On your e-mail you either have some kind of spam filter or you get tons of junk mail. That spam filter serves a very important purpose. I doubt if it's perfect, but it does a pretty good job of filtering out the messages you don't want to read.
In the real world, we're bombarded with "messages" all day long. Some of them are useful: encouragement from friends, words of inspiration, uplifting music, ideas for self-improvement, and so on. But in addition to these good messages comes a lot of clatter, junk, "spam" from the outside, tempting us to think this or do that. We may try to ignore those types of messages, but sometimes it isn't as easy as it looks.
Personally, I'm thankful for the Bible. It helps us filter the messages we receive day in, day out. It helps separate right from wrong, good from bad, truth from error. Philippians 4:8 says, "Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." Pretty good advice!
These 8 things serve as filters. If you'll think on these things, you'll discover the right messages get through, the wrong ones end up where they belong -- in the junk file.
As you go about your day today, you'll hear a significant amount of auditory spam: Messages telling you that you'll be happy if you live only for yourself...that you should seek revenge for some small offense...that a little bit of gossip never hurt anyone...that you deserve special treatment, and so on.
I encourage you to run those things through your "spam" filter......and let them end up where they belong.......in the junk folder to be deleted!
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
And What About Forgiveness?
Last week I wrote about anger. But let's take it a step further. What about forgiveness?
Some of the things that cause us anger are over in a brief period of time, we're able to work through the anger and move on. But others are things that we've carried around for awhile. Not only do we need to get past the anger......we have to learn to forgive.
Sounds easy, but let's be honest......forgiveness is a choice and for some unknown reason we humans would sometimes rather be angry and unforgiving than take that step fo forgiveness. I haven't quite figured that out. Rather than forgive someone we'd often rather carry a chip on our shoulder. But what good does it do? It just makes our shoulder tired!
And think about this: Whom does your anger and lack of forgiveness hurt? The other person? Nope.......they just go on their merry way. It hurts YOU and affects everything you do.
Maybe as many as ten years ago—or even twenty—someone hurt you. You forgave them and, for all practical purposes, forgot about it...until something happened to re-open the wound. It could be a conversation, a circumstance, a chance event, or any number of other things that causes you to find yourself struggling again with unforgiveness. It's not that you weren't sincere in your first (or second, or third) attempt to forgive them, it's just that the hurt will not go completely away.
A couple of years ago two individuals were immoral, unethical and completely deceptive toward me. I forgave them. It wasn't easy....and to be honest.....I didn't even want to do it! I wanted to just be mad at them - but that was only hurting me. So I chose to forgive them. Do I have lunch with them now? Nope.....and probably won't. Forgiveness doesn't mean they have to become your best buddy and you start hanging out with them. It simply means you forgive.
Honestly, there are times when I see them that the anger and resentment rares it's ugly head again. At that moment I have to make a choice: let the anger and unforgiveness return, or choose to forgive them......again. The argument could be made that I hadn't really forgiven them in the first place, or else I wouldn't have felt so bitter. In the most literal sense, I guess that may be true. If I had forgiven them the same way Christ has forgiven me, I suppose I would have simply waved hello and moved on my way—without giving a second thought to what happened long ago.
I have no doubt I was sincere in my desire to forgive completely. But sometimes the bonds of bitterness aren't easily broken. Sometimes we have to forgive someone again and again before it is settled completely in our own mind.
Jesus told Peter that we are to forgive our brother "seventy-times-seven." I always assumed he was referring to "seventy-times-seven" separate offenses. The fact is, he could have been referring to a single event.
If you want to succeed in life, you must be able to forgive. In fact, let's face it: if you want to SURVIVE life, you must be able to forgive. We strive to forgive as we have been forgiven—immediately and absolutely—but sometimes it takes us awhile to reach that point. When old wounds are re-opened, we have to treat them as if they were brand new: take them to God, lay them at His feet, and ask Him for the grace to forgive as He has forgiven you.
