How to Thrive in The End Times

Posted on October 30, 2023 by David Rische

With all of the chaos going on in the world, we can’t help but ask: Are we living in The End Times? Are we getting to The End of the World that the Bible talks about? Before his death on the cross – Jesus’ disciples approached him privately one day and bluntly asked the question that we’re all wondering: “What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?” (Matthew 24: 3)

The short answer Jesus gave was, “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.” (Matthew 24: 36) Modern translation – it could be today – or it could be 100 years from now. Truly, only God knows.

However, the long answer is littered with clues. Please read Matthew 24 and Luke 21 to get the full context. Here is one of the biggest clues:

“When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day.” (Matthew 24: 37)

So what was going on in Noah’s day? Noah’s story can be found in Genesis Chapter 6 through Genesis Chapter 9. Literally, the world was a different place back then. Most scholars think it had never rained before Noah’s great flood. Somehow, the earth was surrounded by a type of vapor covering that supported life and provided water. Plus, normal, healthy human life expectancy was somewhere between 500 – 900 years old! Think of all you could get done in a lifetime back then. You could be 800 – and finally be able to retire! 🙂 Anyway, several verses summarize what was going on in “Noah’s day”:

Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on the earth at the time (Genesis 6:9).

Now God saw that the earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence (Genesis 6:11) . . .

So God said to Noah, “I have decided to destroy all living creatures . . . “(Genesis 6:13)

“Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar, inside and out (Genesis 6: 14)”, God told Noah . . .

As we look closer into Noah’s life, we can imitate these three actions that he did to help us as we try to navigate through our own challenges during what possibly could be The End Times:

  1. Noah had an active RELATIONSHIP with God – Genesis 6: 9 says: Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God. He wasn’t perfect, he wasn’t without sin, he made mistakes like the rest of us (see Genesis 9: 20-22 for an example). However, in an evil world – he caught God’s attention. By walking in close fellowship – that looked like staying near God, in sync, in a rhythm He leads. Sometimes, I’ll take action because “God is taking too long” – and then I’ll pray and ask for him to “bless the decision” (Whah, Whah – Debby Downer music insert). The best practical ways to walk with God are Bible reading (and ask to hear a specific message for you), prayer (not just for stuff), listening and singing worship music, and time with others that will encourage us in our faith.
  2. Noah REMAINED faithful even though others didn’t – Genesis 7: 6 & 7 say: So Noah did everything as the Lord commanded him. Noah was 600 years old when the flood covered the earth. Many scholars estimate that it took Noah 50 to 75 years to build the ark. Let’s visualize ourselves doing what he did. I have a hard time focusing 50 to 75 minutes straight. He probably was tired, frustrated, and sore physically working on this massive project every day for years. He probably wondered, “Did God really say to build this – or am I hearing things?” If “the whole world was corrupt” – he probably got made fun of, harassed, threatened, and was definitely shunned. I remember as a kid wearing jeans too small for me with my tube socks showing (high water pants) and kids would tease, “Are you waiting for a flood?” Multiply that 100X to get a sense of what Noah had to endure as he truly was waiting for a flood!
  3. Noah RESOLVED to finish what God had told him to do – Genesis 7:1 – “When everything was ready, the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the boat with all your family, for among all the people of the earth, I can see that your alone are righteous.” Again, his faithfulness was off the charts. Building a giant boat when there was no visual or physical sign of needing one. Faithfully gathering all of the animals to go on board (I personally may have “overlooked” the snakes and left them behind). He more than likely warned his neighbors, the scoffers, and the those who passed by. No one outside of his family was convinced or repented or believed him. The Bible states that only Noah, his wife, and three sons and their wives entered the ark before the doors were shut – eight total people. By worldly terms – a very small conversion rate. Sometime it is like that for us. We share our faith and beliefs and people aren’t interested. We try to warn those headed on a destructive path and they don’t listen. We invite them to church or a Bible study and the reply is, “Maybe next week . . .”As Noah demonstrates – God doesn’t judge our faithfulness on quotas, results, and amount of followers we have. He just asks that we do the work He has assigned us – and leave the results to him.

Conclusion – Whether we are in The End Times or not – Noah modeled a way for us to live thousands of years ago as he navigated through what was his End of the World scenario. Fortunately, God had mercy and love enough to preserve him and his family. He has done the same for us with the provision of his son Jesus Christ. We don’t have to live in fear based on the current state of the world – or fear of our eternal destiny when we’ve put our faith and trust in Him. The Bible says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) Also, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son (to die on the cross for our sins), that whoever believes in him (trusts in, clings to, relies upon, repents from sin, has a relationship with) will not perish – but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Someday, when we stand before God – He will present before us how we lived on earth. He’s going to say, “Well done – good and successful, wealthy, on stage, A-List Influencer, multi-talented, reached millions, best-selling author and servant!” NO! He’s going to say, “Well done good and FAITHFUL servant.” (Matthew 25:23) Faithful – a quality frequently overlooked, but a priority to God. Sticking it out, persevering, keep moving forward, keep seeking God, trusting, loyal. All those inner character qualities that we can be working on every day until it is officially The End Times.

Blessings,

Dave 🙂

https://www.amazon.com/author/davidrische

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3 Things We Shouldn’t Do – But We Can! (Part 1)

Posted on September 28, 2023 by David Rische

How many of us sometime during our life time saw that sign – “Wet Paint – Do Not Touch” and we touched it??? Or how about as kids, saw a taped off area that said, “Do Not Enter” and thought – “That applies to everyone but me”, and then we entered???

The next three blogs I wanted to focus on some things we’re told not to do in the Bible:

  1. Being anxious – Do not be anxious about anything . . . (Philippians 4:6).
  2. Testing God – Do not test The Lord your God . . . (Deuteronomy 6:16).
  3. Boasting (Bragging) – Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches . . . ” (Jeremiah 9:23).

