Happy Friday Friends!
I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama! :)
This weeks Happy Friday is going to be all about encouragement. I want to encourage you to do something wild and crazy! It is going to be scary! It will take great faith, strength and courage! The best part? You are the only one, each one of us individually, who can do it! Come on, you got this! :)
Before sharing my thoughts, I am again going to share a few excerpts from I Declare War: 4 Keys to Winning the Battle with Yourself by Levi Lusko. I want to strongly encourage you to get this book, read it and apply what you learn to your life. The excerpts I am sharing come from Chapter 4 which is titled, The Secret To A Miserable Life.
"The biggest problem with defense mechanisms is this: when you put a mask on, you are masking yourself off from God's blessing.
You know when you paint a room, you first have to tape around the edges of what you don't want to paint to get on - the light switch, the ceiling, the floorboards? The paint only goes where the tape is not. That's why it's hard for God's blessing to reach what you've covered over. God constantly seeks to shower you with grace. He wants to cover you with favor, to coach you with his love, to give you his best and his blessings. He wants our cup to run over. He wants to anoint your head with oil. He has been dreaming about it from before the foundation of the earth. But he can't use who you wish you were - only who you really are. Your mask is holding you back.
Don't miss this! You are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). You are unique; you are beautiful, a work of art. You are God's poem, his masterpiece. You are what he thinks, not what you think."(Emphasis is mine!)
"When you know who you are, it doesn't matter what you are not."
"Whenever you find yourself thinking, I don't. I can't. I'm not, respond right back: I do. I am. I have. I can - because I am loved by God!" (That emphasis is actually Levi's!)
"As writer Ralph Waldo Emerson put it, "God will not have his work made manifest by cowards." It takes bravery to be vulnerable. You'll feel terrified. You'll want to put the mask back on and hide once more. But the only way to get to victory is by going through vulnerability. Only by embracing who you are can you become who you were born to be." (Emphasis is mine...Again!) :)
So, this morning Sweet Friends, I simply want to encourage you to be who you are, to relentlessly pursue the greatness that God has placed within you. Today, put down the mask! Today, stop pretending to be someone or something you are not! Today, stop fighting for your weaknesses and start walking in your strengths! Today, be you...there is absolutely nobody walking the face of this earth who is more capable than you to be you! :) Today, stop wishing for what you are not and embrace who you are!
I get it, we all do. It is hard. We live in a world that desperately wants to define us. This world wants to tell us how we should think, how we should look, what we should do, when we should do it...and the list goes on and on. And it is SO EXHAUSTING! Why? Because the world does not define you and it is not who you are supposed to be...that simple. And we try to make it so hard. We are all looking for the silver bullet, the quick fix. How can this be done quickly, easily, simply? The answer is it can't be, however it can be done. Here are the two keys: 1) You have to be you. I know, it sounds too simple. Look at it this way; how successful would a fish be at being a lion? Or a lion, a truly majestic animal, how successful would it be at being a fish? We laugh, but please explain to me how this is any different than you or I trying to be something we weren't created to be? Not so funny any more, is it? 2) We have to consistently show up. Augh! We hate that word...consistent! Again, we want the quick and easy however nothing of real value is accomplished quickly and easily. Our relationships, skills and anything else of value is developed and refined by consistently showing up and working on it. All of this is so easy to understand mentally and yet so hard to actually walk out!
You are enough. In fact, you are more than enough! You are a masterpiece. You are fearfully and wonderfully made, created on purpose for a great purpose, lacking nothing. Please, reread it... This world desperately needs the you that you were created to be - not the you that the world tells you you need to be or the you that you think you need to be. The world needs the pure, authentic you. I pray that is who you, and I, will be each and every day.
Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day, a wonderful weekend, please cherish your precious families and please stay healthy and well.
Kev
Friday, April 24, 2020
Sunday, April 19, 2020
Facing Difficulties
Happy Friday Friends!
I hope and trust this post finds you having a great day on this glorious Sunday afternoon. Additionally, I sincerely hope you and your families remain healthy and well during this pandemic.
This weeks Happy Friday would fall into the category of, "I wish someone had told me that!" I am going to start off by sharing several excerpts from I Declare War: 4 Keys to Winning the Battle with Yourself by Levi Lusko. The excerpts I am going to share come from Chapter 2 which it titled, (+) or (-)?
