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features Letting Go of Anger by
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Though we were created with the ability to feel anger, our reactions aren’t always the response God desires.
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One Year
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A young woman grapples with emotions of both despair and joy on her way to motherhood.
early light
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Lean humbly on God with the help of these devotions from Dr. Stanley’s sermons.
departments
16 by faith
Ride On! b y
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f e i t
Unsure of which ministry to serve in? This man found his area of service through his passion.
22 solving problems All About Me b y
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h a r r i s
Do your prayers reflect reliance upon God or self-sufficiency?
26 family room
Mothering Without Incident b y
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Getting tantrums under control is of vital importance—especially when it’s the parent who’s having them!
28 Strong in Spirit
The Mystery of the Bad Fig Tree b y
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Why would Jesus kill an apparently splendid fig tree merely because it didn’t offer Him ripe fruit?
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[email protected]. Please include your name and address. In Touch ® magazine, October 2010, Vol. 33 No. 10. © 2010; all rights reserved. No unsolicited manuscripts accepted. Printed in the USA. In Touch magazine is neither responsible nor liable for any part of the production or distribution of international editions, whether translated or in English, unless the edition has been licensed and authorized by the governing staff of the domestic In Touch magazine. Scripture quotations, unless otherwise notated or quoted from a secondary source, are from the New American Standard Bible, 1995 Update. ©Lockman Foundation, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1994. Quotations marked “NIV” are from the New International Version, ©International Bible Society 1973, 1978, 1984.
Are you surrounded by anger?
A Publication of
to the Glory of God
Dr. Charles F. Stanley PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER
C. Phillip Bowen c hie f e x e c uti v e o f f i c er
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Sandy Feit S E N I O R CO P Y E D I T O R
Erin Gieschen
Is your home or office a scene of constant conflict? Our world is becoming angrier, and the consequences are obvious. With sound biblical teaching and practical wisdom, Dr. Stanley offers hope and a deliberate course of action for those who want to find the path that leads to peace. Surviving in an Angry World uHardcover | $19 (U.S.)
A c q uisiti o ns E dit o r
Cameron Lawrence c o py edit o r / W riter
Lisa Dyches Creati v e D I R E C T O R
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Joey Tindell
Have you chosen to believe in Jesus Christ and follow Him? Would you like to have an intimate eternal relationship with the One who made you and loves you unconditionally? If so, tell Him in your own words or use this simple prayer:
Father in heaven, Until now, I have been living life my own way, but I want to start living for You. I realize I’ve sinned before You, but I understand that Jesus fully paid my penalty by dying on the cross. I receive the sacrifice He made on my behalf and trust Him as my Lord and Savior. Thank You for forgiving me and making me Your child. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. We will gladly send you our New Believer’s Kit to help you take the next step in your walk with God. Contact our customer care department at 800-789-1473, or visit www.intouch.org.
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the mission of in touch ministries To lead people worldwide into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and to strengthen the local church
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a word from Charles F. Stanley
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The Truth About Anger
>> God Has Given Us an Alternative
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If we’re honest, we will admit that each of us has dealt with feelings of anger and frustration. Most of us know what it feels like to wait in a long line for something we really don’t want to do. Or what it feels like to miss an important opportunity to do something we have looked forward to for a long time. We can empathize with those who were not given the promotion, whose ideas were rejected at the homeowners’ meeting, who were cut off in traffic or ignored, bumped, scared, and treated with contempt along the road of life. We all have to face the flush of anger and hurt when it rises from deep within. Anger has many faces. Some are subtle and barely noticeable while others are open for all to view. If left unattended, anger can quickly grow into a dangerous force that affects our spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical well-being. People who either explode in anger or seethe in resentment and self-pity usually find it difficult to maintain close personal ties with others. Nothing derails a loving relationship faster than animosity or buried aggression. These also hamper our fellowship with the Lord and keep us from experiencing the fullness of His blessings. Anger, while it is something that God has given us, must be dealt with according to His standards. If it is held inside and not released in the proper way, it becomes a gateway for many of life’s problems. But thankfully, God has given us a way to overcome angry feelings—we can let go of them and forgive. This does not mean denying frustrations and hurts when they come our way. The Bible records many instances where the Lord is angry with those who violate His law. Jesus became angry at the money changers in the temple (Mark 11:15). He cursed the fig tree for failing to bear fruit (Matt. 21:19). But unlike so many of us, God expresses anger in love and righteousness. He doesn’t hold grudges but instead forgives and continues to love. In fact, we can experience a wondrous freedom when we give God our hurt and anger. He is the only One who really knows how to deal with this powerful emotion and turn it into something good.
Anger . . . must be dealt with according to His standards.”
Letting Go of Anger b y
c h arles
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In 1894, a baseball game literally became heated
when a visiting Baltimore Oriole player started a fight with the Boston Red Sox third baseman. The conflict soon escalated as both teams rushed onto the field and fans poured out of the stands to join in the scuffle. During this frenzy, someone started a fire in the stadium, and the entire ballpark, along with 170 other buildings, burned to the ground—all because of one man’s rage! Although this example is extreme, it is a fitting picture of the destruction that can accompany unrestrained anger. Anger is a big deal in God’s eyes because it wrecks lives, destroys marriages, wounds children, separates friends, and causes disunity in churches. Rage and resentment can take a terrible toll on (1) us, (2) our relationships with others, and (3) our fellowship with God. Unless our responses are placed under the Lord’s authority and directed by counsel from His Word, we leave ourselves vulnerable to extensive damage.
Consequences of Anger
To ourselves: It distorts character.
Unresolved anger reaches our innermost being with its corrupting poison. Instead of experiencing the peace and joy of Christ, we become filled with frustration and anxiety. A critical, judgmental spirit leads to belittling others with unkind words. Hostility makes us disagreeable, argumentative, and easily offended by even minor incidents. Imagined threats or insults take root and shape responses that are out of proportion to the situation. It affects the body. God did not design our physical bodies to live with
sustained anger. It wreaks havoc on every internal system and can even result in deadly ailments like heart attacks and strokes. We might do well to ask ourselves, Is hanging onto my resentment worth dying for?
To others: It damages relationships. Our anger is never just our own issue; it always affects others, and tragically, those closest to us are the ones who suffer the most. Smoldering resentment blocks intimacy and creates barriers of silent hostility. And an explosive episode of rage can inflict much emotional trauma—or sometimes even physical harm. It’s contagious. The Bible tells us, “Do not associate with a man given to anger; or go with a hot-tempered man, or you will learn his ways and find a snare for yourself” (Prov. 22:24-25). Our rage and resentment affect those with whom we work and live, but it is especially contagious to our children. They develop similar attitudes and patterns of behavior as they learn from our example. We need www.intouch.org
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to give serious thought to what kind of habits we are passing down to them.
To God: It erects a barrier between
us and the Lord. Anger’s most tragic consequence is broken fellowship with God. You cannot be right with Him if you are angry and unforgiving toward someone else (Matt. 5:21-24). We actually grieve His heart when we choose to cling to our hostility instead of Him. It hinders His work and limits His blessings. The Lord has great plans for our lives, but when we hold onto animosity, we can neither hear His voice nor access His power to obey. As a result, we become unfruitful and end up missing the blessings of walking in His will.
Handling Anger Throughout life, we all face situations that unleash this powerful emotion within us. The question is not if we will feel anger but whether we will handle it in a way that honors God. Occasionally our indignation is a fitting response to injustice or the mistreatment of others, but usually, it is rooted in self-interest. Perhaps someone insulted, rejected, or irritated us. Or maybe the reason for our agitation is a frustrating situation. Let’s face it: most of our inner turmoil is the result of not getting our own way. When people don’t cooperate with our plans or don’t appreciate our efforts, or when events don’t work out our way, we feel irritation rising within us.
Good and Bad Anger Anger comes in two forms—righteous and unrighteous. To understand its appropriate expression, let’s examine Jesus’ responses to provoking situations. He was indignant and grieved at the religious leaders’ hardened hearts (Mark 3:1-5) and rebuked them soundly for leading people astray with hypocritical legalism (Matt. 23:13-33). 8 |
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We all face situations that unleash this powerful emotion within us. The question is not if we will feel anger but whether we will handle it in a way that
honors God.
When the merchants and money-changers turned the temple court into a “robbers’ den,” He expressed passion for His Father’s house by using a whip to drive them out (Matt. 21:12-13; John 2:15). In every situation, Christ was motivated by a passion for His Father and compassion for people. Though He Himself suffered much personal injustice throughout His earthly life, He never responded with hostility. Even in the most unfair situation in all of history—His undeserved suffering and death on a cross—Jesus responded, “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34). The Lord’s example shows us what righteous indignation is: a passionate response to either a wrong committed against another person or an insult directed toward God. Unrighteous anger, on the other hand, is self-centered and expressed
in destructive ways. Rage is an uncontrolled explosion that wounds everyone in its path, whereas resentment is internalized and simmers like a crock pot—when someone refuses to acknowledge or deal with such bitterness, this “low boil” spews toxic venom into the heart. Although we are naturally prone to these inappropriate expressions of anger, we do not have to give in to them. The Lord has provided us with His strength to control our responses, so we don’t have to let them control us. By learning the right ways to deal with maddening situations, we can gain victory over ungodly attitudes, words, and actions.
