Category: Encouragement

No Worries.

I sometimes struggle with anxiety. If I let my mind wander, I can come up with all kinds of things to stress over. It’s the uncertainty of life that gets to me. I want to know what’s going to happen, and I want to have a say in it!

But the reality is, most things are out of our control. Disease, disaster, death, and destruction can strike without warning. Rather than despair, however, we can take comfort in the words of Jesus.

Worry is damaging.

Unchecked, worry can have devastating effects. It can make you physically ill, contributing to things like digestive disorders and cardiovascular disease. It can even lead to depression and suicidal thoughts.

Worry also affects your spiritual life. Listen to this warning from Jesus in Mathew 13, where he explains that the worries of life can prevent us from growing spiritually:

The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.

~Mathew 13:22

Take a moment now and read Mathew 6: 19-34.

Notice that right before Jesus addresses the topic of worry, He talks about the problem with focusing on wealth. Why? I think it’s because some people believe that more money will rid them of their worries. This is a trap. Wealth can evaporate in an instant, and no amount of it will ever satisfy your deepest needs. Not only that, but if you’re not careful, the pursuit of wealth can become all consuming. Money becomes your master, and it is a cruel master indeed.

Sources of worry.

God knows what we tend to worry about most. Our immediate physical needs are always front and center in our minds. We need food, water, shelter, and clothes to survive, and when those things are in jeopardy, we start to fret.

But Jesus reminds us that if we trust God, He will provide for us.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 

Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 

Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 

If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?”

~Mathew 6:25-30

Letting go.

When you begin to worry, remember this quote:

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.” ~ Corrie Ten Boom

Worry is a sign that you are clinging to this world. Life is short and this world is temporary. Jesus said, “If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it” (Mathew 10:39).

So stop worrying! God is in control. If you seek first the kingdom of God and strive to live righteously, God promises to take care of your needs and work everything together for your good in the end.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Romans 8:28

Little Things, Big Things.

Imagine being a teenager living at the end of the iron age. An enemy nation conquers your people, and takes you captive. They drag you far from home to a strange land where you will face an uncertain fate.

Such was the plight of four, teenaged boys (Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah) when Babylon conquered Israel in 605 B.C.

We read in the book of Daniel that these four were part of a larger group of Hebrew captives. This was a group of exceptional young men; boys of noble stock, boys with high intelligence and wisdom. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, wanted this group of talented youths to serve in his palace, and ordered his advisors to teach them the language and literature of Babylon.

A little test of faith.

The king provided these Hebrew boys with the best food and drink the kingdom had to offer. We don’t know exactly why, but something about this food was dishonoring to God. (See: What was wrong with the king’s food? for possible reasons why.)

So this group of young men faced a dilemma: if they refused the kings offerings, there would certainly be consequences, but if they partook, they would be sinning against God.

We don’t know exactly how many Hebrew boys were in this elite group, but the text implies that all but Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah went ahead and ate the food. Maybe they figured that, under the circumstances, it wasn’t that big of a deal. Perhaps some of them were angry at God, and ate the food out of spite. Maybe some of them didn’t want to eat it, but were afraid not to.

But Daniel and his three friends took a stand. They decided to obey God, and they were willing to face whatever ridicule or punishment might come their way.

Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah,

“Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink.

Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.”

So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.

At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 

So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.

-Daniel 1 : 11 – 16

Daniel and his friends didn’t make excuses. They didn’t blow off God’s commands because they were inconvenient. They chose to obey, whatever the cost.

Eating the king’s food may not have been a huge deal (the text says nothing disparaging about the young men who did eat it), but it was important to Daniel and his friends to remain faithful, even in the little things. God rewarded them for their obedience.

To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.

Daniel 1: 17

A big test of faith.

Some time later, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, made a great, golden statue (ninety ft. tall, nine ft. wide), and ordered his subjects to worship it. Anyone who refused would be thrown into a fiery furnace.

Daniel must have been on assignment elsewhere when this happened, for he is not mentioned in this part of the story. But Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, were present, and as you can imagine, worshiping an idol was a big no-no for them.

Once again, these men were being tested, only this time the stakes were life and death. Worship the idol, or die. Those were their options.

But they would not bow to a false god! Once again, they took a stand, staying faithful to the one, true God.

