A Secured Foundation

There is a verse in the book of the Proverbs that gave me pause this morning and it reads, "Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand all things." It's in chpt. 28:5 and describes an advantage that a follower of Christ has over those who do not follow Him.

The advantage is one of perspective, vantage point, a way of viewing the world and interpreting reality through the lenses of what God has revealed to us in His word, to help us live in the world that He has created. We understand that God is a God of fixed justice and fixed precepts and principles. He is a God of truth, and governs His creation by unchanging and unalterable decrees that He has established from before the creation of the reality that you and I inhabit today. It is from His eternally good and unchanging character that these principles have come forth, and true justice for humanity is when laws and rules that guide cultures and nations as well as individual lives are in harmony with these principles. Our Proverb warns that "evil men," those who think they are rejecting these principles or God Himself, have no real grasp of true justice. They are unable to understand that laws and decisions must be based on that which is eternal and foundational for all people as well as all creation. They say that truth is relative, it is constantly evolving so our laws are not really based on anything stable and foundational. Rather they are constantly in flux, needing to be evaluated, revisited, or reinterpreted for each generation or situation. This had led many people to ask if there is any such thing as "truth" at all. Is life merely a constant flow of events, ideas,or situations occurring at random, with no origin, no destination?

But, " those who seek the Lord understand all things." What a difference in perspective and view of our world. It isn't that we know everything or have all the answers to life's mysteries, troubles and deep questions. Instead it means we have a grasp of the eternal precepts by which God governs and rules all things. We understand His principles that when followed result in harmony, well-being, and justice that brings the most benefit to the most people. This gives us a cohesive view of reality and our place in it. It allows us to make decisions in the light of the unalterable words and decrees of God that will never be overthrown, defeated, or fail, no matter how hard people of an anti-Christian spirit may try to overthrow them. Eventually, they will fall into their own pit, for the Word of God is unchanging and will not pass away or be rendered obsolete.

It is in this sense that we, "understand all things." We're not moved by the current trends and winds of society and cultures. We do not run after every new perspective, fad and popular sensation, even when it is clothed in christian or biblical costume.  We see the political correctness of our society for what it is- a feeble and empty attempt to do right by people and to show respect and dignity to all, yet without the true basis for doing so. We have rejected the God Who created us and governs us by His own goodness. The logical result is tyranny, for if we are not accountable to a good and gracious God, then we must be accountable to a government without any foundation for true justice.

But our lives are well grounded in that which will not change or be altered. Jesus said that even heaven and Earth will pass away, but His word will not pass away. May Christ Jesus give us more understanding into His word, the principles therein and into His character. It is by these that life makes sense, and by which we gain a greater understanding of all things.

One Word

I was just thinking over all the many ways I am blessed today. As I sat this morning with some coffee, reading a little and looking out at the new day, the bright sunrise that was taking place filled me with a sense of gratitude for all that I enjoy today.  So many times I have set out on my day with some sense of awareness of God's blessings, but usually in a hurry and very much aware of the schedule I created and now am determined to keep.

Today was a bit different because the sense of gratitude was very present in a way that almost forced me to stop and think about it. It was as though God Himself was emphasizing for me to just take a few minutes and consider. I won't list all the things that came to my mind for which I am thankful, but there is much to rejoice over as I think about His goodness. I think of where I am at this point of my life, the activities I am involved in, the setting and context in which I live and I realize I am a blessed man.

I'm not rich, but I lack nothing and have plenty. My health, marriage, ministry, sons, mind, are all doing well and experiencing the blessing of the Lord. I realize that trials can come at any time, none of us are exempt from them, but that doesn't rob me of the fact that a good God is in control, and opens His hand to satisfy the desire of every living thing. He promises that no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.

I hope today finds you with a sense of gratitude for how life is. Even if you're in the midst of some adversity The Lord has a way of bringing us through tough times. So, I guess today the one word would be thankful. My wife has that word in a decorative display in our kitchen, right over the sink where she does the dishes. "Thankful." It reminds us both of the attitude that helps to express the goodness of God in the land of the living.

May God richly bless you today and give you great reason to be thankful, and then help you and me to remember why!

Two Threats To Faith

At the end of Paul's life he wrote these words, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith...." That last phrase stuck with me as I read it the other day. Keeping the faith is something that all believers in Jesus Christ must do. It is by faith that we are saved, and by faith that we live this life of obedience to our Savior each day. We trust God in the good and bad times of life.  Both of those seasons of life however,  have their pitfalls.

In the days of adversity, we can be prone to waver, to doubt if God really is in control. We can give in to despair and discouragement, and instead of trusting Him to work things out for good, we take things into our own hands. That usually doesn't work out to well, and we end up making things worse than they need to be. That's not keeping the faith.

But the same can be said when things are going great.  We are experiencing blessings, plenty of finances, health is good, kids are doing great, job is good and rewarding, everything is good and we lack nothing. The danger here is twofold. When we see prosperity we may get paranoid and start to worry. We anticipate some trial is just around the corner, and God is blessing us so that we will have the emotional and spiritual resources to face it when it falls on us. We live waiting for the other shoe to drop. That is not keeping the faith.

Or we enjoy the blessings but forget where they come from. We may forget that these seasons of blessing and provision are from the gracious character of God, Who loves us and gives us all things richly to enjoy. We live without giving thanks to God our provider.  That is not keeping the faith either.  What do we do then?

In adversity, we turn to God in prayer, humbly trusting that ultimately we are in His good and loving care. We remember that He knows our situation, and as we take care of the things we can, we cast our burden upon Him and by faith believe He will do more than we can ask or think.

In  times of blessing, we simply remember from where our help comes. It is from the Lord Who created heaven and Earth.  We worship Him in humble gratitude for His provision and care, and determine to be wise stewards of the prosperity He has bestowed.  Yes, that includes paying our tithe!  We turn our hearts to Him in love, acknowledging His love for us.

So in whatever season of life you may be in today, good times or rough, remember that by faith you can do all things through Christ Who strengthens you.  Keep the faith. Fight the fight. Finish your course. The reward of heaven itself will be your prize as you stand before the Almighty God and hear, "Well done good and faithful servant."

An Enduring Work Of God

Sometimes we as followers of Jesus Christ and part of His church don't realize as often as we should the marvel of what we are part of. We are members of His kingdom, His inheritance, and are destined to be with Him forever in a glorious dwelling in heaven. Eternity has begun for us already, by virtue of salvation and the forgiveness of our sins, and the subsequent dwelling of His Holy Spirit within us.

We are part of an entity that is indestructible and secured for glory. I know we don't often think of the church in those terms, but it is the reality none the less.  If we think about it for a minute we will realize that the church has faced opposition and resistance from the very beginning of her existence. She has faced cruelties and hostilities of every kind yet still can not be eliminated.  How many tyrants and political movements have tried to snuff the church out of existence in their own countries, let alone the world, and have failed?  History is full of examples. How many times has the church fallen into complacency, odd doctrines and heresies, materialism, superstition, conflict, sins and moral failure? Examples of those times are many also. Yet, when the church of Jesus Christ is at the lowest ebb of spiritual vitality, or beset by cruel enemies about to destroy her, God pours out what is described in Scripture a " Spirit of grace and of supplication."

