Thursday Thought 1/30/2025 - At your wits end?

Have you ever felt like it was coming apart?  Like things are all going against you and you have had just about enough?  Or maybe you have even gone past that point of just about enough and you are ready to be done.

Trust me, I get you.  You may say, “…but you’re a pastor, don’t you have the faith in God to not get to that point…” or maybe “…as a religious person, don’t you put your hope in God, and pray to Him, and all things work out?”.  

Guess what?  I’m just as human as the next person, and things drag me down into places where I feel I can’t see any light.  It’s actually very normal.

From a study done in 2021 it states that over 8.3% of people are extremely depressed and over 12% of all people have major depression episodes frequently.

Now I do not want to oversimplify things, but as a Christian, I need to have hope in God.  You see that I did not say as a Pastor, but I said as a Christian.  Because when we are dealing with concerns about our well-being, mental health, and overall outlook on life, there shouldn’t be any delineation over choice of occupation.  It needs to be a personal thing.

And yes, I believe that I need to put my hope in God.  And that requires me to do a few things.

I need to read the Word. The Bible is a source of healing and also promises from God to us regarding this very subject.  Look at these verses and hear the concern and love in them.

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV - “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Isaiah 41:10 NIV - So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand

Both verses tell us that He is with us, that He will help us.  They state that He will strengthen us and even hold us up.  And how?  We just have to come to Him.  And how do we do that?  By reading His Word, and by praying, or talking to Him.

Philippians 4:6-7 NIV - Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

He tells us to bring to Him anything, in any and every type of situation through “prayer and petition” talking to Him.  A conversation with the Lord can go a long way to seeing you taking a new approach or a new thought about something that has been bothering you.

I think many times we see the Lord as this High on His Throne God, who can’t take time for His subjects. When in reality it is quite the opposite.  I mean in the book of John; we see that God actually comes down to be with His people.

John 3:16-17 NIV - For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

We see in this passage that God, who is Jesus and The Holy Spirit, came down to live on earth as a man.  He experienced pain, hurt, and sorrow.  He knows what it is like to lose something or someone.  He has experienced hunger, thirst, and physical pain.  He knows what it is like, and what we feel.

So, to pray to someone who understands what my hurts are, gives me hope and gives me comfort.  Because He understands. 

Lately I have been finding that God’s Word, The Bible is a salve to the thoughts, heartaches, and pains that accompany this human life.  I have found that actually hearing it out loud makes a difference too.  It fills not only my eyes, but my ears too.  There is actually an ache that I cannot take it in more, to experience it more.  For it to illuminate my every thought as well as my every step.

Maybe that is what is meant then by the verse.

Psalm 119:105 NIV - Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

Let’s look to God to give us guidance when we are feeling low, even lower than low.  When those days and weeks stretch out before us, and it’s hard to see around them to the next “thing”, let’s let God do that looking and planning.  And we just rest in Him and His Word.

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV - “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Thursday Thought 1/2/2025 - Not a resolutions blog

Happy 2025!  Yes, the new year is here.  And where is all the cool stuff??  Did you know in most science fiction writings, that the year 2025 has been mentioned over 50 times as the year we would have flying cars all over the world?  Now, to be fair, we do have flying cars, but they are not for public use quite yet.

But isn’t it just like humankind to overachieve on what we think we will be able to deliver, and how far we still need to come to get to that point.

That’s why we need to put our trust in God.

There is a verse in the Bible which gives me such peace when I feel that things are so chaotic and mixed up.  It is Hebrews 13:8 NIV Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

It reminds me that whatever is promised, whatever is planned, whatever is trying to be achieved, that my God, my Savior is going to be the same no matter the circumstance, or the period.  HE JUST IS GOD.  And that is such a comfort, don’t you think?

I know many people who start off the year with resolutions.  I do not.  I am not a big believer in New Years Resolutions.  For a couple of reasons.  1.  No one ever actually does it.  Now, I realize that there are exceptions to everything, and I get it.  Some people do actually do these.  But…. seriously, most people don’t.  It’s almost like this yearly ritual where we are required to look at what we need to do to make ourselves better, and in order to accomplish that, we need to set ourselves some rules to do it.  Again, do not get me wrong, I think we as humans do need to push ourselves, and get ourselves right in many ways.

The main reason I am not a fan of the whole resolution thing is that WE think we can do it ourselves.  And again, it is not always a bad idea.  If we are trying to improve things in ourselves and in our community or around us… but…we need help.

As we all know, we are powerless against so many things unless God is in charge, right? 

Romans 12:2 NIV

Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Notice anything in those two verses?  These both only occur with God’s help.  He has to be a part of it, otherwise we fail. He needs to be the leader in our lives. We need to be following Him.

We are not great as humans in keeping ourselves set on the right path.  I know that I am not the only one that struggles with this.  If it were not for the fact that our Lord and Savior forgives me my struggles and gives me freedom from them – and a path to walk a new way out, I’d probably just give up.  And it saddens my heart to see others walk a path without Him leading and guiding them.

So, as we go into the year 2025, it makes you realize one thing – That our God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow….

Hebrews 13:7-8 NIV Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

As we go into 2025, I think we can Pray, Plan, and Pursue what God has for us.

God bless you!

PTV

Thursday Thought 12/12/2024 - Sci-Fi Holiday

Well, they are upon us.  Like we have talked about, the holidays come screaming in on us right after Halloween.  It’s funny, it doesn’t matter how hard I plan and try, this time of year always catches me by surprise.  I guess that’s okay.  It’s the spice of life!  And we all know the spice must flow.

