How God Defines Blessed

"Do not be afraid when one becomes rich, When the glory of his house is increased; For when he dies he shall carry nothing away; His glory shall not descend after him. Though while he lives he blesses himself (For men will praise you when you do well for yourself), He shall go to the generation of his fathers; They shall never see light. A man who is in honor, yet does not understand, Is like the beasts that perish." - Psalm 49:17-20

I was reading in the Psalms this morning. When I read Psalm 49 it caused me to think about this country and the idea that you are a success (aka blessed) if you are financially secure. That reminded me of a joke I heard about a very rich man. On his death bed he gave instructions to convert all of his assets to gold bars and bury them with him. So he died, his assets were converted and he, with his gold, was buried. When he approached the gates of heaven he was dragging his coffin, filled with gold bars, behind him. He met Saint Peter. 

Let's press the "pause button" on this story for a moment. The belief that Saint Peter is at the gates of heaven is rooted in the biblical verse Matthew 16:18-19, where Jesus tells Peter, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven." This verse is often interpreted as a reference to Peter as the gatekeeper of heaven, allowing entry to those who are faithful and righteous. Which, by the way, is not my interpretation!

Back to the story. So St. Peter asks the man, "What's in the coffin?". The man responded, "All the earthly treasure I accumulated over my life on earth." St Peter raised the lid, looked at the man and said, "Pavement?"

You get the point. What the natural man sees as confirmation and affirmation of success and being right in this life is not how God sees it. A couple verses for context.

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." - 1 Timothy 6:10

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." - Matthew 6:24

Mammon is money, material wealth, or any entity that promises wealth, and is associated with the greedy pursuit of gain. 

It is not wrong to have money or be wealthy - the problem is when money or wealth become small "g" gods in our loves. Our hearts become devoted to something other than Jehovah God.

"And He [Jesus] said to them [the crowd of people], “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’  [Jesus then said] “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." - Luke 12:15-21

I want to encourage you to view God's blessings in your life through the lens of the Word of God and not the world's.

"Blessed is the man whose strength is in You For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness..... For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; O Lord of hosts, Blessed is the man who trusts in You!" - Psalm 84:5, 10-12

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Identifying Counterfeit Faith

"The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good." - Psalm 14:1

In the history of Israel in the Old Testament there was a generational pattern. A generation that knew God, a generation that knew about God and a generation that did not know God. Psalm 14 speaks to that generation. Today - those generations co-exist among the people of the world. There are those know God by faith in Jesus. Those who know about God and are attracted to some aspects of the Christian faith or practice some other faith and are merely religious. And then those who deny that there is a sovereign God. The United States is known to the world as a "Christian" nation, but that is not true. It was founded on Christian principles but is secular in practice. 

The group that does not know God is easy to identify. But there are those who say there is a God - maybe even that they are born again when they are not. They wear a faith label like a moniker. They may even consider themselves to be "non-practicing". They say it to win you over. To trust them. To embrace them. Just because a person says they know God does not mean that they do. Their life and speech life may be a testimony or reputation among men but their hearts will give testimony to God.

"But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." - 1 Samuel 16:7

The prophet Samuel was sent to anoint the new king after God rejected King Saul. God told him that God did not choose a man because of his appearance to men but because of the devotion of  the man's heart to God. 

People can talk about God and say the right things all the while, their hearts can be far from God. 

"For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works." - 2 Corinthians 11:13-15

As a Christian, to know the difference requires spiritual discernment. I have learned that if you listen to people talk long enough eventually they will reveal their hearts. When speaking to the Pharisees, Jesus said ..... 

"Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things." - Matthew 12:34-35

People, in an attempt to win others over may speak about spiritual things without having been born again. There may be people like that sitting next to you in church even. Our challenge is to discern the difference. Do not be deceived. We must be able to know the true Believers from the "false prophets, as it were. People who work in banks learn to identify money that is counterfeit by studying the real thing.  And so should we.

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." - 1 Peter 5:8

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Our Challenge To Be Holy In An Unholy World

…unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. —Matthew 5:20

“The characteristic of a disciple is not that he does good things, but that he is good in his motives, having been made good by the supernatural grace of God. … The purity that God demands is impossible unless I can be remade within, and that is exactly what Jesus has undertaken to do through His redemption… The great wonder of Jesus Christ’s salvation is that He changes our heredity. He does not change human nature— He changes its source, and thereby its motives as well.”  OSWALD CHAMBERS 

"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."  - Isaiah 6:5

When Isaiah was in the presence of the Lord, he was suddenly and painfully aware of his sinful nature. That awareness was inescapable.  His very nature was laid bare before God.  There was nothing He could do to make it right or to hide it.  It was necessary for God to intervene on Isaiah’s behalf. 

“Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.” - Isaiah 6:6-7

In the same way God intervened on our behalf on the day of our rebirth through Jesus. The question that came to my mind this morning is this. After so many days, months or years have passed, are we still aware of our dependence upon the Father’s continued intervention in our lives? That we are a people of unclean lips and cannot stand in the presence of a holy God on our own merit.  Or have we “adjusted” to our new life and really don’t see our sins as being significant. As far as we are concerned, we are maintaining our sin life at an acceptable level.  A little bit of sin is acceptable - to us. The truth of that matter is displayed in the way we live our lives. We must all be on our guard. 

