Encouraging Words for Today

I’ve read dozens of self-help books through the years, in a continual quest to “find myself”, to find my “true purpose”, my “why”. The books have been helpful, to varying degrees, but I’ve noticed most have one thing in common – it’s all about me.

These books offer advice like, “Look within yourself”, “Think back to your childhood and write down what made you happy”, or “If you could do anything you wanted, what would it be?” I’m sure there’s merit in some of this advice, but I’ve come to believe the focus is wrong. You see I’m the problem, so why would I look inside myself for the solution?

Look Up

The more I’ve come to know Christ the more I’ve come to realize I’ve been looking in the wrong place for answers. The answers are not to be found by looking in, but in looking up, in “…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2.

You see, if I have given my life to Jesus and accepted His blood as payment for my sins, the Bible says, “…it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20.

So, if the old me is no longer alive, then it doesn’t do much good to look to inside to find my “why”, my “purpose.” If it is Christ living in me, then I need to look at Him to find my purpose, my reason for living. His purpose must become my purpose, His ways my ways.

What was Jesus purpose? Luke 4:18-19 tells us. It says, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me,to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Find Your Why

Are you looking for your “purpose”, your “why”? Then look no further. If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, then this is why you were reborn, this is your reason for living: “To preach the gospel…to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty…”, in short, to do the work of Christ, to be His hands and feet.

In spite of what the books may tell you, the best way to help yourself is to help others. Fulfillment comes not from being served, but in serving others, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45.

Don’t waste your time any longer looking inside to find yourself. Instead, look to Jesus “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:3. You have to die to find your “why”. His name is Jesus!

God bless and have a wonderful day!

One day, while working in the walk-in clinic, I was examining a teenage girl. As I went to check her reflexes, I accidentally bumped her forearm and she yelped in pain. When I asked her what was going on she didn’t want to answer. Finally, reluctantly, she pulled up her sleeve, revealing a bandage. Under the bandage were 3 slices across her forearm, one of which was gaping open. She’d been cutting.

A Growing Problem

Cutting is, unfortunately, a growing problem among troubled teens and tweens. It is usually an attempt to deal with emotional pain and stress. Cutting releases endorphins creating a “feel-good” effect, similar to what cocaine users feel.

It is most commonly done by girls, but boys also cut. Many have a history of being abused, either physically, sexually, or emotionally. Cutting can also be a symptom of psychiatric problems such as anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Over-achievers and perfectionists often cut. Often there is an associated eating disorder or depression.

The world of a teenager often is a confusing, stressful place. Cutting gives them a sense of control. When they are hurting emotionally, cutting dulls the pain, which is why it can become addictive. The more they hurt, the more they cut. They are literally trying to cut away the pain.

What You Can Do

Psychotherapy should be the first step in treatment for someone who is cutting. This girl’s physical wounds will heal, but, as the saying goes, “The scars you can’t see are the hardest to heal.”

She is going to need lots of help in the days and weeks to come. That is why, after sewing her up, I asked our on-site clinical psychologist to talk with her. He was able to counsel her and start the process of getting her the help she needs.

If you have a friend or loved one who is cutting don’t overreact. Self-injury is a sign of emotional pain and the last thing a “cutter” needs is your condemnation, your anger or for you to panic. They need you to be there for them, to listen to them, to support them, and to assist them in getting professional help.

Oh, and by the way, don’t call them “cutters”. They are hurting kids, who need to be loved, not labeled. They need to know they are important to you. They also need to know God loves them too and He “heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3.

Open Our Eyes, Lord

This experience shook me. If I hadn’t accidentally bumped this girl’s arm, I never would’ve known what was happening. I couldn’t have gotten her the help she needed. I wonder how many other opportunities to help I have missed because I wasn’t observant enough. I wonder how many others have been crying out for help, but their voices have gone unheard, because I wasn’t listening.