We’re going to look at some exceptions to the rules and “break” all three of these. Let’s take on the first one . . . Anxiety.

We live in a world that offers plenty to be anxious about. I can only watch the news for about 15 minutes and I start to get anxious, angry, and discouraged. Harvard Business Review did a study showing that over 40 million Americans suffer from mental health challenges – anxiety being one of the top areas. The problem is that this study was done in May of 2020 – we all know too well what happened the rest of 2020 and what is still occurring in the name of anxiety.

Like I stated in the beginning – I don’t want to focus on the negative attributes of anxiety. One day while reading my Bible – this verse popped out at me:

“You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God.” (1 Peter 4:2)

Wow, that is the only time I’ve seen the word “anxious” used in a positive context. We are allowed to be anxious to do the will of God. However, what exactly does that look like?

It seems as though God’s will can be clearly stated or personalized to our specific calling in life. For the clearly stated, there are verses that flat out say “God’s will” . . .

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven . . . (Matthew 6: 10)

God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. (1 Thessalonians 4:3)

May He equip you with all you need for doing his will. (Hebrews 13:21)

There are many more – this is just a small sample. But what about God’s personalized, specific, and unique plan for our individual lives? Believe or not – He covers that topic also:

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:2) Three keys points show up here:

  1. Learning God’s will starts in our minds – Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Author Jon Gordon has cited research revealing that 80% of our thoughts on a daily basis are negative. Think about it (pun intended). We’re driving down the road – and the thought pops into our heads that we are a lousy (fill in the blank _______) friend, spouse, parent, employee, church member, citizen, etc. Then the thought “takes root” and starts to grow: “I am a lousy friend – when was the last time someone called me to hang out? And how about all of those people that didn’t “like” my latest post? And what about . . . . on and on it goes until our thoughts become feelings. And, those negative thoughts want to make a permanent home in our minds and continue to grow like an aggressive weed. The remedy is replacing the negativity with the truth and positivity. For example: “I’m not a lousy friend – I have people that I can call in an emergency and who love me unconditionally. I need to be more of an initiator and call them. Who cares if no one “likes” my post? It wasn’t that great anyway!” There’s even more power when we speak the truth out loud.
  2. Learning God’s will goes against the norm – Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world. Have you ever attempted to paddle a canoe or boat upstream against the current? You can push and strive and try harder – but eventually your energy gives out and you start drifting back downstream with the current. Unless you are salmon 🙂 There is not enough room to list all of the strange things going on the last several years with the “behaviors and customs of this world.” I never imagined a world where some men desired to be pregnant. A world where robbers are emboldened to fill their bags with stolen merchandise and casually walk out the door. Or, how some states are proposing legislature to take away a parent’s right to protect their children against changing genders? How do we know if/when to speak out or take action? The good news is that our culture is continually changing – but our God never changes. And He has graciously provided a manual for us to get through this life. To help clarify confusion, we can use the filter question: “What does the Bible say about __________?”
  3. Learning God’s will is customized for us – Then you will know Gods will for YOU, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Do you have a comfy outfit for after work or you wear in the evenings? That t-shirt that fits just right? Sweats, shorts, or pjs? Socks or barefoot? There is nothing like slipping into that outfit after a hard day – and then it is time to be at peace and relax. That’s a slight glimmer of what we can feel when we’re walking in God’s will for our individual lives. Don’t compare yourself to the great orator on the stage you hear every week, the worship pop star that has an angelic voice, or the cool Christian comedian who has 67K followers on Instagram. Hopefully, they are walking in God’s customized will for their lives – but so can you and I! We come in daily contact with people that those “stars” will never meet. Our “stage” and foreign country is right where we are at this current moment. God has strategically placed us there.

Conclusion – BTW – We can be smack, dab in the middle of God’s will for our lives – and our circumstances are rough, times are difficult, and it might seem God isn’t there. That is where our relationship with God, time in the Bible, and prayer throughout the day will bring to us “the peace that passes understanding.” (Phillipians 4:7). The hour is late. Now is the time to take the focus off of ourselves and truly seek out: What would God have me do today??? A continual sense of urgency. Actually, a sense of anxiety . . .

Blessings,

Dave 🙂

https://www.amazon.com/author/davidrische

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When Second Place Isn’t So Bad (Part 3)

Posted on August 28, 2023 by David Rische

Welcome back! Can you believe it is the end of August 2023? Christmas decorations should be in stores any day now! 🙂 In May, we started a series taking a look at an Old Testament prophet named Elisha and how his life relates to ours. “Second place” was mentioned because he was the apprentice of one Israel’s most famous prophets, Elijah. However, Elisha’s impact was just as great and important as the person he served under, Elijah (easy to get them mixed up). In such a busy and crowded world – it’s easy for us to feel like “second place.” Not getting a promotion or initial job we interviewed for. Seeing on social media a social event took place that we weren’t invited to. Unanswered prayers. Questioning: What is my purpose? Am I making a difference at all? For an extensive study of Elisha’s life story – please read 2nd Kings Chapter 2 all the way through 2nd Kings Chapter 9 sometime when you have a quiet moment for the entire context.

Today, we’re going to conclude the series by highlighting “The Mystery of the Unstruck Arrows.” Possibly, one of the most confusing stories in The Bible that you may not have read before. Surprisingly, an entire book has been written about the theme of this story. It is called The Last Arrow: Save Nothing For The Next Life by Erwin McManus. This event and interaction with the current king of Israel, Jehoash, takes place near the end of Elisha’s life and is found in 2 Kings 13: 14-20:

When Elisha was in his last illness, King Jehoash of Israel visited him and wept over him. “My father! I see the chariots and charioteers of Israel!” he cried.

