Tim Hetzner – Daily Devotions

You Can Rise Above Worry – Part Two

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5)

When you honestly evaluate your worries, you will find you are doing these:

1) Forgetting that God is your friend. The psalmist said, ‘The LORD is a friend to those who fear him’ (Psalm 25:14). Friendship with God is built by sharing your life’s experiences with Him – every activity, every conversation, every problem, and every thought. When you don’t, you end up unaware of His presence, oblivious to His voice, resistant to His correction, and out of sync with His timing. And when you live that way, there is one inevitable result – worry!

2) Taking on things you shouldn’t. Peter Marshall prayed: ‘Father…check our impulse to spread ourselves so thin that we’re exposed to fear and doubt, to the weariness and impatience that makes our tempers wear thin; [that] robs us of peace of mind; that makes skies grey when they should be blue; that stifles a song along the corridor of our hearts.’ You lose your song when you add the unnecessary pressure of maintaining your exterior image, increasing your pace to keep up with the Joneses, and trying to fix everybody or live up to their expectations.

3) Failing to understand the difference between the secular and the sacred. Either Jesus is Lord over every area of your life, or He is not Lord over any of it. We tell ourselves certain parts of our lives lie in the realm of God’s concern, but not others. The Bible says, ‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight’ (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV). To live any other way is to live a worried life!

Prayer

ITTT

You Can Rise Above Worry – Part One

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)

Missionary Gladys Aylward said, ‘The eagle that soars in the upper air does not worry itself how it is to cross rivers.’ You can’t escape worry; it will come at you from different directions and in different forms. But like the eagle, you can rise above it.

Jesus said: ‘If you decide for God…it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion…Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds. Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever got taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion – do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers…The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers…don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?

‘What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God…fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works…Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow’ (vv. 25-34 MSG).

Prayer

ITTT

It Is Not Too Small For God

“The man of God asked, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float.” (2 Kings 6:6)

Second Kings 6 tells of a prophet chopping trees near a river when his iron axe head falls in. He said to Elisha: ‘Alas, master! For it was borrowed’ (v. 5). He uses the past tense. As far as he is concerned, this axe head is gone forever. He has no expectation whatsoever that the axe head will be retrieved. He shows Elisha where he lost it. Elisha cuts a stick and flings it into the water, and something happens that most likely never happened before or since. ‘And the iron did swim.’

Notice, this isn’t a life-or-death situation. Yes, it’s a loaned axe head. Yes, it disappeared. But if that’s the worst thing you have gone through, you have led a pretty sheltered life. You could put this into the same category as Jesus turning water into wine at a wedding party. Why waste your first miracle on helping a bride and groom avoid embarrassment because they didn’t stock enough wine for their reception?

This reveals something about God. He concerns Himself with the little things, like wedding receptions and borrowed axe heads. Nothing is too big for our great God, and nothing is too small for Him either. ‘Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you’ (1 Peter 5:7). Note the words ‘all your care’. If it matters to you, it matters to your loving heavenly Father. ‘In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths’ (Proverbs 3:6 NKJV). Note the words ‘all your ways’. Today God wants you to share every detail of your life with Him.

Prayer

ITTT

The Right Attitude – Part Two

“ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” (Mark 9:23)

Demosthenes, who was reputed to be the greatest orator in ancient Greece, had a serious speech impediment. Legend has it that he overcame it by reciting verses with pebbles in his mouth and speaking above the roar of the waves at the seashore. As a prisoner in the Wartburg Castle, Martin Luther made use of his time by translating the New Testament into German. Beethoven wrote his greatest symphonic masterpieces after losing his hearing. John Bunyan wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress when he was in prison. Daniel Defoe also wrote in prison, creating Robinson Crusoe. Abraham Lincoln is thought by many to be the best of the United States presidents, but he probably would not have become known as a great leader if he had not led the country through the Civil War.

Often, difficult situations seem to be involved in producing great leaders and thinkers. But that is only the case when their attitudes are right. When a problem comes in contact with someone who has the right attitude, the result is often wonderful. Out of great turmoil come great diplomats, business people, scientists, educators, pastors, and others. Every challenge is an opportunity, and every opportunity has a challenge. But it’s the attitude with which you approach your problem that largely determines the outcome.

