This morning in London, two young people were wed and, if media reports are to be believed, a quarter of the world’s population watched the ceremony at Westminster. Will and Kate, now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, will lead a privileged life. Their every move will be scrutinized by the press. They will set trends and someday will become the King and Queen, symbols of Britain’s glory. In times of crisis they will be expected to offer encouragement. At all times they will be ‘royals’ whether they feel like filling that role, or not. It is their calling and birthright.
When you received Christ, you too were called to a privileged life. The Spirit of God, who lives in us, ennobles us, lifts us out of the slavery to Satan and Self that was our natural state, making us royal sons and daughters of Heaven. Think of that wonder! The Scripture says that when we live this high calling, there is such a quality of life in us that others cannot help but take notice and thank God. "Keep on growing in knowledge and understanding … live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return … be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God." (Philippians 1:9-11, NLT) In another passage we learn that we "recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone. And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We’re free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him." (2 Corinthians 3:17-18, The Message)
Go back and re-read those two passages, please. Do you see how it happens? It’s not because we were born beautiful, or because we were trained at the best prep school, or from a sparkling personality. The radiance of life, the nobility of heart and character, comes from the love of God, from the gift of the Spirit we receive by faith. There are eccentric people who try to become like the English royals. A few even buy titles! They put on a role, pretend to be who they are not, but they are quickly recognized as wanna-be’s because they just don’t have the right stuff. Similarly there are those who try to act like a Spirit-filled Christian, going to church, doing the stuff of Christianity, but whose lives do not reflect the brightness of which the Bible speaks.
Do you want a life that is marked by a quality unattainable by any human means? Do you desire to be a noble whose life has a radiance?
Ponder this word from the Word and give the Spirit yourself, without reservation, that He might lead you into the holy and privileged life of a child of God.
"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:16-26, NIV)
___________________
Change my heart, oh God,
Make it ever true.
Change my heart, oh God,
May I be like You.
You are the potter,
I am the clay.
Mold me and make me,
This is what I pray.
Change My Heart Oh God
Espinosa, Eddie
© 1982 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services)
CCLI License No. 810055
Friday, April 29, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Throw it away
After eleven years in our current home, we’re moving next week. Bev and I are fairly orderly people, but it’s still amazing how much junk (there’s no better word for it) that we have accumulated. Last week I took 400 lbs. of odds and ends I dragged from our basement to the landfill. Yesterday, it took me over an hour to sort through the armoire in the bedroom. I discarded a box full of ‘important’ papers I had saved, a couple of broken watches, and old cell phone parts. On the surface of things, our home is clean and neat. But, the clutter was lurking just out of sight. It feels good to throw it away.
In my prayer this morning, I invited the Lord to shine the light into the corners and closets of my life! To all appearances, I live a straight-arrow life; faithful to my wife, tithes paid, obligations met. Is there junk hidden away? I’m not talking about the ‘big sins’ that ought to be obvious. The things that clutter my heart could be much more subtle sins: unresolved conflicts, attitudes that are not fully surrendered to His Lordship, fears not matched with faith, motives that are incompatible with belonging to Christ Jesus. The Bible says "let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up." (Hebrews 12:1, NLT)
Disciple, throw it away! When the Spirit of the Lord says, “let it go,” obey His voice! The verse quoted above borrows the illustration of the runner who keeps too many articles of clothing on for the race, only to find his feet tangled and his face in the dirt. When we hang onto favorite sins, excuse ungodly attitudes, make room for grudges, or give ourselves a pass from faithful service we create a potential for failure. At the very least, we will not enjoy the blessing of deep intimacy with our Lover because we have too many other things holding us back.
Read these words from the Word. They are no threat to us if we desire Him above all things. They are a promise! Read them and make the final passage your prayer.
"For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires." (Hebrews 4:12, NLT)
"I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve." (Jeremiah 17:10, NLT)
"Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart." (Psalm 26:2, NLT)
_____________________
Nothing between
My soul and the Savior,
So that His blessed
Face may be seen;
Nothing preventing
The least of His favor:
Keep the way clear!
