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Mental Health Minutes

Breaking the Rules
Humans tend to break more rules when they find one that is too strict.
By: Brian Sheppard
(Lifeword)
Aired on Mar 28, 2024
Lori Cline - Red-Letter Words

Whose Feet Are You Washing?
When we experience the undeserved love and grace of God, we can’t help but share it with others.   ~~~  

Do you get uncomfortable when someone does something for you? I can.

If we were to get real honest, real quick, I know the root of that uncomfortable feeling often is control, mixed with a bit of pride, which has deeper roots of hurt and distrust. I know it well. You see we want to do things ourselves. We don’t want help. We don’t want to depend on anyone. When we can’t do something on our own and we really need help, we face a crisis. Will we accept help in our time of need?

My husband and I learned this lesson early in our marriage. We were moving from an apartment to our first home in Houston, TX. We had scheduled movers in the evening to miss the heat of the day. Our movers stood us up. We loaded up what we could in our cars and drove to our new home planning to move the next day. In that season we were a part of a small community church. When we drove up, we were met with a row of trucks and SUVS. Our faith family wasn’t going to let us reschedule anything. They were there to move us. They were there to wash our feet. To say we were uncomfortable was an understatement. Our no you’re not, was met with, you have a need and yes we are. We were in need. We were humbled. We were blessed.

When we don’t admit or even recognize our need, we miss an opportunity to be blessed.

John 13:3-9 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

Peter didn’t see the big picture. He didn’t see HIS need in this moment. Jesus wanted him to see what it’s really all about, love and humble service for one another. Doesn’t it often take laying our pride down to see the bigger picture in moments or seasons God is at work. What Peter saw made him very uncomfortable, but what was at first uncomfortable became a lesson learned in not only how to serve, but also in how to submit.

Who’s feet are you washing? Who are you allowing to wash yours?

Don’t miss a blessing and don’t miss being blessed. This is how the body of Christ works. We need one another and we need to love one another.

When we surrender our lives to Jesus, we receive the undeserved love and grace of God. When you experience it, you can’t help but share it with others. We do that in how we submit one to another and in how we love and serve one another. That IS the big picture.

That’s the truth.

Friends we are all in NEED of a savior. You can’t save yourself. Jesus IS the lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world. He wants to wash you clean today, all of you! I pray you let Him. He is the only one who can.

If you missed any of this months broadcasts where we looked deeper into the words of Jesus, you can find them all at Lifeword.org. Thanks for listening.

I’m Lori Cline.

By: Lori Cline
(Lifeword)
Aired on Mar 28, 2024
Day by Day - 1 Samuel

Be On Guard Against The Temptation To Quit
When we are most tired of our struggle, we must be aware of the temptation to quit.   ~~~   Several years ago our family went snow-skiing. And one of my favorite things as a father was to ski with my kids, who had never been btw, down a pretty significant slope, and then when we got to a stopping point or to the bottom of the hill, to turn them around and have them look at what they had just conquered. And then say with excitement in my voice, “You want to do it again?” Sometimes the answer, after having looked at the scale of the accomplishment, sometimes the answer was, “No! Absolutely not!” In the actual event of the skiing there is adrenaline. But once you get finished, and you look back towards what you just did, you recognize the magnitude of it, and don’t think that you have it in you. Adrenaline is gone and fear rises, and incapacitates you, even though you were just successful. This seems to be the possible case with David. There was a great victory. And now looking back at what is left of that victory, namely that Saul was not repentant at all, which left David still on the run, the prospecting of keeping up the fight wore him down. More exile, more running. This has been going on for years now, 8-10 perhaps. And it is not just David, it is David’s 600 men, compared to 3000 choice men of Saul. And then we are told that it is not just David’s mighty men, but also wives and children, including two of David’s own wives. David is the leader. He is responsible not just for their safety, but those wives and children. And food! Where do you find food? A band of warrior men might put up with the life of exile and hiding, fighting, midnight escapes, daring raids, but not the wives and the children. And David has been at this for years! When will it let up, settle down? I can’t imagine the pressure, the mental exhaustion, the spiritual fatigue David must have been under, the longing for peace and quiet, stability and ease. And it is at that point that we need to be aware of temptation. It was at that point that Jesus warned his disciples, “Take heed, watch, lest you enter into temptation.” Do you know what the temptation was in that situation? It was sleep. The temptation to rest and sleep in such an important time of their lives. They were afraid. Jesus had just told them that he was leaving. Judas had just walked out. Tensions were high! It could be very easy for us to look at a passage like this, without giving it much thought, and just say, “David just should have trusted God more,” without giving any thought to the stress, pressure, turmoil, ache in his life. Many of you can identify with David right here, can’t you? When will this end? You have been fighting against the enemy, you have even been having victories, learning spiritual truths, but things in your life just don’t seem to change or be advancing at all, and you just want a vacation from it. Let’s just stop the rollercoaster because you want off of it. And it is at that point that you must be on guard against temptation.
By: Clif Johnson
(Lifeword)
Aired on Mar 28, 2024
Show Day by Day
A daily word of encouragement

How to love them when they hate you.

