He Himself is Sufficient

(Souce text - Hebrews 13:5)

A cursory glance through the early part of Hebrews chapter 13 reveals several instructional verses more of the random nature than of a pattern of a message. As though the author had gone to great lengths to make a handful of complex points in all the previous chapters, and now, breaking from the mental tilling, is tossing a few grains fo seed in at random barren patches of dirt he sees, hoping to address the barren spots.

The are, nonetheless, all most profound and inspired words. Verse five has always stuck deep in my heart - as no doubt it also has many, many saints throughout the centuries since it was first read.

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

It is tempting when reading this passage - as often we do - to pull only part of it out on its own, as though the latter part of the verse is the REAL meaning of the passage, and the former piece just a supporting point.

To do so, however, is a mistake.

What we are looking at really is an instruction with a supporting proof. Although we are often inclined to see it incorrectly as a prescription and consequent result.

Here's what I mean: we are so often tempted to read instructions as are contained in the first statement of this verse as though they are a prescription for a result. We think God is telling us, "If you do __________, you will get ________." And so this is how we read and interpret Scripture all the time. It's even how we understand and filter life.

Trouble is it's NOT necessarily the truth. Most of the time God is actually saying something more like, "This is how I am, and this is what I've done. So here is what your response ought to be like..."

Do you get the critical difference there?

One perspective puts the onus on ourselves to create our own destiny by our behavior - or by our ability to follow a prescription effectively. The other perspective puts the onus on God - on His true and unchanging nature - to be the cause and ourselves merely the affected party who is responding to God's character or work. The former really just results in our glory, and the latter results in God's glory.

So then, back to the passage...

What the Holy Spirit is quite clearly communicating to us through the writer of Hebrews is that "God is enough for us." That's why and how we can "let our conduct be without covetousness," and be "content with such things as we have." Because God Himself is enough for me, and he has promised that He will be with me always.

In fact, a supporting passage from the Gospels is found in the Great Commission at the end of Matthew:

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and behold I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen

So Scripture confirms Scripture that God is with us at al times. In fact didn't David speak of this same thing in the Psalms when he said, "Where can I go from your Spirit?" And if He Himself is sufficient for us in all things and in all ways - which TRULY HE IS j- then we can heed the exhortation of Hebrews to be "content with such things as we have" by allowing God to fill every want in our hearts.

All of these truths here not withstanding, let me emphasize one other aspect to this point...

As always it does, Scripture is speaking to our inner being here - our Spirit - to impart an eternal truth about where we should derive our hearts satisfaction. When we 'covet' something, it is an issue of the heart, though often we try to justify it with 'external need.'

So God is not saying we cannot want what we actually need, nor is He denying our real and tangible needs exist. Rather He is exposing the inner places of our soul where sin hides and offering us a lasting resolution - Himself.

Consider one further passage of Scripture, John 4:13-14

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

The Beauty of the Cross

I was just listening to a preacher that I like to hear through iTunes. I made a very powerful statement in regards to following religion versus following the Gospel. He said that the beauty of the cross is not in how well I do things or how righteous I am, but in the fact that God loves me despite how sinful I am and that He extends grace and mercy and salvation for those things which I have offended him (my paraphrase).

It's just amazing to me to hear Matt speak about religion versus the Gospel because I grew up in "American Christianity" and during the era of Christendom (or specifically speaking, cultural morality that was based on biblical values). It's cool because Matt gets it. He sees that the Gospel is not about religion in the sense where we have typically defined religion today: a way of being accepted by God if I do what He says. Matt's message is that this is NOT the Gospel! The Gospel really is that God accepts me through the blood of Christ and therefore I obey him out of gratitude and love, not "begrudging submission."

Growing up in American Christianity I have found that by and large the bulk of Evangelical America is following a religion based on the Gospel, not the actual Gospel itself. This leads to and promotes things like basing our self-worth on our ability to adhere to a pattern of behavior that in the end has no actual power to transform the heart of man. Where instead the power of the actual Gospel is that through the grace and life of Christ within me God changes my heart and transforms me into a new creature, and I get to watch and participate in His incredible glory for eternity - both here on earth and forever after this life. What an incredible promise!

The beauty of the cross is not that I make such a great Christian that I bring amazing glory and honor to God. The beauty of the cross is that in all honesty I am a miserable scumbag at heart and because God loves me and is cleansing me via the life of Jesus Christ at work in me, I am no longer neither miserable nor a scumbag. I am a child of God.

*To hear the sermon by Matt Chandler that inspired this post, click here. To read a transcript of his message, click here.

Inviting God Into Your Brokenness

The other night I spent some time with my wife at her job. She's a summer camp director at a Christian camp in central PA. This week she has a guest speaker from Minnesota and his ministry team joining the camp. The speaker shared a very powerful message that night about brokenness, it was actually his testimony of how God saved him. Not your typical message - or testimony. God literally saved him from death, at his own hands. The speaker shared his story about how on a morning in 1992 after a half hour of panic, Billy, a tough but broken young man faced all of his brokenness collapsing in on him - or rather the walls he built. Billy has a unique story of a life with a broken home and an alcoholic and ultimately absent father, a tendency toward perfection in sports and religion, and a few years of military service.

This particular morning not long after Billy had come home from his time in the military, he opened the door of his house with the awareness that someone was in the house. His newly honed military skills and senses kicked into action as he prepared to take care of the unwitting intruder. However, as he stealthily checked every room of the house and finally found himself in the basement with only one room left, he found no one there. But still, he was keenly aware of the presence of someone - or something just behind him. It was the feeling of tangible evil.

Over the next several minutes Billy's years of brokenness and the walls he had built which held it back came crumbling down on top of him until finally he found himself sitting in the makeshift office in the basement with a rifle aimed square at his chest. He couldn't quite figure out a way to hold the gun and fire it, until he balanced it on a ledge. As the thoughts ran through his mind, "Do it!" and, "Well, I don't know," the gun shifted toward his shoulder as it went off. Bang!

