Don't Waste Your CancerJohn Piper Note: This article originally appeared in 2006. John Piper no longer has cancer.
I write this on the eve of prostate surgery. I believe in God's power to heal-by miracle and by medicine. I believe it is right and good to pray for both kinds of healing. Cancer is not wasted when it is healed by God. He gets the glory and that is why cancer exists. So not to pray for healing may waste your cancer. But healing is not God's plan for everyone. And there are many other ways to waste your cancer. I am praying for myself and for you that we will not waste this pain.
1. You will waste your cancer if you do not believe it is designed for you by God.
It will not do to say that God only uses our cancer but does not design it. What God permits, he permits for a reason. And that reason is his design. If God foresees molecular developments becoming cancer, he can stop it or not. If he does not, he has a purpose. Since he is infinitely wise, it is right to call this purpose a design. Satan is real and causes many pleasures and pains. But he is not ultimate. So when he strikes Job with boils (Job 2:7), Job attributes it ultimately to God (2:10) and the inspired writer agrees: "They . . . comforted him for all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him" (Job 42:11). If you don't believe your cancer is designed for you by God, you will waste it.
2. You will waste your cancer if you believe it is a curse and not a gift.
"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us" (Galatians 3:13). "There is no enchantment against Jacob, no divination against Israel" (Numbers 23:23). "The LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly" (Psalm 84:11).
3. You will waste your cancer if you seek comfort from your odds rather than from God.
The design of God in your cancer is not to train you in the rationalistic, human calculation of odds. The world gets comfort from their odds. Not Christians. Some count their chariots (percentages of survival) and some count their horses (side effects of treatment), but we trust in the name of the LORD our God (Psalm 20:7). God's design is clear from 2 Corinthians 1:9, "We felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead." The aim of God in your cancer (among a thousand other good things) is to knock props out from under our hearts so that we rely utterly on him.
4. You will waste your cancer if you refuse to think about death.
We will all die, if Jesus postpones his return. Not to think about what it will be like to leave this life and meet God is folly. Ecclesiastes 7:2 says, "It is better to go to the house of mourning [a funeral] than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart." How can you lay it to heart if you won't think about it? Psalm 90:12 says, "Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." Numbering your days means thinking about how few there are and that they will end. How will you get a heart of wisdom if you refuse to think about this? What a waste, if we do not think about death.
5. You will waste your cancer if you think that "beating" cancer means staying alive rather than cherishing Christ.
Satan's and God's designs in your cancer are not the same. Satan designs to destroy your love for Christ. God designs to deepen your love for Christ. Cancer does not win if you die. It wins if you fail to cherish Christ. God's design is to wean you off the breast of the world and feast you on the sufficiency of Christ. It is meant to help you say and feel, "I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." And to know that therefore, "To live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 3:8; 1:21).
6. You will waste your cancer if you spend too much time reading about cancer and not enough time reading about God.
It is not wrong to know about cancer. Ignorance is not a virtue. But the lure to know more and more and the lack of zeal to know God more and more is symptomatic of unbelief. Cancer is meant to waken us to the reality of God. It is meant to put feeling and force behind the command, "Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD" (Hosea 6:3). It is meant to waken us to the truth of Daniel 11:32, "The people who know their God shall stand firm and take action." It is meant to make unshakable, indestructible oak trees out of us: "His delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers" (Psalm 1:2). What a waste of cancer if we read day and night about cancer and not about God.
7. You will waste your cancer if you let it drive you into solitude instead of deepen your relationships with manifest affection.
When Epaphroditus brought the gifts to Paul sent by the Philippian church he became ill and almost died. Paul tells the Philippians, "He has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill" (Philippians 2:26-27). What an amazing response! It does not say they were distressed that he was ill, but that he was distressed because they heard he was ill. That is the kind of heart God is aiming to create with cancer: a deeply affectionate, caring heart for people. Don't waste your cancer by retreating into yourself.
8. You will waste your cancer if you grieve as those who have no hope.
Paul used this phrase in relation to those whose loved ones had died: "We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope" (1 Thessalonians 4:13). There is a grief at death. Even for the believer who dies, there is temporary loss-loss of body, and loss of loved ones here, and loss of earthly ministry. But the grief is different-it is permeated with hope. "We would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8). Don't waste your cancer grieving as those who don't have this hope.
9. You will waste your cancer if you treat sin as casually as before.
Are your besetting sins as attractive as they were before you had cancer? If so you are wasting your cancer. Cancer is designed to destroy the appetite for sin. Pride, greed, lust, hatred, unforgiveness, impatience, laziness, procrastination-all these are the adversaries that cancer is meant to attack. Don't just think of battling against cancer. Also think of battling with cancer. All these things are worse enemies than cancer. Don't waste the power of cancer to crush these foes. Let the presence of eternity make the sins of time look as futile as they really are. "What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?" (Luke 9:25).
10. You will waste your cancer if you fail to use it as a means of witness to the truth and glory of Christ.
Christians are never anywhere by divine accident. There are reasons for why we wind up where we do. Consider what Jesus said about painful, unplanned circumstances: "They will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness" (Luke 21:12 -13). So it is with cancer. This will be an opportunity to bear witness. Christ is infinitely worthy. Here is a golden opportunity to show that he is worth more than life. Don't waste it.
Remember you are not left alone. You will have the help you need. "My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).
