Messages From Heaven: Strength in Troubled Times!

Messages From Heaven: Strength in Troubled Times!: Where will you turn in a time of crisis? When tragedy hits? When disaster strikes? Will it be your favorite magazine? The morning new...

Strength in Troubled Times!

Where will you turn in a time of crisis? When tragedy hits? When disaster strikes? Will it be your favorite magazine? The morning newspaper? The evening news? You will need something to give you strength and direction in your time of need—and you cannot find a better resource than the Word of God.

As one writer said, “One gem from that ocean is worth all of the pebbles from earthly streams.” Just a single pebble from the ocean of God’s Word can make all the difference when tragedy or hardship strikes. How many in their affliction have found comfort from the Scripture?

Trusting in what God has said through the Bible can sustain us and give us direction and hope and comfort when we most need it. Little platitudes or clever sayings don’t help, but the Word of God does. It has been said that “he who rejects the Bible has nothing to live by. Neither does he have anything to die by.”

Things go in and out of style, but the Word of God never goes out of style. It never goes out of date, unlike this morning’s newspaper. The Word of God always will be relevant.

That is why C. S. Lewis once said, “Everything that is not eternal is eternally out of date.”

I urge you to get a good foundation in the Bible, because it is only a matter of time until hardship strikes you. It happens in every life, without exception. But if you have a good foundation in the Word of God, then you will be ready for difficulty when it comes. Don’t wait until then to try and catch up.

Get that foundation now.

Messages From Heaven: Nothing "Safe" About Secret Sin!

Messages From Heaven: Nothing "Safe" About Secret Sin!: Jesus' exposition of the law is a devastating blow against the lie that image is everything. Our Lord taught repeatedly that sin bot...

Nothing "Safe" About Secret Sin!

Jesus' exposition of the law is a devastating blow against the lie that image is everything.
Our Lord taught repeatedly that sin bottled up on the inside, concealed from everyone else's view, carries the very same guilt as sin that manifests itself in the worst forms of ungodly behavior. Those who hate others are as guilty as those who act out their hatred; and those who indulge in private lusts are as culpable as wanton adulterers (Matt. 5:21-30).
So Christians are not to think of secret sins as somehow less serious and more respectable than the sins everyone sees. Here are three reasons secret sin is especially abhorrent:
1. Because God sees the heart.
Scripture tells us "God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7). No sin — not even a whispered curse or a fleeting evil thought — is hidden from the view of God. In fact, if we realized that God himself is the only audience for such secret sins, we might be less inclined to write them off so lightly.
The Bible declares that God will one day judge the secrets of every heart (Rom. 2:16). He "will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil" (Eccl. 12:14).
Not only that, secret sins will not remain secret. "The Lord [will] bring to light the things hidden in the darkness" (1 Cor. 4:5). Jesus said, "There is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms shall be proclaimed upon the housetops" (Luke 12:2-3). Those who think they can evade shame by sinning in secret will discover one day that open disclosure of their secrets before the very throne of God is the worst shame of all.
It is folly to think we can mitigate our sin by keeping it secret. It is double folly to tell ourselves that we are better than others because we sin in private rather than in public. And it is the very height of folly to convince ourselves that we can get away with sin by covering it up. "He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper" (Prov. 28:13).
All sin is an assault against our holy God, whether it is done in public or in secret. And God, who beholds even the innermost secrets of the heart, sees our sin clearly, no matter how well we think we have covered it.
2. Because sin in the mind is a fruit of the same moral defect that produces deeds of sin.
When Jesus said hatred carries the same kind of guilt as murder, and lust is the very essence of adultery, He was not suggesting that there is no difference in degree between sin that takes place in the mind and sin that is acted out. Scripture does not teach that all sins are of equal enormity.
That some sins are worse than others is both patently obvious and thoroughly biblical. Scripture plainly teaches this, for example, when it tells us the sin of Judas was greater than the sin of Pilate (John 19:11).
But in His Sermon on the Mount Jesus was pointing out that anger arises from the same moral defect as murder; and the one who lusts suffers from the same character flaw as the adulterer. Furthermore, those who engage in thought — sins are guilty of violating the same moral precepts as those who commit acts of murder and adultery.
In other words, secret sins of the heart are morally tantamount to the worst kind of evil deeds — even if they are sins of a lesser degree. The lustful person has no right to feel morally superior to a wanton fornicator. The fact that she indulges in lust is proof she is capable of immoral acts as well. The fact that he hates his brother shows that he has murder lurking in his heart.
Christ was teaching us to view our own secret sins with the same moral revulsion we feel for wanton acts of public sin.
3. Because hidden sin involves the compounding sin of hypocrisy.
Those who sin secretly actually intensify their guilt, because they add the sin of hypocrisy to their offense. Hypocrisy is a grave sin in its own right. It also produces an especially debilitating kind of guilt, because by definition hypocrisy entails the concealing of sin. And the only remedy for any kind of sin involves uncovering our guilt through sincere confession.
Hypocrisy therefore permeates the soul with a predisposition against genuine repentance. That is why Jesus referred to hypocrisy as "the leaven of the Pharisees" (Luke 12:1).
Hypocrisy also works directly against the conscience. There's no way to be hypocritical without searing the conscience. So hypocrisy inevitably makes way for the most vile, soul-coloring, character-damaging secret sins. Thus hypocrisy compounds itself, just like leaven.
Beware that sort of leaven.
No matter who suggests to you that appearances are everything, don't buy that lie.
As a matter of fact, your secret life is the real litmus test of your character: "As he thinks within himself, so he is" (Prov. 23:7). Do you want to know who you really are? Take a hard look at your private life — especially your innermost thoughts. Gaze into the mirror of God's Word, and allow it to disclose and correct the real thoughts and motives of your heart.

