29

Jump Start # 1527

Posted on January 29, 2016 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1527

John 18:28 “Pilate said to Him, ‘What is truth?’”

  Our verse today comes from Jesus’ trial by the Roman governor, Pilate. The King of kings was being questioned by a corrupt governor. The innocent and pure Jesus stood before the sinful Pilate. Jesus had been arrested and quickly found guilty in the Jewish courts. He was hurried on to Pilate so an execution could take place. Pilate saw nothing worthy of death in Jesus. This was an internal Jewish squabble and Pilate didn’t want to get draw into it. He was ready to release Jesus but the Jews would have no part of that. Pilate sent Jesus to Herod, hoping that Herod would deal with this problem. Herod sent Jesus back. The Roman governor then offered a choice of prisoners to be released, a murderous, rebellious criminal, or the innocent Jesus. The crowd chose the criminal. When asked what to do with Jesus, the crowd shouted, “Crucify him, crucify him.”

 

As Pilate questions Jesus, the Lord tells Pilate that He was born to bear witness to the truth. “Everyone who is of the truth,” Jesus said, “hears My voice.” It is here that Pilate, from our verse today, says, “What is truth?”

 

That’s a great question! Many are living under the fog that truth changes and is based upon each person’s perspective and experiences. So, what might be true for one, may not be for another. A poll taken a few years ago revealed that 70% of American’s do not believe that there is an absolute truth. What that means is that a person cannot say that something is wrong and always wrong. It depends. Wrong could be right and right could be wrong. You may think that all of this sounds fuzzy and it’s making you dizzy, just try talking to someone who accepts these postmodern theories. It is from this that people say that same-sex marriages can not be absolutely wrong. It might not be right for you, but for someone else, it may be. From this thinking comes reasons to justify aborting the unborn. The time may not be right for a baby. You can’t say that all abortion is wrong for all people. This is the thinking of many, many people today.

 

So, when Pilate asks Jesus, “what is truth?” these modern thinkers would say, ‘Who knows?’ “It all depends.” So kids grow up learning that if lying and cheating can get them ahead, then they need to lie and cheat. When truth doesn’t matter, it’s easy to make a decision. Just do what you feel like. Just do what makes you happy. When truth doesn’t matter, self becomes the foundation of all decisions. When truth doesn’t matter, no one can ever say what you are doing is wrong. Toss truth out the window, and life becomes very comfortable.

 

There are two remarkable things about Pilate’s question to Jesus.

 

First, the truth was standing right in front of him. Remember, “I am the way, THE TRUTH, and the life.” Jesus is truth. In Jesus there was no sin. Jesus told the disciples that “you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (Jn 8:32). Truth is recognizable and understandable. You can know truth. By it’s very nature truth is singular, exclusive and intolerant. The child learns, one plus one equals two. There are not other choices. The answer cannot be three. The answer cannot be one and a half. Singular, exclusive and intolerant—that’s the nature of truth. The Ephesians were told that there is “one faith,” “one God,” “one body.” That means Jehovah and Allah both cannot be the one true God. One faith destroys the idea that you can believe whatever you want as long as you love the Lord. One faith. That same passage says that there is “one baptism.” That’s interesting because in the Bible we read about baptisms of fire, John the Baptist, Holy Spirit and water. Now some contend that a person is baptized with the Holy Spirit and later is baptized in water. One and one don’t make one. Truth is singular, exclusive and intolerant. It can’t be all of those baptisms. It can’t be pick the one you like. One baptism.

 

Second, Pilate didn’t stick around to find out the answer to his question. He asked Jesus, “What is truth?” and then he leaves. Pilate has done what many do today. They ask questions but they don’t want to hear the answers. Had Pilate allowed Jesus to answer the question, he would have learned that God and His word are truth. He would have learned that following truth honors God. Having the truth leads to making the right decisions.