Helping Our Kids See God
LYSA TERKEURST
Do you have a strong relationship with your children? The way we first think about God has much to do with how we were parented-especially by our father. What image of the Lord are youportraying?
Many men struggle in their role as dads because their own fathers were either absent-physically or emotionally- or poor examples. But regardless of what a person experienced in the past, the best thing any parent can do is imitate God the Father. But how do we know who He really is?
We get our best glimpse of what the heavenly Father is like by looking at His Son. Speaking with the disciples, Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me . . .
He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:6, 9). Not only is Christ our path to relationship with God; He is also the way we come to know the Father's true character.
When we look at Jesus' life, what do we see? He was merciful, patient, gentle, compassionate, kind, and full of goodness toward all people (Matt. 9:10-13). The Savior healed the sick, provided for needs, and offered forgiveness-regardless of the offense (Matt. 14:14-21; Luke 23:34). But in love, He didn't hesitate to discipline or correct others when required.
More than a solid education or material possessions, your child's greatest need is a role model of devotion to God through prayer, Bible reading, and holy living. If you make knowing and following the heavenly Father your first priority, you won't have to worry about what kind of parent you will be.
Standing Before God's Open Door
1 Corinthians 16:8-9
The apostle Paul had passion and vision to reach the world with the good news about salvation. As he followed the Spirit's leading, his determination proved effective. There's no telling how many lives the Lord transformed through this man. And his influence is still impacting people today.
Paul knew that Jesus had instructed His followers to "make disciples of all the nations," teaching them to observe everything He had commanded (Matt. 28:19). God led and enabled the apostle to do his part in carrying out this divine mission.
But think about life back then-that was a big task for a time when there was no mass communication. Paul could only teach, write, or train others to share the truth. In spite of limited means, however, he obeyed fervently and effectively.
God's command is still relevant for us today. He has given us the work of telling all nations about redemption through Christ's blood and resurrection. Compared to Paul, we have an abundance of communication capabilities-including radio, television, Internet, and cell phones-which provide easy access into countries all over the world. We could make more disciples by better utilizing these technologies. But how tragic if we get busy and fail to obey God's command.
We stand at a critical moment in history for the church. The door of opportunity is wide open for us to share the gospel through a variety of methods. As believers, we are obligated to carry out Christ's Great Commission. Be careful that neither busyness nor apathy keeps you from obedience.
Drawing from the Source
Jeremiah 2:13
For us as believers, contentment should be governed by inner attitude and the decisions we make rather than by external circumstances. Because Paul had learned this secret, he was able to experience joy and peace in any kind of situation--whether he was surrounded by friends or isolated in a Roman prison; whether he had plenty or was in great need.
The apostle understood what it meant to live in Christ and to have Christ living in him (John 15:1-9; Gal. 5:22-23). He had made a simple but profound faith decision to draw his life from the Lord and, as a result, had the calm assurance that what he possessed inside could never be stolen. He was confident in his identity as a child of the Almighty, with full access to the abundant life Jesus offers.
I want to challenge you--this week, when something threatens to steal your contentment, choose to draw from God; decide to stop drawing from other sources and trying to be in control. When you find yourself becoming flustered, anxious, or angry, stop and say, "Lord, You are my source, and I draw from You the capacity to be kind. I draw from You the forgiveness I need to extend right now. I draw from You the love I need to express." This decision is a matter of simple trust.
Watch and see how God will quiet your spirit and provide confidence when you draw only from Him as your source. You'll be surprised at your own attitude: when you respond from within--rather than from the flesh--Jesus will give you the ability to respond as He would.
The Secret of Contentment
Philippians 4:4-13
In today's reading, the apostle Paul says he has learned the secret of experiencing contentment in all circumstances, good or bad. Does it surprise you that he wrote this when he was in prison, unsure of his future?
We're often discontent even when all is going well. Consequently, we wonder how it's possible to be truly content during our most difficult trials, especially when there's no end in sight. So what is genuine contentment? Paul is speaking of a freedom from worry and frustration about everything in life--even unfulfilled desires.
It's usually when we cannot control or change our situation that we feel discontentment. As long as our satisfaction depends on whether certain things actually work out, we'll allow circumstances to cheat us out of peace. I'm not saying there's some spiritual stage where you will never again experience anxiety or frustration. But what matters is how we respond when those feelings grip us.
This is something that the apostle had to learn. Paul endured amazing suffering, from shipwrecks and hunger to unjust imprisonment and beatings (2 Cor. 11:24-30). He had gone through countless situations that were uncertain, extraordinarily painful, and seemingly hopeless. But he finally discovered that contentment could not be dependent upon his circumstances.
How do you respond when circumstances are out of your control? Do you get angry? Do you try to escape? Does despair make you want to give up? Paul chose to give his anxieties to Jesus in exchange for peace that "surpasses all comprehension" (Phil. 4:7). That same peace is available to you!
Love of the Father for the Son
"The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand." (John 3:35)
The gospel of John, in a special sense, emphasizes the love in the divine Trinity of the heavenly Father for the Son. The words "love" and "Father" and "Son" occur more in this book than in any other book of the Bible, and there are at least eight references to this love in John's gospel.
The first is in our text above, revealing that the Father has entrusted the care of the whole creation to the Son whom He loves. He has also shown Him everything in creation: "For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth" (John 5:20).
The Father also loved the Son because of His willingness to die for lost sinners. "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again" (John 10:17).