Don't let past hurts hold you back. Reliving the pain from last month, or last year, or your previous job or relationship isn't worth the price you have to pay. It keeps you from focusing on what God has called you to do today: serve Him with joy, and love Him with all your heart.
God's act of forgiveness toward us is a one-time event. We ask once, he forgives, he forgets, and that's the end of it. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
Our forgiveness of others should be the same, but it's not always easy. Sometimes forgiveness is a process that has to be repeated again and again.
My encouragement to you today is simple: I encourage you to forgive. No, we're not God and we don't have the ability to "forgive and forget" as He does. So until you can master the "forget" part, keep working on the "forgive" part. It will serve you well.
Some of the things that cause us anger are over in a brief period of time, we're able to work through the anger and move on. But others are things that we've carried around for awhile. Not only do we need to get past the anger......we have to learn to forgive.
Sounds easy, but let's be honest......forgiveness is a choice and for some unknown reason we humans would sometimes rather be angry and unforgiving than take that step fo forgiveness. I haven't quite figured that out. Rather than forgive someone we'd often rather carry a chip on our shoulder. But what good does it do? It just makes our shoulder tired!
And think about this: Whom does your anger and lack of forgiveness hurt? The other person? Nope.......they just go on their merry way. It hurts YOU and affects everything you do.
Maybe as many as ten years ago—or even twenty—someone hurt you. You forgave them and, for all practical purposes, forgot about it...until something happened to re-open the wound. It could be a conversation, a circumstance, a chance event, or any number of other things that causes you to find yourself struggling again with unforgiveness. It's not that you weren't sincere in your first (or second, or third) attempt to forgive them, it's just that the hurt will not go completely away.
A couple of years ago two individuals were immoral, unethical and completely deceptive toward me. I forgave them. It wasn't easy....and to be honest.....I didn't even want to do it! I wanted to just be mad at them - but that was only hurting me. So I chose to forgive them. Do I have lunch with them now? Nope.....and probably won't. Forgiveness doesn't mean they have to become your best buddy and you start hanging out with them. It simply means you forgive.
Honestly, there are times when I see them that the anger and resentment rares it's ugly head again. At that moment I have to make a choice: let the anger and unforgiveness return, or choose to forgive them......again. The argument could be made that I hadn't really forgiven them in the first place, or else I wouldn't have felt so bitter. In the most literal sense, I guess that may be true. If I had forgiven them the same way Christ has forgiven me, I suppose I would have simply waved hello and moved on my way—without giving a second thought to what happened long ago.
I have no doubt I was sincere in my desire to forgive completely. But sometimes the bonds of bitterness aren't easily broken. Sometimes we have to forgive someone again and again before it is settled completely in our own mind.
Jesus told Peter that we are to forgive our brother "seventy-times-seven." I always assumed he was referring to "seventy-times-seven" separate offenses. The fact is, he could have been referring to a single event.
If you want to succeed in life, you must be able to forgive. In fact, let's face it: if you want to SURVIVE life, you must be able to forgive. We strive to forgive as we have been forgiven—immediately and absolutely—but sometimes it takes us awhile to reach that point. When old wounds are re-opened, we have to treat them as if they were brand new: take them to God, lay them at His feet, and ask Him for the grace to forgive as He has forgiven you.
Don't let past hurts hold you back. Reliving the pain from last month, or last year, or your previous job or relationship isn't worth the price you have to pay. It keeps you from focusing on what God has called you to do today: serve Him with joy, and love Him with all your heart.
God's act of forgiveness toward us is a one-time event. We ask once, he forgives, he forgets, and that's the end of it. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
Our forgiveness of others should be the same, but it's not always easy. Sometimes forgiveness is a process that has to be repeated again and again.
