Tonight I find myself faced with a choice.  Option #1: I can sit and worry about my troubles, mulling them over, rolling them around in my brain, trying to figure out this and that and running the mental loop of “what ifs” and “I really should haves,” and twist my thinking and emotions into pretzel knots without solving anything.

Or, I can take up option #2: I can sit and prayerfully ponder the Lord our God and take Him at His Word.  I can focus on Jesus and not myself.  I can converse with my Heavenly Father – my Redeemer, my Savior, my Protector – not like He is my buddy, but like a child going to His Father. 

My strength falters.  The Lord’s strength is never failing.  As Jesus said to Paul, “’My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV).  In other words, the strength I need is not mine.  It is found in Jesus Christ.  It is found in resting in Him.  It is found through the Holy Spirit Who lives inside me. 

It is the reason Jesus tells us to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:33-34, NIV).  It’s why the Lord tells us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30, ESV).

It is why Paul exhorts us to “rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:4-7, ESV). 

It is why Peter warns us, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 5:6-11, ESV).

The truth is that God is the Truth.  Not how I view my circumstances.  Not the stuff that awakens me at 3:00am.  If the subject of our worry has no eternal value, it isn’t worthy of worry.  Give it to the Lord in faith, trusting that He has a plan and is able to handle whatever we throw His way.  And, if the subject of our worry does have eternal value, it shouldn’t be handled with worry.  Give it to the Lord in faith, trusting that He has a plan and is able to handle whatever we throw His way.

So tonight, I choose option #2.  I choose to concentrate on the Lord Who loves me more than I can imagine.  I choose to spend time with God, seeking His will – His kingdom – and praying for the grace to please Him.  I choose to believe what Jesus said over what I think or feel.  I choose to trust the Lord Most High, Creator and Sustainer of all.  I choose to rest in Him, accepting that His grace is sufficient, His strength is perfect and His love is eternal. 

God loves me, and I am safely in His grip.

So are you, if you believe in Him.

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” – 1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV)

The devil isn’t all that original.  He’s never created anything.  All he’s ever done is lie and pervert God’s creation.  He takes God’s creation, intended to turn our focus to the Lord, and tempts us to make it all about us – our wants, our desires, our fears…

He makes someone else’s blessing our jealousy.

He whispers in our ears, telling us we deserve better.

He empties us of hope, leaving us with a void we try to stuff with food, or drink, or drugs, or entertainment, or bad relationships.

Jesus called him “the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10, ESV).  And for good reason.  The simple truth is this: Satan hates you.  And he is going to do all he can to tempt you away from the Lord. 

But take heart!  If you’re a Christian, you have an escape pod.  An emergency exit.  A way out.  To find it, you have to get down on your knees.

No, it isn’t under the bed.

Consider this:

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.” – Ephesians 6:12-20 (ESV)

Our battle isn’t against people.  It isn’t against this world.  In fact, the battle isn’t really ours.  Ephesians 6:12-20 instructs us to stand strong in God.  Stay in faith, stay in the Word (which is where we find Truth) and stay connected in prayer.  There’s a real good reason Paul warns us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).  In prayer, we draw near to God.  And when we draw near to God, He draws near to us! (James 4:8). 

We have to keep our focus on God.  When trouble comes, pray.  When the situation is too much, give it to the Lord.  Remember God’s promises.  If you stumble, take a wrong turn – and we all do – get back up in faith and cling to Jesus.

Satan may not be all that original, but he is a strong adversary.  However, he is also a defeated foe. God is stronger, God is sovereign, and God loves you.  With every temptation (which more literally means “test”) that is leveled our way, the Lord provides a way out.  Drop to your knees and and escape to the safety of Jesus.

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” – 1 Corinthians 15:3-9 (ESV)

If you are wrestling with doubt, wondering if Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection for your / our sins was a real event, I want you to look closely at what Paul has written here.  Paul assures us “as of first importance” that Jesus really did die on the cross and return on the third day as foretold in the Old Testament and promised by Christ Himself.  But now… Paul offers proof.

Jesus appeared to Peter and the disciples.  OK… but I want you to look at verse 6:

“Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive.”