Then in the upper room, as Christ prayed to His Father, it was revealed that this divine love had existed in eternity, and therefore must be both the root and the measure of all forms of true love ever since. "Father . . . thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world" (John 17:24). Parental love, marital love, filial love, love of country-all types of genuine love-are derived ultimately from this eternal love of the Father for the Son.
And it is this love that can also be in us, if we will have it. "As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you. . . . If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love" (John 15:9-10).
It was thus He prayed (and still prays) for us: "That the world may know that thou . . . hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. . . . And . . . that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them" (John 17:23, 26). HMM
I write this on the eve of prostate surgery. I believe in God's power to heal-by miracle and by medicine. I believe it is right and good to pray for both kinds of healing. Cancer is not wasted when it is healed by God. He gets the glory and that is why cancer exists. So not to pray for healing may waste your cancer. But healing is not God's plan for everyone. And there are many other ways to waste your cancer. I am praying for myself and for you that we will not waste this pain.
1. You will waste your cancer if you do not believe it is designed for you by God.
It will not do to say that God only uses our cancer but does not design it. What God permits, he permits for a reason. And that reason is his design. If God foresees molecular developments becoming cancer, he can stop it or not. If he does not, he has a purpose. Since he is infinitely wise, it is right to call this purpose a design. Satan is real and causes many pleasures and pains. But he is not ultimate. So when he strikes Job with boils (Job 2:7), Job attributes it ultimately to God (2:10) and the inspired writer agrees: "They . . . comforted him for all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him" (Job 42:11). If you don't believe your cancer is designed for you by God, you will waste it.
2. You will waste your cancer if you believe it is a curse and not a gift.
"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us" (Galatians 3:13). "There is no enchantment against Jacob, no divination against Israel" (Numbers 23:23). "The LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly" (Psalm 84:11).
3. You will waste your cancer if you seek comfort from your odds rather than from God.
The design of God in your cancer is not to train you in the rationalistic, human calculation of odds. The world gets comfort from their odds. Not Christians. Some count their chariots (percentages of survival) and some count their horses (side effects of treatment), but we trust in the name of the LORD our God (Psalm 20:7). God's design is clear from 2 Corinthians 1:9, "We felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead." The aim of God in your cancer (among a thousand other good things) is to knock props out from under our hearts so that we rely utterly on him.
4. You will waste your cancer if you refuse to think about death.
We will all die, if Jesus postpones his return. Not to think about what it will be like to leave this life and meet God is folly. Ecclesiastes 7:2 says, "It is better to go to the house of mourning [a funeral] than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart." How can you lay it to heart if you won't think about it? Psalm 90:12 says, "Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." Numbering your days means thinking about how few there are and that they will end. How will you get a heart of wisdom if you refuse to think about this? What a waste, if we do not think about death.
5. You will waste your cancer if you think that "beating" cancer means staying alive rather than cherishing Christ.
Satan's and God's designs in your cancer are not the same. Satan designs to destroy your love for Christ. God designs to deepen your love for Christ. Cancer does not win if you die. It wins if you fail to cherish Christ. God's design is to wean you off the breast of the world and feast you on the sufficiency of Christ. It is meant to help you say and feel, "I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." And to know that therefore, "To live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 3:8; 1:21).
6. You will waste your cancer if you spend too much time reading about cancer and not enough time reading about God.
It is not wrong to know about cancer. Ignorance is not a virtue. But the lure to know more and more and the lack of zeal to know God more and more is symptomatic of unbelief. Cancer is meant to waken us to the reality of God. It is meant to put feeling and force behind the command, "Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD" (Hosea 6:3). It is meant to waken us to the truth of Daniel 11:32, "The people who know their God shall stand firm and take action." It is meant to make unshakable, indestructible oak trees out of us: "His delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers" (Psalm 1:2). What a waste of cancer if we read day and night about cancer and not about God.
7. You will waste your cancer if you let it drive you into solitude instead of deepen your relationships with manifest affection.
When Epaphroditus brought the gifts to Paul sent by the Philippian church he became ill and almost died. Paul tells the Philippians, "He has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill" (Philippians 2:26-27). What an amazing response! It does not say they were distressed that he was ill, but that he was distressed because they heard he was ill. That is the kind of heart God is aiming to create with cancer: a deeply affectionate, caring heart for people. Don't waste your cancer by retreating into yourself.
8. You will waste your cancer if you grieve as those who have no hope.
Paul used this phrase in relation to those whose loved ones had died: "We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope" (1 Thessalonians 4:13). There is a grief at death. Even for the believer who dies, there is temporary loss-loss of body, and loss of loved ones here, and loss of earthly ministry. But the grief is different-it is permeated with hope. "We would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8). Don't waste your cancer grieving as those who don't have this hope.
9. You will waste your cancer if you treat sin as casually as before.
Are your besetting sins as attractive as they were before you had cancer? If so you are wasting your cancer. Cancer is designed to destroy the appetite for sin. Pride, greed, lust, hatred, unforgiveness, impatience, laziness, procrastination-all these are the adversaries that cancer is meant to attack. Don't just think of battling against cancer. Also think of battling with cancer. All these things are worse enemies than cancer. Don't waste the power of cancer to crush these foes. Let the presence of eternity make the sins of time look as futile as they really are. "What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?" (Luke 9:25).
