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“For God so loved the world that he  gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but  have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only  Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John  3:16

Just about the time I think I am getting “tech savvy,” I get some new electronic device to figure out. It is incredible what these things can do, but the challenge is in getting them to do it.

Toyota recently announced that two new positions are being created in every dealership across the land to assist new car buyers in figuring out how to use the electronics in their new cars. I think they are called Electronic Usability Specialists or something like that.

New gadgets are designed to make life easier, but somehow they tend to make it more complicated. I have a hard time just remembering all of my passwords, much less how to use them.

One thing that hasn’t changed over the years is the simplicity of the Gospel. It is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and will be for evermore. It isn’t complicated and doesn’t have to be.

Here’s how one of the greatest theologians of all time, Charles Haddon Spurgeon expressed it:

“God be thanked for the simplicity of the gospel. The longer I live, the more I bless God that we have not received a classical gospel, nor a mathematical gospel, nor a metaphysical gospel; it is not a gospel confined to scholars and men of genius, but a poor man s gospel, a ploughman’s gospel; for that is the kind of gospel which we can live upon and die upon. It is to us not the luxury of refinement, but the staple food of life. We want no fine words when the heart is heavy, neither do we need deep problems when we are lying upon the verge of eternity, weak in body and tempted in mind. At such times we magnify the blessed simplicity of the gospel. Jesus in the flesh made manifest becomes our soul’s bread. Jesus bleeding on the cross, a substitute for sinners, is our soul’s drink. This is the gospel for babes, and strong men want no more.”

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1John 1:9). It doesn’t get much more simple than that and  doesn’t have to be.

Questions: Have you confessed your sins lately to God? What can you bring to Him today? He will cleanse you from all unrighteousness.

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“So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” John 16:22

Of all the phrases bestowed to us by the Founding Fathers, few come up more than pursuit of happiness. Yet who knows where the nation really stands on that score. Now an answer may be forthcoming. Amid a wave of research on the subject, the federal government is seeking ways to measure what some have called Gross National Happiness (GNH).

A panel of experts in psychology and economics began convening in December to try to define reliable measures of subjective well-being. If successful, these could become official statistics.

The idea of the government tallying personal feelings might seem frivolous or impossibly difficult. For decades, after all, the world has gotten by with gauging a nation’s quality of life on the basis of its GDP, or gross domestic product, the sum of its economic output. But economists and others have long recognized that GDP, a dollars and cents measure, doesn’t count everything that might be considered important when assessing living conditions. Our gross national product accepts that which makes life worthwhile.

But as the government ventures into the squishy realm of feelings, statisticians will first have to define happiness and then how to measure it. Neither is a trivial matter. There is even some doubt whether people, when polled, can accurately say whether they are happy. Personally I think they are on the wrong track.

Well, I have a suggestion. First they have to differentiate between happiness and joy. Happiness comes from without; joy comes from within. Happiness is often determined by our economic station in life. Joy comes from inner peace in our soul. Happiness focuses on the now; joy looks to eternity. Happiness comes on the mountain tops; joy is peace in the valleys of life.

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning (Lamentation 3:22-23). Now that is the wellspring of true joy and the measuring stick for us all.

How to you define happiness? You spell it joy and it’s not something capable of external numerical evaluation since it comes from within and when you have it, no one needs to measure it because it becomes an obvious part of your daily life.

Questions: Are you living a life of happiness and joy? If not, what steps can you take today to move towards having joy?

“The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.” Psalm 23:1-3

I should have gotten up earlier. Why did I choose a flight this early in the morning? If I hit one more red light I’m going to miss it. I will have to park in short term parking for a long-term trip. I just can’t miss this trip. I have to be at the meeting on time and there are no back-up flights.  Maybe I should have gone the night before.

All of these thoughts were in my mind as I sped, a little over the limit, down the highway towards the airport. As the departure time drew closer, my chest tightened.

Then I caught an ear to the sermon on Christian radio. “Faith and patience are tied together”, he said. Oh really, I thought. Yes, he said… “If our faith is in God we will have undeniable patience. The two are inextricably intertwined. If my faith is in Him and I have surrendered my life to the Lord Jesus Christ, then I won’t worry about whether I make that flight.” Or really, I thought, how does this guy know I am on the way to the airport. I listened further and more intently.