 

When a person blindly accepts that there is no absolute truth, then naturally, he believes that no one person has the right to tell another person that something is wrong. Wrong depends upon the circumstances. Wrong could be right. This thinking has spilled over into the modern church. Rock Star preachers like Joel Osteen, with his smiling grin, proudly admits that he never uses the word “sin.” God does. God uses other words just like sin. Words like abomination, transgression and iniquity are found throughout the Bible. Osteen can’t use the word sin because he doesn’t believe in sin. If there is no wrong, then why did Jesus come to earth? Luke states that he came to seek and to save what was lost. Modern thinkers would never say that someone is lost. They may be a bit confused, but certainly not lost. God does.

 

What is truth? That’s a great question. God can answer that. Truth is His word. Truth is where God stands. Because there is a truth, that means some things are wrong. Sin is a violation of God’s will. It is parting from truth to follow a lie.

 

Many of our state universities are preaching there are no absolutes to young minds who are believing these things without asking any questions. A generation is now here that uses feelings as the sole basis of making decisions. If it feels good or makes one happy, then it cannot be wrong. If it is uncomfortable, then it has to be wrong. So they abandon the churches of their parents because they don’t want to be told that some behavior is wrong.  “We shouldn’t judge others,” has become the theme of the new generation. You don’t judge because nothing is ever really wrong. The spirit of tolerance has flung the door wide open. There is no stopping it as long as there is no absolute truth. Marrying two people at the same time will be next. Then, marrying a cow. Then marrying your sister. Then marrying your mother. Then marrying yourself. Ridiculous? No. It can’t be, if there is no truth.

 

Without truth, we become our own gods. Without truth we are hopelessly lost. Without truth, we are sunk.

 

What is truth? Can you answer that? Do you know? Do you care?

 

Roger

 

28

Jump Start # 1526

Posted on January 28, 2016 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1526

Ezekiel 2:6 “And you, son of man, neither fear them nor fear their words, though thistles and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions; neither fear their words nor be dismayed at their presence, for they are a rebellious house.”

 

The second chapter of Ezekiel begins with God telling the prophet to stand up on his feet because God was going to talk to him. God then declares that he is sending the prophet to rebellious Israel. God tells the prophet to not be like Israel. He tells the prophet to not fear them nor their words. God was sending the prophet into a fire-fight. He was preparing the prophet. God was equipping him for what was ahead. This is where our verse is found.

 

Twice God tells the prophet to not fear them. “Though you sit on scorpions…” what an interesting expression. It brings a picture of pain, a lot of pain. I can honestly say that it has been one of the blessings in my life to have never experienced sitting on a scorpion. This rebellious nation was going to hurt the prophet, inside and out. Fears are the inside, and scorpions are the outside.

 

God did not want the prophet to become like the nation. Do not let their problem turn into your problem. There was a distance between the prophet and the people. Don’t turn into what you are fighting. Don’t become like they are.

 

That’s an interesting thought. Don’t let the problems of others become your problem. This is not to say that we should not be there, be engaged, be helpful, and be the one who points the way to the Lord, but in so doing, don’t turn into what you are trying to fix.

 

This is especially hard when working with those who are discouraged. Hearing their sad stories, often of spiritual neglect, often of being avoided, often focusing upon problems and things that are wrong, it is so easy to become discouraged yourself. It’s like the story of a guy who was so down on his luck that he was ready to jump off a bridge. A cop started talking to him. He said, ‘Nothing can be that bad.’ As the man told the police officer his sad story, they both jumped. I know the feeling. You go to a home of folks that are ready to throw in the towel. You work with them, remind them, encourage them, and on the way home you feel worse than when you came. Discouragement can be like that. It is contagious and spreads rapidly.

