May 8, 2023
Mental and spiritual self-care is a hot topic. On Instagram, the hashtag “loveyourself” has been used around 42 million times. However, in modern culture, self-care is attached to a “me” mentality. Is there even such a thing then as biblical self-love? Can Christians unselfishly practice self-care?
The answer is a resounding “Yes!” When a new buzzword like “mindfulness” (self-care techniques) crops up in the culture, we think it’s a new idea. However, true biblical self-care is addressed and exampled throughout the New Testament. The approach diverges from that of Eastern religions in that the focus is God-centered, not centered on self.
Romans 12:2 is a core scripture on mindfulness. Paul writes, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2, NKJV).
There it is. If you want to be healthy, begin by turning your attention to pleasing God. In your daily prayer and meditation, ask him, “What truly matters here?” As your mind and spirit align with the Holy Spirit, you can see what matters: spending time with God, serving others with compassion, being present with loved ones and generous with your time and attention, creating a peaceful, positive home, and addressing challenges with the mind and direction of the Holy Spirit. Whatever is important to your life, God will reveal.
When we have the mind of Christ, the Holy Spirit works enthusiastically in harmony with us. In prayer and meditation, my faith and creativity begin to flow. The fruits of the Spirit are more emergent. I am less judgmental and more patient. In re-centering my thoughts on him throughout the day, I am fit to fight the twin enemies of self-criticism and people-pleasing. Most important, I can see the unseen, the wisdom of the Holy Spirit at work in miraculous ways.
Jesus himself understood the power of quiet time, often retreating from the crowds and noise to pray. He knew that most of the action of life takes place in the quietness of the inner man and that spiritual and mental health are foundational. If we are weak and unhealthy, we cannot effectively minister or care for others.
Anchor your mind in the Holy Spirit, and “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).
May 8, 2023
The New Testament is the story of stories, and it starts off all wrong. Most adventure stories begin with the wondrous “Once upon a time”, but Matthew starts his book with a genealogy. Why in the world would he do that? The greatest story ever told starts like a phone book with a long list of unpronounceable names. This is important, though. What makes this list amazing is that some names belong to people who had sketchy pasts.
One of these names is Rahab from the Old Testament book of Joshua whose act of saving Hebrew spies got her inducted into the hall of faith. “By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies” (Hebrews 11:31, ESV). Not only was she saved, but she married a Jewish man.
Now don’t miss this. Almost every time Rahab’s name is mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments, it says, “Rahab the prostitute.” How would you like that, if every time someone said your name, they included with it the worst season of your life? Can you imagine that act or the time you regretted most was the tag line connected to your name?
What if it looked like this? I’ll use my name so I don’t indict anyone. Tim the thief. Tim the embezzler. Tim the adulterer. Tim the baby aborter. Tim the wife beater. Tim the divorcee. Tim the porn addict. Tim the alcoholic. Tim the unemployed. Think about the label that would be after your name. For Rahab, the label ‘prostitute’ connected her to her past.
If time healed wounds or shame, we wouldn’t need God. Time is not that strong, but God is. There is only one place in the entire Bible where ‘harlot’ or ‘prostitute’ is removed from Rahab’s name. It’s when her name is connected to Jesus in Matthew’s genealogy: “…Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king” (Matthew 1:5-6). The only way that the past lets go of us is when it’s confronted with a future in Jesus.
May 5, 2023
I believe Jesus is coming soon. We see the Lord moving in astonishing ways around the world, and events are rapidly moving toward the day of his return.
“So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near – at the doors! But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:33,36, NKJV).
Those who know the scriptures have a Holy Ghost inner sense of the Lord’s return. We hear the call of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, crying, “Even so, Lord Jesus, come.” Jesus said, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns” (Matthew 24:42,44, 46).
Beloved, do you feel or sense that these are the last of the last days? Do you share the longing for his appearance? You are in good company! There are millions of people around the world who are also looking up, waiting with great anticipation for our Lord’s return.
Until then, God wants us to stand out as believers, as messengers of hope in our hopeless world. We do not despair because we know that Jesus Christ’s triumphant return will bring an end to the evil and hopelessness that have poisoned mankind since the serpent spoke to Adam.
When the Lord comes back to earth, he wants to find us hopeful, ready and working hard to spread his message of hope to the world. Even though we don’t know the day or hour, we know he can come at any time. Let us gather the harvest with joy as we await that great day.
What a day that will be! “The dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). Look up, and be encouraged; our redemption is drawing near.
May 3, 2023
There is little purpose in prayer if we do not fully believe God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.
I am persuaded that God delights in generously pouring out blessings upon his beloved children. David the psalmist insisted that God is bountiful and inclined to compassion, that his mercy is great and that it is impossible for him to reject any who implore him for his help.
The Lord rejoices in pardoning sins; he is always propitious. Webster’s Dictionary defines propitious as “kind, gracious, merciful, helpful.” It also says propitious means “favorable as a propitious breeze.” For the Lord’s children, this means “I am the God of ‘yes,’ of hope, help, favor and goodness!” This is the glorious, loving God that we serve.
One of my favorite passages of scripture is “Oh, how great is your goodness, which you have laid up for those who fear you, which you have prepared for those who trust in you in the presence of the sons of men! You shall hide them in the secret place of your presence from the plots of man; you shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues” (Psalm 31:19-20, NKJV).
Think of it! First, God says we must believe he is a rewarder of faith. Then the psalmist tell us, “Oh how great is your goodness, which you have laid up for those who fear you…who trust in you.”
Think of that storehouse of great goodness! It is goodness laid up for God’s people, not only in heaven but now in our daily walk.
I pray this every day: “Lord, you promised to reward my faith if I will trust you before the sons of men, but I need what you promised. I need fresh strength and new hope, more of the peace that passes all understanding. Lord, I ask only for what you have promised. It is the highest goodness to have a fresh manifestation of your sweet presence. This is what I desire as my reward.”
May 2, 2023
On April 9, 1680, the great Puritan preacher John Owen spoke the following message to his congregation: “You know that for many years, without failing, I have been warning you continually of an approaching calamitous time, and considering the sins that have been the causes of it… I have told you that judgment will begin in the house of God, that God seems to have hardened our hearts from his fear…and that none knows what the power of his wrath will be. In all these things, I have foretold you of perilous, distressing, calamitous times… These all now lie at the door and are entering in upon us.”
God did send his awful judgments on that society. John Owen lived to weep over a fiery catastrophe that engulfed London.
Before these disasters took place, though, Owen faithfully cried out from his pulpit, “I am going to show you how we ought to deport ourselves in and under the distressing calamities that are coming upon us and may reach, it may be, up to the very neck.” We live in such a time today, and there is only one response to the coming storm: “The just shall live by faith!”
Owen tearfully admonished his people, “Get you an ark. Prepare an ark for the safety of you and your families. The ark is Jesus Christ. There is no other way… For Isaiah, the prophet, said of our Lord, ‘And a man [Christ] shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadows of a great rock in a weary land.’ That is our ark! Blessed are they that trust only in him… I know of no safety, no deliverance, in the trials and afflictions coming upon the earth but in believing Christ as our only refuge.”
We may see dangers on all sides, but we have a fiery guard of angels surrounding us and a God who is under oath to carry us through any adversity.
Do you want to face the coming storm with quiet confidence and peace of mind? Don’t try to save yourself. Rather, commit your life wholly to God’s care. He is our loving shepherd who is faithful to see us through! Fix your eyes on Jesus. He alone is our hope.
