Belly Laughs

Belly Laughs
By John Fischer

Not long ago I spent three days in a hotel in rural Indiana. In the lobby of my hotel was a group of six women who spent the better part of a day laughing and carrying on while they worked on a sewing project together. These six women, ranging in age from fifty-five to eighty, shared an obvious camaraderie that evidenced itself in their animated conversation, laced with a generous supply of laughter—what I would call belly laughter, a deep-from-way-down-inside-because-we’ve-gone-through-so-much-together laughter that was highly contagious. And when I saw their Bibles come out, I knew I had to find out more.

I almost fell in on them I was eavesdropping so close, but one of them caught me and invited me in. That’s when I found out they were at one time all from the same town and were meeting back at this hotel as a sort of semi-annual reunion. I could see why they would make the effort because they indeed had something special going here.

When I asked them why they were still meeting, I received a litany of divorce, cancer, dead husbands, and lost children that would have kept a sitcom supplied with material for more seasons than Friends ever dreamed of. There was history behind those belly laughs. There was an obvious spiritual center to this group, but not a rubber stamp. There was a Roman Catholic, a southern Baptist, a Methodist, a Pentecostal, and two who named no church affiliation, yet I couldn’t help thinking that they were having church there, and it was a church I wouldn’t mind joining.

The “youngest” and spunkiest among them was quite clearly the eighty year-old who was actually the excuse for this particular get-together having just turned eighty that week. I commented about how she didn’t look a day over sixty-five. That’s when one of the other women quipped: “Oh she’s eighty, alright. Why do you think she’s been trying to thread that needle for the last 15 minutes!” Belly laughs followed with birthday girl, the loudest.

What held these women together wasn’t just a religious experience, it was their shared human experiences as well, their love and respect for each other and their ability to let each other’s character come out of the box where I would wager it stays most of the time when they are not together like this.

I actually found myself being jealous of what these women had, until I realized I could have it too. It requires commitment, stark honesty, love, acceptance, and refusal to judge one another. It requires needing and serving one another. This is something we all need.

Letter from Jesus

As you well know, we are getting closer to my birthday. Every year there is a celebration in my honor and I think that this year the celebration will be repeated.

During this time there are many people shopping for gifts, there are many radio announcements, TV commercials, and in every part of the world everyone is talking that my birthday is getting closer and closer. It is really very nice to know, that at least once a year, some people think of me. As you know, the celebration of my birthday began many years ago. At first people seemed to understand and be thankful of all that I did for them, but in these times, no one seems to know the reason for the celebration. Family and friends get together and have a lot of fun, but they don't know the meaning of the celebration. I remember that last year there was a great feast in my honor. The dinner table was full of delicious foods, pastries, fruits, assorted nuts and chocolates. The decorations were exquisite and there were many, many beautifully wrapped gifts.

But, do you want to know something? I wasn't invited.

I was the guest of honor and they didn't remember to send me an invitation. The party was for me, but when that great day came, I was left outside, they closed the door in my face .. and I wanted to be with them and share their table. In truth, that didn't surprise me because in the last few years all close their doors to me. Since I wasn't invited, I decided to enter the party without making any noise. I went in and stood in a corner. They were all drinking; there were some who were drunk and telling jokes and laughing at everything. They were having a grand time.

To top it all, this big fat man all dressed in red wearing a long white beard entered the room yelling Ho-Ho-Ho! He seemed drunk. He sat on the sofa and all the children ran to him, saying: "Santa Claus, Santa Claus"as if the party were in his honor!

At midnight all the people began to hug each other; I extended my arms waiting for someone to hug me and do you know no-one hugged me. Suddenly they all began to share gifts. They opened them one by one with great expectation. When all had been opened, I looked to see if, maybe, there was one for me. What would you feel if on your birthday everybody shared gifts and you did not get one?

I then understood that I was unwanted at that party and quietly left. Every year it gets worse. People only remember the gifts, the parties, to eat and drink, and nobody remembers me. I would like this Christmas that you allow me to enter into your life. I would like that you recognize the fact that almost two thousand years ago I came to this world to give my life for you, on the cross, to save you.

Today, I only want that you believe this with all your heart. I want to share something with you. As many didn't invite me to their party, I will have my own celebration, a grandiose party that no one has ever imagined, a spectacular party. I'm still making the final arrangements..

Today I am sending out many invitations and there is an invitation for you. I want to know if you wish to attend and I will make a reservation for you and write your name with golden letters in my great guest book. Only those on the guest list will be invited to the party. Those who don't answer the invite, will be left outside. Be prepared because when all is ready you will be part of my great party.

See you soon. I Love you!

Jesus
Share this message with your loved ones, before Christmas

Down to the Water

Down to the Water
By John Fischer

Think about your baptism today. And if you haven’t been baptized, you will want to be, if you are a believer in Jesus.

I was baptized in a lake on the campus of Stanford University with a small crowd of believers and unbelievers looking on. It was a warm Sunday afternoon in March 1971. Two of my best friends put me down. I still have somewhere a picture of them pulling me up out of the water. I had the picture blown up to an 8 X 10 and framed on the wall of my office at the time. It was, and still is, my “credential” for life.

I had been baptized before at age 9. I was “sprinkled.” That means the minister dipped his hand in some water and sprinkled it on top of my head. Getting baptized again as an adult wasn’t an issue of doctrine or theology; it was an issue of passion. I was watching all my friends and a whole bunch of new converts get baptized and I wanted to join them. I felt a little like Peter when he protested having Jesus wash his feet and Jesus said that he couldn’t be a part of Him unless he let Him do this, to which Peter replied “Well then, give me a bath!” or something to that effect. I understand that. I wanted to get all wet. I wanted to identify with the death and resurrection of Jesus and I wanted to identify with my new family in Christ.

When you are baptized you go down. You put yourself in the hands of someone else and they fold you back under the water. Now they could keep you there and you’d really die, but they pull you back out as a symbol of your death to your old way of living, and your rising to a new way of life trusting in the Spirit of God. And there is great joy in this.

You go down a sinner and come up a saint. You go down guilty and come up forgiven. You go down dead and come up alive. You go down alone; you come up in the family of God. It’s really a big deal. If it hasn’t happened to you, you need to consider it. If it has, you need to remember.

That’s a big part of this—remembering. Whenever you are tempted to doubt your faith, remember. Whenever you think that what you just did, God could never forgive you for, remember. Whenever you are tempted, remember. Whenever you think you are alone, remember. It happened to you in time and space. You were baptized into this and you have witnesses. Just as Jesus was crucified and raised again at a point in time in the real world, you were identified with Him as well, and with all those who have believed in Him from all time all over the world.
That’s a big deal; and a pretty big family, indeed!

Does God cry?

A little girl once asked, "Mommy does God cry?"
"Don't be silly, God can't cry baby," her mother replied.

