HELP YOURSELF

HELP YOURSELF

READ:
Psalm 146

Happy is he who has the God
of Jacob for his help, whose
hope is in the LORD his God.
-Psalm 146:5

Recently, I saw a television ad for a restaurant chain that made a dramatic claim.  At those restaurants, the ad said you could "Help Yourself to Happiness."  Wouldn't it be nice if a helping of potatoes or meat or pasta or dessert would be all that was needed to provide happiness?  Unfortunately, no restaurant can fulfill that promise.

Happiness is an elusive thing-as we can see in almost every area of life.  Our pursuit of happiness may involve food or a host of other things, but, in the end, happiness continues to escape our grasp.

Why?  In large measure it's because the things we tend to pursue do not touch the deepest needs of our hearts.  Our pursuits may provide moments of enjoyment, distraction, or pleasure, but the cry of our hearts goes unheard-the cry for help and hope.  That is why the psalmist points us to a better way when he says, "Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God" (Psalm 146:5).

Help yourself?  Yes-if we are seeking the happiness found in the Lord.  It is only when we entrust ourselves to God and His care that we can find the happiness we seek.  Our hope and help are found only in trusting  Him. -Bill Crowder

Father, draw me to Yourself.  Remind me that only
in You will I know the real joy and satisfaction that
my heart longs for.  Help me to look beyond the
surface things of life to what really matters.
******************************************
The one who puts God first
will have happiness that lasts.

INSIGHT
In his commentary Treasury of David, Charles H. Spurgeon said of Psalm 146-150:  "We are now among the Hallelujahs.  The rest of our journey lies through the Delectable Mountains.  All is praise to the close of the book.  The key is high-pitched:  the music is upon high-sounding cymbals.  O for a heart full of joyful gratitude, that we may run, and leap, and glorify God, even as these Psalms do."

Have a blessed day.
God Our Creator's Love Always
Unity & Peace

DO YOU SENSE THAT GOD IS ON YOUR SIDE?

Today's promise: God will fight for you

Do you sense that God is on your side?

On the very day I call to You for help, my enemies will retreat. This I know: God is on my side.

O God, I praise Your word. Yes, Lord, I praise Your word.

I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?

I will fulfill my vows to You, O God, and offer a sacrifice of thanks for Your help.

For You have rescued me from death; You have kept my feet from slipping.

So now I can walk in Your presence, O God, in Your life-giving light.

Psalm 56:9-13 NLT

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

HAVE YOU HAD A "JERICHO" EXPERIENCE?

Today's promise: God will fight for you

Have you had a "Jericho" experience?

Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:9 NLT

Taking Jericho

Imagine this scene for a minute. You're a captain in Joshua's army camped a few miles outside the city of Jericho. You've seen the thick, double-layered stone walls surrounding the city and armed soldiers guarding every entrance. You've heard tales of the fierce Canaanite army and their ability to hold their ground in battle.

In the midst of all of this, an edict comes down from the upper ranks. Israel is planning to take Jericho. Actually, what the message says is that Israel has already taken Jericho, but Jericho just doesn't know it yet. The battle plan is really no plan at all. You're supposed to get your troops together and conduct a victory march around the city. Just once — for six days in a row. Then on the seventh day you're to march seven times around the city. That's when your soldiers can march in and take possession.

The next day you're marching around the city, and you can't help but hear the taunts coming from inside the walls. You know how silly this all looks, but you keep marching just the same. Because you know that God is on your side, and you've seen what he can do.

This is why God reminded Joshua time and again to "be strong and courageous." God has a way of working that tends to fall outside the norm, and he needs people who trust him enough to go the distance, no matter how bizarre the game plan. Courage is important to God because courage is a natural byproduct of trust. And the greater we trust, the braver we become. As long as God leads the battle, we can march in confidence, knowing that we've already won. God gave Jericho to Israel on the seventh day, just as he said he would. So,…what wall does he have you marching around?

from Embracing Eternity by Tim LaHaye, Jerry Jenkins and Frank M. Martin, Tyndale House Publishers (2004), p 76

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

DOES GOD HOLD OUR SINS AGAINST US?

