Michelangelo

Michelangelo; Italian Sculpture, Painter, Architect and Poet; 1475-1564

"I die for the faith of Jesus Christ, and in the firm hope of a better life."

Read More

Are You on an Aimless Journey?

By Dennis Edwards:

Many people go through life aimlessly. Never finding what they are looking for. If they only had taken time in the Word of God they might have found the answer. The Lord said to Jeremiah, "You shall seek Me and find Me when you shall seek for Me with all your heart."(Jeremiah 29:13) Jesus said on the famous Sermon on the Mount, "They that hunger and thirst for righteousness shall be filled." (Matthew 5:6) He also said, "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find and knock and it shall be opened to you." (Matthew 7:7,8) In Jeremiah we find the promise,"Call on me. I will answer you and I will show you great and mighty things which you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3)

So we see there needs to be a spiritual seeking on our part, a desperation of heart, mind and spirit in order for us to enter into the spiritual realm to touch the heart of God and hear His answers. The enemy of our soul and spirit would like to keep us distracted and occupied only in the physical plane to thwart any attempt of ours to seek for the Almighty. It seems that unless there is some outside catalyst, many people never seek for the answers to life. They travel through life enjoying the sights and sounds and struggling through their difficulties, until one day they get hit by a tragedy which they are unable to surmount in their own strength. It may be a sickness, an accident, a divorce or loss of a loved one. It may be the possibility of death in war or by sickness that finally awakes that spiritual hunger inside and causes them to seek God desperately. God has promised that if we seek for Him, we will find Him. He is there.

We can even see Him so clearly in the beauty of nature. He has said in His word, 

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day do they speak and night unto night do they show forth knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard." (Psalm 19:1-3) 

Have you ever looked up into the sky in the day and seen the beautiful blue heavens with white clouds whisking by. Or at sunset, sat and watched the magnificent colors, and breathed a deep breath and felt comforted. Or walked by the beach and felt reassured that everything was going to be alright and work out alright in the end. The sea can have that sort of tranquilizing affect. That is why we rush to get away for the weekend to some quiet spot. It even might be playing golf, or fishing, or walking the dog in the park or running along the beach, or picnicking along a river or lake. Nature seems to impart some comforting influence upon us.

Have you ever looked up at night and seen the starry sky and that problem you were worrying about, just did not seem so large after all? Like when William Jennings Bryan, who was running for the President of the United States said after looking up into the night sky through a telescope, "I guess it does not really matter who wins the election after all." He was so reassured that even if everything looks impossible here in our little world, nevertheless God is there and ultimately He will work things out in the end." Abraham Lincoln is credited of saying "I can understand how someone could look down from heaven at our mess of a world and say there is no God, but I can not understand how any one could look up into a beautiful night sky and say that God does not exist."

God speaks to us through the things of His creation. As Paul has said in his letter to the Romans. 

"For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse." (Romans 1:20) 

Job in the Bible says this,

"But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell you: or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto you. Who knows not in all these that the hand of the Lord has wrought this?In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. Do not the ear try words? and the mouth meat?...With Him is wisdom and strength. He has counsel and understanding." (Job 12:7-13)

So, if we will listen, He can speak to us through nature. But we will need to get alone in some quiet spot to listen. We will need to open our spiritual eyes and ears and seek His leading and guiding desperately. He will speak in that still small voice in our heart, the voice of conscience.

The Bible is full of the recordings of men and women of God who heard his voice and followed his leading. You can read them and find comfort, wisdom and guidance for your own. You can read the words of Jesus in the Gospels in the New Testament in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. You can hear from the early followers of Jesus in the epistles. Or read the prayers and songs of David in the Psalms. Proverbs and Ecclesiastes are full of the wisdom of King Solomon and Job shows forth his wisdom in his own book.

Dwight D. Eisenhower said, "To read the Bible is to take a trip to a fair land where the spirit is strengthened and faith renewed." So, if you have not found God, seek for Him, he is not far from us. As Paul has said, 

"That they should seek the Lord, if they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us." ( l Corinthians 17:27)

Read More

Do Not Go to Sleep Angry! Here is Why!

