Tag: Maturing

Today’s Word Is CONTEND

Thu-Jul-23-2020

If you are angry or upset with God or disappointed in him, perhaps you should go ahead and say so directly to him. He already knows, but still wants you to say it. He can deal with it and still love you. Nothing you or I can say is going to knock God off His throne or cause him to forsake or abandon us.

In a movie entitled The Apostle, Robert Duvall stars as a charismatic Pentecostal preacher named Euliss F. “Sonny” Dewey. Sonny has some quite interesting prayer time discussions with the Lord. One evening company dropped by to visit his home, where he lived with his mother. Sonny could be heard upstairs carrying on with a raised voice, and so the guest asked his mother what this was all about. “That’s my son, that is,” Momma says. “I’ll tell ya: ever since he was an itty-bitty boy, sometimes he talks to the Lord and sometimes he yells at the Lord. Tonight, he just happens to be yellin’ at him.”

Eventually, if we contend with God long enough, we will have to face the fact that his nature is not going to change. And neither is he likely to change His approach when we are caught making “demands” rather than “requests.” You might point out that Jacob wrestled with an angel and “demanded” a blessing, which he did receive. But also remember that he walked with a hip out of joint and a limp from then on. When we contend with God, the condition of our heart is revealed. Some of us who think we are reenacting Jacob’s wrestling match and demanding a blessing may actually just be having a temper tantrum. There is a difference … one God-centered … the other self-centered.

As we contend with God, He will love us and love us some more and love us even more, even though we are dissatisfied with the unfair things that happen to us. We do the same thing with our children, don’t we? Sometimes, when there is a great disappointment or hurt, the only thing we can do is hold the child until they are comforted by our arms of love and their heart connects to ours.

And so it is with God when he comforts us. But what shall we expect if we proceed with a lengthy temper tantrum (sometimes measured in years) in which we are trying to outlast God and force Him to act like we want Him to? He is fully capable of outlasting us every time, until we come to Him humbly and say, “I need You.” His desire to grow us up through difficulties into full maturity works in tandem with his desire to comfort us, and both have their place.

It is interesting how a child who finally gives in and lets themselves be comforted by us, can so quickly “feel better” and jump up to the next activity. And so with us, once past our stubbornness, it is sometimes amazing how quickly we see the way forward and He works things out for us … his way.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 28:11-13)

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is UNSHAKEN

Wed-Jul-22-2020

I hate putting my time or money into something that ends up not being worth it. A couple of years ago my wife and I were doing some painting inside the house. We ordered this great sounding device that was supposed to make trimming a cinch. Well … upon arrival of the product, we discovered that the quality of the gadget was significantly lower than the quality of the idea. In short, it was not worth using.

Suffice it to say that whatever we invest our time and money in does not always turn out to be worth it. Teaching the lesson of unreasonable expectations to the children in the family takes patience. When my sweet mother-in-law was raising my wife and her two siblings and one of them made a request for something that was “not gonna happen” … she would chuckle and say to them, “Yea, and people in jail want out!”

There is no guarantee you will get what you want. There is always a risk that some things you purchase are a waste of money. And sometimes the places you want to go or the things you want to do are not going to work out.

There is, however, something of a spiritual nature that has a trustworthy guarantee.

Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; … (Hebrews 12:28)

This “kingdom that cannot be shaken” is worth trading everything we are and all we have in order to live in it. In a world in which many people get upset at the things that don’t work like they’re supposed to, the only thing I know of that comes through 100% of the time is the grace of God poured out on us in this “kingdom that cannot be shaken.”

In all my years of adulthood, I can’t think of a single person who ever came back to me and said they were disappointed in the life of faith offered to them through Jesus Christ. This is based on those who were “all in” for the kingdom.

For those who were just trying to “fit God into their schedule,” it seemed to me that they didn’t want to be “in” this kingdom, but just visit occasionally. In that case, God is not really your king. Those folks were frequently disappointed.

I am thankful that there is a “kingdom that cannot be shaken” offered by grace to all of us, in which the warranty never runs out. I’m all in for that! And good news … living in this unshaken kingdom also means that when the events of this life try to rock my world, I can remain personally unshaken because of the unshakable foundation of this kingdom in which I dwell.

