What Glenn Writes

One of the most difficult concepts for us to get our minds and hearts around, at least for me, is we are called to do the right things for the right reasons. The challenge is getting our heads and our hearts aligned with God’s will and intention in our lives. There is more to just doing the right thing; we must also have the right motivation in the effort.

This can be tough.

I believe our motivation comes from our heart, and here I am not referring to the blood pumping organ pounding away in our chest, but the actual essence of whom we are and what makes us tick - the will or belief basis making up each of us, contributing to our personality, self-image, actions, and reactions at the core of our being. This is the foundation of what gets us going in the morning, what keeps us going in the evening, and what gets us through our most difficult times throughout the day. › Continue reading

In yesterday’s article , I examined my own weakness in loving my enemies. Dang, is it hard!

As soon as I say it is hard, what is God’s response?

Philippians 4:13
I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

So then I hang my head, and wonder if God really means for me to love others. I mean, maybe it is just a suggestion, not an outright command, right? If it is merely a suggestion, then I can come up with all sorts of excuses as to how I can get around this suggestion. If it is a command, though, then I will find it a little harder to…

John 13:34
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

Ok, God is quick on the response today.

I guess I can roll with this loving your enemy thing if God is going to provide the strength, but just not any more than I absolutely have to love them. We all have limits, right? I can love my enemies with God’s strength, because we all know I just don’t have it in me, but I really don’t have to go overboard on this whole thing. We just walk up to the line, satisfy the requirement, and then back off so…

Romans 12:9-11
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal…

Ouch.

Ok, so I need to be nice and act nice and play nice and respond nice, even to my enemies. I can treat my enemies nice, I mean it’s not like I have to give them anything out of my pocket…

I John 3:17-18
If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

Whoa… I guess there is more to this loving your enemy than I realized.

I thought I could get away with just loving God and that would be enough. I mean, I really love God… He has blessed me in so many ways, and that whole salvation and resurrection thing, you know living forever and all that, is such a huge plus.

I guess I am just struggling as to why we have to pull the “loving the enemy” phrase into this equation? Really, let’s just think about this for a moment, because I really mean it when I say I love God and all…

I John 4:20-21
If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Sting… sizzle…

Ok, so there is no getting around this loving your enemy and loving your brother… What? Loving my brother? Why would I call my enemy my brother? I don’t see how…

I John 3:1
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

Oh. So, God sees us all as His children?

I John 3:2
Dear friends, now we are children of God…

So, when I fight with my enemy, it is just like my children fighting with one another. Or, when I do not get along with someone, it is just like my children not getting along.

Hmmm… and I certainly would like my kids to get along and love one another.

John 13:33-35
My children, I will be with you only a little longer… A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

This is going to take some getting used to…

Lord, I am asking You to give me a new heart, a heart unused and unbroken by the world, unstained by the lies and hurts of others, but renewed in Your love. Transform me into Your image and likeness, and grant that I may see as You have called me to see, that I may hear as You have called me to hear, and that I may love as You have called me to love. I ask this in Your name, Jesus. Amen.

Glenn Sasscer

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I have confessed in previous articles how I am relationally handicapped. This is a weakness – I have difficulty in some relationships. This sudden revelation has given me the freedom to turn this area of my life over to God, as there is very little I can do to resolve it.

I tried; I failed.

Yet, as soon as I turned this area over to God, it was like a weight was lifted off me. Just accepting I was weak allowed His power to strengthen me to overcome this weakness.

While this concept applies to many areas in life, submitting to weakness in relationships is one of the most important steps I have probably made in my relationship with God – my love for others is critical to God.

I think it is kind of funny how we look at serving God as being so righteous and excellent, how we consider the gifts of the Spirit and anointing to be all that, yet we often overlook the importance of loving one another. This may boil down to the source of our motivation, but we are not the first to come across this mix-up in our priorities or how we perceive our service to the Lord.

Let’s take a look at 1 Corinthians 13:1-3:

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Wow! What a wake up call to the church, huh?

So, I can dress up each Sunday, go to church with a smile and happy mood, greet everyone, provide an opening introduction to worship, sing, dance, raise my hands in the air, teach, and even pray with others, but if I do not have love as my motivation, then “…I gain nothing”?

But, wait…

I worship God. I pray and talk with God. So, this counts in my relationship with God, right?

