No Looking Back

Having reached the halfway mark of a new year is an excellent time to evaluate your life. How are you doing spiritually? How have you dealt with everyday activities? Have you stood firm in the goals you set?

Regrets can be crippling, even those from only today; dwelling on them can stunt a Christian’s growth. Paul learned the secret of forgetting the past even though it stayed in his memory:  “. . . But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13–14). Paul referred to God’s grace and mercy that saved him from who he once was—“forgetting” was a choice. Instead of dwelling on his past, he used it to testify how God changed his life. Paul chose to focus on who he became in Christ and the glorious life that awaited after finishing life’s race. As he strived for perfection to be like Jesus, he kept pressing on until the day he entered the realm of glory with his Lord.

Paul and his fellow workers encouraged others to live as they did because they lived like Jesus (v. 17). Many distractions will vie for our attention as we run life’s race, but runners who look back risk stumbling or falling. Like Paul, stay focused. Choose to let go of past hurts and failures. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, the prize that awaits. Reaching the finish line, we are home with our Lord.

Peep, Peep, Peep

A baby bird fell from its nest but kept hopping away as I tried to rescue it, frantically calling out to the circling parents for help. But they could not help the fallen one.

Humans can be like a helpless little fledglings. Some people needing help don’t trust the one offering service, while others refuse rescue attempts. They want it their way, no matter what fallout comes to themselves or others in their path. Other people desperately cry out for help but turn to those who can’t help or are untrustworthy to speak the truth they need to hear.

If you are afraid or have fallen in life, you can call out to God: “Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O Lord” (Psalm 70:1). Our Father hears you; even the silent, unspoken cries from your heart. He is Almighty God; He can and will help you. God loves you deeply and longs for your trust. He will rescue you from the momentary distresses of this world and enable you to help others. He wants to save your soul. If you have not already invited His Son Jesus into your life, do it now. God wants you safely where He created you to be—with Him.

A Dirty Truth

Farmers’ fields filled with straight rows have always been intriguing, so I asked a farmer-friend how he kept the mounds of dirt straight. His answer was simple; he found a focal point in the distance and kept his eyes on it as he plowed. His straight rows showed there was no looking back once the work started.

Jesus called a man to follow Him; he wanted to, but not until after his father’s death and burial. He showed his partial surrender to Jesus’ call by requesting first to take care of his duties as the son. Jesus replied, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). Jesus’ reply seems harsh, expecting the son to leave his loved ones to follow Him, but by looking back, not entrusting his family to the Lord, the son created a crooked row. Wanting to follow Christ is correct, but desire alone (partial surrender) will not assure your place in God’s work or family. If He calls you to a task and you want to follow but first . . ., you have placed Him second, implying He made a mistake in that calling.

When you use excuses before following Jesus is the same as looking back, plowing with your family or something else as the focal point, placing God behind you, and producing crooked rows. The remedy? Trust your life and family with God and His timing. As you fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, put your hands to the plow and dig into the work that lies ahead. The result? Straight rows.

Get it Right

Correctly stitching a garment doesn’t seem significant unless someone grades the outcome. After finishing any task in life, “Do it over” is not something you want to hear.

The Israelites rejected God as their King when they wanted a king like the other nations. So, God appointed a king to rule over them. They feared Him, but not enough to repent of their rebellion; thus, the people constantly struggled with living rightly, staying faithful to God because they wanted what was wrong, and refused to repent. From that time forward, they suffered under the rule of evil kings more than those who did right in the sight of the Lord.

What is the importance of a garment correctly sewn? Seams stitched too loose or tight compromise the garment. It will not look or fit right, and pressure on the seams can loosen or pop the threads. Sewing it right from the beginning saves time, energy, and frustration. The same principle is true in life, and God’s Word teaches us the right way to live to avoid life’s consequences and stress. You can complete a task well, with dedication, or with an “I’ll do it my way” attitude. The course of action you choose decides the result of your work. Starting well and finishing what you started is vital, but more importantly, ending well and hear Jesus say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. . . enter thou into the joy of thy Lord” (Matthew 25:23).