By Jason Chen, Lifehacker, Jan. 19, 2012:

The old anecdotal saying that you should never go to sleep angry just got backed up by science, thanks to University of Massachusetts at Amherst neuro-scientists. Their study concludes that if you have a negative emotional response—their examples were for viewing an unsettling picture or experiencing a traumatic event—the response is reduced if you stay awake afterwards. If you go to sleep immediately, the response is “protected,” meaning that when you are exposed to the effect again, your negative response will be just as negative as the first time.

The scientists pointed to PTSD sufferers, or witnesses to accidents as examples of how their conclusion is applicable in practical terms. If a witness to a gruesome accident remains awake after the event, the next time they see a reproduction or photograph of the scene, their emotional response will be much lower than if they had slept right after. Researchers even said that their brains are actually averse to going to sleep, as a defense mechanism.

Just because you’re a unlikely to witness a horrific accident doesn’t mean these findings can’t be applied to your life. Any negative emotion, like an argument with a spouse or a disagreement at work can cause negative emotions. The study points to the practice that you should try to resolve these feelings before you go to sleep so that you can have a less visceral reaction to the problem in the morning.

Comments by Dennis Edwards:

That is what the Bible has been telling us for 2000 years since Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesian believers.

"Let not the sun go down upon your wrath."[1] 

In other words, do not go to sleep without first resolving your differences or saying your are sorry, if you have had an argument. However, saying you are sorry is not an easy task, but it is better than destroying your health and the relationship you are trying to build by not being sorry and making amends. 

We all battle with these problems of forgiving and trying to make things right. But once you get into the habit of not working through your differences with your mate or co-worker, things build up and you are headed for a destructive encounter in the future. Bitterness will start to brew which if not corrected will develop into hatred and envy. The Bibles says,

". ..lest a root of bitterness trouble you, and thereby many be defiled."[2] 

See your bitterness will grow and will affect others also negatively. 

Therefore, try to follow the Biblical and now scientific admonition and make things right before going to bed. Tell her/him you are sorry and be sorry. Use humility and real love, it never fails. Ask God for His help and He will not fail to help you have the love and humility you need to say "I am sorry," or "I was wrong." It is hard, but it will keep you healthy and your relationship with others growing and improving. Try it. It is better than being sick a little further down the road or destroying an important personal relationship.

We will finish here with the next few sentences in the text to the Ephesians by Paul. 

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth."[3] 

We all know what corrupt means. Paul is talking about those ugly, exaggerated, or untrue comments which we make about others. We should not let them out of our mouth. Jesus said that what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart. 

"But the things that come out of the mouth proceed from the heart, and they defile the man."[4] 

So we will need some heart cleansing to be able to get rid of them. The heart cleansing may involve asking for prayer or confessing your fault to some one strong enough spiritually to be able to help you. Jesus also said,

"Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you."[5] 

So you may need some time in quiet meditation is His Word, letting it speak to your heart and convict you of wrong doing, besides giving you strength and conviction to go forward on the path God is asking of you. You may also need to ask for forgiveness from the person you have been talking negatively about. Jesus said, 

" Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has ought against you; Leave there your gift before the altar, and go your way, first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.."[6]

Again, another not so easy thing to do. In other words, if you realize that someone has an ought against you, you should go and try to make things right. I am battling with this very commandment at this very moment but have resolved to go forward and follow this suggestion and do my part for my own health both physical and spiritual.

Let us go back to Paul and his closing comments to the Ephesians:

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but (rather) that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers."[7]

In other words that your words are a blessing to others and bring God´s presence with them. Jesus said, 

"The words I speak unto you , they are spirit and they are life."[8] 

Your words can bless, or curse. Jesus said we would have to give account for "every idle word" in the day of judgement. If we all knew we would have to give account, we might take a lot more care in what and how we spoke, to make sure our words were ministering grace, or faith to those that hear them. In Proverbs we read, 

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and they that love it, shall eat the fruit thereof."[9] 

In other words, we will eat the fruit of our words, for good and our good, or for evil and our evil.

