Patience is easy, until it is tested

There were some great lines in the movie Bruce Almighty and a great piece about prayer. It went something along the lines of, “When you pray for patience, does God give you patience or an opportunity to be patient?” This wasn’t the exact quote but this was the point of it. Prayer can just be words but sometimes it requires action. Paul spends the last chunk of scripture in 1 Thessalonians talking about how the church should be living with each other.

1 Thessalonians 5:14-15…

“And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.”

While this does focus for the church itself, it is practical for anyone in or outside the church. Now inside the church, I have been apart of some churches that do a great job with this and I have been apart of some church that have not. I love going to Maryland Community Church and feel like this is one of the best churches I have been apart of when it comes to living in community with one another. It’s something all Christians are called to do and not just as leaders. As attenders of a church ask yourself…

·      Are you warning those not accomplishing what they are supposed to do?

·      Who have you encouraged lately? When?

·      Who have you helped? When?

·      How and when have you shown patience in the church or with church attenders?

·      How have you kept peace in the church?

I mentioned “when” because we might have done this once, but it could have happened a while ago. If we are living in the church this needs to be a frequent occasion. Paul really hits the church hard with this because as believers in Jesus, we are called to live for him in our life. If you are outside the church, this is what the church is supposed to be about. If you have had a bad experience with a church, I am sorry, please give church a try again. Churches are full of sinners and are far from perfect. I hope you can find a church that is a good fit for you.

We are called to care for one another, how can you do that today?

Have a great day.

Easier to tear down compared to building up

It doesn’t take much effort to tear someone down. You look at the faults of others and attack. This is a lot of how some society is. It is easier to tear someone down rather than lift them up.

We sometimes choose to hurt people rather than encourage. Yet Paul did the opposite of this. The majority of his books always had an encouraging ending to people. In Colossians 4:7-18 he chose to encourage several different people. This is verse 7-8…

“Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and a fellow servant in the Lord. I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts.”

Paul mentions several people and says nothing but encouraging things about these people. Even when he was jailed Paul tried to encourage others. What a great reminder of how we are to treat other people. We need to choose encouragement.

Who do you need to encourage today? How can you lift up someone today?

Have a great day.

My wife and I were happy for 20 years…then we met

A funny line about marriage from the great Rodney Dangerfield. Marriage is full of amazing times and amazingly bad times too. There isn’t a perfect marriage just like there isn’t a perfect human (Other than Jesus). So how do we fall into false ideas about marriage?

 

Hailee and I have had many good times in marriage and had times we needed help. Marriage isn’t about being perfect, there will always be mistakes. One of the saddest states of marriage is when a couple or spouse isn’t willing to go to counseling or listen to what a counselor says. I have heard this many times. We can handle the issues on our own or the problem is with them rather than me. I can honestly say Hailee and I went to counseling in the first year of our marriage and it was my fault. I had to own up to things I was not doing right in our marriage and admit to that. Without admitting I needed counseling, things would not have gotten any better. Even the best marriages I know could use help from time to time.

 

Paul shared a quote about marriage when talking about the law God created and the authority he has over man. Romans 7:2-3…

“For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. So then, if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress, even though she marries another man.”

 

Going back in the Old Testament, you were married and one of the acts of showing you were married was the act of sex. When two become one can be justified as sex, while we aren’t given a clean straight Bible verse on what made a marriage, sex was part of the consummation.

Imagine for those who have had multiple partners you could be considered married to your first love and cheat on him/her with everyone else. Weird enough for you? Paul talks about a women whose husband is not dead (The phrase till death do you part comes to mind) and she marries/have sex with another man, it’s an affair. Only if her husband dies is it legal to marry again. People have taken marriage in a different way.

 

God gave us marriage, not arrogance. Marriage is full of mistakes because of us. We have done things before we are married, while we are married or maybe in our second marriages and beyond that are wrong. I have seen people get divorced over not being happy anymore (No fairy tale marriage exists) and almost every reason in between. If you think once we are married my spouse will change, most likely not. More likely is the fact your spouse will let their guard down and be a little worse. Yet there is beauty in marriage.

