Heap Of Trouble

Given December 22, 2007
Jesus said in John 16:33, "In this world, you will have trouble", and we can all agree this is true. We all have trouble of different kinds and magnitudes. I heard something the other day that made me think of troubles in a different way.

What if....a decree went out in your community to create a Heap of Troubles. This would be a voluntary thing and anyone who wanted to participate could bring their troubles to a pre-determined location and pile them up. This would go on for one week and, at the end of the week, all the troubles heaped up there would be divided into equal parts according to the number of people who had participated. These equal-sized troubles would then be re-distributed to all those involved. What do you think? Would you participate?

I can see a man with an armful of "troubles" coming up to the heap. As he begins to toss his problems onto the pile, another guy backs his pickup truck loaded with his troubles up to the pile. The first guy thinks, "Well, maybe my troubles aren't so bad after all." Do you get the point?

Many times, we think we have troubles and problems until we see someone else's. Then ours don't seem so bad. But, you know, God DOES have a program like this. He DOES want us to bring our troubles to Him and leave them there. But the good news is that they won't get re-distributed back to us. God will take care of them all! "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7". Now, notice that, "due time" part. Most of the time, we'll still have to deal with the results of our bad decisions but God will be right there with us to take us through. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for Thou art with me. Psalms 23:4".

Do you have any troubles? Toss them onto God's heap then let Him direct your paths, Proverbs 3:5-6.

I'm Blessed!

Given October 24, 2007
I've been reading and hearing a lot lately about who I am, what I have, and what I can do as a born-again Christian. The Bible is full of promises made to me, as a believer, that can impact my life and those around me. I'm saved by faith, Ephesians 2:8, I'm a child of God, John 3:1, I have authority over the devil, Luke 10:19, I'm healed, Isaiah 53:5, I can do all things, Philippians 4:13, just to mention a few.

But there's one promise God has directed me to go a little farther in than just knowing it and declaring it over myself. How many times a day do you meet somebody, say hello, and then they ask, "How are you?" For me, it's all the time! My answer for years has been, "Great!" or "Wonderful!". I just didn't want to say, "Fine."; that didn't tell how I really am as a Christian. I'm better than fine!

On this day I read Ephesians 1:3 which said, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ". That verse says God HAS blessed me, He's already done it, so I'm blessed! All the time, I'm blessed! So, God directed me, when someone asked me how I was, to say, "I'm blessed!" And that's what I've been saying for a few weeks now.

About half the people I say that to do a double-take and make a comment about what I said. It's a witness! Sometimes I say, "I'm blessed and so are you." It's the truth. We are all blessed and I'm enjoying telling people about it and seeing God get the glory! How are you?

Life Timeline

Given May 1, 2007
I am responsible for the prayer chains at church and lead the morning prayer on Sundays. Every week we have numerous prayer requests for people who are sick and some of them are elderly and near death. "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. Hebrews 9:27". This is talking about our mortal bodies; our bodies will die but who we really are, our spirits, will live forever.

In my devotional on this beautiful morning, I read a statement that was a revelation to me. It said about people who are near physical death, "Give them courage and hope as they face the roughest part of their physical journey on their way to the best part of their spititual journey." If we see our life as a timeline beginning at birth and never ending, death is way to the left and the good part stretches out to infinity! If they're saved, they need to look forward and not back.

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thesselonians 4:16-18".

Walk This Way

Given May 2, 2007
God has provided a way for each of us. I wrote about this recently relating to some erroneous advice I'd given my boys about their future and recently God showed me another way to look at it.

Isaiah 30:21 says, "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it"." So, I get the picture of a path laid before me, it's a good road and I can see pretty far up ahead. That's not too hard to follow especially if God is behind me encouraging me to go on.

But, what about when the way ahead is really foggy and you can't see where you're going? You're almost walking blindly into who knows what. That's where trust and faith comes in. We don't need to see where we're going if God has planned our journey and is behind us telling us to keep moving. God told Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. Genesis 12:1". Abram didn't know where he was going but he trusted God to know what was best for him and his family. We must do the same. If we trust God and keep moving, eventually the fog will disipate and the path will be clear. Besides, there may be distractions along the path God doesn't want us to see.

I will be entering into the ranks of the retired soon and I was sort of whining to God in prayer recently about Him not telling me yet what He's got planned for me. The scripture above immediately came to mind along with the phrase, "You'll know when we get there." Okay!

Spiritual Pep Talk

Given April 3, 2005

Being a former athlete and coach, I've been involved in many a pep talk. They're designed to, well... pep you up, and get you ready for the game. A good coach can really inspire you to go out there, do your best, and be confident you can defeat your opponent. Right?

I've discovered I can do the same thing to myself as I get ready to face each day. I give myself a spiritual pep talk from the Word of God as soon as my feet hit the floor in the morning! And, sometimes during the day as well. It goes something like this:

• I am a child of God. 1 John 3: 2
• I’m an heir of God and joint heir with Christ. Romans 8: 16-17
• He has made me a king and a priest. Revelation. 5:10
• I look like God. Genesis 1:26
• The Spirit of God dwells in me. 1 Corinthians 3: 16
• I am more than a conqueror through Him who loved me. Romans 8: 37
• He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world. 1 John 4: 4
• I’m the head and not the tail; above only, and not be beneath. Deuteronomy 28: 13
• By His stripes I am healed. Isaiah 53: 5
• I am His workmanship. Ephesians 2: 10
• I have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2: 16
• Behold, I have authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means harm me. Luke 10: 19
• I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4;13
• My God shall supply all my need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philipians 4:19
• The joy of the Lord is my strength. Nehemiah 8:10

By the time I get downstairs, I'm fired up and ready to meet whatever the day brings. Memorize some of these verses or find your own and try it yourself. You'll "scripture" yourself happy, confident, and powerful!