My encouragement to you today is simple: I encourage you to forgive. No, we're not God and we don't have the ability to "forgive and forget" as He does. So until you can master the "forget" part, keep working on the "forgive" part. It will serve you well.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Christ in Me
I love these words from Casting Crowns' song In Me from their Lifesong album:
'Cause when I'm weak, You make me strong
When I'm blind you shine Your light on me
'Cause I'll never get by living on my own ability
How refreshing to know You don't need me
How amazing to find that you want me
So I'll stand on Your Truth, and I'll fight with Your Strength
Until You bring the victory, by the power of Christ in me
Walk in His strength, friend.....let the Christ in you be seen by others!!!
'Cause when I'm weak, You make me strong
When I'm blind you shine Your light on me
'Cause I'll never get by living on my own ability
How refreshing to know You don't need me
How amazing to find that you want me
So I'll stand on Your Truth, and I'll fight with Your Strength
Until You bring the victory, by the power of Christ in me
Walk in His strength, friend.....let the Christ in you be seen by others!!!
Monday, September 10, 2007
I'm So Mad I Could Just........
Anger.
Kind of an ugly word, isn't it? I was speaking with a good friend the other day who told me about an event that had happened to him just a few days prior. A young man had become very angry and attempted to take it out on him!
Some people believe that anger is a bad thing........and it can be. But the Bible says, "Be angry without sinning." (Ephesians 4:26) Therefore, anger isn't necessarily bad, until it becomes uncontrollable. Anger can even be a positive thing at times. The key is this: I must control my anger and not let my anger control me.
In his autobiography, Number 1, Billy Martin told about hunting in Texas with Mickey Mantle. Mickey had a friend who would let them hunt on his ranch. When they reached the ranch, Mickey told Billy to wait in the car while he checked in with his friend. Mantle's friend quickly gave them permission to hunt, but he asked Mickey a favor. He had a pet mule in the barn who was going blind, and he didn't have the heart to put him out of his misery. He asked Mickey to shoot the mule for him.
When Mickey came back to the car, he pretended to be angry. He scowled and slammed the door. Billy asked him what was wrong, and Mickey said his friend wouldn't let them hunt. "I'm so mad at that guy," Mantle said, "I'm going out to his barn and shoot one of his mules!" Mantle drove like a maniac to the barn. Martin protested, "We can't do that!" But Mickey was adamant. "Just watch me," he shouted.
When they got to the barn, Mantle jumped out of the car with his rifle, ran inside, and shot the mule. As he was leaving, though, he heard two shots, and he ran back to the car. He saw that Martin had taken out his rifle, too. "What are you doing, Martin?" he yelled. Martin yelled back, face red with anger, "We'll show that son of a gun! I just killed two of his cows!"
Anger can be dangerously contagious. Proverbs 22:24 & 25 tells us, "Do not be a friend of one who has a bad temper, and never keep company with a hothead, or you will learn his ways and set a trap for yourself." Pretty good advice, don't you think?
I encourage you to avoid anger when it's possible. However, in those times when anger does come your way, if you're able to control that anger, work through the situation, cool down and move on. If you find that the anger is controlling you, I suggest you find someone to talk with and figure out how to turn things around.
Kind of an ugly word, isn't it? I was speaking with a good friend the other day who told me about an event that had happened to him just a few days prior. A young man had become very angry and attempted to take it out on him!
Some people believe that anger is a bad thing........and it can be. But the Bible says, "Be angry without sinning." (Ephesians 4:26) Therefore, anger isn't necessarily bad, until it becomes uncontrollable. Anger can even be a positive thing at times. The key is this: I must control my anger and not let my anger control me.
In his autobiography, Number 1, Billy Martin told about hunting in Texas with Mickey Mantle. Mickey had a friend who would let them hunt on his ranch. When they reached the ranch, Mickey told Billy to wait in the car while he checked in with his friend. Mantle's friend quickly gave them permission to hunt, but he asked Mickey a favor. He had a pet mule in the barn who was going blind, and he didn't have the heart to put him out of his misery. He asked Mickey to shoot the mule for him.
When Mickey came back to the car, he pretended to be angry. He scowled and slammed the door. Billy asked him what was wrong, and Mickey said his friend wouldn't let them hunt. "I'm so mad at that guy," Mantle said, "I'm going out to his barn and shoot one of his mules!" Mantle drove like a maniac to the barn. Martin protested, "We can't do that!" But Mickey was adamant. "Just watch me," he shouted.