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Well ……. Are you?    

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Keeping Our Promise Never To Forget

"I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.  Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore." - Psalm 121 

Psalm 121 was my paternal grandmother's favorite Psalm. My parents were divorced when I was 2. My grandparents were intentional about including me in their lives. Visiting them over  a weekend. Going on fishing trips to Wisconsin in the summer and fishing in local lakes at other times. She was also intentional about introducing me to Jesus. Not with the Four Spiritual Laws or anything - but in more subtle ways. She taught me manners, how to bake, how to mend and we always prayed before meals - something I never did at home. We would pray - 

"Come Lord Jesus, be our guest. Let this food to us be blessed. By Thy hand we shall be fed. Thank you Lord for our daily bread!" - Yes I still remember it. My message to you is don't think you are not making a difference in the lives of your children or their children. You - we - are like Paul and Apollos.

"I [Paul] planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase." - 1 Corinthians 3:6

Our job is to plant and water - it is God that brings the spiritual increase. 

I remember years later, when I was grown, I was visiting her in a nursing home. I was in the Army and I and my family were never in our home town much. I remember telling her that I would always come to see her. That I would never forget her. She looked at me with kind eyes and said, "Yes you will - Billy (my childhood nickname). You will get busy with life and stop thinking about me." And she was right - as my life got busier, I didn't think about her as much - certainly as much as she deserved.

You know the same thing can happen with us and the Lord. He can be a vital part of our lives when we are young in the faith, but then life happens and we can allow other things to draw us away. We stop thinking about the Lord as much. We become devoted to other things. It is a gradual thing - unnoticeable most often.

We must be intentional to always "lift up our eyes to the hills— From whence comes our help? Our help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow our feet to be moved; He who keeps us will not slumber." 

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

We don't live with a Fire and Forget forget faith

"Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left." - Isaiah 30:21

Our pastor said "You can't walk with God if you are not listening to God." Does that seem like a no brainer? If it does, then my next question would be why do so many Christians struggle with it?

In the military there are some munitions that are fired from jets and helicopters that are called "fire and forget." That means that once the pilot has pushed the button to fire the weapon they don't have to track whatever they fired until it hits the target. They can forget it and move on. Someone or something else - not in the aircraft is tracking the munition.

As Christians, when we are born again or perhaps afterward when we are called by God for a certain task, God does not launch us out into the world and then forget about us. To live our lives successfully we must be in constant contact with the Father. 

"Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper." - Psalm 1:1-3

When we are born again, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit, who is our Helper. The Spirit enables our connection with God. The Word of God provides the context for our relationship. When God speaks to us by the Spirit He does so through the Bible, prayer, circumstances and other Christians. 

"Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, Says the Lord of hosts." - Zechariah 4:6

We should not try to live our lives in our own power and natural abilities or aptitudes. The life we live is supernatural not natural. Staying connected to God is fundamental to living our new life.  

"A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps." - Proverbs 16:9

That direction comes from relationship - a close relationship - a love relationship where you love God above all else.

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Managing My Mouth - Does It Matter To God What I Say?

"We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check." - James 3:2

Why must I watch what I say?

1. My tongue directs where I go. 

"When we put bits in the mouths of horses ... we can turn the whole animal." - James 3:3

"Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go." - James 3:4

2. My tongue can destroy what I have. 

"Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue is also a fire - James 3:5

“Words satisfy the mind as much as fruit does the stomach;  good talk is as gratifying as a good harvest. Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit—you choose”  Prov 18:20-21 

"... it sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell." - James 3:6b

3. My tongue reveals Who I Am. 

“We use our tongues to praise our Lord and Father, but then we curse people, whom God made like himself.” - James 3:9

"Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be." - James 3:10 

"Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? ... can a fig tree bear olives or a grapevine bear figs?" - James 3:12

4. The root of the problem is with my heart.

"For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." - Matthew 12:34." 

“After Jesus called the crowd to him, he said, “Listen and understand what I am saying.  It is not what people put into their mouths that makes them unclean. It is what comes out of their mouths that makes them unclean.” - Matthew 15:10-11 

5. The solution to the problem is to Get a new heart!

"Rid yourself of all the offenses you have committed and get a new heart and a new spirit!" - Ezekiel 18:31 

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new”  - 2 Corinthians 5:17 

6. We must make it a practice to ask God for help every day.

"Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips." - Psalms 141:3 

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer”    - Psalms 19:14 

“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. “ - Proverbs 4:23 

7. We must think before we speak

"Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry." - James 1:19

8. We must be careful what we watch, what we read, what we listen to. 

"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." - Joshua 1:8

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you.” - Philippians - 4:8-9 

Yes - It matters. 