10. You will waste your cancer if you fail to use it as a means of witness to the truth and glory of Christ.
Christians are never anywhere by divine accident. There are reasons for why we wind up where we do. Consider what Jesus said about painful, unplanned circumstances: "They will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness" (Luke 21:12 -13). So it is with cancer. This will be an opportunity to bear witness. Christ is infinitely worthy. Here is a golden opportunity to show that he is worth more than life. Don't waste it.
Remember you are not left alone. You will have the help you need. "My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).
Helping Our Kids See God
LYSA TERKEURST
"Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'" Matthew 19:14 (NIV)
My kids have always been fascinated when I've shared things I remember from my childhood. Those memories are especially meaningful when I point out how the stories relate to my life now.
So much about our stories can be traced back to God working in our lives, and when we share them, our kids can see evidence that Jesus is real and intimately involved with us.
What's even more surprising is that they can later recall them in surprising detail! It's amazing how well they remember the life lessons that I tie to the stories I tell.
While it may be difficult for a child to recall a passage of Scripture they just read, most can recall in specific detail the accounts of a story.
For instance, I love to tell them of the time my stepdad brought home a hand-me-down typewriter from his office. I placed my hands on the keys and wondered what it would be like to type pages of legible words. I loved the rap-tap-tap sound it made and envisioned myself finishing the final page of a book. I didn't know enough words at that point to write an entire book, but one day I would.
That story allowed me to point out that even back then, Jesus was preparing me for my calling as an author. And although my kids may not understand their own callings yet, by seeing me live out mine and knowing that the Lord put it in my heart at a young age, they understand the reality that God does indeed have a plan for their lives. This gives them access to Divine Truth.
Jesus wanted children to have access to Him, as He said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these" (Matthew 19:14).
Though my kids haven't experienced all the ways God's revealed Himself to me, I can use my story to teach them of things to come . if they are willing to take hold of Him for themselves.
Author Dr. Tim Kimmel, in his book Why Christian Kids Rebel, explains the number one reason children walk away from the faith is because they never see it make a real difference in the lives of their parents.
And I don't want that to be the case in my family.
So now, not only do I trace the hand of God in my past stories, I also constantly look for ways to exemplify Jesus today.
I point out answers to things we've prayed about.
I show them the many ways God provides and make sure they know where credit is due.
I live my faith out loud so they cannot miss that Christ is the center of our home.
He has become too real to deny.
I pray my kids will start collecting their own stories of experiencing God. Then they can share the reality of Christ's presence with their friends today and with their own children in the future. Yes, indeed, let the children have access to Jesus!
Dear Lord, help me be a teacher of Your truth. As You continue to write the story of my life, reveal Yourself to me so I can tell my family of Your faithfulness. I want them to see the reality of Christ living in me and the difference You make in my life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
"Because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace." Luke 1:78-79 (NIV)
I left my dying father's hospital room and searched in vain for my car. The parking deck hadn't felt so dark and looming when I'd pulled in, but that was more than 24 hours ago. A new day had begun, but there was no shining sun.
As I opened my door, it was all I could do to hoist my mentally and physically exhausted self up into my truck's seat. It may have been my birthday, but not one ounce of me wanted to celebrate.
There is no way I could have prepared for that day; it's a strange feeling to take care of a terminally ill parent, especially when you're a mom of little children. Would my eldest remember my dad? I knew my 2-year-old wouldn't. I felt robbed. I'm too young not to have a dad.
Tears streamed down my face. As soon as I started the car, lyrics from the radio spoke of a day when going to heaven will bring those of us who love and follow Christ new bodies. The day of ultimate healing.
Jesus met me in my car that day. He reached down into my pit of despair. He made it clear to me that He was real and heaven is real, too.
Before this day I'd prayed non-stop for God to heal Dad. I knew He could. As I read my Bible I came across stories of Jesus healing the blind, the lame, even raising the dead. I'd seen Him heal a friend's child of cancer. There was no doubt in my mind that God could heal my dad's cancer too.
However, until that day in the parking deck, I had never considered my father's passage to heaven as the ultimate healing. This realization poured a peace into my spirit like I had never experienced during his cancer battle.
That peace filled my heart and stayed through the next day when he died. It was there the day of his funeral, and it's been there each time I've thought of him since. God's perfect love flowed to imperfect me and continues to remain in my life, quieting my fears of the future as well as the pains of my past.
Perhaps there are days when you feel life isn't fair. Maybe it even feels hopeless. At times like these, when we don't feel Jesus' love for us, we can reach out to Him, asking for His peace that goes beyond our feelings. A peace that surpasses our understanding (Philippians 4:7, ESV). A real peace beyond what we can comprehend or communicate. We can reach out to our Jesus and lay hold of the truth in today's key verse: "Because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace."
Father, no matter how I feel, help me remember and reach out for the peace Jesus wants to give me through His perfect love. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
"Yes, he alone is my Rock, my rescuer, defense and fortress. Why then should I be tense with fear when troubles come?" Psalm 62:2 (TLB)
As I headed down the gateway toward the plane, I noticed something was different. My heart wasn't racing and my palms weren't damp with perspiration. To say it was a phenomenon is an understatement.
The fact that I wasn't afraid was proof God was changing me from the inside out. Years prior, you couldn't have paid me enough to step foot on a plane.
As I looked out the plane window, I marveled at the beautiful day God created. There's not a cloud in the sky . It's going to be great flying weather. No bumps or turbulence to worry about. I can just sit back, relax and enjoy.
One hour into the flight I was singing a different tune. Although the sky was still clear, the turbulence was anything but enjoyable. Even the flight attendants were asked to take their seats, and the cockpit was silent. Uh . hello? Can someone tell me what's going on up there?!?!
