IN PAIN, FATIGUED, AND PRAISING GOD

“²Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” James 1:2-3 (NIV)

The cheers of the crowd, the glares of the opponents, the electric feeling as you step over the goal line and begin to stretch; you can see everything, hear everything, and smell everything. You become instantly aware of your body and feel stronger, faster, and more intense. Then the lights snap on. You think of your injured teammates. They have felt this before, this feeling of invincibility, power, strength—and have felt the doubts. What if you get injured? It is a very real possibility.

At the end of the game, you are amazingly tired and sore—but you have felt this before. Months of strength training and conditioning, practices, and the ultimate test: practices twice a day in the August heat. Why do football teams do this? One main reason for these difficult times is perseverance. Putting the team through the wringer makes sure the team can persevere in the most difficult games.

Perseverance can be described as the ability to accomplish goals through life’s troubles and hardships. Some people may be given perseverance by God, but others need to work on it. We can always develop perseverance. Difficult times are a gift of which we must take full advantage so that we may grow. A great biblical example of perseverance is Job. He lost his entire family, his wealth, and his health. “⁹His wife said to him, ‘Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!’ ¹⁰He replied, ‘You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?’. . .” Job 2:9-10 (NIV)

How many times do we sit and stew over a bad day? How long do we spend on self-pity? Continue on through the troubles, through the trials, through the pain, and strengthen yourself! We are called to be spiritual warriors! I cannot help thinking of one of Pastor Rich’s sermons some weeks ago. This world is a war zone, and the ones who have not been through the battle will be. Be courageous for the Lord! Perseverance is not found in never-falling believers. Perseverance is picking yourself and others up for His glory. We have the ultimate victory in our Lord Jesus Christ, so what have we to fear?
—Jonathan Rainous

A BETTER PLACE

“If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, . . .” John 14:28b (ESV)

I sat close to the gray-haired lady in the blue lace dress holding her hand tightly in mine. She motioned for me to lean closer. As I did, she whispered two complete sentences to me, which was very extraordinary. She had suffered a stroke some time before and rarely could speak more than a couple of words at a time. Her words brought to my mind one of Jesus’ teachings about His going to the Father.

This ninety-four year-old lady was Aunt Opal, my favorite aunt. I was sitting with her in the basement of the Ransom, Illinois, United Methodist Church after the funeral of Uncle Russell, her beloved husband of seventy-five years. The day was December 13, 2007, the day he would have celebrated his ninety-seventh birthday.

At his funeral, the power of Uncle Russell’s Christian witness was clearly demonstrated by the testimonies of those who knew how he lived his life and loved his wife and family. By the world’s standards, my favorite uncle was a very simple man. He was born in a log cabin in a small Illinois town. He was one of eight children and did not have the benefit of a formal education past the sixth grade. He was a barber who taught himself how radios and televisions worked and what to do when they did not. His love for God and his faith in Christ were great. This love and faith were examples to his wife, four children, fourteen grandchildren, twenty-four great grandchildren, two great-great grandchildren, and members of the small Methodist church where he and my aunt were members for sixty years. It was said that until shortly before his death, Uncle Russell was very concerned about who was not in church, even more than the pastor. The songs sung at the funeral included, “In A Land Where We’ll Never Grow Old,” telling of the glories of heaven.

As I held my aunt’s hand and looked around the fellowship hall, I was filled with gratitude for the strong Christian heritage of which I was a part. It was because of men like Uncle Russell who loved God, lived out their faith in Jesus, and were examples to my cousins and me. I will always remember and pass onto my family those words that my aunt whispered to me, “I will be happy because Russell always wanted me to be happy. I am happy because he is in a better place with God.”

As Christians, we can rejoice because we and our loved ones who believe in Christ will someday be in that better place with God.
—Sharon Schatz

DO NOT WORRY

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” Matthew 6:25 (NIV)

Many of you are aware of the situation in which I found myself this past summer. I was laid off. Much uncertainty was ahead as I had been looking for a new employer for a year before being laid off. I had a wife and baby to support, and there was much room for needless worrying. I quickly looked to God to provide in this situation. One passage to which the Lord led me was Matthew 6:25-34. What a wonderful passage on which to meditate if you are facing trials or uncertainty. God provides for the birds of the air; how much more valuable we are than they!

