WHEN YOUR

CRIES OUTTO GOD

Heart

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When Your Heart Cries Out to God INSIDE.pmd 4/28/2010, 1:23 PM2

WHEN YOUR

CRIES OUTTO GOD

Heart

OMF LITERATURE INC.Manila, Philippines

HAROLD SALA

FINDING COMFORT IN LIFE’S TRIALS

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible: NewInternational Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International BibleSociety. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Verses marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Verses marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 byThomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Verses marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible®. Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman Foundation.Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Verses marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible. Copyright © 1971 by Tyndale HousePublishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189 USA. All rights reserved.

Verses marked MSG are taken from The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language.Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Verses marked ESV are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission.All rights reserved.

When Your Heart Cries Out to GodFormerly published as Guidelines for Finding Your WayCopyright © 2003/2009 by Harold J. SalaPublished by Harvest House PublishersEugene, Oregon 97402www.harvesthousepublishers.com

Published (2010) in the Philippines byOMF Literature Inc.776 Boni AvenueMandaluyong City, Metro Manila

Cover design by Left Coast Design, Portland, OregonCover photo © iStockphoto.com; Author photo by vasquezstudios.comInterior design by Aileen Baronggo

ISBN 978-971-009-036-5

Printed in the Philippines

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A ffectionately dedicated

to the wonderful men and women

—both staff and volunteers—

in the United States

and the Philippines

who have labored alongside me.

Without them

neither this book nor the ministry

of Guidelines International

could have become a reality.

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I want to express my appreciation to my daughter Nancy Deushanefor her insightful assistance in grouping the book’s selections; toMargaret Duffield and Louise Calvert, who spent many hours editingthe manuscript and made significant contributions to the flow ofideas; and to my administrative assistant, Luisa Ampil, who patientlyedited and processed the materials, which were initially written formy radio program, Guidelines—A Five Minute Commentary on Living.My heartfelt gratitude also goes to OMF Literature Inc. for our long-standing partnership in publishing excellent books that glorify Godand help change lives.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

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Foreword by RICK WARREN 13

Look Up to God 14

Chapter 1: When You Discover Authentic ChristianityOne Thing You Still Lack 16

A Rich Man and the Kingdom of God 18

Becoming a Christian 20

Letting the Image of God Shine Through 22

Born Again 24

Chapter 2: When You Want PeaceThe God of Peace 26

Making Peace with God 28

Enjoying the Peace of God 30

The Way That Leads to Peace 32

Peace in Our World 34

Chapter 3: When You Find Real LoveThe Need for Love 36

Keeping Love Alive 38

Loving God and Your Neighbor As Yourself 40

The Tremendous Power of Love 42

The Quest for Real Love 44

Chapter 4: When You Take Control of Your Own LifeClosing the Door 46

Steps to Self-Discipline 48

Obedience in Discipline 50

Learning Discipline in an Undisciplined World 52

Discipline from Within and from Without 54

CONTENTS

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Chapter 5: When You SufferSuffering—Why? 56

Your Response to Trials 58

Suffering and the Promises of God 60

When Persecution Stalks You 62

When You Suffer 64

Chapter 6: When You WorryIt’s My Nature to Worry 66

If I Can Just Get Through This Problem 68

Why Worry? 70

Do Not Worry; Do Not Be Afraid 72

Worry or Concern? 74

Chapter 7: When You Need CourageThe Need for Courage Today 76

Finding Courage to Do the Common Task 78

Facing Life with Courage 80

Why We Do Not Lose Heart 82

We Do Not Lose Heart 84

Chapter 8: When You Are AfraidThe Fearless Factor 86

Guidelines for Overcoming Fear, Part 1 88

Guidelines for Overcoming Fear, Part 2 90

Guidelines for Overcoming Fear, Part 3 92

From Fear to Trust 94

Chapter 9: When You HopeThe Healing Power of Hope 96

Hope in a Hopeless World 98

The God of All Hope 100

Riding Out the Storm 102

The Blessing of Hope 104

Chapter 10: When You Are AngryWhen Anger Gets the Best of You 106

Is It Bad to Get Mad? 108

Why Are We Such an Angry Generation? 110

Handling Your Anger the Right Way 112

Controlling Your Temper 114

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Chapter 11: When You Are DepressedDepression Stopper 1: Taking Inventory 116

Depression Stopper 2: There Is a God Who Cares 118

Depression Stopper 3: Prayer Can Turn Despair into Joy 120

Depression Stopper 4: Forgiveness 122

Depression Stopper 5: Getting Back on the Right Path 124

Chapter 12: When You Need FaithWhen Your Faith Is Weak 126

Raw, Naked Faith 128

The Eyes of Faith 130

Feeding Your Faith 132

Real-World Faith 134

Chapter 13: When You Wonder Whether Honesty Is the Best PolicySure, I’ll Be There 136

