Announcement

Cell Group
Date: 5th May 2017 (Friday)
Time: 8:00pm
Venue: Penang Children Home Chapel.

Mother's Day Celebration
Date: 7th May 2017 (Sunday)
Time: 10:30am
Venue: Penang Corps Worship Hall
All are welcome!

Real-Life Discipleship - 1st Series

Date: 20th May 2017 (Satday)
Time: 10am - 4pm
Venue: Penang Corps
Details: For all local officers and ministry leaders.

Living Without Stress

Stress is one of the big “joy killers” that God wants to help us minimize. Stress makes it difficult to operate and is a cause of terrible unhappiness, illness, and even death. According to one news article that I read, between 75 and 90 percent of doctor visits in developed countries could be directly or indirectly traced back to stress.

Faith is an antidote for stress. Faith and trust that everything is in God’s hands, that He is in control, and that He is able to bring about something good from even the worst situations, automatically eliminates a lot of stress from our lives.

Each of us is able to trust in God for certain things, but there are always aspects of our lives that we feel we need to worry about or burdens we feel we need to carry, instead of giving them to God and trusting that He can take care of them better than we can. And if we let those burdens settle on us—whether physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual—eventually they will cause stress, which can have devastating effects on both body and spirit in the long term.

Most of us have at least one or two areas where our lives have gotten out of balance or our perspectives have gotten skewed. Often this is because we’ve been carrying a load for too long without sufficient breaks or balance. God wants to help provide those things in order to lighten those burdens and make them easier to bear.

A common misconception is to equate stress with hard work, or to feel that some amount of stress is inevitable in a busy life. But that doesn’t have to be the case. You can be a very hard worker yet not be overcome by stress if you:

Maintain a balanced life. Work when it’s time to work, play when it’s time to play, and above all, keep your time with God sacred. If you go through a period that’s extra busy and you have to cut corners on your relaxation and fellowship with others, make sure that things slow down again when that project or period of time is over. Don’t let it continue indefinitely. That fast pace can become an unhealthy addiction.

Let God carry your burdens, which means exercising your faith by committing difficult and stressful situations to Him, instead of trying to resolve them on your own. Stressful situations are part of life; there’s no way around that. When one of your children is sick, it’s stressful. When you’re low on finances, it’s stressful. When you have tight or unrealistic deadlines, it’s stressful. But you don’t have to solve those problems alone. God is a “very present help in trouble.”

Know your limits and don’t try to do more than is healthy. Learn to be realistic, and if you’re not realistic, listen to others who are, so that you don’t wind up creating unnecessary stressful situations for yourself and those around you.

Step back from time to time and take stock. How are you doing on each of the points above?
A lot of stress comes from negative mindsets, rather than actual deadlines or events. Worry, fear, concerns, excessive pride,and self-centeredness, for example, can all create or contribute to stress.

Rising above stress isn’t easy. Changing habits and mindsets is usually difficult and takes time. There are two things that can help keep you on track while you are trying to make such changes. First, make a conscious effort to trust in God, which you do by reminding yourself that He is in control and that His timing is best. Then determine what practical steps you can take to reduce the load you are carrying while He works out more long-range solutions.

How can you “cast your burden on the Lord” so He can sustain you? God has promised in His Word, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Stress doesn’t need to be an overwhelming burden in your life or circumstances. Even though we will probably never attain a once-and-for-all victory over stress, because we’re human, we can learn to overcome or reduce its negative effects each time it comes around by replacing it with trust in God, which brings peace. “The Lord gives perfect peace to those whose faith is firm.”

—

Psalm 46:1 ESV / To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Psalm 55:22 ESV /
Cast your burden on the Lord,
and he will sustain you;
he will never permit
the righteous to be moved.

Isaiah 26:3 ESV /
You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you.

I’ll take the Mountain

As the car kept winding up, up, up, I couldn’t help but wonder if our friend’s house had been built on the very top of the mountain. Darkness had fallen by the time my sister, two friends, and I got to our destination, but even at night the mountains seemed alive.

Our friend led us up a flight of dark and wobbly steps to the balcony, where we gasped at the panorama. Before us was the most beautiful view of the city of Iskenderun, Turkey, far below. Twinkling lights of all colors lined the Mediterranean, as though an angel had scooped up a ladle of stars and flung them across the darkness.