Many in the church body were praying for me, and God provided! I was offered two positions before my severance package expired. Not only did God provide by giving me a new job, but I could not have asked for a better employer. The owners of settingPace are family oriented and care about each individual employee. Everything fit into place perfectly—to God be the glory!
—Chris Doughman

FAITH BUILDERS

Isaiah 43:9-11.
“‘You are my witnesses,’ declares the LORD, ‘and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me . . .’” Isaiah 43:10 (NIV)

One of the most powerful aspects of the United States judicial system is the power of eyewitness testimony. It is difficult to refute the observations of anyone who was there and experienced an event first-hand. The testimony becomes more powerful when there is a multitude of witnesses observing the same set of circumstances at the same time. If the event occurs over an extended period of time, the witnesses are able to observe and recall even more details regarding this event.

In today’s passage, the LORD declares Israel a witness to His saving power.

Have you ever thought of yourself as a witness to the Lord’s saving power? I, for one, as a member of this particular congregation, have observed God’s saving power through the testimony many of you have shared by the lives you have lived and are living. Sometimes you did not have to say a word—your actions spoke louder than anything you could have ever said. It did not matter whether the circumstances were difficult or you had experienced one of life’s greatest joys—your response gave God glory and praise.

Even in daily routines, your countenance expresses a life of submission. You may not know it, but you are a faith builder. You are strengthening those with whom you come in contact daily. You have strengthened me. As one of many witnesses, may you continue to share your testimony and be encouraged as you observe the testimony of others. Lest I forget, may I say—THANK YOU for being His witness!
—Pete Snyder

IF YOU BELIEVE

“Then Jesus said, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?’” John 11:40 (NIV)

Here is a portion of Scripture that has often strengthened my faith, especially in times of crisis. The setting is several days after the death of Lazarus, during the period of mourning following his burial. Jesus has finally arrived on the scene evoking a remorseful observation on the part of Martha, “‘Lord,’ . . . ‘if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’” John 11:21 (NIV) Notice Jesus does not rebuke her for her accusation; but as we will see, He gets her focus off of her own confusion and despair and onto faith in Him.

As the scene continues to unfold, Jesus commands the stone be rolled away. Martha protests that, since Lazarus had been dead for several days, there would be an odor. Jesus draws her attention to His authority as He asks her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”

What a lesson for us!

• No matter what is going on around . . .
• No matter how painful the questions that our suffering provokes . . .
• No matter how devastating the consequences are that we must face . . .
• No matter what . . .

In any and every situation, Jesus reminds us to believe. Our willingness to obey Him and walk by faith, in spite of any obstacle, will yield great blessing. We have the privilege of seeing the glory of God revealed in any circumstance.

• Does that mean our prayers are always answered the way we hope?
• Does that mean we do not suffer in our time of trial?
• Does that mean we do not have painful questions?

No, it means we have the incredible opportunity to put our faith in God, watching Him reveal Himself to His honor and glory!
—Marcia Lamkin

BE PATIENT, GOD ISN’T FINISHED WITH ME YET

“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6 (NIV)

As many of you know, our son, Ryan, is a Captain in the Army and was stationed in Vicenza, Italy. In 2003, we were able to visit Ryan and Liz, and tour Italy. On our way from Rome to Vicenza, we spent the day in Florence going to several museums and viewing art works and sculptures that are some of the world’s most famous.

If you see nothing else in Florence, you must go to the Accademia di Belle Arti and see the David by Michelangelo. It is breath-taking and magnificent! It gave me chills. I expected to be awed, and I was. What I did not expect, or even know existed, were the statues in the wide hallway leading to the David. On either side, there are several unfinished statues, four called “the Captives” and one of St. Matthew.

