Wisdom - Feed Yourself

Continuing yesterday's thoughts from the book "The Divine Mentor" by Wayne Cordeiro

FEED YOURSELF WITH WISDOM – Daily Devotions – 40 minutes (“…give us this day our daily bread…”)
Needed: Bible, pen, journal, a Bible-reading plan and a daily planner. (The planner for jotting down intrusive thoughts that happen during devotions; i.e. “buy bread and milk today.”)

One suggested format: SOAP. Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
Scripture: as you read your planned portion ask the Holy Spirit to bring to your heart one text in particular.
Observation: Think about to whom the passage was written and why. Ponder its tone, its meaning, its purpose. Write in your journal what you have observed.
Application: “How does this passage apply to me?” Application makes the difference between hearing His will and doing His will. It sets apart a disciple from a dabbler. Application states how you will live differently because of what you’ve just read.
Prayer: recording your prayer in the journal is a wonderful way to cement everything that’s just happened in mind and heart. At the top of the page, title and date it.
Make a table of contents with the title, Scripture reference, the date and the journal page where it is to be found.

Meet with God at the time of the day that your mind is the sharpest.
Why is knowing God so important? Why does He want us to love Him with ever increasing devotion? For creative affinity – we become increasingly more like that which we love the most. We take on the characteristis of whom or what we cherish most deeply.

The world won’t be changed by those who take a weekly class (church). It will be changed by men and women who sit daily at the feet of Jesus, listening to His words. These people will be recognized by the world because of the tone of the Father’s words.

Question: are we going to be spoon-fed once a week or will we enter the University of the Holy Spirit where He can personally mentor us daily?

The highest form of prayer is not me talking to God.
It is Him talking to me through Scripture.

We'll be back in a week!

Two Teachers, Two Pains

Spring is a beautiful time in our back yard with the water fall surrounded by blooming iris and other striking colors.

There are two effective teachers. We must choose one, either WISDOM or CONSEQUENCES. Lessons learned from consequences result in real suffering and acute pain. She is the tougher teacher with a back-end price, according to "The Divine Mentor" a book written by Wayne Cordeiro.

Wisdom has a front end price – discipline, obedience, consistency and time. Wisdom learns from the experiences of others, beyond their lifetime and beyond their own experiences. The primary source for wisdom garnered from others is the Bible – viewing the successes and failures of Biblical characters. "The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true. It shows us what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out. It helps us do what is right. It is God’s way of making us well prepared at every point fully equipped to do good to everyone." 2 Timothy 3:16-17 LB
Garnering wisdom from people we respect, who've "gone on before us", who have experienced a portion of life that interests us, is also a key source.

Just as there are two teachers, so there are two pains, two kinds of pain – the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. For wisdom we need the pain of discipline. The pain of regret is associated with the teacher consequences. The pain of discipine costs far less than the pain of regret.

FEED YOURSELF WITH WISDOM. We'll post tomorrow some thoughts on garnering wisdom.

Waiting

Tears of joy flowed freely at Theresa's surprise retirement party, hosted by her Skyview teaching coherts.

Theresa and I are now in a situation of "restful waiting." She has just retired from teaching and our plan for this first year is to have no plans. Oh, we'll be active, loving on and encouraging others. But we sense that there is something more - corporately, together.

How are you at waiting? How do you determine what is the right road to travel? Several factors go into making a decision from the Lord. Four come to mind.

First, information gathering, to determine the realities of a given situation. The positive and the negative.

Second, is the Holy Spirit guiding you in your decision? Proverbs 3:5-6 indicates that as we seek God’s wisdom, He will guide our steps. So through prayer determine that your decision is going to be Holy Spirit lead.

Third, through gathering facts and prayer a decision is tentatively made “God, I’m going this particular route. If this is not of you, close the door as I seek confirmation."

Fourth, Proverbs says that a wise man seeks counsel. Share your decision making process with a person you trust. Does this person confirm your decision? God has placed others around us to be used as instruments in our lives to confirm decisions and keep us from the deceit of our own heart. "Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses" (2 Cor. 13:1b).

It has been said, "Write your plans in pencil and give God the eraser."

We're waiting with a content anticipation that Psalm 90 will come to fruition: "Even in old age, they will be fruitful and multiply."

