Category: Pastor’s Blog

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Grace

You know those areas in your life in which you never seem to get any lasting victory? I think you know what I mean. You know they don’t represent the “abundant life” that Jesus promised in John 10:10. You have made serious attempts at change, possibly with some success, but it never seems to last. Then it becomes tempting to take the attitude that these will always be there so you’ll just have to learn to live with ‘em. Is there anything that can take on these problem areas and transform them into the life you know God wants for you? Yes! It’s called grace!

I think that grace is another one of those biblical concepts that Christians really don’t understand. We think we do – especially those of us who consider ourselves as Bible teachers – but the grandeur of it escapes us many times.

Scripture tells us that it’s by GRACE that we’re saved, through faith. [Ephesians 2:8] The definition most commonly given of this grace is that it is God making something available to us that we don’t deserve. While there is a ring of truth to that definition, the scope of grace is much wider than that. In Bible College we learned the acronym for grace: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. That adds some important information to our understanding! Later a friend of mine shared this “grace tidbit”: “Grace is God’s ability in us to do what we couldn’t do on our own.” Now we’re getting somewhere!

My wife and I are about to undertake the teaching of a course of study on grace. We’re using a book from Dr. James Richards titled “Grace, the Power to Change.” We’re not offering this merely to fill some time on our church calendar. No, we’re endeavoring to share information and application that we have been receiving and walking out in our own lives. Has it made a difference? Yes! We’re finding that this information, when applied diligently to one’s life, leads to transformation!

If you’re interested, the class is on Thursday nights at 7. But even if you can’t get here for the course, make a point to study out grace for yourselves. It’s worth the effort.

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Enthusiasm

Romans 12:10, 11 – Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;

In the midst of this powerful admonition from the Holy Spirit is this little phrase, “fervent in spirit”. It’s a short phrase but powerful! Here’s a look at it in some other translations:

  • “Serve the Lord with a heart full of devotion.” [Good News Bible]
  • “Never let your zeal flag, maintain the spiritual glow,…” [Moffatt’s Translation]
  • “… serve the Lord enthusiastically.” [New Living Translation]

I’m kind of partial to the last one. I like the word ‘enthusiastically’. I’ve heard people say that the ‘thu’ in the middle of this word refers to God. A stroll online to the Merriam Webster Dictionary more than confirmed what I’d heard.

Enthusiasm: belief in special revelations of the Holy Spirit; religious fanaticism; strong excitement of feeling; something inspiring zeal or fervor.

Origin of enthusiasm: Greek entheos – inspired; from en- + theos – god.

So, the ‘thu’ in the middle originated from THEOS, the Greek word for God! What really blew me away was that first definition: “belief in special revelations of the Holy Spirit.” Enthusiasm is truly a Godly concept! A.W. Tozer is quoted as saying, “God dwells in a state of perpetual of enthusiasm.”

Here are some comments from commentaries on “fervent in spirit”:

KJV Bible Commentary – This expression means to be boiling or bubbling up or aflame with the Spirit of God. Not only must we serve the Lord as a slave would serve his master, but we must do so in an energetic and enthusiastic manner.

Expositor’s Bible Commentary – “After converts have experienced the initial glow and ardor of Christian life there is often a danger of their slipping back into a deadening spiritual inertia. To counter this, the apostle urges diligent endeavor fed by fervency of spirit. In brief, the thrust here is that the Lord’s service calls for our best.”

In Colossians 3:23, 24 it says, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” Verse 23 reads this way in the Good News Bible – “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for human beings.”

Enthusiastic people put their heart into whatever they do. Godly enthusiasm is a bubbling or boiling up that begins at the heart level. But it doesn’t stay there. Like an erupting volcano it flows up and out, affecting everything around it. Enthusiasm begins within but it shows on the outside. If anyone is truly enthusiastic, everyone around them knows it!

Enthusiasm is also contagious. If you hang around enthusiastic people you might just catch some. Unfortunately some people seem to think that their role in life is to deplete any enthusiasts of their enthusiasm. There’s an old expression, “Misery loves company.” These enthusiasm robbers have the attitude, “I have no passion in my life so why should you have any in yours.” If you plan to be an enthusiastic person you’ll need to limit the time you spend around such passion thieves.

On the other hand, when you find someone who sows enthusiasm wherever they go, find reasons to be around them. My wife’s enthusiasm rubs off on me all the time. Dr. Lemon and Marybelle regularly inject Godly passion in us and the church. I also garner enthusiasm from meeting weekly with my brothers who pastor other churches around us. It’s difficult to stay sluggish or apathetic around people who live excited Christian lives.