Even better—the silence.

The next morning, I awoke to birds chirping and a soft breeze wafting through my window. Our friend took us for a traditional village breakfast: goat cheese, roasted sausage, sautéed peppers, spiced olives—everything fresh beyond words. We sat with our legs outstretched;a brook trickled down through the pines and past our table.

Two boys with half-tucked-in shirts and fruit-smeared cheeks sold us a bag of plums. They had the sweetest smiles and looked as though they spent every day playing in the sunshine and climbing forest trails. We made conversation, and I watched their eyes light up and their smiles grow.

We spent only a weekend at the mountain house, but I wished I could steal the stillness and take it home with me.

As I lay in the tall grass and let ladybugs crawl over my fingers, I thought about how even Jesus sometimes needed to distance Himself from His work and the busyness around Him in order to connect with His Father. Often, it seems, He managed to slip away to a secluded spot alone, but I imagine there were also times when that wasn’t possible and He needed to find His “mountain retreat” in spirit.

Are things any different now? Thousands of years later, the world certainly hasn’t gotten any less chaotic or stressful, and we all struggle sometimes. Our faith and patience are tested. Sometimes we can’t cope any longer. We fall short. We mess up.

The choice is ours, though: to stay in the valley or get back on the mountain in spirit. Some people resign themselves to life’s gloomy days, but after having tasted the heavenly, I’ll take the mountain!

—

Mark 1:35 ESV / And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.

Mark 6:46-47 ESV / And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land.

Luke 5:16 ESV / But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.

Peace—the Steadfast Fruit 2017 April, Daily Devotionals 2

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”
Jesus promised us peace. “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Just as Jesus calmed the stormy sea when His disciples thought their ship was sinking and they were about to drown, He can calm the storms of life and give you inner peace. This begins by turning to Him at the first sign of trouble. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

King David learned this principle and practiced it in his psalms, many of which were actually prayers. He would begin by enumerating his problems to God, which inevitably caused him to remember God’s goodness and power, which set his heart and mind to rest, which helped him remain steadfast in his faith until conditions and the time were right for God to help him put those troubles behind him.

Peace in the Midst of Storm
At an art contest held to see who could best illustrate peace, most of the participating artists contributed tranquil scenes of lazy summer days in the countryside, where all was stillness and harmony.
Well, that’s a form of peace, but the picture that won the award illustrated the hardest kind of peace to have. Barely visible on a branch overhanging a raging, roaring, storm-swollen waterfall was a little nest where a tiny bird was singing peacefully away, in spite of the turmoil below.
That kind of peace comes only through the Prince of Peace—Jesus—and the knowledge that whatever happens, He’ll take care of you!
Peace of the running waves to you,
Deep peace of the flowing air to you,
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you,
Deep peace of the shining stars to you,
Deep peace of the shades of night to you,
Moon and stars always giving light to you,
Deep peace of Christ, the Son of Peace, to you.
—Traditional Gaelic blessing

—

Galatians 5:22-23 ESV / But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

John 14:27 ESV / Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Philippians 4:6-7 ESV / do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The Forest Getaway

Last winter I took a five-week trip to fundraise for a humanitarian aid project I’m involved with. My plan was ambitious—possibly overly so. Long, intense days for over a month straight took a toll on my spiritual life and general disposition.

One day, as I was taking my lunch break and walking around the large mall where I was manning a collection booth, the nonstop sights and sounds in this highly charged commercial setting were weighing on my spirit. I am a nature lover, and the below-zero temperatures and severe snowstorms that kept me indoors even when I got off work were another factor that made me feel trapped and miserable.

As I passed one glitzy display after another for what seemed like the tenth time, I was on the verge of tears and began to pray silently. I told God how I wanted to be far from all this noise and incessant activity, how I wished for the peace and quiet of a forest, surrounded by nature, where I would be able to more clearly feel His presence and hear His voice.

