Words from the Well

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8 NIV)

It happens almost every day.  A radical Muslim sacrifices his life to kill as many of Allah’s “enemies” as he can by exploding a bomb strapped to his body.  In Washington, DC last week, a man walked toward the Capitol Building with every intent of exploding a “suicide vest” he was wearing.  As it turned out, the FBI had long ago learned of his plans, befriended him, and had given him a non-working vest.  


The suicide bomber has, for many years now, become the weapon of choice of many Muslim extremists.  Those who make themselves human weapons are considered martyrs and are exalted by their families and by much of the culture.  


It is interesting to note the difference between an Islamic martyr and a Christian martyr.  The former takes his own life in order to glorify his god and to kill others; the latter allows his life to be taken in order to glorify God and to save others.  


Since Jesus gave up His life that we might be saved, many of His followers down through the centuries have willingly died for their faith at the hands of God’s enemies.  They have followed the example of their Lord, who died not in order to kill His enemies, but to save them. 


This is the power of the Gospel.  Jesus loved us so much that He gave up His life for us—His enemies.  He died for the very people who put Him to death.  It is a powerful message in a world of hate and vengeance.  


Today, consider the sacrifice Jesus made for those who hated Him, and those who have died as a result of following Him.  You may not be forced to give up your life, but you can follow their example by loving your enemies and those who despise you.  


© Jim Musser 2012 

“Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.” (Proverbs 26:20 NIV)

Every morning during the winter, I get up and check our woodstove. Usually, it is still burning fairly warm, but occasionally, it is cold because there is no wood left to burn.  In order to stay hot, a woodstove needs to have wood to burn.


Quarrels among people are the same way.  They need “fuel” to keep them going.  And gossip is by far the best available and most easy to find because we love to talk about other people.  It just comes natural to us. Much of the time it is innocent and non-malicious talk.  However, talking about others always has the potential to hurt and destroy, because we never can guarantee our words won’t be passed on and distorted in the process.  And if there is a quarrel going on, talking about the people involved can be like adding kindling to a fire.  It will quickly become hot.  


Although it is common, gossip is not portrayed in the Scriptures in a good light. In fact, Paul includes it in a list of sins that contains murder and deceit (Romans 1:28-31).  And when we understand the damage gossip can do to relationships and to individuals, we can see why.  


I was once involved in a discipline situation in a church and the “word” was that I had a personal issue against the individual being disciplined and was out to get him.  It was pure gossip with no basis in fact, but it hurt my reputation and destroyed friendships because many people believed what they had heard.  That is what gossip can do—add fuel to the fire, hurt and destroy.


Today, consider carefully what you say about other people.  As a believer, it is your role to edify and to encourage.  Gossip does neither.  It just adds fuel to the fire.


© Jim Musser 2012

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.” (James 1:22-25 NIV)

During our church’s worship service yesterday, a woman announced she was collecting signatures for a petition to keep the Ten Commandments displayed in the county courthouse.  Our pastor added he would like to start a petition to keep the Ten Commandments displayed in people’s hearts.  


I am sure he has no objection with God’s Word being on public display, but realizes the power of it’s public witness is not in plaques or monuments but in the lives of those who claim to follow Him.  The temptation for us is to settle for the semblance of righteousness instead of its essence.  We place the emphasis on being in church rather than being the Church, or on having a clean reputation rather than a clean heart, or on spending time reading the Word rather than obeying it.   


The result is we develop a false sense of confidence that we are right with the Lord, and, as James warns, are deceived.  For true righteousness is that which flows out of a humble and contrite heart (Isaiah 66:2).  


Today, examine yourself to see whether you are merely settling for the semblance of righteousness, the outward appearances, or the essence of it, which is a heart submitted fully to the Lord.  


© Jim Musser 2012

“Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33 NIV)

It’s being called “Linsanity” by sports writers.  People are going crazy over New York Knicks point guard, Jeremy Lin.  Lacking a scholarship out of high school, he played four years at Harvard and then having gone undrafted by the NBA, signed as a free agent with the Golden State Warriors.  He was released last summer, let go by yet another team, and then finally was picked up by the Knicks last fall where until two weeks ago, he rode the bench.  


