ignite

Divine Yearning for Profound Connection

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 19:55:33 GMT

Post #2309012

Author: Robert Ott

Posted: September 15, 2023

Is there anyone who can honestly say relationships are easy? If so, then God bless you. You are definitely not the norm. Real relationships inherently always ask for love, attention, honesty, affection, caring, patience, and understanding. Why is it so difficult for you and other people in a real relationship to provide these attributes to the other person? A primary reason is each person brings into the relationship their own personal positive and negative baggage. And that baggage does not always complement the other person’s baggage.

This baggage refers to a variety of experiences, emotions, and memories that you carry with you throughout your life. It may encompass positive experiences, learned lessons, and personal strengths that you have developed over time. For example, you may have overcome adversity or faced and conquered challenges and carry the positive baggage of resilience, determination, and wisdom gained from those experiences. On the negative side, this includes experiences, traumas, or unresolved issues that may have a negative impact on your well-being or relationships. Examples could be past abusive relationships, childhood trauma, unresolved grief, or addiction issues.

Some of the ways in which this baggage is manifested are: Inability to express your thoughts and feelings which can lead to misunderstandings. Difficulty in resolving conflict which can strain even the best of relationships. Lack of boundaries can lead to codependency or feelings of being overwhelmed. Unrealistic expectations of that “perfect relationship” can lead to much disappointment. Any one of these can be difficult, but collectively, they are exponential. Negative personal baggage can weigh you down and hinder your growth and happiness.

Divine Yearning for Profound Connection

When God created the earth and everything on it, everything below and everything above, He set in motion a dynamic that is directly modeled on the essence of God in Christianity—their relationship, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. With that, He established the ability for mankind to have a personal relationship with the God of the universe. That divine “relationship dynamic” defines our human relationships that ask for love, attention, honesty, affection, caring, patience, and understanding; God for us and us for God. In Genesis 1:26 it says: Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us.” and it continues all the way through the Bible to Revelation 22:21 May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people. That is profound!

Here’s the difference, though, in God’s relationship with us, and the relationship we have with Him. On God’s side, it is perfect. He has none of the difficulties stated earlier. On our side, we have all of them. So, logically, who are the ones causing the problems? It’s us! We bring ALL of our difficult “baggage” into our relationship with God. And we react with God, relationally through our baggage, the very same way we react with people with whom we have relationships here on earth. How does God react to us, our issues and our reactions? He loves us anyhow. Nothing about us is hidden from Him, yet He is abounding in steadfast love. We should be amazed. Author Elizabeth Gilbert puts it this way: “To be fully seen by somebody, then, and be loved anyhow—can border on miraculous.” And that is exactly what it is. We are fully seen and “loved anyhow” by God!

Let’s unpack Gilbert’s quote just a little, but through the lens of the gospel. To be fully seen by somebody emphasizes the idea of being truly understood and recognized for who we are, with all of our flaws, vulnerabilities, and complexities. It’s about being transparent and authentic with God. And be loved anyhow , expresses that despite all of our imperfections, God loves us unconditionally. He accepts us for who we are without judgment or reservation. This is an offering that can border on miraculous . Being loved anyhow is a remarkable gift that God gives us. This gift highlights the rarity and value of such deep emotional connection and the transformative effect on each person. God’s gift flows from His divine yearning for profound connection.

Living-Out Our Relationship with God

This loving relationship is never given by God expecting anything in return. It is unconditional. But your changed life in conformity to the image of His Son Jesus, is your thank-you to Him for His gift. This is what I call living-out our relationship. I believe there are three primary tenets of this thank-you to God. They are:

FAITH – Love

PRAYER – Communication

KNOWLEDGE – Reading and studying the Word of God

For a real relationship and to facilitate a continuing deeply personal and spiritual connection with God that influences your worldview, values, and actions, you must f ully engage all three. To leave out or slight any one of these is to splinter your relationship with Him, resulting in significant spiritual, emotional, and relational consequences. Some of those consequences are:

Spiritual Drif t – Gradual drifting away from spiritual beliefs and values, becoming less connected to your faith community.

Weakened Faith – Doubts and questions may arise, and you may struggle to find meaning and purpose in your spiritual life.

Emotional Struggles – Find it harder to cope with life’s ups and downs, leading to increased stress, anxiety, or a sense of emptiness.

Moral and Ethical Choices – More prone to making choices that do not align with your Christian values.

Strained Relationships – Others in your community may expect a certain level of commitment to shared beliefs and practices. This can lead to a sense of isolation or disconnection from them.

Loss of Perspective – Without the framework provided by regular reading and studying of God’s Word, you may struggle to make sense of life’s challenges and may adopt secular worldviews that do not align with your faith.

Missed Opportunities for Growt h – Neglecting these practices, you may miss out on the opportunity to deepen your understanding of God, yourself, and your purpose in life.

In 1939 at the beginning of the World War II conflict, Winston Churchill, future Prime Minister of Great Britain, expressed his intense frustration and confusion about the Soviet Union’s foreign policy intentions. There was so much riding on the understanding and response to the relationship between Germany and the Soviet Union. Churchill said of Russia, they are “a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.” I often think, even we Christians view and experience God the same way. We don’t understand. And there is frustration and confusion. The benefits of learning and knowing God are enormous. The disadvantages of not learning and knowing God are devastating. Fervently engaging all three of these primary tenets is non-negotiable for being conformed to the image of Jesus the Christ.

In the next few blog posts, we will address each of the three primary tenets in more detail.

Start Being "Happy" Right Now

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 15:34:57 GMT

Post #2308011

Author: Robert Ott

Posted: August 25, 2023

I did not write this but it is just too good to pass up. I saw it on Facebook and it resonated with me. Actually, at 75 years old I am already, so there. All it requires is making a decision, intentionality and follow-through. My reward has been and is increased peace, joy and contentment in my life. The reason I am posting it on the Ignite Blog, is that you as a college student can start this today and you would be wise to do so. It is important at any age. You don't have to wait until you are 60, 70 or 80 years old. Get a headstart on it.

I asked a friend who has crossed 70 and is heading towards 80 what sort of changes he is feeling in himself? He sent me the following:

1. After loving my parents, my siblings, my spouse, my children and my friends, I have now started loving myself.

2. I have realized that I am not “Atlas.” The world does not rest on my shoulders.

3. I have stopped bargaining with vegetable and fruit vendors. A few pennies more is not going to break me, but it might help the poor fellow save for his daughter’s school fees.

4. I leave my restaurant server a big tip. The extra money might bring a smile to their face. They are toiling much harder for a living than I am.

5. I stopped telling the elderly that they have already told that story many times. The story makes them walk down memory lane and relive their past.

6. I have learned not to correct people even when I know they are wrong. The onus of making everyone perfect is not on me. Peace is more precious than perfection.

7. I give compliments freely and generously. Compliments are a mood enhancer not only for the recipient, but also for me. Here's a small tip for the recipient of a compliment, never, NEVER turn it down, just say “Thank You.”

8. I have learned not to bother about a crease or a spot on my shirt. Personality speaks louder than appearances.

9. I walk away from people who don’t value me. They might not know my worth, but I do.

10. I remain cool when someone plays dirty to outrun me in the rat race. I am not a rat and neither am I in any race.

11. I am learning not to be embarrassed by my emotions. My emotions make me human.

12. I have learned that it is better to drop the ego than to break a relationship. My ego will keep me aloof. Whereas with relationships, I will never be alone.