What if my making that flight is not in God’s plan? If I am totally dedicated to him then I should not fret or worry about the future, schedule wise, health wise, financially wise or any other wise.

This is a translation of the 23rd psalm from a Japanese Bible.  It says it all:

The Lord is my Pace-setter, I shall not rush;
He provides me with images of stillness, which restore my serenity,
He makes me stop and rest for quiet intervals,
He leads me in ways of efficiency through calmness of mind,
And His guidance is peace.
Even though I have a great many things to do each day,
I will not fret, for His presence is here,
He prepares refreshment and renewal in the midst of my activity,
His timelessness, His all-importance, will keep me in balance,
By anointing my mind with His oils of tranquility.
My cup of joyous energy overflows,
Surely harmony and effectiveness shall be the fruit of my hours,
and I shall walk in the pace of my Lord and dwell in His house forever.

That gives life a new perspective. Let God be your pacesetter, your provision for everything and above all a peace about life.

Question: Do you need God’s peace today?

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“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13

It opened in theaters recently and my wife and attended the second night. It was an incredible presentation about the horrific consequences of abortion. It affects not only the unborn child and the birth mother but also many other people as well; the movie spells that out so clearly.

The movie is October Baby, a story about a college girl who learns she was the product of a failed abortion and goes in search of her birthmother and her life. Depressed beyond relief, Hannah walks into a catholic church and is confronted with the priest to whom she tells her story.

But he tells her that the greatest need is forgiveness and that because Christ forgave her, she has the power to forgive others and that put a new perspective on her life. I’ll stop there as to not give away the story’s incredible ending. I hope you will go see it, as we need to support Christian movies. Don’t miss it, but Kleenex is recommended.

I believe forgiveness is a choice we make through a decision of our will, motivated by obedience to God and his command to forgive. The Bible instructs us to forgive as the Lord forgave us.

Corrie Ten Boom, a Christian woman who survived a Nazi concentration camp during the Holocaust, said, “Forgiveness is to set a prisoner free, and to realize the prisoner was you.”

We will know the work of forgiveness is complete when we experience the freedom that comes as a result. We are the ones who suffer most when we choose not to forgive. When we do forgive, the Lord sets our hearts free from the anger, bitterness, and resentment and hurt that previously imprisoned us.

This answer by Jesus makes it clear that forgiveness is not easy for us. It’s not a one-time choice and then we automatically live in a state of forgiveness. Forgiveness may require a lifetime of forgiving, but it is important to the Lord. We must continue forgiving until the matter is settled in our heart.

When we refuse to forgive others we become the prisoner and only Christ-like forgiveness will set us free. Christ forgave me to that I can and must forgive others.

Questions: Do you have someone you need to forgive? How has Christ’s forgiveness impacted your life?

He lives more than a thousand miles away and I only see him a few times a year, but every time I walk into his store, he makes me feel very special… like I am the only person in the world who matters to him. He is never at a loss for encouraging words. His name is Chatman.

After I saw him this week, I resolved to try to be more like him… an encourager for other people. It is amazing what we can do when people take the time to be a source of encouragement in our lives.

Encouragement of others is a powerful leadership tool and deals with basic communication skills. The most effective way to encourage others is to show genuine interest and acknowledge what’s important to them. When we show interest, we affirm and validate.

Applaud their victories and show compassion in their defeats. When others encourage you, always reciprocate the favor and encourage them and then when respond with something unexpected. Ask for advice from others, for it makes them feel special. Offer to lend a hand, for when people see you are willing to lend your own time and energy to their interests, they will become more committed to seeing it through and less likely to give up on themselves.

We all need to be lifted up and encouraged at times and the Bible is the greatest source for encouragement, far greater than any human encouragement. The Bible is the living word of God and feeds us through the promises of God found in scripture.

1. Paul tells us we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. (Philipians 4:13)
2. Isaiah tells us to fear not, for he is with us and we must not dismayed for He is our God and will strengthen us, help us and will uphold us with the right hand of His righteousness. (Isaiah 41)
3. Jeremiah reminds us that God will be found by those who seek him, and will prosper those who find him. (Jeremiah 29:13)

The Bible is replete with hundreds of words of encouragement and I need to pay more attention to them and always be ready to share them with all who come my way, but I will also look forward to my next visit with Chatman, for nothing is quite like words of encouragement coming from those who care for us and expect nothing in return.