"But what about when He looks down from Heaven above
And sees all the people who needs His love?

And what about when He looks down and sees
The playground kids fall and scrape their knees?

Or how about Aunt Jane who can't have baby girls or boys?
Or what about the poor kids who gets no Christmas toys?

Maybe God would cry if He lived with my friend Tommy.
Whose daddy beats and bruises him and his mommy.

Or maybe if He looked down and saw people being killed,
I think He'd surely have eyes that are tear filled.

But I think most of all, mommy, what would have made God cry,
Is when He looked down at the cross and watched His baby die."

The mother stood in silence as her eyes filled with tears,
For she knew her little girl was wise beyond her years.

Staring into deep blue eyes, the mother found courage to say,
"Yes baby girl, I think God looks down and cries every day."

God Bless you and keep you safe in Jesus' arms!

I Am a Servant

I Am a Servant
By John Fischer

I am a servant; I am listening for my call…” Larry Norman

The Apostle Paul loved to call himself a slave of Christ. This is the highest form of servitude—one in which the servant has no rights but to do the will of the master. What made this unique was the fact that this position was held with great joy and privilege. This is hard for us to understand in a culture where slavery is such a bad word. But to be a slave of Christ is a whole different thing than to be a slave of a wicked taskmaster.

Paul is happy to be a slave of Christ for at least two reasons. 1) God is a loving God who treats him with dignity. This “slavery” is the opposite of demeaning; it is uplifting and places him as one who has been entrusted with the secret things of God (1 Corinthians 4:1). Even amidst the abuses of slavery in this country there were stories of privileged slaves who were treated with dignity and given responsibility over their master’s estate. Some of these chose to remain as servants even after being emancipated. This would be something of the position Paul is speaking of.

And 2) to serve Christ is the good and natural response to God’s forgiveness and grace. Once we realize all that we receive from God is a free gift—that God found us in our sin and picked us up, forgave us and gave us new life—serving God is the natural response of a heart and a life set free.

This spiritual servitude only has negative connotations in a culture that is obsessed with asserting the rights of the individual. Civil rights, human rights, gay rights, minority rights—we hear about this constantly. Instead of asserting our rights—even if we have the freedom to do so—we are choosing to set them aside for a greater thing: the opportunity to serve the living God. What are you setting aside in order to serve God?

In the end, we either serve God or try to be god by having everyone serve us. “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

Down But Not Out

Down But Not Out

2 Corinthians 4:8–9
8We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.

Before you were a Christian, when something sad or bad happened to you, you cried until you had no more tears left. Your heart simply broke into pieces, and you felt trapped, depressed and totally defeated.

But after you became a Christian, when something bad happens to you, you still cry, but you feel comforted inside. You are sad outwardly, but your heart isn’t heavy. You don’t understand why, but deep down inside you, there is something lifting you up. That something buoyant, which is rising from the inside of you, is the life of Christ in you!

You cannot be completely distressed because Christ in you is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) who says to you, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27)

Yes, it is a bad situation and you are in a tight spot, but Christ in you is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6), and He says to you, “It will all be all right. I will provide a way out for you.”

You know you are not defeated because Christ in you is your victory (1 Corinthians 15:57), and He says to you, “You are not fighting for victory, but fighting from victory, for you already have the victory in Me.”

In the past, before you knew Christ, when you were down, you were out. But now, when you are down, you are not out because Christ in you is the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27) “Hope” in the Bible means “a definite positive expectation of good”.

So Christ in you is the definite positive expectation of a glorious marriage! Christ in you is the definite positive expectation of a glorious family! Christ in you is the definite positive expectation of glorious health for the rest of your life! Christ in you is the definite positive expectation of a glorious life!

Christ in you is the definite positive expectation of all the glories of God revealed to you! Hallelujah

Greater than Jesus?

Greater than Jesus?
By John Fischer

Our significance is found in our service, and the less anyone knows about it, the better. How backwards is that?

I would normally think that my significance would be found in picking up the newspaper this morning and finding my name in it. Or that it would be significant to be honored by receiving an award in front of thousands of my peers with a viewing audience of millions.

But Jesus says that receiving the praise of men means nothing compared to receiving the praise of God, and those who receive the praise of God are those who lose themselves in the service of others—people who disappear in the serving. I bet there is going to be an awards ceremony in heaven to beat all ceremonies, and the people honored will have never been known on earth beyond the circle of those whose lives they touched.

One of Christ’s most surprising acts was the example He gave of washing His disciple’s feet. It was a deliberate visual aid. The big deal was not that the disciples’ feet were dirty; it was that Jesus had something He wanted to show them. This was a daily custom, since everyone wore sandals and the roads were dusty. We are not told who usually did this. It was the host’s responsibility (Luke 7:44), and probably performed by a no-name servant. But John said that in this one act, Jesus “showed the disciples the full extent of His love” (John 13:1). For this, He took off His robe, wrapped a towel around His waist, got down on His hands and knees and methodically, one by one, washed the disciples’ feet. Peter protested, but it didn’t do any good.

And when He was done, Jesus put His robe back on, sat down with them and told them to never forget what they had just seen. It was their responsibility to wash each other’s feet. “A servant is not greater than the master. Nor are messengers more important than the one who sends them” (John 13:16 NLT). And since Jesus was their master and the one who was sending them with a message, they could never rise above this example without positioning themselves as greater than He. Their significance was going to be in their service, not in their position or recognition.

So keep this picture in your mind today and look for ways to quietly serve the needs of those around you. No horn blowing. No awards. Because in this is your greatness.

Pizza Evangelism

Pizza Evangelism
By John Fischer

I received an E-mail recently from a reader that had attached to it a fascinating rendering of his own spiritual journey. In it he related how his first encounter with someone who could speak personally about a real relationship with God came to him while serving in the US Navy. Apparently, one of his fellow recruits put out the word: “I’m getting out of the Navy tomorrow and I’ll give free pizza to anyone who’ll listen to me talk about Jesus.”

The reader responded, “I’ll listen to anything to get free pizza. Bring it over here!” He went on to relate how the pizza evangelist’s excitement and absolute belief in what he was saying had kept him spellbound from ten o’clock at night until two in the morning. “Pizza Evangelism! God was at work in bringing my senses into focus.”

Maybe the pizza evangelist is on to something here. Sure it was a “come-on,” but who cares? He didn’t bribe anyone without telling them what he was doing. He was up front with everything. “I’m going to talk to you about Jesus and I’m going to buy some of your time with a little pizza. How about it?” That’s a generous offer that respects a person’s time and motivation.

I think we’ve all been burned at one time or another by someone’s sales pitch disguised as something else—a freebie, a dinner out, or an invitation to meet a neighbor. As good as the product or service might have been, we still feel taken in some way. Duped. And a little dumb. At least I have.

