From His Heart

[Judy Harder]

The Healing Hand of Jesus

... And grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend your hand to heal.  Acts 4:29-30


When I was in tenth grade, I experienced my first broken bone. I was playing basketball for Cypress Creek High School. We were playing our archrivals, the Cy-Fair Bobcats. The stands were filled, the energy level was up, and the gym was rocking. Early in the game, I was fouled and went to the free throw line to shoot a one-and-one (if you make the first one, you get another one). I shot and missed. Drag. When I went in for the rebound, I was pushed in the back with my left leg in an awkward position. I heard a nasty-sounding crack and went down hard.
   
I had broken my tibia right above the ankle. It was painful and debilitating. I was in a cast for nearly six weeks and missed the rest of the season. As much as I wanted to play, I could not. The bone needed to heal before I could be whole again.

THE NEED FOR HEALING

Everyone I know has been pushed in the back, so to speak, and hurt by the things of this life. Let's face it: bad things happen to you and me that wound, cut, and break our emotional bones. What do you do when that happens?

1.  Don't deny it.  That is what so many do. They act like nothing is wrong. They sweep the hurt under the rug and pretend it is not there. Bad plan! When I broke my leg, I convinced the coach that I was OK. They taped my ankle and let me go back in the game. I lasted one offensive play. You cannot run with a broken leg, and you cannot run with a broken life.

2.  Get honest.  There is nothing cowardly or wimpy about admitting you are hurt. Unaddressed hurts give the devil an opportunity to move in and wreak havoc in your life, because all hurt turns to anger somewhere down the road.

3.  Get help.  The Lord has healing hands. He can heal wounded hearts. He is the Great Physician. But, like any physician, He cannot heal what we do not bring to Him. "Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you" (1 Peter 5:7 NLT). "Cast your burdens upon the Lord, and He will sustain you" (Psalm 55:22). Don't delay. Bring your wounded heart to the Lord Jesus, and let Him apply His healing hand to you. Furthermore, share your wound with a trusted friend or counselor. You will be amazed at how much better you will start to feel when your secret wound is out from under the shadows.

4.  Start praising.  God inhabits the praises of His people (see Psalm 22:3). The devil cannot stand to be around a person who is praising God. Fill your heart and home with music that exalts the Lord and keeps your mind on the things above. Remember, Jesus conquered death, hell, and the grave. There is nothing He cannot do. Think on that fact, and let your heart fill with hope in the victorious, resurrected King of Glory!

  Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve
From His Heart Ministries

[Judy Harder]

The Greatest Deception

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'  And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'"  Matthew 7:21-23

Do you remember when Simon Cowell was on American Idol?  He was the judge who made the show very interesting as he was not bashful about telling people the unadulterated truth.  No doubt, Mr. Cowell could use a lesson or two on basic human kindness, but he was rarely off when it came to assessing talent.

During the audition portion of the show, you would often hear Simon asking a particularly bad singer, "Have people told you that you can sing?"  The answer would invariably be an enthusiastic YES!  Simon would curtly reply, "Well, they lied to you."  And worst part of it all was the bad singer believed the lie.

BELIEVING THE GREATEST LIE

You know what the greatest lie is that so many people believe?  It is simply this: I think I'm a Christian and will do okay when I stand before God because I have done some good things in my life ... and I believe in God and Jesus ... and I went to church ... and I was baptized ... and God answered a prayer or two of mine ... and God protected me when I was in that car wreck ... and blah, blah, blah.

Multitudes of people deceive themselves and lie to themselves, thinking they are something – a true Christian – when they are not.  Jesus said "many" will be there at the judgment deceived and denied.     

I was counseling a man the other day who claimed to be a Christian.  In the course of our conversation, I asked him to tell me how and when he came to know Christ.  He described how God had blessed him this way and that way, and how he went to church.  I told him that was nice, but it didn't answer the question.  I said, "Have you ever really made a conscious decision to repent of sin and receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord?  If so, when and how did that happen?"  He sheepishly said, "Well, I don't think I've ever done that."

THE DISTANCE IS ONLY 18"

Someone has well said that the distance between heaven and hell is only 18" – the distance between your head and your heart.  Listen, the devil believes in Jesus in his head, and he is going to spend eternity in hell.  The doorway to heaven is through the heart.  "If you believe in your heart ... you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes resulting in righteousness ..." (Romans 10:9-10).

