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Finding common ground (3)
“I…tried to experience things from their point of view.” 1Co 9:22 MSG
To establish common ground, you must be adaptable. Thomas Aquinas said, “To convert somebody, go and take them by the hand and guide them.” You must be willing to move from where you are to where they are; to adapt and try to see things from their point of view. Anytime you’re aware of distance between you and the person you’re trying to reach, it’s good to search for something in your own background and experience that relates to theirs. Don’t start the process by telling them about yourself. Begin by moving to where they are and trying to see things from their perspective. Adapt to them—don’t think they should adapt to you. Instead of telling people how you feel, find out how they feel. Instead of telling them what you see, discover how they see things. Instead of trying to tell them what you want, discover what they want. Abraham Lincoln said, “When I am getting ready to reason with a man, I spend one-third of my time thinking about myself and what I am going to say and two-thirds about him and what he is going to say.” The truth is, you can’t take someone on a journey unless you’re willing to start where they are. Only then can you truly connect and lead them to where you want to take them. You can know a lot about a person and still not understand them. More information isn’t always the answer. The Bible says, “Deep calls to deep” (Ps 42:7 NIV), and to really understand people, you must move beyond head knowledge and learn to speak the language of the heart.
Finding common ground (1)
“I try to find common ground with everyone.” 1Co 9:22 NLT
To influence someone, you must first connect with them. And to do that, you must look for common ground. Paul writes, “I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some.” In The Message, Eugene Peterson paraphrases Paul’s words: “Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn’t take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn’t just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!” (vv. 19-23 MSG). Note the words “I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view.” When it came to preaching the truth, Paul wouldn’t yield an inch. But when it came to reaching and influencing people for Christ, he tried to remove every roadblock between them and Christ. And you must be willing to do the same. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. That’s why you must approach them heart-first, not headfirst. Before someone can receive the truth you have to share, they must be convinced that you love and care for them. And that means finding common ground.
Do what God says
“The Lord came to Abram in a vision.” Ge 15:1 NKJV
When God gives you a vision for your life, He doesn’t give you all the details up front. He simply says, “Don’t be afraid; just do what I say, and I will guide you and prosper you.” What did Abram’s vision involve? “The Lord said to Abram: Leave your country, your family, and your relatives and go to the land that I will show you. I will bless you and make your descendants into a great nation” (Ge 12:1-2 CEV). How old was Abram? “Abram was seventy-five…when the Lord told him to leave the city of Haran” (Ge 12:4 CEV). What was Abram leaving? “Abram was very rich…and had a lot of silver and gold” (Ge 13:2 CEV). How did Abram respond? “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going” (Heb 11:8 NKJV). Abraham couldn’t have told you where his final destiny was or how he would get there. He just knew God had told him to leave the safe harbor of where he was. Understand this: What you’re willing to walk away from often determines what God can entrust to you. You say, “But I need to have more information.” You will know as you go! With each step of faith you take, God will reveal another detail. He will inform you on a “need-to-know” basis. So, is the God who said to Abram, “Go to the land that I will show you” saying something similar to you today? Don’t be afraid; just step out in faith and obey Him.
Praying God’s promises (1)
“Let my teachings become part of you.” Jn 15:7 CEV
According to one count, there are 3,573 promises in the Bible. That’s almost ten promises for each day of the year. When you know which of those promises apply to you, and you fulfill the conditions that go with them, you can literally begin to pray God’s promises into existence in your life (See Jn 15:7 AMPC). Will your prayers be answered overnight? Some will, others won’t. “Be…followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Heb 6:12). The most powerful prayer you can pray is, “Lord, you promised in your Word that you would…and today I am praying and believing you for it.” Here is how to pray: (1) When you need guidance and direction. “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye” (Ps 32:8 NKJV). (2) When you need deliverance from a situation, or to be set free from a habit. “Call upon Me in the day of trouble, I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me” (Ps 50:15 NKJV). (3) When you need the strength to stand. “Fear not; for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isa 41:10 NKJV). (4) When you don’t have enough to meet your needs. “My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Php 4:19). If you meditate in God’s Word every day, each time a need arises, you will know which of His promises to claim in prayer (See 2Pe 1:4 NIV).