When a man whose son couldn’t hear or speak asked Jesus to heal him, Jesus replied, ‘If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes’ (v. 23). The man replied, ‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!’ (v. 24) And Jesus did. Plus, He healed the man’s son. If you need help with your attitude, talk to the Lord today.

Prayer

ITTT

The Right Attitude – Part One

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3)

Observe:

1) The right attitude makes a difference in your relationships. Theodore Roosevelt said, ‘The most important single ingredient in the formula for success is knowing how to get along with people.’ And Paul writes: ‘Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others’ (vv. 3-4). If your track record with people isn’t too good, maybe you need to look at your attitude. While it’s true that some people just seem to have a winning way with others, someone with limited people skills can learn to win with others if he or she decides to change their attitude and approach.

2) Your attitude makes a difference in how you face life’s challenges. During the Korean War, when US Marine Chesty Puller found himself surrounded by eight enemy divisions, his response was, ‘All right, they are on our left. They are on our right. They’re in front of us. They’re behind us – they can’t get away from us this time!’ In life, problems, challenges, obstacles, and failures are unavoidable. So, how are you going to deal with them? Will you give up? Will you let conditions make you miserable? Or are you going to attempt to make the best of things? Which path you select depends on your attitude. The old saying is true: what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Remember the times in your life when you have grown the most. Weren’t they times when you had to overcome obstacles and problems?

Prayer

ITTT

Raising Great Kids in a Troubled World – Part Five

“Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.” (Colossians 3:21)

Embittered children ultimately become discouraged. A discouraged child is less hopeful, less enthusiastic, lacking in determination, and easily led astray. By destroying a child’s hope, you’re undermining their God-given temperament. Children are born with optimism, inspiration, anticipation, and possibilities. Without hope, there is nothing to inspire them. Hopelessness brings depression and darkness of heart and soul. When you embitter the children in your care, you undermine their hope. When you demoralize them, you destroy their confidence, leaving them afraid, insecure, and unable to face life.

Self-confidence is necessary for a healthy self-image, for relating to others, for succeeding in their education and a career. A disheartened kid loses certainty and becomes a broken spirit. The spirit is the center of the being. A broken spirit produces a broken person. ‘A broken spirit saps a person’s strength’ (Proverbs 17:22), leaving a child with their core disabled. Our streets are full of broken kids. Broken-spirited kids lack the resolve to achieve in life, to set goals and reach them. ‘Where there is no vision, the people perish’ (Proverbs 29:18). It’s your vision that gives you the inner strength to see something through to its accomplishment in spite of the obstacles encountered.

It takes an intact, resilient child to overcome life’s hurdles. How can you help them? ‘Instead [of breaking their spirit], bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord’ (Ephesians 6:4). You must cherish them, teach them God’s Word even when they seem indifferent, practice what you preach, be consistent with your rules, let them see you reading God’s Word and praying regularly. Always encourage them and never, never give up on them!

Prayer

ITTT

Raising Great Kids in a Troubled World – Part Four

“Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.” (Colossians 3:21)

Another point of parental confusion is this:

4) Bitter versus better. What is bitterness? It is strong resentment or cynicism. How do parents create bitterness in their children? Consider the following triggers:

a) Inconsistency. This happens when you are autocratic and authoritarian one day and permissive the next. What brought a strong rebuke today brings a smile of leniency tomorrow. So, your child never knows what to expect.

b) Moodiness. Today you’re fun and enjoyable to be with; tomorrow you’re irritable and distant.

c) Unreasonableness. There is no room for discussion, no opportunity for children to explore their feelings. ‘Just do as I say because I say it!’ So, the kid is never given the chance to think through the reasoning process.

d) Abusive behavior. It might be physical or emotional (withholding your love, the silent treatment, rejection). Or it might be verbal (yelling and using words that wound).

e) Failing to walk your talk – saying one thing but doing another! You profess certain beliefs but don’t practice them. You expect your kids to be respectful while you display disrespect to others. You expect honesty from your children, but they see you cheat and lie your way through life. Children are keen observers – they may not say anything, but not much that you do escapes their attention. They see your inconsistencies – when what you say doesn’t line up with what you do. All of these behaviors can make them resentful. ‘Do not embitter your children.’ Don’t set them up to become discouraged.