These statues, especially the one of Matthew, captivated me almost as much as the David. The block of white marble shows the front of Matthew’s body and only half of his face. He is trapped in the rock and seems to be straining to break free—captive like the others.

Other visitors milled around me, seemingly unaware of these treasures. As I wandered the hall and peered into the faces of Matthew and the Captives, I felt like I was viewing the souls of the unborn and unexpectedly began to weep. Embarrassed, I wiped away the tears and wondered, “Why had they been left in the rock? What or who had deemed them inadequate, less than acceptable, flawed?” The marble used for the David was “recycled” and considered flawed. What made these statues any different, any less worthy of completion?

Stone has no ability to change or enhance itself. It is a slave to its intrinsic nature. It can only become awe-inspiring in the hands of a master, the sculptor. It cannot choose to either be carved or left in the earth.

Every day, we have a choice to yield to His plan or remain in the rock. We have a divine master and creator who chose us to become His masterpiece, whole and perfect, with the potential to leave an inspiring legacy. The season of Lent is often ignored. It is not as “glitzy” or attractive as Christmas, but Lent is a gift of time for us to consider our response to Christ’s sacrifice. This makes us complete in the hands of our master, God the Father, and bring us into the new life He promises.
—Linda Young

EMMANUEL: RANSOM CAPTIVE ISRAEL

“even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28 (ESV)

The question: What is one of the most eventful times in your life? I feel that Charles Spurgeon’s and my conversion experiences were similar. I reply with some of Spurgeon mixed in my answer.

The evangelist proclaimed, “There is a message for you from God . . . you will be condemned eternally on account of your sins.” I was shocked, surprised, and then angered. “Who do you think you are?” was my (his) reply. “My name is Law.”

Law tore me to pieces where extreme guilt and misery reigned. I thought, “There may be hope and mercy. Perhaps God would accept my repentance and promises to live a good life, followed by good works.” No, guilt grew and intensified. Deep despair descended. If God would cut me open, all He would find would be darkness, rotten sins against Him.

Spurgeon and I felt that the Lord led us to a cross, and then vanished. Looking again, we saw Him appear on that cross. His eyes darted a glance of love into our hearts.

Looking now at a scary, dark world that sees not this cross, people are like those chocolate Easter bunnies—hollow, empty, and dark inside.

Long ago, Jerome, a fourth-century monastic leader who translated the Bible into Latin, had a dream that the Christ Child came to him. He offered gifts, but the Child refused them. Jerome cried out, “What can I give You?” The child answered, “Give Me your sins. That’s what I came for . . .”

Christmas music has meant much to me this past Christmas— “O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel.” Come, glorify, and love this Lord and Savior, now and forever.
—Jo Youst

THE GLORY OF THE COMING OF THE LORD

Revelation 14:14-20.
“Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle.” Revelation 14:14 (NKJV)

“Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord,
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword
His truth is marching on.”

“The Battle Hymn of the Republic” is a patriotic hymn unparalleled for its stirring inspiration of patriotism, yet it has very little to say about America and everything to say about the second coming of Christ! It began as a Civil War battle song of the “Republic” of the union army.

When Julia Ward Howe was watching troops in Washington D.C. and heard them singing “John Brown’s Body” with its derisive phrases to the tune of a southern American camp meeting tune, her former pastor from Boston asked her to write words for the tune.

By the next morning, she had four verses and an exciting chorus composed. The Atlantic Monthly published it in February 1862. Soon many in the North were singing the song that was destined for immortality. When it was sung to President Lincoln at a large rally, with tears in his eyes he cried out, “Sing it again!” and they did to tumultuous applause.

Julia had grown up in a conservative Episcopalian home. Her father was an ardent Calvinist in his beliefs. Although she slipped to more liberal religious convictions, she continued faith in Christ’s leadership, a personal God, His power and truth, a vehement opposition to slavery, and a belief in the brotherhood of man.

