The Plan of God

January 1, 2006

Each of us looks forward to yet another New Year; a chance for change, to resolve old habits through new promises in hopes of making this New Year better than the last. Did you ever stop to think if your promises where aligned in "The Plan of God" for your life.

Many of us just worry about making it through another day; fighting the next traffic jam that always seems to confront us when we are late for work, or missed meeting that should have been modified from the very beginning. Promises to do better in the year to come -- we can't even get past the major promises of loose weight, read God's Word more, or even have some quiet time with Him. Making new promises that include His plan for our life certainly sounds like a promise that will fail before it starts. But why is that? (Psalm 40:8 - "I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.")

Wanting to get right with Him should be our top priority, but normally it is farest thought from our daily tasks. Isn't it important to know that what we are doing is aligned with what He wants for us? Then why don't we take time to really make the change when given a chance? God must certainly understand our need to make intelligent decisions about very practical concerns, so why doesn't He help to get our personal life arranged to align with His will? He wants us to keep the big picture in mind and concentrate on our relationship with Him, but He is also a God of the details. So how can be balance our day to include Him? If you can honestly answer that question, you could make a promise that may work in 2006 and beyond.

Paul wrote - "For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." (Colossians 1:9-14)

As we begin 2006, promise what you know you have the ability to complete...God will honor it. As to the rest..ask Him for strength and let Him supply it. If you really think about it...if we could do it on our own...we wouldn't give Him the credit; therefore, depend on Him for the strength to move forward. Happy New Year...

Politically Correct Christmas

A community declines when the majority of its citizens become selfish, and under this influence it slowly dismantles all the restraints upon self-indugence established by manners, customs, traditions and laws. As each subsequent generation of selfish citizens inherits control of the community, it takes its opportunity to abandon more of the irksome restraints that genius and wisdom has installed. The proponents of this social demolition achieve their irrational purpose by publicly embracing absurdity through slogans, while vilifying any who do not support their stance. The purpose of the slogan is to enshrine irrational fears, or fancies, as truth through the use of presumptuous words. Now, early in the 20^th century, the results of being bourgeois (retaining traditional notions), is being labeled racist, sexist, radical right, etc. with the risk of losing a job, your reputation, being jostled in the street, being subject to judicial penalty and death threats. And it is this extremity of reaction that has won media attention and the name Political Correctness, though the reaction will become even more unpleasant with the next generation.

AUSTIN, TX – Attorneys for the complaintive, filed a suit in the Austin Federal Court today seeking to prevent Santa Claus from making his list and then checking it twice. In addition and as part of this same suit, the complaintive added a secondary point to this immediate injunction against this well known Christmas icon asking that the court…

• Effectively bans all traditional practices of Mr. Claus claiming..."such practices determine behavioral patterns that produce irreversible trauma to the individual's self-esteem when labeled good or bad.” The suit goes on to ask the federal judge to hereby order, “Mr. Claus to cease and desist all repetitive and duplicative list-checking activity, and certify the original list is to be submitted, without amendment, alteration, deletion, or other unnecessary modification." “There are no standards for deciding who is naughty, and who is nice. Actions are totally arbitrary and capricious. How many more times does he need to check? This checking, checking, and re-checking over and over again must stop now."
• “Mr. Claus to stop referring to this December Holiday as ‘Christmas’, declaring that “people need to say “Have a Happy Holiday" in all public areas,” thus separate and/or remove any suggestion of Christ from Christmas" on the ground for separation of church and state.

Senator Edward Kennedy continued the arguement citing...“the potential for unauthorized list tampering suggests improprieties that are certainly questionable” and “that needs to fall under Homeland Security.” Senator Kennedy goes on to state..."Their security is really awful”, said Mr. Kennedy. "My mother just walked right in, told 'em she was Mrs. Claus and they didn't check her ID. No wonder there is questions associated with a list."

The Rev. Jesse Jackson was quick to respond to this latest development and plans to lead his protesters from Florida to the North Pole via dog sled. Jackson said. “Santa Claus could not be reached for comment”, but a Spokes-elf said he was "deeply distressed by news of the pending legal action against him.” "He's losing weight, and he hasn't said 'Ho Ho' for days," said the spokesman-elf. "He's just not feeling jolly." As for the concept of Christmas, the elf spokesmen stated that “Mr. Claus will continue calling this season Christmas until the court rules otherwise.”

