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 Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 5:50 am
Wholly Whole
Have you ever felt as though everyone around you is a couple except you? If you haven't dated much, maybe you've even begun to think, What's wrong with me?
Actually, being normal has absolutely nothing in the world to do with having a boyfriend/girlfriend. Being normal has everything to do with following Jesus Christ and living in total obedience to Him. In fact, it's silly to think that another person can make you whole. But many teens believe if they were only in a dating relationship, it would fill that aching void of loneliness in their lives.
While a relationship can certainly enhance our lives, it can't fill the voice. Is it even fair to expect anyone to accomplish a task as big and important as that?
God's ideal is for you to be whole as an individual. Then someday when you do marry, you marry already whole. Your mate will simply add to your life instead of becoming your life. When you make God the very center of your life, He brings the fulfillment and security you need. Then when you marry someday, you do so as two whole people enhancing the lives of each other.
Realistically, Jesus Christ is the only One who can fill the void in your life. Your security, happiness and fulfillment have to be founded in a relationship with Him, not with another human. Only when you're whole in Christ are you ready to join into a relationship with someone else. Never approach a relationship expecting that person to make you whole. It won't happen, and it can't happen. And starting a relationship simply because you're lonely, isn't a good enough reason to enter a relationship.
Loneliness is universal in our world. Psychologists tells us it's one of the most frequent issues they deal with in counseling. Loneliness is often the root of suicide attempts, drug abuse, alcohol addiction and many other problems-both physical and psychological.
Ironically, out of all the problems that surround us, loneliness is the most frequently mentioned problem in our society. Doctors tell us that loneliness is as significant to high blood pressure as obesity is to a lack of exercise. Medical experts also point out that loneliness-social isolation-is a greater mortality risk than smoking.
Someone once described loneliness as “sensing the spirit of one you love pulling away from you.”
You may be wondering, But I'm a Christian! Why am I lonely? Christians aren't ever supposed to get lonely . . . are they?
Know It!
Christians aren't immune to anything. Even Jesus Christ felt loneliness. And guess what-He understands when you get lonely, too! Let's take a closer look at loneliness and what we can do about it.
Read It!
Psalm 34:18-20; Psalm 68:6; Matthew 26:36-46, 56; Luke 5:16.
Pray It!
Ask God to glorify Himself through your lonelyness.
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Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 9:54 am
Feeling Lonely
Jesus knew He didn't have much time left on earth. The time for His crucifixion was drawing near. He took His disciples to a garden grove and told them to wait for Him and to pray. Then He took Peter, James and John a little further and told them His heart was filled with anguish and despair. Those are heavy words from the King of Kings. He instructed Peter, James and John to wait for Him and to cover Him with prayer while He went on ahead . . . alone.
Imagine how Jesus must have felt when He returned and found the three disciples who were closest to Him asleep! He had trusted them with His deepest feelings. He had specifically told them He needed prayer coverage. Yet they let Him down. And Jesus must have felt extremely lonely-even in the company of His closest friends.
A few hours later, when Jesus was arrested and brought in for illegal trials, illegal questioning and horrendous torture . . . He must have felt extremely lonely-even in the midst of a crowd.
When we're lonely, we can be encouraged that Jesus knows exactly how we feel. But we should also be reminded of how He feels when we drift away from Him.
It's easy for us to imagine the emptiness we'd feel if a loved one were to separate from us, but we can't begin to comprehend the loneliness God felt when man was eternally separated from Him, the Father Creator. Out of love, He created a bridge. And that bridge is His Son, Jesus.
He became our bridge so we'll never be separated from our heavenly Father again. In other words, we don't ever need to become consumed with loneliness. We'll experience loneliness, but we need never again become consumed with it, because Jesus forever keeps us from being separated from the One who loves us most.
No one enjoys sitting at home alone while friends are out on dates or feeling as though he has no friends at all. It's important that we realize that our loneliness is sometimes caused by what we do ourselves. Other times, it's caused by circumstances beyond our control or society. Loneliness can be separated into several categories.
1. Loneliness caused by isolating ourselves. We become negative, sarcastic and cynical. We complain, harbor a bitter spirit and eventually drive others away. Do you know someone who fits into this category? Is it possible that you could be guilty of this-of creating your own loneliness?