Elisha told him, “Get a bow and some arrows.” And the king did as he was told. Elisha told him, “Put your hand on the bow,” and Elisha laid his own hands on the kings hands.

Then he commanded, “Open that eastern window,” and he opened it. Then he said, “Shoot!” So he shot an arrow. Elisha proclaimed, “This is the Lord’s arrow, an arrow of victory over Aram, for you will completely conquer the Armeans at Aphek.

Then he said, “Now pick up the other arrows and strike them against the ground.” So the king picked them up and struck the ground three times. But the man of God was angry with him. “You should have struck the ground five or six times!” he exclaimed. “Then you would have beaten Aram until it was entirely destroyed. Now you will be victorious only three times.”

Then Elisha died and was buried.

Here is a brilliant commentary and perspective regarding this rather obscure story from The Last Arrow by Erin McManus:

Much of what happens here doesn’t make any sense to our modern minds. How could the king’s future be so affected by whether he struck an arrow three times or five or six times? Why didn’t Elisha explain to him what was required before holding him to its consequences? How could the king have known that six is the magic number and that three would leave him wanting? Up to that moment, he had done everything Elisha instructed him. But when Elisha told him to strike the ground with the arrows, the prophet left the instruction open ended.

It is not insignificant that the text says, “The man of God was angry with him.” Clearly much more was happening here than meets the eye. This was no small mistake. The king began with the promise of a complete victory and afterward was the recipient of much less. And it all centers around one decision: he struck the ground three times and then stopped. putting it another way: he quit. The Bible doesn’t tell us why he quit. Maybe he was tired, maybe he felt ridiculous, maybe he thought it was beneath him, or perhaps he sensed it was an act of futility. But it is clear that, for Elisha, the fact that the king stopped striking the arrow was connected to his determination to receive the full measure of God’s intention for him. He quit and the victory was lost. He just didn’t want it badly enough.

I wonder how many victories are lost before the battle has even begun. I wonder how much more good God desires to usher into the world that has been thwarted by our own lack of ambition. I wonder how many times in my own life I thought I failed but actually the only thing that happened was that I quit.

What is it about us that stops before we’re finished, that mistakes quitting for failure, that settles for less? I see too much of myself in this – can identify too many times when I have prayed too little, expected too little, and done too little. Have you become the kind of person who is always looking for the least you can do, trying to do only what is required? Or are you the kind of person who has given up not only on life but also on yourself? When you come to to the end of your life, will you be able to say, “I gave everything I had,” or will you have a hollow feeling inside of your soul that you quit too soon, that you expected too little, that you did not strike the last arrow?

I think many of us hear God say, “Take your arrows and shoot,” but, much like the king, we never hear the command, “Stop striking the ground.” We simply stop before we’re finished. We stop before God is finished.

There is a posture toward life that separates those who end their lives with their quivers full of untapped potential and unseized opportunities and those who die with their quivers empty. Arrows are not meant for decor; they are meant for battle. The question each of us must answer is this: Am I the kind of person who strikes three times and then stops, or am I the kind of person who, when commanded to strike my arrows, keeps striking and striking and striking until there are no arrows left? (pages 8-10)

Conclusion: We never know when our faith is being tested. Usually it happens when we’re going through a tough time or not ready for it. We also never know what God is up to. His ways are beyond our limited thinking – He doesn’t seek our approval before acting. The great thing is that God wants to use us far beyond what our finite minds can comprehend. Starting today – live life with no regrets, it is never too late. What does it look like for you to “save nothing for the next life”? Like King Jehoash, we only get one “shot” at this amazing gift called life. Keep striking your own personal “arrows” until God tells you to stop!

Blessings,

Dave 🙂

https://www.amazon.com/author/davidrische

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When Second Place Isn’t So Bad (Part 2) . . .

Posted on July 27, 2023 by David Rische

Welcome back! In May, we started a series taking a look at an Old Testament prophet named Elisha and how his life relates to ours. “Second place” was mentioned because he was the apprentice of one Israel’s most famous prophets, Elijah. However, Elisha’s impact was just as great and important as the person he served under, Elijah (easy to get them mixed up). In such a busy and crowded world – it’s easy for us to feel like “second place.” Not getting a promotion or initial job we interviewed for. Seeing on social media a social event took place that we weren’t invited to. Unanswered prayers. Questioning: What is my purpose? Am I making a difference at all? For an extensive study of Elisha’s life story – please read 2nd Kings Chapter 2 all the way through 2nd Kings Chapter 9 sometime when you have a quiet moment for the entire context.

Today, we’re going to highlight “The Miracle of the Floating Ax Head.” One of the most amazing, overlooked stories in The Bible that you may not have known about . . .

One day a group of prophets came to Elisha and told him, “As you can see, this place where we meet with you is too small. Let’s go down to the Jordan River, where there are plenty of logs. There we can build a new place for us to meet.”

“All right,” Elisha told them, “go ahead.” “Please come with us,” someone suggested. “I will,” he said. So he went with them.

When they arrived at the Jordan, they began cutting down trees. But as one of them was cutting a tree, his ax head fell into the river. “Oh, sir!” he cried. “It was a borrowed ax!”

“Where did it fall?” the man of God asked. When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it into the water at that spot. Then the ax head floated to the surface. “Grab it,” Elisha said. And the man reached out and grabbed it (2 Kings 6: 1 – 7).