It all begins with a choice. Choose not to be sluggish, apathetic or depressed. Send those feelings packing! Choose to be fervent in spirit, with a heart full of devotion, maintaining a spiritual flow. You can do it!

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Why Won't It Work For Me?

I believe in healing, but I’m sitting here in a wheelchair.

There was a time in my life when I was totally unsure about healing. I knew that some got healed, but I also knew that most went without. I put all the responsibility on God. If He wanted me healed, I’d be healed. If He, for some reason, wanted me sick, I’d be sick. Then along came “The Faith Message”. My wife and I were skeptical at first, but we could clearly see how biblical it was. So we bought in…I mean we jumped in with both feet! And we experienced results. Our financial situation improved as we accepted God’s truth about finances. The entire beginning of Believers Fellowship Center, the church we founded and pastor, was a faith venture, with one miraculous manifestation after another.

Now here we are over 30 years later, and the manifestation of healing seems as far away as ever. When faced with this type of dilemma Christians generally choose one of two paths. Most choose to blame the message. They feel that they “dotted all the i’s and crossed all the t’s,” and yet it didn’t work. Their feelings are usually so strong that they leave the group or church they’ve been in and go somewhere where a different message is preached. They feel better being told, “God is no longer in the healing business,” or, “God wants you to be broke and poor.” The main problem here is all that biblical truth that must be ignored.

Path #2 is different. This is for those of us who just hate to quit. So, we continue doing what we’ve been doing. We have restructured our lives around the message and we ain’t changin’ for nobody! After a while we lose a lot of our original enthusiasm, but we’re not quitters! The problem here is that we’re still not enjoying a manifestation of the promises. The old adage comes back to bite us: it’s idiotic to think that you can keep doing what you’ve always done and get different results.

Well, if these paths are wrong, what path is right?

Quitting can’t be the answer. God didn’t quit on us. We have scriptural reminders like: “In due season you’ll reap if you don’t faint” and “We aren’t of those who draw back but we go on to the saving of the soul.”

But continuing to do the same thing, over and over, with no lasting results can’t be right either. Proverbs wisely reminds us that hope deferred makes the heart sick. The apostle Paul, among others, reminds us that fleshly works not only have no value but are incapable of producing anything good.

How about instead of quitting or robotically going through the motions we move to adjusting. The truth is still the truth! God’s will is extremely clear in the Word. Health, prosperity, peace, hope, confidence, loving relationships, etc, etc. – these are the will and promise of God for every child of His. If we’re not experiencing His will, WE need to make some adjustments! Neither quitting on God nor trying to change Him will work. The problem isn’t with God, it’s with us.

As I sit here writing this article I am more excited about my healing than I’ve been in a long time. Why? Because I’ve been making adjustments. Where? In my heart. I’ve discovered that much of what I thought was heart faith was really only head faith. I’m learning to get my spiritual mind, will and emotions flowing together so that I can send away the old sickness, poverty mentality and put on the mind of Christ.

One of the basic requirements to move forward is an attitude of humility. Be humble enough to admit you don’t know it all. Be willing to admit that you have attitudes that need to change. Stop thinking that you’re right and God is wrong. Be excited about how wonderful your life is when you’re truly one spirit with the Lord.

The scope of all this is huge. It will require much Bible reading, meditation and application. I’m digging into truth and learning to experience the promises first hand. My faith level and hope level are expanding. Confidence developed from the Bible is an awesome thing.

So, don’t be sluggish, be enthusiastic. God loves you sooooooo much. You are already qualified to receive every promise. Don’t lose hope. The best is yet to come!

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Handling Criticism part 1

At our church we’ve been focusing a lot of our attention on relationships. The reason for this is that we believe our job description as Christians is to “makes disciples” [See Matthew 28:19]. The most productive way of making disciples or followers of Jesus is by way of relationships. Few people, if any, will allow you to try to persuade them to become Christians outside of having an ongoing, friendly relationship with them.

Relationships are like bridges. They come in all kinds of sizes and strengths. The bigger and stronger the bridge, the more you can drive over it. When a relationship (bridge) is being built with a new acquaintance, it must be built big enough and strong enough so that it can handle the “traffic” of discussions about spiritual things. In other words, I may be able to talk about trivial things like the weather with a person I hardly know. But if I want to ask a question like, “Do you believe in life after death?” I can’t expect much of an open dialog with someone I just met. It does happen once in a blue moon, but most of the time this new acquaintance is repelled and thinking, “Who are you to be asking me something like that?!?”