Him and benefits both you and others. Identify the source. Although this sounds relatively simple, pinning down the root of anger can be a difficult process. We are masters at transferring our animosity from the original source to whoever is within dumping range. It can be as simple as yelling at the kids because of a frustrating situation at work—or as complex as a destructive behavior pattern that stems from an abusive childhood. You may not like the idea of digging around in the dark places of your soul in order to pull out a root of bitterness. But if it remains, you will spend your life treating each symptom while the hidden cancer of resentment spreads and takes over your Guidelines for Handling Anger soul. Bitterness requires radical surgery, Confess your feelings to God. When not a bandage. antagonistic emotions engulf us, we must Deal with it quickly. Ephesians 4:26-27 immediately acknowledge them to the Lord. tells us not to let the sun go down on our Although many people readily recognize anger. Otherwise, we give the Devil an their own hostility, others have been in opportunity to do his work in our lives— denial for so long that they are unaware twisting our thinking with lies, suggesting of its presence. justifications and excuses, stirring up One evening after I preached a message hatred, inciting a desire for revenge, and about resentment, a young lady walked planting seeds of bitterness. up to me and said, “I’ve been angry all Although we are told to resolve anger my life.” She was a believer who wanted to quickly, the extent of the offense or live a godly life, but there was something hurt can affect our timetable. A minor buried deep within her that kept churning grievance can be easily forgiven, but a away, stealing her joy and peace. Only personal tragedy, such as the death of a after hearing about repressed anger was child caused by a drunken driver, will take she able to identify the reason for the unrest longer. In difficult situations like this, we in her soul. can begin by simply acknowledging to God While bottling fury is self-destructive, the need to deal with our emotions and expressing it rashly can harm other to trust that He will help us work through people. All of us need a safe way to vent the pain until we can forgive. our negative feelings without injuring Do not sin in your anger. Anger itself anybody. The only one who can handle is not a sin. In fact, the Bible often speaks such openness is the Lord. He already of God’s wrath. Our ability to feel this knows our ugly thoughts and emotions. emotion is simply part of being made in Tell Him anything you want—pour out His image. However, because of our proyour confusion, hostility, resentment, and pensity to sin, this God-given capability is pain. Then ask Him to work in your heart easily misused. There are two prominent to help you respond in a way that glorifies ways we sin in our anger—by hanging www.intouch.org
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onto it or by lashing out (Eph. 4:26, 29). James 1:19 tells us to “be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.” In any conflict with others, we need to make understanding our goal rather than self-defense. If our focus is on proving we’re right or getting our own way, a godly response is unlikely. Be still and listen, silently asking the Lord to help you understand both the words and the motivations of the other person. Exchange it. Believers have been given a new identify in Christ and are being transformed into His image (Eph. 4:22-24). Because bitterness, wrath, and anger no longer fit who we are, they need to be “put away” like a filthy garment (v. 31). Instead, we are to “put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” (Col. 3:12). Forgive the offender. Unless we release the people who have wronged us, bitterness and resentment will take root in our lives. Only by giving up our right for revenge and restitution can we begin to experience the freedom God desires for His children. As we surrender our hostile feelings to the Lord, His presence will begin to restore and heal our broken hearts.
Freedom from Anger Tolerating an angry lifestyle is not an option for believers. We cannot expect to live in our new nature and keep our resentment. To follow in Christ’s footsteps, we need a change in priorities. Loving and understanding others must supersede our need to defend ourselves, and preserving relationships must replace safeguarding our rights. If we’ve accepted Christ’s forgiveness of our sins, we cannot demand that others pay for their transgressions against us. To acquire His peace, we must lay all grudges, personal rights, and hurtful insults on the altar—and leave them there. Clinging to 10 |
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grievances keeps us imprisoned in emotional turmoil, but letting go unlocks the door and sets us free. God offers the key of forgiveness. Take hold, and walk out of the dungeon into the light.
Questions for Further Study 1. According to Ecclesiastes 7:9, where does anger reside? What kinds of trouble await those who indulge their tempers (Ps. 37:8; Prov. 19:19; 29:22)? 2. What recommendation is given in James 1:19-20? What does the anger of man not achieve? 3. Using the following verses, list the follies of rash words and the advantages of being slow to speak: Proverbs 10:19; 12:16; 15:28; 17:27-28; 18:13. 4. What are the consequences of resentment (Prov. 14:30; Heb. 12:14-15)? How can you find a buried root of bitterness in your soul? See Psalm 139:23-24 and Hebrews 4:12-13. What remedy does Psalm 32:1-5 recommend for any hidden sin? 5. How does Ephesians 4:26-32 tell us to deal with anger? What danger do we face if we hold onto our hostility? When does anger become sinful? List the qualities we are to “put away” and the ones which are to replace them. 6. Unforgiveness demands that the guilty one pays for his sin. In contrast, how did Jesus tell us to treat those who wrong us (Matt. 5:43-45)? 7. According to Romans 12:17-21, to whom does vengeance belong? Instead of becoming hostile, how are we to overcome mistreatment? Why do we have no right to withhold forgiveness (Matt. 18:21-35)? Need to cool down? Dr. Stanley’s newest book helps you gain freedom from anger. Surviving in an Angry World uHardcover | $19 (U.S.) See order form or visit www.intouch.org.
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15-minute Bible study
What Is Worship?
>> Releasing Our Preconceptions and Learning to Exalt the Lord
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One of the most controversial issues in the church today is worship. Sadly, the phrase “worship wars” is used to describe the conflict between various music and service styles. Maybe it’s time to open our minds, drop our preferences, and learn what the Lord says. In the Scriptures, the word worship means to bow oneself down in humble respect to a superior being. The goal is to meet and exalt the Lord in such a way that we come away transformed. Like Abraham, we humble ourselves and honor God by believing Him, obeying His commands, and withholding nothing from Him (Gen. 22:1-18; Heb. 11:17-19). The Old Testament gave very specific regulations for worship, but when Christ came, He changed the way we approach God (Heb. 9:1-15; 10:19-23). Now Jesus tells us that the only way to worship the Lord is in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24). Since the Holy Spirit lives within each believer, our meeting place with God is no longer an external temple but the internal spirit of man (Phil. 3:3), and the sacrifice we offer is ourselves (Rom. 12:1-2). Because the New Testament records only general guidelines for churches to follow (Acts 2:42), each culture and era has been allowed the freedom to determine the specific elements Questions for Reflection of their meetings. However, the spirit of our gatherings should 1. Where is your focus during church— on yourself, others, your preferences, or match that described by Paul in the Lord? What hinders you from con- Colossians 3:12-16. centrating on God? What do you need to Although detailed practices surrender to Him? and methods are not prescribed for the church, Psalm 96 lists 2. Private, personal worship shapes your timeless ways to praise and exalt mind, emotions, and will—and prepares the Lord. you to give God genuine honor through But sometimes we don’t glorify corporate expression. How can you exalt the Lord when we meet with Him. the Lord each day with your thoughts, In Mark 7:6-13, Jesus warned that attitudes, words, and actions? it is useless to honor God with our lips while our hearts are far from Him. If our attitudes are divisive, argumentative, or selfish, we have failed to worship the Lord (1 Cor. 11:17-22).
The goal is to meet and exalt the Lord in such a way that we come away transformed.”
www.intouch.org
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one year a woman loses hope In
discovers faith and watches God revive a dream. 12 |
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b y
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W ierenga
When I was 13 years old, a doctor told me I couldn’t have children. Fifteen years later, in May of 2008, I confessed this fact
on national television, telling 100 Huntley Street viewers how I’d starved my body of fertility. I shared that, while God healed me of anorexia, my husband and I had little hope of ever conceiving, having tried for one and a half years with no results. Following the show, a pastor approached us, asking if he could pray over Trenton and me. He laid hands on us, begging God to give us a son within the year. I wondered at the specificity, but appreciated the effort. Three months later, we conceived. While the line on the stick was faint, our joy was bold. We delighted in a God who did the impossible. We placed hands on my womb at night, dreamt of pigtails and baseballs, and loved our little Papoose. Then, on October 6, the blood—as bold as our joy had been—let us know that our dreams had come to an end. I could do nothing but sit on the couch and cry. And my husband could do nothing but hold me. No one had warned me of miscarriage. I’d heard the term before, but no one ever spoke to me of it. I didn’t know that this soul-crushing anguish was an all-too-prevalent tragedy; that one in five pregnancies ended this way; that every year over 800,000 women endured one. And I had no idea that half the women in my church knew what it meant to see that blood on the tissue, to feel one’s breath www.intouch.org
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sucked instantly away, to curl up on the mattress and have no will to rise. Miscarriage is a quiet funeral attended only by the immediate mourners. In many circles, it’s an embarrassment—a hushed hurt that no one knows how to heal, so everyone ignores. Yet it’s shrugged off by many doctors as a common, everyday occurrence. God had done the impossible for us— He had given us a baby. And then, He had taken our baby away. I became so tired of crying. Of trying to understand. Yet it was all I knew how to do. As a perfectionist who finds meaning in “doing,” I felt at a loss, having no control over my very own body. I wondered, What had I done wrong? I kicked myself for every bike ride, for every cup of caffeinated coffee, for every scared thought regarding parenthood. It didn’t help when I confessed to my parents the loss of their grandchild, and they just stared, Dad asking, “Was there anything you could have done?” and me thinking, Yes, no doubt there was. But there wasn’t. “Since 60 percent of all miscarriages occur because of the accidental event of chromosomal mis-combination, trying to find the cause of this random event will not help a couple avoid a similar outcome in a future pregnancy,” says Canadianparents.com. Nevertheless, as one’s body leaks out the life that once lived, as one sobs over Fisher Price commercials and weeps at the sight of a woman and her stroller, it seems easiest to bottle up one’s hurt and blame oneself. Yet grief, if left unexpressed, can strain a marriage—and so, it’s important to give each other space to mourn. My husband and I grieve very differently, much as we consume a steak dinner. He devours it, chewing with rapid speed until he’s finished. I, on the other hand, swallow mine slowly, until I’m too full to take another bite. But we still eat together, him waiting patiently until my plate is clean. 14 |
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After learning of our loss, we both took time off from work and spent daylight hours on the beach. There, we built a stone memorial for Papoose and lay in each other’s arms, watching as the waves washed the shore. We said nothing—just silently remembered. We let go of the dreams we’d had for our baby, sending them out to sea on the foam-flecked tide. Then, we gripped each other’s hands and clung to each other. It is essential, in the face of death, to hold on to whatever life still exists. Perhaps you know the pain of watching a fiveweek pregnancy slip down the drain. Or perhaps your miscarriage occurred much further along—after you met your little one face-to-face through the lens of an ultrasound—making the anguish of losing him near-unbearable. Either way, do not lose sight of the man before you, the partner whom God gave you. For that person is still very much alive, and still very much with you. And while he cannot know what it means to have creation planted within your womb but then ripped out without warning, he, too, longed for that child. He, too, had dreams for his “Papoose.” And with him, you can try again. When the time is right. Soon after my miscarriage, precancerous cells were discovered in my cervix. A dim light began to shine, and people found hope in my miscarriage, saying, “See, God had a reason for this.” But God has a reason for everything, even for situations without silver linings. While Trent and I began to try again, I secretly gave up hope of having biological offspring, convinced the doctors had been right. I believed, however, that God wanted me to be a mother, for the day the placenta left my body, I had opened my Bible and found this verse: “He settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children” (Ps. 113:9 niv).
God gives, and He takes away,
and He gives again. Life holds seasons
of despair and seasons of dancing.
