GOD'S STRANGE CHOICE

"God chose the weak things of the world to shame the wise."  1 Corinthians 1:27

Has someone told you that you are are not qualified?  If so, read on:

"Dear Paul the Apostle: We received your application for service under our missions board.  Frankly we are amazed you have been able to pass a missionary.  Here is why:

1. We are told that you are afflicted with eye trouble.  We require 20/20 vision.
2. We hear that you have to make tents on the side to support yourself.  How come?
3. Is it true that you have a prison record?  Think how this would reflect on our organization.
4. It is reported from Ephesus that you made so much trouble for the local business community there, that they refer to you as the man who "turned the world upside down."  We deplore sensationalism in ministry.
5. You refer to yourself as "Paul, the aged."  Our new pension policies do not anticipate a surplus of elderly recipients.
6. Doctor Luke, the Physician, reports that you are a frail little man, frequently sick, and always so agitated over your churches that you sleep very poorly.  He indicates that you pad around the house praying half the night.  Our ideal applicant has a clear mind and a robust body.  We believe that a good night's sleep will give you zest and zip so that you will wake up full of zing.

So, we regret to inform you, Brother Paul, that in all our experience we have never met a candidate so opposite to the requirements of our board.  If we should accept you we would be breaking every principle of current missionary practice.

Signed, Most surely,

J. Flavius Fluffyhead

Secretary

Foreign Missions Board."

RUN TO WIN

"Run in such a way that you may win." 1 Corinthians 9:24

Paul writes, "Run in such a way that you may win."  The Isthmian Games to which Paul referred were open to everyone.  Obviously the object of running any race is to win!  But it is not just a matter of putting on your Nike's, wearing the outfit and enjoying the scenery: "Run in such a way that you may win."  So, what is the secret to winning?  "Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things." [1 Corinthians 9:25].  Athletes who run to win, exercise restraint over their impulses, emotions and desires.  They watch their diet, get sufficient sleep and train their bodies in just the right way.  They are doing things that could limit their performance on the track.  They measure the consequences of every indulgence according to whether it will help or hinder them.  Paul says that those who ran in the Isthmian Games did so to win "a perishable wreath."  Actually, the victors wee treated with royalty.  Often their debts were cancelled and they were allowed to live tax free for the rest of their lives.  In some cases they were given a life time supply of food so that they could rest on their laurels.  So Paul points out that, as valuable as that leafy crown was, it cannot compare to the eternal rewards for which we strive.  In other words, run with eternity in view.  Obedience to God, even in details, enhances your heavenly reward.  At the end of a life of deep commitment and detailed obedience, Paul could say, "There is laid up for me a crown."  So, live each moment with that crown in view!

GET RID OF THOSE OLD CLOTHES!

"Put off your old self...put on the new self." Ephesians 4:22 - 24

When you entertain thoughts in the privacy of your own mind you may be tempted to excuse yourself by saying, "What harm will it do?"  What harm?  More than you know!  Ultimately you become whatever you dwell on.  Paul writes, "Take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ" [2 Corinthians 10:5].  Take control of your thoughts or they will take you places you do not want to go.

Again Paul writes, "Put off your old self...put on the new self."  Now you may not want to admit that you are still wearing some of those old clothes.  But the truth is, you cannot put on the new man till you first take off the old one.  Furthermore, you cannot hang those old clothes in the closet for a rainy day, or leave them on the floor to be tripped over.  You have to get rid of them!

Read these words carefully: "Stop telling lies...tell your neighbors the truth...Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.  If you are a thief, quit stealing...use your hands for good hard work...give generously to others in need.  Do not use foul or abusive language.  Let everything you say be...helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them" [Ephesians 4:25 - 29].  Because God's Spirit lives within you, you do not have to:

• lie in order to advance your position;
• cheat to be prosperous;
• deceive to achieve;
• use your anger and your moods to control others;
• engage in foul talk.

Those are old clothes - get rid of them!

COMMIT YOURSELF TO GROWTH!

"Let the wise listen and add to their learning." Proverbs 1:5

Here are 3 reasons why growth should matter to you:

• Gifting without growth produces ineffectiveness.  Albert Schweitzer said, "The secret of success is to go through life as a person who never gets used up."  But how do you do that?  The answer lies in how you approach talent.  If you draw on your talent but never sharpen it, you are headed for trouble because nobody is that talented.  But if you take the time to sharpen your axe, God can call on you at a moment's notice.
• Growth prevents stagnation.  Do you feel stuck spiritually, relational, career wise, or at home?  You won't get unstuck by making external changes, looking for a different job, leaving your family or changing churches.  The truth is, nobody's keeping you down but yourself.  The lid on your life - is you!  In order to do more, you have got to grow more.  So, if you are serious about getting unstuck, stop looking for quick fixes, take a long hard look at yourself, accept responsibility for what you see, pray, then commit yourself to doing something about it.
• Continuous improvement guarantees success!  The Tartar tribes of central Asia used to pronounce a certain curse over their enemies.  They did not hurl words calling for their enemy's swords to rust or their people to die of disease.  No, they said, "May you stay in one place forever."  If you do not work on improving yourself everyday that could be your fate.  You will be stuck in the same place, doing the same things, hoping the same hopes, but never gaining new ground or developing spiritually. So, commit yourself to growth!

