Discipleship Network Forum

Like King David in the Psalms, many of my journal entries in recent years could have been titled, “Why am I so depressed…so dissatisfied with life?” This was especially true most years in November and December, when I faced holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s.

So it came as a surprise when I noticed this month that I’m happier than I’ve been in years – even decades. How could this be, when most things in my life are exactly the same as they’ve been for the past several years?

Strangely, although I still have the same job, friends, and marital status as I did a year ago, somehow my perspective is radically different. This seemed puzzling at first. Yes, God used my sabbatical in May and June to change my outlook, and the birth of my first grandchild certainly helped as well. But I’m convinced that my new perspective has little to do with any external changes in my life this year – the transformation has been almost entirely a matter of the heart.

While some aspects of my new outlook are difficult to put into words, I’ve identified 6 specific adjustments God supernaturally brought to my attitude this year. Perhaps these will be helpful to you as well:

1. No more striving. During my sabbatical I recognized my bad habit of striving for God’s affection or people’s applause. How stupid! God already loves me – enough to send His Son to die in my place – and there’s absolutely nothing I can do earn more of His love or favor. That’s a life-changing realization! Likewise, there’s no need to strive for more kudos from other people. Those who matter in my life already love me, and if someone doesn’t love me, I guess they don’t really matter.

This year I also recognized the unhealthy ways I’ve been striving to make more of an impact. Although it’s noble to desire a greater impact for God’s kingdom, my self-image had become far too entangled with my perception of the impact I was having. God had to take me to the other side of the world – New Zealand – to show me the startling fact that I already am making an incredible impact.

While I was in the process of questioning my usefulness and impact, the Lord reminded me that I’m part of an international ministry that’s recording more than one million salvations through our evangelistic outreaches this year. Also, there have been 30 million views of our daily discipleship videos, and I was directly involved in writing the scripts for those. In addition, I wrote books, booklets, pamphlets, and magazine articles that have impacted thousands of people.

I’m not citing this evidence to boast, but rather to illustrate how crazy it is to for me to strive for greater self-esteem based on increasing my accomplishments. It’s time to REST and REJOICE in what God has done!

2. No more envy. Until this summer, I never realized the deadly grip jealousy and envy had on me. The final item of the Ten Commandments warns about this: “You shall not covet...anything that is your neighbor’s” (Exodus 20:17). God has done a remarkable work in delivering me from envy the past six months, and this has resulted in incredible JOY!

No longer do I envy ANYONE. Others may have a bigger salary, a nicer house, and a faster car, but I don’t envy them. And although I have friends who’ve gotten engaged this year, I’m not envious of them, nor of my friends who already have happy marriages.

In Philippians 4:19, the apostle Paul describes the Lord’s ability to meet our needs, and it’s great to know that miraculous provision is possible during our times of lack. But, earlier in the chapter, Paul spoke about another amazing secret he had learned – the ability to be content regardless of his present circumstances (vs. 11-12). When we recognize how blessed we already are, there’s no need to envy those around us – and that should be a cause for great rejoicing.

3. No more regrets. If you have regrets today, I can sympathize. None of us is happy about everything we’ve done in past, nor everything that happened to If we’re honest, there are certainly some things we wish had turned out differently.

However, this year Romans 8:28 has become more than a nice religious memory verse for me. God truly can turn ALL things around for good when we love Him and seek to fulfill His purposes. Without the agony of Jesus’ cross, there would have been no forgiveness. And somehow God always uses our “crosses” to release more of His resurrection power and blessings.

Perhaps you’ve faced some horrendous events you can’t even begin to understand right now. My heart goes out to you. But I believe the day will come when you’ll be able to say along with Joseph, “God meant it for GOOD” (Genesis 50:20). You’ll cast off the regrets holding you captive, enabling you to get unstuck from the traumas that once caused you unspeakable pain.

4. No more complaining. Like never before, I’m making an effort to replace grumbling with gratitude. Paul had a lot he could have complained about while sitting in a Roman prison cell. But instead he chose to focus on the people he was thankful for (Philippians 1:3-7) and the things in his life that were praiseworthy (4:4-8). That kind of adjusted focus goes a long way toward experiencing a happier and more joyful life.

I'm sure I'll continue to struggle with this at times. I'll be tempted to complain about aches and pains, singleness, the traffic in Charlotte, and countless other annoyances. But thankfully God has given me the power to change my focus and choose gratitude – and that makes all the difference.

5. No more worries. At my advanced age, there are plenty of things a person could worry about. We worry about future health problems and wonder who would take care of us in that event. We worry about whether our financial reserves will run out before we die. We worry about being alone in our latter years. And I’m sure you can think of some other things to worry about as well…

Once again, my circumstances haven’t changed much, but my perspective is quite different than it was last year at this time. Why waste time and emotional energy worrying, when God has consistently proven Himself faithful throughout the years?

When I reflect on my past, I notice that the things I worried about seldom actually happened. Instead, God provided what I needed, even if it was at the last minute. Shouldn’t I trust Him to provide for me in the future too? Hey, during my sabbatical, I lived for six weeks with just the stuff I could fit into a medium-sized suitcase – and I didn’t lack anything.

My concerns about future financial provision gained a better perspective this year when I visited a multimillionaire friend. Once he had lavish homes in several different states, but now he lives in an assisted living center. Although he still has plenty of money, he spends his days in a small, one-room apartment – not much different than the kind of place someone on government assistance would have. Nevertheless, my friend is happy as can be, grateful that he has a bed, a comfortable chair, a TV, his own bathroom, and three meals a day. What else would he really need? At this point, his great wealth has largely become irrelevant.

6. No more codependence. I’ll admit, I have a long-time habit of trying to rescue people. That may not sound like a problem to you, but sometimes it has caused me unnecessary trouble. You see, those of us who are pastors and caregivers at heart frequently go overboard, forgetting to set boundaries and take care of

Recently God reminded me of the beautiful words of Isaiah 9:6-7, “The government will be upon HIS shoulder.” Too often, I’ve tried to shoulder the problems of the universe on my own shoulders, which is a sure prescription for burnout, if not disaster.

So if you see me trying to rescue a damsel in distress, there’s a good chance you should rebuke me. Instead of trying to solve everyone’s problems, caregivers like me must learn the hard lesson of letting God be God, and pointing people to Him instead of to ourselves (Psalm 46:10). As John the Baptist discovered, we must boldly admit, “I am not the Christ!” (John 1:20).

Imagine the overwhelming joy you’d experience if God set you free from striving…envy…regrets…complaining…worries…and codependence. It would be the best year you’ve had in decades!

I have a few additional reasons for being exceptionally happy this year. My job description at work has undergone some helpful tweaks. My home is also better organized now, because I got rid of some clutter when I moved. It always feels good to get rid of unnecessary “stuff,” doesn’t it?

Looking back on this year, I’m still amazed that most of the significant, joy-producing changes occurred in my heart, not in any of my circumstances. Ironically, these internal transformations probably could have happened in 2016, 2015, or even decades ago. Yet even though I wish I would have learned the lessons much sooner, there’s no time for regrets. Regardless of how long it took me to discover these simple truths, I’m VERY grateful that 2017 turned out to be such a transformational year.