And so, we began to attend foster training, while continuing our attempts to conceive. Then, when the opportunity arose to adopt a local boy due in May—the same month we’d expected to give birth—we saw it as a sign. Allowed our hopes to rise. But after the papers had been signed and the process
was underway, the mother changed her mind. And again, devastating pain. Much like the miscarriage. In spite of the tears, I still heard His voice saying, “I settle the barren woman . . .” And in March of 2009, not long after the birth mother had changed her mind, we discovered we were five weeks pregnant. Not quite one year after the pastor had prayed. This time, the line on the stick was bright pink. While our joy was hesitant, it became bolder as the weeks passed and my womb bulged with new life. And on November 12, 2009, we gave birth—messy, miraculous birth—to a beautiful bright-eyed son. God gives, and He takes away, and He gives again. Life holds seasons of despair and seasons of dancing. I don’t know why He chose to honor that pastor’s prayer and give us a son. I, of all people, don’t deserve the wordless wonder of being a parent. I, who had starved my body down to 60 pounds and wished only to become skinnier. I, who held no respect for the body’s curves and creative power. Yet our God is a God of grace. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father,” the book of James tells us (1:17). In that is our hope. In that is our future. God—the Father—knows our dreams to conceive. He also knows what it means to lose a child. And when that happened, the earth shook, the sky became black, and the temple’s curtain ripped in two. God was angered and saddened and made sore by the unfairness of it all. But three days later, new life arose. We cannot know the hows, nor the whens nor the whys. But we can know a God who is bigger than our problems— God who delights in giving good gifts to His children. And one day, in His sovereign timing, we will give birth to the dreams He’s planted within us. www.intouch.org
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byfaith
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Communicycle: Building Bikes and Friendships b y
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On!
At first glance, it looks like a street festi-
val—kids are laughing, playing, and hovering near the snack station, while clusters of moms chat on front stoops. A tent on the lawn shades a small throng of men, women, teens, and children, along with bikes of every color and size. People are clearly having fun, but Communicycle’s mobile shop day is also serious business and an appreciated service in Atlanta’s district known as International Village. More than 300 nationalities are represented in this unique community comprising 395 acres around Buford Highway, its main drag. Josh Feit, “spokesperson” for the bike ministry (www.communicycle.us), describes the locale as “a place where, for a number of reasons, people have difficulty obtaining a driver’s license. If they are able to drive, a lot of times it’s really tough to afford a car. And public transportation is lacking, at best.” So for many residents, bicycles are the primary mode of transportation. Unfortunately, there’s no cycle shop for supplies or repair within five miles—though to be honest, one might prove of little help. Josh points out that labor rates run between $50 and $75 an hour, whereas the typical street bike is worth half that. “So people basically just keep pedaling through really broken bicycles. Repair is a genuine need and a tangible way to touch folks with the love of Christ.” Mobile shop day is just one aspect of Communicycle, a bike co-op with the goal of building relationships while helping people access sustainable transportation. The two-year-old ministry includes a weekly shop night, where eight core volunteers repair bikes and teach maintenance. By helping out, kids or adults can earn a bike to assemble from the donated, dismantled, and refurbished parts. In addition, leaders have held group rides, led workshops, and started exploring ways to advocate for safer biking conditions around Buford Highway. Asked how this unique ministry came about, Josh cites his church’s change of focus (and location) plus one other factor: daily confinement in a windowless office. www.intouch.org
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There was a seed of an idea here, just waiting to grow—and there was a real need.”
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being a neighbor
Josh and his wife Margaret are members of a fellowship he describes as “a really small place with a really big heart.” The church was originally located in a wealthy neighborhood where its impact and relevance seemed limited. Then, Josh explains, members began to understand a key teaching of the Gospels: “Christ is really clear about what the two greatest commandments are: to love God and to love neighbors (Matt. 22:37-39). If those commandments shape all the other laws and ideas in the Bible, then that’s what we should be focusing on.” As the church family started to personalize this calling, they felt drawn to the low-income housing and apartment communities of the Buford Highway corridor—and relocated there in 2004. Josh describes the environment and its challenges as “a very complex situation, with language barriers, all kinds of things related to people’s views on politics, immigration policy and reform, and on down the list.” He stresses that the move had no agenda beyond coming in and learning to be neighbors. “We didn’t really know what that looked like,” Josh says, “but it started to take shape in interesting ways, mostly affecting the youth. Through working with kids in after-school programs, volunteers get to meet families, and that’s how they build relationships.” Several of the church members partnered with an existing tutoring ministry in the neighborhood. The experience was so energizing that they urged the whole congre-
gation to participate and see how it felt to “come to life.” Who wouldn’t want to feel alive? Intrigued, Josh signed up for two months. But he quickly made a discovery: “I’m not someone who enjoys time in a classroom or elements of formal education. I actually found it a real slog to teach and help with homework, which was outside of what was natural for me. The kids were fantastic, and I saw a lot of opportunity for relationship, but the venue was not fit for me, mostly because I felt I was sort of a poor teacher.” So he started to pray, “Lord, I want to feel alive while I’m serving You. What do I enjoy doing that might bless others without draining me?”
needing exercise
Several years earlier, Josh—a graphic designer by profession—had been “working in a closet” and felt starved for light and air. When painting the walls Goldfinch Yellow failed as a substitute for sunshine, he bought a bike, started pedaling to the office, and quickly shed 15 pounds. He felt so much better that he began to ride for fun after work. On one such jaunt, Josh noticed a sign with the bike logo and an arrow pointing up into the woods. Assuming the symbol indicated a trail, he tried riding but found the path “ridiculously hard, with steps, rocks, and all kinds of things.” Just walking his bicycle up was a struggle, and he figured the sign was wrong—this couldn’t be a real trail. But “all of a sudden,” he says, “from out of nowhere, this guy comes BOMBING down the trail, shooting down this hill, and I’m seeing him jump off things and fly. And I just start salivating. I cannot believe what has unfolded: this thing that I viewed to be completely unbike-able—I saw someone fly down it in all of 30 seconds, and I knew, ‘Okay, this is something I want to get into!’”
re-cycling
So began his passion for mountain biking—and his realization that the hobby’s expensive: “Not only do you need a lot of gear, but your bike breaks all the time. I was constantly bringing it to shops and paying incredible labor fees.” Fortunately, a buddy of his—a former mechanic—offered to do a few repairs, and Josh watched, mesmerized: “I started to notice it wasn’t really that complicated a machine. I’m not especially intuitive with tools but felt I could learn.” Meanwhile, he read an article about fixing up an old “rustbucket” as an urban commuter bike so that damage or even theft would be no big deal. Inspired, Josh bought one at a junk shop for 20 dollars and took it apart, down to the last bolt. “In the process,” he says, “I learned pretty much everything about how a bike is put together.” “So,” Josh summarizes, “I’m learning repair, I’m getting interested in recycled bikes, and I’m praying to serve in a way I’ll love. And what I come up with is: I’ll buy a bike at a junk shop and fix it up in my garage on weekends. Then I’ll contact our partner ministries to see if someone needs transportation. End of story.” The church didn’t have resources to offer, but this was such a small initiative that Josh figured he’d simply get started. Looking back, he says, “Communicycle has really built my faith because I’ve seen things happen much greater than anything I dreamed. It’s one of those stories that smacks of Christ telling the fishermen to cast on the other side of the boat—and all of a sudden, they have so many fish they don’t know what to do with them.” Though it’s unclear how word got out, Communicycle was birthed when someone called to donate 25 rusty bicycles that had been lying around his property. The windfall caused a new dilemma, as Josh had to scrap plans to work out of his www.intouch.org
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garage. But his church had just relocated to a warehouse near Buford Highway. “So,” Josh says, “we set up in there, and all at once, I was panicked! I felt something happening that was much bigger than I’d anticipated. That’s a really good thing, but it can also inspire fear. You know, you have your life and the things you do, and you’re not always ready for the boat to be rocked. It goes to show we’re not really in control of the boat.” Josh soon discovered he wasn’t alone in the boat either. Of the hundred or so members at his church, a core group of eight started showing up Tuesdays to disassemble bikes and organize parts. “We had no vision statement, no money—I mean nothing,” he recalls. But eventually there was a small budget for tools and disposable parts like grips and cables, so Josh taught volunteers what he’d learned about maintenance. “Then,” he reports, “what really got us off the ground was the decision to offer an on-site bike repair day at one of the apartment complexes.” For that initial mobile shop, the Communicycle team started setting up a half-hour before the 1:00 p.m. event and quickly realized what an ordeal it was lugging supplies and tool bins. Josh admits to having second thoughts: “I was wondering if we’d done all this work for nothing—would anyone even show up?” He describes his amazement at what unfolded: “It wasn’t 12:35 before we had a line of people with bicycles to fix. We made the mistake of jumping in to help before we were actually set up, so the whole day was a complete mess—there was stuff all over the place; we couldn’t find anything. Everyone was sweaty, everyone was hungry. And it was raining. But it really showed us that there was a seed of an idea here, just waiting to grow—and that there was a real need.” 20 |
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In Touch
growing, morphing
Subsequent mobile shop days drew similar turnouts—and a surprising number of young people, who started attending weekly shop nights. As relationships developed, the ministry started focusing more on teens. Last winter, a burglary left the group without tools for several weeks. Far from hampering the operation, however, the theft ultimately enhanced it—volunteers and youth continued to meet, shooting hoops instead of fixing bikes. The kids washed cars to earn money for new tools, and shop night eventually resumed. But by then, several teens realized basketball was their greater interest, so several members began formulating plans for a sports ministry.
a key to ministry
Communicycle is a good illustration of what Josh calls the “paradox of ministry.” Volunteers started out with the desire to demonstrate God’s love through a “presenting vision”—helping people acquire sustainable forms of transportation—as well as through the deeper vision of building friendships. The paradox is that “without vision, you are wandering around, doing not much of anything. But vision isn’t meant to be rigid—ever—and must be held really, really loosely.” Tapping into an existing passion has given Communicycle added momentum. “As Christians,” says Josh, “we’re servants; we want to do whatever God wants. But I’m good at doing just a few things and really not good at doing a lot of things. So to say, simply, ‘I’ll do whatever the Lord wants me to do,’ on one level, yes, I will—there’s merit in doing something outside our ability. But it also makes sense to look at what we’re naturally good at and let something flow out of that as an expression of Christ’s love.”
x
Visit www.intouch.org/magazine for a video feature on Communicycle.
building wisely
Inside In Touch Foundation >> Encouraging Others to Be Wise Stewards
d “
B y wa y ne odom e x ecutive director
Dr. Stanley deeply appreciates all of In Touch’s financial supporters, and he wants to be sure that ministry partners receive a personal thank-you. This was an important reason for creating the In Touch Foundation in 1993. The Foundation team also has the privilege of updating individuals and organizations about ministry initiatives, and of providing opportunities for giving. Staff members are prayerfully selected for this important work, which involves one-on-one contact with individuals from coast to coast. Each month, our seven Ministry Ambassadors make a total of approximately two hundred personal visits—seeing people in their homes and communities to extend a greeting and personal thanks on behalf of Dr. Stanley. Likewise, seven Ministry Representatives reach out to donors by phone and written note. In connecting with and praying for our ministry partners, we hope to be an encouragement to them, as they certainly are to us. Foundation’s other department—Planned Giving—suggests solutions when partners have questions about charitable giving. This team seeks to understand each partner’s needs and concerns, and then communicates appropriate options. There is ample flexibility to accommodate a wide range of requirements and preferences. For example, charitable gifts can be established during one’s lifetime or through an estate plan that takes effect at death. And financial benefits for donors may include significant tax savings and additional income. Most important are the benefits of supporting the Lord’s work, which has its own reward. All wise stewards ask themselves, What is the best way to handle my financial resources so I can honor God with all that I am and all that I have? Good planning should
[email protected] involve prayerfully seeking His will, following biblical www.intouchfoundation.org 800-967-2200 principles, and conferring with prudent counselors. And of course, be sure to consult with qualified professional advisors to properly incorporate a gift strategy into your overall financial and estate planning. We welcome the chance to discuss In Touch Foundation’s resources and giving options with you. Call or e-mail if you’d like someone to reach out to you.