I have yet to hear a sermon or podcast about this story. It probably isn’t found in any devotionals or Sunday School lessons. However, when we take a closer look – it is one of the most amazing miracles in the Bible and we can glean these 3 points:

  1. With God – nothing is impossible. I’m not quite sure how much an iron ax head weighed in those days (a Google search suggested 1 to 7 pounds). It was powerful enough to cut down trees – so it must have had somewhat decent size and weight. Anyway, as the passage tells us – the ax head fell into the Jordan river and the user quickly summarized that it was irretrievable. The Jordan River is estimated to be anywhere between 50 to 200 feet deep. That’s when Elisha enters in. Maybe he said a quick prayer for wisdom. Maybe God whispered to him to toss a stick in the area it fell. Or maybe, Elisha thought back into his wealth of past experiences of how he had seen God accomplish miracle after miracle: He watched Elijah be taken into heaven in a chariot of fire (2 Kings 2: 1-12). He was used by God to raise a woman’s son from the dead (2 Kings 4: 18-37). And, Elisha received direction from The Lord to have a commander of the army go dunk himself seven times in the Jordan River to be healed of leprosy (2 Kings 5: 1-14). You and I: We have the same ability as Elisha to reflect on our past and find God’s faithfulness throughout our lives. Possibly miracles or spectacular events have happened to you. But sometimes it is the simplest things we can race past that show His faithfulness: Living in a free country, access to clean water, having a job, our health, our families and friends. Who knows what he has protected us from in the unseen realm? Debilitating car wrecks, health or injury crisis, attacks from evil, job losses, financial setbacks. When we’re in a bind we can directly quote Jesus’ words: “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) Remember that the next time you’re in a seemingly unsolvable dilemma or you’ve lost something in your own version of the deep, Jordan River.
  2. With God – He cares about the individual. The guy who lost the ax head’s name isn’t even mentioned. We have no idea if he was a young guy, a seasoned veteran, a best friend, etc. However, verse one says that he was part of a group of prophets. So he had a relationship with God – and that is where it all begins. A lot of speculation – but maybe the man didn’t have the money to replace the ax. Possibly, he borrowed the ax from someone that might get angry with him. Whatever the situation was – God knew. And God also knew it was important enough to intervene supernaturally. You and I: It’s easy for us to sometimes feel like an unseen number in a world of over 8 billion people. Maybe we feel that we’re not quite enough, that God has too much work to do on us. We see superstars, celebrities, and the incredibly talented and ask: Where do I fit in – what is my purpose? That’s where our thoughts can take us – that is why it is critical that we listen to the truth. And the truth always starts with who does God say I am? Psalm 139: 13 – 16 was written by King David. Surely this passage doesn’t only apply to David, but to everyone else as well? You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous – how well I know it. . . You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. That’s just a start. Search and pray for God to reveal personal verses that show His love and plans for you. Once you start – you’ll discover it is non-stop 🙂
  3. With God – no request is too trivial or unimportant. How does the God of the universe have time to worry about an ax head that broke off? Doesn’t He have a solar system to worry about right now? If He’s dealing with broken tools – who will command the angelic armies? This a smart group of guys – they could have solved it themselves without getting God involved – who by the way, has a packed schedule. We often forget that God isn’t us. He doesn’t think, act, respond, get too busy, or need sleep like we do. Just the opposite. The Apostle Paul writes, “Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up ALL of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks.” (Phillipians 4:6). If there was a Dave chapter of the Bible – it might possibly say, “Be anxious and worry about everything, don’t pray about your problems, especially the little ones – and then grumble and complain, even be mad at God.” You can see there’s good reason why there is no Dave chapter of the Bible. God cares about the child’s skinned knee, helping us find a parking spot on a 100 degree day, when another person breaks our heart, when our savings account is down to 5 dollars. When we bring it ALL to him (with gratefulness) – that strengthens our relationship with him and our prayer life. Try it this week! Take something miniscule – and bring it to God.

Conclusion – The Bible is filled with miracles of God breaking our natural, physical, and observable “laws” – The parting of The Red Sea, destroying the fortified city of Jericho, raising the dead – and making iron float. Remember that more than anything He wants a relationship with us. And He will move the big and the small to show us His love.

I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill His PURPOSE for ME. He will send from heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me (Psalm 57: 2,3).

Blessings,

Dave 🙂

https://www.amazon.com/author/davidrische

P.S. Next post we will conclude the series on Elisha – with an even stranger story than this one!

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This Summer – Cash or Charge??? (Reboot)

Posted on June 27, 2023 by David Rische

Several years ago in one of my graduate classes, the professor had us fill out a “getting to know you” sheet.  One of the prompts read:  “Fondest memories as a child _______.”  After a short while, the class shared their results.  Approximately 99% of the class shared their fondest memory was taking trips in the car as a family.  Of course, we all complained about the lack of quality (or no) AC, annoying siblings, endless hours in the vehicle staring at desolate landscapes, and various unpleasant odors that accompanied the trips.  However, despite having no smartphones or tablets, videos, or MP3 players (I’m really dating myself) – we all agreed those were the most cherished parts of growing up.  The destinations, of course – but also the journey there:  Stopping at hole-in-the-wall cafes/dives, using our creativity to invent games, spotting license plates from other states (still can’t believe we saw Hawaii one time), and praying feverishly that the hotel had anything that resembled a swimming pool.

Fast-forward to the present day.  As we occasionally reflect and discuss our favorite memories as a family – the majority of conversations hover around vacations, the experiences we’ve encountered, the “unique” individuals that crossed our paths (usually resulting in deep belly laughter), and the eager anticipation for our next trip.

However, most of these memories come at a price beyond the trip.  Confession time (gulp). Like the typical American consumer featured in some statistical chart somewhere – many of our trips have been funded by credit cards.  I would love to live on cash only as many books, seminars, and financial experts proclaim.  Excuse time:  Our vehicles break down, we enjoy eating out, there are medical expenses, holidays and birthdays, outdated appliances stop working, we usually always need some type of new clothing, home repairs, helping our kids obtain financial independency. I know, I know – it’s called Life.

