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Do you ever get weary with praying? You have prayed, cared and sought the best for someone and things just haven’t worked out. Your original energy is waning and though you still care just as much, praying has become more of a ritual than fervent intercession. One area that I believe we all feel a deep sense of responsibility is in praying for our children (or family). They have needs and we care … but are we praying fervently and specifically?

This week, my wife and I spent a lot of time with our daughter who lives in Los Angeles.  Although we have never stopped praying for her, we both were re-energized to intercede more fervently for her … and never stop. We feel that we are called to be persistent in praying for her. So as you read this article, think about your children or a family member(s) who need your intercession.

If you have attended church for very long, you may have heard the parable of the persistent widow in Luke chapter eighteen. Christ in His wisdom used this parable to show the disciples the need to pray, and not give up. The disciples needed to hear good counsel — keep praying and don’t give up. In our heart of hearts, we all know if we have slowed down or even stopped praying. Sure there may be times of mouthing words, but I am talking about really seeking after God’s design on issues of concern to us. Looking back at my prayer journals would probably show some issues that were once important, that I regretfully gave up on. You may have become discouraged with His “delays”, angry over the outcome of your pleadings, and disillusioned that you prayed so hard and nothing seemed to happen. He understands our struggle, but gives us great counsel — keep praying and don’t give up.

Christ’s parable about the persistent widow gives us incredible insight about never, ever giving up. The unjust judge that she confronted was finally bothered to the point of giving in to her. We need to be careful with comparing the judge to our Lord because the context gives us a completely different picture, but the parable teaches us that being persistent in prayer is vital. Too often Christians become easily dismayed and don’t follow the Master’s counsel.

In studying the first two verses that follow this parable, I was challenged and convicted.

Luke 18:6-7
And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?

Intellectually, there is no doubt in my mind that you believe God honors persistent praying. We all struggle, however, with the discipline to keep going.  Keep going when He seems to put our requests in delay mode, or our loved one is not healed.  Keep going when our finances don’t quickly turn around.  Keep going when our child continues to reject Christ no matter how long we’ve prayed. We all have reasons not to pray, but His counsel remains — keep praying and never give up.

I can’t tell you why God delays, but I can tell you that He loves you, He does heal, and He will honor those who cry out to Him day and night. Is there anything that you need to cry out to the Father about? Do it, and don’t give up.

Sir Winston Churchill in 1941 used the following words: “Never give in – never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty. . .” You and I can take his words to a new level: never, never, never, never ever stop praying (especially for your children). Great counsel indeed!

I trust your 4th of July was meaningful.  To give you a challenge today, I have decided to share an archived Journey article from several years ago.  I found myself in a similar place during the past week, and the context of the article reminded me of great intentions, and praying from a distance. I trust it will encourage you.

At the beginning of every year, every month and every week, projects are started with great intentions.  Any honest person would admit that our great intentions often become issues of regret when they are not completed. Too many times I have started a new diet on Monday, only to regress to burgers and fries by Wednesday. Just thinking about projects you’ve wanted to complete, books you were going to finish, the time you were going to spend with your children, etc… can cause varying degrees of frustration and regret. Great intentions in our spiritual lives (where life really matters) left undone will cause us the same measure of frustration and regret. But since I am a strong proponent of yesterday ending at midnight, let me offer this to you.

In my weekend reading of the Bible, I was struck by both an Old and New Testament passage about prayer. Elijah prayed and it didn’t rain and then he prayed and it rained (you know the story). A church was praying for Peter and he was supernaturally released. They struggled with unbelief, but our God of grace answered. We all love the great passages that detail God’s dramatic intervention. But do we really pray asking or expecting that in our own lives?  As I started praying on Sunday morning, it hit me that my prayer life at the moment was stale. My great intentions about prayer were being left unfulfilled. I have seen my Father intervene countless times, and prayer is essential to me, but I was praying “from a distance.”

Prayer was still coming from my lips every day, but absent was the passion and discipline that my Father deserves. My most important relationship was not getting attention. I was still reading the Word, but not communicating well. If you are like me, your confidence level is lower in times like this. It is my firm conviction that those who really see God move are those who spend quality time with Him.