A Great Reunion or Separation

God’s saint closes their eyes, breathes their last breath, and an angel ushers them into the presence of their Lord and Savior. Do they fall face downward in worship before our Maker? Time is immeasurable in heaven; a thousand years is as the blink of an eye. Loved ones and friends await their arrival. What a time of celebration!

Even the most imaginative mind cannot describe what awaits God’s children after this life on earth ends. Other than what the Word of God reveals, until we experience it for ourselves, we can only imagine. According to Revelation 21, there are streets of gold, twelve gates, each made of one pearl, and walls of priceless stones. There are no sun, moon, or stars because God and the Lamb (Jesus) are the light. There is never darkness, sickness, pain, sorrow, tears, or evil—but only those whose names God wrote in the Lamb’s book of life can enter.

“There is a time to be born and a time to die” (Ecclesiastes 3:2a). Even though it is difficult to understand why He “gives and takes away” (Job 1:21) and sends rain on the just as well as the unjust (Matthew 5:45), God is holy and just; He holds and controls everything; He sees everything; He is everywhere; He loves His children—we belong to Him.

When your eyes close in death, they will reopen either in the presence of God or the torments of hell. If you are God’s child, He recorded your name in the Lamb’s book of life; you will one day see Jesus and reunite with loved ones in heaven. But God doesn’t promise us a tomorrow; if you have not yet given your life to Jesus, don’t wait, do it now. Separation from God and those you love is eternal. Heaven is waiting, but so is hell. 

More Than a Dollar's Worth

As a young wife and mother, It was my first outing with my sister,  just she and I. Our excursion was only blocks away from home, so the trip was short but sweet. I did a lot of looking that day and spent only one dollar because I didn’t need anything, and money was scarce those days. Still, my sister insisted on buying perfume for me, and I gratefully accepted after some persuasion.

Quality time doesn’t require many minutes, nor must it be costly, but it can make a lasting impression. My sister’s time shared with me created precious memories I cherish: my first “sister” outing, sweet fellowship, a dollar can bring satisfaction, and the perfume (the same fragrance I still wear decades later) reminds me of my sister. The aroma of that day was more than a spritz of a sample perfume.

What is this story’s message? “Let brotherly love continue. . . Let your conversation [life] be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have. . .” (Hebrews 13:1, 5) Never did I feel deprived of friends, shopping, or finances. Although I had family living in the vicinity and was grateful, there were other times none lived nearby. The writer of Hebrews concluded his letter with various subjects: love one another, avoid the love of money and be satisfied with what you have—God will care for you and never abandon you. I was then, and still am today, beyond blessed. 

Cloak of Limitations

Wearing the Superman capes and matching Underoos® gave the two little boys a semblance of the superhero’s powers, but their “super strength” left them when the costumes came off.

The apostle Paul faithfully served God, imitating Jesus. Yet when he asked the Lord to deliver him of a disorder referred to as “a thorn in the flesh,” there was only silence. Finally, after his third plea for deliverance, Jesus replied His power worked best through weakness, and His grace was enough. Healing or bolstered strength was not Paul’s answer, but yielding to and trusting the One who supplies everything we need.

Jesus was Paul’s strength in life’s challenges and wants to be your strength. But you must first acknowledge and surrender to the fact that you need help, the kind only God can supply. Paul said he took pleasure in insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles for the power of Christ to work through him. Will you trust Jesus’ strength “is made perfect” in and through your weakness? Like Paul, can you say, “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (v. 10)? Then, when your superhero cape comes off, Jesus’ grace is sufficient for all your needs as He works through your surrendered limitations. 

No Exceptions

Before God created anything, the Word existed: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1).

 God's written Word penned by men, inspired by the Holy Spirit thousands of years ago, still holds true today; it is eternally changeless. But sometimes, people change its message to suit personal, fleshly desires. For example, because their loved ones are a priority, some parents (and grandparents) bend the rules by dismissing their children's wrong actions, making exceptions for their behavior. Some adults believe their circumstance is "special" and deserves the privilege of bending God's Word. But if the Bible says an action (or inaction) is wrong, then it is wrong, no matter how you choose to spin the narrative. If you say God told you to do something contradicting His written Word, it wasn't God speaking to you. He will not—He cannot lie against Himself.

