Thought #34

 “Circumstances reveal the inner person.”  Circumstances make us bitter or better.  Job called them the chastening/discipline of the Almighty (Job 5:17). Our sufferings are not from a cruel one.  Paul described them as God’s love gift. Heb. 12:6 acknowledges God’s wisdom in His discipline.  In our sorest trials and most distressing seasons, we can fully depend on Jesus to give strength.  We are daily buoyed up as we keep our spiritual eyes on our God’s promised blessed hope.  “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”  Phil.1:6

Thought #33

The experiences of our lives, when we let God use them, become the mysterious and perfect preparation for the work He will give us to do.”     Corrie Ten Boom

MENTORING ~ Part 4

Our transient, love-starved world has numerous heart’s doors that are desperately waiting to swing open to someone who has a compassion.That is a stupendously big topic which I will slightly touch on in this issue. Before I do, I would like to refer to MENTORING Part 2 to leave a few thought-provoking snippets about the husband-wife relationship.

“Anything without a head is dead. Anything with two heads is a monster — in the home and elsewhere.” “Before marriage opposites attract; After marriage opposites attack.”
“Do we wear labels or do we meet needs?” “Anyone in need of mercy is a neighbor.”

The husband-wife relationship sets the tone for the home atmosphere; therefore, it must be  strongly, consistently, and seriously established on Christian principles. God has given the necessary guidelines in His Instruction Book.

Homes are crumbling. Why? For reasons too many to be covered in this short treatise. One to be  addressed is the transient lifestyle of its members. Extra-curricular school activities, sports, clubs, music, “Ys,” gyms, hobbies, and more entice family members away from each other. Parents and children don’t know where the others are. Days go by without sitting down to a meal together as a family. Mealtime is a special time for catching up with each other and for bonding. A time of laughter and love. A time to share perspectives, plans, and dreams. A time to be guided, admonished, and equipped. A time of corporate mentoring. A  family devotion time.

At one time the six children of our blended family ranged from 13 to 20 years. Work schedules and school programs became a challenge for togetherness. We had to have rules that could not be broken without an acceptably good reason. There were no excuses for neglecting church. In their younger years we went as a family in one station wagon. In those days we dressed appropriately, because we were going before the King of kings. (Perhaps this statement is out of line in this day and age. Please excuse if you disagree with my clothing code.)

Every child needs the masculine influence in his/her life. For various reasons it is missing. Mother must play the two roles. Impossible and unforgivable if both live in the home. Mother provides love, understanding, and tenderness. Father provides solidarity and regularity. Together they do not merely focus on the cute little child but on the child’s adulthood. Already Gone and Already Compromised, books produced by Answers in Genesis, alert and unnerve us when we read facts and data that focus on why youth are church dropouts. I believe the basic reason starts in the home and then the church. Youth are home dropouts as well.

From experience I conclude that the most strategic mentoring tools are godly prepared hearts,  minds, and souls. When needy opportunities cross our paths, we rarely have warning, and we must be prepared through fervent, believing prayer, There is great activity in the heavenlies when we pray. As we pray, “the Spirit works in the unconscious domain of another’s being about which we know nothing, and about which the other person knows nothing. After a while the conscious life of the one being prayed for begins to show signs of softening and unrest, of enquiry and a desire to know. As our prayers are directed to God who understands the conscious depths of our longing, He uses our prayers to change the desires of the one for whom we are praying. We cannot keep silent; we are compelled to intercede. We refuse to doubt or give up our vigil” (Oswald Chambers).THE TRINITY IS EFFICACIOUS. WE CAN’T LOSE!

Thought #32

One of Fanny Crosby’s hymns sings, “To God be the glory, great things He hath done. So loved He the world that He gave us His Son, Who yielded His life an atonement for sin, and opened the life-gate that all may go in.” Hebrew 6:17-20 substantiates this. We believers are “heirs of what [God] promised.” The transforming work of the Holy Spirit is God’s gift to us!

Thought #31

Be careful that you do not forget the Lord.”  Deut. 6:12  I use a simple color code for marking my Bible. Since this quote is a serious solemn warning it is highlighted in orange.  “When God created us He put a vacuum in our hearts which can only be filled with and by Himself.”  It is grievous to God when we forget Him.  We injure ourselves when we forget God.  It is easiest to forget Him in times of prosperity.  Starting our day by reading the Word and prayer sets our mind on Him.

Thought #30

 “One doesn’t ask for a few pennies from a millionaire.”    Let’s think about that when we ask God in Jesus’ Name.

Mentoring ~ Part 3

Mentoring is defined by Stanley and Clinton in their book, CONNECTING, as a relational experience in which one person empowers another by sharing their God-given resources. They  support their definition by showing that Moses mentored Joshua, that Naomi coached Ruth, and that Jesus clearly modeled a lifestyle of mentoring as he discipled and taught His disciples. Mentoring certainly is a multi-faceted experience composed of discipling, guiding, coaching, counseling, teaching, sponsoring, and modeling. Mentoring is reaching out to meet the painful needs of hurting people. Or it may be less invasive, as the above description indicates.

Simply stated, mentoring is caring about and lovingly leading someone to be an overcomer. As Christians our purpose is to point them to the Word of God to find out who He is and what He can/will do for them. At a glance it is obvious that there are numerous burdened and baffled individuals who need answers. There are many reasons why they don’t reach out for help. Often they can think of no one whom they feel comfortable with or who would have answers.

When God opens the mentoring door to us, we are initially overwhelmed. It is possible that we shun our God-appointed responsibility for fear we won’t have answers. Of course the enemy will put roadblocks in front of us. Oh, what a powerful God we have who invites us to trust Him for wisdom, knowledge, and direction. He will be with us for He has promised, “whatever you ask the Father in my name, he WILL do it” (Jn. 16:23). Step out. Claim His never failing promises.  

Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to chat (mentor) again with a friend of several years. After chatting awhile, I felt it was time to ask questions. “Are you reading your Bible?” (On several occasions I had challenged her with that necessity.) She said that she had not taken the time because of enormous interruptions. I knew that to be true and sympathized with her.The second question was, “Are you finding comfort in the Lord?” Answer, “I’m trying.” Response, “Dear, B., it is not a matter of trying. It is a matter of trusting” (Prov. 3:5).The better we know our Bible, the more readily will the Holy Spirit bring Scripture to our mind when we need it. God’s “sword” will be at the edge of our mind and at the tip of our tongue.

I again quote from THE DAILY REMEMBRANCER, edited by S.H.Tow, page 578. “Our God is greater than all, and He is able and faithful. Remember His promises, ‘As thy days, so shall thy strength be.’ Prove the Savior’s testimony, ‘My grace is sufficient for thee.’ Accept the divine invitation, ‘Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.’ Attend to the inspired direction, ‘Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.’ Imitate the sorely tried Psalmist, ‘I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.’ Rest thy troubled spirit on the promises of God, ‘He giveth power to the faint, and to him that haveth no might He increaseth strength.’ Endeavor to apply to yourself the apostolic exhortation, ‘Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.’ Let not your hearts faint, for your sins are pardoned, your foes are doomed, your mansion is being prepared, your needs will certainly be met, your Savior deeply sympathizes with you, your heavenly Father cares for you, and all things must work together for your good. Call upon God and He will show thee great and mighty things that thou knowest not. ‘Let not your hearts faint.’” Rich! By God’s grace alone! Be strengthened by these powerful, assuring promises so you are equipped to use them in your mentoring ministry.