Let nothing between.
Nothing between,
Like worldly pleasure;
Habits of life,
Though harmless they seem,
Must not my heart
From Him ever sever,
He is my all,
There's nothing between.
Nothing between,
Like pride or station;
Self or friends
Shall not intervene;
Though it may cost me
Much tribulation,
I am resolved
There's nothing between.
Nothing Between
Tindley, Charles Albert
© Public Domain
In my prayer this morning, I invited the Lord to shine the light into the corners and closets of my life! To all appearances, I live a straight-arrow life; faithful to my wife, tithes paid, obligations met. Is there junk hidden away? I’m not talking about the ‘big sins’ that ought to be obvious. The things that clutter my heart could be much more subtle sins: unresolved conflicts, attitudes that are not fully surrendered to His Lordship, fears not matched with faith, motives that are incompatible with belonging to Christ Jesus. The Bible says "let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up." (Hebrews 12:1, NLT)
Disciple, throw it away! When the Spirit of the Lord says, “let it go,” obey His voice! The verse quoted above borrows the illustration of the runner who keeps too many articles of clothing on for the race, only to find his feet tangled and his face in the dirt. When we hang onto favorite sins, excuse ungodly attitudes, make room for grudges, or give ourselves a pass from faithful service we create a potential for failure. At the very least, we will not enjoy the blessing of deep intimacy with our Lover because we have too many other things holding us back.
Read these words from the Word. They are no threat to us if we desire Him above all things. They are a promise! Read them and make the final passage your prayer.
"For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires." (Hebrews 4:12, NLT)
"I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve." (Jeremiah 17:10, NLT)
"Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart." (Psalm 26:2, NLT)
_____________________
Nothing between
My soul and the Savior,
So that His blessed
Face may be seen;
Nothing preventing
The least of His favor:
Keep the way clear!
Let nothing between.
Nothing between,
Like worldly pleasure;
Habits of life,
Though harmless they seem,
Must not my heart
From Him ever sever,
He is my all,
There's nothing between.
Nothing between,
Like pride or station;
Self or friends
Shall not intervene;
Though it may cost me
Much tribulation,
I am resolved
There's nothing between.
Nothing Between
Tindley, Charles Albert
© Public Domain
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Investment Advice
I lack financial acumen to really understand the best ways to pick a stock. Even more, I am a terrible investor because I follow the market too closely! Every downturn makes me jittery. I am advised that if I want to profit most from an investment in stocks, I should choose a diverse portfolio as wisely as possible, then be willing to ride the up’s and down’s over the long term. Even a legend like Warren Buffett does not show a profit each and every year.
Our life in Christ must be viewed as a long-term investment! OK, that’s sound quite selfish, doesn’t it? Keep reading. In the closing chapters of Deuteronomy, Moses recaps the Law for Israel. Most basically, he says – “If you live obediently, God will bless you. If you ignore Him, you’ll be cursed.” "If you listen obediently to the Voice of God, your God, and heartily obey all his commandments that I command you today, God, your God, will place you on high, high above all the nations of the world." (Deuteronomy 28:1, The Message) "All the peoples on Earth will see you living under the Name of God and hold you in respectful awe." (Deuteronomy 28:10, The Message) Those promises apply to the Church, just as they did to the people of Israel. When we love and revere the Lord God, when we accept His merciful grace and goodness and invite the Holy Spirit to lead us we will find the ‘abundant life’ that Jesus said He came to provide for those who follow Him.
Some of you are reading that and immediately you object- “But, I know Christians who are suffering. I know people who really love the Lord who are going through very tough times.” And, so do I! So, is God’s promise true or not? It is but the blessings we enjoy are like the profit of investing in stock – they appear over the long term! It’s foolish to walk with the Lord one week and then say, “Where’s the blessings?” The godly are part of a world where evil people do things that cause suffering for the godly and ungodly alike. Godly people suffer along with the rest of the world in times of war, when greed causes economic collapse, and when family members forsake the Lord and drag their sin home.
