A courageous person is not one who never feels fear, but someone who feels fear and takes proper action anyway.

CHAPTER 32.

When Someone Fails As a believer in Jesus one of the things you will have to learn to deal with is other people's faults and failures. What should your att.i.tude be?

Paul instructed people not to teach others to do things they were not doing themselves: Well then, you who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you teach against stealing, do you steal (take what does not really belong to you)? You who say not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery [are you unchaste in action or in thought]? . . . You who boast in the Law, do you dishonor G.o.d by breaking the Law [by stealthily infringing upon or carelessly neglecting or openly breaking it]? (Romans 2:2123).

It is confusing for a young Christian if or when they see church leaders or those in authority doing things they know aren't right. It can either lead them to be discouraged and give up or cause them to think, If you can act that way and still be a Christian then I guess I can too. We each need to remember that G.o.d has called us to be responsible for our actions. Don't use someone else's bad behavior as an excuse to behave badly yourself. G.o.d holds us accountable for every thought and every action-but our responsibility doesn't stop there. We are also responsible to help lift up others when they fall. We would like to see those who lead or teach others always live up to what they teach, but the truth is we all make mistakes.

Don't use someone else's bad behavior as an excuse to behave badly yourself.

Perhaps nowhere in the Bible is this concept more clearly defined than in Galatians 6:13. Paul lays down three important principles Satan doesn't want us to grasp. First, when we become aware a sister or brother has fallen into sin, we are to do whatever we can to help lift up that person. Paul writes, If any person is overtaken in misconduct or sin of any sort, you who are spiritual [who are responsive to and controlled by the Spirit] should set him right and restore and reinstate him, without any sense of superiority and with all gentleness, keeping an attentive eye on yourself, lest you should be tempted also. Bear (endure, carry) one another's burdens and troublesome moral faults, and in this way fulfill and observe perfectly the law of Christ (the Messiah) and complete what is lacking [in your obedience to it]. For if any person thinks himself to be somebody [too important to condescend to shoulder another's load] when he is n.o.body [of superiority except in his own estimation], he deceives and deludes and cheats himself.

Even the best of us fail at times, but it is important to note that the word overtaken doesn't mean a deliberate, intentional sin. It's as if someone is walking down an icy sidewalk, slips, and falls. That's how the Christian life works-nearly everyone slips sometimes.

What then should be our att.i.tude when this happens? We should offer to help, of course. If someone slips on the ice, don't you naturally rush over to help that person get up? We would not ignore a person like that, nor should we ignore the responsibility to help those who have slipped spiritually. One of the biggest ways we can help is to pray instead of gossiping or judging.

The Greek word translated "restore" (v. 1) was once a medical term used by a surgeon to describe medical procedures like removing a growth from a body or setting a broken arm. The goal is not to see the person punished, but the person healed.

The second point Paul made is, instead of pointing fingers and looking down on someone when we become aware the person has fallen, we should look at ourselves. The devil could have tempted us to do the same thing or something else just as bad, or even worse. We need to look with compa.s.sion on those who fall and remind ourselves, "Except for the grace of G.o.d, I could be there."

The third thing is to push away pride in our own achievements. If we think we are more spiritual, we're deceiving ourselves. Proverbs 16:18 gives this warning: "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." It is pretty dangerous to say, "I would never do that!" We need to pray that we will always be strong and faithful, but bragging is a dangerous thing. When we see other people make mistakes we need to ask ourselves, "What would Jesus do in this situation?" and if we find ourselves in that same situation, then we should respond the way we truly believe He would.

CHAPTER 33.

Suspicious of Suspicion The words about love in 1 Corinthians 13:48 are familiar to most of us, but I can honestly say living them has not always been easy for me. These are the attributes of love: enduring long, being patient and kind, and not being envious, jealous, boastful, vain, or rude. Love doesn't act unbecomingly or insist on its own rights or its own way, for it isn't self-seeking. It isn't touchy or easily provoked; it doesn't take account of the evil done to it or rejoice at injustice. It rejoices in the truth, bears up under everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, has fadeless hopes, and never fails.

