The secret of self-control
“Set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things).” Col 3:2 AMPC
 
To have a disciplined life, you must have a disciplined mind. Jesus said Satan’s threefold purpose is to “steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (Jn 10:10). And you forget it at your own peril! In your own strength, you’re no match for Satan, but God will give you strength to overcome his strategies and exercise self-control. And the Bible tells us how: “Set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth.” Note the words “set your minds and keep them set.” Many cars come with speed control. When you reach the speed limit, you simply “set” the car’s computer by pushing a lever or hitting a button and the car maintains that speed. It won’t go above it or drop beneath it. Similarly, when your mind is programmed with God’s Word, you “set” your thoughts and desires on that which pleases God rather than that which satisfies the cravings of your lower nature. Self-discipline is the price of freedom. When you’re controlled by your impulses, you’re not free, you’re a slave. Even legitimate things can enslave you. The saying goes, “Too much of a good thing quickly becomes a bad thing!” Paul writes: “Everything is permissible (allowable and lawful) for me; but not all things are helpful (good for me to do, expedient and profitable when considered with other things)…I will not become the slave of anything or be brought under its power” (1Co 6:12 AMPC). So, the secret of self-control is to program your mind with God’s Word.

Worship your way through it

“The lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.” Ge 22:5 NKJV
 
Imagine having to offer your child on an altar as a sacrifice to God. And God doesn’t tell you why! Here is what Abraham said to the two young men who accompanied him on the most difficult journey of his life: “Stay here…the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back [both of us!].” Abraham’s commitment to God was unwavering: “I will worship my way through this and come back stronger!” Worry and worship are total opposites. And we will be much happier when we learn to become worshipers instead of worriers. Worry causes an opening for the Enemy to torment us, but worship guides us into God’s presence where we unfailingly find peace, joy, and hope. We were created to worship God (See Rev 4:11). When nothing else works, worship does because it places our entire focus on Him. God is good even while our circumstances aren’t. So, stop worrying; give your concerns to God, and live in His grace. Grace isn’t just divine favor; it’s power and divine enablement! Don’t squander another day of your life worrying. Determine what your role is and what it isn’t. Don’t attempt to take on God’s responsibility. When you do what you can do, God steps in and does what you can’t do. Present yourself and your worries to God, worship Him, and start enjoying the abundant life He provides for you. The moment you recognize you are worrying, disrupt your wrong thought patterns by saying, “I will not worry. I will worship you, Lord. You are good, and I completely trust You.”

Seesaw Success

King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?”1 Chronicles 17:16
When two children climb onto a seesaw, there is only one rule: to go up, you have to go down. True humility is the ability to look up, no matter how high the mountaintop on which you stand. Just as children work in tandem to soar high in the sky on a seesaw, God lifts us to higher places when we push our pride, our ambition, our thoughts of grandeur down and lift his name for all to see. King David was a shepherd boy when God plucked him from the green pastures to rule a kingdom. It must have been a heady experience to have riches, servants, and power at his fingertips. Yet David never lost sight of the fact that God was the resource behind all his triumphs. Even amidst the afterglow of a successful battle, David humbled himself and lifted the name of God high above his own. He had grasped the secret that he was a great ruler because of the might of the one, true King.

GOD, your ways are higher than mine. You have plans for me that I cannot even fathom. Yet it is easy to bask in my successes and forget that it is you who have blessed me. Lord, let me tell someone today about the goodness of God. Help me to lift your name high for all to see.

Humility is recognizing that God and others are responsible for the achievements in my life.
Bill Gothard (b. 1934)

The One Year Bible Readings for today are 1 Chronicles 16:37–18:17; Romans 2:1-24; Psalm 10:16-18 and Proverbs 19:8-9.

Handling temptation (1)

“When you are tempted, he will also provide a way out.” 1Co 10:13 NIV
 
Jesus said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers” (Lk 10:30 NIV). Jerusalem represented the place of God’s favor, whereas Jericho was cursed by Joshua when God leveled its walls (See Jos 6:26). The road connecting the two cities was teeming with robbers, so was this man’s intention to travel part of the way, then get off? The Bible doesn’t say, but one thing we do know is God goes to great lengths to keep us from going down the road to temptation and getting hurt. And even with all His safeguards in place, we still manage to get into trouble. First, you stop listening to the promptings of His Spirit. Second, you’re unwilling to pray about certain desires with a submitted heart. Third, you’re not interested in talking to a trusted friend who will hold you accountable. Fourth, you don’t want to know what the Bible says about the matter. You have unilaterally decided to quench the Spirit so you can indulge your fleshly impulses. Remember, there is always free food on the end of a fishhook, but while temptation promises freedom, it ends up costing you. David’s affair wrecked his family. Real freedom isn’t about having the liberty to gratify your every appetite; it’s about refusing to become a slave to unhealthy desires. The battle against temptation is noble, but if all you do is struggle to repress your desires, eventually they will wear you down. You need to maintain a clear mental image of the kind of person God wants you to be and cooperate with His Spirit to become that person.

Begin with the End
I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart.

John 14:27

You have probably heard of Stephen R. Covey’s book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Covey’s second habit for living effectively is to begin with the end in mind. What does he mean by that? Simply that there are two steps to creating anything. The first step involves envisioning exactly what it is you want to create, and the second involves making sure that your life is aligned with that vision so that every day you can do something toward achieving your goal.

To put flesh on the bones of this concept, Covey explains that before you build a house, you’ve got to know exactly what kind of home you want. Once you know that, you can have a blueprint drawn up and can develop construction plans. Before digging the first shovelful of dirt or hammering the first nail into place, you have to have a plan. After that, he says, “you put it into bricks and mortar. Each day you go to the construction shed and pull out the blueprint to get marching orders for the day. You begin with the end in mind.”
Similarly, if you want to live a life of greater peace, you need to begin by envisioning what that life will look like. Fortunately, you needn’t develop this vision on your own because God has already provided it. He has also graciously offered a blueprint that, when followed, will lead to a life characterized by deeper levels of his peace.

