Give Thanks

by Andrew Cromwell

During this season it is traditional to give thanks. A popular activity on Facebook this month is to post “what I am thankful for” each day. The holiday serves as a wonderful reminder to us that we need to live with an outward focus rather than an inward focus.

In order to give thanks, we must first recognize that there is someone apart from us that has given us something. This recognition is actually bigger than it may sound at first because far too often we live our lives as if we are the only one in the universe. I suppose in a sick, twisted kind of way, just the reverse is also true for some people — they see themselves at the center of the universe and so they are unsurprised (and not particularly grateful) when things come their way. 

Perhaps more importantly, in order to be truly thankful we must recognize that we have a need — that we are missing something. It is not that you can’t be grateful for something you don’t need (like that special Christmas sweater from grandma), but there is a whole other level of thankfulness when we receive a gift that truly meets a need (like the gift of help when we just won’t be able to finish that project all on our own).

Scripture says that every good gift comes down from the Father of lights (James 1:17). In other words, God is the origin and cause of every good thing in the universe. Without him, we could not have good things to begin with. He was the One who gave the first gift and made it possible to give every other gift. So when we give thanks this season, we should remember who is the true source of every good gift.

When we give thanks to our Father in heaven, our thanksgiving is deeper and more meaningful. Psalms 136 says, “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love endures forever.” As we move away from Thanksgiving and into the Christmas season, let’s decide not to leave the spirit of thanks behind. Instead, live with a spirit of thanksgiving each and every day, recognizing the One and true source of all good things in our life.

Back to the Future

by Tim Howard

Back in 1996 a television program aired called – ‘Early Edition.’ The main character would somehow receive a Newspaper – delivered to his house that would give him tomorrow’s news.

What would you do if you had an inside track on tomorrow’s news?

If you were a gambler you might be tempted to bet on a few football games and make a killing or possibly you would use the information to help someone in trouble. Whether it is for selfish gain or selfless benevolence, that knowledge would be used!

Everyone has a desire to know some things about the future.

Will my newborn be a girl or a boy? I want to plan ahead. Back in my day, you didn’t have that ability. You had to wait till delivery day. Would you want to know the specific day you will die, whom you will marry or whether or not a business opportunity will succeed? The list of things could be endless.

Everyone has a reaction to the future. In Luke 2, Mary became afraid when she was told about her future. In John 21, Peter didn’t’ like what Jesus revealed and wanted to change it. Gideon had a lot of questions and doubts and I’m sure the future causes you to experience a variety of responses and reactions.

Many in our culture seem obsessed with the future. They peer into crystal balls, read tea leaves, research horoscopes or go to someone who claims to be gifted with the ability to see the future.

Solomon, however, says: “Since no man knows the future, who can tell him what is to come?" Ecclesiastes 8:7, The only correct answer is God! If you want to know about the future, you have to go back to God’s Word.

Here are 3 things God says you should not do in regards to your future:

1.  "Don’t presume about tomorrow!

James 4:13-14 “Now listen, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen.”

2.  "Don’t panic about tomorrow!

" Jesus says: "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself" (Matt 6:34). Even though things are beyond your control, they are not out of His control.

3 "Don’t procrastinate until tomorrow."

Solomon said: "If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done." You haven’t been guaranteed tomorrow – only today. I read this poem last week: "Procrastination is my sin. It only brings me sorrow. I know I ought to change my life. And I will – tomorrow”.

Here are 3 things God says you should do in regards to your future:

1.  Stay close to God. He’s the only one who knows the future and the only one who can lead you to victory.

2. Get ready for the future by obeying God. He will use your obedience as His pen to write your future – Your future hasn’t been written yet.

3. Trust God and step out in faith. Prov. 3:5-7  “Trust GOD from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for GOD’S voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all.

Run to GOD! Run from evil! This will give you a bright future…

Do I need to be afraid of what’s ahead? Not if I know God and go back to His Word and discover His future for me!

Failing Forward

by Andrew Cromwell

Proverbs says, “The godly may trip 7 times, but they will get up again.” When it comes to failure, the difference between the godly and the wicked are that the godly keep getting back up and pressing on.
Have you ever failed? Failed to keep a promise? Failed to follow through? Maybe you had a business venture fail. Or you had a marriage fail. We have all experienced failure at some level. Some failures threaten to be life shattering and we wonder if we will ever be able to recover.

When we fail, our tendency is generally either to look for someone to blame or to run and hide. We like to play the blame game because it makes us feel better about ourselves. If we can blame someone or something else, then we don’t have to take an honest look at the role we played in the failure. If we run and hide, it is because we don’t want to be hurt again and so we stop taking chances.