When you believe in your heart, you entrust your heart and life to Jesus, the One who died and rose again for you.  The moment you do that, you are born again as the Holy Spirit of God comes to live inside of you ... and your life is changed forever.

Has that ever happened to you?  Be totally honest here.  Don't fudge or hedge or equivocate here.  The stakes are too high.  If you are believing you are "okay" when you know deep down you have never truly been born again, you are believing a lie, and that lie is going to cost you for all eternity.

Did it register with you what Jesus said in Matthew 7 to those religious people who had done so much in His name?  "I never knew you; depart from Me."   

THE REST OF THE STORY

Back to the counseling appointment ... I asked the man I was counseling who realized he had never really met Christ, "Would you like to meet Him and become a true Christian?  We can pray right now?"  His answer was a swift and pleading, "Yes, I would like to do that right now."  And we prayed this prayer:

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and can't save myself.  But Jesus, I believe You are God in the flesh who loves me and died and rose again for me.  I ask you to come into my heart, to forgive all my sins, and to make me the person You want me to be.  And I promise to follow You all the days of my life." 

And my friend prayed that prayer from his heart ... and was born again.  The same can happen to you!

Don't go through life believing a lie.  Don't risk your eternity on some good works you have done.  Remember, you are not saved by your sweat; you are saved by His blood.  Put your faith in Jesus and Jesus alone.  You'll be so glad you did, today and for all eternity.

Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve
From His Heart Ministries

[Judy Harder]

What to Do When You Don't Know What to Do

"O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You."  2 Chronicles 20:12

Have you ever been in a difficult situation where you just didn't know what to do?  Perhaps it is a health crisis ... or a marital problem ... or a rebellious teenager ... or a financial collapse.  Can you relate?   

Jehoshaphat can surely relate to feeling like that.  He was King in Judah when the armies of the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the Meunites came together as one to wage war and destroy Jerusalem. 

Jehoshaphat and his armies were grossly outnumbered.  From a human perspective, their goose was cooked.  There was no way they could survive this attack.  There was no ingenious military strategy that they could concoct to somehow produce a victory.  There was no rabbit they could pull out of their hat.  They were indeed "powerless before this great multitude" coming against them.     

BUT GOD

Jehoshaphat had no idea what to do in light of the dire circumstances he was facing.  But He did do some things that are really important when you don't know what to do. 

1.  You cry out to the Lord.  That is what Jehoshaphat did.  The Bible clearly states that he was afraid.  But he did not let that fear immobilize him.  He used the fear as fuel to seek the Lord.  He called the whole nation to pray ... with fasting.  Why is fasting so important?  Because it is like adding a turbo charger to your prayers.  It shows God that you are really serious.  Remember this: God does business with those who mean business, and fasting shows Him that you mean business.         

2.  You can lay your situation before Him.  God is all-knowing.  When we pray, we never share something with God He doesn't already know.  But He wants us to share our problems with Him, openly and honestly.  It does us good to unload our burdens and cast them on Him.  And when you do that, leave them with Him.  It makes no sense to cast your great burden on the Lord in prayer, and then take it back up again the moment you say, "Amen."  Cast it on Him ... and leave it with Him. 

3.  You can put your eyes on Him.  The situation Jehoshaphat was facing was far too great for him, but it wasn't too great for God.  And the king chose to take his eyes off the problem and put them on the Lord.  Listen, the troubles you are facing today may seem HUGE, but they are nothing more than a pimple on a flea compared to God.  If you want to strengthen your faith in the time of crisis, then get your eyes off your problems and onto the Prince of Peace, the One who can calm the fiercest storm simply by the power of His word. 

4.  You can choose to praise Him.  Do you know how Jehoshaphat and the people won the victory over all the "ites" coming against them?  They won it through praise.  The Lord fought for them as they sang His praises.  Have you learned that there is great power in praise?  The Lord sent a jailhouse rock to a dark and terrible prison in Philippi because Paul and Silas prayed AND sang hymns of praise.  No matter the situation, praise is always the right response.   

WHATEVER YOU ARE FACING

I don't know what dire circumstances are breathing down your neck today, but God does.  He knows, He cares, and He has all power to make the difference. 