Why not respond to his offer today by asking him to help you envision the rich and enduring peace he wants to give? Then use the devotions that follow as your “construction shed,” a place where you can pore over God’s blueprint and receive your marching orders for the day. As you go through the year, who knows what wonderful things may happen as you earnestly seek God’s peace?

Consider taking a few moments now to commit the months ahead to the Lord. As the months unfold, I pray you will experience him drawing near, showing you how to put the bricks and mortar of a more peaceful life into place.

Father, I want to experience your peace in deeper ways. Please open my soul to your grace, so I will miss nothing of what you want to give me.

June 17 - Wrong Judgment: An Erroneous View of Others

#LifeOfChrist

“‘For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you’” (Matthew 7:2).

Most people feel free to judge other people harshly because they erroneously think they are somehow superior. The Pharisees considered themselves exempt from judgment because they believed they perfectly measured up to the divine standards. The problem was that these weren’t divine standards—they were mere human standards they had established far short of God’s holy and perfect law.

When we assume the role of final, omniscient judge, we imply that we are qualified to judge—that we know and understand all the facts, all the circumstances, and all the motives involved. Therefore, when we assert our right to judge, we will be judged by the same standard of knowledge and wisdom we claim is ours. If we set ourselves up as judge over others, we cannot plead ignorance of the law in reference to ourselves when God judges us. We are especially guilty if we do not practice what we ourselves teach and preach.

Other people are not under us, and to think so is to have the wrong view of them. To be gossipy, critical, and judgmental is to live under the false illusion that those whom we so judge are somehow inferior to us.

This kind of judgment is a boomerang that will come back on the one who judges. Self-righteous judgment becomes its own gallows, just as the gallows Haman erected to execute the innocent Mordecai was used instead to hang Haman (Esther 7:10).

Ask Yourself

One of the more notable qualities of our sinful human nature is that the sins we seem quickest to judge in others are the ones we struggle the hardest with ourselves. Why do you think this is the case? What brings about this touchy sensitivity and indignance?

Handling temptation (3)

“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Mt 6:13 NIV
 
In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us to pray, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Understand this: Satan is always trying to lead you into temptation, whereas the Holy Spirit who lives within you is always trying to deliver you from temptation. It is informative that while the Devil is named the tempter, he is also named the accuser. “For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down” (Rev 12:10 NIV). There is no such thing as fair play with the Devil. As soon as he gets you to give in to temptation, he will switch hats and try to convince you that because you have yielded to it, you’re beyond God’s grace and redemption. But Satan is a liar, and there is no truth in him. It’s only when you deny your sin and reject God’s mercy that you’re beyond redemption. The Bible says: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1Jn 1:8-9 NIV). Some people are delivered from temptation instantly; others battle it for a long time before finding deliverance and victory. It’s never a matter of God’s unwillingness to extend grace to us but of our inability to receive it. So whether you come the easy way or the hard way, as long as your desire is to come to God, “He will also provide a way out” (1Co 10:13 NIV).

A Tale of Two Sons

[Jesus said,] “What do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.”Matthew 21:28-30
In the parable of the two sons it seems that both sons were disobedient. One offered eloquent promises, but his actions revealed a heartbeat of rebellion. The other son was openly defiant but later realized his error (“changed his mind”) and returned to work in the vineyard. Jesus was teaching his disciples that they should not base their opinion merely on outward appearances, for there is no protective facade when we stand before an omnipotent Father.

There is also a second lesson in this parable. Just as God discerns deceitful or rebellious hearts, he also recognizes those who return to him with broken and repentant spirits. Do you know people who have walked away from God’s calling on their lives? If you look only at outward appearances, you may be tempted to give up on them. But don’t write them off spiritually or distance yourself from them. Pray for them. Ask God to fill you with his love for them and to give you spiritual eyes that see them from his perspective. Believe that God is able to renew their hearts and save them. Ask the Holy Spirit to draw them back, and anticipate the day when they will turn away from disobedience and return to the arms of their Father.

LORD, help me to obey you wherever you lead me. I lift up those who have turned away from you. I believe, Lord, that you are able to draw them back to your heart, but help my unbelief. Help me to persevere in prayer and to stand in the gap until they turn to you as their Father.

There is nothing that makes us love a man so much as praying for him.
William Law (1686–1761)

The One Year Bible Readings for today are Exodus 13:17–15:18; Matthew 21:23-46; Psalm 26:1-12 and Proverbs 6:16-19.

Is Anything Too Hard?

This message came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “I am the Lord, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me?”Jeremiah 32:26-27
Have you lived with a difficult situation that remained unchanged no matter how fervently you prayed? If so, you may have begun to doubt God’s ability to intervene. Have you wondered if your problems were beyond God’s power to help your difficult marriage? out-of -control finances? failing health? a wayward child? God’s Word to Jeremiah is a powerful declaration of who God is and what he is able to do. He is the one true God, the sovereign ruler over all the earth. The rhetorical question “Is anything too hard for me?” is actually a statement of God’s supreme power in all circumstances. If anything were too difficult for him, he would not be God. If God is not sovereign over all, he is not sovereign at all!

Because nothing is too hard for God, we can rest assured that nothing in our lives is outside of God’s purposeful control. We may not understand why God hasn’t answered our prayers as we wish, but we do know that greater difficulties are opportunities to draw closer to him. We can have peace in all circumstances when we have absolute confidence that nothing is too hard for God.

THANK YOU, LORD, that nothing in my life is beyond your reach; nothing is too large or difficult for your powerful hand. Help me to remember that you display your power best in my impossible situations. Give me greater understanding of who you are so that my trust in you will be complete.