When I saw the headline, it caught my eye: “Take a deep breath before you read this news.” So, of course, I read it. The article was about stress and my, oh my, It seems like I live in the stress capitol of America, at least according to a recent national study.  The Bay area’s stress comes from 15.5 suicides per 1,000 people, a 12.3 percent divorce rate each year, an 11.2 percent unemployment rate and an average commute time of 28.3 minutes, among other factors. Then there’s the global ranking by advertising giant JWT, which puts the United States right at the top of its  ’Anxiety Index’ with 72 percent of its people anxious about life.  That’s about on par with Egypt, which just had a revolution. By contrast, just 55 percent of Australians and 35 percent of the Chinese are anxious.

Clearly, regardless of where we reside in America, we all live in a stressed up country. Perhaps it is the materialism of our society. We work hard to catch up the Jones family down the street and just when we get there, they refinance and leave us in the materialistic dust. People seem to never be satisfied. They want more and more. Maybe they are focused on finding “things” that become more of an ego massaging collection rather than a source of true peace.

I suggest that only a dedication of a life to Christ can bring true, peace, joy and satisfaction. The Bible clearly says it is so:

• “The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.” Psalms 29:11
• “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee:  because he trusteth in thee.” Isaiah 26:3
• “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27
• “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” Romans 15:13
• “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23
• “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6
• “Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.” Thessalonians 3:16

The joy of life, the means of satisfaction and the source of all peace is not found in the mall, but rather as we draw from the well of all peace, the peace which passes all understanding… the peace that comes from a living vibrant life walk that comes from knowing Jesus, the Christ in a real and personal way.

Trust him and your well will never run dry and you too will have a peace beyond all understanding.

She was  the icon of modern pop music, with more than 170 million albums, singles and  videos worldwide sold worldwide. She was an American recording artist,  actress, producer, and model. The Guinness World Records cited her as the most-awarded female act of all time. When she tragically died recently, she was only 48.

The night before  she suddenly died, she sang the words to an old hymn titled “Yes, Jesus  Loves Me” at a pre-Grammy party. As far as we know, “Yes, Jesus Loves Me”  was the last song that the queen of pop, Whitney Houston, who many call “the  Voice,” sung.

We all want to  experience love in our lives. We want to know that someone loves us just for  who we are. Well, God is really the only somebody who loves us just for who  we are, unconditionally and fully, without fail. He offers the kind of love  that makes life worth living. Yes, indeed, Jesus does love you and yes,  indeed, Jesus does love me. His love is a love that you don’t have to earn.  It is an unconditional love that is stronger than any human  love.

God’s  love is free and applies to every person he ever created, but our love for  Him through His Son Jesus Christ is a matter of our own choice. We can  accept Him or reject Him.

Do you  really love Jesus? Or do you just say that you love Jesus? You can lie to  your friends. You can lie to your family. You can lie to your spouse. You  can even lie to yourself. But, you cannot lie to Jesus. He is not persuaded  by your words. He can see directly into your heart.

Jesus did not ask  Peter this question three times because he was hard of hearing or slow to  comprehend Peter’s answers! The fact that Jesus asks Peter this question –  “do you love me?” – three times is very significant.

Peter  is hurt when Jesus asks him a third time, most likely because it made him  recall his own three-fold denial of Jesus. This story emphasizes the  prominence of Peter among the Apostles and demonstrates how, despite his  denial, Peter is restored – reconciled with Jesus – through Jesus’  forgiveness of sins.

We too, like Peter, can be restored, reconciled  and forgiven when we truly turn to love Him. The question is not if Jesus  loves us. That is a given.

The question is do we truly love him?  

She was  one of the great leaders of the 21st century, playing a vital role  in the end of the Cold War in Europe. She was a strong woman in a man’s world.  The movie entitled Iron Lady was  recently released depicting the story of her courageous life.

I thoroughly  enjoyed viewing this film captivating the life and career of Margaret  Thatcher, Prime Minister of England. But, it was one particular quote of hers  that resonated with me. In her declining years she looks back and says:  “It used to be what we could  do. Now it is all about what we can become or who we can  be.”