13. I have learned to live each day as if it is the last. After all, it might be.

14. I am doing what makes me happy. I am responsible for my happiness, and I owe it to myself. Happiness is a choice. You can be happy at any time, just choose to be!

"To Thine Own Self Be True"

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 22:52:23 GMT

Post #2307010
Author: Robert Ott

Posted: July 12, 2023

My wife and I had returned for our annual autumn visit to Cumberland Falls State Park for a long weekend. I awoke very early our first morning there and just laid in bed thinking. The room temperature outside the bed covers was a little chilly, but under the soft white down comforter, and lying next to her, it was warm and just right. I listened to her deep breathing as she slept, and thought how much I loved her and glad we had come there together again. In the morning I’m an early-riser, her not so much. Eight o’clock is her usual wake-up time. I’m more active and alert when I wake up, she doesn’t usually have a voice till around ten. We’ve gotten used to it after so many decades of doing life. And it is our respectful accepted routine. One of the many comfortable treasures in our life together.

The early morning is when I spend my time with Jesus reading God’s Word and praying. This morning though, regardless of how nice, warm and comfortable I was, I decided to take a walk. I got up, dressed, put on my jacket, wrote my wife a note and quietly closed the door behind me. It had rained during the night, so when I stepped outside there was that familiar, slightly sweet aroma of wet earth and rainwater. It was no longer raining as I stood there listening, but I could hear the drops of water softly hitting the carpet of leaves under the trees. The sun had not yet come up to burn away the fog, so there was this heavy mist of gray light easing into the empty spaces on the forest floor.

Meditating on God and Truth

I aimlessly sauntered along the paths enjoying the overall quiet and the soft sounds of nature. Slowly, my thoughts began to form and flow in a meditative way. I meditated on the goodness of God and the past areas of my life where he had changed me. And on my future, knowing there were many more such areas to address and in time, will come. The strange thing was that I was filled with peace. There was much I didn’t understand. So many uncertainties. But somehow, there wasn’t fear or anxiety.

I truly did not know who I really was. Who was this person that God created? Do I even know this person? Do, or will, I like this person? One thing I finally knew for sure: God does not make mistakes. That took a long time coming, but come, it did. That was a huge hurdle for me to overcome, but when I did, the emotional-spiritual-self-discovery broke free and a whole new and different world opened to me. A world where there was hope to heal from brokenness.

In an earlier post (#2305003 “Oh, the Toxic Lies We Accept as Truth”) I touched on false messages we hear growing up and, unfortunately, believe are true. How we build life systems around these false messages that form our lives in so many harmful ways. I believe the Holy Spirit of God must first “unlearn” us of these toxic messages, before he can teach and form us into the men and women of truth, power, love, mercy and grace. In other words, conform us to the image of Jesus. While the Bible does not specifically mention the “unlearning,” it does emphasize the importance of humility, openness, and a willingness to change in order to receive and understand God’s truth.

Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God’s kingdom. ( Matthew 18:4 MSG )

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. ( Romans 12:2 NLT )

There’s line in William Shakespeare’s play “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark”:

“This above all: To thine own self be true,

And it must follow, as the night the day,

Thou canst not then be false to any man.”

(Act 1 Scene III)

But how can one be true to one’s self, when the true self is unknown? When the true self is all intertwined with masks?

Emotional Masking

Emotional masking is a way that many, many people use to please others and gain their approval or acceptance. They can put on a persona or suppress their true emotions, thoughts, or desires in order to meet the expectations or demands of others. They may go to great lengths to avoid conflict, prioritize others’ needs over their own, and seek constant approval from those around them. This can involve masking their true feelings, preferences, or boundaries in order to maintain harmony and avoid upsetting others. For example, an emotional masker may agree to take on tasks or responsibilities even when they are overwhelmed because they fear saying no and disappointing others. They may also downplay their achievements or desires, fearing that expressing them openly might lead to judgment or rejection. This can become a pattern of behavior that compromises their own well-being and authenticity. It can lead to feelings of resentment, low self-esteem, and a loss of personal identity as they prioritize others’ needs and expectations above their own. I was a huge emotional masker.

My masks started developing when I was a child and they were primarily: I can handle anything, do anything, accomplish anything. I will achieve anything I set out to do. I will do it quietly and not raise a fuss. I took great pride in that. Achievement became my idol! Trust no one. The people who should have protected and helped me let me down. I do not need anyone’s help. And I projected all of this onto God! He did not care about me. He left me alone to make my own way through life. I did not know the real Jesus! Oh, I was saved alright. I was going to heaven when I died. I was a good person. But I had to live hell on earth and try to earn God’s love, which I could never attain. I was not loved.

And Then There Was Jesus!

So, as I walked through the quiet, beautiful forest I thought of my past of which the Holy Spirit of God, in his merciful patience and grace, broke through and “unlearned” me of my false perceptions and beliefs, and began revealing and re-building me in truth. I thought of my present, my sweet God-given wife, my beautiful God-given son, the relationships that I had developed with others who demonstrated their love and cared for me, and the real Jesus who showed me what love was all about. I thought of my future, the adventures the Holy Spirit would take me on, and not all pleasant. The growth that would come. The changes eminent in me. And ultimately eternity where I would live with God. But until that Day comes I would use all of my past and future experiences to show grace, love and mercy to others.

I sat down on a large rock and prayed. And then I looked up. The sun was now in the sky. The mist had cleared. And this is what I saw:

God’s stamp of hope and approval.

My Jesus

Are you past the point of weary?

Is your burden weighin’ heavy?

Is it all too much to carry?

Let me tell you ‘bout my Jesus .

Do you feel that empty feelin'?

‘Cause shame’s done all its stealin’.

Let me tell you ‘bout my Jesus .

He makes a way where there ain’t no way.

Rises up from an empty grave.

Ain’t no sinner that He can’t save.

Let me tell you ‘bout my Jesus.

His love is strong and His grace is free.

And the good news is I know that He

Can do for you what He’s done for me.

Let me tell you ‘bout my Jesus .

And let my Jesus change your life.

Who can wipe away the tears

From broken dreams and wasted years

And tell the past to disappear? Oh,

Let me tell you ‘bout my Jesus.

And all the wrong turns that you would

Go and undo if you could.

Who can work it all for your good?

Let me tell you ‘bout my Jesus .

Who would take my cross to Calvary?

Pay the price for all my guilty?

Who would care that much about me?

Let me tell you ‘bout my Jesus.

He makes a way where there ain’t no way.

Rises up from an empty grave.

Ain’t no sinner that He can’t save.

Let me tell you ‘bout my Jesus.

His love is strong and His grace is free.

And the good news is I know that He

Can do for you what He’s done for me.

Let me tell you ‘bout my Jesus.

And let my Jesus change your life.

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Amen, Amen.

( Song and lyrics by Anne Wilson )

Experience the Hope of God!

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 15:02:58 GMT

Post #2306009

Author: Robert Ott

Posted: June 28, 2023

If there is any doubt today that young people (Gen Zs 18-25) are struggling with a lack of purpose and meaning in their lives, look at the results of this study performed in 2022.