No prayer is too hard for him to answer, no need too great for him to supply, no passion too strong for him to subdue; no temptation too powerful for him to deliver from, no misery too deep for him to relieve.
Arthur Pink (1889–1952)

The One Year Bible Readings for today are Jeremiah 31:27–32:44; 1 Timothy 3:1-16; Psalm 88:1-18 and Proverbs 25:20-22.

June 20: Man vs. Nature

#Devotional

Ezra 9:1–10:44; 1 John 4:7–12; Psalm 107:23–43

As a teenager, I devoured stories about men and women at odds with nature. These man vs. nature struggles always told of a battle of wills. Nature was always at its most magnificent and most frightening: untamed, unwieldy, and heartless. The characters seemed to be living on the edge of human experience—they were not focused and resolute, anticipating the next turn of events like a typical Hollywood action film, but frightened and helpless before an uncaring force.

If we read Psa 107, we’ll find this genre isn’t unique to contemporary novels. Biblical writers also used the man vs. nature theme to show battling wills. Psalm 107 reads like a riveting short story: “Those who went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the high seas; they saw the works of Yahweh, and his wonderful deeds in the deep. For he spoke and raised up a stormy wind, and it whipped up its waves. They rose to the heavens; they plunged to the depths. Their soul melted in their calamity. They reeled and staggered like a drunkard, and they were at their wits’ end” (Psa 107:23–27).

When faced with uncontrollable forces, people make choices that mean life or death. In the stories of my youth, the characters were sometimes able to use their wits to get to safety. But most often, they died trying. The English idiom used in this psalm, “their wits’ end,” is actually a rendering of the Hebrew idiom, “their wisdom was swallowed up.” The men in this psalm weren’t just flustered; they were helpless. Their resources and smarts couldn’t battle this power.

Yet the men didn’t meet only a cold, deadly force when they came to the end of their own strength. “Then they cried out to Yahweh in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distresses” (Psa 107:28). Submission in the battle of wills leads to Yahweh’s love and care. He is more than willing to guide us to the safe harbor (Psa 107:30).

When faced with difficult circumstances, do you rely on your own strength, even when it’s insufficient? If you cry out to God, do you believe that He will answer?

What are some ways you are providentially positioned to do God’s work? How have you led while following His leadership?

The Bully Plan

“Nate, let’s think about Conner for a second. Most people who bully others are trying to make themselves feel more confident or powerful. So they put someone else down. Do you see any insecurities in Conner?” Pastor Steve asked.

“Well, I never thought about it till now, but teachers are usually yelling at him for something. And I’ve heard a few kids call him stupid.”

“Maybe his grades are low. Who knows? He may have a reading problem or a learning disability that prevents him from catching on as quickly as other students.

“And Nate, sometimes people become bullies because they’ve been bullied by others. We don’t know what Conner’s home life is like. Maybe he’s been abused.”

“Yeah, I never thought about that,” Nate said.

“Okay, so you’re being bullied. I know it’s frustrating, but it’s not the end of the world. Let’s create a strategy,” Pastor Steve suggested. “In fact, let’s get it down on paper.”

Bravin’ a Bully

It’s okay to be a tattletale. Even if you’ve already shared the situation with one adult, if that person doesn’t help you, share it with someone else.
Walk away. It may seem like a coward’s response to ignore the bully and leave, but it’s really not. Bullies thrive on the reaction they get, and if you walk away, the message is that you just don’t care. Sooner or later, the bully will probably get bored with trying to bother you.
Be confident. Walk tall and hold your head high. Use your body language to show that you’re not vulnerable.
Try humor. If you can learn to laugh at yourself, you won’t give the bully the response he’s looking for.
Avoid violence. Don’t use physical force. Violence never solves a problem, and you can’t be sure of what the bully will do in response.
Know It!
Research shows that 30 percent of sixth- through tenth-graders are involved in bullying at school. Don’t be a statistic. If you’re being bullied, do something about it. Seek help and ask God for direction. Most people who bully are lonelier than most teens and don’t have good relationships with their peers. Pray for them, and ask God to use you to be a positive influence for them.Also, think carefully about the way you interact with others. Could the things you say or do—even if you mean it as teasing—be interpreted as bullying? If so, apologize to that person and make a commitment to treat everyone with respect.
Read It!
Matthew 5:39; Colossians 4:2; Hebrews 12:14-16; 1 John 3:18
Pray It!
Ask God to give you compassion for the people in your life who give you a hard time. Tell him you realize he died for them, too.