In other words, at the time Paul was still writing this letter to the church at Corinth, there were still hundreds – hundreds – of eyewitnesses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ walking this earth.  There was proof aplenty that Christ is risen from the dead, just as He promised!  He’s saying, “Don’t just take my word for it.  There are plenty of people who will testify to what I am telling you!”

Doubt is something we all deal with at one time or another, on one level or another.  When life gets tough and troubles darken our door, we can find ourselves asking, “Where are you, God?”  “Why are you allowing this?”  “I can’t handle this – why are you not answering my prayers?”

If you find yourself questioning the veracity of God’s Word, consider this: Jesus at the Cross is the center of all of Scripture.  It records the most astounding – and hard to believe – event that has ever occurred on Earth.  And Paul – the Apostle formerly known as Saul, learned Pharisee who hunted down Christians (even holding the coats of Stephen’s killers), who had his own astounding face-to-face with the Risen Christ and pirouetted the world’s most amazing 180 degree life turn – Paul is not asking us to take him at his word. 

Over five hundred eyewitnesses.  Most of them still alive.  Don’t just believe me… ask them! 

And if the greatest, most outlandish claim of Scripture is true (and Paul is going to lengths to prove to the reader that it is), then why would we not believe the rest of the Bible?  Why would we not trust God and take Him at His Word? 

“And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain” (1 Cor 15:14, ESV).  Hard to believe Paul would turn his life – his entire belief system – entirely around and face almost certain (and painful) death.  Consider what Paul went through for the sake of the Gospel:

Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches (2 Corinthians 11:23-28, ESV).

Who would go to these lengths to perpetuate a lie?  There must be something to the claims Paul – and the other Scripture writers – are making.  And, indeed, there is.  It is the fact that the Bible – 66 books penned by some forty writers over the course of about 1500 years in three different languages, all while holding remarkable continuity – is the Inspired Word of God, trustworthy and true.  Just look at the intricacy of John’s gospel.  Do you really think a simple, uneducated fisherman would have been able to write it?  Well… with God, nothing is impossible!

Don’t just take my word for it…

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” – Matthew 18:20 (ESV)

Break it down…

“Where two or three are gathered…” Very simple… just need one or two other believers with you…

“in My name…”  Gathered seeking God’s will, coming together in agreement with the Lord…

“There I am among them.”  Jesus is there.  His Spirit is present. 

Where two or three believers come together, Christ is there with them.

When you gather with one or two other believers to pray, and your focus is on the Lord and His will, Jesus is there in your midst.

It is here that we grow.

It is here we find strength and comraderie.

It is here we find strength in Christ.

A small group.

Gathered in His name.

And He is among them.

He is among you.

Ever present.

Omniscient.

All powerful.

The God of the Universe among you.

With you.

In agreement.

Let that marinate for a while.  How can this simple yet astounding fact impact your life, your walk, your ministry?

I think I’ve touched on this subject before.  I probably will again someday, forgetting that I wrote this today.

It occurs to me that, as human beings, we see nothing really.  Nothing but reflected light.  Right now, our dog is laying on the sofa between my wife and I .  I cannot see her – or the Indianapolis Colts blanket she is laying in, or my beautiful bride, or the sofa we are vegging on.  All I can see is the light reflected off all these things.  Take away or alter the light, and my eyes and brain cannot correctly perceive what I “see.”

Jesus said, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16, ESV). 

We all shine a light.  And we all perceive light around us.  However, there are a lot of environmental factors that can alter our perception of our lives and the situations that surround us.  Past experiences, present expectations, worries, doubts, fears, pain, illness, hard times, sins, temptations… all these things filter the light that shines on our lives and colors our view.

As believers in Christ, we need to let the light of God’s Word illuminate our circumstances.  We need to muster up the faith to close our eyes to the fears of the world and trust that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28, ESV).

You may not feel like this is the truth.  You may not be able to see it.  But remember… circumstances color perception.  When our faith is weak – when we can’t see hope – we need to cling to God’s promises.  Now… lest I stand accused of hypocrisy, understand that, due to my circumstances, I have to remind myself of the preeminence of God’s truth over my perceptions every day.  Several times a day.  And I need to have people in my life who will shine God’s light for me, brothers and sisters in Christ who remind me often that they love me and, more – most – importantly, God loves me.  And that isn’t just an abstract theological idea, but absolute truth.  I am humbly grateful for the people God has put in my life to shine His light upon me and help me perceive it correctly. 