God will rescue you
“We stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God.” 2Co 1:9 NLT
Are you feeling hopeless about the situation you’re in and don’t know which way to turn? Maybe you’re struggling to find a reason to keep going, but you’re so tired and overwhelmed that you just want to give up. If that’s the case, you’re in a vulnerable place. Look out—Satan will try to convince you there must be sin in your life, or that you’re out of God’s will, or that He is unhappy with you because you have disobeyed Him in some area you’re unaware of. Don’t buy it! You can be in the center of God’s will doing everything the right way, and still experience adversity. The apostle Paul writes: “You ought to know…about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us. And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety” (2Co 1:8-11 NLT). Two elements are at work in your life today. First, God is teaching you to lean on Him instead of on yourself. Second, people around you are being strengthened and encouraged as they see the grace of God at work in your life.
The art of being a sheep (1)
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” Ps 23:1 NIV
Perhaps you memorized Psalm 23 as a child. The vivid visual images remain with us lifelong. Author Hannah Whitall Smith said, “What we all need is just to get back into the nursery again, and take up our childish verses once more, and, while reading them with the intelligence of our grown-up years, to believe them with all our old childish faith.” As adults we become jaded, losing the simple joy that stress-filled lives require. We need to remember these three things: (1) Who our shepherd is—“The Lord.” He is the source of everything we will ever need, beginning with salvation. Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep” (Jn 10:11 NKJV). (2) What the shepherd’s job is—protector and provider for the sheep. And He knows how to handle wayward, headstrong, vulnerable sheep and care for them. Long before Jesus came as our shepherd, the Father said, “I will rescue [my flock] and no longer let them be mistreated…I will give you a shepherd from the family of my servant King David…All of you, both strong and weak, will have the same shepherd, and he will take good care of you” (Eze 34:22-23 CEV). (3) What the sheep’s job is—to trust the shepherd completely. Attempting to do His job will exhaust and defeat us. We must believe “with all our old childish faith” that Jesus is a dependable, committed, and capable shepherd—and then act like we believe it. Knowing that His goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives lifts our present worries and dispels all our future concerns.
What makes you glad, sad, or mad?
“To him who is afflicted, kindness should be shown.” Job 6:14 NKJV
A pastor writes: “What makes you glad or sad or mad? What puts a holy smile on your face? What causes your spirit to sob uncontrollably? What makes you pound your fist on the table out of righteous indignation? Somewhere in the mixture of that gladness, sadness, and madness is your God-ordained passion. Or maybe we should say compassion, because you are feeling what God feels. And once you identify it, doing something about it isn’t optional. You can’t not do something about it.” In 2006, Blake Mycoskie was touring Argentina when he noticed that many of the children didn’t have shoes. He could have returned to the United States and gone about his business. Instead, he started TOMS shoes, a business with a mission of putting shoes on the feet of children in third-world countries. It works like this: When you buy a pair of TOMS shoes, you’re giving a pair of shoes to a barefoot child somewhere. For every pair of shoes purchased, a pair is given away. Their mission is straightforward: one for one. Blake identified a need. He personalized it. And he decided to do something about it. It didn’t start out big, it started out small. Yet that is how primal moments begin. A person decides to do something about something that makes him glad or sad or mad. It was barefoot kids who broke Blake’s heart. And he literally placed shoes on his faith. When you discover the thing that makes you glad or sad or mad, the only question left is this: What are you going to do about it?
Being friends with God (2)
“If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you.” Ex 33:13 NIV
Here is more of Moses’ friendly talk with God: “If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you.” Moses is in a national crisis that could end Israel’s relationship with God, and what is he praying for? Not, “God, I’m in a tough spot. You have to resolve this for me!” But, “teach me your ways so I may know you!” Moses wants more than just to know God’s awesome works. His heart cries out to know God’s heart and what makes it tick—the inner ways of God. “To know Him” includes all the other things Moses could ever seek, including the solution to his problem. And God gave him what he asked. “He made known his ways unto Moses” (Ps 103:7). Here is more of that conversation: God responded, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest” (v. 14 NIV). That “you” in the Hebrew is singular. God promised to accompany Moses and give rest to him. Anybody else would have accepted gladly. Not Moses. His prayer was bigger than his own concerns. “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here” (v. 15 NIV). In other words, “Lord, it’s not for me I’m praying; it’s for us!” And God answered that prayer. Are your prayers bigger than yourself and your own needs? The Bible says, “For God so loved the world” (Jn 3:16). Do you pray for your town, nation, and the world? You have been called to and you should!