Then something, which Lin describes as miraculous, happened.  His coach, frustrated with the uninspiring play of his team, inserted Lin into the lineup.  During the course of the next five games, Lin scored more points than any other player in NBA history and hit the winning shot in one game.  To date, the Knicks are undefeated since he became a starter.  And so, New Yorkers and the media have gone “Linsane.”  Lin jerseys have sold out, the seats at Madison Square Garden are filling up, and Lin’s Twitter followers have grown to over 350,000.  


And how is Jeremy Lin reacting to his sudden rise to fame?  In a recent interview, Lin said this: “My identity is in Christ and not in basketball.  I love playing basketball, and it's my job. But at the same time, I still recognize I’m a sinner and that’s not going to change regardless of how well I play on the court.”


Of all the things he could have said, and perhaps what agents and publicity experts would have recommended him to say, he chose to give glory to Jesus and humbly acknowledge his imperfection as a human being and his need for a Savior.  Not exactly what you expect to hear from a rising star.


Lin passed the test of Jesus.  When given the opportunity, He acknowledged Him.  When everyone around him is seeking to give him glory, he instead is giving it to the only One deserving of it.  It is an example we would each do well to follow.  


© Jim Musser 2012

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4 NIV)

I was listening to K-LOVE the other day as I was running errands in town and the deejay was doing an interview with Laura Story.  She had just won a Grammy for her song, “Blessings” and was talking about the back-story to the song.  Her husband, Martin, was diagnosed with a brain tumor several years ago and she wrote the song out of the experience of walking in that valley with him.  


The song talks about our desire to be blessed, but asks the question, “what if your blessings come through raindrops?”  In other words, what if God allows trials to come into our lives, which James defines as a blessing?  The Storys say they have been blessed as they have walked together through the valley of cancer.  They have experienced the faithfulness of the Lord in the midst of the suffering.  


She went on to say that life is full of trials, so much so she joked that she and her husband have their mail forwarded to the “valley” because they know they will soon be there!  Most of us are loathe to embrace trials in our lives.  We whine, we complain, we pout about the fate that has befallen us.  Yet, as Story’s song asks, what if the trials of this life are God’s mercies in disguise?  


God is preparing us for a life that will last an eternity.  From that prospective, perhaps a few trials now and then are not that bad if they are being used to ready us for a life without end.  For what is a broken heart, the pain of dealing with cancer, or a profound failure compared to that?  Painful for a time, but swallowed up by the joy of eternity.  


Today, if you are experiencing a painful trial, embrace it, not because it is a pleasurable experience, but because the Lord has allowed it in order to better prepare you for an eternal life with Him.  Instead of loathing it, see what He wants to teach you in the midst of it.  


© Jim Musser 2012

“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.” (Ephesians 1:18-21 NIV)

The other day I went to cut some firewood on a neighboring property.  It was a small pile and I told my wife it would take me a half-hour or so to cut it up.  As I put my chainsaw to the wood, I knew it would take me a lot longer.  The chain was dull and I had to work and work just to get the saw through the wood.  It’s not supposed to be that way.  When the chain is sharp, it is the saw that does the work and it cuts through wood like a hot knife through butter.  That day, however, it was me doing all the work.


Have you ever felt like living the Christian life is just so much work?  I know there have been times in my life where I am striving and striving and not much is happening.  I have continued to fall to the same temptation and have found the demands of the Christian life less than appealing. 


This passage is a reminder that, like a cutting wood, we aren’t supposed to be doing all the work.  We have power at our disposal that will make following in the footsteps of Jesus so much easier.  The power is from the Holy Spirit and it is--get this--the same power that raised Jesus from the dead!  


For many of us, the Holy Spirit is a mystery and the Person of the Trinity with whom we are the least comfortable and knowledgeable.  But He is everywhere in Scripture, and Jesus said He would be essential in our ability to live the Christian life. (John 16; Acts 1:4)  What happens is, because of our ignorance or discomfort, we do not seek to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, but try to live out the Christian life in our own power.  And so we work and work.  