Although this article is just made up for the purpose of this example...it maybe very closer to the truth in today's society. Some times “political correctness” just simply goes too far.” It seems like our country is being bombarded daily by extremist affixed with one agenda...to disrupt our faith based society and our normal way of life. The major question at hand...when will the Christians stand-up and be counted? Maybe it will take something larger then just questioning Christ in Christmas. Maybe it will take another physical attack like 911 to get people thinking about their relationship with Christ. Persecution can come in all sizes; it seems like only after it gains strength and becomes nation news do people really notice that their rights are being changed.

Taking Christ out of Christmas is yet just the beginning...tomorrow, you may not be allowed to attend church or even carry a Bible. O' we tell ourselves, "that can't happen here in our country"; but tell that to the many other countries around the world whos people are being persecuted; ask them how it got started!

Setting a Goal for Life

Emmett Kelly Sr. was born in Sedan, Kansas on December 9, 1898. His father worked the railroad, and his mother ran the family-owned boarding house. He grew up, not in Sedan, but on a farm in rural Missouri. He worked at various jobs, finally seeming to settle down working as a cartoonist for a silent film company in Kansas City. It was there that Emmett Kelly first drew the tramp clown character that he would later portray, Weary Willy.

Although gainfully employed, Emmett had dreamed of joining the circus since he was a young boy, as many of us did. Emmett, however, worked to make that dream a reality by purchasing a trapeze, and learning how to become a circus ... aerialist. His first performing circus job (he had previously worked painting circus wagons) was as a trapeze artist with Howe's Great London Circus -- with Emmett doubling as a clown. Emmett agreed, and began performing, not as Weary Willie, but as a white-face clown.

With the Great Depression, work became harder to come by -- Emmett worked at Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus, later joining the Cole Brothers & Clyde Beatty Circus in 1935, and joining the Mills Circus in England in the late 1930's. While performing in Europe, he performed for the Queen of Spain and Winston Churchill, among other notables. It was in London that he came to the attention of John Ringling North, who eventually signed Emmett in 1942 for the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus -- after Kelly had turned The Big Show down twice.

Emmett remained with the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus for fourteen seasons, taking the 1956 season off to perform as the 'mascot' for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Emmett was active on Broadway ("Please Keep off the Grass") and movies (notably the circus classic The Greatest Show on Earth and Fellini's classic The Clowns). Beginning in 1957, he worked with the Shrine Circus and made personal appearances worldwide. Emmett Kelly Sr. died of a heart attack on March 28, 1979, at his home in Sarasota, Florida, USA.

Why am I telling you all this? Years ago I had a friend who made no plans, set no goals, aimed at nothing. His reason? He wanted always to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Before he decided anything, he prayed. He asked the Lord whether he should go to work that day, brush his teeth, and use deodorant. (I wish he had asked me!) Needless to say, he didn't keep a job very long. Many believe that life is for just clowning around and to have a good time (if it feels good, doesn't hurt anyone, just do it!). If a clown can develop a goal for life, so why are we not setting our goals?

My friend made three faulty assumptions in determining God's will:

1. He thought that his feelings were an infallible guide for sensing the leading of the Spirit and wanted to be open and unencumbered as to not miss the Holy Spirit’s direction.
2. He believed that the Holy Spirit leads people only in a spontaneous way. That is, he does not move them to make plans.
3. He subconsciously rejected the idea that he could hear the Spirit's voice through the Scriptures. But by abandoning the Word of God as his normative guide, he was assuming that the Holy Spirit usually circumvents the Word when he speaks to men.

James calls such rigidity arrogance ( v. 16). But he does not say that we should not set goals. Rather, we should make plans, but submit them to the Lord: "Instead, you ought to to say, 'If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that'" (v. 15). I n reality, James 4:15 balances out both extremes. We should use our minds and set goals, but we must do so in humility, recognizing that God alone controls our destiny.

Setting goals is serious business. We ought not to be so anxious about life that we make rigid plans which are beyond our capacity to keep, nor should we be so lazy as to make no plans at all. Rather, with all humility, let us submit our plans to the Lord, and work for his glory.

Working in full time ministry doesn’t exclude us from the need to set goals. Just because we have accepted God’s calling, doesn’t stop the forward progress for each life within that calling. God is not through with any of us; in fact, as Christians, we should be really seeking and setting goals that further the kingdom. “Men are to dream dreams” I believe that is within Scripture. Just because we serve full time, we are not retired for the business of moving our life forward in Him.

