surrounded by the same old noise. For many, the noise comes in the form of tapes played out in the surround sound of the mind. A pre-set, automatic, “play” button is pressed and we hear that same old noise again. One noise reminds you of past mistakes. Another noise replays a recent failure. At times, it seems, we have a never-ending playlist of uninvited noise. And when we think we are finally silencing the recorded noise, noise comes at us live. A friend or a boss or a family member believes it is his or her duty to remind us of our failings and frailty. As a result, we feel incompetent or inferior or incapable – or maybe all three. We feel condemned. I’d like to point out that “condemned” is exactly where the Enemy would like us to be. He wants us to hear those voices. He wants to fill us with enough noise that we begin to believe what we are hearing and render our lives ineffective. This Enemy has a clear job description: “accuse” and “deceive.” He does his job very well. We’ve heard the noise in our head and we’ve heard the noise from others. But, do you think we might find enough quiet space to hear from Him – Father of Jesus instead of the Father of lies? Through the Apostle Paul, Jesus sent some words our way that we need to hear … a recording that needs to become the dominant song on our playlist. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Notice, the apostle doesn’t say there is “some” condemnation or just a “little” condemnation. He says there is “no” condemnation. How can that be? Don’t miss that Paul says this is a reality for those who are “in” Christ Jesus. That small preposition is powerful. You see, when one is “in” Christ, then God sees Christ when he looks at that person. Does he condemn Christ? Then neither does he condemn you. That’s his invitation to you this New Year, too. Yes, I know New Year’s Day is over and most of us have already blown a resolution or two … maybe even given up on them altogether. So now, right this minute, on this day, when old habits, patterns, and noises crowd in on us, we need to hear the Father’s message, and not the Enemy’s lies. Christ wants to free us from the constant accusations from the Enemy, whether he uses the voices from the past or the voices from the present. He wants us to realize that we are in Christ and that Christ is in us. He wants us to play the song of freedom in our minds so we can live a life of freedom for Him in our world. So read them again. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Mark them. Memorize them. Drown out the noise with the Father’s truth! Then, move ahead with them in this New Year … even though the “new” may already have already begun to feel like something old … because you know God’s always new truth: There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. About the author: Rick Brown is the preaching minister for ChristBridge Fellowship in Tomball, Texas. He loves his wife Karen and two sons. Rick is also the author of The ME Addiction.
Today’s Verse – Philippians 2:14-16
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life. —Philippians 2:14-16 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Stars! They’ve always been a source of constant hope for God’s people. “I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven…” God told Abraham (Genesis 22:17). “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them…” David asked (Psalm 8:3-4). The Wisemen, Magi from the East, followed a star to discover baby Jesus (Matthew 2:1-2). Luke reminds us that Jesus was the light coming from heaven to shine on those in darkness (Luke 2:32). And now, we’re stars – God’s points of light in the dark sky of the universe. Let’s make today a day that our light shines God’s glory to a dark world around us. We will live for Jesus without complaining or arguing, living pure lives so we can shine God’s grace to those who do not know him through Jesus! Let’s hold out the word of life in our dark world. My Prayer… Almighty God, the incredible expanse of your universe, with its billions of stars, exceeds my limited comprehension. But I thank you for calling me to be a person of light in the dark world around me. I pledge to shine your light in the lives of all those I influence. Through the name of Jesus, your bright and morning star (Revelation 22:16), I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Let the Light Shine!
Note from Jesus Dear Disciple, While I was in the world, I was the “Light of the world” (John 9:5). I AM still the Light of the world (John 1:4-5; John 8:12), but now I am sending you to be My representative. You are to share the light you have received from Me and shine that light to all the world so everyone can see your good deeds and know that they come from your love for and loyalty to the Father. You have probably known the message of the verses below for many years. So I want to challenge you to do more than just remember the words: I want you to demonstrate you believe them by putting them into practice in the places and with the people your life touches. The world is a dark place. Despite the shallow smiles you see around you, most people you meet each day need a touch of light — kindness and grace that you can give them in the Father’s name. Verses to Live When you turn on the light each morning, let it be a reminder that others need the grace of God’s light in their lives. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your heart to see the opportunities to bless others. Show the grace of the Father, live the values of Our kingdom, and help others find their way home to the Father through the light you shine on their paths. Let the light shine! Jesus: You, beloved, are the salt of the earth. But if salt becomes bland and loses its saltiness, can anything make it salty again? No. It is useless. It is tossed out, thrown away, or trampled. And you, beloved, are the light of the world. A city built on a hilltop cannot be hidden. Similarly it would be silly to light a lamp and then hide it under a bowl. When someone lights a lamp, she puts it on a table or a desk or a chair, and the light illumines the entire house. You are like that illuminating light. Let your light shine everywhere you go, that you may illumine creation, so men and women everywhere may see your good actions, may see creation at its fullest, may see your devotion to Me, and may turn and praise your Father in heaven because of it. (Matthew 5:13-16) Response in Prayer O Father, I promise to be open to the leading and nudging of the Holy Spirit as I shine your light to bless others. Give me graceful wisdom to know those who need Your light. Father, I do this, not for my glory or reputation or acceptance, but so that others can find their way to You. So please, use my light to Your glory! In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2026, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
How People Will Remember You
