I can remember a lesson I taught to a group of teenagers 25 years ago. 

I can remember a Sunday School lesson I taught a group of adults about 23 years ago. 

I can recall with vivid detail a sermon I preached about 20 years ago. 

Why do I remember all these specific messages?  Because these were times when the Holy Spirit took my words and did something I cannot explain.  God reached down and used what I had said to touch the hearts of everyone in the room through me.  Each of these was a divine moment where everyone was left in silence, and Jesus was glorified. 

The people who were in the room those days also still talk about those messages.  Somehow all of us knew that something extraordinary had happened, and none of us would be the same. 

I hope you have had some encounters like that in your life: a time where a sermon or lesson reached deep inside your soul and touched you in the darkest places with the power of God. 

Moments like these are rare.  They are genuinely divine situations where the grace of God, knowledge of Jesus, and power of the Holy Spirit intersect.  I have one about every 2 or 3 years.  With each one, I look back in awe at what God did through me. 

Here is the thing:  you never know when they are going to happen.  You never know when God is going to touch a speaker or a sermon.  You have no idea when there will be a perfect intersection of events that cause you to feel God uniquely.  You really have no idea when these deeply spiritual moments will happen.  So my suggestion is that you show up every week to your small group, worship time, and sermon.  Who knows?  One day you may experience exactly what I am talking about, and your life will never be the same.  Maybe this is the weekend God breaks through and touches your heart.  You will only know if you are present. 

There is a side of righteous behavior that is never seen.  There is one sign of growing in maturity that will never get noticed.  This virtuous action of the mature is found in the lack of their words or activity.  It is what I call “Blessed Restraint.”

This may be hard to imagine for some of you, but know that you do not have to act on every impulse.  No matter how compelled you feel to behave a particular way, if it is contrary to God’s will, restraint can and must be shown. 

You also do not have to express every thought that goes through your head.  Just because you think it does not mean you have to say it.  Often it is far better to hold our tongue than hurt others with our words. 

It is hard to give people credit for their lack of action.  Still know that holding back can be a blessing to everyone, including yourself. 

A skilled musician can listen to an instrument, hear the notes clearly, and know when things are played well and when the proper notes are missed.

An adept mechanic can listen to car noises to diagnose issues and potential problems.

An experienced veterinarian can listen to an animal’s sounds and interpret them into issues that need to be addressed.

An accomplished counselor can hear through a client’s words to get at the heart of their problem to help them live a better life.

A long-time Christian should be able to hear the voice of God. They can listen closely to the scriptures, other believers, and the opportunities around them, and their senses should pick up something that others miss. The good news is that it is not a unique gift that separates these people; instead, it is a lifelong dedication to develop their skills. Anyone can do it if they are willing to work day after day.

A well-trained ear can hear beyond the noise to experience something different than the casual observer. Take time to develop your ears while you are quietly listening.

It has been said repeatedly but bears being stated one more time:  Life is hard.  There are so many ups and downs, along with good experiences and bad.  We walk through failures, heartache, relationship struggles, loss, difficulties, our own and others’ sin, and slow decay of our bodies.  The good news is that each of these events can have a positive outcome.

Bad experiences can turn good when …

1. They bring you closer to God.
2. They positively change you.
3. They bring you closer to other people.

These occurrences are often opportunities for us to evaluate what is profoundly important.  They cause us to ask questions of eternal significance.  They push us toward relationships with God and others.  Every bad incident has the power to help us come to our senses concerning the depravity of life and the joy of faith. 

All of us dread the challenging encounters that make life hard.  Through the years, I have observed that not all bad experiences become bad memories.  The pain may be the exact thing you need to make your life more fulfilling. 

We like general instructions.  Usually, we cheer them as good ideas that everyone should do.  It is important to exercise, spend time with God, develop a strong marriage, and be a better parent.  Most people find these generic statements to be honorable pursuits by those who wish to follow Jesus.

The problem is that most of us never move from general statements into the needed actions.  It is one thing to say, “we all need exercise,” and another to commit to doing ten pushups each day.  The latter decision is specific and connected to action that will bring about the desired results.  Without specific plans being executed, our good intentions remain just nice thoughts. 

Each day we are filled with all kinds of good ideas.  For any of these to be implemented, we need to develop measurable action steps.  It is of no value to dream of knowing God unless you begin to read one chapter of your Bible each day.  It isn’t beneficial to say you want a strong marriage.  You need to execute a plan for 10-15 minutes of open, meaningful dialog every day. Hoping to be a better parent will only happen if you make intentional movements to connect with your child. 

Specific actions will lead to generally good results.  Investing yourself in repeated behaviors will produce better fruit in your life than a thousand platitudes.    

The Israelites have not been out of Egypt too long when the Amalekites attacked them.  The story is told in Exodus chapter 17.  Joshua takes the army and leads them into battle while Moses goes up on an overlooking hillside.  He will hold up his staff, and as long as he held it up, the army would win.  As his arms grew tired and drooped, the military would lose. 

Two quick-thinking men, Aaron and Hur, grabbed stones and piled them up for Moses to place his arms on them.  Then they arranged themselves so that they could hold up his hands even when he was tired.  That way, the staff was always held high, and the army won the battle that day. 

It is a fascinating story about the power of God in the exodus of his people.  His work and strength despite their weakness.  But it also serves as an interesting look at leadership, especially within the people of God. 