Being friends with God (1)
“I know you by name and you have found favor with me.” Ex 33:12 NIV
Moses talked with God like a friend, sharing what he felt and thought. And God wanted it that way. Here is how the conversation went: “Moses said to the Lord, ‘You have been telling me, “Lead these people,”…‘You have said, “I know you by name and you have found favor with me.”’” Moses is mirroring back to God what God had previously said to him. Remember saying to your spouse or your best friend, “You were the one who said…”? That’s what Moses is doing here: reminding God of His own words. And God wants you to remember His Word and to speak it back to Him (See Isa 43:26). Not because He needs to be reminded but because you do! And because His Word is the only Word that He is committed to fulfill (See Mt 24:35). When you pray using God’s Word, you are praying in His will, and you’re guaranteed to get a hearing. So, learn and memorize Scriptures that touch on your needs and desires, and when you talk to God, recall them, and pray them back to Him. For example, when you pray, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mk 11:24 NIV), God will acknowledge it! The more you learn of His Word, the more your prayer time will conform to His will and the more you will feel aligned with Him. Keep your Bible handy when you talk to God so that He can direct your thoughts to the words He wants you to pray.
Pick the right people
“These were…the mighty men whom David had.” 1Ch 11:10 NKJV
Success in any endeavor calls for surrounding yourself with the right people. That’s why you should always seek God’s input in your relationships. Rehoboam should have listened to the advice of his father Solomon’s wise and experienced inner circle. Instead he heeded the advice of those who agreed with his own opinion—and it proved fatal. David, on the other hand, chose people who helped make him great. “These were…the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel” (v. 10 NKJV). Notice four important things here: (1) David built a strong inner circle before he needed it. He started building his team long before he was crowned. (2) He attracted people with varied gifts. He reached for them, rewarded them, and wasn’t intimidated by those who had skills that differed from his. With the help of these “mighty men,” David felt ready for anything. (3) He cultivated loyalty. He drew people close to him, shared his life with them, and in the end, they were willing to lay their lives on the line for him. (4) He delegated responsibility based on ability. Because he was secure in his own identity and calling, David wasn’t afraid to delegate authority and responsibility to those around him. In the beginning some of his mighty men were misfits, but he transformed this ragtag group into a winning team (See 1Sa 22:1-2). David made his inner circle great, and in turn his inner circle made him great. So, the word for you today is—pick the right people!
Don’t burn out (2)
“I give thanks to Him Who has granted me…strength and made me able [for]…the ministry.” 1Ti 1:12 AMPC
Another form of burnout is “compassion fatigue,” and people helpers are the most vulnerable. Symptoms include the belief that you’re no longer effective, treating yourself and others with detachment, withdrawing from your responsibilities, avoiding social and interpersonal contact, and feeling “beaten.” If you’re a type-A personality to start with, you’re at even greater risk. One counselor says driven people often “suffer from an ‘adrenaline addiction’ and unconsciously look for ways to get little surges, similar to the high people get from alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine, except they get their highs from controlling people and making complex decisions…Spiritual causes of stress include sexual temptation, anger, and despair, jealousy of other people’s success, and anxiety about finances. Pastors are often placed on pedestals…and these expectations can’t be met. So in an effort to please, they become too goal-oriented for their people…or too accommodating of their spiritual slackness…they become perfectionists…overdeveloping one side of their ministry or identifying so closely with their calling that it falls apart. Your body gives you warning signals; insomnia, digestive problems, headaches, fatigue, muscle tension, teeth grinding, and high blood pressure. Sadly, it seldom slows the victim down—until an ulcer, stroke, or heart attack occur. As a leader, you need to spend as much time with the strong as the weak; they give you strength and support…they can be trained for ministry…and having more hands on deck enhances the spiritual and emotional health of your church.”
Keep your hope alive (2)
“Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.” Ro 5:5 NKJV
Jon Walker says: “I’ve struggled with my weight most of my life. I’ve dropped weight and put it back on. I’ve tried every diet, and made up some of my own. I maintained a friendly battle with weight until I became extremely ill, and for a year I was unable to walk beyond the mailbox. Needless to say, I gained more weight than ever and found myself facing a huge challenge. I needed to lose more pounds than there are days in a month. With age nipping at my heels…it wasn’t as easy to drop the pounds as it used to be, and I found myself feeling hopeless—the kind of hopelessness that makes you think, ‘What’s the use? I might as well not even try.’ No doubt you can relate, not necessarily to the weight issue, but to the hopelessness. Maybe you’re in a stressful marriage…or facing health issues that have you thinking ‘What’s the use?’ Or in a frustrating job…or facing a difficult family situation…or wondering if you’ll ever get good enough grades to graduate…or dealing with the death of the most important person in your life…or struggling through so many failed attempts to have a child. Here’s the truth: We serve a God of hope, and it’s a hope that won’t ‘disappoint [us].’ It’s not based on feelings; it’s rooted in a relationship with the One who can be trusted above all others. We wait together for this unseen hope, knowing the God of hope will not abandon or ‘disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.’”
