6 Barriers to Making Wise Decisions

YouVersion Devotion extracts

Mike Erwin, CEO of the Character and Leadership Center, tackled the issue of decision-making in a Harvard Business Review article. https://hbr.org/2019/08/6-reasons-we-make-bad-decisions-and-what-to-do-about-them

Although most decisions are routine, some require more thought. It’s critical that we identify those decisions that come with serious risks or consequences so that we can give them the attention they deserve.  

Mr. Erwin emphasizes six reasons why we sometimes make bad decisions. 

The first is decision fatigue. If you make multiple major decisions throughout the day, you will eventually become fatigued, and your decisions may not be as effective. Ecclesiastes 8:6 teaches, “For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, though a person may be weighed down by misery.” Mr. Erwin recommends prioritizing your most important decisions for a time when your energy levels and thoughts are at their best. 

The second reason is a steady state of distraction. Our information load has become quite heavy. Researchers estimate that our brains process five times as much information today as in 1986! We are constantly distracted by the technology that follows us everywhere. Now, more than ever, it’s crucial that we find time for quiet reflection and deep thought. Psalm 119:99 says, “I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on Your statutes.” More information is requiring faster and faster decisions. For important decisions, take time to meditate on God’s wisdom before making a possible error in judgment. 

Mr. Erwin’s third reason is lack of input. The Kellogg School found that in a typical meeting, an average of three people do 70% of the talking. Unfortunately, the ones you probably need to hear from the most are those with introverted personalities. They can be your most thoughtful colleagues. Proverbs 17:28 says, “Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.” Mr. Erwin recommends that to counter this possible lack of input from your deepest thinkers, send out a meeting agenda 24 hours in advance, and create a meeting culture that solicits everyone's input.

The fourth is multi-tasking.  Due to the rapid pace of business these days, most jobs require some level of multi-tasking. However, research reveals that performance suffers by up to 40% when we focus on two cognitive tasks at the same time! In Luke 10:41, Jesus said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one.” Multi-tasking is not something to brag about. Instead, for the highest productivity, we need to carve out blocks of time to focus deeply on our most important decisions, not being distracted by performing multiple tasks at once.

The fifth reason: emotions. As a young trainee in banking, I was presenting loan requests to the bank’s CEO. When I realized that he was in a foul mood, I moved my toughest loan request from the top of my stack to the bottom. He noticed and asked why. When I fearfully told this CEO why I rearranged them he changed the subject and told a joke. Then he said, “Now show me the bottom loan.” Proverbs 16:32 teaches, “Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.” When emotions are getting the better of you, practice and exercise self-control before making a major decision.

The final reason is analysis paralysis. In today’s Information Age, we don’t lack for information. More information typically leads to a longer decision making process, especially if you want all the facts before coming to a resolution. Since one Google search can turn up millions of results, one can easily over analyze any possible decision. Solomon learned and shared about moderation in Ecclesiastes 1:18 when he wrote, “For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.” Mr. Erwin recommends determining the pertinent information you need, not chasing more data. Once you have the important information, set a deadline for when the decision will be made, then stick to it.

When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psa. 11:3)

"THE FACTS OF THE MATTER"

"A weekly letter of encouragement to business and professional men and women"

Good Morning!

“When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psa. 11:3)

You and I are observing the erosion of the foundations of our civilization; a corrosion that threatens the very basis of the good life we have so enjoyed. Dostoevsky once wrote that if God did not exist, everything would be permitted. As you look around, it seems that much of our Western world has lost the awareness that God exists, and thus believes that anything is permitted. It often appears that the only spirit that we recognize is our own.

St. Paul, in looking out over the people of his age made this disturbing parallel observation: “…In the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power…” (2 Tim. 3:1b-5a).

C. S. Lewis in his book, The Abolition of Man viewed Western civilization’s disintegration with ever increasing catastrophic consequences. “We are in the process of losing our humanity. It happens that men and women who once were human are simply no longer so. They have become nothing but minds and matter, brains and bodies, computers and consumers, calculators and copulates, constructers and cloners, who believe that they are free and powerful but in fact are being destroyed by the very ‘Nature’ that they wish to conquer as they are enslaved to an oligarchy of ‘Conditioners’ who are themselves enslaved and destroyed by their insane strivings to defile, design, manage, and manipulate a world and a humanity bereft of the God who boundlessly loves them.” 1

As we experience this tsunami that is sweeping away our spiritual foundations, consider the following injunctions from the Scriptures for us to hold steady:

· "You shall not follow the masses in doing evil…” (Ex. 23:2a).

· “…You shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations [around you]” (Deut. 18:9b).

· “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould…” (Rom. 12:2a – Philips Trans.).

· “…Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God (Jms. 4:4b).”

· “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance” (I Pet. 1:14).

· “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world” (I Jn. 2:15, 16).

QUESTION: Are you more than hungry for God? Starving? When the prodigal son was hungry, he went to feed on the husks. But when he was starving, he went to his father. So, my friend, let me ask you, are you hard after God, or just dabbling at it? I hope it is the former, because only that kind of desperate passion for God will keep you and me from succumbing to the crumbling spiritual foundations that surround us.

1 (First Things, Page 72, December 2007)

This week may you experience His grace, peace and protection!


R. Dwight Hill


Facts of the Matter © 2000 - 2011 R. Dwight Hill - www.factsofthematter.org - Unlimited permission to copy without altering text or profiteering is hereby granted subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.