Know It!
It's possible . . . and you may have experienced it . . . to be lonely even in a crowd. And Jesus knows how you feel. He wants to help you through your loneliness. He may not change your situation, but He can change your outlook.
Read It!
Psalm 4-5; Psalm 37:25; Psalm 43:5; Psalm 66:19.
Pray It!
Ask God to help you know if you're a contributor to your own loneliness by harboring negative attitudes and grudges. Be willing to commit those to Him.
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Posted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 8:26 am
Peer Pressure
We all face peer pressure sometime in our life, whether as a teen or even an adult. But it is very important to keep God in the picture when it happens to keep us in control. You go through peer pressure when other kids ask you to do drugs or smoke pot or even cigarettes. The main thing is to keep in prayer and keep strong in God because in the Bible, (Zech. 4:6) it says "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord." That's how He will help you through this time of struggle. Especially in a young Christian's life, it is useless to try to fight peer pressure by yourself. No matter how hard you try, you will always fail when peer pressure happens, without Jesus Christ in your life to strengthen you.
For the best of us, it may not be just drugs or drinking or sex, but it can be pressure to get you to join gangs or go to the wrong places. That's where it is important to remember your Christian friends. They are there to help and pray with you through such difficult times. Christian friends will always be by your side because they know what you are going through. Even your Christian friends on-line, like us at TDDM, we will always be here for you to talk or pray with you whenever you need us. We are only an email or IM away.
There may even be pressure at home. You might not think of it as a peer pressure but in a sense, it is the same thing. When it comes to parents, you know they are always asking you to do stuff and at times it weighs heavy on you. This feels like pressure of a different kind. I understand you are busy with other stuff but listen to your parents closely because they love you and are trying to help you. They are there ready to talk about any problems you have. Remember, they have been there also, so they know.
And one more thing from Prov 3:5,6 and 2 Tim 1:7:
"Just trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight" and "For God did not give us a spirit of fear but of power, of love and of a sound mind." He gave us the confidence to tell those kids no to peer pressure.
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Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 5:58 am
Handling Loneliness
We've established that loneliness is normal, everyone experiences it, Jesus experienced it, and there are a variety of categories of loneliness.
1. Loneliness caused by isolating ourselves.
2. Loneliness caused by circumstances beyond our control. This type of loneliness doesn't happen because you're a bad person or because you're difficult to be around. You don't cause this loneliness-God allows it, not out of anger or spite, but because we live in a fallen world. Sometimes bad things happen to good people. In other words, a loved one dies or a best friend moves away. This usually requires an adjustment period. And that requires change . . . which is never easy.
If you're experiencing this kind of loneliness, begin praying for healing. We're reminded in Psalm 34 that God is extremely close to those whose hearts are breaking. He's also promised to be our Comforter. He can begin the healing process right now if you'll trust Him with the hurt. And it will be a process. Sometimes wounds take a long time to heal.
3. Loneliness caused by spiritual or psychological loneliness. It's strange how you can be surrounded by crowds of people and yet still feel completely alone, isn't it? You've probably heard the saying, “It's lonely at the top.” If you're in a position of student leadership, you've probably experienced the struggle of working hard to make good things happen for others (planning the dance, organizing the class party, etc.) and yet not having someone special to enjoy it with you. It's easy to feel as though you're often standing on the outside looking in.
This type of loneliness often attacks those in positions of spiritual leadership. Remember the Old Testament prophet Elijah? (Flip back to March 12 for a quick reminder.) God did incredible things through this man. He defeated the army of Baal (and the odds were 450 to 1!), he stood up against King Ahab, and he led thousands to believe in and worship the Lord.
Yet after the big Baal bash, he withdrew into the mountains and asked God to let him die. He complained that he was the only godly man left. Loneliness always seems to intensify when we can't find others who share our beliefs. The Lord opened Elijah's spiritual eyes a little wider and revealed to him that there were actually 7,000 godly people around him. When you're experiencing this kind of loneliness, ask God to reveal those around you who share your standards and values.
Know It!