As a child, I was not exposed to this kind of love-in fact, I was taught to be suspicious of everyone. I was told the motives of other people were not to be trusted. As I became older, I encountered people whose actions confirmed in my mind that my suspicions were justified. Even as a young Christian, I experienced disappointment because of the obvious motives of some people in the church. While it is wise to be aware of people's motives, we must be careful we don't allow a suspicious nature to negatively affect our feelings about everyone.

An overly suspicious nature can poison your mind and affect your ability to love and accept other people. Consider this example. Suppose a friend approaches you after a church service and says, "Do you know what Doris thinks about you?" Then this friend tells you every detail of the things Doris said. The first problem is a true friend wouldn't share such information. And the second problem is that with an already suspicious mind, you now believe secondhand information without even giving the accused an opportunity to share their side of the story.

Once your mind has been poisoned against someone, suspicion grows. Satan gains a stronghold in your mind. Every time Doris says something to you, you are automatically suspicious, thinking, What does she really mean? Or if she's nice to you, you think, I wonder what she wants from me.

This is the way Satan works. If he can make you suspicious of others, it isn't long before you don't trust anything they say. And if you've been hurt like this several times, the devil can poison your thinking to the point you start wondering who else may be talking about you behind your back.

Let's continue the example. Suppose that one day in church, Doris is sitting just a few rows in front of you, clapping her hands and praising the Lord. Immediately you think, She's such a hypocrite. Unless you make a decision to believe the best, the devil will keep filling your mind with suspicious thoughts until you are literally tormented not only about Doris but about many others as well.

Our ministry encountered a very hurtful situation once. A man we knew for over twenty-five years and who we considered to be a trusted friend was caught stealing from us. The first thing I thought was, Well, I guess you just cannot trust anybody! Satan used the wound I had to try and poison my att.i.tude toward everyone, but thankfully I knew not to let that negative, suspicious att.i.tude take root in my heart. I actually stopped and prayed, "Lord, I will not allow myself to be cynical and have a suspicious att.i.tude. Help me deal with this properly and not let it affect my future."

Unless you make a decision to believe the best, the devil will keep filing your mind with suspicious thoughts until you are literally tormented.

The world is filled with distrust and suspicion, and I encourage you to not ever let yourself be part of that way of thinking. The Bible says love always believes the best of every person!

CHAPTER 34.

Pa.s.sive or Pa.s.sionate?

The apostle Paul said, "Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him]" (Ephesians 4:27). Perhaps the best way to summarize these words is: When the devil knocks on the door, don't open it and invite him in. There are many ways we actually give the devil an opening to pounce on us. One of those ways involves being pa.s.sive.

To be pa.s.sive is the opposite of being active. This can be a dangerous problem because it means you aren't on guard or aren't actively standing up, and you aren't alert. One of the devil's most deceitful tricks is to get you to do nothing and to feel content about it.

I have found a wide variety of definitions for the word pa.s.sive, but I describe it as a lack of feeling, a lack of desire, apathy, laziness, and lukewarmness. It is what John referred to when he wrote to the church at Laodicea: "I know your [record of] works and what you are doing; you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot!" (Revelation 3:15).

That statement reminds me of something someone told me years ago. "I've been a good Christian today," he said. "I haven't hurt anyone or done anyone any harm." In a moment of insight, I said, "But have you done any good for anyone?" He stared at me for several seconds before he said, "I guess I never thought of it that way. I was so concerned about not doing anything wrong, that I never thought about doing anything good."

This ill.u.s.trates one of the tricks the devil plays on our minds. All we need to do is read the Bible to find out what G.o.d says. Paul wrote Timothy to stir up the gift of G.o.d in him (see 2 Timothy 1:67). Paul told his young disciple to shake himself up and do something-which is good for us to consider as well. This pa.s.sage urges us to get moving and start using the gifts G.o.d has given us. Timothy was becoming fearful and Paul told him to get stirred up because fear was not G.o.d's will for him.

The devil knows inactivity, laziness, or failure to exercise our will for doing good can throw us into ultimate defeat. As long as we take action against the devil, we can win the battle. When we do nothing, we are on dangerous ground. When we are stirred into action, pa.s.sionate about faith, and zealous to follow G.o.d, we can destroy all the devil's influence.

