Thank God for the Cross! April 10 2009 - Good Friday
"God...reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ." 2 Corinthians 5:18 NKJV
Tim Miller writes: "My nine-year-old daughter Jennifer was looking forward to our family vacation. But she became ill, and a long-anticipated day at Sea World was replaced by an all night series of CT Scans, X-rays and blood work at the hospital. As morning approached the doctor told my exhausted little girl that she would need to have one more test, a spinal tap. The procedure would be painful, they said. The doctor then asked me if I planned on staying in the room. I nodded, knowing I couldn't leave Jennifer alone during the ordeal. The doctor gently asked Jennifer to remove all her clothing. She looked at me with child-like modesty as if to ask if that were alright. They had her curl up into a tiny ball. I buried my face in hers and hugged her. When the needle went in, Jennifer cried. As the searing pain increased, she sobbed repeatedly, 'Daddy, Daddy, Daddy,' her voice becoming more earnest with each word. It was as if she were saying 'Oh Daddy, please can't you do something?' My tears mingled with hers. My heart was broken, I felt nauseated. Because I loved her, I was allowing her to go through the most agonizing experience of her life. In the middle of that spinal tap my thoughts went to the Cross. What unspeakable pain both the Son and the Father went through - for our sake."
But because of the Cross of Christ we have (1) Reconciliation. "God...reconciled us to Himself." (2) Regeneration. "Having been born again" (1 Peter 1:23 NKJV). (3) Resurrection. "Everyone who...believes...I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:40 NKJV). Thank God for the Cross!
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How to leave a lasting legacy Thursday April 9 2009
"Those who turn many to righteousness [shall shine] like the stars forever."
Daniel 12:3 NKJV
An unsavory character passed away and a eulogy was delivered by a pastor who'd never met him. Hoping to comfort the family the reverend got carried away, describing the departed as a caring son, a dedicated father and a loving husband. After the service the widow nudged their son and said, "Go up to the casket and make sure it's your father he's talking about!" Seriously, if your life was measured by it's donation instead of it's duration, how would people remember you?
D. James Kennedy wrote: "Consider the Great Pyramid of Giza, one of the world's most massive structures. Someone built it as a memorial to himself...King Khufu, not exactly a household name! The Shah of India built the Taj Mahal as a tribute to his wife, yet he too built it in vain; after all who knows the name of Arjumand? And how about the Great Wall of China? Astronauts can see it from space, yet no one remembers Qin Shi Huang, the man initially responsible for the largest man-made structure in the world. While these people are all forgotten, we can make a permanent imprint on the world. God placed a desire in our hearts for significance and permanence, because we're bound for eternal life. So how can we make a name for ourselves for eternity? By bringing others to Christ! Do you know somebody who needs salvation? They'll be forever grateful you took the time and made the effort to introduce them to Jesus." The Bible says by bringing people to Him you'll "shine...like the stars forever and ever."
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Learning to stand Wednesday April 8 2009
"And having done all...stand." Ephesians 6:13 NKJV
Don't allow the conflict-free seasons of your life to lull you into a false sense of security. "Be vigilant...the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1Peter 5:8 NKJV).
What should we do when the devil comes along? "And having done all...stand." Indeed, "God is able to make [you] stand" (Romans 14:4 NKJV), not in your 0wn strength, but the strength of Jesus Christ. By yourself you're an easy target, but in the strength of the Lord you can stand and not give in. So today when Satan shows up with his temptations, announce that you're going to stand in Christ. Let him know you're going to stand until the shaking stops, until the wave of loneliness passes, until your marriage is restored, until you come out of debt, until the struggle is over, until the tempter loses his power to trap or topple you. When you do something - God does the strengthening!
Paul said, " I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13). Note the word "strengtheneth." He won't just strengthen you once, He'll do it again and again. He'll strengthen you every time you face a difficult challenge, every time a memory comes back to torment you, every time you're reminded of your imperfect past, every time you face a difficult situation. Drawing from God the strength you need to stand up to the enemy will take effort. It will take your praise, your prayer, your getting into His Word with an intensity you never had before. But the truth is - you can stand if you want to!
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Still wanna be first? Tuesday April 7 2009
"If anyone wants to be first." Mark 9:35 NIV
As Dan Mazur led his team of climbers up Mount Everest the conditions were ideal for reaching the summit. Then two hours from the top they came across Lincoln Hall, a climber who'd collapsed the day before on his way down. Alone and hallucinating, he had no equipment and was suffering from frostbite and dehydration. (They later learned Hall's team leader had called his wife to say he was dead!) Without hesitation they gave Hall their oxygen, food and water, and by the time help arrived, reaching the peaks was out of the question. They sacrificed years of planning, weeks of climbing, and their lifelong dream to save another climber. Not surprisingly, today Mazur helps build schools and hospitals in parts of Nepal without roads, electricity, phones and running water. That's the kind of person he is.
Would you give up your dream to save another person? Ordinary people do it every day: moms and dads working two jobs to feed and clothe their kids; parents who turn down job transfers than uproot their families; round-the-clock caregivers whose loved ones are depending on them. Jesus said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must [put himself] last." In God's kingdom, things are different. The least are considered the greatest (See Luke 9:48). The most honorable seat in the house is for the one we overlook (See Luke 14:8-9). We esteem others more highly than ourselves (See Romans 12:10 & Philippians 2:3). We give up our coat and go the extra mile (Matthew 5:40-41). John the Baptist said of Jesus, "He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less" (See John 3:30). Still wanna be first?