Determine not to exaggerate your loneliness by multiplying your complaints in your mind as Elijah did. Wait for God to nourish you with His strength.
Read It!
Psalm 69:1-4; Psalm 69: 33; Psalm 69:15; 2 Corinthians 4:7-9;
Pray It!
When you're feeling lonely, ask God to show you others around you who share your faith and values.
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Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 5:55 am
Trivia . . . or Not?
It's interesting how people put value on specific items. Check out the following items and decide if you think they're as valuable as other people do.
• A pair of ruby slippers that Judy Garland wore in The Wizard of Oz sold for $660,000 at a Christie's East auction in 2000.
• Reindeer actually live in the arctic and sub arctic regions of Europe, Asia and North America.
• The city of Dallas was named for George Mifflihn Dallas, who was the vice president of the United States when James K. Polk was president, from 1845 to 1849.
• Lake Superior is the largest lake in North America. It has a surface area of 31,700 miles and is the largest freshwater lake in the world.
• In 1900, the most popular names for American girls were Mary, Helen, Margaret, Anna, Ruth, Catherine, Elizabeth, Dorothy, Marie and Mildred.
• Hawaii, Arizona and parts of Indiana don't use Daylight Savings times.
• The speed of light is 186,000 miles per second. A beam of light could travel around the entire earth seven and a half times in one second.
• The Dallas International Airport is the size of Manhattan.
• Bibliophobia is the fear of books.
• In 1968, the United States Navy spent more than $400,000 to study Frisbees in wind tunnels.
• The official dessert of Massachusetts is Boston cream pie.
• Joshua Pusey invented the match book in 1892, but he made one mistake. He placed the striker on the inside instead of the outside of the book. People often trying to light one match would accidentally light all 50- and sometimes themselves! It was the Diamond Match Company that first moved the striker to the outside of the book. In 1894, they purchased Joshua Pusey's patent for $4,000.
• The coldest temperature ever recorded was at Vostok Station in Antarctica at -128.6 degrees Fahrenheit.
• There are approximately 6,000 known languages in the world, and about 1,000 of them are spoken on the island of New Guinea. Nearly half of these languages have less than 500 people speaking them.
Chances are good that you weren't aware of most the above facts. Most people aren't. That's why we refer to information like this as trivia. It seems trivial- unimportant. But there are some facts the world views as trivial that are actually quite important.
Important fact: Christ will return! He promised His disciples He would someday return for His children. Christians refer to this as the “Second Coming.” No one knows the exact time, day or date that Christ will return to earth, but we are given several insights into His coming.
We're told that two people will be at work, and one will simply disappear and be taken to heaven. This is referred to as the “rapture.” The rapture and the second coming are two important facts the world labels as trivial. But someday we'll all face the judgment of God Himself, and everyone will know what is and isn't trivia!
Know It!
Even though the world doesn't put much stock in what the Bible says, those who heed it's warnings are the wise ones.
Read It!
Matthew 24:29-30; Matthew 24:32-42; Matthew 24:44; Matthew 25:31-33.
Pray It!
Ask God to open your spiritual eyes to the important things He wants you to learn.
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Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 5:50 am
The Yoke
As Christians, we're very familiar with the Cross. We see it on church steeples and wear it on gold chains around our necks. We know that it's an instrument of death. It symbolizes sacrifice. It represents death.
But there's another ingredient that's just as essential in our relationship with Christ as the Cross, and that's the yoke. We aren't as familiar with the yoke, are we? We don't see it on church steeples or wear small yokes on gold chains around our necks. But the yoke, like the Cross, is necessary to our spiritual maturity.
The yoke is an instrument of sacrifice. It symbolizes service. It represents sweat. And if we're really serious about our relationship with Christ, we're ready at any moment to pick up the Cross or be fitted with the yoke. We're willing to die or to serve. We're ready to sacrifice or to sweat.
There's a legend that states in Jesus' day, He was known for making perfect yokes in the family carpenter's shop. The legend stands that men would bring their animals from miles around just to have Jesus make the yoke for their oxen. It's important that a yoke fit perfectly. If it's too small, it grinds the neck of the animal and can rub it raw. And one can actually put a very light load on the back of the oxen, but if the yoke is too small the load will feel very heavy.
