June 25, 2013

"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people." Proverbs 14:34

Would you rather have a nation that is exalted or a nation that is condemned?

 

That sounds like one of those obvious questions the guys asks those precocious kids on those popular A. T. & T. commercials.

 

Personally, I'll take a nation that is exalted by the righteousness of it's people.

 

My guess is that you would, too! And we would be in good company! Consider the quotes of some of our exalted Founding Fathers:

 

“It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.” - George Washington

 

“It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor.” - George Washington

 

“Oh, eternal and everlasting God, direct my thoughts, words and work. Wash away my sins in the immaculate blood of the Lamb and purge my heart by Thy Holy Spirit. Daily, frame me more and more in the likeness of Thy son, Jesus Christ, that living in Thy fear, and dying in Thy favor, I may in thy appointed time obtain the resurrection of the justified unto eternal life. Bless, O Lord, the whole race of mankind and let the world be filled with the knowledge of Thee and Thy son, Jesus Christ.” - George Washington, Prayer

"Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports….Let it simply be asked, Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that National morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.”

- George Washington, Farewell Address 1796

 

These are but a few selected quotes among scores of others recorded from the lips and the writings of our First President and Hero of the Revolutionary War.

 

After reading those quotes let me ask you, "I your opinion, George Washington exalt American or condemn it?"

 

If you said that George Washington exalted our nation you would have the evidence of history on your side!

 

More importantly you would have the truth of Scripture on your side as well!

 

So, the question becomes, if you know that righteousness exalts a nation is your life exalting or condemning America?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 24, 2013

^"Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:37-39

 

What do you think is essence of faith?

 

Why does it matter?

 

What's the point?

 

Why bother with it?

 

Based on the Commandments I would have to say faith is about relationships.

 

In answer to a question about the Commandments Jesus reduced them to just two: love God and love your neighbors.

 

That sure sounds like relationships to me!

 

When you consider all ten of the Commandments you notice each of them have to do with relationships. The first four show how to relate to God, the next six give guidelines for how to relate to others.

 

Are we to conclude then that pleasing God involves doing relationships well? That would seem to be the case!

 

God has always existed within relationship. When first introduced to Him in Genesis God is in relationship, "let us make man in Our image". He dwelt in a mystical relationship within the Trinity and together they created another level of relationship when they created Adam and still another with the creation of Eve.

 

When Adam sin and broke relationship with God, God immediately announced a plan to atone for Adam's sin and restore relationships.

 

It seems apparent to me that the essence of faith is living in relationship with God and the evidence of faith is the quality of your relationships with others.

 

Can you relate to that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 23, 2013

"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."  Proverbs 27:17

 

Miss Thompson taught Teddy Stallard in the fourth grade. He was a slow, unkempt student, a loner shunned by his classmates. The previous year his mother died, and what little motivation for school he may have once had was now gone. Miss Thompson didn’t particularly care for Teddy either, but at Christmas time he brought her a small present. Her desk was covered with well-wrapped presents from the other children, but Teddy’s came in a brown sack. When she opened it there was a gaudy rhinestone bracelet with half the stones missing and a bottle of cheap perfume. The children began to snicker but Miss Thompson saw the importance of the moment. She quickly splashed on some perfume and put on the bracelet, pretending Teddy had given her something special. At the end of the day Teddy worked up enough courage to softly say, "Miss Thompson, you smell just like my mother and her bracelet looks real pretty on you too. I’m glad you like my presents."

 

After Teddy left, Miss Thompson got down on her knees and prayed for God’s forgiveness. She prayed for God to use her as she sought to not only teach these children but to love them as well

 

She became a new teacher. She lovingly helped students like Teddy, and by the end of the year he had caught up most of the students.

 

Miss Thompson didn’t hear from Teddy for a long time. Then she received this note: "Dear Miss Thompson, I wanted you to be the first to know. I will be graduating second in my class. Love, Teddy Stallard." Four years later she got another note: "Dear Miss Thompson, They just told me I will be graduating first in my class. I wanted you to be the first to know. The university has not been easy, but I liked it. Love, Teddy Stallard." Four years later: "Dear Miss Thompson, As of today, I am Theodore Stallard, M.D. How about that? I wanted you to be the first to know. I am getting married next month. I want you to come and sit where my mother would sit if she were alive. You are the only family I have now; Dad died last year. Love, Teddy Stallard." Miss Thompson went to the wedding and sat where Teddy’s mother would have sat, because she let God use her as an instrument of encouragement.

 

That's a wise friend!

 

She encouraged Teddy!

 

She exhorted Teddy!

 

She empowered Teddy!

 

What sort of friend are you?

 

What sort of friends do you have?

 

Do you need to wise up in your friendships?

June 22, 2013

"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17

A wise friend is one who "rubs you the right way" and sharpens you as a friend and as a believer.
 

Friends sharpen one another by encouraging, by exhorting and by empowering.

Here are some ways that empowerment happens:

FEAR CAN EMPOWER

We typically think of fear as a negative emotion or the antithesis of faith. But fear can create tremendous motivation for you. For example, a healthy fear of disobeying God can motivate you to obey Him.

 

This humerous story illustrates the power of fear:

Late one night, a man had gone to a party and had too much to drink, so he decided it would be best to walk home. He found a shortcut through a poorly lit cemetery and, in the darkness, stumbled into an open grave. He tried to climb out but the walls were too slippery. Again and again he fell back into the grave.

Finally, in exhaustion, he settled in a corner to wait for sunlight.

A few minutes later, another man in the same condition was cutting through the cemetery and fell victim to the same grave. He, too, tried desperately to climb and claw his way out, and he was equally unsuccessful.