Few Americans understand the rich theological significance of the lyrics of this hymn. Somehow the author was inspired by Revelation 14:14-20 which describes the second coming of the Son of Man in judgment. He descends on the white cloud, unleashes His sickle (sword), and sends forth His angels to harvest the wicked and cast them (grapes of wrath) into a winepress where they are crushed.

Jesus came, first as Savior, and will come again as judge. Our only shelter from God’s wrath is in loving service to Jesus, who came to earth to die. He shed His blood upon the cross for our sins, was resurrected into eternal life, ascended again to His Father, left us with the Holy Spirit as Counselor, and sits at God’s right hand as our Advocate.

“In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me;
As He died to make men holy, let us live to make men free,
While God is marching on.

Glory! Glory, hallelujah! His truth is marching on.”

—Dr. Bill Gerhardt

HIDDEN BLESSINGS

“⁸For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. ⁹For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV)

As many of you know, I was diagnosed with cancer at the age of two. Although I do not remember much about fighting this terrible disease, I will have to live with the aftermath of the treatment my whole life. I am missing eleven teeth; my bones are weaker than average; and the biggest and most noticeable is that I am only five feet tall. Although these all seem bad and sometimes make life more difficult than normal, they have made me look to God. God has a reason for everything, even though it can be annoying always looking up at people, especially when one of my friends is 6’2”. It has challenged me to look at why God would allow this to happen.

I believe this has occurred to make me a stronger witness to others and bring glory to God now and many times in the future. How would this make me a stronger witness? Allow me to explain. When people see what looks like a twelve-year-old driving a car or working at an automotive shop and come up to me and ask me how old I am, I can tell them this story. When I was only two years old, I was diagnosed with not only a horrible disease, neuroblastoma, but the worst possible stage of this disease, Stage IV. After a year of treatment, the doctors gave up all hope for me and actually told my parents to start planning my funeral. They continued to pray! The church prayed! Do you know what happened? A miracle happened that no doctor and no test can or will ever explain. I know why I lived—I know it is because we have a mighty, sovereign, and merciful God who, without a doubt, has a plan for my life and wanted to use me for His glory.

I can tell this person who came up to me that, if I did not have this disease that was treated with chemo and radiation, then I would not look like a twelve-year-old; and we would not be having this conversation.

Even through these difficult and troubling times in our lives, in every one of our lives, there is a purpose. It may not be apparent now; but without a doubt, it will be, if you submit to Him and allow Him to show you and use you.
—Josh Kinderman

WORLD’S BIGGEST SINNER

“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” I Timothy 1:15 (ESV)

Does it strike you as odd that Paul would identify himself as the world’s biggest sinner? Paul was an educated man, had traveled widely, and was certainly aware of religious and political leaders guilty of heinous crimes against humanity. True, he was guilty of sending saints from Jerusalem to jail and voting for their deaths (Acts 26:10); but if someone else killed, cheated, lied, etc. more than Paul, could Paul consider himself the world’s biggest sinner?

Consider that Paul could not have known every sinner and their sins in order to make an accurate assessment. One way to interpret his seeing himself as the foremost of sinners is to assume that, of all the sinners he knew intimately, he was the biggest. A second theory is that this is an example of hyperbole, and Paul wants to encourage the reader to trust Jesus for forgiveness and salvation. In either case, Paul’s response was to rejoice in the grace of the Lord and to work harder than the rest of them (1 Corinthians 15:10). Paul, like the forgiven debtor in Luke 7, was forgiven much and, in gratitude, loved much.