If you have invited Jesus into your life as your Savior and submitted your heart to Him as Lord, you have the Holy Spirit within you, and thus you have access to His enormous power.  Today, recognize the Christian life does not have to be constant work on your part.  Let the Holy Spirit fill you and give you the power to live as Christ has called you to do.  You will work a lot less and accomplish so much more.  


© Jim Musser 2012

“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:14-19 NIV)

Whitney Houston grew up singing Gospel songs with her mother.  The night before she died, her last song would be another one from her childhood, “Jesus Loves Me.”  At a club in Los Angeles, she joined in an impromptu rendition of the beloved children’s song.  “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.  Little ones to Him belong.  They are weak, but He is strong.”  It was to be her last performance.


Houston struggled for years with addictions to drugs and alcohol.  Like so many talented and famous people, she had a difficult time handling the fame and the expectations that came with it.  Still, she was trying to hold on to her childhood roots.  She said in an interview once that in the midst of her addiction, she would still read the Bible.  Trying to get back to the Light, she said.  


It is another sad story of someone dearly loved by God, but never realizing it.  Instead, always trying to find it or “get back to it.”  Like the old Waylon Jennings tune, people look for love in all the wrong places.  Yet, He is right there all the time, if people can only see.  But that seems to be the problem; they so often can’t.  They are blinded to how much they are loved by the Lord.  So they seek love elsewhere or attempt to find a substitute that will give them satisfaction.  


I believe that is why Paul prayed.  It is only through prayer that anyone’s eyes can be opened to the breadth and depth of God’s love.  The Enemy seeks to blind us, but prayer can remove the scales from our eyes.  


Today, if you are struggling to grasp God’s love for you and are looking elsewhere (or know someone who is), then pray this prayer along with Paul.  Yes, Jesus loves you.  The Bible tells you so.  All you need is to know it in your heart.


© Jim Musser 2012

“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’They answered him, ‘We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?’
Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.’” (John 8:31-36 NIV)
Bill spent 41 years in prison; the last third of that sentence, he was a free man.  A long-time drug addict, Bill came to know Jesus after years of incarceration.  I had the privilege of meeting him this past weekend and to learn some of his story.  
He was just 24 when he entered prison for a crime he did not describe. And it seems the drug addiction that helped put him there continued long after the prison doors closed.  But then he had what he described as a miraculous encounter with Jesus.  He said the Lord came over him and removed all desire for drugs, replacing it with an inexplicable peace.  He was set free long before he was released last month by the State.  
You don’t have to be convicted of a crime to be in prison, as the sad death of Whitney Houston over the weekend reminds us.  She had been held captive by addictions for years.  And there are countless others who are prisoners of addictions, bitterness and hatred, dysfunctional or abusive relationships, greed, etc.  
When Bill went before the Parole Board, there were three present who opposed his release.  He described them as the children of his victim.  As hearing progressed, and they heard Bill’s testimony along with those from supporters, they changed their minds to supporting his release.  They, too, had been set free from their prisons.  
Today, know Jesus came to set prisoners free.  If there is anything holding you captive, the Lord has the power to set you free.  And if He sets you free, you will be free indeed.
© Jim Musser 2012

“How long, O LORD?  Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?  How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? 
How long will my enemy triumph over me?  Look on me and answer, O LORD my God.  Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; my enemy will say, ‘I have overcome him,’ and my foes will rejoice when I fall.  But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.  I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me. (Psalm 13:1-6 NIV)

David often felt overwhelmed by his circumstances.  He had many enemies and his life was frequently in danger.  That kind of stress can wear on a person.  Light can quickly turn to darkness, hope into despair.  


We all long for a life that is easy and free of stress and hardship, and sometimes we tie our faith to the ease of our circumstances.  When things are going well, we are excited about God, but when things are going badly, we struggle.


David provides the perfect example of how to hold onto our faith when life is dishing out a major helping of stress or hardship.  When he felt overwhelmed, he expressed his feelings to God.  He poured out his frustration, his fear, and his anger.  He did not hold back.  He knew God was big enough to handle his emotions.  Having done that, then we see his heart and mind shift intentionally back to giving his situation over to the Lord.  