Wise stewards ask, How can I best honor God with all that I am and all that I have?”
This article is not intended to provide specific legal, tax, or financial advice. You should seek the advice of qualified professionals in planning for your family’s future.
www.intouch.org
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solvingproblems
(Me) All About
Two Prayers That Can Hold You Back b y
A llen
Harris
I
have to admit something: I struggle with my prayer life. I have, at times, stood spellbound and awestruck at God’s obvious hand working in and around me, the evidences of answered prayer shining like spotlights all around. Those seasons of life are amazing; it’s as though you can almost see the prayers answered even as you speak them. There are other times, however, when God seems silent. There are times when we pray and pray, eyes closed and head bowed, hands clenched with knees on the ground, and yet there’s no obvious answer, no clear sign that God has responded to—or even heard—our pleas. Those times are tough. Now, I won’t presume to know the mind of God, and I can’t say why He may occasionally choose to remain silent when we cry out to Him. However, I’ve recently become increasingly aware of two types of prayers that have become all too common in my daily conversations with the Lord. Not only have I fallen into a dangerous monotony with these two prayers, but I’ve also found that the petitions I squeeze into these two models generally elicit little response from heaven. Does God hear them? Absolutely. However, at the heart of these prayers lies a seed of doubt and self-centeredness that I’m not sure He wants to bless. In fact, I believe God chooses to hold back His answer so as not to encourage my immature posture in prayer. I call these two types of petitions “Lord, But If” and “Lord, Let Me” prayers, and I’ve been trying to expunge them from my prayer life for months. Lord, But If . . . “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive” (Matt. 21:22). I lived in Georgia for five years at the start of my career. If you’re at all familiar with southeastern America, then you’ve no doubt heard of the capital city’s legendary highway jams. I spent hours in my car every week, crawling along I-285 on my way to and from work. Few things thrust you into prayer like Atlanta traffic! Leaving the house several minutes late one morning, I found myself uttering a prayer that I’m sure I prayed five days a week. It went something like this: Lord, please, please don’t let me get stuck in traffic this morning. But if I do, please keep me calm, and make it a special time with You before work. You hear similar prayers lifted up at hospital bedsides every day: Lord, please heal our brother in Christ. But if you choose not to, then give him peace during this terrible illness. I call these “Lord, But If” prayers, and I’m certain you could add a few more to the list. In fact, you may have already lifted one or two of these up to the Lord today. On the surface, these prayers may sound perfectly appropriate. And perhaps for you, they truly are spoken with the right heart. But when I really start to think about what those words are saying—or worse, what they’re implying—then the whole prayer starts to break down in a tragic lack of faith. At the heart of “Lord, But If” prayers is an underlying disbelief. These are prayers that we lift up in sincerity of heart, but something within us, some seed of doubt, creeps in and tries to give God an “out.” That is, we undermine the whole prayer www.intouch.org
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of faith with a subtle expectation that God can’t or won’t do what we’ve asked. Why do we feel the need to leave some “wiggle room” for almighty God? He spoke all of life into creation! He doesn’t need us to leave a door open so He can quietly escape if things don’t go our way. It is as though God’s “no” would leave us broken and faithless, and so we protect Him—and ourselves—from hearing a solid “no” response. God isn’t afraid to say no to us when our prayers do not align with His perfect will. He isn’t ashamed of His response, and He expects us to heed His Word and maintain a growing faith in the face of both blessing and adversity. Let’s face it, we’re going to encounter some hard times. Jesus Himself gave us this expectation in John 16:33: “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” This realization, however, should not mar our prayer lives. As the apostle James declares, “But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:6-8). Take a close look at your prayers— those for health, healing, wealth, blessing, and even traffic—and see if you can spot a “Lord, But If” in there somewhere. If you identify a weak area, ask God to make you sensitive to the small ways in which you demonstrate disbelief as you 24 |
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In Touch
talk to Him. Then, purge your prayers of doubt and expect Him to work miracles in your life. He’ll do it! Lord, Let Me... “Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come; Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:9-10). I had a second realization in my prayer life not too long ago. I discovered that, even when praying to my heavenly Father, I wanted to be the subject of prayer. While asking Him to do miraculous and wondrous things in my life, I allowed ego and selfishness to creep in and claim God’s power as my own. Self-centeredness is a tough thing to overcome, even for the most humble believer. It’s a matter of perspective, and for the most part, our perspective is forever bound to our own eyes. Years ago, I heard author Donald Miller explain it incredibly well. To paraphrase, think of life as a kind of play. In that play, I’m the star and everyone in my life is just my supporting cast. Sure, other actors take the stage, but make no mistake: The play is not about you; it’s about me. Don’t believe me? Fine, I’ll prove it. You see, sometimes we have scenes together. You enter the stage, we interact, and then you walk offstage. I know that life is about me because I’m always on stage whether you’re there or not. Obviously, this is a horrible, prideful, self-focused view of the world. It’s
(
is not
Prayer about you; it’s about
)
HIM.
not something I believe, but it certainly is something I keep in mind with every interaction. It makes me more aware of the spotlight, and better yet, it reminds me to step out of the spotlight when I’m standing in someone else’s scene. Despite my best attempts at being “other-focused” in social interactions, I’ve discovered something even more troubling: My prayers have become “me-centered.” I dare say there’s a chance your own prayers suffer from the same “self as subject” disorder that often plagues me. It has crept into the very language I use as I lay my requests before God: “Lord, let me . . .” Sound familiar? I’m honestly shocked at how often my prayers begin with “Lord, let me.” It is something we hear in the church every day; it may even be something you say yourself every day, without thinking about the implications. When I lift up a “Lord, Let Me” prayer, I’m not asking God to do something; I’m asking God to get out of the way and let me do something. Lord, let me get home safe tonight. That’s not a prayer for God to keep me safe; it’s a prayer focused on my own driving skills, a testimony of my own prowess as a driver despite whatever obstacles I may face. Lord, let me feel better tomorrow. That’s not a prayer for healing; it’s a prayer for my own antibodies to stomp out an invading infection. Lord, let me be a better father. Far too often, that’s not a prayer for God to change my heart; it’s a prayer for me to make myself a better dad.
Whenever I say, “Lord, let me,” I’m not asking God to reveal His awesome power. I’m asking Him to get out of the way of my awesomeness. And that won’t do. God hears our hearts in prayer; some may argue that the words don’t even matter. That may be true—the words may not matter to God. But the language I use when talking to God matters to me. It shapes me. It focuses me. And sometimes, it focuses me on the wrong things. So, Lord, don’t let me get home safe. Get me home safe. Don’t let me feel better tomorrow. Heal me. Don’t let me be a better father. Break my pride and fill my heart with more and more servant love for this precious child. Do the work, Lord. You’re better at it than I am. I’d rather have Your full power in action than rely only on the most powerful version of me You can make. Keep Your Eyes on God There’s no magic formula to prayer, no key words that will guarantee a “yes” or condemn you to a “no.” You may or may not struggle with the same things that I do in prayer. But if these two patterns are familiar to you, then I encourage you to break the mold. Force yourself out of these habits for a few weeks and see what a simple change in perspective can do in your communion with the Lord. Prayer is not about you; it’s about Him. Don’t let the words you use betray a lack of faith in—or focus on—the God of answered prayer. www.intouch.org
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familyroom familyroom
Getting Control When You Want to Lose It B y
N
J ulie
ot too long ago, my husband convinced me to watch The Incredible Hulk. I never saw the original version and really had better things to do than watch an angry green man run around hurting people. But one thing about this verdant villain intrigued me—he was a good man. A man who cared about others. A man who truly had no intention of hurting anyone. However, when he was provoked, his temper would flare, causing him to instantly transform into this huge, angry, uncontrollable creature. The director of the movie chose to mark time by printing the “number of days without incident” in the bottom corner of the screen. Throughout the movie,
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In Touch
Higgins
the viewer would know that only 38 days had passed since the Hulk’s rage had last become activated. The clock was constantly turning back to zero as the Hulk continued to have episodes. As I lay in bed that night, I couldn’t help but notice how my own actions as a frazzled mother of four parallel those of this unpredictable green monster. I’m no supermom, but I like to think I do a pretty decent job—all things considered. Like every other mom, I’m on duty 24/7. I’m a short order cook, a maid, a chauffeur, a homework checker, etc. I don’t get sick leave. Using the restroom alone is a thing of the past. Showers are a luxury.
But I’m crazy about my kids. I can be trudging through the highs and lows of motherhood just fine and then BOOM! All of a sudden, the stress sends me into one of these horrific “incidents.” Lack of sleep. Bickering kids. Heart rate increases. Endless laundry. Picky eaters. Veins begin to bulge. Discipline reports from school. Unflushed toilets! Breathing becomes labored. Tattling. Whining! Fits! Sassy comments! Defiant attitudes! The pressure builds until it happens: Mother transforms into monster! I wonder what my poor children must think when they see Mom’s face all gnarled up! Am I scary? Do they actually listen because my voice is raised? Do they really even care? After all is said and done, when the green drains out of my skin and my body shrinks to normal size, I realize how unnecessary the entire scene really was. So what if the cat is sporting hairspray for a few weeks—he’s alive! Who cares that my socks are literally stuck to the spot where apple juice spilled from the table two days ago—I have another pair! I used to think that if I could start the day with fresh inspiration and strength from the Word of God, I would handle these situations more calmly. I’d love to spend time reading devotionals and inspiring stories to help me on this motherhood journey. But then I reasoned, Every minute wasted on myself equals five minutes of “damage control” later when I find out what my small child was up to during that stolen moment! Once I stopped making excuses and made mothering without incident a priority, things changed. I glued a photo of each
of my children in the center of a piece of paper. Then, one by one, I thought of all the wonderful qualities and character traits that child has, and wrote a list next to the smiling face. I keep these papers within reach. When discipline situations occur, I take a moment to first read over the wonderful things that I love about the child—or children—involved. Once I have taken a minute to decompress, I make sure they know that my love for them has in no way been affected but, rather, that my displeasure has to do with their poor choices. I try to end each discipline with a reminder that God loves them and has a special plan for their lives— and I love them so much that I must teach them right from wrong. If you’re like me and you desperately want to live each day “without incident,” take a moment before you even get out of the bed in the morning, and ask the Holy Spirit to control your actions. That’s right: just give Him your stress, anxiety, and temper because you cannot maintain composure on your own. If you blow it one day—and you will—start over! Remember, negative experiences have potential to impact children profoundly. We can do serious damage to good relationships with one meltdown. And whatever example we set for our kids— good or bad—will be reproduced in them. Our children are a direct reflection of us. None of us want to see our kids throwing tantrums and falling apart, so we can’t do these things either. We want them to model patience and wisdom, and, with God’s help, we can show them how.
