Category: Spiritual

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No Contest! Generosity Is Preferable to Greed!

October 15

And Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware

of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in

the abundance of the things he possesses.”

Luke 12:15

Consider people first learned about sales by word of mouth. Then newspapers became the medium for advertising bargains. Next, the postal service began filling our mailboxes with ways to save money, and now, well, bargains via email and banner ads are a constant stream tempting us to buy things we don’t need just because “it’s such a great deal!” (Luke 12:13-21)

Jesus warned us about “consumerism” – which wasn’t even a word in His day. Instead, He talked about covetousness and greed – the accumulation of “stuff” beyond what we need. But where do we draw the line? Even looking for the line dividing “need from whim” is a fallen trait, driven by our “desire” to get as close as possible to it without appearing greedy?

Consider then, rather than merely limiting our consumption, perhaps the better kingdom approach is to expand our generosity. By giving to those in need, giving more than is asked for, giving to our enemies, and perhaps even giving until it hurts, or IT IS A REAL sacrifice – are all ways to store up treasures in heaven and escape the confines of earthly “soot and clutter” (Luke 12:32-34).

I’d be remiss though if the quantum leap going far beyond our expressions of daily generosity, was not revealed here in our mandate as His Ambassadors to disciple those in our circles of influence, so they too, possess their heavenly passports, and we store up treasures in heaven…… (Matt 6:19-21)

God promises that as we open our hands to the needs of others, He will at the same time fill our hands with what we need (2 Corinthians 9:10-11).

Prompted by David Jeremiah’s    Destinations: Your Journey With God

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Pertinent Admonitions for Christ Followers in Days of Unfettered Chaos While Mass Psychosis Abounds…

Oct 12 Reading from The One Year Bible: The Message Version.

Thessalonians 5:1-28 MSG

[1-3] I don’t think, friends, that I need to deal with the question of when all this is going to happen. You know as well as I that the day of the Master’s coming can’t be posted on our calendars. He won’t call ahead and make an appointment any more than a burglar would. About the time everybody’s walking around complacently, congratulating each other-“We’ve sure got it made! Now we can take it easy!”-suddenly everything will fall apart. It’s going to come as suddenly and inescapably as birth pangs to a pregnant woman.

[4-8] But friends, you’re not in the dark, so how could you be taken off guard by any of this? You’re sons of Light, daughters of Day. We live under wide open skies and know where we stand. So let’s not sleepwalk through life like those others. Let’s keep our eyes open and be smart. People sleep at night and get drunk at night. But not us! Since we’re creatures of Day, let’s act like it. Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation.

[9-11] God didn’t set us up for an angry rejection but for salvation by our Master, Jesus Christ. He died for us, a death that triggered life. Whether we’re awake with the living or asleep with the dead, we’re alive with him! So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you’ll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you’re already doing this; just keep on doing it.

[12] And now, friends, we ask you to honor those leaders who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience. Overwhelm them with appreciation and love!

[13-15] Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other’s nerves you don’t snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.

[16-18] Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.

[19-22] Don’t suppress the Spirit, and don’t stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don’t be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what’s good. Throw out anything tainted with evil.

[23-24] May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together-spirit, soul, and body-and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he’ll do it!

[25-27] Friends, keep up your prayers for us. Greet all the followers of Jesus there with a holy embrace. And make sure this letter gets read to all the brothers and sisters. Don’t leave anyone out.

[28] The amazing grace of Jesus Christ be with you!

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A Simple Suggestion: Praise As The Bookends For Your Prayers

October 10

Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness!

You have relieved me in my distress; have

mercy on me, and hear my prayer.

Psalm 4:1

It often helps to follow a pattern when we tackle a project. In approaching the Throne of Grace, our pattern is the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6. If you’d like to use the Lord’s Prayer to develop a sequence for your own prayer time, just follow the course of these six words.

                Praise: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.

                Priorities: Your kingdom come, Your will be done.

                Provision: Give us this day our daily bread.

                Personal Relationships: Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

                Protection: Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

                Praise: For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

Notice that the first and last words are the same, as prayer comes full circle in worship, from praise to praise. The glory of God provides the bookends of this prayer that you can offer today.