THE POWER OF EXAMPLE TO INFLUENCE

Edmund Burke forcefully drove home the power of example to influence others in stating, “People will learn at the school of example and they will learn at none other.”  Most secularized people are not about to pick up a Bible and study it. Nor will they bother with church or religion.  But when they encounter Christ’s love, lived out authentically in compassionate service to them, it may well begin them on a journey that leads to encountering the Master. St. Paul affirmed the power of example to influence in penning, “Your very lives are a letter that anyone can read by just looking at you.  Christ himself wrote it—not with ink, but with God's living Spirit; not chiseled into stone, but carved into human lives…” (2 Cor. 3:2,3a)

Jesus imitated the example of his heavenly Father: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” (Jn. 5:19) (See Jn. 5:30; 14:24)

Jesus then used the power of his example to shape his disciples’ lives.  For example, the night before the cross he washed their feet, concluding with this powerful challenge: “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”  (Jn. 13:15)  

Would the fact that 10 out of the 12 disciples were martyred for going to the ends of the earth proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah suggest that he had shaped their lives by his example?

Thirty years after Jesus’ ascension Peter wrote about the importance Master’s example: “…Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” (I Pet. 2:21)  He also wrote instructions to wives on how through the power of example, to influence their deviant husbands: 

“Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.”(1 Pet. 3:1-4) (See I Pet. 5:2,3)

Think about how St. Paul significantly shaped Timothy’s life by the power of his example: “You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance….And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”  (2 Tim. 3:10a; 2:2)

Paul wrote to the Philippians about the importance of example:  “Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to thepattern we gave you.”  (Phil. 3:17) The word pattern here means a proto type; a model. 

QUESTION: Are you able with a clear conscience to say to the people whom you are seeking to influence, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice…”? (Phil. 4:9a)  If not, why not?

This week may you experience His grace, peace and protection! 

R. Dwight Hill 

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

I like the story quoted below which I highlighted in green below.

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Monday, August 16, 2010

Today's Text: Luke 12:13

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

One of my all-time favorite moments in the life of Jesus was when a man in the crowd asked Him: “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me” (Luke 12:13).
One of my all-time favorite moments in the life of Jesus was when a man in the crowd asked Him: “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me” (Luke 12:13).
I have always thought that if I had one chance to talk with Jesus, getting more money for me might not be the best topic to choose. But nevertheless, the guy in the crowd was ticked that he hadn’t gotten his full share; and instead of taking the opportunity to go deep with Jesus, he could only think of how deep his pockets would be if Jesus would put the hammer to his brother.
As usual, Jesus took the opportunity to teach about the real essence of life and true riches. He replied, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (v.15).

Which reminds me of one of my all-time favorite non-Bible stories.

A young investor stood looking out into the cool Gulf waters on the end of pier in a small coastal Mexican village. Having spent the last several months working hard toward gaining his securities license, he left for a few days of sun-soaked pleasure in Western Mexico. As the sun sank into the pale horizon, a single fisherman docked his boat along the far side of the pier. The young Wall Street banker walked over to the boat and saw several large yellow fin tuna gasping for air. The young executive complimented the tanned fisherman, a wise-eyed, weathered man, on the quality of his fish and asked how long it had taken to bring in the catch.

“Not long at all,” the fisherman replied.

“Well, why not stay out longer and catch more fish?” the young New Yorker asked smiling.

“I have enough for today,” said the fisherman, “this is what I need to feed my family.”

“What do you do with the rest of your time?” the young man asked curiously.

“I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, Maria, and stroll into the village each evening where I enjoy some wine and laughter with friends. It’s a full and happy life,” the fisherman replied.

“Well, I'm a Harvard MBA and have just completed my investment securities training. I could help you. You could spend more time fishing and with the proceeds from the larger catch, buy a bigger boat. Then you could catch even more fish. With those profits you could buy several more boats and hire captains to fish for you, and eventually you could open your own cannery. Then you would control the product, processing, and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal village and move to Mexico City or LA or even New York where you could run your expanding enterprise.”

“How long would that all take?” asked the somewhat bewildered fisherman.

“Fifteen, maybe twenty years, max.”

“But then what?”

“Well, when the time was right, you could announce your IPO, sell your company stock to the public, and become very rich. You could be worth millions,” retorted the proud young investor.

“Millions? Then what?”

“Then you could retire and move to a small coastal village like this one where you could sleep late, fish a little in the morning, play with your grandkids, take a siesta, and enjoy wine and music with your friends in the evening.”

The fisherman grinned, tipped his hat at the young advisor, and shook his head as he walked off the pier without a reply.

When Jesus finished His warning about the emptiness of a life that is driven by greed, He told the story of a rich man who built bigger barns to hold all his stuff. To the surprise of His audience, Jesus called him a fool, not because he had lots of stuff but because he had lots of stuff and was not rich toward God!

Which makes me wonder, if you had one shot at talking to Jesus, would you want Him to make you rich, or would you want Him to lead you in the prosperous pursuit of becoming rich toward God? 

YOUR JOURNEY…

• Whose work ethic more closely resembles yours—the village fisherman’s or the New Yorker’s?
• Would you rather be rich by the world’s standards or rich toward God? How are you proving the accuracy of your answer by the way that you spend your time and attention?
• Just for fun, put yourself in the shoes of the man in the crowd. If you could go up to Jesus and ask one question, what would it be?

ARE YOU THE REAL DEAL…OR A SPIRITUAL FRAUD?

"THE FACTS OF THE MATTER"

"A weekly letter of encouragement to business and professional men and women"

June 23, 2010

Good Morning!

