If you have not done so before, please review the Background on the Program

As you start to review this episode, please know that YOU matter. Regardless of what you are struggling with, regardless of the depths of your sorrows and regardless of how lonely you feel, the Good News is that YOU matter. I hope the message below nourishes you in the most meaningful way to comfort you and strengthen you to keep climbing into the ring to face your battles.

Episode #5: The Bigger Picture

Today’s episode starts with a song from Tom Petty, You Don’t Know How It Feels.

Please spend a few minutes listening to any version you can find on the internet.

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Welcome back…

I hope you enjoyed that song. Tom Petty is a rock icon who gave us so many amazing songs and memories over the years. He unfortunately passed away when he still seemed to have some great songwriting and signing left in him even in his later years.  Tom Petty wrote about pain and suffering in many of his songs and You Don’t Know How It Feels was a clear depiction of a painful time in his life.

The song helps us all reconnect with the truth that we all endure some painful times in our closest relationships throughout our life.  I am really not sure why, but it is often our closest relationships that are the source of some tremendous highs, but also some incredibly dark and difficult valleys.  Family conflict is often the most heart-breaking of all of life’s struggles.

When we look into the ancient scriptures, we find there are many examples of close family relationships that turned painful and we learn about some specific action steps that are the most effective for repairing the close family relationships that are essential to a fulfilling life.  The story of Joseph in Genesis Chapter 45 is one we should become familiar with (please find a version of this scripture on the internet).  

The backdrop of this situation is that Joseph, one of the 12 sons of Jacob, had been through some tremendous hardship brought on by his family and those around him.  Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery because of their extreme jealously of him for the many gifts he possessed and the favor of his father. Joseph ended up being taken in bondage to Egypt where he eventually became like a chief of staff to Potiphar, one of the officials of the Pharaoh of Egypt. Joseph was loyal and exceptional in the performance of his duties. During this time, Potiphar’s wife tried unsuccessfully to seduce him and put forth false accusations against Joseph which landed him unjustly in prison. However, due to Joseph’s ability to interpret the dreams of the Pharaoh of Egypt, he was eventually released from prison and became the Governor of Egypt. During Joseph’s time in this role, he wisely rationed the nation’s produce as he predicted a terrible famine that eventually crippled the area throughout the Middle East.

It was during this extreme famine that Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt to beg for food and supplies to support their family. It had been many years since they sold their brother into slavery and they did not recognize that it was Joseph whom they were pleaded for mercy for food and supplies.

How would you feel if you were Joseph? Your brothers sold you into slavery which caused an incredible amount of physical suffering and emotional suffering of being abandoned by your own family…and they show up out of nowhere to beg for you to take care of them. As Tom Petty wrote in his song, “You don’t know how it feels, to be me.”

As the story unfolds, Joseph eventually reveals himself to his brothers. They were very scared that given his current power and how they severely mistreated him in the past, that Joseph would punish them. Instead, Joseph first shows concern for his father and asks, in essence, “How is Dad doing?” and then Joseph embraces his brothers and provides for all their needs. He invites his father and all his brothers to Egypt to be safe and comfortable during the terrible famine.

Joseph teaches us a great lesson about not only forgiveness, but about GRACE, which is when we show undeserved favor to others even when every voice in our heads maybe screaming at us that they don’t deserve anything but rejection and punishment. The principle of GRACE is the foundational principle of ancient Jewish and Christian scripture that is the primary difference compared to all other belief systems across the history of mankind. Grace, our responsibility to bestow blessing on those who don’t deserve it.

Joseph explains his actions to his brothers in Genesis Chapter 45 verse 5-8:

“And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.”

Instead of being angry at his brothers, Joseph communicates the strength of his faith in that many times we may not be able to understand why something bad is happening to us in the near- term, but over the arc of our lives, we have faith that God is in control, His plan is perfect, and we simply need to walk in faith even during painful times.

The message of Joseph and his actions towards his brothers is a great reminder to all of us that those closest to us, especially family members, will sometimes do and say things that are very hurtful. We have all been wronged or let down by family members. However, it is our faith that God is sovereign and perfect in His timing and plans, and we may not completely understand things in the near-term, but we are called to demonstrate grace to those who have hurt us, especially those closest to us in our families, in order to keep our family together and strong for generations to come.   

Take a moment to reflect on the following questions:

• When have I experienced conflict within my family?

