Going the Distance

A remarkable thing happened at the 1968 Olympics. While competing in the marathon in Mexico City, John Stephen Akhwari of Tanzania suffered cramps due to the high altitude of the city. At the nineteen-kilometer point, during the forty-two-kilometer race, Akhwari fell after being hit by some other runners while jockeying for position, cutting and dislocating his knee and severely wounding his shoulder as he hit the hard pavement. But Akhwari continued running and finished the race in great pain—and in last place.

When he finally crossed the finish line, a full hour after the winner, a cheer came from the small crowd that remained. When later interviewed, a reporter asked him, “Why did you continue? You were hurt. No one would have blamed you if you had quit.” Akhwari replied, “My country did not send me five thousand miles to start the race. They sent me five thousand miles to finish the race.”

There is something admirable and special about a person who refuses to quit amidst great adversity. We admire someone who keeps getting up after falling down time and time again. All of us go through circumstances in our lives when we’re tempted to quit, and the Akhwaris in life inspire us to keep going. We become tempted to give up in tough times because we feel hopeless. We think quitting would be the greatest feeling we could imagine, because it would rescue us from our stress and discouragement.

However, there is a high cost for quitting before our race is over.

1. Quitting damages our faith. Faith grows when we have to use it. Quitting causes us to give up before our faith can develop and produce.

2. Quitting stunts our spiritual growth. Romans 5:3-5 teaches that the trials we experience help us to mature in Christ.

3. Quitting robs God. It robs God of His glory in the world. We demonstrate with our life that there is little benefit in trusting Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

4. Quitting keeps us from receiving God’s blessing. “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.” (Hebrews 10:36)

So, how do we endure in the midst of adversity?

First, we must look behind us—remembering what God has done in our past. Hebrews 11 is filled with testimonies of those who faced trials and endured. Nothing builds faith faster than to remember with gratitude what God has already done for us.

Then we must look up. Hebrews 12:2 says, “…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Keep looking to Jesus who has all power to help in every situation.

Finally, we must look ahead. Hebrews 12:3 teaches, “For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Once we remember what God has done in our past, we then make Jesus the focal point of our present, so that we can more easily place our hope in Him for the future.

Remember, God did not send us here to start the race—but to finish the race!

Wanting more information about endurance? Read my new book Overcoming Spiritual Vertigo.

Dealing with the Dark Side

As I have grown to understand the ways of God, I’ve found that my greatest personal battles have been with Satan. I feel the warfare when I prepare a sermon. I feel the pressure when I pray or try to minister to someone. When I face spiritual vertigo, I engage in spiritual warfare. Satan is trying to throw me off my spiritual balance.

When we think of the devil, we often think of a little red man with horns and a pitchfork. Those of the Western world generally feel reluctant when they talk about evil and Satan. If a person’s head spins around and he vomits all over the place, we might say that it’s demonic. Otherwise, we find talk of demons and devils uncomfortable and, at times, offensive.

Mass murderers and terrorism are on the rise in the world. Most recently, the killing of 5 policemen in Dallas and the eighty-six killed in Nice. These attacks followed shootings in schools, movie theaters, and the Boston Marathon bombing. We usually place the blame on bad parenting, social rejection or mental illness.

In his book The Death of Satan, Andrew Delbanco—a secular liberal—states that our society hates the word “evil” because it places a value judgment on someone else. However, he says, a gulf is opening in our intellectual center enabling us to explain evil in emotional and sociological terms.

In the movie, Silence of the Lambs, Officer Clarice Starling meets serial killer Hannibal Lecter for the first time.

Starling: “I think you can provide some insight and advance this study.
Lecter: “And what possible reason could I have to do that? 
Starling: “Curiosity.”
Lecter: “About what?”
Starling: “About why you’re here. About what happened to you?”
Lecter: “Nothing happened to me, Officer Starling. I happened. You can’t reduce me to a set of influences. You’ve given up good and evil for behaviorism, Officer Starling. You’ve got everyone in moral dignity pants—nothing is ever anybody’s fault. Look at me, Officer Starling. Can you stand to say I’m evil? Am I evil, Officer Starling?”

Our society has difficulty answering the monster’s question. The challenge is to be consistent in our thinking. Do we believe in a supernatural God? If so, why can’t we, in turn, believe in a supernatural evil?

Spiritual warfare is not only real in the church and our personal lives, but also real on a national and world scale. Are the terrorists who attack us, or the criminals who kill us, any different than Hannibal Lecter? Terrorism and murder may be the face of evil, but the real evil is supernaturally lurking behind the door.