James 5:17-18
Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

My intentions are to see God move in my life, just like Elijah did. But it won’t happen “from a distance”. On Sunday morning, I had to square up my prayer life with the Father. And it was time to move forward. Very little is accomplished by using emotional energy on unfinished tasks. God meets us at our point of need, and I am confident that I will see the “rain” come as I seek Him. God loves you and I enough to forgive us for failed great intentions, and bless us in our new endeavors.

I hesitate to use personal illustrations, but today I prayed from a “closer distance” and you can rest assured I have great intentions about my prayer life going forward. And when you and I fall down, we’ll get up and begin again.

You may need to finish that book, complete a home project, give your son or daughter the time you promised … take heart, you can begin again today. Your relationship with your Savior may be “at a distance,” and you can square it up today. Never stop living with great intentions, but live with confidence in our God, who brings the rain.

From every angle, life seems to come at us with confusion. Will any of us ever really understand the Benghazi attacks, if the IRS targets certain groups, or how the NSA really does surveillance?  Very few of us could give good definitions of global warming or “going green.”  When we listen to our national leaders, there is often a question about whether we are really getting all the facts and if we can believe what we are hearing. But the confusion of life isn’t just about governmental and political issues; life is confusing on a personal level (at least for me).

From the moments of confusion that make me laugh, to bigger issues that cause me to pause and reflect about life, I just can’t figure everything out. Since I am a fixer, I want everything to be handled, corrected and put in order. But that doesn’t seem to be the way life works. It is confusing to me that others can’t see how simple it would be to fix the problems that face them. Have you ever just wanted to grab someone and shout, “just do it this way”?  How confusing!

But it even goes deeper for me; I get confused about why I so easily have spiritual highs and then seasons of discouragement. I can feel wise one day and completely ignorant the next.  There are days that I am very caring and then in an instant my attitude changes to one of great selfishness.  It is a bit confusing that my spirit can change so quickly.

My confusion logic was heightened this week while reading about Elijah. What a great man!  In one reading session, I was encouraged about his great faith and trust in God. I want that kind of trust! He prayed for a dead boy’s life and God answered. Then he defeated the false prophets, and prayed for rain (it came). I want the faith of Elijah!  But then after the great victories, the man who had prevailed against 850 prophets by faith, runs because of the threats of one woman. This season showed me a discouraged and defeated man. Why? It seems confusing that a great man with great faith after great victories would have great despondency. It reminds me of the way I can easily change.  Confusing, isn’t it?!

God eventually led Elijah to Mt. Horeb. Elijah goes in a cave and spends the night.  Note what happens:

“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.  And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. (I Kings 19:11-12)

There can be lots of reasons that we go from victory to failure quickly.  We can be overcome with the weight of issues, become exhausted, get emotionally drained and the list goes on and on.  Don’t lose heart, because God is never out of control when my life (and yours) seems confusing.  He knows how to deal with our discouragement and, yes, confusion.  Wouldn’t it have made sense for God to get Elijah’s attention through the power of the wind, fire or an earthquake?  But how much more beautiful that it was through a gentle whisper.

God still speaks … often gently!  The question for me (and you) is, are we listening?  God is more than willing to speak into our confusion.  Tune your ears and your heart to His whisper.

“What were you thinking?” is a common refrain after watching someone you care about make a huge blunder. We have all been on the giving or receiving end of that critique after an ill-advised decision. Sometimes even when we know all the right facts and potential consequences, poor decisions are made. There are times when all of us want to step back in time to re-write a moment of personal history. But since re-do’s are rare in life, keeping “What was I thinking?” moments to a minimum is essential.

I have a little known friend from Scripture who has both shown me great wisdom and the way to live, and made me want to say, “What were you thinking?” In the life of Asa, we are given a great picture of beginning well, but not ending well. Let his life speak to you as it has me.

In viewing the book of II Chronicles, we find the king of Judah blessed by God. Note some of the “beginning well’s” from chapters 14-15.

• Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of God.

• There were years when no one was at war with him, because God chose to give him rest.

• He led the people in seeking God.

• In a battle, we see his focus with these words, “Lord there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army”. They won!