As a personal note - many of us at Mercy Ships are in transition; with the laying up of the Caribbean Mercy and the Anastsis, allowing Mercy Ships to focus on the launching of the Africa Mercy in 2006, full time staff have been force to move around. If we focus on what God called us to do, it doesn't matter where we do it. We still can set goals and dream dreams, as long as God and our service to Him is in the center of each task. I not saying that Emmitt Kelly was a Godly man, but we can all learn from him...he knew in his heart that he was to be a clown and when for it. When it comes right down to it...The question then is – how are you setting your goals?

If our Lord is not in the very center of each agenda, maybe we need to think about why/how they where set to begin with. I think it is about time to get moving for Him! So, what are you waiting for?

True Friend

When we honestly ask the question, which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advise, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares. (Henri Nouw)

Certainly each of us desires such a friend; one that we can consider a brother in Christ; one that hangs tuff when the battles of life intensify to the point that no one knows which end is up. King David had such a friend; one that stood by him in the good times and bad. Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword, and his bow, and his belt (1 Samuel 18:3-4).

In today’s fast track society with the hustle and bustle of our world, many of us don’t stop long enough to just talk face-to-face. We send emails and voice over internet transmissions to convey our thoughts and needs. We tend to try to work out our problems without others, asking no one for help until it is too late or too distressing for us to handle. Our relationships (if there are any), tend to be superficial or non-committal based on a fear that someone will get too close and see our true nature. Without a long-term relationship, problems rarely get fixed, they just get bandaged.

This is not the way God planned it...The body is a unit, thought it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12). If one body part hurts, each part should be there to help support that member.

The question then is…who is your friend? Do you have anyone close to you that you could consider a brother or sister? If not, why not! God put us here on this earth to comfort one another. Stop thinking of yourself and start thinking about someone else. Your problems will decrease as you get involved with someone else whose problems are larger.

God's Word tells us that a friend sticks closer than a brother, and that in order for one to be a friend, one must show themselves friendly (Proverbs 18:24). The question is: what type of friend do you desire to be? What type of friend are you to someone else?

The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.

It’s been one of those Days!

From calm to chaos; from peace to perplexity; within a matter of moments our world can be turned upside down. Did you ever have one of those days that you truly believe you should have stayed in bed; for everything you did just made things worst? Certainly each of us have had those days, but it is how we allow them to effect our life is how you go forward into tomorrow. Here is something to think about…

It's been one of those Days! My forgetter's getting better, but my rememberer is broken. To you that may seem funny, but, to me, I’m not joken. For when I'm “here" I'm wondering, if I really should be "there", and, when I try to think it through, I haven't got a prayer! Often times I walk into a room and say "What am I here for?" I wrack my brain, but all in vain! A zero is my score. At times I put something away where it is safe, but, gee, the person it is safest from is generally me! When shopping I may see someone, say "Hi" and have a chat, then, when the person walks away I ask myself, "who was that?" Yes, my forgetter's getting better, while my rememberer is broken, and it's driving me plumb crazy and that isn't any joken.

I am sure Job could relate to having a bad hair day…then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” He just lost his property, children, and now his health. The interesting, God didn’t take away his wife and friends that physically made things worst; many of us have people in our life that certainly contribute to our situation. The words of Job’s wife – curse God and die, were probably Job’s most severe trial. Ironically, her question…do you still hold fast to you integrity employs almost exactly the same wording the Lord had used in Job 2:3 during His conversation with Satan about Job.

Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.”

The wording emphasizes Job’s perseverance, which his wife misconstrued as religious fanaticism; she thought he was blindly refusing to face the reality of his desperate situation. Job’s response to his wife was certainly right on the money.

But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and shall we not accept adversity? (Job 2:10).

We live in a world that makes life difficult; we rejected a world that was freely given to us for a world of chaos. We like Job we should look at each situation, both good and bad and see God’s hand in it. Listen to Him; for He is the author and finisher of your life. So when bad days come, look through them to what lies just around the corner.

Are you a Blessing?

It blesses God when we yield ourselves to him as vessels for his purposes. For example, in woodworking when you use the right tool for a job it gives you a unique satisfaction in using the tool that does it best. It reminds me of Tim "the tool-man" Taylor grunting in approval over the perfect tool for the job.

Each one of us are tools in God's toolbox. He has tasks he desires to accomplish on earth that are best done through human instruments. Though he has many tools he could use, there are certain tools that are better than others for each job.