"Here's the takeaway lesson: bad things happen when you put a negative where there is supposed to be a positive. This isn't just good car battery advice; the same is true when it comes to your mind. If you put a negative thought where there should be a positive one, you won't blow up, but you won't grow up into the version of yourself that you want to be."
"Don't misunderstand me: I don't believe in positive thinking as a replacement for God but as a response to God. My goal isn't that you would see your metaphorical cup as half full; I want you to see it as constantly overflowing! What is faith if not a filter that allows you to process your experiences through the goodness of God, choosing to reject what you see and clinging to what you trust he is doing? Faith allows you to believe your beliefs and doubt your doubts."
"Billy wasn't alone in swinging between the highs of optimism and the lows of pessimism. Throughout Scripture, we see need for the wolf to rise in the battle against negativity - a battle that seems to be particularly prevalent among those, like Reverend Graham, are eminently gifted and used in extraordinary ways."
"If you think, I can't wait until I mature so this won't be an issue anymore, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. There is truth to the expression "new levels, new devils." If anything, the battle grows more complex as you progress in your spiritual journey, because the more you do, the more the enemy will try to stop you."
"Listen to me carefully: negative thoughts can't lead to a positive life."
"People will oppose you if you are on the right track. We tend to ask, what did I do wrong? But the better question should be, what did I do right?
Victor Hugo wrote, "You have enemies? Why, it is the glory of every man who has done a great deed or created a new idea." No one gets to live his or her dream without other people trying to turn it into a nightmare. Opposition is table stakes for living the life you were born to live. Of course, there is an easy way to make the critics go away: do nothing, contribute nothing, stand for nothing, be nothing. When you live out your calling, you will always face potshots from people who have given up on theirs."
"Anticipating obstacles and being prepared for them helps you reframe the story you write in your head in the midst of challenging seasons."
"But the way to use the word good that will cause the wolf to rise in your heart isn't to say that the bad thing is good - but to believe that goodness will be the end result. Your pain is just a scene; it's not the entire movie."
"The ultimate goodness of God's plan is what was on Paul's heart when he instructed the Thessalonians, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5: 16 - 18).
Did you catch that? He didn't say to be thankful for everything. You aren't supposed to be thankful for death or divorce or unemployment. Those things aren't good. You can, however, be thankful in those things - or any other thing hell can throw at you - because God has a plan to produce good from what you are facing."
So powerful! I wish I knew these things many years ago and I am most grateful that I have learned them now! Like most great things we learn, I have to share this information with all of you as it could encourage, empower and/or equip you to become all that you were created to become. :)
The things I wish I knew:
1. Difficulties - people, situations and/or circumstances - don't mean you are on the wrong track. In fact history - secular and Biblical - seems to show that difficulties are a great indicator that you are on the right track. Great things, ideas and purposes are usually opposed, much like a purifying process. If you have a goal, dream or vision in your heart, please persevere and pursue it thought the difficulties. And, as history would suggest, the greater the goal, dream or vision, the greater the opposition you will face. Know it, don't be surprised by it, and thrive through - because of!!! - it!
2. What is most critical, is how we view the opposition. It is not there to stop you, it is there to help you grow to all you are capable of becoming. What you believe in the moment of opposition is the deal breaker: do you believe good will come from it? If so, if you are willing to believe in the greatness and goodness of God, in the calling and purpose He has on and for your life, you will fully understand Philippians 4:13 and you will grow to become all that He has called and created you to become.
3. And the clarity around Thessalonians 5:16 - 18! Thank you Pastor Lusko for helping me fully understand that scripture. No, I can't be thankful "for" everything but I certainly can be thankful "in" everything, knowing that God has plans to produce good from what we are facing. One little word, one colossal difference!
I hope this has opened your eyes and purified your thoughts around difficulties, challenges and opposition. I hope you will study it yourself, pray about it and learn to live a courageous life, relentlessly pursuing your calling. Will we face opposition? Most assuredly! Will we learn, grow and become all that we are capable of becoming because of it? Without question! I want to beg you Friends, please do not view the difficulties, challenges and opposition you face as stop signs or think they mean you have missed your calling or that you are doing the wrong thing...all things I have told myself at different times in my life. They are in fact simply guideposts along this beautiful journey of life. Expect them, learn from them and trust that God will bring great good from each and every one.
I want to close with a few quotes.
Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day, enjoy the rest of your weekend and please cherish your precious families.
