Life’s Constant

Life is not static. Life is like a line, not a straight line, a roller coaster line with ups and downs. All events are like a coin having a head or a tail side. Every event in life is either a blessing or a burden, an upper or a downer. Personal reaction to an event has a lot to do with which it is.

Many of the blessings that come our way do not come as a reward for things done, but to prepare us for things to come.

Where are you now, at the top of the curve or the bottom? Regardless as to which, you will not likely camp there. As sure as change has happened it is certain to happen.

There seems to always be a guarantee in life that change will happen. Change is something we tend to fear and become anxious about because we do not feel in control of life. The good news is that God is still on His throne and remains constant, He never changes.

Of Jesus it is said, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”  Hebrews 13:8 He is our one constant in the good times and challenging times. The more you rely on Him the more He guides and blesses regardless of where you are on the scale.

Through Isaiah God said to His prophet, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland” Isaiah 43: 16. He does not say there will be no new things, no wildernesses, or wastelands. He does promise He will be there to guide us through them. We are not to camp there. He is in the process of making a way. He is like a refreshing stream to people in a wasteland. That is analogous to a difficult time.

To Joshua and through Him to his followers God in a very difficult time said, “ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” Joshua 1:9. Whether you are at the pinnacle or in the depth of a deep and dark valley He is with you, your constant. Scripture notes this reassuring virtue of God, “I the Lord do not change” Malachi 3:6.

As Joshua said to his people in a down time that appeared to be getting deeper: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” Deuteronomy 31:6.

In light of these realities will you not say, “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” Psalm 18: 2.

Keep Your Cool

A mother came home and was surprised to see her four children huddled around what she knew must have been something special. She was alarmed to see it was four baby skunks. Frantically she shouted, “Run children, get out of here, hurry, run.” Each child grabbed a baby skunk and ran.

Like that mother we often make things worse than they were by being alarmed and over reacting.

Composure shows when a person bears with composure one heavy load after another, not because he does not feel them, but because he has a Spirit controlled temperament.

A rubber band is made for only one purpose. That purpose is to be stretched so it can hold something together. If it is not stretched, it is not fulfilling its purpose. Christians are much like the rubber band, we are often stretched. Those moments when stretched out of our comfort zone afford the opportunity to show that though we are stretched we are fulfilling our purpose. It is to hold things together. If we lose our composure we make things worse than they were.

Hudson Taylor, founder of China Inland Mission, used to hang in his home a plaque with two Hebrew words on it: EBENEZER & JEHOVAH JIREH. The first word means “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us”and the second, “The Lord will see to it or provide.” Knowing that enables a person to be patient and evidence composure.

Jesus is our exemplar of composure. It is said of Him, “who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously…” (I Peter 2: 23). Meaning, He did not lose His cool, He remained composed.

He was accused of being a seditious man; spoken of as a deceiver; charged with being in league with Beelzebub, the “prince of the devils,” and condemned as a blasphemer against God. And He remained composed.

He used no harsh language. He showed no anger. He called for no revenge. He prayed that they might be forgiven. He calmly stood and bore it all, for he came to endure all kinds of suffering in order that he might set an example, and make an atonement for our sins.

Though He could have inflicted any kind of punishment on his persecutors, yet to give us, in this respect also, an example that we should follow his steps, He committed his cause to Him who is the righteous Judge. To avoid evil tempers, and the uneasiness and danger of avenging ourselves, it is a great advantage in all such cases to commit ourselves to the Lord. This stimulates confidence and composure. To lose your composure is to lose your cause – – – and your witness.

What causes Jesus suffering at times more than the cruelty of His persecutors must be the failure of His followers to follow His example. It was our sins for which He died. Is it too much to expect of us to live for Him?

Old Age

Ninety-two years have lapsed since the year of my birth. There is not a person alive who can attest to that, but I know I was because here I am. I knew I was getting older, but I had no idea it would happen so fast.

For years I have dreamed of getting more mature, not realizing it comes from the passage of time.

As a youth I questioned whether I would live long enough to see the year 2000. Now that is so far past I barely remember that millennial night when folks sat up all night with their shotgun across their lap to protect their bottle water.

I am physically blessed for my age except for a few hitches in my giddy-up. I am not going to complain about those. A few years ago one of our sons-in-law, who is a physician, showed me a medical book over an inch thick listing most of the possible human ailments. Rather than complain about the few I have, I thank the Lord for the many I don’t have. It’s a wonderful life.

As many of our faculties decline our faith has the greater opportunity of growing stronger and enriching our life. Job properly noted, “With long life is understanding.” He further declared “… increased years should teach wisdom.”

Years wrinkle our bodies, but only to stop dreaming, imagining, hoping, and aspiring wrinkles the soul. The belief that youth is the happiest time of life is founded on a fallacy. We grow happier by giving ourselves to something bigger than ourselves. I did and still do. The happiest people are those who think the most uplifting thoughts.

