Month: September 2023

Just Another Day?

DrJayCook Christian Life, Direction , , ,

Does the following sound familiar?

You get up on Monday and do what you have to do to make it through the day.  You do the same thing Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.  Saturday and Sunday might offer you a small break, but you know Monday is coming.

When I look at most people, their lives resemble the pattern above.  Life is dull, boring, and often dreadful.

Oscar Wilde was correct when he stated, “To live is the rarest thing in the world.  Most people exist, that is all.”

Do you really believe that existing is all that life has to offer?  Is life nothing more than a routine?

Though it often seems like most people are aimlessly wandering through life, that does not have to be true for you.  If you are a Christian, you can know and live out a purpose that is much bigger than just existing.  You see, Proverbs 16:4 states: “The LORD has prepared everything for his purpose.”

That includes you and me.  But whether we discover that purpose and live it out is the choice of each of us.

From my studies and experience, I would like to offer some suggestions.

First, pray.  Begin asking God to show you what your life could be.  Ask Him to help you be spiritually prepared to follow His leadership.  And keep praying.

Second, consider your strengths.  There are things that God has enabled you to do (both natural and learned things).  God does not give us abilities for no reason.

Third, consider what gets you excited.  We are all different, and God gives us passions that are suited for each person.

Fourth, get the input of some godly friends.  They know you and they know the Lord.  They might be able to tell you things that you cannot see.

Fifth, begin with small steps.  When you have an idea of what God wants of and for you, begin doing it.  Start small.  Build your knowledge and skills in that area.  Take larger steps bit by bit.

Sixth, help others.  You are surrounded by many others who do not know what to do.  Help them discover the life that they should be living.

And remember that Jesus said, “I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.” (John 10:10)

You may want to check out one of the most-read books on this. Click the picture to find out more…

Bless Her Heart

DrJayCook Christian Life, Gossip, Kindness , , , , , ,

“Bless her heart!”

Have you heard that said?  Have you ever said it?

We Southerners have tried to turn gossip into an art form.  We say what we want and then pretend like we really care about the person or situation.

BUT – how do you like it when others gossip about you?  What does it say about the gossiper?  How do you think others feel when you gossip about them?  What does it say about you when you gossip?

I had a lady once tell me that she doesn’t gossip; she talks about things that matter to her.  She did not realize that she was considered a major gossiper, though.

It used to be that when someone talked about other people, it was face-to-face.  Today, we do it through texts and social media as much if not more than we used to do it.  It has become far more common, which means it hurts far more than it did.  It is not ok.

Proverbs 11:13 states, “A gossip goes around revealing a secret, but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.”  Proverbs 20:19 states, “The one who reveals secrets is a constant gossip; avoid someone with a big mouth.”  Proverbs 26:20 states, “Without wood, fire goes out; without a gossip, conflict dies down.”

A good rule of thumb is to consider that if we talk about something to a person who is not part of the problem or part of the solution, we are probably gossiping.  And if you are a Christian, gossip is not ok.  If you are not a Christian, gossip also is not ok.

So what should we do?

Well, do not do it.  That is simple enough to understand (though we may find it hard to control the tongue).

Also, do not listen.  Either leave the conversation or the room.  Make it clear that you want nothing to do with it.

Also, stop the conversation right there.  As someone begins to “share,” stop them and ask them to go with you to the target of the gossip to let them know what is being said by “others.”

Gossip destroys – plain and simple.  It destroys relationships.  It destroys businesses.  It destroys churches.  It can even destroy someone’s life.

I want to encourage you to help me break the pattern.  Instead of camouflaging our gossip with a “bless her heart,” let us be the ones who actually do bless others’ hearts.

If you want to get more ideas, click the picture below for a suggested resource…

What Is Strength?

DrJayCook Change, Strength , , , , , , ,

I can say whatever I want, regardless of whom it hurts.  I can force my way on others.  I can use brute force when it feels right.  I do not listen to anyone.

Is that it?  Or is that a façade of strength when it is actually foolishness?

I do not believe that anyone wants to lack strength, but it often is elusive.

Billions of people live under cruel and oppressive governments – they have no control.  Millions of people live as refugees because their former lives were unbearable – they have no control.  Millions of people took the wrong path and became addicts – they now have no control.  Countless people are constantly bullied (and with social media, it is relentless) – they have no control.  People live with the effects of lies and deception by cruel people – they have no control.  Health issues arise – and there seems to be no control.

Where is the strength we need?

Do our circumstances dictate our strength?  Or is there an anchor that can give us the needed strength?