And I pray that, through these words, I am able to shine God’s light and bring you hope as well.

I didn’t see it coming.  Just as I had started writing on a project called Shipwrecked, I did just that.

I never saw the lighthouse.

I didn’t see the reef.

I ran aground – hard.

I am now resting, regrouping and relearning. 

And rewriting.  Journaling, blogging… prayerfully and carefully and oh so slowly.

As I have shuffled through the past week, three words keep coming back to me: be here now.  It is a notion I will write more on later as well.  But for tonight, I want to keep it simple.  I want to keep it real.

I want to look at Jesus.

When I look at the example of Jesus, He kept His apostles riveted in on the here and now.  He made promises to assure them of the future, and provided forgiveness for the past.  But Jesus Christ lived in the moment, in the Father’s absolutely perfect timing.  That is where Christ lived.

That is where we need to live.

The past is gone – forgiven, buried and done.  The future is still to come, filled with great promise for believers of Jesus.  To live life stuck in past glories or past pain is to live a lie.  To live focused solely on our plans and dreams and wants is equally dishonest.

Consider today what God wants from you.  Each of us is where we are by the grace and sovereignty of a loving, all-knowing, all-powerful God Who exists outside of our limitations (time, space, etc…) 

Consider today the sovereignty of God.

Consider today how you can serve the Lord.

Consider today.  Forget what lies behind (Philippians 3:13).  Do not be anxious for tomorrow (Matthew 6:34).  Be here now.

Be here now.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” – Matthew 6:34 (ESV)

Back in 1999, when I was at a low point in my life and anxiety was my constant companion, Matthew 6 was where I turned most to find encouragement, strength and peace in God’s Word.  Even today, twelve years on, I find the promises of Jesus in this chapter to be particularly bold.  The concluding verse, to my mind, holds one of the main keys to finding peace in your life: today deal with today, and don’t worry about the future.

Anxiety is a subject I’ve written on so many times over the years that it can be challenging to find a fresh approach to the subject.  But I heard something today that, despite being so simple and obvious, rocked me a bit. While the subject of discussion was not anxiety, there was a principle laid out that, if applied to our thought / faith life, it could be just the cure for the cares of the world.

If you a worrier, simply removing anxiety is not the answer to the problem.  If you want peace, permanent calm will not come by merely trying to stop the anxious.  That can often be like trying to stop a raging flood with a 2”x4”.

Ask any chronic worrier and they will probably tell you that anxiety can be a vortex.  Worrisome thoughts begat more worrisome thoughts which bring on more anxiety and stress and the troubles just build and build and build until your mind is clogged with them.  Get rid of one anxious thought, there is another right behind to fill the void.

And we try to fill the void in any way we can to numb the pain.  We eat ourselves into oblivion, drink like a fish, smoke like a chimney, dumb down our minds with television… anything to take our minds off our troubles.  Yet what happens when we put down the bag of cookies or booze or cigarettes or remote control?  The anxious thoughts come back.  And we end up entertaining and mentally replaying our troubles over and over until the anxiety grows into worry.  We just keep focusing on the same defeatist cycle of troubles.

Instead of focusing on the problems, focus on The Solution.  Fill yourself with God’s Word.  Invest time in God – Scripture, prayer, serving others, gratitude, praise… focus on these things.  Get so hungry for the Lord that the junk this world has to offer can’t hold a candle to the great and satisfying goodness found in Jesus Christ. 

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” – Philippians 4:8-9 (ESV)

So today, I want to encourage you – from the heart of one who knows how painful anxiety is – to put a Godly perspective on your troubles.  Don’t be robbed of the joy of the Lord one moment longer.  Trust God.  Put your focus squarely on Jesus.  Fill the void with the good things of the Lord, steadfastly refusing to take on the worrisome thoughts and anxious considerations (and, yes, you may have to simply, strongly refuse to take on the worrisome thoughts).  “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” – Matthew 6:34 (KJV)

“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…” (Hebrews 3:8, 3:15, 4:7, quoting Psalm 95:7)

It is a simple yet forceful command, one with tragic consequences if ignored.  When you hear God speak, “do not harden your hearts.”  In other words, do not ignore God.  Listen.