Two varied sources of wisdom deserve to be heard on aging. The wise old baseball pitcher Satchel Paige asked, “How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you was?” Well?

Abraham Lincoln reputedly said, “You are as old as your fears, and as young as your faith.”

Getting old is a blessing, not everyone gets to so why complain about being blessed. There really is a fountain of youth. Spain’s Ponce De Leon popularized the idea of a magic spring to be found somewhere in the New World. He was looking in the wrong place. It is within each of us. It is refreshed by the people we love, the talent we share, the giving of ourselves to the advantage of others. Drink deeply of it.

Being weighed down by “stuff” robs one of contentment. The most fulfilled person is the one preoccupied with laying up treasure “where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

The Jewish Torah shares this wisdom, “Spiritual aging causes one to become stagnant, and evaporates vitality and pleasure. It causes withering ….” To avoid such stagnation I want to perpetually keep seeking wisdom and knowledge. To do this I must “Study to show myself approved unto God … rightly dividing the Word of God” II Timothy 2:15.

When the time comes, as it surely will, that I draw my last breath may it be said of me as it was of Abraham, “Abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life…” Genesis 25: 8.

Talk About It

Do you know how to converse? It is absolutely amazing how many people don’t. A tennis match illustrates a basic technique. If the ball is hit to you the object in keeping the game going is to hit it back, to return it.

The same is true in conversation, you return the talking point.

If you know how to ask questions you can keep a conversation moving. By doing so the person with whom you are talking will consider you a brilliant conversationalist. Asking who, what, when, where, why are conversational life preservers. Simple and to the point is the best way to get your point across.

Listening is another vital part of conversation. If while listening to a person’s comment or story you are thinking all the while of a similar personal experience with which to respond and by using it you are aborting your friend’s story. If instead of asking a follow up question you respond with a remark such as, “I know a person who had a similar experience,” or “My daddy he ….,” you are showing a lack of interest in the story being told to you. Doing so shows disrespect. Perhaps you never thought of it in that way, but you need to.

Stories are great, but don’t be a conversational narcissist—make sure you do equal talking and listening by asking for their stories as well. The most important rule for being a good conversationalist is to learn to listen.

One of the biggest mistakes in conversing is going into too many details. Never say, “Long story short.” They rarely are. Instead just keep it short. Give the other person time to participate without boring them with too many details.

Don’t say anything unless you have something to say. Babble is boring. The problem is many people think their babble is interesting to everyone. It isn’t. The listener often gets lost in the details and becomes disinterested. Keep it short and significant. Constantly talking isn’t necessary communication.

Evaluate as to whether the story you are about to tell will be of interest to your companion or if it only interesting to you, and serves as a sort of a tribute to an unrelated person, but it is not really relevant.

Scripture has a lot to say about conversation that is worthy of attention.

“Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear” Ephesians 4: 29.

“Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person” Colossians 4: 6.

“He who restrains his words has knowledge, And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding” Proverbs 17: 27.

The most important communication you can have is with the Lord. When you pray, remember which one of you is God.

How to Be Angry Without Sinning – Part Six

Ephesians 4: 26, 27

At the end of the chapter containing our text is specific instruction for dealing with anger (Vss. 31).  Notice – – – “rage and anger” 

“Rage” translates the Greek word THUMOS which refers to an inward feeling. It literally means to “get hot.”

“Anger” translates the Greek ORGE and signifies an actively expressed emotion.  If “rage” means to get hot, anger” means to boil over.

Next, three improper ways in which anger is expressed are noted. “Brawling” or “clamor” is one. It means screaming and crying. Don’t do it.  If you start – – – stop.

This can turn into “slander”  or “evil speaking” where we defame someone.

Character assignation then turns into “malice” which is a desire to injure a person.

Let all of these traits be put aside for Christ’s sake.

Consecrate yourself to the Lord and those things right in His sight.   

This has two facets. They are: “don’t give place to the devil” for when you do you “grieve the Holy Spirit.”

If you are having trouble with any of the emotions listed in verses 31 and 32 there is a way of victory. It consists of forgiving the person with whom you are angry out of appreciation for Christ having forgiven you.

If Christ, who is absolutely holy, can forgive us with all of our guilt, surely we can show our appreciation by forgiving a peer.

This series of posts has dealt with anger. Hopefully they have been helpful. If the principals from Scripture are applied you now have more tools to use in controlling your anger.

Remember, “For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

You are responsible for controlling your temper with the help of the Holy Spirit. Don’t expect Him to do it for you. Don’t attempt to do it without His help.

Controlling your anger is an initial act that results in a lifestyle. The challenge will always be there. So will the God given ability.

“This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God” James 1: 19, 20.

Observe this theme from Ephesians 5:1. The Phillips Translation reads: “As children copy their fathers, you, as God’s children, copy Him.”