And now Paul continues by admonishing us to especially avoid the following:

" Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger (sounds like he is repeating the point to make it clear), and clamour (or shouting) and evil speaking (all these we manifest with our words) be put away from you, with all malice (hatred)."[10]

And Paul finishes with the answer,

"And be kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for the sake of Christ has forgiven you."[11] 

Again, love and forgiveness and mercy are the answer God gives to our hardheartedness. Let us pray that today we may walk in love for one another and forgive one another and try again. God bless you and help you in your quest to forgive and live!

[1] Ephesians 4:26

[2] Hebrews 12:15

[3] Ephesians 4:29

[4] Matthew 15:18 

[5] John 15:3

[6] Matthew 5:23-24

[7] Ephesians 4:29-30

[8] John 6:63 

[9] Proverbs 18:21

[10] Ephesians 4:31

[11] Ephesians 4:32

Read More

True Life Values: Quotes From Famous People

True Life Values

A compilation


Nothing truly valuable arises from ambition or from a mere sense of duty; it stems rather from love and devotion towards men.—Albert Einstein

+

We must understand spiritual truths and apply them to our modern life. We must draw strength from the almost forgotten virtues of simplicity, humility, contemplation, and prayer. It requires a dedication beyond science, beyond self, but the rewards are great and it is our only hope.—Charles Lindbergh

+

The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts it.—William James

+

Happiness is not so much in having as sharing. We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.—Norman MacEwan

+

Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. We know more about war than we know about peace, more about killing than we know about living. We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount.—Omar N. Bradley

+

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt within the heart.—Helen Keller

+

Life becomes harder for us when we live for others, but it also becomes richer and happier.—Albert Schweitzer

+

Jesus said, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”1 Living, the real thing, doesn’t consist of things at all, because things cannot truly satisfy. They may temporarily satisfy the body, but they can never satisfy the soul or the spirit that cries out to God its Father for the joy and happiness and the eternal fulfillment that only God can give.—David Brandt Berg

+

We are here to add what we can to, not what we can get from, life.—Sir William Osler

+

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire, and he told his boss of his plans to leave and live a more leisurely life with his wife. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by.

The contractor was sorry to see such a good worker go, and he asked the carpenter to build just one more house as a personal favor.

The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career.

When the carpenter finished his work, the employer came to inspect the house. He handed the front-door key to the carpenter. “This is your house,” he said. “It is my gift to you.”

The carpenter was shocked! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.

So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less than our best into the building. Then with a shock we realize we have to live in the house we have built.

If we could do it over, we’d do it much differently. But we cannot go back.

You are the carpenter of your life. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Your attitudes and the choices you make today build your “house” for tomorrow. Build wisely!—Author unknown

+

One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.—Dale Carnegie

+

Today is a most unusual day, because we have never lived it before; we will never live it again; it is the only day we have.—William A. Ward

+

You had better live your best and act your best and think your best today; for today is the sure preparation for tomorrow and all the other tomorrows that follow.—Harriet Martineau

+

I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it.—Groucho Marx

+

I do not count myself to have [attained]; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.—Philippians 3:13–14

+

In life, you can never do a kindness too soon because you never know how soon it will be too late.—Ralph Waldo Emerson

+

Life isn't a matter of milestones but of moments.—Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy

+

When making your choice in life, do not neglect to live.—Samuel Johnson

+

Life is a flower of which love is the honey.—Victor Hugo

+

The value of life lies not in the length of days, but in the use we make of them.—Michael de Montaigne

+

In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.—Abraham Lincoln

+

Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.—John 12:24

+

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it. Life is beauty, admire it. Life is bliss, taste it. Life is a dream, realize it. Life is a challenge, meet it. Life is a duty, complete it. Life is a game, play it. Life is a promise, fulfill it. Life is sorrow, overcome it. Life is a song, sing it. Life is a struggle, accept it. Life is a tragedy, confront it. Life is an adventure, dare it. Life is luck, make it. Life is too precious, do not destroy it. Life is life, fight for it.—Mother Teresa