But, Jesus points out that “everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock." (Matthew 7:23-25, NIV) Those who stay faithfully close to the Lord through it all are blessed with a security that reaches into eternity.
There’s another caution that we must take note of about living a blessed life. If we focus on the blessings and not on the love of the Lord, we will turn into religious fanatics congratulating ourselves when life is good and beating ourselves when things are bad! We will become self-focused, mistakenly thinking that it is our goodness that makes God bless us. It is such a subtle deception; and the Devil delights in letting us wander into that place. When we think, “it’s all about me” we make the wonderful life of those who are graciously godly into an ugly parody, increasingly absorbed with trivial matters. Over time we create a long list of rules that hides the beauty of the grace of God from us and in us!
\Disciple, love Jesus! Invest yourself in Him, pursue Him as your Divine Lover. Don’t pay too much attention to the temporary up’s and down’s of life. Only God knows why the trials and joys of each day are allowed to come our way. Invest in Him for the long-term.
Here’s a word from the Word. May it be both a caution and encouragement for you today.
"Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!— harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life. So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith." (Galatians 6:7-10, The Message)
Our life in Christ must be viewed as a long-term investment! OK, that’s sound quite selfish, doesn’t it? Keep reading. In the closing chapters of Deuteronomy, Moses recaps the Law for Israel. Most basically, he says – “If you live obediently, God will bless you. If you ignore Him, you’ll be cursed.” "If you listen obediently to the Voice of God, your God, and heartily obey all his commandments that I command you today, God, your God, will place you on high, high above all the nations of the world." (Deuteronomy 28:1, The Message) "All the peoples on Earth will see you living under the Name of God and hold you in respectful awe." (Deuteronomy 28:10, The Message) Those promises apply to the Church, just as they did to the people of Israel. When we love and revere the Lord God, when we accept His merciful grace and goodness and invite the Holy Spirit to lead us we will find the ‘abundant life’ that Jesus said He came to provide for those who follow Him.
Some of you are reading that and immediately you object- “But, I know Christians who are suffering. I know people who really love the Lord who are going through very tough times.” And, so do I! So, is God’s promise true or not? It is but the blessings we enjoy are like the profit of investing in stock – they appear over the long term! It’s foolish to walk with the Lord one week and then say, “Where’s the blessings?” The godly are part of a world where evil people do things that cause suffering for the godly and ungodly alike. Godly people suffer along with the rest of the world in times of war, when greed causes economic collapse, and when family members forsake the Lord and drag their sin home.
But, Jesus points out that “everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock." (Matthew 7:23-25, NIV) Those who stay faithfully close to the Lord through it all are blessed with a security that reaches into eternity.
There’s another caution that we must take note of about living a blessed life. If we focus on the blessings and not on the love of the Lord, we will turn into religious fanatics congratulating ourselves when life is good and beating ourselves when things are bad! We will become self-focused, mistakenly thinking that it is our goodness that makes God bless us. It is such a subtle deception; and the Devil delights in letting us wander into that place. When we think, “it’s all about me” we make the wonderful life of those who are graciously godly into an ugly parody, increasingly absorbed with trivial matters. Over time we create a long list of rules that hides the beauty of the grace of God from us and in us!
\Disciple, love Jesus! Invest yourself in Him, pursue Him as your Divine Lover. Don’t pay too much attention to the temporary up’s and down’s of life. Only God knows why the trials and joys of each day are allowed to come our way. Invest in Him for the long-term.
Here’s a word from the Word. May it be both a caution and encouragement for you today.
"Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!— harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life. So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith." (Galatians 6:7-10, The Message)
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Easter, everyday!
We act today in ways, consciously and unconsciously, to own our dreams and avoid our nightmares! That is why it is so important to plant the right seeds of truth in the soil from which our dreams grow.
For example, if I believe that I need a lot of money to be happy, my aim will be to create wealth.
If I believe that success is defined by ownership, I will increase my pile of possessions.