If you or someone you know is holding out looking for a sure thing to commit to, hold back no longer. And when you take the leap, you will discover that this is not just an idea, it is a Person, the Creator himself, drawing you into a deep, loving relationship that far exceeds expectations … it will produce a sense of “reverence and awe” within you.

King David was all in, saying, “I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved …” (Psalm 121:1-3a)

This seems strange to say, but I have been shaken up a few times in my life, and yet remained unshaken, because God absorbed the shaking.

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is UNLIKELY

Tue-Jul-21-2020

There are times you are going to be called on to accomplish something that you don’t think you’re suited for. God doesn’t use our normal criteria to pick someone for a job. You or I would choose someone with talent in the desired area and available time to commit to the project. We might also go for someone with high self-esteem who is well respected, someone who would answer “yes” with great confidence.

Not God … He has a flair for performing the impossible with the unlikely! In the Book of Judges, the land of Israel is being harassed by the Midianites. The Israelites could be overrun and destroyed if something didn’t turn around and soon. I’ve been there a few times, things are falling apart, and I feel hopeless. How about you?

But God had a plan and sent an angel to tell Gideon he had been chosen to pull off the necessary turnaround. Of course, to Gideon this didn’t seem like divine orders, it seemed like nonsense. He thought this angel was a strange traveler who didn’t know what he was talking about. So, his response was two-fold … “I don’t know what makes you think God cares about us; he has abandoned us!” … and then … “Even if this could happen, you’ve got the wrong guy! I am not a leader or a warrior.” Judges 6:15… “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”

So here is the take-away for today. God uses willing people, regardless of their strengths or weaknesses, their high or low station, or their level of confidence to accomplish the following purposes:

First, he comes to resolve a serious need and accomplish a kingdom purpose, especially if it seems impossible to us. He wants to achieve the victory, and to create joy, thanks, and celebration.

Second, he wants to do it in a way that creates faith in you and others. Sometimes that means using the seemingly least qualified candidate, otherwise we would all praise that person for the success. God wants us to know that we can’t do it without his divine help. That way the praise goes to God, not any of us.

Finally, God wants to demonstrate that he can use you to do amazing things with his help. This requires humility plus faith plus courage.

If God is tapping you on the shoulder about something that he wants to accomplish, listen up. It might be simple … help one person in your world (at home, at work, wherever) to experience a turnaround that they desperately need. Or perhaps he sets your sights on something much bigger and intimidating. If you list all the “worldly” reasons you’re the wrong person for the job, you could miss a chance to bless one person or many.

If you think you’re the least qualified, the least likely candidate … well, there you go … it wouldn’t be the first time God took that approach! You could draw out the argument for days and days, like Gideon did, or you could go for it!

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is SERENITY

Fri-Jul-17-2020
It’s Humor Day!

I hope you have heard of the “Serenity Prayer,” which is something worth posting on your mirror, bulletin board, or refrigerator.

First, I will give you a humorous remake called the “Senility Prayer” (author unknown), which applies to the aging process and how to deal with people whom you like or do not like. This is helpful for people of my age … ha-ha-ha …

THE PRAYER OF SENILITY
God grant me the senility
to forget the people I never liked anyway,
the good fortune to run into the ones I do,
and the eyesight to tell the difference.

The original “Serenity Prayer” was written by Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971), an American Reformed theologian, author of books on ethics and other topics, commentator on politics and public affairs, and professor at Union Theological Seminary for more than 30 years. Many groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, use the shortened version of his “Serenity Prayer,” (the first four lines) as a theme or tool of encouragement.  The full version goes like this …

THE PRAYER OF SERENITY

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
forever in the next.
Amen.

Have a blessed weekend, including rest, family, and worship,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is BURDENS

Wed-Jul-15-2020

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” – Jesus (Matthew 11:28)

Another version says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened…”

The heaviest burden many people carry is the load of expectations placed on them by others. Trying to live up to an image of who others think we should be can become a weight too great to sustain.