Where is my focus

Circumstances can be debilitating. However, where is my focus?

I’m relearning a lesson I thought I had finished learning many times before. Allow me to let you peak into my “kitchen window” of recent time. I share this story not for your pity nor for your thinking highly of me – just want to share a victory that could be helpful to you in your circumstances.

Parkinson’s disease was really kicking up a few weeks ago – more stumbling, losing my balance, tightening throat and vocal cords, slower movements, memory loss, etc. I had increased the medication and no results.

I was bemoaning my plight to the Lord in my quiet time, when it seemed that He said to me, “Psalm 34, Ray.” That was one of the passages I have memorized so brought it back to recall.
I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

It seemed as if God was saying to me, “Ray, my son, you have a decision to make, either focus on your circumstances and be discouraged or think about all the blessings I have given you, rejoice in my love for you, trust and seek me and you will lack no good thing.”
Romans 12:2 reminds us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. I was transformed from a position of discouragement to one of peace and contentment because of the changed mindset. (It took about a day to work on the mindset switch.)

Romans 15:13 tells us, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

My hope is not the change of my circumstances but the hope focus is on God who wants to work in everything for my good, His glory and the good of others. (Romans 8:28-29) PRAISE THE LORD!
Are you in a circumstance that is overwhelming or debilitating? As you process the feelings, as you seek for remedy, is your focus on the pain or is it on the God who says “those who seek the Lord lack no good thing:”

Ultimate Security, the final, Ann Burwick

We'll finish today the reproduction of my first wife's study on ultimate security only in God. I can just about hear her from heaven shouting through the veil that separates heaven from earth exclaiming with exuberance, "Hey you all," (we lived in the South for 25 years), "it is greater than I ever dreamed of. I thought I had ultimate security in God while maturing on earth. This is the ultimate, ultimate security walking the streets of gold hand in hand with Abba PaPa. Come join me."

Ann continues. There is the great disparity between His thoughts and ours. We may think God caring for us means a home safe from tragedy, financial prosperity, no illness, our families doing well and no upsetting surprises. ISA 55:8-9 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. One reason I am so deeply impacted by this verse is that right after the death of our baby a friend gave me this verse .. she also bent over my bed to hug me and dropped her purse on my cesarean incision. Ouch.

God WANTS us to tell HIm our desires and needs. But many times our desires become demands and we even tell God how and when to answer them. ( By the way, after I got over my pout with God about Diane DeShazo's death, I began asking again, trying not to demand). PHIL 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

When God says He will be with us (in the flood) and lift us up on a rock -or through the fire, He doesn't promise there will be no flood nor fire. God, knowing the end from the beginning looks at the higher good rather than what we often see as good. His perfect law of love may often include treatment which doesn't appear loving. It may be hard for me to see how years of struggle with cancer for someone could be for her highest good from her LOVING FATHER but that doesn't make that untrue.

FOR GOD IS TRUE WHEN EVERY MAN IS FALSE. That is why Job could say in His distress - "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him." We are to trust the character of God rather than what we see or experience. Humbling ourselves under the sovereign hand of a Good God is basic to our security.

In review, we can look to God to meet our deep emotional needs; feeling certain and safe in the arms of God, feeling accepted and beloved, complete in Him; not needing to perform, compete or compare with any other, not needing to control or manipulate others; but GROUNDED in our relationship with God... this is the essence of our personal security and is vital to our enjoyment of God.

Ultimate Security 6, Ann Burwick

A third reason for not experiencing our security from God has to do with feelings of INELIGIBILITY.

Because of poor treatment, neglect, and\or abuse, some people doubt their value. Though they believe the promises in God's word are true, somehow they don't QUALIFY for them. These people are believing lies about their worth which the behavior of others has fostered and satan has reinforced.

Prescription: Face and deal with the hurt and anger at the offender and then confront the lies we have believed by the Romans 12:2, "being transformed by the renewing of our minds." I must learn what God thinks about me and how he values me even when I'm struggling more than all the 90 and 9 sheep who are doing well. Isaiah 43:1,4 reminds me "Fear not, for I have redeemed YOU; I have summoned YOU by name; YOU are mine....Since YOU are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love YOU...