+

Dear Lord, keep me from having my life so full of good things that I don't have time for the best. Help me not to be so pressured that I put off my time with You. Help me to bask in Your spiritual sunshine, rest in Your arms, drink deeply of Your Word, and inhale of Your Spirit. Help me to seek You most of all—more than any of the other things I enjoy. Help me to remember how You said that without You, I can do nothing,2 so that I won't have misplaced priorities, but I will have You, Your love, and Your values in the right place—first!3 Copyright@TFI

Read More

The Sultan and Satan: Are You Too Religious?

1. An ancient legend from the East tells how a great Sultan—who was known for being a devout man of God—overslept and didn’t awaken at the hour of prayer. When the Devil saw that the hour was passing, he came and waked him, urging him to get out of bed and pray.
2. “Who are you?” said the startled Sultan, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
3. “Oh, it’s not important.” replied the shady figure. “The important thing is that I woke you up in time! Otherwise you would have missed your prayers for the first time in ten years!—And it IS very good to pray, isn’t it?”
4. “Yes, that is true!” replied the Sultan smugly. “I wouldn’t dream of missing my prayer time.—Not even ONCE!
5. “But wait a minute! I think I recognise you. Yes, I know your face. Of course, you are Satan, and no doubt you have some evil motive for your appearance.”
6. “I’m not really as bad as you think!” exclaimed the intruder. “After all, I was an angel once.”
7. “That is all very well,” replied the wise old Sultan, “but you are the Deceiver, THAT is your business! So I demand in the name of God to know WHY you, of all people, want me to get up and pray!”
8. “Well,” huffed the Devil, having grown impatient with the Sultan’s persistence, “if you must know, I’ll tell you. If you had slept and forgotten your prayers, you would have felt very SORRY for it afterward, and would have been quite PENITENT. But if you continue on as you have, without missing a single prayer for ten years, then you will become so SATISFIED with yourSELF that it will be worse for you than if you had missed one and had repented of it, asking God for forgiveness! God loves your FAULT mixed with PENITENCE much more than yourVIRTUE seasoned with PRIDE!”

*******

9. What an important lesson this old story imparts. Often it is actually GOOD for us to make mistakes! If we didn’t make some mistakes, we’d most likely become so proud of ourselves and self-confident, that we’d no longer feel we needed God nor the help of others. But in reality, when we feel so PROUD and SELF-satisfied, it is because we are NOT closer to GOD, but closer to OURSELVES!
10. Of course, in this modern World of today many people are taught to believe that pride is quite a virtue.—But in GOD’S eyes, pride and self-righteousness are recognised for what they really are—SINS of the heart! In fact, the Bible says that “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall!…and God RESISTS the PROUD, but He gives GRACE unto the HUMBLE” (Proverbs 16:5,18; James 4:6)
11. Quite frequently, the way God helps us keep our pride in check is through our MISTAKES, which serve to keep us humble and broken, more needy of the Lord’s help and more dependent on HIS strength and not our own. It may surprise you to know that the Lord even WANTS us to fail in some things so that we don’t get to thinking too highly of ourselves, thinking that we are so perfect!
12. Out of what seems like defeat come some of God’s greatest victories!—”Victories? But what kind of victory is that?” you may ask. Well, God very often uses humiliating experiences to make of you a better person, more compassionate and understanding of the errors of others, more loving and patient, when otherwise you might not have been so.
13. Isn’t it encouraging to realise that your failures can be looked on as something positive, to see them from a positive viewpoint?—Not as though the Lord were merely trying to crush you to the ground, but that He’s using your mistakes to teach you many important lessons that perhaps you would not learn otherwise WITHOUT such humbling!
14. Of course, in order to do this, we must be honest with ourselves and willing to confess our mistakes and attempt to rectify them. But as they say, the hardest words in any language are, “I was wrong!” And the hardest one to CONFESS our faults to is usually OURSELVES. This takes humility of the kind that only God can give, because it is the inborn sinful nature of man to want to appear perfect and faultless, and consequently he becomes unable to confess his mistakes.
15. But if we want the truth, and we desire God’s blessing, then we’ll honestly and humbly admit and confess our faults and failings, taking comfort in knowing that we are wiser today than we were yesterday. Contrary to what some folks think, an admission of error is a sign of strength rather than a confession of weakness!
16. Besides, God knows you’re anything but perfect. In fact, He knows you CAN’T be perfect and will NEVER be perfect. So the crux of the matter is NOT whether you are perfect or not, but if you depend on the LORD totally, trusting in HIM and HIS grace and His Love and mercy. Do you give HIM all the glory and credit for anything GOOD that you do? Whenever you accomplish something good, do you say, “Just thank JESUS, don’t thank me!—If I have done anything good, it’s only because of the Lord’s help!”
17. A good rule to follow is to give GOD all the glory for anything GOOD you do, and yourself the blame for anything BAD. And it will help keep you from falling into that horrible trap of self-righteous PRIDE, which is the BASIS of virtually ALL SIN!
18. So whenever you make a mistake and are tempted to get down and discouraged, just remember what was said to that Sultan: “God loves your FAULT mixed with PENITENCE, more than your VIRTUE seasoned with PRIDE!”
–––––––––––––-
19. PRAYER: Lord, help us to realise that even our mistakes are good for us. Help us to be honest with ourselves and others about our faults and shortcomings. We confess that without You we are nothing (John 15:5). Help us not to fight Your breakings and remakings, which actually help us to become more yielded, more humble and most of all, more useful for Your service. In Jesus’ name we pray.—Amen. Copyright @TFI