Dear friend, you don’t have to wait until you’re my age to implement these life-changing perspectives. Life is too short to delay any longer. You might as well start being happy as soon as possible.  

We don’t know the exact time frame of the journey made by “wise men from the East” in search of young King Jesus (Matthew 2:1-12). It may have been several months or even a few years after Jesus’ birth when they arrived at Herod’s palace and asked, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?” (v. 1).

But while some of the details of their journey may be unclear, there’s much we can learn from the wonderful example set by the magi:

1. Pursuing the Lord was their top priority (v. 1). These men came from a great distance – probably 900 miles or more – to spend time with the Savior. They weren’t just casual believers, but were committed to pursuing a personal encounter with the newborn King. In the same way, shouldn’t we make it a priority to seek the Lord and spend time in His presence?
2. They came to worship Him (v. 2). Right from the beginning, the magi made the purpose of their journey clear: “We have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” May that be our focus as well during this Christmas season. Instead of being distracted by all the trappings of the holidays, let’s take time to worship Jesus!
3. Nothing could divert them from their mission (vs. 3-8). When God gives us a dream to pursue, we often have to deal with a “King Herod” who tries to distract us along the way. The magi truly proved to be “wise men,” able to discern that King Herod had no intention of furthering their mission. In the same way, we must avoid the influence of toxic people and naysayers during the holiday season.
4. They had to overcome the discouragement of temporarily losing sight of the star. If your GPS has ever malfunctioned, you know how frustrating it can be to lose your sense of direction. This seemed to happen to the magi at one point, causing them to seek human guidance when the miraculous star was no longer visible. Yet if we persevere in our pursuit of the Lord’s purpose, His guidance will eventually return. We’ll discover that we’re in the right place after all:

Then the star appeared again, the same star they had seen in the eastern skies. It led them on until it hovered over the place of the child. They could hardly contain themselves: They were in the right place! They had arrived at the right time! (Matthew 2:9-10 MSG).

5. They not only worshiped Jesus with their words and their time, but they also worshiped Him with a generous offering. “When they had opened their treasures, they presented to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh” (v. 11). If we have a genuine encounter with our Savior, the King of Kings, how can we not honor Him with our treasure, time, and talents? True worship demands nothing less. Our treasure and our heart are always linked together (Matthew 6:21).
6. They returned home “another way” (v. 12). Genuine worship will transform us and cause us to walk on a different path than we started on. If necessary, we’ll even be given supernatural direction or be “divinely warned in a dream.” As you worship Jesus this holiday season, He wants to instruct you, change your life, and give you the miraculous breakthrough you need!

May the Lord give you a fresh revelation of His LOVE for you this Christmas – love that took Him from the glories of heaven to a dusty stable in Bethlehem…to a cross on a Jerusalem hillside…to the right hand of God’s heavenly throne…so that you might enjoy spending eternity with Him.

Take a few moments right now to give God thanks for all He has done in your life. Like the magi, your journey may seem long and difficult at times. However, peace and joy will rise in your heart when you put your focus in the right place this Christmas: “When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy” (v. 10).

That can be your experience as well.

You, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village in Judah.

Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past.

He will be highly honored all around the world. He will be the source of our peace.

Micah 5:2, 4, 5a NLT

He was born in a little town, yet He never began.            

Before mountains were sculpted, He existed—in fact, He made them.

Before the planet you call home hung in space, He was your Home.

You cannot understand this, but you can believe it.

He entered earth in a dark barn, yet He will enlighten new Jerusalem.

His light illumines seeking minds—His life comforts desperate hearts.

He spoke first light into being—that light shines on, inextinguishable.

You cannot explain this, but you can enjoy it.

He was marked by a star, yet He made all the stars.

Heaven’s GPS pointed out His location to those who wanted to know.

I still use circumstances, events, and people to direct people to Jesus.

You cannot figure out what I am up to, but you can follow.

He was a helpless baby on earth, yet He is the Sovereign of Heaven.

He enjoyed prerogatives of power and glory, but He gave it up for you.

Rather than demand His rights, He humbly gave His life to redeem you.

You cannot earn this, but you can receive it.

He was adored by wise men from a foreign land,

and He will be worshiped by ransomed saints from all lands.

No one else is worthy of universal praise—He alone is the Savior.

You cannot imagine this, but you can experience it.

He became human in time, yet He is the Ruler of Eternity.

You cannot see Him now, but in the distant future you will.

Storm clouds veil stars, but dawn will reveal the rhapsody of peace.

You cannot envision this, but you can anticipate it.

His star led magi to Him, and the Bright Morning Star guides you.

All wisdom centers on Him—all truth connects to Him.

Wise men traveled a long way to find Him—yet it was worth the trip.

You cannot know it all, but you can know the One who does.

© 2013 Johnny R. Almond

Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity

 Tis the season for graduations. Many years ago, at my Seminary graduation, the commencement speaker spoke on the subject “Don’t Forget the Lily Work” from 1 Kings 7:15-22. Hiram finished the construction of Solomon’s Temple with two pillars, each one 27 feet tall, topped with two capitals, each 7 ½ feet high. Then 34 ½ feet above the ground, where no human eye could see, Hiram added the beautiful lily work. “The tops of the pillars were in the shape of lilies. So the work of the pillars was finished” (1 Kings 7:22) or from the King James Version, “And upon the top of the pillars was lily work.” The speaker reminded us that our ministry was not complete until we had done that which pleased only God, perhaps not even seen by man. Have you been doing that which pleased God, iregardless of man’s response? And aren’t you impressed that I actually listened to, and remembered the commencement speaker at my graduation? Garry Trudeau said, “Commencement speeches were invented largely in the belief that outgoing students should never be released into the world until they have been properly sedated.” Don’t forget your lily work this week.

“Go out and stand before me on the mountain” the Lord told him.

Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain.

It was such a terrible blast, rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind.

After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.

And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.

And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.

1 Kings 19:11-12 NLT

When fierce windstorms of chaos crumble mountains of your life, I may be trying to teach you a critical lesson. Your typical response is to attempt to put everything back together as best you can. In the process, you may or may not be aware of My Presence.

When emotional earthquakes shake familiar ground beneath your feet and everything nailed down comes loose, you may run to Me in search of stability—or you may simply run away.

When judgment fires sweep through your life’s landscape, you may recognize My purifying purpose—or you may do your best to extinguish the holy blaze.

When I gently whisper, I capture your attention.

Sometimes you feel like Elijah—afraid, lonely, burned out, exhausted, and discouraged. At those times, thank Me for My Holy Spirit. Better than a worrisome wind, egocentric earthquake, or fearful fire—the quiet whisper of My voice encourages you to get up and keep going by consoling, comforting, supporting, and helping you like no earthly voice.

In the midst of the world’s cacophony, My Spirit’s symphony is a welcome break for your troubled soul. Force is touted as the answer to the problems of the world; human strength impresses the masses—but My Holy Spirit is the Ultimate Solution.

My still, small voice counteracts tumult with tranquility—calming the noisy wind to a light whisper and hushing loud waves of the sea to sleep.

