The Struggle - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

The Struggle

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

  

^{“For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.” (Romans 7:15, NASU)}

We often like to think that the ones who saw Jesus in person during their lifetime, or the ones who lived centuries ago and were believers, had it made. We hold them up as “perfect people, perfect saints”, who almost came as close to not sinning as the Lord, the Messiah Himself. He walked without sin. Surely they must have come real close too, having known Him so well.

I now tend to think not. They had their faith and flesh struggles too. Thus it helps me in my mind and will, when I do the same thing over, and over, and over, to yet have hope to overcome.

Without fail, I find myself more often than I like facing the same old same old – battling the flesh and the soul (mind, will and emotions) when it comes to walking the straight and narrow. And yet, like maybe you too, we have to keep pressing on, relying on the Lord’s grace and mercy to overcome.

That is why the Lord’s Prayer has the petition included, “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” The Lord knows we need His help continually.

Are you like me, when someone gets the “shout out” at the office staff meeting, and I have to bite my lip to keep from jealousy and resentment. “They never acknowledge my great work!” I try not to say (too often) under my breath.

Or, as in an unexpected check comes in the mail for my friend and they share their excitement with me. “What about me Lord?” tries to speak into my brain.

Here’s another - the family member goes on another luxury trip, while I get to look at the photos they send back with their posts on Facebook and Instagram. “My turn is coming” I know I have said in the past. (I post a lot of social media photos. I can imagine people thinking that of me!)

Yes, it is a struggle. We fight the daily temptations to not envy another, get jealous over someone’s sports team winning and later hearing about it, while mine favorite is just so so. Or think they have it so good, and what I have isn’t so much.

I find help in being an overcomer by reading of King David and his weaknesses, and yet the Lord still stuck with him to see him through.

And then again we know Paul, probably the greatest apostle that ever lived. Thanks Paul for being was so honest in writing of your dilemma. It certainly gives hope for us.

As he wrote, “It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.

I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question?

The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.

With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ's being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.” (Romans 7:21-8:2, THE MESSAGE)

Something greater outside of ourselves has been given to us to be strong in our walk, even when the temptations and struggles come to pull us down. We must keep pressing on, knowing that the salvation of our souls and body is a daily, ongoing experience. It takes times to make it through the moments that certainly, almost continually come our way. The victory won’t happen overnight. For most of us, it is a lifetime walk to keep focused, stay alert, and keep our eyes fixed on Yeshua, the Author, and Finisher of our faith.

We will make it. The Holy Spirit had promised to walk with us and get us to the finish line in good fashion.

Shalom and ahava (peace and love in Hebrew).

Now think on this, 

Steve Martin

Founder/President

Love For His People, Inc.

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Todah rabah! (Hebrew – Thank you very much.) 

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Now Think On This - in the Year of our Lord 10.07.17 - #321 – “The Struggle” Sat.  9:30 am

Let Not Your Heart Grow Cold - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Let Not Your Heart Grow Cold

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

“Above everything else, guard your heart; for it is the source of life’s consequences.” Proverbs 4:23, Complete Jewish Bible)

I had woken up trying to fight off bitterness and resentment in my mind. I didn’t want it to overtake my heart.

In the dream I just had, my wife Laurie and I were ushers for a large gathering. I don’t recall if it was on a ship, at a conference, or a special church event. It seemed as if we had been part of the “invited guests” list, being a part of the group, but chose to be servants for the others by ushering. We had been doing this for a number of years.

As the dream continued, around 10 pm, when the meeting was over and all had left for the banquet, we too went to get our food, expecting to receive what the others would have gotten earlier. Along the way I passed several tables which had key lime pie available on small plates, as the desert. Thinking I might want a piece before they were gone, I picked up one plate and began eating the slice of pie. (I must have been hungry!)

When I got to the food line, where the food had been set up in cafeteria style for large crowds, all I could see left were turkey wings – basically bones with a little meat on them – and some mashed potatoes. I asked the servers if there was anything else left, and they said no. They were preparing for the next meal, but I couldn’t have that.

I then woke up (the red digital lights read 2:22 am on the clock) and I laid there for at least 20 minutes, trying to guard both my mind and my heart from the thoughts of bitterness, anger and resentment that threatened to overtake me. Here we had just served all these people, and yet nothing good was left for us to partake too.

It was a real struggle, as my mind thought back over the years when my service in ministry could at times have been taken for granted. Would I allow this attitude to get the best of me now at this point in my life?

There are three things I felt the Lord was trying to tell me. He may also do the same with you through this dream.

1.      We are in a spiritual battle. In these last days, our hearts can grow cold due to the atmosphere around us, with darkness trying to constantly overtake everything. We are in a real battle for our souls and those we are in contact with.

2.      As we grow older in the faith, and in our bodies, we can become cynical, seeing things happen over and over again, with no change happening. It can wear us down and cause us to pull back from engaging with others, and giving in service to them out of love.

3.      If we allow weeds to fall in our spiritual soil and grow roots, they will consume the good wheat that has also been planted. A root of bitterness can destroy your spiritual walk and testimony. “See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;” (Hebrews 12:15, NASU)

Looking back in our faith walk, in order to keep moving forward, if we do not give thanks and continue to see with the Lord’s vision, we will give in to that which will steal our joy, our purpose, and our direction in this life. We must keep fighting the good fight, guard our hearts, and pray that they do not grow cold.

Remember, we serve a good God, and He is the Rewarder of those who seek Him. May He find faith when He returns.  “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6, NKJV)

Lord, help us stay close to you.

(By the way, I did get another hour of sleep before I got up for Bible reading and prayer.)

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder

Love For His People, Inc.