As Billy described the next few moments in his own words: "The pain was unbearable. The stench of burning flesh was ungodly. The blood was unreal." Billy collapsed from the pain, shock and loss of blood. His right shoulder had been nearly completely blown off. His deltoid muscle was gone. Part of his collarbone had been blown into his lung. The bullet had gone completely through his body and out the other side.

As Billy regained consciousness he heard the voice of the Police chief descending the stairs of his house to the basement where he was, gun drawn. "Are you OK, kid?" The police thought there was a shooter involved. The paramedics soon arrived, and had to literally carry Billy in a body bag up the stairs because the staircase out of the basement was too narrow and steep to get a gurney in. One of the first paramedics there was a kid who went to school with Billy. Tears streamed down his face, as Billy said, "I'm going to die, aren't I. Am I going to be OK?"

But what happened between the time Billy fired that gun and when he regained consciousness is something amazing - an unique. As Billy says, "What happened was God."

The investigators reports show that from the desk in the makeshift office downstairs where Billy shot himself there were blood footprints on the floor all the way over to the bed where police and paramedics found him lying. When Billy was found he was still wearing his size 11 running shoes he had on when he came home that day. The footprints were size 8, barefoot.

There is also no explanation for the towel from upstairs that was used as a dressing already wrapped around Billy's shoulder when police and paramedics arrived. No one was home but Billy.

And there is no explanation for why the Emergency Dispatch Service to this day cannot find the recording of the 911 call that came in triggering the dispatch of police and paramedics to Billy's home.

Billy stood before the audience and with determination and conviction in his eyes said, "Don't tell me there is no God."

What followed is perhaps just as miraculous as what happened between the gunshot and the arrival of medical professionals. God saved Billy's life even though Doctors in the Hershey Medical Center and Johns Hopkins University thought Billy was going to die. They thought they were going to have to amputate his arm to even have a chance at saving him. Three days later, on his little brother's birthday, Billy regained consciousness and began a long period of pain and recovery - and of transformation.

Billy shares how for two years after his life was dramatically different and still broken. But through it all God worked in his life and ultimately was able to change Billy. His heart behind the testimony and something he repeated over and over was that he prays that none of those who hear his story have to go through the same level of suffering before they allow God to help them.

The whole point of Billy's story is that he had years of brokenness that he thought he could bear on his own. He thought he could handle it until it all came crashing in on him.

As I sat listening, touched, I knew that what he had to say was just as much for me as it was for anyone else in that room. So often I try to handle everything in my own strength. I try to build walls to hide and protect me from my own brokenness. But in it all, God wants to come into my brokenness and bear it for me.

It's just like the Apostle Paul said in his letter to the Corinthian believers, His strength is made perfect in weakness. We think we must be strong to survive, but really we must be weak and allow God to come into our weakness. We must invite Him in, because being a God of love He will never force His way into your life.

Do you have it all together? Is your world just falling apart? If either answer is yes, you need God. Because eventually all of your pain or all of your success is going to come crashing in on you and you are going to need God to lift you up - to carry you through.

Hitting the Big Time

Today I was on LinkedIn. I am a member of several groups on LinkedIn for design professionals. The groups provide a very valuable resource to get feedback, ask questions and network with other professionals in my field. I've used the discussion boards many times to get answers I needed or just to follow a discussion on an interesting topic.

I get regular email updates about weekly questions that people are asking in the groups. Today one caught my eye in a forum called Designers Talk. It read:

You hit the big time … and then what?

When you've made your millions, what do you intend to do? Help others in the same field? Provide free solutions for charities? Perhaps fund causes close to home? And - not unrelated - have you ever told anyone your honest reasons for your burning desire to succeed? (Are they related to the first question?)

Here was my response:

I have always dreamed of hitting the "big time" - like most people. I've always wanted to have disposable income to do fun stuff like taking my wife on dream vacations, buying a quad and going on quad trails, supping up a Nissan Skyline GTR, spoiling my kids, taking care of my parents in the old age, and giving to ministries and other causes I would love to greatly support. To be honest though, a lot of my desire for success - upon close examination - has to do with approval, and justifying myself, and my choices.

To be completely honest, I have recently begun to look at "success" in a new light. As I get older (and I'm only 27) I begin to see that money is not the answer to life's problems. In fact, many times it is the beginning of life's problems. How many people have you seen or heard of in the media or elsewhere who made it "big" and next thing you know they are getting a divorce, or in trouble with the law? Money clearly doesn't solve all problems, and I think it is wisdom that recognizes putting trust in money is foolish.

Some people misquote that Bible verse that says "money is the root of all evil" (misquoted). What the text actually says (and I had two semesters of Bible Greek at a Christian College) is "the LOVE of money is a root of all kinds of evil." Money is sort of a-moral. Smart people can do smart things with it. Dumb people can do dumb things with it. Good people like wise good things, and bad people likewise bad things.

The point: there are so many other things in life that I am beginning to aspire to OTHER than money that I believe will truly define "SUCCESS" for me.

What do you think? What defines success in your life?

Psalm 51 - David, A Man After God's Own Heart

The Scripture says David was a man after God's own heart. Why? Was David perfect? No. Was he sensitive to the Spirit of God? Yes. David wasn't called a man after God's heart because of he was king, or his exploits, or even the strength of his character, necessarily. We know David sinned just like you and I.

But David always turned to God. When he was happy and experiencing great success - he looked to God and worshipped and thanked him. When he was troubled and in danger of his life - he looked to the God of Israel for protection and strength, calling the LORD his "strong tower." When he was frustrated and angry with what was happening around him and to him - he looked to God and addressed his anger directly to the Most High. And even when he had committed great sin - he looked to God.

Psalm 51 is an incredible look into the heart of David. We know that David looked to God during nearly all of life's circumstances because he so frequently would turn to God by grabbing his pen (or whatever writing technology he had back then) and witting his heart's prayers out for us to read. We read over and over in the Psalms David's heart's cry is to God.

