Wise Words From Mentors: Fatigue Makes Cowards of Us All

by David Chadwick

During World War II, U.S. Army General George Patton wrote to his troops, "Fatigue makes cowards of us all. Men in condition do not fire."

Vince Lombardi had a similar message when he told his players, "You've got to keep yourself in prime physical condition, because fatigue makes cowards of us all.”

This famous statement was also one of Winston Churchill's favorite quotes.

Why is fatigue such a problem in our current society? Why does it seem that weariness seems to magnify whatever trials we are experiencing? Why does exhaustion cause people to so easily make mountains out of mole hills?

The answer is actually really simple. We are made up of three parts: body, soul, and spirit. When our bodies become tired, our minds and emotions are impacted. Minds suddenly become drained and emotions get fragile. Suddenly, thinking clearly and keeping an optimistic attitude seem impossible. Our circumstances can quickly seem to be worse than they really are.

How do we manage fatigue?

It’s quite simple, yet profoundly difficult in our busy culture. What’s the answer? Rest! You must take time to rest.

Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still, and know that I am God.” When you know that God is in control of everything, you can lay your weary head on your pillow at night and rest. God never sleeps, so we can (Psalm 121:4).

Practically, you should aim to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night. During this time, God will restore your body and mind.

As you find a healthy rhythm of sleeping and waking up, you are training your body and mind to fight the good fight.

You will begin to wake up invigorated and excited to tackle your day!

Remember to rest. Why?

Because fatigue makes cowards of us all.

Wise Words From Mentors: Admit it. Quit it. And Forget it.

by David Chadwick

Everyone will fail at something at one point in their lives or another.

In fact, Romans 3:23 says that we all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory.

If you are a human being, it’s inevitable that you will mess up. The healthiest thing you can do is to come to grips with the fact that you will make many mistakes over the course of your life.

So how do you handle failure? What do you do when you fall flat on your face?

I would encourage you to follow these three simple steps: Admit it. Quit it. And forget it.

Admit it. Own it! Be honest with yourself and other people. Don't deny a mistake that you have made. Instead, confess it and courageously bring your flaws into the light. If necessary, apologize to anyone who may have been hurt by your mistake.

Quit it. Stop it! Did you know that the explanation for the word “repent” in the Bible means to stop it? Learn from your failure. Commit to not repeat the same mistake twice. Learn a lesson and do better the next time because of it.

Once you admit your mistake and quit doing the thing that created the problem in the first place, forget it. Move on! Your mistake is now in the past, so you must leave it in the rearview mirror. Your past has passed. Move forward and do not let anything hinder God’s purpose for your life.

Every morning comes with a new opportunity to love and serve Jesus. He gives us new morning mercies each and every day (Lamentations 3:23).

Deal with your sin. Admit when you are wrong. Stop behaving in a way that is contrary to God’s Word. And then move on. Start off each day with a fresh slate.

God wants us all to leave yesterday's failures behind!

Admit it, quit it, and forget it. And start a new day!

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Bad Guys of the Bible: Zimri and Cozbi

by David Chadwick

We have looked at some hidden heroes from the Bible this week. People who are probably not as known, but had a significant impact on the storyline of the Bible.

But I want to wrap up this week with another couple of bad guys. These are two individuals who tried to thwart all of the good in God’s story. Yet, in spite of their efforts, God was still able to work it out for his good.

Zimri and Cozbi. Two bad guys who were enemies to God’s heroes.

Their story is found in Numbers 25.

On the way to the Promised Land, the Midianites tried to entice the Israelites toward adultery and sexual infidelity. They began to worship the gods of Baal.

Satan has known for all of time that if you can’t destroy a nation from the outside, through invasion, then destroy them from within. Destroy their values. Morals. Principles. And that is exactly what the Midianite women did with the Israelite men.

A man from Israel named Zimri and a woman from the Midianites named Cozbi openly flaunted their sin among the Israelites. They even went into Zimri’s tent right next to the tabernacle, to sleep with one another.

Phinehas, who had a zeal for God’s holiness and righteousness, was so fed up with the open defilement against God’s laws that he went in and killed them both. He was actually rewarded by God for his holy fervor with a perpetual priesthood because he practiced God’s righteousness and holiness.

I find it interesting that God openly named these two godless sinners. Don’t let it shock you. All of our names are either written in God’s book of life or not. Every name in the world is known by God. And those who sin without being forgiven by Jesus will have a public reading of their names one day in judgment.

It’s a sobering thought for all to consider! Is your name in the Lamb’s book of life? Don’t wait to surrender your life to Jesus. When he saves you, you become one of his favorites and as he writes your name in the Lamb’s book of life, you are forever forgiven.