P.S. I would be most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family and friends. They might need it. You can easily use the social media icons below. Thanks! Steve

We are blessed when the ministry receives gifts to support the families that we do, primarily in Israel, India, Pakistan and the hurting ones here in the USA. You also can share out of the abundance you have been given.

Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA humanitarian organization started in 2010 to share the love of the Father in the nations.

If these messages minister to you, please consider sending a charitable gift of $5-$25 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless families we know in Israel, whom we consistently help through our humanitarian ministry. Your tax deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.

Click here for safe ONLINE GIFT GIVING THROUGH OUR WEBSITE using major credit cards: Love For His People. If you don't have a PayPal account you can also use your credit card or bank account (where available). 

Contribution checks can be sent to: 

Love For His People, Inc.  P.O. Box414   Pineville, NC 28134

Todah rabah! (Hebrew – Thank you very much.)

Please share Now Think On This with your friends.

Email: loveforhispeople@gmail.com  

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Now Think On This - In the New Year of our Lord 08.02.16 - #263 –“Let Not Your Heart Grow Cold” – Tuesday at 6:00 pm

All previous editions of Now Think On This can be found on this Blog, and on the website: Now Think On This

Again, I would be most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family and friends. You can easily use the social media icons below. Thanks! Steve

6 Reasons You Should Never Give Up on Church - J. LEE GRADY

6 Reasons You Should Never Give Up on Church

 2/11/2015 J. LEE GRADY charisma news

Have you simply given up on church? (iStock photo)

I've experienced heaven on earth the past few days. I found it in Durban, South Africa, while visiting one of the most joy-filled congregations I've ever encountered in my travels.

It's called His Church, and this 1,000-member multicultural church has many wonderful qualities: a loving pastor (a brave woman, Fiona Des Fontaine) who is committed to preaching God's Word without compromise; a powerful outreach to the community; a healthy team of pastors who serve with no signs of competition or ego; and a Bible college where many young leaders are being trained.

I know there are many churches around the world today that have qualities similar to His Church. Yet many Christians—especially in the United States—are giving up on church because they were hurt by pastors or wounded by other Christians, or because they simply decided to "go it alone." They are knows as "dones"—people who are "done" with church.

"Dones" might watch an occasional church service on television or meet with a few Christian friends over coffee for a casual Starbucks version of "church lite." They still consider themselves serious Christians, but they want nothing more of pastors, tithing, scheduled meetings or church drama.

If you or someone you love has given up on church, I'm not here to condemn you. I've had my share of disappointments in church over the years, including some spiritual abuse. But I want to offer six reasons why you shouldn't let a bad experience end your connection to God's people.

1. The church is Christ's body on earth. With all its flaws, the church is still God's Plan A. Jesus announced before He went to the cross: "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:18). Jesus intends to use the church—even in its weakness—as His primary tool to reach the world with the gospel. Heaven does not have a Plan B. Jesus is the head of his church (see Col. 1:18) and we are His hands and feet. To reject the church is to reject God's ultimate strategy to bring heaven's kingdom on earth.

2. The Holy Spirit has called us to work and flow together. When we were born again and baptized, the Bible says we were mystically unified with all other born-again believers and connected to each other by the Holy Spirit. The Lord also connects people in local congregations. This connection is holy and we should never make light of it or damage it. Paul told the Ephesians to "preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" by being in close fellowship with each other (Eph. 4:3). To reject this union of believers is to dishonor the work of the Spirit.

3. God accomplishes more through His corporate people than through isolated individuals. In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit worked primarily through the nation of Israel, and through individuals who had special callings and remarkable courage. But in the age of the New Covenant, the Spirit dwells in every Christian believer, and the corporate church makes a much bigger impact. This is why Jesus told His disciples after He went to the cross that we would do "greater works" than He did on earth (see John 14:12). And because healthy churches can pool resources and organize volunteers, they are able to offer ministry to children, youth, families, singles, the needy and the lost overseas—in a way you could never do while sitting home alone.

4. God's authority flows through His church, not through "lone ranger" Christians. Some people who've been hurt by church leaders feel they can never submit to another pastor again, nor will they honor a person who is called by God to carry the authority of a minister. Yet God has delegated to certain people the task of building up the church (see Eph. 4:11-12). It's totally acceptable for you to leave an unhealthy church with poor leadership, but you should quickly find a new church where you can be equipped to fulfill your ministry. It was never intended for a Christian to live with a my-way-or-the-highway attitude.

5. It is by living in Christian community that we learn to love and serve. The Book of Hebrews was written to a group of Jewish Christians who were thinking of abandoning their Christian faith because of persecution. Some of them even stopped attending church, but Paul addressed their disillusionment by saying: "And let us consider how to spur one another to love and to good works. Let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but let us exhort one another, especially as you see the Day approaching" (Heb. 10:24-25). People who live in isolation find it difficult to develop character, and they often get discouraged; those who walk together in close fellowship inspire each other, and they improve each other just as iron sharpens iron.

6. If you leave the church because of hurt or resentment, you make it more difficult to find healing and reconciliation. It might sound spiritual to say you are pulling away from people to focus on God. But the New Testament says your relationship with God is directly related to how you relate to others. John wrote: "Anyone who claims to live in God's light and hates a brother or sister is still in the dark" (1 John 2:9, MSG). People may have hurt you, but God will also use people to heal you. Don't let the hurts of the past paint you into a lonely corner. Choose to forgive. Take a risk and keep loving.

Please don't check out of church or give up on God's flawed saints. There is no perfect church—and if there were, it would not be perfect after you joined! There is a place for you in God's eternal family.

J. Lee Grady is the former editor of Charisma. You can follow him on Twitter@leegrady. He is the author of several books including his latest, The Truth Sets Women Free (Charisma House.) You can learn more about his ministry, The Mordecai Project, at themordecaiproject.org.

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