And if a yoke is too large, the oxen can't get a good grip. It rides too loosely around their necks making it difficult to pull a load. And again, one can actually put a very light load on the backs of the oxen but it will seem very heavy if the yoke is too big.
But when a yoke fits just right, one can put a heavy load on the oxen, and it will feel extremely light, because everything is in exact balanced proportion.
Know It!
Jesus Christ has spend your lifetime custom-designing a yoke that will only fit you. It fits you perfectly. Will you allow Him to break you, remake you and reshape you in His image and be fitted with His yoke?
Read It!
Psalm 22:8; Isaiah 28:16; Mark 8:34; Matthew 11:28- 30.
Pray It!
Ask God to help you learn the importance of total surrender in your relationship with Him and what it means to pick up the cross and be fitted with the yoke.
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Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2006 6:14 am
Learning From the Yoke
When oxen were tied to a yoke, farmers used a collar made of leather with padding so it would protect the animal's neck and forequarters to ensure he wouldn't become disabled. The collar was made with a leather strap and buckle at the top, and it had a rounded bottom to provide comfort to the animal. When the harness was put on the collar, it was designed to put the least amount of pressure on the horse. If the equipment didn't fit properly, if often shifted, and the horse would develop a sore. The animal would then become so stiff-necked that the farmer couldn't turn him at all. The horse would become accustomed only to going one way.
We, too, sometimes become stiff-necked. God needs disciples who are teachable, flexible and willing to allow Him to reshape them for His glory-not their own. When we allow God to fit us with His yoke, it will fit perfectly. To wear the yoke God has created specifically for you requires a few things:
Submission. Are you ready to willingly submit to the authority of Jesus Christ in your life? Can you pray the prayer that Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane: “Not My will, but Thine be done.” Wearing God's yoke that's been custom-designed just for you requires total surrender.
Obedience. A yoke is made for two. When you allow Christ to fit you with His yoke, you don't walk alone. He's in the yoke with you! This requires watching, learning and doing what He does. It means you begin to imitate His lifestyle through total obedience. Are you willing to stop pulling the yoke one way while Jesus gently tugs the opposite direction?
Service. The very idea of a yoke brings up mental images of pulling, working, serving. If Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was willing to come and serve, shouldn't you be all the more willing to do the same? He calls every Christian into service.
Fellowship. When you see someone else struggling to pull a load, will you join him? Will you connect yourself to his harness and help him pull the weight? This is really what the Body of Christ is all about-helping, supporting and encouraging one another. No one is expected to be a “Lone Ranger Christian.” We really do need each other.
Know It!
Have you ever thought about your purpose? Why you're here on earth? The reason for your existence is to bring glory to Jesus Christ. Are you doing that? Or like the horse with a sore neck, have you become stiff- necked and unteachable?
Read It!
Proverbs 19:11; Proverbs 19:20; Matthew 11:28-30; 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13.
Pray It!
Give God your willingness to submit, obey, serve and fellowship with other Christians.
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Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 5:52 am
No Regrets
The armies of the North and South were clashing fiercely during the first three days of July 1863. It was the middle of the Civil War, and the North and South were in battle at Gettysburg. During the first three days of the battle, the fighting was inconclusive, but then things began to turn against General Lee and the Confederate forces.
Under General G.G. Meade's leadership, the northern troops were winning, so Lee began to retreat southward on the night of July 4. Storm clouds drenched the East Coast with rain, and when Lee got to the Potomac River, he discovered it was swollen with rain. He and his troops couldn't cross it. The Union army was right behind him, and the river was right in front of him. The Confederate forces were trapped!
This was the perfect opportunity for General Meade to end the battle. He could have attacked immediately, destroyed General Lee's army and ended the Civil War. President Lincoln actually ordered him to attack. But Meade didn't. He waited. Delayed. Held a council meeting. Then delayed again.
Eventually the water of the river went down, and General Lee and the Confederate troops escaped over the Potomac. The war continued another two years. Meade never regained his lost opportunity, and it was to General Grant that Lee finally surrendered on April 9, 1865.