This brings me to my subject – criticism. Good, strong relationships can handle criticism. Can yours?

Some quotes might help us get started. I checked the world-wide web and, sure enough, there’s a lot of info out there. Here are some famous people quoted:

“He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help.” Abraham Lincoln

“Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.” Winston Churchill

“If it’s very painful for you to criticize your friends – you’re safe in doing it. But if you take the slightest pleasure in it, that’s the time to hold your tongue.” Alice Miller

 Not surprisingly the Bible also has much to say about criticism. Here’s a small sample:

Proverbs 15:31, 32 [NLB] – “If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise. 32 If you reject criticism, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding.”

Matthew 7:1-5 [NLB] – “Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. 2 For others will treat you as you treat them. Whatever measure you use in judging others, it will be used to measure how you are judged. 3 And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? 4 How can you think of saying, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log from your own eye; then perhaps you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”

The first thing that became clear to me from scripture was that, while constructive criticism can be a good thing, judgment is not. I did a little word study here. To judge is used of those who act the part of judges or arbiters in matters of common life, or pass judgment on the deeds and words of others. The word “criticism” is not used in the New Testament. I think the concept is covered in the word “convict” or “conviction”. It is used in John 16:8 as a ministry of the Holy Spirit, so it must be something good. Many times it’s translated “rebuke”. It is defined as to bring to the light, to expose, correct; to call to account, show one his fault, demand an explanation.

Here’s an example of constructive criticism from a biblical perspective:

“Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. 24 The Lord’s servants must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone. They must be able to teach effectively and be patient with difficult people. 25 They should gently teach those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will believe the truth. 26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the Devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.” II Timothy 2:23-26 [NLB]

I see a difference in attitude in constructive criticism over judgment. In this scripture God’s servant is patient and kind, not quarrelsome or argumentative. His words of correction are given only for the purpose of helping this poor soul caught in a devilish trap, not for any self promotion or such.

Here’s another passage that gives insight into helpful criticism:

“Dear brothers and sisters, if another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 2 Share each other’s troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 3 If you think you are too important to help someone in need, you are only fooling yourself. You are really a nobody.” Galatians 6:1-3 [NLB]

Notice again that the motive is to aid this person caught in sin. There’s no room here for pride or kicking a wounded soul while they’re down. This is exposing the problem, in love, and extending a helping hand of escape.

If criticism can be this loving and powerful – and it can – we’re going to need to take a closer look at it. We need to know what to receive and what to reject. Plus we’ll need to understand how to give criticism in a way that it can be received.

So, follow along with me if you’re able and we’ll dissect this important truth.

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Are You Sluggish?

Heb. 5:11 [NLB] – “There is so much more we would like to say about this. But you don’t seem to listen, so it’s hard to make you understand.” [NKJV] – “of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.”

Heb. 6:11, 12 [NLB] – “Our great desire is that you will keep right on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. 12 Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and patience.”

[NKJV] – “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

[LB] – “become bored with being a Christian nor become spiritually dull and indifferent.”

If you know me, you know that words are important to me. When the Holy Spirit thrust me into “full-time ministry” thirty-two years ago, I didn’t have a lot working for me. I’m certainly not very handsome or charismatic. I had some Bible training and opportunities to serve under other ministries, but I’m not a Greek or Hebrew scholar. I wasn’t well known or popular. I had no backing from prominent ministers. What I did have was a message. The basis of that message was the integrity of the Word of God. God’s Word could be counted on. Trusting God is the same as trusting His Word. I adhered to the adage, “God said it, I believe it, and that settles it!”

Therefore most of my study time over the years has been in “word studies”. I’ve been taught that the Bible is good, even in a surface reading. But if you want the good stuff, the stuff that will turn lives around, you have to dig deep! Great reference books, like Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and Vine’s Greek/English Dictionary make it possible for even someone like me to dig down to the roots of the words of The Word and find the gold.

In studying through Hebrews 5 & 6, I discovered that the same Greek word is used in each chapter, although it is translated differently. Heb. 5:11 has the phrase “dull of hearing”. Hebrews 6:12 contains the phrase, “don’t become sluggish”. I discovered that “dull” and “sluggish” are a translation of the same Greek word NOTHROS. As you can see from the different translations, it can be defined by words like bored, indifferent, hard of hearing, lazy, etc.