David Jeremiah        Destination: Your Journey With God

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Apology First! Admonitions, a Hot Second!

First folks, I made a serious error in my last blog. The quote was actually from Keith Miller, a prolific author beginning his trail of admonitions back when I was a teen with his early on book “Taste of New Wine,” AND not Warren Wiersbe as I stated. Wiersbe was merely quoting the quote crediting Keith Miller. A simple fact my sister had told me correctly but that I failed to fully comprehend! Once again! My excuse is the integral internal liabililities accompanying later stage maturation!

Second, I will pass along an admonition of “later stage observations of future events” for Christ Followers by such as Dr David Jeremiah in his recently released book titled “The World Of The End: How Jesus’ Prophecy Shapes Our Priorities.” I’m halfway thru it on Audible and have ordered hard copy yesterday and highly recommend it for any CF seriously coordinating/reconciling today’s events with Matthew 24, known today as the Olivet Discourse. Today we are learning fear can indeed erode faith, IF we let it. We are learning from experience that staying mentally healthy in a crumbling world is our daily assignment and we can’t do it without a buoyant spiritual foundation for our lives. We need God, we need Christ and His teachings, we need the Holy Spirit and his indwelling, and we need the scriptures and its prophecies about the future.

There is a special scene in the Bible where the teachings of Christ, the inspiration of the HS, and the prophetic words of God, all come together in a gripping chapter that is too often overlooked. We call it the Olivet Discourse from the final week of Jesus’ natural life where he sat with four of his disciples on a ridge on the Mount of Olives where our Lord rolled out the blueprint of the ages, the master plan for the last days, beginning with the shocking prediction of the second massive temple complex tumbling down (which occurred within decades according to the reputable historian Flavius Josephus written accounts from AD 70. See “the destruction of the second temple” in templemount .org/desruct2.html . Actually the Roman soldiers with long iron bars toppled the stones off while reclaiming the melted silver and gold in the temples storehouses that ran down into the temple’s foundations fulfilling Jesus’ prediction. Later then, Jesus gazed forward to the precarious days prior his return in our days ever delivered and it is recorded beginning in Matthew 24-25, Mark 13, and Luke 21.

And as in the infomercials, today there is another admonition!. As encouraged in prior blogs, go to dailylightdevotional.org and select Oct 8 for priceless “approaching end-times” admonitions for CF’s to read and memorize before the Shizzies hit fizzies in our domains. In fact, I suggest you hit your print button so you have hard copy for distribution later if and when we loose internet. Reminds me a tad perhaps of available oil in the ten wise / foolish virgins parable.

“Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves… (Matt 10:16, KJV) See gotquestions.org/wise

Time to go dig potatoes!!…… merlin

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If Love without Truth is HYPOCRISY; Then Perhaps, Truth without Love, Borders on BRUTALITY!

This simple and profound Truth inspired by Warren Wiersbe’s famous quote to succinctly focus we Christ-Followers was most appropriately shared with me during these uniquely historic times while I was speaking with my sister Verla this past Saturday. In fact, do understand, that this “if – then” was solely my idea, resulting no doubt from the quote rattling around in my brain the past 48 hours, and perhaps rather appropriately, since we’re visiting our first grandchild here in Northampton Massachusetts, the pre-revolutionary war bastion during the 1730’s and 40’s, for such as long time resident Jonathon Edwards, and later the visiting English evangelist George Whitfield, and more than a century later, even for D L Moody.

Back to Wiersbe first though, Wikipedia states Warren Wendell Wiersbe (do you suppose his parents possessed a sense of humor with the initials WWW, and not merely a World War Warrior either!) Born on May 16, 1929 and passing May 2, 2019, I have associated Wiersbe being birthed in Nebraska but it was actually in E Chicago. Now, Warren Buffet, my father, and I always thought Johnny Carson to have been birthed in NB also, but Carson was actually born in Iowa; though he was a Cornhusker grad. Dad and Carson were born in ’25, Wiersbe in ’29, and Buffet in ’30, and now, Buffet is the last man standing.

Wiersbe was an American Christian clergyman, Bible teacher, conference speaker, and a prolific writer of Christian literature and theological works. He is perhaps best known for his series of 50 books in the “BE” series: Be Real, Be Rich, Be Obedient, Be Mature, Be Joyful, et., and other theological works.

