The Comfort We Offer To Connecticut

No doubt you've been upset and deeply saddened by the terrible shootings at the school in Connecticut.  I find I just can't get it out of my mind--and my heart hurts for those who have lost a precious child and those families of the adults who were slaughtered.

How do you handle this spiritually?  Over and again I've asked God, "What possible good can come from this?  Why would you allow innocent children to be murdered?"  Maybe you don't have these kinds of questions, but quite honestly, I do and I admit it.  I'm confident our God is big enough to handle our questions and we are not condemned for asking them.

This horrible incident is in front of us, on our televisions and in our newspapers, and everyone is talking about it.  But it's not the first time innocent children have been slaughtered mercilessly.  I thought of the massacre at Bethelem, when innocent baby boys were killed by King Herod in his attempt to annihilate any challenge to his throne from a baby born a king.  Just because Mary and Joseph had gone to Bethlehem and Jesus had been born there--all of which was according to God's plan and fulfilled prophecies of old--those moms who had infant boys had to watch them killed--probably in front of their eyes--for no reason except one man's evil  paranoi.  Don't you imagine they asked "Why?" too?

In Matthew 2:18 we read:  "A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”  I can well imagine that any mom--any parent-- would refuse to be comforted after losing a child in this way.  And no doubt for the moms and dads who are grieving in Newtown, CT today, there is little that any person can do to comfort them.

But we who know Christ have this promise from 2 Corinthians 1:2-4:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

Probably none of us know the parents or relatives of those who were killed, but if we know the God of all comfort, let us pray continually for these dear people, who no doubt are "refusing to be comforted," that they will come to know the God of all comfort during these terrible days.  It's the least we can do and the most we can do.

Teachable Moments

I guess if I had one regret in my life it would be that I never pursued a career in teaching.  I have always wanted to be a kindergarten teacher but didn’t follow through with my dream.  Well, God is good and He had a better plan for my life and He blessed me with two beautiful granddaughters and another granddaughter to be born in January. 

I never let an opportunity go by without teaching them something.  So, I thought I would share a ‘teachable’ moment with you and in hopes of you doing the same activity with someone in your life.  What better way to teach your grandchild about the light and love of Jesus during the month of October than by using a pumpkin.  I got this idea from Mary Whelchel, the founder of The Christian Working Woman. 

As we began to get the pumpkin ready, I told Gabby (who is 7 years old) that God picks us up, washes all the dirt off of us, opens us up and cleans us from the inside out just like we were cleaning up the pumpkin. He removes our yucky stuff like when we are angry at someone or jealous of what someone else has, pouting about what we don’t have, holding a grudge, lying to someone or taking something that doesn’t belong to us; maybe it’s talking bad about someone…things like that.  She said, “yeah, like when we talk back to our parents or have a bad attitude”.  “Ahhh, yes” I said “now you’re getting it… just like with the pumpkin, we have to get rid of all the bad things that fill us up.” 

After we cleaned out the pumpkin, we carved a happy face. I told Gabby, “Just like when we bring all our problems to Jesus, he can help us to be joyful for who we are and all the blessings in our life.”

Then we were ready to put the light in the pumpkin – I explained to Gabby, “This is what happens when we ask Jesus to come into our heart.  He puts a light in us so we can let our light shine for everyone to see.” 

She said, “Thanks Grandma.  I can’t wait to tell my friends about the light of Jesus”.

Do you allow God’s light to shine through you regardless of situations in your life?

Matthew 5:14 You are the light of the world a city on a hill cannot be hidden.

To download a copy of the pumpkin booklet please click here.

Do I Walk Like Bob?

This is Bob our office visitor and Mary's Grand-dog.

Do I walk like Bob?

I’m dog-sitting my Grand-dog, Bob, this week, and we take long walks together.  He loves to walk and he begins at a very fast pace, dragging me along behind.  But about half-way through, his enthusiasm wanes, and he just decides to sit down in the middle of the Prairie Path.  Although I’ve carefully explained to him that you cannot sit down in the middle of the path, he has little regard for the “rules of the road.”

I was thinking today how often my walk with God is like Bob’s.  I can start out very enthusiastically, but when the going gets a little tough, or when fatigue sets in, I just want to sit down spiritually.  Paul wrote:

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7)

Finishing well is so important.  How many of us start our “walks” like Bob, but eventually end up on the sidelines?  In the next verse Paul tells us that the crown of righteousness is for those who finish well.  I don’t think I’ll ever train Bob to finish well, but I sure want to have a crown of righteousness to cast at Jesus’ feet when I see him in Heaven.  Don’t you?