Jesus, in his epic encounters with the religious leaders of his day, pierced their pharisaical armor, exposing their deep-rooted hypocrisy.  I wonder how you and I stack up with them in these four areas:

 

·         They had a superficial relationship with God: “You have never heard [the Father’s] voice nor seen his form” (John 5:37b). (See 2 Tim 3:5; 1 John 1:1,2; 4:12)

Question:  Are you experiencing the refreshing presence of God in your walk, worship and times alone with Him?  Is the Spirit of God ministering to you at the deepest level?  Or is your relationship with God obligatory and boring?  (See Ps. 68:9; Hos. 6:3; Mi. 5:7; Ezek. 34:26; Acts 3:19)

·         They possessed a cavalier attitude toward the word of God: ^”There is nothing left in your memory of his Message because you do not take his Messenger seriously. You have your heads in your Bibles constantly because you think you'll find eternal life there. But you miss the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are all about me! Yet you refuse to come to me to have life” (John 5:38, 39 Msg. John 5:40 NIV).  (See Matt 22:29; Luke 4:4-7, 11-14)

Question:  How closely does our life resemble this indictment:  “You do not know the Scriptures or the power of God (Matt. 22:29b).”  (See Isa. 66:2b)

·         They where more interested in garnering the praise of men than possessing the love of God:  Jesus:  "I do not accept praise from men, but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts…How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?  (John 5: 41, 42, 44).”

Question:  What is it that really motivates you?  The love, fear, and approval of God? Or the sanction and acceptance of men?  (See Acts 4:19; 5:29; II Cor. 5:11, 14; Gal. 1:10; 1 Thes. 2:4)

·         They were easy targets of fraudulent religious leaders: ”I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him (John 5:43 (NIV).”  (See. Matt 24:4,5, 11,  22-27)

Question: Have you settled it once and for all that Christ, the Son of God, is Lord of all, and that you intend to follow him all the days of your life?  Or are you an easy target for spiritual cons? 

This week may you experience His grace, peace and protection!

R. Dwight Hill

The Sting of Betrayal

I think whether is for this issue or other, as Christians, it is important to regularly examine ourselves, our relationship with our Lord, the motivations of our heart.

Friday, June 04, 2010

Today's Text: John 13:21

 

“Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, ‘I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me.’” John 13:21 Most of us are familiar with the events in the upper room, where we see Jesus washing the dusty feet of His followers and preparing them for the drama that was about to unfold in the final stage of His earthly ministry. When Jesus—“troubled in spirit”—predicted that one of them would betray Him, it’s no wonder that the disciples “stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant” (John 13:22). Weren’t they all fully committed to Jesus? For three years they had been in this thing together. Little did they know that there was a traitor in their midst.
Betrayal often comes from those we would least suspect. And—here’s a news flash—the person you might least suspect could even be you. The seeds of betrayal are sown in the unseen world of our hearts. And while the seeds may be unnoticed for a time, left unchecked they will inevitably begin to pop up to the surface of our lives in tragic ways.
Some of us have already betrayed Jesus at the heart-level. Often it is a slow, subtle shift from being fully devoted to Him, to following the seductive lure of personal pleasure or gain. Hearts dedicated to cash and comfort are quick to bail when Jesus calls us to sacrifice and suffer for Him. But, whether the betrayal is “big” or seemingly small, it is always in the face of His love. That’s what makes it so wrong, so brazen. When we lose the wonder of His amazing love for us, when we fail to look at His nail-scarred hands, when we start taking His daily provision for granted, we run the risk of cultivating a compromised heart.
And when we betray Jesus, it also shows how stubborn we can be. Clearly, Judas had already made up his mind, or perhaps the love that Jesus extended to him in the upper room—washing his feet and honoring him with a distinguished seat at the table—might have made him think twice. It’s a reminder that when we have decided that we want to sin—that the wrong in our lives serves some purpose that is more important than anything else—we have the capacity to insulate our choice from any outside influence that would cause us to change. We go to church and essentially say to God, “I don’t care what You or anyone else says today. I don’t plan on changing. I don’t care what my spouse says, what my friends say. I don’t care what it means to my job, to my family, or even to Your reputation.” The resolve to sin is an engine that is powerful enough to drive us past even the deepest love of Christ all the way to betrayal. Sin is often an in-His-face, stubborn enterprise.
It’s what happened to Judas and, if we’re not careful, it can happen to us. But if we carefully cultivate a heart that responds to Jesus’ amazing love, we can find ourselves in the group of followers who will stay true to the end!
So, whose crowd are you in—the 11 who followed Jesus regardless, or the one who wanted life his way regardless? Think about it!

YOUR JOURNEY…

• In your opinion, what heart issues may have led Judas to eventually betray his friendship with Jesus? Can you identify with any of those issues?
• You may not be tempted to turn Jesus over to the authorities as Judas did, but in what ways do we betray Jesus in terms of our friendship and devotion to Him? 
• What issues in your heart might threaten to derail your commitment to Christ? If you’re not sure, ask Him to reveal those areas to you—just as He revealed the reality of Judas’ imminent betrayal—and then pray that He will break down any stubbornness that might keep you from responding to His love.
• How can you avoid cultivating seeds of compromise in your heart?

The Great Race

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Today's Text: 1 Corinthians 9:24

“Run in such a way as to get the prize.” 1 Corinthians 9:24
The month of June brings many sure signs of summer: the sweet smell of cut grass, soft breezes, picnics, fireflies, thunderstorms—and runners. This unique breed of humanity, forced to run circles in cramped indoor quarters during the North American winter, emerges with the first hint of spring and spends the summer dashing through neighborhoods and parks.
I have nothing against runners. Some of my best friends are addicted runners. Though I have never seen a runner smiling, apparently there is something fulfilling about it. I even tried it once, waiting for that surge of ecstasy that my friends told me I would experience, only to find that the ecstasy came when I stopped running!