God has designed us with a special purpose, as a special tool for a special job. He has uniquely gifted us with talents, passions and spiritual gifts to best fulfill his purpose for our life. No one else has ever been or will be designed and created quite like you! God wants to help us experience the thrill and satisfaction of finding that perfect niche that has been design specifically for each of us.

Colossians 3:23 explains what being faithful means: "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men" (NKJV).

Whether we are caring for our elderly parent, making widgets at the factory, or driving the church van, or spending quality time with our children, we are to do it heartily as we would for the Lord Himself.

Having a "kingdom mindset" will greatly help us in being faithful from day to day. A person with the kingdom mindset sees themselves as God's servant and is aware that they are under his authority at all times. Jesus illustrated the kingdom mindset in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30). In the parable, the master entrusted his money to his three servants prior to a journey. Upon return, he rewarded the two servants who had invested the money. He rebuked the third who had not invested, gave his portion to the most profitable servant, and had him punished severely.

The kingdom mindset recognizes that we will give an account to God, just as the servants gave account to the master. God entrusts many such resources to us and expects us to put them to use for his interests. At the end of the age, we'll have to give an account to God for how we lived and what we did with what he gave us. Paul wrote:

"Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 NKJV

Make each day count for Him in everything you do. You only go through life once, so do it right the first time...

Accept No Substitutes

Pick up any paper or read any article...for centuries humanity around the world has been looking for ways to substitute God to justify their actions. Even within our own culture, we have begun to loose our belief in God as a personal force, as the decider of their fate, as the ultimate judge for our actions. We only turn to Him, as our supreme authority, in times of distress, or when we face conditions beyond our ability to solve. The idea that God, the creator of man has become old-fashion. If that is true, we must accept a lower status from being formed in His Image to a product of some warm chemical stew. Many of life's problems have been relegated to chance or luck of the draw; our home environment as a disfunctional family, or forced to accepted a specific political agenda. Within Christ there are no substitutions; there are no means of explaining away or relegating simply social fades with a stroke of a pen in the hall of government offices.

People today are trying all sorts of ineffective and destructive substitutes for God -- Astrology, philosophy, paganism, alcoholism, drugs, science, money, pleasure, etc. -- all will not make life easier, in fact will only confuse their relationship with Christ. People cannot run far enough away from God to turn a life from chaos to final peace through their own power. Families disintegrate, the social order collapses, and people make a mess of their lives! There are no substitutes! The dilemma of modern man is...we still try to control our own lives as if we really had the ability to do so.

In Yamine B. Mermer paper The Ever-Present God of Revelation, he suggests and I quote...

"Man is not mere flesh and blood. He has been endowed with the most comprehensive faculties and senses ever designed. He has such hopes and desires that nothing except eternal happiness can satisfy them. He continuously suffers the pain of separation from his objects of love and attachment. Moreover, he knows he will ultimately leave all of his loved ones and go alone to the darkness of the grave. It is therefore clear that man cannot reach happiness as long as his needs which spread through every part of the world, and his desires, which extend to eternity, are not satisfied. The fleeting pleasures of worldly life cannot bring about this happiness. Modern man lives in a vacuum of meaninglessness. In order to remedy this situation, he attributes to himself and to things around him fictitious meanings. He claims to be his own master although he knows very well that he is not. As a result, he is bound to live in an imaginary world, which is in conflict with reality. This situation is not restricted to personal life; it is characteristic of all areas of modern life, including philosophy and science. Indeed, how can man understand the world without having recourse to knowledge truth -- and it is not possible to escape from this obligation -- main is in need of a permanent historical matrix that will tell min once and for all what norms, what universals ought to govern his understanding of life. Then, from this vantage point that matrix will provide, he will be able to look at the reality of things. In absence of such universal matrix, all claims to understanding are arbitrary fancies."

Certainly, no matter how modern a civilization, it cannot deliver on its promises; material wealth does not yield happiness. Accepting any else but the real thing will not put your life in order. Christ's love cannot be substituted. The sooner we realize it the better off we will be.

Living Sacrifice

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:1-2)

Being a living sacrifice is often not easy, or pleasant. It represents an attitude of self-denial, self-sacrifice, self-crucifixion of the whole person. But remember the problem with living sacrifices is…they want to crawl off the altar.

The living sacrifice that is acceptable to God is that which is “well approved, eminently satisfactory, or extra-ordinarily pleasing” to Him. The living sacrifice does not consist of outward forms, merely external or material, but a holy, well-pleasing, rational, agreeable to reason, sacred service.