(Note: the following text uses the Babylonian names given to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.)

But some of the astrologers went to the king and informed on the Jews.

They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “Long live the king!

You issued a decree requiring all the people to bow down and worship the gold statue when they hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments.

That decree also states that those who refuse to obey must be thrown into a blazing furnace.

But there are some Jews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up.”

Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. When they were brought in,

Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up?

I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you.

If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.

But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

Daniel 3: 8 -18

The king made good on his promise, and threw Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah into a furnace so hot that it killed the guards who tossed them in! But God demonstrated His power, and the three men walked out completely unharmed.

This miracle had a profound impact on the king and the entire nation. Even today, thousands of years later, we are still telling the tale of these men and their unwavering faithfulness. How many millions of people throughout the years has this story encouraged and inspired?

The little things matter.

As I studied the first three chapters of Daniel this week, I really felt the significance of the first part of the story where they refused to eat the king’s food. There’s an important principle here: If you’re not faithful in the little things, you won’t be faithful in the big things.

Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah trusted and obeyed God when the stakes were low. This gave them the confidence to do the same thing years later when their lives were on the line.

You and I may never face a situation as dire as Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah did, but we should be prepared to. That means being obedient today in the little things to strengthen our faith for the big things.

On Sheep.

If you could be any animal, what animal would you choose? Something majestic and strong, like a lion, perhaps? Maybe something cunning and fierce, like a wolf? How cool would it be to soar through the clouds as an eagle?

Odds are, you wouldn’t choose a sheep. Most people don’t think very highly of them. When someone is labeled a sheep, it’s meant as a knock on their intelligence and their ability to think for themselves.

At first it may seem insulting that God’s people are compared to sheep in the Bible. We like to think we’re better than that, but that’s just our pride talking. In fact, there are valuable lessons to be learned when we properly understand the analogy of God as our shepherd and we as His sheep.

Going astray.

The prophet Isaiah said:

“All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own…” (Isaiah 53:6a).

I did a Google search and found out some interesting reasons why sheep go astray. The following is adapted from the Google AI Overview:

Frightened:

Sheep are prey animals and have a natural instinct to flee when they feel threatened. Loud noises, quick movements, and dogs can all scare sheep and make them run.

Distracted:

Sheep can also wander off, even in ideal environments with food and water, because they can get distracted or busy. For example, they might get so focused on grazing that they don’t notice their flock has moved.

Separated from the flock:

Sheep are social animals that feel safe in groups, so separating one sheep from the rest can be frightening and disturbing.

Let’s look at how the factors that cause literal sheep to go astray also impact us as metaphorical sheep.

Fear.

It’s not surprising that fear is one of the things that causes us to wander from God. Fear is a powerful negative emotion.

Fear undermines our trust in God’s sovereignty. It fills us with doubt and uncertainty. Fear of failure keeps us from stepping out in faith. Fear of rejection keeps us silent when we should speak.

But God is more powerful than your fears. The message “don’t be afraid” appears hundreds of time in scripture. Ask God for the courage to overcome your fears, and don’t let fear take you off the path He has for you.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

-II Timothy 1:7

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.

Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

-Proverbs 3: 5-6

Distractions.

Even when life is going great and we’re not living in fear, busyness and distractions can lead us away from God.

We spend our days in the rat race, trying to make enough money to pay our bills and get a little bit ahead. The various roles we play (i.e. parent, friend, spouse, employee, etc.) consume a lot of time and energy. With all this busyness, who has time for reading the Bible, praying, and going to church?

And how easy is it to spend all day on frivolous things? I’m guilty. I can’t tell you how many days I’ve wasted scrolling through Facebook, watching T.V., playing video games, etc. It’s easy to get sucked into trivialities, and to lose sight of what really matters.

We must examine our lives frequently to make sure we have our priorities straight. We must continually reevaluate and refocus to ensure our Shepherd is in sight, and that we’re following in His footsteps.

I like this quote from C.S. Lewis:

“I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that other country and to help others to do the same.” [emphasis mine]

Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.

-Colossians 3:2

Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word.

-Psalm 119:37

Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest.

-Hebrews 3:1

Isolation.

