Happiness & Humility

Happiness & Humility

Dear Champions,
 
The short excerpt is by Whit Criswell , and the Scripture is Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
 
Psychology Today magazine did a survey and asked 52,000 people, "What would it take to make you happy?"  In order of most votes were:  friends and social life, good job, love, recognition, sex, good financial situation, owning a house, being attractive, health, religion, recreation, being a parent, marriage, and for their spouse to be happy.  The interesting thing is happiness is mostly sought through external situations rather than internal ones.  Then does happiness mean having the right circumstances?
 
The wisest and wealthiest man ever was Solomon, and he said he was going to deny himself nothing in order to find happiness.  He found three dead-ends:  accumulating things, experiencing all kinds of pleasure, and achieving success.  He concluded, "All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind" (Ecclesiastes 2:17).  The world's view of happiness is having the right circumstances, but God's idea of happiness is having the right attitude.
 
In Matthew 5, Jesus sat on a mountainside and, contrary to popular opinion, began teaching what is commonly referred to as the BE-attitudes.  And He repeatedly said, "Blessed," which means, "Happy are you."  He reminded them that happiness is not determined by what's happening around or outside of me, but rather what's happening INSIDE of me!  It's an internal attitude.
 
Jesus tells us that the first step to happiness is HUMILITY.  He's got to be kidding, right?  "Blessed are the Poor in Spirit."  What does that mean?  It means when compared to a holy and righteous God, we are filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).  It means that I don't have it all together, I am not the sum total of the universe, I am not God!"  Humble and happy go together.

Champions, have a great summer!-David Vining

Commitment

Commitment

Dear Champions,

The short excerpt is by Dennis Rainey, and the Scripture is 1 John 4:18. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear. . .
 
A powerful picture of how love casts out fear is found in the book Welcome Home, Davey. While serving aboard a gunboat in Vietnam, Dave Roever was holding a phosphorous grenade some six inches from his face when a snipers bullet ignited the explosion.  Here he describes the first time he saw his face after the explosion:
 
When I looked in that mirror, I saw a monster, not a human being . . . My soul seemed to shrivel up and collapse in on itself, to be sucked into a black hole of despair.  I was left with an indescribable and terrifying emptiness.  I was alone in the way the souls in hell must feel alone.
 
Finally he came back to the States to meet his young bride, Brenda.  Just before she arrived, he watched a wife tell another burn victim that she wanted a divorce.  Then Brenda walked in.
 
Showing not the slightest tremor of horror or shock, she bent down and kissed me on what was left of my face.  Then she looked me in my good eye, smiled, and said, Welcome home, Davey!  I love you.  To understand what that meant to me you have to know that's what she called me when we were most intimate; she would whisper Davey, over and over in my ear . . . . By using her term of endearment for me, she said, You are my husband.  You will always be my husband.  You are still my man.
 
Love is not just a feeling.  It is a commitment and a decision.

Champions, have a great week!-David Vining

Persevere Through the Pain

Persevere Through The Pain

Dear Champions,
 
The short excerpt is from former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy in his book, Quiet Strength, and the Scripture is Hebrews 13:5 . . .God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Dungy's son, Jamie, took his life on Thursday, December 22, 2005.
 
I had counseled so many players and others throughout the years, and now it was time to follow my own advice.  These were certainly tough times, but our family couldn't quit living just because times were tough.  Lauren and I knew our only option was to trust God and let Him lead us through the pain.  Even though we didn't understand why Jamie had taken his life, our job was to persevere and continue to follow the Lord no matter what.
 
Times will get tough.  God doesn't promise that once we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior well be protected from harm and pain and stress.  But He does promise that He will be there to lean on during those times.  Jamie's death will never make sense to me, and the pain of losing him will never go away.  But in the midst of it all, I truly believe that hope is available to all of us-for joy in today and peace in the certainty that heavens glory awaits us. 
 
People sometimes ask if I went through a typical grief cycle and what I learned from having gone through it.  First, there is no typical grief cycle, and second, it's not something I went through.  I'm still grieving, as is Lauren.
 
Why do bad things happen, and why did Jamie die?  I don't know.  But I do know that God has the answers, I know He loves me, and I know He has a plan-whether it makes sense to me or not.  Rather than asking why, I'm asking what.  What can I learn from this, and what can I do for God's glory and to help others?

Champions, have a great week!-David Vining

Humility

Humility

The following came from Jim Cymbala's book, The Life God Blesses, and the Scripture is Isaiah 66:2  . . . 'These are the ones I look on with favour: those who are humble and contrite in spirit . . .The short excerpt is a son's reflection about his late father, Pastor Howard Goss.

My dad really walked with God.  He was quite famous in his circle of churches, and everybody wanted him to speak, especially at those huge summer-camp meetings.
 
I'll never forget one big camp meeting up in Canada when I was a kid.  Every famous preacher was invited, and the crowds were tremendous.  Our family arrived a day early, and the leaders were making out the schedule for the speakers.  Meetings were held all day long, and the visiting preachers all wanted to speak during the night rallies when the crowds were largest.  The preachers actually jockeyed around hoping to get the biggest meetings for their preaching assignments.
 
Suddenly one of the leaders asked where my father was.  He was in the prime of his ministry and was highly respected by everyone.  They wanted to consult with him, but no one seemed to know where he was.  They finally heard that he was last seen in the kitchen and dining hall area, so I went with them to find him.
 
They could scarcely believe their eyes when they got to the kitchen.  There was my dad on his hands and knees scrubbing the floor with some of the other workers?
 
"Brother Goss," they said, "what are you doing here?  We're making out the preaching schedule and wanted to know your preference."
 
"Oh, brothers," my dad replied, "you've got so many good preachers here that you don't need to worry about me.  But I found out that they're short of help here in the kitchen so I thought I'd lend a hand."

Champions, have a great week!-David Vining