Both responses are just wrong. When we choose to blame or run, we simply steal our opportunity to grow through the failure. The attitude we want is the one Thomas Edison had, when at the age of 67 nearly his entire workshop was destroyed in a fire. He said, "There is value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Now we can start anew."

The next time you face failure, let me suggest three strategies that will help you fall forward rather than stumble backward.

First, ask yourself, “What do I know?” You need to know that failure is not final. You need to know that God wants to work in your failure, if you will only invite Him into it. He is not surprised by our failure even when we are. And He always offers us grace and help in the midst of our brokenness. You need to know that Jesus is in your corner -- are you in His?

Second, ask yourself, “How can I grow?” There is always an opportunity for growth in every difficult experience. C.S. Lewis said, “Failures are sign posts on the road to achievement.” No great man or woman accomplished anything without also experiencing great failure. The key is to learn and grow through it. What must change in our character, our behavior, our beliefs and our motives?

Third, ask yourself, “What do I show?” There are people that whine and cry and throw a fit when the going gets tough. And then there are those who have decided that they are going to see their difficulty as an opportunity to demonstrate grace, humility and strength. I am not talking about putting on a false face and acting as if everything is ok. Rather, I am talking about choosing to lean on God’s power in such a way that He shines through, even when we are broken, battered, and bruised. What shows in you when you fail?

Time Out

by Tim Howard

The passengers could hear the airline pilot over the intercom system as he interrupted the flight to say he had some good news and some bad news. He then went on to say: “The good news is that we are making very good time. The airstreams are on our side, the skies are clear and we are ahead of schedule. The bad news is – we have lost track of our destination.”

I want this item yesterday! Hurry we are late! Go faster, I will miss my appointment! It seems we are always in a rush – How can we speed things up? What lane on the freeway do I choose so I can get to my destination faster?  What line in the grocery store seems to be moving at the quickest pace? I’m always looking for the fastest way because I am the King of hurry! 

Is speed the only factor in our decision making process, however? What would happen is we took a few ‘time outs’ along the way. If it’s possible to accomplish more by doing less – maybe it’s possible to make better time by taking a few time outs!

Time outs happen when you STOP! They are not only designed for children as a means of discipline but prove to be effective in the lives of any adult who finds himself or herself running in circles and are extremely busy yet making little headway toward a designated goal.

I’ve read that the average number of times people check their cell phone is nine times in an hour. I believe that number would increase if we were talking about his or her watch. One of the most frequent questions asked in our culture is: What time is it? I suggest, however, a better question is this: How are we using our time? 

You can always get more money but you can’t get more time. We have all been allotted a certain amount of hours, days, years and you don’t have the privilege of ‘re-do’s.’ You only live life once. How are you using your time?

Moses prayed this prayer:  Psa. 90:12 “Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” God answered this prayer by giving him a 7 day ‘Time Management’ plan that’s recorded in Exodus 20:8-10. “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God.”

He says two specific things:  

1. Remember – don’t forget to make room for Time – Outs in your life. Don’t go longer than 6 days without it.  

2. Make sure that day is different than the others. Set it apart for fulfilling God’s desires. If this happens you will be using your time wisely.

The word “Sabbath” comes from the Hebrew word Shabbat, which means “to cease, to desist, to stop, to pause. The Sabbath is a weekly ‘Time Out.’
The religious leaders of that day made three mistakes, which caused them to miss the significance of Jesus’ words when He said: “Man was not made for the Sabbath but the Sabbath was made for man.” They tried to reduce this time of rest to a specific day. They made many rules and regulations to govern that day and they turned this day into a requirement rather than a privilege.

God wants you to take a Sabbath – a Time Out because it’s good for you. It’s the rhythm of life. It’s a privilege afforded to all of us.

Six Promises for You

by Andrew Cromwell

Going through a tough time? Life is full of challenges and life is more about how we respond to them, than what we are faced with.

In difficult times, one of the few places we can turn to find comfort is in the pages of Scripture.  Many times we fail to recognize the great gifts the Bible holds within its pages.  In it, Father God has given us a roadmap for life, a primer on relationships, and a handbook on dealing with downturns and disasters. 

So before you give up, blow up or run away, let me encourage you with six promises from the King who owns the cattle on a thousand hills, knows no lack and wrote the end of the book.   