What counts most in the life you live today? The death of Gerald R. Ford was not the lead story on the newscast I happened to catch on the Sunday closest to the event. It came third, behind reports of the death of a tyrant-murderer and a rock singer. In retrospect, that seems appropriate to the “accidental president” who got very little respect while in office and who was vilified mercilessly for pardoning his predecessor. I am no historian and do not propose to evaluate the brief time President Ford served as our nation’s leader. I am not a political commentator and have no thought of defending or attacking his pragmatic approach to government. But his passing has made me aware of the things people remember about one another. Yes, there were print and television pieces about Gerald Ford that chronicled his involvement in the Nixon pardon, a crisis over the U.S. merchant ship Mayaguez, and the Helsinki Accords. There were passing references to an oil shortage and the inflation crisis. But all the coverage I saw wound up focusing on his fundamental decency, his disdain for what one person referred to as the “arrogance of power,” and his devotion to his wife. You won’t always be where you are today. Whether you are a school teacher, bank president, or top-level executive with a major corporation, you will pass the torch to someone else before long. If you are a truck driver, factory worker, or department store clerk, you won’t do it without end. Lawyer, doctor, journalist, entertainer, athlete – nobody fills any role forever. When you move, retire, or die from whatever you are doing today, people will remember you more for who you were than for what you did. Ford projected a sense of sincerity and decency. “Truth is the glue that holds government together,” he said just before taking office, “not only government but civilization itself.” An adopted child, he said his mother and adoptive father had three rules for him and his three half-brothers: tell the truth, work hard, and come to dinner on time. Comedians mocked him as a buffoon for a fall he took coming off a plane, but Ford didn’t put their names on a hit list. He even made a joke of it himself. “I am a Ford,” he quipped, “not a Lincoln.” He and his wife, Betty, appear to have loved each other devotedly. They held hands and even kissed in public – unthinkable until then for an American president. They broke another White House precedent by continuing to sleep in the same bed. They spoke kindly to each other and respectfully of each other. Betty’s cancer and chemical addictions were transformed by a husband and wife team into opportunities for helping thousands of others with similar problems. When all is said and done with your life and career, people are going to remember your character, the way you treated people, and your loyalty to your family more than your work. Wouldn’t it be wise to think about those things now? Maybe that’s why the Bible says: A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver and gold (Proverbs 22:1). About the author: Rubel Shelly preached for decades, been a professor of medical ethics, Bible, and philosophy at multiple universities and a med school. He is currently Professor of Philosophy & Religion at Lipscomb University. He is the author of more than 30 books and hundreds of inspirational articles.
Temptation
In an age that has lost any sense of sin, why worry about temptation? C.S. Lewis in his book, Mere Christianity, makes the case that resisting temptation is not easy for Christians: A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is… A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness. They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in. Being tempted does not mean that you have sinned, nor does it mean that you will. Jesus’ temptations Luke 4:1-14) are proof that one is not sinning when he/she is being tempted. It is important, however, to have strategies for dealing with all the temptations we will face in our lives. There are practical ways to deal with temptations that will leave each of us feeling better about ourselves without having to deal with the aftermath of guilt. Stay away from Situations That Make Us Vulnerable We must stay away from people and situations that will cause us to compromise our convictions. Will Rogers was right when he said, “The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking spaces.” Keeping ourselves out of parking spaces that will affect our vulnerability is crucial for our success in saying no to whatever is tempting us. Pray Throughout the Temptation During Jesus’ closing words in the Lord’s Prayer, the Lord taught us to pray, “And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13 NLT). A prayerful lifestyle will help divert our sinful desires away from doing wrong. Our prayers help us keep our spiritual convictions and commitments in focus. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde said, “The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it… I can resist everything but temptation.” A person with such an attitude will never experience the triumph to overcome and resist those things in our lives that can ultimately destroy relationships, jobs, friendships, or integrity. Prayer is one the best method to keep from yielding to temptation because it keeps our focus on God’s priorities and asks for God’s help for our situations. Take Temptation Seriously Temptation is serious. It must never be taken lightly. It is important to resist any desire that would rob our relationship with God, Jesus, and Spirit. Jesus’ brother James reminds us of the ultimate outcome of temptation when we choose to go with our sinful desires: Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death (James 1:14-15 NLT) James also teaches us how to resist these temptations: Submit yourselves, then to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you… (James 4:7-8). The moment we let our guard down, is the very moment we become vulnerable and more likely we give in to the temptation. Temptation is serious and we must choose to draw near to God for help. While it is extremely important to read and know Scripture, to pray for God’s help, and to resist temptation’s pull, we need human help. We all need someone who we will let hold us accountable. Someone who will be “straight up” and honest with us and our life as Jesus’ disciple. We need to know this person has our best interest at heart. And, we need to invite them to help us with our temptations. At the same time, we must stay focused on God’s will and stay away from those things that will harm us! We must never keep God out of any part of life! We need to keep Jesus on the center stage of our hearts. We must allow the Holy Spirit to do the convincing that God’s way is the right way and help us stay far away from what could tempt us to do wrong. Remember, be God Controlled! About the author: Brian is preaching minister at Central Church in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. He is passionate about preaching the grace of God, the Lordship of Jesus and the indwelling Spirit. Most of all, he believes in preaching Jesus and blogging about practical things that will help believers remain under God’s guidance.