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

You Didn't Have to Do what You Did But You Did

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things." - Philippians 4:8

I am certain that you have been involved in discussions or at least listened to sermons that had to do with what is appropriate for Christians to do or say. The  Bible is clear on many things - but speaks indirectly to others. In those cases we must apply principles to our living. Paul told the church at Philippi that they should focus on and do that which glorifies God and reflects a holy God. Setting ourselves apart from the world and its ways. 

If someone was to say - it is Ok for Christians to use profanity in their speech - what would you say in the context of Ephesians 4?

"Let no corrupt [unwholesome] word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice." - Ephesians 4:29-31

Along those lines - have you set boundaries for what profanity you are willing to listen to? We are bombarded with profanity through movies, television, and printed media. The culture has gone so far to only write the first and last letters of the word with (*) asterisks in between to let you fill in the blanks - and your mind will fill in the blanks - or asterisks as it were.

"For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he." - Proverbs 23:7

But Paul goes beyond the explicit and the implicit by saying that even if the Bible does not speak against something, if that thing causes a weaker Christian to stumble then we should refrain from it. 

"All to the Glory of God All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify." - 1 Corinthians 10:23

"I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. .... Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak." - Romans 14:14-17,20-21

That admonition is consistent with the second greatest commandment - to love others. Also the idea that if you want to be great in God's kingdom then you must be a servant. 

"Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." - Matthew 20:26-28

Jesus also said that there is not greater love than laying your own life and your desires down and yielding to the welfare and benefit of others.

"My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends." - John 15:13

My point to all of that is to say this. Resist the attitude that if it is not wrong then there is nothing wrong with you doing it - even if it causes less mature Christians to struggle. That would be sin on your part.

"to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." - James 4:17

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

When Sorrow Finds You

…what shall I say? "Father, save Me from this hour"? But for this purpose I came to this hour. "Father, glorify Your name." —John 12:27-28

 “As a saint of God, my attitude toward sorrow and difficulty should not be to ask that they be prevented, but to ask that God protect me so that I may remain what He created me to be, in spite of all my fires of sorrow. We say that there ought to be no sorrow, but there is sorrow, and we have to accept and receive ourselves in its fires. Sorrow is one of the biggest facts in life, and there is no use in saying it should not be. Sin, sorrow, and suffering are, and it is not for us to say that God has made a mistake in allowing them. You can always recognize who has been through the fires of sorrow and received himself, and you know that you can go to him in your moment of trouble and find that he has plenty of time for you. If you will receive yourself in the fires of sorrow, God will make you nourishment for other people." - Oswald Chambers

I do not find it strange but marvelous that I can have a discussion or some event will occur in my life and the very next morning the devotion the Lord brings to my mind addresses what happened only yesterday. My wife and I had a lengthy discussion about sorrow, how people respond to it, and what, if any, good can come from it.  For the most part, people focus on the here and now – their mortal lives and put everything that happens in that context.  Their natural life has primacy over any and all other considerations.  What happens to them, or doesn’t, shapes their attitude toward others and their confidence in themselves and God.

The thing is … that is not the right view of life.  For those who are not “born again by the Spirit” they have no choice really. There is nothing or no One that they can turn to for answers, for relief. They must trust in mere mortals for help. But, for those who have been “born again” there is another road to be taken. 

How should we respond when sorrow comes our way - and it will  - The Apostle Paul wrote -

 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:4-7

Rejoicing always – not being anxious – experiencing a peace that transcends human understanding – peace in the midst of turmoil – that response to sorrow has a supernatural root – born out faith and experienced by the power of the Spirit that rests in the heart of every Christian. It is God’s intent that we, as Christians, would have these abilities – that the fruit – the result of living a life submitted to the Spirit of God – would be evidenced in our lives no matter what happens in our lives.  What is out of the reach for the natural man is fully within the grasp of the “super-natural” man.  That is a man or woman who is saved by the sacrifice of Jesus through faith and trusts in the Lord as a way of life – their new life.

So what do you do with all of that pain – hurt that life brings your way? Pastor Rick Warren said “God never wastes a hurt” Paul also wrote – 

 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too." - 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Just as God provided strength to endure and overcome, He expects us, and has equipped us, to embrace the comfort we found in Him and use it to encourage others.  Not to “fix” them, but to love them.  My experiencing hardship increases my compassion for others. I don’t seek hardships and disappointments out .. they will surely find me.  But I don’t have to let them break me.  Not with God on my side. And neither do you my friend.

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

I Can't Get No Satisfaction

…All my springs are in you. —Psalm 87:7

Our Lord never “patches up” our natural virtues, that is, our natural traits, qualities, or characteristics. He completely remakes a person on the inside— “…put on the new man…” (Ephesians 4:24). The life God places within us develops its own new virtues, not the virtues of the seed of Adam, but of Jesus Christ. We want to cling to our natural virtues, while all the time God is trying to get us in contact with the life of Jesus Christ— a life that can never be described in terms of natural virtues. God does not take our natural virtues and transform them. No natural love, no natural patience, no natural purity can ever come up to His demands. But as we bring every part of our natural bodily life into harmony with the new life God has placed within us, He will exhibit in us the virtues that were characteristic of the Lord Jesus. - Oswald Chambers

I was watching a documentary of sorts on PBS one evening.  It was about people going back to the country of their ancestors.  They wanted to recapture the culture and the religious practices of that country.  To restore what was lost.  To cling to the “seed of Adam” as if somehow that would make them right with the world and satisfy a void in their life. 