DAILY BIBLE
June 21, 2021 by CHRISTIANS STUDY BIBLE
Reading for Today:
1 Chronicles 5:1–6:81
Proverbs 19:10-12
Acts 5:1-21
Notes:
1 Chronicles 6:8 Zadok. By the time of David’s reign, the high priestly line had wrongly been shifted to the sons of Ithamar as represented by Abiathar. When Abiathar sided with Adonijah rather than Solomon, Zadok became the ruling high priest (1 Kin. 2:26,27) and restored the high priesthood to the Levitical line through Phinehas (Num. 25:10–13).
1 Chronicles 6:27, 28 Samuel’s name in this Levitical lineage validates his acceptance into the priesthood (1 Sam. 1:24–28; 2:24–3:1). The fact that Elkanah was from Ephraim (1 Sam. 1:1) indicates where he lived, not his family history (Num. 35:6–.
Acts 5:11 church. This is the first use of “church” in Acts, although it is the most common word used to describe the assembly of those who had believed (cf. 4:32).
Acts 5:15 shadow of Peter. The people truly believed he had divine healing power and that it might even extend to them through his shadow. But Scripture does not say Peter’s shadow ever healed anyone; in fact, the healing power of God through him seemed to go far beyond his shadow (v. 16, “multitude…were all healed”). This outpouring of healing was an answer to the prayer in 4:29, 30.
Acts 5:16 unclean spirits. They are demons, fallen angels (Rev. 12:3) who are so designated because of their vile wickedness. They frequently live inside unbelievers, particularly those who vent their wicked nature.
Acts 5:20 the words of this life. The gospel (Phil. 2:16; 1 John 1:1–4). Jesus Christ came into this world to provide abundant and eternal life to spiritually dead people (John 1:4; 11:25; 1 John 5:20).
DAY 21: Why the severity of judgment upon Ananias and Sapphira?
The account of Ananias and Sapphira as shown in Acts 5 represents the classic example of hypocrisy among Christians who faked their spirituality to impress others (Matt. 6:1–6,16–18; 15:7; 23:13–36). They were in the “multitude of those who believed” (4:32) and were involved with the Holy Spirit (v. 3), but remained hypocrites. They sold a possession and “kept back part of the proceeds” (v. 2). This was not a sin in and of itself. However, they had promised, perhaps publicly, that they were giving the full amount received to the Lord. Their outward sin was lying about how much they were giving to the church, but the deeper, more devastating sin was their spiritual hypocrisy based on selfishness.
Peter addressed Ananias with the words: “Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit” (v. 3). Ananias and Sapphira were satanically inspired in contrast to Barnabas’s Spirit-filled gesture (4:37). Ananias must have promised the Lord he would give the whole amount. He lied to the ever-present Holy Spirit in him (1 Cor. 6:19, 20) and in the church (Eph. 2:21, 22). And hearing Peter’s words, Ananias fell down and died. The Jews did not embalm, but customarily buried the dead the same day, especially someone who died by divine judgment (see Deut. 21:22, 23).
“So great fear came upon all those who heard these things” (v. 5). They were afraid about the seriousness of hypocrisy and sin in the church. The people learned that death can be the consequence of sin (1 Cor. 11:30–32; 1 John 5:16). That fear extended beyond those present to all who heard about the divine judgment (v. 11).
Then the same judgment fell upon Sapphira. Peter said that they had “agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord” (v. 9). Sapphira had gone too far in presuming upon God’s forbearance. The folly of such blatant human resumption had to be shown as a sin, hence the ultimate divine chastening that followed.

YOU’RE ONE SMART DAD

Passage for the Day: Proverbs 1:8–19
Verse for the Day: Proverbs 1:8
For over ten years I worked with teenagers—first as a full-time minister, then as a volunteer when I went into the business world. While doing so I often found myself in the role of sounding-board; kids would tell me about their lives. As these kids talked, I found out that the number one thing most of these adolescents faced was parent problems.
As a man in his twenties, I figured that I had heard it all: “My dad is too busy for me.” “My mother doesn’t have a clue what’s going on in the world.” “My parents hate my friends.” On and on they would go.
But then there was Rick. Although he was only 16 when I met him, I knew he was a little brighter than his peers. It was not that Rick got better grades than his buddies; it was just that he seemed to have more sense about him. Talking to Rick was more like talking to a friend. One afternoon we were sitting at restaurant on Sheridan Road, sipping cokes.
“I don’t ever want you to tell my parents I told you this,” Rick said with a wry smile. “But most of the time, they’re right.” I didn’t need to say anything.
“In fact,” Rick continued, “the older I get, the smarter my dad gets!”
Here’s the bottom line: As a dad, you are smarter and wiser than your children. You have experienced more of life, and you can see things they cannot. So, how can you transfer your wisdom to the next generation? The first word of today’s text says it all: Your children must learn how to “listen” to you.
Watching people who are hearing impaired has shown me how to listen. These folks have learned that they must compensate for not being able to hear in a similar way to how our children must compensate for their own “hearing impairment” with us . . . they must listen with their eyes. If your children are not watching you, they’re not listening. And if your children are not listening, how will your experience and wisdom ever do any good in their lives?
You have heard this so many times, but perhaps this time it will make more sense than ever. If you don’t spend one-on-one, face-to-face, intentional time with your children, they may never listen to you. If your conversation with them is always on the run or in a crowded room, they will never pick it up. And if you’re relying on them to listen to you while they’re staring at a screen, then you’ve lost them.
“Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching,” is deeply weakened when it’s not said by a father who dares to take the time from his busy work schedule—or from his TV or internet schedule—to say these words straight into his child’s eyes.
You are smarter than your kids. You do have much wisdom to share. Take confidence in this truth, then find ways to communicate it, intentionally, lovingly, in a normal tone of voice and without distractions.
Yours is one lucky kid . . . to have a dad like you. Don’t tell him; he already knows it.

Pray for wisdom (3)

“The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.” Pr 4:7 NIV
 
Why does the Bible talk so much about Solomon’s wisdom? Because it’s not human wisdom raised to a supernatural height; it’s supernatural wisdom lowered to human understanding. Lest you think the water is too deep and wisdom is beyond you, listen to what Solomon, the wisest man in the world, said: “Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you” (vv. 6-8 NIV). Along those lines Haddon Robinson observes: “Since 1955 knowledge has doubled every five years…High school graduates today have been exposed to more information about the world than Plato, Aristotle, Spinoza, or Benjamin Franklin. In terms of facts alone, neither Moses nor Paul could pass a college entrance exam today. Yet, by everyone’s standards, even with all our knowledge…society today is peopled with a bumper crop of brilliant failures…men and women…educated to earn a living often don’t know anything about handling life itself. Alumni from noted universities have mastered information about a narrow slice of life—but couldn’t make it out of the first grade when it comes to living successfully with family and friends. Let’s face it. Knowledge is not enough to meet life’s problems. We need wisdom, the ability to handle life with skill.” Spurgeon once said, “There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool; but to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom.” Bottom line: The more information you’re exposed to, the more you need to pray for wisdom.

Lessons Learned in a Stable

Imagine the letdown after traveling for 70 miles in the condition Mary was in, only to find out there were no more rooms available and she would have to give birth to her first child in a cave. Do you really want to have a Mary-type Christmas this year? Then realize that when you do God’s will, you’re not guaranteed a comfortable life. You’re promised only that even your discomfort has meaning in God’s plan.