 

How does one not let the problems of others become their own problem? How do you encourage the discouraged without becoming discouraged yourself? These are thoughts that often are not looked at very often. We understand the value and the need for encouragement. The word encouragement means to build up. Simply put, it’s oxygen for our souls. We all need it. Our fellowship and worship is one great way to be strengthened, built up and encouraged.  But it doesn’t always happen that way. You ought to read some of the sad emails I receive from those who leave worship so discouraged that they feel that they are losing their faith. Often what is taking place in worship is nothing more than a weekly dose of guilt and why we are such terrible people. Verbally beating someone up doesn’t put oxygen into anyone’s soul.

 

Don’t become what they are. Don’t let their problems become your problem. How?

 

First, have your faith firmly planted in the Lord. This is where it ought to be, but sometimes we have too much faith in others. People will let you down. People will disappoint. People fail. God never does. The discouraged can not be encouraged by other discouraged people. It won’t work that way. It takes an encouraged person to give encouragement.

 

Second, feed your soul often. Just as we have to feed our bellies, our souls need to be fed. Do this by reading God’s word. Do this by talking to God in prayer. Do this by surrounding yourself with quality people who have a way of helping you out. Fed your soul. Stay away from darkness—dark music, dark movies, dark thinking people. Jesus is light. Get to the light and stay there.

 

Third, when a person starts unloading buckets of problems, realize that it is their perspective. What they are saying may not be the way it really is. What they are saying may be slanted in their direction. I’ve found that many people are just like a dump truck. Once the bed of that truck is raised up and the lid opens, the whole load dumps out. One problem leads to another problem. The list grows. Soon, it seems, everything is wrong. After talking to one guy once, I felt like putting a “for sale” sign in front of the church house. It was pitiful. I finally asked him, “Why do you still come?” He rambled on and on until I asked him, “How are you and Jesus doing?” That floored him. He hadn’t thought about Jesus. His focus was upon what was wrong with the rest of us. Putting the conversation back on Jesus, turned it and made us realize that we all have a responsibility towards the Lord. At the end of the day, it’s always about you, me and Jesus.

 

Fourth, you don’t have to come up with a solution for every problem. There are some problems that have no solutions. There are some that are too complicated. I’ve had folks unload about things that happened before I was born. They couldn’t let go of those things. It was still fresh to them. It ruined them. Some folks like to point out all the problems but they don’t want to help be the solutions. Some things are beyond us.

 

Fifth, remember that you are blessed. Counting your blessings helps cut through the fog of discouragement and despair. You are a child of God that is heading to God’s home. No, not everyone is doing as they should. No, not everyone is as serious as they ought to be. But that doesn’t stop me. That doesn’t mean that I can’t be what I should.

 

Neither fear them nor fear their words—it worked long ago to a prophet sent to a rebellious nation. Those same words work today when going to the home of a discouraged heart. Help where you can, but don’t allow your spirit to be pulled into their problem. You don’t have to agree with how they see things.

 

Don’t allow others to cloud up your sunshine. God said it so much better, “Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house.”

 

Good reminders for those who are busy trying to help others.

 

Roger

 

27

Jump Start # 1525

Posted on January 27, 2016 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1525

Hebrews 9:27 “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment”

  This morning awakened with the news of the passing of a Christian that I knew. He was a legend. Strong, faithful and devoted as a preacher and teacher of God’s word. Well do I remember some of his amazing lessons. I have an outline taped in the back of my Bible of a lesson that he preached from Philemon. It was great.

 

His death is the third Christian that I have heard about this week. A neighbor of where my grandparents once lived, another Christian, passed away yesterday. He was within a few months of being 100 years old. Then, earlier this week, I heard of a man who was but 27 years old, married and a new father, who lost his battle to cancer. He, too, was a Christian.

 

Three Christians, one almost 100, one in his early nineties and one not yet 30, all passed within a few days of each other. I doubt that these three every knew each other. But just this week, all three were gathered by the angels to rest until the Lord comes.

 

Our verse today reminds us of that divine appointment with death. Jesus, Revelation tells us, holds the keys to death and Hades. We can understand Biblically, why people die. We can understand Biblically where people go after death. We can understand Biblically the basis and concept of the final judgment. Those truths are sprinkled throughout the Bible.

