KLOVE Radio Features – August 2022

YOU HAVE WHAT YOU WANT –

Most people wake up every day wanting more. They’re tired of what they have. The irony is, in many cases they have what they thought they wanted. You have the relationship with Jesus you’re willing to have. You have the connection with God’s Word you want as well. It’s the depth of commitments you’ve chosen. Change your level of commitments, and your relationship with Jesus and His Word will become not just what He wants, but what you would want if you knew what was best for you. This may sound complicated, but when you fully surrender your heart and will, it becomes much simpler than you could ever imagine. Make His will what you really want, and God will move Heaven and Earth to make it happen.

HOW TO SHORTEN YOUR LIFE

According to the Mayo Clinic, the hardening of a person’s heart valves is a major predictor of their mortality . . . how long they will live. I realize it’s a physical malady, but when I heard that, it reminded me of its spiritual counterpart. I can’t escape the parallel: a hard heart will kill you dead. The Bible says, “…because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath (which means ‘punishment’) for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.” (Romans 2:5) It further says, if we harden our hearts, our ears will be shut, and our eyes will be blind. Consequently, we won’t be able to understand with our hearts and be healed. (Isaiah 6:10) Keep a soft and tender heart. You might just live longer.

OVERPOWERING GOD’S PLAN

Can your preference overpower God’s plan? The answer is: NO and YES. I can have an inner preference for what I would like to see happen but recognize the foolishness of yielding to my personal preference. If, on the other hand, I give in to my own desires for my life and refuse to allow God’s will to be done, then, “Yes” I can overpower God’s best for me. That’s why I discipline my mind and emotions to not have a personal preference. I’ve never known what’s best for me. Only God does. He knows, left to our own devices we would revert back to our old sinful nature. Only our relationship with Him will keep us safe and living out the perfect script He’s written for each of us. Flow in the river of God’s will and your life will be blessed.      

GOD’S GPS

I get lost driving… a lot. Even in my hometown. I’ve had visiting friends from across the country guide me around my city. It’s embarrassing and often frustrating, but true. Perhaps it’s a genetic thing because my twin brother has the same problem. On his honeymoon, he drove in the wrong direction for half a day and wound up back in the same hotel he’d been in the night before. Ouch! What if following God’s lead was like having a Divine GPS. You could call it, “God’s Prophetic System.” If we were discerning enough, He’d guide us through every day of our lives. The Bible says, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” I’ve found my life is far more enjoyable and less frustrating when I let God lead. For only He knows where I should be going.

GROWING UP ROCKING

From my earliest memory, I grew up kneeling in my bed and rocking back and forth until I fell asleep. It was embarrassing as I got older, but I kept doing it. At times, my mother would yell, “Stop rocking!” I would then just rock more quietly. Finally, I grew out of it. For many years, I never understood why, until I got much older and realized it was because I had chronic lower back pain. As a young boy, if I ran all day, I’d have tons of pain at night. I’d been compensating for pain my whole life. I was experiencing the fruit but didn’t know the root. I believe we all do it. Until we know why we’re doing something, we’ll make compensations for it without resolving the root of our pain. But, if we can discern it, often, we can resolve it.    

WHY DO YOU KEEP IT?

Pastor John Wimber told the story of a missionary who was the first person to minister to a remote, unreached people group. One day, the tribal chief asked him a curious question. “Why do you keep it?” Not understanding what he was referring to, the missionary asked, “Keep what?” The chief said, “When you blow something out of your nose. Why do you keep it and carry it with you?” A funny story, but it provides a fascinating parallel about what we each at times do. Why do we hold on to bitterness and unforgiveness, when we should cast them out like the disgusting emotions they are. When our heart seems stuck, we should ask, “What am I holding on to that I should repel out of my life?” Remember, “Love keeps no score of wrongs.” (1 Corinthians 13:5)