As a middle and high school students, my sister and I would watch from the utility room window to catch a glimpse of the orange bus crest a hill a half mile away enabling us to walk timely to the road to meet the bus without waiting too long in the MN sub-zero temps. During those years mother had the kitchen radio tuned to KFNW Fargo ND 1200 AM (the decade prior FM arrived) that featured then M-F 7:30-8:00 AM Theodore Epp in his “Back to the Bible” radio broadcast who was later succeeded by Wiersbe during 1980-1992.

Prior to that, Wiersbe pastored Calvary Baptist in Covington KE ’61-’71 and the historic Moody Church ’71-’78. It is also interesting for KMC readers, and especially the pre You-Tube crowd, familiar with the Detweiler family having birthed and maintained The Calvary Hour in NE OH for nearly 70 years, to note Wiersbe’s Calvary Baptist Sunday sermons were also broadcast as The Calvary Hour on a local Cincinnati radio station. More information is available in Warren’s autobiography “Be Myself: Memoirs of a Bridge-Builder.”

Back to the rich history here in Northampton area for the earlier giants, you may enjoy the following clip from christianity.com titled “Ten Things You Should know About Jonathan Edwards.” This clip rather de-bunks the negativity towards Edwards I’m hearing in some circles of late. Here is some of what I learned:

1.) Jonathan enrolled in what became Yale when 13 and graduated at the top of his class at 17

2.) After serving the Northampton Congregationalist Church nearly 30 years, they voted to remove him from pastoral service for barring “unconverted” people from partaking in communion. Having both married at 23 and beginning as a pastor scholar under his grandfather at this church, his grandfather died three years later and Jonathan then assumed the pastorate. Whereas his grandfather had welcomed all to participate in communion, believing the sacrament could become a “converting ordinance” helping bring the lost to Christ, Edwards disagreed and maintained that only believers should partake in the Lord’s Supper. Any of this sound familiar? But bear in mind, it took 30 years for the vote to materialize. And we don’t know either, when Jonathan became so convinced, but as he was a prolific writer, I’m sure it is well documented and not a spur of the moment whim or vote.

At 47 then, Edwards and his family (11 children) moved to the frontier in western MA known today as the Berkshires, where he pastored a small congregation of settlers and preached through an interpreter to Housatonic and Mohawk tribes people. Edwards genuinely loved and cared for the natives, frequently writing about the quality of their character and the culture. The two tribes showed reverence for Edwards, and his ministry bore lasting spiritual fruit.

3. At 54, Edwards reluctantly agreed to leave his writing retreat and effective ministry in the Berkshires for full time academia accepting the Presidency of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University). Shortly after assuming his post, in Jan 1758, Edwards received a smallpox inoculation. Less than a month later, Jonathan Edwards died from the inoculation’s complications. Please, this occurrence is not necessarily to be associated with the events of today, though I’m sure this was well documented medically as well, being in an academic environment, but then again, assumptions do…

Read it without my editorializing by clicking the link below.

https://www.christianity.com/wiki/people/you-should-know-jonathan-edwards.html

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Hmmm! So, Satan Tempts Us on the Premise of Merely Shifting Our Point of View?

And only the Spirit of God can detect this as a temptation of the devil. Satan does not tempt us merely to do wrong things – he tempts us to make us loose what God has put in us through regeneration, namely being of value to God.

Click the link below for more insights on the intricacies of temptation from the Sept 18 reading from My Utmost for His Highest.

https://click.messages.odb.org/?qs=9c72d810df821b6b5ca644be8ebf7ae231fb96493fb3616823c1db30f11359aea2b4e243cc178d3a65cb9153f3a9cd5fd214d18d02b5f4285c714f88f137eab6

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The greatest enemy of the life of faith in God is not sin, but good choices which are are not quite good enough….

https://click.messages.odb.org/?qs=327ea656f50da6d67ca70a38ed734a4ec01f0bfb01b81e9f097aee99ba1e031fbda88b2f40a097ab32f744a2d5b311c8271d8f7432c3aefe00c37304b2c8b3a3

Click the above link to May 25 reading from My Utmost For His Highest.