 

What is hard to understand and what is not clear in the Bible is the appointed time. Why is it that some get to live to be 99 and others only 27? I know another family that has a son that is nearing death. It won’t be long. Why so young? For others, why so old? Certainly lifestyle has a play into this. Genetics has a role in this as well. But some of this may come down to that divine appointment. I read recently of a person who was 100 years old and claimed drinking THREE Dr. Pepper’s a day was the trick. I really doubt that. I believe if most of us drank three Dr. Pepper’s every day, we’d be so big we couldn’t get out the door and we’d have all kinds of health issue. No, I think it has something to do with the divine appointment.

 

Folks long ago used to talk about “your time is up.” I think they had in mind that divine appointment with God. When I think about the three deaths this week, two in their nineties and one 27, the only sense I can make of it is that God determines these things. We know well the expression from James that life is “just a vapor.” It’s here and then it’s gone. That makes sense when you think about 27 years. It’s hard to understand that when you match 27 with one who was 99.

 

From our side of Heaven, it’s easy to think that the 99 year old was blessed and the 27 year old was cheated. Maybe from God’s side of Heaven, it is just the opposite. Getting out of this place and being with God isn’t a curse, it’s what we are after.

 

So here are a few observations from three deaths this week:

 

First, we do not know when our divine appointment is. That is a good thing. If some of us knew that we were going to live to be 99, we’d probably put things off. We’d justify the lazy bones by saying, “there’s plenty of time.” The truth is, we don’t know how much time we have. We must walk with the Lord, engage in good deeds and try to leave this place better than we found it. If we knew exactly when we were going to die, we’d become so fixated upon that date that we couldn’t function as we do. Live as if today is your last day. Prepare as if you have more days to come.

 

Second, use your time wisely. That is a thought taught in Ephesians. Make the most of your time. The Galatians were told, “as you have opportunity…” The 99 year old that I knew, lived a quiet life on a farm near a small little town in Indiana. He served a long time as one of the elders in the congregation he worshipped with. The 27 year, just starting in life, touched many lives with his kindness and willingness to be a helping hand. Do what you can today. Don’t be so fixed upon the future that you forget to live today. We can live thinking, if I only get out of this apartment and get my own place, then I will have some folks over and do this and that. What if you never get out of that apartment? Why can’t you do something now, on a smaller scale? If you can’t do hospitality with hotdogs, I doubt that you’ll do it later with steaks. It’s not the food, it’s the heart and the time. Make a difference now.

 

Third, we must stop trying to figure out why God does what He does. At every funeral, someone insists on saying something that is usually dumb and most times not even Biblical. Saying, “God needed him in Heaven more than you need Him,” isn’t true, nice or kind. Saying, “God needed another angel,” isn’t Biblical. Why does one pass away at 27 and another at 99? Only God knows. We must stop trying to figure out things that are beyond us. Some how we got the idea that we can know why everything happens. Wrong. Why did D.C. get dumbed with two feet of snow last week and I got five inches? We can look at weather maps and explain systems, moisture and so forth. But why then, why there? Only God knows. That’s hard for some of us to accept. We must have an answer. We postulate theories and ideas and speculations, trying our best to come up with the answers. Often, our answers lead to us judging others. Simply put, God has a divine appointment for death. You and I do not know when it is.

 

So, there will be three funerals taking place very soon. Families will gather and remember a dad, husband, grandfather. Preachers will talk about life and God. Folks will hug. Tears will be shed. Graves will be opened and filled. Three souls that walked with the Lord are now finished with their journey here. How they died won’t be the talk of the day. What they owned won’t be the discussion. No, what folks will remember, is how they lived. Their faith. Their goodness. Their trust in the Lord. Those are the very things that brighten a dark and sad day.

 

You and I have a coming appointment. We need to be walking with the Lord and trying to make a difference, even today.