Sometimes, we need a safe place to vent.  Things build up and we need to express them.  David demonstrates for us that we can do this with God.  He's not going to cut us off by saying, "How dare you talk to me that way!"  But David doesn’t just vent and then walk away.  He says, in essence, “Okay God.  I have expressed how I feel, but I still love you and trust you in whatever happens, and I rejoice that you have given me new life and have been so good to me.”  


Life will often be difficult and frustrating, and we can learn a great deal from David on how to handle it.  Today, know that if you are unhappy with the way life is going, you can express that to the Lord.  He is big enough to handle it!  But then, as David did, you can continue to love and trust Him because of who He is and what He has done in your life.


© Jim Musser 2012

“We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.  For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.


So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?  Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:14-25 NIV)

Josh Hamilton, the All-Star outfielder for the Texas Rangers, was in the news last week when he admitted to getting drunk.  It wouldn’t have been news except that Hamilton has a well-known history of drug and alcohol addiction and he is an avowed follower of Jesus.  He apologized saying, “I cannot take a break from my recovery. My recovery is Christ. My recovery is an everyday process. When I take that one day off, it leaves me open for a moment of weakness and it's always been that way.”


I wonder if, before his news conference, Hamilton had read these words of Paul.  It sounds like it.  Our struggle with sin is a daily one.  It is always right there waiting to bring us down.  We can never take a day off.


It feels overwhelming and that is the enemy’s great ruse.  It seems that sin is so powerful, so intertwined in our lives, that defeating it is impossible.  That is what he wants us to think.  We reach a point where we, like Paul, conclude what a horrible person we are.  And we are tempted to give up.  Yet, look what follows Paul’s conclusions about himself.  “Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?  Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” 


Josh Hamilton got it right.  Our recovery, or victory over sin, is dependent on Jesus.  We can try on our own to defeat it, but we will come up empty and demoralized.  It is only He who can deliver us, both from sin’s grip and the guilt when we fall.  


Today, ask Jesus to help you overcome the sin that is right there with you, and when you feel overwhelmed by temptation, cry out to Him for help.  And if you fall, know He is there to pick you up, dust you off, and continue walking with you on your road to recovery.


© Jim Musser 2012

“O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.  From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?  You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.  You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.  O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:1-9 NIV)

It is weeks like this where the night sky just shouts out the glory of God. The moon in its fullness lights up the night, like a lantern hanging in space. Yesterday morning, I was up early enough to witness a moonset.  Its beauty took my breath away. Or this morning, watching the snowflakes softly fall to the earth, none of which are exactly the same.


How small and insignificant I feel when I see the awesomeness of creation.  And like David, I am compelled to ask the Lord, “Who am I, Lord, that you consider me so significant?”  


Yet, the Scriptures tell me that I am of great value to Him.  I am the reason He sent His Son to Earth to receive the punishment for my sins (John 3:16).  He has given me His Holy Spirit as a guarantee of my eternal relationship with Him (II Corinthians 1:22).  And He has entrusted me with His message for the world (II Corinthians 5:20).


It is easy to feel insignificant by our smallness in this world, but through David’s words, God reminds us of our great worth to Him.  Today, know how significant you are to the Lord.  The One who hung that beautiful moon in the sky and makes the snowflakes fall is the One who created you and loves you more than you can imagine.


© Jim Musser 2012

"We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us, a sphere that also includes you. We are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you, for we did get as far as you with the gospel of Christ. Neither do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others. Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else’s territory. But, ‘Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.’ For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.” (II Corinthians 10:12-18 NIV)

I spend time on Facebook, not hours, but usually a few minutes each day.  In part, I do it because I work with college students and FB is one of their main cyber playgrounds.  It is a good way to connect with them and them with me.  But I have also enjoyed it as a way to keep up with friends and reconnect with long lost ones.  Yet, I have always known that FB rarely reveals the whole story about people’s lives.  In fact, a perusal of FB profiles reveals little or no negativity or trouble in life.  Yet, I know better.  Life in a fallen world is just not that great, but on Facebook you rarely get that impression.