January 2022 Tyler J. VanderWeele, Ph.D., Director of the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard’s Institute for Quantitative Social Science and Senior Author of this Study

Hopelessness can be a contributor to many behavioral and mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress, and substance dependency. Feelings of hopelessness that occur with a condition such as depression may lead an individual to have suicidal thoughts. Hopelessness may not always occur with a particular condition, but no matter the cause, feelings of hopelessness can be devastating. Not only does the emotion compromise an individual’s sense of well-being and stability, it may also rob a person of the motivation required to seek help.

People experiencing hopelessness may make statements such as:

My situation will never get better.
I have no future.
No one can help me.
I feel like giving up.
It is too late now.
I have no hope.
I will never be happy again.

For those who are Christians do not be so naïve to think that “hopelessness” does not deeply affect some Christians, especially the young. The strong power of the evil one in our world is no respecter of persons. Jesus says in John 16:33 (NLT) “’I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take hear t, because I have overcome the world.’”

Several weeks ago, one of our pastors at my church preached a sermon on “Destiny: Believing that God is Weaving Everything Together.” In the beginning of that sermon he addressed the critical issue of hope in a Christian’s life. As I listened that morning and processed his words and thoughts, I had the pointed realization of how many people, especially young people, live without much hope that too often leads, devastatingly, to hopelessness.

Much of the time when we say we “hope” for something, we really mean we “wish” for something. And that is a fair expression. We do often hope (wish) for something, but there is a distinct and great difference in our hope in God. The Greek word for hope used in the scriptures below is Elpis . The definition of this Greek word is confident expectation, not a wish.

2 Corinthians 3:12 (NIV) “Therefore, since we have such a hope [ confident expectation ], we are very bold .”

Hebrews 6:19 (NLT) “This hope [ confident expectation ] is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.”

Romans 15:4 (NLT) “Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope [ confident expectation ] and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled” .

The hope in these passages is not a wish. Wishes do not inspire boldness . Wishes are not strong and trustworthy anchors . Wishes do not encourage patience.

What is the hope for the Christian? It is the crucifixion, death, burial, and ultimately the resurrection of Jesus the Christ, God in flesh! Why?

The appearances of the resurrected Jesus to his disciples provide evidence of his victory over death and reinforce the truth of his teachings.
The resurrected Jesus conquered death, offering the hope of eternal life to all who believe in him.
It is essential to salvation and the promise of new life in Christ. The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:14 (NLT) “And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless.”
The resurrected Jesus provides believers the hope of their own future resurrection. It brings comfort and reassurance that death is not the end, but a passage into eternal life with God.
The resurrected Jesus brings spiritual empowerment and transformation to believers’ lives. It signifies that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to all who believe in him. We can experience new life, forgiveness, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
The resurrected Jesus serves as confirmation of the truthfulness of the Gospel message preached by the early disciples.
The resurrected Jesus provides hope and encouragement to believers facing trials, challenges, pain, and disillusionment. It demonstrates that God has the power to bring life out of death and can work in the most difficult circumstances. It assures believers that God is present with them, and they can find strength and resolute endurance through him.

In 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 (NLT) the Apostle Paul powerfully and clearly states:

“I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.”

Our hope in God is REAL because the resurrected Jesus was seen !

I want to leave you with this beautiful and powerful description of one who found hope in God through the love, grace, mercy, sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God! Maybe it’s your story, as it is mine.

But me he caught-reached all the way

from sky to sea; he pulled me out

Of that ocean of hate, that enemy chaos,

the void in which I was drowning.

They hit me when I was down.

but God stuck by me.

He stood me up on a wide-open field;

I stood there saved-surprised to be loved!

God made my life complete

when I placed all the pieces before him.

When I got my act together,

he gave a fresh start.

Now I'm alert to God's ways;

I don't take God for granted.

Every day I review the ways he works;

I try not to miss a trick.

I feel put back together,

and I'm watching my step.

God rewrote the text of my heart

when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes.

Psalm 18:16-24 The Message

Experience the Power of God!

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 16:00:06 GMT

Post # 2306008

Author: Robert Ott

Posted: June 12, 2023

In September of 1989 I was on a business trip in Jacksonville, Florida. Hurricane Hugo was barreling up the east coast toward North Carolina and the whole coastal area was under an evacuation warning. I have never been an alarmist and usually have the attitude that everything will turn out fine. I lived in Florida when I was a child and had experienced strong storms and even a hurricane. I was not a novice.

But this was different. When I was leaving the oceanfront hotel and storing my luggage in the rental car, I noticed that everything was eerily quiet. There were no cars, no people, no squawking seagulls in the sky. There was no sound of rustling palm fronds, no wind or breeze, just perfect stillness. I glanced back over my shoulder and looked toward the ocean. What I saw was the most ominous black sky I had ever seen. It was frightening.

There was something overwhelmingly powerful about that sight over the ocean. Something I had never experienced before. Something so huge and powerful that it was mesmerizing. It was almost as if it were drawing me to it. So, I walked toward the beach, stood there alone on the retaining wall and faced this incredible force of raw power created by the forces of nature.

The seawall on which I was standing was ten feet tall. Churning, swirling waves of water were crashing against the seawall just two feet below me. Where there had once been a wide sand beach, maybe an eighth of a mile, there was now an ocean of water. The beach was gone. Standing there looking out across the wide expanse of mountainous waves of water, I just could not grasp how the power of the hurricane, centered a few hundred miles out into the Atlantic, could drive an entire ocean toward the shore to a depth of over twenty feet.

I do not know how long I stood there, but I do know all I could think about was the raging and ferocious power of God on display. My mind and spirit were transported, and I felt almost at one with the Holy Spirit’s power. It was overwhelming and awe-inspiring. I choked-up, weeping tears of worship of my God. How could this all-powerful God love me so much that he would come as a human being to this earth he created and give himself as a sacrifice for my salvation?

I can say, like the apostle Paul in Romans 7:24 NKJV:

O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

And like King David said in Psalm 8:3-5, 9 NIV:

When I consider your heavens,

the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars,

which you have set in place,

what is mankind that you are mindful of them,

human beings that you care for them?

You have made them a little lower than the angels

and crowned them with glory and honor. . .

Lord, our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!

And the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 40:12 NLT:

Who has held the oceans in his hand?

Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers?

Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and the hills on a scale?

This was an experience that expanded my view of God, and brought home the realization of just how small I really am. What I also realize is that spiritual experiences often occur in our lives. We are just not aware of them. The Bible is very clear that our spiritual eyes can be blind and our spiritual ears can be deaf, which can lead to isolation and lack of intimacy. Jesus himself said in Matthew 13:13-14, 16 NLT:

“This is why I use these parables, for they look, but they don’t see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand. This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says, ‘When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend’ . . . But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.”

Moreover, our isolation and lack of intimacy with others can potentially leave us spiritually immature and weak, unable to discern God’s presence all around us. Intimate relationships with others can help us discern God's presence and work in our lives. Through shared experiences, conversations, and insights, we can gain different perspectives and receive encouragement and confirmation of God's activity. Without these interactions, we may struggle to recognize or interpret God's presence in and around our lives.