Blaise Pascal, the French mathematician and philosopher wrote “There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus”  Along the same vein, C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity: “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” And to quote a famous "poet of our time" - Mick Jagger - our conclusion when looking to the world for answers is, "I can't get no satisfaction!" 

2 Corinthians 5:17 says that if we are “in Christ” – redeemed – save – reborn by the Spirit – we are new, the old has passed away and all things are becoming new – living the sanctified life.  Sanctified – set apart – consecrated for a holy purpose.  In the struggle to satisfy the yearning that God has put in each of us, the natural man turns to natural things … possession .. heritage … but never finds it.  That is because only God can satisfy it through Jesus Christ. The other solutions seem reasonable … but then God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts … 

 “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength." - 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

My encouragement to you is to keep this truth fresh in your mind.  To have a spiritual perspective on what is going on around you.  That your natural inclination will be to try to find satisfaction through the things of this world … but your supernatural life only finds satisfaction in Jesus.  And if it doesn’t, well – Houston we have a problem!  

Perhaps it is a good time to spiritually recalibrate your heart and mind.  To shake off the old and fully embrace the new.  Like the man in the boat adrift on the sea exclaimed, "Water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink!" You may be thirsty but what the world has to offer to satisfy your thirst, like drinking sea water, will only male matters worse. Finding lasting satisfaction requires discipline and the pursuit of the things of God through His Word, prayer and worship.  That is my hope for you today.   But then again, that is been my hope for you every day.

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

God Sees Our Hearts

"But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” - 1 Samuel 16:7

In this case God has sent Samuel to choose one of Jesse's sons to be the next king after King Saul. That was David. The first and oldest son looked similar to King Saul so he was a logical choice, but Samuel was wrong. Then Samuel examined all of Jesse's sons that were present and none were God's choice. 

"And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here.” So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!" - 1 Samuel 16:11-12

David was called a man after God's own heart.

"And when He [God] had removed him [King Saul], He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will." - Acts 13:22

A person can hide the true intentions of their heart - at least for a time - from men - but not from God. We might sin in secret, either in thought or deed, and think no one will know. That there are no witnesses. And yet the Holy Spirit is in us and God knows our hearts. There is nothing hid from Him. We deceive ourselves.  

Jesus said of the Pharisees. That they were white-washed tombs filled with dead men's bones.  By appearance they looked to be righteous but they were not. 

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also." - Matthew 23:25-26

I make it a practice to listen to people carefully. By doing that I have found that what the Bible says is validated. Our words will eventually reveal our hearts.

"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." - Luke 6:45

Listen - none of are perfect. None of us will live a sinless life after we are born again. When we are faced with that sin -  we must confess it and have our hearts washed. Stuffing our sins and then denying that we have sinned will stymy our spiritual walk and hamper our relationship with the Father. You may recall King David's sin with Bathsheba. He was eventually confronted by the Prophet Nathan. That confrontation is recorded in 2 Samuel 12. David's response is recorded in Psalm 51.

"I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight— ...  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit." - Psalm 51:3-4,7-12

We have a choice - love God with a half heart like King Saul or with a whole heart like King David. As another friend of mine would say - there is nothing to it but to do it!

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

God Chooses The Unlikely

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:8-9

We like to think that God thinks like us - but He doesn't. We have a limited perspective on life and the affairs of this life but God has an eternal perspective on all of creation for all time. Even a cursory reading of the Bible will reveal the disparity between God and man.

Take King Saul for example - 

[Samuel said] "And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on you and on all your father’s house?” And Saul answered and said, “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak like this to me?” - 1 Samuel 9: 20-21

[Samuel said] "Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. ... You shall go down before me to Gilgal; and surely I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and make sacrifices of peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, till I come to you and show you what you should do.” So it was, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, that God gave him another heart" - 1 Samuel 10: 6, 8-9

King Saul was chosen by God to rule Israel because the people wanted a king like all of the other countries. He was from a family with no reputation in the smallest tribe of the 12 tribes. Seems an odd choice, but as a friend used to say - "That's not odd - that's God"

Remember Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Gideon or Jesus disciples. All of them were ordinary people that God called to do extraordinary things.

"For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty" - 1 Corinthians 1:26-27

Someone once said that God does not call the equipped, He equips the called. Sad to say -  the story about King Saul does not end well. Eventually, his pride supplanted his devotion to God and ... well you can read it ... 

"Now the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, “I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.” And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the Lord all night. So when Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told Samuel, saying, “Saul went to Carmel, and indeed, he set up a monument for himself; and he has gone on around, passed by, and gone down to Gilgal. .... [Samuel told Saul] the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel. " - 1 Samuel 15:10-12, 26

The same happened to many of the others I named. Over time, their old nature dominated their choices and impacted their service to the Lord. I suspect that none of them ever thought it would happen to them - but, regrettably, it did. So what does this have to do with you?