Satan attacks a nation in order to cripple any potential for spreading the gospel, and to promote the general misery of God’s creation. When a nation turns toward evil, the church instinctively pushes back. Often, as a consequent, Christians are portrayed as intolerant, phobic, and foolish. Satan tries to turn the tables on us, so that society looks at us as the problem, not the solution. This results in the proliferation of evil and the obstruction of the gospel message. 1 Peter 5:8 teaches, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

As believers, we must pray, knowing we are in a spiritual battle for our nation, the world, and more importantly, people’s souls.

For more study on this subject, check out my new book, Overcoming Spiritual Vertigo.”

The Performance Trap

The moment you received Christ into your heart, you were born again. At that moment, God loved you as much as He ever will love you. Because His love is perfect, His love for you will never be any more or any less than at that instant you gave your life to Him. Yet, at times it is difficult to trust His love.

Some time ago, a lady came into my office, brokenhearted over marriage issues. In spite of her prayers, her husband left her for another woman. How could she cope? How could she ever trust another man? She blamed herself. She blamed God--why had He let it happen?

Like her, we have all wrestled with doubt. Often the performance of others, our own past performance, or the performance of God (an uncomfortable concept—but it’s how we often feel), leave us doubting God.


1. Our past performance. Any time adversity strikes we tend to look inward. We ask ourselves, “What did I do wrong? What could I have done differently?” Yes, we have all sinned. Yes, we would have prevented tragedy if we could have seen into the future, but we cannot. We must ask for God’s forgiveness and move on, because when we hold on to past guilt, we actually cheapen the cross. As a result, we begin to live as if the cross was only a down payment for our sins and now we are paying off the balance.
So why should God help us? Because He loves us and His grace is sufficient. Hebrews 8:12 says, “For I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” God will not remember your sins—the past is the past. Our sins are forgiven at a high price, but, know the price has been paid.

2. The performance of others. Many of our problems and prayers center on other people. Perhaps we have to deal with a rebellious child or a difficult supervisor at work. We cannot control what others do, but how can we place our faith in God when the trials we face concern others? Will God infringe on the free will of another person just to answer our prayers? No one can fully answer that question, but I will say He can if He wants to. He is God. I believe He can draw people to repentance and place the desire in people’s hearts that they will know it is better to follow Christ than go their own way. Nothing is impossible with God.


3. God’s performance. Often our greatest struggles are the struggles we have with God. We expect attacks from Satan, but we feel our loving, heavenly Father should always come through for us. Many of our struggles have to do with our perception of God’s past performance in times of trial. Deuteronomy 8:2 teaches us that God humbles us and tests us, to see what is in our heart. “You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.” 

Whatever God does in our lives is for our good and His glory. As He brings us through trials we are able to humble ourselves anew at the cross, we are able to turn our attention to Christ—depending only on Him.
For more on this subject, check out my book, Overcoming Spiritual Vertigo (click on book on right).
 

What are your thoughts on this?

Beauty in Imperfection

I am delighted to welcome my wife, Pamela Mercer, as my guest this week. I know you will find her story inspirational.

Several years ago my life as I knew it ended with three little words. "You have cancer." The events that followed were rushed and intense. Suddenly, everything that, by definition made me a woman was taken from me.Within two months time, I lost both breasts and had a radical hysterectomy. These were moments that could define me as someone who lived by faith or who took the easy route.I could have believed I was inadequate. Instead, I made a distinct choice to believe the truth of God’s Word and my relationship with Him. He was my hero when He died for me and He was still my hero when I needed Him in extraordinary ways. He is the beauty in our imperfection both in the ugliness of life and in our humanity.

Through all of this, I realized things:

      1. I never felt like I quite measured up. There was

          always someone prettier, smarter, had more things,

          and seemed to have it easy.

     2. Despite our feelings, we have the ability to choose

         how we think and feel. We can focus on eternal  

         things, or we can focus on temporal.

     3. If we solely follow our feelings, we will live a

         miserable existence. As women, there are not  

         enough emoticons to describe our feelings in a 12-hour

         period. Our feelings run a 100-yard dash with no sense

         of direction. Yet, when we choose to follow the

         principles of God, we recalibrate our hearts toward Him.

         Our life, our relationships, and our feelings follow. Our

         heart choices will dictate our feelings. What we believe

         and who we love will change the way we live and the

         choices we make.

We can believe fleeting feelings, or we can believe all-consuming truths like this:

Ephesians 2:4-5 says, “Because of His great love for us, even when we were dead in our sin made us alive in Christ, so that, by His grace we are saved.” 

Zephaniah 3:17 says, “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing."