Today's promise: God will fight for you

Does God hold our sins against us?

Oh, do not hold us guilty for our former sins! Let Your tenderhearted mercies quickly meet our needs, for we are brought low to the dust. Help us, O God of our salvation! Help us for the honor of Your name. Oh, save us and forgive our sins for the sake of Your name.… Then we Your people, the sheep of Your pasture, will thank You forever and ever, praising Your greatness from generation to generation.

Psalm 79:8-9,13 NLT

Petition for Mercy

A plea to God for mercy presumes that the petitioner is guilty. It is the cry of someone brought low, dishonored, and in need of forgiveness. When God shows mercy, He isn't forgiving that person because of what he or she ha s done, but because God is compassionate to those who repent of their sins and ask for forgiveness. It is only because of God's goodness that sinners are forgiven. Asaph understood that it wasn't his worthiness but the Lord's greatness that prompted the Lord to rescue him. In light of this truth, Asaph dedicated this prayer to praising God for being so merciful.

Are you in need of God's mercy? His love and goodness are the source of your hope. Cast yourself on His mercy and let your lips overflow with grateful praise.

From The One Year Book of Bible Prayers (Tyndale House), entry for February 22

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

GETTING ALONG

GETTING ALONG

READ:
Philippians 2:1-11

Fulfill my joy by being
like-minded, having the
same love. -Philippians 2:2

I love being with people...most of the time.  There is a special joy that resonates in our hearts when we are with people we enjoy.  But unfortunately we are not always with those we like to be around.  Sometimes people can be prickly, which may be why someone has said, "The more I get to know people, the more I love my dog!"  When we don't find joy in a relationship, we tend to blame the other person; then we excuse ourselves as we exit to be with people we like.

The apostle Paul asks us to lovingly engage with our brothers and sisters in Christ.  In fact, he calls all of us to be "of one accord," to look out "for the interests of others," and to "let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:2-5).  Think about it.  Jesus gave up His own prerogatives and privileges for us; He chose to live as a servant and paid the ultimate sacrifice that He might bring us into a joy-filled relationship with Him (see Hebrews 12:2).  And He did all that in spite of our prickliness (see Romans 5:8).

So next time you are with someone who is not easy to get along with, ask Jesus to help you find a way to extend His love.  In time, you might be surprised by how God can change your attitude about people. - Joe Stowell

Lord, thank You that while I was still offensive to You,
You saved me with Your sacrificial love.  Give me the
same courage and grace to extend to others the love
that You have so graciously extended to me.
********************************************
The key to getting along with others
is having the mind of Christ.

INSIGHT
In verses 6-11, Paul describes what it means to emulate the mind (attitude) of Christ in humility and service.  This attitude is at the heart of the incarnation and expresses Christ's mission: "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28).

Have a blessed day.
God Our Creator's Love Always
Unity & Peace

GOD DOESN'T DO THINGS MY WAY; THEREFORE, HE MUST BE WRONG!

Please leave comments on my blog:

·       www.Mannsword.blogspot.com or my

·       Facebook page: “Apologetics for Today.”

For more great blogs as this one go to Daniel’s blog site above.

God doesn’t do Things My Way; Therefore, He must be Wrong!

A Letter to an Atheist:

I can appreciate your skepticism about God and His ways. In fact, if I were God, I certainly would have done things differently. However, over the years, I’ve had many occasions to reconsider assuming this weighty vocation.

For instance, we tend to think we know what’s ultimately good for us. Many think that hitting-the-Lotto equates with happiness. However, surveys have shown that, more often than not, it destroys the lives it touches.

I can also think of many examples from my own life. For decades, I had experienced the horror of severe depression and panic attacks. However, I now thankfully look back on what I endured and recognize that I needed these trainers.