• How did I react in the past to family conflict and how can I show grace going forward to keep my family together and strong?

As you continue along in your journey, please remember that even though our family may have some ongoing conflicts, we should strengthen our resolve to show grace to our family with the hope that keeping our family together under the promises of God will help us build the family legacy we all know is foundational to a fulfilling life.

As you continue to reflect on the message, please take a moment to search the internet to find and listen to Lauren Daigle sing, Hold on to Me.        

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How can I help you today? My mobile is 269-370-9275 and my email is david@harvesttimepartners.com  

Please download some FREE resources at www.harvesttimepartners.com  I hope you will find them helpful in your journey.

If you have not done so before, please review the Background on the Program

As you start to review this episode, please know that YOU matter. Regardless of what you are struggling with, regardless of the depths of your sorrows and regardless of how lonely you feel, the Good News is that YOU matter. I hope the message below nourishes you in the most meaningful way to comfort you and strengthen you to keep climbing into the ring to face your battles.

Episode #4: No Name…Big Impact

Today’s episode starts with a song from The Band, The Weight.

Please spend a few minutes listening to any version you can find on the internet.

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Welcome back…

I hope you enjoyed that song. The Band played such amazing songs in the 60s and 70s. Most people know their songs when they hear them, but very few know of their name or their history.  Most of The Band was from Canada except for the great drummer and singer Levon Helm.  Robbie Robertson is one of the greatest songwriters in the history of Rock & Roll but very few people know his name.

The song and the story of The Band highlights the reality for many of us…we are not living the lifestyle of the Rich and Famous. We don’t have a stadium full of fans chanting our name and we don’t have the TV crews following our every move around our newly minted star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. We really have “no name” to most of the world around us.

When we look into the ancient scriptures, we find there are many examples of “no names” who made one seemingly insignificant decision at the time, but had massive impact down the road.  The ancient Jewish and Christian scriptures provide us with some inspiring and encouraging examples of the impact we can have even with our “no name” status in the world.  The story of the “no name” nephew of the apostle Paul in the book of Acts Chapter 23 versus 12-23 is one we should be familiar with (please find a version of this scripture on the internet).  

The backdrop of this situation is that Paul, after his conversion to the cause of Christ, spent years spreading the message of Christ throughout the Middle East. Paul and his faithful companions were persecuted for their teachings and endured tremendous hardships in their effort to spread the message of Christ. At one particular moment, Paul faced the Sanhedrin assembly to justify is actions, which, in the minds of those in power at the time, was incredibly disruptive to the rule of law.

As a result of Paul’s message to the Sanhedrin, he was threatened by the crowd and almost killed. The commander in the town (basically the chief of police) saw what was happening and had his troops place Paul in their barracks so that he would not be killed by the growing mob. 

After Paul was taken away, the angry mob gathered and made a plan to kill Paul for his beliefs and all the disruption that his message was having on the traditional thinking at the time. Paul’s nephew just happened to be standing by and overheard the plot to kill him.

“More than forty men were involved in this plot. They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.  But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.”

Paul’s nephew is never named in all of scripture, a real “no name”, and now he had a decision to make. He could have stayed quiet and just let things play out as most people want to avoid conflict and simply avoid difficult situations. No one would have ever known that he knew about this plot to kill Paul. Or, he could take the information he received and do something about it.

Paul’s nephew chose to speak to the commander of the town and tell him of what he overheard of this plot to kill Paul.  As a result of him speaking up, the commander transferred Paul to another town in the middle of the night so he would not be killed in ambush that was being planned for him in the morning.

As a result of this seemingly small, insignificant act by this “no name”, Paul, the author of most of the ancient scriptures of the Christian faith, was spared a violent and untimely death.  This “no name” with one small act of stepping up and speaking out, basically ensure the message of Christ would be carried on for generations through the inspiring writings of the apostle Paul.

This message is a great reminder to all of us that even if we are not rich and famous and very few people know our name, we can still deliver small acts of kindness, of courage, of day to day giving our best for those we care about most, that can really and truly make a difference in the lives of others. We will probably never make the headlines of the national news, but our small acts day to day can make a massive impact on the lives of those around us. God will exponentially expand our impact when we act in faith to be kind to others, serve the needs of others, and courageously step forward when we see trouble ahead.

Take a moment to reflect on the following questions:

• When have I felt insignificant and just a simple “no name” in this world?