We like to think that Mary was comfortable, because most of the popular Christmas scenes picture her kneeling serenely by a manger with a baby who’s glowing. Chances are good that the King of kings was crying and uncomfortable himself. Stables were often crude caves with feeding troughs (mangers) carved into rock walls.

Though Christmas cards picture a clean atmosphere with happy animals in the background, the truth was that Jesus was born in an extremely unsterile and filthy environment. This certainly wasn’t the atmosphere the Jews expected as the birthplace of the Messiah. They thought their promised Messiah would be born into royalty. But Mary didn’t limit God by her expectations, and neither should we. God is at work wherever he’s needed in our sin-darkened and dirty world.

That night, the world’s greatest birth announcement took place. The greatest event in history had just happened—the Messiah had been born! For ages the Jews had waited for this, and when it finally happened, the announcement came to some humble shepherds. They were terrified, but their fear soon turned to joy. First they ran to see the baby, then they spread the word. Jesus Christ is your Messiah, your Savior. Do you look forward to meeting him in prayer and in his Word each day? Is your relationship so special that you can’t help sharing this joy with your friends?

Know It!
Do you still picture Jesus Christ as a baby in a manger—or is he your Lord? Make sure you don’t underestimate Jesus Christ. Let him grow up in your life! One of the best ways to do this is by exercising a mature faith in his plan . . . even in the midst of an uncomfortable situation. Jesus may not meet the specific expectations you have for your life. He may want to move you beyond your own dreams. Again, can you trust him?
Read It!
Isaiah 53:1-6; 54:17; Luke 2:8-14; 2 John 1:3
Pray It!
Give God your human expectations and ask him to replace them with his dreams, plans, and vision for your life. They may not be more comfortable, but they will always be better!

“They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head.”
MARK 15:17

Jesus Faced Cruelty Mark 15:16-20

It is no exaggeration to say that teens and preteens today are experiencing an epidemic of bullying. While it has happened throughout the ages, new forms of communication and social media have allowed the cruelty to escalate and the effects to be amplified. Bullying doesn’t always look the same. But whether it’s physical or verbal abuse, covert or cyberbullying, each form is destructive and hurtful.

After Jesus had been tried and convicted, the authorities prepared him for his execution. Throughout the final hours of his life, Jesus was insulted, beaten, and subtly and not-so-subtly mocked. “Hail! King of the Jews!” (15:18) the soldiers taunted as they dropped to their knees in a parody of worship. If only they had known that they were kneeling before their Creator, perhaps their words would have been sincere and their hearts would have matched their humble posture.

Few of us come through adolescence unscathed. It seems the only criterion for receiving abuse is to be a little different than the next person in the eyes of others. Yet there is no doubt that those with special needs are even more susceptible to abuse.

Have you been on the receiving end of abuse and mockery? It isn’t fair. It isn’t kind. It hurts and demoralizes. Please know that Jesus can relate, and it really breaks his heart. Hebrews 4:15-16 assures us that our High Priest is not a distant God, seated in his heavenly Temple with no idea about the suffering people endure in their lives. The cruelty he endured on earth helps him to empathize with our pain, understand our weaknesses, and respond with mercy and grace.

Listen to my prayer, O God. Do not ignore my cry for help! . . . I am overwhelmed by my troubles.”
PSALM 55:1-2

Stages of Grief: Denial Ps 55

We live in a culture that tends to celebrate heroes who face hardship and loss without emotion, overcoming difficulties and showing no weakness. It’s the James Bond approach to life. But no one is immune to suffering. Yes, those who appear to “power through” and overcome hardship with ease seem impressive, but if they do not take time to fully grieve what they have lost, they are in danger of becoming trapped in their pain. Grieving losses is a necessary part of growth.

After losing a friend to cancer and then losing her job, one woman decided she needed some career counseling to determine her next step. In the first session, she was surprised to hear the counselor say, “You’ve had a lot of loss in your life.”

The therapist’s simple statement opened her eyes to some of the pain she had been ignoring and denying—loss of a parent, loss of dreams of having children, loss of health, loss of a supportive church family, and more. In each instance of loss, instead of taking time to grieve, this woman had reminded herself of the things in her life that were good and had thought about others who had suffered much more than she had. These responses, positive in themselves, had led her to deny her own pain and avoid the healing and growth that comes through grief.

Taking time to acknowledge and admit her pain instead of denying it was the first step toward healing and growing. We all need to admit our pain and suffering and also acknowledge that we have hurt in our lives. As David said, “Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you” (55:22). Watch for the comfort and help that God brings. Take note of it, and thank him for it.

Sin is bad for you
“We can come to God with bold confidence.” 1Jn 3:21 NLT
 
When you knowingly sin, it puts your body under stress. There is actually no such thing as a “lie detector test.” The fact is, the test cannot determine if someone is lying. It simply measures how a person’s response to certain questions impacts their nervous system. God designed our system to glorify Him (See 1Co 6:19-20). So when you sin, it negatively impacts your body. Even if you have never taken a polygraph exam, you can agree that when you have lied, you probably experienced an increase in your heart rate. So when God tells you not to sin, He is not trying to steal your joy but preserve it. Sin robs you of three things: (1) Comfort. “‘There is no peace for the wicked,’ says the Lord” (Isa 48:22 NLT). When you knowingly violate your values, you become uneasy in your own skin. (2) Character. Your reputation is how others see you, but your character is what you see when you look at yourself in the mirror each day. Your thoughts determine your deeds, your deeds determine your habits, your habits determine your character, and your character determines your destiny. (3) Confidence. Nothing in life is more important than to be able to approach God with confidence. “If we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him” (1Jn 3:21-22 NLT). So the next time Satan tempts you to sin, stop and do the math. By looking at the bottom-line result, you will be able to make the right choice every time.

