Influential thoughts

While this is long-standing biblical wisdom, many secular sources now agree on the huge influence our thinking has on our lives. The following is adapted from a recent Daily Hope reflection posted by Rick Warren.

"Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts." (Prov. 4:23)

My interpretation influences my situation. It's not what happens to me that matters as much as how I choose to see it. The way I react will determine whether the circumstance makes me better or bitter. I can view everything as an obstacle or an opportunity for growth — a stumbling block or a stepping stone.

My beliefs influence my behavior. We always act according to our beliefs, even when those ideas are false. For instance, as a child, if you believed a shadow in your bedroom at night was a monster, your body reacted in fear (adrenaline and jitters) even though it wasn't true. That's why it's so important to make sure you are operating on true information! Your convictions about yourself, about life, and about God influence your conduct.

My self-talk influences my self-esteem. We constantly talk to ourselves. Do you run yourself down with your self-talk? Stop doing that: "As you think in your heart, so are you" (Prov. 23:7).

Don't be reluctant to show mercy

by Rick Warren

We all need mercy, because we all stumble and fall and require help getting back on track. We need to offer mercy to each other and be willing to receive it from each other.

You can’t have fellowship without forgiveness because bitterness and resentment always destroy fellowship. Sometimes we hurt each other intentionally and sometimes unintentionally, but either way, it takes massive amounts of mercy and grace to create and maintain fellowship.

The Bible says, “You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:13 NLT).

The mercy God shows to us is the motivation for us to show mercy to others. Whenever you’re hurt by someone, you have a choice to make: Will I use my energy and emotions for retaliation or for resolution? You can’t do both.

Many people are reluctant to show mercy because they don’t understand the difference between trust and forgiveness. Forgiveness is letting go of the past. Trust has to do with future behavior.

Forgiveness must be immediate, whether or not a person asks for it. Trust must be rebuilt over time.

Trust requires a track record. If someone hurts you repeatedly, you are commanded by God to forgive them instantly, but you are not expected to trust them immediately, and you are not expected to continue allowing them to hurt you. They must prove they have changed over time.

The best place to restore trust is within the supportive context of a small group that offers both encouragement and accountability.

(from Rick Warren's Purpose Driven daily devotional site, Daily Hope)

Cease striving and know that I am God

By Francis Frangipane

Among the many complex and sublime faculties of the human soul, one attribute functions as a servant to all: the nature of the soul is porous. This means that in addition to latent strengths and talents, the soul is also shaped and developed by external stimuli: we learn customs and language, habits, virtues and vices largely by importing reality as it surrounds us. Indeed, the marrow of life itself, as we subjectively know it, is created by the inward flow of these outward realities.

Thus, the soul, while it is born with innate powers, it is also the product of its times and circumstances. Because we live in unprecedented, prophetic times, individuals born during the last five or six decades are impacted, not only by the common struggles and joys of life, but also by the unspeakable disasters as they occur around the world. As a result of live media coverage, we vicariously experience repeated participation with human suffering. We see the actual faces of those traumatized by earthquakes and tsunamis, famines and wars. Again, because of the porous nature of the soul, when we view life’s terrors, we are repeatedly absorbing these fearful realities into our consciousness. We cannot help but be affected.

How do we erase from our minds the faces of earthquake and tsunami victims? How is it possible to forget the horrific memory of people leaping to their deaths from flaming windows high on the Twin Towers on 9/11? What happens to our souls when we view news reports of Iraqis and Israelis being blown apart by terrorists’ bombs?

If you are an intercessor, or even one who possesses just basic, human compassion, the flood of sorrow and terror rising from terrible disasters cannot be stopped by a levee of human intellect. Life’s pains, even when they aren’t our own, are still absorbed at some level into our soul, and more so if we know the one suffering.

To cope with our vulnerabilities, we have created some positive remedies: hospitals, relief agencies, first responders and charitable giving all are relatively new means of dealing with human sorrow. We are compelled, not only to help the victims, but to help ourselves digest and respond to the emotional overload of our times.

(Read this insightful article in its entirety at the Ministries of Francis Frangipane) 

Clinically-dead boy who miraculously survived drowning, saw his great-grandmother in Heaven

"I knew I was in Heaven. But Grandma said I had to come home. She said that I should go back very quickly. Heaven looked nice. But I am glad I am back with Mummy and Daddy now."

(Lychen, Germany)—After a drowning mishap, three-year-old Paul Eicke has made news in Europe, saying he spoke with a family member in Heaven before miraculously coming back to life.

According to a report in The Daily Mail, the boy had fallen into a pond for several minutes at his grandparent's house in Great Britain before being found. Doctors had just given up on resuscitation efforts when—three hours and 18 minutes after he had been brought in—his heart started beating independently.

