Monday, September 24, 2018

Time Management



“Teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).

Perhaps like you, I’ve read the preceding verse numerous times and didn’t give it much thought.  However, in recent months, I have been challenged to take another look.  The psalmist, I believe, has much to say to our fast-paced, busy generation.  Let’s dissect this powerful verse.

First he says, “Teach us.”  Good time management is a learned skill.  If we don’t learn how to spend our time, we may very well squander precious moments that we’ll never get back.  You understand the difference between rest and relaxation and wasting time, right?  Watching your favorite TV show may relax you, but spending hours in front of the TV may rob you of productivity.

The next phrase is “to number our days.”  We must learn to plan.  To plan is to optimize our time and energies.  When I taught high school English back in the 80’s, I discovered that if I didn’t plan something for my students, they would!  Life is too short to squander our days.  Let’s make them count!  I’ve adopted the “good, better, best” formula and try to apply it to my everyday life.  I ask myself, “Is what I’m doing the good thing, or the better thing, or is it the best thing to do given my current situation?”

We all have the same 24 hours. May we spend them wisely, which leads me to the next phrase:  “That we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”  We need wisdom when it comes to effective time management.  Understand something.  The psalmist indicates that what we do with our time is driven by what’s in our heart. 

If we’re lazy or unmotivated, our hearts draw us to waste precious life moments.  I often meet up with people who do absolutely nothing with their lives.  Television, video games, cell phones and social media steal their life potential and at the end of each day these “couch potatoes” have nothing to show for their time.  And most of them are depressed and bound by some type of habit that steals their productivity, and gradually kills their hearts.  I can think of few things sadder than a wasted life.

Again, our hearts dictate what we do with our time.  I want my life to speak well of the Christ I represent.  I want time to be my friend, not my nemesis.  At 62 years old, I look back and ask, “Where did the past six decades go?  Time went by so quickly.  My kids are raised and now have families of their own.  I have six grandkids (and another on the way!), I’m going to be Medicare eligible in three years, and I want to know where time went! 

Do you see my point?  Let’s make each day count.  Let’s not squander our time on needless things and activities that add up to nothing in the long run. 

I know!  Let’s invest in what gladdens the heart of God – people!  In our very self-centered, narcissistic world, let’s use our time to make an eternal difference in the lives we touch every day.  In that way, time is on our side!

Monday, September 17, 2018

Victim or Victor?



Are you a victim or a victor?  How do you see yourself?

Your perspective determines your answer and your ability to successfully navigate life and positively impact others along the way.  Victims always focus on what others are doing to them or not doing for them.  Life’s circumstances are usually seen through a negative lens and victims always come up short – in their minds drawing the short stick.

Victims love the “Blame Game.”  To pass along the blame allows them to never take personal responsibility for their own attitudes and actions.  In so doing, they never break out of their cycle of criticism and negativity.  Nobody who has anything on the ball likes to hang around victims – except other victims!  Misery  breeds company.

Victims garnish the truth, often undermine others, jeopardize reputations and secretly gloat when others fail, because those things allow them a temporary reprieve from their own victim mentality.  Victims move through their world never impacting in a good way, only soliciting others who share their negativity.  They practice self-hate!

Victims never find fulfillment and tend to demean others so that in some sick way they elevate themselves to a temporary high.  When not affirmed or given attention, they seek lesser goals and attack those who strive to walk in victory.

Victors, on the other hand, never glory in their circumstances and refuse to play the “Blame Game.”  They take personal responsibility for their actions and attitudes, and understand that while life may be unfair and tough at times, they remain victorious.  They see themselves as overcomers.  They become not circumstance-driven, but Christ-driven.  They live in the expectation that Christ in them is a Victor and nothing can separate them from their intended victory. 

They choose high living over low living.  They realize that it’s not about them; it’s about Christ in them.  They determine to live above the potential defeat of circumstances and never feel sorry for themselves or compare themselves to others.  They are the masters of their destiny because they daily place themselves in the hands of the Master, the One who has purchased them with His blood and whose indwelling presence drives them toward continued and sustained victory.

Like the Apostle Paul, “The love of Christ compels (constrains) them.”  It captures them and won’t let go (2 Corinthians 5:14)!

Are you a victim or a victor?  Are you Christ-driven or others-driven?  Do you feel sorry for yourself or is the devil sorry when you wake up in the morning to begin another day of victorious, overcoming life in the Spirit?

Victims incessantly talk about their problems or other people.  Victors glory in the cross and the Christ whose power brings overcoming results.  They never run short of true friends, unlike victims who live with loneliness, dissatisfaction and like Henry David Thoreau said, “Who lead lives of quiet desperation.” 