• How can I build my resolve to carry on with small acts of kindness and service to others that may seem like nothing but could potentially be a big help to those in need?

As you continue along in your journey, please remember that even though the world may consider us a “no name”, God knows our name. As a matter of fact, the ancient scriptures say He knew us before we were even in the womb of our mother and He even knows the very number of hairs on our head.  We should always find a reason to be kind and compassionate to others because God is always faithful in His compassion for us…and we should follow His example to others around us.   

As you continue to reflect on the message, please take a moment to search the internet to find and listen to Elvis Presley sing, Father Along.       

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How can I help you today? My mobile is 269-370-9275 and my email is david@harvesttimepartners.com  

Please download some FREE resources at www.harvesttimepartners.com  I hope you will find them helpful in your journey.

If you have not done so before, please review the Background on the Program

As you start to review this episode, please know that YOU matter. Regardless of what you are struggling with, regardless of the depths of your sorrows and regardless of how lonely you feel, the Good News is that YOU matter. I hope the message below nourishes you in the most meaningful way to comfort you and strengthen you to keep climbing into the ring to face your battles.

Episode #3: Commitment

Today’s episode starts with a song from Credence Clearwater Revival, Someday Never Comes.

Please spend a few minutes listening to any version you can find on the internet.

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Welcome back…

I hope you enjoyed that song. Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) led by lead singer John Fogerty, played together under the name CCR for a short period of about 4 years and topped the charts with an eclectic style that blended some southern rock, country rock and blues to produce some wonderful music.  It was too bad that the band members just could not get along as they rocked up the charts and disbanded in the early 70s after a few short years of amazing success.  

The song Someday Never Comes highlights a trend we see a lot in every day life. Without a commitment to change or act, we go nowhere and that “someday” never comes because we fail to commit. We have all witnessed some painful break-ups of relationships because of a failure to commit. Conflicts in the home are the most heartbreaking of all of life’s struggles and many conflicts in the home start based on a failure to fulfill our commitments.

When we look into the ancient scriptures, we find some helpful examples to help guide our thoughts and actions in the story of the prophet Elijah and his understudy, the eventual prophet Elisha. 1 Kings Chapter 19 versus 19-21 (please find a version of this scripture on the internet).  

The backdrop of this situation is that the prophet Elijah was getting old and bit exhausted with all that he was dealing with as there were many false prophets during his time that challenged the power of God. God had instructed Elijah to appoint the next major prophet (Elisha) to begin mentoring him while Elijah still had the strength to continue.

As the story unfolds, Elijah approaches Elisha to anoint him as the next prophet. At the time, Elijah was plowing his fields with 12 oxen. He was a busy, hard-working family man. When Elijah told Elisha why he was coming to see him, Elisha responded positively to the offer and mentioned that he needed to first return home to organize his affairs and also say goodbye to his mother and father before he could leave and join in service with Elijah. 

Elijah, who had been through so much as a prophet for Israel, knew the kind of commitment that was needed to do the job. At that moment, with Elisha’s response to first take care of some things at home, Elijah felt Elisha was not ready to make the kind of commitment that was needed so Elijah left feeling disappointed.

Elisha eventually realizes the commitment he needs to make in service as a prophet of Israel and the understudy of Elijah.  He makes a decision to demonstrate his commitment to his new role. In verse 21 “He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.” In essence, Elisha burned his past and literally cooked his prior method of making a living to make a commitment that there is no turning back to his old life.  Elisha eventually caught up with Elijah and began his new life’s purpose as a prophet.

This message of commitment is a great example for us to ensure that we don’t look back on the important things in life and hear the cold reality that “someday never came” because we lacked a commitment. We all fall short from time to time. However, God’s faithfulness is never ending and even though we may fall short from time to time, we can start fresh today. God’s mercy is new every morning and we can start today to make the commitments we need to in order to reach our full potential.

Take a moment to reflect on the following questions:

• How have I demonstrated a lack of commitment to some important things in my life?

• What steps can I take to be stronger in my commitments today?

As you continue along in your journey, please remember we can always find redemption from our mistakes through God. While we may be struggling to forgive ourselves for some things we have done in the past, God’s faithfulness to forgive us and redeem us is never ending. All we have to do is ask.

As you continue to reflect on the message, please take a moment to search the internet to find and listen to Van Morrison sing, Whenever God Shines His Light.     