In the gentleness of My heart, find rest for your soul. Be silent and get still—you will know deep in your heart that I am God.

I never crush the bruised reed of your music-making ability—I restore your joy and teach you to sing of heaven’s forgiveness. I do not quench the smoldering wick of your good influence—I rekindle hope and encourage you to shine on for My honor. I calm your troubled heart, speak peace to your restless mind, and soothe your jangled nerves—when you listen prayerfully to gentle whispers from eternity.

© 2013 Johnny R. Almond

Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity

When a friend recently asked me to share my thoughts on the “Proverbs 31” woman and man, it unexpectedly was a painful experience. As never before, I realized how cynical I had become on the subject of an ideal marriage. For far too many couples – even Christian couples – the marital ideal of “heaven on earth” has degenerated into something akin to hell on earth.

Solomon (or “King Lemuel”) asks, “Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies” (Proverbs 31:10). Right from beginning, he’s acknowledging that this kind of person is extremely rare and hard to find. And in the previous chapter, Solomon admitted that relationships between men and women were bewildering even to someone as wise as he was (Proverbs 4:18-19).

If it was hard to find a Proverbs 31 woman in Solomon’s day, isn’t the task even more daunting in today’s world? Believers are surrounded by a ME culture rather than a THEE culture. Even in the today’s church, the emphasis is typically on how YOU can have a more fulfilled life, not on how you can lay down your life to honor and serve your spouse or others.

So I ask: Is it even possible to be a Proverbs 31 woman or man today? With very few observable precedents or role models, has that kind of marriage become something like an unattainable fairy tale?

My cynicism on the subject was compounded several months ago when Lysa TerKeurst, founder of Proverbs 31 Ministries, announced she was divorcing her husband because of his infidelity. Hey, if the head of Proverbs 31 Ministries can’t even make her marriage work, how is there any hope for the rest of us?

I have numerous Christian friends whose marriages seemingly ended through little fault of their own. But while divorce among Christians is certainly a blot on the moral standing of the church today, perhaps there’s an even bigger scandal: Why are so few marriages happy and thriving, not just surviving?

We all know people who are enduring unhappy marriages, just because they think it’s the Christian think to do. Yet just as divorce is a scandal, so is an unloving, unhappy marriage. Although neither is a good witness for Christ, we often applaud the martyrs who “hang in there” with unhappy or even abusive marriages.

Back to Proverbs

The Proverbs 31 woman and man are portrayed in quite idealistic, perhaps unattainable, terms:

The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life (vs. 11-12).

Trust is such a foundational ingredient in any healthy relationship. But who among us is trustworthy all the time? Even if we try our best, we will let people down from time to time. And if our life is characterized by pursuing our own selfish interests instead of dying to ourselves daily, we’re destined to be extremely untrustworthy as friends or spouses.

She seeks wool and flax,
And willingly works with her hands.
She is like the merchant ships,
She brings her food from afar.

 She also rises while it is yet night,
And provides food for her household,
And a portion for her maidservants (vs. 13-15).

She is not afraid of snow for her household,
For all her household is clothed with scarlet

 She makes tapestry for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple (vs. 21-22).

She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness (v. 27).

What a hard worker this Proverbs 31 woman is, staying up day and night to provide food, clothing, and a beautiful home for her family. She seems like a hybrid of Betty Crocker, Paula Dean, Martha Stewart, and Wonder Woman!

While it’s commendable that this amazing woman “does not eat the bread of idleness,” this statement worries me a little. I’m hopeful she also has the wisdom to take time for rest each week, and periodically to disengage from her many activities by taking a vacation. From the beginning of God’s creation of humankind, he instructed us to both work and rest. Idleness is a good thing if done in sync with the Lord’s plan and workflow.

Also, when I read these verses, I can’t help wondering about the husband’s role, if any, in the domestic activities of the household. Did he ever do the dishes or help with the laundry? Just wondering…

She considers a field and buys it;
From her profits she plants a vineyard (v. 16).

She perceives that her merchandise is good,
And her lamp does not go out by night.
She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hand holds the spindle (vs. 18-19).

She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies sashes for the merchants (v. 24).

In addition to caring for her family, the Proverbs 31 woman is a successful real estate investor and businesswoman. Wow!

She girds herself with strength,
And strengthens her arms (v. 17).

It even sounds like she somehow finds time to visit the gym to lift weights and keep her arms toned:

She extends her hand to the poor,
Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy (v. 20).

On top of her incredibly busy schedule, the Proverbs 31 woman apparently takes time to volunteer for nonprofit organizations and reach out to the poor and needy:

Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come.

She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness (vs. 25-26).

This woman’s accomplishments and work ethic are fantastic, but something huge would be missing if not for these additional descriptions of her character:

• She was clothed with honor (which the coming verses point to as an important characteristic of this entire family).
• She kept an optimistic and hopeful outlook on her family’s future. This is shown more clearly in the NASB translation: “She smiles at the future.” The opposite of this is to be a worrier, always expecting the worst to happen. Pessimism and worry are traits that not only undercut a person’s relationship with God, but also their marriage and family life.
• She was kind. This is an enormous character trait for a healthy marriage and family. Many husbands and wives are tremendously successful and productive in their accomplishments, yet they’ve never learned “the law of kindness.” In contrast, when the Proverbs 31 woman spoke, people knew her words would be filled with wisdom and kindness. Too often, we use our words to win arguments, but this woman knew how to win people’s hearts.

What About the Husband and Kids?

The friend who asked me about Proverbs 31 wanted to know about the Proverbs 31 man too, not just the woman. Hmmm…I wasn’t sure I really knew much about that. The woman is clearly the central figure in the chapter, and I’ve seldom heard anyone comment about her husband.

But we’re given a few indications of what the man was doing while his wife was completing her heroic endeavors:

Her husband is known in the gates,

When he sits among the elders of the land (v. 23).

The city gates were the place of commerce and government back then, and we see this man sitting “among the elders.” So, while the Proverbs 31 woman was diligently caring for the household, her husband was out being a leader in the community.

A couple of observations:

• The husband wouldn’t have had the freedom to hang out with community leaders unless his wife was able to run an orderly household. Once again, we see the importance of the wife’s trustworthiness. The man knew he could safely delegate to her many responsibilities for the family.
• If the family situation wasn’t reasonably in order, the husband wouldn’t have been able to gain the respect of the community leaders or be recognized as an “elder” (cf. 1 Timothy 3:4-5).
• A man who isn’t honored and respected by his wife seldom has the self-confidence to successfully lead in the community or the church. As a former pastor, I counseled many men who had been emasculated by the disrespect of their wives. Solomon describes this in several of his previous proverbs, saying it’s better to live on the corner of a roof or in a desert land, than to deal with a contentious woman (Proverbs 21:9, 21:19). The Proverbs 31 man thankfully didn’t have to face that problem.

Although the woman is the hero of this story, the man certainly should be given some credit for helping to create a culture of honor and respect in the family:

Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all” (vs. 28-29).

Many children today have never learned how to honor and respect other people – not even their mother and father. The fact that the woman’s children in Proverbs 31 can bless her so wholeheartedly is an indication that they first observed their father doing the same.