Then I saw it. I don’t know how I had missed it before. Right in front of me was a large picture of an incredibly beautiful, almost magical, misty forest. As I got closer, I realized it was part of a temporary photo exhibit. I went in and was immediately immersed in a beautiful collection of scenes depicting the majesty of God’s creation—mountains, rivers, lakes, deserts, caves, sunsets, and more. They were the most beautiful pictures of nature I had ever seen. The lighting was dim except for the photographs, and soft instrumental music was playing. I was totally alone, and overstuffed armchairs in the center of the gallery beckoned me to sit, relax, and take it all in. It was too good to be true. In the dead of winter, in the most hectic place I have ever been, God gave me the one thing I wanted most, which had seemed impossible—twenty minutes with Him in an enchanting forest, with a rippling stream on one side and rolling green hills on the other.

God goes out of His way every day to show us His love. No need of ours is too small or too big for Him to meet. I now have complete confidence in that.

—

Colossians 3:10-12 ESV / And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

Revelation 21:4 ESV / He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV / Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

God’s Mosaics

Have you ever come across a construction site where the workers were laboriously laying a tile floor—one of those mosaic floors with thousands of tiny tiles that create a picture when finished? While it’s being put in place, the picture isn’t clearly visible because the workers use grout to fill the spaces between the tiles, and the grout leaves a heavy gray film over their work that hides the beauty of what they’ve done. But then, once the grout between the tiles is dry, the film is washed off and the picture is revealed.

That’s similar to how God works in our lives. In His infinite wisdom and all-encompassing love, He understands exactly what we need and goes to great lengths, with intricate detail, to provide those things.

Often He uses the troubles of life, such as economic difficulties, personal struggles, and mistakes, to work in ways we aren’t expecting. We don’t always realize how He’s preparing us, or understand why He has allowed something “gray” to cloud our lives, like the grout on the mosaic as it is being fashioned. But that only makes His loving and attentive care all the more profound and beautiful when it’s finally revealed.

—

Romans 5:3-5 ESV / More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

1 Peter 5:10 ESV / And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

James 1:2-4 ESV / Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Fruit in Season

My son’s voice broke as he spoke, “Mom, I don’t know what’s happening. I just moved my family in order to take a new job, but now that job has fallen through!”

I did my best to encourage him, but as the minutes went by, I could tell I wasn’t getting through the wall of anguish.

After hanging up, I couldn’t get my son’s situation out of my mind. Finally I stopped everything else to pray about what he was going through. My son and his wife are active Christians and responsible young parents. I knew that he would do the best he could to support his family, but I knew, too, that the worldwide economic slump meant it was even more difficult than usual to get a good job.

As I prayed for him, I was reminded of the first words of the first Psalm, and I knew these verses were the key for my son: “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.”

“God is love,” and His interactions with us are loving. He is always trying to draw us closer to Himself. Sometimes He allows difficulties and setbacks to befall us, but if our hearts are right with Him, then we are like those trees that are planted by the rivers of water, and we will bring forth fruit when the time is right.
Consider the life cycle of a fruit tree. Sometimes it goes dormant; all the leaves may fall off, and it may appear dead. But there are other times when the tree bursts forth with fruit in abundance.

In the same way, we also go through cycles. There are times when we’re at the top of our game and things couldn’t be better. Then there are times when things take a dip and we have to fight to stay positive. At times like that, I like to meditate on one of my favorite promises from God’s Word: “Do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.”

I couldn’t wait to get back on the phone and share these thoughts with my son. We prayed together for him to be freed from discouragement and worry.

My son and his wife began praying every day for a new job, and he also took on whatever temporary jobs he could find in the meantime. Within six months, he was able to get a good job in an electronics company, and after one year he was promoted to vice president of the same company.

He faced some major obstacles, but God came through for him. Although he’s very busy and challenged with his career, he continues to make his time with the Lord and reading His Word a priority because he knows that this is the key to happiness and success.

—

Psalm 1:1-3 ESV /
Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.

1 John 4:8 ESV / Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Hebrews 10:35-36 ESV / Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

Living with a Loss

Steve was a cheerful little boy with big brown eyes, curly blond hair, and a dimple that appeared on his right cheek every time he smiled. He had dreamy eyes, and often sat by the window to gaze at the rain, the clouds, or the birds.