So, whatever you think about running, it’s important to note that the Bible often speaks of living the Christian life as if it we were running a race.  Following Jesus is clearly more than a leisurely stroll in the park! And the issue is not whether you will run the race. When you became His follower, you were put in the race. The question is not will you run, but how will you run?

So, here are three keys to running well.

First, stay in shape! I like Paul’s perspective in 1 Corinthians 9:24: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” In other words, you need to be in it to win, and, like any race, winning requires discipline. As spiritual runners, we must discipline ourselves in the exercise and dietary habits of prayer and reading God’s Word. Drinking at the fountain of prayer and digesting the food of God’s Word gives us strength and motivation to run and win.

Secondly, obey the rules! Like all races, running to win means staying in the boundaries. Paul committed himself to living his life by God’s rules. He did not want to be “disqualified for the prize” (v.27).  As good runners, we embrace the rules and gladly submit to them.

Thirdly, run light! As Hebrews 12:1 instructs us, we are to lay aside every hindering weight and the sin that so easily besets us. What is it that distracts you and what is the sin that slows you down? Take them off and run light!

And finally, a couple more tips. Hebrews 12:1 also tells us to be willing to persevere. Our race is more than a few laps around the track—it’s a long-distance marathon. And let’s face it, this marathon can be stressful. Sometimes it’s the wind of life blowing against us—or mud kicked in our face from the runner in front of us. But whatever the case, runners that win never give up!
And keep your eyes on the finish line. Jesus is there! When you run for the honor and glory of His name, He reaches out with the victor’s crown and says, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
In my book, that’s worth running for!

YOUR JOURNEY…

• Read 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. Would you say that you are running “aimlessly,” or are you competing for the “crown that will last forever”?
• Read Hebrews 12:1-3. What things hinder and entangle you, and how do you intend to throw them off? What does Paul say to do so that you will not “grow weary and lose heart”?
• In Paul’s parting words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:7-8, he says that he is not the only one who will be awarded by the Lord. How does that encourage you to keep running for the prize?

THREE MEASURING STICKS OF GODLY CHARACTER

"THE FACTS OF THE MATTER"

"A weekly letter of encouragement to business and professional men and women"

May 05, 2010

Good Morning!
                                              

Good character today is in short supply.  For example, in a recent survey, 61% of college students admitted cheating at least once.  Of them, 73% felt no remorse, and getting caught stopped only 7%.  The IRS claims that 40% of Americans are “out of compliance” – a nice way of saying they are cheating on their taxes. The sacred mantra of postmodern values is not absolute truth, since truth is now what you define it to be, but the twin pillars of independence and tolerance.  Translated:  “I get to do what I want to do, and I allow you to do what you want to do.” 

By way of contrast, godly character is living out biblical imperatives with integrity.  Following are three measuring sticks of that character: +

Core: What you are at the core of your being reveals the essence of your character.  David said of God, “…You desire truth in the inner parts…”  Literally, one’s “inmost thought.” (Psa. 51:6b)   Solomon reminds us that, “as [a man] thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Pro. 23:7 - NKJV)    Only you and God know exactly who you are at the core, as revealed by your thinking patterns.   

Consistency: “A person’s core character is seen best in what he or she reveals consistently, rather than in a single statement or random act.” (Tocqueville)  Tocqueville referred to this consistency as “the habits of the heart.”  Said King David, ^“My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast…”  (Psa. 57:7a)  And the man who fears God? “He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.”  (Ps. 112:7)  Nietzsche referred to consistency as “a long obedience in the same direction.”   Observe the centrality of consistency in both the life and teaching of Jesus: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  "…Because lawlessness will abound (in the end times), the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”  (Heb. 13:2 (NIV; Matt. 24:12,13 NKJV)  (See Psa. 37:24 Isa. 50:7; Rom. 12:12; I Cor. 13:7; 2 Tim. 2:10, 12; Jms. 1:12)

Cost:  The test of our consistency of character is determined by what we are willing to suffer for our convictions.  If our core values are not worth dying for, they certainly are not worth living for.  It is not true that every man has his price. Consider the life of St. Paul: “…I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace... I speak the truth in Christ--I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit-- I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race.”  (Act. 20:24; Act. 9:1-3) (See Phil. 1:20, 21; 2:27; Col. 1:24)

QUESTION:  Based on these three measuring sticks, how would you evaluate your character?  Is there an area where change is needed?

Wake Him Up!

Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Today's Text: Hebrews 4:16

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16
Eloise worked the cash register in the food court at Chicago’s Moody Bible Institute. She was, by far and away, one of my favorite people. I liked a lot of things about Eloise: her happy smile, helpful spirit, and love for everyone. But what I liked best was her down-home, streetwise wisdom that came out in some of the most memorable quips. I could give you a bunch of them, but here’s one that just might be a good word for you.

One morning, as I reached into my pocket to pull out the cash for my breakfast, I asked Eloise how she was doing, to which she replied, “Not all that great.”

“Really?” I asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Well,” she quipped, “I had to wake Him up this morning!”

I wasn’t quite getting where she was going with that, so I asked, “What do you mean? Wake who up?”

“Don’t you know your Bible?” she teasingly said with an obvious sense of joy at stumping the Moody president. To save me any further embarrassment, she went on to say, “When the disciples thought they were going to die in the storm at sea, they had to wake up Jesus so He would help them. I had to wake Him up this morning,” she said, “’cause I needed His help!”

