My Grace is Sufficient for You

You know the drill. Things are going well, no crisis, no conflicts to speak of, pretty much smooth sailing.

Then seemingly out of nowhere, a storm hits. Maybe it's a crisis, or a hardship. Maybe it's a personal tragedy.

So what do you do when a hurricane-force storm hits and water is filling your boat?

Answer: You take heart. Because you are not alone.

When Paul was at sea on his way to Rome and the mighty tempest hit him and the others on board, he was able to courageously encourage others. He told them, "But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me" (Acts 27:22-23).

God was with him

How was Paul able to be so confident?

He was conscious of the presence of God in the face of danger. He knew that God was there with him.

And God is with us in our storms as well. God will always give us what we need when we need it.

You remember that Paul had what he called his "thorn in the flesh," which was presumably some kind of physical disability or illness. He asked the Lord three times to remove it (see 2 Corinthians 12).

God's answer was, "My grace is sufficient for you" (2 Corinthians 12:9), which is another way of saying, "I will be with you, Paul. Instead of a healing, I will personally be there in a special and sufficient way."

Now it is the Lord

A. B. Simpson wrote these words:

"Once it was the Blessing, now it is the Lord.

Once it was the Feeling, now it is His Word.

Once His Gifts I wanted, now the Giver alone.

Once I sought Healing, now Himself alone."

God is with you right now, regardless of the storm or even the shipwreck. We may not hear an audible voice, but you may hear that "still small voice" of God's Holy Spirit. Or He will speak to you through His Word.

Then you, like Paul, can reassure others that "the Lord is in control."

Time and time again, God reminded Paul of His presence.

1.     He was there when Paul was in jail in Jerusalem, as Jesus told him to "be courageous!" (Acts 23:11)

2.     It happened in 2 Timothy 4:16-17 when Paul said, "All deserted me . . . but the Lord stood by me."

3.     And it happened here in Acts 27, in the midst of the storm.

When the boss calls you in his office . . .

You can take heart in the face of danger or uncertainty because you are aware of God's presence with you.

When your boss says, "I'm really sorry, but I'm going to have to let you go!" Or when the doctor says, "The test results are back and I need you to come in." Or when the telephone rings and someone says, "There's been an accident."

You are not alone. The Lord is standing next to you. He cares. Jesus said, "Lo, I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).

Big God, Small Problems

Then the Lord said to Job, "Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? You are God's critic, but do you have the answers?"

— Job 40:1–2

When Job went before the Lord, as any person should do when they are suffering, he asked the question why. And there is nothing wrong with asking why. I have asked why many times. There is nothing wrong with asking why as long as you don't get the idea that God somehow owes you an answer. Even Jesus, hanging on the cross, said, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" (Matthew 27:46).

We don't always know why. And I don't even think there is anything wrong with saying, "I don't like or agree with this plan." In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, "My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine." (Matthew 26:39). Go to God with your whys. Go to God with your doubts. Go to God with your struggles. But ultimately, we need to say to the Lord, "Yet I want your will to be done, not mine."

Job asked a lot of questions, and then he started giving his opinions and trying to explain things away. Finally, God had enough. He asked Job, "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding" (Job 38:4). Effectively He was saying, "Well, Job, you are such an expert now! Will you tell me what is going on? I don't remember seeing you around when I was creating the planets."

God never told Job why. Instead, He just revealed more of himself to Job. More than an explanation, what we really need is an encounter with God—a revelation of God. Because when we see God for who He is, we see our problems for what they are. Small God, big problems. Big God, small problems.

From Tragedy to Victory

We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.

— James 5:11

It is easy for us to read Job's story and critique him at certain points. But we need to keep in mind that Job never read the Book of Job. He didn't know it would turn out well in the end. He didn't know about the conversations between God and Satan. He didn't know why everything was happening. All he knew was that one day, it all was going beautifully, and the next day, the bottom dropped out with no real explanation that he could see. Yet Job persevered in his faith and integrity.

We are told in James 5:11, "We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy." God's plan finally ended in good, but Job could not see that midstream.

There are things about life that we don't understand. God can bring good out of bad. It doesn't mean that bad becomes good, because bad is bad. But it does mean that God can bring good despite bad, and our tribulations can bring forth good things. As Hebrews 12:11 says, "No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it's painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way."

Before disciplining a child, a parent sometimes will say, "This will hurt me more than it will hurt you." Meanwhile, the child is thinking, Yeah, right! That is how we feel when we are being disciplined or are going through hardship. It hurts. But it also brings forth something good.

God can take the greatest of tragedies and turn them into the greatest of victories.

For He Is Good

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

— Psalm 118:1

From the depths of heartbreak and loss, the Bible tells us that Job worshiped: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21).

If you only worship the Lord when you feel like it, then you are not going to worship very often. There always will be something, whether it is tragedy looming, an illness, or problems with your children. Whatever it is, we still should praise God, regardless of how we feel. After all, the Bible does not say, "Give thanks unto the Lord when you feel good." Rather, it says, "Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!" (Psalm 118:1).