“He has been kissed by an angel,” the Japanese midwife had told me with a smile when she first placed the small warm bundle in my arms, pointing out a snow-white streak of hair at the back of his head. “He has a special calling in life.” Over the years, her words often came back to me and I wondered what they meant.

Fifteen years later, Steve, then a handsome teenager with an athletic physique, suddenly became very ill. I was sure it was a bout of malaria, as we had traveled to the coast regularly during our missionary work in East Africa. The grave look on the doctor’s face said otherwise, even before he relayed the findings of the tests he had ordered. “Acute lymphoblastic leukemia.” My mind was suddenly flooded with questions. What did that mean? Could it be healed? How would this affect his future?

Because of the seriousness of Steve’s condition, we were in a race against time. Within a few hours, Steve was flown from Kenya to Europe, where better treatments were available. He was hospitalized and put on chemotherapy.

The next two years were long and agonizing. Hopeful moments were followed by setbacks as one chemotherapy session was followed by the next.

Then came the day when it became clear that our dear Steve was not going to recover. His doctors pronounced the treatments unsuccessful and gave him six weeks to live. It was Steve’s wish to return to Mombasa, Kenya, where he had grown up. It was there, surrounded by his friends and family, that he got to fulfill some of his final wishes, like a day of sailing in the bay before watching the hot tropical sun spread bright hues over the Indian Ocean at sunset.

When Steve’s last breath passed his lips early one morning in a small hospital room overlooking the ocean, the world stood still for me. A large yellow butterfly fluttered through the open window, and I felt God reassuring me that He had taken Steve gently to His unseen realm. Still, the impact of losing my son left me in shambles long after everyone else’s mourning had passed.

“Let go and move on” was the well-meaning advice I seemed to get from every side. But where was I to move on to? And how? Deep inside, I felt bitter and angry with God for snatching my vibrant young son from me. I felt cheated and empty. My heart remained heavy as the months dragged by and I pondered my loss again and again.
Eventually I decided to meet God on my porch early each morning to tell Him of my woes. Days stretched to weeks as I poured on Him all my grief, remorse, and anger over what had happened. “If love is the essence of Your nature, as the Bible says, how could You deal so harshly with me and my son?” I asked over and over.
What a patient and longsuffering listener I found.

I cried and pleaded and reasoned, until finally one morning I felt I had said all that I wanted and poured out all my emotions. It was then, when I was willing to make peace with God, that tranquility filled my soul. In a still, soothing voice, God began to speak to my heart. From that point on, my solitary morning porch meetings with God took another direction. I learned to listen to Him and to allow Him to comfort me and heal my pain.
I’m Free
Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free.
I’m following the path God has laid, you see.
I took His hand when I heard Him call;
I turned my back and left it all.
I could not stay another day
To laugh, to love, to work, to play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way;
I found that peace at the close of day.
If my parting has left a void,
Then fill it with remembered joy.

A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss,
Oh yes, these things I too will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow,
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life’s been full; I savored much—
Good friends, good times, a loved one’s touch.
Perhaps my time seemed all too brief;
Don’t lengthen it with undue grief.
Lift up your hearts, and peace to thee.
God wanted me; He set me free.
—Author unknown

—

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 ESV / Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Matthew 5:1-48 ESV / Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. …

Matthew 11:28-30 ESV / Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Heaven’s Reflecetion

A friend was showing me a photo that he took at Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden—a large park in the middle of bustling Tokyo. It showed a brilliant blue sky with green trees framing it. When I complimented him on a beautiful shot, my friend looked amused. “Actually, you’re looking at it upside down. This is the reflection of the sky on the lake.”

I looked closer and saw that he was right. What I had thought was scenery was actually its reflection on the lake’s surface, almost like an optical illusion. I was amazed at how clearly the sky and surroundings were reflected in the still water. It made me think how wonderful it would be if my life could so perfectly reflect heaven’s peace and stillness.

God wants me to rest in the knowledge that He is in control and looking out for us. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” But when things go wrong, the winds of adversity can create turmoil in my spirit and cause me to feel buffeted. When I get this way, others only see the choppy waves of my ruffled spirit, not the still reflection of heaven.