The classic book today explaining “the good is always the enemy of the best” is John Bevere’s “Good or God: Why Good Without God Isn’t Enough.” These days the terms good and God seem synonymous. We believe what’s generally accepted as good must be in line with God’s will. Generosity, humility, justice, — good. Selfishness, arrogance, cruelty —evil. The distinction seems pretty straightforward. But is that all there is to it? If good is so obvious, why does the Bible say that we need discernment to recognize it? : Good or God” isn’t another self-help message. This book will do more than ask you to change your behavior. It will empower you to engage with God on a level that will change every aspect of your life. Go forth so empowered! merlin

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Daily Light for Every Day  …

with Anne Graham Lotz

May 13 Evening

My heart pants, my strength fails me.

Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is over whelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. When I am weak, then I am strong.

When [Peter] saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched our His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” <> In you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.<> He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. <> The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. <> [Be] strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power.

Ps. 38:10; Ps. 61:1-2; 2 Cor. 12:9-10; Matt. 14:30-31; Prov. 24:10, Isa. 40:29; Deut. 33:27; Col. 1:11

Available online at numerous sites. Please also consider May 14 Morning for “The fellowship of His sufferings.” as these readings offer a much needed perspective for moving forward after the prior Beth Troyer blog. I highlight these in followup to this devotional originally compiled by Samuel Bagster (1772-1851) family of London, England during their daily family devotions.

Now, for the rest of the story:  It was Jonathan, their tenth child, who was mainly responsible for the idea and the method by which Daily Light was compiled while he himself was a husband and a father. In preparing for daily family worship, Jonathan selected a Scripture text that the family joined together in prayer and were asked to illustrate by further applicable Scriptural texts. He was editor and his daughter Anne assisted. The resultant  Scriptural texts “were carefully considered, discussed and arranged by common consent of all those present, after which the manuscript would be laid aside for prayer and meditation to see if there would be any guidance for further improvement. Sometimes it would be weeks before it was felt that the reading for a particular day could not be improved and then sent to the printer. Each day for two years the readings were compiled, corrected, and improved in this way.

I contrast the above family’s lifestyle and culture to mine. Oh, how the Mighty in the Land (planet earth) have fallen! “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their selfish (wicked) ways, THEN will I hear from heaven and I will forgive their sin (iniquity) and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14. Honestly, I’ve experienced and can testify to the “forgiveness,” segment but this “heal their land” phrase for our planet today is far beyond my infantile comprehension of God’s judgement via His grace and mercy.

Reiterating Beth Troyer’s final two paragraphs in her Section 10 (not eight as stated yesterday!) consider “passing over the free will of an individual for the believed benefit of many is not something God ever taught. If an individual chooses to sacrifice themselves, that is different. But forcing that choice on others is the farthest thing from “loving our neighbor as ourselves.” Jesus never disregarded what was best for the individual as a clause on how to love our neighbors. Even for the greater good is no validation for us to demand that people do what we think is right. Jesus is truth. He made a way for us to be saved from sin. This is the greatest (opportunity for) good humanity has ever (been offered to be) experienced. And yet He never lied. He never coerced or manipulated or tried to control anyone. Imagine, the greatest good, the gift of heaven, and still He never forced it on anyone! (And neither should we!) The truth is clear. It is straightforward. You can take it or leave it. It’s not about control. You certainly don’t have to base things on lies to get the truth out. The end never justifies the means if the means are based in lies, and I refuse to live by lies!”

Go Forth in His Presence Inspired Serving and Loving Humanity! merlin

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Effectively Dealing With Our Fears, Faults, & Failures

THE REVERSAL OF OUR DESIRES GONE AMUCK IS ONLY ACCOMPLISHED BY:

Seeking forgiveness at the Cross from King Jesus by submitting our heart, mind & soul for the cleansing of all our past FEARS, FAULTS, & FAILURES thereby invoking God’s sustaining power into our reality (our real time presence) by re-aligning our desires with His gifts to all Christ Followers known as the Fruits of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, & Self Control.

        In coaching language, perhaps we can begin by “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13-14), by He exchanging our fears, faults & failures  into an abiding faith of His ultimate provisions, elevating us to assist all those we meet by inviting them into His Presence, empowered by Holy Spirit, demonstrating the Fruits of the Spirit, and the satisfaction of witnessing their becoming the best possible version of themselves.  