God works in His own people to move us to pray, repent, confess, and to seek Him for help and strength to overcome, and be delivered.  God responds as we respond to His Spirit of prayer and repentance.  History has many examples of that as well. Revivals have come upon a feeble church over and over, and not only is the church restored, but society and culture is moved forward and enhanced as well. The church is indestructible because God willed her into existence before creation, and you and I are part of this great and wonderful, predestined work of God.

So when discouraging circumstances face you or surround you, remember what you are part of. God is for you, what can be against you? God has freely given us His Son Jesus to insure our salvation. Will He let difficult events destroy you or me or any of His people? He will not. He has not in the past, He will not today, for He is determined to have a people with Him through all of eternity.  Let that be your strong assurance today.  Respond to God's Spirit of prayer, seek Him, obey His wise instruction, find security knowing that He is for you, as He has been for all His church in all ages.

Thankful Thoughts

Thinking about the many blessings that people enjoy because of faith in Jesus Christ.  As I look over the recent years of my life I can recognized the hand of God in many areas. There was a time when financially, things were pretty precarious. Our income dropped and we had fallen behind on bills, were dealing with phone calls from various creditors, and generally very tight as far as our budget was concerned.

Personally, I had a job that I was happy with, but not really contented as I worked each day.  There was a sense of restlessness, a feeling deep down that there was something else I should be about. My wife and I remained faithful in prayer, attended our church to worship the Lord, remained faithful to tithe a full tenth of  our income.  We believed God would somehow bring us to more quiet waters. But even if He did not, we were willing to serve Him regardless, knowing that even though our finances were tight and scarce, we really didn't lack anything.  Our priorities were set.  The real necessities of our life were all met and we seemed to always work things out. It was rough at times, but we found that the Lord was always faithful.  And even in those times when His schedule was different than ours {or the due date} things always smoothed out.

But today as I sit to write these things I am one who is very much aware of God's blessings and His keeping Presence. The past year and a half has been a time of provision and quiet but sure increase. Finances are the area I've chosen to highlight but there are many other aspects of our walk that God's favor and blessings are evident.  Our family, our finances, our ministry, our spiritual development and insight, our influence for the Gospel's sake, all these areas of life for us are experiencing the hand of God's touch and increase. The turbulent times are behind us for now, and we live with the realization that although we are comfortable now, we do not want to become complacent in our comfort zone.  Each day we receive as an opportunity to receive from the Lord, so that we may minister to others. Our tithe has gone up, as has our missions giving, and this may seem strange, but every time I send off some bills by mail, I actually pray and thank God that I can pay them as they drop into the mailbox. I actually pray for God to bless our bills! Can one do that? Well, I'm doing it!

But the greatest of all His provisions is the sense of trust and faithfulness that I have each day. Not that I trust God, but that I have learned more than ever that He is trustworthy.  Not that I am faithful to pay my tithe, or give to missions, but that He is the true faithful One. I know that my faith in Him, imperfect as it is, is not misplaced.

If anyone reading today is in a tough spot of any kind, stay true in your devotion and commitment to Jesus Christ. Know that for sure, someday some way, He will surely make things better. You are never out of His care. The day will certainly come when you will sit and say, surely the mighty God has done great things for me. In fact, start saying that today! Start confessing and acknowledging the ways God has blessed and will bless you and your situation.  He is not far from any of us, if we will but look for Him in the day to day, we will find Him and be greatly comforted as we see His care even in the small things of a normal day.

May God bless and fill you with overflowing confidence and hope as you face your struggle, and may you have a sense of victory that is already yours because of Jesus Christ. 

Not Just Anyones God

The Psalmist writes a very profound passage in Psalm 89:26. He writes," He will cry to me,  You are my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation." I guess what stood out to me about this is the order of the titles he uses for God. First he calls God Father, then his God, then the rock of his salvation.

In the context the writer is writing of David the king, how God called him from obscurity to be the king of Israel, who would serve with the fear of God.  But I was reminded of the relationship between people and God. For any one of us to be in right standing with Him, we have to be brought into His family, His kingdom. That is something that only God can do. He must by His Holy Spirit cause us to be deeply aware of our sins, and turn in true repentance to Christ Jesus for forgiveness, which will result in what Jesus called being born again. When we are born again, we are born of His Spirit, therefore our spiritual life has God as its' source, and we are brought into our place with His holy people. He has become our Father.

Then and only then, can we call Him our God. Before we are born again, we may be religious, or have some sense of God, or an idea of who He is, but He is not our God. He must be our Father first, before He can be our God. He is God regardless, but He is not our God until He saves us and brings us into the family of God through Jesus Christ. Then He becomes ours, and we cherish the relationship we now have with Him.

We cherish that relationship because we find Him to be faithful, dependable.  His promises are solid and unwavering. We discover that what our God says, He will certainly do and bring glory to His name in doing so. He does only what is right, good, honorable, and ultimately beneficial for us and for all concerned. In the darkest times of life, we find that He, our God, our Father who is in heaven, truly is the Rock of our salvation. We face the trials of life with strength He supplies because we are His own people.  There are many people who are not in the family of God who show great courage and strength in times of adversity. They have a greater capacity to endure hardship than others, and that's a good quality to have. But even so, they do not have the Eternal Rock of salvation that Christians do. Often such people after going through a tragedy or season of trial can get bitter, or resentful. Perhaps they will even blame God for allowing it to happen to them. He is not their Father.  He is our Father, our God and the Rock of our salvation.  The same trials make the child of God more humble, more sensitive to the hurts of others, and able to empathize with them.

May you enter into this relationship today through faith in Jesus Christ. May we also guard and cherish our relationship even more so in these days of lawlessness.  May we be firmly secured on the Rock of our salvation.

A Soul Building Discipline

We live in some very turbulent and volatile times. It seems as though to find a sense of peace or a sense of inner tranquility, we have to go into hiding from all the blast of media that constantly brings troubling news or something they call news, to our hearing.  We can't even pump gas into our vehicles without a little screen spewing out some commercial or the latest racket that media types decide we need to know.  The hostility all around us can become so heavy and burdensome that it actually affects our mood, mentality,  perhaps our conduct and the ability to look optimistically into the future.  At any rate if you're like me, you get tired of all the clamor. Where does one go to find shelter and a relief so that we can stop and consider what is of true value?

One path I have found through all the din of the day is to begin each day in the quiet. That is, spend about half an hour, or an hour if you can, alone with just yourself, your Bible, and the Spirit of God. If you start with yourself and your Bible, the Spirit of God will be there. This practice does wonders to bring focus to our soul, and to receive from God the inner strength and presence of mind needed to meet each day and all the activities that are surely there for us.  We not only receive from God but somehow He summons for us strengths and character traits we perhaps did not know we had. We reinforce those good qualities He endowed us with as He formed us in the womb, and the good habits we've learned along the way.  {Not to mention dropping some bad ones we've picked up along the way also!}The Spirit of God will highlight some verse or passage of the Bible that will be particularly meaningful to us and we find it to be very encouraging.