Fulfilling God’s plan for your life
“Make sure you understand what the Master wants.” Eph 5:17 MSG
To fulfill God’s plan for your life, you need to do these: (1) Map out your day. Plan your time and stick to your plan. Only one out of three people do that. One leadership expert says, “It’s…rare…that I get up in the morning wondering what I’ll be doing that day.” That’s why he is a leader—and an expert! (2) Keep first things first. Goethe said, “Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.” Most of us don’t get to our most important tasks until midafternoon. We complete low-priority tasks first so we will have a sense of accomplishment. That’s unwise. And if you plan your day but don’t follow through, your results will be the same as those who don’t plan at all. As Dwight Eisenhower observed, “Taking first things first…often reduces the most complex human problem to a manageable proportion.” (3) Be focused but flexible. Expect the unexpected and learn to adapt. Conditions constantly change, and so must your methods of getting things done. (4) Learn to delegate. People fall into two categories: clingers and dumpers. Clingers refuse to let go of anything they think is important, whether or not they’re the best person for the job. Their goal is perfection. Dumpers, on the other hand, are quick to off-load tasks without giving much thought to how well the job gets done. Their goal is to get it off their desk ASAP. Proper delegation calls for being wise, secure in who you are, and generous toward others. It also means the job gets done right—and in the end, that is what you want.
The power of a shared faith
“Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” Am 3:3 NKJV
If you want to know how the person you’re marrying will look twenty-five years from now, look at their parents and you will get a clue. Regular exercise and good diet will only take you so far, then Mother Nature and Father Time begin to take their toll. The truth is that looks may bring you together, but only commitment and a shared faith will keep you together! The Bible says, “Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?” (2Co 6:14-15 NLT). That doesn’t mean the two of you must hold identical views on every issue and practice your faith in similar ways. But you need the same values and views regarding the fundamentals of your faith—how you view God, the role of the church, and personal practices. “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” Faith is that indescribable strength, that secret weapon of the soul that allows us to persevere even when the facts seem damning and the truth unbearable. It’s what keeps us going when we’re not sure we can continue. It’s the light that leads us out of the darkness, and the map that guides our way. Without faith we would probably pull over to the side of the road, give up, and watch everyone else pass us by. But when we trust in the Lord and believe that He will guide us, there is almost nothing we cannot withstand and walk through together.
God can cancel your past (3)
“It is finished!” Jn 19:30 NIV
One of Christ’s last declarations from the cross was, “It is finished.” That phrase comprises just one word in Greek, tetelestai, meaning “paid in full.” It was the word merchants wrote on a bill when it was canceled. It was also the word stamped on a document announcing that a prison sentence had been commuted. Jesus paid the price in full for every sin you have ever committed! “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Ro 8:1 NIV). The question is, if God forgets your sin the second you confess it, don’t you think you should forget it too? How long do you think about an invoice you have paid? You forget it the minute you have paid it. Similarly, since Christ has paid your bill in full, you don’t need to remember it anymore. Paul, who once described himself as “chief among sinners” (See 1Ti 1:15), wrote, “Forgetting what is behind…I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward” (Php 3:13-14 NIV). We can short-circuit God’s power in our lives by not trusting that He has truly forgiven us or by deciding not to forgive ourselves. Why do we do that? Sometimes because of how we were raised. Our parents told us, “I forgive you,” but they constantly brought it up. Good news: Your heavenly Father is different from your earthly parents. When He forgives your sin, He expunges your record, cancels your past, can’t remember it, doesn’t talk about it, and will never bring it up again. So, today accept His forgiveness. And if you need to, forgive yourself and move on.