Is the living sacrifice worth the cost? Rev. James Montgomery Boice (Pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church since 1968, when home to be with our Lord on June 16, 2000) observed, “If we determine to walk in God’s way, refusing to be conformed to the world, and being transformed instead by the renewing of our minds we will not have to fear that all the end of our lives we will look back and be dissatisfied or bitter, judging our lives to have been an utter waste. On the contrary we will look back and conclude that our lives were well lived and be satisfied with them.”

As you consider your sacrifice, remember…only spiritual things will last through eternity, everything else will burn up (Matt. 24:35). Whoever “does the will of God will live forever” (1 Jn. 2:17). Jim Elliott (killed in Ecuador) said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Jim gave his life in reasonable service, to gain a spiritual inheritance that will last forever.

We all need to consider our daily situation in light of this Scripture...

Fork in the Road

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on you own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

We all face decisions each and every day! Some only require a minor course correction and we don't think much about them; for most can only produce a fender-bender if they go wrong. Yet others can influence and transform our very life from that point forward, having major impact on us for years to come. How do we determine which course correction represents a minor (a bump in the road) and which are major (catastrophic) path correction?

Any FORK IN THE ROAD represents some kind of choice: Do we continue on the same path we have been following all along, or do we take a different path? Maybe the new path will lead us somewhere that if not tried, we would not move forward...maybe it won't. It's hard to know before we try, but try we must. There's a risk involved in making a decision, and it can feel scary at times. The problem we face is whether or not we're willing to take a risk to make a difference.

Sometimes, there is an additional problem. It's not just that we are hesitant to follow a new path...we are not even aware that it exists. We do not see any fork in the road, but feel that we need a change. Yet, there is usually a fork, even when we're so blinded by our old ways of thinking that we simply can't see it. Making changes start with seeing the fork (a vision), thus looking outside our own capabilities for some kind of direction. As humans, we can analyze what and how to make a directional change, protect ourselves by putting together a portfolio of stock options as a "golden parachute", purchase land/houses, etc. that give us a sense of security for the future; but when it comes right down to it, a choice still needs to be made which way to go.

God never intended us to move down these paths unaware of the final outcome. Scripture offers us a multitude of road maps to navigate down life's highways. According to Proverbs 3:5-6...He only asks: Trust, Lean, and Acknowledge Him to insure that our paths are straight. O'yes, there will still be bumps in the road or an occasional fender-bender, but He is always there to help us up, to start again, and to keep moving forward.

For most Christian, the primary definition for moving forward, trusting His leading for life is the word FAITH. We don't really know what tomorrow brings, but isn't it conforming to know that our paths remain secure as we follow Him.

Just something to think about the next time your are facing a FORK IN THE ROAD.

Eternal Thinking

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.

Colossians 3:12-15a, NIV

If you are a Christian, you have a new perspective on life, because your life is eternal and transcends all the cares of this world. Even if you lose the battle of this life, you are on the winning side of a larger war! If this is true, your values will be governed by the long haul and not by immediate circumstances. You can relax about things in this life; after all, they are passing away, but you aren’t. You don’t need to get all worked up over them. You have the strength to be kind and compassionate in adversity. So if you find yourself living carnally, you need to go back and check your spiritual vision. If you are overly concerned with short-range things, you need to check your long-range vision. We all laugh at the foolish person who in the process of saving a dime squanders a dollar; let’s not be caught doing the same thing with our spirituality. If someone gets very upset in the course of playing Monopoly, we tell them that it is only a game…that life goes on. Likewise, we shouldn’t get worked up about life. Life will end, but eternity will go on! Therefore let us live with eternity in mind, and take the petty troubles of this life in stride.

You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No on engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

2 Timothy 2:3-4

Delegation to Others

The road to leadership is paved with action—with doing. Leaders are characterized by doing what other people don’t want to do. They do what needs to be done when it needs to be done, even at the cost of personal accomplishments. While this is an invaluable trait, it can be taken to an extreme and become their biggest liability.

At some point they have to rely on other people to help them do what needs to be done simply because they are approaching “personal burning out”. Delegating is a skill; a skill that can benefit both a leader and those whom he or she leads, but it has to start with the leader.

Remember -- Never keep work simply because you can do it better. By delegating certain tasks to others, it is one of the best ways to develop your people so they can become responsible and produce their own leadership qualifications. Delegating allows people to learn by doing, to take risks, and to build confidence. Only do those tasks that nobody else can do. Determine what needs to be delegated.