But there’s nothing wrong with an offer. I like this pizza and Jesus guy. He went with a straight-across deal. I’ve got something really important to me that I’d like to share with you, and in order to do it, I’m willing to give you something for your time, so that even if you don’t like what I have to say, you’ll like the pizza. And the weight of the offer itself tells you that this Jesus story is really important to him—important enough to make sure he has one last chance to tell it.

What do you have that you can give for someone’s time? What can you exchange for a legitimate opportunity to share the gospel with someone?

Growing Pains

Growing Pains
By John Fischer

Often, as a child, when I complained about some ache or pain that had no clear physical explanation, the simple parental diagnosis was: “It’s just growing pains.” I used to imagine my muscles and bones actually hurting while they stretched and grew. While I know nothing about the scientific nature of this evaluation, I do know it has a spiritual application that is entirely accurate. It hurts to grow.

It hurts to grow because we have to die to old ways in order to live anew, and old ways die hard. We place a high premium in life on dying peacefully, but in reality dying almost always is accompanied by pain. We have dependencies with coping mechanisms that have enslaved us. It’s hard letting go of our security blankets.

In a touching scene from the romantic comedy, Mr. Mom, Michael Keaton has to coax his toddler’s “whoopee” blanket away from him. Upon rendering it up, the little boy asks for a moment to himself to grieve the loss and we can almost touch his pain. We would like similar moments to grieve our little daily deaths, but we have to learn to move on, because the pain of losing is followed by the greater joy of finding that God always meets us on the other side of our loss.

It hurts to grow because growing usually means facing some fear or weakness that has limited us. Though God saves us through no effort of our own, he asks for our cooperation when it comes to our spiritual growth. Real spiritual growth only happens when our effort to act upon God’s word meets the provision of the Holy Spirit in us.

Or as Paul teaches, “Put into action God’s saving work in your lives, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey Him and the power to do what pleases Him” (Philippians 2:12-13 NLT).

This is always the spiritual principle of growth. We obey by stepping into our weakness or our fear, hoping in faith that because it is something He asks of us, He will meet us somewhere along the way with the power to do it. This is almost always a painful proposition because it requires a step into the unknown. What if God doesn’t show up? What if this is all a hoax? I suppose you can ask these questions, but you will never get them answered on this side of the pain. You have to take the step, believing that there is something there that you can’t see. And if that doesn’t hurt, it’s probably not faith.

So if what God asks you to do today hurts, remember what you’re feeling is just growing pains.

Complicate Your Life

Complicate Your Life
By John Fischer

Relationships are complicated. Have you ever thought about how much easier life would be without any people in it? How about it? A sure way to an uncomplicated life would be to remove everyone but you. Right?

When you stop and think about it there really are only two options: isolation or complication. You can hole up inside your own shell or come out and complicate your neat, orderly life with unpredictable relationships. Unfortunately, love has no other options.

At the end of the romantic comedy, Six Days, Seven Nights, Harrison Ford decides to complicate his simple, controlled life with a love relationship, and we all think he has made a good choice, because we too have fallen for Anne Heche’s bright blue eyes. “Go for it,” we say to him at the predictable feel-good ending, “complicate the [heck] out of your life”—which is precisely what he says with a slight adjustment for the fact that this is a devotional.

Ever imagine how complicated God’s life got when He created us? “Now the Lord observed the extent of the people’s wickedness, and He saw that all their thoughts were consistently and totally evil. So the Lord was sorry He had ever made them. It broke His heart” (Genesis 6:5-6). Hey, even God has His days.
Yes, God’s life got very complicated when He created us, and that complication culminated in a devastating crucifixion. It took that much for Him to straighten everything out. Yet that didn’t stop Him. So why should we stop at nothing less in order to love each other? Love is worth it.

Love is impossible in isolation. Isolation is a vacuum and love needs a relationship to breathe. Any relationship brings complications; so it’s your choice. Hey, someone made the right choice or you wouldn’t be here to make your own now.

Lest you think that others are the source of your complications, think again. Relationships merely show us who we really are. They are like mirrors into our own dysfunction, and that is actually part of our salvation, because we probably wouldn’t see it otherwise.

So think about all the complicated relationships in your life today, and thank God for what they show you about yourself. Ask God to heal you and then put your arms around those complications, because the overcoming power of God’s love is in them, waiting for you, and you wouldn’t want anything less.

Together Forever

Together Forever
By John Fischer

A friend of mine has written a tongue-in-cheek song about a certain reluctance to go home for Christmas due to the strained relationships that always seem to characterize these once-a-year family get-togethers. I have witnessed his performance of this song numerous times, and every time it receives a boisterous response from the audience. If the perfect family exists somewhere, I haven’t found it yet, and I would venture to guess you haven’t either. It stands to reason, therefore, that our spiritual families will be plagued by the same limitations that characterize our physical families. There is no perfect small group, no perfect church, no perfect community.

The issue for our fellowship, therefore, is not to be free of problems, but to be free of pretense. Conflict, disagreements or differences of opinion are not the enemy of good relationships—dishonesty is. We can go through anything together if we are committed to two things—the truth about ourselves, and the permanency of our relationships in the Body of Christ.

These two things are absolutely necessary for a good relationship: telling the truth, and a tenacious refusal to walk away. My wife and I have a joke about this. We tell people that we have simply decided that divorce is out of the question as a solution to our problems: “Murder maybe, but not divorce!”
Imagine if we had the same tenacity towards each other in the Body of Christ What would happen if the ending or the avoidance of any relationship in Christ were simply not an option.

If you think about it, even if we make it an option, it has to be only temporary, because we are all headed to our eternal home in heaven where all differences, factions and grudges will be erased forever. Like we used to say in the Jesus movement: We’re going to be together forever, so we might as well start getting used to each other now. There are no exit doors in the family of God.

Speak Blessings Over Your Family

Speak Blessings Over Your Family

Psalm 5:12
12For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favour You will surround him as with a shield.

What do you believe and say over yourself and your loved ones every day? On Friday evenings in the homes of every orthodox Jewish family, the father lays his hands on his children and pronounces God’s blessings over them. No wonder Jewish children grow up to be winners in the fight of life! They become some of the world’s greatest achievers, inventors, bankers, financiers, diamond exporters, musicians and entertainers.

Although a minority race, the Jews have produced the most number of Nobel Prize winners. I believe it is because they bless their children in the same way the patriarchs of the Old Testament did. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob released God’s blessings upon their children by laying hands on them and speaking forth the blessings. (Genesis 27:27–29, 38–40; 48:14–16)

In the New Testament, the apostles pronounced blessings over the churches they were preaching to. To the church in Philippi, Paul declared, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19) John released a powerful blessing upon Gaius when he said, “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” (3 John 1:2)

Even Jesus pronounced a blessing of deliverance on the daughter of the Syro-Phoenician woman — “go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter”. (Mark 7:29) This was a blessing of deliverance by proxy. The woman took it by faith and found that her daughter was well when she reached home. (Mark 7:30) Likewise, the centurion took the blessing by faith and healing came upon his servant back home. (Matthew 8:8–13)

The parents of a little girl did the same thing while worshipping in our church. Their daughter was in hospital in the final stages of cancer. When I pronounced the blessing of healing that Sunday, they received it and pronounced it over their daughter. She was soon discharged from the hospital, healed!