See why she’s one of my favorite people?
What she didn’t say, though, was that it seems like Jesus was the last resort for those panicked disciples. Luke tells us that it wasn’t until the boat was nearly swamped, and it was clear that they were in great danger, that someone had the brilliant idea to wake up Jesus.

If we’re honest with ourselves, we are usually pretty slow as well to wake Him up. Well, actually, we don’t need to wake Him up since the God who watches over us neither slumbers nor sleeps (Psalm 121:3)! In reality, we’re the ones who need to wake up. We need to wake up to the truth that we are not as capable as we think we are to deal with life’s challenges; that our wisdom and instincts are flawed; that trying to manage life by the seat of our pants usually gets us into a heap of trouble.

So, thankfully, the writer to the Hebrews assures us that we can come to Jesus with what the text literally says is “unstaggering confidence”—confidence that He understands our plight and is ready to help us in our time of need. And, in case you’re wondering how He will help you in your time of need, think about His grace that will help you endure, His mercy, His power to overcome, His wisdom to show you the way. And don’t forget His calming presence and His peace that passes understanding in the midst of life’s storms. They are all available for the asking!

So, next time you are overwhelmed with life and don’t know what to do, take a little advice from my friend Eloise: wake Him up! And don’t wait until He is your last resort. You’ll get exhausted and disheartened if you try to bail out your boat all by yourself!

Which reminds me of a wonderful old song that we used to sing in church when I was a boy. It goes, “I need thee, Oh, I need thee! Every hour I need thee! Oh, bless me now my Savior, I come to thee.” You’ll need Him sometime—probably today—so make that the theme song of your life.

YOUR JOURNEY…

• Would you say that Jesus is your first option when life gets in your face? Or is He your last resort?
• What specific steps can you take toward being aware of God’s presence and desire to step in and help you?
• At least once today, plan to intentionally call on God. Ask for His wisdom to know what to do and His grace to do it in a way that would be pleasing to Him. Make it a daily, lifelong habit!

 

Unloading the Baggage

I admit I read this a bit late. But its relevant to me at this point of my life.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Today's Text: Hebrews 12:1

Unloading the Baggage

“Throw off anything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.” Hebrews 12:1
I boarded the plane in Chicago with too much baggage. Not the kind of baggage you stow in the overhead compartment or squash under the seat in front of you. Not even the kind you check in at the airline desk. This was the kind of baggage that weighs your heart down and that, if carried around, leaves you emotionally and spiritually exhausted. An unexpected attack from a trusted friend had left me deeply upset and really confused about how to respond.
As the flight attendants went through their pre-flight checklist, I was lost in thought world thinking through all my options. Feeling betrayed and unjustly wronged, I had a long list of possibilities—the kind of responses that seemed very natural to my fallen heart—but they were the types of choices that were wrapped in the old revenge, self-protection, and “I don’t get mad, I just get even” kind of stuff.
As we taxied out to the runway, I knew I needed a second opinion. So I simply prayed, “God, I need you to talk to me. I desperately need your wisdom. You brought this into my life for a purpose, but I don’t know what to do next.”
As the plane climbed, I began to feel closer to God. Not physically closer (although praying above the clouds at 35,000 feet does lend a different perspective), but spiritually closer as He began to share His wisdom with me from Matthew 5. My natural thoughts and desires to fight back and demand my rights were replaced with Jesus’ instruction to “turn the other cheek,” to “go the extra mile,” to “bless those who curse me” (Matthew 5:38-48).
Of course, my human nature continued to argue for a while. “But, God, I’ll feel so weak. I’ll feel like a pushover, a weakling. I need to fight for myself.” The reality is, my pride wanted to keep the baggage. My ego wanted to hang on to the situation and try to deal with it through human, natural, flawed means. Trusting the Lord’s wisdom would mean that I no longer had control of the situation.
But God in His grace reminded me of the surrender of Christ on the cross. He drew me to the fact that, for Jesus, the path to glory was the path of surrender and letting go. The one who is the Lion of Judah is also the Lamb that was slain. And God drew me to that point of decision once again. Was I going to manage this situation to my advantage or was I going to release it, in trust and obedience, to Him?
I am thankful to say that when the plane landed in New York, I left some baggage on it. I walked through the terminal without the heaviness of heart that comes from fighting for my own rights. I headed for my hotel free of the weight of bitterness that the enemy was trying to stir up in my soul. God had renewed my strength and the weariness was gone.
Let me invite you to the privilege of waiting on the Lord. As Isaiah 40:28 reminds us, God never grows weary. His wisdom never runs out. His power, His might, and His truth are available and accessible to His children. You don’t need to walk another step with that load of fear, guilt, anger, bitterness, or confusion.
Check your carry-on baggage. Surrender it to Him and then seek His wisdom to strengthen and direct you.
It makes the journey so much more enjoyable!

YOUR JOURNEY…

• Make a quick list of some of the problems and conflicts that have surfaced in your life. How much of your time and energy is spent in dealing with these issues?
• How has your emotional and spiritual health been affected by the weight of these issues? How about your physical health?
• What fears surface when you think about giving up control of those situations? Why is it tempting to hang on to them?
• Take a few minutes in prayer to release those situations, one by one, to God’s control. Then humbly ask the Lord to fill you with His truth and wisdom.
• As you move through the rest of your day, wait on the Lord. Instead of rushing ahead to your own solutions for each situation, practice the skill of waiting for Him to give you direction.