Once I stopped making excuses and made mothering without incident a priority, things changed.
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stronginspirit
T he M ystery of the
Bad Fig Tree { and its baffling but brilliant parable } b y
E rin
G iesc h en
I have a confession to make.
There’s a story in the gospels of Matthew and Mark that I’ve always secretly hated. This is how it goes: Jesus is hungry, and then because there’s no fruit on a fig tree He inspects, He kills it. Jesus was compassionate when others weren’t, wise beyond all human wisdom, shockingly self-sacrificing, and so on. But when it came to certain fig trees, He just seemed to act . . . well, a bit off-kilter. Of course He knew what He was doing, but as I was absolutely clueless, I just conveniently avoided the story. But then I listened. I hadn’t consumed huge chunks of the Bible for a long time, and when I heard Matthew and Mark performed on CD (The Bible Experience) in almost one shot, my eyes were opened to a completely new view of Jesus’ real ministry and the wonderfully brilliant way He did things—including (shockingly!) the cursing of a fig tree. One Strange Story Let’s revisit the story in Matthew 21 and Mark 11. On the way to Jerusalem for Passover, Jesus and His disciples come across a fig tree in full leaf. Jesus checks it for fruit but finds none. So He curses it, as in “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” Is the tree a moral being? What’s going on here? Is the Son of God losing His temper and flinging around His Creator-power at a silent, harmless plant? (Poor tree, I always secretly thought. Why would He condemn it when “it was not yet the season for figs”? I mean, how unfair! Give the tree a break.) At first, the disciples seem to have no idea what’s going on. Maybe Jesus is showing them how to curse food items that don’t work right. Or, in their zealous frame of mind, maybe they thought, Awesome! Jesus is flexing His power again! That’ll show you, tree. Just wait—pretty soon we’ll be calling
fire down on those cursed Romans. Yesss! Later, they return on the same road and see that the cursed tree is totally withered. Wow! Jesus killed the tree with a word! He raises the dead to life, changes one substance (H2O) into another completely different creation (wine). Now He goes and kills trees—this was big stuff! It all seems completely baffling to the average reader, but if we consider the key to this enacted parable—its context—we can get a powerful picture of what Jesus was actually doing. The first thing we might notice is this: The fig tree is both foreword and epilogue of His monumental “cleansing” of the temple, in which He drives out those who were making a sacred place into a marketplace. But the strange episode also follows a long successive line of stories about the difference between the disciples’ worldly picture of greatness and the true authority and mission of Jesus. When you read (or hear) them all together, a running theme elegantly emerges. The Before-and-After First, here’s a little scientific/geographical fact that the disciples would have known: When the season for figs came around (June), the tree would be full of leaves. Yet this was Passover, in early spring, and the leaves on other fig trees would only be starting to come out. So this particular tree was odd—showing all the signs of bearing fruit impressively early, while in reality bearing no fruit. You could say it was a deceptive tree, claiming to be exceptional but having nothing of worth to show when made to account for its boast. Jesus exposed the tree as a fraud: it appeared extraordinary while actually doing nothing extraordinary whatsoever. This was a “parable” indeed. Its context, along with the theme of the Lord’s recent teachings (culminating in the temple storming) points toward a very visual story www.intouch.org
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He was telling to reveal a crucial truth. Before this incident, He had been giving the disciples ongoing lessons about servanthood and greatness. They’d been caught up in their own visions of what He would do: break the oppressive rule of Rome and then set up His kingdom on earth (with them ruling alongside Him). What could possibly be better? It just had to be God’s will for everyone to accept Him as Messiah, and for society to be transformed! Jesus saw their hearts, and patiently corrected them again
Timeline
of the Story’s
• Who is the Greatest? Me, Right? The disciples have a juvenile argument over which of them will be “the greatest” in Jesus’ kingdom (kingdom as defined by them, of course.) Jesus confronts them, picks up a child, and says that when they give their attention to the lowliest, they’re welcoming Him (Mark 9:33-37). FAMOUS QUOTE: “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” • Leave Him Alone and Cut the SelfRighteousness John, the Beloved Disciple, smugly reports to Jesus on someone driving out demons in His name—a person whom the disciples told “to stop, because he was not one of us.” Jesus tells them to change their attitudes toward outsiders, and warns them of losing their “saltiness” (9:38-50). FAMOUS QUOTE: “Whoever is not against us is for us.” • Jesus Exalts the Children—Again Piously trying to protect Jesus from wasting His valuable time, the disciples try to chase away the pesky kids who are clamoring for His attention. Indignant, Jesus repeats Himself, and this time is tougher: “Anyone who will 30 |
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and again: in His kingdom, the world’s idea of significance is turned upside-down. Servanthood, humility, caring for the weak, and childlike open-heartedness are of the greatest value. Spiritual posturing, self-righteousness, and pride will keep you out of this kingdom. And the fig tree is yet another lesson about this truth. Also prior to the scene was Jesus’ triumphal entry—another picture of the people’s misconstrued ideas. Many expected Him to unveil His campaign plot of miraculous
In Touch
Context
not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (10:11-16). FAMOUS QUOTE: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them.” • The Rich Young Religious Man A man who’s piously kept the Law since childhood wants to know what more he should do to “inherit eternal life.” Jesus sees his heart and lovingly offers freedom from what keeps him in bondage: his wealth. When told to sell his possessions to help the poor and then follow Jesus, the man leaves in disappointment because he knows he can’t give up what rules him (10:17-31). FAMOUS QUOTE: “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. With man this is impossible, but not with God.” • The Audacious Request of James and John As if they didn’t just hear Jesus repeat Himself over and over about true “greatness,” the zealous brothers tell Jesus they want Him to do for them “whatever we ask”—that is, give them dibs on the thrones on either side of Him when He sets up His kingdom (after overthrowing the Roman Empire, of course). Jesus tells them
military might, crowning Himself the ultimate king. Yet the Messiah instead worked by His own unforgettable methods, revealing His power by exposing a fraudulent fig—and then audaciously reclaiming the temple as His “Father’s House.” Jesus was saying this: We can put up a pristine façade, but God sees us. That is bad news to those who would deny their need of healing, but good news for those who acknowledge their weakness. Just as the apostle Paul later said, without love, all the
zealous acts of ministry we do for God are hollow (1 Cor. 13:1-3). Jesus is making this very point: He will personally check our branches for real fruit, and if He finds none in spite of extraordinarily pretty leaves boasting of “service” in His name, He will expose us. Yet we can take heart in knowing that His rebukes are always intended to shine a light for the purpose of revelation. So, even for the worst of us Pharisees, a holy exposure can lead to the gift that Jesus is always offering: redemption.
they’re completely clueless—and unprepared for the suffering that comes with His true mission. The other disciples (as if they never thought about the throne set-up themselves) hear about this and get steaming mad. So Jesus repeats Himself again (10:35-45).
charging outsiders, women, and the poor for sacrificial animals. He overturns tables and bars merchandise from the temple, passionately proclaiming it as a place of worship. The religious leaders start plotting to kill Him, because the crowd was awed by His authority (11:15-19).
FAMOUS QUOTE: “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant . . . For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
FAMOUS QUOTE: “Is it not written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a den of thieves.”
• Crowds Hail Jesus as the King Who Will Reclaim David’s Throne (and overthrow Rome, of course). Jesus enters Jerusalem on a symbolic colt. Meanwhile His followers and throngs of people wave palm branches and lay their cloaks before Him in expectation of the dramatic messianic display of power they have been waiting for (11:1-11).
• THE FIG TREE IS FOUND DEAD All Scripture is from the niv Bible.
FAMOUS QUOTE: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” • THE FIG TREE INCIDENT • Jesus Wreaks Havoc on Money Changers in the Temple Jesus storms into the court of the Gentiles, where greedy merchants are overwww.intouch.org
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From Ordinary to Great ACTS 4:13
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Abilities and achievements do not impress the Lord. Instead, He is looking for humble, willing followers through whom to reveal His glory.
nyone who studies God’s ways soon realizes they are quite different from man’s. Worldly wisdom says that extraordinary people and abundant resources are needed for great tasks, yet the Lord often chooses the small and insignificant to achieve His purposes on earth. For example, Christ selected a rather unimpressive group of men as disciples, yet after being filled with the Spirit, they “turned the world upside down.” During His ministry on earth, Jesus fed thousands with a child’s meager lunch, and He viewed the widow’s two small coins as a greater offering than all the other generous donations (John 6:5-12; Luke 21:2-3). God specializes in using people who aren’t naturally qualified to accomplish His tasks. Moses was a verbally impaired 80-year-old shepherd who liberated a nation. After Gideon hid from the enemy, God made him a valiant warrior. David was the overlooked youngest son who killed a giant with a small stone and became Israel’s greatest king. God isn’t looking for impressive people; He wants willing ones who will bow the knee in humble submission. Being weak and ordinary doesn’t make you useless. Rather, it positions you for a demonstration of divine power in your life. He takes insignificant ones and delights in making them great. e a r l y
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Have you ever considered that your lack of ability, talent, or skill is the ideal setting for a great display of Christ’s power and glory? If you are willing to submit to His leading and venture into the scary yet rewarding territory of faith and obedience, He will do great things in and through you. One Year the
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Walking by Faith read
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hristians generally associate faith with their salvation experience, and rightly so. By believing in Christ, we enter into a relationship with Him. But that’s not the end—afterwards comes a lifetime of walking with Him. Since the word walk is used to describe behavior and conduct, we may mistakenly conclude that after salvation, the Christian life is all about performance. But today’s verses clearly state that we walk with Christ in the same way we received Him—by faith. This means we place our trust in Him for every circumstance of life. To help us understand this, Paul uses some phrases which describe how confidence in God grows: “Having been firmly rooted”—At the moment of salvation, believers are “planted” in Christ. Our roots grow deep as we anchor ourselves in the Lord, drawing our spiritual nourishment from Him. “Being built up in Him”—The believer’s life is built on the foundation of the Savior through obedience. God wants us to choose precious and valuable building materials that will last into eternity (1 Cor. 3:10-15). “Established in your faith”—In time, as we begin to understand more about the Lord and how He operates, our trust in Him increases, and we experience stability even in the winds of adversity. e a r l y
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Knowing and Trusting the Lord
Psalm 9:7-10
ow much do you trust God? Before answering, consider these scenarios. Do you really trust the Lord when everything seems out of control and He appears absent? . . . when He’s called you to move in a certain direction that seems illogical and risky? . . . when painful circumstances continue, making you wonder if the Lord really cares? We all have times of doubt when our expectations of God are dashed by the reality of our situation. Many of us want to trust Him more but aren’t sure how to do so. David reveals that the key lies in knowing the Lord (v. 10). Distance in our relationship with Him results in a lack of faith, but those who are intimately acquainted with Christ find it easier to trust Him wholeheartedly. Whenever you are tempted to doubt, remember these three essential truths about the Lord: • He is completely sovereign (Ps. 103:19). God has everything in His control even when we can’t perceive it. • He is infinitely wise (Rom. 11:33-36). The Lord knows every side of the situation (inside and out) and every event (past, present, and future). • He loves perfectly (Ex. 34:6). Without exception, He always chooses what is best for us, even if it’s not easy. e a r l y
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In our goal-oriented society, it’s easy to forget that walking in Christ is a process. While on earth, we never “arrive” but are slowly transformed along the way. As we trust the Lord, our hearts will overflow with gratitude for all His blessings and the stability He offers in every circumstance.