The dictionary defines “sluggish” as indisposed to action or exertion; lazy; indolent; not functioning with full vigor; slow to act or respond; slow or slow-moving. None of these are qualities that should adorn Christian character. Being sluggish won’t help us accomplish our assignment: as we go through the world around us, we’re to make disciples to our Lord Jesus Christ.

The writer of Hebrews links his reader’s sluggishness first to their unwillingness to listen. They’re not receiving needed information because they’re not hearing what God is saying.

“What is God saying?” you ask. Before & above anything else, God is speaking His Word– the Bible! Everything begins there. Yes, God speaks in other ways, but anything you think you’ve heard from God can only be verified by laying it out against the Bible. In other words, if something you think you’ve heard from God doesn’t line up to the principles of the Bible, it’s not from God.

In chapter 6 the author identifies a lack of diligence as a cause of sluggishness. Think about it– you can’t be diligent and sluggish at the same time! In Romans, Paul also promoted diligence. One modern translation renders it as “enthusiasm”. The Kingdom of God can certainly use a lot more enthusiasm from us.

The author also strongly suggests that imitating the faith and patience of others can arrest the sluggishness out of our lives. Abraham received Isaac through faith and patience. Faith & patience are not sluggish. If we are truly operating by faith we’ve become persuaded that God’s Word is true and we’re about making adjustments to keep our thoughts, words and actions aligned to it everyday. Patient Christians operate in consistency.

So, don’t become sluggish! Fight against it. If you’re already there, shake it off and come out, in the Name of Jesus! Make sure you are hearing God’s Word. [Romans 10:17] Shake off lethargy and dullness. Be diligent; be enthusiastic. Get in faith and build yourself up from there. Be patient. Be steady and consistent. This kind of life pleases God and is much better for you.

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Front Porch or Back

Hebrews 10:24, 25 [AMP] – And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities, 25 Not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more as you see the day approaching.

I read an article a few years back about a societal change that had occurred in the USA. I’m old enough to have noticed the change. It seems that houses built 40 years ago and earlier usually had front porches. This was because the American society was more ‘neighborly’. People would sit out on their front porch in the cool of the evening and wave to any passers-by, even inviting them to “come and sit a spell.”

My wife and I enjoy watching old reruns of The Andy Griffith Show, because it portrays that era in an entertaining and comedic way. My grandsons have even gotten hooked by its homey charm. There’s Andy, sitting on the front porch, strumming on his guitar, while Aunt Bea rocks slowly in a chair beside him, and Opie plays idly at his feet. You just know that, at any moment, Barney’s liable to stop by, or Gomer, or even some stranger. When they do they’ll be warmly invited to “come sit a spell” on the porch and enjoy small town hospitality.

Since that time home construction went through a change. Owners didn’t want front porches; they came to prefer their porches built on the back of the house. It seems that this was visual evidence to the societal change. It’s not so much that we became ‘un-neighborly’; it’s more that we narrowed the focus of our relationships. We had our backyard barbecues limited to the immediate family. I’m sure there are lots of reasons for the change. We could blame it on economic issues. Or, maybe it’s a fear issue, what with 911, Columbine, Oklahoma City, etc, etc. Could be it’s just a ‘sign of the times’. We are in the last days after all.

I think I do see a bit of turn around in this area more recently. At least, as I look at new homes under construction, it seems that more are adding that front porch again.

Regardless of societal trends, as Christians we have a God-given mandate to be ‘neighborly’. Jesus said that our Christianity would be evident by our love. The apostle Paul instructed that love should be our outermost garment – the one that can always be seen. In fact, Paul dedicated an entire chapter to love in his letter to the Corinthians. And love doesn’t excude, it includes. So it seems that none of these things – economics, terrorism or whatever – are viable excuses to shut people out of our lives.

I bring this up now because we’re entering the summer season. This season brings new dynamics: the days are longer, the kids home from school, there are vacations to be scheduled, lawn and garden work to be maintained, etc. There’s a 60’s rock anthem with the title, “See you in September”. Many times that’s what happens to relationships that were growing over the winter but now get set aside for the summer months.

Let me clarify by saying that I believe that vacations are important, even necessary. Plus lawns and gardens should be maintained with as much excellence as possible. But relationships need ongoing attention also.

So, be attentive to your family. Invest in your brothers & sisters in Christ. Don’t take the summer off from your church. Don’t allow the distractions of the summer to make you sluggish and unresponsive. Come to church. Stay in touch. Prod others to love, helpful deeds and noble activities. And most importantly, continue to cultivate your relationship and fellowship with your loving heavenly Father.

See you on the front porch!