Stretching the Truth

Monday, March 08, 2010

Today's Text: Proverbs 4:24

Stretching the Truth

“Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you.” Proverbs 4:24
I worked for a carpenter one summer between college semesters. Being the inexperienced apprentice, occasionally I would cut a board too short. Seeing that I had wasted a good board, my frustrated boss would reply: “Get the wood stretcher!”
His point? Wood doesn’t stretch.
Neither does the truth. Once stretched, it is no longer the truth. It is “crooked, devious talk.”
But let’s face it. Stretching the truth now and then can be a handy option, especially if we are in trouble or trying to gain some advantage. But if you think that twisting or slightly adjusting the truth isn’t damaging, think again. When Satan spoke to Eve in Genesis 3, he exaggerated God’s command—“Don’t eat of this one tree”—asking her if God had really said, “You shall not eat from every tree.” Due to his clever mismanagement of true truth, Eve no longer felt that God was generous and good but rather stingy and restrictive. This distortion of the truth planted seeds of doubt and distrust in Eve’s mind that blossomed into disastrous disobedience—a disobedience that has significantly damaged each of us as well.
Every day there are plenty of opportunities to fall to the temptation of mismanaging the truth for our own advantage. Sins of the tongue like flattery, boasting, gossip, and slander are all easily committed when we lose a high regard for the truth.
But under the surface, distorting the truth is a sign of some serious internal problems. Anger is a fertile spawning ground for exaggerating someone’s faults in order to wound them when they have hurt or crossed us.
If your life is committed to “me first” and to making sure you are on top of the pile, your twisted truth words will quickly betray your addiction to yourself.
Pride will lead you to embellish the truth to help you feel better about yourself or to make you look better than others. Seductive thoughts will lead you to flattery and alluring twists of the truth. A greedy heart will hide the true faults of a product and embellish its virtues just to make a sale.
But beware, stretching the truth for your personal advantage ultimately backfires. It’s our character that suffers as landmark virtues like trust and credibility, two building blocks of successful relationships, get slain on the battlefield of our self-serving twisting of the truth. Turning anger to patience and forgiveness; turning self-serving instincts to loving others; turning pride to true humility and greed to generosity will enable you to have the courage to experience the joy of telling it like it really is—which, believe it or not, will ultimately produce better outcomes than stressing yourself out by always twisting and turning the truth to your own gain. As the poet Sir Walter Scott said, “Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!”
 YOUR JOURNEY…

• In what kind of situations do you tend to distort the truth? Choose the most prevalent one and make a plan to tell the truth regardless.
• Think through the kinds of internal problems that tempt you to stretch and twist the truth. What steps could you take to transition your sinful attitude to a truth-telling attitude?
• Make a plan now to take at least one opportunity to tell the truth clearly as a blessing to someone else before this day is done!

Joy of Loving Jesus

Just realised from the devotion I read this morning that Rev 3:20 is actually written for Christians in the church of Laodicia although we always quote it for unbelievers. Yes, Jesus always desires for us to open the door and welcome Him into our heart to fellowship with Him. Let's not be lukewarm but hot for the Lord.

Joy of Loving Jesus

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5

We’ve all done the “Knock, knock! Who’s there?” routine. But what would you do if Jesus was knocking at your door and it was not really a “knock, knock” joke at all?

Well, that’s exactly the setting in Christ’s letter to the church in Laodicea.  Out of the seven letters in Revelation to the churches of Asia, the Laodiceans have the distinct honor of the strongest reproof. And that’s saying something since some of the other churches were entertaining heresy in their teaching and encouraging sexual immorality! Jesus lets the Laodiceans know in no uncertain terms how He feels, when He writes, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15-16). Which is a nice way of saying, “You make me sick, and I feel like vomiting!” Really. That’s how strong the language is.

I don’t ever want Jesus to say that about me. Do I have a witness?

So what’s the problem? Jesus explains that He is deeply offended by them because, as He says, “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked” (v. 17). Their affluence had not only blinded them to the true condition of their hearts but had inflicted them with the sin of self-sufficiency. Because they had all they needed, they felt like they had need of nothing—not even Christ. When we forget how desperately we really need Jesus, it bothers Him, and it should! We easily forget that every good thing we have comes from God (James 1:17). None of us would have a dime to our name or clothes on our back if it weren’t for the grace of God in our lives, providing everything we need in abundance. How can we get so consumed with all the gifts that we forget the giver? Thinking we have it made without needing Him just may be life’s most fatal spiritual mistake.

Where does it leave Jesus when we are caught up in our self-sufficient world? It leaves Him on the outside! Toward the end of His comments to the Laodiceans, He says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me” (v.20). I love the fact that Jesus, though offended by our sense of flagrant independence, still wants us! He still longs for the intimate fellowship that occurred around the dinner tables of the ancient world. And don’t think you are off the hook just because you think that the knocking on the door metaphor is about non-Christians accepting Christ. Don’t miss the point! In this text, Jesus is talking to Christians. To people like you and me who because of our God-supplied abundance no longer sing the old song, “I need Thee, O I need Thee; every hour I need Thee . . .”
He calls us to repent (v. 19) and to open the door of our hearts to let Him in. He calls us to pursue the riches of fellowship with Him and to covet the things that money can’t buy but that He can supply—the real wealth of character, purity, and wisdom (v.18). Imagine the “dining room” of your life filled with an attitude of gratitude for what you have (which beats attitudes of greed and grumpiness), contentment with what you have (which beats being out of breath trying to get your hands on the next best thing), and humility that you have been given anything at all (which beats thinking that you really deserve all of the stuff)!

Knock, knock! Who’s there? It’s Jesus! Welcome Him in today.

Your Journey . . .