It is really hard to admit, but sometimes we have questions about God's RELIABILITY, and GOODNESS. This may also keep us from being secure in our daily lives. We think: "I don't know if God is reliable. I don't know what He will do. He didn't stop those who abused me. My past experiences have made me fearful! Because prayers have not been answered like I desired. A loved one has died whom we prayed would live; children, whom we have tried to raise right have strayed and rebelled, health and finances are not what we would like. We may feel INSECURE IN GOD'S HANDS. If He'd just answer like I asked I would know I could trust HIm. (When Diane Deshazo died, for whom the whole church had prayed believing for her healing - I made a decision to not ask God for anything specific again. This mindset lasted for a number of years.)

In our insecurity we want to control God - to make sure He will answer the way we expect and desire. Only when we defer to His judgements giving Him liberty to be God will we not be offended by His ways. This doesn't mean we won't feel sad, disappointed and even angry, but we will submit to His sovereignty and loving wisdom. Luke 7:23 and BLESSED - happy ...(we're talking here about enjoying God) is he who takes no offense in Me and is not hurt or resentful or annoyed or repelled or made to stumble,(whatever may occur).

More tomorrow

Ultimate Security 5, Ann Burwick

Our Son Ray with his daughter Bella Rose

Continuing Ann's challenge to us regarding our view of God often determined by our relationship with our earthly father:
Of course no parent is perfect, they/we all make mistakes even when attempting to do our best. But as we honestly evaluate our relationship with our earthly father, we need to ask ourselves if any of the negative characteristics of our earthly father are subtly projected onto our view of what God is like and how he feels toward us.

One of my clients who has been very fearful of her father, often believes that God is angry and punishing her when things do not go well in her life. Obviously, our view of God is vital to enjoying Him, so how do we correct these distorted perceptions.

Changing our wrong thinking about God may sometimes take weeks or even months. The process for those who have been deeply hurt and /or rejected is painful. But, in opening the wound to the Lord and letting Him comfort and heal from the inside out, the healing will be complete and not festering under a Band'Aid of denial. If the parental relationship has been particularly faulty we may need to claim God as adopted father. PSA 27:10 Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me. PSA 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

The acknowledging of the distortion of our view of God and the renewing of the mind regarding God's true nature and relationship to us will do much in strengthening our sense of security and thus our enjoyment of our relationship with Him. The Scripture tells us"I (GOD) would have healed them, but they believed lies about me."

Question: is there need of "eyes healing" in your life?

A third reason for not experiencing our security from God has to do with feelings of INELIGIBILITY. We'll look at that tomorrow.

Ultimate Security 4, Ann Burwick

Continuing Ann's presentation on ultimate security:
Although our behavior will never achieve perfection ISAIAH 64:6 tells us that our efforts are as filthy rags. He loves us so much that He gives us His perfect status with God. This doesn't mean our actions and attitudes are irrelevant and we do grieve God with our behavior and God does chasten,yet our status as holy, beloved and acceptable children remains intact.

(Like when one of my children has made a decision I know will end up causing them pain, I am grieved, but I don't accept them any less as my dearly loved child. In fact I want to give to the child who does not seem to be seeking God right now just as I do the one who is zealous for Him, and am just as excited to hear from each of them. I surely don't love to the depth that God does his children).

John 17:19-26 tells me that the Father loves me as He loves his own son and because I am as Ephesians l:3 states "in the beloved" when the father looks at me He sees me as acceptable BECAUSE I am "in" Christ. I am accepted right now - as I am - Nothing I can say or do will make me more or less acceptable to God. I am AS acceptable as the most spiritual person I know, J. I. Packer, Billy Graham or ________.

WE ARE FORGIVEN AND RIGHTEOUS BECAUSE OF CHRIST'S SACRIFICE THEREFORE WE ARE PLEASING TO GOD IN SPITE OF OUR FAILURE. Robert McGee in -Search for Significance goes on to add that we are also ABSOLUTELY COMPLETE IN CHRIST. Coming from three generations of Christians who believed the Arminian doctrine which teaches salvation by grace and keeping saved by my works, this has been extremely freeing and yet caused me to follow Christ out of love and gratitude rather than fear and guilt. Coming much more boldly in His righteousness and acceptability to a more intimate walk with God, and definitely enjoying Him more..

