2013 - The Year of The Tortoise

I'm told that we're currently in the Chinese year of the dragon, but I'm renaming 2013 as the year of the tortoise. Why the tortoise? You remember the famous story of the tortoise and the hare. The hare got off to a swift start, but then relaxed before crossing the finish line. This allowed the slower, but steady tortoise to come from behind and win the race. That's my approach for 2013: Slow, steady, but consistent gains in key areas to obtain success this year. It's not how fast you leave the gate, but whether you win your race. Let's achieve our goals and win the race in 2013. Blessings, Wayne

It Ain't Worth It ...

The other day I was having a stressful time at work. I had several deadlines and an equal number of "fires" that kept interrupting my progress. In the middle of all of this my wife called me as she was being pulled over by a cop for an expired registration no one knew anything about. I wracked my brain but couldn't figure out why the registration had slipped. We got a ticket and I vowed to my wife I'd take care of it right away.

Fortunately (I guess) I work near to the DMV and so I stopped the presses in the office and headed there. Surprise, surprise, the place was jam-packed. By the time I made it through the throng and realized that I couldn't pay with a credit card, left the line, returned, got spun around by the lady with the less-than-warm attitude, I could feel this huge knot creep up in my back to the point of affecting my breathing.

Thankfully, I recognized it the moment that I felt it: Stress! That silent killer. I literally had to battle my own thoughts to find peace and calm. I took my mind off the office, traffic tickets, cops and the even the DMV. I switched the channel in my head to something pleasant and took up a fluff magazine to pass the time away.

I had a few chuckles and soon the knot was gone. Within a short period of time, I had the registration (the two-year package this time) and I was also gone. I returned to my office, completed my deadlines and life went on. The moral of the story: It ain't worth it. Don't let stress put you in the hospital or in the grave. It is a proven killer. When you feel it overtaking you, don't ignore it; just acknowledge the feelings and then do your best to change the channel. I'm not saying this will stop all stress, but it will work wonders if you try it.

Blessings, Wayne

Give and it will be given unto you ...

Jesus said to "give and it will be given unto you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you." Luke 6:38. This Scripture became real to me the other day.

I had breakfast with a friend of mine who related the following story:

He had a next door neighbor who was elderly and in ill health. Over the years, he would help her out with repairs, help around the house and anything she needed. She would always insist on paying him and he would always refuse, being glad to just be there for someone in need. Recently, the neighbor's health took a turn for the worse and she summoned my friend to her side. She thanked him for all the times that he'd helped her without taking anything in return. Then she handed him an envelope.

In that envelope was a tidy sum of cash and (almost literally) the keys to a new home - an issue my friend and his wife had been praying about for years. This is an absolute true story. It is an amazing and refreshing reminder to me that you simply can't out-give God. My friends, I encourage you to give freely and generously, expecting nothing in return. In due season, you will reap your reward.

I wish everyone a blessed Easter Day, remembering the greatest gift of all. God bless, Wayne

Numero Uno

Isn't it funny how God's desire is that His people would be one, but our desire is to be NUMBER ONE. In a moving prayer, Jesus said that He would not pray for His followers alone, "but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that all may be one ..." Contrast that to a couple of His disciples who approached Him one day and said, "Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory."

It seems these disciples were more interested in serving themselves than in serving others. Sounds familiar? Jesus gives a classic retort: "Whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

This may sound counter-intuitive but the key to true greatness and lasting happiness is service. The cure to the everyday blues is taking your eyes off "Numero Uno" and finding a way to serve others, even in the small ways - running an errand, offering encouragement, a listening ear. You will find that it's impossible to be depressed when you're actively helping someone else. So, who can you encourage today? Stop and quietly think about that.

Be Thankful Always

The Other Nine
Luke 17: 11-19

On His way to Jerusalem
Jesus traveled along
The road between Galilee
And Samaria to the North

As He passed into a village
Ten men called out His name
“Jesus, Master, have pity on us
We are leprous, despised and lame”

The Lord showed them compassion
His love reached out to them
“Go show yourselves to the priests”
As they went, the men were cleansed!

The Samaritan returned
Praising God in a loud voice
He threw himself at Jesus’ feet
With thanks, the man rejoiced

The Lord paused to receive him
Like a favored son, adored
As He held the trembling man
Several questions asked the Lord:

“Were not all ten men cleansed?
Where is the other nine?
Was no one found to return and give
Praise to the Lord, divine?”

“Were not all ten men healed?
Why have you come alone?
Are you not a foreigner
Not born of my household?”