Messages From Heaven: The Profile of a Godly Mother!

Messages From Heaven: The Profile of a Godly Mother!: I once came across an interesting article on motherhood by a man named W. L. Caldwell written back in 1928. Here's what he said: ...

The Profile of a Godly Mother!

I once came across an interesting article on motherhood by a man named W. L. Caldwell written back in 1928. Here's what he said:

Well may we pause to pay honor to her who after Jesus Christ is God's best gift to men, mother. It was she who shared her life with us when as yet our members were unformed, into the valley of the shadow of death she walked that we might have the light of life. In her arms was the garner of our food and the soft couch for our repose. There we nestled in the hour of pain; there was the playground of our infant glee.

Those same arms later became our refuge and stronghold. It was she who taught our baby feet to go and lifted us up over the rough places. Her blessed hands plied the needle by day and by night to make our clothes. She put the book under our arm and started us off for school. But best of all, she taught our baby lips to lisp the name of Jesus and told us first the wondrous story of a Savior's love.

Caldwell went on to say, "The pride of America is its mothers. There are wicked mothers like Jezebel of old. There are unnatural mothers who sell their children into sin. There are sin cursed rum soaked and abandoned mothers to whom their motherhood is the exposure of their shame. I am glad to believe, however, that there are comparatively few in this class."
Is that true? Are there merely a few unfaithful mothers? Maybe that was the case in 1928, but it's sadly not so today. High rates of illegitimacy and divorce reveal the contemporary abandonment of marriage — motherhood's foundation. Annual abortions number in the millions, which shows the heart of many mothers has grown cold.
Millions of children whose mothers allow them to see the light of day cower in fear under angry abuse. And countless are the mothers who ignore, neglect, or abandon their children in pursuit of self-centered "fulfillment" — motherhood is an inconvenient interruption to their lifestyle. For better or worse, mothers are the makers of men; they are the architects of the next generation. That's why the goal of becoming a godly mother is the highest and most noble pursuit of womanhood. God has specially equipped women for that very purpose, and in Christ, women can experience profound satisfaction in that divinely ordained pursuit. They can be who God created them to be.
Ladies, please pay attention. There are so many who would capture your interests today, to tear you away from God's high calling on your life. "Focus on your career," "Buy more stuff," "Pamper yourself" — you've heard it all, I'm sure. Don't buy what they’re selling — it's all a lie.
With that in mind, I want to encourage you this Mother's Day to consider one biblical example of motherhood. It's Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel, an emblem of the grace of womanhood. You can read all about her in 1 Samuel 1 and 2.
Hannah became a mother by faith. In the opening verses of 1 Samuel, she is introduced as a childless woman. But God granted her a precious gift and she became the mother of one of the greatest men who ever walked the earth. As you follow this account, you'll see the profile of a godly mother.

Devoted to Her Husband
Contrary to popular opinion, the most important characteristic of a godly mother is her relationship, not with her children, but with her husband. What you communicate to your children through your marital relationship will stay with them for the rest of their lives. By watching you and your husband, they are learning the most fundamental lessons of life — love, self-sacrifice, integrity, virtue, sin, sympathy, compassion, understanding, and forgiveness. Whatever you teach them about those things, right or wrong, is planted deep within their hearts.
That emphasis on marriage was very evident between Elkanah and Hannah. They were dedicated to the faithful worship of God (1:3), and they were dedicated to loving one another (1:4-8). Their situation — being unable to have children together — was like an open wound. But it was an experience that drew out of Elkanah tender expressions of love for his wife.
At a particularly low point in Hannah's discouragement, Elkanah comforted his wife with these words: "Hannah, why do you weep and why do you not eat and why is your heart sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?" (1:8). That may not seem like a tremendous comfort to you, but he was appealing to the satisfaction they enjoyed in their marriage. Notice the effect: Hannah was encouraged — she started to eat and drink again (1:9), and she went to the temple to seek the Lord (1:9-11).
That's the kind of marriage to which a godly mother is devoted — dedication to loving God, dedication to loving one another. That's the soil where godly mothers grow and flourish.