Finding common ground (2)
“I have voluntarily become a servant to…all.” 1Co 9:19 MSG
Whether you’re applying for a job, trying to win someone to Christ, counseling and advising, or correcting someone’s behavior, to be effective you must look for common ground. Let’s look at some of the qualities that calls for. Availability. Paul writes: “I have voluntarily become a servant to…all…to reach a wide range of people.” Establishing areas of common interest takes time. It also takes effort. It’s been reported that today a typical business executive has an on-the-job attention span of six minutes. That’s pathetic! In six minutes a person can hardly get his or her feet on the ground, much less find common ground. Identifying areas you can agree on calls for empathy and a willingness to listen to what the other person has to say. In her book How to Talk So People Listen, Sonya Hamlin reports that most people find this challenging because of the “Me-First Factor.” She writes: “Listening requires giving up our favorite human pastime—involvement in ourselves and our own self-interest. It’s our primary, entirely human focus. And it’s where our motivation to do anything comes from. With this as a base, can you see what a problem is created when we’re asked to listen to someone else?” So, what’s the solution? First of all it’s essential to acknowledge and answer two of the listener’s instinctive, unspoken questions, which are: “Why should I listen to you? What’s in it for me if I let you in?” Anytime you’re willing to listen to people and figure out how what you’re offering meets their needs, you are halfway toward your goal of finding common ground.
Meditation for beginners
“We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God.” Ps 48:9
Hopefully by now you are convinced that the power that comes from meditating on God’s Word is a power you need working in your life. But maybe you’re a beginner and you need a starting point. You’re thinking, “Yes, I know I need to spend more time meditating on God’s Word, but how do I do it? Here are a few ideas to get you started: (1) Meditate on God’s blessings. “Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits” (Ps 103:1-2 NKJV). Meditation leads to a thankful heart. (2) Meditate on your relationship with God. “You received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Ro 8:15-16 NKJV). (3) Meditate on God’s love for you. “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me” (Ps 63:3-8 NKJV). You can meditate on God’s promises to protect you, or guide you, or instruct you, or correct you, or bless you. The point is, you need to get started!
Praying God’s promises (2)
“Call to Me, and I will answer you.” Jer 33:3 NKJV
When you begin to pray scripturally based prayers, you will get the answers you need. Here is why: The Bible is God’s Word, and He always keeps His Word. Here is how to pray: (1) When you don’t have the answer. “Call to me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know” (v. 3). (2) When you’re worried and under stress. “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (Jn 14:27 NKJV). (3) When you need spiritual insight. “When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak of His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come” (Jn 16:13 NKJV). (4) When you need power for service. “He who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do…that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (Jn 14:12-14 NKJV). (5) When you need God’s blessing on your endeavors. “I will make them and the places around My hill a blessing; and I will cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessing” (Eze 34:26 NKJV). Once you see the results of praying God’s promises, you will never pray any other way.
Meditate on God’s Word
“In His law he meditates day and night…and whatever he does shall prosper.” Ps 1:2-3 NKJV
Thomas à Kempis wrote, “If you wish to grow in your spiritual life, you must not allow yourself to be caught up in the workings of the world. You must find time alone, away from the noise and confusion, from the allure of power and wealth.” You say, “Does that mean God doesn’t want me setting goals and achieving things in life?” No, quite the opposite! The Bible says, “In His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper” (vv.2-3 NKJV). What’s the secret of a tree’s fruitfulness? Having deep roots that are connected to life-giving streams of water. And as the demands on your time and energy become greater, you must discipline yourself to spend even more time in the Scriptures, not less. When your inner life is not in order, your outer life becomes dysfunctional and begins to fall apart. And working harder will only make it happen faster. You will be like the pilot who announced to his passengers, “Folks, there is bad news and good news. The bad news is, our instruments have failed and we don’t know where we’re going. The good news is, we’re making great time!” What’s the answer? David says: “I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways. I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word” (Ps 119:14-16 NKJV).
The art of being a sheep (2)
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” Ps 23:1 NIV
We need to know two things: (1) Our shepherd’s character. Jesus distinguished good shepherds from bad ones (See Jn 10:11-16). Bad shepherds look out for their own interests, not the welfare of the sheep. They’re unreliable; when a threat arises, they abandon the flock. But Jesus claimed, “I am the good shepherd” (Jn 10:11). What makes Him good? “The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep” (v. 11 NKJV). Their needs and their security come before his own, and if necessary, he will die for them. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me” (v. 14 NIV). Jesus knows each of His sheep individually and desires an intimate relationship with them. He calls each one by name; they trust Him and follow where He leads (See Jn 10:3). You can rely on your shepherd to protect and guide you! (2) The sheep’s condition is the shepherd’s business. He can’t be a good shepherd if his sheep’s needs aren’t being met. Sheep don’t know the path to the pasture, the location of the watering hole, or the strategy for their own safety. But the shepherd does. His sheep believe in him, rely on him, and follow him. But believing in and relying on His protection and provision isn’t instinctive—it’s the only decision you make; an act of your will. Regardless of your feelings or circumstances, you make up your mind to trust the shepherd to handle things and act as your security. When you turn your worries and concerns over to Him and rest in His goodness, He fulfills His promise that you will “lack nothing.”
