Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. I Thessalonians 5:16-18 NKJV
I had an astonishing revelation today. For months, I have been praying for GOD to change Dee's health situation & to heal her completely. I've bombarded the gates of Heaven, pleaded with GOD and asked others to pray the same. What I failed to realize all this time was that GOD is using this time of trial & testing to prepare us for something great. We know He plans to use us in ministry & have made preparations to do just that. However, we've been viewing this long episode of continued health problems as an attack of satan rather than realizing that GOD uses all things for the good of those who love Him & are called according to His purpose as stated in Romans 8:28, which I happen to claim as my life verse. How could I recite that Scripture for so many years without truly applying it to my life?
The first clue came a few days ago when a dear friend posted a comment to a FaceBook post of mine saying that GOD was using this time to prepare us & that we would have a great testimony as a result. Hmmmm, I thought--could this be? I began reading my Bible and seeking GOD somewhat differently as a result. My actual "Aha moment" came today. I spent the day at the hospital as Dee has been hospitalized several days now & was having a procedure done in the heart cath lab. After they took her back, I stopped by the hospital's gift shop to look around. They have a used book rack that I frequently glance over & usually never see anything that appeals to me.
Today, however, was different. As I studied the books on display, I noticed one titled "Power in Praise" by a gentleman named Merlin Carothers. Being intrigued, I picked it up and thumbed through it. I decided to pay the whopping .50 the gift shop was asking for it so I'd have something to read while I waited. On page 2, Romans 8:28 was quoted along with this, "To praise GOD is to express our acceptance of something that GOD is permitting to happen. So to praise GOD for difficult situations, as sickness or disaster, means literally that we accept its happening as part of GOD's plan to reveal His perfect love for us." My mind was screaming, WHAT? I'm supposed to be thankful & praise GOD for the auto accident & long-term illness that has plagued my beautiful bride for the past 5 years?
The more I read of my bargain book, the more it explained my life verse to me along with several others. Mr. Carothers, having retired as a military chaplain, recounted many stories of personal encounters with people over the years who reacted just as I did. He told of how their situations changed once they came to terms with and accepted their situations. Could it be true? Could GOD use this to build our character, to prepare us, to teach us--so we will be able to minister to others? GOD's Word, my very life verse of Romans 8:28 says "all things" so I'm thinking that's what I was supposed to learn. Why else would GOD place this book in my path at a time when I'm questioning Him about the purpose for Dee's suffering? You might say it's a coincidence, but I choose to believe He was trying to get the message through my thick skull and having a pastor's wife tell me apparently wasn't enough...
So, I'm looking at things differently now. If I am to be a living, breathing testimony of His great love--I have to accept that bad things happen as a part of life and remember the story of Joseph. All the terrible things he endured led him to a place of prominence where he was able to make provision for not only his family, but for all of Egypt. He told his brothers who had sold him into slavery, "you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day" (Genesis 50:20 NKJV).
It is something to think about. Have you been accusing GOD of deserting you as I was? Maybe it's time to rethink His ability to use "all things" for His ultimate glory...
Blessings!
Tony
Friday, April 15, 2011
Saturday, April 2, 2011
True Friendship
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13
It has been said that to have friends, you must first be a friend. What better example is there that that of Jesus? Jesus was called the friend of sinners because He reached out to those society looked down on. During his earthly ministry, He was surrounded by those He considered friends. There were, of course, His Disciples--12 men with whom He lived and traveled. They all knew each other as friends and brothers. Within that group were also 3 men--Peter, James and John--who were extremely close to Jesus. They were His "inner circle" if you will, the ones who knew Jesus' heart & soul as only true friends can. Within that group was also Judas Iscariot, who would betray Him. Which type of friend are you?
Friendship is important--we all need friends. While marriage partners are wonderful gifts from GOD, each of us often needs the counsel and accountability only a close same-sex friend can provide. As a man, I understand that men need other men with whom they can be totally transparent and bare their souls to without fear of rejection or condemnation. I have a few such friends for whom I thank GOD daily. Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." We learn from each other, lean on each other and pray with and for each other.
As we approach Easter, it is impossible to overlook GOD's love for us and Jesus' great sacrifice made on our behalf. What an example of love and friendship! A Holy and sinless man--the Son of GOD himself--beaten, battered and hung on a cross to suffer for the sins of the world. He left the glories of Heaven and came to our world to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. Although He lived a sinless life, He suffered an agonizing and humiliating death for us. There He hung, bloody and naked--suspended between Heaven and earth for all to see. He could have called legions of angels to rescue Him, but He chose to give His life in order to save us from the fiery pits of Hell.
I am reminded of the old song, "What a Friend we have in Jesus!"
What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.
Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised
Thou wilt all our burdens bear;
May we ever, Lord, be bringing
All to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright, unclouded,
There will be no need for prayer—
Rapture, praise, and endless worship
Will be our sweet portion there.