"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you." - Romans 8:5-9 

As Christians, the Bible says that we, too, are numbered among the Called. Each of us has a place in the Body. God decides what that place is, we don't. Our part is to yield our hearts to God's call. Fulfilling that purpose of our being in that place requires that our hearts be devoted to God. We cannot accomplish God's purposes on our own - apart from the power of God. King Saul decided that he knew better than God and he had a better plan not seeing his "good idea" was, in fact, disobedience and sin. I will, again, point you to my old friend Proverbs 3.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways  acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones." - Proverbs 3:5-8

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

You Reflect Your Father - Like It Or Not

Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself…" —Matthew 16:24

"God wants to bring you into union with Himself, but unless you are willing to give up your right to yourself, He cannot. “…let him deny himself…”— deny his independent right to himself. Then the real life-the spiritual life-is allowed the opportunity to grow.” - Oswald Chambers

There are two sides to this coin.  The natural and the supernatural.  I am sure you have heard the saying “The apple does not fall too far from the tree.” Or how about “He is just like his dad.” I remember that one. Before I type what I am going to type, let me preface it by saying my mom was a godly woman who led many to Jesus.  Before her rebirth .. well she was just like every other person who needs Jesus.  My parents were divorced when I was 2 years old.  I was one of four, the youngest, from my parents marriage.  We lived with my mom.  Years later, my mom admitted she got married for the wrong reason .. one of 15 children she wanted out of the house.  Many people make choices like that.  The consequences of those “flesh” choices reverberate through their lives and the lives of their children and maybe even their children.  

OK, when I was a teenager, one day I did something she didn’t like and she said to me “Stop doing that you remind me of your father!” I can remember thinking, “That means don’t be like your father or you will lose the love of your mother.”  It proved to be a deterrent from my wanting to be like him in any way.  Well that is the natural. It’s not an issue of who you are reflecting but “what” you are reflecting in who you are reflecting.  

There is a significant interest in finding your genetic roots.  Ancestry.com is advertised a lot on television.  People want to know.  Ancestry.com is connected to – sponsored by the Mormons.  Knowing where they came from is an important part of their belief system.  Well, on the natural side, the Bible tells us  .. we came from Adam.  We are a reflection of Adam.  (Romans 3:23) “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”  In other words .. when we are born naturally, we are not like our heavenly Father - we are like our natural father - Adam.  People think they can find meaning and perhaps comfort in knowing their ancestry.  What they really need to know is Jesus. Jesus told Nicodemus … (John 3:3-8)  “You must be born again … by the Spirit”

So on to the supernatural. Being a reflection of our Father in heaven should be our goal. Do that you must be born again and walking after the Spirit and not the flesh. Jesus said (John 14:9) “If you have seen Me you have seen the Father.” Jesus was and is a reflection of the Father.  The Father and the Son are indistinguishable.  Can that be said about you?

Jesus prayed (John 17:21) “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me” Paul wrote (Romans 8:29-30) “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”  

Jesus said (John 5:30) “ I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.”  When we reflect Jesus, we reflect the Father. There is no room for our old nature or its individuality.  Our identity is in Christ.  (2 Corinthians 5:17) “..old things are passed away .. everything is becoming new”  But be on your guard because your flesh will surely rise up and demand its place in your life.  All I can say is you must take it to the altar (Romans 12:1-2)

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Dodging The Darts

Have you ever felt that you had been ambushed by temptation? You were minding your own business and then out of nowhere there is a temptation staring you in the face – tugging at your heart – flooding your mind with a desire to yield to the temptation. But God has made a way for you.

In the first letter to the Corinthians the Apostle Paul wrote

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13

"above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one." -  Ephesians 6:16

You are most likely familiar with the "full armor of God" in Ephesians 6. It’s the way that you are able to stand against the temptations that you’re your way that Paul wrote to the Corinthians about. So how do you do that? Gird your waist with Truth, put on the breastplate of righteousness, shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; take up the shield of faith helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; and pray always.  

For those reborn by the Spirit, it is spiritual armor that we all need when facing what comes our way each and every day. I was thinking about fiery darts as I drove back to the house today. They are not only shot at us to tempt us to do and say but also to think. The fiery darts first manifest themselves in our minds ... 

"adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries" - Galatians 5:19-21

We need to be careful that we don't minimize the importance and power of our thoughts -  it is our thoughts that can give birth to sin. 

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." - Matthew 5:27-28

That is just an example of the point. Any of those things listed in Galatians can become sin without us physically acting them out.  God sees the heart. When thoughts come our way we must recognize them for what they are and deal with them with spiritual weapons to fend them off before they pierce our hearts and not fall victim because we depended on our human determination not to sin.

"Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted [a fiery dart comes your way] when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death." - James 1:13-15

The fiery darts are sources of temptation which lead to sin. Proverbs 7 tells a story about the pathway to sin. Sin begins with desire [the fiery dart], which leads to deception, which leads to disobedience, which leads to death.