One of the reasons people flocked to hear Jesus was because he talked more about a God who cared, than one whose heavy hand wanted to control them and punish them for not being good enough or for breaking too many rules. I wonder if a single rabbi (teacher) had ever in their lives invited them to come follow so they could rest!

But Jesus was doing just that, which essentially was an invitation to live a life of trust in the goodness of God. Those who felt hopeless, oppressed, and tired of trying and failing were intrigued by these words … “Come to me, and I will give you rest.”

Now, this was not an invitation to stop trying, nor to escape responsibility, but to receive an internal shift from dependence on the approval of others to dependence on the grace of God. Worldly living says, “I will love you if” … and then there comes the expectation.

Kingdom living (God’s Kingdom, that is), says that you are loved by your Creator and your Savior for who you are, not for what you accomplish. The first step of Kingdom living is to get rid of the baggage, the load of expectations, the fear that you might not prove to be worthy, … and in exchange receive the following reality … You are accepted because God made you and loved unconditionally because that’s who God is and what he does.

After that, there are lots of things we do to accomplish Kingdom purposes, but they are not done to prove we are acceptable, they are done out of thanks that we were “declared” to be acceptable as God’s primary gift. (We call this salvation or conversion.) We are no longer laboring and heavy laden under a load of disapproval, but rather there is rest from it.

Welcome to the Jesus life. Now, I need to complete the picture. In the beginning, I only gave you one of three verses to describe the Jesus invitation. Here’s the “rest of the story”:

Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

You may notice that after Jesus offered rest, he told us to take his yoke upon us, which is the equipment placed on the shoulders of oxen and other work animals, for the purpose of carrying or pulling loads. How about that! … Invited to rest and put to work! But that’s it! Rest, work, rest, work. Not work, work, work, work.

In the Pharisees’ world, the “working” at proving ourselves to be religious and obedient was primary. In Jesus’ world, the “resting” is primary. The Sabbath is the holy day when God rested. For God, six days was “enough” to complete creation. Get it? This faith we practice has works of righteousness involved, but not to prove our worth and not to the extent that they become a burden we can’t carry. The most important day of the week is Sabbath, meaning the most important aspect of the Kingdom life is rest.

Is this making sense? Jesus invited us to turn around, to stop thinking of religious performance as the basis of life, but rather to let rest and assurance be the focus of life, with an attitude towards works of faith that sees it as a joy, not a burden, and certainly not the way to prove anything to God.

The result is rest for our souls, because the yoke (workload) is easy, and it burdens us only lightly, because it was given to us by a Savior who is both gentle and humble.

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

By the way … this has been my favorite passage of Scripture for 40+ years. When I was a young pastor, I had read this passage many times, but the first time I used it as a sermon text, I began preparing and spontaneously became overwhelmed with tears at Jesus’ invitation to come to him and get rid of my burdens in exchange for his rest and a yoke that was much easier than the burdens I had been carrying for such a long time.

I say this because when we are first saved, we understand our salvation as we experienced it at that point. But later on, more revelations of the nature and glory of this new life in Christ will touch us in deeper and richer ways. This passage became my best symbolism for the illustration of salvation … to give him what I have, and in return get what he has. That’s the best bargain anyone in the world will ever get!

Today’s Word Is TRANSMIT

Tue-Jul-14-2020

Besides physical sickness, there are many things in life that get transmitted, some exceptionally good things and some very harmful things. Love, hope, and joy are contagious, but so are anger, discontent, and bitterness.

There is a Bible passage that talks about the transmission of spiritual and emotional healing.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2nd Corinthians 1:3-4)

In other words, as God comforts us, we are inspired to comfort others. This word “comfort” has a deeper meaning than just getting a pat on the back or a hug to make you feel better. The “comfort” spoken of here is deep, more like a profound, life-changing healing.

Simply put, “Healed people heal people.” As we find and receive healing from God, we become agents of healing in the lives of others.

But there is a reverse principle implied in this verse that is also true. “Hurt people hurt people.” The past hurts that some people have endured get passed on or transmitted to others. The person who feels hurt, often reacts and compensates by hurting others.

Here are two ways to apply these principles.