A recent study (http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/cyber.2011.0324) concluded that people who are on Facebook often believe their FB friends have happier lives than they do.  The reason?  People on Facebook, and in general, portray their lives in a more positive light than what is actually the case.  Thus, when we compare their lives, about which we do not know the complete story, with our own, we can easily conclude they have it better than we do.  The study goes on to say that such comparisons can lead to greater discontent and to a sense of life’s unfairness.


Comparing our lives to others is usually a no-win exercise.  Either we have a false sense of superiority or a wrong sense of inferiority.  The truth is the only measure is the Lord.  Nothing else really matters.   Paul says, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord. For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.”   What matters is not how people view your FB profile, your popularity, or your perceived success in life.  What matters is how the Lord views your life.  


Today, resist the temptation to compare your life with others and to seek their approval.  Instead, seek the approval of the Lord; seek to live in such a way that He commends.  For what Creator of the universe thinks is far more important than the opinions of mere mortals.


© Jim Musser 2012

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2 NIV)

I was talking with some colleagues the other day and we were discussing church leadership and how some churches want perfect leaders, ones without any flaws.  One spoke up and said, “Yeah, if they could, they wouldn’t let David write the Psalms.”


David, you might recall, committed adultery, tried to cover it up, and then had the husband of his mistress killed.  Yet, David is described as a man after God’s heart (Acts 13:22).  He faithfully led the Israelites, and he wrote beautiful poetry that has given encouragement and comfort to people for many centuries.  He was a man of Godly conviction and passion.  Yet, he committed adultery and murder.


Most, if not all, of us having read the account of David’s sin with Bathsheba and against Uriah (II Samuel 11) would find ourselves condemning David if we knew nothing else about him.  It is quite easy to be defined by one sin in our lives.  An abortion.  An affair.  A forged check.  It is very easy for us to define a person or be defined by one failure.


Fortunately, God does not do that.  He does not define our lives by our sin, but by whom we are in Jesus.  Thus, an adulterer or a murderer or a thief or any other type of sinner can still make a wonderful contribution to the Kingdom.  


The message of this passage is that your life need not be defined by the sin you have committed.  Your life need not be invalidated because of the mistakes you have made.  In Christ there is no condemnation.  


Today, take comfort in knowing God has forgiven your sin.  If you are a follower of Jesus, you are not condemned.  He still loves you and desires to use your life in the work of His Kingdom.  


© Jim Musser 2012

"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' 
In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me.  Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” (Malachi 3:8-10 NIV)

Call it a quirk, but I just love having things filled up.  I get a great feeling when my wood shed is filled with firewood, the pantry and fridge is stocked full with food, and the bank account is replenished at the beginning of the month.  I suppose it is the sense of security it provides, knowing that I need not worry about running out.  Yet, there is also a danger that lurks in that desire for security.  It can become more important than God.


When Malachi spoke the words of God, the Israelites were holding onto all they had, fearing they could not spare anything.  Although they were back in their own land after years of exile, their memories were still fresh, like my parents who grew up during the Depression and were reluctant to part with anything.  They remembered when things were hard and scarce.  


Yet, God’s promise to Israel and to us is that He will provide abundantly for our needs.  We do not need to cling to everything as if we will never be re-supplied.  God’s storehouse is full and He wants to pour out His blessings upon us, and He calls us to test Him on this.  How?  By being generous with what we already have, not hoarding it for ourselves.  


Most of us would not consider ourselves rich, but the Lord wants us to be generous with what we have been given.  The tithe was a place for the Israelites to start, 10% of their income was to be given to the Lord.  They were holding back and God said bring the whole tithe and I will richly bless you.  


Are you holding back on giving what the Lord has asked?  Know that your security is not found in material things, but in the Lord.  He wants you to trust in Him for your security. 
Test Him and you will not be disappointed.  