We Promise to Start Telling the Truth 138

The Truth About Lying 140

Lies of Necessity 142

Pathological Liars 144

Chapter 14: When You Wonder Whether Life Makes SenseWhat Is Life About? 146

Live, Love, Enjoy 148

The Definition of Life 150

Empowerment 152

Hammering in the Old Rusty Nails 154

Chapter 15: When You Become DiscouragedWhen You Feel Like Quitting 156

How to Deal with Discouragement 158

Running the Race 160

God Daily Bears Our Burdens 162

Going Beyond Your Trouble 164

Chapter 16: When You Are AloneThe Desolation of Loneliness 166

A Cure for Loneliness 168

Loneliness—Dying Every Day 170

Loneliness and Emptiness 172

Loneliness and What It Can Accomplish 174

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Chapter 17: When You Wonder How Much Is EnoughWhen Less Is More 176

How Much Is Really Enough? 178

The Sin of Greed 180

Freedom in Simplicity 182

Affluenza 184

Chapter 18: When Your Heart Cries Out for HelpWhy Pray If You Can Fix It? 186

Intimacy with God 188

An Inside Connection 190

The Seven Wonders of Prayer 192

Be Careful What You Pray For 194

Chapter 19: When Your Broken Life Needs HealingThere Is Healing Today 196

Has God’s Prescription Expired? 198

The God Who Still Heals 200

When You Need Healing 202

God in the Trenches with You 204

Chapter 20: When You Are FrustratedFrustration 206

Even Spiritual Giants Get Frustrated 208

Frustration and God’s Child 210

Remember Lot’s Wife 212

Letting Go 214

Chapter 21: When You HateThe Blindness of Hatred 216

Whom Then Can I Hate? 218

The Curse of Hating Those We Dislike 220

Ridding Your Life of Hatred 222

Lining Up Your Ducks of Love and Hate 224

Chapter 22: When You Need to Say, “I’m Sorry—Forgive Me”I’m Sorry—Forgive Me 226

When You Cannot Forgive 228

Forgive Them 230

Joseph and Forgiveness 232

No Digging Allowed 234

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Chapter 23: When You Discover YourselfRemember, You Were a Slave in Egypt 236

Passion 238

Handling the Stress of Your Life 240

Southpaws Are Okay Too 242

To Be Completely You 244

Chapter 24: When You Are Committed to ExcellenceCommitment to Excellence 246

Your Best 248

Why Bother? 250

Looking Back 252

Excess Baggage 254

Chapter 25: When You Come to the Departure Area of Lifeon EarthWhat Is It Like to Die? 256

Death and Dying 258

Life’s Darkest Hour 260

Wake-Up Calls 262

No More Death or Dying 264

Epilogue 266

Notes 268

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nyone can find a negative or cynical perspective in times of turmoiland trouble. They’re everywhere, from the doomsday headlines

to the water-cooler conversations about ever-shrinking retirementaccounts. Throw in a daily dose of war and terrorism, a 20/20 broad-cast about economic downturn, a trip or two to the doctor, a birthday,and you have a prescription for full-blown pessimism and depression.

Dr. Harold Sala has dedicated his life of ministry to counteringour culture of negativity with the only message of hope and encour-agement that is lasting: the hope we find in Jesus Christ.

Harold is neither a pop psychologist nor a motivational speaker,giving out sugary, feel-good messages that fail the real-life tests weencounter. He is a professor and a student of God’s Word—where hedirects his readers for hope.

This book, When Your Heart Cries Out to God, is intended to be asource of encouragement covering a vast number of topics with shortinsightful comments designed to challenge your thinking, confrontyour doubts, push back your cynicism and pessimism, and encourageyou to look up and believe God as you make your way through theminefields of life.

Could you use some practical insight from the Bible in the areasof worry and self-discipline? Do you have family members who coulduse an encouraging word from Harold on anger, fear, or faith? Do youhave a neighbor or a co-worker who struggles with loneliness, healthissues, or discouragement? These thoughtful chapters can be just theright message, at just the right time. I think you will be blessed, as Kayand I have been, by Harold’s uplifting insights.

DR. RICK WARREN

Author of The Purpose-Driven Life

Senior Pastor, Saddleback ChurchLake Forest, California

FOREWORD

A

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n the early hours of February 3, 1943, the USS Dorchester, a troopcarrier, was plowing through the frigid, icy seas off the coast of

Greenland. Aboard that overloaded ship were 902 men who were ontheir way to join American forces fighting in Europe. The Dorchester,traveling at half speed because of ice floes, was an easy target for aGerman submarine. Unexpectedly and suddenly, the restless sleep ofthe men crammed in their bunks was shattered, when a torpedo slicedthrough the dark waters and slammed into the bulkhead with atremendous blast.