What started out as a relaxing flight turned into a stressful experience. With three hours left in the flight, I didn't want to feel anxious the entire time. I needed to shift my focus off the turbulence and on to God.
With all the bumping, shifting and rattling, it wouldn't be easy, but it was necessary. I was determined to learn from this experience, not be terrified by it.
So after praying for God's protection, I closed my eyes and whispered, "God, what are You trying to teach me? What am I supposed to learn?"
For the remainder of the flight I waited and watched for God to reveal some invaluable lesson. By the time we landed I walked off the plane with this in mind: Unexpected turbulence creates an opportunity to experience more of God.
It's the perfect opportunity to .
Grow my faith.
Rather than shrink back in fear or become discouraged, I can lean in and draw closer to God's presence while looking for His activity in the midst of my circumstances. Patiently waiting for God to act on my behalf can be a catalyst for spiritual maturity and deeper faith in Him.
Rather than shrink back in fear or become discouraged, I can lean in and draw closer to God's presence while looking for His activity in the midst of my circumstances. Patiently waiting for God to act on my behalf can be a catalyst for spiritual maturity and deeper faith in Him.
Remember Who is in control.
Remembering God is in control helps lead my heart and mind to a place of peace. I may not always know exactly where I'm headed, but God does. Regardless of how turbulent the journey may be, He promises to get me safely from my present location to His eternal destination (Heaven). Therefore, I have nothing to fear.
Remembering God is in control helps lead my heart and mind to a place of peace. I may not always know exactly where I'm headed, but God does. Regardless of how turbulent the journey may be, He promises to get me safely from my present location to His eternal destination (Heaven). Therefore, I have nothing to fear.
Make a refining decision.
Sometimes, turbulence is not an option. So I'm left with two questions: Am I going to worry and wonder if God will get me through this? Or, am I going to relax and trust that God will get me through this? Hebrews 11:6 give us the best answer: ". without faith, it is impossible to please God ." (NIV). I just need to apply it to my life. And when I do, God refines me in the process.
Sometimes, turbulence is not an option. So I'm left with two questions: Am I going to worry and wonder if God will get me through this? Or, am I going to relax and trust that God will get me through this? Hebrews 11:6 give us the best answer: ". without faith, it is impossible to please God ." (NIV). I just need to apply it to my life. And when I do, God refines me in the process.
Watch for God's goodness and glory.
When turbulence comes I can easily miss God's goodness. I need to look for His glory around me and set my thoughts on the impossible He can do for me.
When turbulence comes I can easily miss God's goodness. I need to look for His glory around me and set my thoughts on the impossible He can do for me.
Has life been tossing you around lately? The next time you experience a little turbulence . whether on a flight or at ground level . remember that you have full access to the One who will hold you steady and secure. Just like Psalm 62:2 states, "Yes, he alone is my Rock, my rescuer, defense and fortress. Why then should I be tense with fear when troubles come?"
Heavenly Father, as I face today's challenges, help me not to shrink back in fear or discouragement. Instead, teach me how to see these challenges as an opportunity to grow my faith, to remember You are in control, to be refined, and to experience Your goodness and glory. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Following the Father's Example
Ephesians 6:1-4Do you have a strong relationship with your children? The way we first think about God has much to do with how we were parented-especially by our father. What image of the Lord are youportraying?
Many men struggle in their role as dads because their own fathers were either absent-physically or emotionally- or poor examples. But regardless of what a person experienced in the past, the best thing any parent can do is imitate God the Father. But how do we know who He really is?
We get our best glimpse of what the heavenly Father is like by looking at His Son. Speaking with the disciples, Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me . . .
He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:6, 9). Not only is Christ our path to relationship with God; He is also the way we come to know the Father's true character.
When we look at Jesus' life, what do we see? He was merciful, patient, gentle, compassionate, kind, and full of goodness toward all people (Matt. 9:10-13). The Savior healed the sick, provided for needs, and offered forgiveness-regardless of the offense (Matt. 14:14-21; Luke 23:34). But in love, He didn't hesitate to discipline or correct others when required.
More than a solid education or material possessions, your child's greatest need is a role model of devotion to God through prayer, Bible reading, and holy living. If you make knowing and following the heavenly Father your first priority, you won't have to worry about what kind of parent you will be.
Standing Before God's Open Door
1 Corinthians 16:8-9
The apostle Paul had passion and vision to reach the world with the good news about salvation. As he followed the Spirit's leading, his determination proved effective. There's no telling how many lives the Lord transformed through this man. And his influence is still impacting people today.
Paul knew that Jesus had instructed His followers to "make disciples of all the nations," teaching them to observe everything He had commanded (Matt. 28:19). God led and enabled the apostle to do his part in carrying out this divine mission.
But think about life back then-that was a big task for a time when there was no mass communication. Paul could only teach, write, or train others to share the truth. In spite of limited means, however, he obeyed fervently and effectively.
God's command is still relevant for us today. He has given us the work of telling all nations about redemption through Christ's blood and resurrection. Compared to Paul, we have an abundance of communication capabilities-including radio, television, Internet, and cell phones-which provide easy access into countries all over the world. We could make more disciples by better utilizing these technologies. But how tragic if we get busy and fail to obey God's command.
We stand at a critical moment in history for the church. The door of opportunity is wide open for us to share the gospel through a variety of methods. As believers, we are obligated to carry out Christ's Great Commission. Be careful that neither busyness nor apathy keeps you from obedience.