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How can I help you today? My mobile is 269-370-9275 and my email is david@harvesttimepartners.com  

Please download some FREE resources at www.harvesttimepartners.com  I hope you will find them helpful in your journey.

If you have not done so before, please review the Background on the Program

As you start to review this episode, please know that YOU matter. Regardless of what you are struggling with, regardless of the depths of your sorrows and regardless of how lonely you feel, the Good News is that YOU matter. I hope the message below nourishes you in the most meaningful way to comfort you and strengthen you to keep climbing into the ring to face your battles.

Episode #2: Take the First Step

Today’s episode starts with a song from U2, I Still Haven’t Found What I am Looking For.

Please spend a few minutes listening to any version you can find on the internet.

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Welcome back… 

I hope you enjoyed that song. Bono, the lead singer for U2, is an amazing songwriter and singer. He drew much of his inspiration from the ancient scriptures that have guided the Jewish and Christian faiths. In many ways, the title and chorus of this song speaks to many of us who are still searching for purpose or for a cause that would seem to make us fulfilled. We all seem to have this persistent reality that we are in need of the next mountain to climb or goal to achieve as soon as we reach what was once thought to be a spot where we “made it” in our personal or professional life. Regardless of our stage in life, as we move from one chapter to another, we see a new horizon before us and have a hunger to continue to search for “what I am looking for.”

For many, this endless quest can be a cause for some dark thoughts as we seem to be in this forever search for some meaningful peace as we pass through various stages of life.

When we look into the ancient scriptures, we find some helpful guidance to deal with our ongoing challenge of searching for the elusive purpose or accomplishment to find peace. There is one particular scripture that can help outline what is a constant theme in many parts of scripture, Joshua Chapter 3 (please find a version of this scripture on the internet).   

The backdrop of this situation is that Moses has led the Jewish people out of slavery in Egypt and 40 years of wondering in the desert in search of the Promised Land.  However, in the events leading up to this moment, God decided to remove Moses from the rest of history (longer story on why and we may cover in some other program) and God put Joshua in charge of this last step of crossing the Jordan River and provide the Jewish people with the land God promised.

God spoke to Joshua with instructions in verse 8 “Tell the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.”

The people were afraid of crossing the Jordan River because it was at flood stage during this time of year and it seemed impossible to cross.  God’s instruction was clear when He said the priests must first take their steps into the river with a promise that they would be safe.

In verses 15-17, we learn what happens when we take our first steps in faith without really knowing what will happen next. “Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away…The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.”

This crossing of the Jordan River is a reminder to us that action proceeds purpose and peace.  We can’t just sit around and hope for purpose and peace to arrive on our doorstep.  The journey for peace is an active process that requires us to step into the water first in order to make progress towards fully developing the purpose and meaning of our life.

It is through activity that we find direction for our lives. Activity helps us engage with others and those engagements help us find opportunities to help and serve the needs of others. Activity literally gets our blood flowing and our mind active. Without activity, we run the risk of staying in a dark valley of idleness, worry, anxiety and eventual despair. 

Regardless if we still are not sure of the direction of our lives, we should find peace in activity as it will be through that very activity that will create the ability to see our future better and more fully appreciate that life is about the journey and not the destination.

Each time we come to a “destination” we create a new one and that is the reality of this life. This story of Joshua’s leadership of the Jewish people to take the first step is also helpful for us as we search for “what we’re looking for”….keep taking steps forward and find peace in that journey.

This message can give us hope that we can find peace as we journey along by the mere act of moving forward and doing something.

Take a moment to reflect on the following questions:

• When have I encountered some feelings of being “unfulfilled” or “still searching” after accomplishing some major milestone or passing through a major chapter in life?
• How have I dealt with the feeling of being “unfulfilled” or “still searching” after accomplishing some major milestone or passing through a major chapter in life?  

As we continue along in our journey, it is important that we remember that God wants us to continue to take the first step in faith as we look to be our best. He has always been faithful to open that next door when we have been faithful to take the next step.

As you continue to reflect on the message, please take a moment to search the internet to find and listen to Alison Krauss singing I Know Who Holds Tomorrow.     

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How can I help you today? My mobile is 269-370-9275 and my email is david@harvesttimepartners.com  

Please download some FREE resources at www.harvesttimepartners.com  I hope you will find them helpful in your journey.