A leader must look at what they do and ask themselves…is this really where they need to be spending their time? All routine activities and minor decisions should be delegated to others. Any task that could be performed through someone else in your absence is a good candidate for delegation. Finally, delegating is a means of increasing the effectiveness of your time. It allows you the freedom to focus on the big picture verses the tasks of each day.

Satan's Agenda

How Satan Keeps Christians from Christ

Satan called a worldwide convention. In his opening address to his evil angels, he stated...

“We can’t keep Christians from going to church. We can’t keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth. We can’t even keep them from conservative values. But we can do something else. We can keep them from forming an intimate, abiding experience in Christ. If they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken. So let them go to church. Let them have their conservative lifestyles. But steal their time so they can’t gain that experience in Jesus Christ. Here is how I want you to do this. Distract them from gaining hold of their Savior and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day."

But how shall we do this...shouted one of his angels?

"Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent numerous schemes to occupy their minds, he answered. Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, then borrow, borrow, borrow. Convince the wives to go to work and the husbands to work 6-7 days a week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their life-styles. Keep them from spending time with their children. As their families fragment, soon their homes will offer no escape from the pressures of work. Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still small voice. Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive, to keep the TV, the VCR, their CDs going constantly in their homes. And see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays music constantly. This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ. Fill their coffee tables with magazines and newspapers. Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day and invade their driving moments with billboards. Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, sweepstakes, mail order catalogs, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free products, services and false hopes. Even in their recreation, let them be excessive. Have them return from it exhausted, disquieted and unprepared for the coming week. Don’t let them go out in nature. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, concerts, and movies instead. And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences and unsettled emotion. Let them be involved in soul-winning. But crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Christ. Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family unity for the good of the cause.”

Well, in the end it was quite a convention. The evil angels went eagerly to their assignments, causing the Christians everywhere to get busy, busy, busy, and rush here and there.

Has the devil been successful in his scheme within your life? Only you can answer that question! And now you know the rest of the story...be on guard and know that he is out there working his ways against you. He doesn't want you to have a 24/7 relationship with Jesus Christ.

Dealing with Difficult People

Dealing with Difficult People
Philippians 2:1-4

Some people are and will remain difficult, regardless of the level of your interpersonal skills. Their approach to life and to others is their responsibility and their choice and is not within your control. Nevertheless you do have a choice about your response to them, sometimes you can even choose the extent or nature of your contact with others, and if they are in constant proximity you can also develop a coping strategy.

Some behaviours go beyond the "difficult person" label and are better characterised as workplace bullying or harassment. These behaviours are typically an abrogation of responsibility to others and should be addressed accordingly through the standard chain of command verses you handling it on your own. Under no conditions should you accept verbal harassment, especially those that reflect words that are degrading or outside of your personal standards as a Christian.

The following are some of the tools that you might use in dealing with difficult people:

Assertiveness

Some difficult people will determine how much they can get away with, so it may be important to draw boundaries on unacceptable behaviour. Setting boundaries can also protect you. For example, you may choose not to discuss your private life at work. When you say "no thanks" be consistent and mean it.

Work or task related boundaries may be more difficult to set. Seek advice from an Industrial Officer prior to taking this step to ensure that you are not breaching your employment contract.

You can also attempt to diffuse a difficult relationship by raising the issue of these difficulties with that person, in a constructive and non-accusatory manner. This could vary from "I think we could work more effectively together" to ""I think I could work more effectively for you if I more clearly understood..."

If the other person is a work colleague and the conflict could interrupt work efficiency your supervisor may become involved. It is always better if you have made an effort to discuss and resolve things first. Do not go to a supervisor before raising the issue with the other party as you risk losing their trust.

People can also be influenced by the response they receive. For example, a social worker dealing with unruly teenagers has learnt how to use voice so as to sound authoritative to gain control.

Choosing your reactions

Do you give yourself time to choose your reactions? Consider your standard response when feeling challenged. Is it working? Is it the way you want to be? Would you like to say or do something different?

If you are able to recognise that you are reacting to someone, then you can train yourself to create thinking time. For example, a meaningless sentence like "Now let me consider this" or a simple silence whilst you count to ten, gives you some thinking space. Thinking time will aid a more considered response.

You can also choose to change your responses to regular types of interaction that leave you dissatisfied. For example, if you feel denigrated by a particular statement and how you always react to it, you can rehearse your preferred response for when that type of statement comes again.