Everyday we each come in contact with people, both young and old, who are hurting, who are crying out for help. Some are cutting, while are others are acting out in other self-destructive ways. For each, God longs to heal their broken hearts and bind up their wounds, but He needs us to show them the way.

Today, I pray God will open our eyes to see their need, open our ears to hear their cries, open our hearts to feel their pain, and give us the wisdom to know how we can help. Because if we don’t, who will?

To learn more about cutting and how you can help, check out these articles:

www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/cutting-self-harm-signs-treatment#1

www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/self-injury/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350956

kidshealth.org/en/teens/cutting.html

This is my favorite time of the year! New life is springing up all around. The flowers are pushing up through the soil, the birds are building nests, the sun is shining, and the hills are turning green. Our valley is bursting with life and song. It just feels good to be alive (in spite of this kidney stone, which is still working its way down)!

I think this is how the disciples must have felt the Monday after the resurrection (minus the kidney stone, of course). They had ended the previous week in the depths of despair. All their hopes had been dashed, their plans had been destroyed, and the one they thought was the Messiah had been hung on a tree. All had seemed lost. But then Sunday came!

Now, where once despair had darkened their minds, hope springs up! Where once the future seemed dark, there is new light! He’s alive! They felt like they had been reborn, been given a second chance, a new beginning. The winter of their souls had passed and Spring had begun.

We all go through times of doubt and disappointment. We all must endure the winter of our souls when the cold winds of despair claw at our hearts, threatening to sweep away all our hopes and dreams. But hold on! Spring is here! A new day has dawned! Jesus is alive and new life is yours for the asking, for“if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.

This morning, as you see spring arriving in all its glory, don’t hold on to the past. Let it go and open your heart to light of the Son. Rejoice in His presence! Revel in His love! Let Him fill your heart with song and then, like the birds in Springtime, share your song with the world!

God bless and enjoy this beautiful new day!

For many, the fact that Easter falls on April Fool’s Day this year must seem quite appropriate. After all, they argue, anyone who believes in the resurrection of the dead must be a fool and anyone who believes Jesus was raised must be the biggest fool of all.

In a way, they are right, “For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” 1 Corinthians 15:16–19 NIV

But what if, as Paul testifies, “Christ has indeed been raised from the dead”? What if the Easter story is true? Then who is the fool?

I cannot prove to you Christ was raised. I’ve never seen anyone come back to life. But I can tell you Jesus has given me a new heart and put a new spirit within me (Ezekiel 36:26). When I was dead in my sins, God made me alive in Christ, forgiving all my sins. (Colossians 2:13). If having a heart filled with “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding” (Philippians 4:7), makes me a fool then may I be the biggest fool of all!

On this Easter morning, I chose to believe “Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” Call me a fool if you will, but remember “…the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18.

Today, join me in declaring Christ crucified and risen, “a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.” 1 Corinthians 1:23. Let us together become “fools for Christ”, that others may know Him who gave His life that they may live.

The world will tell you Easter is a fable, a mere concoction of immature minds, but don’t be fooled. Christ is risen! This Easter, “set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1) and together let us spread the Good News – He Lives!

God bless and Happy Easter!

On Easter weekend much is said about Good Friday and Easter Sunday, and rightfully so. But what about The Day in Between, the Sabbath when Jesus rested in the tomb? What, if anything, do those sacred hours have to teach us? As we consider this, two primary lessons jump out.

First, in Acts 13:29, Paul describes how “…they took [Jesus] down from the cross and laid him in a tomb.” Luke, however, adds an interesting observation, stating, “It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.” Luke 23:54

In Luke 23:55-56 he also mentions that “The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee … went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.”

Why this emphasis on the Sabbath? If Jesus’ sacrifice had abolished the 10 Commandments why even bother to mention it?

In Genesis 2:2 and 3, it says, “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”

When God finished His work of creation he rested on the seventh-day, blessing it and making it holy. Now again, as the Son of God finishes His work of redemption, He and His followers rest again on the seventh-day, “in obedience to the commandment.”