What a tremendous regret! What an amazingly incredible missed opportunity! Meade could have actually ended the war and saved innocent lives if he had simply acted when the timing was right.
God is in the business of providing amazingly incredible opportunities. Are you in the business of recognizing them? When you notice a classmate who's upset, do you see that as an opportunity to comfort her? When a friend is discouraged, do you recognize the opportunity to share the eternal hope you have? When a friend goes through a breakup, do you see that as an opportunity to talk about a Friend who loves forever and has promised to never leave us?
Maybe you're thinking, I'm not sure if I have those opportunities. Then follow this simple strategy:
• Pray for opportunities to share your faith. You serve a God who is extremely faithful! If you ask Him to give you specific opportunities to share what He's doing in your life with others, He will. Make this request a part of your daily prayer life.
• Pray for wisdom to recognize the opportunities that God does indeed bring your way. Ask Him to help you recognize them. Learn to develop the habit of seeing everyone you come in contact with as either a lost soul or a saved soul. And determine to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the lost souls He brings across your path.
Know It!
God doesn't want you to live a life of missed opportunities and spiritual regrets. Stand up, take notice and know that you're on a mission-a mission to reflect Jesus Christ to each person with whom you come in contact.
Read It!
Jeremiah 31:13; Jeremiah 35:13-15; Lamentations 3:22-26; Acts 8:27-39.
Pray It!
Ask God to forgive you for any missed opportunities you let slip past you.
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Posted: Sat Nov 04, 2006 8:56 am
Recognized Opportunities
Think of the thousands of potentially missed opportunities could have happened if believers weren't paying close attention to God.
• The Feeding of the Five Thousand. The multitudes had gathered, Jesus had been preaching to them, and it was too late for them to return home for food. He had already met their spiritual needs, and now He was interested in meeting their physical needs. So He called His disciples to Him and specifically asked about food. Eleven of the disciples missed the opportunity. They failed to recognize this moment as an amazingly incredible time for Jesus to declare His glory through a miracle. One disciple, Andrew, spoke up. “I found a little boy,” he said, “who has a few slices of bread and some fish.” Jesus took the opportunity, blessed the food and multiplied it in front of their eyes.
• Ministering to the Ethiopian Eunuch. Philip recognized this traveling visitor as someone with whom he could share his faith. The Ethiopian accepted Christ as his Savior, Philip baptized him and he grew in his faith. When God presented this amazingly incredible opportunity to Philip, what if he had failed to recognize it and responded, “God, I'm already traveling in a different direction. I'm on a different mission today.” Philip recognized the prompting God's leading in his life, and he obeyed.
• The acceptance of Paul. Saul was traveling to Damascus when he was stopped in his tracks, blinded by God's light. God spoke to him, changed his name, and Saul (now Paul) became a Christian. Shortly after, however, he needed Christian fellowship. Many of the believers were afraid to have anything to do with him; after all, he had a known reputation for murdering Christians. But Barnabas recognized this as an opportunity to help a new Christian, and he accepted Paul with open arms.
• The healing of the bleeding woman. She'd seen several doctors and had spent nearly every cent she had on trying to get well. And one day she noticed a crowd following Jesus of Nazareth. She had heard about Him healing the blind and causing the lame to walk. She felt a spark of hope. Could He heal me? When Jesus passed her way, she seized the opportunity to join the mass and deliberately and aggressively pushed her way through the crowd until she was able to reach His gown and touch the hem of His garment. She was healed.
Know It!
God brings amazingly incredible opportunities across your path all the time. Take advantage of each opportunity. Don't let even one pass by without obeying God's direction.
Read It!
Mark 5:24-34; Mark 8:8-9; John 6:1-14; Acts 9;
Pray It!
Ask God to help you recognize the opportunities He brings your way and be willing to share your faith in those times.
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Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 8:43 am
Dangerous Driver, Dangerous Christian?
More and more people are trying to eat while driving, and it's causing a lot of accidents. If your car is a stick shift, and you're trying to eat, drink, answer a cell phone and shift gears, you don't have enough hands to guide the steering wheel!