Listen.

Do not just hear the words presents, listen.  Listen to the message being presented.  Heed the warning.  Follow the directions.  Trust in God and do as He says.

Why?  God sets things very straight forward in Scripture.  With God, life is seen in terms of darkness (sin and evil) and light (good, righteousness, God!).  There are no shades of gray.  Evil is evil, good is good.  And we are instructed to “abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good” (Romans 12:9, ESV). 

The world lives at odds with the ways of God.  We are constantly being bombarded with messages and temptations and avenues to sin.  I’m afraid my little boy is going to be pushed into puberty at an early age just seeing the magazine covers in the supermarket checkout.  Every time we turn on the TV, hop on the Internet, drive down the highway… opportunity to sin knocks. 

The problem with sin – one problem with sin – is that it diverts our attention away from God.  We think a little sin here or there is no big deal, but that thinking begins to accumulate in our thoughts until we find our spiritual engine isn’t running nearly as clean as it once did. 

You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view than mine, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. – Galatians 5:7-10 (ESV)

The drift away from the Lord can be subtle.  But, the very second we begin to put anything before God – even things we consider “good” – then the drift away has begun. 

Here is a little exercise that I think would benefit every believer, to help us stay on course.  We teach our son that, before crossing the street, he needs to stop, look and listen.  Before we take off in our lives, it would be wise if we did the same:

STOP: take a moment and consider where you’re going.  Ask the Lord, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalms 139:23-24, ESV).  If you think God doesn’t know, read Psalm 139.

LOOK: look around you.  How are you spending your life – your time, your talent, your treasure?  Where does your passion lie?  Where is God leading you?  Does what you think, what your believe, what you do and what God says all line up?  In short, what is important to you?

LISTEN: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”  And if you seek the Lord and ask Him, you will hear His voice.  “For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:8, ESV).

Today I want to encourage each of us to listen.  Listen to what God is saying. I mean really listen.  Listen by spending time in God’s Word.  Listen through prayer.  Listen for that still, small voice.  And follow God’s lead.  Trust me, He’s speaking.  Bluntly, sometimes we just need to shut up and listen. 

Yet another phrase I ought to have tattooed on my forearm: shut up and listen.

“Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” – 1 Peter 1:8-9 (ESV)

Joy is such a wonderful gift of God for those who believe in Jesus.  Regardless of circumstances, despite troubles and hardships, no matter what life throws at us, we can have joy.  We can be overwhelmed by joy, our hearts flooding over with cheerful, calm gladness, joy “inexpressible” – beyond words.

Why?  Because Jesus transcends circumstances.  Because…

“…we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.  For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”  (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, ESV)

You see, we face trials and troubles to strengthen our faith.  The Lord is greater that any problem, any illness, any disaster, any trial, any worry, anything.  And because He loves us so, we can rest in Him, wait patiently on Him, through any situation, with the full confidence that God is in control of the outcome, and His will is going to be done.

And His will is far better than anything we could ever do on our own.

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace” (Psalms 37:4-11, ESV).

Be filled with the joy of the Lord!

If you are facing difficult times, this psalm is for you.

If life is getting you down, this psalm is for you.

If you need some encouragement, this psalm is for you.

If you need a reminder of the great, immeasurable love of God, this psalm is for you.

If you need the promise of the Lord’s great might, this psalm is for you.

If you need courage to face the day ahead, this psalm is for you.

If you’re not sure which way to turn anymore, this psalm is for you.

If the road ahead seems bumpy and rough, this psalm is for you.

If you are hurting, this psalm is for you.

If someone you know is hurting, this psalm is for you.

If you are a human being, this psalm is for you.

Please take a moment, prayerfully consider sharing this psalm with someone who is hurting and in need of a boost of God’s Word.  Let them know God loves them, God cares, and God is there.  And so are you.

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

5  You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.

8 You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.

9 Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge —

10  no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent.

11  For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.

12 On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot. 1

4 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name.

15 When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.

16 With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

Psalms 91:1-16 (ESV)