Like sheep, we are social creatures. We need each other. Surround yourself with strong Christians dedicated to following the Lord, and you will be more likely to stay on the right path.

We are not meant to go through life’s trials alone. Find a good church where God’s Word is faithfully preached, and get in the habit of attending weekly. Seek out Christian fellowship. Lean on your brothers and sisters when you are weak, and be ready to support them when they need you.

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

-Proverbs 27:17

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

-Hebrews 10:25

The Good Shepherd.

We’ve looked at one side of the shepherd/sheep analogy, and hopefully you found it insightful how some of the same things that cause sheep to lose their way cause us to stray from God. Now we’ll look at the other side of the analogy: God’s role as our Shepherd.

Let’s return to Isaiah 53:6, and look at the last part of it:

“All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on Him the sins of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6).

In spite of our waywardness, our shepherd loves us. So much so, that He took our sins upon Himself and died in our place.

I’ll close with the words of Jesus found in John 10. May they encourage and inspire you to stay close to The Good Shepherd.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.

A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock.

The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep.

I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, 

just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. 

I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.“

-John 10: 11-16

Good News!

The literal meaning of the word “gospel” is: good news. But the gospel is more than just good news. It’s the best news! It gives meaning and purpose to our existence, and points the way to eternal life in a perfectly restored world.

Today I want to share the gospel with you, the essence of the Christian faith.

The Romans Road.

In his letter to the church in Rome, the Apostle Paul laid out the fundamentals of Christianity. The “Romans road to salvation” is a selection of key verses from that letter that succinctly present the gospel message.

We’re going to examine those verses, and delve into their meaning and application. I encourage you to read the entire book of Romans so that you can appreciate the verses in their full context.

Bad news first.

The first few chapters of Romans are a bit of a downer. Paul is “setting the stage” so to speak, and the picture he paints is quite grim. It turns out that no matter how good you are, you’re not good enough to earn God’s favor. God judges you against His standard of perfection, and you simply do not measure up. You have sinned (an archery term meaning: missed the mark); you fall short.

Key verse:

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

Romans 3:23

It gets worse.

Ok, so you’ve sinned. Is it really that big of a deal? As it turns out, yes. Our sin is an affront to a holy God, and the penalty is death. Not just physical death, but an eternal separation from God, the source of all that is good.

Key verse:

For the wages of sin is death…

Romans 6:23a

We are all guilty of sin, and therefore, we are all sentenced to death. The importance of this truth cannot be understated. Until a person realizes they are a sinner facing eternal punishment, they cannot see their need for salvation.

For the hard-hearted, the seed of the gospel dies here. The proud man will not acknowledge he is a sinner. He shakes his fist at God in defiance. Such a man is doomed if his heart does not change. But for those who acknowledge the sinful nature inside themselves, a nature that behaves contrary to God’s laws, there is hope.

The solution.

The second half of Romans 6:23 is our first look at the good news.

…but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23b

Yes! A reprieve! A gift that replaces death with life! A gift made possible by Christ Jesus.

The obvious questions are: “how does Jesus provide this gift?” and “how does one receive it?”

The ultimate sacrifice.

Because God is just, He cannot let sin go unpunished. But because God is merciful, He made a plan to both punish sin and forgive sinners like you and me. How did He accomplish this? He came to earth as a man: Jesus. He lived a perfect, sinless life. Then He took our penalty upon Himself, and suffered death in our place. The blood He spilled on the cross paid our ransom in full.

Key verse:

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Romans 5:8

Salvation.

Jesus’s death on the cross paid for our sin. His resurrection confirmed that He had the power and authority to make this atonement on our behalf.

Now we come to the nuts-and-bolts of salvation: repentance and faith.

Repentance means admitting that you are a sinner, and turning 180 degrees from your sin toward God. It means acknowledging that God is right, and you are wrong. It means confessing to God your personal need for forgiveness, and asking Him for it.

Faith means trusting that God will make good on His promise. It means believing that because of what Christ did for you, you have been made holy in His eyes, and will not suffer His righteous judgement.

Key verses:

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:9

For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Romans 10:13

When you repent and put your faith in Christ, you receive the gift of salvation. As a result, you become a new creature (see II Corinthians 5:17). Christ becomes your King. This is what it means to be a Christian.