God's love is perfect, a tender yet tough love, an everlasting love; a love our finite minds cannot understand this side of heaven. Though we are precious in God's sight, we do not get a free pass to bend His Word. Bending is breaking. God has not changed: He is the same God from yesterday and today and will be the same forever  (Hebrews 13:8). 

Life Markers

Isaiah knew he was unclean and unworthy to be in God's presence until one of the seraphim touched his lips with hot coal he took from the altar; God purged his sins. Then Isaiah heard the Lord's voice asking who He could send (on a mission). Isaiah volunteered to go without hesitation: "Here am I, send me" (Isaiah 6:8). He had no idea what the task entailed, where he would go, or what to say—but he was willing to be used by God. That event was a spiritual marker for Isaiah.

Spiritual markers are moments etched in time when you know you met with Holy God: He asked (or commanded) you "to go," or be still and know that He is God, or He spoke some other message you knew was from Him. If you have seen God move powerfully and your life changed, spiritual markers remain, reminding you of His activity. But not all spiritual markers are remembrances of obedience, some bear reminders of neglecting God's guidance. Those markers are not there for condemnation but as prompters to avoid repeating the same mistakes, reminders of God's love, faithfulness, and goodness when He carried you through the difficult times.

Have you heard God's voice? How did you respond? Were you obedient? Did you volunteer your service as Isaiah, or did you turn away? If you chose the latter, don't let the enemy convince you it's too late to follow hard after God, to have a heart for Him. Instead, receive the forgiveness God offers to all through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus, and then say as Isaiah, "Here am I, send me."

Respectfully Yours

God's Ten Commandments are clear of what He expects and demands of His people: He, our God and Father, is to be foremost in our lives; He shares second place with no one and no "thing." The first four decrees express what He expects concerning trust, obedience, worship, and needful rest, leaving no room for doubt. They govern our relationship with God, our Father, who loves us, watches over us, protects us, and supports us. We are to love Him above everyone and everything.

The six commandments that follow concern our relationship with other people. The first of those is to honor our parents—the people charged with their children's care. They are due respect regardless of worthiness or how difficult the years of upbringing may have been. We are to honor them because they are our parents—God said to do it. Time or one's age doesn't limit the charge of respecting our parents; if there is breath, God expects honor. If the caregiver role reverses, the child should do everything possible to support the parent's comfort and care.

To honor father and mother carries the promise of well-being and long life: Honor thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise), that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth" (Ephesians 6:2–3). Practicing obedience to God's commands from an early age supplies an environment for forming good habits and living a productive life. Conversely, disobedience opens the door for bad habits that embrace unhealthy living, sometimes shortening one's stay here on earth. Obedience to God is a choice, but He pours out lovingkindness and mercy on those who love Him and keep His commandments for thousands of generations (Exodus 20:6). Do you love and obey God? Blessings await when you do. 

Decisions, Decisions

Continual limping will eventually impair otherwise healthy parts of the body as it favors the weak area. When crutches are needed, the legs are dependent on the support. But if you lift both feet, the legs dangle, and you go nowhere. By staying in that position, the legs grow weaker and weaker. You must decide how and where to walk, step carefully, and begin walking towards your destination.

In your Christian walk, you must know where you stand as a believer because areas of uncertainty leave room for weakness. Spiritual weakness can cause a limp or standstill in decision-making. Just as physical limping, spiritual limping has the same destructive effect and can leave you defenseless when facing the enemy. And dangling with decisions of where to stand biblically leaves room for the uncertainty that gains a foothold, and weakness settles in. You are either for God or against Him.

Elijah asked the wayward Israelites, ". . . How long halt ye between two opinions" (1 Kings 18:21a)—how long would they be indecisive? He prayed to God that day for them to know the only true God: God sent fire from heaven that consumed the altar's sacrifice, wood, stones, the trench's water around it, and its dust. The people fell on their faces proclaiming, "The Lord He is the God, the Lord He is the God" (v. 39).