CALLED TO A HIGHER STANDARD

"From the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." Luke 12:48

Christians can be some of the most sour and selective people on earth.  Many times we feel obligated to show our faith by criticizing people with whom we work rather than loving them and seeking a chance to say something encouraging.  We ruin our testimony because others know that while we talk about Christ, we do not act Christ-like.  Often our testimony suffers because of our poor work ethic, long breaks, reading the Bible on company time, talking on the phone for hours with our friends, etc.  But the worst thing is, we alienate ourselves as an elite group and leave others feeling "less than."  Not Jesus!  He rubbed elbows withe everybody.  He was adept at reaching out to those society looked down upon - the prostitutes, the tax collectors, the lepers.  We like to put people into two boxes: the ones we like and the ones we do not.  Jesus said, "From the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."  Hello, you have been called to a higher standard; one that requires exercising wisdom, humility, and grace in the midst of tension.  When King Saul threw javelins at David, he ducked and kept on serving.  While he was innocent of any wrongdoing, David handled the situation without becoming "defensive".  If your fellow workers do not go to church the only chance they of seeing the fruits of the Spirit in operation, is in your life.  By responding with patience, love and professionalism you will make a lasting impact on them - one that could attract them to the Christ you claim to serve.

FAMILY MATTERS [PART 2]

Do not involve your children in your marital disputes.  Solomon warned, "Anger rests in the bosom of fools" [Ecc 7:9].  Your children are easy target for your misdirected rage.  Even when your emotional outbursts are not aimed toward them, they still suffer the effects.  For example, your boss reprimands you at work, and because you cannot retaliate you come home like a bear with a headache and make everybody walk on eggshells.  Even if that is what you experienced growing up - you are not a child anymore.  Lower the decibel level!  Do not let your anger run amok.  David prayed, "Watch over...my lips.  Let not my heart be drawn to...evil" [Ps 141:3 - 4].  And James says, "Submit...to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" [Jas 4:7].  That is the only way you will ever change the steps in your family dance.

"Do not sin by letting anger control you."  Ephesians 4:26

God does not deny us the right to our emotions, but He does hold us accountable for how we handle them.  For example, it is never okay to abuse those He has entrusted to your care.  Paul said, "Do not sin by letting anger control you...anger gives a foothold to the devil."  Satan would like nothing better than to gain an entry point into your home, then turn it into a living hell.  And every time you fly into a rage you lose ground to him.  Hot words do not result in cool judgement.  Solomon said, "A hot temper shows great foolishness" [Pro 14:29].  The key to managing your anger is in finding ways to express it so it does not end up in an explosion.  It is okay to share your feelings, but you must do it the right way.  Ultimately the issue is not about who is right or wrong, [or who can yell the loudest], it is about finding the answer that is best for everyone.

Nobody can be everything you want them to be, all the time.  It is impossible to have a long-term, loving relationship without learning to accept human weakness.  So instead of dwelling on one another's shortcomings, focus on your collective strength as a family.  Clinical Psychologist Dr. Paul Pearsall says, "Most of us would give our lives for a family member.  Yet too often we live our daily life as if we take out families for granted."  Learn to control your temper; your family is worth it.  After all, who else loves you regardless of what you do?  And where else can you find the comfort that comes from such a support system?

FAMILY MATTERS [PART 1]

“Keep the unity of the Spirit.”  Ephesians 4:2 – 3

When it is easier to talk to outsiders than it is to your family, something is wrong.  Your family should be a support system – a safety net to catch you when you fall.  We like to envision “family” as a hardworking father, a stay-at-home mother, 2 children and a house.  But for many people family means money problems, troubled children and warring spouses.  That is why Paul writes: “Walk…with…longsuffering, bearing with one another in love…keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”  It takes a big dose of grace to make it all work!  So start praying for your children, instead of just setting boundaries that create distance between you when you do not see eye to eye.  You will not always agree, but you must learn to respect each other.  When God said, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it” Proverbs 22:6, He did not say what qualifies as “old,” or when your investment would start paying off.  Every family has its ups and downs.  And every family tree produces a few nuts!  In fact, sometimes the best part is underground!  But if you bail out when things get tough you will miss the rewards you would have gotten by hanging on.  Often the child that blesses you most is the one, who did not reflect your views, married someone you did not like, and does not invite you over to dinner!  In the long run none of that matters because your family is a life-long investment.  What is important is to love and support one another unconditionally right now.

“Bearing with one another in love….”  Ephesians 4:2 – 3

Nearing the end of his life when he should have been preparing to bless his sons, Simeon and Levi, Jacob told them: “I…curse…you because of your…anger” Gen 49:7.  But their behavior should have been no surprise; after all, the apple never falls far from the tree!  The fact is, Jacob had already shaped them by his example when he deceived his father [see Genesis 27] and his father-in-law [see Genesis 30], and his mother facilitated the deception.  Behavioral patterns are passed from generation to generation, and “a house divided against itself will fall” [Luke 11:17].  Mother, father, your actions and attitudes will either bless or blight your children.  So “Teach [them]…the right path” Proverbs 22:6.  Otherwise they will inherit more than just your eye color; they end up with your emotional disposition and volatility!