What an example to follow. How often do you and I turn to God? When times are tough? But what about when times are good? Do we remember to thank Him and worship Him for the blessings? Do we remember to thank Him and worship Him for the trials and suffering in life? Do we address our frustration and anger to Him, knowing that only He holds the key to our frustration and our healing? Are we gut level honest with God like David was?

I don't want to idolize David. He was just a man, and clearly didn't get everything right - he was a sinner too. He needed the coming Messiah just as much as you and I need Jesus the Messiah who has come. But David is called a man after God's own heart, and that's something I'd like to cultivate about my own character.

The Strong Man's House

I want to talk at some length about a passage of Scripture in Mark chapter three. The verse in question is verse 27, but to get an idea of the context, start at about verse 20 and read up to there.

I think verse 27 is very revealing in a way we often miss. Jesus says some remarks that we tend to get quickly and stay easily in our memory – “a house divided against itself cannot stand” – but we miss the “bottom line,” if you will. Verse 27 says, “No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house.” We often gloss over this whole verse, passing it off as just a kind of random conclusion statement for the main point. But what if this verse was the main point? What if we’re really missing something here?

Why would Jesus go from talking about a divided house to talking about a strong man and plundering a person’s home for goods? Was Jesus secretly teaching His followers how to be crooks? Of course not. So what is the real point? Here’s my take:

The whole point of Jesus’ preceding remarks was that Satan could not be divided against his own power and be successful. What does Satan have to be successful in? Well, Jesus revealed that Satan’s mission was “to steal, to kill, and to destroy.” So clearly the devil has a goal, and this was the subject of the remarks made in the first part of this passage. Satan is the “strong man” being referenced in this metaphor.

What is the “strong man’s house?” The earth – the world. Jesus said at other times that “the Ruler of this world” was the devil. What he meant was not that Satan is God, but that Satan was the ruler over the present world system. We know the earth is the Lord’s and God is on the throne of the whole Universe. But Satan actually has been given certain power to influence the world for a time. Otherwise, how would we interpret Satan’s temptation of Jesus when the Luke and Matthew give the account that Jesus was in the wilderness being tempted by Satan and the Devil took Him to a high mountain showing Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, tempting Jesus by saying, “all this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whoever I wish. So if you worship me, all will be Yours.” To which we know Jesus resisted temptation saying, “Get behind me Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve,’” Himself quoting Scripture (see Luke 4:5 – 8)

We do know Satan is a liar and is called the Father of Lies, but his lie here was not that he had been given power over the world and could deliver it to others. His lie was offering it to Jesus as a substitute for what Jesus knew was His real destiny as the Son of God. If we assume Satan did not really have any power or authority to give to Jesus, how can we say Jesus really overcame temptation, as it would not have been real temptation, only deception? Jesus knew better than to believe the lie, but also fully realized that Satan meant business. So I think this shows that the “strong man’s house” is the world.

The final component to consider is the “strong man’s goods.” Well, actually the final component will be the “why” and “what” all of this means, but we’ll get to that in just a moment. What are the strong man’s goods? I believe there are some obvious things, but also that a lot of the meaning behind this is a hidden mystery only God can reveal and will over time. The obvious goods are all the glories of man, and the kingdoms of the world. Although we believe confidently those glories do not even compare to the glory of knowing God and the glory of His Kingdom, there still is a certain glory of man. In fact, the book of Revelation 21:24 even talks about this glory and how the Kings of the earth bring their glory with them into the Kingdom of the Lamb, those who enter.

So what does all this mean and why is it important? Well, simply put, I believe Jesus had every intention of stripping Satan of his power and his “goods” when He was in the middle of His ministry on earth, and fulfilled just that when He was crucified and raised. Jesus left His throne in Heaven and entered “the strong man’s house” when He came to earth. He conquered death when he was resurrected and effectively “bound the strong man” and stripped Satan of his power. When He left the Body (the Church universal) with “the Great Commission,” He was telling us to plunder the “strong man’s house” – to take back everything in Satan’s power and influence for God’s purpose and glory.

What does this look like in a practical application? The obvious has to do with people. People who have been living their whole lives – or just been taken captive – doing the work of the Devil. If Satan’s dominion is this present world system, then his goods are the people in it. Actual material goods are just things of perceived value. The real stuff of value is people – souls. God’s desire is that every soul belongs to Him, as His own child. Satan’s desire is that every soul is destroyed. So for believers to “plunder the goods of the strong man” is to win souls.

To another extent I believe there may also be nuances that are still hidden, that God may reveal to us corporately or individually as we seek Him. God would certainly also have us to live our lives with integrity, excellence and love in His name and by doing so we reclaim glory from Satan in God’s name.

As a final thought I want to underscore my point with something Jesus said to Peter when He commissioned Peter as a leader of the church. He told Peter that “the Gates of Hell would not prevail against the church.” We so often think of “the Gates of Hell” as being where Hell launches its offensive attack against God’s people. But a more accurate depiction of gates relevant to their purpose in this culture is a last line of defense.

You see if your army was at war, where were your gates? Your gates were right in front of your city walls. Your army was out fighting, but your gates were protecting your city. The gates of a kingdom were the last line of defense. They really did not represent an offense at all. If the army was being defeated, the city would close its gates to protect its people. So when Jesus speaks about the “gates of Hell,” the image we should be getting is more akin to the people of God storming the Gates of Hell and plundering its goods as we defeat the strong man’s army.

God’s people need to begin acting like an army whose Commander in Chief has already stripped their enemy of Hi s power and attacking all hell like soldiers. We need to realize that Jesus has called us and destined us to attack Satan so hard, they have to close the Gates of Hell to defend themselves. And “the Gates of Hell will not prevail against [the Church].”

Wanting To Follow Jesus

People who really know Jesus want to follow him. That may seem like a bold statement, but I think it’s really just logic. I mean, people who really truly know him want to follow him. They love him. How can you not? Unless you don’t really know him that well.

What I’m getting at is the difference between thinking you should follow Jesus, or knowing it’s the right thing to do, and really just having that deep down gut wrenching desire to be in his presence because you know it’s the very best place in the universe. It’s the difference between saying you’re a Christian because you believe in the Bible and because you think the Church just has got it right and not caring what anyone thinks about your faith in Jesus because you love him from your heart.