 

I thank God for my wife everyday. She is wonderful, she looks beautiful, puts up with all of my faults (There are many) and encourages me when I feel down. I thank God for giving me Hailee in marriage. A great marriage can make you do amazing things you never thought of yourself as doing (One of the many, I never thought I would get a Master’s degree). A bad marriage can make you miserable.

 

What do you want in life to be happy or miserable? When Paul mentions about marriage in the verse about, I would imagine some people being in marriages they weren’t happy in and hopeful that there spouse might die or they were looking forward to ending things with them. Is marriage worth fighting for? I believe so, but do you? Do you think is marriage is worth putting your own selfish desires aside for better ones?

 

If you are in a relationship or a marriage and it’s not going well get help. If you have a broken leg you go to the doctors. If you have a broken marriage do the same. Get help, a great marriage can fulfill your greatest desires as humans. Is that something you want? If you are married what is something you could do for your spouse today to help your relationship out? If your relationship is not going well, don’t be stubborn like a donkey, get help.

 

Have a great day.

 

Strong but not because of steroids

What makes you strong? You could say lifting weights, exercise or another form of working out can make you strong. That covers the physical aspect but what makes you mentally strong? There are a ton of talented people out there who are gifted in so many ways that aren’t mentally strong.

Sports have an interesting role in this. There are sports that are individually based that require so much mental strength, running, swimming and golf come to mind. When you have to perform your best and it’s all on you.  Earlier last summer I was playing in a disc golf tournament, I had a chance to win my division with several holes left. I tried to dial into another level and tried really hard, the result was the opposite. I fell apart and finished third or fourth.  Being mentally tough matters and sometimes we just don’t have it. What does it take to make you mentally tough?

Paul has an interesting take on strength that I think can play into being tough mentally. Romans 1:11-12…

“I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong – that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.”

Encouragement by each other’s faith can make you strong. You can be lifted up by other people and what they are doing with their lives. There are people I look up to and really have a lot of respect for.  Some of these people I long to be like. ne of the people I have always looked up to is a professor at Great Lakes Christian College Alvin Kuest. He is one of the most graceful people I have met and shares a genuine love for everyone.  I hope you have people you look up at and if you don’t to find someone.

Not only are you encouraged by them, they can be lifted up by you. Just because you look up to someone doesn’t mean you are garbage compared to them.  This scripture talks about by each other’s faith.  You don’t just look at their faith, but they can look at yours too and there can be a mutual form or respect.  Do you have mutual respect for someone else? If not what can you do to make this happen.

Being mentally tough is a challenge.  Yet when you have others helping you out, challenging you and you challenging back its iron sharpening iron.  Making each other better can be a great benefit. Are you living a life others want to be like? Do you have someone you look up to or have a mutual respect for? If you answer no, start changing what you are doing in your life and what can you do to make it better.

Have a great day.

Just visiting can be fun even when if it doesn't happen in Monopoly

It’s nice to see family and friends that you haven’t seen in a while.  One of my favorite times was for Hailee’s 30^th birthday.  We had friends coming from Canada, Texas, Missouri, Illinois and a whole bunch of people come from Michigan.  It was an awesome time (we have the pictures on Facebook to prove it).  It means so much when people drive/fly 5+ hours to visit.  Seeing people come from a distance away just to have some fun for a birthday party. It makes you feel loved.

It took sacrifice for people.  People had to pay for some gas/plane tickets and leave work for a long weekend in Terre Haute, IN.  People left work early or took vacation time to celebrate this special occasion.  Traveling a distance away makes you feel loved and it’s always great to have that feeling. Paul felt encouraged when people traveled to visit him.

Paul was traveling as a prisoner and was away from a lot of close friends for a while.  They came to visit as it talks about in some of Acts 28:14-15…

“And so we came to Rome. The brothers and sisters there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these people Paul thanked God and was encouraged.”

I checked out how far these places were away from Rome, one was about 10 miles and the other was about 30+ miles away. They wanted to see Paul and lift him up.  After traveling for that distance, it was great for Paul to see some friends again. I tried to see how long average travel took in the Bible but was unsuccessful.  I would image 10 miles was a least a days walk.  It took effort to travel these distances away.  It was worth it.