Immediately the gaping hole in the side of the vessel allowed itto start taking on water. Panic ensued. There were neither enoughlife rafts or life jackets for the men. On board that ship were fourchaplains: two Protestants, a Catholic, and a Jew. Seeing there wereinsufficient life jackets, the four chaplains took off theirs and gavethem to men whose lives had been spared. As the ship began to list,these four held hands in a heroic show of unity and prayed as theship went to its icy grave only 27 minutes after the torpedo struck.

Only 230 of the 902 aboard that ship lived to tell about the darknight of disaster, but when the survivors were rescued, they told thestory of the four chaplains and what they had done. Every newspaperin the Western world carried the story and eulogized their self-sacrificing deed.

But as Paul Harvey says, “It’s the story behind the story” thatmakes this even more meaningful. One of those chaplains, LieutenantClark Poling, was the son of well-known Christian leader Dr. DanielPoling, the editor of The Christian Century magazine. Back when Clarkhad been a college student, Dr. Poling had received a telephone callsaying, “Dad, I’m coming home. Don’t tell Mom but meet my trainat . . .” and he told him when he was arriving.

I

LOOK UP TO GOD

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If you had been the father who got such a telephone call, whatwould you have thought? You would probably have asked yourself,What is so important that he has to come home and talk and doesn’t want his

mother to know about it? Is there a girl involved? What’s wrong?

The dad met the train, and the two of them drove to the churchoffice, where they went in, closed the door, and sat down. The dadthen said, “Okay, son, what is it you want to talk about?”

A sober young man looked at his father and said, “Dad, what doyou know about God? I’ve got to know for myself !” What Dr. Polingtold him was important—tremendously important. (You’ll find hisanswer in the epilogue. Don’t peek now!)

There are seasons to the journey of life from the moment youcome into the world to the time when, if you have accepted the giftof salvation through Jesus Christ, God calls you home to heaven.And our needs, which are different from time to time, prompt ourhearts to cry out to God—sometimes in pain, sometimes in need,sometimes in fear, sometimes because we want to know Himbetter, and sometimes in praise and worship.

When Your Heart Cries Out to God is intended to be a source ofencouragement throughout the changing seasons of life. In thisbook you will find selections on 25 topics relating to life’s challenges.

Of course, you can use the table of contents and go directly tothe section that will help you through a particular need; however,I encourage you to read one selection each weekday (five a week),along with the “resource reading” for a snapshot from Scripture.You may want to highlight thoughts or make notations in the marginsof the book or in a journal to help you in the future as you faceparticular needs.

May God encourage your heart as you find your way through life,learning that God is sufficient for every need, for every crisis, forevery day from the cradle to the time you cross the Jordan and enterinto the presence of the Lord!

LOOK UP TO GOD

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nyone who has ever visited ancient Jericho can testify to the realitythat in the summer it can be unbearably hot. Locals are con-

vinced that hell itself is only ten degrees hotter than Jericho. There isan old aphorism that in China only mad dogs and Englishmen go outin the noonday sun, and that surely applies to Jericho as well, whichis why a remarkable drama unfolded as Jesus approached the city onHis way to Jerusalem.

So vivid was this happening in the life of Jesus that three of Jesus’biographers—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—wrote about it. The storyitself is simple enough. A young man, having heard that Jesus waspassing by, came running and knelt before Him (Mark 10:17), voicinga question that was perplexing to him.

There is an element of urgency in this encounter. The man hadmade no appointment. Neither did he bother to consider whether hisinterview was convenient for Jesus. He simply knew that this was hisopportunity to get something off his chest, and he had to take advan-tage of the moment.

There is also an element of drama in the situation as well. Allthree of the Gospel writers point out that this man was wealthy.People with lots of money do not run. They snap their fingers andgive orders, and others do the running for them. Furthermore, thereis an element of desperation as well. Men with money are used topeople deferring to them—but humiliating himself before Jesus, the

ONE THING YOU STILL LACK

When Jesus heard this, hesaid to him, “You still lack onething. Sell everything you haveand give to the poor, and youwill have treasure in heaven.

Then come, follow me.”LUKE 18:22

INSIGHT:God gave you a spiritual

nature, and no matter howmuch you have in life, untilyou connect with Him there

will always be aningredient missing from

your life.

A

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RESOURCE READING: LUKE 18:18–30

CHAPTER 1 – WHEN YOU DISCOVER AUTHENTIC CHRISTIANITY

young man kneels in the dusty road. Looking up into the face ofJesus, he asks, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

In the event you have never studied the Gospels (meaning Matthew,Mark, Luke, and John), you need to know that each one represents adifferent viewpoint. Mark is called the Gospel of Action. Reflecting aRoman viewpoint, Mark goes to the heart of things. He does notwaste words. Mark points out something that his colleagues Matthewand Luke omit. At this point Mark says, “Jesus looked at him andloved him” (Mark 10:21). For “looked,” two Greek words could havebeen used. The first means to observe casually. But the other word—the one Mark used—means to gaze intently at someone. So Jesuslooked intently into the face of this troubled young man who kneltbefore Him and loved him, knowing full well that the great wealth hehad would be a stumbling block.