We grow in faith, not by trying harder to believe but, rather, by pursuing the Lord. This involves doing all we can to get to know Him—in particular, spending time in His Word and talking to Him in prayer. Then our trust in Him will grow as we learn that He never forsakes those who seek Him.
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Experiencing Peace in a Troubled World John 16:33
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he tumultuous times in which we live challenge our sense of security and well-being. In a world filled with violence, injustice, financial instability, and natural disasters, how can we live in undisturbed safety? Jesus’ words to His disciples seem contradictory—peace and tribulation just don’t go together. This makes no sense unless we realize that Christ’s peace is not the same as the world’s (John 14:27). The average person thinks tranquility will come with an outward change in their circumstances: When I have a better job or more money, then I will be content. Or, If a particular person in my life changes, then I will feel at ease. But Christ offers a relationship with the Father that fills our hearts with satisfied contentment, no matter what the external conditions may be. We need to understand that Christ’s offer of peace came, not when everything was going well, but just hours before His disciples’ world fell apart. All their hopes and dreams were dashed when the Messiah hung on the cross. Although they didn’t realize it, Jesus offered them exactly what they would need to cope with the trouble that lay ahead. In the same way, He gives us quiet confidence which anchors our souls in stressful times. e a r l y
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The Prison of the Past Luke 4:16-21
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magine a man named Dan who, after serving his full sentence of 20 years, has just received his prison release papers. Now, after two decades behind bars, he’s going to taste freedom again! Before leaving, he makes a strange request: “Please take this cell door off its hinges and strap it to my back.” The jailers comply, and the freed man spends the rest of his life in this condition. Dan’s story sounds ridiculous. Yet many of us carry around guilt like a prison door strapped to our back. Jesus Christ liberated us, but we have trouble leaving the old jail completely behind. The problem is that we don’t believe God has really forgiven. I’ve often counseled Christians who say, “I pray every day for the Lord to forgive me!” When I point out that God has already covered their sin, I hear, “Yes, but . . . ” There is no “but.” Either God forgives or He doesn’t. If you’ve trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior, then you are free of sin (Col. 1:14). The Lord promises that He will not hold our wrongs against us or even remember them (Heb. 10:17). No good can come of dredging up the old failures and sinful habits that He has put behind His back (Isa. 38:17). The Liberator has torn down the walls of your prison. So lay down your guilt and live free.
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We can never arrange all circumstances so that we feel safe and secure. The way to overcome the world isn’t by removing difficulties from one’s life. Instead, victory comes from walking through troubles with quiet confidence in God’s sovereignty and divine purpose for everything He allows.
When God looks upon a believer, He sees a spirit washed clean of all sin. Don’t allow guilt over past wrongdoing to hold you captive a second longer. Take God at His word, and believe that He has removed it from you as far as the east is from the west (Ps. 103:12).
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What Is the Spirit-Filled Life?
Ep h e s i a n s 5 : 1 8 - 2 1
lthough God wants every believer to be filled with the Spirit, many Christians are not sure what this means or what it looks like. To help us understand that whatever fills us controls us, Paul cites drunkenness as a negative example of “filling” and tells us to avoid it. Every believer is indwelt by God’s Spirit, but the extent of His rule is determined by the Christian’s freedom to comply. Think of this as a voluntary choice to surrender your life to the Holy Spirit’s control—in other words, to be sensitive to His leadership and guidance, obedient to His promptings, and dependent upon His strength. The evidence of the Spirit’s control is revealed in a person’s character. Those who have yielded their lives to Christ’s leadership are continually being transformed into His likeness. The degree of surrender determines the level of transformation. Even though good works and faithful service are a result of being filled with the Spirit, they are not necessarily signs of it. Remember, we are talking about character, not what we do. It’s easier to serve the Lord in some manner than to love the unlovable or be patient with difficult people. But when the Spirit is in charge of our lives, He does through us what we cannot do for ourselves. e a r l y
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Looking for Fruit
Galatians 5:16-26
s believers, we all want the fruit of the Spirit, but how can we know if we truly have it? Even unbelievers can display these qualities when conditions are positive. This nine-fold fruit of the Spirit is not what we do, but who we are, and it is primarily on display in Christians when circumstances are unfavorable. Two characteristics help us recognize these traits in our lives. Fruitful believers are not controlled by their environment. Everyone experiences trials and pain, but those who are filled with the Spirit do not lose His fruit because of their situations. They keep their joy even when difficulties overwhelm. If someone speaks harshly, they respond with kindness. Because the Holy Spirit is in control, He is free to produce His fruit no matter what the circumstances are. Even though such believers may feel pain, anger, or a desire for revenge, they choose to trust the Lord to protect them and direct the outcome. Fruitful Christians recover quickly after a fall. These believers are not perfect, but they are sensitive to the Spirit’s conviction and are quick to return to the Lord in repentance. In fact, they are actually grateful for the correction and praise God, not only for revealing their weakness but also for drawing them back to obedience. e a r l y
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Each believer decides who rules his life, by either actively surrendering to Christ or deliberately going his own way. Even those who try to avoid the issue by making no choice at all unknowingly opt for self-rule. The fullness of the Spirit and godly character await those who choose God over self.
No one produces these amazing qualities in himself. Trying harder to be godly will never work. Character transformation occurs when we submit to God, giving Him complete control of our lives. Only then will the Spirit be free to produce fruit that remains even in the deepest, darkest storms.
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any Christians don’t realize that they are in a battle. We have an Enemy who opposes us in every way—his purpose is to prevent us from becoming who God wants us to be and achieving what He’d have us do. The Devil frustrates our plans, confuses our minds, and brings feelings of anxiety and despair. But he doesn’t stop there; he also stirs up disunity in our relationships and churches. There are several things that Christians should understand about this combat: The battle is real, even if we can’t see it. The difficulty, pain, and discouragement Satan causes are genuine. His temptations are not imaginary; they overwhelm and lure us away from the Lord. The battle is spiritual. Our struggle is not with one another but with invisible forces of wickedness. Although the conflict is waged in the spiritual realm, it impacts every part of us—our mind, will, emotions, desires, and even our bodies. The battle is tough. The Adversary fights dirty, and the encounter is “up close and personal.” Our confrontation with the forces of evil is like spiritual hand-to-hand combat and flesh-to-flesh wrestling. He has a host of demonic beings who work unceasingly, even when we sleep. As long as we are on earth, the war will continue. e a r l y
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Preparation for Spiritual Warfare
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elievers are caught in a battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness, but the Lord has provided everything we need to stand firm against the forces of evil. Why, then, do Christians fail so often and give in to temptation and sin? I think there are a number of reasons. We are unaware of the battle. Even if we know about spiritual warfare, during everyday life, it’s easy to forget an invisible war is raging around us. Our inattention makes us prime candidates for an attack. We are ignorant about the Enemy. Satan is free to bombard us with one scheme after another when we don’t recognize his tactics or understand his goals. We are untrained for warfare. Believers are soldiers whether they want to be or not. God’s Word is the training manual that gives instruction for discerning deception, resisting temptation, standing firm in faith, and walking in integrity. We allow Satan a foothold. The primary battleground for Christians is the mind. If we begin to listen to the Tempter and consider the benefits of his suggestions, he will gain a foothold into our thoughts, feelings, and desires. Left unchecked, the foothold will become a stronghold, and we’ll soon find ourselves mired in sin.
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Although the Enemy is strong, there isn’t reason to fear—he’s no match for Christ, who lives within us. We’ve been entrusted with Jesus’ divine power over the Evil One. However, we can access the Son’s authority only by submitting to His lordship and walking in obedience to His Spirit.
The time to prepare for warfare is now. You cannot afford to be complacent and unaware of your Enemy, or you will quickly become his victim. Begin filling your mind with God’s Word, and obediently listen to the Spirit’s inner warnings. That’s the way to experience the joy of victory in Christ.
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Advancing Through Adversity
Ep h e s i a n s 3 : 1 4 - 2 1
ne noteworthy trait of the apostle Paul was his determination to advance through adversity. There are many people who get stuck in life’s hard spots. They are either too scared or too bitter to move through the hardship. Instead, these folks wait for the Lord to remove the trial, but He doesn’t always work that way. How a person responds to hardship reveals his or her true character. Hard times are when God’s people most need to match actions to words. It’s easy to say, “I trust God” or “My Lord is faithful,” particularly when life is good. But unless we recognize that He is sovereign even in adversity, the same lips will complain and seek pity. Believers who trust in the Lord’s faithfulness and supremacy will steadfastly focus on Him and thereby keep their anxiety and doubt subdued. In order to conquer adversity, we must begin moving through it. It is essential for a suffering believer to surrender to God’s will. We may not know what His purpose is. We certainly won’t like the pain, and we’ll definitely want the situation to change—fast. But giving the Lord free rein allows Him to mature our faith, conform us to the likeness of His Son, and fulfill His unique plan for our lives. e a r l y
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Overcoming Self-Sufficiency
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
n many modern cultures, self-sufficiency is prized. People cheer over stories of the man who “pulled himself up by his boot straps.” A lot of folks don’t like to admit the need for help from other people or from the Lord, since a can-do attitude seems far more impressive. In a word, the problem is pride. Adversity punches holes in pride. Paul reported that he had a lot of reasons to be arrogant—a good pedigree, education, religious fervor, etc. (Phil. 3:5-6). Even after his conversion, he had plenty of opportunity get a swelled head. God had specifically called him to carry the gospel to the Gentiles. But the Lord also gave him a “thorn in the flesh”—an obstacle so great that Paul required constant spiritual assistance to work through it. This was the pin that burst the apostle’s pride balloon and then kept it so full of holes that it couldn’t re-inflate. God uses adversity in much the same way in our lives. We find ourselves in a situation that is beyond our capacity to handle. So we try to pull those bootstraps, but nothing happens. That is when God offers His sufficiency, His might, and His guidance. Those who submit to Him discover renewed strength, as His power dwells within them. e a r l y
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Surrendering does not seem like a way to advance anywhere. But in reality, we’re just handing over the controls to God and saying, “You guide me where You want me to go.” Doing so requires a lot of trust. We serve a Lord who is worthy of our faith and confidence.