Jesus said you couldn't serve two masters simultaneously; you will be faithful to only one (Matthew 6:24). Are you hobbling or at a standstill between two masters? You cannot serve God and love the world.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

You glanced in the mirror but were distracted for a moment, and you forgot what the mirror revealed. When God’s Word speaks to your heart, you ponder the truth but sometimes forget or choose to neglect His message during the busyness of your day.

James writes, encouraging Christians to be doers and not just hearers of God’s Word, ridding one’s life of anger or any evil that hinders walking daily with Christ: “Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22). Remembering what you hear or read from God’s Word is commendable, but how helpful are a stirred heart and a headful of knowledge if you don’t act on them?

James likens “hearers only” to people looking in a mirror. They glance at their face, walk away, and forget what they saw (v. 23–24). But forgetting, ignoring, or pretending what you saw doesn’t change the truth. As a mirror reveals its message when you gaze into it, so God’s Word by the Holy Spirit explains how you should live and what to purge from your life when you open and read it. By mediation and obedience to God’s instructions, you are not just a hearer, but a doer of the Word and God's blessings will be yours (v. 25).

 

Deafening Silence

“Silence is golden,” a priceless truth when spending time with God, self-evaluating, or regrouping during life’s hectic busyness. But there is an unwelcoming quietness—God’s deafening silence. In your pressing need, you petitioned the One who can act mightily on your behalf, but there is only silence. God, why haven’t You answered my prayer? Don’t You see the enemy surrounding me? Have I done something wrong? These are questions you may ask God when facing His silence. Your ears ache as you strain to hear a word, but there is none.

When you live disobediently to God’s commands, you may not want to hear from Him, but this is not one of those times. Instead, you long for His voice: “Keep not Thou silence, O God: hold not Thy peace, and be not still O God” Psalm 83:1.  So, why hasn’t God answered you? He is trusting you with His silence. God listened to your prayer. Now, He wants you to trust Him, and He is watching. As you wait in silence, praise Him—thank Him for who He is and that He has your best interest in mind. Use these moments to nourish yourself with God’s Word, meditate on its truths, and claim the promises. God is pleased as you wait on His timing. Keep your ears tuned for His voice and trust that He hears and sees. 

Scarred

When you invited Jesus to be Lord of your life, Satan no longer had authority over you. But, because he no longer owned you, he targeted you. He wants to steal from you everything of importance; he wants to destroy you: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Though strong and wants to hurt you, he cannot overtake God dwelling within you. According to Ephesians 6:16, the devil shoots darts at you, darts loaded with poison that inflict pain; fiery ones that can wound and leave branding scars. These scars are reminders that your shield—your faith in God, your confidence in Him, your reliance on the truth of His Word that protects you—was not correctly in place.

Why is the adversary’s branding critical? It’s a mark of ownership. He knows he no longer owns you but wants you to bear a lasting symbol of his handiwork. After falling into temptations’ traps, causing pain, regret, and embarrassment, he reminds you of his successful devious works. Then, when you let fear, doubt, shame, or guilt settle in, he wants you to believe he has regained control of your life with an unstoppable and unbreakable foothold. But remember, Satan is a liar and defeated foe. As God’s child, he cannot take ownership of you. When you cry out to your Father, He is always nearby; He doesn’t want your mind held captive by the enemy’s ugly reminders of past failures. Life’s scars may be visible but let them only be reminders of when God showed up mightily and scattered the enemy from you.

There is a distinguishing mark that believers in Christ should have. Every thought, word, and action should carry its brand: Love. Jesus said all people would know we belong to Him by our love for one another (John 13:35). Is your life stamped by God's love?

God's Cord

God gave His children who need help, having grown weary of dealing with everyday life, a promise: “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up on wings of eagles; they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). Here “wait upon” means look, hope, trust in a way that binds and twists together like a cord. God, Creator of all, wants us to be “twisted” with Him. As we look to Him, hope in, and trust Him, we bind with Him like a twisted cord.