• Read Revelation 3:14-22 as if Jesus were speaking directly to you. Specifically jot down how His words to His followers in Laodicea apply to you. What will you do to reprioritize your life and turn from the sin of self-sufficiency to a fresh sense of daily reliance on Jesus?
• Take a look around you, and let all your material stuff serve as reminders that God has been generous beyond what you deserve!  What if it all were lost? Would you feel that He really is all you need?
• Write a prayer responding to the Lord’s statements in Revelation 3. Invite Him to come in. Repent of the self-sufficiency that has blocked the reality of how desperately you need Him.

Heaven - This Way

Heaven - This Way

“You know the way to the place where I am going.” John 14:4

The classic World War II movie The Longest Day portrays one of the clever military strategies of the German army. After the Allies had taken the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, their orders were to assemble in the town of St. Mere-Eglise in France. When they saw the sign for St. Mere-Eglise, naturally they proceeded in that direction. There was only one problem: The Germans had turned the sign to point in the opposite direction.
Unknowingly, the Allied forces confidently followed the sign and started marching toward the German trap. The hero of the Allied forces, played by John Wayne, showed up just in time to rescue them from certain destruction. One glance at his compass told him they were heading for disaster. “Hey, where’s everybody going?” he shouted. “Am I the only one here with a compass? It’s east; it’s east. Somebody moved the sign!”
It’s an old trick, but in our spiritual lives Satan continues to use it against us with great success. He turns the signs pointing to ultimate victory and a great final destiny toward the defeating attitudes of fear, despair, and hopelessness. Jesus, on the eve of His death, wanted to prepare His friends for the battle ahead. He knew that the disciples would be confused and disoriented by the enemy, so He lovingly assured them of victory and pointed them toward their final destination, heaven. He’s done the same for us. He assures us that regardless of the forces that might come against us today, heaven is just ahead and the victory is ours!
Jesus won the victory on “D-Day” when He died on the cross for you! At that point it was His intention to set your heart on heaven. Keeping our eyes on heaven means that regardless of what we face, we know where we are headed. Heavenward travelers proceed with the confidence that all the difficulties of the journey are merely temporary and well worth the pain in light of the ultimate and eternal joy of our destination. But beware! Satan wants nothing more than to distract and disorient your heart. He craftily points the sign toward feelings of inadequacy and defeat. He masks the signs pointing to guilt and regret with slick invitations to seduction and compromise. In fact, many of his distractions claim that heaven is really the here and now if only you will engage in a little out-of-bounds pleasure or in living to increase your stacks of stuff. When we think we’ve got heaven here, the enemy has won the day. But it’s not too late to get back on track. Jesus holds the compass, and He knows that to follow Satan’s clever shifting of the sign is to walk right into the trap of Satan’s destruction. He knows the territory well and is calling us to follow Him all the way to heaven—the ultimate destination of eternal fulfillment and joy!

Hear Him shouting to your heart: “Hey, you’re going the wrong way! Follow me!”

 YOUR JOURNEY…

• What earth-side stuff has gotten you off the heaven-bound way with Jesus lately? Is it an attitude, an emotion, an action, or a temptation that you consistently fall prey to? How would a clear view of your destination help you to rearrange your priorities and to turn your back on the destructive failures of going in the wrong direction? Be specific.
• If you knew that it was Satan who was beckoning you to go in the wrong direction, would it make any difference? Read 1 Peter 5:8. What steps can you take to get your life back on the road toward heaven?

I Surrender All

by: Jessica Heikoop
Romans 12:1-2 Present your bodies as a living sacrifice. (v. 1)


The congregation was enthusiastically singing I Surrender All.

Our pastor once observed that if we were being honest, most of us would have to change the words a bit and sing “I surrender most” or even “I surrender some.” Unfortunately he was right. God does not call us to surrender only part of ourselves to him. He calls for complete surrender.

Another way to look at this idea of full surrender is through Paul’s words in the passage we read today. The term “living sacrifice” is a powerful appeal and somewhat of an ominous expression at first glance. As Nancy Leigh DeMoss explains, though, it simply means to offer our bodies as a “complete presentation of ourselves to God.” It means that we devote ourselves to him with all willingness.


This encompasses every aspect of our lives. It is rendering to God all that we are and all that we have. True surrender doesn’t just pick and choose those parts of ourselves that we feel like giving him. He wants all of us, not just a portion of our lives, not a small fragment of our time, not merely a fraction of our possessions.
Selective surrender isn’t real surrender. If you want to be a living sacrifice, you can’t say, “Lord, you can have my heart but not my head, my voice but not my hands and feet.” You can only say, “Lord, I surrender all.”

************************

One of my previous churches stopped singing this hymn after a visiting speaker remarked that when we sang it, how many of us really meant what we were singing.........

The Cross

The Cross

A young man was at the end of his road , seeing no way out, he dropped to his knees in prayer.

"Lord, I can't go on," he said. "I have too heavy a cross to bear."
The Lord replied, "My son, if you can't bear its weight, just place your cross inside this room. Then, open that other door and pick out any cross you wish."
The man was filled with relief and said, "Thank you Lord," and he did as he was told.
Upon entering the other room, he saw many crosses; some so large the tops were not visible. Then, he spotted a tiny cross leaning against a far wall.
"I'd like that one, Lord," he whispered.
The Lord replied, "My son, that is the cross you just brought in."
***

When life's problems seem overwhelming, it helps to look around and see what other people are coping with. You may consider yourself far more fortunate than you imagined.
***

YOUR CROSS
Whatever your cross
Whatever your pain
There will always be sunshine
After the rain Perhaps you may stumble
Perhaps even fall
But God's always there
To help you through it all ______________________________________________________________________
HLCE Online is on the web

'It doesn't matter what you believe, as long as you're sincere.'