God was there for Job, and He will be there for you. He who stirred up the storm is the hiding place in it. He who allowed the storm has been in it himself. Whatever comes into your life has been either created or allowed by God. God did not create Job's suffering, but He allowed it. We don't know the reason, but we do know that good things came out of it.

At the end of the Book of Job, we read that what Job lost was restored and then some. Even so, it wasn't a tidy ending like we might see in a Hollywood movie. Job had suffered. Job grieved the sons and daughters he lost. Yet God was with him through it all. God gave him the strength to get through it, and he will give us the strength to get through our tragedies as well.

Worship God because He is worthy of your worship—regardless of your circumstances. That is what Job did, and that is what we need to do.

Where Will You Turn?

Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."

— Job 1:20–21

When tragedy strikes—and it is not a matter of if, but when—it will have one of two effects in our lives. Either we will have our faith strengthened, and we will turn to God for comfort, or we will become angry at God and turn away from Him.

Hardships in life either will make you better or bitter. You decide which one it will be, because character is not made in crisis; it is revealed. It is when a crisis hits that we see what a man or woman is really made of. In the case of Job, we see him being exactly how God said he was: "a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil" (Job 1:8).

Some people have told me they thought I have much faith in the way I have trusted God through my son's departure to heaven. But I call it common sense. Where else am I going to turn? I am going to turn to the One who actually can support me at a time like this, the One who promised to give me what I need.

The Bible records a time when many people turned away from following Jesus. So Jesus turned to the disciples and asked, "Do you also want to go away?"

Peter said, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life . . ." (John 6:68). Loosely paraphrased: "Lord we don't always get You. But this much we know. You are the One, and we will keep following You."

This is one of the good things that can come out of crisis and suffering. You turn to God with dependence like you have never had before. Faith will not grow through ease and comfort; it will grow through challenge and difficulty.

No Exemptions

Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.

— 1 Peter 4:12

We can accept the idea of suffering in general, especially when it happens as a consequence of bad behavior. But when bad things happen to good people, we don't get it.

Being a Christian is not a guarantee that we will be exempt from suffering, however. Christians will suffer. Christians get cancer. Christians have heart attacks. Christians die in automobile accidents and plane crashes. Christians face the same tragedies as everyone else.

Yet we are surprised, even shocked by that. As 1 Peter 4:12 reminds us, "Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you." In other words, don't be shocked that it is happening to you.

Since my son Christopher went to heaven, I have had people come up to me and say, "Why did this happen to you of all people?" The implication being that I get a free pass because I am a pastor. But I suffer along with everyone else. Jesus said, "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

As Chuck Swindoll has wisely pointed out, "God never promised He would inform us ahead of time all about His plan. He's just promised He has one. Ultimately, it's for our good and His glory."

So that is not to say there are no answers as to why bad things happen to good people. It is just to say I don't know them at this point in life. But I know that God works all things together for good. I know that He is in control. And I know that He is good.

Your Past, Present, and Future

The apostle Paul was called by God to bring the gospel to his generation. He had perhaps the most unexpected conversion in human history, as he previously had set himself to effectively destroy the Christian faith. But when Paul, known then as Saul of Tarsus, met the living Jesus, that all changed.

Among other things, this is what Jesus said to him:

"Now stand up! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and my witness. You are to tell the world about this experience and about other times I will appear to you. And I will protect you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am going to send you to the Gentiles" (Acts 26:16-17 NLT).

Christ's commission of Paul took the form of three words . . .

• Paul's Past. Verse 16 says, "I have appeared to you." In other words, Paul had seen with his own eyes the risen Christ.
• Paul's Present. Verse 17 says, "I will protect you." Nothing would stop Paul from completing his life and ministry. He would not be silenced until his God-appointed work was done. That did not mean it would be easy, for Jesus also told him he would "suffer." But he would finish his work or, as Paul said earlier, "finish his race with joy."
• Paul's Future. Jesus tells Paul in verse 17, "Yes, I am going to send you to the Gentiles." Jesus was personally commissioning Paul to do this.

In the same way, we too have our past, present, and future.

1. Our Past: Jesus has "appeared" to us.

No, not in the same way as He did for Paul, but He has made Himself known to us. There is even a special blessing for the person who has not "seen Him" in John 20:29: "Then Jesus told him, 'You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who haven't seen me and believe anyway.'"

2. Our Present: Jesus will rescue us.

We will finish the life God has given us to live and the task He wants us to complete. In Isaiah 54, we read that "No weapon that is formed against you will prosper" (NKJV). Psalm 91 has even more promises of protection for the believer.

3. Our Future: Jesus is calling us.

We all have a calling to fulfill, a task to complete, a race to run. We all have been called to live godly lives that glorify Him. We have all been called to "preach the gospel." We have been commissioned by Jesus Himself to "Go therefore into all the world . . ."

A Good Choice

How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.

— Psalm 36:7

Nothing warms the heart of parents more than to hear their children or grandchildren voluntarily say, "I love you." And God wants the same thing from us. God wants us to voluntarily love Him because we choose to, not because we have to.