First, get yourself healed up. Address your hurts and find peace. Dig deeper into the Word. And there are many churches, ministries, grace-filled Christians, and inspiring books to help you. God’s healing comfort is deep and effective. Most of the time, the “just forget about it” approach doesn’t work. In the medical world, wounds that are not painfully cleaned out and treated with inconvenient shots, stitches, and bandages, will not heal, they will get “infected.” Emotional wounds can also get “infected” if not painstakingly treated.

Second, understand and forgive others who display hurtful behavior toward you or others. It may be that they are not simply “mean” people, but far more likely that they have been hurt in the past in such a way that they don’t realize how they are hurting others or how to stop it. They need someone who has been healed (like you, for instance) to help them get healed.

Be well!

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is SURE-FOOTED

Mon-Jul-13-2020

The Lord God is my strength, And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, And makes me walk on my high places. (Habakkuk 3:19)

The concept of “hinds’ feet in high places” was impressed upon me many years ago by a profoundly wise and kind pastor named Rev. Harper Sasser. He loved the idea of being sure-footed when negotiating the difficult times of life. He could minister to those who were distressed and help them to calm down simply by his presence and encouragement. He was a living example of what it looked like to be sure-footed, and he could help you to understand and believe that you could do the same!

A hind is a female deer that can place her back feet exactly where her front feet stepped while bounding along at a quick pace. Her feet landed not one inch off of the best place to step next! She can run with abandonment in rocky terrain that makes us humans nervous just to watch it! In times of danger, she can move quickly to avoid danger and not get “off track,” while scaling unusually difficult rock formations to elude predators or to reach feeding areas that looked impossible to access.

I have watched enough National Geographic shows to have seen Rocky Mountain settings where these sure-footed animals run and jump around on rocky cliffs. It makes me nervous, thinking they could slip and fall 1,000 feet. But they maneuver perfectly every time.

The message of Habakkuk the prophet was written at the time of the Israelites’ captivity by Babylon. What could be worse? These were frightful times. There was a sense of hopelessness. But Habakkuk told God’s people that even in such a calamity, they must trust God above all else. He was going to keep them on their feet, helping them to endure and to overcome. Sounds a bit like some of the troubles we are facing today.

Have you developed a depth of faith that enables you to cope with difficulty better than many of the secular folks around you? I have been asked on occasion how I made it through a particularly troubling situation. The answer … God has given us “hinds’ feet.” He has taught us and blessed us enough that when we are negotiating those rocky cliffs of tribulation in life, we are able to maneuver without fear. By the amazing grace of God, we seem to land on our feet in situations where others might fall apart or fall down.

Are you experiencing any trials or tribulations? Is the enemy trying to run you down, hoping you will slip and fall? Use the sure-footed ability that God has given you and you will find yourself landing safely on the spots God has provided to preserve you.

What a gift and a blessing … to handle tricky times with the nimbleness of a deer on a dangerous mountainside. It is a matter of trust.

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Prayer for the Day

Almighty God, maker of all things, we honor you today and give thanks for life itself and for the amazing journey of faith you have given each of us. Thank you for family and friends, for daily guidance, and for your Word, which is “a lamp to our feet, and a light to our path” (Psalm 119:105). In the challenges of life, we are thankful for each step along the way that keeps us securely anchored in you. In Your Holy Name we pray, AMEN.

Today’s Word Is COURAGE

Thu-Jul-9-2020

“It often takes more courage to change one’s opinion than to stick to it.” – Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742-1790) Physicist and Philosopher

Sometimes you need to change your opinion and sometimes you need to stick to it. A great feat of maturity is to learn when and how to do both. Many people are out of balance and are far better at one than the other.

At one extreme are folks who are good at making decisions and sticking to them … but pride will not let them admit they might be wrong … thus they lack the courage to admit a mistake or to change their opinion. From the perspective of others, it is hard to respect someone who will never change their mind. Why do people remain adamant and unchanging? Sometimes they are bullies. It may also be to avoid intimacy in relationships. Never changing your mind is a good way to keep people at a distance or under control.