When you don't know what to do, do what Jehoshaphat did ... and watch God work a miracle.

  Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve
From His Heart Ministries

[Judy Harder]

Just Shake It Off

"But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand."  Acts 28:3

When I was a kid, I played Pop Warner football.  It was a ton of fun for a fifth grader like me who loved the sport.  It was, however, my first introduction into getting hit.  Oftentimes, after one of us received a big hit, I would hear my coach say, "You're okay.  Just shake it off."

It is amazing how that simple advice can make such a difference.  It is exactly what Paul did when he was bitten by a poisonous snake.  He shook it off ... and suffered no harm.   

PAUL'S STORY – IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING

In Acts, Paul was being sent to Rome for a trial before Caesar.  It was a LONG trip via the Mediterranean Sea.  On the way, the ship Paul was on went through a severe storm for weeks on end.  It was a fearful, "we are all going to die" event.  (And the sea sickness was probably at an all time high as the ship was battered for two weeks by the wind and waves.)  Everything was lost in the storm, from all the cargo to the ship itself.  By God's mercy, however, not one person aboard lost his life.

As soon as they hit land – the Island of Malta – they began to gather sticks to warm themselves by a roaring fire.  It was at the fire that Paul was bitten by a viper hiding in the sticks.  Can you believe it?  He had just endured the worst storm of his life, had beaten certain death by God's grace, and then this happens?

Upon seeing this occur, the natives on Malta surmised, "Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live" (Acts 28:4).           

But Paul didn't freak out.  He just shook the snake off into the fire.  The natives waited for him to die ... but he didn't get sick or even have a tinge of swelling.  Their opinion of Paul then took a drastic change.  No longer did they consider him a murderer ... they now considered him a god.  (Oh, the fickleness of public opinion.)

LESSONS TO LEARN

1.  Just shake it off.  When the devil's poisonous snakes fasten their fangs on you – people who malign your character or go out of their way to hurt you – just shake it off.  Turn that "snake" over to God and shake it off.  Don't let the venom of bitterness poison your life.

2.  Trust God's Word.  Paul had a promise from God that he wasn't going to die but live and testify before Caesar.  He knew dying on the sea or at Malta was not God's plan for him.  Regardless of the snake, God's promise was stronger.

3.  Remember that people are watching.  Those natives watched Paul for a long time to see if he would get sick and die.  They were astonished when that didn't happen.  People are watching to see how you and I respond to unexpected attacks.  Does the poison injected make us poisonous?  Do we get sick, filled with bitterness and revenge?  When Jesus was dying upon the cross, He prayed for those who hurled abuse at Him.  He took all the poisonous scorn and responded in love and forgiveness.  He shook it off and chose to trust His Father.  And the hardened centurion who oversaw His crucifixion, that man who had no doubt seen hundreds of people die on the cross, exclaimed, "Truly this was the Son of God" (Matthew 27:54).

You and I can have tremendous influence for Christ if we will seek to "shake it off and trust the Lord."  I know it is not easy ... but it is always right.  The bites hurt, just like they hurt Paul, but God will give you the strength as you rely upon Him.

What do you say?  Will you join me in shaking it off?


Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve
From His Heart Ministries

[Judy Harder]

Going ... Going ... Gone?

"If My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."  2 Chronicles 7:14

Have you ever been to an auction?  I haven't actually ever attended one, but I have seen many of them portrayed on television and in the movies.  When the bidding reaches its climax, the auctioneer often says, "Going ... Going .... Gone!  With that last "gone," he raps his gavel and that particular item is up for grabs no longer.

AMERICA UP FOR GRABS

I believe our nation and the very fabric of what has made America great for these last 200+ years is "going ... going ... gon ..."  I believe we are one vowel away, so to speak, from seeing our nation completely disintegrate before our eyes.  For untold decades, Bible students have wondered why America, the most powerful and affluent nation in the world (at least we used to be), would not be mentioned in Bible prophecy.  Hmmm ... I think now we can begin to see the reason.

While it is easy to lament the fall of morality, a strong work ethic, and basic common sense with regard to economics and national security, it is important to note that the answer to our problems will not come from the White House ... it will come from the Church House.  God's people hold the key that can turn this nation around for God and for good.