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Coming clean with God Monday April 6 2009
"When I kept silent about my sin...your hand was heavy upon. Psalm 32:3-4 NAS
A therapist who graduated 34 years earlier called the University of Oregon and admitted she'd cheated on a final exam. Instead of revoking her degree the University asked her to write an article on integrity. A woman who completed a walk around the world confessed she traveled part-way in a support truck. "I shouldn't be remembered as the first woman to walk round the world when I cheated," she said. How many of us would even have admitted our deception?
The psalmist said, "When I kept silent about my sin...Your hand was heavy upon me." Confessing your sins (a) Lets you experience God's forgiveness: He already knows about them anyway, but He won't forgive you while you're busy making excuses and blame-shifting. John says, "If we confess...he will forgive our sins" (1 John 1:9 NCV). The first move is up to you. (b) Restores your emotional and physical energy: Nothing's more draining than denial and nothing's more invigorating than a clean a slate. David said, "My strength...failed because of my iniquity" (Psalm 31:10 NAS). Reflecting on his affair with Bathsheba, he said, "When I kept silent...my vitality was drained...I acknowledged my sin...and You forgave the guilt" (Psalms 32:3-5 NAS). (c) Allows you to move on: Confession allows you to hit the "reset" button and start again. It's also important to draw a line between the past and the future in case you're tempted to repeat your behavior. (d) Lets you grow: Thomas Edison said failure taught him over a thousand ways not to make a light bulb! Making your mistakes work for you instead of against you, starts with confessing them to God and accepting His forgiveness.
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Having a peaceful state of mind Sunday April 5 2009
"I have stilled and quieted my soul." Psalm 13:12 NIV
One of the greatest stress inducers we face daily is noise. We live in a noisy world. To enjoy a more peaceful atmosphere - we must create one! So find a place where you won't be interrupted and learn to enjoy simply being quiet for a while. If you're a high-energy, time-concious, results-oriented individual with too much to do and not enough time to do it, you'll discover this is not easy. And before you start thinking, "This is not very spiritual," take a moment and consider these four Scriptures:
(1) "The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever" (Isaiah 32:17 NIV). (2) "Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind" (Ecclesiastes 4:6 NIV). (3) "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business" (1 Thessalonians 4:11 NIV). (4) "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalms 46:10 NIV). You can't live a continually noisy life and expect to walk in peace.
Jesus made sure He had seasons of peace and time alone. Nobody had a greater life's purpose or more incessant demands placed upon Him than He did. Yet the Bible says, He "often withdrew to lonely places and prayed" (Luke 5:16 NIV). Surely if Jesus needed this type of lifestyle, you do too. Spending quiet time with God is essential to restoring your body, your mind and your emotions. The truth is, you need it regularly, so insist on having it and don't let anyone take it from you. Work your schedule around God-don't try to work God around your schedule.
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Find something to praise God for Saturday April 4 2009
"If there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things." Philippians 4:8 NKJV
General Robbie Risner described the seven years he spent as a prisoner of war as "the essence of despair." He said, "If you could have squeezed the feeling out of the word despair, it would have come out lead-colored, dingy and dirty." What's amazing is how he survived. He pried the cover off a floor drain in his cell and lowered his head into the opening. There he noticed a solitary blade of grass, the only smidgeon of color in his colorless world. Calling it a blood transfusion for the soul, Risner began each day in prayer, lying on the floor of his cell with his head down the vent, focused on that single blade of grass.
Jesus said, "Your eye...provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness" (Matthew 6:22-23 NLT). What are you looking at? Each day you get to decide where you'll focus. And you won't have to look hard to find things to complain about; war, gas prices, the economy, global warming, and crime. God gave Adam and Eve everything they needed in the Garden of Eden, but they chose to focus on the one thing they couldn't have. He divided the Red Sea, sent signs to guide the Israelites in the wilderness and provided food so they'd never go hungry. Initially, "They...sang his praise. But...soon forgot what he had done" (Psalms 106:12-13 NIV). Don't be like that. The Bible says, "If there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things." Surely you can find something to praise God for today!
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Succeeding at home Friday April 3 2009
"Through wisdom a house is built." Proverbs 24:3 NKJV
Building a good relationship at home is like building a wall: It's done brick by brick. And the mortar that holds it together is unconditional, un-condeming, unselfish love. The only way you'll know how good a job you've done is when it's tested by the storms of life. One of the most important keys to succeeding at home is - communication. So:
(1) Become creative. Spend time together as a family. Call your mate during the day and try to meet sometimes for lunch. Drive your kids to school or soccer practice so you can talk to them. Communication can happen anywhere, but it won't happen unless you make it a priority. (2) Identify communication killers. Internet, cell phones and TV are the chief culprits. The average couple spends less than one hour a week in meaningful communication; they spend five times more each day watching television. (3) Encourage every member to speak their mind. And when they do, don't criticize or retaliate. Differences of opinion are healthy. Handled right, they can make things better. (4) Be conscious of how you interact with your family. You may have unwittingly adopted a style that stifles communication. Stop and consider; do you: (a) retaliate - that has a degrading effect; (b) dominate - that has an intimidating effect; (c) isolate - that has a frustrating effect. (d) cooperate - that has an encouraging effect . If you're in the habit of using any communication style other than a cooperative one, start working immediately to change it. You'll have to, if you want to build a good relationship with your family.
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