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Spring 2013

At this time every year I feel compelled to share my little Spring “ditties” to celebrate the new season. First is a little poem I picked up many years ago from a source long forgotten.

Spring Has Sprung

Spring has sprung, the grass has riz;

I wonder where the birdies is.

The birdies on the wing I heard.

I thought the wing was on the bird.

 [I heard that ‘groan’]

 Then there’s the question that’s on everyone’s mind this time of year: if April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?

 The answer, of course is that May flowers bring pilgrims!

 [Oh come on – this is good stuff!]

 On a more serious front, although Easter was officially in March this year, this season is associated with the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Is there anything more important to us than the resurrection? The apostle Paul put it this way: “I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own goodness or my ability to obey God’s law, but I trust Christ to save me. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 10 As a result, I can really know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I can learn what it means to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that, somehow, I can experience the resurrection from the dead!” [Philippians 3:7-11 NLT]

 Jesus’ resurrection has led to our resurrection from death (spiritually) to life (spiritually). Plus it points us toward the time when Jesus returns to resurrect us out of this earthly life to our new life with Him.

 Somewhere along the way I received an email with some information concerning Jesus’ original victory over death, hell and the grave. Not being of Jewish heritage I was not aware of this. Here is an excerpt from the email:

The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes. The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded, and was placed at the head of that stony coffin. Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, ‘They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and I don’t know where they have put him!’ Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see. The other disciple out ran Peter and got there first. He stopped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn’t go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying to the side. Was that important? Absolutely! Is it really significant? Yes! In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day.

The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition.

When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished. Now if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table. The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, “I’m finished.” But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because… the folded napkin meant, “I’m coming back!”

Maranatha! Even so come Lord Jesus!

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By Your Patience Possess Your Souls

In Luke chapter 21 Jesus’ disciples began to question Him about the future. As He related to them some of the details of how difficult these “last days” would be the disciples wanted to know when these things would happen and what signs would come as warnings. In verses 8 through 18 Jesus detailed some of these signs. Even those who rarely read their Bibles are familiar with some of these: people claiming to be the Christ, wars and commotions, nations and kingdoms rising against each other, earthquakes, famines, pestilences, persecutions, etc. Jesus also warned that even friends and relatives will betray their kin and followers of Christ will be hated.

Personally, I don’t think we’ve reached the worst of these days yet, but we can certainly see the beginnings of them. Eschatologists call the period of time “the tribulation” or “the great tribulation”. I hold to the belief that Jesus will come and rapture the believers out first before God’s wrath is finally let loose.

In verse 19 Jesus gave a synopsis of how we should ready ourselves for the challenges ahead. He said, “By your patience possess your souls.” Obviously that is an admonition for today. I’m now 64 years old. I could never have imagined that – in my lifetime – the world around me would have deteriorated to its present state. But here it is! By your patience possess your souls. What did Jesus mean by that?

Allow me to break down the important words.

“Patience” is the translation of the Greek word HUPOMONE. It means to remain consistent and constant, especially in trying times. It is the opposite of cowardice and despondency. It is related to HOPE. Hope is an expectation of good. Biblical hope confidently expects what the Bible says to be the truth. Even when things look bleak the Christian operating in patience (and therefore hope) continues to live right. He doesn’t quit or even coast. He doesn’t murmur or complain. He reads his Bible, prays consistently, participates in church and kingdom life, and looks for opportunities to share his confidence with others. Patience is the inward spiritual force that will more than sustain us in these last days.

According to scripture the only way to keep our “patience tank” full is to adopt an attitude of joy even when surrounded by trials. The apostle James in instructing us to “count it all joy” said that in doing so we would be allowing patience to have her perfect work. [See James 1:2-4] So, the price of gas goes up …again, but we choose the attitude of patience – I’ll be fine! My Father God loves me. He takes good care of me. The TV news reports escalations of terrorist threats, but we sleep well at night because God has assigned angels to us for our protection. You see, it’s a mind-set – a choice. God said it; I believe it; that settles it!

“Possess” is another important word. It literally means to acquire or procure a thing for oneself. Since here Jesus was talking about our souls, He is instructing us to not let our souls be kidnapped by the trying times but instead to use the force of patience to acquire, procure and take possession of our souls for ourselves.