One of the greatest benefits of good family and friends can be when they come to visit. I have been very appreciative when friends have done this for me. Sometimes a visit from family and friends can help you move on and continue to fight the good fight. What can you do for friends today? Is there a friend that could you a visit from you? Do you think that can make a difference in their life? 

People sacrifice to visit people they love.  They did this for Paul. People did this for us in coming for Hailee’s birthday and so much more. Who can you encourage or visit or help out today? It can make a world of difference.

Have a great day.

Against all odds (More than just the autobiography from Chuck Norris)

I love the underdog. I love teams and people that aren’t expected to do anything and they surprise the world. Kurt Warner was a minor league quarterback, a backup quarterback, at one point worked at a grocery store, but after the starting quarterback went down he stepped in and the rest is history.

Being a Michigan State, Lions, Tigers and Chris Kaman (He played for the Clippers a lot of years and then had to go to the Hornets) fan I get used to being the underdog. It builds character and courage to fight through the bad moments.

This happens outside the sports realm and into all aspects of life.

Paul was traveling as a prisoner to Rome. They were on a boat and things took a turn for the worst. A huge storm hit them and they were basically goners. They didn’t see the sun for three days and lost hope. They threw over cargo and almost everything including the ships tackle. Many thought they would die.

This wasn’t the case as Paul talks in Acts 27:23-25…

“Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you. So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.”

The people would be safe. There was less than a glimmer of hope, yet God took care of Paul and took care of the people. Keep up your courage. What do you need courage in? Courage goes beyond being an underdog is sports. The people on the boat lacked courage, yet God came through for them. Take courage even through the worst of times.

Some people that have amazing courage to me…

Single parents – For whatever reason, this is nearly impossible to go through.  Hailee and I were teaming up to feed Nolan, change and get Nolan back to sleep.  We both said the same thing, I couldn’t do this alone.

Those coming from poor situations – It’s hard to have nothing and to make something with your life, it takes a tremendous amount of hard work.

Those with physical or mental disabilities – the strength of what some people have to go throw everyday is beautiful.  When you see people overcoming and not being a slave to a disability and do something awesome it’s a masterpiece.

Kids of divorced families – Stats of shown that the kids of divorced families don’t usually fair as well kids with parents that don’t divorce.  If you are a child of divorced parents you can overcome and do so much with your life.

Paul was able to keep the men’s courage. If you are struggling through life right now, take courage.

Know that through much pain can come much joy. God is there for you even when you don’t feel like it. Take courage. What do you need courage in?

Stay strong, fight the good fight, do everything in your power to make things better and when you come up short, you can always rely on God and Jesus. If things are going good for you….encourage!

Help someone else out. Lift them up with your words, make this world a better place with how you treat other people. Life can get better. Take courage!

Have a great day!

Everyone can't be against if they haven't met you

I remember a little story that goes like this…

Person 1: “I have a feeling that everyone is against me.”

Person 2: “That’s impossible, some people haven’t met you yet.”

Person :1 looks puzzled.

Sometimes it feels like we are under attack.

That we can’t do anything right.

We feel low and pretty down.

It’s always nice to have people in our lives to lift us up.

As I read through Acts chapter 20, this is the first things that stands out to me.

Paul is encouraging people through the places he goes.

Acts 20:1-2…

“When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said good-by and set out for Macedonia.  He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people…”

Paul went through lifting people up.

How often do you feel tore down?

We can feel like this at work, in public and even with our family and friends.

There are certain people I love because they make me feel better.

One of the greatest people I have ever met was my professor at Great Lakes Christian College, Dr. Alvin Kuest.

Kuest is awesome.

Throughout knowing him over eight years, I can call him up and he can lift me up no matter how down I feel.

We all need people like this in our life.

People that can lift us up.

Christians are called to do this.

To lift people up instead of being mad, angry and judgmental.

What if we just focused on the good in people?

Instead of looking at the negative, we looked at what we like about people.

