Running from the Darkened Room

A little boy cries out to his mother, “Mommy, I’m scared. Can you please turn the light on? I think there’s a monster under my bed.”

Why do so many children, and even some teenagers, find themselves terrified of the dark?

Simply put, they fear the unknown. In a dark room with eerie sounds and whispering winds, the imagination runs wild. Before long, life-sucking ghouls and slithering anacondas have overtaken the closet.

Have we ever stopped to think that perhaps we dream up issues for ourselves? Sure, each individual faces obstacles, but what about the imagined ones?

For instance, take a typical teenage girl. She wakes up, rides to school, and sits down in the cafeteria. On this particular morning, she takes special care to dress nicely for her English presentation. As she nervously awaits the bell, a peer turns to her and mocks, “Where’d you get that skirt—the dumpster? It looks like it came straight off the back of a homeless woman.”

At this point, this girl has two options. She can continue on with her life free of offense, or she can harbor bitterness and hurt over a flippant comment. Too many times, we pick option two. To make matters worse, we add to the problem with our thoughts:

What exactly did she mean by that? Does she think things like this every day? What if she’s been spreading rumors about me this whole time? I bet she hates my guts. Man, I’m such an outcast. I’m not worth anything. I should just give up on life.

The curiosity of not know the meaning behind this insult drives the girl crazy. Before long, the girl’s list of “what ifs” and “buts” finishes the unknown parts of the story.

As Christians, this assumption leads us to major trouble because we start to behave as if these assumptions were perfectly true. Most of the time, our over-analysis takes our thoughts to irrational levels.

In 2 Corinthians 10:5, Paul tells us to “ [cast] down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (NKJV).

So, we need to make sure that all of our thoughts line up with Christ. Christ says,
“'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,'” says the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8, NKJV).

Not easy. Trust me, I know from experience, but the effort and difficulty of striving toward Christ always outweighs the consequences of living a life without Him.

There’s no doubt that God will help us, but we need to take the first step and desire to take control of our thought life. Until we recognize the problem, the ghouls and anacondas will dictate our every action.

Feelin' the Love

It’s that time of year again: Love-struck teenagers post romantic pictures on Facebook of Valentine’s Day dates and gifts as others post sad statuses of dateless singleness. How is it that one day can bring such differing emotions?

Every person lives a different life with a different background. As a result, this “day of love” brings to the surface many reactions to the past.

To those in relationships:

Most likely, you look forward to February 14, the day when you will express your attraction for your significant other. While this day can strengthen your relationship, remember a few things as you move forward together:

Emotions catch us off guard. Whether a result of sweet words, or kind gestures, we often interpret romanticism as love, only to find out that unity begins to wither away after the romance ends. Keep in mind that only God can satisfy your deepest desires. You can seek acceptance in you partner consistently, but until you find identity and approval in Christ, your relationship will not last; God is the foundation on which relationships must be built.

With that in mind, you must purposefully position several safe-guards in your relationship in order to avoid fatal mistakes. Know your weaknesses and the areas in which you and your significant other face temptation. Specifically avoid these areas. Feelings can overwhelm you with a false sense of passion, leading you to give in to the fleshly desires of a life devoid of self-control.

Go forth in prayer as you celebrate this Valentine’s Day.

To the lonely single:

Cheer up! Do you realize that your loneliness provides the perfect opportunity to draw closer to Jesus? He created you specifically for a purpose, but many of you do not recognize or understand your God-given identity. Adding a boyfriend or girlfriend to the situation simply complicates this process, as lonely people usually look to their partner for approval.

God desires that “all [your] fountains are in [Him]” (Psalms 87:7, NIV). Basically, this means that you only rely on God for fulfillment and satisfaction. Only when you reach this point can God trust you with a relationship. Otherwise, you will encounter prickly situations with a significant other; your spiritual brokenness would hinder relational wholeness.

Don’t fret. God will bring “the one” into your life when He sees fit. Until then (and even after), give your worries up to Christ. He sees you and hears your cries of loneliness.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6, NKJV).

To the sexually abused:

My heart goes out to you. How hard it must be to endure a celebration of love after others have distorted love’s true meaning for you. Know that God cries your every tear. He sees your pain and assumes it as His own. (Psalms 56:8). He did not cause your abuse and hopes that you will accept Him for Who He is:

He will not leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). He will not manipulate you to satisfy His own desires. He will not flee when times turn rough. God is the true Love that holds you when you cry and comforts you in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Trusting His Word may prove difficult, but slowly, God will help you overcome the pain that others have caused.

With every magazine article, Facebook post and television commercial flaunting the love that has betrayed you, remember that only God can hold you up with an everlasting sincerity (Ephesians 3:16-21). Seek out help as you give your life to Christ. I am praying that you will reach safety from the evils that surround you. Do not fear: God will pull you through.