I John 4:8
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Is your life marked by love? Does your life portray the greatest commandments given by Jesus in Matthew 22:37-39?

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

I always find the first part of this passage an easy one to accept, I mean Jesus died for me, gave His life for me, and in so many ways blesses my life… but I fail miserably in the last part of the passage. You see, I easily love those who are nice to me… those nice neighbors… but it is the neighbors who are rude, obnoxious, and calling me names that make it difficult to love them.

Are those neighbors excluded?

Matthew 5:44
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…

Ouch. Those neighbors are not excluded.

Of course, I am not talking about my real, residential neighbors, for as far as I can tell I have excellent new neighbors all around, but as Jesus tells us in Luke 10, our neighbors are all whom we meet throughout our day… even the rude and obnoxious ones.

I confess this is a weakness for me. I pray the Lord will strengthen me in this area. How about you? Is this a shared confession and something you should ask of the Lord? Contact me if you need help and we can confess this together.

Glenn Sasscer

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I believe one of my biggest struggles when I don’t understand something is dealing with the resulting frustration and anger. Whether the frustration stems from putting together furniture from Ikea and not having the tools pictured in their illustrations, trying to understand why someone is calling me names, or looking at the aftermath of a tornado, not understanding the situation generally leads to anger.

The physical storm tearing through our neighboring community brings questions, frustrations, and anger; the emotional storm tearing through our hearts brings questions, frustration, and anger; and our limitations in life also builds up, leading to frustration and anger.

As I mentioned throughout this week’s articles, our natural inclination is the easiest path, this one just happens to lead to anger and brews up another storm to complicate the first one. In these circumstances, our relationship with Christ is what must prevail and dictate our response, leading us to overcome our natural inclination and respond in belief.

As believers, this calls us to the following:

• We have faith, not fear. Monday
• We pray, not panic. Tuesday
• We believe God, not blame Him. Wednesday
• We respond to, not run from. Thursday
• We be assured, not angry.

We touched on the first four responses through this week, bringing us to the last one today:

We be assured, not angry.

Let’s take another look at Peter and how he dealt with the storm assailing him in Matthew 14:26-31:

When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

Can you imagine Peter getting really ticked off when he started to sink in the waves? Here we have a very tired Peter, serving the multitudes all day on just a few baskets of fish and bread, and then trying to catch a little wind in the sails of the boat to take them across the sea only to be caught in a storm. We’re not talking about a few minutes in the storm, either. The disciples had been in this storm for a few hours, soaking wet and battling the waves crashing over their boat, which happened to be rocking back and forth and pitching every which way.

Now this Jesus, this guy who happened to just really turn Peter’s life on end, calls him out of the boat with this really neat trick of walking on water. Peter summons up all the courage he has, all the faith he has, all the trust he has, and steps from the relative safety of the boat. He is encouraged, but then starts to sink.

Can you imagine his face turning into a snarl, his fist clenched, and Peter snapping at the Lord? Yeah… that would have helped, huh?

Again, Peter gives us an example of the right response here, turning to the Lord and asking for help. Really, it was more of a desperate plea, but isn’t that what it takes sometimes for the Lord to get our attention? I mean, at least for me… maybe you are much different and it doesn’t take so much, but for me, sometimes the Lord has to get me to a point where I am just flat-out desperate in some area of my life and I have nowhere else to turn.

• Maybe I’ve lost everything in a tornado.
• Maybe I lost everything financially.
• Maybe I’ve lost a friend or relationship.
• Maybe I’ve lost ability or I have a health issue.
• Maybe I’ve lost a job.
• Maybe I’ve lost hope… happiness… joy… peace.
• Maybe I’ve lost faith.

Except for the first example, as I have been fortunate not to lose everything in a tornado, I have come close to experiencing each of the other examples. In each case, it seemed like a virtual tornado ripped through my life and tore me up. I believe this is because I am one stubborn fool and needed to get to a situation where I had no other choice but to turn to the Lord.

Only then could I be assured He was there. My anger never resolved my situations, but assurance the Lord was in control brought the peace and faith I needed to endure.

• We are assured God always does the right thing.
• We are assured God never makes mistakes.
• We are assured God is still on the throne and in full control.
• We are assured God is bigger than whatever situation is overwhelming us.
• We are assured He is still God.

My anger has only added to the confusion and misunderstanding, confounding the solution and often creating another storm. Instead of focusing outward in anger, we need to focus upward in assurance.