Now, this is not an easy fix or some superficial religious practice. When we start out to build this discipline into our life, that's precisely what is needed-discipline. We have to have enough mastery over our natural inclinations to say no to whatever might distract us from this time of quiet, and purposefully carry out this soul building activity. There will be ample distractions, reasons to "skip it for today," and put this time on the back burner.  We must be determined to have this as part of our lifestyle.  One helpful hint is this: Do not make time for this in your schedule, start with this time, and build the rest of your schedule around it. 

Soon, it will be so natural for you, so much a part of you, that you will regret it, miss it, if you don't have it one day.  This practice will not silence the loudmouthed media types, and the racket of the "entertainment" industry, but it will provide you with the calmness of soul and sense of priority that will help you navigate your way through the blast we experience daily.

One other small thing will help as well, just hit that off button on the remote, turn on some good music instead while you read that book. 

Give Yourself A Chance

There are times in a Christians experience when the reality of our sinfulness bears down on us with a heavy sense of condemnation. We feel like the younger brother in Jesus' parable of the prodigal son. This young man in the story took all his inheritance from his father early, before his father had actually passed away. This in itself was a serious insult to his father and all the family, but that's not all of it. He then went into a distant country and spent it all in carousing and a debauched lifestyle, until finally there was none left. He was broke and had to work for a landowner feeding swine. 

When he realized his foolishness and wrong ways, he was overcome with guilt and shame for the way he had been. He decided to go back to his fathers house and ask if he could work and have a place to stay. In his mind he wasn't worthy to be his son anymore. He was overcome with shame and guilt and would be happy to be like one of his fathers employees. 

In one way he was right. He knew he had lived in a shameful way and wasn't worthy of any of the benefits that came by being a son in that family. But his solution was wrong. He thought the answer was to work his way into some kind of acceptance with his father, and maybe things would improve over time. After all, anything was better than the way he was living, among swine and the foulness that came with that.  His idea was based on his performance, a work based, merit based mindset. He thought, "If I do good enough, maybe it will make up for the bad that I've done."

Christians can slip into that mentality as well. We say we're saved by sheer grace not by our goodness or good deeds, yet act as though God's favor and love depends on how well we live.  When a sense of guilt or awareness of our sinfulness comes upon us, many times we purpose to,"do better" and to "overcome" or to be "more vigilant" in the future. 

We become like the young man in this parable. It's good that we confess our wrongs, but trying harder is our mistake. We need only to accept God's real forgiveness and welcoming grace to get the peace of mind we long for as we realize that just as Gods grace was sufficient to brings us to salvation, it is sufficient to keep us in salvation also.

Now, of course we need to repent and turn from our wrong ways no matter what they might be. But Christ offers love, forgiveness, mercy, cleansing, renewing, and reviving to those who call upon Him in simple faith and trust. 

Don't live under a self imposed burden of doing better next time. Rather, let Jesus relieve your soul of the burden of sin, guilt and the shame that nags at us from time to time. By faith, believe and receive His promise. He will not fail you, or burden you with even more weight. Instead, He will lift your load Himself, and let you be free to rejoice in His goodness and perfect love. 

While It Is Still Today

I was thinking about time this morning. Time is that which really has no real image or portrait.  I know we measure it in hours, days, months, and so on, but that's not quite what I mean.  To a person trying to recover from an addiction, the "rest of his life" sounds like and impossibility to abstain from whatever has been troubling him.  To a ten year old kid who can't wait until his sixteenth birthday, six years is a long  time to wait so that he can finally drive the dream car he might be imagining in his mind. To a person who is approaching his ninetieth birthday, he may look back and wonder where all the time has gone. How did ninety years go by so quickly?

Moses prayed a prayer that asked God to, "...teach us to number our days, so that we may present to You a heart of wisdom." Jesus told His followers to, "...not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." James in his letter reminds us that we, "...are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away." None of us are guaranteed tomorrow, or the rest of today for that matter. We have no assurance that our lives will go on for a long time or a short time. What we do know is that we are here today, this moment, and this is where these verses can be an exhortation for us.

We live each day one day at a time. We've heard it said that yesterday is gone, tomorrow is not promised, so make the most of today.  That's good advice especially for the follower of Jesus. We can live today with a view of being the type of person God calls us to be. We can utilize our time in each day to make the best use of the hours we've been given. We can shape our attitude and thinking to purposefully remember God's promises to us, and His instructions to us as to how we can and should live. The past is over. The future is in the hand of our Almighty Savior, who wants nothing but our best and His glory through our lives.  We can choose to live with this mindset-today.

This doesn't mean that we don't set goals for the future, we should. Nor does it ignore the reality that sometimes past actions have negative impact on our lives today.  What it offers us is the reality that negative consequences of the past on today will  not last forever. There will be an end to the struggle. We know we can handle them-today.  It also means that we can chart our course to achieving our goals, work toward them under the Lordship of Christ, faithfully doing what we're able to do-today.

We can do either of those for one day!


So no matter where we find ourselves on this continuum we call time, whether we're looking ahead into a future that seems so far away, or looking back wondering how we got to where we are now, it's a good idea under the mighty hand of our Savior Jesus to ask, how should I live-today? What should I BE, takes priority over, what should I DO.  We will be amazed at how God will guide and create doors of opportunity as His good and perfect will unfolds upon the life that is devoted to Him for just one day-today!

My prayer for us all is to have a blessed day-today!

No Scripture Verse Needed

I saw a rare example of love this morning. I was at an assisted living facility where I serve as a chaplain and was visiting with a man who was there to see his wife. She has been a resident at this place for around two years, and is suffering from an ailment that greatly reduces her mental and emotional abilities. Eventually it will take her life, and that day seems to be approaching quickly. As we talked he shared some pictures with me of better times, times that were not that long ago, and he was very grateful for the days that he and his wife were able to live, share with their sons, and experience the joys and blessings that sometimes we take for granted.

Now she is in hospice care, and sleeps most of the time, yet he comes every day to see her, care for her, as he has every day for the past two years. She recognizes him when she wakes up, smiles and appreciates him being there, but those moments are few now and very fleeting. Yet, this man comes each day, stays all day until the evening, and lovingly cares for his wife in the best way he knows how.

As we talked I could sense the burden in his soul, the unvoiced hurt of seeing his wife of more than sixty years in such a hurtful and weakened condition, and his own loneliness. He missed his wife.  But he still spoke of God's grace, His control in all things, and that somehow he finds strength and courage to "dig in" as he put it, and go forward and get things done that need to be done.

I was very deeply moved by the depth of his love and devotion to his wife who is in desperate need of his love and support.  Even though she may not realize her own surroundings or condition the majority of the time, he is there for her.  His love for her and commitment to care for her is not dependent on her acknowledgement.  He is there regardless. If there is a more fitting example of the love of God in Christ, I have yet to see it. This husbands life and love is a living scripture verse, and speaks more beautifully of the love of Jesus, than the most eloquent sermon.

Are You A Sacrifice?

