Encouragement for Struggling Believers

I know a lot of people experiencing difficult circumstances in their lives.  For some of them, their current situation is the latest in what seems an endless stream of misfortune and heartbreak.  For others, the heartbreak is fresh, but painful nonetheless.  Christians are not immune to struggling, in fact, it seems we experience more than our fair share sometimes.

struggling with life

Today, I want to offer some words of encouragement to those who are hurting, broken, disillusioned, and/or discouraged.  Let’s be sure to pray for one another regularly and encourage each other often.  Romans 8 provides for us 4 encouraging truths we need to remember in our times of struggling.

Read More

Focus Better with These 5 Prayer Hacks

2 Comments

focusIn another blog, I mentioned that prayer is hard work, and indeed it is.  For many of us, stilling our minds to quietly focus on any one thing is difficult enough, and when you add the reality of spiritual warfare – with the devil doing all he can to keep us from praying – the task is even more challenging. Today I want to share with you some practices I have discovered that help me stay focused and communicate with God.  

 

5 Prayer Time Focus Hacks

Read More

3 Tips for an Effective Personal Prayer Time

One of the most importantpersonal prayer time things we can do to strengthen our walk with Jesus is to engage in an intentional regular time of personal prayer, but it is often one of the most difficult challenges in our Christian experience.  We WANT a consistent personal prayer time, we know we NEED a consistent personal prayer, but HAVING a more consistent personal prayer time is a more difficult matter.

I’ve been a Jesus-follower for well over 40 years now, and sadly I must admit maintaining a consistent personal prayer time has not become automatic.  My greatest challenge is not a lack of desire, but rather distractions both before I start and during my prayer time.   

Helps for Your Personal Prayer Time

Today, I want to share with you, from the example of Jesus, three ways you can put yourself in a better position to have a more consistent and effective time of personal prayer.  We find Jesus’ model in Mark 1:35-39.

Read More

Does the Devil Know Who You Are?

whoareyouAfter a 25-year sojourn, about a year ago I moved back to the town where I grew up. I’ve had a great time renewing old friendships and making new friends. Every day, I have conversations with people in my church in which we discover mutual friends and/or memories.

Occasionally, I encounter a face that I recognize, but I can neither remember the name nor the context of how we are acquainted. Usually, the person remembers me and knows exactly who I am, but I am left to stall for time and fake familiarity while trying to recall this person’s name and place in my life.

In the Bible, the book of Acts recounts a story of anonymous identity. While at Ephesus, Paul performs some incredible miracles through Jesus’ name, included casting demons out of afflicted individuals. A group of seven brothers, all sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva, tried their had at invoking the name of Jesus and casting out demons. These guys were not followers of Jesus, they merely attempted to copy-cat Paul’s method while hoping to achieve the same results.

When they attempted to cast out a demon in the name of Jesus, in whom they did not believe, the demon responded to them verbally by saying, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” The demon did not feel threatened by the sons, and he jumped on them and beat them so badly they ran out of the house beaten and naked. (Acts 19:11-16)

I’m not sure if that was more frightening, embarrassing, or humorous. They thought they had authority over the demon, but that demon had no clue who they were.

That begs the question… does the devil know who you are? Have you caused him enough grief that he has a file on you? Does the devil keep up with your coming and going out of fear you will threaten his work?

Let me suggest a few people the devil knows and tracks.

  1. The believer who is consistent and fervent in prayer.
  2. The believer who dares to share the Gospel even in the face of fear and threat.
  3. The believer who regularly and systematically reads, studies, and obeys God’s Word.
  4. The believer willing to daringly show the unconditional love of God to those who need it most.

If you do not from time to time experience opposition from the devil then more than likely one of two things is true in your life – either he already has you in his grasp, or you are not doing anything to threaten what he is doing around you.

See what you can do to get yourself on the devil’s watch list.

In the comment section below, feel free to share other ways you believe we can get in the devil’s watch list.

Consider a Positive Side to Your Critics

An interesting story takes place in the life of David. As if he did not have enough on his plate running from his son Absalom who was out to kill him, David encounters a descendent of Saul who still held a grudge against him. The man’s name was Shimei and you can read the story in 2 Samuel 16:5-14.

Shimei stalked David and his men throughout the countryside, cursing him, ridiculing him for his rebellious son, throwing rocks and dirt at him, and calling him everything but a nice man. One of David’s loyal followers asked for permission to remove the talking head . . . literally. However, with keen spiritual insight, David recognized the possibility that God was using Shimei for a greater purpose in his life.

Imagine that . . . God is using those who oppose us for His glory and for our good. Only God can pull that off. All of us have difficult people in our lives, but even though they do not mean to, these “sandpaper people” actually help us in several ways.