You’ve probably heard that one of the five love languages is “Words of Affirmation.” While that’s no doubt true, let’s get real: We ALL desire words of affirmation, don’t we? The Proverbs 31 man beautifully modeled this heart of love and encouragement as he openly and enthusiastically praised the virtues of his wife.

Notice that the husband didn’t just tell his wife she’d done a pretty good job. He said, “You excel them ALL.” In other words, this wise man never fell into the trap of unfavorably comparing his wife to other women. In his eyes, no other woman could ever compare with her.

This story ends with a fitting tribute, summarizing the lasting legacy of the Proverbs 31 woman:

Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates (vs. 30-31).

This points to an important reason many marriages fail: Often the couple’s romance and marriage began with intense physical attraction, but the rest of the foundation was weak. Although this phenomenon has been true to some degree in every generation, it’s even more blatant and pervasive in today’s world of online dating, social media, and airbrushed magazine ads.

In stark contrast, this passage acknowledges that a person’s outward charm and beauty will ultimately pass away. A strong marriage must have a stronger foundation than that, based on the character of the partners, not just their appearance or charm. Once again, as he has urged throughout the book of Proverbs, Solomon says our reverential fear of the Lord should be the basis for our character.

What About the Song of Solomon?

If you’ve really been paying attention to the story in Proverbs 31, you may have wondered about another aspect of a happy and thriving marriage: What about SEX – the physical part of a healthy marital relationship? Yes, it’s great to lay a strong foundation of spirituality, character, friendship, and service, but what about ROMANCE – isn’t that important too?

Absolutely, it’s vitally important to nurture the flame of romantic love. Yet, for a number of reasons, this isn’t always easy. Many marriages begin with passion but then fizzle into apathy. Commitment and intentionality are required to keep the romantic fires burning. Physical attraction may have been easy during courtship, but now we must overcome such things as busyness, fatigue, offenses, and simply the deteriorating capacity of our bodies. 

Of course, there are lots of excuses and explanations for why a marriage is no longer fun or passionate. Some Christians imply that we just live in a sex-crazed culture, and we should be so spiritual that we don’t need to worry about ongoing romance. As long as they go to church together with their spouse, why should it matter whether they also sleep together?

Well, I believe it does matter. If you’re in your 70s, your physical relationship with your spouse probably will be different than it was in your 20s, but hopefully it’ll never become nonexistent. Even if intercourse is no longer possible or no longer pleasurable, can’t there at least be hugs, kisses, cuddles, and other physical displays of affection?

That’s why Proverbs 31 shouldn’t be studied without at least some mention of the romantic side of the equation, described in the Song of Solomon. A healthy marriage is not just about food, clothing, finances, and house décor. Right from the beginning, a strong marriage must include a oneness of spirit, soul, and body – and each of these three elements must be cultivated along the way.

Conclusions

It’s not easy. If it was, there would be a lot more marriages that are happy, fulfilling, and lasting.

Marriage must have been easier before sin and selfishness entered the world in Genesis 3. Yet perhaps, even before that, God designed marriage as something meant to be difficult – only possible with His wisdom and help.

No wonder Solomon wrote that “a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12). Without trusting the Lord as the third strand of our marriage, our relationship is vulnerable indeed.

Let’s not forget that in order for a marriage to model heaven on earth, each of the partners must maintain their own heavenly relationship with Christ. Overlooking this key ingredient is why many books and sermons on marriage fall short of their intended outcome.

In order to reflect the atmosphere of heaven, today’s Christian families need a spiritual revolution. And that’s the kind of transformation that would occur if every couple started the day with this simple, heartfelt prayer: “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on buying it,

for I cannot present burnt offerings to the Lord my God that have cost me nothing.”

2 Samuel 24:24 NLT

Grace is free, but not cheap. Grace cost Me the Love of My life. My Son Jesus paid sin’s awful price with His innocent blood. Near the location of Araunah’s threshing floor, Abraham would have sacrificed his son Isaac, had an angel not interrupted his brave plan; but I did not spare My Son His excruciating death on Skull Hill.

Grace is yours for the asking, but there is a high cost to pay if you are to be My disciple. David had a chance to make an easy sacrifice, by accepting Araunah’s offer of a gift. But his conscience moved him to purchase the threshing floor and oxen. I ask you to surrender to your Creator at a cost the finest you have to offer, not just what requires no sacrifice. Anything less than your best is no real sacrifice.

Half-hearted discipleship will not do. I demand undivided allegiance. Only the highest quality, fully devoted service pleases Me. To follow Me, deny cheap attractions. To love Me wholeheartedly, quit lesser loyalties. To worship Me authentically, ignore inferior idols.

Let challenging teachings of My Son reverberate in your heart—If you want to be My follower, you must give up your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and walk in My footsteps. If you try to make everything revolve around yourself, you will miss life. If you make Me the center of your life, you will find life’s true meaning.

I am not opposed to your having a good time. I am not advocating that you go looking for pain. I am saying it will take heroic effort on your part to stay close to Me. Kingdom work will often be difficult. Walking in Jesus’ steps is never a cakewalk.

Near the site of David’s burnt offering was a place called Calvary—no easy place to die. You can be sure it will not be easy for you to shoulder your cross and unselfishly serve Me. Splinters from the cross will hurt—crucifixion of your ego will be painful.

Because your King paid a high price for you, respond in kind. Giving Me your life as a pure and holy sacrifice is reasonable worship.

Solomon built the expensive, magnificent Temple on the former site of Araunah’s threshing floor—build your life on Christ, whatever the cost. Consecration of your body as a temple of My Holy Spirit will transform your inner being to be like Jerusalem, city of peace. The eternal value of closeness to the King of hearts will be worth any price you have to pay.

Johnny R. Almond

Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity

All the way through elementary school, I did my writing with pencils. Each year, “#2 Pencils” were on the top of the school supply list.

But when I arrived in middle school, we were expected to use ink pens instead. The writing experience was certainly better with the pens, but there was one major problem: Ink is difficult to erase.

Eventually, some clever marketers came up with “erasable” pens. But that was false advertising, because they were still hard to erase. More than once, I ripped a hole in the paper while trying to erase the ink from my pens.

Recently I’ve found myself lamenting the demise of pencils. The pens are now better than ever – and I absolutely love writing with the new gel pens. But the pens still can’t be erased very well. And White Out usually isn’t a good option either for covering mistakes.

Here’s what I’m going through on this: I miss the days when every mistake seemed easily erasable. Oh for the carefree days of elementary school…

Of course, most people now use emails and social media to do their writing, not pens. But that has made the problem even worse! Have you ever tried to retract an inappropriate email you sent (such as sending a “Reply All” when you didn’t mean to)? Or perhaps you’ve posted something stupid on social media and then tried to cover your tracks. Good luck on that.

It turns out that once things are in cyberspace, they are even more difficult to erase than ink pens.

Let me share story about this from my good friend Ron…

A few months ago, Ron met a nice Christian woman on an online dating site. They seemed to really hit things off when they chatted on the phone one night. He could tell they both loved the Lord and had much in common.