Prayer

ITTT

Raising Great Kids in a Troubled World – Part Three

“Here are some more areas where parents are often confused.” (Proverbs 23:13)

2) Discipline versus punishment. ‘Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.’ (Proverbs 22:15). Notice God’s choice of words: ‘the rod of discipline’ not the ‘rod of punishment’. Discipline and correction are about teaching and learning; punishment is about making a child suffer for their behavior. Children need discipline – not punishment, which is often administered by a frustrated and angry parent. ‘Do not withhold discipline from a child.’ Withholding discipline prepares them for a life of failure and suffering. Discipline is focused on improving their behavior. It teaches right and wrong by giving consequences that directly relate to the child’s choices. It may take the form of being grounded or suspending privileges, but it should always be for the child’s benefit, never to inflict pain.

3) Love versus indulgence. Our materialistic world confuses love with indulgence. Loving parents give without spoiling, withhold for the child’s good, and motivate them by rewarding good behavior. Indulgent parents give kids whatever they want, irrespective of behavior, therefore failing to motivate them to be responsible. Spoiled kids develop a sense of entitlement and an expectation that others exist to please them. Indulgent parents are frequently guilt-driven and afraid their kids won’t like or love them. They mistake indulgence for love, and breed children who demand, manipulate, and are never satisfied. Love requires talking, listening, and understanding, laughing, sharing tough times, respecting and encouraging your kids with unconditional acceptance. Such love costs nothing but is worth everything.

Prayer

ITTT

Raising Great Kids in a Troubled World – Part Two

“Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward.” (Psalm 127:3)

Over the next few days, let’s look at some practical areas where parents are often confused. (If you’re not a parent, why not use these points to help you pray for parents you know.)

1) Guidance versus criticism. If you have a placid, agreeable, and compliant child who enjoys school, homework, and doing household chores, bringing ‘them up in the training and instruction of the Lord’ will be a joy! (Ephesians 6:4). Many of us, however, are given assertive, strong-willed kids with their own agendas. These kids know what they want, and when and how to get it. They also know what they don’t want to eat, wear, hear, say, and do! And parents or caregivers of these kids need help in building the kind of relationship that creates trust and allows for mutual discussion and respect in a tug-of-war atmosphere.

In such cases, giving guidance can easily become criticism, constantly emphasizing the child’s faults: ‘You look ridiculous in that…you’re never on time…why can’t you be like…’ A much better approach is to point the kid to the solution. Even valid guidance offered negatively will damage self-worth, breed resentment, and destroy the possibility of building mutual respect. They need to hear you say, ‘I’m not on your back – I’m on your team!’

When normal conflict arises – and it will – it’s tempting to become overbearing or frustrated. When you shout, insult, or humiliate the child, you lose sight of your parental goal of guiding and training. This leaves them feeling angry, dis-empowered, and uncertain of themselves, and you – an invitation to rebellion. But if you guide your child as one who is on their team, with patient, practical help, links will be forged that encourage cooperation, trust, and mutual respect.

Prayer

ITTT

Raising Great Kids in a Troubled World – Part One

“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

If you’re a parent, do you ever wish for a parenting do-over – a second chance to raise your kids? With hindsight and insight, you think you would do it right this time! Parenting is both rewarding and guilt-inducing. It’s rewarding because we love our children and they bring us joy. It’s guilt-inducing because we blame ourselves for their shortcomings and misfortunes. ‘Where did I go wrong as a parent?’ There is no perfect parent, and there is no universal blueprint because every child is born unique.

Psychologists told us our children were born a ‘blank slate’, waiting for us to write life instructions on them. Not so! Babies are miniature people, ‘born in sin and shaped in iniquity’ (see Psalm 51:5). They are given to us to figure out as we try to mold them spiritually, morally, socially, and intellectually. By age seven, they have learned about 75 percent of everything they will ever know.

But although there is no one-size-fits-all formula for success, there are God-given principles that work whether you’re a new parent, a grandparent, or someone who works with children. ‘Teach children in a way that fits their needs, and even when they are old, they will not leave the right path’ (Proverbs 22:6). Notice some keywords here. Teach, which implies imparting information in a consistent, understandable way. Toddlers learn better with pictures. Older kids need us to use contemporary language. If they don’t ‘get it’, we probably didn’t teach it well enough! ‘Children’ means old enough to understand. ‘A way that fits their needs’ implies knowing their personality and abilities and tailoring your teaching to fit them. When God’s principles fit the child’s unique characteristics, they’re more likely to adopt and follow them.

Prayer

ITTT