Blessed assurance.

Our journey down the Romans road ends with reassurance that our hope in Christ is not misplaced.

Key verses:

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.

Romans 5:1

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:1

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 

No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38 – 39

If this is your first exposure to the gospel, or if you have heard it before but never responded to it, I pray that the message pierces your heart. May you be moved to repent and put your faith in Jesus Christ.

If you are already a Christian, let the gospel encourage and inspire you. Thank God for your blessed hope, and look for opportunities to share the good news with others!

Memorizing Scripture.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been memorizing one new verse of scripture a day. When I was trying to decide what to write about for this post, my daughter said, “Daddy, why don’t you write about the verses you’ve been memorizing?” That sounded like a great idea to me, so here goes!

Why memorize?

Memorizing scripture is not easy. It takes time and effort, but the process has many benefits.

  1. As you work to retain a verse in memory, you start to think deeply about the meaning of it and how it applies to your life.

  2. While you’re focused on scripture, your mind isn’t wandering aimlessly, or worse, thinking thoughts that are harmful / sinful.

  3. Once a verse is stored in memory, you can bring it to mind when you need it, and it can be a source of comfort, encouragement, or inspiration.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Psalm 119:11

Five verses:

I’m going to go through five of the verses I’ve memorized recently, and talk about what they mean to me:

1

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

Proverbs 4:23

The “heart” in this verse is your innermost self. It’s the true, unfiltered, genuine you. It’s the seat of your emotions and desires. What’s in your heart is who you really are.

This verse is a warning to be careful what you allow to influence and shape you. Choose carefully what you watch, what you listen to, and who you associate with, because what you let into your heart becomes a part of you, and will determine how your life plays out.

2

I will praise the Lord as long as I live. I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.

Psalm 146:2

This is a pledge to be loyal and faithful to God to the end. By making this pledge daily, you’ll be able to say at the end of your life: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (II Timothy 4:7).

3

The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.

Psalm 145:8

This verse encapsulates the nature of God. It is because of His mercy, compassion, and unfailing love that He sent His Son to die on a cross for our sins (John 3:16). It is His loving nature that motivates us to love Him. (“We love him, because he first loved us” I John 4:19).

4

He counts the stars and calls them all by name.

Psalm 147:4

This verse speaks of the unfathomable mind of God. Imagine a mind capable of knowing, not only the exact number of stars, but also their individual names! It reminds us how great God is, and how truly limited we are by comparison. (see also Isaiah 55:8-9).

5

Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp.

Psalm 131:1

This verse is a great reminder that we should always approach God with humility. We may not know why God allows certain things to happen in our lives, but we can trust that He is in control. We should let go of the things that are beyond our understanding.

You can do it!

I challenge you to commit more scripture to memory. Even memorizing one new verse a month is better than nothing. Find a verse that speaks to you, write it out on a 3 x 5 card, and go over it at least once a day. Meditate on it and see how it impacts your life. You’ll be glad you did!

Side note: If you have a hard time memorizing things, I hear ya. If you want to improve your ability to memorize scripture (or anything else), I recommend a book by Kevin Horsley called, Unlimited Memory. It’s not magic; you’ll have to work to learn the methods that he teaches, but I’ve found them to be quite effective.

Faithful, Gracious, And Just.

Read Psalm 34. Take your time and meditate on each verse.

David wrote this Psalm during a very difficult period in his life. He and his men were being hunted by king Saul. They were hiding out in caves, and they had run out of food. Think about the fact that David was homeless and starving when he wrote these words:

I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.

I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart.

Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together.

Psalm 34 :1-3

How was David able to praise God even under these terrible circumstances? Because he knew God’s character. Throughout Psalm 34, David focuses on three aspects of God’s character: His faithfulness, His grace, and His justice.

God’s Faithfulness.

David experienced God’s faithfulness firsthand. When he was a boy, God helped him defend his father’s flock from vicious predators. As a young man, God gave him victory over the giant, Goliath.

So when David’s situation became desperate, he did not despair. He knew that God is faithful. He trusted that God would deliver him. This gave him strength, and alleviated his fears.

I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.

Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.

In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles.

For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him.

Psalm 34: 4-7

Life is full of ups and downs, but in times of hardship, remember that God is in control, and He is faithful.