If I believe that 'clothes make the man' I will make certain to buy prestige labels.
People do amazing things in attempts to make their dreams come true! Disciple, what do you dream? Think your dreams just happen? Ah, you’re mistaken. You can create vision! How? Know the Truth. Let the Word of God fill your mind. Invite the Spirit to keep a conversation going with you.
Two days ago, Christians ‘round the world declared -"He is Risen!" Those can be the most transformative words ever spoken if …. if we really believe. John ran with Peter to the Tomb, saw the empty grave clothes and believed. Peter was there, too, but he went back to Galilee to take up fishing again, not really believing until He met the Master on the beach by a fire. Thomas scoffed when some of the disciples told him, 'we have seen the Lord!' But days later he was with them when the Risen Lord appeared and said to him, "Touch my scars; see and believe!" Those men were radically changed by what they believed, traveled far and wide telling the Story. The world was changed by their message. That’s not hyperbole, exaggeration, or a sales pitch.
"He is Risen!" Will you translate those words into action by how you live today?
What we do today will show if we really believe the words. Paul's summation of the truth of the Resurrection of Christ insists that it is the keystone of our faith.
"And if Christ weren't raised, then all you're doing is wandering about in the dark, as lost as ever." (1 Corinthians 15:17, The Message)
"There is a nice symmetry in this: Death initially came by a man, and resurrection from death came by a man. Everybody dies in Adam; everybody comes alive in Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:21-22, The Message)
So, "with all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don't hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort." (1 Corinthians 15:58, The Message) When that Truth owns your heart and mind, it’s Easter, everyday. Every decision is made in light of eternal life, not simply just as a means of surviving this day. Large vision and great dreams are born out of the truth that Christ lives and we live in Him.
Don't let the daily grind of life rob you of the amazing truth of Jesus' Resurrection. When you’re confronted with anger, fear, cruelty, or apathy think about the amazing fact that Christ triumphed over it all, that because He is alive you are a eternal being, a person of destiny. Soak your mind in the testimony of the Scripture and invite the Spirit to make the proclamation that Jesus lives a fact you own for yourself.
"He lives! He lives!
Christ Jesus lives today.
He walks with me,
and talks with me,
along life's narrow way.
He lives! He lives!
Salvation to impart.
You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart!
- Alfred Ackley, public domain
For example, if I believe that I need a lot of money to be happy, my aim will be to create wealth.
If I believe that success is defined by ownership, I will increase my pile of possessions.
If I believe that 'clothes make the man' I will make certain to buy prestige labels.
People do amazing things in attempts to make their dreams come true! Disciple, what do you dream? Think your dreams just happen? Ah, you’re mistaken. You can create vision! How? Know the Truth. Let the Word of God fill your mind. Invite the Spirit to keep a conversation going with you.
Two days ago, Christians ‘round the world declared -"He is Risen!" Those can be the most transformative words ever spoken if …. if we really believe. John ran with Peter to the Tomb, saw the empty grave clothes and believed. Peter was there, too, but he went back to Galilee to take up fishing again, not really believing until He met the Master on the beach by a fire. Thomas scoffed when some of the disciples told him, 'we have seen the Lord!' But days later he was with them when the Risen Lord appeared and said to him, "Touch my scars; see and believe!" Those men were radically changed by what they believed, traveled far and wide telling the Story. The world was changed by their message. That’s not hyperbole, exaggeration, or a sales pitch.
"He is Risen!" Will you translate those words into action by how you live today?
What we do today will show if we really believe the words. Paul's summation of the truth of the Resurrection of Christ insists that it is the keystone of our faith.
"And if Christ weren't raised, then all you're doing is wandering about in the dark, as lost as ever." (1 Corinthians 15:17, The Message)
"There is a nice symmetry in this: Death initially came by a man, and resurrection from death came by a man. Everybody dies in Adam; everybody comes alive in Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:21-22, The Message)
So, "with all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don't hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort." (1 Corinthians 15:58, The Message) When that Truth owns your heart and mind, it’s Easter, everyday. Every decision is made in light of eternal life, not simply just as a means of surviving this day. Large vision and great dreams are born out of the truth that Christ lives and we live in Him.