We need to understand that God did not create evil, but He did create us with the ability to choose. And a lot of the things we call evil in this world are brought on by human beings who make wrong choices because they disregard what God says.

When God created Adam and Eve, He placed them in a veritable paradise and gave them the ability to choose, that special quality God gives us where we can decide to do what is right or wrong. It is amazing to me that as Adam and Eve were in Eden with presumably hundreds, maybe thousands of trees to choose from, we find them hanging around the one tree that God told them was off-limits (see Genesis 3).

That is so like me—and you. If you don't believe me, then try it out on some kids. Just say, "Whatever you do, don't go into that room." The moment you turn away, you know exactly where they will be.

So we can choose to love God, or we can choose not to love God. He has given us that choice. If you were to say to your child, "Say you love me, or I will throw you out and never give you another meal again," what kind of love would that be? Or if you were to buy a doll with a computer chip that is programmed to say, "I love you" at the touch of a button, how fulfilling would it be to hear those words?

God wants us to love Him because we choose to.

Why?

Good and upright is the Lord; therefore He teaches sinners in the way.

— Psalm 25:8

Many people point to the problem of evil and suffering, more than any other, as their reason for not believing in God. It is not merely a problem; it is the problem.

We look at this world in which we are living today and wonder why: If God is good, then why did that happen? Why that earthquake? Why that tsunami? Why that tragedy? Why that illness? Why that loss of life? The questions go on and on.

The implication is that either God is all-powerful, but not all-good, and therefore doesn't stop evil. Or, that He is all-good, but not all-powerful, and therefore can't stop evil. The problem with the question of "If God is good, then why. . . ." is the one who is asking it determines what is good and what isn't. And the very nature of the question suggests that God is not good.

But who am I, or who are you, to say what is good and what is not good? When did we become the moral centers of the universe? God is not good because I think He is good or because you think He is good. He is not good because we took a vote on it, and 98 percent of us believe that He is good. No, God is good because He said He is good. There is no higher authority than God himself. Jesus said, "No one is good but One, that is, God" (Luke 18:19).

So God is good, whether we believe it or not. God and God alone is the final court of arbitration. As the apostle Paul said, "Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar" (Romans 3:4).

The big question is what is good, because sometimes our definition of good and God's definition are not the same.

Wanted: Disciples

"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

— Matthew 5:14–15

If you are a true disciple of Jesus Christ, if you are living the Christian life as it was meant to be lived, then please talk about it. Some Christians who believe that if others observe the way they are living, if others see they are honest and love their family and work hard, then they will notice and will come to Jesus.

While it is true that others will notice, true disciples also need to step it up and tell others about what they believe. As Romans 10:13 says, "How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?"

In addition to being salt in the world, Christians are to be light as well. Jesus said, "You are the light of the world . . ." (Matthew 5:14). Someone who is being salt is stimulating in others a thirst for Christ. Someone who is being a light is someone who is proclaiming Christ. So let's be both. There is a place for living it, and there is a place for telling it.

But I would also add that if you are not living it, then please don't talk about it. If you are not going to really try to live as a Christian, then don't go tell others about Jesus, because you actually will do more harm than good.

The world needs to see true disciples of Jesus. What it doesn't need to see are any more bad examples. It doesn't need to see any more watered-down commitments. It doesn't need to see any more bland Christians who are trying to live in two worlds. What we need are living, breathing disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Are You a Salty Christian?

"You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless."

— Matthew 5:13

If you are loving God more than anyone or anything else, if you are taking up the cross and following Jesus, then you are going to make a difference. You will impact your culture. The first-century church turned their world upside down because they lived this way.

It is also why the 21st-century church is not turning our world upside down, because, frankly, not enough people are living this way. We have fair-weather followers, but we have very few disciples.

Jesus said, "Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown away . . . " (Luke 14:34–35). What good is salt that isn't salty? And what good is a Christian who doesn't live as a Christian, a Christian who wants to just blend in and never speak out about what is true?

Salt in the first century was something more than a mere seasoning. Back then, salt was a valuable commodity—so valuable, in fact, that the Romans would sometimes be paid in salt. Hence the expression, "He is not worth his salt." When Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth" (Matthew 5:13), He was saying, "You are valuable. You can make a difference."

A little bit of salt can change something. It can enhance the flavor. And just as salt makes a difference, one Christian in a dark situation also can make a difference. Salt stimulates thirst as well. Christians who are living their lives the way they ought to will stimulate in others a thirst for Jesus Christ.

Salt is valuable. Salt makes a difference. Salt stimulates thirst. So be a salty Christian. Be a representative of Jesus Christ in this culture.

Counting the Cost

"But don't begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?"

— Luke 14:28

There is a cost to following Jesus, but I would also add there is a greater cost in not following Him. Whatever you give up to follow Christ will be more than made up to you in this life and certainly in the life to come.

Jesus said, "And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. But don't begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?" (Luke 14:27–28). In other words, "Don't do this on the impulse of a moment. Count the cost."

Yet some people who set out to follow Christ haven't counted the cost, like couples who rush into marriage. Once you have made a marriage commitment, it is a lifelong commitment. And if you are not willing to make it, then do everyone a favor and stay single. Count the cost.