There’s nothing wrong with believing in the Bible and thinking that despite all its flaws the Church just has got it right. In fact if you are headed where I’m suggesting, I think those things will follow. But what I’m trying to pinpoint is something that if you miss, the other things that people say really may not get you as far as you think. What I’m trying to get at is that being a “Christian” is less about following something you know is right and more about following someone who you have come to truly love. Being a Christian really is about you and Jesus. Anything past that is missing the mark.
Now a case can be made for Christianity having also to do with affecting the world; showing love to others, reaching out to the poor and needy, and sharing the message of God’s love. But the foundation is actually not those things. The foundation is a changed heart through Christ. Uh – oh. That sounded a lot like Christianese jargon. What in the world do we mean when we say things like that?

What a changed heart is all about is the fact that without Christ our hearts are bad. Real bad. Actually more like wicked. But what happens is when we get a glimpse into who really God is by getting to know the person of Jesus Christ, and we begin to really understand God’s love for us, our hearts can’t help but be touched by how great his love truly is.

There are a lot of forces and systems at work trying to prevent you from truly understanding that fact. Systems that want to keep your mind dull, your heart numb and your attitude cynical so that it is very difficult for you to grasp how truly remarkable it is that God loves you. But when the Spirit of God truly breaks through into our dark hearts – a change takes place. A transformation.
That’s the difference between knowing or thinking that the Gospel is true, and really following God from a heart of love and gratitude for who He is and how much He loves you. It’s not that the two are mutually exclusive. It’s that so many Christians choose to live from somewhere they believe they are right versus a deeper version of faith, living from somewhere they are free to really love God.

Do you struggle with wanting to be a Christian? Do you sometimes feel like people who aren’t Christians have it easy or better than Christians? Are you a Christian just because you know it’s the right thing to do? You may be missing out on really knowing someone you are following.

Read: 2 Corinthians 5:17; Matthew 7:21-23; 1 John 4:16-19; Revelation 3:14-22

Wisdom: Looking At Life From God's Perspective

Wisdom is looking at life from God's eternal perspective. It's like Jim Eliot, the now famous baptist missionary during the 1950's who, at the age of 28 along with 4 other men, was killed by an indiginous tribe in South America. Eliot and his colleagues were attempting to share the message of salvation through Jesus Christ when they were speared near on the banks of the Curaray River in Ecuador. Eliot is often quoted as having said, "he is no fool who trades what he cannot keep for what he cannot lose." Eliot was, of course, refering to trading this life, which none of us can keep, for eternal life with Christ, which can only be attained by letting go control of this life and trusting it to Jesus.

That is what wisdom is all about. It is recognizing that there is a God - not equal with me, but greater than me - who rules and reigns over me and over all of creation. It is acknowledging His sovereignty and yeilding willingly to His plan. It is believing that He is inherently good and trusting that He has my best interest at heart.

Wisdom is believing these things, but not just believing them. it si acting on your beliefs. Living them out, regardless of cost to yourself or uncertainty of reward. It is trading what you cannot keep, for what you cannot lose.

Read: Psalm 14:1; Psalm 19:9; Psalm 27:1; Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 29:25; James 1:5

Jesus Reveals A Deeper Righteousness

I just finished reading the words of the Lord in Matthew chapter 5. What a powerful message! I love this chapter and often find myself drawn to it when I'm reading the Bible and don't have a planned place to read. Matthew 5 is only part of what theologians call "The Sermon on the Mount," when Jesus addressed a crowd of followers from Galilee or Capernum who had congregated to listen to what this new teacher had to say.

Interestingly enough, Jesus begins his discourse (which may have actually been things he taught on many occasions, to many crowds, not just this one time) with some statements about the condition of his audience. "Blessed are the poor in spirit...blessed are the meek...blessed are the peacemakers...blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness!" Jesus was addressing a crowd of very common people - people some cultures may view as peasants, or in our society the blue collar people. They were not the heads of state, or nobility of the land. They were common Palestinian people. People who knew oppression at the hand of the Roman government. People who also knew exploitation at the hands of their own religious leaders, the Pharisees. And Jesus looks at them and says, "Blessed are you when you are persecuted for righteousness sake."

Blessed for being persecuted? Blessed for being spiritually destitute? What is this teaching that sounds nothing like the typical message of religion? This is Jesus. Jesus looked at people and saw their needs. He saw their heart. He saw their sins. And He loved them so much that He wanted them to be free.

In this chapter Jesus goes on to point out several of the Jewish teachings on moral issues, such as divorce and adultery, anger at others, making promises that you cannot keep, how to treat your enemies. And He makes the point that the teachings the people had followed do not go deep enough to foster true righteousness. He said it is not enough to just be sexually faithful to your spouse, you must be faithful in your heart also. It is not enough to just keep from murdering others, you must be patient and loving toward others also. It is not enough just to keep the law of God, you must love God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength.

The incredible thing about Jesus is that He comes along and reveals to everyone who will listen that it is not just enough to do what people think you are supposed to do. If you want to be holy you must live it from your heart. Just think about the following statement that Jesus made, and keep in mind that the Pharisees in their day were the respected religious leaders. We know the term now to represent hypocrisy, which Jesus did reveal. But at the time people did not see it that way. They thought these guys were really doing it right. But listen to what Jesus had to say to everyone who was following the leaders: "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."

How is it that today we do the same thing, thinking that we can simply follow the religious leaders of our day and time and not give attention to what is really going on in our own hearts? Do you think it is enough to just do what you are taught by someone else you respect?

Character vs. Career

Recently I've been having trouble with my computer. As a graphic design professional I put alot of strain on my machine by working with large, fairly complex files and often several applications at a time.

So I decided to make some hardware upgrades to beef up the performance of my machine, seeing that buying a whole new computer is out of the question for me right now. They don't actually make it easy on you to do this sort of thing yourself. never the less being the 'sort-of-ambitious' and 'not-too-scared-by-technology' type, I decided to blaze the trail.