To the happily single:

Having chosen my singleness, I have not forgotten you! Congrats on your commitment to Christ. I know the frustrated feeling of reading yet another magazine article focused on soothing V-day loneliness all too well. Think of this Valentine’s Day as the perfect opportunity for you and Jesus to express your love for each other. After all, He is our Lover, right?

May you and Jesus experience overwhelming closeness as you celebrate the life-long commitment you have made to our eternal Savior and Lord.

Regardless of person or background, God provides this Valentine’s Day with a purpose. Go forth and seek His purposes out as others forget the true Love this love-filled season.

The Letters of an Old Friend

It’s a wonderful thing to hear from a long-lost friend. Whether that is a rebellious loved one or a childhood comrade that moved miles away, unexpected contact never fails to warm one’s heart.

Many of you have lived your life in denial that God loves you, convincing yourself that you are without need of a Savior. A lot of you grew up learning of God’s ways and hearing His truths. I’m here to tell you that no matter how far you stray, God is there. No matter how long you ignore Him, He still loves you.

You can do nothing to separate yourself from the Love of Christ, nothing to extinguish His passion for you (Romans 8:38-39). It doesn’t matter what kind of person you think you are: drug addict, homosexual, pimp or average joe. God is waiting for you to call on His name for help.

You see, you are the long-lost friend. God created you with a purpose, and that purpose has not been forgotten. Don’t think that by straying from Him you have lost the hope of a future with Christ. He has not forgotten you, nor will He ever.

But He is pained.

By rebelling against God, you have caused Him heartache. He loves you so much that your refusal to talk has caused Him grief. The One that created the earth and everything in it wants to have a personal relationship with you. Forget about your unworthiness, for God makes even the lowliest worthy in His sight (Colossians 1:19-22).

Run to Him, and He will answer.

Life-Changing News

When someone has exciting news, he or she usually shares it with everyone willing to listen.

“You’ll never guess what happened. I earned an A on my history exam! That’s worth 20 percent of my grade!”

Or how about this one:

“My mom and dad gave me a laptop for Christmas! I cannot believe it!”

Why does he or she feel the need to relay this news so frequently? Because the object of excitement had an impact on his or her life. Better grades mean less punishment from parents and an increased sense of accomplishment. A new laptop means an outlet for schoolwork and ease of Internet usage.

We have exciting news--news that can change the world. As Christians, we understand the fullness of a life with Christ. God fills this life with faithfulness and a peace that surpasses all of our human comprehension. This salvation has the potential to impact the world around us.

Remember the broken members of your family? What about those friends who live in darkness and despair? They deserve to know what we know. The question is: Why don’t we share Jesus with others as excitedly as we relay news of our personal successes?

The Christmas season tells of a baby boy born of a virgin. The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and proclaimed,"And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:31-33, NKJV).

What a gift! It may surprise us to know how many of our friends, family and peers do not know the meaning of Christmas and have never received the gift of salvation. This Christmas, let’s begin to share the news of the baby which brought hope to the hopeless and life to the dead.

Merry Christmas!

A Thanksgiving Curve Ball

On the way home from a Sunday night church service, my friends introduced me to four other passengers:

“I know this is a terrible introduction,” one confessed, “but her mom is awesome.”

I replied with agreement; she is amazing. Unexpectedly, Heidi, the black-haired girl sitting next to me, voiced a strong statement:

“At least you have a mom. Some of us have never had a mom, and some of our moms died,” she stated.

“Yes, and I am very grateful to have her,” I replied.

Wow. God sure threw me a curve ball. Using a stranger, He bluntly reminded me of His blessings. Living with a Godly mother shapes my spiritual maturity and wisdom, but others do not have this privilege.

Unfortunately, we often allow such things as tiffs and arguments to blind us from reality--especially during holidays. Whenever family gathers, someone usually ends up disagreeing with another.

Why is it that the one day meant for reunion often brings about discord?

In Colossians 3:15, Paul wrote, "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful” (NKJV). While this verse seems like nothing extraordinary, a trip into the rich Greek roots reveals a powerful message.

The word peace has several meanings: A state of national tranquility; exemption from the rage and havoc of war; peace between individuals, i.e.-harmony, concord; security, safety, prosperity, felicity (because peace and harmony make and keep things safe and prosperous); of the Messiah’s peace, among others.

These roots reveal an interesting concept: when we lay aside our offenses, we will safely live in harmony with others. With this harmony, we will prosper. Discord causes rifts; concord brings reunion. Until we accept a “state of…tranquility,” we will never be thankful for our families, and thus the arguments will continue.