Kev
I hope and trust this post finds you having a great day on this glorious Sunday afternoon. Additionally, I sincerely hope you and your families remain healthy and well during this pandemic.
This weeks Happy Friday would fall into the category of, "I wish someone had told me that!" I am going to start off by sharing several excerpts from I Declare War: 4 Keys to Winning the Battle with Yourself by Levi Lusko. The excerpts I am going to share come from Chapter 2 which it titled, (+) or (-)?
"Here's the takeaway lesson: bad things happen when you put a negative where there is supposed to be a positive. This isn't just good car battery advice; the same is true when it comes to your mind. If you put a negative thought where there should be a positive one, you won't blow up, but you won't grow up into the version of yourself that you want to be."
"Don't misunderstand me: I don't believe in positive thinking as a replacement for God but as a response to God. My goal isn't that you would see your metaphorical cup as half full; I want you to see it as constantly overflowing! What is faith if not a filter that allows you to process your experiences through the goodness of God, choosing to reject what you see and clinging to what you trust he is doing? Faith allows you to believe your beliefs and doubt your doubts."
"Billy wasn't alone in swinging between the highs of optimism and the lows of pessimism. Throughout Scripture, we see need for the wolf to rise in the battle against negativity - a battle that seems to be particularly prevalent among those, like Reverend Graham, are eminently gifted and used in extraordinary ways."
"If you think, I can't wait until I mature so this won't be an issue anymore, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. There is truth to the expression "new levels, new devils." If anything, the battle grows more complex as you progress in your spiritual journey, because the more you do, the more the enemy will try to stop you."
"Listen to me carefully: negative thoughts can't lead to a positive life."
"People will oppose you if you are on the right track. We tend to ask, what did I do wrong? But the better question should be, what did I do right?
Victor Hugo wrote, "You have enemies? Why, it is the glory of every man who has done a great deed or created a new idea." No one gets to live his or her dream without other people trying to turn it into a nightmare. Opposition is table stakes for living the life you were born to live. Of course, there is an easy way to make the critics go away: do nothing, contribute nothing, stand for nothing, be nothing. When you live out your calling, you will always face potshots from people who have given up on theirs."
"Anticipating obstacles and being prepared for them helps you reframe the story you write in your head in the midst of challenging seasons."
"But the way to use the word good that will cause the wolf to rise in your heart isn't to say that the bad thing is good - but to believe that goodness will be the end result. Your pain is just a scene; it's not the entire movie."
"The ultimate goodness of God's plan is what was on Paul's heart when he instructed the Thessalonians, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5: 16 - 18).
Did you catch that? He didn't say to be thankful for everything. You aren't supposed to be thankful for death or divorce or unemployment. Those things aren't good. You can, however, be thankful in those things - or any other thing hell can throw at you - because God has a plan to produce good from what you are facing."
So powerful! I wish I knew these things many years ago and I am most grateful that I have learned them now! Like most great things we learn, I have to share this information with all of you as it could encourage, empower and/or equip you to become all that you were created to become. :)
The things I wish I knew:
1. Difficulties - people, situations and/or circumstances - don't mean you are on the wrong track. In fact history - secular and Biblical - seems to show that difficulties are a great indicator that you are on the right track. Great things, ideas and purposes are usually opposed, much like a purifying process. If you have a goal, dream or vision in your heart, please persevere and pursue it thought the difficulties. And, as history would suggest, the greater the goal, dream or vision, the greater the opposition you will face. Know it, don't be surprised by it, and thrive through - because of!!! - it!
2. What is most critical, is how we view the opposition. It is not there to stop you, it is there to help you grow to all you are capable of becoming. What you believe in the moment of opposition is the deal breaker: do you believe good will come from it? If so, if you are willing to believe in the greatness and goodness of God, in the calling and purpose He has on and for your life, you will fully understand Philippians 4:13 and you will grow to become all that He has called and created you to become.
3. And the clarity around Thessalonians 5:16 - 18! Thank you Pastor Lusko for helping me fully understand that scripture. No, I can't be thankful "for" everything but I certainly can be thankful "in" everything, knowing that God has plans to produce good from what we are facing. One little word, one colossal difference!