GOD BLESS AMERICA?

God tells us in 2 Chron. 7:13, "If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people ..."  Would we not all agree that we are living in a day where the blessings of God are being withheld in America?  The news is filled with devastating reports of corporate cutbacks, job losses, unemployment, bankruptcies, bailouts, disease outbreaks, devastating natural disasters, and mind-boggling national indebtedness.  Truly, the land is being "devoured" as I type this paragraph.

We like to sing "God Bless America" ... but how can He?  We are kicking God out of every arena of American public life.  Ronald Reagan hit the nail on the head when he stated, "If we ever forget that we are one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under."  How arrogant we are to ask for the blessings of God while refusing to submit to or acknowledge the God of the blessings.                             

THE GOOD NEWS

With all the bad news, there is some good news ... actually, it is great news.  On the heels of the curses of 2 Chron. 7:13 comes the promise of 2 Chron.  7:14, "If My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 

Without question, God responds to the repentance and prayers of His people.  If the Christians in America will get right with God and white hot with passion for the Lord Jesus Christ (lukewarm Christianity is a disgrace to grace), THEN AND ONLY THEN will we see God hear, forgive and heal our land.

The auctioneer's gavel is coming down fast on America.  The last "GONE!" is about to be uttered.  But God's people can make the difference.  We can speak up and direct our hearts back to God.  Will you join me in praying for America?  God will hear and answer if we will stand in the gap and call on His name from a humble, contrite heart.


Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve
From His Heart Ministries

[Judy Harder]

How Are You Growing?

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 3:18

A common question we often ask one another is this: How's it going? It is a question of polite inquiry, a question that normally evokes a "pretty good" or "fine" response.  Well, let me ask you a deeper, more important question: How are you growing?  You see, God commands us to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. Are you doing very well with this command?

TEN 'GROWING' TEST QUESTIONS

1. Am I reading my Bible for information or transformation?(James 1:22-25)

2. Am I allowing people or circumstances to steal the joy that Jesus promised to me? (John 10:10)

3. Is there anything in my life that God is consistently convicting me of that I am trying to ignore? (Ezekiel 14:1-5)

4. Who are the people in my life that God has placed around me for the purpose of me sharing Christ with them and/or inviting them to church? (II Corinthians 5:16-21)

5. Is there anyone I need to apologize to? (Ephesians 4:25:27)

6. Is there anyone I need to forgive? (Ephesians 4:32)

7. Is there a sin I need to confess to others and ask for help? (James 5:16)

8. Am I fully utilizing the gifts and abilities that God has blessed me with...or am I simply choosing to waste my life? (I Peter 4:10)

9. Do I know more lines from the movies that I love than verses from the Bible that I read? (Psalm 119:11)

10. Is there anything going on in my life privately that, if it became public, would cause me and/or the body of Christ to be embarrassed? (I John 1:9, James 5:16)

THE BIG TEST

May you and I always be serious and focused on spiritual growth ... because it really matters. Remember, there is a meeting at the end of life between you and Jesus (The Judgment Seat of Christ). You are going to have to give an account of your life, and I of mine. God wants that meeting to be one of joy and reward, not sorrow and loss.

So start today growing strong in Jesus Christ.

[Judy Harder]

Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose!

"The lamp of the body is the eye; if therefore your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light." Matthew 6:22

Friday Night Lights was a movie turned into a TV series based on life and football in Odessa, Texas. The fictional Dillon Panthers were all the rage in Dillon, Texas. The football team's motto was a good one and repeated often by Coach Taylor and the team: "Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can't lose!"

I think one of the reasons that I like that motto so much is because it goes right along with what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, "The lamp of the body is the eye; if therefore your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light"(Matthew 6:22).  You can't lose when your eyes are clearly on the Lord and your heart is fully in love with Him.

CLEAR EYES AND FULL HEARTS = A HEALTHY CHURCH

One of the many jobs a pastor has under God is to lead the church to a place of health. It starts with the pastor being healthy - spiritually, emotionally, mentally, relationally (especially in their own marriage and family), and physically. It is impossible to lead people to a place where you yourself are not. It is incumbent on the pastor to do all he can to stay healthy so that he can lead the people to be healthy and stay healthy.