Diffusing Angst

Difficult people can be angry people and we can get angry in response. But experience teaches us that permanent damage to any relationship can be done through anger.

To deal with others professionally, anger is inappropriate. When confronted by anger, the alternatives are not simply fight or flight. Here are some other alternative responses to anger:

• Letting the individual get it off their chest by letting them know you have heard their point and their frustration. The majority of people calm down when they feel understood. You can then build on the strength of mutual understanding to ensure that they understand you too.
• A tirade to achieve a particular outcome can be diverted and the issue reapproached and reopened for discussion from another perspective. Diversions can include distractions, breaks and so on.
• Naming the behaviour eg you appear annoyed right now…
• Humour. You have to be confident and get the timing right, but humour dissolves anger. Humour can also build a sense of camaraderie and good will. Once you have succeed with this a few times it becomes easier. The use of humour can vary from looking at the funny or extreme possibilities of the situation which causes the anger or even making fun of the anger itself such as "Well the dummy really flew over that one". The latter approach is really only to be used with people you know can laugh at themselves, otherwise it can backfire.

Understanding

Understanding of yourself and others empowers you, as you regain perspective on a difficult relationship.

Becoming more aware of the fears and frailties of a difficult person may give you a new insight, aid you in your dealings with them and restore your confidence. For example, a person who is afraid of change may actually be in need of retraining or a person who barks instructions may have poor self-esteem and few communication skills. You are less likely to view their behaviours as a personal affront once you have understood their motivation.

Different personalities can also lead to misunderstandings and tension unless we learn to appreciate and respect each other. Some large organisations encourage staff to participate in shared personality profiles so that they learn about their own personality types and those of the other members of their team. This assists staff to become more understanding of each others needs and the strengths that they can contribute.

Understanding the way others operate can also give you some clues on how to work with them. For example, if someone else is impatient with discussion and you embrace discussion as a way of seeking approval, the potential for some unsatisfactory exchanges is created. Once you understand this, you have some options available. For example, you might plan short targeted sessions with them, where the topic and information is provided in advance. Some of the session might be on operational matters, but you might also schedule some on performance or career feedback. Where possible, it is best to have an informed choice about your responses and future interactions.

A greater understanding of others may also make you more aware of and able to diffuse social or cultural differences.

A final note - take heart. No one ever gets relationships right all the time. As long as you don't lose your cool, relationships are ongoing and understanding and improved communication requires ongoing work.

Winning the Race

I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus

Philippians 3:14

Goal – this word specifically refers to the marker at the end of a race on which runners intently fix their eyes; the prize, the reward of victory. Paul evidently takes to heart what he teaches in 1 Corinthians 9:24. “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.”

How are you sitting goals? Many of us set goals for the purpose of obtaining or achieving a specific social status. Unfortunately once there we need to continuously increasing our status to stay ahead. Yet others look to wealth, climbing over everyone and everything that seem to impede our progress.

Running God’s race has only one objective…to live fully for Him. Whether you run a successful race, it doesn’t matter; it only matters that you ran the race according to fulfilling His purpose for your life. Everyone who runs such a race is already a winner. You may never have a dime to your name, but you will still be the riches person in God’s eyes.

Remember “fix you eyes on the true reward of running your race for Him and run the race if your life depended on it.”

Dr. H. A. Ironside wrote: There are five crowns:

1. The incorruptible crown for faithfully running the course;
2. The crown of rejoicing for winning souls;
3. The crown of righteousness for those who love His appearing;
4. The crown of life for those who suffer for Christ;
5. The crown of glory for those who feed the sheep and lambs of Christ’s flock.

I might lose all of those crowns and yet not lose my salvation. The Word says, “If any man’s work shall be burned. . . .he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (1 Corinthians 3:15) But I do not want to be saved that way. I want to win the crown of life. “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life...”

A Time for Everything

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven:

• A time to be born, and a time to die;
• A time to plant, and a time to puck what is planned;
• A time to kill, and a time to heal;
• A time to break down, and a time to build up;
• A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
• A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
• A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones;
• A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
• A time to gain, and a time to lose;
• A time to keep, and a time to throw away;
• A time to tear, and a time to sew;
• A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
• A time to love, and a time to hate;
• A time to war, and a time of peace.
  

This poem speaks with eloquence of the role of time in the life of a believer. Some regard the Book of Ecclesiastes as describing life apart from God, but clearly this text describes life that is lived in relationship with God. Though these words, we are taught that everything has an opportune time that each event is in the hand of God, who makes everything happen in the time He judges appropriate.