Our ability to experience God's love and thus our security in Him has much to do with our PERCEPTION of Him. If we believe He is demanding or aloof we will not be able to receive his love and tenderness. Instead, we may be afraid of Him, angry with him or even wonder if He can be bothered with our concerns. "Just as a door rests on the strength of its hinges, so do we rest and rely on our God's character." This may mean reprogramming our minds as to who God really is and is not. A major cause for a wrong view of God is our EXPERIENCE WITH OUR EARTHLY PARENTS, PARTICULARLY OUR FATHER. Quoting Ray Burwick, " A 'heart wound' concerning our father causes our view of God to be like looking through a scratched lens - distorted as to who and what He is and how He relates to us."

If our earthly father set unreachable standards for us and if acceptance was only gained by good performance, we will attempt to gain God's approval by performing well as a Christian but feel as if we never quite please Him. A harsh and angry father becomes a harsh and angry God, a distant or absent father models a God who seems far removed from my everyday problems and of course a strong caring father, projects that picture of a strong caring God.

Studying about God will have little impact on an inaccurate view of God if there is conscious or unconscious hurt resentment or guilt dealing with our parents (our God Models). In order to decide whether this is a problem. Think about your early memories of your father, and your relationship to him - how you felt around him , how he expressed love/or didn't to you.

Come back on Monday and we'll discuss this more.

Ultimate Security 3, Ann Burwick

Ann finished yesterday's post with: We are simply not enough for each other because we are human, we sin and fail each other, but God can be enough.

OFTEN single women learn to know God as husband ; as PERFECT companion, provider, protector. Then they marry a human and are expecting the same perfection. Not! Results are ANGER AND INSECURITY.

The Bible tells us, PSA 62:5-6 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
PSA 73:25-26 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Although my insecurity showed itself in dependence it may show itself in your life

1 in needing to be in control of your situation and of others.

2.You may compare yourself with others and feel inadequate or

3.you may strive to perform well to gain the admiration and acceptance of others. In any case the answer is the same: finding our deep need for security and adequacy met in our relationship with the Lord.

Again, God says: ISA 33:6 He will be the sure foundation for your times,....
ISA 43:l But now, this is what the LORD says - he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
ISA 49:15-16 "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! ISA 49:16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.
ISA 46:4 Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

BUT besides looking to the wrong source for our emotional security there are other reasons why we feel insecure even when we know God.

1. Holding wrong beliefs about God, who He is and how He feels about me, will also keep me from experiencing security...

2. FOCUSING ON OUR FAILURES AND UNWORTHY FEELINGS keeps us from the confidence of knowing who we are in Christ and thus our security.

3. Seeing how we fall short of consistently honoring God with our actions and attitudes may cause us to feel unworthy to claim God's promised blessings.

4. We see our lack of love for Him and obedience to Him and know we grieve Him; and wonder if He can possibly be pleased with us even if we feel our eternal destiny is secure.

Thankfully the truth of JUSTIFICATION can give us boldness, confidence and security before God. Justification means more than forgiveness of sins II Cor. 5:21 says: He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf - that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. In the same act of love where He "remembers no more" our sins - He also provides for our righteousness - the worthiness to stand in God's presence - God no longer sees us as condemned sinners - but as Christs righteousness fully pleasing to Him. I can't think of a more secure place to be.

More tomorrow

Ultimate Security 2, Ann Burwick

Continuing the late Ann Burwick’s study on the topic “Ultimate Security.”

One noticeable change in my reactions began to appear after Ray and I would have an argument; in my insecurity I would always panic to get his approval again and to have everything fine between us; even if I would have to take responsibility for his wrongs as well as my own.

As I began to experience emotional security in my relationship with God I seem to lose that panic to make everything O.K. not depending on Ray's approval for my well being. As I allow God to meet my deep need for security I can have realistic expectations of marriage.

I would not like to lose my husband. If he should leave me tomorrow I'd be very hurt and angry or if God should take him home, I would be very sad and lonely, I'm sure, but I would not be devastated. II Cor 4:8-10 we are perplexed but not in despair, cast down but not destroyed; DEU 33:27 The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.