Devoted to Her God
Hannah struggled through acute pain and adversity. She was barren, she had to share her husband with another woman — one who could produce children, and she had to endure the pain of that woman's cruelty (1:6-7). And though Hannah was tempted to despair (1:8), she received the encouragement of her husband, turned to the Lord, and poured out her heart to Him in humble devotion (1:9-18).
Like many women today, Hannah struggled with the pain of infertility. She wanted God's best, to be a mother. In her sadness, Hannah didn't complain to her husband — there was nothing he could do about it — and she didn't fight back when Peninnah tormented her. Instead, Hannah trusted God through prayer.
That's a beautiful characteristic. She understood that God was the source of children, that God alone could alter her sterility. Her distinctive virtue was her constant faith. 1 Samuel 1:12 says, "It came about as she continued praying before the Lord". Her prayers were constant. She stayed there praying with a broken heart, pouring out tearful prayers. Hannah knew where to go with her problems.
Hannah was quite different from many today who long for children; she wasn't seeking a child for her own fulfillment. Childless parents today spend millions on infertility treatments — medications, special diets, egg-harvesting, even in-vitro fertilization. They worry and fret and sin in their continued anxiety.
Not Hannah. Hannah was willing from the start to give the child back to God, for life (1:11). It wasn't about her. It wasn't about getting what she wanted. It was about self-sacrifice, giving herself to that little life to give him back to the Lord. After coming to that place in her heart, after expressing her desires to the Lord in prayer, she experienced the peace of humble devotion to God. She "went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad"(1:18).

Devoted to Her Home
According to His perfect will, God gave Hannah a son-Samuel.

And Elkanah had relations with Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. It came about in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, "Because I have asked him of the Lord." (1:19-20)

Hannah named her son in remembrance of God's goodness, and she devoted herself to her motherly responsibilities — she was fully committed to her home. The time came for one of the annual trips to Shiloh, and Elkanah came to Hannah to prepare her for the trip.

Then the man Elkanah went up with all his household to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and pay his vow. But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, "I will not go up until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord and stay there forever."

When God gave the child, Hannah dedicated herself to raising him. She would be devoted to that task for several years, knowing her time with him was short. That's so different from what you see today, isn't it? Women have babies, and a couple of months later they slam the baby in some day care center and take off for the job.
Not Hannah. She was totally committed to stay in the home until that little life was trained. She had important work to do — nursing, loving cherishing, instructing. Hannah understood how vital those early years are, when 90 percent of personality is formed. She prepared him in those formative years for a lifetime of service to God — such a high calling.
Don't mistake her devotion to raising Samuel for the modern tendency to make the child the center of the universe. Hannah discharged her responsibility as a steward — one day she had to give Samuel back. It wasn't about fulfilling her deepest needs through her child. It was about fulfilling her oath to God. It was about being faithful to her calling to be a godly mother.
For those of you who are mothers, think about Hannah this Mother's Day. Be devoted to your husband; be devoted to your God; and be devoted to your home in the fear of the Lord. That's your high calling and your greatest joy.
For those of you whose mothers are still living, recognize your mother this Mother's Day for the things she did well. Look in love beyond any of her shortcomings and honor the one who introduced you to life.

Messages From Heaven: Good Cop, Bad Cop: How to Avoid Policing Your Kids...

Messages From Heaven: Good Cop, Bad Cop: How to Avoid Policing Your Kids...: I have some good friends who work for the local Highway patrol. They’re all upstanding men, whom I admire and respect. But while they’r...

Good Cop, Bad Cop: How to Avoid Policing Your Kids!

I have some good friends who work for the local Highway patrol. They’re all upstanding men, whom I admire and respect. But while they’re on duty, I’m not so eager to spend quality time together with them. Much as I like my friends, I know they’re not going to stop me on the freeway to say, “Hey, great job driving. Just thought I’d stop you to say that you’re doing a fantastic job!” In my (rather recent) experience, when the police pull you over, they are about to level some strict justice in the form of tickets and fines. No small wonder I’m a little nervous when I see my cop friends on the highway. I feel like I’m always looking over my shoulder to see if they’re following me.