If you're wondering how you could possibly love your enemy. Let's take a closer look at his passage.

By: Allison Hawkins
(Lifeword)
Aired on Mar 25, 2024
Day by Day - 1 Samuel

Is Your Soul Tired?
We must be aware of our own tiredness so that we encourage ourselves rather than running.   ~~~   Without even realizing it, we can slip into the sneaky clutches of sin. Sin is real, and can be real sneaky. So what must I do in my fight against the sneakiness, deceptive nature of sin? In 1 Samuel, we are given a glimpse into the sneakiness of sin. Not every story in the Bible is a story of victory. Many times we are given stories of what not to do. And we learn that even though David is a man after God’s own heart, he is still a man of flesh. He is not our hero. He can’t be. Sin snuck up on him in the most appetizing of ways, and he succumbed. This text is a bit of a cliffhanger. The story here is interrupted in chapter 28 with an episode of Saul’s depravity, and we do not read of a resolution to David’s dilemma here in chapter 27 until chapter 29. But all of that is done by the narrator in hopes of adding a sense of excitement for us as the reader and to make us lean in and give thought to all that is going on. Leaning in would be very good for us at this point. We would do well to pay attention to this text, because I promise you, that just as sin snuck up on David, sin is crouching at your door. Sin is taking note right now to see if you are taking notes right now. So if you will, work with me to recognize two actions you must take in your fight and struggle against sin. What can I do in my Struggle Against Sin? Beware of being tired. And it is this question that is most interesting to us today as we consider 1 Samuel 27. In chapter 26 David had just bagged a physical and spiritual victory. He had successfully entered into Saul’s camp while they slept, not giving into temptation to kill him, but yet taking Saul’s spear and canteen, as a demonstration that Saul’s life was not well protected at all. David had just preached a convicting sermon to Saul telling him he needed to repent or else he would be found on the wrong side of God’s judgment. But then in the opening line of chapter 27, David says that he is probably going to die by the sword of Saul. What is going on? David is all kinds of tired that he just wants to escape from the fight. We must be aware of when our soul is tired so that we can know how to encourage ourselves, and not try to run and hide.
By: Clif Johnson
(Lifeword)
Aired on Mar 27, 2024
Show Day by Day
Mental Health Minutes

Beginnings and Ends
We have an easier time remembering beginnings and endings than middles.
By: Brian Sheppard
(Lifeword)
Aired on Mar 26, 2024
Lori Cline - Red-Letter Words

When Jesus Prayed For Me
The plan God put in place from the beginning was to save a broken and dying world.   ~~~  

When was the last time you really prayed?

I love the phrase, pray till you pray. When I pray till I pray, that’s when I REALLY pray. That kind of prayer is not a quick, ‘thank you God for this day’, followed by a ‘please Jesus let that light turn green’, on the way to work. Now while those are fine too, time spent with the Father is intentional and takes… well, time.

I love the example we have in Jesus. Time with the Father wasn’t optional for Him. It was vital, like breathing. He prayed after being baptized. He prayed all night before calling His disciples, after healing people, before trips, early in the mornings, before feeding the five thousand, in front of Jewish leaders and for 40 days in the desert. He was in constant communion with the Father.

I Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to ‘pray without ceasing’ and that’s how we see Jesus pray. It’s a life lived OUT in and through prayer as we move through our moments and our days. Every moment IS holy and God is with us and wants to guide us through each one. There is divine purpose in our days, and prayer slows us down to recognize it.

All this month at Lifeword.org I’ve been looking closer at the words of Jesus. Today I wanted to focus more on His prayers and the one specifically we find in John 17. The time is close at hand for Jesus’ betrayal and arrest. In this chapter, which is a part of what is known as the Upper Room Discourse, we see Jesus wrap things up with a prayer. He prays for himself, His Disciples and all who will believe. I want to highlight three parts of this prayer.

As Jesus prays for Himself, He knows the time has come and in these moments He confirms the calling and mission that was set before Him.

John 17:3-4

​​Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.

Jesus’ work and life on earth was coming to an end. The cross was before Him and in this time with the Father he states again the will and WAY of the Father. His will is that we spend eternity with Him. The way is Jesus and the work has been done.

Jesus then prays for His disciples, His friends. They have been faithful to the word and they have believed. He prays for their unity, joy and protection from evil.

John 17:16-18

They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.

His prayer for the disciples was a reminder there is more to come and that they stay on the path of truth. The next phase of God’s plan was about to unfold and they would carry the gospel forward from here.

Then He prays for me. Yep, He had me on His mind. If you believe, the last part of chapter 17 is for you as well. His desire is for God to be glorified through OUR lives as WE walk in unity, love and follow His ways. He ends His prayer for us with these words.