While isolation and lack of intimacy with others can have these negative effects, it is important to note that God's presence is not limited by our circumstances. Even in times of isolation, we can still cultivate a personal relationship with God through prayer, meditation, and studying the scripture. God's presence can be experienced and discerned individually, but the communal aspect of spirituality remains significant for our growth and understanding of God's work and power in the world.

Obviously, this particular spiritual experience of hurricane Hugo was monumental for me, but spiritual experiences do not always have to be hurricanes. My prayer is that we will continue to open our eyes and ears to the Holy Spirit, so we may experience the powerful presence of God in and all around us.

Please, Dear Prodigal, Return to the Faith of Your Fathers - Part 4

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 14:08:08 GMT

Post #2306007

Author: Bob Russell, former Senior Pastor of Southeast Christian Church

Posted June 5, 2023

This is the fourth and final blog post by Bob Russell. It is primarily a letter that comes from his heart to the young people who have left their faith in Jesus and turned instead to what the world offers.

Before you read this post I want to make sure there is understanding of the description of a “prodigal.” The term prodigal typically refers to someone who has left their home and rejected their family's or maybe their own personal values; and with reckless behavior, wastes their resources, talents and opportunities they have been given, and fail to achieve what might have been.

While you may not have left home and become a "prodigal" it is very possible you know someone who has, or you may know a person someday. Caring for a friend or family member who has turned their back on the faith of their family or their own is an act of compassion, empathy and kindness. Your support, guidance and prayer for them can have a significant impact on their life and the lives of those around them.

Please, Dear Prodigal, Return to the Faith of Your Fathers - Part 4

Written by Bob Russell, December 18, 2022

(Posted with Bob's permission)

In my recent three-part series of blog posts, “ Leaving the Faith of Their Fathers, ” I discussed how parents and grandparents grieve over their prodigals — children who have grown up in the church but, as adults, no longer share their Biblical values. Yet I cannot leave the subject without addressing the prodigal children themselves.

Most prodigals suggest their parents or their church are to blame for their defection. Others claim intellectual doubt. However, in reality, most are like a man in the New Testament named Demas, who the Apostle Paul describes as a “fellow worker” in ministry with him. Yet Paul later writes that Demas left the faith because he “loved this present world” ( 2 Timothy 4:10 NASB ). Indeed, this is simply the case for most prodigals. Their love of the pleasures of the world has drawn them away from the faith of their fathers.

While it is unlikely that most prodigals will read this post, I write it in hopes that even one with a softening heart may be willing to hear the pleas, repent, and return to the God of their fathers.

Dear prodigal,

Please set aside your differences to thoughtfully consider why your parents are so heartbroken. Your parents are not perfect. None of us are. But chances are they love you more than anyone else in the world. So, whether you are intentionally trying to hurt them or just being selfishly ambivalent to their concerns, they do not deserve the agony your spiritual defiance is causing. Despite their flaws, there is one perfect Father who loved you enough to sacrifice his son for your eternal salvation. Your parents are heartbroken because they fear your rejection of God will destroy you for eternity and keep you from a wonderful relationship with them in Heaven.

Hell is certain for those who reject God . I am not going to sugarcoat it. You will die one day. It is certain. There is no escaping it. Worse, God’s judgment and the punishment of Hell is also certain for the unbeliever. So please don’t be flippant. Hell is not to be laughed off as a giant party or a place you can mingle with worldly friends. Jesus explicitly warned several times that those who reject Him will be cast into fiery darkness where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (see Luke 13:28 ). That does not make God unloving. Rather, it is by His love that His justice abolishes sin and evil to make all things new and pure for the believer in eternity.

Perhaps you think that once you accepted Christ, you were saved regardless of how you lived or what you believed from that point on. However, the Bible warns us:

“By this gospel, you are saved IF you hold firmly to the word I have preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain” ( 1 Corinthians 15:2 ).

“… if we disown him, he will also disown us” ( 2 Timothy 2:12 ).

“If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning” ( 2 Peter 2:20 ).

While you may think you have plenty of time, there is no promise you will live until old age. Death may come at any time without warning. While you may be lucky enough to live a long life, your heart becomes more calloused with every passing day, and repentance will be increasingly difficult. Therefore, I plead with you to consider that your defiant rejection of God is a dangerous bet against the punishment of Hell.

However, for those who believe there is the magnificent promise of escaping the punishment of Hell and spending eternity in Heaven. Jesus assures us. “ I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die” ( John 11:25 ). That is not wishful speculation. It is a proven demonstration. Jesus conquered the grave and promised, “ Because I live, you also will live” ( John 14:19 ).

The Bible describes a grand reunion in Heaven called the “Marriage Supper of the Lamb,” where we will enjoy fellowship with our loved ones in Christ, worship God, and rejoice in His grace forever. “ No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him ” ( 1 Corinthians 2:9 GW ).

This is why your parents fervently pray that their family’s spiritual circle be unbroken for eternity. They want you there! God promises He is making “all things new” for us in Heaven (see Revelation 21:5 ). This means what may have been an imperfect relationship with your family on earth will be a new, wonderful relationship with them in Heaven! Do not miss that exciting reunion! Do not miss it for the world!

In the final book of the Bible, Jesus makes this straightforward appeal to prodigals, “ Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place” ( Revelation 2:4-5 ).

After the prodigal son wasted his entire inheritance in wild living, he wound up at rock bottom…feeding pigs on a farm. He suddenly realized he was totally wrong, repented of his sin, returned humbly to his dad, and begged for forgiveness. His gracious father embraced him and immediately restored him to the family. He called everyone within shouting distance, “ Let’s have a feast and celebrate! For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! ” ( Luke 15:23-24 ).

So, please, dear prodigal, “ Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts [as in the rebellion] ” ( Psalm 95:7 ). Heed these words and return now to the faith of your fathers. Your parents desperately need you now. Your children need your Godly influence now. The church, the family of God, needs you now. And the world needs your Godly impact now. “ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation ” ( 2 Corinthians 6:2 ).

Your Heavenly Father is waiting now on the front porch, eager to race to you and welcome you back home. So are the rest of us. – Bob

Leaving the Faith of Their Fathers – Part 3

Mon, 29 May 2023 11:55:55 GMT

Post #2305006

Author: Bob Russell, former Senior Pastor of Southeast Christian Church

Posted May 29, 2023

This post is the third of four written by Bob Russell that comes from his heart to the young people who have left their faith in Jesus and turned instead to what the world offers.

Leaving the Faith of Their Fathers – Part 3

Written by Bob Russell, December 11, 2022

(Posted with Bob's permission)

As discussed in the first two posts of this three-part series, Christian parents and grandparents grieve over children who have grown up in the church but, as adults, no longer share their Biblical values. Concerned not only about their salvation, these parents and grandparents are also distressed that the opposing worldviews impede meaningful relationships with their children and grandchildren.

To correct a problem, it is important first to identify and determine its cause. And just as there are multiple causes for children to leave the faith, there are multiple approaches parents and grandparents can take to address the issue. Understand, however, that what may work in one situation may not be effective in another. So prayerfully consider the approaches below to seek God’s wisdom and guidance for your situation.

1. Examine yourself . Jesus instructed us to remove the log from our own eye before taking the speck out of someone else’s eye. No parent is perfect, so repent of your own sins and, as much as possible, defuse the counter charge of hypocrisy. God promises, “Blessings crown the head of the righteous” (Proverbs 10:6) .