Read More

Hope, Race and Power

January 20, 2012

A 35-minute audio from Dr. Timothy Keller on the topic of cultural and religious differences, judging righteous judgment, and drawing a circle of acceptance and love.

“Racial and cultural differences exist. They cannot be resolved by simply embracing broad-mindedness, but by adjusting our lives and forming deep relationships with people from whom we are different.”

Copyright © 2012 The Family International.

Read More

I Will Move the Rock

Taken from Godvine:

A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and the Savior appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might.

This the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.

Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, Satan decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man's mind such as: "You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn't budged. Why kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it."

Thus giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure, these thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man even more. "Why kill myself over this?" he thought. "I'll just put in my time, giving just the minimum effort, and that will be good enough."

And that he planned to do until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord. "Lord," he said, "I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"

To this the Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to me, with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewed and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. This you have done.

"I, my friend, will now move the rock."

At times when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what he wants, when actually what God wants is just simple obedience and faith in him...

By all means, exercise the faith that moves mountains, but it is still God who moves the mountains.

Read More

Getting Up and Going On!

http://tommyswindow.com//phocadownload/english_ppstext/Getting_Up_and_Going_On.pdf

Read More

Three Items in My Treasure Chest- Anchor

JANUARY 19, 2012

Three Items in My Treasure Chest

By Maria Fontaine- TFI

Someone said to me the other day, “What people need most in times of difficulty and turmoil is faith—faith to know that everything is going to be all right.” I certainly agree. But if what we need most is faith, how can we define that elusive element? What is faith and how do you get it? Faith is intangible; it can’t be seen, heard, touched, tasted, or smelled. Yet we sense it in the spirit. Faith is a belief that the Lord will bring good out of a situation, regardless of what the circumstances are.

Even if we don’t understand exactly what faith is, if it’s what we need in order to make our lives better and happier, how can we get it? We know that the Lord’s words strengthen our faith, but sometimes we still feel we don’t have enough faith or we don’t see how it’s working for us.

I asked myself, What keeps me steady in times of crisis? What keeps me on course and from giving up and saying, “I don’t want to keep trying to make spiritual progress anymore,” “I don’t want to have to give so much,” “I don’t want to care about people anymore,” “I don’t want my heart broken anymore,” “This responsibility is too big for me to keep carrying.”

