Messages From Heaven: Facing Uncertainty!

Messages From Heaven: Facing Uncertainty!: And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was bein...

Facing Uncertainty!

And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing." And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" Matthew 8:23-26
Why didn't somebody tell me earlier in my life that I can't fix everything? I thought that with due diligence, everything can get resolved. If there were things up ahead that concerned me, I could just make a plan to solve them. In time, I could have it all figured out and then set the automatic "good life" pilot and let it take over.
It's only more recently that I have grasped that life will never be "together" this side of eternity. It's hard to accept sometimes that perfect is only for heaven.
There will always be people problems. There will always be financial challenges. There will always be a home burden, or a crisis of some kind. Every day I live in this world, there will always be some uncertainty ringing my doorbell.
So much for my assumption that if you just worked hard enough, eventually everything would be sorted out, categorized, and put neatly on the shelf. I have never gotten to that day and what's more, I now know it's never coming.
In Matthew 8:23-24, we land in Jesus' life on a day that perfectly illustrates the imperfections of human existence. "When he got into the boat, His disciplines followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm." In the original language, the two words great storm can be translated to mega and seismic. As in, And behold, there arose a mega seismic on the sea, so that the boat was consumed by the waves. It's worth remembering that this description comes from Matthew, one of the disciples who wasn't a fisherman. He had the terrified layman's perspective on this storm!
I have a few questions about that whole scene:
1. Did Jesus not check the Weather Channel? He totally knew that storm was coming yet He led them right into it. Get in the boat, boys. He knowingly took them into harm's way.
2. Could Jesus have stopped the storm before it started? Sure He could have but He let the storm come.
3. So is it true to say that He wanted the storm? I think we could surmise that He was actually looking forward to how He was going to use the storm in the disciples' lives.
Let's get our theology straight. Sometimes Jesus disguises exciting opportunities for personal growth as difficult circumstances. We would choose to avoid trials at all costs, but Jesus sees the bigger picture.

Messages From Heaven: Don't Wait for the Rooster!

Messages From Heaven: Don't Wait for the Rooster!: Peter’s denial of Jesus did not happen over a period of seconds or minutes, but over a period of hours. An hour passed from the time t...

Don't Wait for the Rooster!

Peter’s denial of Jesus did not happen over a period of seconds or minutes, but over a period of hours. An hour passed from the time the first person said, “You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean,” to the time Peter denied his Lord for the second time. He had ample opportunity to hightail it out of there, but for some reason he hung around.

His story reminds me that no person is safe from temptation except the one who flees from it. Peter, having been warned by Jesus Himself, should have avoided any place where he could fall. He definitely should have steered clear of all roosters! The Lord had said that before the rooster crowed, Peter would deny Jesus three times (see Matthew 26:69-75). I would have asked, “Are there any roosters here? Because if there are, I’m leaving!”

But seriously, if someone like Simon Peter could fall, then surely we can too. 1 Corinthians 15:33 tells us, “Bad company corrupts good character” (NKJV). Peter hung around people who were dragging him down spiritually. Are you in a similar situation? Have you entered into relationships where people are dragging you down? Maybe it’s a romance. Maybe it’s a close friendship. Are you finding yourself compromising your principles to fit in, or so that you don’t offend anyone? Perhaps you need to reconsider your friendships. Perhaps you need to make some immediate changes. And even if you have made some mistakes, there is still time to commit yourself to the Lord. That time is now. Don’t wait for the rooster to crow.

Messages From Heaven: Jesus Has a Question for You!

Messages From Heaven: Jesus Has a Question for You!: At the zenith of His career, Jesus pulled away to the secluded area of Caesarea Philippi. On His mind was a crucial question for His d...

Jesus Has a Question for You!