At the other extreme are those who are humble and honest enough to admit their mistakes … but often will fold easily when challenged about an opinion they truly believe in … thus they lack the courage to stick to their opinion. From the perspective of others, it is hard to respect someone who wavers on nearly everything. Why do such folks as these give in so easily? It might be fear of conflict or failure, possibly a poor self-image, not understanding who they are in Christ. But again, it is also another way of avoiding intimacy in relationships or of having the need to protect oneself.

Jesus had a better way … a way that requires courage, honesty, and humility.

“But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” – Jesus (Matthew 5:37)

Making yes be yes, and no be no, is in one sense about removing the playing of emotional games from our conversations. It is much more enjoyable to converse with someone who does not have a hidden agenda. It works well when both have the courage to be honest … honest about their true convictions, but also courageous to admit when they need to change their mind about something.

(If you believe there is nothing you ever need to change your mind about, your name would be “God” … just sayin’ … don’t mean to sound harsh. None of us has perfect theology or doctrines or opinions or knowledge. Surprise, surprise.)

The takeaway is this … ask God for what you need.

If you need courage to stick to your opinion … ask God. (Many folks who need the courage to be bolder are painfully aware that they need it and perhaps too afraid to try it.)

If you need courage to admit when you are wrong … ask God. (However … Many folks who need the courage to be humble are blissfully unaware that they lack humility or are too proud to try it.)

Choose to be balanced, to be able to say equally well, “I’m right this time,” or “I’m wrong this time.” This requires courage, honesty, and humility. Making it more complicated than this involves offering excuses for our behavior, and is, as Jesus said, “from the evil one.”

It takes courage to be honest, bold, and humble all at the same time!

Chaplain Mark

(NOTE: If you are in a relationship where the other person is virtually always right and certainly never wrong, and where you feel the pressure of conformity, this is a red flag. Seek some godly advice from a trusted pastor or friend.)

Today’s Word Is AGREE

Wed-Jul-8-2020

I once had this conversation with a co-worker …

ME:        You’re very smart.

THEM:   No. Not really.

ME:        I’m smart. I made straight A’s mostly.

THEM:   Yeah, so did I.

ME:        Then you’re pretty smart.

THEM:   Well … hmmmm … Okay.

It’s okay to say you’re smart or talented in some way, or whatever your characteristics are, in an honest and humble way. It’s part of having a good, healthy, and accurate view of yourself. Many of us were taught not to compliment ourselves because it sounds like “bragging.” Often our solution is to belittle ourselves as a way of ensuring that we don’t think too highly of ourselves. It took me 40-plus years to stop this bad habit.

The Bible talks about how you should view yourself.

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” – The Apostle Paul (Romans 12:3)

A “sober judgment” means a correct evaluation. This means you should not think “too highly” nor “too lowly” of yourself. Now who do you think has the most “sober” or accurate evaluation and opinion of you? Well … It’s God, of course.

You should agree with God and his opinion of you. He knows your value, your potential, your strengths, your weaknesses. For some of us, it is a great discovery to learn that “God thinks of me more highly than I thought He did!” God is for us, not against us. (See Romans 8 below.) So, if someone has told you that God thinks poorly of you … that’s a lie. If you think you should deny your strengths as a way of being humble, consider that this is a form of false humility, and not at all biblical. Instead, affirm who you are and the gifts you have been given, and then delight in using them for God’s purposes.

In addition, don’t bemoan your weaknesses. Everyone has them. Accept them. Improve on them when you can. This is all part of agreeing with God about who you are and who you are to become. And if you can agree with God about the total you, there will be greater peace, and probably more smiles.

If you still are going to have a hard time with this God-centered view of yourself, then let me add this. Once you are saved, there is no condemnation against you. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1) Only those who are denying God or refusing Christ should fear condemnation.

Once you are born again, there is no issue that will cause God to reject you. You are his adopted child, an heir to the Kingdom. Every objection you have to your new position of worth in Christ, every struggle to accept your high value in his eyes can be answered by this … God our Father loves you, Jesus loves you, Holy Spirit loves you. You are loved, loved, loved. However much you think God loves you, it is more than that! Receive it. Return it. Stop any practice of self-condemnation and reject any tendency to expect punishment. God may discipline, but he does not punish those who are his. Smile and relax when you consider the amazing and wonderful love God has for you.

