LifeLines #6

Feeling depressed, anxious or stressed?  

LifeLines offers biblical wisdom as a source of HOPE for today and tomorrow.

 

 

Jesus took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.  "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch." Going a little farther, He fell to the ground and prayed... -  Mark 14:33-34

Facing the darkest hours of His life, Jesus experienced some of the most painful human emotions common to anybody who is familiar with the 'dark night of the soul'.  In His distress, Jesus took some of His closest friends with Him for support rather than journeying alone.  In His sorrow, Jesus cried out to His Father in heaven for strength rather than relying on His own resources.  Through the presence of people and the power of prayer Jesus found solace despite the darkness that surrounded Him.  Jesus was indeed "hard pressed on every side, but He was not crushed; He was perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed" (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).  Like Jesus, in your 'distress and trouble' you do not have to journey alone!  Surround yourself with trusted friends and seek God in prayer.

LifeLines #5

Feeling depressed, anxious or stressed?  

LifeLines offers biblical wisdom as a source of HOPE for today and tomorrow.

 

 

The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words.  I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss.  Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this:  The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.  I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” -  Lamentations 3:19-24

Suffering and grief have a way of overwhelming people with memories of painful experiences, both past and present, which can make any thought of the future seem unbearable.  This is how the prophet Jeremiah felt when he cried out to God.  Yet, even amidst the depth of his grief, Jeremiah clung tightly to a hope that could not be extinguished, despite the bitterness of his memories.  His hope was based on the faithfulness of God, not the futility of life.  His hope was not engulfed by the darkness of night, but enlivened by the dawn of a new morning.  We too can "dare to hope" because the inheritance Jeremiah spoke of is yours and mine through a relationship with Jesus Christ who identifies with us in our sufferings.  This truth is affirmed by the Apostle Paul - "The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory" (Romans 8:16-17).

Necessary Endings

It seems timely that I have picked up Henry Cloud's book "Necessary Endings" again, as I approach a major transition in my leadership, preparing to leave my current appointment after 8 years of ministry.  Cloud speaks about the seasons of life and leadership and the importance of recognising when necessary endings come and how to embrace them as doorways to new beginnings.

Like with any ending of significance it is met with mixed emotions and responses.  When you invest yourself into people and programs to fulfil the vision that drives your leadership it can be difficult to release them to an unknown future.  I can only guess (as my children are still at home) that it is not that dissimilar to parents releasing their children into the unknown, after investing themselves into raising them with a vision for their future.  One has to trust that the values and vision that have been imparted are strong enough to guide future life directions and decisions.

As I face this reality of change and the uncertainty that it brings, I find myself reflecting on two verses of Scripture:

"God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them." (Hebrews 6:10)

"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 1:6)

There are many truths in these verses, but I am particularly drawn to God's faithfulness and the confidence it gives me to trust Him with what has been begun in His name.  I am just a steward of all that God has given me, including the people He entrusted to my leadership, therefore, this 'necessary ending' is not releasing God's people into the unknown, but passing the baton of stewardship onto another anointed leader.

"God is not unjust; he will not forget" the values and vision that have been imparted, so I can be "confident of this, that he who began a good work...will carry it on to completion."

God Will Reward You For Your Faithful Generosity

40 Day Spiritual Journey to a More Generous Life
Day 28 - God Will Reward You For Your Faithful Generosity And Diligent Labors
 
"God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them."  (Hebrews 6:10-12)    

This verse of scripture was given to us when we left our first appointment in Palmerston as an assurance of the faithfulness of God to bless and honour the work and ministry we invested into the Corps and community.  When we honour God with our lives and are faithful with His calling, we will be blessed beyond what we could ever ask or hope for!
 

Train Your Children To Be Faithful & Generous Givers

40 Day Spiritual Journey to a More Generous Life
Day 10 - Train Your Children To be Faithful And Generous Givers

"We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done"  (Psalm 78:4-7)      

When I look at my kids I realise the patterns they observe in mine and Vanessa's lives will play a big part in shaping the patterns in their lives.  So, if we want our kids to be faithful and generous givers, then they need to observe their parents being faithful and generous givers.  The seeds we sow today will determine the fruit we produce tomorrow.  

Your Role Is To Be The Trustee

40 Day Spiritual Journey to a More Generous Life
Day 3 - Your Role is to be the Trustee, Manager and Steward of 100% of what God Entrusts to You

"It is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful"  (1 Corinthians 4:2) 
 
A trustee, manager or steward are not the owners but the guardians of what has been entrusted to them.  This comes with a high level of responsibility and accountability to be faithful to the owner to use what has been entrusted for the advancement of the owners mission.  I have been richly blessed in my life by God and want to be found faithful at the end when I am called to give account for how I use what He has given.

For Better For Worse

I attended a beautiful wedding yesterday and witnessed two people who are very much in love enter into a life long covenant with each other.  Whenever I conduct or witness a wedding, the line in the marriage vows that always captures my attention is "for better for worse."  It is a reminder to me that covenants should not be entered into lightly and that the commitment made is not conditional upon happiness, success or the absence of conflict.

I have made three significant covenants in my life - Soldier's Covenant, Marriage Covenant, and Officer's Covenant - each representing a significant relationship that requires an unconditional commitment to another.

In my Soldier's Covenant I promised:  "I will be true to the principles and practices of The Salvation Army, loyal to its leaders, and I will show the spirit of salvationism whether in times of popularity or persecution."

In my Marriage Covenant I promised:  "To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part."

In my Officer's Covenant I promised:  "I bind myself to Him in this solemn covenant to love and serve Him supremely all my days."

While people enter into covenants with all the right intentions, it is increasingly evident that covenants are becoming more and more fragile during times of crisis and conflict.  I have watched people walk away from marriages, abandon churches (Soldiership) and leave ministry (Officership) at an alarming rate.  Now, you and I both know that because of the sinfulness of humankind there are circumstances that make some covenants impossible to keep, but we can also agree that far too many people break a covenant when it is no longer convenient, when they are challenged, going through a crisis or experiencing conflict.

Covenant keeping requires a determined WILL - a determination from the outset to "stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured" (Colossians 4:12)

Covenant keeping requires a determined FAITH - a determination to stay faithful to a faithful God whose "divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life" (2 Peter 1:3).

Covenant keeping requires a determined LOVE - a determination to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." and to "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:37-39)

Note:  References to 'Soldiership' and 'Officership' are positions within The Salvation Army relating to membership and full-time ministry.