Insurance companies have discovered it's really more the spill than the eating. So that means anything that drips isn't a good idea to consume while behind the wheel of a car. The staff at Hagerty Classic Insurance decided to do a study of their own to see which foods are the worst offenders, and although they ruined a few shirts in the process, they found some interesting information.
The top seven food offenders in a car are:
1. Coffee. It always finds a way out of the cup. And the temperature of most coffees can cause serious burns and distract drivers who are trying to drive while in pain.
2. Hot Soup. Many people drink it like coffee and run the same risks.
3. Tacos. This is a food that can disassemble itself without much help, leaving your car looking like a salad bar.
4. Chili. Lots of potential for drips and slops down the front of clothing.
5. Hamburgers. From the grease of the burger to ketchup and mustard, it could all end up on your hands, clothes and the steering wheel.
6. Barbecued food. The sauce may be great, but if you have to lick your fingers, the sauce will end up on whatever you touch-including the controls of your car.
7. Fried Chicken. Another food that leaves you with greasy hands, which means constantly wiping them on something. It also makes your steering wheel greasy.
Someone trying to eat, shift and answer a phone while driving, might as well hang a sign in the window that says, “Dangerous Driver.” But could the same thing be happening to you as a Christian? It's easy to become so involved in a variety of good things that you find yourself simply juggling nice activities instead of really making a difference. If you're going to Bible study but getting angry at your parents . . . if you're inviting non- Christian friends on your softball team to youth group but throwing the bat on the field and cussing when you strike out . . . you might as well be wearing a shirt that says “Dangerous Christian.”
Know It!
People who don't know Christ are watching your life. Are you juggling so many unnecessary things that you're causing spiritual accidents? If so, it's time to slow down!
Read It!
Hebrews 12:10; Hebrews 12:12-13; James 1:13-16; 1 Peter 5:2.
Pray It!
Ask God to show you what activities are truly worthy of your time and energy. Let the others go.
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Posted: Mon Nov 06, 2006 6:12 am
Off the Wire
The following are actual news clippings from around the world.
o Police in Northbridge, Mass., caught a former donut- shop employee who robbed the place after he left a trail of coins leading to his apartment.
o Fishermen in Russia's Far East have been buying up Chinese-made Barbie dolls and using their golden hair as bait.
o A man from Saegertown, Pa., was tired of looking at two telephone service boxes at the edge of his property, so he ripped them up with a tractor. The state police noted the man couldn't be reached for comment; his phone is no longer in service.
o An Australian cricket player, desperate for some plain food after two weeks in India, called home for an emergency shipment of canned baked beans and spaghetti.
o Bank tellers in Virginia Beach, Va., handed over the money when a robber demanded cash. But they also slipped in an explosive dye pack that burns at about 400 degrees. The crook stuffed the loot down the front of his pants and was out the door before he realized something was wrong.
o A motorist led officers on a freeway chase until his sport-utility vehicle ran out of gas, but the pursuit didn't end there. The man jumped out of his SUV and began pushing it. California Highway Patrol officers waited until he got tired and then arrested him.
o A lawmaker seeking re-election to the Danish Parliament has said the country's 11 million pigs should be given toys to play with.
Often times truth really is stranger than fiction, isn't it? It's hard to believe these actual news clippings were pulled from a wire service. Have you ever wondered what would happen if Christians had a wire service? What if anyone, at any time, could tap into a wire service and pull information from it about your spiritual life?
What would they read?
o Seventeen-year-old Christian says God is the most important thing in his life, but he hasn't read the Bible in months. Says he can't find it.
o Nineteen-year-old female disciple was seen tailing an elderly woman driver and angry because she was going too slow.
o Sixteen-year-old president of Fellowship of Christian Athletes received $1.00 more in change than he should have at Wal-Mart. After he pocketed the money, he turned to his friends and said, “You could tell it was her first day on the job. Serves her right. What a twit!”
Or would people be able to pick up positive news about you? Clippings that tell about your integrity, your character and your commitment to stand up for the under-dog? Though there really isn't any such wire service for Christian actions, isn't it enough to know that your heavenly Father sees all, hears all and knows all?
Know It!
As a Christian, your greatest desire should be to reflect God Himself.
Read It!
Mark 9:50; Mark 16:15-20; 1 Corinthians 16-17; Ephesians 5:1.