2. Keep praying for your child . Don’t give up. No matter how far they have wandered away, pray without ceasing. Ask others to pray with you. I have friends who pray, “Lord, we plead with you that the circle of our family will be unbroken in eternity. Whatever it takes, even if it involves heartache, bring something into our son’s life that will motivate him to repent and return to you.”

Claim the promise in Hosea 14:4 for your child, “I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them.”

3. Avoid arguments. Heated arguments result in disagreeing children stubbornly digging their heels deeper in opposition. That means they will need to swallow even more pride before returning.

While they may claim doubt, the real cause is not intellectual doubt. It is sinful pride. Don’t spend a lot of time arguing over the Bible or giving an apologetic for faith. When the conversation gets intense, bite your tongue and quietly back off. Consider giving them Lee Strobel’s book, “A Case for Christ,” or “Mere Christianity” by C.S. Lewis, and let it go at that. They may think they are smarter than you, but they are not smarter than C.S. Lewis.

4. Write a letter explaining your concerns. You worry that they do not understand the eternal and earthly consequences of their behavior. Instead of constantly rehashing the same issues and making everyone miserable again, write a carefully crafted, loving letter expressing your convictions. Take your time. Apologize for your own mistakes. Make it clear that while you will avoid continuing to address the issue in the future, your concerns remain.

5. Don’t waiver on your beliefs. Sadly, this is a real temptation for many parents. Their children may argue that the parents are the problem and that the parents need to stop being so rigid. Consequently, parents often yield and compromise their core beliefs to avoid ongoing conflict. For instance, while they have always believed it was wrong for couples to cohabitate before marriage, they back down and reason, “Times have changed. When he brings his live-in girlfriend home, we let them sleep in the same room. They do it at their home anyway.”

The Lord warned that families would divide because of Him (see Matthew 10:21 ) . Parents, do not waiver. Instead, “stand firm in the faith. ” Your children need to see your primary allegiance is to Christ – not to them. They need a positive example of faith, not another endorsement of their rebellion.

6. “Be joyful in all circumstances.” It has been said, “You are as happy as your most unhappy child.” Do not let that be true for you. While you are disappointed in your child, do not let their spiritual insubordination make your life miserable and everyone else in your inner circle. Your identity — your joy — is in Christ, not your prodigal child. So “Rejoice always” ( 1 Thessalonians 5:16 ). Life goes on.

7. If possible, maintain a united front with the rest of the family. Siblings and family members need to be on the same page. Grandparents, this means you! Our culture says it is time for you to take it easy and enjoy spoiling your grandchildren. However, scripture says grandparents are called to a greater level of influence, to “ Teach them to your children and to their children after them ” ( Deuteronomy 4:9 ). Support the parent’s efforts to discipline your grandchildren.

8. Release them to God and wait patiently. When someone you love drifts away, the first inclination is to chase after them. However, when you grovel before them, they experience no distance – no discomfort — in the relationship and may feel more empowered.

The father of the prodigal son didn’t chase after his son and drag him home against his will. Even when the boy was in the pigpen, the dad waited for him to come to his senses. “ The Lord disciplines the one he loves ” ( Hebrews 12:6 ). God will humble and chasten your child in His time. Don’t usurp God’s role. Trust Him.

9. Write a letter to be given to them upon your death. Make one final appeal. They will read a letter from you when you die. Reaffirm your love for them. Keep it short and heartfelt, but remind them Christ died for them and is eager to forgive and restore them.

10. Above all else, love them. Without endorsing behavior or enabling addiction, lovingly reach out with texts, emails, phone calls, and visits. Give generously at Christmas and birthdays. Provide help when needed. “ Love covers a multitude of sins” (See 1 Peter 4:8 ) . Remind them they are loved even though you disagree with their life choices.

11. At times, you may need to practice tough love. The Bible teaches that when fellow believers are living in flagrant sin, they are first to be confronted individually. If they do not listen, then confront them with others. If they still refuse to listen, believers are to withdraw fellowship from them ( see Matthew 18:15-17 and 1 Corinthians 5 ). The purpose is to motivate repentance.

So, if they use your money to support an addiction, stop helping them financially. Do not enable their decadence. It is not loving when you help them to be comfortable in their sin. You should also reduce the amount of contact and time they spend with their younger siblings, who can be negatively influenced.

In extreme cases, it may be prudent to cut them out of the will, but you should explain why. They must understand that while you are brokenhearted over their rebellion, you intend to move on without them until they repent. Otherwise, you are decreasing the likelihood of repentance and increasing the risk of disaster.

12. Keep vigil on the front porch and be eager to welcome them home. Live in expectation. The father of the prodigal son saw the boy stumbling down the lane when “he was a long way off.” Apparently, the father was on the front porch every day, watching and anticipating.

When genuine repentance occurs, forgive and restore completely. Do not hold grudges. The prodigal’s father did not demand his son wallow in the dirt, repay what he had spent, or explain why he rebelled. Instead, “ Forgive one another, just as in Christ, God has forgiven you” ( Ephesians 4:32 ).

I have seen dramatic transformations in young lives. Children lost in sin were found, and others who were spiritually dead came back to life. Families that were once divided are now reunited. So, “ Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” ( Galatians 6:9 ).

Leaving the Faith of Their Fathers - Part 2

Mon, 22 May 2023 21:59:44 GMT

Post #2305005

Author: Bob Russell, former Senior Pastor of Southeast Christian Church

Posted May 22, 2023

This post is the second of four written by Bob Russell that comes from his heart to the young people who have left their faith in Jesus and turned instead to what the world offers.

Leaving the Faith of Their Fathers – Part 2

Written by Bob Russell, December 4, 2022

(Posted with Bob's permission)

In the first of this three-part series, I expressed concern about the spiritual defection of many youths who grew up in the church. Christian parents and grandparents grieve over children who no longer share their Biblical values. They are not only troubled about their child’s salvation, but the opposing worldviews hinder meaningful relationships. As a result, parents can no longer talk with children about life’s most critical issues without tension or being accused of “nagging.”

In next week’s post, I will suggest some ways to respond to prodigals and how parents can avoid making the same mistake with the next generation. However, in this post, I will offer some reasons why so many are forsaking the faith. The first step to correcting a problem is to identify the problem. The second step is to determine the cause. Until a disease is diagnosed correctly, it is difficult to prescribe an effective cure.

Parents are partially to blame. Proverbs 22:6 assures us, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (King James Version). The second half of that verse is more of a guiding principle rather than an absolute promise. It is not uncommon for two children to grow up in the same home, and one remains loyal to the Lord while the other grows spiritually defiant. Same parents, same upbringing, but dramatically different outcomes. When children are properly guided, they are likely to remain faithful to the Lord, but not always.

When a child rebels, most Christian parents overstate their own failures and ruminate over what went wrong. “We should have been more consistent, more intentional, more tolerant, or more strict.” Perhaps so. Yet even the best parents make mistakes.

Perhaps parents’ most common and egregious blunder is to relegate the training of Biblical values to others. The Scripture instructs parents to teach God’s word to their children. “Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” ( Deuteronomy 6:7 ).