Paul’s example urges us to take seriously both our sin and the grace of the Lord. We have a temptation to compare ourselves with others. “Sure, ___ is sin. I’m human and I sin, but so does everybody else. Jesus died for me and forgave me, so . . . no big deal.” Another example is, “What I believe about God is personal (and has no bearing on the way I live my life).” Paul must have dealt with such thinkers. He writes, “¹⁹You are not your own; ²⁰you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” I Corinthians 6:19b-20 (NIV) Shame and guilt can knock us over. “Not only is ___ sin, but lots of people know about it; and I’ve lost my chance for ministry. I’m just glad I have eternal life.” Paul’s personal response models an appropriate, God-honoring response, “¹²I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, ¹³though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent.” I Timothy 1:12-13a (ESV)

Our sensitivity and right response toward personal sin is a barometer of our spiritual maturity. None of us wants to miss God’s best for our lives because of vanity and pride. Our sin is serious, but His grace is sufficient.
—Ruth Cload

THE BIG GUNS OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE

“. . . when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” Matthew 26:30 (ESV)

My prayer for this Lenten season is that God would give us a greater understanding of the mighty power of praise and worship. We must see that the big guns of spiritual warfare are praise and worship.

What happened when the Army of God in Old Testament days sent the praisers, the choir, first into battle? The enemy was put in confusion and defeated (II Chronicles 20:20-23). What did Paul and Silas do when imprisoned? At the midnight hour, they sang and praised God; and the prison doors were opened (Acts 16:25-26). Look at David, King Saul, and Jonah (I Samuel 16:16-23, Jonah 2:9).

Most of all, look at the Lord Jesus Himself (Matthew 26:30). At the Last Supper, the Passover fellowship was concluded with singing the Hallel Psalms (Psalms 113-118). These Psalms are filled with the praise and worship of the God of the Universe. Before the Lord Jesus faced the greatest spiritual warfare battle in all of history, He was praising and worshiping God.

Praise and worship, next to the Word of God, are some of the best weapons against Satan. When we praise God, we are showing the heavenly hosts, principalities, demons of darkness, and angels of light that our great God is worthy of praise no matter what the circumstances.

Do we have any battles or midnight hours today, struggling with anxieties, upsets, or even little trifles that keep us in bondage and imprisoned, living less than a victorious Christian life? Might not the simple answer be to open our mouths and sing His praises morning, noon, and night—worshipping Him with all our hearts? Think even what a greater thing we do when we really praise and worship God in community worship, all in agreement. Walls come tumbling down, prisons’ doors open, captives are set free, and the oppressed loosed in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
—Noreen Mocsny

ON SPINOZA, A.W. TOZER, AND PEARL JAM

“Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.” Psalm 145:3 (NIV)

I hear much of Spinoza’s thinking on campus today. Of course, hardly anyone knows they are parroting Spinoza, which shows the importance of understanding history. In 1670, as the Enlightenment was starting, Spinoza said this about belief in God, “. . . the intellectual knowledge of God which contemplates his nature as it really is in itself . . . has no bearing on the practice of a true way of . . . faith . . . and that consequently men can go far astray in this matter without sinning” (in Theological Political Treatise). Spinoza was saying something we still hear today, “It doesn’t matter what you think about God, just be a good person and everything will work itself out.” This line of thinking is utterly false. Scripture reminds us many times about the importance of believing the truth about the true God, which moves us to worship.

Contrast this with A.W. Tozer, who says, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us” (in The Knowledge of the Holy). Tozer continues, “Worship is pure or base as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God.”

This brings me to Pearl Jam. While living in Southern California a few years ago, I went with a friend to a Pearl Jam concert. The minute the opening act finished and Pearl Jam took the stage, the crowd began to energize, rising an hour later to a crescendo as the audience (me included) screamed at the top of their lungs in unison, “I, I, I’m still alive . . .” Then it dawned on me—this is the secular equivalent of a church worship service. I was reminded of the truth that we are, by nature, creatures who seek to worship that which is transcendent in our lives. If, like Spinoza, we think that it does not really matter whether our idea of God is actually true, then there is not much of a difference between a Pearl Jam concert and a church service.