Pray It!
Ask God to point out any actions or habits in your life that are misrepresentative of Him.
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Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2006 6:05 am
Gems of Life
There's an old Arabian tale of a caravan of camels making its way across the sandy desert. As the men and their animals inched their way across the sand, the camel drivers began to notice small rock-like pebbles. Some of the drivers dismounted and gathered a few of the stones and placed them in their pouches. Others didn't want to add weight to the already burdened animals.
When evening approached, around an oasis, the drivers washed their pebbles and were startled to find that they had actually found precious jewels! Early the next morning, the caravan quickly returned over the same route expecting to find more of the same pebbles, but the special rocks were gone. The camel drivers who had taken time to gather a few pebbles were grateful, but were also disappointed that they hadn't gathered more when they had the opportunity.
We can look at these gems in two different ways. (1) God Himself. You can have as much of God as you want. All you have to do is choose Him. Like gathering pebbles, make it a point to gather time for God. Get alone with Him. Read the Bible. Get to know Him in as deep a way as possible. The saddest thing in life would be to someday think back and say with regret, I wish I would have gotten to know God better. You can, right now! So do it.
We can also see these gems in another way. (2) In a sense, you've had the opportunity to scatter a few pebbles of worth during your day today. Did you speak a kind word to the lonely person in the cafeteria? Were you too busy running to practice that you didn't take time to smile at someone along the way? In the rush of your school day, did you stop and pick up a book for someone who dropped it? These are the gems of the day that can't be picked up again. Once you pass by an opportunity, you'll never have that exact same opportunity again. Are you making good use of the situations God brings your way? Or like the drivers who were too lazy to pick up the pebbles, do you tend to think, I'm too busy today. But maybe tomorrow I'll pick up some gems and spread them around.
Start collecting some gems right now. Today, make time to read your Bible and pray. Set some spiritual goals for yourself. Then make a list of ways you can distribute God's gems tomorrow to those around you.
Know It!
Let God know He can trust you with people who have specific needs by passing out gems. Make it part of your lifestyle to become as close to Christ as you can.
Read It!
2 Corinthians 3:18; 2 Corinthians 9:6-8; Philippians 2:1; Colossians 2:6-7.
Pray It!
Ask God to give you specific opportunities to spread gems of kindness to those around you.
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Posted: Wed Nov 08, 2006 5:48 am
Scary Nights
“I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:8
Have you ever seen a scary movie or heard a tale that gave you the freaks. I’ve never liked those nights where I’d lay in bed replaying those horrifying thoughts over and over in my mind. When I was younger, I used to stay up for hours feeling threatened that something bad was going to happen during the dark hours; and I would anticipate the sunrise as if nothing bad could ever happen if the world was light enough to see it.
As I got older these types of nights didn’t seem as relevant to me until I started spending nights alone. I still have trouble sleeping in my home when I’m alone because it seems to me that the slightest creek would signify a robber, or even worse, a murderer coming to get me for no apparent reason. Once my imagination gets started it will take a hold of me and my thoughts get carried away with fears. After finding this verse, on one of those fearful nights, I quickly began to memorize it so to comfort my soul and get a hold of my thoughts. Now, I’m not sure if I’m just slightly neurotic and you can’t relate to those late frightening nights; but I think we can all think of a time when we are filled with fears and anxiety.
The devil likes to get into our minds and fiddle around so that we feel insecure and become full or worry and panic. But this verse is a reminder that we can go to sleep at night calm. We don’t have to lie there and feed into the devil’s work because the Lord offers us peace of mind and will keep us safe from whatever it is the devil is offering to us.
I find it’s comforting to know that we aren’t always alone when fearing danger. Just as King David said, the Lord will sustain us. He’ll watch over us as we sleep and protect us so that we may rise again in the morning. Just one more thing to be thankful for.
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Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 2:51 pm
A Little Bit of Heaven
It was Sunday morning, and Pastor Smith had worked all week on his sermon about heaven. He delivered it with great articulation and power. The next morning he saw one of his wealthy church members in town. The man stopped him and said, “Pastor, that was a great sermon on heaven. I really enjoyed it! But you forgot one thing.”