The Apostle Paul discovered that no matter what he faced (and he faced a lot), God is greater.  He stated in 2 Corinthians 12:9: “The Lord said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.’  Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.”

That is not an easy concept to grasp.  We do not want to admit weakness.

However, that may be our problem.  We tend to pretend to be who we are not.  Instead, we should be honest about our reality and our needs.

I love how the prophet Isaiah put it in Isaiah 40:29-31: “He gives strength to the faint and strengthens the powerless.  Youths may become faint and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who trust in the LORD will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint.”

God never promised to take away our troubles.  He did promise to help us through them.  And when He does, we find the strength we need.

On top of that, He designed His church to be a place to find support and strength from others who share our journey.

Please do not fake strength.  Please do not seek strength in yourself.  Find true strength in the One who IS strength.

The following resource is a devotional book that anyone can benefit from. Click the picture to discover more…

Kindness Could Make a Comeback

DrJayCook Christian Life, Culture, Kindness , , ,

What is going on in our world?

People can be mean.  Many people are mean.

Every year as election time nears, the level of unkindness seems to get higher and higher.  It is not because of one political party.  It comes from all sides, and it is ugly.  It is not right.

However, it is not just found in the political scene.  It is everywhere – sporting events, classrooms, offices, playgrounds, churches, stores, homes, roadways…  Too many people do not consider kindness to be important.

Perhaps our busyness causes us to ignore opportunities to be kind.  Perhaps technology leads us to rely on impersonal interactions.  Perhaps greed and self-centeredness cause us to focus on what we want above all else.  Perhaps we raise our children in a different way.  Whatever the cause or causes, kindness is a lost art, but it is an art that desperately needs to be readapted.

In Galatians 6:9 we read: “Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.”

For many of us, we do not have to worry about getting tired of doing good.  We are satisfied with doing whatever we want to do and then complain because life is harsh.

For those who claim Jesus as Lord and Savior, kindness is not an option.  It is part of the Fruit of the Spirit – which means that if the Spirit dwells in you, so should/must kindness.

We must remember what we are told in Ephesians 4:31-32: “Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice.  And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.”

The first part of that passage sounds descriptive of our society (bitterness, anger, wrath, shouting, slander, and malice), does it not?  Yet that is what we must remove, get rid of, and refuse to allow.

The second part of that passage sounds descriptive of those who make a positive impact on lives and leave positive memories (kind, compassionate, and forgive), does it not?  Every one of us wants others to treat us in that way.  But do we treat others in that way?

Kindness is not an option.

If I dream hard enough, I can envision a world where we are kind – treating each other the way we want to be treated – living in a way that honors the God who saves us.

I vote for turning that dream into reality.

The following resource prompted MANY people to look at kindness in a different light – one that touched others powerfully. Click the picture to find out more…

The Big Deal about Labor Day

DrJayCook Labor Day, Patriotism , , , ,

Labor Day is Monday.  What do you have planned?  What does it mean to you?

Back in the late 1800’s, labor activities pushed for a holiday to recognize the importance of workers in shaping and sustaining America.  They recognized the importance of “work” and wanted the nation to recognize it as well.

Today, many people may have the wrong idea about work.  Some see work as a burden, and some think it is an outcome of Adam and Eve’s original sin.  Some see work as a five-day drudgery leading to a weekend, and some see it as completely separate from what one does on Sundays.

For those of us who claim faith in Jesus, work is completely different (or should be).

God’s original plan for us included work; Adam and Eve were tasked with taking care of the Garden of Eden.  God is the Creator, and He continues to work today; He expects His followers to be like Him in this. Therefore, work is a form of worship.  Our work should point others to God because everything we do should point others to Him.

In your work (at a job, at school, around the house…), do you point others to God?  Do you show gratitude?  Do you imitate Jesus?  Do you serve others?

We read in Colossians 3:23: “Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people.”  Whatever you do…  Work has a much bigger purpose than just getting a paycheck.  Work should be part of our living by faith.  Our work should demonstrate the integrity of God that we should show.  Our work should make a difference no matter what it is.

Billy Graham once said that he believed the next great awakening (the next revival that spreads across the nation) will probably occur in the workplace.  That makes total sense when you look at where our churches are.  Fewer people are attending and participating in churches today, but our population is increasing steadily.  The world is not in our church buildings.  The world is everywhere we are – including at work.

So this Labor Day, I hope you enjoy a break.  But I also hope you will recognize the blessing and opportunity that work gives us to make a difference and change our world.  Do it “for the Lord.”  It was and is His plan.