Ready to take the next step, a few days later Ron asked her out for dinner that weekend. To his surprise, she sent a text message declining the invitation. The reason? She said he was too old for her!   

Ouch. Yes, Ron is in his 60s and this nice Christian woman was in her 50s. But should that age gap really matter?

You’re probably wondering what this has to do with pencils and pens…

Once again, Ron was greatly surprised when this same woman contacted him a few weeks later, asking if they could keep in touch as “friends.” Although he was open to the idea, there was a problem: Ron couldn’t ERASE the memory of her previous comment that he was too old. Like permanent ink, her evaluation seemed to be forever etched onto his brain.

What a reminder that words are powerful things, capable of imparting “death and life” (Proverbs 18:21). No matter how they are communicated, our words don’t erase easily. And sometimes negative words cause lifelong scarring of the psyche.  

However, God can help us heal from people’s words – especially when we spend time listening to HIS words to us instead.

Nevertheless, painful words from people are likely to keep coming from time to time. Right when Ron was beginning to heal from the “You’re too old!” feedback, he met a woman who said he was too fat for her…

Fortunately, your Heavenly Father has a very BIG eraser, capable of removing countless mistakes, flaws, and emotional wounds. Take time to look into the mirror of His Word today, and you’ll probably find that you look a lot better than what people are saying about you.

During David's reign, there was a famine for three successive years; David sought the face of the LORD. 2 Samuel 21:1 NIV

When life knocks you to your knees, that is a good prayer posture. You can talk to Me about whatever troubles you. I am always available—ask Me, and I will swiftly help.

When there is a famine of joy, seek My face. When your soul tells you to talk things over with Me, enjoy heart-to-heart conversation with your Greatest Friend.

When you are crying the blues, seek My consolation. Deposit your anxiety at My throne, trusting that I care about what is going on. In My Presence, calm down and cheer up.

When you are nervous, seek My assurance. Follow heaven’s blueprint for peace of mind—pray about everything, tell Me what you need, thank Me for blessings, and enjoy peace more marvelous than you can imagine. You will be unable to explain this

celestial tranquility, but you can experience it even when there is terrestrial trouble all around you.

At the end of your rope, seek My power. Naturally, you are weak. Supernaturally, you are strong.

When there is no rain for your desolate spirit, seek My showers of blessing. Sincerely seek My face and walk away from your evil ways—then I will pay attention, forgive your sin, and transform arid sluggishness into productive living.

In the face of sadness, the best course is to seek My face. Faith triumphs over depressing circumstances by joyful inner-stances. Even in drought, you can experience greater joy than happiness caused by bumper crops of grain and wine. When skeptics and

cynics question the possibility of better times, let the smile of My face warm your heart. Believe My promise of a bright future—march forward in confident step with My Spirit song of hope.

Seek My face today—let My love shine on your countenance. Reflect My glory by becoming more and more like Christ day by day. By degrees, almost imperceptibly, you will grow up spiritually as you trust and obey Me.

I am your Face Healer—I heal frowns of discouragement with courageous expressions, tears of sadness with joyful songs, and wrinkles of despair with hopeful sparkling eyes. Though hard times may go on, never give up. Before you know it, you will have My smile on your face.

I am the Victor over sin, death, Satan, hell, and the grave—trust Me, there is absolutely nothing for you to worry about. Relax.

© 2013 Johnny R. Almond

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity

Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church

This Thanksgiving was a chance to reflect once again on my “Gratitude Quotient.” I concluded that I’m happier and more grateful than I’ve been in many years.

However, I uncovered a blog I wrote several years ago admitting two disturbing things: (1) I’m still not nearly as grateful as I should be for how God has blessed me; and (2) Many of the things I’m now MOST grateful for are past events I wasn’t grateful for at all when they were taking place.

I call this second point “gratitude in retrospect.”

Perhaps you can relate. Have you gone through difficult times when it was extremely difficult to give thanks? But now, as you look back, you see that God was at work through it all. Gratitude (finally!) rises in your heart as you see how the painful events have been beautifully woven into the fabric of your life.

• Maybe you had a relationship breakup that tore your very heart…but it paved the way for the Lord to provide someone much better in your life.
• Maybe you faced a severe trial in your health…but it caused you to make lifestyle changes in your diet and exercise – and now you’re feeling better than ever.
• Maybe you lost a job you thought you’d have until retirement…but God opened (or will open) a new door that’s a much better fit for your gifts and passions.
• Maybe you’ve experienced a financial meltdown, such as foreclosure or bankruptcy…but you learned vital lessons that eventually put you on the path to prosperity.
• Maybe you went through some other difficult experience that has now given you a platform to help others.

These are just a few examples of how “gratitude in retrospect” can occur. I first noticed this in my life a few years ago, when a friend suggested that I write a book about church splits. “That’s the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard,” was my initial thought. “Even though I’m an expert on church splits, who would ever be interested in a book about that?”

But my tech-savvy friend pointed out that 8,000 people every month do a Google search on the subject of church splits. “Wow. There must be a lot of people dealing with this,” I concluded.

As a result of that conversation, I wrote The Complete Guide to Church Splits: Prevention, Survival, and Recovery (which I can send you upon request). This event was a great example to me of Paul’s statement that we can comfort others with the same comfort we received from God during our own times of affliction (2 Corinthians 1:3-7).

Working on my book about church splits sparked something much bigger in my heart than just a new book project: I discovered that God had been a lot more faithful than I had given Him credit for. And I became much more grateful for the difficult things I’ve experienced in life – even though my gratitude was too often in retrospect.

I’m still troubled by my struggle to be grateful at the same time as my trials are occurring. The Bible instructs us to give thanks “IN everything,” not just AFTER everything (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

I’m also sad that although I’ve given lip service to Romans 8:28 for decades, God’s amazing promise there is still not rooted as deeply in my life as it should be. Paul had gone through incredible trials (2 Corinthians 11:22-28), yet he said, “We KNOW that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

As the truth of Romans 8:28 becomes more a part of my life, I hope to become more grateful all the time – not just in retrospect. I want to become increasingly aware that God is always working to “connect the dots” in my life, creating a masterpiece I could never have imagined during my times of adversity.

So I pray you will join me in being grateful TODAY – no matter what the day brings…no matter what you may be going through. You may not understand it all today, but you can be confident the Lord is working out His wonderful plan nevertheless.

Ever since his divorce several years back, my friend Ron has complained to me this time of year about the upcoming holidays. He has his reasons, to be sure, but he’s begun to sound like a broken record.

“It’s just not the same,” he moans. “With my wife gone and my kids living far away, it’s always an agonizing time for me.”

Then he typically cites the gluttony, commercialization, overspending, and other holiday sins as justification for his negative attitudes. You’ve probably met people who think like that.

“Let’s face it, Ron,” I sometimes tease him. “With your ‘humbug’ attitude, your parents should have named you Ebenezer!”

A few weeks ago, he threw in a new line that really got me thinking. “I wish I could just press the fast forward button and wake up on January 2,” he told me. Although part of me sympathized with Ron on this, I spent some time praying we would gain a new perspective.