My friend, bless your loved ones and declare over them, “The Lord blesses you and surrounds you with His favour as with a shield.” Speak forth your own blessings by declaring aloud, “Thank You Lord, You prosper me and I am in excellent health!”

Antidote to apathy

Antidote to apathy
By John Fischer

What is the best antidote to apathy? Is it a motivational seminar? A weekend retreat? A new book that will change your life? These kinds of programs may bring temporary relief, but they are more like changing the channel when we are already overweight couch Christians. No, the best antidote to apathy is service.

Evangelicals often put being saved and going to heaven in the same sentence, as if heaven were the only goal of our salvation. But the truth is we are saved to serve. Heaven is important, but heaven can wait. God saves us because He has a job for us to do in His kingdom here on earth. If heaven is the whole point of our salvation, then what do we do while we wait?

It’s amazing how many of our own problems dissipate when we begin caring about other people’s problems instead of focusing on our own. We’ve picked up some very bad habits from our culture. We have a tendency to be preoccupied with our own needs and constantly trying to fulfill them. Advertising plays into this self-indulgence, promising that one more product will be the thing that will finally satisfy us. The truth of the matter is that “getting” will never come close to the satisfaction that “giving” affords.

Think of someone you know who is truly happy and I venture to guess you will find someone busy serving others. The supreme example of Mother Theresa comes to mind. If, in fact, our troubles will never go away (and I don’t believe they ever will in this life), then to focus on them and try to solve them is going to be nothing but a broken record. Make one problem go away, and watch another one crop up immediately. To give yourself to the task of helping with the problems of those around you may not make your own problems go away, but it will make them less of a drag in your life. Focusing on our own problems can lead to anxiety, frustration and even depression. Focusing on other people’s problems leads to usefulness and a greater sense of health.

So today, when you are tempted to look inwardly to your own needs, look out, instead, to the needs of those around you and watch your own needs diminish by comparison. You may even forget yourself in the process.

Jesus hung on a cross and thought of those who put him there and pleaded their case before His Father because He knew they didn’t realize the full impact of what they were doing. Can you imagine having even a fleeting thought about someone else if you were in that much pain yourself? But that’s just the thing about Jesus: He was always thinking of someone else.

What You Give Him Will Be Multiplied Back To You

What You Give Him Will Be Multiplied Back To You

Hebrews 11:6
6But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

It pleases God when we believe that He is the giver, the blesser and that “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him”.

Such was the faith of Ruth the Moabitess. When she decided to make the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob her God, she found Him to be her rewarder, who lovingly provided for her, divinely guided her, jealously protected her, gloriously redeemed her from her hopeless situation and richly restored her life.

This same God says to you too that He is your rewarder. And when He is involved in your life, you will be amply rewarded. Peter, the fisherman, would testify to that. His fishing boat, which represented his life, caught nothing the whole night. But in the morning, when the boat was returned to him after he had loaned it to Jesus, it was no longer the same boat. It was anointed, blessed and so magnetised that a great number of fish was attracted into its net. In fact, Peter received a net-breaking, boat-sinking load of fish! (Luke 5:1–11)

Beloved, because God is your rewarder, if He borrows your “boat” even for a while, be assured that He will surely return it to you with a supernatural increase. Even if what you give Him is little, when placed in His hands, it will return to you blessed, anointed and multiplied.

This happened to the little boy who gave Jesus his lunch of five barley loaves and two fish. It must have thrilled the boy to see his small lunch supernaturally multiplied and satisfying not just him, but 5,000 men, not counting the women and children, and even leaving behind 12 basketfuls of leftovers. (John 6:1–13)

Beloved, believe that God is a rewarder. When you give to God your finances, time, possessions, abilities and even your life, know for sure that He will return them to you blessed, anointed and multiplied!

As He sees it

As He sees it
By John Fischer

What is the best antidote to apathy? Is it a motivational seminar? A weekend retreat? A new book that will change your life? These kinds of programs may bring temporary relief, but they are more like changing the channel when we are already overweight couch Christians. No, the best antidote to apathy is service.

Evangelicals often put being saved and going to heaven in the same sentence, as if heaven were the only goal of our salvation. But the truth is we are saved to serve. Heaven is important, but heaven can wait. God saves us because He has a job for us to do in His kingdom here on earth. If heaven is the whole point of our salvation, then what do we do while we wait?

It’s amazing how many of our own problems dissipate when we begin caring about other people’s problems instead of focusing on our own. We’ve picked up some very bad habits from our culture. We have a tendency to be preoccupied with our own needs and constantly trying to fulfill them. Advertising plays into this self-indulgence, promising that one more product will be the thing that will finally satisfy us. The truth of the matter is that “getting” will never come close to the satisfaction that “giving” affords.

Think of someone you know who is truly happy and I venture to guess you will find someone busy serving others. The supreme example of Mother Theresa comes to mind. If, in fact, our troubles will never go away (and I don’t believe they ever will in this life), then to focus on them and try to solve them is going to be nothing but a broken record. Make one problem go away, and watch another one crop up immediately. To give yourself to the task of helping with the problems of those around you may not make your own problems go away, but it will make them less of a drag in your life. Focusing on our own problems can lead to anxiety, frustration and even depression. Focusing on other people’s problems leads to usefulness and a greater sense of health.

So today, when you are tempted to look inwardly to your own needs, look out, instead, to the needs of those around you and watch your own needs diminish by comparison. You may even forget yourself in the process.

Jesus hung on a cross and thought of those who put him there and pleaded their case before His Father because He knew they didn’t realize the full impact of what they were doing. Can you imagine having even a fleeting thought about someone else if you were in that much pain yourself? But that’s just the thing about Jesus: He was always thinking of someone else.

It's not about me

It's not about me
By John Fischer

If your life is not purpose driven, it will be normal and natural to seek the most comfortable alternatives when faced with important decisions or turning points. Without an overall purpose, only self-seeking makes any sense. Which might explain why so many people today are self-seeking and why they feel justified in being so. Without a higher motivation or calling, there is no compelling reason to deny one’s self anything.

Former generations had more reasons than current ones to deny the self. Two world wars and a great depression demanded much from people in order to serve the cause of country and family. But in an age of relative ease and materialistic affluence, the pursuit of happiness eclipses everything. And this pursuit is constantly fed by advertising and modeled by the entertainment world, so that it becomes normal to assume you deserve, if not a break, at least a better life. Spend a few minutes in an electronics gift store and consider the “creature comforts” that seem normal, even necessary to us today, but would have appeared distasteful to former generations sacrificing their sons and daughters for the cause of freedom.