What is the promise of being bound with the Lord? He will renew our strength. When we try to handle life’s challenges with our wisdom and abilities, we grow weary and weak. But because He is strong, and we are twisted with Him—waiting upon Him—we are resilient. That’s His Word—His promise to us.

Once you have chosen this twisting with the Lord, you will rise above life’s drudgeries—“get up on wings of eagles,” a symbol of freedom. Just as their enormous wingspan enables them to catch the wind and fly high, soaring without falling, we, too, set free from sin’s bondage and as a cord with the Lord, can rise and soar like them. When your feet reach the ground, you will run again and not be exhausted; walk and not be tired. Why? Because your “waiting upon” has bound you with the Lord, you have a renewed strength, His power surging through you. What promises! Ours because we chose to “wait upon the Lord.”

Child of God, are you weary, exhausted? Then choose to be twisted with the Lord. He wants to fill you with a renewed strength so you can soar like the eagles.

The Great Collision

 The city of Jericho was fortified, but the inhabitants were afraid. Why? They heard about the mighty miracles of Israel’s God, and “their hearts melted, and no spirit was left in them” (Joshua 5:1). They were terrified of God and His people!

Fear can debilitate, paralyze, and hold people captive—if allowed. Yes, fear must be allowed entrance into our lives. But there is also a healthy fear. The writers of God’s Word, under the Holy Spirit’s leading, tell us to fear God—hold Him in awe, respect (e.g., Proverbs 1:7; 1 Peter 2:17, Ecclesiastes 12:13). We should fear the consequences of living disobediently, a holy fear honors God.

Faith, on the other hand, is believing and trusting without seeing proof. Our faith in God proclaims we are confident He is who He is and will do what He says. Does fear have a foothold in your life? Stand strong, child of God. He is on your side; victory is yours through Jesus Christ.

The Israelites defeated Jericho because they followed God’s instructions and trusted Him for victory. When fear collides with faith, faith is the victor: “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5:4–5)?

Irresistible Tidbits

The wood burned to ash in the fireplace, so I put chunky logs on the grate in hopes that they would heat overnight and ignite quickly in the morning. But the next day, to my surprise, there were only ashes. What happened? As I poked in the ashes, hiding underneath the residue were red-hot embers—waiting for an opportunity to ignite.

Some people wait for prime moments to drop choice words for igniting juicy conversations. Many comments aren’t necessary with at least one willing listener. Gossipers who pass along such tidbits of information are character-slayers and sow discord. Scripture likens the words of talebearers as wounds and their character to broken pieces of a clay pot dipped in contaminated silver (Proverbs 26:23). The attractiveness and smooth talk of gossip come from damaged containers with tainted intentions.

How can we stop talebearers? Turn away from their enticing words: “Where no wood is the fire goeth out, so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.” (Proverbs 26:20). Choose to put the fire out before it begins. By doing so, you may cause them to rethink their actions, and they repent. 

In, Out, or Straddle

We can live within the laws God has established for us in His Word and experience His blessings or stubbornly rebel by ignoring or rejecting them. Disobedience invites God’s disfavor and consequences that often affect innocent bystanders as well.

With God, there is no middle ground or straddling; you act rightly or wrongly. Indecisiveness is of little significance when making trivial decisions like which restaurant to have dinner in, but it can wreak havoc with spiritual matters. It is impossible to wholeheartedly serve God while holding on to the things of the world. You are either in or out—with God or against Him. What will the Lord find as He searches your innermost being? “The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly” (Proverbs 20:27). 

Calculations Without God

A toddler works, with frustration mounting, to fit a square block into the round hole. You want to help, but the little one quickly rejects the offer with, “I want to do it.”

We smile at such a thought, yet we are sometimes just as stubborn as the toddler. We make our agendas, set our goals, map out our plans, and begin the process of making them become a reality. Unless we start our tasks at hand with, “God, this is the desire of my heart, but I want what you want” approach, we will find ourselves frustrated and weary from pounding on square blocks, doing our best to force them into round holes. We will eventually achieve the tasks with determination by doing them our way, but not without leaving the blocks and holes misshapen and scarred. A toddler has an excuse for such behavior, but we do not.