I hope this has opened your eyes and purified your thoughts around difficulties, challenges and opposition. I hope you will study it yourself, pray about it and learn to live a courageous life, relentlessly pursuing your calling. Will we face opposition? Most assuredly! Will we learn, grow and become all that we are capable of becoming because of it? Without question! I want to beg you Friends, please do not view the difficulties, challenges and opposition you face as stop signs or think they mean you have missed your calling or that you are doing the wrong thing...all things I have told myself at different times in my life. They are in fact simply guideposts along this beautiful journey of life. Expect them, learn from them and trust that God will bring great good from each and every one.
I want to close with a few quotes.
"Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict." - William Ellery Channing
"When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure." - Peter Marshall
"Between you and every goal that you wish to achieve, there is a series of obstacles, and the bigger the goal, the bigger the obstacles." - Brian Tracy
"Difficulties increase the nearer we get to the goal." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
"There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day, enjoy the rest of your weekend and please cherish your precious families.
Kev
Friday, April 10, 2020
It's A Gift
Happy Friday Friends!
I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day on this beautiful Friday morning in my Sweet Home Alabama! This day right here...its going to be a great one, I can feel it! :)
This week I am going to pivot away from the Coronavirus, self-quarantine or the challenges we are all facing together. Something super simple hit me as profound this week I want to share a couple of thoughts about it.
Earlier this week I was researching some quotes about humility and I came across one from Tim Tebow that said something to the effect of "it's just a gift." He was talking about his athletic ability and the recognition that he was just given the ability to do something that others aren't able to do. He recognized that it did not make him more than, special or anything else. It was just an ability, a gift, he was given.
I have shared this story before however I feel it appropriate to share again. Several years ago I was driving home from work, listening to the radio. A woman called into the radio station and asked for prayers for her son. When the radio host asked what was going on, the woman responded, "He has disabilities." The host immediately said, "Please tell me about his abilities." You see, we all have abilities AND disabilities. One not great than the other, just different.
So there are a couple of things I want to share.
1. Please realize that the abilities you have been given - the things you naturally do really well and enjoy doing - are simply a gift you have been given. They don't make you better or worse than anyone else. They are simply gifts. To think ourselves superior to another because we can run faster, throw harder, paint better, sing better...and the list can go on and on, is wrong in my opinion. Your abilities make you no better or no worse than anyone else. They just make us beautifully different. And, when we all pursue the full potential of whatever gifts we have been given, we form a beautiful painting, symphony, team or whatever you want to call it. :)
Please Sweet Friends, let's not think better or worse of ourselves based on the gifts we have been or have not been given. Let's simply enjoy our uniqueness, appreciate others and relentlessly pursue the full potential of who we were created to be. Leo Buscaglia said it beautifully, "Your talent is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God."
I also love what St. Catherine of Siena said, "Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire."
2. Please use whatever gifts you have been given to love, care for and serve others. Chances are you know who Tim Tebow is. The guy who realizes his abilities are "just a gift" has used that gift to inspire millions. How about you and me? What are we doing with whatever gifts we have been given? Are we using them to love, care for and serve others or are we simply using them for selfish gain? With what I have learned in my life, I am thoroughly convinced that they were not given to us, just for us. They were given to us to serve a greater purpose. I beg you Friends, whatever gift you have, please develop it to the best of your ability and use it to serve others. While you and I might not reach the entire world as Tim has, we will profoundly impact the lives of every singly person in our worlds.
I also want to share something I read this morning from Jon Gordon.
20 THINGS WE SHOULD SAY MORE OFTEN
1. I love you.
2. I believe in you.
3. You are worthy. You deserve it.
4. The best is yet to come.
5. Stay positive.
6. I was wrong. I am sorry.
7. Please.
8. How can I help?
9. I'm here for you when you wan to talk.
10. You can do it.
11. You've got this and God's got you.
12. Please forgive me.
13. I forgive you.
14. I've got your back.
15. I'm open to your feedback. Make me better.
16. You're not alone.
17. Even if we disagree, we can still be friends.
18. You matter.
19. Thank you.
20 There is greatness inside you.
I want to wish you all a very Happy Easter. Cherish this time with your families. Let's live with a "get to" mentality, not a "have to" mentality. We get to stay home, be with our families...it is an incredible opportunity, let's seize it! And please continue to be in prayer for all those fighting this virus and all those who have been infected by it.
Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your families. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families!
Kev
I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day on this beautiful Friday morning in my Sweet Home Alabama! This day right here...its going to be a great one, I can feel it! :)
This week I am going to pivot away from the Coronavirus, self-quarantine or the challenges we are all facing together. Something super simple hit me as profound this week I want to share a couple of thoughts about it.