Recently I have been enjoying some of my favorite movies.  Now, for some reason, I am a night owl and an early riser.  So, sleep is not something I do a whole bunch of.  I find that I am good with a full 4-5 hours each night.  I understand that my Dr. would like me to get more, however, it’s not something I am going to take meds for, and it’s not like I can just will myself to do.  Sleep can be very inconvenient that way.  So, I watch movies at night.

I have compared the most recent Blade Runner 2049 to the original 1982 Blade Runner, and I have to say that I am more of a fan of the older version.  It carries more emotion and attachment for me.  In fact, there is a quote in this movie that’s extremely poignant, which is why I am talking about this movie in the first place.

This quote occurs when (spoilers here) the designer / creator, Elden Tyrell of Tyrell Corp, is having a conversation with the leader of a splinter group of AI robots, which Tyrell had created.  In this conversation, he is talking to Roy Batty (played incredibly by Rutger Hauer), a soldier robot who has become self-aware, and has discovered he has mortality.  In this conversation, Roy tells Tyrell of the many exploits he has accomplished, seen, taken a part of – both good and bad decisions, but incredible things, nonetheless. And in his monolog of these events, he is regretting that he is going to lose all these memories because he has an “end” date.

Tyrell responds to Roy with a simple but profound quote.  “The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long - and you have burned so very, very brightly, Roy.”

When we are born, we have an expiration date.  None of us knows when that is, and unfortunately it can come too early too often for many.  But we still have no idea when it will occur.  And I find it so ironic that in this movie that concept is explored.  More so than in the newer version, or any other movie I have seen in a very long time. 

I find it interesting that when it is all said and done, this question makes me think; How bright has my light shown?

When knowing he was going to die, Roy was sad for the moments he would lose.  As a Christian, I find myself sad for the moments that maybe didn’t occur because my light wasn’t bright enough.  That I was not always a beacon for the Lord, that I didn’t stand up for God when I could have.

I know the Bible tells us that in Matthew 25:21 "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your master…", which describes a blessing from a master to a servant who has been faithful in their duties, signifying that they will be welcomed into heaven or a place of great joy.  It's a praise for someone who has lived a righteous life and will be rewarded in heaven.

So, I think, that maybe in a sci-fi kind of way, I want to hear, “…and you have burned so very, very brightly, Tony.”  I think that would be something I’d like to hear and know I had taken every opportunity to be a light for Him.

During this season, the season of JOY, HOPE, PEACE, FAITH, and LOVE, let’s be the light that burns brightly so others can see Him, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Peace,

PTV

Thursday Thought 11/7/2024 - The Holidays: Give Thanks

As we rush towards the busiest time of the year, we start to take stock of many things during this season.  Let’s just start a list….

1.      Thanksgiving meal, family, thankfulness

2.      Tis the season – getting ready for Christmas!  Gifts, family, friends, gatherings, decorations, weather, travel, hurriedness.

3.      End of the year – past goals, business wrap up, taxes.

4.      Beginning of the year – new goals, business plans, annual meetings, taxes.

And in all of these actually quite important and large events that all occur within a 2-month period, we have multiple concerts, school events, church events, family events, community gatherings, work to complete, and things to cross off the list to finish prior to 2025.

Do we even have time for giving thanks?

Psalm 107: NIV “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; His love endures forever.”

The Bible has many verses about giving thanks.  And not just giving thanks when it’s the holiday or we are in a happy place.  The Bible guides us extensively in giving thanks even when we are not feeling very thankful…

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV)” Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

I mean, come on – the holidays are busy, and hectic, and we must put up with a lot of stuff that many people are just not comfortable with.  Crowds, waiting in lines, traffic, bad weather, thinking about others before ourselves, (yeah, let’s be real, this is a hard one, right?!) We are constantly being fed commercialized stories and banter that is all made to get you into a worldly view of these holidays.  To be in a hurry.  Because when we are in a hurry, we do not listen to anyone, do we.  And we need to be listening to One in particular…

The Bible tells us in Psalm 46:10 NIV “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

When we start to lose our way in this holiday season.  When the jingles and new catch phrases become too much – Be still.  Listen.  God will guide you.  He will allow you to see what you have to be so thankful for!  We have so much in this life.  And even in tragedy and hurt – we can have hope, because Christ is the Hope of the world!

Jesus — the sinless Son of God, died on the cross to pay for our sins and rose from the dead so that we too might have life in eternity.  Paul describes Jesus Christ as “our hope” (1 Timothy 1:1) and “the blessed hope” (Titus 2:13). Jesus not only came to bring hope. He IS our Hope.

We have hope because Jesus forgives us and changes us. Knowing Jesus brings peace and thankfulness regardless of possessions, and joy even through hard things. Nothing can come against this hope, because it’s Him.  He IS the HOPE!

So as this holiday season starts, and you feel those anxious feelings, sadness creeping in, and thoughts of the world take hold, think about this verse…

Philippians 4:6-7 "Don't be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks"

And stop and listen.  You will find Him, because He is waiting for you!  Yep, you.  And He wants to let you know that He loves you and doesn’t care what you’ve done.  He just wants you to know Him.

Make this season a season of giving thanks to the Lord.  For He is good, and He loves you so much!

God bless you and keep you.

PTV