Well, needless to say, I encountered plenty of challenges. Then, a few days ago, once I had ordered all the parts I needed, removed the cover of my machine, and began getting into the nitty gritty, God politely interrupted my progress--in the way of trials.

No, we're not talking fierce suffering or fiery persecutions here. Just simple frustration at the lack of support from parts manufacturers or direction from anyone interested in helping a poor 'do-it-your-self-er!' Anger and impatience began to kick in. I began to get frustrated and most of all everything was taking longer than I had so happily pictured. Let me just take this chance to admit for someone who grew up thinking and being told I was a Type B person--I sure seem to exhibit quite a lot of Type A tendencies!

That's when God so kindly intervened. It was about that time that I was forced to set it all aside for a previous engagement with my wife. As we rode in the car together we discussed the events of the day and she empathized with my techno-frustrations, knowing that I had been grappling with these computer problems for days, and in fact months.

Then she said something that I knew was the Lord speaking through her. The exact words I don't recall but the idea was this: "Joel, God cares more about your character through this than the end result of your computer." Bang! A light bulb lit up. Right then I fell under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. I knew she was right and that I had not been practicing patience, or even kindness with the myriads of people I had been dealing with on the phone.

Right then I decided to ask God to renew my perspective and thanked Him for teaching me yet again that the development of my character is way more important than the development of my career or the efficiency of my computer. I asked Him to help me cultivate the character of Christ in how I respond to every minor or major situation in life. And I thanked Him for using my wife to minister to me, and for giving me a woman who He is also doing a work in.

I can't say that my computer is 100% where I'd like it to be yet, but I can say that keeping a Godly attitude about the process has sure helped me enjoy the steps a lot more.

Heart Reform

Talk to ten people near an election day and at least eight of them will tell you the government needs reform in some area or another. Candidates themselves speak of their goals for change and what their administration will do for the people: healthcare reform, tax reform, welfare reform, reform of the public education system, economic reform. And the list goes on and on.

As Christians there is another type of reform that is infinitely more important than reform on social and political issues, but is talked about in public arenas far less. It is personal reform. While governments exist to play an integral role in the development of societies, they can never alone be the cause of change within people’s lives on an individual level. Change begins from within individual people and extends to the culture around them. One person said, “Be the change you want to see in others.”

Recently I was driving to work on Route 22 toward Harrisburg early in the morning before the sun had even begun to bring about the dusk. It’s amazing how another driver on the road can quickly knock the morning slumber out of your eyes – especially when they tick you off.

I was happily sailing down the road in the passing lane just a few modest miles per hour above the speed limit when I came upon a car riding in the passing lane just barely reaching the speed limit. Next to him was another car going just fast enough to keep up with the bumper of this car in the left lane. In Pennsylvania we have a law that says drivers must “keep right, pass left.” So as I came up on the car riding in the passing lane, instantly I became annoyed. How could this driver be so obviously ignorant of the rules of the road and of all the drivers around him? The nerve! Doesn’t this driver realize that some people like to drive as fast as possible to get to work on time – er, uh – as early as possible? (Not realizing that I too was riding in the passing lane, only faster.)

As I sped up and cut in front of the vehicle in the right lane and also passing the “left lane rider,” just narrowly fitting in the gap between these two cars, the Holy Spirit instantly shined something like a spotlight right into my heart and I became convicted. I realized that the impatience and unjustified anger I felt toward another person whom I have never even met is sin.

That’s when I realized I need heart reform. My heart is so wicked that something as small as an unknown driver occupying a space on the road that I believe should be my lane of traffic can set off sin within my heart. Ironically I had been in prayer up until that incident that morning, and my lack of patience and discernment not only caused me to give in to an attitude of pride, but also caused me to make an aggressive driving maneuver which could have endangered myself and others on the road.

As I drove on to work I began to reflect on the true nature of the heart. Although we love to think of ourselves as being overall good at heart, the Bible actually says that the heart is “desperately wicked.” I began to pray, “Lord, please give me heart reform.”

In what ways do you need to experience heart reform? What events in your life have revealed the sin in your heart? Have you offered those areas to the Father for Him to have His way?

The Open Hand

I once heard a preacher talk about giving with the symbol of an open hand. He said that the open hand is a symbol of giving, or generosity, because when you give something to somebody, you reach out your hand and let go of whatever it is that you possessed so that they can receive it.

Conversely, the closed hand is a symbol of holding onto something. The interesting thing about this illustration I heard was the connection between the open hand and receiving. You see, not only must you open your hand so that the recipient of your generosity may take what they are about to receive, but also you, when you are about to receive, must open your hand.

When your hands are closed guarding what you have and holding on to protect your possessions, they cannot at the same time be open to receive fresh goods. That is the really interested paradox at work behind the spiritual truth that Jesus revealed when He said, “Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, crushed down, full and running over, they will give to you. For in the same measure as you give, it will be given to you again.”

The principle is that you cannot receive without also giving. You can, but you will be corrupted. It is similar to a pond with a stream in but no outlet. The pond becomes stagnant and nothing can live in that pond. In order for a healthy ecosystem to occur, there has to be both a source feeding the pond, and an outlet.

The other important thing that Jesus was revealing in this passage is that measure that you use to judge others, forgive others, express generosity, love or any other action, is the same measure that will be used to determine what you receive. You cannot give with a half heart, instead wanting to save what you are giving, then expect what you want to be generously given to you.

What areas do you need to “open your hand” in? Is there any way you feel that you need to adjust your measuring scale?

Blessed are they who have not seen and yet believe

Seeing is believing. We have all heard that line. It is a very popular philosophy today. Many people are convinced that if they could just see God – or some evidence of Him, that they would have plenty of reason to believe.

But they do not understand how faith works. Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as, “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” And Paul, writing to the early Christians at Corinth said, “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7) implying a dichotomy between the two. Basically, Paul was saying that you can either choose to walk by faith, or else you can choose to walk by sight – but the two choices are at opposite ends of the spectrum.