Clear eyes and full hearts bring about a healthy church. Healthy churches just naturally grow. The goal of any church is not really church growth, but church health. If you are not growing individually or your church is not growing corporately, a spiritual health check-up is necessary.  Let's take one now.

Answer these questions with me:

Are your eyes clear? Are you really focused on glorifying Jesus, regardless of the cost?
Is your heart full? Are you spending quality and quantity time with the Lord? Are you falling more and more in love with Jesus ... or are you like the church in Ephesus, "... losing your first love?"
Are you walking in the light? Are you really dealing with the sins that can so easily and subtly creep into your heart ... sins like resentment and bitterness, backbiting and gossip, lust, greed, and selfishness?
Here is the big question ... Are you honestly answering these questions?
I am convinced that bitterness is the biggest problem in the church today. Bitterness is a cancer of the soul. If you don't address it, it will eat you alive. Listen, we may not be able to have good relationships with everyone, Jesus surely did not, but we can have a good heart toward everyone on our end:

"If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men" (Romans 12:18).

THE HEALTH CHALLENGE

If you know that some things are off in the "clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose" part of your life, then the time is NOW to deal with them. The Lord is the Great Physician and can heal anything ... as long as you and I bring it to Him in humility, confession, and repentance.

In Christ.

  Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve
From His Heart Ministries

[Judy Harder]

             

October 26

What Are YOU Looking At?

"But seeing the wind, he became afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"  Matthew 14:30

Walking on water. Can you imagine anything more exhilarating and exciting? How about if the water is part of the stormy Sea of Galilee?

If you are familiar with the New Testament, you know the story of Jesus walking on the water... and Peter joining Him. It was both a triumph and a lesson in faith for Peter, for the other disciples in the boat, and for us today.

THE TRIUMPH

When the disciples saw the Lord walking on the water that dark and stormy night, they were afraid. They thought Jesus was a ghost! But He quickly calmed their hearts by saying, "Take courage, it is I [literally I AM]; do not be afraid." And Peter replied, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." And Jesus said, "Come!" (Matthew 14:27-29).

And with his eyes firmly fixed on Jesus, Peter hoisted his body over the side of the boat and planted his feet on the raging sea. He let go of the gunnel and began walking on the water with the Lord. No doubt he said to himself something like this, "Wow! This is INCREDIBLE!"

THE TRAGEDY

But as Peter walked on the water to come to Jesus, an unkind wave slapped him right in the face. And tragically, Peter took his eyes off the Lord, and began to look at the tumultuous sea.  When he did that, he became afraid and started to sink. "This is INCREDIBLE!" quickly became "This is IMPOSSIBLE!" One of the greatest personal miracles Peter ever experienced was cut short... all because he took his eyes off the Lord.

THE LESSON

You and I were saved to walk on the water, so to speak. The Lord calls us to join Him in overcoming every storm.  And the key to victory is to keep your eyes firmly fixed on Jesus. The only reason Peter had a sinking spell was because he began to focus on the sea when He should have been focusing on the Savior.

What are you focused on today? Your health woes... your financial storm... your black skies and raging seas? If you focus on the problem, your heart will fill with fear. But, if you will focus on the Problem-Solver, your heart will fill with faith.

God is able, my friend. Whatever storm is threatening to come over your head is already under His feet. Look to Him... and keep looking. Trust Him to see you through the darkest of days. He says to you and me today, "Take courage. I AM the great I AM who is present in your storm. Do not be afraid. Simply look to Me and trust in Me."

Will you do it? If so, you'll begin walking on the water with Jesus and live a victorious and exciting Christian life.  God didn't intend for you to live "under the circumstances" but "over the circumstances"... and every trial and trouble that comes your way.

In Christ.

[Judy Harder]

Me-Ology or Theology?

We have all heard the term theology.  Theology is the study of God (from the Greek theos meaning God, and logos meaning word or reasoning).  Proper understanding of God comes from His Word.  He reveals Himself to us in His Word.

Now me-ology is a different kind of animal (and a made up word).  I use me-ology to refer to the strong tendency we all have in letting circumstances affect our understanding of God.  When things are going bad for me, my me-ology can kick in and try to convince me that: God is not good ... God does not care ... God does not answer prayer ... God cannot be trusted.