What keeps me from doubting God’s promises, when all of my faults and failures hang heavily over me like a black cloud, and my feelings threaten to overwhelm me? When so much is changing and I don’t know if I can cope, what keeps me still believing that the difficult things will “come to pass”? If the answer is faith, how does it work? What do I doto have faith? And then what does that faith do for me? What do I do and think that enables me to rise above difficulties and problems? What are the things I do that make my faith strong?

I pondered these personal questions and came up with a list. These are not things that I feel pressured to do and to check off one by one until I get them all done. These are practices and principles that I’ve made a part of my life over the years. Some have become habitual and others I have to consciously think about. But each helps me in some way when I take advantage of them. It’s like a treasure bag or chest that I can dip into when I need it.

Here are three:

Number one: Reminding myself of God’s promises. If faith is believing God, what am I believing Him for? In general, it’s that things are going to eventually turn out all right in whatever situation I’m in. But what specifically am I believing? I’m usually believing something He has said, some of His promises, whichever ones fit my particular situation at the time, or whichever ones speak to me most powerfully. He has given many promises in the Bible and in His living words for today. Let’s go to the Bible for a few examples. These are promises I committed to memory many years ago that have always stood firm.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.¹

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able.²

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.³

My faith in God’s promises has strengthened me thus far and has brought me through many difficulties. I have every reason to keep trusting the Lord, especially in trying times, because He hasn’t failed me in the past. He has always pulled me through and has eventually answered my questions, or given me peace, or healed my body, or directed my path.

I know He’s not going to go back on His word; He says so. It doesn’t matter what my circumstances are, I choose to put my trust in Him, to believe—and keep believing—that He has the power to change things.

There hath not failed one word of all His good promise.⁴

Hath He said, and shall He not do it? Or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?⁵

The second point is this. I’ve found from experience—both my own and that of others—that the tough things I experience help me to 1) understand others and what they go through; 2) be more relatable to others; and 3) gain valuable resources with which I am able to help others. These are positive results that I can be happy for. Hearing me say that, you might ask, “Well, why do we have to sacrifice for others?” I guess we each have to decide that for ourselves—to decide if we’re willing to do that. When I look around and see how few God has who are willing to be His love to others, I realize that He probably feels He needs all of us desperately. But it’s our choice.

The wealth of spiritual knowledge that I’ve gained through difficulties and can now share with others is a treasure—one that can change someone’s heart and spirit and give them purpose and satisfaction and hope.—To say nothing of the satisfaction that it gives me. There is an inborn need within each person to accomplish something useful for their fellow man, to do something that gives meaning to their life, and I’m glad that I can serve others in this way.

And here’s the third point. This is another thing that keeps me stable and continuing “in the faith, grounded and settled,” as Paul put it in Colossians 1:23. I know from experience that the feelings of turbulence and sadness will eventually come to an end. So I just try to be brave and keep going and keep trying to make it easier for others, even when I don’t feel so great myself.

Thomas à Kempis is quoted as saying, “There is no means of escaping from tribulation and sorrow except to bear them patiently.”⁶

Someone rather humorously said that things in life may feel turbulent and you may not feel like holding on, but have you considered the alternative?

Certainly the Bible admonishes us to wait and be patient, promising that we will receive the reward of that endurance. “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”⁷ And “…you have need of patience, that, after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise.”⁸

The Bible also says, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”⁹ Aside from the beautiful promise for the future in this verse, it says “sufferings of this present time”—an encouraging promise and reminder that these sufferings are not forever.

Even if there were no rewards for endurance, I still would not want to give up. I love having treasures to pass on to others. I can’t think of anything in the whole wide world that is more satisfying and fulfilling. Sure, gaining those treasures comes with a price, and sometimes I feel that it’s too hard; but I know that the trials are temporary, and that if I persevere, I’m going to have the continued reward of helping to bring about lasting, wonderful change in the lives of others.

Originally published October 2010. Excerpted and republished January 2012.