At the zenith of His career, Jesus pulled away to the secluded area of Caesarea Philippi. On His mind was a crucial question for His disciples — and for us as well. Travel back with me to the scene as it unfolds.
The surroundings are impressive. Flowing springs. Lush gardens. Monuments and temples dedicated to the worship of the Greek god Pan line the pathways. A massive, white marble temple to Caesar looms tall. Perhaps standing in the midst of the monuments and the buildings and the shrines and the temples built to the gods, Jesus leans forward and says rather quietly to a small handful of men — knowing there was not one monument built in His honor, not one building erected to His glory — "Who do the people say that the Son of Man is?" (Matthew 16:13).
He is posing an opinion-poll question about Himself. "What's the buzz?" He asks. According to verse 14, the disciples respond spontaneously, "Some say John the Baptist." Now remember, John's dead. He's been beheaded by Herod Antipas. Some people are saying that Jesus is John the Baptist raised from the dead. That's why He has miraculous powers.
The disciples continue, "Some say...Elijah." Elijah had ministered hundreds of years earlier. For centuries the Jews viewed Elijah as the prince of the prophets who would be the forerunner, but not the Messiah. And a third answer comes: "Some say...Jeremiah, or one of the prophets." British scholar Alfred Plummer describes these on-the-street opinions as "wild and fluctuating guesses."¹ But they all boil down to this: "He's a man."
Then Jesus narrows His gaze and personalizes the question for His men: "But who do you say that I am?" (16:15, emphasis added). In Matthew's original text, Jesus emphasizes "you" — and it's plural. He’s asking each man who they think He is.
I don't know how much time passes between verses 15 and 16, but Peter can't stand the silence any longer. And even though the question was addressed to the group, Peter speaks for all of them. That's like Peter, isn't it? I love his answer.

"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (16:16).

We have at times laughed at Simon Peter. But here's a moment when we must salute him. He's never had a greater moment than this. Christ is the flesh-and-bone God, not a fixed-in-stone god. And notice the definite articles. This isn't a generalized series of wild guesses. This isn't public opinion talking here. This is a specific answer about the Messiah, the Son of the living God.
Can you picture the scene? Peter didn't always get it right, but he nailed it this time! How great is that!
Now imagine for a moment that Jesus turns His gaze from Peter and the disciples...to you. He has a question for you also: "Who am I to you?" He asks.
There can be no greater question you could answer. "Who is Jesus Christ to you?" Your reply must be, "The Son of the living God, my Savior, and my God."
Who else could He be? There is no one else qualified to grant forgiveness but Jesus. There is no one other than Christ who will stay closer to you when everyone or everything is stripped from you. There is no one else who can turn your bitterness into relief or turn your grief into joy. There is no one else you can trust with your deepest and most scandalous secret, only Jesus. Only He can relieve the abuse. Only He can erase the bitterness and remove the scars. All other counselors and friends can simply put arms around you, weep with you, and point you to Him. But only He can change you!
And that's just what He can do in this life. When you've taken your last breath and you step into eternity, having answered Jesus' question with faith, there is not a soul who has ever lived who will be by your side but Jesus. He alone is qualified to escort you from the grave to glory. He alone is God.
Jesus has a question for you. Aren't you glad you have the answer?

Messages From Heaven: Learning Self-Discipline!

Messages From Heaven: Learning Self-Discipline!: For many years, I have had the privilege of knowing the renowned classical guitarist Christopher Parkening. By the time he was thirty, ...

Learning Self-Discipline!