“You still lack one thing,” He said, adding, “Sell everything youhave and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.Then come, follow me” (Luke 18:22).

So he immediately disposed of his wealth, forsook his easylifestyle, and became a disciple, right? Wrong. The record says hewalked away full of sorrow because he was very rich.

What’s the issue? It’s simple: Who or what comes first in yourlife? Your money, your power, your position, or your God? EarlierJesus had said, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and allthese things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33).

Andrew, my grandson, had just turned seven when he shockedhis mother by saying, “Mother, I’m afraid I’m going to go to hell!”

“Why?” asked Bonnie, somewhat perplexed.“Because I’m afraid I love my little blue bucket and shovel [a

birthday gift] more than God!”Whether it is your pride, your wealth, or your little blue bucket

that stands between you and obedience to the will of God, Jesuswants to come first. “Come and follow Me,” is still the invitationJesus Christ makes to those who ask, “What must I do to inheriteternal life?”

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ruth is always stranger than fiction, and nothing is more enter-taining than real life. That’s the way it was when a young man

encountered Jesus as He was approaching Jericho on His way to Jeru-salem. The whole incident was touching but awkward. Hearing thatChrist was passing his way, the young man ran and knelt before Jesus.

In response to his question about what he needed to do to inheriteternal life, Jesus told him that he still lacked one thing. What was it?

First, we know it was not adequate resources. Matthew, Mark,and Luke all describe him as having “great wealth.” So money wasnot lacking. John Paul Getty, once among the richest in the world,used to say that when you know how much money you have, youaren’t very rich. This young man probably was included in that groupof elite who had more money than they could count. But with all hismoney, he did not find happiness. He had the mark of desperation ashe ran and knelt before Jesus.

The second thing he did not lack was education and culture.This was obvious from his speech and his deportment. Money canbuy an education, but it cannot buy happiness—something that AmyVanderbilt learned. This woman, whose name was synonymous withetiquette and culture, had all the advantages a good family can give—yet she was miserable and unhappy. Troubled with an unhappymarriage and health problems, we will never know whether her fallfrom the window of her townhouse was accidental or suicidal. What

A RICH MAN AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Jesus said to his disciples,“I tell you the truth, it is hardfor a rich man to enter the

kingdom of heaven. Again I tellyou, it is easier for a camel togo through the eye of a needle

than for a rich man to enterthe kingdom of God.”

MATTHEW 19:23–24

INSIGHT:There is a deep longing

in the heart of every personto know God. Your thirst

to know Him was put thereso He might satisfy it.

T

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we do know is that money, culture, and opportunities are no guaran-tee of lasting happiness.

The third thing this young man did not lack was influence andachievement. Luke, a medical doctor, described this young man as“a ruler,” meaning a leader of a synagogue, an important positionthat carried respect, authority, and influence. J. Robert Oppenheimer,the German-born Nobel Prize–winning scientist, had influence,achievement, and recognition. He was known as the Father of theAtomic Bomb, yet he died frustrated and unfulfilled. Speaking of hissuccesses he said, “They leave on the tongue only the taste of ashes.”

Finally, this young man also did not lack moral goodness. Frankly,he was the kind of man you would like for a neighbor—because byhis own account he was not a murderer, adulterer, or liar, and hehonored his parents and loved others around him. Yet Jesus told himthat he lacked one thing: What was it? Going to the bottom line,Jesus told Him that what he lacked was a personal relationshipwith God, which Jesus had come to bring. Lacking this, the youngman lacked everything. “Go, sell everything you have and give tothe poor . . . then come, follow me,” Jesus told him.

Did he do it? No, he turned and walked away sorrowfullybecause his wealth meant more to him than having a relationshipwith God.

Lest you misunderstand, the point of the story is not that successis wrong in itself. What is wrong is anything that crowds God out ofyour life, anything that leaves no room for Him to be your Lord.Today a lot of us have the same struggle. The push for success, thedesire to get ahead, the need to gain power or influence—these areall-consuming and thus become lord of our lives. Well did Jesus pointout “a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his posses-sions” (Luke 12:15).

Take time to read the account of this young man’s conversationwith Jesus found in Luke 18. You may see yourself mirrored inhis image.

CHAPTER 1 – WHEN YOU DISCOVER AUTHENTIC CHRISTIANITY

RESOURCE READING: MATTHEW 19:16–26

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