---

1 Psalm 34:19.

2 1 Corinthians 10:13.

3 Psalm 55:22.

4 1 Kings 8:56b.

5 Numbers 23:19.

6 German monk and religious writer (1379?–1471) in The Imitation of Christ.

7 Isaiah 40:31.

8 Hebrews 10:36.

9 Romans 8:18.

Read More

The Three Most Important Words- Do You Use Them?

By Dennis Edwards:

Recently, I sadly lost my temper with my family and ended up breaking a large color television that had been donated to us by a visiting missionary. I was angry at the quality of television my young teens were watching and my seemingly inability to influence them for the better.

The Word of God warns consistently about the dangers of getting angry. In Ecclesiastes we read, 

"Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger rests in the bosom of fools."[1] 

James in the New Testament says,  

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath (anger): for the wrath (anger) of man works not the righteousness of God."[2] 

Nevertheless, in a fit of temper, I threw the television to the floor as my teens watched on in horror. I was indeed foolish. I was being what is typical of many "religious" people, I was being a bad sample or an example of what not to do.

It happens to all of us at different moments and in different ways. A friend of mine called it "being human." But the Word of God tells us that we can be transformed by the renewing of our minds to be partakers of His divine nature. The author of Hebrews says,

"And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."[3] 

In Peter we read, 

"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacks these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if you do these things, you shall never fall."[4]

Although I could take solace in the fact that I am human, I nevertheless should be doing better. Usually when things like this happen I know I have gotten away from the Lord because he has promised, 

"I will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon me, because he trusts in me."[5] 

It is a good time to pray and look to the Lord to see where I had messed up and gone astray.

The enemy of our soul is always looking for a way to enter our defenses and get us to do, say or act contrary to the Word of God and good behavior. Peter reminds us to, 

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour; whom resist steadfast in the faith."[6] 

I had failed and done what I should not have done . We so often fail with those closest to us. When my temper calmed down, I knew that God would forgive me, but what about my wife and children? I have found that the three almost most important words for making things right are "I am sorry." Most people accept an honest confession of guilt and a promise of repentance, especially our children who want to love us anyway. So when you screw up, like I did recently and have done in the past, tell them you are sorry and then make a concerted effort to change your bad behavior.

Putting helpful scriptures to memory might be a help. You might fail again, but keep on trying and with the help of God and your own humility, you can change and become that loving father, spouse or friend that you so desperately want to be and your family needs you to be. Your children will love you all the more for your confession of guilt and sin and you are teaching them the right way to make things right when they do wrong.

You could even ask your family or friends to pray with you for strength to change. There is great power in united prayer together. 

"One can chase a thousand, but two can put ten thousand to flight."[7] 

After confessing your fault do not be ashamed of asking for the prayer which we all need at times.

 

"Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you might be healed. The unceasing fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."[8] 

God is in the business of answering prayer. Be sorry, ask for forgiveness, make definite plans to rectify the bad behavior and pray.

The Lord also showed me that the extra glass of wine I had taken at the persistence of a new friend, was the hole in the dike which later removed my natural control value that would have prevented my anger from swelling. Alcohol removes the inhibitions which God has placed to keep our wrong desires and emotions under check. If I want to control my anger and avoid temptations like that occurring in the future, I need to carefully watch my drinking habits. He admonished me to avoid drinking generally, especially during my children´s teenage years when their emotional changes can affect mine also. If I really needed a drink, He told me I should leave it for the end of the day when the teens are in bed. Following His counsel will help to avoid those possibly stressful times of interaction with my teenagers and help me to maintain patience and calm should a stress moment arise.

Here is a good verse:

"There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it."[9] 

May God bless you and keep you overcoming your problems with His help.

Footnotes:

[1] Ecclesiastes 7:9
[2] James 1:19-20
[3] Hebrews 12:2
[4] 2Peter 1:4-10
[5] Isaiah 26:3
[6] 1Peter 5:7-8
[7] Deuteronomy 32:30
[8] James 5:16
[9] 1Corinthians 10:13

Read More