Biblical training is meant to be a daily priority backed up with a positive parental example, not merely thirty-minute sessions at church once per week.

The church is partially to blame as well. While many churches are doing great things to reach the lost, many others are so focused on reaching the “seeker” that they have neglected to train children to survive in an increasingly spiritually hostile environment. Many church youth programs are designed to entertain or “keep attention” rather than teaching and applying Scripture. The Bible says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” yet out of concern for the seeker, there is rarely discussion of the penalty of sin or Hell. As a result, we have raised a generation with “No fear of God before their eyes” ( Psalm 36:1 & Romans 3:18 ).

The strong influence of the secular culture is also to blame. Today’s youth are bombarded with a secular worldview. Education, news, entertainment, and advertising all promote a hedonistic philosophy where contemporary thought is deemed more relevant than the Bible. Furthermore, secular culture conditions younger generations to believe they are smarter and more advanced than their parents and grandparents, which C.S. Lewis labeled as “Chronological snobbery.” They are convinced they have nothing to learn from previous generations. The Bible teaches us to honor our parents, respect the wisdom of the elderly, and learn from history. Yet many within the younger generation scoff at the wisdom of older authority figures.

We should not be shocked when our teenagers scoff at the belief that God created the world or that sex is reserved for marriage only. Those convictions were nearly universal years ago, yet now they seem archaic and even hateful to the child’s reprogrammed mind. Our children are conditioned by the adversary to instinctively reject the idea of divinely revealed, absolute truth.

The sinful nature of every child is mostly to blame. It is not easy for parents to accept that no matter how compliant or spiritual their child appears, everyone has a sinful nature that gravitates to carnality, conformity, and indifference. Jesus said, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed” ( John 3:19-20 ).

The Bible says that Satan “invents ways of doing evil.” He skillfully entices good kids with exciting but lethal temptations, and many over-trusting parents are oblivious to it.

Prodigals often claim intellectual doubt, yet the primary source of their doubt is not cerebral. It is moral. They first yield to the intoxicating temptations of the flesh and then seek to justify their immoral behavior with accusations against God. Jesus warned in the last days, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.” ( Matthew 24:12 ).

Godly parents express frustration that nothing seems to work, no matter how much apologetic evidence they offer to counter their child’s unbelief. That is mainly because it is not really a rational issue for the prodigal. Rather, it is a heart issue. As social theorist Stuart Chase put it, “For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don’t believe, no proof is possible.”

Family arguments end in a stalemate because “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit” ( 1 Corinthians 2:14 ).

What is most needed is a conviction about their spiritual rebellion and to repent of their sin. Jesus’ first message was: “Repent and believe the good news.” ( Mark 1:15 ). And, “…unless you repent, you too will all perish” ( Luke 13:3 ). So how can we soften hard hearts and facilitate genuine repentance? That does not come easily. I will suggest some courses of action next week in the final post of this series.

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” ( 3 John 4 ).

Leaving the Faith of Their Fathers - Part 1

Mon, 15 May 2023 20:51:36 GMT

Post #2305004

Author: Bob Russell, former Senior Pastor of Southeast Christian Church

Posted: May 15, 2023

This post is the first of four written by Bob Russell that comes from his heart to the young people who have left their faith in Jesus and turned instead to what the world offers.

Leaving the Faith of Their Fathers - Part 1

Written by Bob Russell, November 27, 2022

(Posted with Bob's permission)

Recently, I have encountered many Godly parents who are heartbroken that their children have shunned Christianity. Although these prodigal kids were raised in Christian homes and attended church regularly, their upbringing was not perfect — no home is. Yet they had many spiritual advantages: their parents set a positive example, they were taught the Bible at home and church, they learned how to pray and honor God, and some had a Christian education.

However, once they left home as young adults, they quit attending church, indulged in worldly activities, and embraced the secular worldview. They began to doubt the truth of the Bible and question their parent’s concept of God. "How can I believe in a God who would condemn anyone to hell for doing what comes naturally?" "How could I believe in a God who insists there is only one way to salvation?"

Christian parents and grandparents are crushed when they watch the children they love reject their faith and embrace a secular worldview. After hearing me preach in North Carolina recently, a couple tearfully approached me, saying, “We’re so concerned the Lord will return for His church, and our own grandchildren are not going to be included in the coming kingdom! What can we do to help restore them to a relationship with Jesus? Would you pray for them?”

Why are so many youths rejecting the faith of their childhood? They are certainly not the first to do so. The Old Testament is full of examples of Godly parents whose children went spiritually AWOL and disappointed them. Isaac, Jacob, Manoah, Eli, Samuel, David, and Solomon all experienced the heartache of children who rebelled spiritually. One of Jesus’ best-known parables is the story of the prodigal son who defiantly left home and squandered his father’s wealth.

Unfortunately, spiritual defection seems to be on the increase. Jesus alerted us this would be the case in the last days. He warned, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12). I think we are seeing the fulfillment of that prophecy.

The first step in solving a problem is identifying the problem. Unfortunately, I believe a significant factor in recent decades has been churches’ emphasis on attracting the “seeker” while neglecting the discipleship and training of those within the church – especially our children. The Bible directs us to impress our children with God’s commands (Deuteronomy 6:7) and raise them “in the training and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). Many Christian leaders should honestly evaluate their efforts and recognize it is making their congregations Biblically illiterate.

Over the next two weeks, my blog posts will further discuss the cause of church defections and suggest some corrections that churches and families should make. I will also offer suggestions for reclaiming those who have fallen away. In the meantime, pray for wisdom for concerned parents and pray their children will remain faithful. May their circle be unbroken.

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” (3 John 4).

Oh, the Toxic Lies We Accept as Truth

Mon, 08 May 2023 11:47:53 GMT

Post #2305003

Author: Robert Ott

Posted: May 8, 2023

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31 NLT)

He [Satan] was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44b NIV)

One of the things my mom loved to do was visit the “shut-ins” from our church. That’s what the people called those who lived in nursing homes or other places where they were confined for various physical, emotional, or mental impairment reasons. While the term may not have been the most loving, mom’s heart was in the right place. She would very often take me with her on those visits. I assumed she was trying to teach me how to be loving to them. The problem was they scared me.

I was quite young and impressionable. I didn’t like the strong smell of urine which was pervasive in their lodgings. They oftentimes would holler at me to get me to come closer to them. There were some who had dramatic physical impairments resulting in spastic motions and speech. Sometimes they would reach out to grab me as mom and I walked by, with me holding tightly to her hand.

When we would leave the nursing homes mom would always express how blessed and thankful she felt after visiting them. She felt love for them. I would always listen and not say anything because I didn’t want to come across as unloving and be a disappointment to her. But one day when she asked me how I felt, I gathered the courage to tell her that I didn’t like going, didn’t like the urine smell, and the people scared me. Her immediate response was: “Bobby, you shouldn’t feel that way,” and then proceeded to tell me how much Jesus loved them. This same scenario repeated itself many times. After each visit she would ask if I felt any different. It didn’t take long for me to start lying and tell her that I did. I wanted to please her and Jesus.

Subtly and over time a message planted itself in my mind. The message became stronger and I began to believe that my feeling of fear instead of love meant there was something wrong with me. I felt guilty. These negative feelings took root then flourished and I accepted them as being true: I was no t loving; I was not compassionate and I disappointed mom; Jesus did not like me; I was not a good person; and I sinned .