Like the majority of families, we try to save.  But something seems to always come up that drains the “emergency” fund.  I’m reminded of this obscure verse in the book of Haggai:  “. . . and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes.” (Haggai 1: 6b)

So . . . thinking about the quote in the picture and your own experiences – what is your opinion?  Is there a way to save for a vacation beyond hopefully receiving a tax refund check?  Only go if you have the cash?  Charge it now, pay later?  What about the opening scenes from the movie Up where Mr. & Mrs Fredricksen never got to take the trip of their dreams because things were always breaking down?  Are you willing to work a year or two extra to pay off credit cards?  Please compare and contrast the two verses below:

“The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is a slave to the lender.” Proverbs 22:7

“Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.  You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.”  James 4: 14

Final thought:  It seems like yesterday we were signing paperwork for daycare. It goes so fast with the kids – I personally want to experience as much as possible now, even if it means I have to pay for it later. In reflection, my favorite trip was going to Italy with my wife a few years ago. It was funded by partial savings, airline travel benefits, and credit cards.

I’m just curious – there are no right or wrong answers. What say you?  Please comment below . . .

Blessings,

Dave 

https://www.amazon.com/author/davidrische

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When Second Place Isn’t So Bad . . .

Posted on May 30, 2023 by David Rische

There is an individual in the Bible that didn’t showcase his life. He didn’t assert his authority as mightily as he could have. He went about his business with a quiet confidence. He had a tight relationship with God the Father. He did miracles like feeding thousands, raising a dead man to life, and calling upon angelic armies. . . . . . . I’m talking about . . . . . . . of course . . . . . you know him . . . it’s Elisha The Prophet! (C’mon, admit it – you thought it was Jesus!) 🙂

I had heard about Elisha, but I really didn’t know a lot about him. His predecessor and mentor, Elijah, was one of the most famous prophets in Israel’s history. Elijah was right up there with Moses. If you read Elijah’s story from 1st Kings chapter 17 to 2nd Kings chapter 2 – you can see the dynamic life he lived: Individually taking on the wicked King Ahab, miraculously calling down fire from heaven, clearly hearing the voice of God, being fed in the wilderness by ravens, and ending his life by riding a chariot into heaven!

So why focus on the next guy, Elisha? Wasn’t he in a way, second place? That’s what is great about God – He can use anyone, anywhere, at anytime for His purposes. Maybe you and I feel like second place sometimes? Didn’t get the promotion, overlooked for a social event, taking the place of someone larger than life, unanswered prayers, and feel like we’re not making much of an impact in a world going bonkers?

I wanted to focus on a three part series featuring Elisha and some incredible and possibly overlooked events in his life:

1) Clearly seeing an angelic army as if were a common, ordinary occurance.

2) Completely reversing the law of physics to help out one man.

3) He tested and challenged a king – and unfortunately, the king failed the test (would you and I also?).

My hope is that by the end of this series – that we might see ourselves in the common, ordinary, and not so exciting events in our own lives. And realize that we have a God that is at work 24/7 (the Bible says He never sleeps – try wrapping your head around that concept), loves us, and wants to use us to further His Kingdom wherever we have been planted. Let’s get started!

Clearly Seeing The Angelic

The entire story is found in 2 Kings Chapter 6: 8 – 23. Please read when you have a free moment to get the context. At this time in history – God’s people and land were divided between Israel and Judah. A large army called The Aramean Raiders were continually trying to attack and overcome Israel. They especially wanted to destroy Elisha the Prophet. The king of Aram (short for Aramean) found out through spies that Elisha was staying in a small town named Dothan. Here is the highlight reel from the story:

“Go and find out where Elisha is,” the King of Aram commanded, “so I can send troops to seize him.” And the report came back: “Elisha is at Dothan.” So one night the king of Aram sent a great army with many chariots and horses to surround the city.

When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha. “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of FIRE (2 Kings 6:12-17).

Three points stand out when we take a close look at this passage.

  1. Things are not as they seem. It is hard for us to comprehend that there is an entire realm going on beyond what we can see with our eyes. Science fiction does visualize this in shows like Stranger Things, classic movies like The Matrix, and the currently popular Multi-Verse themes in super hero movies and comics. The Apostle Paul wrote about this phenomenon in his book to the Ephesian way back around A.D. 60. He writes: A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:10-12) Elisha’s servant saw an enemy army. But he didn’t see the evil forces ultimately empowering it. Elisha saw the enemy army, but because of his tight relationship with God – he also saw the larger angelic force that God provided to counter attack. Let our prayer be: “God, please help us to see the spiritual and your power in spite of what we can only see in front of us now.”
  2. The spiritual realm is weightier and mightier than the physical realm. The spiritual realm is supernatural, the physical realm is natural. The spiritual realm is built upon faith in the unseen, the physical realm is highly visual. The spiritual realm is eternal, the physical realm is temporary. Had any of us been there that day – we probably would have immediately panicked at the sight of enemy troops, horses, and chariots as far as the eye can see. The Apostle Paul also addresses this phenomenon in the book of 2nd Corinthians: We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 10: 3-5). In God’s Kingdom, our weapons are prayer, serving, worship, fasting, giving, and reading The Bible. At first, those don’t sound like very powerful or exciting weapons. Usually when we do one or two of these practices – we don’t see any immediate changes or results. That can be challenging when we live in an instantaneous, “Amazon Prime” society. However, they are eternal, they are given by God, and we live by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7 – Paul again – he was on to something!)
  3. During challenges in life – do we go to ourselves, others, or God? I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve had many times in my life when I make a decision, take whatever action to do it – and then remember, “Oh yeah, I’d better pray about this.” The disciple, Matthew, wrote about Jesus’ perspective on worry and eliminating God from the equation: Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all of your worries add a single moment to your life? . . . Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need (Matthew 6: 26-33). We have a God that obviously cares about world events and evil armies that are poised to attack. But we also have a God that cares about flat tires, a child’s scraped knee, when we get rejected by our peers, the big exam coming up, and when we’re down to $5 in our bank account.