Pray for the desire to forgive

“Turn thou me, and I shall be turned.” Jer 31:18
 
When we have been hurt, our first instinct is to retaliate. We know it’s wrong because the Bible says we must forgive in order to be forgiven (See Mk 11:25). We also know that bitterness can hurt us physically and emotionally. But sometimes we can’t bring ourselves to forgive, so we keep wrestling with it in our mind. Stop and think what happens in a wrestling match. You focus on your opponent, clinging to them and trying to control them. Your aim is to put them on the mat and bring them into submission, and it requires all your energy. Plus, you risk getting hurt in the process. The only real power you have over someone who hurts you is the power of forgiveness. So for your own sake, forgive them and move on! Even though you don’t feel like forgiving, pray, “Turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God.” In other words, “Lord, make me willing to forgive.” The old saying, “To err is human, to forgive is divine,” is the truth. Now, small offenses can be forgiven quickly, but big ones require divine assistance. And you can have it: “God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Php 2:13 NLT). Yes, you may want your offender to suffer, but when your greatest desire is to please the Lord, He will give you the grace to forgive. When you realize the blessings God has in store for you in the future, you will refuse to spend another moment stuck in the past.

Trust God, and do good

“Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord and do good; so shall you dwell in the land and feed surely on His faithfulness.” Ps 37:3 AMPC
 
Sometimes when we have problems, we withdraw from normal life and spend all our time obsessing and trying to solve them. We talk about them to anyone who will listen. All this is unproductive activity which prevents us from doing what we should be doing, which is “doing good.” If you want to experience the benefits of God’s faithfulness, you must do two things: (1) “Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord.” (2) “And do good.” When we have problems, it feels counterintuitive to focus on blessing others. But it’s not; it’s actually a very powerful thing to do. It takes your mind off you and your problem. Plus, you’re sowing good seed that ultimately brings your good harvest. Falling into self-pity, fretting, and talking negatively prevent God from helping you. But trusting Him and persisting in doing good for others release Him to work on your behalf. We may know it’s wrong to worry and yet continue worrying. We must realize that none of God’s promises work for us until we actually obey His Word. Knowledge alone won’t solve your problems; you must take action and be obedient no matter how you feel. You might not feel like keeping a commitment or doing something to help someone else, but when you do it, God goes to work on your behalf. So, one of the keys to overcoming fear and worry is doing what God has told you to do regardless of how you feel.

Keep a positive attitude

“A heart at peace gives life to the body.” Pr 14:30 NIV
 
Keeping a positive attitude isn’t always easy; it requires mental discipline. Let’s face it, 95 percent of what we see and hear on the news today is negative. And while you can’t bury your head in the sand, you must protect your mind against the gravitational pull of negative influences around you. This calls for constantly doing two things: (1) Arresting the wrong thoughts. “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2Co 10:5). Take your wrong thoughts captive; otherwise, they will take you captive! (2) Activating the right thoughts. “Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things…and the God of peace will be with you” (Php 4:8-9 NKJV). Knowing that God is in control of your life and that He is directing your steps will enable you to keep a good attitude when you’re faced with things like long lines, bad weather, difficult relationships, illness, trials, and adversities. Your attitude not only affects the quality of your life but also the length of it: Solomon said, “A heart at peace gives life to the body.” “A relaxed attitude lengthens…life” (Pr 14:30 TLB). Medical science has proven that people with a strong faith who are diagnosed with terminal illness tend to outlive their prognosis and their predicted life span. So, the word for you today is—keep a positive attitude.

“Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.”
PROVERBS 30:8

Just Enough Prov 30:8-9

Have you ever witnessed a child opening presents at Christmas? As they unwrap the last gift, they frantically look around and then blurt out, “Is that all there is?” At times like this, we adults are amazed at the honesty of children, because although we would never admit it, the “gimme-monster” tugs at our hearts too! As Solomon said, “A fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth” (17:24). When will we ever be satisfied?

Proverbs records a prayer about our desire for more. Agur, a sage from Solomon’s court, said, “Give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’” (30:8-9).

Do you see the danger in the comfort that usually accompanies having more than we need?

During Solomon’s time, the Israelites experienced unprecedented prosperity and security as a result of the political influence and economic flourishing they experienced during his reign. At the same time, they were seeking the Lord less and less as their comfort and security increased. They may have even enjoyed life too much! (Not unlike today, right?)

God is a generous Father who promises to meet all our genuine needs. This may include material prosperity, physical and emotional health, and loving relationships. No one wants to be poor or experience loss in either health or significant relationships. But Scripture teaches us that sometimes the things we want may be harmful to our relationships with God or with others, so God says “no.”

Like Agur, we must pray for God to give us the discernment we need to know and accept his will for us in all things. God desires to help us find peace in our lives by wanting less and giving more.

July 3 - Discerning False Prophets: The Character Test

#LifeOfChrist

“‘You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit’” (Matthew 7:16–17).

One’s basic character—attitudes, inner motives, loyalties, standards—eventually manifests itself in his or her life. Christians produce good fruit in their attitudes and actions. But unbelievers, especially false prophets, will eventually manifest bad fruit.

False teachers can hide their true fruit for a time behind ecclesiastical trappings, evangelical vocabulary, and false fellowship. But how they behave when not around Christians will soon enough reveal their true loyalties and convictions. Unless they exhibit “moral excellence . . . knowledge . . . self-control . . . perseverance . . . godliness” and so forth (see 2 Peter 1:5–, we can be sure God has not sent them and they do not belong to Jesus Christ. Another crucial indicator of character that we can look for, as summarized by Christ Himself, is this: “He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him” (John 7:18).

The teacher who emulates Christ and wants to glorify Him is a genuine servant of the Lord. But the false one, no matter how clever, can’t hide for long his corrupt character—and the discerning believer will recognize this. As John Calvin wrote, “Nothing is more difficult to counterfeit than virtue.”