Also, this lesson pertains to how many of us have regarded God’s way of salvation. You too write:

• Reward lies solely with repentance and not at all whether you led a good and decent life. I just cannot accept this idea on faith.

Nevertheless, I think that there is wisdom in this, which we can only perceive as we progress further down the road. What if none of us are really good? Instead, we merely like to think that we are good, and this causes us to arrogantly look down on others and live in denial about our true nature. Would you disagree with me that if life enabled us to continue in our arrogance and denial that these would ruin any hope of real relationships?

You don’t have to be a Christian to recognize that denial, self-delusion, and self-righteousness are the real status of humanity. A multitude of experiments and surveys have revealed this very thing, although there have been some psychologists who have tried to justify our delusions by claiming that we need them in order to be able to function proactively.

Instead, if self-delusion is our reality, then counseling should be more confrontational than indulgent. It should attempt to break through the denial. However, such psychotherapists wouldn’t last long in their practice. They would loose all of their clients, who would seek other psychotherapists - those who would make them feel better about themselves.

However, life – God’s life – will not allow us to escape with ease. Life is painful. While we can escape the confrontational therapist, we can’t escape life, and life has a way of contradicting our illusions.

I’ve come to understand that a relationship with God is like having a relationship with life and with others. If someone spreads around malicious stories about me, it will not matter how many nice things they might say to my face or even how many times they might shower me with gifts.

Instead, in order to repair the relationship, the problem must be addressed at its core. The offender would have to humble himself to confess and repent of his wrongdoing. (I would even insist that he also attempt to make reparations by openly confessing his lies about me.) Nothing can be more healing for a relationship! If the offender refuses to repent, then there is no hope for restoration.

The Pharisees had been good and righteous people, at least, that’s the way they had been perceived. They were zealous to perform the good deeds of the law, and everyone held them in high esteem. Even the Jewish people of today regard them as worthy of God. However, these same people were in denial about their true spiritual status (Luke 16:15). They were self-righteous (Matthew 23) and looked down on others (Luke 18:9). These were the very same people who hated the light of God (John 3:19-20) and sought to put to death the Source of that light.

A relationship with God must address our problem at its root – our sins and rebellion against the truth. Anything else is superficial. Meaningful relationship must start with renewal of our attitudes and heart’s desires. If I found out that my wife loved me because I reminded her of her first flame, this would seriously undermine whatever we had enjoyed together.

There are many other areas – areas that you have mentioned – where it seems that God has taken a wrong path. We think of the problems of suffering, of hell, and of the exclusivity of Christ, among others. While for some, these represents knock-out punches, for those who know and love Him, these are no more than areas that give birth to questions, albeit uncomfortable ones.

In short, I have come to find the wisdom of God in areas where, previously, I could find little rationale. However, if He is truly the Creator, then we shouldn’t be surprised by our perplexity.

THE ANSWER TO PERSECUTION: FAITHFULNESS TO SCRIPTURE

Please leave comments on my blog:

·       www.Mannsword.blogspot.com or my

·       Facebook page: “Apologetics for Today.”

By His Mercies Alone, Daniel

For more great blogs as this one go to Daniel’s blog site above.

The Answer to Persecution: Faithfulness to Scripture

These aren’t the best of times. However, we’ve been warned about them:

·               But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-- having a form of godliness but denying its power. (2 Tim. 3:1-5)

Well, what are we to do? Separate from society? Tweak our faith in order to make it more acceptable? Paul suggested neither of these two options. Instead, he counseled Timothy to:

• Continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus... Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist. (2 Tim. 3:14-15, 4:2-6)

Sadly, as the prevailing culture rejects Scripture and disparages the church, Christians have also hastened to pick up stones. Emergent Church guru and, Tony Jones, approvingly posted this letter by a Wheaton graduate on his blog:

• What seems clear is that evangelicalism has come full circle, and is now being forced to come to terms with its fundamentalist roots. Those who cling to the failed religious beliefs of the past will slowly fade into irrelevance, and those who struggle to embrace a new and more meaningful faith, as [Rob] Bell seems to be doing, will carry on a tradition that is anti-establishment, radically inclusive, and deeply loving.