 

Three Christians…three deaths…three souls resting on the other side. I wonder if they now know each other. I wonder if they are uniting with other faithful family members. I expect they are so glad to be where they are. Someday, we will join them.

 

Roger

 

26

Jump Start # 1524

Posted on January 26, 2016 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1524

Hebrews 11:24-25 “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin”

  Moses is given much space in the powerful Hebrews 11 chapter. It is a chapter of faith. Each person had to make choices. Each person suffered. Each person gained approval through their faith. This statement about Moses, our verse today, reflects three important thoughts.

 

First, he chose. His decision was made when he was grown up. It was his decision. As an infant, his mother made a choice to hide him. But now it was his time to make a choice—be Egyptian or be Hebrew. He chose the Hebrews.

 

Second, his choice was not based upon what felt good. It was based upon what was right. Standing with God and His people meant ill-treatment. It excluded pleasures. Moses made his choice based upon God.

 

Third, the pleasurable sins of Egypt didn’t last. They were passing. Moses chose the permanent over the temporary. He chose what would last. He chose the future over the present.

 

Our thoughts today are taken from the expression “passing pleasures of sin.” The thrill that sin offers doesn’t last. It never does. The drinker needs another drink. The drug user needs another high. The fun of sin too often covers the wrong, the damage and the eternal separation from God. However, that fun never lasts very long.

 

The pleasures of sin does not last. But there are some things that do last. This is the irony of this expression. The pleasure doesn’t last, but often the temptation does. Some folks battle the same temptations most of their lives. For some, it’s the bottle. Others, it’s porn or greed or selfishness. They are constantly struggling with these issues. They never seem to go away.

 

This is where relationships often get strained and patience runs thin. Patience is much more than waiting for traffic lights to turn green or waiting in the doctor’s office. True patience involves people. It’s being patient as they struggle with issues over and over again.

 

Those that do not have those struggles simply do not understand why these people can not move on. Why are they still struggling with these same things. These struggles do not always have to be with moral sins. It could be worries. It could be fears. It could be doubts. “Here we go again,” some will say. The same questions are asked and answered. The same situations are explored and solutions proposed. The same troubles analyzed and suggestions made. But, after just a short while, here we go again. Some things pass, and others do not.

 

When our patience has run thin with what seems to be reoccurring situations and problems, we tend to get short, bossy, and very tired of dealing with the same things. This is especially hard for parents because there are days when you feel like announcing, “Push number one for this problem, push number two for this issue,” because you have covered that ground already. You are ready to move on. You don’t see why this is such a problem. But it remains. Some things just do not go away easily.

 

This is also hard for shepherds of God’s people. The same folks can continue to struggle with the same things over and over. For some families, it’s financial problems. They are always just one paycheck away from losing everything. They are helped. They are talked to. They are shown how to make budgets. Books are given to them. But here we go again. For others, it’s their faith and walk with the Lord. They are just one step away from throwing in the towel on Jesus. They are encouraged, taught, shown, helped. But just as soon as things are looking up, they are again looking down. They don’t show up. They begin questioning their faith, again. Here we go again! For others, it is the bottle. They know it’s wrong, but they just can’t seem to get very far from it. I suppose this is why so many shepherds are bald. They’ve been pulling their hair out, dealing with the same things in the same people, over and over again.

 

The pleasures of sin does not last. However, the struggles of life never seem to end for some folks. These constant struggles has led some to say sharp and mean things, not knowing the situation. The lack of patience has led some to be forced to find another church. They are tired of dealing with these things and they feel that you have worn out your welcome. The doors are closed and you are no longer liked there.

 

All of this is similar to understanding chronic health issues. I’ve known folks who get headaches on a regular basis. I know folks who have severe back troubles. When you don’t have those things, it’s hard to understand what the person is going through. The immediate thought is “go take care of it.” That sounds great, but how? Some things do not just go away, especially those inside, internal, mental issues.