Ask Yourself

How does this teaching coexist with the “judge not” command from earlier in Jesus’ sermon? What happens when character judgments are treated as taboo by the people of God? How have you witnessed this occurring?

Creating Spiritual Intimacy

Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.Galatians 6:2
Most of the couples I meet wish that they could share more freely with each other about their spiritual journey. We often speak of emotional intimacy or sexual intimacy, but we seldom talk about spiritual intimacy. Yet this affects all other areas of our relationship.

Just as emotional intimacy comes from sharing our feelings, spiritual intimacy comes from sharing our walk with God. We don’t have to be spiritual giants to have spiritual intimacy as a couple, but we must be willing to share with each other where we are spiritually.

The husband who says, “I’m not feeling very close to God today” may not stimulate great joy in his wife’s heart, but he does open the possibility for her to enter into his spiritual experience. If she responds with, “Tell me about it,” she encourages spiritual intimacy. If, however, she says, “Well, if you don’t feel close to God, guess who moved?” she has stopped the flow, and he walks away feeling condemned. The apostle Paul challenged us to share each other’s burdens, and those often include feelings of spiritual dryness or difficulty. Spiritual intimacy within a marriage requires a willingness to listen without preaching.

Father, I want to be able to talk with my spouse about my walk with you—and I want to hear about his or her experiences too. Please help us to be kind as we listen to each other and share each other’s burdens. Develop spiritual intimacy in us, I pray.

Keep Your Heart Pure
Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Psalm 51:7

Firearm experts point out that if a gun is never cleaned, it will eventually become a safety hazard. That’s because every time you fire a gun, residue is left behind. This grime will eventually clog up the works, rendering the firearm unsafe to use. The same is true with our tongues. Every time we lash out in anger, every time we accuse, berate, gossip, criticize, or betray a confidence, a residue is left in our hearts that will make our tongues more harmful to ourselves and others.

Cleaning a handgun is fairly straightforward. After safely disassembling it, you wipe it with a cloth rag, removing as much of the caked-on carbon as possible. Then you apply a solvent and scrub the gun with a brush. After more wiping and scrubbing and brushing, you oil the components that need to be lubricated. Then you reassemble it and, presto chango, you have a gun that is much safer to use.

Cloth rags, solvents, and oil won’t quite do it for our tongues, of course. But there is something we can do to make them less hazardous in the future. We can begin by recognizing negative patterns of speech, asking God to search our hearts and to show us where we have sinned. Then we can ask him for forgiveness. A clean heart will enable our tongues to function the way God intends, building others up rather than tearing them down.

“Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. . . . Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. . . . Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you” (Psalm 51:1-4, 7, 15).

The cure for anxiety (1)

“Casting all your care upon Him.” 1Pe 5:7 NKJV
 
Anxiety is excessive concern. And if left unchecked, it can rob you of important things like confidence, joy, peace, humor, and perspective. Anxiety comes from obsessing over something; trying to figure out what happened, needing to understand what people are thinking, struggling to decide what to do. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Pr 3:5-6 NKJV). Trust requires living with unanswered questions, being satisfied in knowing that God knows what you don’t know. You will never have all the answers. You will never have perfect understanding of things. Even the apostle Paul acknowledged, “We know in part” (1Co 13:9). The cure for anxiety begins with accepting these three things: First, that God knows everything. Second, that God is never surprised. Third, that God is never without a solution. So here are your options: Carry the burden yourself or cast it on the Lord. “Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully” (1Pe 5:7 AMPC). Note the words “all your anxieties…once and for all.” Learning to live this way takes patience and practice, so don’t expect an overnight miracle. The secret is in giving your anxiety to God one more time than you take it back. Learn to catch yourself in the act. When anxiety comes, say, “Lord, this is not mine, it’s yours. So, I’m giving it to you.” Try it for the next thirty days and see what happens.

July 5 - Discerning False Prophets: Seeing Their Converts

#LifeOfChrist

“‘Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits’” (Matthew 7:19–20).

We can spot false prophets by the kind of people they attract. Their converts will have the same kind of superficial, self-centered, unbiblical orientation as they do. Of this sort of attraction Peter says, “Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned” (2 Peter 2:2). Many folks gravitate to false teachers because those men propagate what the majority of people want to hear and believe (cf. 2 Tim. 4:3).

God has not ordained false prophets, but within His will He allows them to exist. And it is within His purpose that false factions develop. “For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you” (1 Cor. 11:19). Factions often attract followers of false teachers. And in a sense, this protects genuine saints by separating the chaff from the wheat in the church.

Ultimately, the Lord makes sure that the converts of false prophets, who do not bear good fruit, get cut down and thrown into the fire of judgment. Peter says they are “bringing swift destruction upon themselves” (2 Peter 2:1; cf. Jer. 23:30–40; John 15:2, 6). A watchful, discerning, vigilant believer, armed with the Word of truth, will be able to isolate false teachers and withdraw from them, because he or she “will know them by their fruits.”

Ask Yourself

Discussions like these often get us labeled as haughty and narrow-minded. How do you handle these kinds of accusations? Why will some people never understand your concern for the church’s purity?

Shalom
The peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.

John 14:27

I love the word peace. It captures the way I feel standing on the shores of Lake Michigan or the relief that comes from a great massage or the comfort I feel knowing my children are safe. Even so, the word itself begins to look rather plain, more like one of Cinderella’s stepsisters than Cinderella herself, when you start comparing it to the Hebrew word shalom. Why? Because shalom far outshines it, containing, as it does, ideas of calm, completion, harmony, wholeness, healing, wellness, perfection, safety, soundness, success, prosperity. When there is shalom, life is as it should be. We are as we should be. Nothing is off kilter. To taste shalom is to taste paradise. It is to touch the life God intended us to have.

We know, of course, that this original shalom has been shattered by sin. Instead of shalom, myriad evils have entered our world. Fortunately, God has no intention of giving up on his original idea of creating a world full of peace. Instead, he sent his Son to make a costly sacrifice in order to restore the peace, which is why Paul spoke to the Romans, saying, “‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace” (Romans 10:15, nkjv).