You are a wonder
“I praise you because I am…wonderfully made.” Ps 139:14 NIV
Despite your aches and pains, you are a living, breathing, walking, talking wonder. The psalmist said, “You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (vv. 13-14 NIV). One author explains: “Most of us take our eyesight for granted, but even the simplest of processes is divinely complex. The retina, for example, conducts close to ten billion calculations every second, and that is before an image even travels through the optic nerve to the visual cortex. The human nose can detect one-millionth of one milligram of garlic floating in the air and distinguish among ten thousand distinct odors. The hairs blanketing your body magnify the sensation of touch so that you can discern a thousandth of an ounce of pressure on the tip of a half-inch hair. Amazing, isn’t it?” Trillions of chemical reactions are taking place in every cell of your body every second. You are inhaling oxygen, metabolizing energy, digesting food, maintaining equilibrium, purifying toxins, producing hormones, exhaling carbon dioxide, repairing tissues, and circulating blood. As you read this, millions of electrical impulses are firing across billions of synaptic pathways, and you don’t even think about it. But you should, and you should praise God for the gift of life and the multitude of His blessings you enjoy. And you should do one more all-important thing: Discover your life’s purpose and dedicate yourself to fulfilling it. It has been said the two most important days in a person’s life are the day they’re born and the day they discover why they were born. Think about it!
Pray for a “sympathy breakthrough”
“Clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” Col 3:12 NLT
The poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote, “If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man’s life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility.” In his documentary on twentieth-century wars, Jonathan Glover refers to what he calls “sympathy breakthroughs.” Even in the situation of war, acts of compassion supersede the conflict. Most sympathy breakthroughs, according to Glover, are triggered by eye-to-eye contact, and that eye-to-eye contact displaces hand-to-hand combat. Have you ever had a sympathy breakthrough? If not, pray for one. It’s a moment when your tendency to hate is overcome by your will to love. A moment when proactive compassion overrules negative anger. A moment when you’re concerned more about someone else’s pain than your own. Those are the moments when you discover what it really means to love God with all your heart. It’s much simpler to act like a Christian than it is to react like one. Anybody can put on an act. But your reactions expose what is really in your heart. And if you love God with all your heart, you won’t merely act like it. You will react like it. The apostle Peter puts it this way: “Clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony” (vv. 12-14 NLT).
You can’t have a testimony without a test
“I will…test them as gold is tested.” Zec 13:9 NAS
If you’re being tested today, you’re in good company! Job, the most righteous man on earth, was tested beyond what most of us will ever have to endure. And when he emerged, he told God, “I heard about you from others; now I have seen you” (Job 42:5 CEV). In the heat of the furnace, you experience God up close and personal. Sheila Schuller Coleman says, “Some tests are intended to assess what we’ve learned; others are intended to teach. We learn our most profound lessons when we’re tested…Like what we’re capable of…where we need to grow…and that there’s still more to learn! When your faith is being tested, the last thing you’re thinking about is learning a lesson…you just want to survive. But the lesson we learn from Job is that when we keep our faith in the most testing of times, we’ll ‘come out as gold’ (Job 23:10 NAS). Think about it: Did you ever hear a testimony that wasn’t about someone surviving a test? James says, ‘Consider it pure joy…whenever you face trials’ (Jas 1:2 NIV). When we suffer, when people say hateful things, when we lose our homes, when we encounter rifts in our family, when the doctor calls with a dire diagnosis—the last thing we feel is joy…If anyone could speak with authority on praising God in trials, it was Paul. He was beaten, thrown into jail, and run out of town. How does your week compare to his?” When you get through this test, you will have a testimony to God’s strength and faithfulness, and be able to say, “The Lord is my God.”