“What's that?” Pastor Smith asked.
“You forgot to tell me where heaven is,” the man responded. “I've never been clear on that.”
“Ah,” Pastor Smith responded. “I'm glad you brought that to my attention. I've just returned from the home of Mrs. Elmore. You may know who she is. Her husband died several years ago, and she's trying to care for her two small children alone. She's very sick today, and both of her children are sick. She doesn't have anything in the house. No bread, no meat, no milk. I have an assignment for you: Buy a few groceries and take them to her in the name of Jesus. Then ask to borrow her Bible and read the Twenty-Third Psalm to her and her children. After you do that, get on your knees and pray for her and her children. If you don't see heaven before you're finished, I'll pay the bill for the groceries.”
The man stopped by the church office the next morning. “Pastor Smith, I saw heaven! There's no bill for you to pay. Thank you so much for pointing me in the right direction. I understand now.”
Every time we do something in Jesus name-going the second mile, giving in faith, sharing our resources with someone in need-we experience a little bit of heaven. Jesus told His disciples that anytime they offered a cup of cold water to a stranger, it was as if they were giving the water to their heavenly Father.
Have you experienced heaven on earth? Consider doing any of the following in striving to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those around you:
• Ask your pastor for the names of three older people in your congregation who have not been able to come to church in a while because of poor health. Call each one and ask to come sit and pray and read the Bible for them.
• Do something to earn a little extra money specifically for the purpose of giving it away. Baby-sit, wash cars, have a garage sale. And use all the of proceeds to buy groceries for a needy family.
• Make a list of five areas of need you'd love to see Jesus meet. Spend one week fasting one meal a day and praying for these needs.
Know It!
You don't need to wait until you die to experience heaven. God wants to help you experience a little bit of heaven right here on earth through your actions, your attitude and your commitment to Him.
Read It!
2 Corinthians 5:1; Philippians 3:20; Revelation 5:13; Revelation 19:1.
Pray It!
Ask God for the desire and strength to do one or all of the above examples for another person.
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Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 1:57 pm
Shut the Door!
Seth stopped at a gas station to fill his Honda. After he paid the bill, he noticed a pay phone and decided to call his buddy Tim and ask him to go to the batting cages with him. The connection was made, but Tim kept saying, “Seth? I can't hear you! Talk louder. Seth? Talk louder, man, I can't hear you!” All Tim could hear was the noise of traffic in the background. He finally screamed, “Seth! Shut the door, man! Shut the door so I can hear you!”
Many Christians mistakenly assume that God doesn't speak to them. The truth is, God speaks to you every single day. But if you're not hearing Him, it could be because there are too many other noises in your life competing for your attention. How can we hear God's specific voice if we always have the TV on?
Christian music is great, but if we never turn it off, we'll have difficulty tuning into the voice of God. There are times, when we need to “shut the door” to the world and all it offers so we can intently focus on God and God alone. The Bible tells us to “be still” and know that He is God. It's in the quiet moments, those times when we learn to completely silence ourselves before our Creator, that we hear Him speak.
Have you learned the sound of God's voice? Have you learned how to be completely still before the Lord? Being quiet isn't the only time God speaks to us, but it's usually those times when we're able to more clearly hear His voice. It's fine to use Christian music, Christian reading and other Christian materials to help you focus more completely on your relationship with God. But there comes a time when you'll need to put everything down, turn everything off and shut the door so you can hear God speaking through your thoughts, your heart, your mind and His Word.
Know It!
If you're unsure of God's voice, make it a point to seek His voice this week! Come to Him in total honesty and tell Him you desperately want to hear from Him. Understand it may not be an audible voice. Ask Him to help you learn what His voice sounds like through your heart and through Scripture. If you set aside the time to learn His voice, God will be faithful and teach you His inflection. When you make a consistent habit of shutting everything else out to focus more clearly on your heavenly Father, it will make all the difference in the world!
Read It!
Proverbs 14:16; Proverbs 18:10; Isaiah 48:17-18; Isaiah 56:1-2.
Pray It!
Tell God you want to be extremely sure of His voice, and ask Him to help you recognize it when He speaks.
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