• Large numbers came to him from Israel because they saw the Lord was with him.

• He disposed of his own grandmother from her position as queen mother and destroyed her idols.

• He was very committed to the Lord.

But “what was he thinking” in chapter sixteen? Asa, a man who had trusted God so well, made a huge blunder and took money from the Lord’s temple to get protection from a heathen king. A man who knew better, he drifted from a life of blessings. Look at the depth of his fall in the words of verse twelve…

In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord, but only from physicians.

I can’t explain exactly what happened, but the results speak for themselves. He was confronted throughout life with “trust” moments. Just like we are! He made good choices along the journey, but also some “what was he thinking?” choices. It would be easy to just condemn my friend Asa. But we have all failed in an opportunity to trust our Father. I wonder at the very end of his life if Asa wondered, “what was I thinking?”

You and I will be confronted with choices to trust the Father today, tomorrow, next week, and for the rest of our lives. Navigating those choices will help shape our peace and joy now and also our spiritual legacy. Trusting Him above our emotions and human logic will sometimes be tough, but in the end we will be glad we trusted. Asa’s life speaks volumes about following God, and then sadly the end of his life speaks volumes about refusing to seek Him.  What choices will you make … today, tomorrow, next week, and for the rest of your life?

We are all creatures of habit. Our lives become so conditioned that each day can easily look like the day before.  This month becomes a replay of last month and years pass by without meaningful growth or change.  We are creatures of habit, and too often in a rut!

Two weeks ago I was reminded of one of my ruts while attending a conference in Philadelphia. I have conditioned myself to always have breakfast, and most of the time alone, even though my wife would (and tries to) prepare something for me.  It’s just my time, and I always read the paper while I eat. Hotel food was expensive, so I ventured out to find a quick meal.  Two blocks away I found the breakfast of champions – McDonalds. It was rainy as I started out, and a monsoon by the time I finished breakfast. I was drenched crossing the first street, unable to hail a cab and had to buy an umbrella to journey back to the hotel. To top it off, I had to change clothes (even my socks) before my first meeting of the day. It all happened because I am conditioned never to miss my breakfast and paper. What a rut!

If you and I were to have a conversation about last week, you would readily be able to give me the ways that you are conditioned to live.  You would tell me about someone who is less than fun to work with (and they will never change).  The discussion would then drift into the pace of life that is weighing you down (and never seems to change).  We would probably discuss how there is never enough time to relax with those you love (too much to do).  You may even bring up that you love God and want to grow in faith, but it’s not happening (just squeezing Him in).  We may even discuss how stress has become a constant companion in your life (and never seems to leave).  Yes, we could have had that discussion about last week, and about last month and about last year.  If you and I are not careful, we condition ourselves to live in certain ways that are harmful both physically and spiritually.  What a rut we can get into!

Whether or not the above paragraph describes some part of your life, I am convinced that you know the areas where you are in a rut.  The question is, are you ready to recondition your life? I don’t think for a minute that the conditioned circumstances of your life will magically disappear. But I do believe there is an answer.

In my recent personal reading, I came across a definition of wisdom that has impacted me.  Wisdom can be defined as the mind of God revealed to us. In the midst of our circumstances, He will provide the direction and encouragement we need for each day, and I don’t believe that continuing to live in a rut is His design. Availing ourselves of His wisdom will help us make the decisions that recondition our lives. If you have too much stress, too little time, too much negativity at work, not enough time to spend with your family, and a “just squeezing God in” feeling … what would His wisdom tell you to do? Remember, God does have some thoughts that will help you.

I am not advocating quitting your job, avoiding people, eliminating all stress from your life, or abstinence from eating at McDonalds.  I am recommending that you honestly ask yourself, “Am I in a rut?”  If the answer is yes, please seek the Father’s wisdom for the answer. He has one!

Proverbs 16:3 (NLT)
Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.

I have learned in my journey with God, to ask for things and then put all my senses on high alert, expecting that an answer might come from the unlikeliest of places. This happened the other day, while looking for some music to accompany a narrated video I will be doing soon. It would be too difficult to weave the details of the back story in this concise space, but suffice it to say God was in the finding of a song titled, “Hægt, kemur ljósið” by an Icelandic artist named Ólafur Arnalds.