I can’t avoid the storms of life, but they don’t need to rob me of the peace of God. I can hold on to the promise that these trials will never be more than I can bear; God will always provide a way out. He’s also ready, willing, and able to bring about something good from every situation, if my heart is right and I turn to Him for guidance and help.3 So when trouble hits, I have a choice. Will I project to others the vision of a storm-tossed sea? Or will they see the peace of heaven reflected in my attitude and actions?

—

Mark 4:39 ESV / And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV / And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Psalm 46:10 ESV /
“Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”

Divine Chaos

Of all the word pictures Jesus painted, I can’t think of another that engenders the peace of spirit that comes from feeling secure in God’s loving care more than this: “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. If God so clothes the grass of the field, will He not much more clothe you?” Can you see those lilies now? Tall and straight, perfectly formed and laced with dew, each a polite distance from the next, they sway as one to the sweet strains of songbirds and a gentle breeze as it sweeps through an open meadow awash with morning sun. At least that’s how I would have had them grow, if God had asked me.

A very different scene hangs above my desk—a hopeless tangle of wildflowers and weeds, grasses, thistles, and who knows what, some flourishing, some beginning to fade, and some gone to seed. The photo was the reward of a long, hot trek through the Texas countryside in search of a scene that matched a mental picture that had come to me months earlier while praying about my part in a new project that involved quite a few people, each of whom added his or her particular needs, opinions, aspirations, quirks, and hang-ups to the mix.

The amazing thing about that scene when I glimpsed it in prayer was how it instantly set my heart and mind to rest. I had the distinct feeling that God not only had it all under control, but that He delighted in the complexity and diversity, in each and every element and its place in the hodgepodge. The Creator in love with His creation. Things weren’t as I would have had them, but as He would have them. That realization made all the difference. I titled my photo Divine Chaos, and I study and draw from it whenever I work myself into turmoil over some new problem. “Consider the flowers of the field, how they grow.”

—

Hebrews 1:3 ESV / He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Colossians 1:16 ESV / For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for hi

1 John 1:5 ESV / This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

5 Senses Thanksgiving

Every day is filled with happy moments that we could thank God for, if we paused to acknowledge them. This thanksgiving exercise is based on what we perceive through our five traditional senses.

Sight: Many things are beautiful to behold, whether natural sights such as trees and flowers, created works such as art and architecture, or the sight of a friend or home after an absence. What pleasurable sights lined your path today? Thank God for them.

Hearing: The warble of birds, the sound of music, or a loved one’s voice on the phone can bring a smile. What were the sounds that brought you pleasure today? Thank God for them.

Taste: When God provided food for the Israelites during their 40-year sojourn in the wilderness, it seems He was not only concerned with providing sustenance, but also something tasty. The psalmist later called manna, the mystery food that appeared on the ground each morning, “angels’ food.” In another passage we are told that “its taste was like the taste of pastry.” Think back over what you ate and drank today. What flavors and textures did you enjoy? Thank God for them.

Smell: The sense of smell is evocative. Freshly mown grass reminds us of summer; a certain perfume or cologne may remind us of a loved one or friend; the smell of a certain food can conjure up places and experiences from our past. What good smells came your way today? What happy thoughts did they trigger? Thank God for them.

Touch: We see only with our eyes, smell only with our noses, taste only with our mouths, and hear only with our ears, but the sense of touch is transmitted through tiny nerve endings that cover us from head to toe. Each fingertip alone has around 2500 receptors. Our days are filled with touch. We brush our child’s hair and feel its softness. We hold a mug of warm tea or coffee. We splash cool water on our face on a hot day. What special experiences did you have today thanks to your sense of touch? Thank God for those.

To develop this exercise further, consider starting a sensory thanksgiving notebook. Each evening, jot down your day’s experiences of each sense. Just a word or two may be sufficient; it’s the moments of appreciative reflection that make this exercise valuable.

—

Romans 8:28 ESV / And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Psalm 107:1 ESV / Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 50:23 ESV / The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”

When Good is Better than Best

There is an adage, “Good is the enemy of best” The point is that settling for something that is merely good may mean that something better is never attained. It seems to be a cultural imperative these days that we never settle for less than what we believe will prove to be the absolute best for us. But I’m coming to a different conclusion.