Indeed, even Jesus affirms the fact that true faith is not based upon visual evidence. Let’s take a look at His encounter with Thomas after the Resurrection. (John 20:24-29) Here we read about Thomas, one of the twelve disciples. According to John’s Gospel, Thomas was not with the other disciples when they first saw the resurrected Christ. When they confront Thomas to tell him of their encounter with Jesus, he reply’s by saying, “Unless I see in His hands the nail prints, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

Since the text often does not completely reveal the mood of the speaker, it is difficult to tell whether Thomas is literally as skeptical and cynical as he sounds, or if he is simply astonished. But we get some insight into that from what occurs next.

About a week later the disciples are all gathered together, this time Thomas with them. They are indoors somewhere and according to the text the doors are shut when Jesus suddenly appears in their midst. After greeting them and calming them down a little, Jesus turns to Thomas and says: “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” After this incredible rebuke, Thomas humbles himself and worship’s Jesus, calling Him, “My Lord and my God!”

Something to note is that Jesus doesn’t only rebuke Thomas, but He also offers Thomas what it was that he said he needed in order to believe. He invites Him to come and examine to see if it is really true. We are not told in the text that Thomas then get’s up and examines Jesus before believing. No, Thomas seems to respond the right way, by doing what he failed to do in the first place – trust Christ.

Finally Jesus gives Thomas and the rest of the disciples a little lesson on faith, and how it looks in real life. He says to them, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Revenge vs. Grace

Proverbs 20:22 says, "Do not say, 'I'll pay you back for this wrong!' Wait for the LORD, and he will avenge you."

James 1:19-20 says, "My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because our anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires."

Recently I was provoked to anger on account of close family members who were treated unfaily and taken advantage of in a business situation. Because I love them, and because they were victims I felt justified to be angry. I decided that I was going to take action. My family members, however, did not want me to fight for them. I couldn't understand it - why would anybody let themselves be bullied by someone, then not be willing to allow someone else to come to their defense? It just didn't make sense to me.

Then the Lord reminded me of that old verse from James, "the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God."

But what about Jesus? He got angry in the temple and turned over the money changers tables?

"You aren't Jesus, and Jesus wasn't just a man. His righteousness IS the rightousness of God."

OK, so what should I do?

Then it hit me. I remembered the words of the Lord when he spoke to the multitudes that we read about in Matthew chapter 5 - the Sermon on the Mount.

You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I say to you. love your enemies, bless those who curse you, and do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors (*who were apparently the epitome of spirtually destitute people in that day) do so? In this way you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
(from Matthew 5:43-48)

OK, Lord, so you want me to pray for those people and bless them? Are you kidding?

"Do you want to work your righteousness or Mine? The only way you'll work Mine is by following what My Son told you to do."

So I decided to give it a try. I prayed for the people who were causing such grief to my family. I admitted to God that I was upset with these people, then I confesed that I forgive them for what they did, and asked God to be graceful toward them. I also asked God to sincerely bless them, since Jesus told me to bless those who curse me. Since I still do not agree with their actions, I also asked God to help them realize that they cannot take advantage of others.

As it turned out, although my family members still suffered alot of stress through the ordeal, I believe God's will was done. The situation came to a amiable resolution for both parties, and my family was able obey Jesus by showing love toward these people who were actually cursing them.

I'll never forget the words that Jesus said in John 13:34-35: "A new commandment I give to you that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this the world will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

An Attitute of Gratitude

Today I want to share a brief word of encouragement on the matter of GRATITUDE. The Lord has been working in my life in this area alot lately. The fact is, when you are grateful, you are honoring God. Gratitude is a form of humility, and we know from James 4:10 that when we humble ourselves before God, He'll lift us up in due time. That's His promise. I believe that gratitude simply means honoring God by being thankful. Each day remembering that He granted the very life you have, and that He gave every good and perfect blessing you enjoy about your life (James 1:17). It is an act of humility and worship to thank Him for those things.

Thanksgiving is also an act of faith. According to Hebrews, "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb. 11:1). So that means if we do not see the things God has given us, like when trials are so great that they overshadow God's blessings to our human perspective, it would be an act of faith to thank God for the things which He has provided inspite of our inability to "feel them" right now, or to "see" them. One terrific way of doing this is simply to thank God for His purpose behind every time we suffer something. Sometimes it hardly makes sense to say, "Thank you God for all the wonderful blessings in my life" when we are suffering something terrible. It almost feels fake - like we are ignoring the suffering that is louder at that moment than the blessings. Well one very real response we can have to suffering that has hurt us very loudly is not to pretend to ignore the suffering, but to thank God for allowing it to come our way. That way we are exercising faith that He does have our best interest at heart in what He permits in our lives.

A wise person I know used to always say, "Your attitude determines your altitude." There is alot of truth to that statement - and having gratitude in our hearts is a great way of keeping a good attitude in life.

KEY VERSES:

2 Cor. 9:15
"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"

Psalm 95:2
"Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms."

Psalm 100:4
"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name."

Phillipians 4:6-7
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be makde known to God and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Colossians 3:16
"Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts."

Following Jesus During an Election Year

This morning I read the sermon notes from a pastor's message about Christian's role in the election process, entitled "How Would Jesus Vote?" The Sermon was preached by Fred Miller, pastor of the Cumberland Valley Church where my wife attened for several years before we met. The message is from a couple months ago and makes some great points. Since the elections are just months away, I thought I'd share some of this with you. Fred made several great points for how we as Christians can view politics in an election year.

The first question is "Would Jesus Vote?" Although we cannot answer definitively, we can ascertain from His actions that Jesus definitely did choose to use flawed (disciples and sinners) and temporal (feeding and healing people's physical needs) things to accomplish God's will, an eternal purpose. The implication is that even though candidates for political office are still flawed and human, they can do a job which promotes good works and the purposes of God here on earth, such as giving the community the freedom to share God's message, aiding the poor and oppressed such as minorities or immigrants, and carrying out the justice system. The Scripture supports that Government does provide two things that God is very much concerned with: 1. Doing good for people (Romans 13:4) and 2. Promoting freedom to live and proclaim our faith in Jesus (1 Timothy 2:2-4).