Earlier this week I was researching some quotes about humility and I came across one from Tim Tebow that said something to the effect of "it's just a gift." He was talking about his athletic ability and the recognition that he was just given the ability to do something that others aren't able to do. He recognized that it did not make him more than, special or anything else. It was just an ability, a gift, he was given.
I have shared this story before however I feel it appropriate to share again. Several years ago I was driving home from work, listening to the radio. A woman called into the radio station and asked for prayers for her son. When the radio host asked what was going on, the woman responded, "He has disabilities." The host immediately said, "Please tell me about his abilities." You see, we all have abilities AND disabilities. One not great than the other, just different.
So there are a couple of things I want to share.
1. Please realize that the abilities you have been given - the things you naturally do really well and enjoy doing - are simply a gift you have been given. They don't make you better or worse than anyone else. They are simply gifts. To think ourselves superior to another because we can run faster, throw harder, paint better, sing better...and the list can go on and on, is wrong in my opinion. Your abilities make you no better or no worse than anyone else. They just make us beautifully different. And, when we all pursue the full potential of whatever gifts we have been given, we form a beautiful painting, symphony, team or whatever you want to call it. :)
Please Sweet Friends, let's not think better or worse of ourselves based on the gifts we have been or have not been given. Let's simply enjoy our uniqueness, appreciate others and relentlessly pursue the full potential of who we were created to be. Leo Buscaglia said it beautifully, "Your talent is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God."
I also love what St. Catherine of Siena said, "Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire."
2. Please use whatever gifts you have been given to love, care for and serve others. Chances are you know who Tim Tebow is. The guy who realizes his abilities are "just a gift" has used that gift to inspire millions. How about you and me? What are we doing with whatever gifts we have been given? Are we using them to love, care for and serve others or are we simply using them for selfish gain? With what I have learned in my life, I am thoroughly convinced that they were not given to us, just for us. They were given to us to serve a greater purpose. I beg you Friends, whatever gift you have, please develop it to the best of your ability and use it to serve others. While you and I might not reach the entire world as Tim has, we will profoundly impact the lives of every singly person in our worlds.
I also want to share something I read this morning from Jon Gordon.
20 THINGS WE SHOULD SAY MORE OFTEN
1. I love you.
2. I believe in you.
3. You are worthy. You deserve it.
4. The best is yet to come.
5. Stay positive.
6. I was wrong. I am sorry.
7. Please.
8. How can I help?
9. I'm here for you when you wan to talk.
10. You can do it.
11. You've got this and God's got you.
12. Please forgive me.
13. I forgive you.
14. I've got your back.
15. I'm open to your feedback. Make me better.
16. You're not alone.
17. Even if we disagree, we can still be friends.
18. You matter.
19. Thank you.
20 There is greatness inside you.
I want to wish you all a very Happy Easter. Cherish this time with your families. Let's live with a "get to" mentality, not a "have to" mentality. We get to stay home, be with our families...it is an incredible opportunity, let's seize it! And please continue to be in prayer for all those fighting this virus and all those who have been infected by it.
Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your families. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families!
Kev
Saturday, April 4, 2020
Will We Still Believe?
Happy Friday Friends!
I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day on this glorious Saturday afternoon in my Sweet Home Alabama! :)
Last Sunday night, the Haslam crew watched the movie "I Still Believe." If you want to go ahead and shut down your electronic device now and go watch the movie, you will probably learn far more than you will glean from this Happy Friday. :) For those of you who choose to stay with me - and there is a spoiler alert here! - the movie is about Christian music singer/songwriter Jeremy Camp, his first wife, Melissa Lynn Henning Camp, her battle with cancer and their journey together.
Melissa was a woman of great, remarkable faith. Through disappointments and ultimately death, she continually sought God and believed He would use her for His great purposes as He painted a galaxy of beautiful stars - including her own. When she learned that her cancer was terminal her purpose crystallized - to positively impact at least one life for God. Through all the ups - at one point she was miraculously healed and declared cancer-free - and downs - repeated battles with cancer, hair loss, etc. - Melissa's faith never wavered. And I stand in awe of her still....
Before diving into this a little deeper, I have to mention that Jeremy demonstrated what a true Tender Warrior looks like. He walked every single step of the journey with Melissa. As his Dad tells him in one seen in the movie, "you willingly walked into the fire with your wife." That's what husbands and fathers are called to do...to walk into the fires of life with our wives and children. I aspire every day to be that husband, that father.