For most followers of Christ a morning devotion or prayer time is a habit that we have developed and have found to be useful and beneficial. We'll spend some time reading the Bible and praying.  I usually have my prayer time in the morning, but anytime is fine, the point is to spend some time alone with God in prayer and listening to His still voice apart from the hectic pace of our usual routine.

I noticed an interesting passage that made me think of the benefits of such a discipline. It is in Psalm 5:3, " O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;  in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch."  This verse is in the ESV version of the Bible and I really appreciated the wording of this verse. The psalmist of course is referring to the ritualistic offering of an animal or grain sacrifice required of the Old Testament people of Israel. Fortunately, we who are followers of Jesus no longer need to offer such sacrifices because the perfect sacrifice, Jesus Himself, has been offered for us, once for all time and our sins are forgiven and wiped away because of that.

However, there is another sacrifice that we offer and are encouraged by Scripture to offer it each day. Romans 12:1 tells us to offer our very bodies, ourselves as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God. Isn't this what our devotion or prayer time is designed to do? It is there in those quiet moments that we recommit ourselves to obey our Savior. There is where we decide to follow Him throughout our coming day, or to review and evaluate the day as it draws near to a close. It is the time when we in prayerful decision and faith say, not my will, but Yours be done today Lord. That is the sacrifice that we are making.

Each day in our devotional time we decide to reject sin, fear, discouragement, sorrow, illness, poverty, lack, despair, and any other hurtful or negatives that we are so easily prone to.  Conversely, we receive holiness, courage, motivation, hope, faith, joy, health, abundance, provision, encouragement, and other positives by faith, trusting our God to provide them all in His own way and time. Personally, I do this for real, and out loud. I say, verbally, " Lord I reject fear, discouragement...etc. and then, I receive holiness, courage, ...etc."

Our devotional time is when we are preparing ourselves to be a living sacrifice, not only so we can gain blessings, but so we can be people who pass them on to others and let them know that as God has done for us, so He will do for them through faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin.

Are you preparing a sacrifice today? You are the sacrifice! Maybe you need to start a devotional time as part of your daily routine. I would strongly encourage you to do so if you haven't yet. But as you do, remember that it's not just a good habit to develop, but rather it is an expression of Lordship and a willingness to follow our Lord where ever He leads, and into whatever plan He may have for us.

That is preparing a sacrifice, but then by faith, watch! Watch and see how God will bless, lead, comfort and fulfill the longings of our hearts!

Truth, Freedom, Division

One of the most sublime utterances of Jesus is found in John 8:31-32, "If you continue in my word then you are truly disciples of mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."   They are words of great promise yet great mystery for those who heard them back in that day, as well as today. They promise to make people free, but free from what? They responded to Jesus by saying they were not slaves, what did He mean free? He told them of the slavery that holds us all in a death grip and that is sin. The reality of sin is that each one of us is born into it, and it is inbred into us from day one. It enslaves us and we are prone to do things that cause hurt to ourselves and those around us, and eventually will destroy our lives and lead us to death for eternity apart from Jesus Christ and all of the new reality in glory.

Jesus said that the way to freedom is conditional. It is dependent on what we decide to do about Jesus Christ and His word preserved for us in the Bible. He said if we continue in His word, then we are His followers, those who are learning from Him daily.  That is the path to freedom. Any other way is a cruel delusion and snare of the enemy of all humanity the devil. It isn't accepted by very many in today's culture that there is only one singular path to peace with God and to heaven, but Jesus said that is exactly the case. No one can come to the Father but by Jesus, and even then it is the convicting, drawing action of the Holy Spirit that enables us to move forward to decision.  Offensive as it may be to some, that is the path to freedom taught by Jesus.  

When truth is received, it brings the freedom from sin that we all need. But it also brings a division between people.  Now, this might sound like a bad thing, since we as a nation seem to be more divided than ever before in our history.  But it isn't. Rather, it is a positive division that reaches across all races, economies, classes, even families. It divides humanity into two categories- those who belong to God through faith in Christ and those who do not.  It is those who are continuing in the faith and those who are not.  It is those who are continuing in the words of Christ in obedience and deepening faith who are His followers.  They will be increasingly distinct from the corruption and sin of this world and will be able to demonstrate the higher life of a follower of Jesus Christ. This is a godly and positive division enacted by Jesus Himself. 

So don't be afraid of the right type of division. Take your stand for the truth, and demonstrate the path of freedom to people who are enslaved, and do not even realize it. It is no accident that the freedoms we enjoy in our nation were derived from truth, the truth of the Bible that our founders recognized.  It will be no accident for you either, when you stand for truth in your personal life, that freedom from sin and that which destroys will be increasingly abundant for you. The truth really will set you and me free.

The Joy Of The Anointed

One aspect of salvation that I recently noticed is that one of the characteristics of our Savior Jesus, is that of joy. He was according to Psalm 45, "...anointed with the oil of joy above your companions." This is great news and something to get hold of in these confused times. One thing that will help a person through difficult circumstances is a joyful attitude, and a positive outlook. It's not at all that we are unaffected by the challenges of life and the real tragedies that people experience, we all have or share and yes we feel the grief. But what is good news is that believers in Jesus have within us the Holy Spirit Who is from God Himself. Sometimes He is called the Spirit of Christ, and part of the traits of His Person is joy.   We are able to endure the hurts of life when they come because we have within us an overflowing source of joy and confidence that is fueled by faith in Jesus and His keeping power.
The church at Thessalonica was commended by the apostle Paul for their joy when they received the word of the Lord even though they endured much tribulation while doing so. It cost them something to follow Christ and reject the idols that they had known for generations in that culture.  That joy was not of themselves, or their own psyche, or their own human nature. It came from Him who is anointed with the oil of joy from before the foundation of the world. He sent His Spirit into their hearts and minds and they were able then to choose joy over sorrow. They were able to exercise faith,  rejecting doubt and to find the courage to press forward, rather than shrink back in fearfulness. This is a benefit and a vital aspect of the equipping work of God, Who gives us all we need for life and Godliness. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, and we will do well to cultivate an attitude of  gratitude, praise, thankfulness, worship, which in due time will all culminate in....joy! Actually, the presence or the absence of joy might even be an indication of the extent of Christ's Lordship in our lives. If He is Lord over all things as we say He is, then joy will be a result because He wants only good for us and will do only good. That's reason for joy. So today start by relaxing, give thanks to God for all His benefits to us, and simply but willfully receive His perfect will.  Then by faith, thank Him for the joy of the Lord that truly is our strength.