Professor Lothar Schweigerer, director of the Helios Clinic where Paul was treated, said: "I have never experienced anything like it...this is a most extraordinary case. My doctors were close to saying 'we can do no more' after two hours of thorax compression. This was because the chances of survival had gone and the little lad must have been brain dead. But then suddenly his heart started to beat again...it was a fantastic miracle."

"I've been doing this job for 30 years," he added, "and have never seen anything like this. It goes to show the human body is a very resilient organism and you should never give up."

Even more remarkable, Paul is quoted as saying that while he was unconscious, he saw his great-grandmother Emmi, "who had turned him back from a gate and urged him to go back to his parents."

Said Paul: "There was a lot of light and I was floating. I came to a gate and I saw Grandma Emmi on the other side. She said to me, 'What are you doing here Paul? You must go back to Mummy and Daddy. I will wait for you here.'"

"I knew I was in Heaven," he continued. "But Grandma said I had to come home. She said that I should go back very quickly. Heaven looked nice. But I am glad I am back with Mummy and Daddy now."

Back home in Germany, Paul reportedly has no sign of brain damage from his ordeal.

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Listening to the Good Shepherd

Good Shepherd Sunday, three weeks after Easter, derives its name from the gospel readings across the Anglican and Catholic Communions assigned for that day. Taken from the 10th chapter of John, we hear again the story of Jesus described as the Good Shepherd who, by dying on the cross, laid down his life for his sheep.

In Pastor Anne’s thought- and heart-provoking sermon for the day, she reminded us of how well sheep know their own shepherd’s voice; how they will follow none other’s. In some ways sheep may be famously dumb, but they excel at being good listeners and followers.

How does that connect to us as believers in our one true heavenly shepherd? We, as human beings, too often prove ourselves poor followers and listeners to that Divine Voice. Anne provided many pointers to help us learn better to listen to, and know when we are hearing from, God. The first major point being simply that: LISTEN! How often do we spend time being quiet, waiting for that ‘still, small voice’, in our prayer times? Yet how else will we hear?

In a recent devotional by Rick Warren, he makes a similar point in describing how difficult it can be for us—this idea of yielding, of surrendering. We instead have been so often taught to conquer, speak our minds, to overcome, expect our will to be done. While Warren writes more in terms of worship, that also is prayer. The Bible, on the other hand, teaches us that rather than trying to win, succeed, overcome, and conquer, we should instead yield, submit, obey, and surrender. How else can we do this but to listen first?

“When we completely surrender ourselves to Jesus,” Warren concludes, “we discover that he is not a tyrant but a savior; not a boss, but a brother; not a dictator, but a friend.”

Be yourself with God

"When you pray, do not use a lot of meaningless words, as the pagans do, who think that their gods will hear them because their prayers are long. Do not be like them. Your Father already knows what you need before you ask him." (Matt. 6:5-15 TEV)

(the following reflection by Rick Warren)

God created you and so he wants you to be the real you. By being authentic when you speak to God, you worship him as your Creator.

For years I copied the prayers of other people. I noticed they used certain words and even a special tone of voice. I imitated all the religious clichés: "Lead, guide and direct us, O Lord." "Bless this food to the nourishment of our bodies." "Bless the gift and the giver."

In New Testament times, prayers were wordy, meaningless rituals. There was no spontaneity, no genuineness. But Jesus says don't get caught up in ritual prayer. You don't have to use fancy language. You can't impress God with fancy language, and you shouldn't be trying to impress other people either.

I love to hear new Christians pray―no pious pomposity. They haven't learned the clichés yet. They just say, "Hi, God. It's me." That's how you make contact with God. You just talk with your Heavenly Father about what's on your mind. Just pray your heart. Reveal yourself.

Imagine I walked in the door one evening and my kids said: "O, almighty procreator of our family. How wonderful thou art, who sovereignly deposits our allowance to us. Oh, the majesty of thy wonderful self! We beseech thee to come eat dinner with us." I'd check their temperatures to see if they were sick! I don't want to hear that. I want them to say, "Hey! Dad's home. Good to see you, Pop!"

I'm not saying to be flippant in prayer, but that's how you make contact with God. You just talk with Him in a genuine and heartfelt way.

(from Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Connection devotional)

The Resurrection changes everything

By Collin Hansen with Adrian Warnock

There is no historical doubt whatsoever that a man called Jesus lived and was crucified 2,000 years ago. It is also without dispute that a group arose quickly after his death claiming he was risen.

Despite the apparent absurdity of such a claim, and vigorous attempts to persecute them off the face of the earth, this group grew quicker than any other before or since. Soon the whole Roman Empire became a Christian state without a sword being raised by the all-conquering new faith. This remarkable growth is impossible to explain without the Resurrection.

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You can read the full transcript of Hansen’s interview with Warnock, author of the book Raised With Christ: How the Resurrection Changes Everything, here.