Yesterday after church I began writing a conclusion to a coaching exercise wherein persons are given nine minutes to list the top ten fears, faults, and failures that are holding them back from becoming the best possible version of themselves. They are allowed three minutes for each. The two paragraphs above were designed to focus on the undergirding needed to accomplish such best possible versions.

Clinical diagnostic writings for a universal audience usually couch their encouragements and admonitions by such sterile unoffensive paragraphs as the following, perfectly acceptable and understandable to persons unfamiliar with living their life by faith.

For example, consider the following definition of The Higher Force. “The higher force that drives all of life expresses itself in relentless Forward Motion. The only way to connect to this force is to be in forward motion yourself. But to do that, you must face the pain and be able to move past it. The reversal of desire lets you do this. Once the tool connects you to the force of Forward Motion, the world is less intimidating, your energy is greater, and the future seems more hopeful.” Derived from the book “The Tools” by Phil Stutz and Barry Michels

Appropriately, the mantra for the above definition is “Bring it on, I love my fear, my fear sets me free.” And believe me, this system is performing well, and I am very glad it is, because there are literally billons today paralyzed by their fears, faults and failures, living impoverished lives.

However for me, as I was basking yet on Pastor Carl’s sermon several hours prior, that I’ve retitled “Being a Worshipful People,” with his 4 bullets being 1.) Called (bringing God joy); 2.) Confusion (having no other gods before me); 3.) Clarification (comprehending who God is & who we are); 4.) Consequences (how worshipping God transforms us – So, how will I worship next week?); I was eventually drawn to Robert’s writing’s, having just completed a writing assignment for a friend of mine about the life and times of Robert Rogers. So this 3000 word document is my off the cuff summary today of his 26000 word book Rise Above: How God Can Heal Your Hurts and Overcome The Worst, a likely primer for Christian leadership including pastors, SS teachers, coaches, mentors, counselors, etc.

 Robert lost his wife and four children August 30, 2003 in a flash flood on Kansas Turnpike at mile marker 116 when a seven foot wall swept their van off the road drowning them all except him. I have also produced two summaries of his first book “Into the Deep: one man’s story of how tragedy took his family but could not take his faith.”  

Actually, the lights really went on when I realized Robert’s mantra for Rise Above was simply so on target for this coaching exercise, that regardless whatever our fear, fault, or failure may be, we as Christ Followers, are called to worship Him by: “Face It, Embrace It, Replace it;” all under the auspices of God’s divine healing according to scripture, and the removing of “me” in the equation and depending more on “Him.”

In a straightforward and practical way, Robert Rogers strove to answer how to Rise Above on our road to freedom and recovery. What follows below is virtually all in Robert’s words taken verbatim from the book.

1st Step to Rise Above: Face It.  Yes, admit it happened. Even T.S. Elliot said, “The only way to alter the past is to accept it.” So accept it. Don’t pretend it never happened. Rather than tell God how big your problem is, tell your problem how big God is. Joy and misery are both options. Just as no one can make you happy, neither can anyone make you miserable. It’s up to you. Choose life. Choose joy.

To choose life means to surrender the past. For new growth to come forth, a death must often occur first, just as the birth of spring follows the death of winter. “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels – a plentiful harvest of new lives.” (John 12: 24) Through your agonizing death experiences, God can bring forth abundant life.

Just as Noah chose to build the ark, we also need to fortify the ark of our faith, requiring we first accept Him as our Lord, fostering our faith daily through a deepening relationship with God and His Word. Yes, it may cause us some additional pain to FACE IT! However, realize the pain of regrets weighs tons. If you don’t face it now, you will likely regret it exponentially and immensely more forever. God wants to release from the pain and power of your past. So, “let all who are discouraged take heart.” (Psalm 34:2) Choose life. Take heart. Choose to FACE IT!

When we refuse to face and deal with issues, then negative consequences  – from our actions or inactions – can hurt even those around us, in ways we might never fathom.  Conversely, when we choose to face a situation and tackle it with God’s grace, then we can give Him liberty to work through our mess and bring forth divine mercy and healing amidst it all.