A Dark Revelation

1st John 5:19 holds these words, "We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one."   I recall the first time I read those words as a new believer in Jesus. The newness of salvation was very real, and I had a deep sense of gratitude and humility to know that my many sins had been forgiven. Beyond that however, was the sense that now I was no longer living with a sense of futility and a pointless existence. Although I was newly saved, in my immaturity I knew what life, reality, the purpose for humanity was all about. God was real, and He had come to this world in the Person of Jesus Christ to seek out lost people like myself and grant us a place in His kingdom. It was a deep sense of relief, determination to follow, and an urgent drive to let others know about this marvelous possibility.
Then I came across these words in 1 John and the reality of what I had just read stunned me in a very dark way. I say dark because it was clear to me that the "whole world" means the whole world. It means that all the greatness this world produces, the great intellects, accomplishments, inventions and endeavors, all of it is in the grip of the evil one. The plans of this world and it's lofty goals and Utopian visions are nothing but the agency of rebellion against God, orchestrated by the enemy of God, the evil one, or Satan, the Adversary.  As far as I looked, there was bondage. As broad as I could think, there was delusion. Apart from Jesus Christ the whole world was in the grip of the evil one. It stunned me in such a way, that I had a very heavy and saddened heart for several days. Yet, it was all to real, and became more evident as I pondered those heavy words.
Today these words are still true, this world is the place of bondage and locus of corruption.  Yet, as I gradually began to come out of this funk back then, so we can find hope and the optimism of faith because of what Jesus has done. Bondage in this world is there, but so is the opportunity for liberation and freedom. Jesus has overcome this world, and the enemy of us all, the evil one. The realization of liberty and purpose is something that can break into our thoughts suddenly, or gradually dawn upon us as God the Holy Spirit brings us along His sovereign path.
If you have been dazed by a sense of futility and despair, that isn't all bad. Maybe it is God trying to show you the emptiness of the adversary's lie about what life is about. Perhaps He is getting you lost before getting you saved, increasing the darkness before shining the Light. The Light is Jesus. He desires to set you free from the bondage and corruption that this world is. Those dark times of life are not easy to live through. Yet, there is an end to them.  There is light at the end of those seasons. Put your faith and trust in Jesus, because the next verse after 1 John 5:19 declares this to you and me, " And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life."  vs 20.  That is the light that will dissipate all the darkness of our souls. I'm forever grateful that He has granted me a measure of understanding in this reality. I hope you find the same, through Christ Jesus today!

Great Privilege Heavy Responsibility

I was reading two passages of scripture recently that stood out to me about the privilege and the responsibility of the act of preaching. On the one hand Isaiah 52:7 talks in a poetic kind of way about the beauty of the feet of one bringing good news. Of course it refers to the great privilege and the joy with which the herald is received when he brings good news from a distant land.  In many ways that is how the preaching of the Gospel is to us. The preacher is one who should be received with joy, gratitude and refreshing, because he brings the good news of salvation to sin weary souls. It is the great honor of the messenger to be called to bring such a message. Not everyone can do this eternally significant task. It is granted to one called by God, equipped and empowered to do so and one whose heart is made fit to discern and deliver the spiritual words of God to man via the Gospel of Christ. It is privilege, but also responsibility, for he must take care to be submitted to God and in a right frame of mind and soul as he serves God in this fashion.
But it is a privilege for the hearers also. Who are they that hear the word of God? There are millions of people around the world, who have not heard the Gospel. They don't even know that there is a Gospel to be heard, but we hear it.  Now that we have heard, we have a responsibility to act on it. This is a grave and huge decision for us. Will we take to heart what we have heard? Will we respond to Gods gracious act of reaching out to us by way of this message? God leaves that decision up to us. Oh, He grants grace, convicts our hearts, makes us aware of our needs, warns us of impending judgment for those who refuse Him, but in the last analysis, it is our decision. What a grave responsibility is hearing the Gospel! On the one hand the offer is made,"the Spirit and the bride say come, the one who thirsts, come!" But on the other hand, "Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong, the one who is filthy, still be filthy." God does all He does, but our responsibility remains. So, he who preaches and they who hear the message preached, have great privilege, yet a dreadful corresponding responsibility. I trust that the next time you hear the message of Christ you will be grateful that you do hear it. I also hope that you will realize the great consequence of your decision to believe or not to believe. Let God be your influence and trust Him with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. The proclamation goes forth daily. Let your yes to God be renewed every day.

Grace That Hurts!

Do we ever think of adversities as a means of Gods grace? I usually don't but I was the other day as I stopped to consider the many ways God acts to bring us into the place of His will and subsequent blessings.  I guess what brought it on was thinking of Jonah, a prophet in the Old Testament who was called by God to preach a message of warning to a people he hated. They were the enemies of Israel, and Jonah did not want God to show any mercy to them, even by way of a warning. So, Jonah did what any disobedient child of God would do he ran away. He purposefully tried to avoid his mission by getting on a ship to Tarshish, paying the fare and settled in for the trip. But the fare was more than he was willing to pay. God had a plan for Jonah, and God, unlike Jonah, or you and me, is faithful to carry out His plan no matter what it might take. It was a manifestation of Gods grace. God pursued Jonah by a storm, the loss of cargo and money, Jonah felt the scorn of the men on the ship, he was cast overboard, swallowed by a huge fish, and finally spit up by the fish on shore. It's hard to think of these adverse circumstances as being part of God's grace for Jonah, but that's what it was.  God was pursuing him because He is merciful and God wanted Jonah to know that it is always better to do God's will, even reluctantly for a time as it was for this prodigal prophet. Although Jonah was upset because the people of Nineveh heeded the warning and God showed mercy to them, God's plan was accomplished. Jonah was still upset, a little like the older brother in Jesus' parable about the prodigal son, but God was glorified and His mercy triumphed, even if for a season.
Now the question for us is, are the difficult circumstances in your life the result of wrong choices or even sins on your part like Jonah? Are you trying to run away from what you know is true? Are you trying to avoid God's plan for yourself and your family? Maybe God is trying to get your attention and call you back to where you and He know you belong. These troubles just may be the activity of grace from God in His relentless pursuit of your soul and affections. That is mercy.  He could just let you go and today, even as you read,  you would be dead, in a free fall to eternal destruction. Instead, He is pursuing you, calling you, chastening you by these circumstances that are causing pain now, but will soon bear the fruit of salvation and righteousness. The key is how you respond! Unlike Jonah, let's heed the grace and call of God today. He promised He would return to us, if we only would return to Him. Let today be your day of renewal, and hope and the place to start over. His grace is here, and is more than sufficient.

A Life Worthy Of Our Call

The Bible encourages us to "walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called." This has been brought home to me over the past few days and I do have some thoughts on the subject. First, I think we understand that we're not just talking about a walk we take. He is talking about our lifestyle and our personal conduct from day to day. The apostle Paul reminds us to live in such a way that our actions and attitudes will bring honor to Jesus, for Whom we live. We don't want to be guilty of giving occasion for people to think or speak wrongly of Christ because of our poor example of what it is to be a christian.
Rather than allowing this command to become a burden in our thinking, let's be reminded that such a life is possible because we have a companion Who is constantly present to help us in this lifestyle. It is the Holy Spirit Who Jesus said will be within us and also among us as we meet together as worshipers.  He is sent to dwell within us and because He is present, He gives us the strength to do what we never could or would do on our own. He empowers us to follow Christ with our entire mind, soul, and strength. Because of His presence there are now certain things we just don't want to do, and there are other things we do want to do, and if you are like me, we do what we want to do. It's easy to do the things we want to do, and Christ gives us His empowering Spirit that creates in us new desires that honor Him and we do those things that we now want to do. So our walk, or lifestyle, becomes a life that is a bit different from the rest of the culture we are a part of. It is a life that truly does demonstrate that Christ has done something radical within us, and as a result, we are not the same as others. We are the called, the redeemed, the elect people of God Almighty, and our lives reflect that new reality. I hope that as you read, you can take a quick inventory of what life looks like through you. What message is your life sending to people around you?  Are you living up to your God given, Spirit empowered potential? Let today be the day when you say Lord I submit to Your Lordship in all of my life. Do what You will through me and in me! That is the beginning of a life set apart, worthy of the calling to which we are called as followers of Jesus.