What a friend we have in Jesus!
Blessings!
Tony
It has been said that to have friends, you must first be a friend. What better example is there that that of Jesus? Jesus was called the friend of sinners because He reached out to those society looked down on. During his earthly ministry, He was surrounded by those He considered friends. There were, of course, His Disciples--12 men with whom He lived and traveled. They all knew each other as friends and brothers. Within that group were also 3 men--Peter, James and John--who were extremely close to Jesus. They were His "inner circle" if you will, the ones who knew Jesus' heart & soul as only true friends can. Within that group was also Judas Iscariot, who would betray Him. Which type of friend are you?
Friendship is important--we all need friends. While marriage partners are wonderful gifts from GOD, each of us often needs the counsel and accountability only a close same-sex friend can provide. As a man, I understand that men need other men with whom they can be totally transparent and bare their souls to without fear of rejection or condemnation. I have a few such friends for whom I thank GOD daily. Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." We learn from each other, lean on each other and pray with and for each other.
As we approach Easter, it is impossible to overlook GOD's love for us and Jesus' great sacrifice made on our behalf. What an example of love and friendship! A Holy and sinless man--the Son of GOD himself--beaten, battered and hung on a cross to suffer for the sins of the world. He left the glories of Heaven and came to our world to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. Although He lived a sinless life, He suffered an agonizing and humiliating death for us. There He hung, bloody and naked--suspended between Heaven and earth for all to see. He could have called legions of angels to rescue Him, but He chose to give His life in order to save us from the fiery pits of Hell.
I am reminded of the old song, "What a Friend we have in Jesus!"
What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.
Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised
Thou wilt all our burdens bear;
May we ever, Lord, be bringing
All to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright, unclouded,
There will be no need for prayer—
Rapture, praise, and endless worship
Will be our sweet portion there.
What a friend we have in Jesus!
Blessings!
Tony
The Godly Man
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. Psalms 1:1-3 KJV
What does it mean to be a godly man in today's world? Can one be a Christian leader in his home and church? I tend to think so--allow me to look back at the above Scripture passage...
"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly..." Ah, the ungodly--it is true we live in a morally depraved society. As such, we have become terribly desensitized by the news media and television programming. Things that should break our hearts are almost common occurrences. Stories of rape, robbery and murder are pretty much the norm in the world we live in...
"Nor stands in the path of sinners..." The path we take daily is riddled with sin and temptation. It is almost impossible to shop for groceries, attend a sporting event or take your family to dinner without being bombarded with the things of the world. Billboards advertise adult bookstores, casinos & gambling, and more. The magazines at the local grocer's checkout promotes sex, alcohol and adulterous or "alternative" lifestyles. Alleged "family" restaurants are loud, smoky and full of neon signs promoting various beer brands...
"Nor sits in the seat of the scornful..." The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines scornful as "full of scorn (1 : open dislike and disrespect or derision often mixed with indignation 2 : an expression of contempt or derision 3 : an object of extreme disdain, contempt, or derision : something contemptible) or contemptuous. Does this describe anyone you know? Does it in any way describe you? GOD forbid that anyone calling themselves a Christian ever fall into this category!
"But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night..." In order to isolate ourselves from the worldly and satanic forces that surround us and to maintain our relationship with The Father, we must die to sin on a daily basis. It is of utmost importance that we read and study GOD's Word and spend time in prayer regularly. It's also important that we spend time in fellowship and corporate worship with a family of believers.
"He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper..." It is GOD who is the source of all our blessings. Psalms 37:4 tells us "Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart". A tree planted by the water flourishes, there is a steady supply of nutrients and moisture to support it's vegetation. If we truly "plug in" to GOD, He supplies our daily needs. Mind you, I said needs--not wants. His provision is sufficient to support us so that we in turn can offer encouragement and be a blessing to others. Then there's the fruit thing...if we are growing spiritually, there will be obvious signs (fruits). Others will see Christ in us and desire to know the peace and love of Jesus as a result of seeing Him at work in our lives.
Continuing on with the godly man theme, I feel it necessary to point out a few other Scriptures as well largely because it is easy to become so consumed in our attempts to please GOD that we often neglect those closest to us. To that end, we must seek harmony in our homes in order to maintain a well-balanced life. If we attend GOD's family but not our own, we have failed. 1 Timothy 5:8 states "But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel". These are harsh and pointed words but words to be heeded still the same.
As Christian men, we must also guard and nourish our marriages. Yes guys, we need to show our wives love and patience--not domination and tyranny. This relationship is secondary only to our relationship with GOD and marriage is GOD-ordained. Look with me if you will at the book of Ephesians. Men generally like this book because it tells wives to submit to their husbands. However, there is more to it than that and we cannot ask women to follow GOD's Word if we are not prepared to do the same. Ephesians 5:25-29 clearly says, "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church..." It sounds like a tall order, but it can be accomplished. Remember, woman was created from the rib of the man, near the heart to be loved, held dear and treated with dignity and respect.