I am convinced that A.W. Tozer, and not Spinoza, got it right on this one. What is your idea of God? Have you been captivated by a sense of awe and wonder at the goodness and greatness of the God who created you? As we prepare for Easter, perhaps it is a good time for all of us to read Tozer’s classic The Knowledge of the Holy, J.I. Packer’s Knowing God, Anselm, or Augustine and be reminded once again of the God whom we worship and serve.
—Paul Gould, Campus Crusade for Christ–Purdue University

THE NECESSITY OF SUFFERING

“¹⁶The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” Romans 8:16-17 (ESV)

For more than six months, the Lord has been working in me with regard to how I should be thinking about suffering in my life or in the lives of others. Most of us can think of times in our lives when we have suffered in one way or another. We certainly all have stories that we have heard of others suffering.

In the recent church history class which I took in the fall, I learned about an early church father named Polycarp. He was the bishop of Smyrna and lived sometime between 50-170AD. Christianity was against the law in the Roman Empire, and he was ordered to be put to death. His story is one of the earliest examples of martyrdom, and it is a powerful witness. As an eighty-six-year-old man going to his death, he prayed continually for his captors and torturers. He made sure that they had something to eat and drink when they came to arrest him. The reason why he could act this way was because he considered it a blessing to be made to suffer. He believed the words of the above passage from Romans. Suffering in our lives is a sign that we are connected with Christ. I do not think that this only means martyrdom or persecution. Any time that we are mourning over the fact that sin is going on around us and in us, we are showing our connection with Christ. Polycarp rejoiced in his sufferings because he knew his Savior suffered for him.

As you reflect on the suffering of Christ this Easter, remember that your suffering is a good thing because it shows that your salvation is true. It is a sign of your salvation. I also encourage you to read more about the death of Polycarp. To God be the glory!
—Andy Koesters

FORGIVENESS

“⁴. . . ‘Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. ⁵Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?’ ⁷And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, ‘Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.’” John 8:4-5, 7 (ESV)

As we are immersed in the Lenten season, we are constantly reminded of God’s amazing love for us that He would send His only Son to die, in order that we might live. I find it interesting that, in light of this, all of us feel, at times, that we cannot forgive ourselves for our past. Why is it that the Lord, the all powerful One, can forgive us but we cannot? Many of us feel that we are unworthy to live a life free of guilt. We think that, because we deserve death for our sins, we should not forget them. It is this way of thinking that drives us to a life of bondage to sin. The devil keeps this in our minds so we can never truly be free. In the Bible, we are told that because of Christ’s death on the cross, we have been forgiven—not just for the “little sins” that we feel are unimportant, but for all sins alike.

The adulteress in the above passage was judged by her peers as being one who deserved death, but Jesus told her that she could be saved. He showed her how she could live through Him. He forgave her for sins that imperfect humans could not.

One thing we do not always remember is that God is always ready to offer us the free gift of grace. God loves His children and does not condemn us when we repent, but instead forgives us. Jesus leaves the woman saying, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” John 8:11 (ESV) He did not say, “Go and feel guilty.” Jesus told the woman to change her life by no longer sinning.

It is guilt and feeling unworthy that hinders us in doing what God wants us to do. We think we are bound to mess up again and fail to see the point in trying at all. I encourage you to defeat this feeling inside of you. Take the example of the adulteress, who was looked down upon by humans but found peace through Jesus Christ. Let us do the same, in order that we might expand the Kingdom of Christ.
—Hannah Salzbrun

MOTHER’S FAITH

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

My mother died on April 24, 2002. This was an important date to my mother—her brother, John, was reported missing in action on April 24, 1944. As a teenager, she had lost two other brothers to tragic accidents. She was a young wife and mother who had lost all of her siblings by age 25. At some time in her life, drinking became a way to deal with her pain. When my brother, John, committed suicide, my mother became an alcoholic.

By the grace of God, when I was ten, my family started attending church as a family. W.A. Amerson, our pastor, ministered to me and my family. He started me on my walk of faith. When W.A. was transferred, my parents stopped attending church; but he did not forget about my parents—he continued to pray for them.

During the last seven years of my mother’s life, she quit drinking. We had some wonderful times together. For four years, my two sisters, brother, sister-in-law, and several caretakers cared for my mother’s physical needs. I took her to church, prayed for her, and spent time with her. I wondered about her faith but could never bring myself to ask her it she had accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. I was afraid to ask and wanted to assume she had.