Take A Short Walk

Reading Psalm 48 to day and I found these words, "Walk about Zion and go around her; count her towers; consider her ramparts; go through her palaces, that you may tell it to the next generation."  I was greatly encouraged by the thoughts that these words brought to my mind because it reminded me of the great protection and safety that we as believers in Jesus Christ are granted. Now obviously, we can't literally walk about Zion, but we can think and reflect on the characteristics described here so that we may find courage to stay strong in our faith and hope.
The Psalmist says to consider her ramparts. A rampart is something that is raised as a protective barrier, made into a fortified bulwark or stronghold. It reminds us of the security we have as our heavenly Father is constantly watching over us. Enemies come and go in our christian experience, but we have the strong presence of God as our defense.  We count her towers as well, because from the towers of a heavenly perspective we can approach life in a wisdom that is from above, that is, born of the Holy Spirit's abiding presence with us. We are learning to view life from a biblical perspective, one that elevates our attitude, faith, confidence and courage. The tower of faith allows us to see that no matter what may happen in our life situations, Jesus is Lord. He is the One Who is in control of everything that takes place not only in our lives, but in the entire cosmos, seen and unseen.
This is great news and a great way to live our lives.  We need to be vibrant believers in this time, and the people coming behind us need to know that life is so very deep and profound. There are things to realize. People need to look to God as He is revealed to us in the Bible.  When we take the time to "walk about Zion," we may understand that in spite of all the hurts and confusion in this world, we have nothing to fear, not even fear itself, because we can bring our fears to Zion, where our mighty Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ dwells in great glory and authority. He knows our anxious thoughts and concerns. He will remove them and speak peace to or souls.
Take the time to reflect for a moment about the power and glory that God exerts in mercy, truth and great patience. Be aware and assured, that God will indeed guide us to our very last day, and then receive us into His heavenly Presence forever.

The Sustaining Side Of Joy

Perhaps you've heard the phrase that is taken from the Bible, the joy of the Lord is our strength. It is a true saying and communicates a true benefit that we gain in our walk with our Lord Jesus Christ. But lately I have had some differing experiences with that joy.
Sometimes the joy of the Lord is a joy that is empty of the emotional hilarity that is often associated with joy. The emotions of  happiness, excitement, high energy, perhaps a giddiness are absent. Rather it is a joy that flows from the sure confidence and certainty that God Almighty is in control of all things. Although people all around us live and move in the haze and murkiness of a life without Christ, outside the fellowship with the God Who formed them, the Christian lives with the awareness that his Lord and Savior is fully aware and attentive to all that concerns us.  The Holy Spirit of God is acting in our world today, yet barely noticeable, hardly perceived. The gravity of so many disregarding His Presence and activity is something that can cause a gracious soul to become burdened with deep concern or even despair in our situation.
Yet our joy is real and present.  It is not depleted by the flow of heightened emotional expressions. Rather it is a source of strength and a quiet foundation that allows us to grasp victory in the midst of falleness.  We have joy and its subsequent strength, because we are confident that God is not moved by the sin and dysfunction in society. His will is  not diminished or hindered by the rebellion of His creation. The murkiness of culture only gives opportunity for light to dispel the haze.
Therefore, when we realize that God has called us to be part of His work in all of this brokenness, and that He has secured our place in the glorious hereafter, we have great joy that doesn't dissipate when we experience it. Instead we have the strength of joy, the certainty of victory, and the impetus to continue forward against any obstacle.
That's one aspect of the joy of the Lord being our strength. May it increase in all of us.

Sanctuary City

Many of us appreciate the Psalms because we identify with the emotions of the writers as they experience difficult times of life. We know how they feel, and their words really connect with our hearts when we are burdened with concerns and issues of our own life situations.
But there is a Psalm that is overflowing with joy, and that actually is a prayer of David for the success and victory of the people of God. In Psalm 20, we have an explosion of grace and praise as he prays for the victory and well being of God's people and that's what I want to draw attention to for you as you read these words today.
The prayer is for God to answer us in a day of trouble, which we are living in today. Our times are troubling there's no question about that. But he prays that when we experience personal trouble and sorrows that God will quickly answer our prayer and meet our needs. He prays that God will send help from the sanctuary in which He dwells. I thought about that sanctuary, it is a place of inexpressible light, power, grace, mercy, love and perfection, and of course God Himself, Father, Son, Holy Spirit. From that holy place, may God send forth His help to us as we call upon Him.  In humility and faithful patience, we know that He who promised is faithful, and will do more than we can imagine on our behalf. It gives us great reason to rejoice and to believe that God will find our offerings, our prayers, our times of worship acceptable because of what Jesus Christ has done for us by granting mercy and forgiveness for our sins.
We do not boast in our efforts, we do not boast in our strength or riches, or any wisdom we may have gained, but boast in His Name. Our trust is in Him alone, and as many of us can attest, He has never  disappointed us.  Our help comes from God and from the city of God where all the splendor of the merciful yet mighty God dwells. Our worship and prayers take place here on Earth in the sanctuaries of our churches, but those offerings ascend to the heavenly sanctuary, from where God pours out His Spirit, grace, and mercies each day.
So, if there's trouble in your life today, take heart. There is strength and help available from the heavenly sanctuary of God. Call upon Him and as you do be assured that as David prayed for your good success, I am  too, as are millions of believers around this troubled world. May God send you help from the sanctuary today!

Face The Whirlwind

Today I cant help but remember the words of Hosea when he said the phrase, "For they sow the wind and they reap the whirlwind."
The reason this comes to mind is because of the very distressing state of our nation. At this time, it seems like we are experiencing a great deal of lawlessness, and a disregard for order, rules, due process, and almost all the systems by which we usually govern ourselves. We not only have violence and rioting in the streets of many cities, but we have disorder and near chaos in our governmental chambers as well. This did not just happen overnight, nor did it happen because any one man was elected president. It is happening because it is the culmination of many years, decades of casting off restraint and freely indulging in the most serious sins. In our nation God is regarded as no longer relevant to public consideration.  His precepts that framed our culture and provided guidance and context for our laws and cultural norms have been rejected. We have allowed ourselves to be duped into thinking that there is no real consequences to personal choice. Moral relativism has brought upon us a whirlwind of lawlessness and confusion. We have gone passed the state of mind that says, " what is true for you may not be true for me so let's just get along," into a mindset that says, "it's true because I say it's true, and you are under obligation to respect whatever truth I have created."
With this as the prevailing attitude, is it any wonder that we are seeing the great wave of lawlessness that is drowning our entire culture? Democrats and Republicans have gone past the point of disagreement and hard nosed debate, to open hatred of one another. Hostility, demonizing, character assassination, lies, subversion, false witness have become common practice and the way to do politics today. 
The Bible tells us that all who practice sin practice lawlessness, and that sin is itself lawlessness. The lawlessness we are living in today, is the reaping of many years of personal lawlessness on the part of our citizenry. We ceased to govern ourselves on the personal level, so now we are unable to govern ourselves on the societal level.  Lawlessness prevails.  I can only think of one solution, and that is to pray for our nation, as we as the Body of Christ repent of our own sins. We must begin to weep over the state of affairs we see all around us. Pray for our leaders in spite of their shortcomings or viewpoints. They, like we, need the wisdom from God our Savior. A whirlwind is upon us, but more certainly, the Spirit and grace of God is with us also. This is our only hope today. As one of our leaders would say from time to time, "The answer is not in the White house, but in God's house."