I cannot deny that our relationships do deeply affect us and we do long for a person to love and accept us and to experience relational security. However, our goal is to first seek spiritual intimacy with God that Adam once had. Then we will not seek for others to be the source of our security and fulfillment, something they cannot possibly be for us. This is how a God given longing for a companion becomes unhealthy - EMOTIONAL DEPENDENCY. We feel a need to be completed and look to a human to do this. When he {or she} doesn't, we begin to control or manipulate. When we don't get the attention and praise, respect or behavior we think we deserve we get hurt or angry, grumble and scheme and try to make him or her do what we want.

Obviously, this dependency is not only seen in marriage but in any human relationship where we put someone in God's place and demand he meet our deepest needs. This is not only abusing rather than enjoying a relationship, but isn't this idolatry? ISA. 42:17 But those who trust in idols, who say to images, "You are our gods, will be turned back in utter shame. EXO 20:3 "You shall have no other gods before Me." It was interesting how God allowed Ray to let me down or disappoint me whenever I would feel secure with him in God's rightful place. I'm not saying we shouldn't express our relational desires to our spouses and friends but that the CRUCIAL needs only God can meet. We are simply not enough for each other because we are human, we sin and fail each other, but God can be enough.

More tomorrow on Ultimate Security

Ultimate Security by Ann Burwick

The following posts are taken from a message by my late wife, Ann, whom I presented to you yesterday. She gave this talk in diverse venues and is now speaking to us.

Before sin entered the world, Adam and Eve had all their needs met by God in their intimate walk with Him. However, we are born into a fallen world, to imperfect parents, where teachers and other significant caregivers are also faulty. Often as children our emotional needs are not met and we go into adulthood with feelings of insecurity and inadequacy, even tho we may become Christians and desire to walk close to God.

It is said we teach best the principles with which we've personally struggled. Often our "life message" concerns the area of our life where God has proved himself strongest - the place where we are naturally the weakest or most damaged. This is true of me and my struggle for a sense of security in my own life.

I was born the 2nd child, to a young couple during wartime. Often relocating and away from extended family, my parents lacked roots and were immature, their relationship was rocky from the beginning. My dad was fun, adventuresome and loving but also undependable, and unfaithful.

His betrayal of my mother and abandonment of our family became the MOST CRUCIAL SINGLE INJURY TO MY SENSE OF SECURITY. My purpose here is not to blame or be vindictive only to present reality. To walk in Biblical truth, I must face truth about myself as well as know the truth about God. I must look at the reality of my past, including my family, and how I have been affected by my past, to be honest with God, myself and others.

As a teen I looked to peer approval for identity and acceptance. When this didn't satisfy my deep longing for security I was drawn to Christ and began to know what real security was all about. In my new relationship with Christ I found direction and strength and clung to Him frantically when my parents divorced after 20 years of marriage.

Insecurity didn't seem to rear it's ugly head again, except in dating relationships until after I was married and began to subtly and unconsciously look to Ray to meet my need for security rather than to God. I had looked for someone stable and responsible with a commitment to God, for a husband, someone unlike my Dad. How foolish I was to think any man, no matter how good, could meet my deepest longings. My insecurity showed itself in demands on Ray, took the form of possessiveness, jealousy and clinging with a great fear of abandonment. This along with my repressed anger toward my dad plus Ray's negative reactions toward my behavior made for a substantial lack of marital bliss {to put it mildly}.

Now, it wasn't that I was walking in rebellion, to the contrary, I was doing all I knew to walk with God, having a quiet time, teaching a Bible study, even witnessing to others. However, through this marriage trauma, God was attempting to show me that I had displaced Him as the source of my security.

Through a surprise pregnancy and the death of our baby I was awakened to my critical error and began to look back to the ROCK and found Him strong in my weakness. I began to cry out to Him about my insecurity and claim BY FAITH (or appropriate) that I WAS SECURE IN HIM (exchanging my weakness for His strength) This I would especially do when I experienced fear, panic, and jealousy.

Gradually, what I knew intellectually has become reality emotionally, and where I was so weak and injured, God has shown himself strong. 2 Cor 12:10 My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

More on ultimate security tomorrow.

Intro to Ann Burwick

As a memorial to my first wife, Ann, I’d like for you to hear from her regarding the topic of security and how that fits into the series of building a positive self esteem.