©  Jim Musser 2012

“Do you not know? 
Have you not heard? 
The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. 
He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. 
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:28-31 NIV)

Life can be overwhelming at times and the constant stress of world events and just day-to-day life can drain us.  A common theme among students most weeks during a semester is how tired and stressed they are.  


Yet, Isaiah 40 offers hope and a way out of this weariness.  We are told of God’s overwhelming power and control.  He created the heavens and the earth.  He is in control of the nations.  He is not oblivious to what is going on in the world, nor too busy to notice what is happening in our own.  


When we are stressed or overwhelmed by life events, there is a sense of loneliness that accompanies it.  It feels as if we are alone to deal with it.  But the message of Isaiah 40 is that we are not.  The Maker of the heavens is right there with us.  And our trust and hope in Him will carry us through whatever we face in life.


Today, if you are weary of life’s stresses, put your hope in the Lord, for He has the power to renew your strength.  


© Jim Musser 2012

“Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.  The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.’” (Luke 23:32-35 NIV)

Forgiveness is hard, even when the person is repentant.  But what of situations where the person is not repentant, does not acknowledge his wrongdoing?   These are the hardest circumstances in which to forgive, but Jesus left us a model.  Faced with a mob bent on seeing Him die, Jesus appeals to His Father, asking Him to forgive them.  


To receive a gift, one must be willing to accept it, but it can be offered regardless.  Offering the gift reflects the attitude of the heart.  In the case of forgiveness, we offer it because we love (want what’s best for) the person, just as God loves us.  It is up to the person to decide whether or not to receive it.   And by doing so, we are set free from the grip of bitterness and hatred.  


We aren’t told how many standing at the foot of the Cross received God’s gift, but we know it was offered.  That is all we can do, but we must do it if we are walking behind Jesus.  And the offer is not limited by the severity of the offense.  Jesus was being killed when He uttered His plea to the Father.  


Are there individuals in your life who have wronged you in some way and have never acknowledged it?  Offer them the gift of forgiveness, just as the Lord offered it to you long before you acknowledged having wronged Him.  They may choose not to accept it, but there is freedom in making the offer.


© Jim Musser 2012

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.  There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. 
 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. 
 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.  Come and see what the LORD has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth.  He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. 
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.  He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’  The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” (Psalm 46:1-11 NIV)
2012 might just be the Year of the Introvert, if January is any indication.  Time magazine’s cover story in its latest issue is titled, “The Upside of Being an Introvert (And Why Extroverts Are Overrated).”  And yesterday, on NPR’s “All Things Considered,” the author of a new book, “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking,” was interviewed.  


Both authors say that for decades Americans have given preference to the extroverted life.  Type A personalities are viewed as winners.  Those that stand out in a crowd are lauded and envied.  Those quiet and reserved are often viewed as weak or lacking ambition.  Thus, the overall effect upon our culture has been to take us in a direction of constant noise and movement.  There is no time to pause and reflect because there is so much to say and do.  Think about it for a moment:  How much of your day is spent in absolute quiet and reflection?  If you are like most Americans, then almost none.  Instead, we are busy and surrounded by noise (music, conversations, videos, etc.) from the time our feet hit the floor in the morning until we turn off the light at night.  


The cumulative effect of this is a dimming awareness of God’s presence and control in life.  We are so busy and our lives so filled with noise, the Lord is crowded out and given a seat in the far corner of the room.  We know He is there; we just don’t take much notice.  So life can easily get the best of us.  We get stressed and overwhelmed.  Psalm 46 is a great place to start regaining a balance in our lives—to begin incorporating a more introverted approach of quietness and reflection.   In it David reveals God’s wonderful faithfulness and protection, and encourages us to reflect on all the things He has done—“Be still and know that I am God.”


Today, recognize the value of being quiet.  It is during those times you can best reflect on the character and wonderful works of the Lord.  And through that reflection, you can gain a sense of peace and confidence of the Lord’s presence regardless of what life brings your way.


© Jim Musser 2012

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” (II Peter 1:3-4 NIV)

What is it that you think you need?  A romantic relationship?  A great career that earns you a lot of money?  To be popular, or even famous?  Or maybe it’s just a new computer or a new car.  We tend to think we need a lot of things.  And through these things we seek satisfaction and contentment.  Yet, Peter tells us that only one thing is ultimately needed—Jesus.  