“Delight thyself also in the Lord, and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.” (Psalm 37:4–5)

Wanderers' Vulnerability

 Birds eat to fulfill daily needs, find mates, build nests, start families, and tend families. Nests are usually made in a protected area, out of reach to predators and humans. But wandering away from the nest or neglect of the eggs invite certain doom. Caring for the little ones is a priority; they are beak-fed and taught to strengthen their wings in preparation for flight. When ready to venture from the nest, they are trained to find food but are still immature and need protection and nurturing. Not following the nest rules puts the chick in grave danger—eagerness to go his way often leads to certain death.

This biblical principle applies to birds and humanity: “As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place” (Proverbs 27:8). God nurtures you, protects and supplies your every need. By wandering away from His care, you put not only yourself but those around you at risk. You have stepped away from the provisions and protective care of God; you are vulnerable to attack from the enemy of this world and predators who want to destroy you and those you love.

Just as danger awaits a wandering bird and nest of eggs left unattended, so it is for people who wander from where they should be—content and safe under the care of their Father.

Smudge Proof

No matter how often I cleaned the lenses, my glasses stayed smudged—everything I saw seemed blurred. It was time for new glasses. I explained the dilemma to my eye doctor. After my exam, he said, "You have cataracts." I was stunned. Once the specialist removed my cataracts, I saw clearly. My glasses weren't at fault; it was my vision.

Bright light from heaven surrounded Saul (later called Paul) as he traveled to Damascus. As he fell to the ground, Jesus introduced Himself and instructed what he should do. Saul rose from the ground, blind. It wasn't until he followed Jesus' instructions that God restored his sight: "And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales, and he received his sight forthwith" (Acts 9:18). God blinded Saul for him to "see" the truth. Once he saw and understood the truth of Jesus, he became a mighty man of God, proclaiming and writing the Good News of the risen Savior, Jesus Christ.

What is it that blurs your vision? How quick we are sometimes to jump to conclusions on matters because we see through faulty lenses. The only way to assure precise spiritual vision is to look through a clean and faultless lens—the smudge-free truth of God's Word. 

Sin's Leash

Looking into Scout's eyes, filled with excitement and anticipation of facing another adventurous day, I wondered if he remembers the confines of his three-by-five pen where he once lived. And after only three short days on a leash to grow accustomed to his new environment outdoors, he could roam leash-free as he pleased. Does our little dog realize the blessing of living free in a permanent home with a family who loves him?

Before time began, God planned and created a perfect place for His creation of humankind. Although knowing Adam and Eve and every human born after them with freedom of choice would fail miserably, it was a perfect plan. His plan was salvation for all humanity, loving the world so much that He sent His only Son to pay our sin debt. Because the wage of sin is death, we deserved to die, but Jesus sacrificially gave His life in our place (Romans 6:23). Yet not everyone accepts God's love gift but chooses to stay leashed within the confines of sin's cage. 

God loves you and invites you not only to call Him Father but Abba (Daddy). You will experience unleashed love and freedom in Christ when you join God's family by calling out to Him for salvation.

Toughen Up Tenderly

 Traveling a different terrain of limestone and woody paths with pinecones, briars, and twigs, our dog’s once velvet-soft paws soon toughened. The conditioning was gradual but helpful for him.

New believers in Christ enter a new home: a new family and a new way of life, traveling different life terrains. Some are easy-walking; some rocky and steep; some slippery and downhill; some with well-lit paths, while others in shadows or darkness. Each way carries its type of “wear and tear” on us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually—each toughening us as we journey this life.

The apostle Paul was familiar with traveling challenging life-roads: “But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God; in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses” (2 Corinthians 6:4). By enduring many hardships, he and his co-workers proved themselves as faithful ministers of God (v. 5–12).