She presented this material at various settings before her death. But before her material is introduced on this blog, indulge me in sharing with you her last moments on earth, which I had journaled.

"You're not having a stroke on me, are you?" I teasingly said to my wife of 36 years. I had just come home from Saturday morning basketball practice and found Ann making a bed. As she looked at me the left side of her face looked twisted. I took her to a mirror and she felt her face. There was no emotion. No fear. No anxiety. It was a definite twisted left side of the face. Within moments her speech was slurred. Then stumbling.

I quickly called 911. Within 10 to 15 minutes the paramedics were checking her over, suspicious first of an overdose. Not! A quick trip to the emergency room of the local small hospital. Nothing they could do for her there. Ambulance trip to a large hospital 40 minutes away. Enroute the ambulance driver said: "the dam burst" (brain aneurysm).

I was given the choice of surgery for Ann or not. The neurosurgeon's words were: "If I do surgery, chances are slim that she will live. If she lives, chances are extremely high that she'll be a vegetable. If we do nothing, she'll be gone in a few hours."
My initial response was, "no, I don't want to make a life and death decision of this magnitude. The life of my wife in my hands? No!"

However, after moments of consideration and a long distance call to our oldest child, Amy, the decision was made. The slim chance of her living would have surely placed her in a nursing home for the remainder of her life, not having presence of mind. Ann wouldn't want that. Seven hours from the twisted cheek experience she was in the presence of Jesus, singing with the angels. Good news for her. Devastating to those of us she left.

Ann was a great woman who had the skill of making people feel loved and accepted. She was an excellent counselor, attested by many who spoke at her memorial services. She had processed considerable emotional pain herself and used that to help others. Grandparenting was especially meaningful to her.

Ann's was a sudden death, completely unexpected. She was in great health. She was enjoying her position as a counselor at Bryan College. Our children later told me she had called all of them that Saturday morning in the best spirits they had heard her. Was it a premonition?

We’ll hear from her in tomorrow’s posting on the topic of Real Security. You will be enriched by her words..

Radical Gratitude 3

Leslie Gultch, Oregon Idaho border
This is the third and last posting of excerpts from the book RADICAL GRATITUDE.

Obstacles blocking a grateful spirit:
1. Not experieicnging God’s forgiveness (not having a walk of faith in God.)
2. Carrying guilt
3. Self focus rather than a God focus.
Pride. Renoucing any higher authority than the self means that people are at the mercy of any other self who happens to be stronger than they are. There is no protection for the weak.

In the end, our heart reveals the reality of our worldview. Our habitual gratitude, or lack thereof, shows what we actually believe, not just the nice tenets we may acknowledge intellectually, but do not practice in everyday life.

The biggest obstacle to gratitude is refusing to admit that apart from Christ, we can do nothing.
So how do we slough off pride and all those layers of sin and self-sufficiency that block us from thanking and praising God? We can’t. We need to be stripped by ANOTHER.

Gratitude is not a dsicipline. You can’t resolve to be more grateful. Can’t conjure it up by your own determined effort, or it will blow away in the first strong breeze. No, if grace is the gift of God, so too is the gratitude that grace creates.

Four things that we an do to practice the presence of gratitude.
1. Remember. 2. Forget. 3.Look up to God. 4. look around to His people.
1. Remember our deliverance. Our deliverer. Tools to help us remember: journaling, stones of remembrance, jewelry, photos, music, eucharist (means to be thankful), smell. The more senses that are involved, the more fully the memory is encoded in our brains.

2. Forget: our sins, our shame, our successes. We get lost in cheap snares and doubts when we look to ourselves, preoccupied by our sin, our shame, our success as if it were all about us.

3. Look up to the grandeur of God. – even in tragedy.

4. Look around and connect with the fellowship of friends. Satan wants us isolated so he can gain footholds.

Gratitude is like a pair of glasses that progressively sharpen. The more I thank, the more I see to be thankful for, and the more I end up praising God. Gratitude unleashes the freedom to live content in the moment, rather than being anxious about the future or regretting the past

Radical Gratitude 2

Leslie Gultch, Oregon-Idaho border.

Continuing excerpts from the book "Radical Gratitude.