In my personal quest for the best possible outcome in each and every situation, I’m seeing that I have sometimes passed up some good possibilities; because I was worried that just around that next corner could be what I really, really, really wanted, I failed to take advantage of the opportunity at hand. In such cases, it seems to me that “best” is really the enemy of “good.” Going for the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow caused me to miss the beauty of the rainbow. I would probably be happier if I embraced the journey, rather than always being fixated on reaching my next goal.

While thinking about this, I was reminded of something that Peter said about Jesus: He went around doing good. Jesus took advantage of opportunities to do good whenever they presented themselves.

There is also the classic passage from Paul’s letter to the Romans where he writes that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” I have often taken solace in that verse when things didn’t seem to be going at all well. But lately I have been thinking deeper on that scripture and how all things work for good, not necessarily best. I am not sure I am in the best situation right now, but I know it is good, and rather than fretting about what I don’t have, I could be finding and enjoying the positives in my present circumstances.

Solomon apparently came to a similar conclusion, because he wrote, “Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor … for this is his reward.” If that’s so, a constant search for something better can cause us to not appreciate the good thing we already have.

So should we be happy to settle for the good? Perhaps not all the time, but I think we might be happier overall if we often did. After all, good is not a bad thing!

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Acts 10:38 ESV / how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

Romans 8:28 ESV / And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Ecclesiastes 5:18 ESV / Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot.

11 Tips for Beating the Blues

1. Count your blessings. Expressing gratitude does wonders to lift your spirit. There is spiritual power in praise that can counterbalance whatever is weighing on you.

2. Get in touch with Jesus. He loves and cares for you, and He’s got the solution to every problem. Talk to Him about how you feel; read God’s Word; bolster your faith by holding on to promises from His Word.

3. Do something good for someone else. Reaching out to others not only helps that person, but it lifts your spirit at the same time.

4. Take a break. Stop everything and go for a walk, sit somewhere relaxing, or take in a nature scene or favorite picture. Meditate on the beautiful things in life.

5. Sing a happy song, or listen to one. A song of praise to God can draw you closer to Him and fill your heart with gratitude and peace.

6. Exercise. Physical exercise releases endorphins, “feel good” hormones that help to calm the mind and redirect thoughts and energy away from worries and concerns.

7. Laugh out loud. “A merry heart does good, like medicine.” Don’t take life or yourself too seriously. Read, watch, or think about something funny. Talk to someone who is fun to be around.

8. Spend time with your children. Children have so much love to give, and their cheerfulness, resilience, and simplicity can help put your own problems in perspective.

9. Spruce up your surroundings. A clean room, a nice view, a small home improvement, or even good lighting can lift your mood.

10. Get enough sleep. Problems are easier to deal with when you are well rested. A large sleep deficit can magnify problems and make you feel lousy.

11. Smile. Smiling even when you don’t feel like it has a positive effect on your spirit. Keep it up, and you will soon be seeing the world in a brighter light.

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Psalm 118:24 ESV / This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV / Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Colossians 3:17 ESV / And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Mayan Civilization

When our volunteer work took my husband Andrew, our daughter Angelina, and me from Europe to Central America, we were blessed with the wonderful opportunity to visit a peaceful lake in Guatemala that had once been a local center of the rich Mayan culture. In this serene setting, the main event of the day for locals and visitors alike is watching the sun set behind three volcanoes that rim the west side of the lake. Here the pleasures of life are simple, like swimming where the volcanic hot springs rise up into the lake, creating a curious mixture of ice-cold, tepid, and very hot water.

I don’t drink coffee myself, but I was fascinated to observe how coffee beans are grown, dried, roasted, ground, and finally brewed to a delicious deep brown cup of coffee. The aroma was intoxicating, and the taste, said Andrew and Angelina, was divine—a truly homemade cup of coffee from beginning to end.
It was a curious sight—tourists on temporary reprieve from their fast-paced, pressure-driven, “civilized” lives in juxtaposition with Mayan women peacefully weaving their beautiful multicolored cloth, some with an infant child, grandchild, or perhaps even great-grandchild sleeping peacefully in a sling across their backs or playing quietly nearby. What a contrast!