I have thought so much about this movie this week. There are two really poignant scenes in the movie.
1. Near the end Melissa is in her hospital bed and she asks Jeremy to sing her a song he just completed. As he sings to her she raises her weak hands in praise - despite the tubes, despite the hospital bed, despite being nearly too weak to raise her arms. Something inside me hopes that I would have that kind of faith if I am called to walk the path Melissa walked.
2. After Melissa has passed away, Jeremy is talking to his Dad. Basically he asks his Dad why God allows things to happen like Melissa's death, pointing out that he had begged God not to let her die. Ever been there, Friend? Where you beg God to do something and He doesn't? We all have. His Dad, while acknowledging the disappointment of the things that Jeremy pointed out to him, including Melissa's death, said this; "I don't have great joy in spite of my disappointments but because of them." Wow...
As I was typing this, I think I figured it out. I knew what I wanted to write about this week - continuing to believe, to walk by faith - however, I honestly didn't know why or specifically what I was going to say. When I was sharing the part about Melissa raising her arms in praise in her hospital bed it came to me - it is because I hope I will have that kind of faith no matter my situation or circumstance in life. We all like to say what we would do, how we would react or what we would say if we were in a particular situation however the reality is, none of us really know how we will respond until we are in the situation. Monday morning quarterbacking is easy...actually playing the game is hard. Second-guessing other lives is easy...actually living ours is hard.
As I type this, knowing where I want to go and who I want to be, I think there are two keys; 1) determining in our hearts and minds who we are going to put our faith in, regardless of the situation, circumstance, etc. and 2) learning and preparing ourselves as much as we can for the battles that are sure to come to each and every one of us in this life. I determined many, many years ago who I am going to put my faith in - God. It is now time to do some learning...
I am going to share some excerpts from a couple of articles and I will close with several quotes. The first excerpts I want to share comes from How to Fight for Faith in the Dark: Three Lessons for Depression. It was written by Stephen Altrogge on April 19, 2017. You can find the full blog at desiringgod.org.
"Remember, faith is not a feeling. Faith is simply believing that God will do what he said, even when it doesn't feel like it. I can guarantee that when you're depressed, it won't feel like God is faithful. But that feeling simply is not true. Don't believe it.
John Calvin, a pastor acutely sensitive to the imperfect feeling of our faith, says that true faith "clings so fast to the inmost parts that, however it seems to be shaken or to bend this way or that, its light is never so extinguished or snuffed out that it does not at least lurk as it were beneath the ashes." Like David prays in Psalm 139: 11 - 12, our faith may often slip away from sight, but it does not slip away from God who gave it in the first place.
Separate your feelings from truth."
The second excerpts I want to share come from an article titled, How Do We fight The Good Fight Of Faith? (Follow These Steps) It was written by Mark Altrogge on May 7, 2019 and the entire article can be found at theblazingcenter.com.
Fight Through Trials
"Not only do we have an enemy to fight, but we must fight the good fight of faith, because in his sovereignty, wisdom and love, the Lord takes us through many hard things to conform us to the likeness of his Son. Jesus told his disciples:
"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." - John 16:33
We WILL have tribulation. Trouble. Believers suffer in all kinds of ways. Believers will be persecuted in various ways. We will be sinned against by both unbelievers and believers.
We will love and receive hatred in return. We will be accused of things unjustly. We will be misunderstood. We will get sick. We will be rejected, even at times by those we love.
And in these times of suffering we have to fight. We have to fight, especially hold fast to our Lord in faith. We have to fight to believe his word. We have to fight not to believe the lies of the enemy."
Fight For Joy and Peace
"We have to fight to have joy and peace. We have to fight to trust the Lord. We have to fight to keep going. We have to fight to love our enemies, to do good to those who abuse us, to bless those who curse us. We have to fight not to grow cold in our love for Jesus."
We Must Be Strong In the Lord (Ephesians 6:10)
"We can't fight the good fight on our own. We just aren't strong enough. We need the Lord's strength. We need his might. We need to depend on Jesus 24 hours a day, calling out to him, asking him to help us, asking him for strength.
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. - 1 Peter 5: 6 - 7
It's humbling to admit that we are weak, that we need help. But that's exactly what God tells us to do. He says don't try to fight this fight on your own; cast your cares and anxieties on the Lord. Humble yourself. Cry out to God!