I love the layers of intention and purpose in the created world and God’s fingerprints in the people, places and things of our lives. So I often dig below the surface when things happen like finding the perfect song by an Icelandic artist. I dig to see if there are additional “layers” of intention and purpose. The title of the song intrigued me, and I used an online translation site to help me determine it’s meaning. I typed out the first word “haegt” and hit <Enter>. The English translation was “one can.” I continued with the second word “kemur”, and it translated “comes.” Finally, “ljosio.” That translation returned an unexpected result … “ljosio.” “Huh? That certainly doesn’t look like any English word I am familiar with.”

That’s when I noticed the special native language markers on several of the letters.  To include them, I decided to cut and paste the word directly from the song title into the translator tool. With the proper language markings, the word translated as “light.” Put all three separate translations together and I’ll have my title! Ok, “one can”, then “comes”, then “light.” … “One can, comes light.” What is that?! It doesn’t make any sense!

After a minute of staring at the combination of words that lay in front of me, I decided to try something different. I typed all three words in the translation field, in contrast to the single word approach I began with. I typed “haegt kemur ” in front of the “ljósið” that was already there. This time it translated as, “possible, there is light.” OK, that makes a bit more sense. Still not completely clear, but sometimes things get a little skewed in translating from one language to another. After another minute or so of sitting with those words, I noticed something from the original song title; something that’s barely recognizable, but makes all the difference in the world. There was a comma after the first word in the title that I didn’t notice until that moment. So I added the comma in the appropriate place and hit the translate button one more time … this time it showed, “Slowly, comes the light.”

At the end of my translating “journey”, a deeper truth began resonating within me. Isn’t this also a picture of what we can do with scripture? Sometimes we consume or consider single verses all by themselves or as individual parts of a larger story, and they end up translating as something that reads, “one can, comes light.” Sometimes we read a passage or story narrative and don’t consider the cultural context or historical time period, and it translates to something that reads like, “possible, there is light.” Sometimes we apply our own wisdom, or ignore God’s special markings, and read just letters, words, verses, chapters or whole books and it translates to “ljosio” — something that doesn’t mean anything in any language, ours or His. However, when we read it right, when we consider the entire context and all of the words together, when we ask Him for wisdom in discerning His special markings … it translates to something that reads, “Slowly, comes the light.”

Think of the story of Jesus making a violent mess of the temple. How does that translate to someone who doesn’t know what a den of illicit commerce greedy people and religious leaders had made out of His Father’s house of prayer? And how does that scene translate absent the critical, yet so often overlooked words of Mark 11:11 that tell us how Jesus visited the temple the afternoon before to really experience and observe what it had become. Consider the “Last Supper” being translated without knowing the story of the exodus of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. Wouldn’t Calvary look so tragic and hopeless if you stopped with Jesus still on the cross?

“One can, comes light.” It’s still a great song, but it makes no sense with that title. When you include all the words together, include the special markings and critical punctuation, the resulting translation shows the title to be the perfect companion to the song. “Slowly, comes the light.”

I’d encourage you to take a few minutes and listen to the song and tell me if you can do more than just hear the music. Do any of your other senses become engaged?

God answered my simple desire in a way that drew me closer to Him. He gave me the song I was looking for, and I saw Him more clearly through the process of finding it. I’d encourage you to ask God for things, and then put your senses on high alert. Dig below the surface in search of additional layers of His intention and purpose. Read scripture, being careful to consume it in a way that allows you to see Jesus’ righteous and measured cleansing of the temple, His taking the central elements of the sacred meal and making them new in Himself, the Savior of the world dying as the perfect and only Passover lamb, but then rising on the third day as He said. Don’t allow the greatest love story of all time to get lost in translation.

Yesterday was Father’s Day, and I was reminded that while I always wanted to be the best dad, there were times that I fell short of my expectations. I remember one less than stellar dad day when I had a cell-phone conversation with my daughter that, shall I say, wasn’t fair to her. Good news is she’s a good forgiver so my follow-up call and apology were accepted.