Refreshed

Just thought I would share an experience I had this week. I was having a pretty rough few days spiritually speaking. There was a heaviness in my heart that I couldn't explain. I wasn't really sad about anything, wasn't particularly worried about anything or anyone, just had a sense of gloominess that covered my whole outlook. So, what I normally do when this happens is I sit down and begin to read the Scriptures. Usually I read Psalm 119, and by the time I finish the 176 verses I'm more like my usual self.  But before I had a chance to do this I got a text from our pastor, asking if I could preach this next Sunday morning and lead our prayer time the same Sunday night. Of course I said yes but in my mind I was a bit troubled, because I didn't feel I had any word from the Lord and my frame of mind and gloomy heart just didn't feel up to it.
But I {being the trooper that I am} began to pray and wait for some sense of direction in which to get started. So I already had a Wednesday night to get ready for, now a sermon for Sunday service, and a devotion around which our prayer group could rally and seek the heart of God. All the while this nagging heaviness of heart was dragging on me. But a very uplifting thing happened. As I began my preparations I realized the power of being purposefully and deeply immersed in the Scriptures. Each day as I studied, my heart was more and more lightened, and cheered.  It seemed that since my mind was focused on God, the Scriptures, and me praying, I was carried out of that gloomy slump and brought once more into the clear air of God's light. It was as if I had take a spiritual tonic, that gave me much needed energy to go forward and help get on track again. I needed the assignment of preaching and teaching for this week to get me out of that slump and back into a much better attitude of faith and joy. I'm not sure what that heaviness was, maybe just a bad mood, stress, perhaps even some sort of spiritual warfare and assault from the enemy. But whatever it's source, it was the word of God and His Presence that restored my joy and lifted my out of the gloom.
So I would encourage you next time you have a similar experience, to not retreat into solitude, not to wallow in what is sometimes called,"stinkin thinkin." Rather draw near to God, ask a friend to pray with you and for you, and above all, get into the Scriptures and prayerfully read them as though God were sitting right next to you. We all have times when heaviness comes upon us. But we do not have to be dominated by those feelings. It may take some time, it took me a few days, but as we immerse ourselves in the things of God we find that He has a way of lifting us above whatever gloom there may be.
So now, it's Friday evening and I'm all set for this Sunday, and with the power of God's Spirit, I trust we will have a great day as we worship, hear from Him and just spend some time giving thanks for all that He is.

No Longer Slaves

A few days ago I was reading and praying as I normally do and was very much encouraged at a theme that emerged as I read.  I have a Bible that is set up so that I read through it in one year. It has different selections from the Old and New testaments each day.  I found it for ten bucks at Hobby Lobby, hard cover, and I really like it. Anyway on this day one of the readings was from John Ch. 8 where Jesus promises that if we continue in His word we are truly His followers. Not only that but we are set free from the slavery of sin.  I've read that several times before, but this day it stood out to me a little stronger. I read on following my schedule for that day and came to Proverb ch. 5. At the ending section of that chapter is the warning of being ensnared by the "strange woman." The warning is for young men, but really for all of us to be careful not to be seduced by the deceitfulness of sexual immorality. The reason being is that those who do become captured and held with the cords of their own sins. Again, the theme of slavery and the admonition to remain free was in the words and thoughts as I read.  The next section was in Galatians 4. There I read that we are no longer slaves, but sons of God through faith in Jesus as our Savior.  Before we came to Christ we were slaves to that which is only of nature, fleshly, or worse yet, demonic forces and principalities. But now we are delivered from all that and like Jesus said we are now "free indeed."  Then when I got to church later, our worship team led us in a song that declared, "I'm no longer a slave..."
So, I rejoiced as God reminded me of the great freedom that is mine because of Jesus Christ and I write this to remind you as you read these thoughts to not become trapped by the temptations that are all around us. They are lies that tell us we can do wrongs, sins, immoralities of all types and not be affected by them. The truth is that sin traps us and captures us making our wills the slave of all manner of sinful passions and impulses. They have a way of intensifying, and soon we find ourselves in deep sorrow and troubles that hurt ourselves and those most close to us and bring us into the danger of being lost forever in an eternal hell.
So today, remember that Jesus Christ sets us free from all sin and all bondage.  Don't fall for the lie, don't succumb to the temptation. Rather be strong in the Lord, and remain in the freedom for which Christ has set us free. Perhaps today you can believe in Jesus as your Savior and Lord. Confess your sins, ask His forgiveness, and receive Him into your heart. If you're tired of being led around by your own passions and impulses, remember that the fruit of the Holy Spirit is self control. Take charge of your mind and soul in the power of Jesus and refuse to go any further down that destructive path.  You are free indeed and by the power of God in Christ, there is no reason you cannot remain free.

What Would Jesus Say?

I was reading in 1st Corinthians and was greatly encouraged, and wanted to share this with whoever might come across this post. I was feeling a little discouraged one day. I was very much aware of my failings and weaknesses. You know what I mean. I was thinking about mistakes and doing the should have, could have, would have routine.  Although I don't normally do that to myself, this particular day I was fully engaged in it. So I decided enough of this and sat down with my Bible to read and pray myself out of that frame of mind. I started at chapter one in 1 Corinthians and as I read I was immediately lifted out of that circle of hurtful thoughts.
It struck me that these Christians at Corinth were a group beset by all types of failings and confusion and deliberate sins that they were involved in. They were misusing the gifts of God's Spirit and had all manner of weirdness going on rather than the proper functioning of His Holy Spirit.
So Paul wrote this letter to correct them and provide some guidance. What struck me however, was the way he began his letter. He began with thankfulness to God for these believers. With all the troubles that filled that church Paul was thankful and let them know of his gratitude for them. He reminded them of who they really were in Christ, in spite of the problems and failings that plagued them at this moment. He told them of the grace of God concerning them, he told them they were enriched in Him in every way. They are blessed in all speech, all knowledge, the testimony they have is still valid and confirmed.
He tells these Corinthian saints that they do not lack any gift, but are full of God's Spirit and are waiting with  a Godly eagerness for the return of Jesus. He told them plainly that the God who called them to salvation will confirm them to the end and count them blameless when that great day of judgement comes.
I was greatly relieved as I read these words. This was written to a church with just about everything that could go wrong in a church was happening, yet Paul reminds them not of their failings, but of the grace and salvation of God in Jesus Christ. No need for them to think would have, should have, could have, but rather a gentle reminder of what Jesus has done for them, and who they really are because of that work.
So today if your in that condemnation mode, don't be. Be reminded of what Jesus says of you, not yourself or the enemy. In spite of our failings and undeserving condition, Jesus has had mercy and has enriched us with all things needful for salvation and progress in our faith. It was true for the Corinthians then, and is true for us today. This very day it is true for you child of God. We do make mistakes sure, and we do need to repent and get back on track. But in Christ, we have all we need to do so, and every available power from God to get out of despairing condemnation and into uplifting joy to perseverance and go forward. 
God bless you today. Keep looking up, and walk confidently in what Jesus says of you, not what you might feel like at this moment. He has done it, He will do it and keep us till that great day of glory and joy!