We Must Believe The Promises Of God
"When we are going through a hard time Satan will whisper, "God doesn't care about you. God isn't going to be faithful. God isn't with you in this. This is too big for God."
It is in these times of temptation to doubt God's word when we must fight the good fight as Jesus fought the enemy. By knowing God's word, by believing God's word, by reminding ourselves of God's word.
When Jesus was tempted, his response was "It is written..." and he quoted Scripture. This is how we fight the good fight of faith. By reminding ourselves of God's promises, and by believing them. By fighting to believe them."
And here are several quotes about faith...
"Relying on God has to start all over everyday, as if nothing has yet been done." - C.S. Lewis
"The greater your knowledge of the goodness and grace of God on your life, the more likely you are to praise Him in the storm." - Matt Chandler
"God has a purpose behind every problem. He uses circumstances to develop our character." - Rick Warren
"You should be courageous, not because of who you are and what you've done, but because of who God is and what He has done!" - Wayne A. Mack
"God earnestly wants people to do great things. Here is the secret to be an instrument He can use: Be faithful in little things." - Michael Farris
"As long as the eyes of our faith are fixed upon our troubles we will not find joy. Until our minds consciously move the Lord from our peripheral vision into the narrow corridor of our focus, joy will elude us." - Paul Tautges
"Fight your battles through prayer, and win your battles through faith." - Luffina Lourduraj
"Feed your faith and starve your doubts." - Kenneth E. Hagin Sr.
I can do all this through him who gives me strength. - Philippians 4:13
Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families!
Kev
I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day on this glorious Saturday afternoon in my Sweet Home Alabama! :)
Last Sunday night, the Haslam crew watched the movie "I Still Believe." If you want to go ahead and shut down your electronic device now and go watch the movie, you will probably learn far more than you will glean from this Happy Friday. :) For those of you who choose to stay with me - and there is a spoiler alert here! - the movie is about Christian music singer/songwriter Jeremy Camp, his first wife, Melissa Lynn Henning Camp, her battle with cancer and their journey together.
Melissa was a woman of great, remarkable faith. Through disappointments and ultimately death, she continually sought God and believed He would use her for His great purposes as He painted a galaxy of beautiful stars - including her own. When she learned that her cancer was terminal her purpose crystallized - to positively impact at least one life for God. Through all the ups - at one point she was miraculously healed and declared cancer-free - and downs - repeated battles with cancer, hair loss, etc. - Melissa's faith never wavered. And I stand in awe of her still....
Before diving into this a little deeper, I have to mention that Jeremy demonstrated what a true Tender Warrior looks like. He walked every single step of the journey with Melissa. As his Dad tells him in one seen in the movie, "you willingly walked into the fire with your wife." That's what husbands and fathers are called to do...to walk into the fires of life with our wives and children. I aspire every day to be that husband, that father.
I have thought so much about this movie this week. There are two really poignant scenes in the movie.
1. Near the end Melissa is in her hospital bed and she asks Jeremy to sing her a song he just completed. As he sings to her she raises her weak hands in praise - despite the tubes, despite the hospital bed, despite being nearly too weak to raise her arms. Something inside me hopes that I would have that kind of faith if I am called to walk the path Melissa walked.
2. After Melissa has passed away, Jeremy is talking to his Dad. Basically he asks his Dad why God allows things to happen like Melissa's death, pointing out that he had begged God not to let her die. Ever been there, Friend? Where you beg God to do something and He doesn't? We all have. His Dad, while acknowledging the disappointment of the things that Jeremy pointed out to him, including Melissa's death, said this; "I don't have great joy in spite of my disappointments but because of them." Wow...
As I was typing this, I think I figured it out. I knew what I wanted to write about this week - continuing to believe, to walk by faith - however, I honestly didn't know why or specifically what I was going to say. When I was sharing the part about Melissa raising her arms in praise in her hospital bed it came to me - it is because I hope I will have that kind of faith no matter my situation or circumstance in life. We all like to say what we would do, how we would react or what we would say if we were in a particular situation however the reality is, none of us really know how we will respond until we are in the situation. Monday morning quarterbacking is easy...actually playing the game is hard. Second-guessing other lives is easy...actually living ours is hard.