"Two types of gratitude:

secondary is thankfulness for blessings received.

Primary called by Jonathan Edwards “gracious gratitude” gives thanks for who God is. It can grow in the midst of pain and distress. This is the person who overflows with joy, worship and mission.

God can refresh His people through the gracious gift of radical gratitude.

Developing the meditative habit of constantly whispering thanks to Him – no matter the situation – is in fact a mustrd seed of life-changing power.

Research indcates thankfulness leads to many health benefits including less depression and stress.

Truly grateful people can’t be stopped. They bubble and overflow, refreshing others. Their habitual gratitude serves as a springboard to give a reason for the bouyant hope bouncing within them. They attract those who are stuck in the cares of this world, and woo them to the eternal Good.

A posture of purposeful, perpetual thanks to God is absolutely central to Christian character. It gives glory to Him. It is the key defense against Satan’s temptations to despair, distrust, dysfunction. It protects us from sin and self.

Ungratefulness can become a heart-hardening habit.

First comes complaining,

then anger and bitterness,

then feeling victimized or entitled to things that we’re just not getting. Covetousness.

That mindset stealtfily lifts the latch and eases open the dark gate to all kinds of sin and destruction.

More tomorrow from Radical Gratitude

Radical Gratitude

Leslie Gultch, Idaho-Oregon border

I have been frustrated more lately with the increase of stuttering. Adhering to the Biblical principles of “Give thanks IN all things” and “Give thanks FOR all things” I was not! My Abba PaPa gently spoke to me saying, “It will take some pressure off you to just be thankful even for the increased stuttering.

I began the discipline and shortly thereafter, Theresa and I flew to San Antonio to be with our daughter Kristin, who gave me a birthday gift. She wasn’t aware of my gratitude growth objective. Guess what she gave me – the book Radical Gratitude. I think God has a unique sense of humor. Kinda like, "Burwick is trying to develop a more grateful attitude, let me give him some extrinsic help!"

May I share some excerpts from the book with you?
Radical Gratitude by Ellen Vaughn

Real renewal beats in the pulse of a purposely grateful human heart.

Living in a spin cycle of spiritual fatigue is a contaminate of a grateful spirit..

Scripture on the topic:
Ephesians 5: 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thes.5: 16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Col.4: 2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Phil.4: 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

It’s incredible: The small, compliant human action of saying “thank you” constantly links us to the awesome Creator of the universe. In the practice of perceiving every part of every day as a gift from Him, we stay connected to Christ. The conversations of a continually grateful heart become a way of life, a fountain flowing in us, the means by which we acknowledge our dependence on Christ; enjoy Him lavishly, and run to do whatever He wants.

More on gratitude tomorrow

Spiritual Warfare 11

Leslie Gultch on the Oregon-Idaho line

This is our last posting on spiritual warfare. Be aware of the wiles of the evil one but

Don’t give satan too much credit!
In my younger Christian days, I often said, “satan doesn’t have to spend much time with me. He doesn’t bother me because I have enough challenge with my flesh (self-life).” It seemed my own insecurity and selfishness raised enough havoc with me and those close to me that satan didn’t have to spend any time diverting my eyes from Jesus.

I desperately desired to be a godly man, husband, parent, counselor, and friend. However, fear, worry, pride, seeking for recognition and love, anger, resentment and a host of other fleshly symptoms frequently reared their ugly heads. The devil “didn’t make me do it.” I was very capable to sin and live the fleshly life in my own effort - the flesh. However, I didn’t realize my fleshly patterns were giving the evil one a foothold in those areas of my life. My fleshly responses were exacerbated by the devil’s foothold and influence.
Look with me at what is termed “flesh?”

The self-life, the flesh is:
* that part of the Christian independent from God - doing its own thing, wanting its own way. It tends to selfishness, lust, greed, anger, fear, worry, etc. - that is the flesh or the self.

* That dimension of us that is influenced outwardly by the world with its enticements to take a bite of the “apple” (get our needs met outside of God) instead of obedience to God - that is flesh or self.

* The part that carries into adulthood the wounds and scars of childhood - that is flesh or self.

* The “before Christ person”, who acted and thought in ways contrary to Christ’s teachings - that is flesh or self.