Conclusion – In a world that is speeding up faster by the second – maybe we can follow Elisha’s example and be counter-intuitive? We can choose to invite God into every area of our lives – asking Him: “What do you want for me in this situation?” Also, “God – please help me to see this through your eyes.” We can trust in faith that there are angels (fueled by our prayers) fighting battles that we have no idea about. And finally, we can be confident that even if circumstances make it look like we’re not having any impact or making a difference – God has enough room in His heart and His plans to see us as #1. So . . . be on the lookout for . . . chariots of fire!

Blessings,

Dave

https://www.amazon.com/author/davidrische

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The Unreachable Lighthouse (reboot)

Posted on April 20, 2023 by David Rische

This post was originally written in November of 2021. However, recently I heard an interview with Dr. Drew Pinsky. He has worked for decades with celebrities, professional athletes, business and corporate executives. Most of his patients have one particular trait in common – they are all intensively unhappy. Even though they have achieved the pinnacle of success and reached the top in their areas of expertise. Many of them are severely depressed and addicts. In an overgeneralization, Dr. Drew summarizes that a lot of the root cause of their problems stem from unresolved early childhood trauma, complete self-absorption and narcissism, and the reaching of a lofty goal – and then they are lost as to what to do next. The post below offers some insight from another interview to help answer the dilemmas: What do we do when we’ve reached a major or minor goal in our lives? How do we stay “hungry” in life so we don’t end up with the symptoms that Dr. Drew’s patients have?

Doesn’t it seem like simmering anger is the major emotion many of us are feeling? Even watching the daily news for a few minutes – someone or a group who is upset or angry is featured – and then I get angry watching it. I won’t even mention driving somewhere. Lord knows I need to work on my potty mouth when I’m cut off, tailed aggressively, or almost get hit by someone looking at their phone.

Enough about anger – I can sense you’re getting fired up 🙂 Let’s flip it and go on the opposite side – the emotion of happiness. This is another interesting set of feelings to take a look at. Speaking broadly and generally, it seems most people are struggling with happiness. One obvious reason is the amount of loss of health, lives, businesses, and way of living brought on by the global pandemic.

Let’s flip the script one more time. Why does it seem so many people that have been blessed with so much seem unhappy? Stretching our minds – we can think of people in politics, business, sports, entertainment, or people that we know personally – they just seem to be missing something. Besides having faith in something or someone greater than themselves – what else are they missing?

Recently, I believe I heard a great explanation on a podcast interview with a man named Dean Graziosi (The Ed Mylett Podcast October 12, 2021) that gave amazing insight into this reality. I had never heard of Dean – but the title intrigued me: “Succeed with Happiness and Confidence.” Skeptical at first. Thinking this just another multi-millionaire trying to sway us common folk into buying his product and then we’ll all be rich! I couldn’t have been further from the truth. Dean grew up in poverty. At one point, he worked 20 hour workdays to build a business while his buddies were busy partying and having fun. Now he has the goal of “impacting over 100 million people” with his trainings, charities, and philanthropy. Here is a paraphrase of his answer when Ed asked him, “Why are so many people unhappy right now? Especially, “those that have achieved some level of ‘success’ in their particular field?” Dean’s answer:

Success with money, power, and possessions – but without fulfillment and happiness, equals shallow living. Some people think that they have everything they want – but they are still unhappy. Here’s what I believe the reason is. I think unhappy people have stopped stretching themselves. They’ve arrived at their goals and stopped. Or, they were not able to accomplish their goals and gave up. Either way, they’ve stopped personally growing.

Imagine a lighthouse representing any goal you are seeking to accomplish. Well, let’s say you met the goal and now you are in your mind standing next to the lighthouse. Most people stay there. They arrive at whatever destination they had in their minds and stop. They stop striving, problem solving, struggling, and fighting. Yes, that leads to a more “peaceful” life – but does it really?

What if the lighthouse kept moving every time you reached it? What if it continued to stay in the distance? That would keep us hungry and not satisfied – because there is still work to be done. And ultimately, the journey would hopefully lead us to being others centered instead of seeking non-stop self fulfillment, comfort, and pleasure.

An interesting mindshift twist that we can apply to any area of our lives. Here are some examples of keeping the lighthouse in the distance:

  1. Finances – Pretending that we don’t have any money in the bank, checking, or savings.
  2. Marriage – Seeing the relationship as we are just starting to date and I’m trying to win her over.
  3. Health – You’ve just been given a dreadful diagnosis by your doctor – and the remedy is to clean up your eating and start exercising consistently.
  4. Work – Imagine you’re on a one year contract, and the bosses have to decide whether to keep you or not.
  5. Faith – You’ve just discovered God for the first time – what would reading the Bible, serving, and worship look like?
  6. School – If you don’t get high grades and put in the effort – your alternative choice will be working 14 hour days in a coal mine.

The secret is: How can we become a better version of ourselves in EVERY area of our lives? How can we serve people at the highest level to impact the world? Even though we will never arrive at the final goal – we will continue to grow and not get stuck at complacency, mediocrity, and according to Dean’s theory – ongoing unhappiness.

Give it a try for a few days. Move those lighthouses out into the distant horizon. And if you make it to one – move it again!

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1)

Blessings,

Dave 🙂

https://www.amazon.com/author/davidrische

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What To Do While We’re Waiting . . .