Psalm 107:8-9 says, “Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love; for His wondrous works to the children of man. For He satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul, He fills with good things.”

No matter how we may feel, the Lord our God is always in our midst.

He alone can save us from our sin. He rejoices over and loves you (individually) with a never-ending love. He feels a lively or triumphant joy; rejoices exceedingly; is highly elated or jubilant over YOU!!

His love is steadfast. I love the meaning of the word steadfast. His love is loyal, faithful, committed, devoted, dedicated, dependable, reliable, steady, true, constant, solid, trustworthy, firm, determined, resolute, relentless, single-minded, unchanging, unwavering, unhesitating, unfaltering, unyielding, unflinching, and uncompromising.

With truth so amazing, why do we feel unloved or inadequate? The key to remember is this: When Satan feeds our heads with lies, our heart follows. Yet, if we fill our hearts with Christ, then Satan has to go. They cannot occupy the same space. The light cancels out the darkness. Darkness must flee.

 C. S. Lewis has said about seizing truth, “We are afraid we will lose something, but we lose nothing; we are the greatest version of ourselves. We fear we will have no more personality, no more distinction. That is so untrue. The truth is, we will never be more ourselves with the fullness of our personalities and the uniqueness of our giftedness as when we wholly give ourselves over to our faithful God.”
Let truth grab hold of your imperfections to replace them with beauty!

About the Author: When Pam came to CrossLife in 1993, God gave her a vision for the women in Oviedo and surrounding areas. This passion led to developing a team from which CrossLife Women’s Ministry was created. Pam currently serves as Director of Women’s Ministry, providing consultation for new and existing women’s ministries, and her ministry has grown significantly as God has changed many lives through retreats, rallies, mentoring, and Bible Studies.

 
A Note from Dr. Mercer:

I refer to Pam’s story in my new book, Overcoming Spiritual Vertigo. Perhaps you are going through some trying times. Your adversity could be physical infirmity, emotional stress, or family challenges. Maybe these trials cause you to wonder where God is taking you. Let me encourage you to pick up a copy of my book (click on picture in upper right). I believe it will help build your faith and help you understand what God wants to accomplish in your life.















 

In The Aftermath of Terror

When I received the news of the terrorist attack in Orlando, like the rest of the nation, I was stunned. As the details unfolded, my emotions vacillated between sadness, anger, confusion, and shock. Many churches rose to the occasion with outreach and ministry. Our church led a city-wide prayer vigil for the families who lost loved ones. Other churches led blood drives and offered to help with funeral arrangements. The entire Orlando area was, and remains, very supportive of those who still suffer grief.

Our hearts continue to hurt for the families of the victims. I think we all want to help—we want to reach out to those whose lives are forever changed.  But now, in the aftermath of this horrible event, how are we, as Christians, to respond? We must begin with prayer.

1.  Pray for the victim’s families. We need to pray for those who were deeply affected by this act of violence. I remember when a dam gave way, collapsed, and a flood covered the campus of Toccoa Falls College in 1977. As a student at the college, I recall the nation mourning the loss of the 39 people who were killed. But as the lives of the nation moved on, we continued to mourn for weeks. Though we eventually became “yesterday’s news,” we students still witnessed the aftermath of the devastation and greatly missed our friends who lost their lives. When the time comes that national interest focuses elsewhere, let us remember to continue to pray for the families who will forever grieve the loss of their loved ones.

2.  Pray for our protection. I was reading an article this week concerning the many terrorist attacks that have been averted. This included 77 such would-be attacks in my home state of Florida alone. Let’s thank God that those actions were not successful. Let’s pray that God will supernaturally protect us from those who would hurt us.

3.  Pray for our enemies. In Matthew 5:43-44,  Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy, but I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’” Love and grace toward those who dislike or hate us comes with difficulty. It is especially challenging when their attacks have a life-changing effect. However, as Christians we must show the same grace toward our enemies as we have received from Christ. To not do so is to testify that we had something to do with our salvation—that we somehow deserve at least a part of the grace and forgiveness that Christ has given us. Those who have truly humbled themselves at the cross, and experienced His marvelous grace, are compelled to share that grace with others.

4.  Pray for God to give you opportunities to share the gospel. Beliefs determine behavior, and behavior can often be hurtful. Jesus came both in grace and truth. “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) Jesus not only came in grace, but also in truth. Grace does not change how God feels about sin, only how He deals with it. We must be people of integrity—believing and living the truth of the Scriptures. The foundation of our faith is Jesus dying on the cross to save us from our sins. The cure for behavior that destroys lies in the truth of Christ. Let’s pray that God will supernaturally create something positive in the aftermath of tragedy. Pray that God will draw people to Himself (John 6:44) and give us the opportunity to speak the gospel of grace and truth.