W. A. Amerson retired and returned to Indiana. Unknown to me, he visited my mother many times; and he asked her if she had accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. W.A. preached at my mother’s funeral—I knew she was in heaven.
—Peggy Moses

JUST NOT FEELING IT

“¹He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. ²I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’” Psalm 91:1-2 (NIV)

I recently heard a man comment that people are addicted to emotion and part of growing closer to God is breaking this addiction. It reminded me of myself because, for years, I struggled with the feeling that God was not close to me; and no matter what I did, this feeling did not abate. In my spiritual immaturity, I did not realize that this is all it was—a feeling. Nowhere in Psalm 91:1-2 does it promise we will feel warm and fuzzy God vibes. It does not say we will feel God’s presence; it says He is present.

I am usually an emotionally driven person (yes, I am a female), but my faith in God’s character and my follow-through must be based on something sturdier than hormonal fluctuations! The adage that says, “If you used to feel close to God but now don’t, who moved?” is truly played out. Looking back at those ridiculous years of self-pity, I thought God was keeping me at arms-length evidenced by my not getting a Jesus high every Sunday. I now know that God wants me more than I could ever want Him, and I am blessed with Christian friends who helped point this out to me and thus weaken my addiction to “feeling it.” So often, I am guilty of thinking God is a reflection of me (inconsistent, moody, etc.) when (praise Jesus!) He is not. No matter how I am feeling on any given day, God is real, He is faithful, and He is present.
—Sarah Dennison

WHO AM I?

“³When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, ⁴what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?” Psalm 8:3-4 (NIV)

One of my favorite websites is the “Astronomy Picture of the Day”—it features a new astronomy-related picture and explanation every day. Some of the pictures have found their way onto my computer, where I can look at them again and again. The vastness and beauty of the universe are mind-boggling.

My wife bought me a book about the universe for Christmas. It reminded me again of how insignificant our world, solar system, and even galaxy are in relation to the universe.

From a scientific perspective, that is true. Even David pondered such things long ago before the age of telescopes, space travel, and modern science.

David wondered, “Why, God, are you so mindful of man? Man is so insignificant compared to all you have made! Look at all those stars! Look at the wonders of your world! How can man compare to this? Why do you care for man when you have made all this and it is so spectacular?”

David continues to wonder in awe that God made man “a little lower than the heavenly beings” (Psalm 8:5) and “ruler over the works of (His) hands” (Psalm 8:6).

I ponder the stars and say, “Wow!” I cannot help but marvel at the works of God’s hands. To think that the One who created all this also came to the earth in human form to redeem me and give me eternal life with Him, I have to react like David did when he wrote this Psalm, “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” Psalm 8:1 (NIV)

“Who am I?” God says I am His child. Yes, I am a special part of His creation. He wants me to be with Him forever. Our identity with God in Christ makes us who we are. “Who am I?” Better asked, “WHOSE am I?”
—Terry Eshom

MY ONLY GOOD

“²⁶If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. ²⁷Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:26-27 (NIV)

As a child, throughout high school, and in early adult years (my twenties), I thought I was a pretty good person. I did not see myself as being “totally depraved.” After all, I did nice things for people; I sought after peace with those around me. I thought I had a good handle on how to be a good person. God must be so pleased with me, with my efforts toward being a good Christian—right?

Do you notice the theme in the previous paragraph? It was all about me and my efforts. To my utter horror, the light bulb was turned on. I began to see that, although I put on a good front, I was living in a deception of my own making. My choices in movies, music, and books were far less than stellar. My thoughts toward others did not match my actions—so much for being that good Christian. I was deeply convicted.

I literally purged from my life all music, videos, and books not pleasing to God. My life improved greatly for it. So once again, I could see “how wonderful” I was. I could see “how good it was of me” to do the fine act for Christ. (Do you think I had a bit of a pride problem?) For many years, I saw myself once again as a good person.