Upon returning to my office that day, I had an issue to handle and started the phone call with an attitude. The call ended fine, but I was convinced that my responses needed to be more in line with what I believe. Maybe you can relate! Last Friday, I spent some time with a friend and witnessed real pain, not just the petty irritations of a grumpy old man. God understands when we are grumpy….and when our pain is real and deep. We can all be thankful for his forgiveness, patience and grace.

David, in one of his beautiful psalms provides us a clear understanding of God’s knowledge concerning our pain, our grumpiness, our thoughts….our everything!

Psalm 139:1-6 (MSG)
God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. I’m an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; I’m never out of your sight. You know everything I am going to say before I start the first sentence. I look behind me and you’re there, then up ahead and you’re there, too—your reassuring presence, coming and going. This is too much, too wonderful—I can’t take it all in!

Can you accept the fact that He knows what you are thinking before you think it, and He knows what you are going to say before you say it? Without a doubt, God is all-knowing and omnipresent. Our struggle is that we give assent to these great truths, yet often live on a path parallel to them. If the Creator of the universe who gave His Son for our salvation already knows everything, doesn’t it make sense that we would want to continually intersect our lives with His design?

It’s easy to agree with that rhetorical sentence, but when we struggle with thoughts, attacks by Satan, real pain and various other stresses, we often move away from or stop short of God’s plan. Quickly, we can find ourselves speaking with harshness, thinking negative angry thoughts, asking why and simply running our lives on a parallel track from His purpose. But He knows everything!

My Father knows before I go grumpy, and when you and I have deep hurts. He knows our thoughts and what we are going to say even before we speak it. In spite of how we drift, and often blow it, He cares (beyond our comprehension), He understands (even when we don’t understand ourselves), and He is willing (with His gentle hand of grace) to meet us at our point of need. No matter what is happening in your life right now, give it all to the Father. He already knows all about it.

It was at least 25 years ago on a Saturday evening. We had been out with another family for the day, and I was just relaxing after returning home, sitting on the floor in our family room. Our daughter Lindsay was still very young and was writing something on the side of my face. What should have been fun for dad was getting annoying, and it hurt. So with great spiritual insight (yea, right!), I sharply asked her what she was doing. She was writing “I love you” on my face. Can you imagine how dumb I felt? Far too often in life we all find ourselves making quick decisions, snap judgments and, in a word, failing others and ourselves.

Because of selfishness for “my time,” I almost missed a scene that I remember vividly to this day, and will never forget. Can you remember moments with your family, friends or colleagues where you sensed failure? It could have been in what you said, or didn’t say, or even by your reactions. If you are anything like me, it is easy to see where you have failed yourself, others and especially our Father. God has chosen to let us view the failures of some of His most choice servants as we journey onWord … in the Word. Abraham probably never forgot how he failed Sarah by lying. Moses went to the grave never entering the Promised Land because of failure. David failed morally and Peter denied Christ. I think it is fair to say, that failure will always be a part of our lives. How then should we view our failures without excusing them?

In thinking on this question, two statements come to mind that help me with perspective. I trust they will encourage you as well. In his book Failing Forward, John Maxwell used words from Mother Theresa that I have never forgotten. She said that “failure is the kiss of Jesus.” Her words remind us that we are weak and need grace from our Lord. How must Peter have felt before Jesus restored him? With all of the demands of our families, jobs and sometimes even churches, it is easy to become consumed and eventually wound those that we love. But when the inevitable failure occurs, we are reminded of our weakness, and long for His kiss.

Another quote that reminds me of my propensity to fail comes from the song, “We Fall Down” sung by Mark Lowry. In the song, these words are stated over and over: “saints are just sinners who fall down and get up”. It may sound funny to you, but those words are comforting to me. Christ-followers are going to fail … after all, we are sinners. But when we fall down, we get up and keep going. Again, if we look at Scripture, some of God’s great servants failed, but moved forward in His grace. “Saints are just sinners, who fall down and get up”. Don’t let any failure keep you from getting up and living with joy.

