Here is an uplifting challenge. Pray for someone who has wronged you. Sincerely ask God to bless that person and meet his or her needs.

A few years ago I received a letter from a person I hardly knew, attacking me because I didn't make a business commitment to one of her family members. Along with the letter she had returned two copies of my book, Mindrobics, that she had purchased.

The letter blasted me and the more I read of it the madder I got. When I finished reading it I tore it up, threw it in the trash, and walked around my house -- fuming.

Suddenly the thought came into my mind; "Pray for her and ask Me to bless her." My first reaction was; "No way!" but the thought continued to strongly urge me to pray blessings on her. After a few more minutes of anger and resisting that thought, I finally gave in and said something like this (even though I didn't want to do it and I didn't feel it, I said it); "Lord, I ask you to bless (name withheld). Meet all of her needs. Bless her and all of her family members with good health. Prosper her finances and meet all her needs. Help her to get over her anger at me and to enjoy every day of her life. In Jesus' name. Amen."

When I said "Amen" I felt so much better. The anger was gone and I was now feeling sympathy for the person.

Then another thought came to my mind; "Now go to bed (it was about 11:00 pm) and ask Me to bless every person who has ever done you wrong." "How can I do that?" I asked. "As you ask me to bless one person, I will bring another to your mind." the thought replied.

So, very reluctantly, I did. I asked God to bless Kim, a class mate who had slammed my head into a brick wall at South Elementary School in Jonesboro, AR when I was in the fifth grade (who I hadn't thought of in more than 40 years). Then I remembered the fire alarm salesman who had talked me into spending $3,000 on something I never used, and I asked God's blessings on his life.

On and on it went -- a name would drop into my mind and I would ask God to bless that person. I was shocked at the number of people who came to my mind. I had forgotten that so many people had "wronged" me. Finally I prayed for someone and no more people came to mind. The I fell asleep.

That was about four years ago. Every since then, the moment I feel somebody does me wrong, I stop and ask God to bless him or her (even though I usually don't want to do it). And it is amazing how good it feels to "bless your enemies". It brings peace, releases me from anger, and prevents bitterness.

I teach this technique to the men at the Salvation Army rehab where I am the chaplain and it works for them as well. Try it yourself and see. Right now, ask God to bless someone who has done you wrong. It doesn't matter whether you feel it or not -- just do it.

Then, if you like, leave a comment about any outcome from your blessing your enemy. Thanks for exercising the courage to try my challenge today.

I am alive and it is my birthday. Birthdays are somewhat sobering for me the older I get. On my birthday I realize that time is passing. Most other days, I don't even think about it. Life, however, silently slips by -- second by second.

I firmly believe that my physical existence is only one small part of my life. I have a strong awareness of my non-physical reality. Many people in our society want to make their body look good and young. I want to make my inner self healthy and strong. I don't want to do anything that will damage my character, my spirit-man.

Training the inner man is really quite difficult. Many people have never tried to train their thoughts, will, and emotions -- or having tried to train their inner self, find it too difficult and give up.

Paul of Tarsus said: "Bodily training profits but little, but godliness is great gain." So I am ready for another year of training my inner self. And I am very thankful to have that opportunity. Every day above ground is a good day!

It is not the magnitude of the mess that matters most, but the mind and heart of the person in the midst of the mess that matters most. Your circumstances and physical situation are not what is really important in your life, but what is going on in your mind and heart is what really matters.

Consistently think defeated, destructive, degraded thoughts and your behavior and your life will follow your thinking. And because of the decadence of almost all the media that surrounds us, we live in an age full of defeated, destructive, and degraded thinking and images. Those hurtful and wrongful thoughts and images are more dangers than physical pollution. Physical pollution hurts the body, mental pollution hurts the inner person -- the mind, heart, and spirit.

Don't let your mind and heart be sucked into guilt, misery, and despair. Break free! Turn off the defeated, destructive, and degraded thoughts. Turn on the positive and uplifting. Read the New Testament and experience freedom and joy. It is your choice -- suck up mental and moral pollution -- or be filled with inner peace and joy! As for me. I choose peace and joy!

Are "right" and "wrong" meaningless terms? Many people today seem to think so. We live in a culture where anything goes. And if anyone dares to criticize someone's behavior, he is called "judgmental" or labeled as a "bigot."

A national columnist in today's paper said that people who believe that homosexuality is immoral are bigots. He said that the belief that homosexuality is wrong is based on an obscure Old Testament scripture.

How's that for having one's head in the sand. Almost every religion, every culture, and every human time period has said that homosexuality is wrong and this guy calls almost the entire human race bigots for that belief. My gosh, where is this culture headed?

The New Testament states several times that homosexual behavior is wrong. And now I am called a bigot because I believe the New Testament. Mercy.

Wrong is wrong no matter how much we deny it! I can't change it and neither can you. There is good news though. We are not victims of our desires but can gain victory over our personal immorality! There is freedom, even from inherited desires, if we want it!

1) Newt's not cute! What's up with that guy? He led the impeachment proceedings against Bill Clinton for Bill's sexual immorality and lying to cover it up. Now Newt confesses that at the same time he was committing the sin of adultery and covering it up. Does that make Newt sound "Presidential" or hypocritical? If a man will knowingly cheat and deceive his wife, why wouldn't he knowingly cheat and deceive the American people? If she can't trust him, why should we?

2) Some Baptist theologian/preacher has declared that homosexual tendencies are genetic but that they can and should be altered in the womb. Whew! In one statement that fellow upset everybody. The conservatives are upset because he pronounced homosexual tendencies as "genetic". The liberals are upset because he said that so-called homosexual "orientation" (which is really "sexual disorientation") should be changed in the womb.

So . . . genetic, eh? Too soon to tell. But even if there is a genetic tendency toward homosexuality, are people powerless to resist it? We all have numerous tendencies, compulsions, desires, or whims -- many of which are improper, immoral, or self-destructive (at least many of mine are). If we have a genetic tendency to steal, do we have to do it? Of course not. Humans are not some wimpy species that have to follow instincts or cravings. We are not slaves to genetic desires. We have the ability to resist and overcome them! We can choose to act from rationality and self-control rather than from lust. Or we can wimp out to our tendencies.

What about changing sexual disorientation in the womb? Boy, that idea has upset some folks. In many people's minds, it is perfectly alright to kill a baby in the womb, but don't you dare change his sexual desire. Does that make any sense? Cold blooded killing is fine, but setting unborn babies free from a homosexual "gene" is bad? That's even a bigger double standard than Newt's!