It is through Him that we will have all that we need, including food, clothing, shelter, relationships, etc.  As He stated in Matthew 6, He knows our needs and will not neglect them, but the temptation always is to pursue our needs instead of Him.  This is not to say we fail to acknowledge Him.  We may indeed do that, but do we also trust Him to provide for our needs, or do we take control and pursue them instead of Him?


Often the difference between those who call themselves Christians and those who are truly followers of Jesus is the amount of trust they have in the Lord to provide for them.  The former lack trust and so focus on providing for their own needs, while the latter so trust in the Lord that their attention is given fully to Him.


Where are you today?  Do you trust the Lord to provide for whatever needs you have, or are you busy trying to fulfill them on your own?  Know that the Lord is trustworthy.  Through Jesus, He has provided everything you need to live life fully.


© Jim Musser 2012

“He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.  He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.” (John 1:10-13 NIV)

I was waiting to get my haircut the other day when a woman walked in and up to another man seated across from me.  He was reading a magazine and, as she was talking to him, never looked up at her.  She bent down and gave him a kiss on the cheek and walked out.  His gaze remained fixed on the magazine.  Though I didn’t know the nature of their relationship, I felt sorry for the woman.  She seemed to care about this man and he barely acknowledged her.  I could imagine the hurt she felt as she walked out the door, her love completely unappreciated.


We have probably all had that sinking feeling at some time in our lives when our love or care for a person is ignored or rejected.  It cuts to the core because we offered something very dear to us-ourselves-and we were turned away.


As I sat in the chair and watched the exchange between that woman and man, I thought about how easy it is to treat God in the same way.  He dotes on us, tells us how much He loves us, and, too often, we fail to show our appreciation.  We get so focused in on our little worlds that we ignore Him.  


Genesis 1 tells us that God created us in His image.  This means, while we are not God, we have traits similar to His.  And one of those is the desire for acknowledgement and appreciation from those we love.   God walked into our world, into our lives, and said, “I love you!”  And He backed it up by continually pursuing us even as we ignored and rejected Him.  Yet, by looking at our own experiences of having our love dismissed, we can begin to understand how the Lord must feel when His love goes unappreciated.


Today, knowing how much God loves you, share with Him your appreciation.  Tell Him through both word and deed how much His love means to you.  You know how much it means to hear that.


© Jim Musser 2012

“For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.” (Ephesians 1:15-21 NIV)

The abject poverty in which the people live with whom I have worked in South Africa is almost beyond belief.  And the woes that accompany it break my heart.  Alcoholism.  Drug addiction.  HIV-AIDS.  Abuse.  Neglect.  Hopelessness.  And it is the last that feeds the seemingly endless generational cycle of poverty and despair.  


Hope cultivates a new vision for one’s life, a vision that sees change within one’s grasp, even if the current circumstances seem to indicate otherwise.  The Enemy’s strategy is to remove all hope from us, to cultivate hopelessness at every turn, to keep us in bondage to our discouragement and despair.  But hope does not disappoint (Romans 5:5) if we cling to it.  


That is why I believe I felt compelled to speak about hope with the teens from the slum settlement in which we were working last month.  Without hope, they will perish.  Without hope that God can do immeasurably more than they can ask or even imagine, they will remain bound by the same chains that have bound their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles.  And these chains won’t be broken by a single talk (a seed planted perhaps); it will take devoted prayer.  When the Enemy has a grip, he will not easily let go.  


But hopelessness is not confined to slums or ghettos.  It can be found in mansions, in corporate offices, on college campuses, and even in churches.  In any of these places, there are people bound by things greater than themselves and beyond their own ability to break free.  You may know some. 


If so, the best thing you can do is to pray this prayer of Paul’s.  The first step is for their hearts to be enlightened to the hope there is in the God who raises the dead.  With Him, all things are possible.  Once they truly embrace this, then freedom can become a reality.  


© Jim Musser 2012