'It doesn't matter what you believe, as long as you're sincere.'

That must be one of the most common statements I hear when people first start talking about faith. What do you think about that statement? Personally, I don't think these people really mean what they are saying, at least not literally. If you are walking on a lake that's covered with one inch of ice, no matter how sincere you are in believing you can do it, you are in for a cold soaking at best. If someone encourages you to try, "as long as you're sincere," they are no friend! The issue is less the sincerity or intensity of your faith than it is the trustworthiness of the object of your faith: Is it solid enough, deep enough, trustworthy enough, to be capable of holding your weight?"....

Brian D. McLaren in Finding Faith: A Search for What Makes Sense

www.Zondervan.com
Live Life Inspired.

Later On

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. —Romans 8:18

It seems there are two kinds of people in this world: those who have an eternal perspective and those who are preoccupied with the present.

One is absorbed with the permanent; the other with the passing. One stores up treasure in heaven; the other accumulates it here on earth. One stays with a challenging marriage because this isn’t all there is; another looks for happiness in another mate, believing this life is all there is. One is willing to suffer poverty, hunger, indignity, and shame because of “the glory which shall be revealed” (Rom. 8:18); another believes that happiness is being rich and famous. It’s all a matter of perspective.

Abraham had an “other world” perspective. That’s what enabled him to give up a piece of well-watered land by the Jordan (Gen. 13). He knew that God had something better for him later on. The Lord told him to look in every direction as far as he could see and then said that his family would someday have it all. What a land grant! And God promised that his descendants would be as numerous “as the dust” (v.16).

That’s an outlook many people can’t understand. They go for all the gusto right now. But God’s people have another point of view. They know that God has something better later on!  — David H. Roper

I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today. —Miller

Live for Jesus, and you’ll live for eternity.

ODB: One Passion

July 15, 2009
One Passion

READ: Luke 14:25-35
If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. —Luke 14:26


Nechayev, a 19th-century disciple of Karl Marx who had a role in the assassination of Czar Alexander II, wrote: “The revolutionary man . . . has no personal interests, no business affairs, no emotions, no attachments, no property, and no name. Everything in him is wholly absorbed in the single thought and the single passion for revolution.” Although his motives and goals were wrong, Nechayev’s statement shows the singlemindedness of commitment.

Jesus wanted true commitment from His disciples. In Luke 14, we read that large crowds joined Him as He traveled toward Jerusalem (v.25). Perhaps these casual followers considered themselves to be His true disciples, but Jesus taught that following Him was more than just knowing facts about Him. He explained what it really meant to be His disciple when He defined the cost of discipleship: Nothing, not love for father or mother or even one’s own life, was to take precedence over loyalty to Jesus (vv.26-33). His disciples (then and now) must acknowledge that if God is to be primary in their lives, possessions and even social relationships have to be secondary.

Jesus calls His followers to be absorbed in a single, exclusive thought and passion—Him. — Marvin Williams

Set us afire, Lord, stir us we pray!
While the world perishes, we go our way
Purposeless, passionless, day after day;
Set us afire, Lord, stir us we pray! —Cushman

Our love for Jesus is the key to spiritual passion.

Our Legacy

June 21, 2009
Our Legacy
Children are a heritage from the Lord. —Psalm 127:3

A friend of mine wrote recently, “If we died tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days. But the family left behind would feel the loss for the rest of their lives. Why then do we invest so much in our work and so little in our children’s lives?”

Why do we sometimes exhaust ourselves rising up early and going late to rest, “eating the bread of anxious toil” (Ps. 127:1-2 esv), busying ourselves to make our mark on this world, and overlooking the one investment that matters beyond everything else—our children?

Solomon declared, “Children are a heritage from the Lord”—an invaluable legacy He has bequeathed us. “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth” (v.4) is his striking simile. Nothing is more worthy of our energy and time.

There is no need for “anxious toil,” working night and day, the wise man Solomon proclaimed, for the Lord does take care of us (Ps. 127:2). We can make time for our children and trust that the Lord will provide for all of our physical needs. Children, whether our own or those we disciple, are our lasting legacy—an investment we’ll never regret. — David H. Roper

Our children are a heritage,
A blessing from the Lord;
They bring a richness to our lives—
In each, a treasure stored. —Fasick

Time spent with your children is time wisely invested.

The Heavenly Alternative

The Heavenly Alternative
READ: 2 Corinthians 5:1-11

We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. —2 Corinthians 5:8

Recently, I wished a young friend “happy birthday” and asked him how it felt to be a year older. His playful response? “Well, I guess it’s better than the alternative!”
We laughed together, but I later stopped to think—is it really? Don’t misunderstand me. I’m happy to live as long as the Lord allows me to live and to watch my kids and grandkids grow and experience life. I’m not excited about the inevitability of death. But as a believer, the alternative to getting older is heaven—and that’s not bad!

In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul talks about the reality of living with the aches and pains of our physical bodies, our “tents” of flesh. But we should not live in despair about aging. In fact, the apostle calls us to just the opposite. He wrote, “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord” (v.8). Confident! Pleased! Why? Because our alternative to earthly life is that we will be present with the Lord—forever! The heavenly perspective of what awaits us can give us confidence for living now.

If you know Christ, His promise can give you what the hymnwriter called, “Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.” What a great alternative! — Bill Crowder

He’s gone “to prepare a place for you,”That where He is, “there you may be.”Our death is not the end of life—We’ll be with Christ eternally! —Hess

Death is gain because it means heaven, holiness, and Him!