The Bible records the story of someone who saw Jesus walk by and blurted out, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus had not called this person to follow Him; he just volunteered. So Jesus said, "Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head" (Luke 9:58). Loose paraphrase: "Buddy, I am not headed to the Jerusalem Ritz-Carlton. It is a rough life. I am headed to the cross. Are you sure about that?"

Sometimes in the impulse of the moment, someone will say, "I will follow Jesus," but they don't follow through on that commitment. They didn't count the cost.

We must realize that being a true disciple of Jesus is not easy. Therefore, we must count the cost.

Let's Cross Over to the Other Side

One day at the Sea of Galilee, Jesus said to His disciples, "Let us cross over to the other side" (Mark 4:35 NKJV).

As they were making their way across, a huge storm came out of nowhere, which was a common occurrence on this large freshwater lake. The seasoned sailors were terrified as hurricane force winds hit and the boat filled with water.

Despite the bad weather, Jesus managed to sleep through it. But the disciples could no longer contain themselves.

Don't you care?

So they woke up Jesus, saying, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" (v. 38). That is really a bit of accusation, but it's the way they felt.

They were saying, essentially, "Lord, are You even aware of what we are facing right now?"

"Why are You allowing this?"

As I have said, it's fine to ask why as long as you don't expect an answer. Better to cry out in anguish to God than to turn from Him in anger.

Jesus rebuked them and the storm

Jesus woke up and rebuked the storm, but then He dealt with them too, asking them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" (v. 40). Or literally, "Why are you such timid, fearful ones?"

Jesus was saying, "Boys, haven't you learned anything here?"

You see, Jesus said, "Let's cross over to the other side!" He did not say, "Let's go drown in the middle of the Sea of Galilee!"

He did not promise smooth sailing, but He did promise a safe passage.

Listen, it's better to be in a storm with Jesus than anywhere else without Him.

Or in a fiery furnace—just ask Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego.

Or in a lion's den—just ask Daniel.

Or in a prison—just ask Peter.

Or in a storm again or even shipwrecked—just ask Paul.

Crucified with Christ

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

— Galatians 2:20

People sometimes will use the expression, "We all have our cross to bear." But our cross to bear is not whatever we find difficult in life. The cross to bear, so to speak, is the same for everyone: it is dying to self.

Dying to self means resisting the temptation to do what everyone else is doing when you know it is wrong. Dying to self means forgiving instead of harboring a grudge. Dying to self means putting down the remote control and picking up the Bible. Dying to self means praying when you would rather be sleeping. Dying to self means swallowing your pride and telling someone about Jesus Christ. Dying to self means doing what God wants you to do rather than doing what you want to do.

Jesus said, "Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:33). That does not mean you must take a vow of poverty and give every possession away to be a disciple of Jesus. "Forsake all" literally could be translated, "Surrender your claim to, say good-bye to." This means that true disciples of Jesus are not possessed by their possessions.

When you die to yourself and take up the cross, you will experience joy and an overflowing life. The apostle Paul put it this way: "My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).

If you want to be a disciple, then you must love God more than anyone or anything else. You must deny yourself. And you must take up the cross and follow Jesus.

What the Cross Means

"And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple."

— Luke 14:27

When Jesus said, "And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:27), the meaning would have been readily understood by the people of the first century. However, its meaning is largely lost in the 21st century. When people think of the cross today, they may think of church, Christianity, or Jesus Christ. But back in the first century, a cross would have meant the cruel method of torture and execution.

The early church did not use the symbol of the cross, because the cross was a despicable representation. A form of execution that originated with the Persians and was later adopted by the Romans, crucifixion was designed to humiliate a person and bring a slow, excruciating death. The cross also served as a warning to anyone who saw it that they had better not mess with Rome. The sight of a man surrounded by Roman guards and carrying a cross through the streets meant that he was about to die a long, painful death.

So when Jesus spoke of discipleship as carrying your own cross and following Him, His hearers would have immediately caught on: Oh, I get what you are saying. You mean like that guy who is carrying his cross and is going to die on it? You want us to die to ourselves—is that what you are saying?

But today the cross has lost its meaning. For many, it is little more than a fashion accessory. Like the woman in the jewelry story who asked to see the crosses "without this little man on them," many people today are looking for a cross without Jesus, one that requires nothing from them. But if we are to be followers of Jesus, then we must take up the cross.

Lose Yourself

Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it."

— Luke 9:23–24

When people say, "I am going to go find myself," it usually precedes a selfish act. But Jesus taught that if you want to find yourself, then you must lose yourself: "And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:27).

Taking up the cross and following Jesus can sound like one miserable lifestyle. But what it means is that you put God first. You come to Him with your life and say, "All right, Lord. Here are my goals. Here are my dreams. Here are my aspirations, as well as my weaknesses and my shortcomings and sins. I believe Your plans are better than mine in the long run, so I dedicate my life to You."

