culled from Alan Smiths' TFTD blog
Doctor: "I see you're over a month late for your appointment. Don't you know that nervous disorders require prompt and regular attention? What's your excuse?"
Patient: "I was just following your orders, Doc."
Doctor: "Following my orders? What are you talking about? I gave you no such order."
Patient: "You told me to avoid people who irritate me."
Unfortunately, we don’t always have the option of avoiding people who irritate, people who hurt us, people who offend us. In fact, sometimes those who irritate us the most are found right in our home (or in our church building). So how should we deal with them?
Milton Jones has written a wonderful book entitled “How to Love Someone You Can’t Stand” which I highly recommend (you can find it at Amazon.com). In this book, Jones lists six godly principles which are derived from Romans 12:
(1) Manage Your mouth -- Bless and don't curse (Rom. 12:14)
(2) Put yourself in the other person's place and try to understand their feelings, thoughts and position (Rom. 12:15)
(3) Never, never, never take revenge (Rom. 12:17)
(4) Plan ahead to do something beautiful (Rom. 12:17)
(5) Don't just win the war, win the peace (Rom. 12:18)
(6) Make room for God (Rom. 12:19)
The bottom line is that we do not overcome evil with evil by retaliating and seeking to "get even". The only way to overcome evil is with good (Rom. 12:21). It is never easy to respond to those who do us wrong in a way that is godly, but it is only by following the example of Jesus Christ that we can truly have an influence on the world around us.
"But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps..." (I Peter 2:19-20)
Have a great day!
Alan Smith
Helen Street Church of Christ
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Pastoral Ministry: Humble Service
You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. --2 Timothy 2:3-4
Save me from the error of judging a church by its size, its popularity or the amount of its yearly offering. Help me to remember that I am a prophet--not a promoter, not a religious manager, but a prophet. Let me never become a slave to crowds. Heal my soul of carnal ambitions and deliver me from the itch for publicity. Save me from bondage to things. Let me not waste my days puttering around the house. Lay Thy terror upon me, O God, and drive me to the place of prayer where I may wrestle with principalities and powers and the
rulers of the darkness of this world. Deliver me from overeating and late sleeping. Teach me self-discipline that I may be a good soldier of Jesus Christ....
And now, O Lord of heaven and earth, I consecrate my remaining days to Thee; let them be many or few, as Thou wilt. Let me stand before the great or minister to the poor and lowly; that choice is not mine, and I would not influence it if I could. I am Thy servant to do Thy will, and that will is sweeter to me than position or riches or fame and I choose it above all things on earth or in heaven.
God Tells the Man Who Cares, 105-106.
"Lord, this prayer of Tozer seems so contrary to the spirit of today's church growth emphasis, celebrity pastors, and TV personalities. Enable me by your Holy Spirit to make this prayer genuinely mine. Amen."
This is from A.W. Tozer's daily devotional of March 30, 2009.
Save me from the error of judging a church by its size, its popularity or the amount of its yearly offering. Help me to remember that I am a prophet--not a promoter, not a religious manager, but a prophet. Let me never become a slave to crowds. Heal my soul of carnal ambitions and deliver me from the itch for publicity. Save me from bondage to things. Let me not waste my days puttering around the house. Lay Thy terror upon me, O God, and drive me to the place of prayer where I may wrestle with principalities and powers and the
rulers of the darkness of this world. Deliver me from overeating and late sleeping. Teach me self-discipline that I may be a good soldier of Jesus Christ....
And now, O Lord of heaven and earth, I consecrate my remaining days to Thee; let them be many or few, as Thou wilt. Let me stand before the great or minister to the poor and lowly; that choice is not mine, and I would not influence it if I could. I am Thy servant to do Thy will, and that will is sweeter to me than position or riches or fame and I choose it above all things on earth or in heaven.
God Tells the Man Who Cares, 105-106.
"Lord, this prayer of Tozer seems so contrary to the spirit of today's church growth emphasis, celebrity pastors, and TV personalities. Enable me by your Holy Spirit to make this prayer genuinely mine. Amen."
This is from A.W. Tozer's daily devotional of March 30, 2009.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Staying the course
Numbers 14 is an interesting but tragic story. This is where the children of Israel missed it, they were supposed to go into the promised land.. the final leg of their journey after many days and great miracles and deliverances in the wilderness.. just one more step and then total victory, fullness of joys.. and they got cold feet. How tragic!
They looked at what they were up against and on the surface it did look daunting.. so they retreated.. they forgot 2 key things.. first that they were not alone, God was with them and had already promised to see them through and secondly that God had done it before in the past. Wow! that great Red Sea crossing, the defeat of Pharaoh's army without lifting a single sword, the miracluous feeding of all in the wilderness etc etc etc.. but still they got cold feet and then worse, they complained again.. it was one complaint too many.. God had had enough.. they should have realised by now that it was not about them but it was about Him.. His power, His purpose... He revoked their entry pass into the promised land except for only 2, Joshua and Caleb, who never stopped believing and staying the course.. in fact they were nearly stoned by the children of Israel because of their steadfastness in believing God.
Its amazing but true.. you can miss out on God's perfect purpose for your life if you refuse to stay the course.. if you jump ship.. Yes sometimes the going may get tough.. and painful and sometimes very unpopular with those around us so much so that you may feel like the lone ranger.. even though He has promised never to leave or forsake you.. At these times, it is important that you remember that complaining and self pity is not an option.. rather than complain.. Pray.. rather than self pity.. Worship God as you look ahead with the eye of faith... it is also good practice to count your blessings.. He who has done great things in the past for you, your friend, family, church member.. He can do same and greater for you in this situation.. please remember these and stay the course of faith.