For many years, I have had the privilege of knowing the renowned classical guitarist Christopher Parkening. By the time he was thirty, he had become a master of his instrument. But such mastery did not come easily or cheaply. While other children played and participated in sports, he spent several hours a day practicing the guitar. The result of that self-disciplined commitment is proficiency on his instrument that few can match.
Self-discipline is important in any endeavor of life. It's best defined as the ability to regulate one's conduct by principle and sound judgment, rather than by impulse, desire, or social custom. Biblically, self-discipline may be summarized in one word: obedience. To exercise self-discipline is to avoid evil by staying within the bounds of God's law.
I'm grateful for my parents, coaches, professors, and the others who helped me develop self-discipline in my own life. People who have the ability to concentrate, focus on their goals, and consistently stay within their priorities tend to succeed. Whether in academics, the arts, or athletics, success generally comes to the self-disciplined.
Since self-discipline is so important, how do you develop it? How can parents help their children develop it? Here are some practical tips that I've found helpful:
Start with small things. Clean your room at home or your desk at work. Train yourself to put things where they belong when they are out of place. Make the old adage "A place for everything and everything in its place" your motto. After you've cleaned your room or desk, extend that discipline of neatness to the rest of your house and workplace. Get yourself to the point where orderliness matters. Learn how to keep your environment clean and clear so you can function without a myriad of distractions. Such neatness will further develop self-discipline by forcing you to make decisions about what is important and what is not.
Learning self-discipline in the little things of life prepares the way for big successes. On the other hand, those who are undisciplined in small matters will likely be undisciplined in more important issues. In the words of Solomon, it is the little foxes that ruin the vineyards (Song of Sol. 2:15). And when it comes to a person's integrity and credibility, there are no small issues.
A famous rhyme, based on the defeat of King Richard III of England at the battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, illustrates the importance of concentrating on small details:
For want of a nail, a shoe was lost,
For want of a shoe, a horse was lost,
For want of a horse, a battle was lost,
For want of a battle, a kingdom was lost,
And all for want of a horseshoe nail.
Get yourself organized. Make a schedule, however detailed or general you are comfortable with, and stick to it. Have a to-do list of things you need to accomplish. Using a daily planning book or a personal information manager program on your computer would be helpful. But get organized, even if all you do is jot down appointments and to-do items on a piece of scrap paper. The simple reality is that if you don't control your time, everything (and everyone) else will.
Don't constantly seek to be entertained. When you have free time, do things that are productive instead of merely entertaining. Read a good book, listen to classical music, take a walk, or have a conversation with someone. In other words, learn to entertain yourself with things that are challenging, stimulating, and creative. Things that are of no value except to entertain you make a very small contribution to your well-being.
Be on time. If you're supposed to be somewhere at a specific time, be there on time. The apostle Paul listed proper use of time as a mark of true spiritual wisdom: "Be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil" (Eph. 5:15-16). Being punctual marks a life that is organized. It reveals a person whose desires, activities, and responsibilities are under control. Being on time also acknowledges the importance of other people and the value of their time.
Keep your word. "Undertake not what you cannot perform," a young George Washington exhorted himself, "but be careful to keep your promise." If you say you're going to do something, do it — when you said you would do it and how you said you would do it. When you make commitments, see them through. That calls for the discipline to properly evaluate whether you have the time and capability to do something. And once you've made the commitment, self-discipline will enable you to keep it.
Do the most difficult tasks first. Most people do just the opposite, spending their time doing the easier, low priority tasks. But when they run out of time (and energy), the difficult, high-priority tasks are left undone.
Finish what you start. Some people's lives are a sad litany of unfinished projects. In the words of poet John Greenleaf Whittier,
For of all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these: "It might have been!"
If you start something, finish it. Therein lies an important key to developing self-discipline.
Accept correction. Correction helps you develop self-discipline by showing you what you need to avoid. Thus, it should not be rejected, but accepted gladly. Solomon wrote "Listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days" (Prov. 19:20); and "He whose ear listens to the life giving reproof will dwell among the wise. He who neglects discipline despises himself, but he who listens to reproof acquires understanding" (Prov. 15:31-32).
Practice self-denial. Learn to say no to your feelings and impulses. Occasionally deny yourself pleasures that are perfectly legitimate for you to enjoy. Skip dessert after a meal. Drink a glass of iced tea instead of having that banana split that you love. Don't eat that doughnut that caught your eye. Refraining from those things will remind your body who is in charge.
Welcome responsibility. Volunteer to do things that need to be done. That will force you to have your life organized enough to have the time for such projects.
These practical suggestions may not seem to involve any deep spiritual principles. Yet you cannot split your life into the secular and the spiritual. Instead you must live every aspect of your life to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). And self-discipline cultivated in the seemingly mundane things of life will spill over into the spiritual realm.