The commercialism of Christmas is in high gear. Amazon trucks are rolling. Malls are packed. Trees and tinsel prepare for the Christmas Day “loot.”
There is a “presence,” an atmosphere in Christmas that’s about a lot more than Santa Claus.
HERE, FOR ME, IS THE “PRESENCE” OF CHRISTMAS:
If you are battling with anxiety, here are three truths that will make it DISAPPEAR!
Joy always seems so temporary. God, however has a daily joy, a lifetime joy, and an eternal joy!
Are you looking a mountain in the face? Does it feel impossible?
I love the little glass peephole installed in our front doors, hotel room doors, etc. It gives you a chance to “check out” your caller and either open the door…or run away!
We need a “peephole” in the “front door” of our minds! It seems we just “throw the door open” to any and all thoughts that come calling.
Insecurity is a silent enemy.
It ruins your relationships. It limits your leadership. It shows up in every decision. In essence, it is coloring your entire world.
How do you recognize it and conquer it?
My Daddy had a famous phrase: “Keep it simple, hang loose, travel light.” Our problem is that we are carrying too much stuff with us on the journey. I remember a time I was helping my daughter move home from London. She had at least eight suitcases. We were trying to get on the subway for the airport and I found myself at the bottom of an escalator sprawled on the floor with all eight piled on top of me! WE HAVE TOO MUCH STUFF.
Fear and timidity can paralyze you. Anxiety can control your every decision. Confusion can totally derail your life’s focus. The mind is the battleground of life. You will inevitably face storms and crisis. Your mind will be pressed to the breaking point. How do you persevere until the sun breaks through again?
For a lot of couples, changing seasons is a difficult time. They celebrate one more year but inwardly they know their marriage seems to be failing. Often, marriages that seem outwardly successful are privately failing. How can you fix a failing marriage?
“Judge not.”
No Biblical phrase has been more overused (or abused). Was Jesus actually saying we should have no discernment? What actually DID He mean and how do we steer clear of breaking His commandment?
Here are the 8 signs of judgmentalism and how we overcome it in our own lives:
I hate cruise control. I hate it but I love it. But I hate it. It is so limiting. It requires me to go only at a certain pace. I love it because I can relax and just ride. I hate it because I want to get there ahead of the guy in front of me! In our world today, everyone is in a hurry. Patients are dying in hospitals because of the haste to move on to the next patient. Everyone is on the move. We are squeezing every second out of one activity to pour into the next one.
Have you ever had the feeling of being overwhelmed, fearful of the worst, looking impossibility right in the face?
“Take courage.”
Have you ever been caught between two loyalties? Chances are, you are not in a “test”: you are in a “trap.”
Nothing destroys relationships like divided loyalties.
Look back over the people who used to be your closest friends. Now, somehow, you no longer speak.
How did it happen? Misplaced loyalties.
All failure is foundational. Whether it is your marriage, your ministry, or your money, it all comes down to one issue: “foundation repair.”
Jesus said that a wise man “digs deep” and builds on a foundation. A foolish man builds on the sand.
Some see grace as your constant “get out of jail free” pass. We all do, of course, need grace day-by-day for all our failures and shortcomings.
Millions of marriages are smoldering. The passion is gone. The fire is almost out. The excitement and astonishment left years ago. Marriages go through stages as Jesus said: “hot, cold, and lukewarm.” I’ve been married for over 40 years and I’m sure I have been through all three of them! If your marriage needs some “hot sauce,” I can help you with that.
I have always loved Psalm 23. It is the favorite passage of many Christians for comfort in times of distress and trouble. The other day, however, I looked at it differently: “The Lord is my pastor" (same word as shepherd).
Everybody sets goals, especially in a new year. Some are attainable and some are hopeless. By now, many have abandoned their goals for the year and some never set any! As a pastor for over 40 years, I learned how to set goals that were motivated by faith.
Stress is killing people. Guilt is not far behind. In between those two extremes is a simple word: “No.” Getting that word out is the hard thing. We hint, we beat around the bush, we psychologize. We stay mad because we couldn’t say that word. We avoid certain people and events because we can’t say that word. Business leaders, parents, pastors, and politicians all have a difficult time saying that word. Your world will change when someone shows you how to say “No.” I’ve battled it for years. After all, they’re my friend. What if I ruin a relationship? Didn’t Christ teach me to serve? What if their reputation tells me that what they borrow will never be returned? How can I add another thing to an already overloaded schedule? Stress or guilt?
Everywhere I go, people ask me, “How can I marry someone, like Melanie, who will stay together with me for a lifetime?” Over 40 years together with her, I think I can help you in that.