Enter the purpose driven life and suddenly you have another way to look at life. Instead of comfort there is character. Instead of self there are others to serve. Instead of being all about me, it’s all about God. Instead of individuality there is my place in a family. Instead of personal achievement there is a mission. Without someone or something higher that myself, everything sinks back down to me, and how boring is that? I don’t know about you but I’m tired of myself, and if I am, I’m sure you are too. I am reminded of that classic Bette Midler line in the movie “Beaches,” “So I’ve talked enough about me, what do you think about me?”

Jesus said you won’t find your life until you lose it; you won’t have something until you are willing to give it away; you won’t be first until you are last. It all works backwards to the natural order, but then again this isn’t natural selection. This is learning to live according to God’s great purposes for us and finding out that real joy and fulfillment in life is all about living for a God who is higher and better than anything this world has to offer.

God delights in us

God delights in us
By John Fischer

If you’re anything like me, you are really good at beating yourself up on a regular basis. Most of us live with a lot of guilt. We are never good enough. Everything is our fault. This is because all our lives, we have learned acceptance based on performance. If we behave properly, we will be loved and accepted, but one mess-up and love is withdrawn. We are expected to do well, so we only hear about it when we don’t.

God loves us on a wholly different basis. With God, we begin with love and acceptance and we move out from there.

When John the Baptist baptized Jesus, a voice was heard from heaven as he came up out of the water, “This is my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with him” (Matthew 3:17). At this point in his ministry, Jesus had done nothing to prove himself or earn his Father’s approval. No healings. No teachings. No disciples. His baptism signaled the beginning of his ministry, and yet we find God fully pleased with him. It was a given.

It is the same thing with us. God delights in us just as we are. You are pleasing to God already. Or to put it another way: God likes you. This may be hard to believe but it is true. You bring pleasure to God right now as you read this.
God’s love is extended freely through Christ’s death on the cross. It’s what Christ did that brings us into fellowship with God, not anything we do.

Think about it. The things you do today will not cause God to like you any more or less than he already does. That means your actions can spring from knowing you already bring God pleasure instead of trying to be worthy of it.

So take it. Bask in it. Yes, right now, without lifting a finger, God is pleased with you. He made you for this. He made you to delight in you, and you are entering into this purpose by acknowledging him in your life. This is where we start.

You were made for God

You were made for God
By John Fischer

Think about this: “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since He is Lord of heaven and earth, He doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve His needs—for He has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and He satisfies every need there is” (Acts 17:24-25).

God is providing you with the air to breathe today as you read this. This will continue to be the case after your click off your computer and go on with your business. Paul later said, “In Him we live and move and exist.” That’s a pretty big involvement on God’s part, and I have long considered it ironic to think how involved God is with our lives compared to how little we are involved in His. But this inequity doesn’t seem to make any difference to Him. He’s in our lives regardless.

And then Paul paints a picture of us as those who are feeling our way toward God “though He is not far from any one of us” (17:27). What an image that is! We are groping for Him, as in the dark, and He is whispering in our ears. Why not turn around and embrace Him? All this groping is unnecessary.

This, in fact, is what we do when we worship God. We are acknowledging the simple truth that He has been there all along. We are not calling God down from some lofty place; nor are we getting ourselves to some lofty place to reach Him. We are simply turning around and embracing the one who has been right there from the beginning. We are agreeing with a truth that may have been self-evident to others (it’s been right here in scripture all along) but not to us. Worship should be the obvious thing to do. The fact that it is not shows how blind we can be to the truth.

You are no longer blind. Turn around. Acknowledge His presence in your life. Worship by opening your eyes to the obvious truth. As Francis Schaeffer used to say, “God is there and He is not silent.”

Pray this prayer today: “God, I recognize that You have been with me all along, even in the very air I breathe. I admit that I was wrong to think I could be autonomous—that I could control my own destiny and operate without any knowledge of You. I realize now how important You are to me, but what amazes me is the fact that I might be important to You. Open my eyes to see You today, and to realize my place in Your kingdom.”

You Ask Why?

You Ask Why?

You ask why I follow this Jesus?
Why I love Him the way I do?
When the world's turned away from His teachings
And the people who serve Him are few.

It's not the rewards I'm after
Or gifts that I hope to receive
It's the Presence that calls for commitment
It's the Spirit I trust and believe.

The Lord doesn't shelter His faithful
Or spare them all suffering and pain,
Like everyone else I have burdens,
And walk through my share of rain.

Yet He gives me a plan and a purpose,
And that joy only Christians have known,
I never know what comes tomorrow,
But I do know I'm never alone.

It's the love always there when you need it;
It's the words that redeem and inspire,
It's the longing to ever be with Him
That burns in my heart like a fire.

So you ask why I love my Lord Jesus?
Well, friend, that's so easy to see,
But the one thing that fills me with wonder is
Why Jesus loves someone like me.
- Author Unknown

Cloud Nine

Cloud Nine
By John Fischer

You have a place in the Body of Christ—a place only you can fill. This is true for all of us so that together, we all fit into a very big plan for what God is doing in the world. That He would incorporate us into this plan is a part of His amazing grace. He not only saves us; He gives us a job to do, and equips us to do it.

Jesus spoke often about rewarding those who have been faithful in their earthly responsibilities (what He calls the “little things”) with big responsibilities in the kingdom of heaven. That would mean there is no task too small for the Christian, even by earthly standards. What we do now in service to others is setting us up for eternity where we will take on much bigger responsibilities. Now we may be dealing with setting up chairs, teaching Sunday school, or volunteering at the local soup kitchen. In the future we may be dealing with running galaxies, maintaining governments, and representing God’s will in the universe. And you thought heaven was all about sitting around on clouds playing harps!

I believe that God doesn’t waste any of our time or our experiences. Everything we are discovering now as servants in His church is preparing us for an eternity of service in His eternal kingdom. Yes, you read that right: we will be serving throughout eternity. I personally believe we can blow our minds imagining what eternity will be like and not get even the half of it.
Think about it. Does it seem like God would weave the need for a purpose into the core of our being and then have that purpose realized only by playing 2nd harp on cloud nine ad infinitum? Whoever came up with that harp thing missed this admonition where Jesus said that those who are faithful in the little things He puts in charge of all His possessions. And what are all His possessions if not worlds and galaxies and heavens upon heavens?

So the next time you are struggling with the apparent meaninglessness of some small task, think about what God might be preparing you for and make it your goal to be found as a faithful servant with what He has given you for now.

‘Now My Eyes See You, Lord!’

‘Now My Eyes See You, Lord!’

Job 42:5
5I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You.

You may have heard of God from a friend or colleague. Perhaps you continue to hear of Him in church services on Sundays. Like Job, you say to God, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear.” But God also wants you to be able to say to Him, “But now my eye sees You.”