Although the Mayans of today must sell their wares to the foreigners in order to survive, they have not let the pressures of the modern world pollute their lives. Industrious and hard-working, they work in rhythm, sunrise to sunset, producing lovely traditional garments. Not swept along by the fashion trends, they proudly wear their own wares, as do their children. Nor are they dependent on the pharmaceutical system, but find the medicines they need right in the trees and plants that are grown locally. They even produce their own cosmetics. (My hair has done better with the herbal shampoo I bought from them than it has with any commercially produced shampoo, herbal or otherwise, that I’ve ever tried!)

While sitting beneath the softly waving palm trees, listening to gentle waves lap the lakeshore and observing the sun set behind the volcanoes, I felt like I had been taken up to God’s heavenly kingdom and shown one of the reasons that I had been created—to enjoy it all!

Jet-setters, get-aheaders, and others consider the Mayans backward, but I’m not so sure. Speed and stress take the joy out of life, but slowing down and bringing our priorities into line with God’s puts it back in.

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2 Timothy 3:16 ESV / All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

1 Thessalonians 2:13 ESV / And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.

Isaiah 40:22 ESV / It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;

2017 - Easter Sunday

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An imperfect World

It was just a little thing, that smile on my baby’s face, but it changed my perspective on life.
As he woke and looked up at me, he was looking at what mattered most in the world to him—me! He didn’t care that I was dressed in mismatched pajamas, my hair a mess. He just loved me and loved being with me. He didn’t need perfection; love made it all right. That moment of holding him and taking in those rays of love clarified something I’d been thinking about earlier.

The lack of perfection in life has always rubbed me the wrong way. When someone said or did something that irked me, I’d often argue my case against it in my mind. Why do there have to be things like personality clashes, carelessness, inconsideration, injustice, pessimism, put-downs? These things are real, and they are wrong! I wish they didn’t exist. If everyone, me included, could just get their act together, my life could be one of blissful perfection. Perfection, I reasoned, was the only thing that could ever relieve my irritations. But I also knew that could never be. This was real life. I needed another option.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that what I really wanted was for the world to revolve around me—my wishes, my feelings, my preferences, my priorities. Something had to change, and this time it had to be me, regardless of the faults of others. But how? I’d tried before.

Then that morning, as I held my baby, a whisper of a thought came to me. Would you want your baby to be perfect right from the start?

After pondering that thought, I couldn’t imagine something I’d want less. If he’d been able to walk and run the day he was born, I’d never get to see the look of thrill and accomplishment on his face when he took his first steps, and I’d also miss that special feeling of holding him in my arms, knowing that he was completely dependent on me. If he had been able to talk perfectly from the time he was born, I’d never experience the joy of hearing him speak his first word. If he knew everything that an adult knows, I’d never get to see him overcome with wonder at some new discovery and I’d never have the fulfillment of teaching him something new. So many things I’d miss. No, his imperfection makes him just perfect. I wouldn’t have him any other way!

What was it then, I asked myself, that made his imperfection different from the other imperfections around me?
The answer was love.

That was it! That was what I was lacking. That was what I needed more of in order to cope bravely and cheerfully when confronted by problems I wished didn’t exist.

I realized how much I’d be missing if I and everyone around me were perfect from the start. I’d miss the unpredictability of life that adds the sense of surprise; the joy of forgiving and being forgiven; the strong, abiding bonds of friendship that are formed through adversity, and the positive character traits that are formed much the same way.

Adding negative thoughts to a negative situation, I reminded myself, never brings positive results. I determined then and there to look for and find the positive opportunities and experiences that are hidden behind the mask of imperfection.

When my baby couldn’t sleep later that day, I decided to make the best of a difficult situation by putting my new lesson into practice. I put what I had been sure was best for him and me on hold, and my husband and I took some time to sing and laugh with him. It was a perfectly happy moment that we all would have missed had everything been “perfect” that day.

Every situation and person we encounter can make our lives a ride of joy and surprise, if we look beyond. Difficulties, losses, hurts, lacks—we can think of each as a clue in a treasure hunt, the door to a secret vault where you will find beautiful treasures from God. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

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1 John 2:5 ESV / But whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:

Philippians 2:15 ESV / That you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

1 John 5:18 ESV / We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.