The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.

Psalm 34: 17-19

2) God’s Grace.

Grace means unmerited favor or kindness. David understood that he was a sinful man, and that he had done nothing to earn God’s favor. He was ever in awe of God’s great mercy and love, and he knew he didn’t deserve it (see Psalm 51).

But David knew the grace of God.

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!

Fear the Lord, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need.

Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.

Psalm 34: 8-10

For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken!

—-

But the Lord will redeem those who serve him. No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

Psalm 34: 20 & 22

Like David, we should marvel at God’s grace. We are nothing but rebellious sinners, yet God offers us redemption and mercy. Salvation comes only through God’s grace (Ephesians 2: 8-9).

3) God’s Justice.

David saw wicked men around him prospering while he himself suffered. But he knew that God is just, and that the wicked would pay in due time.

God is loving and patient, and He wants people to repent and be saved (II Peter 3:9). But God is also just. Those who continue in their wicked ways and refuse God’s mercy will face His justice!

The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help.

But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their memory from the earth.

Psalm 34: 15-16

Calamity will surely destroy the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished.

Psalm 34: 21

It may seem like the wicked prosper. They often do… for a season. But rest assured that one day God will judge them for their evil deeds.

So whatever you’re going through right now, do what David did and praise God because He is faithful, gracious, and just.

Friendship.

Do you remember the story of Job? The Bible tells us that Job was a righteous man whom God had greatly blessed. Job had health, wealth, family, and the respect of his peers. Then, without warning or explanation, everything he held dear was taken from him. His wealth was plundered/destroyed, his children were killed, and he became horribly ill, his skin covered in boils. Ugh!

Enter Job’s friends. Let’s look at the men who came to visit Job in his time of need, and see if we can learn a few things about friendship from them.

When three of Job’s friends heard of the tragedy he had suffered, they got together and traveled from their homes to comfort and console him. Their names were Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite.

When they saw Job from a distance, they scarcely recognized him. Wailing loudly, they tore their robes and threw dust into the air over their heads to show their grief. 

Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and nights. No one said a word to Job, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words.

Job 2:11-13

True friends.

Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, demonstrated friendship in a powerful way. These men likely had families, careers, and responsibilities, yet they dropped everything and “traveled from their homes to comfort and console [Job]”. They had no ulterior motives, for Job had nothing to offer them. They went and sat with Job in silence for seven days, their presence sending a clear message: “We love you, dear friend.”

This got me to thinking: Have I cultivated any friendships in my life that rise to this level? If tragedy fell upon me, do I have a single friend that cares for me enough to do anything close to what Job’s friends did for him? Bonds this strong don’t happen by accident, and it’s a testament to Job’s character that he had at least four friends (Elihu is the fourth friend, mentioned later in the story) that cared for him so deeply.

And what have I done for my friends in need? A short phone call? A quick visit? A few hours of my time? When I look at what Job’s friends did for him, I must admit, I feel convicted. I may not be able to go and sit with a friend for seven days in silence, but I could certainly do better than say, “man, I’m really sorry about what happened,” and then just go back to my life. I need to do better in the future.

Not perfect.

Job chapter 3 – chapter 27 records the dialogue between Job and his three friends (note: the fourth and youngest friend, Elihu, is listening to the conversation).

Job’s friends clearly loved him, and had the best of intentions. Unfortunately, they thought they understood the cause of Job’s misfortune when, in fact, they did not. As a result, they added insult to injury by insisting that Job must have committed some heinous sin, and that God was punishing him for it.

Instead of comforting Job, they started preaching at him. They made assumptions that were false. They offered unsolicited and unwarranted advice, telling Job that he needed to repent of whatever terrible, secret sin he had committed.

On the one hand, this shows that Job’s friends were candid, and felt free to speak their minds with Job. That’s a positive thing. But they didn’t have enough information to rightly judge Job’s situation or to offer wise counsel. As a result, they unintentionally made the situation worse.

As we are told in Ecclesiastes 3:7, there is a time to speak, and a time to remain silent. When dealing with friends in pain, we should listen first, then pray for the wisdom to say things that are both comforting and true. If such words don’t come to us, we ought to keep quiet. Elihu demonstrates this for us in Job 32 – 37. He listened carefully, and when it was his turn to speak, he offered real words of wisdom.