As parents, we can come off like highway patrol officers. We pull alongside our kids and wave them to the side to levee fines, issues warrants, and take them into custody if we have to. Our intentions are to instruct and guide our teens, but to them it can feel like we’re hot on their tails with the lights flashing. It could be the reason that our relationships are strained, or why our kids enjoy being away from us rather than with us. A constant attitude of judgment pushes our teens to run and hide, or dig in their heels and resist.

When communicating with our teens, it’s important we instruct and nurture them as parents, and not just officers of judgment. Here are a few things I’ve learned throughout the years that might help you form a warmer relationship with your kids.

Step #1: How Am I Coming Across?
At a party, if you noticed that people were dodging conversations with you, you might ask your spouse or a close friend, “Is it me? How am I coming across?” This is a great question to ask yourself as a parent, as well. If your teen seems to be avoiding you or shutting down during conversations, it could be that your intention is good but your delivery is bad. Instead of gleaning wisdom, your teen might be hearing judgment instead. To avoid this trap, ask your teen point blank, “How do I come across to you?” Allow them to respond honestly. This will provide needed insight into how your child hears you.

Another helpful trick I found is to ask your teen to repeat what they heard. I’ve employed this technique numerous times in counseling sessions. After explaining certain issues with a student, I’ll pause so I can ask, “Now what did you hear me say?” If what they echo in response is way off course, I can correct the misunderstanding and find another way to get the information across. I want to ensure that teenagers hear my heart and understand what I’m saying, even if it takes a couple of attempts.

Step #2: What Am I Saying?
Take some time to reflect back on past conversations with your teen. How many of your comments or concerns were negative rather than positive? I’m the first to admit that kids need instruction and guidance. But keep in mind that your child receives correction constantly. They wake up to instructions about school, chores, and responsibilities. Then they go to school and hear reproofs and criticisms from teachers and staff. Finally, they come home and kids may hear added judgment from parents and siblings. It can be exhausting!

I had one student explode in frustration and blurt out, “I know a lot of what I do is wrong. But could you tell what I’m doing right?” It was a humbling conviction to realize that I wasn’t taking as much time to reinforce the positive as I was to point out the negative.

It’s like those new GPS systems. I try to follow its instructions as closely as possible, but being the man that I am, I like to use my own directions at times. And then, inevitably, and to the chagrin of my wife, I end up getting lost. But the GPS doesn’t help. For every wrong turn I take, it chimes in with the annoying word, “re-calculating.” I know that it’s trying to help me, but at the same time it’s continually pointing out my flaws with its constant correction. It didn’t praise me for following the directions prior to taking the wrong turn. But every time that GPS says “re-calculating” I want to throw it out the window.

Don’t become a constant source of correction in your home. Take inventory of the words you use around your teen. Spend time highlighting the things your child is doing well along with the areas where they might need improvement.

Step #3: Who Is This About?
Hearing criticism can be tough, even for parents. Nobody wants to hear that their parenting style could use a few tweaks. But in the end, you want what’s best for your teenager. And if that involves changing up your communication style, it’s a small price to pay. It’s important we constantly remind ourselves, “Who is this about?” If a teen can’t benefit from what I am trying to say because all he hears is judgment, then it takes some humility on my part to say, “Okay, let me change it up, and approach it differently.” Changing our communication habits lets our kids know that we care more about instructing and encouraging them than brow-beating them over the head.

When your teenager accuses you of judging them or excessively pointing out the flaws, don’t be quick to dismiss it. Though you may be imparting some great wisdom, use this as an opportunity to say, “This is about her, not me.” Try using a different method to explain your case.

Step #4: Am I on a Loop?
Few things are more frustrating than repeating the same thing over and over to your teenager. If you find yourself on a constant looping pattern — stop. Insistent reminders about the same issues over and over again will likely come off as judgment to your kids. This will only encourage them to tune you out even more.

Instead, find a new way to make the same point. If the issue is something simple like not leaving shoes out on the floor and you’ve preached the same sermon a dozen times, come up with a new way to get the message across. Hang a sign in the entryway to remind would be violators of the penalties of shoe tossing. Create a footwear impound where shoes found on the floor are held for bond until the perpetrators can post bail.

Einstein said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result. Don’t make yourself loopy; stop the repetition and develop a different method for reaching your teenager with your point. It might take a little creativity, but it will pay off in the end.

Talking with teens is a delicate business. It takes a whole lot of patience, love, and understanding. And when a teenager tunes us out and avoids us, it’s difficult not to take it personally. I’ve known plenty of great kids with great families attending great churches who go off track. Don’t allow a struggling teen to make you doubt God’s provision. But do allow God to change your conversation and communication habits so that judgment is kept in check. You don’t want to be the cop in the family. You want to be the parent.