True friends are rare because no one in his right mind likes to hang out with a loser mentality.  No one except victims wallows in the shortcomings of others, and chooses to spew their toxic waste on to unsuspecting bystanders. 

Are you a victim or a victor?

Remember, we are “more than a conqueror through Him who loved us and gave Himself for us…” (Romans 8:37).  Determine today to be a victor!

Monday, September 10, 2018

Life's Simple Pleasures




Living in the country again has opened my eyes to the wonders of life’s simple pleasures.  I watch a cow grazing in a nearby pasture and become somewhat amused to remember that a black and white Holstein eats green grass, and gives white milk that when churned makes yellow butter!  Nature is often color-coded!

I marvel at the larger animals while at the same time wondering why God created pesky little insects like mosquitos that drive me into the house when the sun begins to hide away.  If you don’t think that little things matter, try going to sleep with just one mosquito in the room!  

I sit on my front porch and watch the high grass roll in waves as warm breezes move across the land.  Later my neighbor-farmer mows that very field and the smells of freshly cut hay bring back the simple memories of childhood when I walked behind and loaded hay wagons in Pierpont.

My flowerbeds and landscaping bring me deep satisfaction.  Little boys love to get dirty, but playing in the dirt is definitely a man’s game, too! 

Two fawns come out from hiding and I look behind them to see “mama doe” raise her head from grazing to monitor their safety.  About that time a huge groundhog runs across the yard and disappears under one of the out buildings.  His clawing and digging compromise once solid foundations and create a nuisance.

Tall trees blow stalwartly in gentle breezes that beckon onlookers to behold their beauty.  On warm days their shade cools and lowers our power bills!  These same trees announce approaching summer storms by folding their leaves.  At other times, stillness accompanies muggy days, making us appreciate evening’s lower temperatures.   Cooler night breezes allow us to sleep with the windows open.  Life is good!

Woodpeckers fill the woods behind our home with loud rattle-tattle-tattle and whippoorwills softly sing us to sleep and greet us at morning’s dawn, right after rooster crows precede the alarm clock!

And lest I forget, I recently fought back tears of joy when a rainbow appeared in the sky after a sultry summer storm, reminding me that God keeps His promises in my life and YOURS! 

Yes, the simple things bring us satisfaction.  And cost nothing!  Before summer’s end, take the time to enjoy life’s little pleasures with someone you love.  The Lord has given us “richly all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17)! 


Monday, September 3, 2018

Shadows and Handkerchiefs



The first 13 chapters of Acts mostly emphasize the ministry of Peter, while the remainder of the book highlights the ministry of Paul.  I would like to pull out two stories that involve miracles in each man’s ministry.  Both describe unique signs and wonders the Holy Spirit chose to highlight.

The first story involving Peter is found in Acts 5:14-16. “More and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.  As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.”

The second story involves Paul and is found in Acts 19:11-12.  “God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.”

Wow!  Aren’t these exciting accounts?  Shadows and handkerchiefs made the news as people from all over Jerusalem flocked to witness firsthand the power of God as it manifested through these two men of God.  We marvel at these wonderful accounts and perhaps ask, “Can we expect such miracles today?”  The answer of course, is yes.  However, understand that these miracles are not normative, but were included in the Scriptures to demonstrate the diverse ways that God can/does bring about miracles.  In other words, we dare not build a ministry on shadows and handkerchiefs, expecting God to do it the very same way again and again.  Pastors may not want to name their church, "Shadow Ministries” or “Handkerchief Assembly.”

As far as I can tell, God does miracles His way, in His time and according to the diversity of His nature.  In Acts, He chose to use shadows and handkerchiefs – one time.  For us to say that shadows and handkerchiefs are God’s prescribed way to bring about the miraculous is ludicrous. 

Yes, believe for miracles.  Pray for them.  Expect them.  But let God bring them about according to His plan and purpose.  I believe these two exciting accounts were recorded to build our faith – that we might look, not to preachers and ministers of the gospel for the next “new thing” in God’s miracle arsenal – but to direct our faith toward Jesus Christ and let Him bring about the miraculous in unique and powerful ways.

Do you remember the time Jesus healed the blind man after rubbing saliva mixed with mud in the man’s eyes  (See John 9:6)?  Here’s mud in your eyes!  Our God is so creative and unpredictable!  Let’s stand in prayer for miracles, sign and wonders, and let’s leave the “how’s” up to God.  Do you need a miracle from God?  I wonder what heavenly surprise awaits you! 

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