As you probably already know, “soul” is an English translation of the Greek word PSUCHE. This word refers to the psychological part us, specifically the mind, will and emotions. We are spirit beings. We have souls. We live in (physical) bodies. At the new birth our spirits were reborn in a micro-second. Our bodies have yet to be fully redeemed but our souls must be renewed. The renewing of our souls requires the cooperation of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God and us. In patience choose not to quit or complain but allow the Holy Spirit in you to plant the Word of God deep in your soul. As this work continues you will come to rely more and more on what God has said rather than what’s reported on CNN.  

Patience and faith are our “power twins”, giving us the fortitude to overcome no matter the trial. The writer of Hebrews tells us to imitate people who by these forces have obtained the promises of God. [Hebrews 6:12]

Don’t allow your soul – your mind, will and emotions – to be kidnapped by the world’s system. Possess it – take it – with the force of patience!

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Shake It Off and Step Up

Years ago someone passed this story on to me via e-mail:

A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer’s well. The farmer heard the mule “praying” (or whatever mules do when they fall into wells).  After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together, told them what had happened, and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.

Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back, a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back, he should shake it off and step up! This he did, blow after blow: “Shake it off and step up – shake it off and step up – shake it off and step up!” he repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or how distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought panic and just kept right on shaking it off and stepping up!  It wasn’t long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well! What seemed like it would bury him, actually helped him – all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.

I’ve thought a lot about the premise here. We all deal with pressures that life throws at us. The problem is that many times we don’t deal with those pressures very effectively. Life is better when we face a pressure-filled circumstance, deal with it and move on, leaving it behind. Life is tough when the same pressures hound us week after week, month after month and year after year.

So, what are some of the ineffective ways that people deal with pressure? By observation (sometimes self observation) I’ve seen these: some people “zone out”. The dictionary defines this as “becoming inattentive or dazed”. How do they zone out? Sometimes through alcohol or drugs. Sometimes parked in front of the TV. Sometimes even in activities or their chosen occupation. The problem is that none of these things by themselves will help a person deal and move on.

Others go the denial route. Yes, the dictionary has a definition for this also: “the reduction of anxiety by the unconscious exclusion from the mind of intolerable thoughts, feelings or facts.” The “denial-ist” says things like, “What pressure?!” “Everything’s fine.” “If I refuse to admit I have a problem, maybe it will go away.” The problem here is that most problems and pressures don’t go away on their own. They tend to get worse.

Another group facing life’s pressures just quits! They stop showing up, stop trying and just throw in the towel. I’m convinced that everyone feels like quitting at one point or another, but again this doesn’t solve the basic problem. They may feel a temporary lapse in pressure, but the problem is still right there waiting to raise up its ugly head.

I’ve observed still another group that takes on a martyr complex. By this I mean that they’ll tell you that they’re not going to quit, but they’ll also let you know – on a regular basis – how deep their suffering is. “Poor old me! Have I told you how bad I have it?” It’s like they think that drawing sympathy from people around them will somehow solve their problems. Well, it just isn’t so.

“Have you found any principles that do work?” you might ask. Well, yes. Allow me to list a few.

(1)   Daily devotions. That’s right, I mean spending some time in prayer and Bible reading every day.

(2)   Treat your body right. Exercise, eat right, get good rest, drink plenty of water – all these help keep your body strong and healthy. You’ll have a much more difficult time with life’s pressures with a worn out body.

(3)   Make use of the ministry of the Body of Christ. For the Christian, every other true Christian is our brother or sister and part of the same “body”. We have differing gifts and abilities that are God-given for us to use to help each other out. Don’t abuse the privilege but take advantage of the prayer, encouragement and partnership your brothers and sisters provide. Attend church regularly and become part of a small group. There’s strength in numbers!

(4)   Take control of your life. It is your life. Don’t be a doormat to those around you. Stand up and face life head-on with purpose and determination.

(5)   Develop patience. The Bible says that patience develops and grows in us when we choose an attitude of joy, even when the pressure’s on. [James 1:2-4] Don’t allow a “poor old me” attitude. Keep putting one foot in front of the other. If you fall down, get back up. Persevere…endure. You’ll reap benefits from it.

(6)   Choose a positive attitude. Your attitude is…your attitude. Don’t allow people or circumstances around you to dictate what your attitude will be. Choose for yourself. Choose to be positive, not negative.

(7)   Take control of your tongue. If you talk about life’s problems, life’s problems get bigger. Talk about God, how good He is and how much bigger He is than all the problems and pressures of life put together. Here’s a little secret I’ve learned: only talk about your problems with someone who can actually help you out. If your purpose in discussing your problems is fishing for sympathy then, well, shut up!

It’s our choice. We’ll either reign in life or get rained on. Choose well grasshopper!