By doing this Jesus sets an example for His followers for all the ages to come. The Seventh-day Sabbath was not abolished at the Cross. It was and always will be a special day set aside to commune with God and to celebrate His creative and recreative power and everlasting love for His children.

The second lesson we learn from The Day in Between is a message of hope. All of us have lost loved ones, but this day gives us reason to rejoice. Just as Jesus rested in the tomb throughout the Sabbath hours, so also our loved ones and friends who have died merely rest in their graves, waiting to hear Jesus say, as He did to Lazurus, “Come forth!”

Our loved ones are asleep, awaiting the last trump, when “the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16. On that wonderful day, “we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” (v. 17).

This is the hope of The Day in Between, the promise of these sacred hours. Just surely as Jesus was raised on the third day, so also all who have believed on His Name and accepted His sacrifice as payment for their sins, will also also rise again. Families will be restored, parents and children will be reunited, never again to part.

So, on this Day in Between, these sacred Sabbath hours, rest from all your worries and your fears. Look back with joy on the Cross and look forward eagerly to Easter Sunday. And as you do, remember this same Jesus, whose death and resurrection we celebrate, is coming soon to take us home. On that glorious day, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:4.

Now that’s a reason to celebrate!

We were supposed to be on our way to Walla Walla right now for a get-together with Alex’s in-laws and some of their friends. It’s something we’ve been looking forward to for several weeks. However,instead of being on the road, we just returned from the ER.

I woke up early this morning with pelvic pain, which progressed into left flank pain. The CT at the ER showed not just one, but two nice sized kidney stones. I’m doing okay now. Still some pain, but morphine is wonderful stuff!

This experience got me thinking, though. We all make lots of plans, but things don’t always go the way we expect. As Psalm 94:11 explains, “The Lord knows all human plans; he knows that they are futile.”

Robert Burns put it well when he wrote:

“The best laid schemes of Mice and Men
oft go awry,
And leave us nothing but grief and pain,
For promised joy!”

I can certainly attest to the “grief and pain” part after this morning!

So, when faced by disappointment and plans which “oft go awry” how should we react? Do we give into our frustration, respond with anger, or resign ourselves to defeat? Too often this is what we do, but there is a better way.

Ministry of Healing, p. 479:

“Christ in His life on earth made no plans for Himself. He accepted God’s plans for Him, and day by day the Father unfolded His plans. So should we depend upon God, that our lives may be the simple outworking of His will. As we commit our ways to Him, He will direct our steps.”

I was really looking forward to getting together with the Bannisters and our children this weekend. Kidney stones were definitely not part of my plan. But it’s okay with me, because I know “in all things God works for the good of those who love him…” Romans 8:28. God knows what He’s doing, so I think I’ll just let Him do the planning from now on. I encourage you to do the same.

I don’t know what plans you’ve had or if your life has turned out like you hoped, but I do know God has great plans for your life, “…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremaiah 29:11

Today, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5, 6. Follow Jesus example and commit your ways to God and let Him direct your steps. Let Him do the planning. I promise He’ll never lead you astray.

Now, if you don’t mind, I think I’ll take it easy today, drink some extra water, do a little writing and reading, and just see what God’s got planned. Whatever it is, I know it’s going to be good – kidney stone or not!

God bless and Happy Sabbath!

It is Good Friday, the day once a year when Christians all over the world pause for a moment to consider what Christ did for them when He gave His life on the cross.

It is good that we take this time to remember, but my question is, “Why only once a year?”

Consider the following advice from the book Desire of Ages, p. 83:

“It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones.”

The Center of our Faith

The Cross is the very center of our faith, the foundation of our hope, the surety of our salvation, yet we too often relegate it to a once a year celebration. We go about our busy lives, rarely considering “…him who endured such opposition from sinners” and, because we of this, we instead “grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:3.

What would happen if we took the advice above “to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ” taking it “point by point and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones”? I think it would transform our lives.

