Keep Strokin'!

17 October 2007

Keep strokin'!

"Let us go over to the other side." Mark 4:35 NIV

Sometimes you only learn to swim by getting thrown into the deep end. When that happens you discover that: (a) if you let it, your fear will take you under; (b) you can only tread water for so long; (c) when you get to a certain point there's no turning back, you have to keep going. It's fatal to stop or give up in the middle of the process; (d) what God has put within you (the air in your lungs) will sustain you and keep you afloat if only you learn to relax, trust God, and keep strokin'! If you're really serious about getting to the other side - you've got to take what's in front of you and keep pushing it behind you. In other words, keep strokin'! You might be crying while you're swimming, but keep strokin'. Your heart may be about to come out of your chest, but keep strokin'. It's when you feel backed into a corner with nowhere to go, that you've to reach down, take hold of what God put within you, and keep strokin'. "The Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force" (Mt 11:12). Notice the word "violence" - sometimes you have to rise up in faith and fight your way through, confident that God is on your side. The waters you're in don't determine your destiny; they can either carry you over or take you under. Your faith has got to rise up and fight your fear. If you quit, God can do nothing more for you. So whether you're doing the breaststroke, the backstroke, or some other kind of stroke nobody's even heard of - keep strokin'!

Unrealistic Expectations

Unrealistic expectations

"Don't do...good deeds...to be admired." Matthew 6:1 NLT

When you do something nice for somebody, expecting the favour to be returned, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. Jesus said, "When you help someone...do it - quietly and unobtrusively" (Mt. 6:3-4 TM); "Your Father knows what is done in secret, and He will reward you" (Mt 6:4 CEV). There are certain things everybody has a right to expect, like common courtesy and respect. But too often we place expectations on other people that aren't their responsibility to fulfil. Then when they don't meet our demands we act hurt and disillusioned, when in reality it was our own misguided assumptions that caused the problem. A well-known counsellor says, "Many of us have unmet needs from the past...we want others to fulfil our desire to be loved unconditionally...some of us are so needy we drive people away." Husbands and wives are famous for holding each other account-able for things they need to work on personally. It's not fair to expect another person to 'fix' you, or change your life, or suddenly become who you want them to be in order to make you happy. That kind of behaviour just causes stress, resentment, hostility, and an unhealthy dependency you'll end up dealing with later. Another problem is expecting others to read your mind when you haven't taken the time to spell out your expectations. How can you blame somebody for not doing something they didn't know you wanted? Understand this: people aren't your answer, God is. If He chooses to use a certain person to bless you He'll do it; if not He'll use somebody else. So examine your thinking today and ask God to reveal and remove any unrealistic expectations you're living with.

Practice self discipline!

05 October 2007

Practice self discipline!

"For a servant...discipline is needed." Proverbs 29:19 NLT

Solomon said, "It is better to have self-control than to conquer a city" (See Pr 16:32 NLT). So, how are you doing when it comes to self-control? Here are some nuts-and-bolts things you can start doing to make it more of a reality in your life. (a) Begin your day by doing the hard things first. If you get sidetracked, make yourself go back and complete them. For example, make your bed, pick up your clothes and wash the dishes; don't make extra work for others: "Work hard at whatever you do" (Ecc 9:10 CEV). And don't start several projects at once; do one thing at a time. (b) Discipline yourself to be punctual. Tardiness is a hard habit to break. To conquer it you must be willing to call it what it is - inconsiderate, selfish behaviour. (c) Plan ahead. Everything takes longer than you think, so don't wait until the last minute then rush around like a chicken with its head cut off. Living under the gun can give you ulcers, whereas allowing yourself extra time is good for your health and brings peace. (d) Accept correction from those who care about you without sulking or retaliating. The Bible says, "Wisdom is found in those who take advice" (Pr 13:10 NIV). If you're wise you'll welcome feedback and seek counsel. Gandhi once said, "There's always a limit to self-indulgence, but none to self-restraint." So ask God to help you control your unruly thoughts, feelings, desires and behaviour. Identify unmanageable areas in your life, ditch the excuses, face the truth even when it hurts, refuse to feel sorry for yourself, and set a few attainable goals. In other words, "Learn to sense what is vital... and of real value" (Ph 1:10 AMP).

Soulfood Bible Readings 1 Sam 14-15, John 1:14-28, Ps 63, Pr 22:17-23

Letting go of the Past

Letting Go of the Past

READ | 2 Corinthians 5:17-19

John Newton worked in one of the vilest businesses of his day—slave trading. But later, after receiving Jesus as his Savior, he penned the now-familiar words to "Amazing Grace" as well as these lines: "In evil long I took delight, unawed by shame or fear; 'til a new object met my sight and stopped my wild career." Faith in Christ separated Newton from his dark past. The hope of a bright future is also ours if we accept God's offer of a new beginning.

No sin is so great that God will not forgive. Certainly some sins wreak havoc on our life as the consequences are played out. We will have to deal with whatever fallout our wrong choices bring, but we do not have to live with guilt and shame. And when there are repercussions, we don't have to face them alone.

First, we must accept responsibility for our sin. Confession and repentance mean we must drop our guilt burden at the foot of the cross. Only when we are willing to lay aside the sin and its accompanying shame can we take the second step—accepting forgiveness. We could never do enough to earn God's pardon, so He freely offers mercy to anyone who will receive it. Christ's death at Calvary bought every person a life free from the weight and wages of sin, but each individual must accept that salvation gift for him- or herself.

Our newfound liberty is maintained by taking a final step—believing we have a new life in Christ. If we will face our sin, accept forgiveness, and look toward the future, we cannot be weighed down by wrongs of the past.