Occupations like farmers, carpenters, and musicians of stringed instruments welcome hand and finger callouses for protection against the “wear and tear” of everyday activity. But we must stand guard against an internal reaction of building calloused walls of protection around our hearts when facing life’s challenges. A toughness tempered with tenderness helps us be a godly and positive influence. But how do you avoid a calloused heart? As you live and minister tenderly tough, allow your heart to remain moldable and teachable.

Life Coach

Spaniels and Dachshunds instinctively trail, flush out, and retrieve. A mix of both breeds, our young dog's instincts needed honing. Scout’s first encounter with a box turtle was entertaining. He had never seen one and had no clue what to do with it. Sensing no danger from the curious furry creature, the turtle slowly made its way across the backyard from one pond to the next. Scout was close by, sniffing it and the path it journeyed. He enjoyed “visiting” with other turtles making the same trek. His visits were pleasurable until he found a turtle in the workshop. As Scout began his customary nose-to-nose greeting, his “Daddy” warned him several times to leave this one alone. Disregarding the warnings, the turtle not only snapped at Scout but latched onto his nose. This one was not a harmless box turtle but a snapping turtle. Once he shook it off, Scout gave him the space he demanded. Some life lessons are painful.

Training and experience—two basics through which we learn. Using God's standards, we must teach children the right way of living, that which is God-honoring, to avoid life's pitfalls: "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6). Such training takes commitment, and for the children's benefit, the trainer must persevere despite their cries of rejection. A loving, disciplinary hand is less painful than shaking off sin's snapping grip. Persevere in training the children entrusted to you. By doing so, they will learn to make correct choices, recognize the enemy's snares, and avoid needless pain. 

Sin's Entanglement

 Our little, short-legged dog finds joy running through tall grass, chasing squirrels, rabbits, birds, or running alongside the four-wheeler or golf cart. But with those pleasures comes a challenge—removing cockleburs. Scout tries to remove them, but some are out of reach or embedded, so I help, taking them off strand by strand of fur. He doesn’t seek my help, and there is no appreciation because it’s an uncomfortable ordeal. But unless dealt with, the intruders stick to each other, tangling themselves into his coat further and magnify the problem.

Sin is like cockleburs. When we live contrary to God’s commands (sin), one bur after another attaches itself to our life. Before long, they entangle and, efforts to remove them prove futile. Some are out of reach—others embed themselves. Even though we may not seek our Father’s aid, He lovingly steps in and begins disentangling, called discipline. His help is often uncomfortable, unappreciated, and at times painful: “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous. . .” (Hebrews 12:11a). 

If you are God’s child, He will discipline you (v. 7). If willful sinful living is a continual part of your life, and you don’t experience His correction, verse eight says you don’t belong to Him. The result of God’s chastening? “But afterward, there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” God’s chastisement is always for our good (v. 10b).

A Tail Tale

Our dog soon discovered the joy of chasing squirrels in his new country environment. As quick as he is, they are a little faster, but not too fast for our family's hunters. And following tradition, the squirrel's tail is a treat for the family dog. 

Unfamiliar with this hairy object, Scout wasn't sure what to do with it. After days of whining, playing with the tail, burying and unburying it, he did what he knew not to do—he walked into the house with it dangling from his mouth. I was about to scold him, but he sat down at my feet and looked up at me as if to say, "Please, help me, I don't know what to do with this thing!" He opened his mouth, dropped the grubby tail at my feet, then stood and pitifully walked away, never looking back. 

Scout knew the only way to end his misery was to drop his burden at my feet and trust me to free him of his suffering.

The apostle Paul underwent an internal war of the mind: ". . . When I would do good, evil is present with me.." (Romans 7:21). He knew what to do but instead did wrong and felt enslaved to sin, asking who could deliver him from the burden he carried. Paul then answered his question and thanked God for the fact that deliverance is found in Jesus Christ, our Lord (v. 24–25). 

No matter the size or situation, problems cause anguish that can affect us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. But you can drop your burdens at Jesus' feet and walk away, trusting He cares and will help you. When He does, don't look back.