The greatest friend.

The old hymn, “What a friend we have in Jesus” is one of my favorites. Jesus told His disciples, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). And that’s exactly what Jesus did for you and me. He willingly laid down His life to pay our sin-debt. He offers the free gift of salvation to all who repent and put their faith in Him.

Jesus serves as the ultimate example of what a friend should be: loving, compassionate, and selfless.

So how good a friend are you? I know I have room for improvement in this area, and I suspect you do too. I think we could all be more giving of ourselves, more careful with our words, and better friends to each other.

What Foundation Are You Building On?

I recently got one of those notifications on Facebook where it says something like, “Here’s a memory from this date X years ago!” and it shows you an old post you made. The post was from February 2012, and this is what it said:

“Feel awful today and don’t know why. Sad, depressed, miserable… just having a bad friggen day. Going to go to bed early and hope tomorrow turns out better.“

This got me thinking back to that time in my life, my early thirties.

Financially, things were good. My wife and I were both working, and we were debt free, except for our mortgage. We had money to invest, and we had enough disposable income to do the things we wanted to do.

Marriage was good. We had our ups and downs, of course, but we’d been married for over a decade, and had found a comfortable rhythm. We had no kids, so we spent a lot of time together, and we genuinely enjoyed each other’s company.

Physically, I was as healthy and strong as I have ever been. I had more hair, more energy, and better eyesight. I had free time to do what I wanted to do: I worked out, I played video games, I watched movies.

And yet… I was hurting, and I was miserable. What’s worse, I couldn’t figure out why. I remember having lunch with a buddy of mine during this time and lamenting, “I should be happy! Everything is great. I’ve got everything I need and more. I should be happy, but I’m not!”

A foundation of sand.

I thought at the time that I could find joy, peace, and satisfaction in the material world. If I worked hard enough, those things would surely come. I just needed a little more… more money, more status, more stuff.

But I discovered first-hand the truths found in the book of Ecclesiastes: Wealth is not the answer. Fame is not the answer. Pleasure is not the answer. No amount of earthly treasure is enough to satisfy the soul.

I like what actor/comedian Jim Carrey said: “I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer.“

A life of joy, peace, and satisfaction cannot be built on a foundation of worldly pursuits. Wealth, power, influence, fame… these are naught but shifting sand. Whatever you build on them is destined to fall.

“But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 

The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Mathew 7: 26-27

The Solid Rock.

Instead of building on sand, you can build on Jesus Christ, the solid rock.

Don’t misunderstand. This doesn’t mean you will escape the storms of life. In fact, the Bible virtually promises hardship and sorrow will be a part of following Christ. But if you build your life on Jesus, then your joy, peace, and satisfaction will not collapse when the storms hit. Your Foundation will be unshakeable.

Jesus said:

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 

Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.”

Mathew 7: 24-25

Build with the future in mind.

This broken world we live in is temporary. It will pass away. If you build your life on an earthly foundation, you will perish. Build your life on Jesus, and you will live.

And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

I John 2:17

Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 

For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 

And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

Colossians 3: 2-4

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Mathew 6: 19-21

Missionary, Charles Studd, wrote:

Only one life ’twill soon be past.
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Friend, I have built on sand, and I have built on the Rock. The Rock is better. Take some time this week to think about what’s at the foundation of your life. What are you building on?

Nothing New.

When I write these posts, I have a couple of goals in mind. One is to communicate truth, and only truth, to the best of my ability. I never want to lead someone down the wrong path.

Another goal is to write something useful. I don’t want to waste your time. I want you to walk away with something important to think about; something that will have a real, positive impact on your life.

These are good goals, but the second one sometimes trips me up. It subtly morphs into, “I want to write something new / innovative / flashy / profound / exciting!” My ego whispers, “unless what you have to say is new and brilliant, it’s not worth saying.“

I was recently reading C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity, and the following passage really spoke to me on this issue:

“The real job of every moral teacher is to keep on bringing us back, time after time, to the old simple principles which we are all so anxious not to see; like bringing a horse back and back to the fence it has refused to jump or bringing a child back and back to the bit in its lesson that it wants to shirk.”

