Thursday, January 29, 2009

Hope on a Rope

Found another gem from my pal Chuck Swindoll...

When we are trapped in a tunnel of misery, HOPE points to the light at the end.

When we are overworked and exhausted, HOPE gives us fresh energy.

When we are discouraged, HOPE lifts our spirits.

When we are tempted to quit, HOPE keeps us going.

When we lose our way and confusion blurs the destination, HOPE dulls the edge of panic.

When we fear the worst, HOPE reminds us that God is still in control.

When we must endure the consequences of God's decisions, HOPE fuels our recovery.

When we find ourselves unemployed, HOPE tells us we still have a future.

When we are forced to sit back and wait, HOPE gives us the patience to trust.

When we feel rejected and abandoned, HOPE reminds us we're not alone.

When we say our final farewell to someone we love, HOPE of life beyond the grave gets us through our grief.

HOPE isn't optional. It's essential to our survival. HOPE is basic to life.

Where is my HOPE found? Food for thought...

Thursday, January 22, 2009

To Tell The Truth

So, I've been struggling alot with the inner turmoil that seems to roll around now and again. Mostly, what am I doing with my life, how am I loving God more, why can't I seem to make the changes in my life that I want/need? Depressing stuff, some of it...And, for those of you who know me well, you know that I tend to try and AVOID any kind of FUNK. I hate feeling blue/low/depressed/ WHATEVER and most of the time I'll allow myself a tear or two, a scream of frustration and then just bury/ignore/busy myself and NOT DEAL. I accuse my dear husband of avoiding things and just "checking out" in front of the TV or computer or whatever, but I am guilty of exactly the same thing, however my favorite weapon of choice is FOOD. I'm at my heaviest weight ever and I HATE IT, yet I've done nothing to change my patterns. Anyhoo, enough poor Karen... What I want to write about is the devotional thought that captivated me this morning. Here's the text and my comments in paranthesis

From: A 40 Day Journey to the Cross and Beyond by Chuck Swindoll

Four Lessons for Truth Tellers

Few weapons against evil can rival the sword of truth. Though readily available to anyone brave enough to hold it, few will. And it's little wonder. The privilege of wielding so powerful a tool comes at great cost; misunderstanding, false accusations, broken relationships, loneliness, frustration. Furthermore, standing for what's right frequently involves terrifying bouts with self-doubt and even self-recrimination. Sometimes the choice to take truth by the handle results in glorious victory, but more often the counterstrike of evil comes with startling ferocity and lasting devastation.

First, knowing your mission will help you stay focused on the goal.(Wish I could keep my mind focused on the goal) Jesus clearly understood the reason for His coming to earth and never allowed popularity, success, opposition, threats or even dissension within His ranks to distract Him. He remained steadfastly focused on that mission, though not without due care for those around Him. He worked hard to make the truth plain. He often repeated the invitation to embrace the truth. But He never allowed the failure of others to pull Him off course. (YIKES)

Second, encountering evil requires confrontation. Few people enjoy confrontation, (this is incredibly true about me) but standing for the truth against evil will inevitably require it. And sometimes what must be said will be difficult to say as well as difficult for others to hear. Only rarely - perhaps once in a lifetime- will confrontation require the kind of severe rebuke Jesus brought against the Pharisees.(read Matthew 23 - the seven woes) The greater the evil, the stronger must be the confrontation. In general, I advise kindness unless a kind approach is irresponsible, but never kindness at the expense of plain talk. Be prepared to state the truth plainly. (OK, this is really difficult for me, cuz I'm always wanting to protect feelings, relationships, etc. - gonna have to work on this one.)

Third, boldness in the course of a noble fight is worth the risk. Standing for truth requires boldness. Some will be offended by it, so expect to be criticized for style when the opposition can find no fault with content. (this makes me think of people who criticize styles of preaching, rather than content) Furthermore, boldness may require strong action to accompany strong speech. You may have to quit a job, end a relationship, confront a powerful opponent, cope with a fear, deal with threats, perhaps even face certain defeat.(NOT what I want to hear) Dont' back down. if you stand on truth, you'll only regret your timidity later, but you'll never regret being bold.

Fourth, truth telling offers NO guarantee of victory. We live in a world that does not operate according to God's rules. The present world system punishes good deeds and rewards those who choose evil. in the words of James Russell Lowell, "Truth forever on the scaffold; wrong forever on the throne."

A two fisted grip on the sword of truth, while sacrificial, does offer great reward. Truth grants freedom from guilt an shame. Truth breeds contentment, instills confidence, stimulates creativity, fosters intimacy, encourages honesty, inspires courage, and sets people free. But, most importantly, it puts us on God's side of the issue. We have His promise that He will amply reward any sacrifice that truth demands, if not in this lifetime, then certainly the next.
(Thank God for his precious promises - now if I can only move forward)

Pray for me that I will contemplate all this and more. And not just be a hearer of the word but a doer!