What's Your Excuse For Not Praying?

The Bible says to pray about everything. The Apostle Paul wrote:

"Pray continually" (1 Thess 5:17).
"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests" (Ephesians 6:18).
 

Yet not many of us really pray about everything.  Why not? Here’s one common excuse:

1. "I forget."

Forgetting to pray about something or someone is very easy to do.  That's the reason that I advocate using a Prayer Journal, to help us remember what and who to pray for.  If you've never used a Prayer Journal, I've designed one that you can order from us, and you may find it helpful.
 
If I did not use a prayer journal, I would forget so many that I really want to pray for.  So, I really encourage you to use some type of a prayer journal to help you remember.

2.  "Seems too trivial."

First Peter 5:7 says:  "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

We have a misconception of God when we think he's too busy to be involved in the little things.  God has infinite capacity.  He doesn't experience burnout like we do!  Trust Him!  He can handle all your trivialities!

3.  "Don't know how to pray about it."
Romans 8:26b says:  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

Isn’t that a marvelous promise?  The Spirit intercedes for us when we’re at a loss for words.  When you're baffled, when you're too emotionally involved to be objective, when you're totally discouraged or confused, ask the blessed Holy Spirit to pray for you in words that you cannot express.

4.  "I know God is displeased with me because I have not obeyed Him."

Psalm 66:18 says "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened." 
 

Cherishing sin is when we know what God wants us to do and we haven't done it.  In other words, disobedience.  I strongly encourage you to deal with any areas of disobedience in your life at once.  If you don't, prayer becomes futile, because God is not listening. 

Don't Let Your Name Be Ichabod

How would you like to be named Ichabod? Ichabod means "The glory is departed." In 1 Samuel 5 we read that Phinehas' wife named their son Ichabod, because the glory of God had departed from Israel. Through sin and disobedience, they had lost the glory of their position as God’s chosen people.

In our vernacular today, we might say, “That person is a has-been.” It’s possible to be spiritual "has-beens.” I can think of many Christians I know who used to be mightily used of God. It could be said of them that they "have been" this or that for God, but now the glory has departed. Through sin and disobedience, Ichabod is now their name.

Could it ever be said of us that we have been in the past a person of love and compassion, but it's no longer true? Have we lost the zeal we once had for Jesus? Have we been in the past a strong witness for Jesus Christ, but now we’re just a “has-been”, an Ichabod?

No, for sure none of us would want to be called Ichabod -the glory has departed. Is God's glory still evident in your life to all who know you? If not, you can be restored to that original glory. Don't let your name be Ichabod.

Can A Christian Be Humble and Successful?

How can a Christian be humble and still be successful? Is the Bible's challenge for us to humble ourselves, as Jesus said, or to wear humility, as we read in Colossians 3, compatible with our desires to succeed in our careers? 

I believe the answer to that question is yes, when we understand the real meaning of humility.  What most people think of when they talk about being humble is not the real meaning of the term, but rather a false humility. 

For example, refusing to accept compliments graciously is not real humility.  Saying degrading things about ourselves is not a sign of humility.  Refusing to accept reward­s or recognition for what we've accomplished is not a sign of humility.

True humility is a natural outcome of learning who we are in comparison to who God is.  When we are in a life-long process of constantly learning that everything we are and everything we do is because of who God is, then humility becomes a natural characteristic.  But it does not make us into a doormat nor does it keep us from achieving goals and ambitions.  Indeed, true humility helps us in the business world.

He Won't Let You Go!

Some years ago, on a hot summer day in South Florida, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went. He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore.

His father working in the yard saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, he ran toward the water, yelling to his son as loudly as he could. Hearing his voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his father. It was too late. Just as he reached his father, the alligator reached him. From the dock, the father grabbed his little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs.

That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the father, but the father was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard his screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator.

Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. And, on his arms, were deep scratches where his father's fingernails dug into his flesh in his effort to hang on to the son he loved.

The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, "But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Dad wouldn't let go."

You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, but the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep pain or regret. But some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let go. In the midst of your struggle, He's been there holding on to you. The Scripture teaches that God loves you. You are a child of God. He wants to protect you and provide for you in every way. But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations, not knowing what lies ahead. The swimming hole of life is filled with peril and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack.

That's when the tug-of-war begins and if you have the scars of His love on your arms, be very, very grateful. He did not and will not ever let you go.

You just never know where a person is in his/her life and what they are going through. Never judge another persons scars, because you don't know how they got them. Right now, someone needs to know that God loves them, and you love them, too. Enough to not let them go.