Now, when Job told the Lord, “My eye sees You,” he was not saying that he saw God physically. He was referring to the moment when he had a personal revelation of God.

Why was it so important for Job to have a personal revelation of God? You see, God wanted Job to know that without a personal revelation of God, the devil could easily steal from him. But from the moment that Job had a personal revelation of God, it was upwards for him, with God restoring to him double of everything that he had lost. (Job 42:10–16)

There was a lady who was separated from her husband because he had an affair with his colleague. But when she came to our church and began to have a personal revelation of God’s personal love for her, she believed God for the restoration of her marriage by the end of the year. She did not just hear of a God who “so loved the world”. (John 3:16) She came to know the God who so loved her!

Not long after that, her estranged husband started dating her and was soon falling in love with her all over again. God also “took care” of the other woman — she resigned from the company. And on the first of January in the following year, the couple moved back into their matrimonial home, their marriage now built solidly on God!

My friend, when you are reading your Bible or hearing God’s Word being preached, and suddenly you exclaim, “I see it, Lord!” that is when your personal revelation of God has come. And you are now in a position to receive all that God has for you!

Christ, The Power And Wisdom Of God

Christ, The Power And Wisdom Of God

1 Corinthians 1:24
24... to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

People today run after two things: miraculous signs and wonders, and knowledge. It was no different in Bible times. The apostle Paul acknowledged that “Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom”. (1 Corinthians 1:22) So when Paul preached Christ crucified as God’s solution to them, the message was “to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness”. (1 Corinthians 1:23) They didn’t understand how getting a revelation of Jesus and His death could give them the miracles they needed or the wisdom they wanted.

Beloved, we don’t have to run after miracles or wisdom today. We just need to run after Jesus because He is “the power of God and the wisdom of God”. The more we know Christ and Christ crucified, the more we will have the power and wisdom of God.

Several church members have shared how they have seen the power of God blast financial debts out of their lives. Not knowing what to do about their debts, they looked to the Lord to deliver them. And the Lord was able to do so mightily because He is indeed the power of God.

So if you are facing a financial debt, Christ has the power to remove the debt. And because He is also the wisdom of God, He will show you where you went wrong and teach you how to stay out of debt forever!

Let me give you another illustration. Let’s say a man, whose wife has left him, looks to Jesus to bring his wife back. Christ, the power of God, brings about a miraculous restoration of their marriage. But it is Christ, the wisdom of God, who will teach the husband how to keep his wife by showing him what he had done wrong and what to do to strengthen the marriage. If the husband does not have this wisdom, it will only be a matter of time before the same problems surface and the wife leaves him again.

My friend, Christ is both the power and wisdom of God to us. As the power of God, He removes obstacles in our paths. As the wisdom of God, He continually directs our paths!

Jesus Understands What You Are Going Through

Jesus Understands What You Are Going Through

Hebrews 4:15
15For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathise with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

“Does God really understand what I am going through?”

Sometimes, we can’t help but wonder if God really knows what it is like to be poor, rejected by people, backed into a corner by our enemies or sick with aches and pains.

My friend, Jesus was no stranger to emotional or physical pains, poverty or hardships. He was born into a poor family. He had a smelly manger for His birthplace. (Luke 2:7) From an early age, as a carpenter, He knew all about working hard with His hands, standing on His feet all day long and returning home with aches in His body.

The religious leaders of His day made life difficult for Him. They challenged His authority (Matthew 21:23) and tested His teachings. (Matthew 19:3) They also called Him a glutton, winebibber, friend of tax collectors and sinners (Matthew 11:19), and blasphemer. (Mark 2:7)

They said that He was demon-possessed and mad (John 10:20), put Him on the spot when they brought an adulterous woman to Him (John 8:2–11), attempted to stone Him (John 8:59, 10:31–39) and accused Him of perverting the nation. (Luke 23:2)

Have you been chased out of your home because of your Christian beliefs? Jesus understands what you are going through. He was chased out of His own hometown. (Luke 4:29) Have you been rejected by someone you love? Jesus also experienced the pain of being denied by a loved one (Luke 22:54–62) and betrayed by one considered close to Him. (Luke 22:47–48) He also knows all about the sickness you are suffering because He bore your sicknesses and pains on the cross. (Isaiah 53:4)

Jesus certainly understands all that we are going through because being born fully Man, He was “in all points tempted as we are”. He endured His sufferings for our sakes so that we can have His peace and the anointing to rise above the troubles we are facing!

Sunday, any day...

Sunday, any day...
By John Fischer

What do I need to worship you Lord? Do I need some religious icon set in stained glass to carry my spirit up out of this earth’s vain pull? Do I need music to lift my soul to another plane? Do I need to have someone tell me how I should think about You, and what I should say to You? Do I need someone else’s words to communicate with You? Do I need someone else’s song or can I gurgle out my own grim attempt, and will You somehow sweeten it before it reaches Your ears?

Do I need to be religious to worship You, or can we just walk along and talk like You did with Your disciples? Do I need the proper prayer order—You know: thanksgiving first, then confession, then protection, then petition, then praise—or will “Help!” suffice? Can You fill in all the rest? Aren’t You here, anyway? Right here? I have the feeling I have Your attention, all the time; the bigger question is do You have mine? I have to honestly say You do not.

Not always, and certainly not enough. Forgive me Lord for forgetting—for missing the fact that You are close enough to whisper in my ear. I worry so much about things that You already know about. You know how this is going to turn out, anyway. If I could just learn to trust You…

Hear me today, O Lord. Accept my worship today even though it’s just an ordinary day. Teach me something today that will change me tomorrow. May I bring You pleasure as much by walking through my day today as I would singing in church, or reading my Bible or praying in a fellowship group.

I’m not a religious person, O God, and if You want the truth, I don’t want to be. I just want to know You and know You are with me. I know You are, just help me to see You today.

Flow With Righteousness, Peace And Joy

Flow With Righteousness, Peace And Joy

Romans 14:17
17For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

If we are supposed to seek first the kingdom of God every day (Matthew 6:33), then we should know what the kingdom of God is in the first place. I used to think that the kingdom of God was the mission fields and that to seek it meant doing missionary work.

Then, I realised that the kingdom of God was not something outside you flowing in — “the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking”, but something inside you flowing out — “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”.

So to seek first God’s kingdom means to make it a priority every day to have your inner man flowing with righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Righteousness is not your own righteousness based on what you do. It is not good works. It is a gift from Jesus who is your righteousness. (Romans 5:17, 1 Corinthians 1:30) God wants you to be established in the truth that you are the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

“Peace be with you” were the words that Jesus spoke to His disciples when He appeared before them after His resurrection. He also showed them His pierced hands and side. (John 20:19–20) God wants you to know that His Son’s finished work has given you peace. Your conscience can be at rest because your sin debt has been settled. You have peace with God, and the peace of God.