Look again at Desire of Ages, p. 83:

“As we thus dwell upon HIs great sacrifice for us our confidence in Him will be more constant, our love will be quickened, and we shall be more deeply imbued with His spirit….Beholding the beauty of His character, we shall be ‘changed into the same image from glory to glory.’ 2 Corinthians 3:18”

Consider the Cross

Why not give it a try it between now and next Easter? Set aside a little time each day to just think about what Jesus did for you, to consider the Cross:

• Kneel by His side in Gethsemane, as He, “…being in anguish…prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” Luke 22:4
• Hear His plea, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me…” as His humanity drew back from the suffering which lay ahead. Luke 22:42a
• Listen, as He, thinking of you and all who be saved by His sacrifice, whispers, “…yet not my will, but yours be done.” Luke 22:42b)
• Feel your hand swing the whip which scars his back, form the crown which pierced His brow, and strike each blow that drove the spikes through His hands and feet.
• As life ebbs from His body, hear His triumphant cry, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” and realize anew He did all this for you.

We Shall Be Like Him

The glory of the Cross cannot be contained in just one day, once a year. It will be our study through all the ages of eternity. Start today to make it your daily study. As you “contemplate the Lord’s glory” in the light of the Cross each day, you will be “transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory.” 2 Corinthians 3:18. If we do this then, “when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:2.

God bless and have a wonderful Easter Weekend!

Are you happy?

If you answered “No”, then congratulations! You’re not alone:

• A 2013 Harris Poll found only 33 percent of people in the United States were very happy.
• A Gallup Poll found just 13 percent of people actually felt “engaged” at their jobs.
• Daily Mail.com reports only 3% of women in the UK are happy with their bodies.
• Another study in the UK, found only 3 in 10 were happy with their lives.

Life Ain’t Easy 

Pretty depressing isn’t it? Life ain’t always easy. But don’t despair. You don’t have to be part of those statistics. There is a secret to happiness and contentment. The apostle Paul found it and so can you.

Paul said in Philippians 4:12, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation…” What was that secret? Before we answer that take a moment to consider what Paul went through.

Paul’s life was not an easy one. He described his sufferings in 2 Corinthians
11:24-26:

“Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move…I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.”

And you thought you had it bad! Yet in spite of all he went through, Paul said in Romans 8:18, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

The Secret

What was Paul’s secret? He knew that “…in all things God works for the good of those who love him…” (v. 28) Paul was “…convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (vs. 38-39).

Paul found the secret to contentment in all circumstances – Faith in God. He knew God loved Him with an everlasting love and believed Him when He said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5).

Don’t Fret! Be Content!

You too can be “content whatever the circumstances.” Put your faith in God today and “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

This morning, put your life in God’s hands, trust in Him, and let His peace “…which transcends all understanding…guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Whatever challenges you face today, never forget – you are a child of God! Put your trust in Him and – Don’t fret. Be Content!

Water  – It’s something most of us take for granted. We turn on the tap and out it flows, clear, cool and refreshing. But in many parts of the world they don’t have this luxury. Consider the following facts from Newsweek.com:

• According to the U.N., 2.1 billion people don’t have safe drinking water at home.
• Of those, 844 million don’t have access to a basic drinking water service, including 263 million people who travel for over 30 minutes per trip to collect water.
• 159 million still drink untreated water—a serious health risk—from surface water sources, such as streams or lakes.
• There are 663 million people who live without a safe water supply close to home.

World Water Day 2018

Thursday was World Water Day 2018. The goal of this annual UN-sponsored event is to focus attention on the importance of properly managing the earth’s limited freshwater resources so everyone can have access to clean water, both for now and in the future. The world faces a major water crisis and we must do something today to assure there will be enough for tomorrow.

A Greater Crisis

As serious as the Earth’s water crisis is, there is a far greater crisis, which affects every human on the planet. We are in the midst of a drought, a drought of Living Water, the Water of Life flowing from the Throne of God.