One last thing--the children. The family is under attack and Satan will utilize anything he can to tear apart the family unit. It is our responsibility to GOD and our family to exhibit our Christian faith in a way that our children will learn and come to know Christ through our example. Proverbs 22:6 tells us "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it", while Proverbs 23:13a says "Withhold not correction from the child..." There again, we must find the balance and teach our children through reasonable discipline. We are instructed in Ephesians 6:4, "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord".
While there will be difficult times, GOD is always there to guide and direct us if we seek Him. If we attempt to do things on our own, disaster is certain. Look to Him in all things. Proverbs 3:5-6 offers us this promise, "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." His directing of our paths will never lead us astray. He is a good GOD and His desire is to protect and provide for us as a Father should. We should follow his example...
Blessings!
Tony
What does it mean to be a godly man in today's world? Can one be a Christian leader in his home and church? I tend to think so--allow me to look back at the above Scripture passage...
"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly..." Ah, the ungodly--it is true we live in a morally depraved society. As such, we have become terribly desensitized by the news media and television programming. Things that should break our hearts are almost common occurrences. Stories of rape, robbery and murder are pretty much the norm in the world we live in...
"Nor stands in the path of sinners..." The path we take daily is riddled with sin and temptation. It is almost impossible to shop for groceries, attend a sporting event or take your family to dinner without being bombarded with the things of the world. Billboards advertise adult bookstores, casinos & gambling, and more. The magazines at the local grocer's checkout promotes sex, alcohol and adulterous or "alternative" lifestyles. Alleged "family" restaurants are loud, smoky and full of neon signs promoting various beer brands...
"Nor sits in the seat of the scornful..." The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines scornful as "full of scorn (1 : open dislike and disrespect or derision often mixed with indignation 2 : an expression of contempt or derision 3 : an object of extreme disdain, contempt, or derision : something contemptible) or contemptuous. Does this describe anyone you know? Does it in any way describe you? GOD forbid that anyone calling themselves a Christian ever fall into this category!
"But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night..." In order to isolate ourselves from the worldly and satanic forces that surround us and to maintain our relationship with The Father, we must die to sin on a daily basis. It is of utmost importance that we read and study GOD's Word and spend time in prayer regularly. It's also important that we spend time in fellowship and corporate worship with a family of believers.
"He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper..." It is GOD who is the source of all our blessings. Psalms 37:4 tells us "Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart". A tree planted by the water flourishes, there is a steady supply of nutrients and moisture to support it's vegetation. If we truly "plug in" to GOD, He supplies our daily needs. Mind you, I said needs--not wants. His provision is sufficient to support us so that we in turn can offer encouragement and be a blessing to others. Then there's the fruit thing...if we are growing spiritually, there will be obvious signs (fruits). Others will see Christ in us and desire to know the peace and love of Jesus as a result of seeing Him at work in our lives.
Continuing on with the godly man theme, I feel it necessary to point out a few other Scriptures as well largely because it is easy to become so consumed in our attempts to please GOD that we often neglect those closest to us. To that end, we must seek harmony in our homes in order to maintain a well-balanced life. If we attend GOD's family but not our own, we have failed. 1 Timothy 5:8 states "But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel". These are harsh and pointed words but words to be heeded still the same.
As Christian men, we must also guard and nourish our marriages. Yes guys, we need to show our wives love and patience--not domination and tyranny. This relationship is secondary only to our relationship with GOD and marriage is GOD-ordained. Look with me if you will at the book of Ephesians. Men generally like this book because it tells wives to submit to their husbands. However, there is more to it than that and we cannot ask women to follow GOD's Word if we are not prepared to do the same. Ephesians 5:25-29 clearly says, "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church..." It sounds like a tall order, but it can be accomplished. Remember, woman was created from the rib of the man, near the heart to be loved, held dear and treated with dignity and respect.
One last thing--the children. The family is under attack and Satan will utilize anything he can to tear apart the family unit. It is our responsibility to GOD and our family to exhibit our Christian faith in a way that our children will learn and come to know Christ through our example. Proverbs 22:6 tells us "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it", while Proverbs 23:13a says "Withhold not correction from the child..." There again, we must find the balance and teach our children through reasonable discipline. We are instructed in Ephesians 6:4, "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord".
While there will be difficult times, GOD is always there to guide and direct us if we seek Him. If we attempt to do things on our own, disaster is certain. Look to Him in all things. Proverbs 3:5-6 offers us this promise, "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." His directing of our paths will never lead us astray. He is a good GOD and His desire is to protect and provide for us as a Father should. We should follow his example...
Blessings!
Tony
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