Joy will come into your heart when you see Jesus in the scriptures, worship songs or anointed preaching. It is the same joy from the Holy Spirit which filled the disciples’ hearts when they saw Jesus, His hands and His side. (John 20:20)

So every day, make it a priority to see yourself righteous in Christ. Don’t be conscious of your sins, but instead be conscious of your righteousness. And whether you are reading your Bible or listening to anointed preaching, see Jesus with His pierced hands and side, which speak of His finished work. See that your sins are forgiven, and you will flow with peace and joy. When you do this, you are seeking the kingdom of God!

In Life You Can't Turn Back

A young lady was waiting for her flight in the boarding room of a big airport. As she would need to wait many hours, she decided to buy a book to spend her time. She also bought a packet of cookies. She sat down in an armchair in the VIP room of the airport to rest and read in peace.

Beside the armchair where the packet of cookies lay, a man sat down in the next seat, opened his magazine and started reading. When she took out the first cookie, the man took one also. She felt irritated but said nothing. She just thought, "What a nerve! If I was in the mood I would punch him for daring!".

For each cookie he took, the man took one too. This was infuriating her but she didn't want to cause a scene. When only cookie remained, she thought, "Ah…what this abusive man do now?". Then the man taking the last cookie, divided it into half, giving her one half. Oh, that was too much! She was too angry now.

In a huff, she took her book, her things and stormed to the boarding place. When she sat down in the seat, inside the plane, she looked into her purse to take her eyeglasses, and, to her suprise, her packet of cookies was there, untouched, unopened!

She felt so ashamed! She realized that she was wrong. She has forgotten that her cookies were kept in her purse. The man had divided her cookies with her, without feeling angered or bitter. While she had been very angry, thinking that she was dividing her cookies with him. And now there was no chance to explain herself…nor to apologize.
There are 4 things that you cannot recover:

The stone…after the throw!
The word…after it's said
The occasion…after the loss
The time…after it's gone.

Have a positive day!

A letter from Jesus

Dear All,

As you well know, we are getting closer to my birthday. Every year there is a celebration in my honor and I think that this year the celebration will be repeated.

During this time there are many people shopping for gifts, there are many Radio announcements, TV commercials, and in every part of the world everyone is talking that my birthday is getting closer and closer.

It is really very nice to know, that at least once a year, some people think of me.

As you know, the celebration of my birthday began many years ago.

At first people seemed to understand and be thankful of all that I did for them, but in these times, no one seems to know the reason for the celebration.

Family and friends get together and have a lot of fun, but they don't know the meaning of the celebration. I remember that last year there was a great feast in my honor. The dinner table was full of delicious foods, pastries, fruits, assorted nuts and chocolates. The decorations were exquisite and there were many, many beautifully wrapped gifts. However, do you want to know something? I was not invited.

I was the guest of honor and they didn't remember to send me an invitation.

The party was for me, but when that great day came, I was left outside, they closed the door in my face .. and I wanted to be with them and share their table.

In truth, that didn't surprise me because in the last few years all close their doors to me. Since I wasn't invited, I decided to enter the party without making any noise. I went in and stood in a corner.

They were all drinking; there were some who were drunk and telling jokes and laughing at everything. They were having a grand time.

To top it all, this big fat man all dressed in red wearing a long white beard entered the room yelling Ho-Ho-Ho! He seemed drunk. He sat on the sofa and all the children ran to him, saying: "Santa Claus, Santa Claus" as if the party were in his honor!

At midnight all the people began to hug each other; I extended my arms waiting for someone to hug me and do you know no-one hugged me.

Suddenly they all began to share gifts. They opened them one by one with great expectation. When all had been opened, I looked to see if, maybe, there was one for me. What would you feel if on your birthday everybody shared gifts and you did not get one?

I then understood that I was unwanted at that party and quietly left.

Every year it gets worse. People only remember the gifts, the parties, to eat and drink, and nobody remembers me.

I would like this Christmas that you allow me to enter into your life.

I would like that you recognize the fact that almost two thousand years ago I came to this world to give my life for you, on the cross, to save you.

Today, I only want that you believe this with all your heart.

I want to share something with you. As many didn't invite me to their party, I will have my own celebration, a grandiose party that no one has ever imagined, a spectacular party. I'm still making the final arrangements.

Today I am sending out many invitations and there is an invitation for you. I want to know if you wish to attend and I will make a reservation for you and write your name with golden letters in my great guest book.

Only those on the guest list will be invited to the party.

Those who don't answer the invite, will be left outside. Be prepared because when all is ready you will be part of my great party.

See you soon. I Love you!

Jesus

Being happy

"Being happy can be hard work sometimes, it is like maintaining a nice home, you've got to hang on to your treasures and throw out the garbage."

"Being happy requires looking for the good things. One person sees the beautiful view and the other sees the dirty window, choose what you see and what you think."

"Right here, right now, from here until tomorrow"

A strong woman vs. A woman of strength

A strong woman works out every day to keep her body in shape...

but
A woman of strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape...

A strong woman isn't afraid of anything...
but
A woman of strength shows courage in the midst of her fear...

A strong woman won't let anyone get the best of her...
but
A woman of strength gives the best of her to everyone...

A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future...
but
A woman of strength realizes life's mistakes can also be God's blessings and capitalizes on them...

A strong woman walks sure footedly...
but
A woman of strength knows God will catch her when she falls...

A strong woman wears the look of confidence on her face...
but
A woman of strength wears grace...

A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey...
but
A woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey that she will become strong...

************ ********* ****

JESUS, I sing you praises in all seasons
You are marvelous and holy
You are my strength, my rock of salvation
You are majestic full of Glory

THE BELL

This bell is who we are... Amazing!!

THE BELL
I KNOW WHO I AM
I am God's child (John 1:12)
I am Christ's friend (John 15:15)
I am united with the Lord(1 Cor. 6:17)
I am bought with a price(1 Cor. 6:19-20)
I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)
I am a personal witness of Christ (Acts 1:8)
I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt.5:13-14)
I am a member of the body of Christ(1 Cor 12:27)
I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom. 8: 1-2)
I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil.3:20)
I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31-34)
I am a minister of reconciliation for God(2 Cor.5:17-21)
I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)
I cannot be separated from the love of God(Rom.8:35- 39)
I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor.1:21-22)
I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8: 28)
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16)
I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12)
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13)
I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)
I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16). I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3). I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1). I am God's workmanship( Eph. 2:10)
I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected (Phil 1: 5)
I have been redeemed and forgiven (Col. 1:14). I have been adopted as God's child(Eph 1:5)
I belong to God
Do you know
who you
are!?