Then suddenly it hit me: Thanksgiving and Christmas aren’t just ordinary holidays. They represent two of the most important attributes of a happy, successful, and impactful life.

Let me explain…

If you asked me the most important attitudes a person could ever cultivate, my answer would clearly be GRATITUDE and GENEROSITY. Yet although I’ve lived more than six decades now, somehow I overlooked the fact that these are exactly the core principles behind Thanksgiving (gratitude) and Christmas (generosity).

Notice that gratitude and generosity are both “magnetic” traits. People in the secular world or New Age Movement call this “The Law of Attraction,” but it’s a Biblical principle too. Gratitude and generosity attract blessings and favor to our lives, both from God and from people.

In contrast, blessings and favor are repulsed by INGRATITUDE and STINGINESS. No wonder Scrooge didn’t have many friends until his epiphany came.

Through gratitude (a heart of thankfulness) we enter into the gates of the Lord’s presence (Psalm 100:4). And have you noticed how people love to give things to a person who’s truly grateful?

Likewise, generosity is one of the primary keys to a life of blessing and impact. Proverbs 11:24-25 (NLT) beautifully points this out:

Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

Do you want to prosper? Then set your heart on becoming more generous.

Do you want to enter into a time of refreshing in your life? Then make it your aim to refresh others.

More importantly, do you want to become more like your Heavenly Father? Then one of the very best ways is to become more generous. You see, a central character trait of your Father in Heaven is that He’s a GIVER. “God so loved the world” that He didn’t just think more positive thoughts toward us – He GAVE His Son! (John 3:16).

If you truly see how loving and generous your Father is, you’ll be that way too. But if you view Him as stingy and miserly, you’ll end up behaving like Scrooge and having a miserable life to show for it.

So, what about Ron?

Armed with this new understanding of how Thanksgiving and Christmas mirror God’s two major character traits for a happy and holy life, I’ve been endeavoring to help Ron gain a new perspective too.

“Ron, you may not like every aspect of the holidays,” I’ve told him. “But what if you used Thanksgiving as a monumental opportunity to work on your GRATITUDE? And what if Christmas became your yearly reminder to live a life of GENEROSITY?”

In all likelihood, next year at this time I’ll have to remind Ron again. But who knows? If he truly begins to practice a life of gratitude and generosity, he may even attract a new wife by then. That would be amazing, but miracles really do happen…especially when we’re consistently grateful and generous.

I’m not an expert on the subject of grief by any means – far from it. Yet recently several friends have had loved ones die suddenly and unexpectedly. I’ve found myself wondering, how are they supposed to handle that?

Then today I noticed a woman at the grocery store who had some sort of Christian bracelet. When I asked about the bracelet, she told me the heart-wrenching story of how her sister had died just two weeks ago of a rare form of cancer.

Wow. How is she supposed to handle that?

As I pondered these situations, a story in the life of Jesus came to mind. John the Baptist – Jesus’ cousin and the preacher who had inaugurated His ministry – was beheaded by King Herod. It was a gruesome event, with the severed head of Jesus’ forerunner put on a tray and given to his persecutors before his friends buried his body.

Knowing that He cared deeply about John, we’re told that John’s disciples “went and told Jesus what had happened” (Matthew 14:10-12 NLT).

So, how did Jesus respond to the news? He apparently didn’t spout a bunch of spiritual platitudes as we might have done. I probably would have offered some lame and inappropriate words of comfort, like “God will work it for good,” or perhaps the old standby, “He’s in a better place now.”

Jesus didn’t do that. In fact, we’re not even told what He said. However, we can see three significant things He DID in the wake of His grief over John’s death:

1.      He withdrew and spent time by Himself (vs. 12-13). Often after a loved one dies, we’re surrounded by well-wishing friends and family. That’s fine – up to a point. But Jesus went “to a remote area to be alone,” and usually we need to follow this example. Withdrawing shouldn’t make us feel guilty! It’s part of the grieving process, a necessary step in getting our bearings again. 

How long should this “withdrawal” step last? A day? A week? A month? Longer? There’s no way to set a firm time limit, because everyone is different. In verse 23 Jesus again went to be alone, which shows that this step may need to be repeated from time to time. Yet it’s big mistake to get stuck in this phase forever, because we will eventually need to move on to step 2.

2.      He found people needier than He was (vs. 14-21). I’ll never forget my first Christmas after experiencing a significant loss in my life. It was going to be an incredibly lonely time for me, but God gave me a helpful strategy: I took my guitar and went to sing for people in a nearby nursing home! Although I’m not sure they particularly liked my singing, they seemed glad I was there. And my gloomy disposition certainly improved as I set out to bless people who were even lonelier than I was. 

Of course, Jesus didn’t visit a nursing home after hearing of John’s death. But He reached out to heal a bunch of sick people and then took five loaves of bread and two fish to feed thousands of hungry people.

If you’re facing some kind of grief today, perhaps it’s time to reach out with the love of Jesus to someone who’s needier than you. Taking that step won’t immediately relieve the pain, but you’ll find it beneficial to put your grief in the rearview mirror instead of making it your constant focus.

3.      He (and Peter) walked on water (vs. 22-32). I’ve probably lost you at this point. First of all, you assume it’s impossible for you to walk on water. And even if you somehow could pull it off, how could that accomplishment have any bearing on your grief?

But you see, walking on water is a beautiful picture of going beyond yourself and doing something that once seemed impossible. In order to truly overcome grief, something supernatural must take place. Put simply: You need God’s help!

Not only did Jesus walk on water, but Peter did too. Peter did something he never could have done in his own strength – and so can you. Despite the initial devastation brought by your loss, you can make it. You really can be OK again. His grace is always sufficient if you take time to draw upon it (2 Corinthians 12:9).

This story also reminds us to keep our eyes on Jesus amid the wind and waves around us. Grief and fear are frequent allies, and our fears become overwhelming if we focus on the stormy conditions swirling in our path. Miraculously, the Bible says “perfect peace” is available when our eyes are fixed on the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 26:3, Hebrews 12:2, Philippians 4:4-9).

Perhaps, like Peter, your grief and fear have conspired to give you a “sinking feeling” down deep in your soul. But remember: Even when you feel like you’re about to drown in your sorrows, Jesus will be there to grab your hand when you call out to Him.

If you’ve suffered a major loss in your life, there’s a good chance you know a lot more about grief than I do. If so, I encourage you to take time to comfort others with the comfort you’ve received from God (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). As you stretch out your hand to others, your own healing process will be accelerated (Mark 3:1-5).

Even though you may feel bewildered by the loss you’ve experienced, never forget that the Lord is WITH you through it all: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed” (Psalm 34:18). When grief comes sweeping in like a flood, let it lift you higher and draw you closer to Him than ever before. 

Sometimes preachers have thoughts during their sermons that did not occur to them during the preparation time.  It happened to me several years ago on the Sunday before Thanksgiving.  As expected, I was preaching on being thankful, using the example of the one leper out of ten who returned to thank Jesus for healing (Luke 17:11-19), when I suddenly departed from my notes and suggested the folks think of three people for who they were thankful, then tell them of their thankfulness in the next three days, before Thanksgiving Day. Later that day, the thought hit me that I too, should take this advice.  Thus, began an annual Thanksgiving week tradition for me.  Unknown to me, one of the people I thanked that first year was a relative of a man who was in the congregation where I first offered the suggestion.  The Sunday following Thanksgiving, that man, thanked me for practicing what I preached.  I was sure glad I responded to my own suggestion.  How about you?  Are there people you need to thank this week? May I suggest you do so? 