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

The Source Of Spiritual Understanding

We know that all things work together for good to those who love God… —Romans 8:28

“The circumstances of a saint’s life are ordained of God. In the life of a saint there is no such thing as chance. God by His providence brings you into circumstances that you can’t understand at all, but the Spirit of God understands. God brings you to places, among people, and into certain conditions to accomplish a definite purpose through the intercession of the Spirit in you.  All your circumstances are in the hand of God" - Oswald Chambers

Here are a couple of spiritual axioms that you can "take to the bank!" 1 - There are no coincidences in the life of a Saint.  2 - God is always at work, all around you.  

The question is, “Can you see Him at work in your life?” Even in the mundane – simple things ... God is at work.  

 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:28)

Very often we think of that verse in terms of bad things happening, and God making something good out of them.  Well … that would not be “all” things now would it? Only bad things.  Be on the alert Christian.  There is a reason you meet who you meet, for things to happen the way they happen. God is weaving all of those life events into a beautiful tapestry, for His glory and our good.  When I meet someone I often ask,  “Lord, why did I meet this person?”  And so should you when you meet someone.  That meeting is primarily not for your benefit, but for God’s purposes.  

God is amazing, the original multi-tasker.  Having trouble seeing how God can use anything that happens to you?  If you are born again, you are now walking in a new reality … a spiritual reality.  You need to have spiritual perspective and understanding.  That is not by magic but by maturity.  And so, like Paul, wanting all the Saints to walk in a manner worthy of their calling, I share this encouragement with you ….

“And so, from the day we heard, (I) have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” - Colossians 1:8-10

 I can hardly wait to see what God is going to do, how about you?

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Do You Love God Or Do You Only Like The Idea

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord… —Isaiah 6:1

“What I need is God’s surgical procedure— His use of external circumstances to bring about internal purification. Your priorities must be God first, God second, and God third, until your life is continually face to face with God and no one else is taken into account whatsoever.” OSWALD CHAMBERS 

If I were to tell you that You must love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, you would most certainly nod your head in agreement or maybe even shout amen.  Actually Jesus said that.  Read Matthew 22:37-39.  He said that all the law .. the essence of the direction that God has given us .. the foundation of our life with respect to God and man is summed up in two commands … Love God, first and love others next.  

As you well know, that level of relationship is not automatic .. you can’t just flip a switch.  It requires that each of us intentionally lay our own life down - daily.  There is an old hymn that goes “All to Jesus I surrender.  All to Him I freely give.  I will ever love and trust Him.  In His presence daily live.”  In John 21 Jesus asked Peter, three times, “Do you love me?”  Recall Peter denied Jesus three times before Jesus’ crucifixion.  We need to be careful about our attitude toward Peter – wondering “How could Peter deny his relationship with Jesus so easily?” We should be careful lest we go the “way of Peter”.  When Peter denied Jesus he feared men more than God. Remember, Peter was on his own at that point.  After Pentecost, Peter was filled with the Spirit of God.  The same Spirit that inhabits every Believer.  IT happened to you and me on the day of our salvation. 

What God asks you to do, you cannot do on your own … it is something spiritual that manifests itself in the natural.  We look at the natural … everyday living … as if it is separate from the spiritual .. but it is not.  

Everything we do, think, speak, and desire must be in the context of who God is and our love for Him. God’s expectation for that level of devotion is not reserved for the super-saints or the zealots …. It’s for me and for you.  You want to know what’s missing in your new life?  At the root, it’s the level of your love for God. Many Christians want to love God but when it comes down to it, they only like the idea of loving God. The truth is, they still have an affection for the things of the world.

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world." - 1 John 2:15-16

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

How To Approach A Holy God

"Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?  Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord, And righteousness from the God of his salvation." - Psalm 24:3-5

I find it curious how the Lord reveals spiritual truth to me. I wasn't looking for it and yet there it is - staring me in the face, if you will. That happened today at church.

When we (my wife and I ) arrived we were given a small packet that contained a cracker and grape juice as we entered the sanctuary. Being the alert person that I am (sometimes) I realized it was Communion Sunday. We entered the sanctuary, found a place to sit. The service started - some baptisms, singing, praying, and then the sermon. After the sermon (it was on John 13 - Jesus washing the disciples' feet) the pastor led us in the communion service.

At the beginning, he had us pray and reflect to "get our hearts right" in preparation for receiving communion.  I don't know how many communion services I have participated in, but they all have been essentially the same. 

Earlier, prior to the congregation being called to order, my wife asked me why people were not sitting in the pews personally preparing for the service. Instead - many had a meet and greet right to the point of the formal service starting, then there were several baptisms, some wonderful worship music, prayer, the sermon and then everyone got their hearts right so they could receive communion. 

That is when the Lord spoke to me. Not audibly. But when the spiritual lights come on - you know it. The thought came to me - so the people, me included, who came here watched a baptism - a spiritual event - sang praises to God - joined in corporate prayer - listened to the pastor preach the Word - and then it was time to get our hearts right so we could take communion together. What did the Lord say to me? Actually it was the question posed in Psalm 24. "Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?" 