John 17:26

I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.

Through Jesus, I am KNOWN by the Father. How deep and wide is the Father’s love for us? He loved us so much He sent His son Jesus so we might be saved and KNOW Him. That same love of God is in me. His spirit abides in me and I am His and He is mine. How beautiful the words of our savior to the Father on our behalf before carrying out the final mission and plan on the cross.

Remember, the plan God put in place before the earth was even formed, was to redeem a broken and dying world. Jesus came to bring peace. He came to die. You were on His mind. I was on His mind. He interceded for us then and he intercedes for us now and His desire is for us to know Him and make Him known.

That’s the truth.

Pray till you pray today and be known and loved by the Father.

I’m Lori Cline.

By: Lori Cline
(Lifeword)
Aired on Mar 26, 2024
Day by Day - 1 Samuel

The Warning You Must Hear
The life of Jesus is the only offering necessary to make us right with God.   ~~~   In our study of 1 Samuel 26, we have come to the point to where David sneaks up on King Saul’s bodyguard, Abner, and wakes him up. Saul entrusts himself to Abner; Abner entrusts himself to Saul, but God made them both fall into a deep sleep so that they are confronted by God’s chosen one. David takes Saul’s spear (power and protection) and also his water jug (provision) so that once again Saul is left powerless against David, and God. Then David extends the grace of the gospel—repent and return to God. Saul, is it possible that God is trying to get you to see your hard-heartedness? Your greed? Your paranoia? If that be the case, then repent! Turn from your pride and selfishness, and turn to God!” If that is not the case, Saul, then it must be men who have convinced you to chase me down, and if that is the case, may they be cursed. Either way, if Saul does not heed this warning, then he ends up in a cursed camp. And this part of the story is for some of you today, who have lived as if you are the masters of your own fate, the kings of your own souls. Heed the warning. You are in a dangerous camp today. You are not as protected as you think you are. God’s everlasting judgment will sneak upon you, in all your so-called safety, and take from you your protection and life. That is the siren call we hear in this story. Just as David and Abner snuck into that camp, and took Saul’s spear and water jug, signs of power, authority, protection, and life, so too will God take from you those things, and then you will be left exposed and utterly vulnerable. What offering do you have to present in order to make peace with God? My friend, the offering has been made. That is the glory of the good news that God delivers to us in Christ. It is just as we said earlier—Jesus on the cross is the offering. You have nothing you can bring that will please God, that will atone for or erase your sinfulness. You need a perfect sacrifice, and that is why Jesus came, God in the flesh, to be the sacrifice for all those who would find their hope, their everlasting treasure in him. And the gifts of Christ are peace with God, forgiveness of sin, the indwelling of the Spirit. Would you come to Him today? Would you forsake your sinfulness and land in the arms of Christ today? Come to Him in faith, in belief, that His life, death, resurrection, is the complete and sufficient atoning sacrifice that you are in desperate need of. Come to Him as the King of your life!
By: Clif Johnson
(Lifeword)
Aired on Mar 26, 2024
Show Day by Day
Day by Day Hacks

Day By Day Hacks
Once we understand what a Bible text is saying and how we should respond, we can look at application.
By: Clif Johnson
(Lifeword)
Aired on Mar 25, 2024
Show Day by Day
A daily word of encouragement

Is this you today?
By: Allison Hawkins
(Lifeword)
Aired on Mar 22, 2024
Day by Day - 1 Samuel

How Flexible Are You?
Circumstance should not determine our values, and our convictions should not be subject to change.   ~~~   I have been in the midst of several counseling sessions, where I have heard with my own two ears a husband or wife say, “I know that leaving my spouse is what the Lord wants me to do,” even though they know clearly it goes against God’s very own word. What is their basis? Their basis for morality is their own personal situation. They are not happy. They are not getting what they want. It’s not going their way. So they want out. To live upon conviction of God’s word requires the will of man that has been redeemed by Christ to be yielded to Christ. What we suffer from today is humility in the wrong place…A man was meant to be doubtful about himself, but undoubting about the truth; this has been exactly reversed.” G.K. Chesterton, in Christian Theology in Plain Language, p. 65. (https://bible.org/illustration/misplaced-humility) We no longer tend to be people who live by conviction, but by preference so long as the situation is favorable. But as soon as the situation gets difficult, uncomfortable, not to my liking, we often times discover that we what we thought was a conviction is merely a preference. We see in 1 Samuel 26 that David grew in his trust in God’s word and ability do justice. He does not let circumstance determine his values. His convictions are not subject to change, here at least, based on ease of opportunity. I wonder, how flexible are your principles?
By: Clif Johnson
(Lifeword)
Aired on Mar 22, 2024
Show Day by Day
A daily word of encouragement

Are you choosing life or death?
By: Allison Hawkins
(Lifeword)
Aired on Mar 21, 2024
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