I am glad the so-called self-esteem movement seems to have finally seen its day. We even saw some of it seep into the church, usually portrayed in statements such as, "Well, Jesus said, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself. ' " And whenever I would speak out against this, people would get angry. But my point from the very beginning was that you don't need to be taught to love yourself, because you already do. Jesus was saying that obviously you love yourself already, so how about loving your neighbor as much as you love yourself?

When Jesus said, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me, . . . " He was essentially saying, "This is not about loving yourself. This is not about esteeming yourself. This is not about finding yourself. This is about losing yourself."

Do you want to find yourself? Do you want to be who you ought to be? Then lose yourself and dedicate your life to Christ. It is God's trade-in deal.

More than Anything Else

A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, "If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.

— Luke 14:25–26

Would you consider yourself a disciple of Jesus Christ? If you want to be His disciple, then you must love Him more than anyone or anything else, because Jesus said, "If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life . . . " (Luke 14:25–26).

Those words sound shocking. Hate? Did I read that right? Jesus is telling me to hate my father and mother, my wife and children, my brothers and sisters, to follow Him? Certainly in light of Scripture, Jesus was not demanding an unqualified hatred. After all, He could not command us to honor our father and mother and then, at the same time, demand that we hate them. He could not command husbands to love their wives as Christ loves the church and then say that a husband should hate his wife. So what did Jesus mean?

Jesus was using the method of sharp contrast and was essentially saying that our love for God must be so strong, so intense, that all other loves would be like hatred in comparison. In other words, if you are to live your Christian life to its fullest, then you must love God more than anyone or anything else.

This is really the essence of what Jesus is communicating: Love God more than anyone or anything else. Love Him more than your family. Love Him more than your career. Love Him more than your possessions. Love Him more than your friends. Love Him more than your ministry. Love Him more than anything.

The choice you have in life is to have harmony with God and friction with people, or to have harmony with people and friction with God. Which will it be for you?

How to Do the Right Thing

Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.

— 1 Thessalonians 5:21–22

It is amazing how we can rationalize sin in our own lives, yet when someone else does it, it is wrong. We have little double standards that we develop, thinking that what is acceptable for us isn't acceptable for anyone else.

When you are wondering whether something is okay to do as a Christian, here is something you should do: Pray about it and bring it into the clear light of the presence of Jesus Christ. Ask, "Is this a situation that makes me more vulnerable to temptation? Can I ask God's blessing on it?"

For example, you would never pray, "Lord, bless us tonight as we go out and party and get drunk. We pray that no one will get a DUI and that I won't say something I will regret in the morning." Or, "Lord, bless me as I divorce my husband—my faithful, decent Christian husband who has loved me. Just bless me as I divorce him, because I met a cuter guy that I want to marry instead." We would never verbalize such prayers, yet some Christians will do these things because they rationalize them. When you pray about some things you are about to do, bringing them into the clear light of the presence of Jesus Christ, you just might reconsider them.

Something else to think about is how you would feel if you saw another Christian doing the same thing. Would it seem wrong? The Bible tells us to avoid the very appearance of evil. So it is not only a matter of doing the wrong thing, it is even doing something that would look like you are doing the wrong thing. Avoid even that. Be smart about the choices you make. And as much as possible, stay out of the way of temptation.

God Has a Future for You

 When the apostle Paul was imprisoned for proclaiming the gospel, he was no doubt feeling a bit down and discouraged. Perhaps he was wondering if he would ever be released.

Then Jesus came to him with these words: "Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome" (Acts 23:11).

Paul could take comfort in that there was a future for him because Jesus said, "You must also bear witness in Rome."

They wouldn't kill him. He was still to bear witness in Rome. He had a future.

One of my favorite verses about God's future for each of us is in the book of Jeremiah:

I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

It is worth noting that these words were given to Israel when they were in captivity in Babylon. They had lost hope. They saw no future, and felt as if God had forgotten about them.

But the Lord was saying to them (and us too), "I have not forgotten you, and there is a future!"

Note that God does not say, "I know the thoughts that I have thought toward you." Rather, He says, "I know the thoughts that I think toward you."

God thinks about you all the time!

Now it would be wonderful enough to know that God ever thought of me as an individual. But it is not something God has merely done in the past. It is something He is doing in the present and will continue to do in the future.

Know this: God is thinking about you right now! He is not thinking about you merely as a member of the human race. He is thinking about you as an individual.

Psalm 40:5 says, "Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be counted to You in order. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered."

God's thoughts toward you are continuous, nonstop, and innumerable

Think about that! God Almighty, the One who holds the heavens in the span of His hand, the One who spoke and creation came into being, is thinking about you right now.
Jeremiah 29:11 speaks of a future. Now the word used here for future could be translated "an expected end." Another translation describes it as "a ground of hope" or "things hoped for."

There will be an outcome in your life, regardless of what you are going through at present. There will be completion. God will tie up the loose ends.

You are still a work in progress. God is still finishing you, so don't be impatient. Don't feel it's over, just because you are not where you want to be yet.

We see only the beginning. God sees "the expected end" and it is good!

God still had a future for Paul, just as He does for you.

Aggressive Prayer

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.

