The Woman and the Caretaker

I can never overstate the importance of trusting God in our lives. Absolutely. Jesus died for our sins and rose again from the dead (1 Cor. 15). His sacrifice and provision are sufficient in every aspect of our life. However, it is effective only for those who place their trust in Him.

Here's the problem. Man is known to always put his trust on himself rather than on God.

Last night, I heard a story told by a pastor to thousands in a church service. It's the story of a woman who murdered her husband. She got imprisoned for life. Inside the prison, she befriended a caretaker who was tasked to bring caskets of dead bodies out of prison at the sound of a bell.

To escape from prison, this woman told the caretaker, "When the bell sounds again tomorrow, I'll go inside a casket that you'll bring out of prison. When we're already out and you begun digging, you open the casket so I can run away." The caretaker replied, "No problem." When the bell sounded, the woman immediately went inside a casket and closed it. Then, she felt the casket where she was in being moved out of prison grounds and buried into the ground.

The woman waited for the caretaker to open the casket. Minutes passed. Then, hours. She began to panic. Inside the casket, she lighted a match. Beside her, she saw the dead body of her caretaker friend.

"It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man" (Psalm 118:8).

Dr. Richard Dobins Writes

WHEN A PARENT HAS HAD AN AFFAIR
(http://www.emerge,org)

Even Christian marriages are tested by adultery. In some ways, adultery poses a greater crisis in Christian marriages, because Christians do not expect each other to get caught up in adulterous affairs.

On the one hand this is rather naive, but at the same time it is true that a person cannot walk in obedience to the Lord and be untrue to his or her spouse. Adultery should never happen in a Christian marriage, but as we read the New Testament we discover that it has always been a problem that Christians and the Church have had to deal with.

When there are children in the home, recovery from adultery is much more complex. Some agreement must be reached between the parents about what the children should be told. When there are children in the home, healing must occur on three levels:

1. Healing within the individual. The first healing that must take place is the spiritual healing in the heart of the adulterer.

This requires the person to have a repentant heart before God and a broken spirit so that God’s grace may repair the bond between him/her and the Lord.

2. Healing between husband and wife. The adulterer has broken the bond between him/her and his/her spouse.

This healing can only come as 1) the adulterer convinces his or her spouse that the affair is truly over, and, 2) the spouse forgives the adulterer and assures him/her that he/she truly is forgiven.

3. Healing must take place within the family.

This healing process will take months of careful reinforcement before the needed healing takes place between the spouses and within the family. Getting through the first year after the adultery is toughest. After that, the marriage and family bonds begin to revive and become healthy again.

Happiness Degree at Harvard University?

Over at Harvard University, you can take an academic subject on "Happiness." Amazing, isn't it? A professor teaches students in that class "how to be happy!"

I think it's not a bad idea. People long and search for happiness. Even as I write these words, I'm aware of my own inner desire to attain a state of happiness. The only difference is that I'd traveled a way before. And I recognize some landmarks now.

Just a couple of months ago, I was faced with a particular decision about the way I should move on. How should I act? How should I live? At one point, I got tempted to go after "earthly happiness" that only pleases myself as a most important pursuit. It's when my thinking got confused.

What is true happiness then?

Psalm 1: 1, 2 states, "Happy is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law, he meditates day and night."

True happiness comes from a holy, God-honoring life. Indeed, each time we face choices about the way we should act, choose, or live, we need to keep in mind God's standard of true happiness.

I Shouldn't Be Surprised at God's Faithfulness

I shouldn't be surprised at God's faithfulness.

Each day, I quietly wonder whenever I wake up. Maybe there would be an email for me ... with some encouragement in it. Does anyone know or understand the work I'm doing among poor, native missionaries of varied nations? Are there people who care about us, how we're doing?

Yes, God is there all along. While some left, some people found us. They understood us. They rallied behind us. You see, I live on the edge -- trusting God for everything as I obey His directions in serving Him.

The last two days, I was at the Celebrate Recovery summit conducted by Bob Woods, Dr. Rick Warren's international director for Celebrate Recovery. God again provided new friendships for us in the Body of Christ ...and a new adventure. It was an awesome time of worship, teaching, and fellowship.

People asked how it was possible for Celebrate Recovery to reach so many thousands of people around the world so much so fast. Over at Saddleback, Celebrate Recovery has become the church's #1 outreach mission strategy that brings in much fruit for God. Well, Rick Warren or Saddleback didn't establish Celebrate Recovery -- Jesus did. That explains everything.

With Celebrate Recovery, God is showing me another "little miracle" of His faithfulness at this point of my journey. I shouldn't be surprised. It's His call, His timing. Unless I know and trust God and His power, it's impossible to understand why or how it happened.

The Problem with Self

FLASHBACK.

God asked Adam a simple question, "Where are you?" (Gen. 3:9)

In the past, Adam had intimate fellowship with God. But now he responded in fear and hid his self.

God gave a follow-up question, "Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?" (v. 11)

Then, from here, the problem of self begun.

The man blamed God. He also blamed the woman.

Adam responded, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate." (v. 12)

The woman blamed the serpent rather than her self for her sin.

Eve said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." (v. 13)

Ever since that day in the Garden of Eden, this problem of self remains in human nature. The self tends to blame others rather than itself for its sinful choices.

FAST FORWARD.

David prayed, "I acknowledged my sin to You and my iniquity I have not hidden" (Psalm 32:5).

The man did not excuse himself and blame others. He admitted the wrong done by his self.

A first step in overcoming the problem of self is to take responsibility.

For if one does not, the problem of self and sin will only worsen.

We always have a choice.

Beyond Fischer's Influence

In 1972, American Robert Fischer challenged Russian Boris Spassky for the world chess championship crown in Reykjavic, Iceland. That was the time when I first learned to play chess. Captivated by the brilliance and "look" of Fischer, I began seriously studying the game and competing in tournaments. The Fischer influence had such an impact on me that I intentionally tried to play and behave like him! Such was the power of his influence during my boyhood years.

Several years later, there was a far more significant influence that came to my life. I became a follower of Jesus Christ. Since then, I've the desire to know and live for Christ. At the same time, I've also dedicated the biggest part of my life serving Him and taking His influence to others. Christ is the Light of the world who calls me (and you) to be influencer for Him in a dark, needy world.

Such is the lesson of the "power of influence" in our lives. In your case, is Christ your biggest influence? Are you a light of His influence as well in the world where we live in?