2nd Step to Rise Above:  Embrace It.  Yes, dive in head first. Jesus surrendered to the cross to which His Father had appointed Him. He embraced it. So should we. In the profound words of St. Augustine, “Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending.” In order to Rise Above, you must first descend below and utterly Embrace It.

 “Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.” (Psalm 23:4) I no longer live in fear since the forgiveness of Christ at the foot of the cross swept thru my mind, body, and spirit freeing me from all past encumbrances, addictions, unforgiveness, hostilities, profanity, perversions, etc.

Until we get to Heaven, pain is a part of life in a broken world. So Embrace It enthusiastically, and “don’t be surprised by the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad – because these trials will make you partners with Christ in His suffering.” (I Peter 4:12-13) He will not permit you to be stretched beyond your breaking point. “But God keeps His promise, and He will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you a way out.” (I Cor 10:13 GNT) God will indeed make a way when there seems to be no way.

Character and faith are forged in the fiery furnace called suffering. Just as muscles don’t strengthen from laziness and lethargy, so our faith is fortified by exercising it diligently as we embrace the daily struggles of everyday life. Although these confusing paths are often thorny and rocky, trust God that His ways are indeed right. “If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the Lord and rely on your God.” (Isaiah 50:10) He has you right where He wants you, for your greater good, and for His greater glory and honor. You may never fully understand or make sense of it, this side of Heaven. “Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything in perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me completely.” (I Cor 13:12) We don’t see the full picture now. If we could, we probably wouldn’t like it or couldn’t handle it. Trust God to reveal just enough to illuminate your next step.

 “You must accept whatever situation the Lord has put you in, and continue on…” (I Cor 7:17) Don’t stay stuck in your scars or paralyzed by your pain. If you do, you’ll remain ineffective for God. If God brought you to it, He’ll bring you through it. Don’t stay parked in the valley. Keep walking, keep trusting, keep thanking, keep moving. It’s hard to steer a parked car. Keep your vehicle, your life, moving forward. Then at least God has a chance to guide you in the right direction. If you remain immobilized, God can’t very well direct your paths.

Robert Rogers tells how his father often reminded and motivated him as a boy with the words “getting started is half done.” Even now the same principle still guides him. He rarely ever feels like climbing on his stationary bike; however if he just begins to pump those blasted pedals, he finds that he can then commit to thirty minutes. The first step is always the hardest. The same is true with embracing it.

Try to imagine the impact to human history if this one man – Joseph – had grown bitter in prison and wasted his time, wallowing in his pity. “Until the time came to fulfill his word, the Lord tested Joseph’s character.” (Psalm 105:19) Joseph embraced that difficult time of testing with a good attitude and allowed God to develop him. He could have taken the easy road and complained indefinitely. The high road requires being “thankful in all circumstances” (I Thess. 5:18), regardless of how unfair. Jesus, too, was wrongfully accused and betrayed by those closest to him. Yet, He never complained. Instead, He embraced suffering, torture, and even death on a cross. And as with Joseph and Jesus, realize the attitude you assume inwardly, you also display outwardly, exerting a profound and lasting impact on countless others, often in unimaginable ways. They are watching to see how you respond. Remember, only God knows how long your difficult season of embracing may last. Joseph spent upwards of twelve years in prison. “There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven.” (Ecl. 3:1) Bask in that agonizing season. Don’t try to cut it short. “For God has made everything beautiful for it’s own time.” (Ecl. 3:11)          

In preparation for the 3rd Step, Replace It, as with the Israelites going into their wilderness to worship, so must we worship while Facing and Embracing. “Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you.” (James 4:8) Robert’s words verbatim “ Offer your tears up to Him as the woman did at Jesus’ feet. Just as she held nothing back, but poured every ounce of expensive perfume upon Jesus, don’t hold onto your loss or loved ones. Offer them up to God as your gift back to Him. Our loved ones came from God. They belong to God. Don’t try to cling to the past. Don’t try to continually love your lost ones back as they were. Love them now as they are, where they are.