“Rise and go!
Your faith has made you well
Your thankfulness reveals a heart
Wherein my Spirit dwells”

“Rise and go!
The Lord has called you blessed
The other nine were never mine
Their fruit is manifest”

On His way to Jerusalem
Jesus met ten leprous men
From a heart filled with compassion
He healed all ten of them

One man came back to thank Him
The other nine did not return
May we develop thankful hearts
And from this lesson learn

A.Wayne Gill

Does God Still Speak?

In the first chapter of my book “The Runner” Michael Knight thinks he may have heard the voice of God. My question is: Does God still speak? And if He does, then how, when and where does He speak? And how can we know its God and not just ourselves? I know that I’m not the only one asking these questions because I’ve heard them many times over the years.

In the Scriptures, there are a few places where God the Father is depicted as speaking audibly and in the New Testament, Jesus preached to multitudes and taught in synagogues. But what about today? How do we hear from God? No one can fully answer that but let me offer a few suggestions.

In this day and hour, I believe that God speaks through His Spirit, His Word, His people and the circumstances of life. For me, it’s never just one of these things – it’s usually a combination or all of the above. If I am searching for direction in a particular area of my life, I may start out by praying about the issue. As I begin praying, I might either search the Scriptures for anything that speaks to the issue or I may just come across something in my regular reading that makes me stop and think.

If I am patient, and I continue to pray and meditate on the Scripture, my inner person will become sensitive to “the still, small voice of God” that begins to give me direction. This direction is often reinforced by conversations with other Spirit-filled believers or by the circumstances. For example, if you are praying about an issue, does your direction line up with the Scripture? Do you feel a sense of peace about your decision or are you in turmoil? Are the doors of opportunity open or slammed shut? What is the advice of those older and wiser than you?

If we will take the time to pray, meditate and search the Scriptures, and if we are open to wise counsel, then over time, we will begin to feel the wind of God. He will provide guidance and leading on our decisions. The problem is that we often fail to get quiet enough to listen, or we don’t ask at all. We can also get so tied into our own direction that we miss clear but contrary instructions.

Does God still speak? I believe the answer is yes. Are we really listening? Maybe not. What do you say?

Winning Life's Battles

It's hard to turn on the TV or pick up a newspaper these days. It seems like there's an endless torrent of bad news. We're plagued with an ailing national and global economy, wars and rumors of wars, high unemployment and many families that are falling apart or just plain hurting. It feels as if we're in a constant battle, and to a degree, we really are.

The twelfth chapter of the Book of First Chronicles in the Old Testament gives a powerful metaphor for winning in life's battles. David was chosen by God and anointed to be the king over Israel. He had one major problem: Saul, the sitting king would not surrender the throne and had dedicated himself to hunting down David and killing him.

In this chapter, we find David hiding from Saul in a foreign city called Ziklag, among Saul's enemies. There, David was sought out by several thousand men who decided to break away from Saul and align themselves with David. This came at the risk of their own lives and their families as well. The Bible teaches that these men brought 3 things to the table that we could use today:

1. It states that these men had understanding of the times, to know what ought to be done. I believe that we are badly in need of understanding of our present times, so that we may know what to do and not lose heart. We don't need a surface understanding or the kind you get from talking heads on TV; we need a Biblical understanding of our times to discern the issues behind the issues and to overcome them.

2. The second thing these men had was valor or bravery in deciding to break with the king and to stand with David. Some of them were Saul's relatives! I wish I could say that winning whatever battle you're facing is as easy as clicking your heels and waking up safe and sound in Kansas, but we both know that happens mostly in fairy tales. We serve a miracle-working God who can do anything at any time, but He seems to require that most of the time, we have to trust Him and face our fears head on like these men did.

3. Finally, the Bible says that these were men of action. Throughout Scripture, God promises His children amazing blessings, but many of those blessings require that we take action. Israel was required to fight for the Promised Land, Jesus wrestled with and overcame Satan, many in the New Testament lost their lives so that the Gospel could go forth. You were made to overcome life's battles, but you must obtain Biblical understanding, put your trust in God and then take action.

So what do you do to make this happen, practically speaking? First, if you haven't done so already, I would encourage you to surrender your life to God right now. You need to enlist, like the men who parted with the king and came to David. Whose side are you on? It's crucial that you answer this question before you go any further. You're unprepared for life's battles without a satisfying answer to this question. You will be like a soldier torn between two armies.

Second, if you've fallen in the battle, get up! Come back to the Lord for refreshment and pick your weapon back up. Psalms 23 promises that He will restore you when you return to Him. I believe that we are indeed in tough times, but God is greater than your battle. You plus God is a majority.

Third, please write to me and let me know how I can help or encourage you. Wishing you God's best always,

Wayne


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