You are blessed!
They looked at what they were up against and on the surface it did look daunting.. so they retreated.. they forgot 2 key things.. first that they were not alone, God was with them and had already promised to see them through and secondly that God had done it before in the past. Wow! that great Red Sea crossing, the defeat of Pharaoh's army without lifting a single sword, the miracluous feeding of all in the wilderness etc etc etc.. but still they got cold feet and then worse, they complained again.. it was one complaint too many.. God had had enough.. they should have realised by now that it was not about them but it was about Him.. His power, His purpose... He revoked their entry pass into the promised land except for only 2, Joshua and Caleb, who never stopped believing and staying the course.. in fact they were nearly stoned by the children of Israel because of their steadfastness in believing God.
Its amazing but true.. you can miss out on God's perfect purpose for your life if you refuse to stay the course.. if you jump ship.. Yes sometimes the going may get tough.. and painful and sometimes very unpopular with those around us so much so that you may feel like the lone ranger.. even though He has promised never to leave or forsake you.. At these times, it is important that you remember that complaining and self pity is not an option.. rather than complain.. Pray.. rather than self pity.. Worship God as you look ahead with the eye of faith... it is also good practice to count your blessings.. He who has done great things in the past for you, your friend, family, church member.. He can do same and greater for you in this situation.. please remember these and stay the course of faith.
You are blessed!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Paul's Journey
Paul grew up a conscientious and religious young man who thought he was doing the right thing. He studied under a well-known Professor known as Gamaliel and was probably a bright, studious person. He was very zealous for his faith, participating in the killing of Stephen and going to great lengths and distances to persecute those pesky Christians. It was on his way to Damascus to further imprison and possibly kill christians that he met with his nemesis.
It is possible to be sincere and be sincerely wrong. This was Saul's (who later became Paul) story. He met with Jesus on the road to Damascus and his life never remained the same again. He came to understand that his human efforts to reach God and be a dutiful, obedient child of the Most High had been spectacularly misdirected. Jesus introduced Himself to him. Jesus looked for him and reached out to him even when he deserved nothing more than instant death or punishment from the Risen Savior. Thank God for His love, mercy and understanding.
Paul's encounter and experience on the road to Damascus changed him completely, physiaclly even. He was blinded for several days during which he must have had time to reflect on that encounter and what it meant to Him. His period of darkness was lifted when a Christian came over to pray for Him He thereafter still spent sometime alone re-educating himself and gaining a new perspective on things and sciptures which he had previously learned under Gamaliel. They were the same words but they now carried new meaning as he was now reading under the Light of the Holy Spirit and divine revelation of Christ. Knowledge will puff up and can lead to destruction even if not placed into Jesus caring and revelatory hands. As the Bible says, the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.
Paul approached his new life with a zeal and a commitment never matched by any other apostle of his time. God connected him with the right people, people like Barnabas who took him under their wings and helped him to speedily come of age in the the things of the ministry. He was like a mad man trying to make up for lost time. He who had now been persecuting, now became one of those pesky Christians taking the gospel to the far reaches of the earth and writing most of the books of the new testament in the process. He himslef now endured many persecutions and near-death experiences.
God can use anyone and indeed anything to proclaim the message of the Gospel, the birth, death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ through whom we receive forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation. If He is using you today, then you are highly privileged. Be joyful and humbled. Pray that He will find many others who are yet on the wrong path and maybe do not even know it. If you are still not sure yet, the questions you have in your heart is God reaching out to you already. Open up to Him. Ask. Lord show me more. Pick a bible where you can and read the book of Mark or John. He will meet you on your own road to Damascuss too and bring you on your journey to become one of those blessed Christians.
You are blessed!
It is possible to be sincere and be sincerely wrong. This was Saul's (who later became Paul) story. He met with Jesus on the road to Damascus and his life never remained the same again. He came to understand that his human efforts to reach God and be a dutiful, obedient child of the Most High had been spectacularly misdirected. Jesus introduced Himself to him. Jesus looked for him and reached out to him even when he deserved nothing more than instant death or punishment from the Risen Savior. Thank God for His love, mercy and understanding.
Paul's encounter and experience on the road to Damascus changed him completely, physiaclly even. He was blinded for several days during which he must have had time to reflect on that encounter and what it meant to Him. His period of darkness was lifted when a Christian came over to pray for Him He thereafter still spent sometime alone re-educating himself and gaining a new perspective on things and sciptures which he had previously learned under Gamaliel. They were the same words but they now carried new meaning as he was now reading under the Light of the Holy Spirit and divine revelation of Christ. Knowledge will puff up and can lead to destruction even if not placed into Jesus caring and revelatory hands. As the Bible says, the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.
Paul approached his new life with a zeal and a commitment never matched by any other apostle of his time. God connected him with the right people, people like Barnabas who took him under their wings and helped him to speedily come of age in the the things of the ministry. He was like a mad man trying to make up for lost time. He who had now been persecuting, now became one of those pesky Christians taking the gospel to the far reaches of the earth and writing most of the books of the new testament in the process. He himslef now endured many persecutions and near-death experiences.
God can use anyone and indeed anything to proclaim the message of the Gospel, the birth, death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ through whom we receive forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation. If He is using you today, then you are highly privileged. Be joyful and humbled. Pray that He will find many others who are yet on the wrong path and maybe do not even know it. If you are still not sure yet, the questions you have in your heart is God reaching out to you already. Open up to Him. Ask. Lord show me more. Pick a bible where you can and read the book of Mark or John. He will meet you on your own road to Damascuss too and bring you on your journey to become one of those blessed Christians.
You are blessed!
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