As I type this, knowing where I want to go and who I want to be, I think there are two keys; 1) determining in our hearts and minds who we are going to put our faith in, regardless of the situation, circumstance, etc. and 2) learning and preparing ourselves as much as we can for the battles that are sure to come to each and every one of us in this life. I determined many, many years ago who I am going to put my faith in - God. It is now time to do some learning...
I am going to share some excerpts from a couple of articles and I will close with several quotes. The first excerpts I want to share comes from How to Fight for Faith in the Dark: Three Lessons for Depression. It was written by Stephen Altrogge on April 19, 2017. You can find the full blog at desiringgod.org.
"Remember, faith is not a feeling. Faith is simply believing that God will do what he said, even when it doesn't feel like it. I can guarantee that when you're depressed, it won't feel like God is faithful. But that feeling simply is not true. Don't believe it.
John Calvin, a pastor acutely sensitive to the imperfect feeling of our faith, says that true faith "clings so fast to the inmost parts that, however it seems to be shaken or to bend this way or that, its light is never so extinguished or snuffed out that it does not at least lurk as it were beneath the ashes." Like David prays in Psalm 139: 11 - 12, our faith may often slip away from sight, but it does not slip away from God who gave it in the first place.
Separate your feelings from truth."
The second excerpts I want to share come from an article titled, How Do We fight The Good Fight Of Faith? (Follow These Steps) It was written by Mark Altrogge on May 7, 2019 and the entire article can be found at theblazingcenter.com.
Fight Through Trials
"Not only do we have an enemy to fight, but we must fight the good fight of faith, because in his sovereignty, wisdom and love, the Lord takes us through many hard things to conform us to the likeness of his Son. Jesus told his disciples:
"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." - John 16:33
We WILL have tribulation. Trouble. Believers suffer in all kinds of ways. Believers will be persecuted in various ways. We will be sinned against by both unbelievers and believers.
We will love and receive hatred in return. We will be accused of things unjustly. We will be misunderstood. We will get sick. We will be rejected, even at times by those we love.
And in these times of suffering we have to fight. We have to fight, especially hold fast to our Lord in faith. We have to fight to believe his word. We have to fight not to believe the lies of the enemy."
Fight For Joy and Peace
"We have to fight to have joy and peace. We have to fight to trust the Lord. We have to fight to keep going. We have to fight to love our enemies, to do good to those who abuse us, to bless those who curse us. We have to fight not to grow cold in our love for Jesus."
We Must Be Strong In the Lord (Ephesians 6:10)
"We can't fight the good fight on our own. We just aren't strong enough. We need the Lord's strength. We need his might. We need to depend on Jesus 24 hours a day, calling out to him, asking him to help us, asking him for strength.
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. - 1 Peter 5: 6 - 7
It's humbling to admit that we are weak, that we need help. But that's exactly what God tells us to do. He says don't try to fight this fight on your own; cast your cares and anxieties on the Lord. Humble yourself. Cry out to God!
We Must Believe The Promises Of God
"When we are going through a hard time Satan will whisper, "God doesn't care about you. God isn't going to be faithful. God isn't with you in this. This is too big for God."
It is in these times of temptation to doubt God's word when we must fight the good fight as Jesus fought the enemy. By knowing God's word, by believing God's word, by reminding ourselves of God's word.
When Jesus was tempted, his response was "It is written..." and he quoted Scripture. This is how we fight the good fight of faith. By reminding ourselves of God's promises, and by believing them. By fighting to believe them."
And here are several quotes about faith...
"Relying on God has to start all over everyday, as if nothing has yet been done." - C.S. Lewis
"The greater your knowledge of the goodness and grace of God on your life, the more likely you are to praise Him in the storm." - Matt Chandler
"God has a purpose behind every problem. He uses circumstances to develop our character." - Rick Warren
"You should be courageous, not because of who you are and what you've done, but because of who God is and what He has done!" - Wayne A. Mack
"God earnestly wants people to do great things. Here is the secret to be an instrument He can use: Be faithful in little things." - Michael Farris
"As long as the eyes of our faith are fixed upon our troubles we will not find joy. Until our minds consciously move the Lord from our peripheral vision into the narrow corridor of our focus, joy will elude us." - Paul Tautges
"Fight your battles through prayer, and win your battles through faith." - Luffina Lourduraj
"Feed your faith and starve your doubts." - Kenneth E. Hagin Sr.
I can do all this through him who gives me strength. - Philippians 4:13
Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families!
Kev
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