Lo and behold, after years of basking in my wonderfulness, God showed me through a very dear person how depraved I truly was and still am. It really was not all about me and my efforts. The only good that came from me was, because of Christ in me, “. . . to will and to do for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13 (NKJV) I could take no credit for any of it. He is the reason I could purge the ugly from my life. It truly was and is all about Him and His sovereignty in my life. I am who I am today only because of His amazing love and mercy. I, like all of us, am saved from my depravity because He took it on Himself. He lovingly gave up His life so that we could live free from sin’s hold. Thanks be to Your name, Lord!
—Jennie Baumgartner

BURN-OUT CAN BE A GOOD THING!

“³Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. ⁵An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. ⁶It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops.” II Timothy 2:3-6 (ESV)

When God wants me to really learn something, He seems to hit me with it from many different angles until I finally get the message. This is what has been happening with these verses. It is not the actual work of a soldier, athlete, and farmer that have challenged me, but that all three of these examples involve hard work and sacrifice in order to do their job well. The soldier must always be ready for danger and risk. The athlete must train constantly to be at the top of his game. The farmer must work hard, to the point of exhaustion, to produce a good crop. All of these must set aside their own comfort and ease in order to faithfully carry out their task.

This is the message that God has been trying to get through to me—hard work and sacrifice are part of my job description as a Christian. When I first began to contemplate how this truth applied to me, it seemed pretty discouraging. Now that I had time to let the message sink in and see it work in my life, to some extent, I find that it is genuinely exciting!

Working hard for my family and at my job is actually very satisfying. When I come to the end of a day and am completely exhausted, I find myself curiously content. Working to “please the one who enlisted” me, in whatever manner He calls me to do this, is an incredible privilege. I think that I now see this is the key—the energizing power—working to please God and not myself, or someone else. On those days when I do not feel I have given things my best effort or have failed miserably in some way, I know that I am still His daughter, loved by the King. His sacrifice never fails me. When I compare the hard work I think I do and the sacrifices I think I make, to the work and sacrifice of my Savior, I am completely humbled. I am ready to “burn myself out” for my Savior, serving Him as He calls me, knowing that He does not call me to anything He has not already done Himself.
—Colleen Grogan

NO HARM WILL BEFALL YOU

“⁹If you make the Most High your dwelling—even the LORD, who is my refuge—¹⁰then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. ¹¹For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; ¹²they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” Psalm 91:9-12 (NIV)

This is the season when we consider the crucifixion of Jesus and the agony that He experienced on our behalf. However, no harm came to Jesus until He allowed it to happen. The devil even quoted this Scripture to Jesus. So what does this Scripture mean to us? Certainly we see that harm comes to many Christians. Are we missing something, or is this a mystery we shall never understand?

To my surprise, this passage from Psalm 91 took on special meaning this past summer. My neighbor, Tom, is a young Catholic man who lost his mother and sister in a terrible car accident. His father bought him a house next to us and occasionally comes over to help with the yard work. One day, he unloaded his tractor and began to mow the back yard. I was trimming a hedge that runs perpendicular to Tom’s property. Just as my trimming took me to the property line, Tom’s father, to whom I seldom talk, stopped to talk.

Almost immediately, he pointed to a vine growing on a tree and said, “You need to be careful of that poison oak.” I did not believe him because I was familiar with that vine. However, I thanked him for the warning and went back to my trimming, but this time on the other side of the hedge. About ten feet into my trimming, I noticed an oak leaf coming out of the hedge. Further inspection showed that this was not a young tree but a vine. For the very first time in forty years, I realized that I indeed had poison oak on my property. I was stunned. I saw clearly that the warning protected me from potential harm. Within a week, I discovered poison oak in two other places.

The moment I became aware of what had happened, I gave heart-felt thanks to God and finished my work. This ordinary day had become an extraordinary day, a day when a familiar verse of Scripture became an existential reality. I had met God and His promises in an unexpected place.
—Maurie Loomans