THE SAD CASE OF MRS. JOB

Mrs. Job had a serious problem with me-ology.  After losing all her children, her wealth, and her husband's health, she determined the best thing to do was just "curse God and die."  She told her husband, Job, that is what he needed to do.  Praise God, Job didn't listen to his heartsick wife.  In fact, he kept clinging to sound theology, even though all his current circumstances seemed to prove the contrary.

How could God be good, kind, faithful, and loving given the intense suffering that befell righteous, godly Job?  That's a profound question.  And the answer is ....

God's goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and love are not determined by me-ology- what is happening to me at the moment.  His trustworthiness is not seen through a snap shot of current circumstances, but through His Word and through the cross and empty tomb.  The bloody cross of Calvary proves beyond any shadow of a doubt that God is good, kind, loving, and faithful.  "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things" (Romans 8:32).

ARE YOU STRUGGLING TODAY?

Are you struggling with adverse circumstances?  Are you thinking of quitting God because, based on your current conditions, His promises seem untrue?  Don't let your me-ology form your theology, but let sound theology, gleaned from the truth of God's Word, rule and reign in your life.  Listen: It is better to die in faith than to live in doubt. 

I love the key verse in the Book of Job, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him" (Job 13:15).  Job didn't understand why God was letting all the onslaught of hell loose in his life, but he made the choice to trust Him, regardless. Curse God and died?  NEVER!
 
I don't know what "hell" you are facing today, but God does.  He knows, and He cares.  While He may be silent, as He was with Job for so many chapters of his suffering, He is definitely not absent - "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5).  You can make the choice today to trust Him and believe His Word, regardless of your circumstances.

God IS a good and faithful God.  He DOES work all things together for good to those who love Him.  If you doubt that, read the last chapter of Job and see it for yourself.

Me-ology or Theology.  Which will you choose?

In Christ.

  Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve
From His Heart Ministries

[Judy Harder]

Good News For Bad Times

Bad times.  Everyone faces bad times sometime in life.  Job certainly did.  He aptly said, "Man, who is born of woman, is short-lived and full of turmoil" (Job 14:1).  Have you experienced turmoil in your life?  Are you experiencing some right now?

To be sure, bad times are not fun times ... but they are good learning times.  Typically, the greatest lessons learned come from the toughest times in life.  You know why?  Because it's in the hard times when we are most open and willing to listen and learn.

One of my favorite poems goes like this:

I walked a mile with pleasure
She chatted all the way,
But left me none the wiser,
For all she had to say.

I walked a mile with sorrow,
Not a word said she,
But oh the things I learned that day,
When sorrow walked with me.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

When you are walking in turbulent, troublesome times, it is critical to put some positive things into practice:

1.     Keep looking up and rejoicing in Him.  No matter what you may be facing, God is still on His throne.  He still loves you and still has a good plan for your life.  Offer genuine thanks to the Lord, even if you have to do it through clenched teeth.  God says, "He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me" (Psalm 50:23).  Thanksgiving can be a sacrifice at times, but God is honored when we give Him the praise and thanks He rightfully deserves.

2.     Keep your thoughts on the truth.  When bad times come, it is easy to fill your mind with negative, depressing, miserable thoughts.  DON'T DO IT!  You can choose your thoughts as you would choose your friends.  Let your mind dwell on what is true and honorable and right (see Philippians 4:.  You are what you think ... so think God's wonderful truths, not the devil's depressing lies.

3.     See the light at the end of the tunnel.  When I was in college at U.T., Coach Fred Akers had a popular saying, "Tough times never last, but tough people do."  How true.  Do you know the most encouraging five words in Scripture?  "And it came to pass."  The bad time you are currently experiencing didn't come to stay, it came to pass.  It came for a reason to teach you to trust God ... to help you understand that Jesus never fails, and He will work all things together for your good and His glory.

PRAYER

God, thank You for loving me.  Thank You for having all things under control.  I choose to rejoice in You, even in the midst of my problems.  Help me to keep my mind on You, Lord, and my thoughts on the things that glorify You.  And help me walk by faith and not by sight, knowing that "it came to pass," it didn't come to stay.  I want to learn and grow through this hardship ... and come out on the other side more committed to You and in love with You than ever.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Love,