On Sunday, when have we ascended into the hill of the Lord? Not until after we arrived at the church,  parked our cars, found a seat, and the music has begun? That is like eating the appetizer and then praying before you eat the main course. Isn't the appetizer food? Didn't God provide the means for us to buy the appetizer just like he did the main course? 

Wouldn't it seem better to take a few minutes - even in the car - to focus our hearts toward God and then enter the "Hill"?

It is easy to take God for granted and to ignore the fact that we are standing on holy ground when we approach God. If we are not careful - our faith can become a ritual - devoid of the Spirit - a vain religion - just like the Pharisees. 

I am not writing this to shame you but to stir your hearts toward God. 

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Who The Lord Chooses

"Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!”... Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?” So he said to Him, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” And the Lord said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man." - Judges 6:11-12, 14-16

Just as with Gideon, God will never ask us to do anything that we can do on our own. We will always need Him to accomplish His purpose for our lives through our obedience. The Westminster Shorter Confession asks, "What is the chief end of man(kind)? [the answer] To glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

Of course that requires that we be His children by faith in Jesus. Do not assume that you can be of no value to God and His eternal purposes. God picks the unlikely to accomplish the impossible. Do you remember when Samuel anointed David when David was still a young boy?

"So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." ... And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here.” So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!”  - 1 Samuel 16:6-7, 11-12

The oldest son reminded Samuel of King Saul and so he assumed that he would be the next king - but he was wrong. "For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart". 

Don't be content with sitting on the spiritual sidelines but be looking for opportunities to bring glory to God by joining God in what He is doing all around you. What God uses you to do may seem small in the eyes of men - but God can do great things through a surrendered heart. 

D.L. Moody said "The world has yet to see what God can do with a man (or woman) fully consecrated to Him." 

The new life we live is one of faith and spiritual power - not human effort. Not mine and not yours. 

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Doing What Is Right Is Usually What Is Not Convenient

"For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do." - Romans 7:15

That was the Apostle Paul referring to his personal struggle. He knew what he is supposed to do - the "what" having been revealed to him by the Spirit of God and even Jesus on the road. I am certain you have heard the saying, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions!" Those good intentions are what we, like Paul, "will to do". I know, personally, that what we know we should do with respect to our faith we often find it hard to do in practice. God's call comes at the most inconvenient times it seems. Paul went on to write .... 

"I [Paul] find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members." - Romans 7:21-23

We may understand that there is one thing we need to do, but our old nature - the "reasonable and responsible" self in us - will present a reasonable argument about why there are other things that are more important than what the Spirit of God has brought to mind. So we reject those things - or more subtly put them on a second list  - the "I will do these things if I have time" list. The thing is - we never seem to have time. In actuality, we have effectively allowed our old nature to dominate our lives and quench to leading of the Spirit. The Word says .....

"Do not quench the Spirit." - 1 Thessalonians 5:19

Or said in another way, do not put the Spirit's fire out! We would never want to admit that is what we are doing - but would rather offer up excuses or rationalize as to why we chose to do something else. I once heard a breakdown of the word "rationalize". Those thoughts we have are "RATIONAL"-"LIES". They are lies we tell ourselves to avoid obeying the leading of the Spirit. Why would God ask you to do something when He knows how busy you are? If that were the case, then that would make you right and God wrong. Hey isn't that the same logic Adam and Eve used in the Garden?

There is a book called the "Tyranny of The Urgent". It says that everything in life can be put into 4 boxes. Urgent - Important; Not Urgent Important; Urgent - Not Important; and Not Urgent - Not Important. We "should" use the Word of God as our guide for what goes in what box. The question for each of us is, "Have we put what the Spirit has directed us to do in the wrong box. 

Maybe it is time that you checked what is on your second list to see if you are missing God. That is - if you are serious. If not - you can always do it later when you have time. Someone once described it as keeping the main thing the main thing.

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Spiritual Israel - Your Primary Citizenship As A Christian.

"In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time." - 1 Peter 1:3-5

As I read these passages this morning, the image of the Jews scattered among the nations came to mind. And the promise that they would be brought back together one day. Then I thought about the children of Spiritual Israel - those who have been born again by faith. Many are not naturally, ethnic Jews - like me and most probably you - but we are children of the Promise to Abraham through Isaac. Spiritual Israel is bound together by the Spirit of God and founded on faith not works. One day we will be brought together with all Christians (Spiritual Israel) in heaven - every tribe and every nation. Those natural things - language, ethnicity, nationality - will fade and we all will be one "just as Jesus and the Father are one". 

God chose the Jewish people, in the natural sense, to point the world to Jesus. They were set apart by their natural ethnicity, culture and heritage. That is their God-given responsibility and will be until Jesus returns. In a similar way, Christians - Christ followers - share in that responsibility to point the world the Jesus because of our spiritual ethnicity, culture and heritage. 