The Bluff

 Our small spaniel puppy was willing to challenge the uninvited adolescent boxer after several visits despite their size differences. We managed to avert a confrontation until the day he appeared unexpectedly. Scout took off at full speed and, leaping into the air, barreled into him broadside. Yelping, the stray ran off, his nub tail tucked low with our small, short-legged, “faster than a speeding bullet” dog right behind him. Scout had no fear of his opponent; he was confident he could conquer his foe. Scout had the dog twice his size bluffed, but his actions proved his mindset. Having “mom and dad” stand with him helped.

Our adversary, the devil, is powerful and shows up unexpectedly. His roar can paralyze you; he prowls around looking to destroy lives (John 10:10). He wants to discourage and overwhelm you. He bluffs you into thinking life is hopeless and no one cares. But he is a liar! His bluff may hinder you, but he can’t bluff the Creator of all that exists. All-powerful God is greater than he, who is a defeated adversary.

The Bible admonishes us to be clear-minded and watchful for the devil’s tactics, firm in our faith as we stand against him (“. . .Whom resist steadfast in the faith. . .“ 1 Peter 5:9); confident the One who lives in us and stands with us has already conquered him that stalks this world. Do you confidently stand firm in faith as an overcomer against the enemy? Do your actions prove your faith?

The Door

 Once Scout was accustomed to our home after rescuing him from the animal shelter, he could go outside without supervision. One door is left slightly ajar so he can come and go as he pleases. But when the door is closed, it’s always for his good.

God gives us free will to “come and go” but wants us to choose wisely the life doors we enter. As a believer, when you decide to walk through doors contrary to God’s Word and no consequences follow right away, don’t assume it was unnoticed—it wasn’t. Results for wrong or poor choices will follow. When you walk according to His Word and find a closed door, it is always for your good. Asking or pleading with God to open closed doors outside of His perfect plan causes grief.

Life offers many doors, but only one has eternal value: “Then Jesus said unto them again, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep” (John 10:7). Jesus is the door to God’s sheepfold. He, the good shepherd, voluntarily laid His life down for us, and His resurrection provided the only way to the Father (John 14:6). All who enter the sheepfold will be saved and can go in and out freely. Under His watchful care, we find comfort, safety, pasture, and rest. 

Choose a Blessing

A trainer teaches a young dog simple orders, and once learned, the pup remembers and obeys them for life. His obedience pleases the instructor, blessings follow, and others benefit as well. God gave us basic commands to follow. Not everyone hears them at a young age, but we have the privilege to study His Word and learn what He expects; it’s our duty. Before entering the land of promise, He told His people, “Behold this day I set before you a blessing and a curse” (Deuteronomy 11:26). If they obeyed His instructions, blessings would follow. But consequences awaited the disobedient.

Jesus said two commandments cover them all: Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37). By learning and obeying these two rules, we honor God, live in favor of Him, and benefit others. God lays before us a blessing for obedience or a curse; our loving Father disciplines His children who stubbornly go their way. The decision is ours. Which will you choose?

God's Lollipops

After losing two family dogs, I didn’t think I would want another, but I did. We arrived at the animal rescue center, hoping to find a calm, quiet, non-licking dog, preferably a cocker spaniel. After viewing the dogs twice, only one stood silently and motionless except for his nub tail slightly moving. With captured hearts, we became proud owners of a seven-month-old, peculiar-looking, tri-color spaniel.

The psalmist, David, penned a simple truth: “Delight thyself also in the Lord, and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.” Psalm 37:4–5. God’s Word says when you want what God wants for you; when your desire is in keeping with His will, and you trust Him and commit your life to Him, He said you would have the desires of your heart. You may be thinking, Really, a dog? Yes, even a dog. God knows everything we need to become who He called us to be. With love and compassion, He not only supplies what we need to fulfill His purposes but far surpasses those needs with an abundance of blessings—some sweet as lollipops, like a dog.

As you commit yourself to God today, seek His perfect will, and say, “Father, not my will, but Yours.” When you do, “He shall bring it to pass.” You will receive His best.