The men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba.

But the men of Judah stayed with their king and escorted him from the Jordan River to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 20:2 NLT

I am the King of hearts—including yours. Others may forsake the True God to follow the world’s ersatz god, but by grace stay with Me all the way. Make your resolve like Peter’s—never join ranks with the deserters of Jesus; unflinchingly refuse to disown your King! Then go one better than Peter—do not ruin your worthy resolution by rebellion. At sunrise, when the cock crows, you will not cry your eyes out because you have denied Me during your night of trial. Continue to passionately adore Me as your First Love, Ruler of the kingdom of your emotions. Stay with Me—and stay serene.

I am the King of hope—the Solid Rock of certainty in shifting sands of circumstances. Through life’s picnics and problems, I stay by your side as your Dependable Friend. Change surrounds you, but I stay the same, beside you through it all. Others may leave Me to search for stability elsewhere, but stay faithful to Me, and I will pour My blessings on your life day by day. Focus on getting to know Me—then everything else in the universe will make more sense. Instead of imitating society’s behavior, let My Holy Spirit transform you from inside out by changing how you think. Let My thoughts become yours—permit My Holy Spirit to course through your intellect. Loyally yield to My reign over your mind, humbly making Me your Best Thought day and night. Stay with Me—and stay sane.

I am the King of heaven—your permanent home. I am preparing paradise for you, where we will stay together forever. Certain of your eternal destiny, you are free to sing as you make the trip. You may feel faint in the Faith Marathon, but struggle on until you hear finish-line applause. I will reign over your future—surrender to My reign over your present. Fight until the battle is won. Run until the race is completed. Stay faithful until you meet the Author of faith. When I ascend David’s throne to rule over the universe, you will receive an eternal reward for remaining loyal to the King. Stay with Me—and stay satisfied.

No matter how many turn from Me to follow that loser Satan, stay loyal to your King all the way across the Jordan of challenge to the new Jerusalem of celebration—you will always be glad you did!

© 2013 Johnny R. Almond

Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity

Right now, in the middle of the chaos going on around us, it is emotionally disturbing.

You can feel the frustration building up within you- knowing this is the world we live in.  The chaos begins to pull us in without us realizing we are being pulled in.

When we hear a child killed their parents, a child killed himself because someone was bullying them. When we hear murder is on the inclined, the weather full of hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes are showing up in places for the first time or the second time through out history. Fights and wars going on. It will gets to us.

However, this is expected (See John 16:33, 2Timothy 3:1-17, to name a few).

Here's where the private retreats are priceless

I remember the time spent with Him, alone. 

As I write this, a smile of peace is rising up within me.  It is so peaceful, calming, loving, genuine, safe, and merciful. The Lord is and more. Just to be in His presence, nothing can come close.  His embrace is warm, loving, gentle, yet firm.

God holds on to you. In the quiet of His presence, He firmly speaks, encourages, and directs.

Ahh! How it gets me through the chaos immediately around me, when I cannot physically be in the quiet place.  It restores my being with strength, courage, hope, and faith in Him; to keep moving forward.

Be  encouraged my fellow reader. Be in His presence and let Him talk to you.  It will...increase your relationship with Him and it will encourage your knowledge of His character that is of no other.

Ok...I will stop here.  I just needed to get this out in sharing Him with you about why private retreats are necessary.

   "When you fall, look around, God is reaching for you to get up"

May the word of my lord the king bring me rest.

2 Samuel 14:17 NIV

I am the King of hearts and Lord of every dimension of your life. When you seriously seek Me, I tranquilize your worry. When you sincerely pray, you experience unparalleled peace of mind.

When you humble yourself in My Presence, you are safe and sound. Falling on your face to honor Me, I gladly and freely help you. Focusing your thoughts on Me and trusting Me, you enjoy perfect peace.

I will not ignore or reject you when you seek My face. My heart goes out to you. Whatever skeptics think and philosophers theorize, I personally care for you.

My heart is a sanctuary of peace and quiet. The shadow of My wings is divine shelter from the storms of temptation and chaos. Nestling near My loving heart brings invulnerable joy.

Turn your anxiety into prayers—tell Me what you need, and thank Me for everything I have done. I will command battalions of angels to encircle you and guard your mind from despair. My royal word brings you rest.

When you are tired and worn out, look to the King of life for renewed vitality. When you are frazzled, seek My blessing. When your burden is impossible to bear, trade it for My servant cross. When you are frustrated by life’s challenges, learn from Me how to live gracefully.

Humble yourself in the presence of the King of kings, and find supernatural help. My invisible clock keeps perfect time—I will have the last word. Submit your will to your Sovereign, and in My good time I will honor you. My smile counts more than any human recognition.

Bring your aggravations to the King of peace, and recover balance. Give all your worries to Me, because I care about what happens to you. If you try to handle stresses and struggles by yourself, you are saying you do not trust Me, and you will fall apart. Listen to My hopeful melody—calm down; cheer up; pray as you go; come to rest.

Rely on the King of love, and find all the grace you need. I promise to write a beautiful ending to your earthly life and a glorious opening line to your life with Me in eternity. Trying times are a parenthesis in life’s grand sentence; someday the parenthesis will close—leave the rest to Me.

© 2013 Johnny R. Almond

Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity

I noted in last week’s post that Christianity experienced a seismic paradigm shift when Martin Luther and other reformers essentially zero-based the church’s traditional doctrine of salvation and rebuilt it using only God’s Word—“Sola Scriptura.”

Then I stepped back from the details and considered applying that same strategy to discipling ourselves and others. I asked you, “If we zero-base our understanding of what it means to disciple ourselves and others, and then rebuild our understanding Sola Scriptura, how will our strategies—our “discipleship programs”—differ from what it is right now?

Why ask such a question? Because a recent Barna Group survey of discipleship across America (Dec 2015) alerts us to a disturbing situation: Despite our numerous church and parachurch discipling tools, programs, and activities, research reveals “the disconnect between how people think about their spirituality and what’s actually happening in their lives.” Among their conclusions: “Church leaders and congregants need better methods of thinking about and evaluating their discipleship efforts.”

Our key problem is this: People outside the church see woefully little difference between “Christians” and non-Christians. We need to discern that, acknowledge that, and change that. We need to make disciples who make a difference. Further, we must begin with ourselves, and only then influence others as disciples.