When she fully emptied and exhausted her perfume, this dear woman didn’t stop there. She offered her tears to Jesus. Do the same. Don’t hold back. Jesus was so taken by her gift He called it a “beautiful thing” and declared that, “wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” (Mark 14:6,9 NIV) God used her tribulation and sinful past for repentance and transformation. Your tears, too, can be a “beautiful thing” when you embrace them and offer each one to God as your priceless gift. Like this woman’s supreme sacrifice of costly ointment, the fragrance of your precious tears offered in worship to God can change the atmosphere all around you. Similar to your deeds, your testimony may be told for countless generations to come, impacting many people, helping them Rise Above.” “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” (Rev 12:11 NIV)

Never waste a wilderness journey. When you are brought to nothing, then God can do something with your life beyond anything you can possibly imagine, if you invite Him. Much like the woman with the shattered alabaster box, sometimes we have to allow God to crush us in order to exude the sweet fragrance within us. You may never know what God has planted within you, until you’re first broken, then prepared for worshipping Him, enabling your service to Him is not only Replaced, but also Released into the lives of others, preparing us for the satisfaction of witnessing others becoming the best possible version of themselves in His Kingdom.

3rd Step to Rise Above: Replace It. Yes, God has a marvelously divine exchange program. Right now, ask God to replace your pain with praise, your despair with joy,  your ashes with beauty. He can and He will. Pray boldly to God. Blend the passion of your pain with the power of His Word. As miserable as your past was, pray that God will return at least as much goodness to you. “Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery! Replace the evil years with good.” (Psalm. 90:15)

Let God replace who you were, with now, who you are in Him. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away ; all things have become new.” (II Cor 5:17 NKJV)

Mary Englebreit says “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, then change the way you think about it.” Adjust your thinking and let God renew your mind. Ask and allow Him to alter your thought patterns, “for we have the mind of Christ.” (I Cor 2:16) Intentionally “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (II Cor 10:5 NIV)

Realize some people are so traumatized by their past that they never replace yesterday’s sadness with today’s promise of joy. Understand your past can either be a hitching post you never leave, or better, a guidepost to help direct the remainder of your life.

Even if you’re trudging through the valley, still bask in the glory of His Presence. It will transform your attitude and your very countenance. “Those who look to Him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.” (Psalm 34:5) Gaze upon God for your source of help. In doing so, you will become more like Him.

If you need a blessing, healing, or joy, then take the first step and sow it. Life is all about seedtime and harvest. You have to plant good seeds in order to reap a fruitful harvest. What I discovered from giving my life away is that the more you surrender and relinquish, the freer you become. Travel light on this planet. Heaven is our home, not earth. “Whatever you keep dies with you. Whatever you share lives on.”

Truth is, many people are not ready to live again because they are not ready to die. Don’t permit death to paralyze you. Fear of death doesn’t have to hold you back. Jesus’ resurrection broke “the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could He set free all who have lived their lives as slaves in the fear of dying.” (Heb 2: 14-15) Don’t live in fear. Live in faith. Dwell in Christ. I was taught FEAR stands for False Evidence Appearing Real. Fear is faith in reverse.

Out of your story, God can bring great glory. From your mess, God can bring forth a mighty message. You can choose to let God turn your mess into a miracle, your misery into ministry, and your test into a testimony. The choices are yours. You can choose death or life, curses or blessings, trials or triumph, tragedy or charity, mishaps or miracles, tribulation or transformation, whining or worshipping, adversity or advantage, disability or opportunity, pain or growth, mourning or gladness, complaining or rejoicing, griping and grumbling, or gratitude.

“I will turn their mourning into joy. I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing.” (Jer. 31:13)

You can choose resentfulness that turns rancid or mourning that turns into dancing. You can flip what happens to me, to what happens within me. You can choose to be pitiful or to be prayerful; to be sour or reflect the Savior. You can run to the TV or to the Almighty, run to the world or to the Word, run to the iphone or Thy Throne, run to Facebook or to the Good Book. You can choose to lose or win, to cower in pity or conquer through praise, to be resentful or be grateful, to wallow in self-pity or worship in His Presence, to be overwhelmed or to overcome, to remain stagnant in pain or to rejoice in praise, to descend below or Rise Above.

“And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.” (I John 5:5)

You choose.

“You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth. You will restore me to even greater honor and comfort me once again.” (Psalm 71:20-21)

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