Many of us face numerous life situations that we cannot fully understand or explain. A sudden illness, the passing of a love one, an unexpected release from our job, or simply things not working out the way we feel they should. In the mist of our situation, we question why they are happening. The answer is…that all of life unfolds according to God’s appointment. All the toiling of man cannot change the times, circumstances, and control of events that God has reserved to Himself.

That may sound somewhat harsh; that we are at the mercy of God to do whatever He wants, when He wants it. I believe the key word here is “mercy.” Only through the mercy of God can we be given the opportunity of life itself.

I have gone back and edited this previous posting for a very special friend. Patty Driggs went home to be with our Savior on January 14, 2005. Patty and Von (her husband) assisted with our application into Mercy Ships. She has served our ministry, both in our corporate office and in Freetown, West Africa (New Steps Program) for numerous years. She will be missed, but we know that she is home. Pray for the Driggs Family as we are, that Christ will be ever closer during this time of season.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-10

Love your Enemies

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy,' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you many be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."

Matthew 5:43-44

To most, this commandment is difficult to fully understand, let alone accept. Niebuhr was one of the first modern theologians to recognize what the experiences of this century have revealed about human nature. His Moral Man and Immoral Society, published in 1932, rejected social-gossip liberalism by arguing that the liberals failed to understand the collective pride of groups or nations. Niebuhr believed that liberal "moralists" would never produce lasting reform because they were naive about human nature. They "seemed to believe that the only reason men had not followed the love commandment in the vast collective relations of mankind was because no one had called their attention to the necessity." Individuals may at times yield to moral arguments, but groups (and therefore society as a whole) will not.

Because our world is filled with so many different groups and communities, each pursuing its own interests, a just society is not going to be built by a little more education and a few more sermons on love. Nations sign peace treaties because they believe the terms of the treaty holds a more advantageous future than that of continuation of war. Nations and groups routinely believe their own purposes are just, perhaps even inspired by God, and they see their enemies as evil and demonic. The question a hand is -- where do you draw the line between loving and praying for your enemies and going to war?

Certainly there is no human on the face of our planet that can fully answer this question to the satisfaction of all. Scripture states we should love and pray for our enemy...but if you noticed, it still retains their name "the enemy." They are not consider "friends"...representing a person you should take home to meet Mother. Scripture also justifies going after whole nations...killing off everything - livestock, children, women, etc., just because God said so!

In address any war, we must consider what we are truly going to war for:

• Pride - the essence of sin and the central failing of every individual, but group pride is the most destructive impulse in human history. It starts ware, racial conflicts, and crimes against humanity, and then pins the blame on the other side.
• Envy - individuals fall into envy and conceit because of their pride, and groups follow the same pattern. They believe that others have been more successful than they because privileges have not been fairly distributed. People that retain envy, typically take shots at those that have something they don't have.
• Anger - unstapled envy often leads to anger. Most poorer countries that have been offer direction for building a free-market economy believe that they only achieve wealth through plundering others. They simply don't trust the givers.
• Sloth - groups and communities, like individuals, can easily succumb to the sin of sloth. When they feel trapped by poverty, illiteracy, lawlessness, and unemployment, some populations conclude that no amount of effort will change their circumstances.
• Avarice - gluttony, and lust reveal what some have deceived as an excessive love for things or people. Different from the first three (pride, envy, and anger), which reveals a love so selfish that it results in violence against one's neighbor...sloth - demonstrates the absence of love...avarice or the love of money and maximize of profits is the love of things in a lustful way.
• Lust - an excess passion that is impossible to satisy with externals eventually turns cold after acquiring because of the need for more.

When Scripture expresses "love and pray for your enemies", we must separate the concept of love and prayer from the reality of "who is the real enemy." Certainly, if we consider the source which makes an enemy, the foundation is sin. It is the sin that separates and undermines our relationship with Christ; therefore, loving and praying is directed towards the person, not their sinful acts. It is again interesting that Scripture doesn't change the word enemy to friend...only love and prayer can.

I am certainly not asking to change our present enemies into friends or our nation's direction in the Middle East to combat nations that harm others, or we should stop praying for them...All have come short and all have sinned...thanks to the mercy of God, He has forgiven us for our sins. He can do the same with our enemies, but we need to be involved. That is why Scripture is written this way. Maybe this will help!