 

Grief is like that. A mate passes. The funeral takes place. There are flowers, food and hugs. Within a month, everyone has moved on and are doing well, except for the immediate family of the departed. Their world has stopped. Nothing is the same anymore. An empty place at the table, silence in the home, and a huge hole in the heart are things that a person just doesn’t “snap out of.” Those who have never walked that path have a hard time understanding. Some will make this a “faith” issue. Some can be very opinionated and judgmental. Grief doesn’t just go away. It can be managed. It can be dealt with, but that often takes time.

 

Guilt is another thing that just doesn’t go away quickly. Sure a person can get forgiveness, especially from God. He is like that. He wants to forgive. He is merciful and good. We can even apologize to those that we have hurt. However, the damage, the shame, and the guilt can remain for a long time. It makes one feel like standing in the corner, every corner. It’s hard to get back to normal, after you have trashed trust and let others down. This is hard for others to understand. “They are forgiven aren’t they? What’s their problem?” The problem is guilt. It can hang around for a long, long time.

 

These thoughts remind us that we need to be understanding and patient towards others. This is what God wants and above all, He has certainly been patient with us. We have a hard time understanding what others are going through. Not everyone thinks nor feels the way we do. We expect everyone to see things just as quickly and as clearly as we do. They don’t. We expect people to snap out of the things and be great by morning, like we are. They may not respond that way.

 

The pleasures of sin pass away. There are other things that tend to linger around. Be helpful, rather than part of the problem. Be understanding, as best as you can. Don’t always talk. Don’t always think you have to come up with a solution. Offer to pray. Offer to just sit with them. Show your care and your love.

 

It would be wonderful if worries, temptation, fears and troubles passed away quickly. They often come and stay. They can be dealt with through Jesus. They will not last forever. Heaven has no place for those things. Be kind and be gentle toward those who struggle.

 

God is good.

 

Roger

 

25

Jump Start # 1523

Posted on January 25, 2016 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1523

Psalms 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread?”

  This is a special Jump Start. It’s written especially to someone who is very dear to me. Several years ago he went through a very traumatic experience. It was horrifying and no one should ever have to go through what he did. Life moved on. He got married. He has a good job and is a parent. But out of no where, he started having fears about that terrible experience. It bothers him at night and keeps him from sleeping.

 

I have heard of soldiers returning home from combat with what we now call Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). My dad told me about a neighborhood kid that he grew up with that was a prisoner of war in Germany during WW II. Dad said he was never the same after that.

 

Some of the greatest battles and giants that we face are dealing with things that has happened in the past.  For some, those constant reminders bring guilt and shame. Wrongs and sins and not doing what they should have plagues them. For some, relationships are now ruined because of what happened in the past. Seeking mercy from God and forgiving yourself are hard lessons. But even then, often regrets remain and broken relationships are the consequences.

 

But for others, they were the victim. There is no sin involved. They did nothing wrong. They went through a mugging, a crime, a horrific car accident, the identifying of a dead family member, or some other terrifying experience. There is no forgiveness to pray for. They did nothing wrong. But those terrifying memories haunt them. It awakens them at night. They can’t seem to move past the event.

 

Here are a few thoughts I want to share on this subject.

 

First, there are a bunch of us who do not understand. I am included. For my friend, my thoughts at first are, what is there to worry about? You’ve passed through that bad moment, you are alive today and are blessed. You have much to be thankful for. My friend knows that. But why do these scary reminders keep coming back, especially in the middle of the night. It’s easy for someone like me to say, “Think about nice things,” or, “count your blessings.” The truth is, I do not understand. And the more I suggest can only frustrate my friend even more. I guess one reason I am writing this today is because I spent half the night praying about my friend. Offering a compassionate heart, saying ‘I’m sorry,’ and praying hard to the Lord are some of the best things we can do. Don’t try to figure it out, because you can’t.