Keep it simple
“I will give you shepherds…who will lead you with knowledge and understanding.” Jer 3:15 NIV
Seeking to impress the congregation, a young seminary graduate incorporated the biggest words he could find into his Sunday-morning sermon. It was a disaster! Stepping down from the pulpit, he met an old preacher who said, “Son, you spoke over their heads.” Irritated and defensive, the young seminarian said, “Then why don’t they stretch their necks?” To which the old preacher replied, “Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep,’ not my giraffes!” Whether you’re in a pulpit, a classroom, a board meeting, or talking to someone one-on-one over coffee, you must decide whether your goal is to impress people—or help them. God said, “I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding.” Your aim shouldn’t be merely to communicate knowledge—but understanding. The measure of a good teacher isn’t what he or she knows—it’s what the student learns. Making things simple is a necessary skill if you want to connect with people. To put it in the words of Albert Einstein: “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it enough.” If you’re serious about trying to reach people, keep these four words firmly in mind: (1) Heart. To move someone, you must touch them on an emotional level. (2) Hope. By spelling out their potential and their possibilities, you will inspire them to try. (3) Help. Show them how to apply what you’re saying in a tangible way. (4) Humor. By laughing at your own mistakes, you let people know their problem isn’t unique—and to someone who is struggling, that can be the best feeling in the world.
Don’t burn out (3)
“In returning and rest you shall be saved.” Isa 30:15 NKJV
Burnout is characterized by disengagement, and stress by over-engagement. In burnout, your emotions become blunted; stress makes them over-reactive. Burnout causes emotional damage; stress primarily causes physical damage. Burnout affects motivation and drive; stress affects your physical energy. Depression from burnout comes from loss of hope and ideals; stress-related depression comes from your body’s need to conserve energy and protect itself. Burnout triggers helplessness and hopelessness; stress triggers urgency and hyperactivity. Burnout produces detachment; stress produces panic, phobias, and anxiety. Burnout may not kill you, but it makes life feel like it’s not worth living. So, what’s the answer? God said, “In returning and rest you shall be saved.” Author Bev Murrill writes: “Those of us in ministry run on our own very ‘important’ treadmills. And as the leader goes, so go the followers. That’s an awesome responsibility. Those of us whose role is to influence others need to be aware of what we say and do because we’ll ‘be judged more strictly’ (See Jas 3:1 NCV). We’re all sick of influential Christians falling into behavior that disempowers those who trusted their leaders…Whether it be sexual sin, anger, self-righteousness, or dishonesty…we need to examine ourselves instead of pointing and accusing. Spend time with the One who has the capacity to strip us down to the bare bones of our heart’s cry. It’s easy to start believing your own publicity and taking the measurement of who you are from other people’s opinions…Only God’s opinion counts, and that’s hard to discern unless you take time to stop and let him tell you.”
Don’t burn out (1)
“Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?” Pr 20:6 NIV
Pastor Rowland Croucher writes: “The children had gone to school, my wife was off to work, and I did something I’d never done before. I turned the phone down, put a note on the door, and went back to bed. I was burned out. Within two months I had resigned my ministry…Three out of four pastors report anger, depression, fear, and alienation. The reasons include…a disparity between idealistic expectations and hard reality…lack of boundaries…workaholism…feelings of incompetence…conflict between being a leader and being a servant at the same time…‘playing it safe’ to avoid upsetting powerful parishioners…and loneliness (pastors are less likely to have a close friend than almost anybody).” Ministering in your own strength virtually guarantees you will end up as another statistic. Paul was able to go the distance and finish strong because he depended on God to give him the needed strength. One Bible teacher says avoiding burnout means (a) having a definite call on your life and a strong relationship with Jesus, (b) seeking His vision and being willing to do whatever He asks, (c) never losing sight of the people behind the work, (d) never taking your position for granted, (e) respecting the guy above you, and submitting willingly to authority, (f) knowing that you’re fulfilling God’s will and your reward is laid up in heaven, (g) having a servant’s heart, (h) putting loyalty above personal feelings, and (i) never being too big to do small things, or too small to do big things. Practice these principles and you won’t burn out.
Keep your hope alive (1)
“Grab…hope with both hands and never let go.” Heb 6:18 MSG
Does your situation look impossible? Are you getting ready to quit? Don’t! Emilie Batisse was seventy-nine when she was injured in a hit-and-run accident and wasn’t expected to live. When Norman Vincent Peale went to visit her, he noticed a row of brand-new poetry books that hadn’t been opened. When he asked her about them, she said, “I love poetry, but I haven’t read those…I’m saving them for my old age.” Mrs. Batisse lived to read those books many times, and when she eventually died at ninety-one, she was planning a trip to Europe. Hope is wishing for something to come true; faith is believing it will happen. Hope is wanting something so desperately that despite all evidence to the contrary, you keep believing God for it. And the remarkable thing is that the act of hoping produces a strength of its own. When Cornell University conducted a study on the effects of hope, Dr. Harold G. Wolff reported that people with hope can endure incredible burdens. One group comprised twenty-five thousand soldiers imprisoned during World War II. Subjected to forced labor, bad food, and filth, many died while others showed only slight damage. Interviews with survivors revealed a far-above-average ability to hope! How were they able to keep their hope alive? By drawing pictures of the girls they planned to marry, designing their future homes, and organizing business management seminars. Hope not only kept them well, it kept them alive! It’s easy to see why Paul describes hope as “an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past…appearances…to the very presence of God” (v. 19).