This year as you focus on becoming a woman at peace, don’t settle for less than God intends to give you. Ask him to show you the things that make for true shalom. The peace you long for, the peace God promises, will only be fully established when Jesus comes again. But even now, those of us who belong to him can grow in our experience of his promised peace. To quote Etty Hillesum, a woman who perished in a Nazi death camp during World War II, “Ultimately, we have just one moral duty: to reclaim large areas of peace in ourselves, more and more peace, and to reflect it toward others. And the more peace there is in us, the more peace there will also be in our troubled world.”
Father, I pray that you will show me the way to peace. Help me grow in shalom as I seek to follow you. And as I do, help me spread your peace to others.

July 9 - Differences in Foundations

#LifeOfChrist

“‘Everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. . . . Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand’” (Matthew 7:24, 26).

Differences between wise and foolish builders are more important than the similarities. The greatest differences are the types of foundations the builders choose. One selects a solid expanse of bedrock—stable and unmovable. The other selects sand—unstable and very movable.

The house built on a foundation of rock is a life that believes and obeys Jesus’ sermon and places all its hope in God. The sand, by contrast, represents paying little or no attention to the Word. The house built on that foundation is a life that relies on self-righteousness and trusts in changeable human opinions.

The indicator of real discipleship is not merely hearing and professing, but believing and doing. True converts fit James’s picture: “One who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:25). False disciples, however, fit the other picture James paints: “merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was” (vv. 22–24).

We can be assured of salvation only when we build on the rock of truth and obedience, not on the standards of human opinions and speculations.

Ask Yourself

Do you have a current undertaking—no matter how large or small—that’s tempting you to hurry up and build without spending much time on the foundation? What will every effort or enterprise suffer from if more thought is given to wallpaper than to substructure?

Standing Ovation
There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?

John 14:2

How many funerals have you been to that ended with a standing ovation? I just returned from one. It was for my neighbor Dale. He had fought and eventually lost a long battle with cancer. But his life had borne great fruit, touching many people. Dale was a man who loved God and served him humbly as a deacon in his church. I was struck by how everyone who spoke at his funeral talked about Dale in the present tense, as though he hadn’t passed away.

It wasn’t just a case of feeling his lingering influence; rather, most of those gathered believed Dale was still alive. In fact, the pastor who preached the sermon remarked how much he disliked hearing anyone described as “dead.” People die, of course, but the pastor reminded us that death is an event, not a destination. It’s the point at which we make the transition into another life—one that will last forever. The applause at the end of the funeral for this former college football player, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and deacon was given in honor of a life well lived and as a celebration of the life Dale is enjoying right now, face-to-face with the God he loves.

One of my neighbors had the privilege of witnessing the moment of Dale’s passing. His large extended family had gathered in his living room. She watched as they all were drawn to the bed the moment Dale died. Then they knelt down and began to sing. She told me it was the most beautiful thing she had ever witnessed—to see this family’s reaction as their father and grandfather passed into heaven.

I won’t see Dale for a while, unless, of course, my time on earth is shorter than I imagine. But when I do see him, I hope God will welcome me into his peace with the same words I believe he has spoken to Dale: “Well done, my good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).

Lord, the peace we enjoy now is just a foretaste of the peace we will enjoy forever. Help me to remember that as I seek your peace for this day.

Motivated by Need

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.John 13:34 (NIV)
We will never be able to address the real problems in a relationship until we understand what motivates the other person’s behavior. All of our behavior is motivated by inner needs, including the need for love.

Barb complains that her husband doesn’t have time for her. She often raises her voice and delivers angry lectures to him, accusing him of not caring for her. Sometimes these lectures work, and her husband, Bob, will sit down and talk with her—but he is typically resentful. How much better their interactions would be if Bob understood that Barb’s primary love language is quality time and made an effort to talk with her regularly. Addressing her need for love might well eliminate her negative behavior.

As believers, we’re called to love each other as Christ loves us. That was the “new command” Jesus gave his disciples in John 13, and it’s a tall order. But one way we can go about that is to make sure we’re responding patiently, even when provoked. Loving our spouse with Christlike love means looking at his or her heart. Learning to identify the emotional need that is behind your spouse’s behavior—rather than just arguing about the symptoms—is a major step in being a positive influence in an otherwise difficult relationship. Don’t curse the behavior. Address the need.

Father, when I’m tempted to roll my eyes or lash out, help me to be patient enough to look beyond the way my loved one is acting. I pray for wisdom to see the needs that are behind the actions and for grace to meet those needs.

Sacrifice and simplify

“Talk of them when you sit in your house, [and] when you walk by the way.” Dt 6:7 NKJV
 
Dr. Armand Nicholi, a psychiatrist from Harvard University, was invited to speak at a White House conference on the status of the American family. He explained how an overcommitted lifestyle that makes parents inaccessible to their children produces much the same effect as divorce itself. Cross-cultural studies say that parents in the United States spend less time with their children than parents in almost any other nation in the world. For generations fathers have devoted themselves exclusively to their occupations. But today, mothers have joined the workforce, rendering themselves exhausted at night and burdened with domestic duties on weekends. As a result, no one is at home to meet the needs of the lonely preschoolers and latchkey children. Nicholi stressed the undeniable link between the interruption of parent-child relationships and the escalation of psychiatric problems we are seeing. “If the trend continues,” he said, “serious national health problems are inevitable.” Year after year we are seeing more and more children suffering from depression, anxiety disorders and panic attacks. And that figure will continue to grow with the incidence of divorce, child neglect, child abuse, and child molestation continuing to soar. You say, “What’s the answer?” Sacrifice and simplify! Even if it means sacrificing certain material things and simplifying your lifestyle, spend time with your children! God told the Israelites, “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house.”