What do you think?

 

Encouraging Dad

On my Mother’s Day blog, I presented five things that moms need. Now, as we celebrate Father’s Day, let me help you encourage dad. 

Dads are vitally important. The Bible says that fathers are the first symbol a child has of God. Dr. Kenneth Canfield, founder and President of the “National Center for Fathering,” wrote that when dads attend church regularly and take their family; children grow up to attend church 75% of the time. Conversely, he noted, when dads stay at home and moms take the children, only about 15% attend church regularly. 

But, what does dad need? Here are my thoughts:


1. A man needs a family to respect and honor him. “Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband…honor your father and mother.” (Ephesians 5:33; 6:2)

Every little boy wants to please his mom and show her what a “man” he has become. As he grows up, he, in turn, needs admiration from his wife and children. A wife who does not honor her husband takes away his feelings of manhood. According to my studies, a wife can do this by:

• Resisting his decisions in her heart
• Resisting his physical affection
• Becoming his conscience
• Ridiculing him in public

2. A man needs a family that will follow his leadership. (Ephesians 5:22 and 6:1) Not following his leadership tells him that he is not trusted, or is incapable of making good decisions.

3. A man needs a family to be grateful to him. “It is the crowning of every man to be appreciated.” Williams James, Philosopher

No parent is perfect – we all mess up. We can show gratitude by:

• Saying thank you
• Honoring them on special days
• Listening to them
• Forgiving them

4. A man needs children of good behavior. “Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth.” (Psalm 127:3, 4)

• Children honor their fathers by showing respect and loyalty.
• Children honor their father by demonstrating good behavior. Few things cut at the heart of parents more than seeing their children participate in destructive behavior.
• Children may dishonor their parents by rebellious behavior. 1 Samuel 15:23 teaches, “For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry.”

5. A Christian man needs to see his children receive and follow Christ (2 John 4). Every man wants to know he will one day meet his children in heaven.

We all possess shortcomings. We can complain about our dad’s faults, or we can rejoice in the positive things about him. Every man has a deep need to be appreciated and honored.

What do you think?

 

Right Now!

 Once you have overcome your spiritual vertigo (see my last two blogs), you want to move forward with courageous faith. When you have the strength and spiritual balance you need, you begin to have the courage to do something. The problem arises when we don’t do what we need to do—right now! Whether it’s beginning a new ministry or business, serving others, or simply spending time with God, chances are, if you procrastinate, you will never do it. In my book, Overcoming Spiritual Vertigo, I address several reasons why we need to begin today.

 1. Life is short. “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” (James 4:14)

 2. Life is measured by time. The Bible teaches that we need to measure our days that we may present a heart of wisdom. “So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12) To put this in perspective, pretend life is measured like a clock—if you are 20 years of age, it is only 6:00 a.m., if you are 40 years of age, the clock reads noon, if you are 60 years of age, then it’s 6:00 at night. If I live to be 80, I have 6,590 days left to live, serve Christ, and to make a difference in the lives of others.

 3. Your life has value. “I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.” (Psalm 139:14-16)

 4. We must use time wisely. “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15, 16)

In 2 Timothy 4, Paul is soon going to die. He writes to Timothy, his son in the faith, to come to him “before winter.” Why before winter? Because, once winter set in the docks would be closed and Timothy would be unable to go. There was a sense of longing and heartache in Paul’s voice as he wrote. The Bible never tells us if Timothy made the journey on time. 

 What do you need to do right now? Is there someone you need to visit, share your faith with, forgive, or express your love or gratitude toward? A few years ago, I was in a shopping mall near my hometown, and I noticed my dad talking to a man outside the store I was in. Later, when dad entered the store, he told me the man he was speaking with was Brother Bob, my childhood pastor.


I had not seen Bob in several years. Since that time, I had become a pastor of a large church in Florida—much larger than he had pastored. I wondered how Bob measured his ministry—had he accomplished what he planned to do for God? Could I be an encouragement to him? Now was my chance! But I froze—what would I say? I reasoned that I should have called him years ago and now it would just be embarrassing. By the time I finally found the courage to talk to him, he was gone, and though I promised myself I would call him one day, I never did. I just kept putting it off and sadly a few months later, Bob passed away. I lost my opportunity to thank him for being a good pastor to me.

 What are you putting off? Know this—if you do not do what God leads you to do right away, the chances are high that you never will.

Do it right now!