Self-sufficiency is no prize; it is a trap. That’s why God’s message is the opposite of the one that the world trumpets so loudly. Those who desire to conquer adversity must sacrifice self-reliance to depend upon Him. When we are weak, His Spirit makes us strong.
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God-Centered Prayer
2 Chronicles 20:1-18
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omeone once asked me if I had ever heard myself pray. Having never done this, I decided to record my voice as I prayed about a matter of deep concern. After listening to the recording, I thought, God, I don’t think I would answer that prayer either. It was filled with negative descriptions of how bad the situation was and how “down in the dumps” I felt. After suddenly encountering a fearful situation, Jehoshaphat chose a different approach: he sought the Lord through God-centered prayer. Instead of coming to the Father with a “woe is me” attitude, he began by focusing on the Lord’s power and sovereignty (v. 6), His past faithfulness to Judah (vv. 7-8), and His promise to hear and deliver them (v. 9). Only after strengthening his faith through these reminders of God’s adequacy did he make his petitions (vv. 10-12). He ended his prayer with the words “nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You” (v. 12). There is great wisdom in waiting for the Lord’s direction while keeping our focus on Him. Not only does this strengthen our faith, but it also enables us to see His answer. Eyes fixed on the impossibility of the situation rarely discern God’s guidance and intervention on our behalf. e a r l y
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Why God Speaks James 1:23-25
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od is not one to speak in generalities. When He whispers from the pages of Scripture or confronts through a friend’s words, the Father directly addresses issues in His children’s lives. With that in mind, let’s look at His three goals for communicating with believers—namely, for us to: 1. Comprehend the truth. God wants us to learn His ways and principles, to recognize our own frailty, and to identify the needs of others. He does more than offer this as head knowledge—He makes truth applicable to our lives. For example, the Lord assured Paul that His strength was sufficient to carry the apostle through anything (2 Cor. 12:9). Circumstances taught the apostle that God’s Word was true. 2. Conform to the truth. Our lives are shaped by our belief system. What we hold as true influences our thinking. In turn, how we think affects our character, conduct, and conversation. God is determined to mold His children into Christlikeness so that they reflect His gospel to the world. 3. Communicate the truth. Every child of God is called to make disciples (Matt. 28:19). Believers can know the Lord and walk in His light but still fall short of this expectation. We must share the gospel by sharing God’s truth with others and explaining how His words played out in our lives.
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In prayer, we choose to either magnify the Lord or our difficulty. Are you concentrating on the faithfulness of almighty God or your overpowering problem and negative feelings? Let’s keep our eyes on Him and wait with complete confidence until we see the great things He will do for us.
Notice that each goal builds on the one preceding it. Christians are a light reflecting God’s glory to this world. We shine brightly by being attentive to God’s voice and following His will. And when someone takes an interest in the source of our light, we are prepared to share the good news of Christ.
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Hebrews 4:13-16
ow many times have you gotten caught in a “guilt cycle”? This involves confessing the same old sin, telling God you’re sorry, and promising not to do it again—while suspecting that you probably will. Then around you go again. You’ve come clean dozens of times but still have no victory. Yet there is a biblical promise that states, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9, emphasis added). Friends, God is holding up His end of that promise. It’s people who fall short—we have turned confession into a rote recitation of our shortcomings. The attitude is, I’m disappointed in myself, but I am weak and God knows that. True confession means agreeing with the Lord about sin, and it is inseparably linked with repentance; they’re two sides of the same coin. To repent is to turn our back upon wrong. By looking at our sin from God’s perspective, we will see a vile, wicked habit with terrible consequences, and we’ll want to run from that as fast as possible! In practical terms, to confess and repent requires the intentional decision to say, “By the Holy Spirit’s power, I’m turning away.” Satan will still tempt you, and failure remains a possibility. But God can break the chains of your sin, and He wants to set you free. e a r l y
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Making Big Requests
John 14:12-15
esus Christ issued a bold statement when He said, “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:14). Since it is against the nature of our Triune God to break a promise (Titus 1:2), we know that the Lord will fulfill that pledge. So when we make a big request and nothing happens, the problem isn’t with God. Believers are called to live a righteous life. The Lord won’t overlook spiritual laziness to give us what we want. He has two requirements for answering petitions: • Approach God in complete dependence on Christ’s merits. The Savior’s blood paid for our right to enter the Father’s holy presence. His sacrifice at Calvary took away our sins and clothed us in righteousness, which allows us to stand unashamed before the throne. We don’t earn favor through works or get prayers answered because we are super-spiritual. God responds because His Son sits at His right hand, interceding for us. • Approach God in holiness—that is, separated from all known sin. God said that He would not hear those who “regard wickedness” in their hearts (Ps. 66:18). If He were to answer prayer when we are willfully living in sin, then He would be sanctioning our transgression. Therefore, believers must turn away from their wrongdoing before making big requests. e a r l y
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Victory can be immediate or a process of trading wrong choices for right ones. In some cases, temptation involving habitual sin never goes away. Then it becomes necessary to face each day in God’s strength. When you forsake sin, the power of heaven is there to help you.
God is always faithful. He is willing to give you what you need and to bless you richly besides. But this is no something-fornothing offer. The Lord demands righteous living from His followers. Those who live according to God’s will can trust Him for anything they ask in His Son’s name.
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One Big Request
John 15:16
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esterday we looked at God’s promise in John 14:14. Too often people take the verse to imply, “If you ask anything, I will do it.” They overlook the most essential phrase: “in My name.” Asking in Christ’s name has two meanings. First, believers are welcome to make requests that align with God’s purpose and plan. To do that, we need to ask Him if our prayers match His will. God has several ways of assuring followers that they are on the correct path. For instance, He may increase right desires or decrease wrong ones. Another possibility is that He will use His Word to redirect a Christian’s steps or confirm that he is going the right way. God always makes His will plain to the man or woman who seeks to know it. Second, invoking Christ’s name means that we desire to glorify Him instead of ourselves. James gives this warning: “You ask and do not receive because you ask with wrong motives so that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:3). To understand that, let’s consider those who are trying to pray their way out of a financial hole. The question is, Does a person want to get out of debt so that he has more for himself or so that he can use the excess in God-honoring ways? Motives are apparent to God. He will not offer help until our heart is right. e a r l y
20 The Promises of God wednesday
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ur heavenly Father has made many promises in the Bible. But there is confusion among Christians about which verses we can claim as a definite commitment from God. Three questions are useful in evaluating whether divine promises apply to our own situation: 1. Is this promise limited to a specific person or circumstance, or does it apply to all believers? For example, the pledge made to Abraham and Sarah about giving birth to a child (Gen. 18:10) is restricted to them, whereas Hebrews 13:5 contains a guarantee to all Christians that Jesus will be with them forever. 2. Are we asking the Lord to meet a need or a desire? A need is something that we must have in order for God to complete His work in our lives. A desire is something we want for satisfaction or enjoyment. If we lose our job, then an essential—an incoming wage—is missing. But if we want a new position for personal reasons, it’s a desire. 3. Before fulfilling a promise, does the Lord require some action on our part? Proverbs 3:5-6 is a conditional promise, which pledges God’s direction on the basis of our trust in Him. On the other hand, Jesus’ assurance of His presence with believers (Heb. 13:5) is unconditional; it does not depend on anything we do.
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In the name Jesus Christ, there is abundant power. However, calling upon Him in prayer is not a magic charm to get what we want. Rather, it is a signal that we are laying down our personal desires and our own way of getting things done. In so doing, we commit to follow God and bring honor to Him.
By evaluating Scripture on the basis of these questions, we will know which promises apply to our situation. What confidence we’ll have in asking our Lord to fulfill them in our lives. For, as 1 Corinthians 1:20 (niv) says, “No matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.”
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“The main hinge on which faith turns is this: we must not imagine that the Lord’s promises are true objectively but not in our experience. We must make them ours by embracing them in our hearts.” —John Calvin “[God’s promises] are a foundation of our faith, and we have them as such; and also of our hope. On these we are to build all our expectations from God; and in all temptations and trials we have them to rest our souls upon.” —Matthew Henry “God has made so many promises—about loving us unconditionally, about caring for us, about providing all of our needs according to His riches in glory. Do you think God ever forgot even one of His promises? No! What He promises, He will provide because all of heaven’s power is behind Him.” —Charles F. Stanley “Every promise God has ever made finds its fulfillment in Jesus.” —Joni Eareckson Tada “Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise . . . He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.” —the apostle Paul, Romans 4:20-22 (nlt) “There is a living God; he has spoken in the Bible. He means what he says and will do all he has promised.” —Hudson Taylor “Let God’s promises shine on your problems.” —Corrie Ten Boom
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Claiming a Promise of God
2 Peter 1:3-4
od’s promises are very precious. Not only do they remind us of His personal interest in our lives, but they also provide hope and encouragement during difficult times. Before claiming a promise, we must check ourselves in three areas: faith, obedience, and patience. First, we must trust Jesus as our personal Savior and live on the basis of our belief in Him. Obeying God is also necessary. If we willfully continue to disobey the Lord, then He is not obligated to fulfill His promise (1 Peter 3:12). Finally, patience is another requirement. God operates on His timetable to accomplish His purposes according to His perfect plan. Waiting on Him is necessary. At times it will seem as if a divine promise is not being fulfilled. When that is the case, take a second look at the biblical passage to be sure it applies to you. Then verify that you have met any conditions, and examine whether there is a genuine need. If you are still convinced the promise applies, then you can look a little deeper at your request. Will the Lord be honored when this promise is fulfilled? Can He answer this prayer without harming others or hindering His will in their life? Will this help you grow spiritually? These additional questions will assist you in claiming a promise of God. e a r l y
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The Holy Spirit is our instructor, who will teach us about the Lord’s promises. He wants to build our faith through Scripture, provide the strength necessary to obey, and develop in us the fruit of patience. These qualities help us as we look to God to fulfill His promises. One Year the
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Forsaking Anger
Ep h e s i a n s 4 : 3 0 - 3 2
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righteous life has no room for lingering anger, whether in the form of rage or resentment. Fury that hardens in our hearts becomes a stronghold for Satan. The fleshly method for “curing” wrath is to either let it out (rage) or suppress it (resentment). Neither is effective for solving problems or making an angry person feel better. God’s way of dealing with this dangerous emotion dissolves it and sets the believer free. As today’s passage reminds us, we are to “let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from [us], along with all malice” (v. 31). But to do so requires that we recognize it’s there. Whether we are annoyed at ourselves, another person, or God, we have to own that feeling. Pretending that the emotion doesn’t exist or that we’ve somehow risen above anger is useless. If you’re angry, admit it and then identify the source. Knowing who or what ignited the initial fury can prevent people from misdirecting irritation onto the innocent. Here are some questions to help in identifying a source of anger: • Why am I angry? • At whom am I angry? • What caused me to feel/act this way? • Where or when did this feeling start? • Have I been angry a long time? e a r l y
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esterday we learned how to deal with lingering anger in our lives. Today we’ll discover God’s principle for preventing long-term resentment. The key is to deal with this dangerous emotion promptly. It’s important to realize that believers can have moments of anger and still remain right with God. Yet anger that is allowed to linger and fester is an opportunity for Satan. He quickly plants justifications in our mind: That person deserves to be yelled at. You shouldn’t be treated that way! God understands that you’re frustrated. By handing people excuses to build a defense for harboring fury, Satan creates a stronghold in their lives. It is a foolish man or woman who hides behind that wall (Eccl. 7:9). We are not to lay even one brick for the Devil’s stronghold. Instead, believers must respond to provocation by forgiving others as God forgives. His mercy is unconditional; there’s no wrong that He does not pardon. Believers cannot stand before God and justify harboring long-term anger. So we must release it at once through forgiveness. We can further protect ourselves by identifying frequent irritants. When those situations (or people) loom, we should pray that God makes us quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger (James 1:19). That is the spiritual fruit of self-control in action. e a r l y
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Once we know the source of our anger, it’s time to forgive, no matter what. Fury and unforgiveness often go together, and they’re heavy baggage that will drag you down. God calls us to set them aside and take up love and kindness instead. Forsaking anger means walking in His will with a light step.