Promise #1 — to never leave... 
"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'   Hebrews 13:5 NIV 

Promise #2 — to care for you... 
"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?"  Matthew 6:28-30 NLT 

Promise #3 — to provide for you... 
"Don't worry and ask yourselves, 'Will we have anything to eat? Will we have anything to drink? Will we have any clothes to wear?' Only people who don't know God are always worrying about such things. Your Father in heaven knows that you need all of these. But more than anything else, put God's work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well."  Matthew 6:31-33 CEV 

Promise #4 — to give you rest... 
"Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest."  Matthew 11:28 NCV 

Promise #5 — to free you from fear... 
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall in to the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging."  Psalm 46:1-3 NIV 

Promise #6 — to build your faith... 
"Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing."  James 1:2-4 NLT 

These are a just a few of the many promises that God has for His children.  

The Power of Words

by Tim Howard

Proverbs 18:21 The tongue has the power of life and death and those who love it will eat its fruit. NIV

Shut Up! You're no good! You're lazy! You're stupid! YEAH I’M TALKING TO YOU! You will never make it! What is wrong with you? You’re too old! No one wants you! You're ugly! Get away from me! I am sorry you were ever born! I should have never married you! You're crazy! You’re a loser!

Before you stop reading this article and think I’m a jerk – Please know, there are a lot of people whose relationship with God and relationship with others is highly affected for the worst because they have listened to and believed the wrong words.

Your life right now is the composite of words spoken to you or by you. The words you have listened to and believed – and the words you have spoken to others with conviction have set the direction of your life.

The nursery rhyme “Sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never harm me” may sound cute but it’s simply not true. Words affect the mind, the emotions the attitude and alter a person’s behavior.

Psalms 33:6 "By the Word of the Lord the heavens were made and all the host of them by the breadth of His mouth."

He spoke light, darkness, the moon, the sun, the trees and all we see into being by a spoken word. God demonstrates the power of words through His creation and the same power is revealed through the words you choose to declare to others.

The way you speak and the words you use, creates an atmosphere that brings life or death to those who hear. If you change the words you listen to – change the words you speak to others – you can change the world you live in.

Words carry an unseen power that brings about seen results! You can literally see a person’s behavior and countenance brighten up when you speak edifying and complimentary words to them. The opposite can be seen when negative and derogatory words are spoken.

Your words set the course of your life towards destiny or destruction.

Listen to James 3:5-10 “A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it. It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell. This is scary: You can tame a tiger but you can’t tame a tongue—it’s never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth! My friends, this can’t go on. MSG

The Israelites grumbled, complained, murmured, blamed and accused others for their problems, which led to their destruction. Their words caused them to be stuck in the wilderness for 40 years. They couldn’t hear the words coming from their own mouths.  It was their negative words, fueled by a hardened heart that restricted them from experiencing life to its fullness.

David had good reason to give this command: Psa. 34:13 “…Guard your tongue.”

You're Still Learning Too

You’re Still Learning Too

If you have kids, you know they are wonderful. When they’re still small, there’s nothing quite like their smiles and giggles, their hugs and their handmade little drawings. And as they grow older it is such a joy to watch their unique personality and humor develop and see them grow into adulthood. 

If you have kids, you know they are wonderful. You know they are also incredibly frustrating. They challenge you. They test you. They push your buttons. They can be ungrateful. And on top of that, they eat all your food and spend all your money!

Parenting is a joy, but it is also one of the greatest challenges that we experience in life. Far too often, we get stuck in a parenting style that many learned from their parents—the old ‘stand there and listen to me lecture’ (and maybe even yell a little) ‘and tell you about the realities of life.’ And if the child doesn’t seem like they are paying attention, we just lecture a little longer so as to drive our point home. 

Apart from the fact that this style of parenting is mostly ineffective (remember how well it worked with you?), it does little more than to put us in a position of superiority where we end up portraying to our children that we learned this very lesson long ago and “why can’t they hurry up and learn it too?” 

The other day I was, yet again, frustrated with one of my kids because they gave up too soon (like they tried once and quit when they ran into a little difficulty) on a task I had assigned to them. Now, there is no doubt that one of the things that all of our children need to learn is how to solve problems. Resourcefulness and problem solving is an incredibly important skill in life. 

But I had a moment of revelation as I was telling them how they needed to problem solve before they quit next time. And as I droned on and on, I realized (perhaps God speaks to me too) that I was still dealing with that exact same tendency to give up too soon in my own life. Sure, I was a little further along then my kid, but, wasn’t it just last week that I gave up when that challenge took me longer than I thought it should? Didn’t I get frustrated and walk away? And here I am lecturing as if I’ve got this one down pat.

This changed my whole perspective. Maybe the very things I was teaching my kids, were the same things I was still learning? Maybe the way I needed to talk with them was not like a general commanding, but rather a friend encouraging? Of course, I will still hold them accountable and all that, but I am seeking to change the tone I use from resident expert, to friendly guide.

Romans 12:10 says, “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” I believe this applies to our kids as much as it does to anyone else.