Seem too drastic? Not if you knew the long-term impact these toxic messages had on my life. The seemingly innocuous words received as truth set in motion complicated tangents within me. The truth is they were lies. Psychologists Kristen Zolten M.A. and Nicholas Long Ph.D. have shown from their studies that children begin to form ideas about themselves based on how their parents communicate with them ( Parental Communication 1997, 2006; Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences ). Mom didn’t intend to be cruel to me. She didn’t intentionally lie. She really was trying to teach me how to be a loving person to others. But she did it in the wrong way and, unfortunately, she didn’t have a real pulse on my impressionable mind and sensitive personality.

There is another way that lies have powerful, long-lasting, toxic impacts on our lives. The belief that one has caused pain or harm to another person and bears responsibility for it, is an example. There is a scene in the film series The Chosen by Dallas Jenkins where Jesus and his disciples are walking through a field in Samaria, when suddenly they see a man in the distance, slowly hobbling towards them. When they meet and after some strained conversation, Jesus announces that he and his disciples are going to eat their evening meal with him and his family. The man immediately begins to explain to Jesus that it is impossible because he and his family have no food for themselves and especially none to share with others. They are totally destitute and have been for years, with no hope of anything better in the future. But Jesus is not to be put off. He has brought the food with him.

After they finished their meal, Jesus casually points to the man’s broken leg and softly asks, “What’s the story?” “I fell off a horse,” he replied. Jesus says, “Tell me your story.” With tears in his eyes the man hauntingly looks around at the disciples who are watching him, and he ponders warily. Then he looks into the eyes of Jesus and begins to tell his story.

There was a famine in the land and he couldn’t feed his family. They were starving. He had looked at his wife and daughter and saw the hunger and fear in their eyes. He could see the ribs of his daughter through her skin. His wife’s eyes had turned grey. They had run out of food and money. In desperation he left and went to the road that ran from Jericho to Jerusalem where he hid and waited. Eventually a Jew who was traveling alone came along. He jumped him and took all of his money and all of his clothes. But the Jew fought back. In the struggle the Jew was knocked down and hit his head on a rock. The man thought he was probably dead. He quickly mounted the Jew’s horse to take it to be sold at a Roman outpost. But he wasn’t on the horse more than ten minutes when she reared up and through him off. His leg was broken and he and his family ended up worse than they were before.

“Now you know the kind of man I am,” he told Jesus. “Every day I think about that Jew lying naked on the road possibly dead. I could be a murderer.” Jesus very softly says as he looks at him through tear-filled eyes, “He didn’t die. Someone came along and helped him.” As the man weeps and looks at Jesus in astonishment he asks, “How do you know?” Jesus slowly nodding his head says, “I know. I promise you . . he did not die.” The scene ends in silence. The man stares down at the floor with tears streaming down his cheeks.

Our beliefs about ourselves are closely tied to our sense of purpose, meaning, and connection to something greater than ourselves. Believing lies about ourselves can have significant negative impact on our mental, emotional, physical and even spiritual well-being:

Self-esteem : Feeling inadequate, inferior, having low self-worth, lacking confidence and fear of trying new things;
Anxiety and depression : Believing we are not good enough, worrying about failing and being judged by others, feeling hopeless and powerless to change our situation;
Self-sabotage : Avoiding challenging opportunities, believing we will fail, engaging in unhealthy habits or relationships, believing we do not deserve better;
Physical health : Chronic stress leading to headaches, stomachaches, muscle tension, heart disease and other chronic health conditions;
Loss of meaning and purpose : Believing we have nothing to offer the world, unworthy of love, spiritually empty;
Loss of connection with others : Believing we are not good enough and fundamentally flawed, struggling to form close relationships or trusting others;
Loss of inner peace and contentment : Constantly battling negative self-beliefs, difficulty finding a sense of inner calmness and stillness, being tension filled.
Loss of connection with God : Feeling unworthy of love or forgiveness, struggling to connect with a loving, compassionate God, spiritually alienated from Him;

Oh, the toxic lies we accept as truth. They torment us, sometimes years, sometimes decades. They poison, and can slowly kill. Satan loves darkness, isolation, and secrets. He knows that if he can isolate us and fill our minds with his dark thoughts and convince us to keep them secret, he can win the battle, trying to destroy us.

Let’s circle back to the story of me believing the lies and false messages about myself. My wife and I were on a flight to Jacksonville, Florida and I was reading a book entitled The Bondage Breaker by Neil T. Anderson. It is Anderson’s premise that we as Christ followers do not have to live a life of bondage to an emotional and spiritual prison resulting from life’s stresses, trials, and lies.

I reached a section of the book that prompted me to suddenly think about the negative and debilitating beliefs that I am not compassionate and that I don’t like people . I suddenly stopped cold. I thought for a moment and looked up. I turned to my wife and asked, “You know those messages I’ve heard and believed all my life from mom, that I am not compassionate and I think I’m better than other people? They are the DEVIL’S LIES from the PIT OF HELL. I am compassionate. I do like people. I just don’t show it in the way she does. That breakthrough realization began a long journey of discovery of truth about myself. And it is still going on today some thirty years later.

I will never forget that moment on the flight to Jacksonville. Suddenly, the Holy Spirit of Jesus broke through to me and began “the good work within” me. It has been hard, painful, long, sometimes frustrating and confusing. But I am no longer in the prison of those LIES. I am FREE from them. By abiding in God’s Word, and being open to what the Holy Spirit of Jesus reveals, you can also be finished with those LIES you’ve lived with for so long, and can make room for the One who speaks only truth over His children.

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. (Philippians 1:6 NLT)

The Power of Stories

Mon, 01 May 2023 04:46:48 GMT

Post #2305002

Author: Robert Ott

Posted: May 1, 2023

I love stories. They are enriching and I learn so much from them. Stories have been a predominant way of communication since the beginning of time. Are you a storyteller or a story-listener? If not, you're missing out on so much.

When I was in elementary school my learning-to-read-books were about Dick and Jane, two children who lived next door to each other in a small New England village. I got to know their families, their neighbors, what their houses and neighborhood looked like, the specific stores on Main Street where they would buy things, the workers in the stores and their names, their adventures and misadventures.

One adventure they had was a family clambake on the seashore near where they lived. In my mind I can still see Jane’s daddy digging a pit in the beach sand, lining the bottom of the pit with large smooth stones, arranging driftwood on the stones and setting fire to it. When the stones were hot enough Jane’s daddy scooped off the hot driftwood coals and laid a bed of damp seaweed on the stones. After carefully placing fresh clam shells on top of the seaweed he covered them with more seaweed. As the seaweed heated up it released salty steam into the air and the clam shells opened. I can still visualize and smell the aroma of salty steam rising from the pit and hear the ocean’s waves crashing on the shore.

Why do I have such vivid memories of this particular story some 70 years ago? One reason is it fed my wanderlust. Any story that provided me a glimpse of the world beyond what I had experienced or was experiencing captured my imagination and thrilled my heart. It was true then and still true today. Another reason is that my life as a child growing up was in a dysfunctional family. At the time I didn’t really understand that, but in retrospect I certainly do. I desired a sense of warmth, closeness, safety and security. I wanted to experience love. I wanted friendships. I wanted to be “normal.” I saw and experienced it through the stories of Dick and Jane.

Why do good stories touch us? It's because they tap into our emotions and allow us to experience different perspectives and situations beyond our own lives. They create a sense of empathy or sympathy in connection with the characters. Also, stories are a powerful tool for human communication and have been used for centuries because they tap into our natural inclination towards narrative, making them an effective way to share knowledge, teach morals, and entertain. Jesus used stories [parables] effectively with his audiences because his stories created engagement, encouraged reflection and convicted hearts. They helped Jesus communicate complex spiritual truths to his audiences in a way that was understandable and relatable.

I believe in the power of stories to help us navigate through what is called “emotional armor” or “defense mechanisms.” Both emotional armor and defense mechanisms are psychological strategies people, especially children, use to protect themselves from emotional pain and distress. Emotional armor refers to a person’s attempts to shield themselves from pain by consciously presenting a tough, unbreakable exterior. Defense mechanisms, on the other hand, are interior, unconscious, and are used to protect ourselves from unpleasant emotions and pain. When we experience people and situations in stories and they touch us deeply, something happens inside us to help us understand our own lives more clear as we relate to their situations.

Everyone has a story. That may shock some of you, but believe me it is true. Have you ever been asked by someone: “What’s your story?” and you go blank or feel they are trespassing on confidential ground; or feel on the inside “That’s a little personal” or you may have thought “I don’t have one” or “Who would want to know about me”? It's awkward and pretty normal. The good thing is today most Millennials and Gen Z’s are more willing and open to share about themselves than folks my age or a little younger.

When someone asks “What’s your story?” they are typically asking for a general overview of your life experiences including important events, challenges, successes, and anything else that has shaped who you are today . Essentially, they want to know more about you and your life journey. Knowing what has shaped who you are today is really important between people who are in community and relationship with you, care about you, and maybe even people you might be able to help, if they knew your story.

I didn’t realize I had a personal story until around 32 years of age and some very significant traumatic events occurred in my life. Working through those traumatic events brought me an awareness of my life story. Oh how I wish I had known much earlier in life, like in my teens, that I had a life story and would have had the courage to share it. My maturity, growth and healing would have been much easier. As I matured, grew and healed over the years, I became very aware that I did have a story to tell others.

One day I was walking by the bookstore at my church and saw this canvas in the window.

I couldn’t get it out of my mind. I thought about it, and thought about it. Then one morning as I was reading my Bible, I came across Luke 22:31-32 NLT. Jesus was speaking to Simon [Peter]:

“ Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So, when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers. ”

My breath caught. Jesus was telling his disciples, especially Simon, that they were going to undergo tremendous suffering and stress at the hands of Satan. Notice the intensity in what Jesus did to prepare Simon. He pleaded in prayer that he would be strong enough to withstand the pressure, but then look at what he said next. Jesus told Simon “ when you have repented and turned to me again.” Jesus didn’t say if , he said when . That is so amazing. Jesus had confidence in Simon that he would repent and return. Jesus did not doubt . And then he said “ strengthen your brothers .” In other words tell your story to your brothers when you return so they can support you, and can mature and grow like you.

Now that canvas hangs in my office on the wall in front of my desk where I am reminded every day. I am changed. My heart and mind are open to what Jesus wants me to do for myself and for others. Tell my story . The Holy Spirit will do the rest. I am not responsible for how it is received. I am responsible for telling with love and grace . Does it take courage? Absolutely! Is it scary? At first, yes. Do I get ridicule and snide remarks? Sometimes. Do people judge me? I’m sure some do but that is not the point. My story has become my song, and I do, with respect and sensitivity, sing out loud for all to hear .

To reiterate I love stories, especially the ones people tell me about their lives. They draw us closer together. I hope you are a life storyteller and a life story-listener. If not, you really need to become one.

Easter Morning Prayer 2023

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 12:14:17 GMT

Post #2304001

Author: Robert Ott

Posted: April 27, 2023

The following is based on my Easter morning prayer .

I awoke at 5 a.m. and went through my morning ritual: turned off the house’s security alarm, unplugged the phones and iPad from their chargers, wound up the cords and put them away, got my coffee and headed into my study to read my Bible and write my prayer. It’s my special daily time of being alone with Jesus and inviting him in to self-introspection. There’s great comfort in this quiet predictability and it brings balance and strength to my soul.

But this morning is different. This is Easter. I thought about the fun we would have later in the day going to a family-dinner with friends. Looking forward to worshiping with others at church. Thankful for the blue sky, warm sunshine, the spring colors of green grass, purple buds on trees, and yellow flowers. I felt thoughtful and peaceful. I wanted to meditate on Jesus my Savior, my Redeemer. But in a short while a striking path began to unfold, a darker path filled my thoughts. I began to pray:

Good morning, Jesus.

You are alive! Brought back to life from death. You are alive! Every morning I greet you with the same salutation as I begin my prayer: “Good morning, Jesus.” I couldn’t say that if you were still dead. I can’t imagine what this world would be like if you were still dead. I strongly believe it would be chaos-evil-wicked-everyone doing what they pleased. No restraint on evil. Men and women would be like animals. I’m not even sure the earth and mankind would exist anymore. I would not be surprised if the Father would have destroyed it all by now. But, You Are Alive ! And for that reason the earth and the world are still here today. Any good that exists today is because you are alive. After you were resurrected from death you sent your Holy Spirit to earth to live in every person who believes in you. The power of your Holy Spirit is holding back and restraining total evil and wickedness that the devil longs to unleash and inflict on all mankind.

Of course you knew that. After you were resurrected you told your disciples three times “Peace be with you” (John 20:19, 21, 26 NLT). In John 14:27 (NLT) you tell your disciples: “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So, don’t be troubled or afraid.”

“Peace be with you” (John 20:19 NLT) - After the disciples deserted you on the day of your crucifixion, they may have expected words of rebuke or blame. Instead, you brought a word of reconciling peace.

“Peace be with you” (John 20:21 NLT) - Perhaps the emphasis here was to calm their fear and shock in the moment. John 20:19 (NLT) says, “The disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Luke 24:36 (NKJV) says, “But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit.”

“Peace be with you” (John 20:26 NLT) - The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, you were standing among them. The locked doors of their meeting room possibly show that though they believed you were raised from the dead the powerful truth of that had not really permeated them completely.

Jesus, you faced and defeated all the forces which destroy mankind’s peace. As you said “Peace be with you,” you were doing infinitely more than just expressing a wish. You were making a declaration. You were giving a very special gift, a treasure that only you can give. And you do the same for us today:

My sins are forgiven. Peace
My slavery to sin is broken. Peace
My Savior takes my fears and cares. Peace
My life is settled for eternity. Peace

Without your resurrection, death would rule and bring unimaginable wickedness and pain. Absolutely no peace. Only you give the peace we long for. Only you Jesus.

May I be reminded of and focus on what you did when you came into the earthly world. May I never forget the horror you experienced for me at the hands of mankind! And there is only one reason. LOVE! That’s it. Nothing more. You LOVE me! So, you suffered and died for me. And your Holy Spirit brought you back to life for me. LOVE. There is no other reason.

Thank you, Jesus

Amen