Life Sucks!



“ 'I have told you these things,

so that in me you may have peace.

In this world you will have trouble.

But take heart!

I have overcome the world.' ”

John 16:33

I, like all humans, have a lot of problems.  My body is wearing out as I grow older, money is tight, family relationships are strained at times, people can be mean and hurtful, friends move away, loved ones die. . . and this is not  to even mention that my belief in Jesus places me in conflict with the principles of this world.  Put this all together, and the conclusion is that life is hard!  

But we can't say we weren't warned.  Jesus prepared us for the opposition we would receive from those who don't know Him.  But we can take comfort in knowing that He has gone before us, and in conquering the power of death and sin when He died on the cross, He also conquered our problems.   All the difficulties that I face in this world have already been defeated by Jesus!  There is nothing I can face that Jesus has not already succeeded in conquering. 

Jesus warned us about the harsh realities of following Him in a world that hates Him.  He did this so that we would ultimately understand the power that is within us.

The World Hates Us

It was important for Jesus to help us understand that we won't be accepted by those who don't know Him.  In America, persecution is limited to financial retribution or shunning, banishment or exclusion from certain segments of society.  But in other parts of the world, persecution means forced labor, poor living conditions, arrests, beatings and even death.  There is no mistaking that the world hates us as much as it hated Jesus when He walked the earth.

Why would anyone want to follow One who puts me in that position of being hated?  "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) Jesus is my only hope for a relationship with my Father in heaven, and deliverance from the penalty of death my sin earns.  Without Jesus, I have an eternity devoid of all good and filled with unthinkable suffering. 

Hatred from the world is a small price to pay for this unspeakable gift!  But how can I withstand the difficulties without buckling under the pressure or spend my life huddled in the corner like a quivering mass of gelatin?

We are Conquerors

Living in a world that opposes everything I believe in does not mean I have to live my life in fear or as a second-class citizen.  In my heart, I can go through the difficulties of life with the quiet confidence that Jesus displayed.  He did not panic, lash out in anger, or run away from His accusers.  This is because He knew the plan, and He knew that in the end, His love wins!

The apostle Paul addressed the root of this attitude of triumph.  In Romans 8, his words remind us that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.  Not trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword. (v 35)  That pretty much covers anything we can face during a lifetime.  Knowing that the overwhelming love of God is constantly with me can give me courage.  And that is how I can face my problems as a conqueror.

When I think of a conqueror, I imagine a Roman soldier living in Jesus' time.  Even though he is from a foreign land, he would exhibit an attitude of confidence and assurance, knowing that Caesar and the entire Roman Army would back him up.  He had a sense of security and authority given to him as a member of the conquering force in that strange place so far from home.

This is to be my attitude as a follower of Christ in this foreign land.  I have God and His sovereign power to back me up!  He has given me a sense of security and authority as a member of the conquering force.  That is why Paul could teach us that in the face of the difficulties of this life, "in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." (Romans 8:37)  Jesus' love conquered all so I need not fear.

Even though I am a conquering, I do have enemies.  And these enemies will stop at nothing to try to defeat me.  How can I have any hope this side of heaven?

Greater Power Within

I used to compete in bodybuilding.  One year, I was sponsored by one of the top gyms in my region.  Their name (Powerhouse) held clout in the bodybuilding community and being associated with them, I felt the power of being one of their competitors.  Sure enough, when it came time for the judging, I placed higher than I ever had, due in part to the sponsorship of Powerhouse.

Imagine having the most powerful Being, the Creator of all things, living within you!  Reading in 1 John 4:4, we learn that we can live with confidence in Satan's domain because, "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."

I have the authority of the very power of God to guide me through the evil of this world.  Satan and his angels can try to bring me down, but their power pales in the face of that which is in me through faith in Christ Jesus.  I must always remember that in the end, "every knee should bow, 

Living life in this world is difficult.  As one pastor of a megachurch in my home state of Washington would often say, "Life Sucks!"  But we are not without hope, even thought he world hates us, we are more than conquerors and have the power of God within us.  Then I can confidently say,  "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:13)

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I would remember the power that is within me when I am overwhelmed by that which is around me.

How do I focus too much on the problems, forgetting that I have the solution within me?

When do I live as the conquered, instead of as a conqueror through faith in Jesus?

Open the Door

Here I am!

I stand at the door and knock.

If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

Revelation 3:20

"Ding, Dong!"

"Oh, no!  They're here already. . .why are they early?  We're not ready yet!  Quick, everyone, finish tidying up and I'll stall them at the door.  Somebody put the dogs in the room.  Oh, and don't forget to check the bathroom!  Go!"

Has this ever happened to you?  You're running late in preparing for dinner guests and then they show up before the appointed time!  This is kind of how I can feel about Jesus.  He is waiting at the door for me to invite Him into my life, but I am busy scurrying around trying to make myself presentable before I let Him in.  But the key to being a good hostess is not in impressing my guests with a clean home and wonderful cooking, but in welcoming them into my life as it is and helping them to feel as part of the family.  The focus is on the guest, not on the hostess.   How can I let Jesus in now, and not wait until it may be too late?

Be Thankful  The Westminister Shorter Catechism states that the chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.  Paul instructs in I Corinthians 10:31 to take part in life with a spirit of thankfulness in all things.  "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."  As I go through the mundane parts of my life, if I make Jesus my focus and my reason for doing all that I do, my attitude will change from one of fear and restlessness, to one of satisfaction and contentment.  I am here for God, He is not here for me!