Don't let the daily grind of life rob you of the amazing truth of Jesus' Resurrection. When you’re confronted with anger, fear, cruelty, or apathy think about the amazing fact that Christ triumphed over it all, that because He is alive you are a eternal being, a person of destiny. Soak your mind in the testimony of the Scripture and invite the Spirit to make the proclamation that Jesus lives a fact you own for yourself.
"He lives! He lives!
Christ Jesus lives today.
He walks with me,
and talks with me,
along life's narrow way.
He lives! He lives!
Salvation to impart.
You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart!
- Alfred Ackley, public domain
Monday, April 25, 2011
More than Optimism
We love stories about 'can do' people, those who like the little engine in the children's story, just keep going saying, "I know I can, I know I can!" But true faith is more than gritty determination or a positive outlook on
life. Faith has a fixed point of promise on which it rests securely.
In the book, Good to Great, (Harper, 2001) Jim Collins recounts a story of meeting Admiral James Stockdale. Stockdale was the highest ranking American POW during the Vietnam war. For 8 long years he was confined in the "Hanoi Hilton," often tortured, both physically and psychologically. When the war ended and he was released, he came home to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor for his superb leadership of the other POW's and his valor during that terrible time. He helped many of those men survive their confinement by devising a communication method so they could encourage each other. He also set an example by resisting the work of the Vietnamese to use the POW's for propaganda purposes. When Collins met the Admiral, he asked him, "Who didn't make it out?" "Oh, that's easy,"
Stockdale replied, "The optimists." The men who convinced themselves, we'll be home by Christmas and then had to face disappointment; who then set the date for Easter and were crushed yet again, eventually gave up and died of broken hearts. Then Stockdale told Collins this: "You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end - which you cannot afford to lose - with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your reality; whatever they might be."
Collins names this "the Stockdale paradox." Retain faith that you will win in the end, while forcing yourself to face the facts, tell the truth, and deal with even the ugliness of your situation.
Believers who want to win the prize of the high calling of God would do well to observe the Stockdale Paradox. The great faith chapter, Hebrews 11, starts off with some great stories about people who lived in faith and who enjoyed success. The same chapter closes with illustrations of people who had great faith and appeared, in this life, to lose! The inspired writer closes the chapter with this summary about those good and faithful people who died without seeing their reward: "All of these people we have mentioned received God's approval because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised." (Hebrews 11:39, NLT)
Our faith cannot be expressed in simple optimism that insists, "Everything will turn out great!" The awful truth is that good people sometimes die young. Great sacrifice sometimes appears to produce next to no results on this side of eternity. Godly people get Alzheimer's. People who live disciplined healthy lifestyles sometimes die from heart attacks. Depressed yet? Actually, looking at the worst stuff and realizing that God is still God, is the only way to remain true, steady, and enduring. I hate the false promises made by preachers of prosperity that cause people to think that they can control their lives by saying the right prayers and doing the
right things. These false prophets may seem to stir 'great faith' in people, but they also create many casualties of faith by building hope on a foundation of half-truths.
True faith is set in the goodness of God and His absolute promise that those who trust in Jesus Christ will have life eternal. He declares that in the End, He wins. But the End in His timeline is not necessarily correspondent with the end of our timeline.
Jesus promises us "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live." (John 11:25, NKJV)
In the book of the Revelation, He says, ""You still have a few Christians in Sardis who haven't ruined themselves wallowing in the muck of the world's ways. They'll walk with me on parade! They've proved their worth! "Conquerors will march in the victory parade, their names indelible in the Book of Life. I'll lead them up and present them by name to my Father and his Angels." (Revelation 3:4-5, The Message)
That's the ultimate promise I take as my North Star to keep me on track through the present world. It is not mere optimism that steadies me, it is faith in the Eternal promises of my Savior and my God, to Whom belong all the praise, all the honor, all the glory. Amen!