Your handbook for life!
“The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living.” Ps 19:8 NLT
The marquee outside a little country church read: “Jesus said…” That’s it—nothing else! Obviously the custodian was interrupted before finishing the job, leaving the incomplete message for passing drivers to fill in the blank. Doubtless, some would drive by giving it little thought. The more biblically minded might search their memory for the right answer. Some might think the custodian missed an opportunity to proclaim words that can transform lives. Jesus said, “Every word I’ve spoken to you is a Spirit-word and so it is life-making” (Jn 6:63 MSG). The words of people can inform us, but only the words of God can transform us. David understood the awesome benefits of God’s Word. In Psalm 19:7-11 NLT, he tells us it’s essential for these: (1) “Reviving the soul.” God’s Word is inexhaustible, but we’re not! We wear down with time and effort, and need restoration and revitalizing. (2) “Making wise the simple.” God’s Word gives you insights for crucial, everyday decision-making. A high IQ isn’t required; the Bible is for regular and ordinary people. David said, “I have more insight than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, because I have observed Your precepts” (Ps 119:99-100 NAS 1995). (3) “Bringing joy to the heart” (Ps 19:8 NLT). Happiness is dependent on having the right people and circumstances in your life. But “joy” is different; it’s an inside job that comes from living by the principles of Scripture. (4) “Giving insight for living.” When you have a problem in your personal life, homelife, or working life, God’s Word offers you “insight for living.” It’s your handbook for life!
Kids and kites
“A man shall leave his father and mother.” Mt 19:5 NKJV
Letting go of our children is one of the toughest phases of parenting. Erma Bombeck compared it to flying a kite. “Mom and dad run down the road hoping to catch a breeze. Eventually, and with much effort, they manage to hoist the kite a few feet in the air. Just when they think it is safely underway, great danger looms. It dives toward electrical lines and twirls perilously near the trees. It is a scary moment. Then, unexpectedly, a gust of wind catches the kite and carries it upward. Mom and dad begin feeding line as rapidly as they can. The kite then becomes difficult to hold. Parents reach the end of their line and begin to wonder what to do next. The little craft demands more freedom. It rises higher and higher. Dad stands on tiptoe to accommodate the tug. It is now grasped tenuously between his index finger and thumb, held upward toward the sky. Then comes the moment of release. The string slips through his fingers, and the kite soars majestically into God’s beautiful sky. The kite is now a mere pinpoint of color in the sky. The parents are proud of what they have done—but sad to realize that their job is finished. It was a labor of love. But where did the years go?” Parenting is an exhilarating and terrifying experience, and one that was ordained from the beginning. With the ultimate release, and for this season, your task as a parent is finished. The kite is free, and so, for the first time in twenty years or so, are you. What’s next? Ask God; He has a plan for your life.
God can cancel your past (2)
“I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.” Jer 31:34 NLT
Have you ever watched children playing with an Etch A Sketch? If they make a mess of the picture, all they have to do is turn it over to erase it; then they can start all over again. This is how God handles the mistakes you have made; He wipes the slate clean. “I will…remember their sins no more” (v. 34 NIV). This has to be one of the most wonderful statements in the Bible—that “God forgets.” When we admit our sins and ask God to forgive us, He cancels our past. He chooses to forget our wrongs, errors, and failures. Even if we died tonight, stood before God in heaven, and asked Him about a sin we committed yesterday, He would say, “What sin?” When you deny your sin, you deny God the joy of forgiving you. When you try to excuse your sin, God permits the consequences to become so painful that you will want to turn from it. But when you confess your sin, “he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1Jn 1:9 NIV). The prodigal son broke his father’s heart, squandered his inheritance, and ended in a pigpen. But his is a comeback story! His turnaround began with these words: “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself…‘I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned’” (Lk 15:17-18 NLT). And what his father did for him, God will do for you today.