Posted on March 25, 2023 by David Rische

Possibly, what could be the greatest event in history – we have no idea when it will happen. . . I’m referring to The Rapture – when Jesus Christ meets all believers in the air to spend eternity with Him. Check out 1st Thessalonians 4: 16-18 for a condensed description. Jesus said there would be obvious signs (see Matthew 24), but he also mentioned that ,“So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.” (Matthew 24: 42)

So the question becomes: What do we do while we’re waiting for this event? Buy a cabin in the foothills of Montana (plus a shotgun and reliable hound)? Stock up our food pantries with toilet paper and granola bars? Set up our homes with traps against bad guys like Kevin did in Home Alone??? Okay, I’ve tried all of these and they don’t work 🙂

One thing every single person can do is to continue growing. Seriously, that’s it? Yes! If we look at the last book of the Bible, Revelation – we see that Jesus’s words fill the first 3 chapters. And then if we go to the last chapter, He ends with: “Yes, I am coming soon!” (Revelation 22: 20) Anyway, back to the first 3 chapters. He has 7 distinct messages for 7 unique churches. Messages that still can be applied to us today.

In Revelation 2, verse 19 Jesus says, “I know all the things you do. . . And I can see your constant improvement in all of these things.” Constant improvement equals growth. Well, what are the “things” he is talking about? I left them out on purpose. Jesus mentions 4 key areas to keep growing in: “I have seen your love, your faith, your service, and your patient endurance.” Here’s the deal: There is an easy way and a hard way to grow in each of the 4 areas.

  1. Love – The easy way = Loving family, friends, cool people and nice people. The hard way = Loving annoying people, rude people, needy people, and creepy people (as author Bob Goff says, “Love the creepiest person you come in contact with every day.”)
  2. Faith – The easy way = Listening to a motivating sermon, praying for myself and family, reading the Bible. The hard way = Having no idea how a situation is going to turn out and completely trusting God. Letting go of control of people and things. Giving financially when the money just isn’t there.
  3. Service – The easy way = Telling someone I’ll pray for them (and then forgetting). Helping someone out if it fits into my schedule. The hard way = Helping someone when it is inconvenient or uncomfortable. Committing to volunteer at a charity or church – especially in the spots that are largely avoided.
  4. Patient Endurance – The easy way = standing in line at Kroger (or any other store) patiently because they are understaffed. The hard way = Praying to God desperately and you see the situation getting worse – or it seems the prayer is going unheard or unanswered. And most of all – waiting and wondering when His Son will be returning . . .

Conclusion: There it is. That should keep us busy until He returns for us. One final word from Jesus found in that chapter. “I will ask nothing more of you except that you hold tightly to what you have until I come.” (Revelation 2: 24) Hold tight. Keep fighting, hoping, praying, watching and waiting. And of course – keep growing in love, faith, service, and patient endurance. Oh yes, I almost forgot – don’t be a creepy person that someone has to love! 🙂 🙂 🙂

Blessings,

Dave 🙂

https://www.amazon.com/author/davidrische

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What To Do When Your Anxiety Is Off The Charts . . .

Posted on February 27, 2023 by David Rische

Doesn’t is seem like there is always something to be worried about? If not in our personal lives – then one quick look at the news highlights can fuel our angst rapidly? I read a study by Harvard Business Review showing that “Anxiety is the #1 Mental Illness and affects over 40 million Americans.” One of the tragedies of the study is that it was published back in May of 2020. What would the number be today???

That is why I love the title of the book, Worried About Everything Because I Pray About Nothing. One day I was randomly listening to a podcast and the guest was the author, Chad Veach. Never heard of him. His interview was so intriguing – I had to rush out and get the book (okay, my library had it available for free).

Chad’s foundational principle is that we should pray, turn things over to God, and pray some more until we reach some level of inner peace. In his own words, “Pray yourself to peace.” Worry, anxiety, and “fixing it” are usually our default modes. I had a fairly intense encounter with an angry “client” last week. It all turned out okay. After reflecting – I’m embarrassed to admit that I didn’t pray before, during, or after that encounter. Was I anxious? Yes. Was I worried? Yes. Did I pray? No.

Here are some of the key scripture verses from the book:

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. (Philippians 4: 6-7)

You (God) will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! (Isaiah 26: 3)

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. (2 Thessalonians 3: 16)

“I (Jesus) am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give . . . “ (John 14: 27)

So if The Bible is true (it is!) – then perfect peace, God’s peace we can’t understand, and peace at all times and in every situation are attainable? Sign me up for this program! That’s the tricky part. It takes some effort, intentionality, and time on our parts. “Pray about everything” is the revealed secret. And it goes to a whole new level when my prayers stop being so “me” focused and they shift to others needs (and praying about world events instead of worrying or being angry about them). Here are are a few quotes that stood out to me from the book. Actually, they stood out because they were 1/2 inspiring and 1/2 “Ouch!”:

“Don’t ask God to guide your steps if you’re not ready to get off the couch.”

“It is easier to pray about things than to actually put in the work to fix them.”

“Crazy thought: Our prayers can move the hand of God.”

“Prayer is relational and not transactional.”

“What do you give a God that has everything??? . . . . . We give him more of ourselves!”

Conclusion: How about we give this a try? The next time something happens that leads our thoughts to worry, anxiety, and stress – what would happen if they first thing we did was stop and pray? It can be silent, swift, and imperfect. What would it be like if we started the habit of “praying yourself to peace”? And finally, what if our lives reflected flipping the title of this book? Worried About Nothing Because I Pray About Everything . . .

Blessings,

Dave 🙂

https://www.amazon.com/author/davidrische

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A New Year’s Resolution in One Day!

Posted on January 19, 2023 by David Rische

January 1, 2023 has come and gone. Hopefully you’re still holding on tightly to your resolutions, goals, new habits, “one word”, and gym memberships. Those are all great things. The challenge as we all know is sustaining them for the long haul. My weak resolution of “eating healthier” is already starting to fizzle as I find myself chomping down a Double Double with fries from In and Out Burger debating internally whether to top off this dopamine hit with a quick trip to Andy’s Frozen Custard. . .