Agreeing with God about who you are is a good thing. Thinking that God is against you is not. No one can take your God-given value away from you. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) Please don’t take as long as I did to internalize that and live with joy and freedom. If you truly do this, it will not create arrogance but humility and peace.

Have a blessed day,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is INTIMIDATION

Tue-Jul-7-2020

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” – The Apostle Paul (2nd Timothy 1:7)

Sometimes fear serves a useful purpose, right? For instance, … Fear could keep you away from the edge of a dangerous cliff. … or … Fear could cause you to keep your distance from a poisonous snake. … or … Fear could cause you to run out of a burning building.

Those, of course, are things God designed into our nature to protect us. What we are not supposed to have is the type of fear that debilitates us, keeps us in misery, or prevents us from being the person that God calls us to be.

The normal Greek word for fear is “phobia,” which is used 150 times in the New Testament. Another New Testament word for fear is “deilia,” used only once by Paul in this passage, and once by Jesus (Matthew 8:26 and Mark 4:40), on the occasion where a frightening storm came up while the disciples were in a boat with Jesus. “But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”

This use of the word fear can also be translated as “intimidation.” Why would Paul tell Timothy not to be intimidated? Interestingly, the name Timothy comes from the same root word, as if describing someone who is easily intimidated. Timothy was a young man with great potential in ministry, but how easy it is to let yourself be intimidated, being a young person teaching people older than yourself, and often much wiser. I know. I pastored my first church at age 19.

Also notice that Paul didn’t say, “we are not given fear.” He said, “We are not given a SPIRIT of fear.” This is a spiritual issue. There are evil spirits that have certain characteristics or tactics, and yes, there is a spirit of fear, whose strategy is to intimidate you out of your destiny.

In the 6th grade my first male teacher, Mr. Webb, was a combination of caring, wise, and tough. We would go to the playground and the whole class of 30 kids played softball. He divided the class in half, and we scattered all over the field to play, lots of infielders and outfielders. Mr. Webb was the pitcher.

One day I hit a ball past the outfielders, a “for sure” home run, rare for me. I rounded first, second, third and looked back over my shoulder as I was halfway to home. And, oh no, Mr. Webb was standing in a throwing position with his arm back over his shoulder, ready to throw the ball. I stopped and froze in disbelief! How could they have retrieved the ball so quickly!? As I stood there staring, waiting for him to throw me out, the ball came bounding in from the outfield and stopped at his feet. He smiled, leaned over, and with his empty hand, scooped up the ball, and threw me out. He had bluffed me … intimidated me … out of a home run. I was so focused on Mr. Webb that I didn’t see where the ball really was. I could have had a home run! I will never forget that lesson.

Think about it … this is what your “enemy” wants to do to you … bluff you into thinking you’re not good enough, smart enough, innovative enough, persistent enough, or enough of whatever you may need to succeed. He has no weapon to harm you, so he intimidates you into giving up. I thought Mr. Webb had the ball in his hand … nope. I was not robbed by the power of the enemy, but by being intimidated out of claiming what was mine.

If you have a spirit of fear, God didn’t give it to you. I repeat … If you have a spirit of fear, God didn’t give it to you! And he wants to replace it with power, love, and a sound mind. Suppose you just “spoke” to this spirit of fear you’ve been burdened with and served it an eviction notice! I will no longer be intimidated out of my blessings! Then ask God for his three replacement gifts … power, love, and discipline.

Power – that’s like the engine of a car. The Holy Spirit will give you his kind of power.

Love – that’s the proper fuel. It will help you to do things with right motives. If you are fueled by anger, for instance, things will often not turn out so well.

A Sound Mind (or Discipline) – that’s the steering wheel. It means guiding how you apply the love and use the power God has given you. Not too fast or slow, staying on track, waiting sometimes, proceeding at others.

The experience of ridding myself of the spirit of intimidation, with God’s help, created a quantum leap forward in my faith. I still get intimidated occasionally, but I am quicker to rebuke it now.

Blessed to be a blessing,

Chaplain Mark