The second question, and rather the main point, is "How would Jesus vote?" In his sermon Fred noted Luke 4:18-19, where Jesus is quoting Isaiah the prophet. In that passage you will find both spiritual and social implications to the Gospel - which affects both our relationship to God and our relationship to others. Fred's conclusion is that Jesus would likely vote "for the candidate who will do the most good for people, and who will free us up to share the gospel." It's important to realize that we cannot force others to follow the teachings of Jesus by law, thus creating a "theocracy." Christian morality cannot be legislated. The government can, however, do things for the common good that many individuals within the general public will not do on their own. Consider Isaiah 58:10, and Zechariah 7:9-10, for example, to understand God's perspective of how we should treat people within our midst. The government can also play a key role in those causes and carrying them out.

Finally, some practical points to what Jesus would look for in a candidate to support are as follows:
How does the candidate...

1. Value all human life (Acts 17:25)...how does the candidate view the young, the elderly, minorities, the unborn, the disabled, those from other countries, and even those in other countries? "Jesus would want a leader who is pro-world, not just pro-America."

2. Care for the welfar of all, especially the poor (Proverbs 29:14)...how does the candidate view assistance to those who are the least well off? Is the candidate most concerned with benefiting those who are already rich, or with assisting those who are needy?

3. Support economic and social justice (Psalm 82:3-4)..."To pursue justice is to protect he weak from the strong" Justice includes more than just punishment of evildoers and convicted criminals.

4. Pursue peace (Psalm 34:14)...war is not God's best plan for the nation of the world. Although it is inevitable, and a clear sign of the last days, there is still a way to seek resolution without violence. Leaders should be in the forefront of such pursuits. "[Pursuing peace] makes violence a very last resort because violence kills life - and it stirs up resentment and anger in future generations."

5. Care for the earth's resources (Psalm 24:1)...Jesus teaching always included the concept that God considers us as stewards of all that we have, and will ultimately give account to Him for every one of the those things. Is the earth not also part of our stewardship? "The earth belongs to God - but he has given it to us to use and care for. We must not just consider 'today', but how our actions will affect generations to come."

6. Maximize religious freedom (Matthew 22:21)...Jesus definitely spoke out agains the spritual injustices in His day - the hypocrisy of the pharisees and condemned their laws that actually hindered true relationship with God. He would most likely do the same today. "He would not vote to make our government more Christian - he would vote to give Christians freedom from the governement. We have only one primary allegiance - Jesus."

*All key points and quotes in grey were taken from Fred Miller's sermon notes, titled "How would Jesus vote?" You can download the entire document in pdf here, or you can visit this page for all of Fred's recent sermon notes: http://www.cvclife.org/dnn/SpiritualResources/RecentSermonsAudioandOutlines/tabid/75/Default.aspx

**After this article was originally sent (via email) there was alot of heated discussion and response primarily, I suspect, becaue the topic mixes religion and politics, something that people tend to get very passionate (or annoyed) over. The following message was my email response in conclusion to clarify the purpose of sending this article:

Hey All,

I'm happy to hear so many responses to my email. That was actually the point - to get everyone thinking, because I know that - at least for me - so many times the tendancy is to NOT think about it until we hear a soundbyte on the news, or somebody else voicing their opinion.

Just to clarify two things...

One, my email was not intended to endorse or encourage endorsement for any candidate. I did not say or imply that it was.

Two, my email was actually not even from my own content - as noted it is based on the sermon notes of a friend who was merely giving his congregation some things to consider when evaluating the candidates. I was only paraphrasing some thoughts that I appreciated hearing, because they helped me to think about the election from a different perspective that the traditional capitalistic, patriotic, democratic/republican media perspective. None of the points made in the message were given with specific intent toward one or another candidate. In fact, at the time of the sermon - there were several candidates yet in the race (many months ago).

Again, I'd like to emphasize the Pastor was not actually hinting at any form of endorsement, but rather providing some examples of how Jesus might think about an election, thus encouraging the congregation to question, "what would Jesus value, and in turn, what should I value?" The point here is to encourage asking what God wants us to value, not who does God want us to vote for. If the question was who does He want us to vote for, I think that would take away alot from the point of having a democratic process. God doesn't always tell us what choices to make - He gives us wisdom, to forsee how our choices might affect our lives, He gives us His Word, to know clearly what His will is, He gives us a freedom to make our own choices, so we can exercise our own faith and obedience, and He gives us grace and mercy, so that when we do make poor or wrong choices, we are not destroyed by them. Apart from that, God isn't going to tell us who to vote for. Neither will I. But the conversation, and examination of our options is surely a positive part of the process.

Is It (__________) God's Will?

Recently a friend asked me how to know God's will on a specific issue. I thought in response, "Wow, that's the million dollar question for Christians." I can't count how many times I find myself wondering the very same thing. Sometimes the answer is pretty cut and dry. Other times it's very difficult to know whether God cares at all about a decision. "Which shirt should I wear today? Should I get my oil changed this week or wait until pay day? Should I buy such and such thing? Is God calling me to do this?"

Part of what makes it so difficult for us may be that we are so used to hearing do's and don'ts that are associated with our faith. However, this is not the whole point of knowing God. Part of being a servant of Christ is obeying Him and doing what He wants us to do. However, God's whole plan for us is not restricted only to the things He wants us to do (and not do). It also includes exercising the abilities He created us with - including free will. In exercising our ability to make choices, sometimes God remains silent, effectively passing the decision back into our own lap, even if we have offered it up to Him in prayer or in our hearts. By doing this, I believe God want's us to learn some things, for examply how to exercise our faith and other virtues like love or patience.

Never the less, in answer to my friend's question, I belive there are some principles God gives us to help guide us even when He is being silent.

