Christian Living

We can all be grateful to God for His many blessings. One year, just after Thanksgiving, my wife had an interesting Bible class this with the 11th and 12th graders in our academy. She asked the girls to write down all the things they are thankful for—in five minutes.

I have never met a joyful Christian who was not a thankful Christian. Joyfulness and thanksgiving go hand-in-hand. Where there is one, you will find the other.

James calls it the royal law, but his epistle is not the first place we find it in the Bible. Leviticus chapter nineteen is the first place we find this law. See it here in its original context:

Rats! Another flight delay! Oh well, if you fly much these days you are aware that delayed departures (and arrivals) have become the norm rather than the exception.

Would you like your ministry to be full of grace? Your life? Your relationships?

It seems that there are busy seasons of life when we give ourselves to our calling in more intense and more protracted ways than normal. No matter your calling, your life is demanding, and you are busy running from one event to the next.

We often talk about what God’s grace does for us. And, truly, it is abundant. We talk about how greatly we need it in ministry. And we do. But have you ever considered if you might be preventing God’s grace from working in your heart? If you might be blocking its flow in your ministry?

The grace of God is an incredible gift. It not only brings salvation (Titus 2:11), but it is the ongoing provision for our Christian walk.

In the previous post, we discussed the need to intentionally evaluate our balance and to make adjustments for sustainability along the way. (If you have not yet read that post, I’d encourage you to read it before reading this post.)

We trust God and are thankful for His promises of provision in Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” However, I wonder how many of us are planning appropriately for our income to continue in the event of illness, disability, or old age.

He conducted a city-wide meeting in Saginaw, Michigan, in 1947. I listened to a recording of a fabulous sermon that he preached there. But at the end of his life, he was dependent on alcohol and the great ministry he once had vanished. Why did he not continue?

One of my favorite verses is Jeremiah 6:16—“Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls….”

In my previous post, I shared five of the lessons the Lord has been teaching me through my three-year-old grandson Chandler’s illness and hospitalization with severe pneumonia. These are in no real order—just the raw truths the Lord has been teaching me during one of the most difficult times in our family’s life.

When we set a goal in our lives, we normally have some termination point. For example, if I needed to save five hundred dollars for some new tires I might decide to save fifty dollars a month for ten months. If I decided I wanted to lose twenty pounds, I might set a goal of losing two pounds a week for ten weeks. We put our mind to the task at hand because we know that it is only for a few weeks or months that we have to sacrifice the fifty dollars or the fifty calories.

A few weeks ago, our lives were turned upside down when our three-year-old grandson, Chandler was taken to the hospital by ambulance with severe necrotizing pneumonia. We’re so thankful for the many who have prayed for Chandler in these past days, and we’re thankful for how the Lord has answered prayer in bringing healing.

While some preachers are well cared-for by their congregations and live with very few financial difficulties, many others struggle financially. Often, this is unavoidable. The offerings are modest, and there is no way for the church to do more for the pastor than it does. I hope the following suggestions will encourage you, and be of some practical value in the matter of handling your personal income.

“Agony, torture, psychological abuse, mentally stressful, complete exhaustion, physically excruciating, and cruel and unusual punishment” are just a few of the descriptions that Navy Seals who have experienced the fourth week of Seal training in San Diego, California use to describe it. The week begins on Sunday evening at Midnight and ends on Friday around midday. For five and a half days these Seals go through some of the most physical, emotional, and psychological pressure that most of us will never have to endure.

In the midst of difficult circumstances or trials God can seem distant. We wonder if He hears our prayers or cares about our heartache. The prophet Isaiah was no doubt at that point in his life when King Uzziah died in chapter six.

I cannot help but think it would have been a terrifying experience to have the Lord “depart” from you especially when at one time, the Lord was with you mightily.