When they got to the barn, Mantle jumped out of the car with his rifle, ran inside, and shot the mule. As he was leaving, though, he heard two shots, and he ran back to the car. He saw that Martin had taken out his rifle, too. "What are you doing, Martin?" he yelled. Martin yelled back, face red with anger, "We'll show that son of a gun! I just killed two of his cows!"
Anger can be dangerously contagious. Proverbs 22:24 & 25 tells us, "Do not be a friend of one who has a bad temper, and never keep company with a hothead, or you will learn his ways and set a trap for yourself." Pretty good advice, don't you think?
I encourage you to avoid anger when it's possible. However, in those times when anger does come your way, if you're able to control that anger, work through the situation, cool down and move on. If you find that the anger is controlling you, I suggest you find someone to talk with and figure out how to turn things around.
Monday, September 03, 2007
Guidance
Good morning and welcome to September! I trust you enjoyed your 3-day weekend (those of you who had one.......sorry Charlie!)
Allow me to expand on something you may have read before.
I'm not a dancer - much to my wife's disappointment. Actually, I may have a slow dance with her once in awhile, but as far as what everyone else calls "dancing", I don't do that. If I even tried it wouldn't look like dancing anyway. It would look more like some guy jerking around like he's holding on to 220 volts! Let's just say it's not pretty. Now, if you want to see someone dance, check out Robert Barone (Brad Garrett) on Everybody Loves Raymond......the guy can dance! But that's another story.
While I'm not much of a dancer, I do know that when you dance (at least the more "formal" style of dancing) someone has to lead. When twopeople try to lead, nothing feels right. The movement doesn't flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky. When one person realizes and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music. One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing lightly in one direction or another. The dance takes surrender, willingness, trust and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other.
Gentle guidance. Let me see if I can help you see something in the word GUIDANCE.
The first letter is "G". Let that represent God.
The second letter is "U". Let that represent You.
The third is "I". Let that represent......you guessed it......I.
Those three letters are followed by the word "DANCE".
Put it all together.......God, You and I Dance.
God made a promise in Psalms 32:8 for all who trust in Him. It says, 'The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.'" Pretty great promise, eh?
I encourage you today to "dance" with God..........and let Him lead. Need guidance? He's promised to give it! All you have to do is ask.......
So today......and every day......dance like nobody's watching (and in my case, that's the ONLY time I dance - when nobody's watching!)!!!
Allow me to expand on something you may have read before.
I'm not a dancer - much to my wife's disappointment. Actually, I may have a slow dance with her once in awhile, but as far as what everyone else calls "dancing", I don't do that. If I even tried it wouldn't look like dancing anyway. It would look more like some guy jerking around like he's holding on to 220 volts! Let's just say it's not pretty. Now, if you want to see someone dance, check out Robert Barone (Brad Garrett) on Everybody Loves Raymond......the guy can dance! But that's another story.
While I'm not much of a dancer, I do know that when you dance (at least the more "formal" style of dancing) someone has to lead. When twopeople try to lead, nothing feels right. The movement doesn't flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky. When one person realizes and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music. One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing lightly in one direction or another. The dance takes surrender, willingness, trust and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other.
Gentle guidance. Let me see if I can help you see something in the word GUIDANCE.
The first letter is "G". Let that represent God.
The second letter is "U". Let that represent You.
The third is "I". Let that represent......you guessed it......I.
Those three letters are followed by the word "DANCE".
Put it all together.......God, You and I Dance.
God made a promise in Psalms 32:8 for all who trust in Him. It says, 'The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.'" Pretty great promise, eh?
I encourage you today to "dance" with God..........and let Him lead. Need guidance? He's promised to give it! All you have to do is ask.......
So today......and every day......dance like nobody's watching (and in my case, that's the ONLY time I dance - when nobody's watching!)!!!
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