First, they send us to our knees in prayer. That is ALWAYS a good thing. I saw a sign one time that read, “When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot in it, hold on tight, and pray.” Those who seek to harm us do us a tremendous favor by forcing us to rely on the resources of a loving, vindicating, and all-powerful God.

Second, they expose character flaws in us and give us the opportunity to allow God to grow us in those areas. Someone once told me, “In every criticism there is a nugget of truth.” We can use opposition positively when we find that nugget of truth and turn it over to God asking Him to help us grow through it.

Third, they challenge us to excel. Critics often incite us to prove them wrong. I am more aware of my weaknesses and strengths in times of challenge, and I am more careful to do the very best I can do so as not to give them even more fodder for criticism.

I have learned to thank God for those who oppose me because unwittingly they do NOT ultimately harm me, but instead help me. I wish they knew that – it would give me some satisfaction.

Oh, and one other thing… the David and Shimei story has a happy conclusion (see 2 Samuel 19:14-23). Shimei hurried to David and asked forgiveness. Responding positively to our  critics may eventually turn them into our supporters.

Sharpening My Blades

sharpening bladeA couple of weeks ago, on rare day of heavy rainfall in South Georgia, I was having a conversation with the gentleman who landscapes our church grounds. I asked him if he hated to see this rainy day since it meant he couldn’t get out and work. He told me that while he doesn’t want too many down days, one every now and then is beneficial. “Since it’s raining today, I’ll spend the day sharpening my blades.”

While most of us would view a down day as an obstacle, he saw it as an opportunity to prepare for the coming busy days. Intentional preparation. When he is faced with his task of mowing, he doesn’t have time to maintain and prepare his equipment…and he keeps quite the hectic schedule. Rather than wasting a day when he couldn’t mow, he spent time preparing for the next day he would mow.

Although sometimes I feel like there is not time that I am not “mowing” spiritually, I have to make the time to step aside and “sharpen my blade.” I need a regular dose of God’s Word to align my life with Him and His plan. I need the down time of prayer to focus my heart and mind on Him. I cannot sustain the regular pace of constantly spending myself without giving God the chance to replenish my soul. Several times in Jesus’ ministry, He withdrew to be alone with the Father. He often called His disciples away from the crowd to be alone with them so He could nurture them as well.

Today, I resolve to be more intentional about keeping my blade sharp. I will set aside more time in God’s Word and prayer. I will allow Him through His Word to prepare me for what He has in store.

What about you? When and how will you sharpen your blade?

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. – 2 Timothy 3:16-17

What Are You Waiting For?

waiting room

My curiosity compelled me to do the math.  There were 50 days between Passover and Pentecost.  Three days between Passover and Jesus’ resurrection, and 40 days between Jesus’ resurrection and His ascension to heaven.  That leaves a gap of 7 days.

Before He ascended to heaven, Jesus instructed them to return to Jerusalem and wait for “the promise of the Father.”  This was a reference to His teaching concerning the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit. (John 14:16) We know what was going on in the upper room during those 7 days – they were “devoting themselves to prayer,” (Acts 1:14) but what was going on from heaven’s viewpoint?  Why did God make them wait seven days before He poured out His Spirit on them?

Travelers from all over the known world would assemble on Jerusalem during the Feast of Pentecost.  When God poured His Spirit into His believers they would speak boldly in testimony to Jesus.  What seemed like a 7-day delay was instead God’s perfect providence positioning His disciples to make a maximum impact.  In fact, we know that on the Day of Pentecost, 3000 people responded to Peter’s extemporaneous street-side sermon about Jesus. (Acts 2:41)  The 7-day wait proved to be perfect timing.

As my thoughts turned to my own prayer life, I thought of how many times I had given up praying for things.  I wrongly assumed that since God did not affirmatively answer my request in a reasonably short amount of time, His answer must be “no.”  In truth, God ALWAYS answers our prayers in one of three ways: yes, no, or not yet.  We often mistake a “not yet” for a “no,” and we give up praying all too soon.

Yet all the while, God’s “not yet” could simply be His omnisciently provident way of setting the stage for doing something even beyond the wildest imagining of my comparatively timid prayer life.  Maybe God is using the interim between my request and His delivery to set up something so great that He gets the glory in it.  (Ephesians 3:20-21)

So, fellow disciple, will you join me in renewing our commitment to persistent prayer?  We give up too soon and too easily.  Jesus told a story that made a hero out of woman who hounded a judge until he gave her what she wanted.  He compared that to the benefit of persistent prayer. (Luke 18:1-8)

Lord, help me “always to pray and not lose heart.”  I may have to wait 7 days, 7 months, 7 years, or any amount of time, but if I pray through, I too will receive what God wants to give me.