Love Waiting On You

I think the majority of people today don't think much about the never ending and boundless love that God has for His creation.  Specifically His creation the human race. We are not the product of mindless, random chance but are the intentional, purposeful creation of God Himself. We are as the bible teaches created in the image of God. Therefore, Gods love for us is very real and is expressed to us in a myriad of ways each day. But I think one of the most illustrative examples of the love of God for us is in the examples in the bible where God reaches out and restores the wayward person.  Perhaps the most well know is the story of the prodigal son. Here a son insults his father by asking for his inheritance early, and takes it and goes into a far country and squanders it all in a careless and sinful lifestyle. He spends it all and in due time has nothing left and hits rock bottom. As he wastes away literally in a pig sty he realizes the foolishness and wrongfulness of his actions and decides to return home to his father. He plans what he will say and is prepared to be like a hired man, rather than a son, if that's what it will take to make things right. 
As he nears the house, his father is there, looking for him, waiting for him and when he sees him from a great distance, he gathers up his long cloak and runs in a most undignified way for that culture and time, to greet and receive his foolish and wayward son.  Before his son can finish his planned out speech of repentance, his father orders a celebration and gathers everyone together to rejoice that he is safe and sound and back home where he belongs. Now, that's love. It is unconditional, non judgmental, freely given and undeserved love. The story is an example of what Jesus tells us the love of God is like to us. We have squandered our lives apart from God, and have lived in such a way that is foolish and insulting to what God has for us. Yet, His love is expressed to us in the coming of Jesus Christ and His offer of salvation.  Through faith in Him and His death and resurrection, we can be restored to where we belong which is in relationship to God our Creator. Because He paid the penalty for all our wrongs, we receive the unconditional, non judgmental, freely given and undeserved love of God. He even gives us the ability to be truly repentant, that is to be sorry for our sin and willing and able to turn from them and start brand new.  When He tells us to "...go and sin no more,' we are able to do it.
So I hope this finds you in good standing with God through faith in Jesus, but if not please consider what is written here. Ask Christ to forgive you, to restore you and give you a fresh start. Millions have done just that before us, and the same love they have experienced, you and I can experience as well. May God help us to do it!

Why Hesitate?

I wonder how many of us are guilty of coming to the Lord in prayer being very timid in our request and attitude toward Him. I mean, we come to God as if we have to pry the answer to our prayer out of His hands and convince Him to answer our request. This thought occurred to me the other day as I read the account in Genesis of God coming to Abraham to let him know He was about to bring judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah because of the many sins they had committed. 
When Abraham knew what The Lord was intending he began to intercede for the people of that city, just in case there may be a few who were righteous within its borders.  I noticed the hesitation of Abraham as he approached God with his concern. In many ways that is totally understandable. Abraham was not entertaining just any guest. This was his Lord, and our Lord as well, the Creator of heaven and Earth, who will one day judge all people. No wonder Abraham was careful as to how he approached God. Yet at the same time we notice how willing God was to grant the mercy Abraham was asking of Him.  As we read  the account we see Abraham hesitating to ask but still asking. Lord, what if there's fifty righteous? Lord, be patient with me, but what if there's forty?   Lord, don't be angry with me but what if there's thirty? He continues until he is down to ten, and in each case God is quick to say I will have mercy. Finally God said He will spare the city even if there's only ten righteous.
I guess what stood out to me is that, we can be very slow to ask, and when we ask, very slow to expect that God is willing to answer our request. Why? None of us are deserving of His patience and goodness. But He is a good God and willing to show mercy to us daily. His mercy extends even to a Sodom, a Gomorrah, the most wicked people or nations may receive of Gods mercy because of Jesus Christ. So why do we hesitate at times to ask? Maybe we think our sins are to deep for God to pay any attention to us.  Or maybe we think He doesn't concern Himself with me or my situation, after all, many people have much more serious problems then I'm facing.  The truth is that now that Jesus Christ has redeemed us and brought us into His kingdom, we have confident access to His very throne, and His very heart. Hebrews tells us to come boldly into the throne of grace to find help in a time of need. We come boldly, but not arrogantly. 
A leper came to Jesus once and said, "Lord if you're willing you can make me clean."   Jesus response was quick. "I am willing, be cleansed." Just as God was willing to respond to Abraham, and Jesus was willing to respond to the leper, so He is willing to respond to our prayer just as quickly.
So, as this new year begins, let's be bold to ask God for great things and know that He is willing and able, to do more than we can even ask! He is not hesitant, like we can be, but He is patient. I think part of His patience is waiting on a hesitating people who are unnecessarily slow to ask. Ask today! Seek today! Know that His promise is for all who call upon Him in truth and faith.

A Time For Doing Well

As we begin a new year of walking by faith and expectation of the goodness of God, it is well to look back for a brief moment and thank the Lord for all He has done in 2017. I can look back with gratitude for all He has done for me and for our family this past year. Many lessons have been learned and things put into practice that have yielded much fruit and good blessings for us. I hope the same may be said for you and for yours.
But now that a new year is in front of us, I personally do not like to look back to long. The future is always a bit daunting because of the unknown and because that's just how a walk of faith is. There is a sense of expectation of good, a knowledge that in the new year we will have our share of trials like anyone else. But we also know that our God reigns! And as He reigns He holds all things in the palm of His hand and we are safe in the sure ark of His wisdom.
I read in Genesis that God warned Cain to "do well" and if he does not do well sin is crouching at the door with an evil desire to destroy. I took this as a stern yet reassuring warning from the Lord. We must remember, that in the face of all the blessings we enjoy from our Savior, our adversary is never far away. Not only is the enemy of our soul near desiring to destroy us, our own sin nature is also a constant presence and even a threat to our well being. We must always be vigilant against both of those realities.
But I also read that in the midst of the turmoil and overwhelming presence of sin and evil in the ancient world, God provided for His godly remnant an ark of salvation. He led Noah and his family into the safety of that great vessel and they passed through the storm into the other side and into new beginnings. I hope we all experience a new year full of the blessing and protection of Christ our Lord our true ark of salvation and initiator of a new and better covenant. I trust we guard against our enemy, and persevere to victory and greater maturity in our faith and walk with Him.  I hope we make it our purpose, deliberately, to "do well," and to live with an expectation of our lives having an impact for Jesus Christ and His kingdom in our hurting and confused culture and world. God bless,  and have a blessed new year.