Be Accepting  Jesus does not expect me to make myself presentable before I allow Him into my life.  He know me well, as He demonstrated when He met the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4).  He knew every detail of her life, but He loved her anyway! It is the same with me and you.   In fact, ". . . God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)  Jesus did not wait until I was halfway there before He sacrificially gave His life to make me presentable before a Holy God.  No!  He did all the redemptive work for me, all I do is accept.  He knows my sin better than I do, but He loves me just as I am.  All that's left for me to do is let Him love me!

Be Purposeful  Today is the day to let Jesus into my life, to live alongside of me.  None of us are guaranteed tomorrow!  God's Word found in James 4:14 reminds us that, ". . . you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."  Since we don't know how long we have here, we should make the most of every opportunity. (Ephesians 5:15-16) 

Perhaps Benjamin Glover and Jeffrey Thomas Pardo said it best in the song they penned for Mandisa called, "Waiting for Tomorrow*." 

Maybe tomorrow we'll start over
Maybe tomorrow I will finally change my ways
Said the same things yesterday
Don't know why I'm so afraid
To let you in
To let you win
To let you have all of me

Can't spend my whole life wastin'
Everything I know I've been given
'Cause you've made for so much more than
Sittin' on the side lines
I don't wanna look back and wonder
If good enough could've been better

Everyday's a day to start over
So, why am I waiting for tomorrow

Maybe today I'll start believing
That you're mercy is really
As real as you say it is
It doesn't matter who I used to be
It only matters that I've been set free
You rescued me you're changing meJesus take everything

Oh, I'm makin this my moment now
To grab the hand that's reachin down to save me You saved me
And I'm makin this my moment now
To grab the hand that's reachin down to save me You saved me

I'm gonna grab the hand that's reachin down
And I'm not gonna wait until tomorrow
Oh, tomorrow

Do I have caution tape around the door of my heart?  You and I cannot afford to wait any longer to let Jesus into our lives.  What are we waiting for?

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will let Jesus into every part of my life and not attempt to hide anything from Him.

What am I trying to make presentable before showing it to Jesus?

How am I withholding parts of my life out of fear of what Jesus will think, forgetting that He loves me as I am?

* Lyrics from http://www.absolutelyrics.com/lyrics/view/mandisa/waiting_for_tomorrow

Let Love Rule

 "But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.  Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know.  But whoever loves God is known by God."

I Corinthians 8:1b-3

Hypocrisy  The rickety station wagon plastered with "Jesus" bumper stickers cut me off and pulled into the parking lot in front of me.  As the driver eased to a stop in front of the curb, I watched in curiosity.  A tall, thin man climbed out and briskly walked into the gym. Later, I was surprised to see this same man take my elliptical as I quickly ran to the restroom in the middle of my workout.  "Oh, I'm sorry, was this yours?"  he asked as he continued his training.  I retrieved my water bottle, book and towel and mumbled something about finding another machine.  Before leaving the gym that day, his voice stood out among the clanks of the weights.  "Oh yeah, reading the Word is so important.  I make sure and do that every morning." 

All the Right Things  The scenario described above illustrates the importance of knowing God.  I can know the Bible like the back of my hand, attend church regularly, take advantage of every Bible study offered, and listen to sermons on the radio in my spare time, but if I don't know God, it just serves to puff me up with importance.

Hollow  I remember seeing the most delicious-looking pastry sitting on the serving plate in the dining room of the hotel we stayed at when we first arrived in Germany for a 3-year tour of duty.  I carefully chose the delectable donut and placed it on my plate.  As I bit into it, I was saddened to find out that it wasn't at all what I had first though, but was actually hollow and quite empty of filling.  Disappointed, I left the pathetic thing on my plate and finished the rest of my breakfast.

Empty Shell  Knowledge of God's Word apart from God Himself does this to me.  I become this empty shell of a person who thinks I know all, yet am completely oblivious to how my actions affect those around me.  Kind of like the guy at the gym.  So how do I avoid this dangerous trap? 

Spend Time with God  One of the greatest areas of frustration in my life is when I am not able to spend time with my husband.  I love him and want to enjoy his company.  But many times the busyness of life competes with this time and I find my love growing cold.  We have to make a conscious effort to cultivate our relationship.  It is the same with God.  To know Him, I must spend time with Him in quiet meditation, honest conversation, and healthy study of His Word with a sensitivity to His leading as I read. 

Cultivate a Love for God  It is easy to get caught up in the religion of Christianity, learning all the rules, lingo, and traditions but forgetting the most important thing: Love.  "We love because he first loved us." (I John 4:19)  Love does not come naturally in my flesh, but it is born out of my connection to God, who is love (see verse 16).   As a follower of Christ, I have love dwelling within me, but it can so easily be suppressed.  It is kind of like the beautiful roses growing in the flower bed on the side of my house.  They need constant care and protection against the danger of pests, diseases or lack of water. Similarly, I must take care to cultivate my love relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, guarding against legalism, pride, selfish ambition and all those things that elevate myself about my God.

God's Perspective   I remember sitting on my neighbors porch and marveling at how different my house looked to me from another viewpoint.  Its the same with God.  He sees things differently than I do, and if I want to love others, I need to be able to see them from His viewpoint.  I have my sinful attitudes, prejudices,and beliefs that cloud my viewpoint.  If I really want God's love to flow through me, I have to ask God for His perspective.  When I yield my will to His, He allows me to see people the way He sees them and I become compassionate, caring and kind.  When I place my agenda above God's,  I see people from my own perspective and I become irritable, impatient and harsh. 

Spending time with God, cultivating my love relationship my Him, and seeing things from His perspective is what will guard my heart against the hollowness of mere learning.  Love is the key, as it serves to build up the body of Christ, while knowledge solely puffs me up as an individual. 

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can let the love of God rule in my life and be known by Him.

Where am I taking pride in the knowledge of scripture yet not letting the Truth of it change me?

What parts of my life are getting in the way of my love relationship with Jesus?