Peter got into trouble when he looked at the storm, but when he looked at his Lord he rose above the storm. The wind and waves that were over his head were under His feet! Isn’t it time for you to rise above the storm?

I realize these five steps of response are not easy. As I mentioned throughout this week, we have a natural inclination to take the easy path… and this is not it. However, this is the path that leads out of the storm.

• We have faith, not fear.
• We pray, not panic.
• We believe God, not blame Him.
• We respond to, not run from.
• We be assured, not angry.

Contact me if you want some help finding your way out of the storm.

Glenn Sasscer

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I have heard my own words from Sunday repeated back to me several times this week: “Until you see it first hand, you just can’t understand the devastation a tornado can cause.” After years of seeing news clips and hearing stories of other areas, after reading and knowing how tornados develop, and even after seeing minor damage from tornados, none of these compare to actually driving through Millbury, Ohio this week.

The same thing applies to hearing about depression, divorce, bankruptcies, or life threatening illnesses… we hear about it, read stories about people in “other” areas, but then the storm strikes closer to home. One of our friends, someone in our family, or we ourselves are forced to respond to a crisis stirring within our hearts, in our relationships, or battering our thoughts. › Continue reading

I continue to pray with other believers for my neighboring community as the clean up from this past Sunday’s tornado continues. I pray for wisdom and understanding, but more than this I am lead to pray for strength in enduring the hard task of picking up the debris in the fields, as well as in the lives of those who lost so much.

With this in mind, I am reviewing how Christians… that is, believers, respond to tragedy in our lives. Indeed, Scripture never promises a believer we will be immune from calamity or problems and actually foretells of more cataclysmic destruction, however a believer is defined by the way we respond to these circumstances. › Continue reading

Yesterday, I shared my shock and surprise at the devastation of a neighboring community left in the wake of a tornado this past weekend. I am stunned by the sheer force, power, and intensity of this twister, and saddened by the tragedy and heartache left in the aftermath.

We continue to hear stories. We continue to pray. We pray for those who lost family and home; we pray for those searching for their lives in the rubble; we pray for those helping with the search and clean-up. › Continue reading

I have seen pictures, television reports, and even the watched Hollywood recreate twisters in movies, but I don’t think I fully realized the impact of a tornado until I drove through a nearby community yesterday. I gained a new appreciation of the sheer power of destruction when I saw buses upside-down, a school reduced to rubble, homes torn apart and trashed, and debris flung everywhere.

Seven people died yesterday, all within about ten minutes of my home.

Trees were stripped of their leaves; some twisted and splintered, others just jagged fingers pointing accusingly at the sky. Tree limbs, furniture, clothing, and other possessions were scattered throughout the fields, lying broken like the many lives cast out of their homes after this tragedy.

What is the appropriate response to something so devastating to others? How should we react? I have friends who are volunteering in the search, gathering of belongings, and clean up, but in the midst of this physical action, what is the emotional and spiritual reply for a believer in these situations?

The earthquake in Haiti measured 7.0. Hurricane Katrina sank an entire city. The Asian Tsunami hit on the other side of the world, but 9/11 struck American soil. Whether it is far away or close to home, it seems like it is always someone else… but what if it were you?

I believe there is a prophetic message in these events. The Bible warns us of these disasters, telling us they will increase in intensity and frequency.

Matthew 24:6-8
You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.

The Haitian earthquake was the first Caribbean earthquake recorded in over 200 years. These folks were used to hurricanes, but never considered an earthquake shaking their region. They didn’t think it would happen to them.

The residents of New Orleans never thought their city would be flooded – who in their right mind would live in a neighborhood below sea level sitting right next to the ocean if they thought they would lose their house?

My neighbors in Millbury, Ohio never thought their homes and their lives would be yanked off their foundations in one vicious night of howling winds.
 
As believers, we are defined by our reaction to tragedies, small and large. Following God, believing Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer, carrying the label of Christian, does not protect me from calamity or misfortune – believers are not defined by bad things not happening to us, we are defined by our reaction to the circumstances.

Our response:

• We have faith, not fear.
• We pray, not panic.
• We believe God, not blame Him.
• We respond to, not run from.
• We be assured, not angry.

What circumstance are you facing right now? You may not live in Millbury, Ohio, but I know many readers who are enduring storms of their own and suffering, if not externally then inside where they try to keep it hidden and out of sight. What earthquake is shaking your foundations? What flood is drowning you? What storm is twisting your life out of control?