Mere Christianity; Book 3, Chapter 3

I realized I needn’t worry about writing anything new or original. It is worthwhile to revisit those old, simple principles that we so easily forget; those truths that we need to be reminded of, over and over again.

True love.

So, today, allow me to remind you of this: God loves you.

It blows my mind that God, Creator of all things, cares about us. In the scope of creation, what are we but specks of dust? Yet, the Bible makes it clear that God loves mankind, and not just mankind as a whole, but individuals, including you and me.

His love is not based on who we are (for we are truly wretched creatures), but on who He is. So great is His love for us that He became flesh, lived a sinless life, and took the punishment we deserve onto Himself, providing the way for us to be forgiven and redeemed.

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Romans 5:8

For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

I John 4:10

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.

I John 4:16

No matter what you’ve done, no matter where you are in life, God loves you. If you call out to Him, He will save you from your sin… because He loves you. He will make you into a new creature, and He will carry you through life’s difficulties… because He loves you.

The fact that God loves you may be nothing new, but it’s definitely a truth worth revisiting over, and over again.

Unconventional Gratitude.

We just celebrated Thanksgiving, and I certainly have much to be thankful for. It’s easy to be grateful for the good things … friends, family, health, food, shelter, clothes, etc. etc. But lately God has challenged me to be thankful for some less-than-ideal things.

Replace the grumble.

A typical morning: My 13-year-old dog wakes me up from a deep sleep because she wants breakfast –grumble-. As I stumble out of bed, I’m reminded of all my body aches … neck, back, shoulders –grumble!- I feed the dog, then decide to feed myself. I make a cup of coffee, then pull a breakfast sandwich out of the freezer, but I can’t read the tiny print that tells me how long to heat it up for –grumble!!- I hunt down my reading glasses, toss the sandwich in the microwave, but then my kid needs something and I get distracted. By the time I get back to my coffee and sandwich, both are ice-cold –grumble!!!

Lately the Holy Spirit has shown me that there’s a lot to be grateful for in my morning routine. I am thankful that my old dog is still with me. Though my body hurts, I am thankful that I’m not bed-ridden or wheelchair bound. Though my eyesight is getting worse, praise God I can still see! And though my coffee and egg-muffin are cold, I’m glad to have sustenance.

I’ve started to replace the grumble with gratitude and it has improved my mornings dramatically.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

I Thessalonians 5:18

Thankful for “no”.

God, why didn’t you give me ______?

My “blank” has lots of things in it. Wealth, fame, talent, etc. If God were a genie that granted wishes, I’d be a rockstar/movie-god with mansions, yachts, and a private jet (just one, ’cause I’m not greedy or anything).

Sometimes I look at what the millionaires and billionaires have and wonder why God is holding out on me. Instead of being grateful for what I have, I start to envy what I don’t.

But God has given me an answer to my question, and it’s actually a little embarrassing. I know that if God gave me all the things my sinful heart desires, my relationship with Him would go down the toilet. I would be caught up in, and consumed by, the pleasures of this world, and I would go spiritually bankrupt.

There’s a passage in proverbs where Agur asks God specifically not to give him riches for this very reason.

…give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’

Proverbs 30:8-9

I’m like a child who wants pizza and ice-cream for every meal, and can’t understand why his parents say, “no!” I’m learning that when God says “no” it’s for my benefit.

Grateful in suffering.

In II Corinthians, the Apostle Paul talks about his “thorn in the flesh.” We’re not given the details, but it’s clear from the passage that this thorn is something very unpleasant. Three times Paul asks God to remove it, and God replies, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (II Corinthians 12:9a)

Paul came to understand that even this difficult thing in his life was there for his good. It kept him humble, and it allowed God to continue to work through him.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 

That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

II Corinthians 12:9-10

It’s hard to be grateful when you’re hurting. It may be the most difficult test of faith. To be in physical or emotional pain and believe that God is good and that your pain has a purpose.

Remember this promise from the book of Romans:

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28

Challenge yourself to be a grateful person. Be grateful for what you have, and for what you don’t. Be grateful in the midst of suffering, believing that one day you will understand how everything you experienced in life was a manifestation of God’s love, mercy, and grace.

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