As Christians, we have a choice to walk in the spirit or walk in the flesh. Galatians 5:16-17 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature (flesh). For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other...

Paul challenges us to aggressively put off the “old self.” Ephesians 4:22-24
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Thought and action patterns take time to change. The person riddled with fear all of his/her life doesn’t become a person trusting in God overnight. Be patient and persevering as you are in the process of putting off the old self.
Jerry Bridges writes, “Sin (flesh) is like a defeated army in a civil war, that instead of surrendering and laying down its arms, continues to wage a guerrilla war. As a reigning power, flesh is defeated in the life of a Believer, but it will never surrender. It will continue to harass us and seek to sabotage our Christian lives as long as we live.”

Athletic scouting reports are helpful but never perfect. The opposition may change tactics or personnel. They may perform with greater excellence then when they were scouted.
I recall one team we scouted. I had a knowledgeable man scout them one game and I scouted a different game. I thought we had a thorough report and sound game plan to engage this good basketball team. They had better personnel but I thought our strategy would provide an upset victory for us. Not! They added an outstanding player we hadn’t seen before. And those we had observed shot the eyes out of the bucket. We got waxed.

There is a significant dissimilarity in the scouting report of our enemies, our flesh-life and satan. Our victory is guaranteed. We know the power and strategy of the flesh and how to combat it. satan is the prince of this world, very powerful, but "greater is He that is within us than he that is the world." We know the strategies of satan, the enemy, and we know our arsenal of defensive and offensive weapons. he is a defeated foe. Knowing God is our focus. Our concentration is as the catechism challenges: “the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”

You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Psalm 16:11

Spiritual Warfare 10

Our posting on spiritual warfare up to this point has dealt primarily with a Christian. satan works on the pre-christian also. His strategy with the person who has not come to faith in Christ is deception, inciting to disobedience, and control.
Deception:
2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Encouraged disobedience:
Ephesians 2:1-2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

Domination of the soul:
1 John 5: 19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.

Direct control:
Matthew 8:28 When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way.

The non-Christian does not possess the power to break the hold of evil spirits. His/her only solution is found in Colossians 1:13-14
For he (God) has rescued us from the dominion of darkness
and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

How is this “rescue” accomplished? The first step in breaking satan’s stronghold for the non-believer, is to respond to Christ. To receive Him as Savior and Lord. John 1:12 says:
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name,
he gave the right to become children of God--
This new Believer has been redeemed (bought back), brought into Christ’s kingdom, sins forgiven, and is rescued from the control (dominion) of darkness. From that point of giving one’s life to Christ, the challenge is to understand the warfare of the evil one and put on the armor as described previously.

satan is a defeated foe!
As powerful as satan is, he is a defeated foe facing a total demise pictured in Matthew 25:41 Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you who are cursed,
into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
Revelation 20:10 describes again satan’s ultimate rout:
And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake
of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet
had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Our defeat of satan is reenacted daily as we: Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes (Ephesians 6:11).

Our focus up to this point as been confronting the enemy from without - satan and his warriors. There is at times a larger enemy within - self! We’ll just touch on that next.

Spiritual Warfare 9

One of my most respected friends was Bill Bright, president of Campus Crusade for Christ. While serving on Crusade staff for three years, I viewed Bill demonstrate a simple yet profound faith, a humble spirit, and a drive for excellence in communicating Christ to the world. He related the following story regarding spiritual warfare:

A young minister shared with me one day, “I am afraid of satan.” I replied, “You should be afraid of satan -- if you want to live your own life and do your own thing apart from God. But if you are willing to let Christ control your life, you have nothing to fear because the Bible says, ‘Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world’” (John 4:4).

Continuing, I said, “satan was defeated 2,000 years ago at the cross. Though he has great power to influence man, the Bible assures us that he is defeated by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony” (Revelation 12:11).
This friend lives in a city where they have one of the largest zoos in the world. I said, “What do you do with lions in your city?” He replied that they keep them in a cage. I said, ‘Like the lion, satan is in a cage, and he cannot hurt you unless you get into the cage with him. Get in the cage, and the lion will make mincemeat of you. But you have nothing to fear so long as you stay out of the cage. You have nothing to fear from satan so long as you are continually surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ and controlled by the Holy Spirit, by faith.”