— Luke 18:1

God is not a stingy Father who only will respond to our prayers if we badger Him. When we pray, we are speaking to a Father who wants to answer our prayers, a Father whose ear is open to what we have to say. Jesus said, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened" (Matthew 7:7–8).

The Lord's language is unusually compelling in these verses, because the three verbs He uses—ask, seek, and knock—indicate an ascending intensity. To ask means to request assistance, like being in a store and looking around for someone to help you. But maybe the clerk is busy texting, so you step it up a little.

That brings us to the next word: seek. This denotes asking, but it includes action. So you say, "Excuse me. Sorry to interrupt, but I really need some help right now. Could you assist me?" But even then, you seem to be invisible.

The next and final word, knock, speaks of asking plus action plus persevering. At this point, short of making a scene, you are refusing to take no for an answer.

Sometimes you have to step it up and get aggressive in prayer. You are not insulting God when you pray according to His will. That is pleasing to God. When you are praying for something according to His will and there is an obstacle in your way, you can either give up, or you can say, "Obstacle? I am coming over that obstacle. I am not giving up on this." Keep asking. Keep seeking. Keep knocking. That is what Jesus is teaching us.

A Barrier to Prayer

So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.

— Matthew 5:23–24

An unforgiving Christian is an oxymoron. If you are a Christian, then you must forgive, because forgiven people are forgiving people. Therefore, you cannot be an unforgiving Christian. And if you want your prayers to be answered in the affirmative, then you must forgive others. Jesus gave this command: "If you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God" (Matthew 5:23–24).

Jesus also taught us to pray, "And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us . . . (Luke 11:4). We need to learn to forgive, because we are all flawed. We will sin against people, and people will sin against us. Husbands will offend their wives, and wives will offend their husbands. Parents will offend their children, and children will offend their parents. Family members will offend one another. Friends will offend one another. So we must choose to forgive. We must determine not to let those offenses keep us from communion and fellowship with God.

It may be that someone has really hurt you. You may even have every right to be angry and bitter. But do you know who gets hurt the most when you harbor anger and hostility and vengeful thoughts toward someone? You do. And not only that, you are cutting yourself off from fellowship with God. Ephesians 4:32 tells us to "be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another. . . ."

When God forgave you, did you deserve to be forgiven? Does the person who hurt you deserve to be forgiven? Forgive anyway. Based on God's love and grace, we should forgive.

Deceiving Ourselves

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

— Psalm 139:23–24

Some people think they don't need forgiveness all that often. Yet Jesus taught us to pray, "And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us . . ." (Luke 11:4). In other words, Forgive us our shortcomings . . . our trespasses . . . what we owe to you . . . the wrong we have done.

If you want to see your prayers answered in the affirmative, then you must confess your personal sin. But sometimes we are not always conscious of the sins we commit, and there are different ways that sin can be defined. Sin is not merely breaking one of God's laws, however. Sin is also falling short of a mark. The Bible tells us, "For whatever is not from faith is sin" (Romans 14:23). So if I do something without the certainty it has the blessing of God, it can be sin. There are also sins of omission: "To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin" (James 4:17).

Have you ever noticed that when you wear white, you seem to get your clothes dirty a little faster? In reality, I think that stains and dirt are just more noticeable against a white background. That is what happens when we come into the presence of God. As we see Him for who He is, we see ourselves for who we are.

So whether we think we need it, we still need to pray, "Forgive me my sins, . . ." because the Bible says, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8). The more you have grown spiritually, the more aware you will become of your own sin.

What Brings God Joy

Give us each day the food we need.

— Luke 11:3

Why is it that this all-knowing, all-powerful, omnipresent God who created the entire universe would care for you and me? As Job said, "What are people, that you should make so much of us, that you should think of us so often?" (Job 7:17). Why would God care about our needs—even our wants? Why would He commit himself to providing our daily bread?

Many reasons could be cited, but I will throw out one that is significant: because He loves you. And guess what? He loves to bless you. Our God is generous. He is not stingy. God loves to bless you.

Jesus said, "So don't be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom" (Luke 12:32). Yet He taught us to pray, "Give us each day the food we need" (Luke 11:3). Notice Jesus did not say, "Give us each month the food we need," or "Give us each year the food we need." Otherwise, we probably would call on Him only monthly or yearly. Instead, God arranges things in such a way so that we must depend on Him on a daily basis.

But another thing we acknowledge when we pray, "Give us each day the food we need," is that everything we have comes from God. Of course you can work hard. You can save and invest wisely. And you can buy your own food and clothes and pay for your house or your car or whatever else. But here is what you need to remember: it all came to you from God, no matter what. Deuteronomy 8:18 reminds us, "Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful. . . . " The point is to acknowledge that everything you have comes from God.

The Objective of Prayer

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

— 1 John 5:14

When people say that God never answers their prayers, what they are really saying is they prayed and didn't like the answer. No is as much of an answer as yes. So if you have prayed for something and God said no, don't say that God didn't answer your prayers. It is more accurate to say that you didn't like the answer God gave you.

The primary objective of prayer is to align your will with God's will. As 1 John 5:14 tells us, "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." So if you want to see your prayers answered in the affirmative, if you want God to say yes to your prayers more often, then you must pray according to the will of God.