Anger produces only rotten fruit—sour relationships, a poor witness, etc. The wise believer takes a two-fold approach to dealing with it. First, heed the Bible’s 300-plus warnings about this dangerous emotion and be vigilant against it. And second, forsake your anger in favor of forgiveness.
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Dealing with Guilty Feelings
John 5:24-26
elievers in Christ often wrestle with discouragement and shame over things they have done wrong. Some may be especially grieved about mistakes made prior to receiving Jesus as Savior. But what does Scripture say about God’s view of our guilt? Until we were saved, our fleshly nature led us to rebel against the Lord and choose our own way. This sinful state separated us from Him and placed us under His wrath (Rom. 2:5-8). All of mankind was guilty before God (Rom. 3:23), but when we trusted Jesus as Savior, we were cleansed by His blood (Lev. 17:11; Heb. 9:14). He took us from a state of guilt and separation from God to one of forgiveness and acceptance by the Father. Our shame was removed, and Christ’s righteousness was credited to our account (Rom. 5:17). Though we may have to bear the consequences of our action, we are no longer guilty before God. If we allow shame over previous deeds to continue, we will experience a divided mind, one that focuses too much on the past. Some of us may doubt God’s love and ask, How could He care for someone like me? Others may feel unworthy to be His child— and as a result, draw away from Him. Guilty feelings can weigh us down, sapping our energy for today’s tasks and dampening our enthusiasm for the future. e a r l y
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The Burden of False Guilt
John 14:26-27
uilt is an emotional response to wrongdoing. We experience it when we break man’s civil law or God’s commandments. But what about those times when no law was broken, and yet we feel as if we did something wrong? That is false guilt, an unnecessary and often crippling emotion. False guilt may come from a traumatic childhood in which the young person blames himself for problems over which he had no control. This pattern of blaming oneself can carry over into adulthood. Perhaps we face criticism for failing to meet the expectations of employers or family. Their verbal abuse can wear us down until we see ourselves as unworthy or useless. We end up feeling guilty for not meeting someone else’s expectations. Some of us are perfectionists who try to do everything right the first time. Since no one can always do things flawlessly, guilt is a frequent companion. Yet we have not violated any scriptural law. If we find ourselves thinking, I should have done more or I could have performed better, we may be falling into the perfectionism trap. There are instances when our efforts are not what they should be, but that isn’t a reason for guilt. If there is no breaking of God’s law, then our negative feelings are not based in fact. e a r l y
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We have all made mistakes that we regret. But we have a heavenly Father who has completely forgiven our sins and removed our guilt through His Son Jesus. If you are still dealing with feelings of shame, meditate on what was accomplished at the cross, and let God’s truth set you free.
Christians will make errors in judgment and experience conviction as a result. First John 1:9 tells us to turn to God and confess our sin. If there’s no biblical or civil basis for guilt, then ask the Lord to help you disconnect from the feeling of false guilt and replace it with the peace Jesus promised.
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Responding to God’s Discipline Hebrews 12:5-7
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in always leads us away from God and hinders His work in our lives. The Lord will not allow sinful patterns of behavior to continue without divine correction. The purpose of His discipline is to train us in personal holiness (Heb. 12:10). Some Christians equate the word discipline with punishment. But Scripture tells us that Jesus took our punishment upon Himself at the cross. He paid the required price for all sin and experienced God’s wrath on our behalf so that we might be forgiven. Once we receive Christ as Savior, we are a new creation and no longer under condemnation (Rom. 8:1). Discipline by our heavenly Father is corrective, not punitive. He uses trials and circumstances to turn us away from unholy practices and teach us the way of godliness (1 Tim. 4:8). So when experiencing His discipline, we should understand that we have sinned, examine our wrongdoing with the Holy Spirit’s help, and take His correction seriously. Instead of losing heart, recognize that the Lord is treating us as a loving Father would—looking out for our best interests and disciplining us for our own good. Instead of fighting the process, we are wise to cooperate with God and keep our eyes fixed on the promised harvest of righteousness and peace. e a r l y
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How to Avoid Divine Discipline
2 Timothy 3:16-17
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t the cross, the penalty for transgression was paid in full, and sin’s power over us was broken. Nevertheless, we still struggle with ungodliness in our lives. So how can we avoid behaviors that lead to divine discipline? First, we can pursue God wholeheartedly. As we diligently study the Scriptures and apply them to our lives, we will learn what pleases and displeases Him. Second, we can join an evangelical church and find godly people who will hold us accountable for our actions. Sometimes the right advice is all that is needed to prevent a misstep. To avoid the necessity of the Lord’s discipline, we can also practice spiritual self-examination. This can be done individually (1 Cor. 11:28) and corporately. Examining our thought life, speech, and actions in light of Scripture uncovers areas of ungodliness. First John 1:9 instructs us to confess our iniquities to the Lord. Genuine confession means to agree with God that His way is right and what we are doing is wrong. Repentance is to follow confession— this involves changing our actions and attitude so they line up with God’s Word. Because we aren’t perfect, not all discipline can be avoided. When we sin, we need to humble ourselves quickly, admit our wrong behavior, and adjust our ways.
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Not all hardships are a result of sin; they can also derive from natural disasters, mental or physical illnesses, or someone else’s actions. But if your troubles are a result of your own ungodly actions, then confess them and accept the discipline of a loving Father to His precious child (Isa. 43:4).
Believers needn’t fear God’s discipline. Our Father never responds to us with wrath or condemnation. His correction may hurt, but it brings great spiritual benefit. We’ll find it easier to avoid pitfalls that lead to divine discipline if we pursue a lifestyle of righteousness and godliness (1 Tim. 6:11).
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Can You Trust God?
Romans 4:16-21
s we all know too well, life often confronts us with unexpected or painful circumstances. Sometimes these situations leave us feeling fearful, discouraged, and frustrated. Consequently, we may question whether the Lord truly is reliable. During such troubling moments, we can rest on this essential truth: The Lord is perfect in His love. Consider verse 5 from 1 John 1: “God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” In other words, everything our heavenly Father does is righteous. And if He is a God of love, then it is impossible for Him to mistreat any of His children. We can be assured that whatever He places or permits in our lives is good and that His motives are perfectly pure. Jesus demonstrated this deep care for us when He offered His blood on the cross—there exists no greater display of love than giving one’s life for someone else (John 15:13). Our sin debt could be paid only with a flawless sacrifice (Deut. 17:1). Christ, the perfect lamb, was willing to die in our place so that we could have an eternal relationship with the Father. If God gave us His Son—the most precious and amazing gift possible—to take care of our greatest need, then we can trust Him to provide for all areas of our life. e a r l y
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Proverbs 3:5-6
e often find it easy to trust the Lord when circumstances are pleasant. In difficult times, though, resting in Him can be challenging. Yet that is precisely what God told David to do: “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall deliver you” (Ps. 50:15). As we saw yesterday, trusting the Lord is possible because of His love for us. In the Bible, we see this divine love clearly demonstrated through the Father’s character, the Savior’s atoning death, and the believer’s adoption as a child of God. Another reason we can rely upon our heavenly Father is His infinite wisdom (Rom. 11:33). He always knows what is best for us, and His judgments are perfect. We don’t understand all that goes into God’s plan—compared to the full, clear view He has of our lives, we see just a limited picture of reality. Therefore, what He chooses for us may not make sense at the time. We can also depend upon the Lord because He is sovereign. In other words, whatever He—in His wisdom and love— chooses to do, He is able to accomplish. Nothing stands in the way of our God. He is in complete control of all things; even Satan must obtain His permission before taking action (Job 1:9-12). e a r l y
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When difficulty arises, remember how much God loves you. He proved this by willingly giving His Son to take the penalty for your sin. Even when circumstances are painful, you can be confident that you are held in the capable and caring hands of your heavenly Father, because of His love.
We understandably dislike adversity intensely and may feel tempted to ask, “Why, Lord?” Yet by recognizing that God acts in love, wisdom, and sovereignty, we can know that He’s allowed the situation and has our long-term best in mind. So we can replace “why?” with gratitude and trust.
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A Life of Victory Dr. Stanley’s six-part series teaches that overcoming negative emotions is crucial to living the life God intended for you. Learn how to triumph over adversity, guilt, rejection, fear, loneliness, and anger by turning to biblical truth. Dealing with Life’s Pressures u6-CD Set|$20 (U.S.)
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Set Free from Anger In this four-sermon set, Dr. Stanley equips you to recognize and defuse the controlling emotion of anger. Restore fellowship with the Father and with others by applying this practical biblical teaching to your life. Letting Go of Anger u4-CD Set|$14 (U.S.) u4-DVD Set|$30 (U.S.)
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