As he was about to give up in hopeless resignation, he heard a voice from the darkness of his pit: "You may as well give up. You’ll never get out of here."

But he did!

FAITH CAN EMPOWER

Remember learning to ride a bike or the first time you jumped off the diving board? You no doubt found the courage from the coaxing of a parent assuring you, "Come on! You can do it! I'm right here! I will help you!"

The four words, "You can do it!" or "I believe in you!" from a significant person have amazing power in the life of another! By means of your faith you can speak faith into another! You can believe in them and for them until they are able to believe themselves.

Faith is powerful!


LOVE CAN EMPOWER

You will do things for love that you woudn't do for money. That is the power of love!

Who would ever change a dirty diaper except for love?

Who would ever go to war except for love of country and love of freedom.

Love inspires and emboldens and empowers both the one who loves and the one loved.

Sometimes the love that empowers is tough love!

Recently I had to give my grandson some tough love and call him out in a certain area. Though it was a little hard for him to hear, he received it and made some changes. Later, he even thanked me for challenging him and asked me to continue calling out the best in him.

I will! I love him!

He will continue to receive it! He loves me!

Wisdom forms a firm foundation for friendship because it encourages and it exhorts and it empowers.

Don't settle for less.

                                                                                                                                                            

June 21, 2013

"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17

Here is a great clip from one of my favorite movies, "HOOSIERS".
 

http://cli.ps/m6Xvh

 

What was happening in this clip?

 

Coach Norman Dale was empowering bench-warmer, Ollie, to deliver for his team at one of the most pivotal moments in the history of Hickory Husker basketball.

 

Ollie was doubting himself and his ability to sink pressure-packed free throws to get his team into the State Championship game.

 

"After Ollie makes these two free throws," Coach affirms, and turning to Ollie adds, "You will make them!"

 

As you saw, Ollie made them!

 

The third mark of a wise friend is they will empower you! They will believe in you even when you are questioning yourself. A wise friend will be as committed to your success as to his own.

 

Friends that sharpen you have three prominent positive attributes, they encourage, they exhort and they empower.

Do you have a friend like that? If so, you'd be wise to cherish that friendship.

Do you have a friend who isn't like that? If so, it might be wise to re-evaluate that friendship.

Are you a friend like that? If not, wise up!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

June 20, 2013

"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17

"A friend is someone who tells me the truth about me. I want to know when my work stinks or I’m being hurtful or stupid. I expect my friends to save me from myself."
 

"Faithful are the wounds of a friend." - Proverbs 27:6 (KJV)

"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ."  Ephesians 4:16

What does a good friend look like?

What constitutes a good friendship?

The Christians faith is about relationships. So is life. No wonder that the Proverbs, a primer on wise living, would have much to say about choosing wise friends.

A wise friend encourages you but also, a wise friend exhorts you.

What does it mean to exhort?

It means to admonish. It means to challenge. It means to lovingly confront. It means to call out the best in another person. Some might call it "tough love".

General Ulysses S. Grant had a man who was a true friend to him like this. His name was John A. Rawlins. He was the General’s chief of staff. It was to Rawlins that Grant gave his pledge that he would abstain from alcohol. When he broke his pledge, Rawlins went to Grant and with great earnestness pleaded with him and successfully persuaded him to reaffirm his commitment to turning away from liquor.

Today, in front of the capital building in Washington, D.C., there stands a monument to General Grant, sitting on his horse in dramatic pose. At the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue and a little to the south, is Rawlins park, where there is another statue. A very ordinary, commonplace looking statue of John A Rawlins, the man responsible for keeping General Grant from falling off his horse!

Dealing with the crippling effects of alcohol abuse in his life was something that Ulysses S. Grant knew he ought to do, but couldn’t find the strength to do on his own. But a true friend named John A. Rawlins came alongside to exhort him and help him find the strength he needed to do what he ought to do, and not only was Grant better for it, but so was the nation.

Rawlins proved to be a wise choice as a friend to General Grant. General Grant gave Rawlins permission to hold him accountable and to call out the best in him.

Do you think Grant would have become President without a friend and confidant like Rawlins?

Is there a Rawlins in your life? Have you been wise enough to befriend an exhorter?

If not, wise up!

 

 

June 19, 2013

"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."  Proverbs 27:17

A newspaper in England gave a reward for the best definition of a friend. Thousands answered, and the winning entry was this: "A FRIEND IS ONE THAT COMES WHEN EVERYONE ELSE GOES."

 

 

You know you have a wisely chosen a friend when you have a friend who encourages you!

 

 

"Real friendship is shown in the time of trouble, prosperity is full of friends." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

 

Encouragement is a powerful life-changing force.

 

 

A banker always tossed a coin in the cup of a legless beggar who sat on the street outside the bank. But unlike most people, the banker would always insist on getting one of the pencils the man had beside him. “You are a merchant,” the banker would say, “and I always expect to receive good value from merchants I do business with.” One day the legless man was not on the sidewalk.

Time passed and the banker forgot about him, until he walked into a public building and there in the concessions stand sat the former beggar. He was obviously the owner of his own small business now.

“I have always hoped you might come by someday,” the man said. “You are largely responsible for me being here. You kept telling me that I was a ‘merchant.’ I started thinking of myself that way, instead of a beggar receiving gifts. I started selling pencils—lots of them. You gave me self-respect. You caused me to look at myself differently.” —Quoted by Randy Stanford

 

 

Do you have a friend who comes in when others are going away?

 

 

Are you a friend like that?