We all have regrets. We have failed, and will fail again. However, if we let yesterday hinder us and tomorrow cause fear, we lose today. Just like me, you can remember being selfish with a child, or failing someone else. Look at your failures as “… the kiss of Jesus.” Always let falling down be an opportunity to get up. And for goodness sakes, when your child writes on your face, don’t get frustrated!

If you feel like a failure right now, feel the kiss of Jesus.  Then give that failure to the Father and get up!

Recently, my Wednesday morning group was given an interesting assignment, while studying the book of Colossians.  We were to read chapter 3, and the handout for that week focused primarily on verses 18-21.  You may not immediately recognize them being given just their chapter and verse reference, but it will likely only take a few words for you to begin reciting them by heart.

v. 18   Wives, submit yourselves …
v. 19   Husbands, love your wives …
v. 20   Children, obey your parents …
v. 21   Fathers, do not embitter your children …

You’ve probably read or heard sermons on these verses countless times before.  Maybe you’ve even heard them preached at you countless times before.  As familiar as they were to me, the assignment drove me to a far deeper place of understanding and personal application.

The simple instructions on the handout read … “Following the verse, write what this means to you from your perspective.”  I decided rather quickly that I was going to take a slightly different approach in honoring the assignment.  For each verse, I would get quiet with God, ask Him what He meant for me to hear and then transcribe His response in the lines provided.  I wanted to truly listen and have the Word literally speak into my life.  I have read and “studied” scripture before, but this practice of listening felt new.  It was a sacred time in conversation with God, and He answered the desire of my heart in a meaningful way.

As I write this morning, I am standing at the threshold of the anniversary of one of the most mysterious days of my life.  Twenty-two years ago on the 8th of June, I promised to have and hold my dear, sweet Kristyn til’ death do us part.  In the years since, I have come to appreciate that day as one of great mystery.  Two becoming one, giving her a token of my love and affection, saying “I do” … how could I possibly have understood all those things; how was I possibly ready; did I have any idea what I was saying?!  It has been an amazing journey with her, and the words I am about to share in answer to that Wednesday morning assignment are products of that journey.  What a mysterious and precious gift I was given and I’ll have and hold until death does us part.

If my assignment answers contain any truth, or are of any profit in your own life, that is solely the work of the Spirit.  I share them with you not to elevate them or myself or offer them as answers for you.  I simply desire to share the heart of one who is on a journey … as a husband, as a father, as a son, and as a child of God.

Verse 18, “Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.”

Mark, you have a grave responsibility.  I have just asked something of Kristyn that is likely a thing which neither of you fully understand.  Be careful, but I also believe this is way easier and far more rewarding than what you have the ability to discern now.  Abide in Me, so that your will is displaced by Mine.  Submission is an issue of posture and of the will, not of authority, so neither of you should be fixed on it as such.  There can only be one head, that much is true, but being of one will, especially when it is Mine, is possible, and profitable, and joyful.  Kristyn’s obedience in this is of great reward to you both and to My kingdom.  Recognize that obedience, celebrate her for it, and take care that neither of you ever use it for their own gain.

Verse 19, “Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.”

Mark, do this one thing for me.  Try always to remember and acknowledge that Kristyn is first and always, a daughter of mine.  Life, and the enemy, would rather you view her as a woman, your wife, your best friend, a daughter of an earthly father and mother, a sister, an aunt, and a great many other things.  These define your union with her as an earthly and worldly thing, and it is first and always not an earthly and worldly thing.  There is great mystery in your union; live your life exploring that.  Never demand that you be first in her life, and never elevate her to that position in yours.  Ask me to help you love her the way that I love you.  Stay close enough to observe if she is in the Word and if she is talking regularly with Me.  Encourage her in that.  Engage her in the truth of Me, and how that works itself out in her life as your wife, and your lives as parents.  There is so much in your lives that can distract you from all this.  She is my daughter, and I have given her to you to be a help in that.  Ask me to help you love her like I love you.

Verse 20, “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.”