What are you living for? What  is your ultimate goal? Who are you trying to please? The old catechism answer  says that our chief aim is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. So what does  that mean? Simply, it means our goal is to please  God.

Who’s in  control of your life? Who’s pulling your strings? For the majority of us, it’s  other people – society, colleagues, friends, family or our religious  community. We learned this way of operating when we were very young, of  course. We were brainwashed. We discovered that feeling important and feeling  accepted was a nice experience and so we learned to do everything we could to  make other people like us and to be a big dog in the kennel of  life.

In Ephesians 5 we are told  that our goal is to “Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is  found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is  pleasing to the Lord.” If we  try to live by the opinions of others, we will build our life on sinking sand.  The person who tries to please everyone will only end up getting exhausted and  probably pleasing no one in the process.

To be successful in God’s eyes is  to do God’s will for our lives. After all, he created us with a purpose and  for a reason. If we are driven by these values and not by the changing  opinions and value systems of others in this secular world, we will live a  more authentic, effective, purposeful and happy life. We will be actualized  and successful.

Life is  not about who makes history and headlines or who acquires the most power and  possessions. Life is about pleasing the Creator of all of us.

Only one  question remains – do you really want to be free?

During a tour at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, a New York City woman mentioned that she was raising a type of cactus in a pot on her apartment balcony. Another tourist asked her how she kept from watering it too much, because the cactus would die if over watered. “I subscribe to the Tucson newspaper,” replied the New Yorker. “Every time I read that it rained in the desert, I give my plant some water.”

Now that lady indeed went to the source of knowledge. She didn’t guess, or water haphazardly. She knew she could trust and be confident in the desert rainfall report. She didn’t rely on her own insight or understanding, but rather went to the source of accurate information.

There is a spiritual parallel here. Proverbs 3:4-5 assures us we can lean on, trust in and be confident in the Lord, casting aside our own inadequate insight or understanding. If we do, he will prepare the life road ahead. I like the Amplified Bible translation where it says He will “make straight and plain our paths.”

In geography, a plain is a relatively flat land with no steep paths to traverse. In carpentry, a plane is a tool that shaves the roughness of wood to make it smooth. It removes the roughness and turns it into shavings.

When I read this passage from Proverbs, I can visualize my God with a plane in His hand out front of my every step smoothing the path and turning my steep climbs into shavings that I no longer have to deal with. He makes my pathways in life straight and level.

If I can just get myself and my own understanding out of the way, I can trust Him to walk with me in whatever roads lie ahead.

Questions: Are there any places in your life that you are trying to handle on your own? How can you place your trust in God instead?

While looking for something I had carefully put away so that it wouldn’t get lost, I realized that I forgot where I had put it. As I went through drawers and closets, unopened in no telling how long, I was amazed at what I found, most of it filled with the unwanted and unneeded, some of it even unopened, I came to the conclusion that we were just “over stuffed” with needless stuff everywhere.

I have just finished reading my third book on the adventures of Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton’s 1914-17 expedition to Antarctica. It is fascinating. It was one of the greatest survival stories of all time. When he advertised for recruiting twenty six crew members, more than five thousand applied, notwithstanding the fact that the advertisement read, “chances of survival slim.”

Perhaps you remember the story. They sailed from Buenos Aries on the Endurance across to the Wendell Sea. Endurance became trapped in ice and was eventually crushed by the expansion of thousands of tons of ice. The crew was faced with spending the winter on the ice and then sailing lifeboats to Elephant Island and ultimately to South Georgia. It was one of the greatest tests of human survival ever and under Shackleton’s leadership, all survived.

The scene in the movie was so vivid when they salvaged what they could from the endurance and set out towing sledges across the ice. They needed everything they needed to survive. They could not afford to take anything that was not necessary for survival. Shackleton took gold coins out of his pocket and threw them in the snow, as an example for others to follow. He said that if they made it out safely, they would not need things like that and if they didn’t, they would be of no value.

There’s a spiritual parallel here. The writer of Hebrews 12 tells us: let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

What are you holding onto that bogs you down and hinders you in your walk of faith? What ultimately meaningless “stuff” are you hoarding that holds you back in your spiritual growth? Whatever it is, get rid of it so that your life may be full and your spiritual walk unburdened with the things of this earth.