On top of that we would tell people what we like about them?

Imagine how that would change things?

What if we focused on the good that people did instead of the bad?

Let’s try this today, instead of tearing people down, trying to lift people up.

We are all screwed up, but even through the bad there is still good.

Try to be an encourager today and see how this changes you and the people around you.

Have a great day.

Bearing bad news

It’s easier to tear other down then pick them up.

Sometimes it feels like we can just tear people down.

I remember working and the only time bosses would talk to me was when I would do something wrong or something that they didn’t agree with.

I was working for a newspaper in Mt. Pleasant finished a story, submitted it and took off with Hailee before my sports editor came in that night.

Hailee and I went out and later I arrived home to find a message from my sports editor to give him a call (I didn’t have a cell phone to for him to reach me at).

Usually this was a call to fix, clarify or to tell me the article sucked (I did write some bad stuff sometimes).

I got on the phone with him and he responded, “Joel, your article was amazing.  I just wanted to tell you the article was great and I think that article could go on the AP wire.”

I said thank you and was completely surprised.

I never got a call like that before in four years of sports writing.

It encouraged me.

Often times it’s hard for us to celebrate, be happy or to encourage on another.

This is true with me.

A couple of years ago I took one of the psych tests in a class.

My test showed that I had a pretty significant negative outlook on myself like a 2 or on a scale of 10.

Often in life I look at the worst case scenario first.

I have been trying to work on this, but still fall short of being a better encourager at times.

In Acts 11 there was a person mentioned by the name of Barnabas.

Barnabas’s name meant either son of consolation or son of encouragement.

He was known as someone who encouraged other people.

Barnabas was sent to help people in Antioch and this is what happened with him in Acts 11:23-24…

“When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.  He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.”

Barnabas did something we all need to be known for, encouragement.

This is something that Christians are called to be known for, to encourage one another.

It’s a challenge for me and a goal I need to continue to improve in.

When you do some self-reflection do you think you are known for being someone who lifts other people up?

Today I am going to focus on trying to improve in this.

Is this something that you need improvement in?

How can you be a better encourager to other people?

Have a great day.

What'd you call me?

For a long time I thought he hated me.

My best friend Jason Sleight dad that is.

It all started about 14 years ago, I was talking to Jason on the phone when out of nowhere he calls Bob (Jason’s dad) and says I called him (I don’t even remember what exactly) something like a sissy girl that anyone could beat up.

I couldn’t believe Jason would lie to his dad and I started to freak out.

I hear Jason yelling this to his dad and I hear his dad in the distance yelling, “WHAT’D HE CALL ME.”

Next his dad got on the phone and said it again, I fumbled words around saying it was Jason and not me.

I thought for a while Jason’s dad hated me.

What I found out later, I was setup.

Jason’s dad was next to him the entire time and they were laughing about it.

At the time I really didn’t find it funny, now I can look back and laugh.

Bob will still come up to me once every while and say, “What’d you call me?”

What do people call you?

What do people call you to your face?

Behind your back?

If people just met you, what would they say about you after spending a couple of minutes with you.

What would you like to be called?

In Acts 4 the apostles and followers were sharing everything in common.

People brought things to the apostles and gave to those in need.

One of the people that brought stuff to Jesus was a man named Joseph.

Listen to what they called him in verse 36…

“Joseph, a Levite from Cyrpus whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”).”

Son of encouragement.

That is a great name to be called.

He was known as an encourager.

Not a bad trait to be known as.

I think about what I want to be known as…

A good guy

Good follower of Jesus
A funny guy
Person who was there for others
Genuinely cared about other people

I don’t want to be known for negative things.

Sometimes we are known for things we don’t want to be known for.

If that is the case, how can that change today?

How do you want to be known for?

Are you the person you want to be today?

I am a firm believer that everyone no matter how old can still change for the better.

That Jesus gives us another chance and we can do the same for others.

We can be known for being a better person and if we are the ones that make fun of other people we can change.

Are you who you want to be known for today?

If not, what can you do to improve that?

What’d you call me is a joke I laugh about now, what do you want to be called today?

Have a great day.