Quite often, there is one leader, like the pastor or ministry leader, who is holding up his hand for the congregational members.  They train ministry leaders, meet with staff, are trying to develop new believers.  The work is a daily grind that wears them down and makes them tired. 

Every leader needs someone to come alongside them and help them hold up their hands.  These people can do it most simply through prayer. People willing to pray for them to remain strong.  They also need people to encourage them in every way.  They need people to sit with them and hold their hands when they are tired and remind them that God will bring victory. 

Today is a day I am thankful for people like Aaron and Hur.  Their willingness to hold up Moses’ hands helps bring the people of God victory in their earthly battles.  People today are holding up their pastor and other ministry leaders in different ways while the spiritual battle rages on, and for that, I am genuinely thankful.    

I was having a conversation with a friend about how I know this person with a huge blind spot in their lives that will come back and hurt them later.  Then this thought shot through my head, “You have those places in your life too.” 

Everyone has issues that they are not addressing adequately.  One reason God puts his people into a community is so that we can help each other see our shortcomings.  We need to be able to speak the truth to one another to keep from mistakes.  I need you, and you need me. 

This type of relationship with others requires two things.  First, we need to be kindhearted in our assessment.  Your information will only help me if it is coming from a place of compassion and concern.  Angry instructions are worse than no help whatsoever. 

Second, you must be willing to be honest, even if it stings a little.  You must value my life as much as our friendship.  We often withhold information because we know that if we say something, it might damage the friendship.  We want a friend so much that we ignore the issues and never speak the truth.  

One goal in Christian relationships is to bring people around you who love and support you enough to tell you when you are making mistakes.  People like that are rare because it is much easier to talk honestly ABOUT someone than TO that same person. 

What is it like to deal with you?  What does it feel and sound like to be on the other side of you?

Are you a kind person or angry with your words?  Are you agreeable or hardheaded to work with? Do you overflow with loving-kindness or withdrawn and hard to know?  Do you ask questions of others and listen intently or only speak of yourself?

The encouragement throughout the Bible is to be a pleasant person that others want to be around.  You pray, encourage, speak kindly, carry burdens, love, not self-centered or easily angered, serve, humble, and are patient.  That is quite a list, and it is only a partial one. 

I know it can be overwhelming to change to be more like Christ, but we are called to be ever-improving.  So what if you asked a few people who would be honest with you, “What is it like to be on the other side of me?”  What do you like about my interactions, and what do you not like that I do?  Then arrive at one action item to focus your attention.    

If you applied yourself, this could be the season that you change one thing about yourself for the better.  Suddenly everyone will start saying, “I love being around them because they are so …”   Well, only you can finish that sentence.  But will you? 

I believe in the power of prayer.  If we ask God, he responds to our requests and works on our behalf.  Prayer can move the proverbial mountain and lead to unexplainable miracles. 

I also believe prayer has its limits.

You cannot eat thousands of calories and sit on the couch watching TV all evening and pray for God to keep you thin.  You cannot have a child who never practices and pray that God will get him to the NBA.  You cannot compile lousy decision upon terrible decision and expect God to override the consequences.  You cannot spend your life going in one direction and ask God to help you end up in a destination that is 180 degrees the other way.  God does not answer your prayers and ignore your actions.  You cannot out pray bad behavior. 

My encouragement for anyone is to pray more on the front end of life.  Here is what I mean: before you go out and do something, ask God to guide you.  Then follow his word and listen to the nudging of the Holy Spirit.  Act in ways that attempt to do his will in everything. Don’t just run out and do whatever you want and then pray on the back end that God will make it alright.  Seek his will before you act.  Then your prayers will align with your actions, and both will be more effective.   

There are two passages of scriptures I want to place side by side.  The first is from the Old Testament and the story of Joseph.  He is this tragic hero who begins his life with his brothers hating him and selling him into slavery.  Then he works in the household of a man named Potiphar.  His wife finds Joseph to be an object of her desires and asks him to go to bed with her.  Sexual sin crouched at his door and was calling out to him, but he chose not to be with her and sin.  Within this story comes this one line, “And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.” (Genesis 39:10 -NIV 2011) Mrs. Potiphar came to Joseph day after day. 

Next to that verse, I want to lay a statement made in the New Testament. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1 – NIV 2011) The writer of this passage says that sin “so easily entangles.”  We do not have to search for ways to sin; they will always come to find us. Disobedience to God’s will is quick, easy, and often comes back to us day after day.   

If, as a believer, you have set your mind to follow the teachings of the Bible, then you need to know that it will not be easy.  Walking the way of faith takes perseverance, determination, and a commitment to go against what is easy.   And honestly, from my experience, it is exhausting. 

Each week I go to Church, and God gets me excited about his work in my life.  The music inspires me, communion cleanses my mind, fellowship makes me feels supported, and time in the word is enlightening.  Then on Monday, it is back to the daily grind.  Within that experience, sin will come calling in one form or another again and again.  Each Monday is a chance for me to reset my face to the work of the Lord.  It will not be easy, but it will be the most fulfilling and have the greatest long-term rewards.  Today, when sin calls, I will put up my dukes and start fighting, knowing that it will be an arduous battle, but I believe my soul is worth it.  And, just as a reminder, your soul is too.