When God Delays

At some point, I would like to calculate over the course of several months how much time I spend waiting during an average day.  Traffic lights, on hold on the telephone, in line at the store, in the drive-through at a fast food joint, and a seemingly million other ways I am forced to wait.  I am not a patient waiter.

I have to admit, that in weak moments, I even get impatient with God. I expect God to immediately grant all my requests in the manner I asked Him to grant them, and when He doesn’t do so, I am tested. Recently I have some issues for which I have been praying and have yet to see God move.  As I prayed complained to God one recent morning, He reminded me of a truth I needed to remember.

I say that I believe in that God is all-knowing and that He knows best.  I say that I believe that God is all-powerful and is able to do ALL that He deems good and best.  I say that I believe in God’s providence and that He has planned my life for His glory and my good.  I say I believe those truths, but when I get impatient with God I act as though I don’t believe them.

Well meaning people console us in our times of waiting by reminding us that “God’s delays” are not necessarily His denials, but there are no such things as God’s delays – His timing is always perfect.  He is an on-time God.  What seem like delays – those times which tempt me to grow impatient – are only delays from my vantage point, not God’s.  He is purposefully working out His plan, His way, on His time, positioning my life and my circumstances for His glory.

I can relax, live in the moment and trust my future to an all-wise, all-powerful, on-time God.  He has my life on track.  You can trust Him too.  Wait. Rest. Trust. Believe. 

My times are in your hand… Psalm 31:15

Somebody’s Knockin’

In 1981, I remember a hit song on the radio titled “Somebody’s Knockin’.”  The song would be the first hit for a soulful sounding, piano playing lady named Terri Gibbs.  For me, it was one of those songs I remember all of my life.  I was blessed this past Easter Sunday when Terri Gibbs worshipped with us at Ty Ty.  

The song and the fact that Terri visited our church also connects my memory to one of the Bible verses that is often misapplied.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Me. – Revelation 3:20

Most of the time I hear that verse employed as an appeal to an unbeliever to “ask Jesus into your heart.”  A well meaning preacher or witness will present the plan of salvation and then quote the verse above as Biblical admonition to offer Jesus an invitation.

I find two problems with that application.  First of all, salvation is not about me asking Jesus to come into my life, but rather about me surrendering all of my life to Him.  I am not asking Him to join me, I am joining Him.  The second problem with that application is that it misrepresents a most important application for BELIEVERS.

Chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation contain letters Jesus dictated through John to seven CHURCHES across Asia Minor.  Churches. Presumably filled with BELIEVERS.  The verse is less Jesus requesting an unbeliever to let Him in and more of an invitation FROM Jesus to believers to enter a personal and intimate relationship with Him.  We have Jesus’ invitation to talk to Him (prayer) and hear from Him (through the Bible) on a regular basis.

Sadly the verse portrays a church going about its business as usual, but with Jesus on the outside.  It stands as a stark reminder to believers that we can go through the motions and still leave Jesus out of our daily lives.  Do you have regular, meaningful fellowship with Him?  He stands ready, waiting for you.

How to Get What You Want from God…EVERY TIME

What if I told you there was a guaranteed way you could make sure God gave you everything you asked for?  What if you could know that when you prayed, God would surely answer in the way that you prayed He would answer?

You think I’m kidding?  I’m not.  There is a way.  Jesus said it Himself.

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. – John 15:4

There is a catch (you knew it, right), another one of those big little words “if.”  The desired result, getting what you ask for, is conditioned upon abiding in Jesus and His words abiding in us.  The last part of that verse is less a promise and more of an observation.

All to often, we view that verse as effort and reward.  If we do our duty of spending enough hours in Bible study, God will reward us by answering one of our prayers in the way we want Him to answer.  That view has two problems: first, it’s just dead wrong, and second, it totally leaves grace out of the equation.  Grace is God’s benefits extended to us without our need to earn  or deserve them.  God does not give us good things as a reward for our good behavior, He gives us good things because He is good.  Period.

Our challenge is to immerse our lives in His word, to have His word in our heart and mind all day long, to allow His word to shape our thoughts, attitudes, and actions.  God’s Word transforms our hearts and conforms us to the image of Christ, and as a result, we pray for the same things that God desires to give us – for our good and His glory.

It’s never too late to begin to dive into the Bible.

  • Read it every day. 
  • Believe its teachings. 
  • Meditate on its meaning.   
  • Apply its truth. 

What are you waiting on?  Change is on the way.  Change from who you are into who God wants you to be.  Let’s get serious about God’s word.