Drawing from the Source
Jeremiah 2:13
For us as believers, contentment should be governed by inner attitude and the decisions we make rather than by external circumstances. Because Paul had learned this secret, he was able to experience joy and peace in any kind of situation--whether he was surrounded by friends or isolated in a Roman prison; whether he had plenty or was in great need.
The apostle understood what it meant to live in Christ and to have Christ living in him (John 15:1-9; Gal. 5:22-23). He had made a simple but profound faith decision to draw his life from the Lord and, as a result, had the calm assurance that what he possessed inside could never be stolen. He was confident in his identity as a child of the Almighty, with full access to the abundant life Jesus offers.
I want to challenge you--this week, when something threatens to steal your contentment, choose to draw from God; decide to stop drawing from other sources and trying to be in control. When you find yourself becoming flustered, anxious, or angry, stop and say, "Lord, You are my source, and I draw from You the capacity to be kind. I draw from You the forgiveness I need to extend right now. I draw from You the love I need to express." This decision is a matter of simple trust.
Watch and see how God will quiet your spirit and provide confidence when you draw only from Him as your source. You'll be surprised at your own attitude: when you respond from within--rather than from the flesh--Jesus will give you the ability to respond as He would.
The Secret of Contentment
Philippians 4:4-13
In today's reading, the apostle Paul says he has learned the secret of experiencing contentment in all circumstances, good or bad. Does it surprise you that he wrote this when he was in prison, unsure of his future?
We're often discontent even when all is going well. Consequently, we wonder how it's possible to be truly content during our most difficult trials, especially when there's no end in sight. So what is genuine contentment? Paul is speaking of a freedom from worry and frustration about everything in life--even unfulfilled desires.
It's usually when we cannot control or change our situation that we feel discontentment. As long as our satisfaction depends on whether certain things actually work out, we'll allow circumstances to cheat us out of peace. I'm not saying there's some spiritual stage where you will never again experience anxiety or frustration. But what matters is how we respond when those feelings grip us.
This is something that the apostle had to learn. Paul endured amazing suffering, from shipwrecks and hunger to unjust imprisonment and beatings (2 Cor. 11:24-30). He had gone through countless situations that were uncertain, extraordinarily painful, and seemingly hopeless. But he finally discovered that contentment could not be dependent upon his circumstances.
How do you respond when circumstances are out of your control? Do you get angry? Do you try to escape? Does despair make you want to give up? Paul chose to give his anxieties to Jesus in exchange for peace that "surpasses all comprehension" (Phil. 4:7). That same peace is available to you!
Love of the Father for the Son
"The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand." (John 3:35)
Pleasing God
"Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him." (2 Corinthians 5:9)
"Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him." (2 Corinthians 5:9)
Paul's great ambition was to please his Lord and Savior. In our text, the Greek for "accepted" often also is translated "well-pleasing," and this is the real meaning of the word. Since this also is the great desire of every sincere Christian, let us look at a few of those passages where the Lord tells us specifically how we can please Him.
Consider, for example: "But to do good and to communicate [i.e., to 'share what you have with others'] forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased" (Hebrews 13:16; see also Philippians 4:18).
There is a special admonition to children: "Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord" (Colossians 3:20). For adults: "Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please [same root word] him who hath chosen him to be a soldier" (2 Timothy 2:3-4).
The same word appears in Romans 12:1-2, translated twice as "acceptable." Paul urges us to present our bodies as living sacrifices, "holy, acceptable unto God," being "not conformed to this world," but transformed by a renewed mind, thereby to prove "that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
The common thread in these and other such passages is that, in order to be pleasing to the Lord, we must be good stewards of all our possessions and all our days, serving Him totally. "For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable [i.e., 'well-pleasing'] to God" (Romans 14:18). This is our reasonable service, and it will be abundantly repaid if we hear Him say in that day: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21). HMM
No Coveting
"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's." (Exodus 20:17)
"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's." (Exodus 20:17)
This is the broadest prohibition of the Ten Commandments, spilling over to numerous portions of the Scripture. This commandment gives us three different views of "covet." The initial commandment (Exodus 20:17) uses the Hebrew word chamad, which means "to delight in." The repeated commandment (Deuteronomy 5:21) uses the word 'avah, which translates "to wish for." And the applied commandment (Jeremiah 6:13) uses the word batsa', which is "to be greedy."
There are two classic examples from which we can learn.
In spite of the awesome evidence of the Rea Sea crossing, water from the rock, and the manna from heaven, Israel was not satisfied with the Lord's provision (Numbers 11:7-15). They "fell a lusting" ('avah) for the old delicacies of Egypt (Numbers 11:4-6). The Lord gave Israel its request for "meat" (Numbers 11:16-31), then sent a plague of judgment (Numbers 11:32-35) on the ungrateful nation.
There is also the tragic example of Achan (Joshua 7). Achan had been warned twice (Deuteronomy 7:25; Joshua 6:18-19) not to crave the riches of Jericho. But he gave into "a delightful desire" (chamad, Joshua 7:21). Achan's sin brought judgment upon the whole nation (Joshua 7:5-15) until he was executed (Joshua 7:25-26).