Unlike the Earth’s water crisis, this drought is not caused by a limited supply or finite resources. As the song says, God’s Well, “never shall run dry.” There is more than enough Living Water available for all. The problem is with us.

Broken Cisterns

Jeremiah 2:13 says, “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.”

With a bottomless reservoir of Living Water to be found in God’s Word, we:

• Are like my cat, who would rather drink from the toilet than from his own dish.
• Try to satisfy our thirst by drinking from the cesspools of our own creation, when Jesus is calling out to us, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.” (John 7:37)
• Like the woman at the well, keep seeking for things which cannot satisfy, instead of drawing from God’s “well that never shall run dry.”

A Work to Do

As Christians, we have a responsibility to work to assure an abundant supply of clean water is available for all of Earth’s inhabitants for years to come. After all, as James 2:15-16 points out, it doesn’t do much good to tell someone to “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” if we do “not give them the things which are needed for the body.”

As important as that work is, however, we have an even greater work to do. We must become channels for God’s Living Water to flow in abundance on those who thirst. Instead of broken cisterns, we must become “a fountain of living water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:14.

In order for us to do this, we must drink deeply of God’s Word for ourselves on a daily basis. We must pray for the Holy Spirit to be poured out in power on us and our churches. Until we do this, our churches will be nothing more then broken cisterns, empty and good for nothing, with no power to quench the world’s thirst. We must first be filled before we can fill another.

Thirst No More

Matthew 5:6 promises, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” And John 4:14 says, “but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.” Living Water is ours for the taking, but we must feel our need before we can be filled.

Do you thirst for the Living Water? Do you long for something more than the broken cisterns this world offers? Then “the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come.” Revelation 22:17

Come and lift your cup into the healing stream which flows from the cleft of the Rock. Drink freely from the Water of Life. Then lift the cup of another that you may both Thirst No More!

God bless and Happy Sabbath!

My favorite thing to do at Costco is taste the samples. While my wife shops, I make the rounds, stuffing my face with yogurt, crackers with salsa, little chunks of cheese, and, of course, candy! If I make about 3 rounds I don’t have to buy lunch!

I rarely purchase what they’re offering. I’m satisfied with the samples. Many of us treat God the same way…

Instead of sitting down and enjoying a meal with Him, we’re satisfied with small samples of His love, mere morsels from His banqueting table, just a sip of the Water of Life. We call it our “morning devotions”, when, really, it’s just a poor excuse for a meal.

Life is busy. We’ve got places to go, people to see, things to do, so, instead of dining on God’s Word, we grab a quick bite and rush out the door, mumbling something about there being no time. The truth is time is running out and our souls are growing cold.

We miss out on so much by just sampling the goodness of God. He longs to spread a full smorgasbord in front of us. He wants to give us “living water” that we may never thirst again, spiritual food to fill that aching emptiness within our souls. He would love to sit down and share a meal, hear our troubles, share a joke – just spend time with us – but we’re too busy.

Got Milk?

When I was a kid, I loved milk. I couldn’t get enough of it! I loved the taste of it, it’s coolness as it slid down my throat, the way it filled my belly and took away my hunger. I was never satisfied with a sip. I wanted a whole glass – the bigger the better!

In 1 Peter 2:2-3 the apostle said, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.”

What Peter was telling us is, don’t be satisfied with just a taste of God when He has so much more to offer. God wants us to “crave” Him, to be unable to get enough of Him. He wants us to feel like David, who said, “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” (Psalm 43:2)

The Best is Yet to Come!

This morning, don’t be satisfied with just a “taste” of God. “Crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation…”

But don’t be satisfied with just milk, because, “Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.” (Hebrews 5:13).

Dig deep into the word of God and find a feast for your soul. Drink deeply of the Water of Life. Savor God’s love. Feast on His Word.

Milk is just the beginning. The best is yet to come! God has a whole banquet prepared – the “wedding supper of the Lamb”- and He’s looking forward to sharing it with you someday soon!

Until then, don’t waste your time on samples. “Crave pure spiritual milk” and – Drink Up!