If we apply that zero-based strategy, here is what I envision we’ll remember and return to:

• We’ll honestly and intentionally make love our aim. Agape love is a disciple’s distinctive feature (John 13:35; 1 Corinthians 13).
• We’ll more clearly discern the relationship of discipline (e.g., solitude, prayer, memorization) and process (e.g., one-on-one, small group) to outcome (agape love, which shows in our Christlike character). Disciplines and processes are many and flexible; the outcome God desires is fixed. God challenges us in His Word to focus more on being than doing; on becoming more purposeful than process-full (Psalm 19:14; Matthew 15:8-9). And knowledge (e.g., theology) plus skill (e.g., Bible study) minus Christlikeness (agape love) leads to collapse.
• Our testimony—in sharing our faith and in discipling—is more about what others see in you and me than what we say (Matthew 5:14–16). Again, let’s make love our aim. Let’s walk in a manner worthy of our calling (Ephesians 4:1-2; 5:1-2).

This week, 500 years ago, marked the start of the Protestant Reformation. Could this week in 2017 mark the start of a Discipling Reformation? “Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.”

The letter instructed Joab, “Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest.

Then pull back so that he will be killed.”

2 Samuel 11:15 NLT

The letter instructed Joab, “Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest.

Then pull back so that he will be killed.”

2 Samuel 11:15 NLT

It is the height of foolishness to reason that the only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it. It is easier to get off sin’s slippery slope at the top than midway down. Better yet, stay off the slope!

King David did not go off to war, yet he fought another war—an internal civil war between passion and purity. Unhappily, he lost his battle with temptation. In hand-to-hand combat on the front line, Uriah died—a casualty of an arrow shot by an enemy archer. And David died spiritually when he sinned with Bathsheba—a casualty of an arrow shot by the enemy of his soul.

Seduced by his own evil desire, he let himself be dragged away and destroyed. Desire conceived and gave birth to sin, leading to death. Moral fighting was savage; but instead of combating evil impulses, he flirted and lost the struggle.

When David saw Bathsheba bathing, he should have turned around and gone inside his palace; instead, he gazed on her with lust. David should have occupied his mind with the battle against the enemies of Israel; instead, he occupied his mind with Bathsheba’s beauty, asking for trouble.

Retiring prematurely, he lazily stayed in Jerusalem while his valiant warriors deployed. With much to eat and drink and no noble task, he committed moral suicide.

David should have canceled his sexual plans when he learned Bathsheba was married; instead, he sent for her with a losing proposition. David should have stopped when he saw Bathsheba; instead, he slept with her. Adultery and murder were crimes against people; and they were sins against Me. What the king should have done—and what he did—were two vastly different matters.

Uriah was not the only man on the front lines of intense fighting. Though Uriah died physically, his death was more honorable than David’s spiritual defeat. David had done as he pleased, but I was very displeased. Iniquity with impunity is an impossible combination. Forgiveness does not cancel consequences.

Avoid mental adultery. The act is wrong—so is the fantasy. Be loyal to your spouse with your mind, as well as your body. When you meet temptation, turn to the right and see My exit sign. When Satan aims fiery arrows of temptation at you, use the faith shield to extinguish them.

With My help, you can win even the fiercest battles. I am on the front line fighting right alongside you.

© 2013 Johnny R. Almond

Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity

How special it is for us to be alive 500 years after the Protestant Reformation began in Wittenberg! This is an excellent time to thank God for what He did during those years to revolutionize peoples’ understanding of His Word, transform their hearts, and move them from uncertainty and fear through the church to confidence and freedom through Christ.

The core outcome of the Reformation was the revolution in scriptural understanding and worship by parishioners through direct access to God and His Word. As people across Western Europe read and studied the Bible themselves—in their own language rather than Latin, which very few understood—God gradually opened their eyes to uncluttered truth. It generated a paradigm-changing upheaval in faith and practice that is comparable to a magnitude 9.9 earthquake.

Especially the truth about salvation. Beginning with his “tower experience” and study of Romans 1:16–17, Martin Luther and then others realized this: According to the Scriptures alone, we are redeemed by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, for God’s glory alone. They essentially zero-based their traditional doctrine of salvation and rebuilt it using only God’s Word.

This enlightenment exposed various unscriptural church practices, starting with the church’s abuse of indulgences by selling them to raise money for building a big cathedral. It grew to protests against several traditions that cluttered or countered the truth of God’s Word. It led also to the development of Protestant churches and networks.

What does all this have to do with discipling today?  First – The best way we can celebrate the Reformation is to personally re-embrace these realities—and their implications—and then lead those we influence/disciple to do the same: According to the Scriptures alone, we are redeemed by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, for God’s glory alone.

Second – Let’s ask each other a question: If we zero-base our understanding of what it means to disciple ourselves and others, and then rebuild our understanding Sola Scriptura, how will our strategy, our “discipleship program,” differ from what it is right now? I have an idea on that; I’ll share it for your consideration in my next post.

Prayer: “Almighty God and loving Father, we thank You for Your deep love and amazing grace! Through Your Spirit in us, please help us care so much about these realities that we will personally re-embrace them and rest in their reality. And please help us share this re-commitment with at least one or two others around us. In Jesus’ name and for Your glory alone, amen.”

The king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul to whom I may show the unfailing, unsought, unlimited mercy and kindness of God?”

2 SAMUEL 9:3 THE AMPLIFIED BIBLE

I am King of kings—nevertheless I am infinitely kind to you. David’s graciousness to Mephibosheth, a no-kin cripple who had done nothing to merit such benevolence, pictures My divine hospitality to you. Israel’s monarch invited Saul’s grandson to live in Jerusalem in his palace and eat at his table. I invite you to reside in the realm of peace and dine regularly at the table I set for you. I fill your soul with a spiritual banquet fit for a king. Though you are sometimes emotionally crippled, I carry you near My heart. Realizing you are a spiritual beggar, I treat you royally. Feasting in My palace, you never go hungry.

I am King of heaven—I extend heavenly citizenship to all who give Me heartfelt allegiance. Allowing sin to rule would place you on death row; permitting Christ to reign puts you at ease. Living as a child of the King, you enjoy life at its best. Cultivating an appetite for lasting meaning, you avoid hell’s unhealthy fast food and enjoy real nourishment.

I am King of love—I have always loved you and I always will. Unlimited mercy charmed you to My side. Unfailing kindness holds you near My heart forever. Loving-kindness makes us inseparable.

I am King of joy—Heaven’s benediction is in giving, not getting.

I am King of kindness—I set the prime example of real love. I have been kind to you, a spiritual cripple, so be kind to the handicapped. Express faith in Me via deeds of kindness mirroring My servant lifestyle. In a cold, cruel world, I am the heartwarming God. Be like Me by building a fire of hospitality to cheer the hearts of discouraged people around you. Reflect My heart of love by being sympathetic to everyone you meet—they are all having a hard time in one way or another. Behind the scenes there is silent struggle, unknown agony, unresolved dilemma, unvoiced pain. For heaven’s sake, show godly kindness every way you can.

My Son gave His life to forgive your sins and remove your guilt. His love was totally unselfish. Walk in His steps by having a heart for others. Let your concern go beyond affection—live sacrificially, like the King who kindly died for you.

An unrung bell is of little value. An unsung song cheers no one. I did not place love in your heart merely for your benefit—not until you give it away does it fulfill its purpose.

I am kind to you—see that you are kind to other people. You have received freely of heaven’s kindness—give freely in kind.

© 2013 Johnny R. Almond

Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church

Author, Gentle Whiseprs from Eternity