"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself." - Philippians 3:20-21 

There are many Jews who are not "practicing Jews, meaning that they are ethnically Jewish but are not fulfilling their place and purpose by faith or works. In the same way, there are many Christians who are not "practicing Christians" meaning that they are spiritually Christians but are not fulfilling their place and purpose. The thought causes me to consider my life and my ways. It is good for us to reflect on the truths that Peter wrote about in 1st Peter.

"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. " - 1 Peter 1:18-23, 2:1-3

Our challenge is to remember who we are in Christ and the life we have been called to live while we live on this planet and the hope that we have of eternal life. 

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

We Need To See Something

Without faith it is impossible to please Him… —Hebrews 11:6

"Faith must be tested and tried before it becomes real in your life. Faith is a tremendously active principle that always puts Jesus Christ first. The life of faith says, “Lord, You have said it, it appears to be irrational, but I’m going to step out boldly, trusting in Your Word" Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

I woke up this morning with the thought “Seeing is not a requirement for believing.”  The Spirit was speaking to me. That ever happen to you? Probably, but perhaps you didn’t realize that was who was speaking to you when it did.  

To know something to be true without evidence is different from “thinking” something might be true.  Faith is spiritual and works on another plane than our natural reasoning.  Sometimes I know that I know, but don’t know how I know.  I struggle because I try to filter a "faith-fact" through my natural mind.  Thomas struggled with believing that it was Jesus standing before him, until he filtered it through the natural man – “I must touch his wounds!”  Jesus then said “Blessed are those who believe and have not seen.” (John 20:29)

Can you .. .will you trust Jesus even when what you are trusting Him in is contrary to reason?  I did not say contrary to God's revealed will and Word of God.  Faith facts will always be consistent with who God is and His truth. But it may not make any sense - naturally.  Martie and I find ourselves in that place all the time.  The hazards (if you will) of our calling.  Proverbs 3:5-6 says not to lean on our own understanding.    In other words, faith comes first.  Understanding will follow … most of the time.  

When I was in Army Basic training at the ripe age of 18, I had one particular drill sergeant, SSGT San Felice.  He was 6’2”, had red hair, and was from Puerto Rico.  He also had a very thick accent.  Being a "farm boy" from the mid-west, I was not familiar with foreign accents. He told us .. “I don’t care if you don’t understand me, you better do it!”  I think I did a lot of unnecessary pushups! Well, our life in Christ is that way in some respects.  We hear God, we don’t understand what was said, but we know what was said and then we doubt God.  

The disciples did that during the storm.  Peter did that while walking on the water.  We do that when God says do something that makes no earthly sense.  It means that we have to give up our worldly confidence and rest in God’s faithfulness. Friend, that is the life we have all been called to.  

“We live by faith and not by sight.” - 2 Corinthians 5:7  

What is it that God is telling you to do?  You must choose.  And by the way, to do nothing is making a choice ... and that choice is not for God.  

“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” - Joshua 24:15

Think about it – Believe it  - Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Rejecting The Reasonable For The Impossible

“I claim the holy right to disappoint men in order to not disappoint God.” -  A.W. Tozer 

A friend posted that quote from A.W. Tozer one morning on Facebook.  It pricked my heart and resonated with my spirit, so I thought I would share it with you. Sorry Oswald!  Sometimes - perhaps often times - we are faced with a choice ... men or God - God's ways are not our ways - but we would like to change that. If what God asks you to do does not conform to conventional wisdom there are two possibilities - 1 - God is indeed at work or - 2 - It's not God at all. You need the wisdom of God to know the difference - But nonetheless - when it is God - the opinions of men should not matter. Men will ask, "But what about .... ". God says "Go". He will say .. "sell everything ... pick up your cross .... love me with everything ... your whole heart .... If you love Me, obey Me." It's your choice who you obey. We choose God. The going will always require faith and obedience. 

"But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” - Matthew 19:26

It would be a wonderful thing if the world was in sync with God, but we know that is not the case.  Finding balance between the two is what most of us try to do.  And it seems so reasonable when we do.  The problem is, that one will go wanting because of the other.  

“No one can serve two masters .. you will love one and hate the other”  Matthew 6:24

If you turn to the world for answers when God has spoken and made His will clear, you will most often be tempted to disobey God to choose something more reasonable in the eyes of man.  Well-meaning Christians will speak to you about making other choices or at least delaying your obedience.  It is like the serpent in the Garden asking “Did God really say?”  [I am not calling my Christian friends serpents!]  Their counsel is well intentioned but, on the whole, with selfish motive.  Their arguments are logical even reasonable, except for one thing.  God said “Go”.  

Jesus asked his disciples “Where is your faith?” “Why did you doubt?”  Instead of looking to Him, they were looking at the natural laws .. the impossibility of the situation … fear and doubt set in.  In our life, personally, God gives and He takes away … It is not our lot to accumulate possessions, for long any way.  It is not a question of how much of the world and its relationships that you must lay down at Jesus feet.  The question is “Are you willing to lay down whatever is in the way of what God has called you to do?”  Like Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love Me [Jesus] more than these?” (John 21:15)  Well …. Do You? Then Jesus said to Peter - God is saying to us - "Show Me"

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone