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For months after my marriage, I was in what I call the “honeymoon bubble.”  Every time I would hear “Mrs. Robbins,” it felt both strange and sensational!  I must have had an aura about me when I was in that bubble, something like the cloud that hangs over Pigpen’s head in the Peanuts cartoon, for people would look at me and ask, “Are you a newlywed?”

With a huge grin I would giddily respond, “Three months!” or “Six months!” or “We just celebrated our first anniversary!”

Now on the precipice of celebrating my 15^th wedding anniversary, I can say from experience, the honeymoon bubble eventually bursts!  The “high” of romantic feelings wears off!

I have learned that marriage is both enjoyable and enduring.  That doesn’t mean that one goes through marriage with gritted teeth.  It means that unrealistic expectations of romance will soon give way to routine…and reality!  It means immature love changes and grows into something that is able to handle the ebbs and flows of life.

In John 15, the disciples were emerging from the “honeymoon bubble.”  They had spent years with Jesus, waiting for Him to do something sensational to prove that He was the Messiah.  They longed for Him to declare Himself King and set up His Kingdom, defeating the Romans and giving the disciples positions of power within His regime.  The triumphant entry (John 12) fuelled their excitement and expectation!

Jesus, however, doused their fire of expectation by declaring that He would not be heralded, but hated.  Furthermore, so would they as His disciples (John 15:18-25).  It only added to their confusion when Jesus filled a basin with water, tucked his robe into his belt, and proceeded to kneel and wash their feet.

They were struggling to comprehend all that Jesus had said and done in the upper room.  But, they were beginning to understand that their relationship with Him was changing from a physical one, to a spiritual one (John 15:1-3).  Then, as they walked with Him to theGardenofGethsemane, Jesus suddenly stopped and began to tell them a story of a vine and its branches.

With a picture of something very familiar to them, He revealed to His disciples their destiny.  It is also our destiny as His disciples today – We were born to bear fruit!

Jesus is the True Vine.

We are the branches.

The Father is the Vine Keeper.

Jesus Is the True Vine.

The vine is not the long, thin appendage that can creep up high walls and along trellises.  The vine is actually the trunk that grows out of the ground.  There are certainly other trunks out there that we could attach ourselves to.  But scripture is clear; Jesus is the one and only TRUE vine.  He is the only true source of life and fruit.  He is the only source of nourishment and strength.  The branches cannot survive apart from the vine!

The Father is the Vine Keeper.

What does the Vine Keeper do?

He is the owner or caregiver of the vineyard.  His task is to coax the maximum amount of grapes He can from His plants.  So, with great care and love, He tends to the branches in order to help them become fruitful!  Nothing will happen to a branch that the Vine Keeper doesn’t know about, or allow for the purpose of helping the branch bear fruit.  Sometimes, He not only prunes away the dead, barren wood, but He also prunes away branches that bear fruit.  He may choose to take the branch to the point where nothing is left except its attachment to the vine (John 15: 1-2, 5-8).

Nevertheless, it is up to the branch to decide how he/she will respond to the Vine Keeper’s pruning.  This will determine how fruitful the branch becomes.  In John 15: 2, Jesus is teaching His disciples, then and now, that there are defined levels of fruitfulness.  Every branch is at one of these points at any given time.

“No fruit”

“Bears fruit”

“More fruit”

“Much fruit”

We are the branches.

As His disciples, we are the visible manifestation of the vine.  In other words, Jesus no longer walks this earth in His physical form, but He accomplishes His purposes through us.  We are His hands, His feet and His voice.  We are the body of Christ.

Therefore, we are the focus of the Vine Keeper’s attention.  As His branches, our purpose is to go and produce fruit (Psalm 1:3).

How fruitful are you?  Are you a barren branch?  Are you content with producing “some” fruit or “more” fruit?  Are you willing to allow the Vine Keeper to do whatever it takes for you to be a branch that is constantly yielding basketfuls of plum delicious fruit?

What does our fruit look like?

Although evangelism is one key fruit (John 4:36), we can also produce others.  Fruit is anything that we do, say, or think that exalts God.  In other words, it is anything that brings glory to God (Philippians 1:11, Titus 3:14).  When I write Musings, I am bearing fruit.  Volunteering to be a greeter at church, changing a diaper in the church nursery, choosing to put someone else’s need first,  choosing not to gossip, fixing a neighbour’s flat tire – all of these are examples of how we can bear fruit…fruit that reflects which tree we belong to (Matt 7:16)!

A branch cannot effectively bear fruit without abiding and remaining attached to the Vine.

The word “abides” means, “to be held, kept continually, to remain as one.”  It carries the same intimacy as a husband and wife relationship.  It means, “to stay with, to wait.”

Yet, we tend to be restless.  We tend to change jobs, careers, and marriage partners without much thought.  No wonder we have a difficult time with abiding in Christ!

Jesus did not call you to Himself to just refresh you for a few hours!  He called you to an intimate, enduring relationship with Him that lasts forever!  He called you to a relationship where every moment of every day, you spend in fellowship with Him.

“Who would, after seeking the King’s palace, be content to stand in the door, when he is invited to dwell in the King’s presence and share with Him in all the glory of His royal life?”  Andrew Murray

Don’t you long for that, my friend?

Does your heart not crave more and more intimacy with the True Vine?

Why do we feel disconnected and distant from God, rather than intimate?

One cannot abide without surrendering all to the Vine.

Many of us are not experiencing rest because we are striving to make our dreams come true instead of spending quiet, peaceful time with God.  We are trying to reach our goals without Him.  We seek guidance without consulting the Guide.  We want the gift but ignore the Giver.

We are trying to abide on our own terms, not His.  We spend little time in fellowship with Him; little time nurturing our intimacy with Him.  We barely read His Word and rarely spend more time in prayer than it takes to send up a request for help to find a parking space! We fight His pruning and refuse to even acknowledge the sins in our life that are choking off our very life!

To abide in the True Vine requires two things of us as branches… trust and obedience.  He will do the rest!  His love empowers us.  His faithfulness sustains us.  We are able to abide in Him because He lives in us.

God will cultivate the inner fruit within our hearts (Gal 5:22) as we allow Him to transform us from the inside out.

So, let us submit to His pruning, taking care of our sin as He reveals it.  Let us spend time getting to know Him better by reading His Word and praying.  For if we do these things, as well as view every circumstance He allows in our life as His loving means to help us bear fruit, much fruit will be manifested! (II Cor 9:8).

Fruitfulness is not our obligation.  Abiding is our obligation.  Stop striving and start abiding and HE will make you fruitful!

What do you get when you put four celebrity judges together with hopeful musicians seeking their own celebrity status?

No…not American Idol.

It is the “other” singing show.

The Voice is NBC’s successful, but fierce singing contest, that searches for that one, unique sounding voice.  A voice that stands out above all others.

In the life of every believer, there is also a daily competition for that one, unique voice.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber!  But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.  The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice.  They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”  John 10:1-5

In biblical times, each town had a common sheepfold or pen.  Every night, after spending the day grazing their sheep in nearby fields, shepherds would bring their flocks into the fold.  This enclosure had four solid walls with only ONE entrance through which the sheep and shepherds would enter or exit.  An appointed “doorkeeper” (the various shepherds of the flocks most likely took turns) kept watch over this amalgamated herd, regulating which shepherd brought and took which sheep.  The sheepfold offered protection to the shepherd’s flock while he rested.

Early in the morning, each shepherd would come to retrieve his flock.  However, the shepherds would not be able to readily identify their own sheep from the other shepherds’ sheep.  If you have seen sheep grazing in the field, you know they all look the same!

There was only one way for the shepherd to separate his sheep from the others… his voice.

Standing by the fold door, he would call each sheep by name.

The sheep, recognizing their shepherd’s unique voice over all the other bleating sheep and voices of other shepherds, would separate from the chaotic mass and make their way toward that familiar voice.

Once the shepherd had his flock gathered around him, he would lead them (not drive them) out to graze for the day.

Sheep are not the smartest in the animal kingdom, but they are experts at discerning their shepherd’s voice and following him.  They have a natural inclination to form flocks and follow a leader, enabling a lone shepherd to manage a flock of hundreds!

Sheep are also creatures of habit.  If left to themselves, they follow the same paths until they become ruts.  They will graze the same field until it is parched and barren, polluting it with their droppings.  This leaves them hungry and full of disease.

It is their shepherd that leads them to fresh water, green pasture, new paths and safety.  Their very survival rests on their ability to know their shepherd’s voice.

What was the point of this story?

Jesus spoke often about sheep and shepherds when trying to teach vital lessons to His followers.

Believers are like sheep and they have only one Shepherd – the true Shepherd.  Yet, there are other sheep flocks and shepherds in the “fold of life” with us.  We are entangled with the other flocks.  We look like and act like them.  There is no clear way to identify which sheep belong to which shepherd.

We hear the other shepherds calling and often choose to follow them.  Sometimes, it is an intentional following, but most times, it is simply because we have not become experts at discerning our own Shepherd’s voice over all the false shepherds (John 10:7-10).

How do we recognize the true Shepherd over the false shepherds?

The true Shepherd protects and promotes life; the false shepherd takes away life.

The true Shepherd puts His sheep and their care above His.  In biblical times, if a shepherd had to take his sheep grazing far from town, thus having to make-do without the nightly protection of the common sheepfold, he would take great measures to ensure the sheep’s safety.  In the field, a cave or a stone-enclosed area without a roof might be used to serve as the nightly fold.  The shepherd would choose a safe place with only one entrance, and he would serve as the gatekeeper.  He would actually lay his body down across the entrance, keeping the sheep in and the wolves, thieves and robbers out.  He was literally the “door!”

The true Shepherd willingly lays down His life for the sheep, fighting off those who may threaten to kill them.  He will risk all for even one of them.  No sheep is left behind.  If a sheep is injured, He will carry it.  If a sheep falls into a crevice because it was not watching, the true Shepherd will lovingly rescue him/her.

Past, present, and future – all false shepherds are alike in that their flocks exist for their own selfish interests.  They sound enticing and engaging; promising wonderful things.  Nevertheless, in the end, following a false shepherd will lead a sheep to its death.  When dangers come, the false shepherd will flee, leaving the sheep vulnerable to wolves, thieves, and robbers.

The false shepherd does not take the time to get to know his sheep individually.  However, the true Shepherd knows each sheep by name.  He knows every cut or bump a sheep may have and gently tends to each one.  He knows each sheep’s weakness and each sheep’s strengths.

Today, there are many competing voices yelling over the din – opinions of others, values of our culture, as well as our own desires.  If we sheep are to make it safely through, we need to train our ear to that one unique voice….The voice of Jesus. (John 10:3-5)

How do we recognize THE VOICE?

The sheep learned to distinguish their shepherd’s voice from all the others by spending time alone with him.  It is no different for us sheep today.

Only through spending time with Him… reading His Word and talking to Him, can we begin to recognize His voice.  More importantly, we must learn to listen so we can hear Him speak to us!

Turn the radio off in your car.  Talk to your Shepherd… then listen!

Get up early and spend time reading His Word, praying and listening!

Fast from time to time.  Fasting can be as simple as one meal, or giving up a TV show or sugar for a few days.  However, prayer must accompany fasting.  Otherwise, it is just a diet!

 It may feel like you have accomplished nothing, but, eventually, when the time comes (and it will) that there are many competing voices; you will follow the right one.

If you are not learning your Shepherd’s voice (and it will never lead contrary to the written Word), you will not learn to discern the many false shepherds’ voices and avoid them!  The enemy will decipher which false voice is appealing to you, and will use it to rob and kill you.

Have you tuned your ear to THE VOICE?

If not, begin today.  Your very survival depends on it.

The Servant Test

 “I don’t want to do this, Lord!”

“This is not MY responsibility!”

“I am not his daughter, I am his niece.  I am not the one that should be looking after him.  I have my own family to tend to.”

All were my responses last August, as I drove to my uncle’s house to take care of yet another crisis.  Since being diagnosed with the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s in June, it had fallen to me to become his primary caregiver. My life no longer seemed my own.

I was overwhelmed with the added “burden” on my already full days as I tried to help my uncle.  Late night phone calls to find out whether or not it was day time or night time, health issues, help with every day functioning skills, preparing meals, not to mention the worry of him living alone and somehow getting outside during the night and wandering in a confused state, all added to my sleepless nights.

I loved my uncle!  He was (is) a smart, strong, funny man who filled my childhood with wonderful memories.  I knew he had no one else so I agreed to help out, however, I had no idea how much “helping out” would be required!  Soon, my helping out was carried out begrudgingly!  I no longer wanted to be the one responsible!  Daily, my feelings of resentment, anger and frustration bubbled inside.

By late August, I had reached the end of my rope!  I cried out to God.

He did not respond quite the way I expected.

“Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress… (James 1:27),” bubbled up in my heart.

I hung my head.  My uncle was a widow.  He was in distress!

“Steph, your approach to this situation is wrong.  You are to be a servant to your uncle.  Do it as if you were serving me.  It is one thing to serve when others see.  It is quite another to serve in secret and in spite of how you feel (Matt 25:40)!  You need an attitude change.”

Ashamedly, I knew that I was taking a test — and I was failing!

Up to this point, we have learned about, and most of us by now have taken (maybe more than once), 8 of 9 faith tests: the wilderness test, the motivation test, the discouragement test, the failure test, the misunderstanding test, the frustration test, the willfulness test and the waiting (patience) test.

Keep in mind, testing is…

INEVITABLE – It is sure to happen to anyone who follows and lives in the Lord’s grace.

CONTINUAL – It is a continuous process that each Christian will experience.

NECESSARY – Each testing has its purpose to make us…

PRODUCTIVE and INFLUENTIAL and to be…

CRAFTED BY GOD.

The 9^th and final faith test believers face is – The Servant Test.

Out of all nine, this one, I believe, is the hardest and the most pivotal test of them all.

What is a servant?

“Servant” is a very common word with a variety of meanings.  The most frequent usage is as the equivalent of “slave.”  The word is also commonly used to describe a “hired workman” or “hired servant.”  A hired servant attends another, performing menial tasks for him and is subject to that person’s command.  In other words, a servant has a master and he obeys his master’s every command. For example, Joshua was the servant of Moses, and Elisha was the servant of Elijah (I Kings 19:19-21, II Kings 3:11).

What is servanthood?

Servanthood is the state, or condition, of one who lives as a servant.  For believers, servanthood means submission to God first, and then submission to one another.  In today’s society, the problem is the “me first” mentality.  The desire for self-fulfillment reigns supreme, even among believers, resulting in the servant test being our most failed exam.

Someone once said, “There are many who want to serve God….but only in an advisory position.”

Yet, the one quality which so completely characterizes the life of Jesus Christ is the quality of unselfish servanthood (Mark 10:35-45), especially in His leadership role.

“The goal of many leaders is to get people to think more highly of the leader.  The goal of a great leader is to help people to think more highly of themselves.”  ~ J. Carla Northcutt

“To help others become something that they could never on their own become, is putting value into that other person.”  ~ Unknown

  In order to pass the servant test, we must remember:  Servitude always comes before honour.

Joseph served Potiphar.

Joshua served Moses.

Samuel served Eli.

David served Saul.

Elisha served Elijah.

Timothy served Paul.

John Mark served Simon Peter.

The last lesson Christ taught His disciples before Calvary was about being a servant.  He used a towel and a pan of water to show who would be the greatest in His Kingdom.  He didn’t command His disciples to then go out and do “what” I have done, but rather, to do “as I have done” (John 13:15).  They weren’t to become fulltime foot-washers. They were to become full-time servers of men and women. They were to be servant leaders. (Matt 20:28)

Serving others is not easy.  It can be tough, demanding of our time, resources and energy.  Yet we cannot be effective in the Kingdom without first becoming servants.

The Servant Test reveals our surrender in seven key areas:

1)      Surrender of freedom.  (Luke 17:10)

2)      Surrender of time.  (Luke 17:7-8)

3)      Surrender of authority.  (Luke 7:8)

4)      Surrender of self.  (John 13:4-5; 13:14-15)

5)      Surrender of preferences.  (Matt 26:39)

6)      Surrender of purpose.  (Mark 10:43-44)

7)      Surrender of resources.  (Matt 25:16-18)

The Servant Test also reveals where our attitude may need adjusting:

Twelve attitudes of a servant heart:

1)      Teachable (III John 1:9)

2)      Submissive (Matt26:39)

3)      Patient (II Tim 2:24)

4)      Diligent (Matt 24:46-51)

5)      Productive (Matt 25:29-30)

6)      Loyal ( Luke 16:13)

7)      Integrity (Gal 1:10)

8)      Selfless (Acts 20:24)

9)      Profitable (I Cor 9:19)

10)   Trustworthy (Rev 17:14)  (“Faithful” in the Greek is pistos, which means TRUSTWORTHY)

11)   Focused (I Cor 7:35)

12)   Prepared (Luke 12:47)

HOW DO I SERVE?

The good thing about serving is that you do not need a title in order to serve others.  All you need to do is look for needs and then try to meet them.  Serving God is serving people…despite how I feel or whether or not it is convenient (Phil 2:5-11).  Most often, being a servant starts in your own home and then spreads out into the world around you. The problem is, we fight against serving those close to us because it is so demanding!  It is easier to serve once a week at your home church than to serve others in your home on a daily basis.  However, refusing to serve those God has already placed in your realm of influence will limit your ability to serve in God’s bigger picture.

Did my circumstance change after that day in late August?

No.

Are there still days when I feel overwhelmed and just as lost and confused as my uncle as I try to help him navigate through the stages of Alzheimer’s?  YES!  Yet, with the Holy Spirit’s help, my attitude is constantly being adjusted and I am learning to be a servant.

All believers must settle the issue of servanthood in order to be effective in God’s Kingdom (Matt 20:26-28).

Joseph, Joshua, Samuel, David, Elisha, Timothy, and John Mark, all were fervent servants who left behind legacies that are still influencing the world thousands of years AFTER their deaths.

Don’t you desire to leave behind the very same legacy?

We all long to hear, “Well done, thou good and faithful SERVANT.”

What we’ll hear depends upon how we do with The Servant Test.

How are YOU doing?

One day, Satan decided to have a yard sale in order to purge a number of his tools.  There were envy, deceit, malice, sensuality, enmity, thoughtlessness and many other tools that he had used successfully (priced very low).  One piece, however, Satan priced very high.  It bore the label… Discouragement.

“Why do you want so much for this tool?” asked a shopper.

“This tool,” replied the old tempter, “has always been my most useful one.  You can see it has had more wear than the rest.  I use it as a wedge to get into a man’s mind when all other means fail.  Practically every human being has had this tool used on him, although very few know that I’m the one wielding it.”  As it worked out, none could afford the price Satan demanded for Discouragement … so he is still using it to this day.

Defined as:  “to lose courage, confidence and energy; having run out of strength, patience, or endurance; a lack of inner drive and motivation,” discouragement is felt by all.

The New Testament describes it:  “to faint” or “grow weary” (II Cor 4:1, 16; Luke 18:1).

Although we all experience discouragement, few know the root causes.

The 4 root causes of discouragement are:

• Fear – the expectation and apprehension of impending danger; dread or anxiety.  Someone once defined fear as: “False evidence appearing real” (Psalms 53:5).  Fear makes us weak (Hab 3:16).  It paralyzes (Job 32:6).
• Fatigue – (Neh 4:10) Fatigue affects us physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.  It is commonly called BURNOUT.  It occurs when we have depleted our strengths and have no reservoirs from which to draw more strength.
• Frustration – (Ezra 4:4-5) When our to-do list is longer than we can handle and the unfinished tasks far outnumber the completed ones.  When trivial matters or distractions interrupt and keep us from completing essential tasks, frustration can set in.  Frustration leads to a loss of moral (Isaiah 19:3), burnout (Hebrews 12:3), and rash actions (Acts 19:36), and may eventually lead to discouragement.
• Feeling alone, abandoned or forsaken (Matt 27:46).
• Failure – sometimes your best intentions fail (Exodus 18:18, Neh 4:10).

The enemy uses discouragement to keep us ineffective for the Kingdom.  God uses the discouragement test to transform us into powerful warriors!

What is the purpose of the discouragement test?

To cause one to find joy in God, not just circumstances.

To show that we are not self-sufficient—we need God and people.

To show our motivation—whether for self-glory or the glory of God.

To allow opportunity for OTHERS to minister.

To teach us to “wait” upon the Lord to renew our strength.

How to pass the discouragement test:

“Faith must always pass the test of discouragement.” TD Jakes

Take responsibility (I Sam 30:6)!  When faced with discouragement, we often look to others to lift us up.  When they don’t, we get angry.  We need to go to God on our own.  We need to go to the well daily, and be refreshed by the water of the Word.  It might not “feel” like we are accomplishing anything at first.  However, as we plant the seed of God’s truth in our heart and as the Holy Spirit waters that seed, eventually, our feelings will catch up with truth.  You need to do what is right despite how you are feeling.

Take hold unto the promises of God (I Peter 5:12).  Claim and cling to one or more of the 8000 promises written in God’s Word.

Take time to listen for God’s voice (I Kings 19:12-13).

Take time to rest!  Take time to eat properly!  Our bodies need sleep, food and times of relaxation.  If you are burning the proverbial “candle” at both ends, you will, most likely, not pass the test (I Kings 19:1-10).

Take some time to reorganize your life.  Evaluate how you spend your time, energy and resources. Prioritize.  Even things that we consider “good” may still not be the best choice.  For example, being active in your local church is a good thing, being active in your community is a good thing, having your kids involved in extra-curricular activities is a good thing; but, if we become overwhelmed with too many “good things,” we miss the “best” places God had intended for us to serve.  Ask God to show you where He wants you to be and where He wants you to step back.  Ask Him to give you wisdom as you pick events and activities for your family.  Separate the essential activities from the nonessential.  It is okay to say “no” sometimes.  Maybe, rather than doing 10 things tired, we can focus on 2 or 3 areas where we can serve with energy and God-ordained focus and strength.  As ministry leaders, ask yourself, “What tasks can I delegate to others?”  Others may do thing differently than you, but more gets accomplished.  As leaders, empowering others to serve is necessary if we are to be good stewards of our time, energy, and purpose.

Make sure to stay connected to your home church (Hebs 10:25).

Never forget the power of PRAYER (Neh 4:3-4)!

“When a problem forces you to pray, then it has achieved its goal.”  Anonymous

When facing discouragement, prayer gives us assurance by plugging us into our power and energy source—GOD (Isaiah 40:28-31)!  Prayer assures that God is still in charge and that He knows more about the situation than we do.  It assures that every storm will end, and that God has not forgotten us.  Prayer assures that He still has a job for us to do, even though we may feel discouraged and beaten down.  It helps us to plough ahead and not quit.

“The Christian life is not a constant high.  I have my moments of deep discouragement.  I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, ‘O God, forgive me,’ or ‘Help me.’ “   Billy Graham

We will face discouraging situations, but feeling discouraged is a choice.*

Will we allow the enemy to use discouragement as a weapon against us, or will we allow God to use it as a test to strengthen us?

*Discouragement is not the same as depression.  Depression can be a result of medical issues and does require treatment.

While many of us may not always be able to identify with life successes, most of us can identify with failing.  Even the heroes of faith experienced failure:

Moses ran away to hide in the wilderness for 40 years.

Simon Peter denied knowing Jesus, not once, but three times.

Abraham lied about Sarah being his wife.

David committed adultery and murder.

John Mark rejected Paul.

No one is immune from facing the failure test.  Like all the previous tests, God uses failure to reveal truth…sometimes the ugly truth.

Failure causes us to see where our trust is truly placed.  It reveals where I am depending on my own gifts, strengths and abilities, rather than in God’s power.  The failure test gets us to the place where we realise that in order to succeed, we need God’s favor and His divine help.

“Failure is an inside job. So is success. If you want to achieve, you have to win the war in your thinking first.” John Maxwell, Failing Forward

Most often, when faced with failure, we will blow up and cover up.  We cry, “It is not MY fault!”  We blame God (Joshua 7:7), others (Gen 3:12-13) or circumstances (Neh 4:10).  We find ourselves slipping into the enemy’s pitfalls when we do not respond correctly to the failure test.

What are the pitfalls of failure?

1) Failure may cause us to exaggerate (Josh 7:9).

2) Failure may cause us to quit (Acts 21:14).

3) Failure may cause us to never take risks again (I Sam 7:13).

4) Failure may cause us to discourage others from trying.

5) Failure may cause resentment towards those who succeed (Gen 30:1).

How does God use failure in our lives?

Viewing failure in a positive way is a challenge…even for the most optimistic!  Yet, learning to handle failure, rejection and disappointment is a valuable life lesson.

I know, as parents, it is hard for us to see our children learn to deal with failure.

My son is your typical Canadian boy, born into a family of hockey players and fans. In fact, a hockey stick was the gift of choice given to him by one of his uncles the day after his birth.  Before he could tie his shoes, my son learned to skate.

As soon as he met the age requirement, we enrolled him into our local house league.  All of this went well, as there was no “real” competitive nature to house league hockey.  Everyone made a team.

Then, the dreaded day came when he asked to try out for the competitive teams.  As parents of any kid desiring to be part of a competitive sports team, my husband and I knew what that may entail…a hard lesson in dealing with disappointment.  I wasn’t sure that I was ready to see my boy learn this lesson, but my husband and I agreed that we could not deter his desire to try.

To say that first year of competitive tryouts were painful would be an understatement!  For 4 weeks,I watched my 9-year-old son give his best, and then wait anxiously by the computer late at night to see if he made the cut.  He made the first round and we celebrated.

Then, he kept getting cut down and down until he eventually was cut from competitive all together. With each cut, the tears were a knife to my mother’s heart.  We told our son how proud we were of him for trying, and we encouraged him to go out and play his best on the team he was placed.

The following hockey season rolled around and he wanted to try out for the competitive teams again.  Although our parental hearts were still bleeding from the last go round, we again supported his desire. This time, he made it all the way through until the final night of eliminations, but once again, he did not make a competitive team.

Year three…he wanted to try again.  I will admit my husband and I had much discussion over this one.  Should we step in and say no, or should we allow him to try for the third time?

We decided the character lesson far outweighed the painful process.

This time, my son had no preconceived notions.  He knew his job was to do one thing…go out and give his best.  He wanted to make competitive, but he knew that if he didn’t, he would still play hockey.  The process was once again gruelling.  The outcome, however, was more favorable.  He made the competitive team!

My hubby and I realized the important life lesson he had learned and is still learning…failure is only failure if you allow it to cause you to quit.

However, we grown-ups also have to learn the lessons of the failure test.

As I look back over 2011, I know I have allowed the fear of failure to cause me to pull my car off the freeway of life.  I feel like 2011 was not my best year.  Maybe you know what I mean?

Just recently, God gently reminded me that it’s not what is happening TO me that is important, but what is happening IN me.

Here are a few truths that will help us keep the right perspective when facing failure:

Failure, like success, is not a single event.  It is a process.  You do not fail a test because you took it and received an F.  Maybe you failed the test because you did not understand the material or because you did not properly prepare in the days leading up to it.

Failure is not a person. There is a difference between saying, “I have failed” and “I am a failure.”

Failure is not avoidable. It is a part of life.  There can be no achievements without failure.

Failure is never fruitless. God uses failure to prune back the deadwood on our vines, making room for new life and more fruit.

Failure does not have to produce fear.  It doesn’t mean we won’t feel fear, but that we choose to push ahead in spite of it!

Failure causes us to see our need for God and exposes our need for mercy and grace.  It exposes our sin nature and helps us maintain humility.

Failure is never fatal and it is never a reason to quit.  Our “mess-ups” are never irrevocable.  Zig Ziglar once said, “Failure is a detour, not a dead end street!”

What are the tips for dealing with failure?

Seek God for direction.

Seek out the root cause of the failure.

Seek out a new strategy.

See failure as a learning opportunity.

NEVER GIVE UP!

We may not always win the battle with our attitudes.  We may not always act the right way, say the right thing or respond to people the right way. We may lose our jobs or businesses. We may fail in ministry and in our personal lives.  Nevertheless, the truth is this:  Believers have Jesus living in their hearts and JESUS never fails!

Have you ever watched the TV show “CSI”?  Perhaps you have caught an episode or two of “Law and Order,” “Castle,” “Bones,” or watched a televised trial?  The point is, if you’ve watched any crime scene investigation show, you will know that the first question always asked by those probing the crime committed is, “What is the motive?”

In the life of the believer, God seeks to reveal the answer to that same question.

What does “motive” mean?

Simply put, our motives are the driving force behind how we act and react, the decisions and choices we make, what we value, as well as the words we speak.

 I call them heart motives. (Proverbs 4:23)

Our heart motives are hidden and not obvious to others.  People see only what we want them to see or what they choose to see.

God, however, sees our true heart motives (I Sam 16:7).  He values the “why” we do something more than the “what” we do.

“And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve Him…for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.” 

I Chronicles 28:9 NIV

Why do I pray?  Why do I go to church?  Why do I fast?  Why do I volunteer to help in Sunday School?  Why do I take on the organization of our Easter pageant every year?  Why am I going on this mission trip?  Why do I preach?

“God’s pleasure or displeasure is not founded upon the principle of good and evil.  Rather, God traces the source of all things. An action may be quite correct, yet God inquires, what is its origin?”
Watchman Nee

The bottom line is that our motives usually expect benefits in return.   Therefore, it is possible to be doing right things for all the wrong reasons (James 4:2-3).

Knowing that we tend to find it easier to weed the gardens of others, God uses the CSI test to reveal to us the weeds growing in our own backyards.  The CSI (motivation) test occurs when God withholds the expected benefits, thus revealing to us what is truly driving our decisions and actions.

When I serve faithfully in my church but no one acknowledges it.

When I work hard for my family but never hear a word of thanks.

Withholding the benefits to us, God reveals the truth…our true, often impure, heart motives.

Wrong Heart Motives

We may work to gain the approval and respect of others (Matt 6:1-5), to gain love, a or material things (I John 2:15-17).   Fear may be what drives us (we want to avoid discomfort, embarrassment), or it may be perfectionism.  These are just a few wrong motives that may be the driving forces in our lives.  The bottom line is – wrong motives mean wrong focus.  Our focus is on “I,” rather than on “I AM.”

The Result of Wrong Motives

We try to manipulate or bargain with God in order to get what we want.

If I fast, then God will have to answer my prayers.

We manipulate and mistreat others to gain the perceived benefits.

We steal God’s glory (John 3:30).

We limit our service and sacrifice to only those areas that will prove advantageous, causing us to be less than what God intends.

               I will give only as long as God gives back.

               I will worship only if I find blessing and fulfillment.

               I will serve only as long as people notice and offer me praise.

We compromise Biblical guiding values in order to gain benefit.

The purpose of the CSI test is to get us to the place where our focus is not on “me” but on God (Psalm 139:23-24).  The driving force behind our motives must be, “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.”

Admittedly, our motives maybe mixed at best.

There are areas where we do right with the right focus.  There are areas where we do right with wrong motives, as well as times when we do wrong with wrong motives.

What is the answer?

Living the life of a believer is not a 100-meter dash but a marathon!

Do we quit running the race; quit serving and helping because our motives are mixed?

No!

When the CSI test reveals wrong motives, we need to stop and evaluate. We need to ask God to show us the next step.  Sometimes, we may need to remove ourselves from the task while we evaluate our motives, because, by our participation, we may be hindering the Holy Spirit.  God may show us that we are doing a task He never intended for US to do.  Our wrong motives may be causing us to rob someone else of an area of service God had for them.

However, we must not allow our struggle with motives to keep us from doing anything at all!  “Well, my heart isn’t in it, so I won’t do it.”  The problem arises when we use motives as an excuse to do nothing.

Sometimes, we must press on allowing God’s CSI test to do its job—reveal our wrong motives so that He may transform them.  We may have started out with the wrong focus, but after taking the test, we finish doing right with right motives.  Sometimes, it is not about how we started, but how we finish!

Our desire should be to do right things for the right reasons, and the more we transform our thinking to Christ’s way of thinking, the more choices, actions, and decisions we will make with the proper heart motives.  We cannot change our wrong thinking to God’s thinking apart from the Word of God.  If  you are not spending time in the truth, then you will not be able to recognize  the truth from lies (John 17:17).  We cannot know when God wants us to step down or press on if we are not seeking His direction.

Instead of fighting the CSI test, let us be intentional about evaluating the different areas of our lives by asking, “What is the motive?” “What is truly driving me?”

Strengthen those areas where you are doing right for the right reasons.  Where you find wrong motives, recognize those areas and change your focus.  Do not belittle yourself when you mess up.  That only gives the devil satisfaction.  Recognize it, repent, and move on!

“Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord!”
Luke 2:10-11 (NAS)

Two thousand years ago, this angelic announcement reverberated throughout heaven and earth, splitting time (BC & AC) and birthing the true meaning of celebration!

Oh, to have been there that first Christmas!  Yet, looking back at that incredible moment in history, we worshippers of 2011 have more reason to celebrate than those bowed at the manger that first Christmas morn.

The Cradle

Why is that cradle or manger scene so important to us?

Many believe in the Babe in the manger, more so than they believe in God.  Yet they see Him only as a good teacher, a moral man, or a mere legend that lived in history.

Yeshua (Jesus) is so much more!

Many powerful verses fill scripture, but for me this is the most potent, life-changing one of them all:

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling (tabernacled -pitched His tent) among us…”  John 1:14 (NIV)

The cradle was where God came to earth, wrapped in human form.  The brainy word to describe this event is “incarnation.”  (I looked it up in my Bible for Dummies!)

Why did Elohim dress in human form and move down into human history?

He stepped out of heaven into a soiled stable to save our soiled hearts (Phil2:5-8).

Our LORD desired for His children to know Him fully on a personal level.  He wanted them to know Him and love Him for who He was, not for what He could do for them.  So, He tried to reveal Himself to man through the Prophets and the Law, but that allowed people to know Him only partially!  Therefore, He came up with another plan.

Eugene Peterson describes it this way, “…he moved into the neighbourhood” John 1:14 (The Message).

No one needs to be in the dark about who God is.

He went beyond just writing us a letter or sending us a spokesperson in His place.  He chose to reveal who He really was through Jesus.

The Infinite became an infant.

O, Precious Ones, we can celebrate today for the cry coming from the cradle was that of no mere Babe.  It was the cry of God!

John called Him “The Word.”

John used the word “Logos” to say that the Divine Power that the Greeks believed existed, who kept order and guided their choices, had become real flesh.

Therefore, John declares down through the ages, “In the beginning was the Logos(Word), and the Logos (Word) was with God and the Logos (Word) was God!”  John 1:1

Can you just imagine what it would be like if God had never decided to come as the Baby in the manger?

It would be as C.S Lewis penned about the land of Narnia with the absence of Aslan, “It was always winter but never Christmas.”

One reason worshippers today can have hearts filled with praise as they celebrate Christmas is that they can sing “Emmanuel (El –the very name of God), Emmanuel – God is with us!”

He was there for us 2000 years ago, and He is here with us today – no matter how bleak or dark life gets!  He loved you so much that He willingly stepped down out of heaven for YOU!

The cradle, however, was only the beginning.

The Cross

The star, shining above the lonely stable that night may have been in the shape of a cross.  

The cross was the cruellest instrument of death known to man.  Suspended between heaven and hell, the victim of the cross waited for, and eventually longed for, death!

At Calvary, we find the Creator put to death at the hands of creation!  However, the grave couldn’t contain Him, for three days later the WORD rose again!

Therefore, we worshippers bowed before Christ this Christmas will never experience the sting of death!  Yes, this physical body will someday be placed in the ground, but our souls will live on as in the words of Paul, “…to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord” 2 Cor 5:8 (NKJV)

If you are searching for Jesus this Christmas, do not look for Him in the manger—it is empty!

If you are searching for Jesus this Advent season,do not look at the cross – It is empty!

If you are seeking a Saviour, do not stoop to look in the tomb –It is empty!

Look up for any day the trumpet will sound and the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then, those who are alive will be caught up in the clouds to join with them and Jesus!

What a party in the sky that will be!  We will be celebrating and singing at the top of our lungs, “Joy to the World the Lord has Come!