Keep this bell ringing...pass it on:)

"The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make His face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn His face toward you
and give you peace."
Numbers 6:24-26

GOD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU

Sent

Sent
By John Fischer

Sometimes I act as if I’m just muddling through life. I’m lucky if I make it through a day. People ask me how I’m doing and I hear myself say—even to fellow Christians—“Oh, I’m hanging in there, just barely.” Then I remember Christ praying to the Father: “As you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world,” and I have to ask myself: Do I sound like someone who has been “sent?”

If I have been sent, then I am on a mission, and if I am on a mission, how can I just be muddling through life? Somehow I don’t think muddling is in my mission statement.

I’m thinking of Paul in 2 Corinthians 2:14-17 where he says that he is always being lead in a public display and is manifesting, wherever he goes, something real about the nature of his faith in Christ, and it is always having an effect on people, and I realize God can accomplish this mission in spite of what is currently happening in my life. Paul even makes this statement right after he has confessed his anxiety over plans not going as expected (verses 12-13). Even then, he could still say he was being lead on a mission.

That means nothing can stop us because nothing can stop God’s work in our lives. It would be great today if when people ask how I am, I could say, even if it’s just to myself, “I’m on a mission,” because I am. I’m on a mission to love God today with all my heart, and let that love reflect in all I do. I’m on a mission to look for opportunities to give a reason for the hope I have in Christ. I’m on a mission to tell my story to anyone who wants to hear it. I’m on a mission to manifest the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ wherever I go. All this can happen regardless of the circumstances in my life. I don’t get to muddle through anything.

In the movie “Saving Private Ryan,” a platoon of men in World War II are on a mission to find Private Ryan and bring him home. Sometimes they struggle with their mission. Some of them almost abandon it, but as long as they are moving with the mission of the group, they are all on it. They were sent.

How about you today? Have you been sent? Then you aren’t just hanging in there; you are on a mission. Be aware of it today, and look for what God has for you.

Keeping On

Keeping On
By John Fischer

Life is difficult. Nothing worth anything is easy to come by.

I’ll never forget my first backpacking experience. I was 21 years old and hiking with a group of experienced high school students. I had never heard of this sport. We climbed over 3,000 feet the first day to get over a pass at 11,000 feet. Of course I had no idea how elated I was going to be reaching the top of the mountain and descending down the other side to a pristine High Sierra lake in the wilderness untouched by anyone other than backpackers on foot. All I could think of for the excruciating last two hours of that first ascent was what on earth was I doing this for? Barely managing one foot in front of the other, focused only on the pack of the kid in front of me, we slowly made our way up above the timberline through gravel and shale that made you slip back every few steps ‘til it felt like you were taking two steps back for every one step forward. I knew nothing of the reward; I knew only to keep going—keep pushing through the pain of adding 35 pounds to my weight, and testing the muscles in my back, legs and lungs that had not been used to this kind of demand. But how all that changed when we reached the top!

A lot of our spiritual journey is the same way. Obedience sometimes seems like nothing but hard work. We keep on moving forward—keep on believing—even when we have no clue how much farther we have to go or what’s on the other side. But I have noticed one encouraging thing about this. My subsequent experiences of backpacking were easier to endure once I knew what was waiting for me on the other side of the mountain. A few rewards of faith under your belt will go a long way towards giving you the courage to believe again, even in testing times.

Once you have believed God and found his faith to be real and full of actual substance in the midst of demanding circumstances, it makes it easier to believe him again when a new trail challenges us. So whether you are on this trail for the first time or the umpteenth time, keep your eyes fixed on the goal and your feet moving one in front of the other, even if you slip back from time to time. It will all be worth it (and much of the pain forgotten) on the other side.

“Job is an example of a man who endured patiently. From his experience we see how the Lord’s plan finally ended in good” (James 5:11).

Extended Family

Extended Family
By John Fischer

“When I think of the wisdom and scope of his plan I fall down on my knees and pray to the Father of all the great family of God—some of them already in heaven and some down here on earth. (Ephesians 3:14 & 15 LB)

Wow, that’s a pretty big family. What’s it like to be related to such a big group? It means you’re not alone. You can go just about anywhere in the world and find people that you belong to—brothers and sisters that will welcome you—kindred that will invite you in. Virtually anywhere in the world you can find people who may speak a different language, but possess the same Spirit. There’s a common bond that binds all believers together among all races and all nations. It’s an invisible knowing—a unified common belief: one Lord, one faith, one baptism, because there is only one God and Father of us all, and he in us, and living through us.

It means lots of privileges. You have a great Father in heaven who promises to supply you with all you need according to his riches in glory. You have access at any time directly into his office. His door is always open; you don’t have to knock. You don’t have to go through a secretary or a bodyguard to get to him. You can walk right in and sit on his lap and tell him what you need, or just be there, and enjoy his embrace. He loves that too.

It means you are important. Someone wanted you to exist. Someone knows you by name. Someone called you before you even knew it, to be his child, and someone paid a huge price to make it possible for you to be adopted into this family. You are wanted, desired, and looked after. A way has been prepared for you, even for your future that you do not know yet. You are no accident.

Most of all it means you are loved, not only by God, but by all those in his family. And if it seems that some of your brothers and sisters aren’t too loving, it’s just because, well, we’re all growing up, and we all have a ways to go, but the power to love is there, nonetheless. Just like our earthly families, we have a hard time getting along sometimes, but in the end we stick together because we’re blood. Well, we’re blood in God’s family, too, precious blood—shed on a cross that we might all live eternally together.

According to whom?

According to whom?
By John Fischer

Life is hard. How often we forget that this is the way it is supposed to be. We push against the difficult circumstances in our lives instead of allowing them to work God’s character in us. We act as if the good life is what we deserve. Even the good life we will enjoy in heaven is not what we deserve, so what business do we have assuming everything will be easy down here?

Everything we are going through is for a purpose. God does not waste any experiences on us; he uses everything. “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28). There are no qualifiers on this. It doesn’t say everything except the stupid things we do, or everything except when we blow it, or everything except for our sin; it just says “everything.” No exceptions.

The only reason this isn’t always tremendously good news for us is the little clause: “according to his purpose for us.” We forget that it is his purpose that is being worked out in our lives, and the only time this would be a problem is when his purpose is not necessarily ours. At issue here is who defines the success, fulfillment and purpose we are seeking—our culture or the Lord?

We get into a lot of trouble when we use our culture’s definition of fulfillment and apply it to our understanding of God’s purpose for our lives. We often assume God is blessing us when things are going great, and God is cursing us when things are going poorly when the opposite could very well be the case. God’s hand and his love are hidden in the difficult things. We should actually be wary when things are “easy,” for this world is not our home nor is it a place to seek the comforts of life. These are culturally defined, not spiritual.

The spiritual things in our lives have to do with what builds character in us, and these are most often the more difficult things. “We can rejoice, too,” says Paul in Romans 5:3&4, “when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation.”

So when things are going well for you or things are going poorly, the first things you should ask is “According to whom?”