Jesus taught His disciples to pray, "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Luke 11:2). True praying is not overcoming God's reluctance; it is laying hold of His willingness. Prayer is not getting your will in heaven; it is getting God's will on earth.

When you have lived for awhile, you begin to understand that God knows more than you do. And you even will thank God for unanswered prayers. You will thank God that He said no to you at an earlier time, because you will realize, with 20/20 hindsight, that you didn't know what you were asking for at the time. So don't ever be afraid to pray, "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Luke 11:2).

The goal is to pray according to God's will. And nothing lies outside the reach of prayer except that which lies outside of the will of God.

God Knows What You Are Going Through

The apostle Paul was in a Roman dungeon for his faithfulness to the gospel. But one night, Jesus Christ paid him a visit:

But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, "Be of good cheer (or courage), Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome." (Acts 23:11)

Jesus was revealing to the great apostle that he was more than aware of his situation. Just because he was in a prison didn't mean that God had lost track of him.

There is a story of a minister who came to visit John Bunyan, the minister who wrote Pilgrim's Progress, in prison. He told Bunyan, "Friend, the Lord sent me to you, and I have been seeking for you in half the prisons in England."

"No, that cannot be," Bunyan said. "For if the Lord had sent you to me, you would have come here at once, for He knows I have been here for years."

Jesus is there with us in our "prisons," as well. For some people, it is a literal jail cell they are in because they have broken the law. Yet, as they have asked for God's forgiveness, Jesus is with them there in that prison cell.

Maybe you are in a different kind of prison right now, the prison of a hospital bed. You would love to get up and just walk out, but you can't.

Even so, Jesus is there in that hospital room, convalescent home, or room in their home, saying, "Be courageous. You are not alone, and I am fully aware of your suffering."

Perhaps it is a prison cell of mourning, because of the loss of a loved one through death. Whatever or wherever your prison is, Jesus is there with you now.

Jesus also knows what lies ahead. That is why He came to Paul in this hour of need, because He knew he would need this special touch.

Paul was not really privy to what was going on all around him at this point. He did not know that 40 men had taken an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul!

Sometimes, ignorance can be bliss. Many times, it's really a good thing that we don't know all that is swirling around us in both the supernatural and natural realm.

God reveals to us as much as we need to know, when we need to know it. Not necessarily more and certainly not less, but what we need to know. Your troubles, though unexpected, did not come as a surprise to God.

The military has a term it uses for sensitive information. If it is necessary for you to know something, it's on a "need-to-know basis." In the same way, God gives us what we "need to know," when we need it.

Let me close with a quote from C.H. Spurgeon that should bring hope to any Christian facing a trial:

The Lord knows all about your troubles before they come to you; He anticipates them by His tender foresight. Before Satan can draw the bow, the preserver of men will put His beloved beyond the reach of the arrow. Before the weapon is forged in the furnace, and prepared on the anvil, He knows how to provide us with armor of proof which shall blunt the edge of the sword and break the point of the spear.

The Cure for Worry

From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety.

— Psalm 61:2

There are things in life that scare us, even terrify us sometimes. We have concerns about the future, about our health, about our family, and about our finances. The list of things that cause us to be filled with anxiety goes on and on. So I have a suggestion for you: the next time you are tempted to worry, pray.

I worry, and I don't admit that with pride. Worry can be a sin in which we are failing to trust God. Philippians 4:6–7 gives us this solution for worry:

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Notice these verses don't say that as you pray about everything, God will take your problems away. Rather, it says that God's "peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Maybe God will take your problem away. Or maybe He won't. But what will happen is that you will gain perspective as you see God for who He is and your problem for what it is.

If you have a big God, then you have a relatively small problem. But if you have a big problem, then it might be that you have a small God. You are not seeing God in His glory and what He can do. The psalmist wrote, "From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed . . ." (Psalm 61:2). When I cry out to God, He gives me His peace and His strength. And He will do the same for anyone who will call on Him.

Just Ask!

"Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full."

— John 16:24

One of the many reasons we should pray is that it is God's appointed way of giving things to us that we need in our lives. And there are things that God may want to give you, things that God may want to say to you, things that God may want to do for you, that have not been given, that have not been said, and that have not been done simply because you have not asked.

James 4:2 tells us, "You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask." Maybe you wonder why you don't know the will of God for your life. Could it be that you do not have because you do not ask? Maybe you wonder why you are unable to lead other people to Christ. Could it be that you do not have because you do not ask? Maybe you are struggling financially and barely scraping by. Could it be that you do not have because you do not ask? Maybe there is a certain illness or problem in your life that has continued on and on. Could it be that you do not have because you do not ask?

I am not suggesting that God always will give us everything that we ask for. Nor am I saying that He will heal every person who asks for His touch. But He will heal some. And what if there were something that God wanted to do but it has not yet happened because you simply have not prayed about it? Maybe He will say no. But what if He says yes? What do you have to lose? That is why we need to pray. It is a privilege of the believer.

Prayer: A Constant Necessity

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.