God does not tolerate covetousness. The Bible is clear: Those that covet are never satisfied (Psalm 78:23-37) and have leanness sent to their souls (Psalm 106:13-15). May our Lord protect us from giving in to the "lust of the flesh" (1 John 2:16). HMM III
No False Witness
"Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour." (Exodus 20:16)
There are several important and very specific words used in this commandment. An expanded translation could well be, "Do not purposely intend to injure or plan to deceive others by repeating a damaging report about one with whom you have established a relationship."
The very idea of a lie originated with the great enemy, Satan (John 8:44; 1 John 2:21), no doubt rendering the lying tongue an abomination to God (Proverbs 6:17-19; 12:22).
The willing false witness will not escape punishment (Proverbs 19:5, 9). Indeed, such a person may die prematurely (Acts 5:4-10).
Untruth is not overlooked by God. In fact, those who are "liars" by practice will likely wind up in hell (Revelation 21:8, 27; 22:15).
While the focus of this commandment prohibits a "formal" false witness against someone-which would result in damage to their person, property, or reputation-the biblical applications are many and varied. Our holy God hates a false witness.
So-called "half truths" are not godly, either. Flattery and hypocrisy are wrong (Psalm 12:1-3; Proverbs 29:5), as are malicious joking and jesting (Proverbs 26:18-19; Ephesians 5:4). Even deceptive refusals are considered ungodly behavior (Proverbs 3:27-29; 1 John 3:17-18). And, of course, slander, gossip, and "tale bearing" are wrong (Psalm 101:5).
Those who name the name of Jesus Christ are, simply, to speak the truth (Ephesians 4:25), render sound judgment (1 Corinthians 6:1-5), and not to enter into a plot to do evil (Zechariah 7:9-10; Romans 12:9, 17, 21). Our "yes" and our "no" are to be precise and accurate (James 5:12). HMM III
"Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour." (Exodus 20:16)
The word translated "steal" is the Hebrew ganab and is restricted to acts done secretly. It figuratively describes wind sweeping something away unexpectedly (Job 21:18; 27:20) and illustrates the thief-like movements of military deserters (2 Samuel 19:4). It would fit the term "burglary."
Burglary was punishable on a graded scale. A 200-percent penalty was levied if the property was returned unharmed (Exodus 22:4, 7, 9), a 400 or 500-percent penalty if the property was damaged or destroyed (Exodus 22:1), and a 700-percent penalty if the property stolen was food (Proverbs 6:30-31). Personal indenture was enforced if the thief could not pay the monetary levy (Exodus 22:3).
The command extends to our care of the property of others. Loss due to negligence is considered stealing (Exodus 22:7, 10-13). This would also apply to unfair business practices that defraud either customers or employees (Leviticus 19:35-36).
In our personal lives, we are expected to repay our debts (Ezekiel 33:15; 18:7, 12, 16) and pay our taxes (Romans 13:5-8; Matthew 22:17-21). Failure to do so makes us a "thief" in God's eyes.
The Hebrew word qaba, on the other hand, is used to emphasize the violent seizing of property. It would fit the term "robbery." This is the word used in the question: "Will a man rob God?" (Malachi 3:8). We can infer that disobedience to tithing is a more dangerous infraction of the eighth commandment than mere "burglary." May God keep us from either violation as we seek to please Him. HMM III
The Hebrew word shabbat is found 108 times in the Old Testament. The basic meaning is "intermission" or "break." The term never means "Saturday" or "seven."
The pattern of resting every seventh day-night cycle was established by God at creation (Genesis 2:1-3; Exodus 20:11). God "made" (performed activity) for six days and rested and ended His work on the seventh day.
Therefore, God blessed and "hallowed" the resting day to commemorate His initial work and rest cycle. There is no other basis for this pattern. There is no relationship for the seven-day week in any astronomical clock reference: solar, stellar, or lunar. In fact, the Lord Jesus clearly told us that He made the sabbath for humanity (Mark 2:27). Apart from God's specific design, we would have no reason to observe the seven-day week, which is common to all cultures.
All humanity observes the seven-day cycle from a practical and physiological need. Christians, however, should acknowledge that the sabbath was dedicated by God at creation to be a day of "sanctification."
God's people should follow the pattern He set (Genesis 2:1-3) and recognize the wonder and majesty of the creation (Exodus 20:11). We should cease from our own profitable employment (Exodus 20:9-10) and, more importantly, concentrate on the worship of our Creator (Psalm 92).
This commandment is the only command listed with a specific reason, and the precise wording should forever settle the argument about a "day-age" interpretation of creation. In Exodus 20:11, the wording can only mean a "regular" day. There is no linguistic excuse for long ages anywhere. HMM III
As always, the word choices of the Holy Spirit are very important. The Hebrew word nasa, translated "take," is widely used to describe willful misuse or manipulation of an item or idea. The Hebrew word for "name," shem, literally means "a position" and carries the idea of a mark or memorial, implying a description of character.
God proclaimed His name: "The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty" (Exodus 34:6-7). Moses described God as: "He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he" (Deuteronomy 32:4).
Misusing the name of God is clarified by the final phrase "in vain," translated from the Hebrew shav, which describes "a desolation, an evil, a useless or worthless thing." "And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD" (Leviticus 19:12).
Thus, making a false (untrue, unrealistic, unmeant) statement using God's name is wrong (Jeremiah 5:1-3; Matthew 5:33-37). Also, wounding the name of God through words or actions is equally wrong (Leviticus 20:1-5). A bad testimony (Ezekiel 36:20-23), improper service (Ezekiel 20:39-40), or giving the second best to God (Malachi 1:10-14) disobeys this commandment.