What the beliefs of the past “the failed religious beliefs?” Is “irrelevance” God’s criterion?  Christian moderns tend to take a limper view of Scripture. Jones himself argues that Scripture has to change with the times:

• Many supporters of the marriage amendment referred to marriage between a man and a woman as “biblical marriage,” but anyone who possesses even a passing acquaintance with the Hebrew and Christian scriptures can recognize that marriage evolves in those texts. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/tonyjones/2012/12/06/marriage-changes-get-over-it/

This means that Scripture lacks unchanging, objective, and transcendent truths. It enables modernity to become the ultimate authority, and downgrades Scripture. Consequently, the modern Christian is free to construe Scripture to coincide with his own lifestyle and culture. He can now be culturally relevant and respectable. 

Paul prophesied that “They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” Seeing this happen, especially in the church, is disheartening. But our Lord still reigns and is allowing this to happen for His own good purposes. Therefore, we must not despair.

 How then should we address our hostile culture? “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction.” Consequently, we will “endure hardships.” However, this doesn’t mean that we have failed. Instead, faithfulness is not a matter of learning and applying modern church-growth techniques. Success in God eyes is not synonymous with numbers. Pastoring a mega-church might not constitute spiritual success. Instead, persecution might be a more accurate measure of Godly success. Paul prepared Timothy for the inevitable persecution:

• In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. (2 Tim. 3:12)

Compromise can allay persecution. If we tell people that “Christ works for me,” rather than “Christ is truth,” we can retain our popularity. One highly gifted pastor confided to me that his interfaith ministry was DOA until he added a how-to-win-friends technique:

• I affirmed the Rabbi and the Imam in their relationship with God. I would tell them, “I can see that you have a deep and vibrant faith with your God.”

After this pastor affirmed their faith, his ministry predictably boomed, and his theology changed into one that would support his new-found methodology.

Similarly, I have visited many churches that have affirmed whatever ideas, faith or lifestyle came through their door. They preached an all-inclusive “love.” Everything was acceptable to them (except Evangelical Christianity). And from appearances, this seemed to work. These churches were filled with hugs, soft-fuzzies and every form of affirmation, and people felt accepted there, at least at that time.

However, we are not called to what works but to what honors God. It is easy to be a people-pleaser, but this comes with a high price-tag:

• You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. (James 4:4)

This might seem extreme. However, His ways are not always our ways. Consequently, faithfulness will bring contempt and not the friendship of the world. However, in the minds of many, the contempt of the world means that we failed. We conclude that if people don’t like us, there is something unlikable about us. If the culture is offended by us, well, we must have been offensive.

While sometimes, we are offensive and insensitive, persecution naturally results from the offensive nature of our Gospel:

1. We are all sinners who deserve death, even the best of us. Even one sin can condemn us. (James 2:10; Matthew 5:21-22).

2. None can save themselves. (Romans 3:10-20)

3. There is only one way to be saved, and that’s through faith in Jesus. (John 3:16)

4. Therefore, some are “in” and some are “out.” Some are children of the light and some are of the darkness. (John 3:19-21)

5. Those who don’t believe face eternal condemnation (John 3:17-18).

All of these truths are offensive to humankind, especially the modern variety. Consequently, Paul prepared Timothy by using himself as an object lesson:

• For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. (2 Tim. 4:6)

Sadly, when we see a Christian “being poured out” as Paul had been, we conclude that, somehow, he had brought this fate upon himself. Surely, he could have handled himself more diplomatically or sensitively.

Instead, these difficult times require a return to the basics. Paul encouraged Timothy to “continue” in the “holy Scriptures,” the “power of God unto salvation” (Rom. 1:16), not in the latest, most vigorously promoted techniques. Lord, cause me to be centered on You and Your Gospel!