— Mark 1:35

Not only did Jesus command us to pray, but He also left us an example of prayer. Jesus was constantly praying. As He walked our planet and breathed our air as God in human form, He felt the need to be in constant communion with His Father. In fact, it was not uncommon to see Jesus praying while the disciples were sleeping.

When He fed the five thousand, He looked up toward heaven and asked God's blessing on the food. Matthew's Gospel tells us that mothers brought their children to Jesus so that He could lay His hands on them and pray for them. When He raised Lazarus from the dead, He first spoke to His Father, saying, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me" (John 11:41–42). Then Jesus shouted, "Lazarus, come forth!"

We know that while He was in Gethsemane, He prayed, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will" (Matthew 26:39). As He hung on the very cross of Calvary His first statement was, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34). And later He prayed, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46).

My point is that if Jesus felt the necessity to pray constantly, then how much more should we? If you want to grow spiritually, then prayer must be a vital and regular part of your life. Pray all the time. Pray about all things. Jesus has given us that example to follow. So we, too, need to be people of prayer.

Choosing to Grow

Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.

— 2 Timothy 2:22

From the moment you get up in the morning to the moment you lay your head down on your pillow at night, you will have made hundreds, maybe even thousands, of choices.

That is why ordering at some restaurants is no easy task. The menu resembles a small telephone book. There are too many options. One of the reasons I like In-N-Out Burger is that your options are simple: a hamburger, french fries, a drink, or maybe a shake. Of course, there are some variations to that, like adding cheese or ordering it animal-style. But that is pretty much it.

Life is filled with choices. There are some choices that don't mean a lot, while other choices mean a whole lot. And it comes down to this: we make our choices, and our choices make us. So if you want to grow spiritually, you will. And if you don't want to grow spiritually, you won't. Either you will go forward as a Christian, or you will go backward. Either you will progress, or you will regress. Either you will gain ground, or you will lose ground. And if you stand still, then you will lose ground.

The reason some Christians succeed while others who make a profession of faith fail miserably comes down to choices. It is not the luck of the draw or something that happens randomly. It is because people make the right choice to do the right thing. There are choices that will impair our spiritual growth, and there are choices that will enhance it.

That is why we need to make a commitment to seek to grow spiritually on a daily basis—not to just hold our ground, but to gain ground in our relationship with Christ. Let's commit ourselves to spiritual growth.

Praying Continually

Never stop praying.

— 1 Thessalonians 5:17

If a law were passed tomorrow that prohibited praying in public, would you still pray? That is the dilemma the prophet Daniel faced. He was a godly man with a reputation for being a person of prayer.

It turns out that Daniel was so effective and successful at what he did that his enemies hated him. They wanted to bring him down. The problem, in their eyes at least, was that Daniel had no weak spots. He was a man of complete integrity. But one thing they knew about Daniel was that he was always praying. Three times every day, he would go into his house, open his windows, kneel down, and pray.

So his enemies went to the king and convinced him to sign a decree that would condemn to death any person who prayed to any god except him. Daniel was made aware of the decree. So what did Daniel do?

But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. (Daniel 6:10)

The new decree didn't cause Daniel to change his habits at all. He still prayed. But notice what Daniel prayed for. We don't read of him praying for God's deliverance, but we do read that Daniel prayed, "giving thanks to his God." Daniel was aware that God was on the throne, that God was in control of his life, and that God was good. So he gave thanks to God.

Wherever you go, God is with you. And you can commune with Him and fellowship with Him and pray to Him and hear from Him. That is the idea of praying continually.

Why Does God Allow Trials In Our Lives?

There are many things that could be said in response to the question of why God allows trials in our lives, but here is one you may not have considered: God allows trials and hardship in your life so you can help others. As a result, whatever difficulty, challenge, or suffering you may be going through need not be wasted.

Paul writes, "He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer" (2 Corinthians 1:4-7 NLT).

There is no better time to minister to others than when we are hurting

It seems that when we are in need, when we are facing crisis, the world should just stop what it is doing and think about us. We think that we need to be cared for, encouraged, even catered to.

But the reality is that when you are hurting, if you will reach out to someone else, you yourself will be replenished and helped.

Jesus said, "If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving–large or small–it will be used to measure what is given back to you" (Luke 6:38 NLT).

There is always someone worse off than you

After my beloved son Christopher was called home to heaven, people commended me and our family for continuing to minister, despite our pain over his sudden passing. While I appreciate those kind words, I must tell you that it actually helps me to help others.

My heart goes out to other people who are suffering like it never has before, especially if it is the death of a child. So it helps me to help them. Even writing these words help me, knowing that they may minister to someone, somewhere.

I'm sure you know of someone who is hurting right now. Perhaps they have cancer, or have recently lost a loved one, or their marriage has unraveled. Go to them and seek to be a friend and encourage them today.

Don't waste your experiences

God is in control of your life, and allows trials to come our way in order to strengthen us spiritually and make us more like Jesus.

Whatever you are facing, know that someone else is facing it too. Perhaps you could share with them some of the things the Lord has shared with you, and "be able to give them the same comfort God has given us."