1. God gives us freedom and a free will. Alot of times we over analyze whether God wants us to do something or not in life. There are specific do's and don'ts in the Bible (like DO love God and love others, and DON'T live only for yourself or for money, to name a couple). However alot of the activites and actions we engage in on a daily basis may be hard to measure by those clearcut standards. It's what some people call "gray areas." Areas that may be God's will or may not. But one thing to remember is that in Christ we have FREEDOM to make decisions and choices under God's guidance. (Check out 1 Cor. 10:29; Galations 5:1; 5:13; I Peter 2:16)

2. The Good vs. the Best principal. This is a principal which loosely interpreted means there are sometimes in life when you must choose between two or a number of positive choices. In those instances, you can ask God to help you look for the BEST choice or option. For example, in Luke 10:38-42, we read that when Jesus visited the home of Mary and Martha, He found two women that loved Him deeply but showed it in different ways. In the end, Mary choose the BEST option by choosing to sit at Jesus feet and listen to His words, whereas Mary chose a good option, but not the best one. Similarly, but not always quite so spiritual, we may find instances in life where there are two good choices and our responsibility is to seek the BEST.

3. Having faith in God's ability to oversee all of life's activities and situations. Proverb's 3:5,6 promise that if we trust in God and acknowledge His power to guide us, He will lead us in every avenue. Similarly we find Jesus' words in Matthew 6:33,34 that admonish us to seek God and His kingdom as though nothing else matters, and when we do God will take care of our every needs. To me, the real principle at work here is that God honors when we have faith in Him and He honors when we seek His will by simply asking Him. If we are willing to acknowledge His place in our lives, by asking Him what He may want of us, then even in those instances that do not require any clearcut course of action, I believe God will lead us in a way that we'll find His blessing. The important thing is to believe He is able to lead and make His plan clearly known.

4. To piggy back off the last point - sometimes taking some advice from simply "roadsigns" can be a good way to find God's plan, but we must have faith that God is behind it all. What I mean by this is that sometimes life answers our questions for us, by canceling out one of our options or clearly indicating one that is best. In those times, we can move forward in faith, trusting that God is at the helm of all that's going on. It's like a corny saying goes that says, "When God closes one door, He opens up a window." Well the point is that sometimes God will simply eliminate an option, and we can trust that He is leading then by His providence. If a door is closed, walk through a different one.

I think the key point here behind all of these points is that we must remember that God desires for us to become responsible individuals, managing our time, our actions, our resources, our throughts and words all in such a way that we ultimately honor Him. That requires us to seek His direction. Often then when we do, we find He grants us the freedom again to make a choice, in hopes that ultimately we will learn from our decisions.

An Easy Journey?

Matthew 11:28-30
"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My burden is easy and My yoke is light."

I Corinthians 10:13
"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."

Insight into the Christian life is knowing that God has our best interests at heart, and believing that. Jesus told his followers that they would have to die to themselves and follow Him to truly find life. That sounds like a pretty tough task to most of us. But He also indicated that when we do we would have every resource of our Heavenly Father on our side. In fact, Jesus told his disciples that yes, while they would have a burden to carry, it was easy and light. He even told them that if they carried His burden they would find rest for their souls! Paul seems to echo that truth when writing to the Corinthians buy pointing out that there is no trial or temptation that we may experience which is exclusive only to me. God does not wish to see us fail. He promises to give us a way out of temptation is we simply choose to take it. The toughest part about carrying our own burden is that we are all by ourselves with it. When we exchange our burdens for His burdens, we eventually find that He will help us carry His burden - we're no longer on our own.

Good Friday Indeed

Romans 5:6-8
"For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Isaiah 53:10
"Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief."

Two thousand and some odd years ago, on what tradition says was a Friday, Jesus Christ endured the worst suffering that many of us could imagine. He was betrayed and abdoned by his closest family and friends. He was accused and convicted falsely before a corrupt justice system. He was beaten with whips that had glass shards in them, beard yanked out, punched, spit on, and forced to carry a huge wooded cross up hill, all while wearing a crown made out of thorns, and being mocked and cursed at by an angry crowd who was thrilled to see him die. A crowd who just days before had honored him as their own king. Then soldiers drove nails into his hands and feet - nailing him to the cross that he was unable even to carry the whole way to the top of this place they called Golgatha - or "the place of the skull." Finally he was hoisted up into the air nailed to the cross to suffer a death by what was actually asphyxiation - lack of oxygen. Being nailed to a cross at hands an feet one would have to put the pressure of their whole body on a single nail driven through their feet to give their lungs enough of a foundation to even breathe - something that would be excruciatingly painful, and after so many hours of doing even impossible.

Yet all of this was not even the real kicker. There were actually two other men there that day on their own crosses, next to Jesus. Their situations were not exactly the same, however. Yes, it was a common practice for men to die on a cross in that fashion during the days of Rome's rule. But the real kicker of this story is this: Jesus was innocent. He was perfect, sinless and blameless. And to top if off, when He suffered this death, He accepted the very penalty of sin iteself - something that literally billions of people who have lived since the dawn of mankind should have suffered. But Jesus paid it all. God laid the sins of every man on Jesus, His own Son, so that every man could become a member of God's own family.

Good Friday? For Jesus it must have been tough - in fact nearly impossible to call "good." For us - "good" can barely begin to describe it.

Jesus paid it all

All to Him I owe

Sin hath left a crimson stain

He washed it white as snow

(chorus from Jesus Paid It All - by Elvina Hall, 1865)

Thirsting For God

Psalm 42:1-2
"As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for you, my God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with my God?
My tears have been my food day and night,
While people say to me all day long, 'where is your God?'"

King David, perhaps the most prolific King in Israel's history, and a man God called "a man after My Own heart," suffered some incredible things. He also made some pretty big mistakes in his career. However, the redeeming quality in David's life was that He always knew where to turn - back to God. Even when others were saying "where is your God now, buddy?", David opened up his heart and cried out to Him. I'd like to encourage you to follow the example of a man who accomplished great things and made great mistakes, but whose greatest accolade is that He was a "man after God's own heart."