____________________
My Faith Has Found A Resting Place - Edmunds, Lidie H. / Gretry, Andre
My faith has found a resting place,
Not in device or creed;
I trust the ever living One,
His wounds for me shall plead.
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.
Enough for me that Jesus saves,
This ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul, I come to Him,
He'll never cast me out.
My heart is leaning on the Word,
The written Word of God,
Salvation by my Savior's name,
Salvation through His blood.
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.
C Public Domain
life. Faith has a fixed point of promise on which it rests securely.
In the book, Good to Great, (Harper, 2001) Jim Collins recounts a story of meeting Admiral James Stockdale. Stockdale was the highest ranking American POW during the Vietnam war. For 8 long years he was confined in the "Hanoi Hilton," often tortured, both physically and psychologically. When the war ended and he was released, he came home to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor for his superb leadership of the other POW's and his valor during that terrible time. He helped many of those men survive their confinement by devising a communication method so they could encourage each other. He also set an example by resisting the work of the Vietnamese to use the POW's for propaganda purposes. When Collins met the Admiral, he asked him, "Who didn't make it out?" "Oh, that's easy,"
Stockdale replied, "The optimists." The men who convinced themselves, we'll be home by Christmas and then had to face disappointment; who then set the date for Easter and were crushed yet again, eventually gave up and died of broken hearts. Then Stockdale told Collins this: "You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end - which you cannot afford to lose - with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your reality; whatever they might be."
Collins names this "the Stockdale paradox." Retain faith that you will win in the end, while forcing yourself to face the facts, tell the truth, and deal with even the ugliness of your situation.
Believers who want to win the prize of the high calling of God would do well to observe the Stockdale Paradox. The great faith chapter, Hebrews 11, starts off with some great stories about people who lived in faith and who enjoyed success. The same chapter closes with illustrations of people who had great faith and appeared, in this life, to lose! The inspired writer closes the chapter with this summary about those good and faithful people who died without seeing their reward: "All of these people we have mentioned received God's approval because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised." (Hebrews 11:39, NLT)
Our faith cannot be expressed in simple optimism that insists, "Everything will turn out great!" The awful truth is that good people sometimes die young. Great sacrifice sometimes appears to produce next to no results on this side of eternity. Godly people get Alzheimer's. People who live disciplined healthy lifestyles sometimes die from heart attacks. Depressed yet? Actually, looking at the worst stuff and realizing that God is still God, is the only way to remain true, steady, and enduring. I hate the false promises made by preachers of prosperity that cause people to think that they can control their lives by saying the right prayers and doing the
right things. These false prophets may seem to stir 'great faith' in people, but they also create many casualties of faith by building hope on a foundation of half-truths.
True faith is set in the goodness of God and His absolute promise that those who trust in Jesus Christ will have life eternal. He declares that in the End, He wins. But the End in His timeline is not necessarily correspondent with the end of our timeline.
Jesus promises us "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live." (John 11:25, NKJV)
In the book of the Revelation, He says, ""You still have a few Christians in Sardis who haven't ruined themselves wallowing in the muck of the world's ways. They'll walk with me on parade! They've proved their worth! "Conquerors will march in the victory parade, their names indelible in the Book of Life. I'll lead them up and present them by name to my Father and his Angels." (Revelation 3:4-5, The Message)
That's the ultimate promise I take as my North Star to keep me on track through the present world. It is not mere optimism that steadies me, it is faith in the Eternal promises of my Savior and my God, to Whom belong all the praise, all the honor, all the glory. Amen!
____________________
My Faith Has Found A Resting Place - Edmunds, Lidie H. / Gretry, Andre
My faith has found a resting place,
Not in device or creed;
I trust the ever living One,
His wounds for me shall plead.
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.
Enough for me that Jesus saves,
This ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul, I come to Him,
He'll never cast me out.
My heart is leaning on the Word,
The written Word of God,
Salvation by my Savior's name,
Salvation through His blood.
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.
C Public Domain
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