Clearly, this is no mere restraint against "cussing." It demands open worship of the nature and attributes of the Creator through our words and our lifestyle. HMM III
No Other Image
"Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing." (Exodus 20:4)
"Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing." (Exodus 20:4)
There are several reasons why idolatry is forbidden. The most obvious it that the triune Creator is too great to attempt to visualize (Exodus 34:5-7). There is no thing or experience in human existence that can represent the immortal and invisible Creator (1 Timothy 6:16).
Thus, God sees any effort to "picture" Him (idolatry) as rebellion (Jeremiah 5:19-25). It does not matter how we may attempt to "see" God. "Any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth" (Exodus 20:4) are all totally incapable of expressing God's person.
Romans 1:18-32 reveals the heart of an idolater. Those who hold the truth in unrighteousness (v. 18) will not glorify God as God (v. 21), even though they know Him by the creation itself (v. 20). Instead, they change God's inestimable glory into an earthly creature (v. 23) and consciously change God's truth into a lie (v. 25).
Thus, by open choice and willing rebellion, idolators worship and serve the creature rather than the Creator (v. 25), thereby abandoning God for a despicable and unnatural lust, for an ungodliness that, in turn, causes them to despise the very thought of God in their knowledge (v. 28). Ultimately, the only pleasure they can find is among other idolaters (v. 32).
Paul taught the "philosophers" in Acts 17:22-29 that the heart of idolatry is rejection of God as Creator. Idolatry, in any form or practice, strikes at the heart of salvation, because "he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Hebrews 11:6). HMM III
No Other Gods
"Thou shalt have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:3)
This first commandment, written by the finger of God Himself on Mount Sinai-twice (Exodus 31:18; 34:1)-contains a very intriguing choice of words.
"Thou shalt have no" is rendered from the Hebrew word lo, which is an emphatic negative: "never," "neither," "not," etc. The word "other" translates the Hebrew word acher, which is derived from another word meaning "behind" or "less." This word is also translated "following," "next," "[an]other," or "strange"-in the sense of being less than the previous object. Elohim is the Hebrew word for "gods," the term for "powerful ones."
The Holy Spirit's most unusual choice of words is the phrase 'al paniym at the end of the sentence, translated "before me." That phrase literally means "against the faces" or in the sense of "on top of." So, a direct translation of the command would be, "Never place a less powerful being on top of my faces." It can also be rendered, "Don't ever let any other god get between your face and my face."
Moses gave several instructions on how we are to observe the command. We are not to worship (prostrate, bow down to) any other god (Exodus 34:14), or mention (call to memory) the name of other gods (Exodus 23:13), or walk behind other gods (Deuteronomy 6:14). We are not to forget (mislay, be oblivious of) YAHWEH and in so doing serve other gods (Deuteronomy 8:18-19). We must not allow our hearts to be deceived (become broad, liberal, "open"-minded) and worship other gods (Deuteronomy 11:16). And we are not to go aside (turn off, withdraw) from the words of God and by doing so serve other gods (Deuteronomy 28:14).
No wonder our Lord Jesus called this the "first and great commandment" and insisted that we must "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart" (Matthew 22:37-38). HMM III
"Thou shalt have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:3)
Doctrines of Devils
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils." (1 Timothy 4:1)
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils." (1 Timothy 4:1)
In chapter one of his first epistle to Timothy, Paul warned about false teachers and heresies in the church of his day, evidently particularly implicating the agnostics and their false skepticism and low moral standards. In our text for today and throughout chapter four, he warns of false teachers "in the latter times," i.e., in our day and in our churches.
Paul had received an explicit (i.e., "express") teaching from the Holy Spirit. There was nothing vague about it. The false teachers would, among other things, be "forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats" (v. 3), with other false teachings implied throughout the chapter. What does this teach us about those who today forbid their leaders, both men and women, to marry? Or those who insist upon certain dietary regimes for spiritual reasons?
These "doctrines" will cause some to "depart from the faith." Evidently, some who consider themselves Christians and yet have incomplete discernment will fall into the trap of "seducing spirits," espousing the "doctrines of devils." The Greek word translated "depart" is apostesontai, which means "to fall away" from an original position, in this case, "the faith." The teachers will typically be hypocrites, "speaking lies," having "their conscience seared" (v. 2). "If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:9).
In this time of great apostasy, we desperately need to know the biblical doctrine concerning devils (or Satan and his demonic henchmen), for their influence has nearly captured American education and culture. But we must be on guard against, and teach others to be on guard against, "doctrines of devils." JDM
The Sin of Laziness
"As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed." (Proverbs 26:14)
This is one of the more colorful of numerous colorful verses in the book of Proverbs which rebuke the sin of laziness. Note a few of the others:
"The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns" (Proverbs 15:19).
"A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again" (Proverbs 19:24).
"The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour" (Proverbs 21:25).
"The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets" (Proverbs 22:13).
"Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: . . . How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? . . . Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man" (Proverbs 6:6, 9-11).
"As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him" (Proverbs 10:26).
"The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing" (Proverbs 20:4).
The writer of Proverbs had little sympathy for lazy people and their self-induced problems! It seems he continually devised new figures of speech with which to shame them into action. Indolence is a distressing characteristic in anyone, but it is inexcusable in a Christian. "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire. . . . That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises" (Hebrews 6:10-12). HMM
"As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed." (Proverbs 26:14)
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