Peter wrote to the persecuted believers of his day to be well balanced-meaning temperate, sober of mind-and at all times vigilant and cautious. He warned them the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour, and to resist him, firm in their faith (see 1 Peter 5:89). I emphasize this because I see many believers who don't feel pa.s.sionate about anything, so they don't do anything. They attend worship services and praise the Lord if they feel like it. They read their Bibles if they have the energy and time. If they don't feel like doing something, they just don't do it. They don't finish what they start.

When we are stirred into action, pa.s.sionate about faith, and zealous to follow G.o.d, we can destroy all the devil's influence.

That's not G.o.d's way. We need to stir ourselves up-the way Paul urged Timothy. I'll use myself as an example to ill.u.s.trate what I mean. I always intensely disliked physical exercise, so I never did much of it. G.o.d convicted me that I really needed to get on a good exercise program if I wanted to be strong for the rest of my journey here on earth. It was a hard decision for me to make, but once I got started I learned that I actually really liked it. Now I look forward to it and am really disappointed if for any reason I have to miss one of my sessions. When I first started I ached all over. Because I had been so inactive (pa.s.sive) for so long, the physical exercise was painful! If you are accustomed to being pa.s.sive and inactive in your spiritual life, it may be difficult to begin, but once you do you will like the results you see.

Let me encourage you to stir yourself up. Get active. You don't want to give place to the devil by doing nothing. If you make the effort to praise G.o.d and to read the Bible, you give G.o.d the opportunity to bless you. If you don't make the effort, you are inviting the enemy into your life. Get moving! Start today. You have hundreds of joints in your body and G.o.d gave them to you because He expects you to move!

CHAPTER 35.

The Mind of Christ First Corinthians 2:16 tells us we have the mind of Christ. This statement overwhelms many people. If these were not the words of the Bible, they wouldn't believe it. As it is, most people shake their heads and ask, "How can this be?"

Paul was not saying we're perfect or we'll never fail. He was telling us, as believers in Jesus, the Son of G.o.d, we are given the mind of Christ. That is, we can think spiritual thoughts because Christ is alive within us. We no longer have to think the way we once did. We can begin to think as He did.

Another way to look at this is to point to the promise G.o.d spoke through Ezekiel: "A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you" (Ezekiel 36:2627).

G.o.d gave that promise through the prophet when the Jews were in exile in Babylon. He wanted to show them their present situation was not the end. They had sinned and failed Him in every conceivable way, but He would not abandon them. Instead, He would change them. He would give them a new spirit-His Holy Spirit.

When we have the Holy Spirit living and active within us, the mind of Christ is in action. The mind of Christ is given to us to direct us in the right way. If we have His mind, we will think positive thoughts. We will think about how blessed we are-how good G.o.d has been to us. I am not sure enough can ever be said about the power of being positive and looking at things the way G.o.d sees them.

Jesus was positive-in spite of facing a mult.i.tude of negative experiences that include being lied about, lonely, misunderstood, and deserted by His disciples when He needed them most-and was always able to offer an uplifting, encouraging word. Just being in His presence would suggest that all fear, negative thoughts, and discouraging hopelessness would evaporate into thin air.

The mind of Christ in us is positive. So when we fall for the opportunity to be negative about something, we should instantly discern that we are not operating with the mind of Christ. G.o.d wants us to be lifted up. It's the enemy of our soul who wants us pressed down-depressed. Except for a medical reason, I do not think it is possible to be depressed without being negative. We have many opportunities to think negative thoughts, but that is not the mind of Christ at work in us. We don't have to accept those thoughts. They are not His!

Every situation gives us an opportunity to make a choice. It is obvious, of course, we can choose the good or the bad. What we often forget is that we choose the bad or the wrong without conscious thought. We follow old patterns-or the old mind-and not the mind of Christ. As G.o.d promised the Jews through Ezekiel's prophecy, He will give us a new heart and a new spirit, but we still have the power to choose which mind-the mind of the flesh out of habit or the mind of Christ-we want to follow.

We have many opportunities to think negative thoughts, but that is not the mind of Christ at work in us. We don't have to accept those thoughts. They are not His!

CHAPTER 36.