I’d like to share something I discovered that I believe is better than a New Year’s Resolution. How would you like to substantially grow mentally, physically, and spiritually – in one day???

Recently I listened to a podcast interviewing a guy named Colin O’ Brady. Never heard of him – but I was immediately drawn in and intrigued as his life highlights were shared. Colin is an extreme adventurer and explorer. He has climbed Mount Everest (plus every other major mountain in the world). He pulled a 375 pound sled across Antarctica by himself, and he has scaled all of the highest points in each of the 50 states in a 3 week time span!

So . . . I wanted to share with you about his “Antarctica Challenge for The Common Folk”. Totally joking! Colin has written a book called The 12 Hour Walk. The title speaks for itself. He asks that you set aside one day to walk for 12 hours. Why? From his website he states:

“A new mindset. A life-changing experience. An opportunity to grow.”

“The 12-Hour Walk was developed as a one day prescription to eliminate your limiting beliefs and prove to you that you have the power to shift to a Possible Mindset™ to achieve anything.”

It is simple to get started:

  1. Go to http://www.12hourwalk.com/commit to read the basic info, FAQs, and to sign up!
  2. It’s free, you don’t need to train, and you can walk as little or as much distance as you’d like.
  3. You can download the free app to track your progress. You also are allowed to take rest breaks and eat prepacked meals or snacks.
  4. Phones can be set on airplane mode to not disturb you during your walk. It’s a good practice to let 1-2 people know your route beforehand.
  5. On the day of your walk (I used a backpack) – don’t forget sunscreen, water, proper clothing, sunglasses, a little cash, ID, and a hat (plus, I brought along my stun gun flashlight jusssssst in case . . . ). Plus, pen and paper to record thoughts.

Reasons why you’ll try to convince yourself not to do it:

  1. I don’t have time for this.
  2. Others questioning: Why are you doing this?
  3. I’m not in good enough shape. Plus, I’m tired all the time.
  4. I don’t need this. I’m fine.

Those are all valid reasons. My encouragement is to step out of your comfort zone and give it a try. Simply detoxing from your phone for 12 hours is worth it alone. Do you want 2023 to be different than 2022? The 12 Hour Walk is a tremendous way to usher in the new year with potential for new breakthroughs. Last night, I heard a pastor say the familiar quote, “To get to where you’ve always wanted to be – you have to do things that you’ve never done before!”

My experience highlights:

  1. I left at 5:30 am – so it was incredibly peaceful and quiet with very little noise from cars.
  2. I was able to watch the sunrise from a “coaches tower” on one of the soccer fields. The entire walk helped me slow down and see the beauty and details I would normally rush past.
  3. In Bear Creek Park – I discovered memorials to a 16 year old who died of cancer and an 18 year old who also died too young. Plus I came upon a “Rock Art Path” that I never knew existed.
  4. Near our town hall – I took time at a war memorial to reflect and give thanks over those that historically made the ultimate sacrifice of laying down their lives so we can be free.
  5. I saw the most colorful, beautiful cardinal I’d ever seen during my entire life (I believe was a “wink” from God – he knows that’s my favorite bird).
  6. Forgotten memories flooded my mind as I walked past 2 schools I have worked at in the past and multiple parks we used to take the kids to when they were young. Because of the large block of time – I was able to think, pray, plan, reflect, and clear my mind.
  7. I stopped at a QT to use the restroom. I was sitting outside on the curb in the shade. Still had 5 hours left – was in crummy clothing, sweating profusely, starting to tire, had my backpack by my side, and overall looked quite ragged. A gentleman got out of his parked car and approached me saying, “Sir . . . do you need any help?” He thought I was homeless. I replied, “Believe or not – this was planned!” 🙂
  8. I did not miss my phone or my constant gazing at it for sports, texts, news, emails, politics, alerts, social media, “likes”, entertainment, end times events, blah, blah, blah.
  9. And finally, I was challenged physically and mentally wanting to quit – but I pushed myself to the end. My initial goal was to walk 8 – 10 miles. I ended up with 18 miles!!! The longest I have ever walked 🙂

My challenge highlights:

  1. Initial impatience. Confession: The first time I checked the timer – only 10 minutes had passed! “Are we there yet?” 🙂
  2. Negative voices in my head when I began: “You could be at home in bed right now.” “You don’t have time for this.” “You’re missing all the NFL action today.” “This is stupid.” “What if you get injured or abducted?”
  3. Multiple times I wanted to quit and call one of family members to come pick me up.
  4. It was an exceptionally warm day with no cloud coverage. I guess that is better than it being frigid and windy?
  5. I did get lost in a fancy neighborhood at one point (you’re not allowed to use GPS technology). The homes were so high I couldn’t see for any decent length of distance. And I kept running into cul-de-sacs when I thought I had finally found the exit point. But hey, wandering aimlessly for about an hour increased my mileage total!
  6. I’ve battled MS for over 15 years. One of my symptoms is continual pain in my right thigh and heel because of past nerve damage. I was in increased pain and limping for about 3 days after the walk. But the limping went away!

The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride (Ecclesiastes 7:8).

Conclusion: So what say you? My challenge to you is to give the 12 hour walk a shot. Or, what is something else you can do that you’ve never done that will stretch you out of your comfort zone? Running or walking in a marathon, volunteering at church, starting a non-profit, self-publishing a book, speaking up where you are normally silent, reading replacing some screen time, creating art, starting a side-hustle business, going back to college, attempting a new sport, giving radically to a cause you believe in . . .

Please let me know in the comments here or through email: david.rische@gmail.com if you take on the 12 hour walk. Or, please share something else new that you’ve done or doing to grow physically, mentally, or spiritually.

Blessings,

Dave 🙂

https://www.amazon.com/author/davidrische

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