 

Second, this is not a faith issue. My friend is a strong believer. My friend worships regularly and even teaches class. No one outside of his family would ever know about the trauma that my friend deals with. This is not something that one talks about. On most days, it does not affect my friend. But it’s there. How easy it is for some to simply say, “Trust the Lord.” My friend does.

 

Third, getting good help is important. My friend is talking to some trauma experts. This will help. Finding ways to deal with those internal giants are important. We have shamed folks in the past for getting help by telling them that all they need is faith. It’s like telling a homeless guy, “get a job.” That’s easy to say when we have a job, a home and are not living on the streets. Some issues are not nice, neat and easy to fix. We are so accustomed to fast check out lines at the grocery store, TV dramas which are solved in an hour that we think all of life ought to be easy, fixable and simple. It’s not. There are some internal giants that can stay with us for a long, long time. My friend doesn’t like to be like this. He does not purposely sit around and think about the trauma that he experienced. It just comes, like a dream. We can’t really control our dreams. We don’t have a remote where we can flip through channels in our heads, skipping the nightmares and settling for the nice, pleasant thoughts. Why we dream what we dream, why certain thoughts come to us, is hard for even the experts to figure out. We spend a lot of time trying to figure out the “why’s” rather than dealing with where we are.

 

Fourth, my friend told me about what he was going through. I’m glad. Had he not said this, I would have never known. I’m close to my friend, but I would have never guessed that it still bothered him some. Reaching out to someone who is trustworthy and walks with the Lord is valuable. I said very little when I was told, except that I was sorry. I did spend a long time praying hard last night. I will continue to do this. There is no shame in telling a trustworthy friend. Now, don’t announce it to the world. Many won’t understand. Many will add to the problem. But that one or two trusted friend, who you go to, and who will pray for you, that’s the ticket. God can help. I believe that. God can do things that we can’t. God can chase away those dreams and thoughts. God can heal. That’s the prayer. That’s the hope.

 

That’s where our verse comes in today. God is the defense of my life. The closer I walk with the Lord the more I see that. There are things in this life that no one will ever understand. To a degree that’s true of all of us. I have a couple of wonderful doctors that worship where I do. They are both incredible men of God. I don’t understand what they face when they have come to an end of all that they can do for a patient. They have reached a wall and they can’t get past it. How they deal with that and continue on, I do not understand. There are six wonderful shepherds in the church I am a part of. It’s hard for me to understand what they go through when they deal with someone who is walking away from the Lord. They have tried everything and the person simply does not care about their soul any more. That’s hard to understand what goes through those godly hearts as they experience disappoint and fear for one who gives up on God.

 

The beautiful thing is I do not have to understand others. God does. God does it wonderfully. When my doctor friends pray, God understands. When my shepherds pray, God knows. God understands. When my friend with trauma prays, God knows and God understands.

 

All of this has made me realize that on a Sunday, we all gather together and we all look so nice and sing so wonderful. But lurking deep within many of us are struggles, issues, fears that no one else knows or would understand. God does. God can do more than all of us combined. God can open closed doors. God can heal hurting hearts. God can put the mind to ease.

 

For those that understand what I am talking about, please do not add more grief or burden to your soul by thinking you are bad for having these fears or struggles as these thoughts reappear in your mind. Pray to the Lord. Trust Him. The Lord is your defense or refuge. The Lord understands.

 

For the rest of us, let’s pull back on our advice and opinions. There is a time to keep silent. Offer a prayer. Give a hug. Buy a gift. Love them. Back off on the blame game. Stop pointing fingers. Quit trying to be the expert that knows why everything happens. You don’t. Be a real friend. Be someone who is trusted in prayer.

 

Some day, all of these problems will end. Some day, we’ll leave this place and all these things will stay here. There will be no fear, tears, or worries in Heaven. Long for that day. We are one day closer…

 

I hope these thoughts have helped you. I hope they help my friend.

 

Roger