God also deserves our attention. In Psalms 100:4, the psalmists writes, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, [And] into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, [and] bless His name” (NKJV).

What is thanksgiving? According to the Hebrew root, towdah, thanksgiving is: Confession, praise, thanksgiving; thank-offering, sacrifice of thanksgiving; confession, among others.

When we come to praise God, our offenses hinder our relationship with Him. In order to draw closer to Him, we must confess--confess that perhaps these arguments were selfish and ungodly, that perhaps they hurt others, that perhaps we were wrong all along. At this point, we admit our inability to handle our own lives, and we give God the reigns. We then praise Him for His ability to reign justly and live in a consistent attitude of thanksgiving towards our Heavenly Father. As a result, our wounds heal and we draw closer to God.

That’s what Thanksgiving is all about.

As you gather with friends and family, remember the truth of God’s blessings as you release your offenses with thanks.

Greek root word definitions taken from blueletterbible.org.

Baby Steps Towards Jesus

Upon awakening her 2-year-old son, Spencer, Marisa Aud was shocked to find him trembling and ill. Not knowing what to do, she held him in her arms as he asked to go outside. Complying to his request, she took her son to sit on the back porch, and they sat peacefully overlooking a forest of trees as wind fluttered through the leafy branches.

“Mamma, the trees are clapping! The trees are clapping!” declared Spencer.

Overcome with astonishment, Marisa marveled at the significance of her son’s words. Her 2-year-old had overstepped his vocabulary boundaries and proclaimed the glory of God in the exact words of Isaiah in chapter 55: “For you shall go out with joy, [a]nd be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills [s]hall break forth into singing before you, [a]nd all the trees of the field shall clap [their] hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, [a]nd instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; And it shall be to the LORD for a name, [f]or an everlasting sign [that] shall not be cut off” (12-13, NKJV).

One may ask how a child this young could recognize God in the intricate parts of life, but the answer is easy. God speaks to children as surely as he speaks to teenagers and adults. In fact, He values the innocence of a childlike attitude. In Matthew 18:3, He reveals that “unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (NKJV).

Obviously, children offer important insight into intimacy with Christ, but what?

Children trust their parents; they know that when they hunger, their parents will feed them. Because of this, they do not hesitate to ask for their desires. Oftentimes, they take this to an extreme, begging for toys in the grocery store, or bugging their parents for a certain type of cereal.

Of course, God does not want us to whine, but He has given us the power to vocalize our needs and wants. Children continue to beg, over and over again. This persistence directly translates into our spiritual lives.

As a child, I prayed to God every night that certain unsaved members of my family would come to know salvation. Even when no change appeared, I continued to petition on behalf of those loved ones. Recently, I realized that I no longer pray consistently for them. No wonder they still do not know God!

God desires that we would come before him as a child: open, innocent and trusting to His ways, and when we persist in prayer, He will turn His ear to us, just as unto a child.

“But Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven’” (Matthew 19:14, NKJV).

Got Guts?

We all know how it goes. While hanging out with our peers, someone turns on an offensive movie.

“You don’t mind, do you?” they ask.

Suddenly, we’re faced with a choice: Lie and look cool, or stand up for our faith. Sadly, many times the outcome ends uncomfortably, with us trying our best not to listen to or watch what appears on the screen. I’ve been there. We tell ourselves that if we protest, we’ll ruin the night.

Everybody knows that the others do not understand our standards. Besides, they probably do not own media we approve of.

Right?

Maybe. But behind the surface of temptation lies an entire world of influence that we rarely tap into. In my freshman year of high school, I sat in a Spanish II class listening to my classmates talk about sex and relationships. Deciding to voice my opinion, I shared my heart on the issue, explaining how God’s way is always the best way when it comes to love.

Surprisingly for me, many of the kids had never heard my approach to the subject. Pretty soon, the entire class listened as I explained the benefits of physical and emotional abstinence. Every type of student filled that room. Before I knew what happened, their common desire for truth brought them together.

My teacher later told me of an encounter with the student that asked the most questions during our discussion. He told her that he really respected my views, even if he did not completely agree.

God calls us to be bold, yet gentle. We live like Jesus through our actions, and when the time comes, we confirm Him through our words. While courage may intimidate us, we will find that unwavering faith speaks to our unbelieving friends. They see our lifestyle first, and when our words boldly support our actions, they take notice. No, they may not change immediately, but our constancy draws them. With prayer, God will bring them to realize the truth. By speaking up and living out God’s love, hearts will be changed.

"It's news I'm most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God's powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else! God's way of putting people right shows up in the acts of faith, confirming what Scripture has said all along: 'The person in right standing before God by trusting him really lives'" Romans 1:16 (The Message).