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Living a Lie

April 21, 2011

A woman in great distress, seeking peace for her soul, told me her story. When she was twelve years old, her mother left her father for another man. Her father was an irresponsible drunkard.

This twelve-year-old child, the oldest of six children, was faced with seeing the family broken up or assuming the responsibility of mother to her siblings. She assumed the responsibility and successfully managed to get through high school as well as take care of the family. Neighbors, teachers, church people, and the community helped. She kept the house and the children clean and neat, got everyone off to school, and made sure they went to church. Every Sunday the six of them marched down the aisle of the church, occupying the same pew. She received the admiration and affirmation of many for the fine, sacrificial job she did. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dealing with Sin, Inner Peace · Tagged With: , ,

A Dark Secret

April 7, 2011

Annebel was pathetic, depressed, on the edge of tears, overwrought. She had seen several psychologists, a psychiatrist, several pastors, and a famous evangelist. No one could help. Her condition was the result of a great tragedy, which was told to me by a friend who spoke for Annebel.

About six months before, Annebel’s family was on their way to a Saturday picnic. They had forgotten the picnic basket. She stayed at the park to reserve the picnic table while her husband and two children returned home for the basket. No one knows what happened. There were no witnesses. A train struck their car at a railroad crossing and all three were killed. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dealing with Sin, Inner Peace · Tagged With: ,

Overcoming Resentment

March 24, 2011

Amy was a widow – the consequence of a motorcycle accident. Her husband was killed instantly. It happened two years earlier, and she continued to grieve over the loss of her husband. He was fun-loving and outgoing. She missed his friendly, cheerful presence. She always looked forward to his coming home. They were best friends. There were no children. She now lives alone in the house they were buying. She works in the church office and loves her job. When the church doors are open, she is always there. But going home is hard and lonely. Some friends have suggested that she move out of the house and live somewhere else. Her house holds too many memories. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dealing with Sin, Inner Peace, Life Transformation · Tagged With: , , ,

Is Feeling Guilty the Same as Repentance?

March 10, 2011

Perry Black was the production expediter for a printing firm, a bachelor in his 30s, and lonely. He hurried to do what was required of him if asked by someone he liked; if asked by someone else, his feet seemingly were of lead. He gave the impression that he was always available and willing to do anything at all to be helpful, but admitted it was just an impression. He actually hated to be disturbed. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Biblical Behavior, Dealing with Sin, Life Transformation, Relationships, Uncategorized · Tagged With: , ,

Do I Accept What He Has to Offer?

February 24, 2011

Let me share this letter from a woman to her brother that she recently shared with me:

Dear Bill:

I don’t have to remind you of the problem Mom always was. How well you knew her self-pity, sarcasm, jealousy, suspicion, injustice, self-righteousness, and nagging that ended only in long periods of sulky silence. You rebelled openly, but my rebellion was silent. I buried the bitterness and resentment, but I buried them in the wrong place. I hid them in my heart and they have come back to torment me. Even after she died, I blamed Mom for making me the wretched person I was. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dealing with Sin, Extending Forgiveness, Getting Right with God, Inner Peace, Life Transformation, Resolving Anger Problems · Tagged With: , , ,

Freedom in Christ

February 10, 2011

Peter’s parents had always been strict, but to obey them was his second nature. He knew that to step out of line would displease them and invite the wrath of God. So he tried hard to get all A’s in school and he never ran with a gang or took part in questionable pastimes.

But Peter, now 22, was far from being the happy fellow that folks supposed him to be. After a promising start as a tool designer, he lost his job and then two others after short trials. He renounced his church. He became involved in escapades that would have been public scandals had they been known. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Developing Self-Control, Extending Forgiveness, Getting Right with God, Healing Family Relationships · Tagged With: ,

Perfect Love Casts Out Fear

January 27, 2011

“It’s agonizing. Any gathering of people frightens me. In a traffic jam I feel like jumping out of the car and running away. I force myself to go to church and sit there with a feeling of suspense. Even a few customers lined up to buy something in my place of business frightens me. I feel trapped.”

The gentleman speaking was a college graduate and successful in business. He went on, “It started when we moved to an apartment. The people below us and beside us were noisy. We could hear their radios. They would drop things. Often another car was in my parking space. Finally, I insisted on moving to our own home. My wife wasn’t bothered at all by these things and she resisted our moving back to a home of our own, so now there is a wall building between us. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Relationships, Relinquishing Fear, Resolving Anger Problems · Tagged With: , ,

The Fruit of Rebellion

January 13, 2011

Kay Ripley was an attractive woman, well poised, a good conversationalist. Yet she wanted to know why she was a social failure.

“I’m afraid to even go out anymore,” she confided. “I never know what faux pas I may commit next.” [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dealing with Sin, Healing Family Relationships, Relationships · Tagged With: , ,

Patience in Managing

December 30, 2010

John Morgan was having trouble with the employees in his automobile repair garage. His mechanics would listen politely to an order; then not carry it through.

“Why, I bet I have to tell them three times before they fill out their repair tickets right or turn out a light they’re through using,” he raged.

Mr. Morgan had come to me from a sickbed. Every month or so he had to quit work. His stomach pained him; he was short of breath; he couldn’t eat. He would blow up at the garage and go home. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Leadership Development, Physical Health, Resolving Anger Problems · Tagged With: , ,

Your Body is Telling You …

December 16, 2010

Years ago, respected physician, Dr. S.I. McMillan, taught the college Sunday school class at the church I attended. He gave a series of lectures on how certain thoughts and feelings can cause pain in many parts of the body. Dr. McMillen included material by Dr. O. Spurgeon English of Temple University School of Medicine.

Up to this time, I had always assumed that pain meant something was wrong with the body and that a physician would know how to fix it. When there was a problem you simply got it fixed, much like you would take your broken watch to a jeweler. The proper choice of pills or an injection would hopefully do the job. It simply never occurred to me that thoughts and feelings could affect the body. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dealing with Sin, Getting Right with God, Physical Health, Uncategorized · Tagged With: , , ,
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