Let’s take a look at each of the above responses this week, starting with the first one:

We should have faith, not fear.

Peter and the disciples give us a good lesson on this in Matthew 14:26-31:

…they cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

Immediately, Jesus reassures the disciples He is there and He is in control. Yet a few verses later, Peter is afraid again.

But when he saw the wind, he was afraid… Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

Here we see an excellent example of Jesus being “always immediate”. I wrote about this concept a couple of weeks ago to describe how God is always immediate in being with us, no matter our circumstance or situation. He is with us, always immediate, to give us strength in the midst of the storm.

Please know I am not suggesting we should suppress our normal emotions of concern or shock when we encounter the storm, but I am pointing out how fear is not the spiritual response. Our first reaction may be emotional and it is good to express it, yet afterward there is the spiritual response. For this response, we know fear is not of God.

2 Timothy 1:7
For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

Our fear will not provide comfort to anyone, and in fact, will only bring more anxiety, distress, and confusion to the situation.

Locally, I have seen the destruction of my neighboring community. My friends and others have shared and I have heard rumors of the heartrending stories involving many families.  I know many others who are enduring their private storms. As a believer, I know these catastrophes are just the beginning of what is to come to this planet – it has been foretold in Scripture and we should expect it, but not with a spirit of fear. We should not allow fear to rule in these times of crisis, whether the fallout is in an entire community or in the privacy of our hearts.

There are no answers in fear – only faith will have an answer for us.

Jesus gives us a command in Mark 11:22:

Have faith in God.

Notice He does not say “you should have faith in God” or “you know, it would be a good idea to have faith in God”, or even, “when you feel like it, have faith in God”. Jesus gives a directive here, plain and simple, “Have faith in God.” This is for our benefit and the benefit of those around us.

We are commanded to keep the faith, especially when the world around us is crumbling or being blown away, which is when many give up on faith.

Is this happening to you? Are you giving up? Do you have a tendency to give up when fear is present? If so, you are in good company… I have a similar tendency and so did Peter. Jesus told Peter he had little faith when Peter looked at the storm in fear instead of looking at Jesus in faith.

You can only do this on purpose; you must make a choice to believe God is bigger than the storm and can carry you through the aftermath. Whether your storm is public and community wide or whether your storm is private and in your heart, Jesus is always immediate and always for you – before, during, and after the wind settles down. 

Are you struggling with this? Pray about it – turn to God now and ask Him to increase your faith in this matter. Or, contact me and let’s pray about it together. Let me know if you are local and want to meet to discuss the aftermath of the storms, whether it is the tornado or your own private struggles.

Glenn Sasscer

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I have been swimming with Egyptians for about a week now. This is a phrase my wife and I use to say we are in denial… get it? In De’ Nile? Where do Egyptians swim?

Stop groaning.

I did something to my shoulder last week when moving. All symptoms point to a torn rotator cuff, but I thought I would just ignore those symptoms and keep moving things… like a huge entertainment center, fish tank, shelving, etc. I decided to deny the symptoms and hope they go away. Unfortunately, ignoring symptoms do not make them go away and last night my arm started going numb, I lost strength in my right arm, and it was getting much harder to keep swimming with those Egyptians.

A visit to the local emergency room was inconclusive. They said it may be a torn rotator cuff or it may just be a bruised muscle. They prescribed some drugs for swelling and pain, and recommended I wait a week to see if the pain goes away before seeing a specialist. The Vicodin they prescribed did allow me to sleep through the night for the first time all week, but the whole inconclusive nature of the emergency room visit left me empty and feeling cheated. › Continue reading

Shock therapy has value.

We have a dog. He is a mix-breed with the designer name of “Puggle”. This means some wise and knowledgeable person thought it was a good idea to allow a Pug dog and a Beagle dog to get together for a little romance. I think Snoopy would be cringing if he were more than a cartoon, at least turning his nose in the air. The end result of this canine tryst is a dog with the most disobedient traits of both breeds.

Shock therapy has value.

I know some readers are going to cry foul and call for my lynching when I admit to using an electronic collar on this ground sniffing, whining, barking, chewing, running-wherever-he-wants-to-run, pooping machine of a dog, and don’t get me started on this thing breaking wind… whoa!

› Continue reading