Spencer and Connor, obedience is essential.  It’s not meant to be a restriction, that’s an effective lie that Satan has created.  If I gave you glasses that allowed you to see the world as I intended it to be, you would see your parents obeying Me, and you obeying them.  I have given them the most precious earthly gift in you and the great responsibility of raising you to love and obey Me.  It may not seem this way to you, but you do that (obey Me) when you love and obey them.  I expect you to not always want to, and sometimes for it to be painful to, but please know that obedience is essential.  It’s not just a big lesson that will pay off later, obeying brings good things now.  You might be tempted to think that doing your own thing will make you happy, but that is also one of Satan’s lies.  I’ve promised in the Bible that I’ll bless you if you obey, and I always keep my promises.  That goes for you too, Mark.

Verse 21, “Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.”

Mark, cast your burdens on Me so they don’t show up in how you respond to your boys.  Mark, depend on My sufficiency when you’re tempted to dig down and persevere in your own strength.  Mark, stop for two seconds and test the wisdom you are about to share with your boys to discern if it came from Me.  Failure in these things, even in the best of moments, will produce undesirable fruit.  Failure in these things, at the worst of moments, will turn your boy’s hearts from me and from you.  Look into their faces in that moment and you will see the word that is translated here as “discouraged.”  Look into your own heart in those moments, and tell me that you aren’t discouraged also.  Mark, pray for your boys every day and every time they come to mind.  Keep your heart close to mine.  Cultivate the soil of your spirit, feed it my Word.  Be mindful and intentional in these things and you will stand ready to meet the moments your boys need My counsel, correction, or encouragement in the form of their earthly father.

At Journey onWord, it is our strong desire that you be in the Word.  We believe Hebrews 4:12 … that the Word of God is alive and active, that it penetrates and judges.  We believe Isaiah 55:11 … that the Word goes out from the mouth of God, and does not return to Him empty, that it accomplishes His purpose in our lives.  Read the Word, but don’t stop with only that sense; experience it with all your senses. Listen, and allow the Word to speak into your life.  Let the Word touch the very sacred center of who He created you to be.  Smell the fragrance as you live out its Truth in the lives of others.  Taste and see that it is good!

All that surrounds us clamors to invade us. None of us would like to admit the extent to which external circumstances dominate our internal thought patterns. Whether people or events, something on the outside is always vying for your attention. Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius gave us a humorous, yet at the same time, resonant insight centuries ago: I am going to be meeting people today who talk too much—people who are selfish, egotistical, ungrateful. But I won’t be surprised or disturbed for I can’t imagine a world without such people.

Nor should we! Frustrating people and emotional circumstances will always surround us, but should also never dominate us. Under our own power, those words are easier said than done. But in Christ, we can live inside out.

In my personal reading, I have been often reminded of a devotional book written early in the last century. The book was written by James Allen and is entitled, As a Man Thinketh. The inspiration for the title and the text was taken directly from Proverbs 23:7(a): For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. It resonated with me that our perspective on life is often driven by the controlling influences of our mind. We will always be confronted with positive and negative circumstances, but they should never control us internally. However, since everyone has daily battles within, it is important to be clear that God understands our struggle and gives guidance. We have His Spirit to direct us, His Word to teach us, and we have been given freedom to communicate with Him in Christ. Availing ourselves of what God has provided can change our view of life from the inside out, by the transforming of our minds.

So where are your thoughts, and how are they controlling your days and weeks? James Allen said: “You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts will take you“. Frankly speaking, most of us have some ingrained habits of the mind that cloud our perspective. With the renewing power of the Holy Spirit, change can come. It is imperative that our lives go from being dominated by all that surrounds us to being directed by His Spirit. Any Christ follower can live with the mind of Christ. Whether our weeks (and people) are great or incredibly draining should never be the issue. The real issue should be, is my mind renewed, and are my thoughts in line with God’s perspective?

If you know Christ and are struggling from the outside in, determine to reverse that order today (to living inside out). You may have found that it is easier to be more frustrated than patient, and more overwhelmed than at peace. Having the mind of Christ takes discipline, but the results are worth it. Let this principle guide you … When I allow my life to be controlled by His Spirit, I can handle all that surrounds me. For an on-looking world to ever see our faith working, we must think right, because how we think determines how we live.

All Christ followers have a choice – to let all that surrounds us invade us, or to let the One who lives within us guide us.