God Is The Wind Beneath My Wings

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. - Philippians 4:13

Many people have turned back because they are afraid to look at things from God’s perspective. The greatest spiritual crisis comes when a person has to move a little farther on in his faith than the beliefs he has already accepted.” - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

When I was in the Army, we would do a lot of physical exercise as a unit.  I can remember with one particular unit in the Aviation Squadron of 3rd Armored Cavalry in El Paso, Texas,  I had a squadron commander that trained us for war.  Not just physically, but mentally.  We had a saying “you fight the way you train”.  Well, in one case he used our physical training to help us with mental toughness.  We were used to running a particular route.  Early in the morning – 5:30 early – we call it O-dark thirty. We knew the land marks for our 3 to 4 mile run.  We knew when we were half way and we knew when we were at the finish. By then, we were ready to hear “Quick time – march”, which means – stop running and walk in civilian vernacular.  Well, one day we got to the “finish line”, but we kept running.  We were always exhausted by the time we got to that point, but he kept running.  You are already thinking I can’t go on, and I am thrilled we are at the finish line – but the squadron commander kept us running right past the point where we could not go on!  We ran for another half mile or so.  What was the lesson?  We can do more than we think we can.  War is very demanding on the body and the mind.  You must be able to go beyond yourself. God will also call you to go beyond yourself ... how will it be possible ... He will be your second wind. And such is our life of faith.  

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”  - 2 Timothy 4:7

 Paul said that in the face of great personal trials. He had gone beyond himself many times, running on faith – Spirit power, and not his own determination and wisdom. 

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.”  - 1 Corinthians 9:24-25

Not falling out of the run requires discipline and faith.  In our runs in the Army, there were always people who would fall out, who could not go on, who lost heart and confidence.  They fell by the wayside.  The same way with our faith.  I am not talking about loss of salvation.  The people I mentioned were still in the Army, they needed more physical training so they could serve in the manner that was expected of them.  And so it is with us as Christians.  There are many who don’t have the faith to keep up with where God wants to take them. They need more training .. more confidence .. more encouragement.

I remember taking a PT test in the Armor Officer Basic Course.  That test is something you must pass.  Well, a friend of mine stopped running during the two mile run.  He had a look of pain and exhaustion on his face.  I stopped too so I could encourage him to finish.  The evaluators called out to me and told me to keep going and leave him behind.  I could not and would not.  He finished .. passed, barely.  But he passed.  So did I, but helping him cost me something. 

“No greater love has one man than this, to lay down his life for his friends”  - John 15:13

I am not bragging, I am making a point.  We are supposed to encourage one another to love and good works. 

 “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”  - Hebrews 10:24-25

Some need more encouragement than others . .who do you know that needs to be encouraged in their faith .. to continue to run and not fall out .. even when they think they can’t go on?  But know this .... helping them will cost you something.  Be willing to pay the price and bring glory to 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

The Insanity Of Trusting In Yourself

He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you. —Hebrews 13:5

What line of thinking do my thoughts take? Do I turn to what God says or to my own fears? Am I simply repeating what God says, or am I learning to truly hear Him and then to respond after I have heard what He says? “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’ ” (Hebrews 13:5-6). “I will never…forsake you.” Sometimes it is not the difficulty of life but the drudgery of it that makes me think God will forsake me. As we grow in His grace we find that God is glorifying Himself here and now, at this very moment. If we have God’s assurance behind us, the most amazing strength becomes ours, and we learn to sing, glorifying Him even in the ordinary days and ways of life. - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

 In my experience the greatest enemy facing me and my desire to follow God and yield to His leading and ways is, well…. It’s me.  I find it so easy to agree with God and acknowledge His precepts as right, and yet, when faced with life I turn to me and not Him.  

Is the phrase Living by Faith is meant to only be a plaque on the living room wall … or merely a pleasantry that we acknowledge as being right.  To live by faith – in God – means to trust Him first.  Living by faith is not like one of the bodily functions controlled by the autonomic nervous system ... like breathing and heart beats … something that you don’t have to think about … Living by faith is intentional … an act of the will.  

 If you are struggling in your faith, it is most likely that the source of the struggle is you .. not your circumstances.  Like the man who asked Jesus  for help with his lack of faith or belief in Jesus. 

“Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” -  Mark 9:21-24

In this life on Earth, we are not spared from hardship or heartache, but … we can endure whatever life brings our way if we will only have faith in the One who sent His Son … Who created us from dust and breathed life into us. Once in our natural birth and then again in our rebirth when He sealed us with His Spirit – the Breath of God.  I know that trusting God in the midst of the turmoil of life can be difficult .. maybe you think more like impossible! … If Christians neglect the disciplines of the faith … if Sunday is the sum total of the time they spend with the Father … then when the test comes ... and it will come, they will likely get a failing grade.  Not because God was not able to sustain them, but because they chose to ignore Him and trust themselves.  Why is something that seems so simple, so hard to do? Because its our nature to trust ourselves even if it always leads to failure.  Remember that is the definition of insanity. Doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different outcome.

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

So You Want To Be Like Jesus

When they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples. —Mark 4:34

Jesus doesn’t take us aside and explain things to us all the time; He explains things to us as we are able to understand them. The lives of others are examples for us, but God requires us to examine our own souls. It is slow work— so slow that it takes God all of time and eternity to make a man or woman conform to His purpose. We can only be used by God after we allow Him to show us the deep, hidden areas of our own character. Jesus will reveal to us everything we have held within ourselves before His grace began to work. We have to get rid of the idea that we understand ourselves. That is always the last bit of pride to go. The only One who understands us is God. The greatest curse in our spiritual life is pride. He will allow us to experience heartbreak or the disappointment we feel when our intellectual pride is wounded. He will reveal numerous misplaced affections or desires— things over which we never thought He would have to get us alone. Many things are shown to us, often without effect. But when God gets us alone over them, they will be clear. - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

For those whom he [God the Father] foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. - Romans 8:29  

Have you ever given any thought to what being conformed … molded .. changed … means?  Well, first you know it is a spiritual change, right?  Second … you know that the process is going to be contrary to your flesh. God will show you things through the Spirit that you may not want to see or admit to, even to yourself.  (One of the Spirit’s missions given by God the Father is to convict the world of sin.  The Spirit plus the Word of God are the “one-two” punch in the sanctification process.  The knock-out punch is the surrendering of my will to control my life.

You know that there are certain aspects of your old nature that you want to hide or cling to.  Adam and Eve tried to hide themselves in the Garden… you know how that worked out for them. The only ones you can hide your sin from, for a season, is man.  The Word says 

“Your sin will find you out.” - Numbers 32:23

God knows everything .. that is why when we confess our sins (1 John 1:9) .. it means that we agree with God not to reveal something He doesn't know. The goal of this transformation – this conforming process is not to make you miserable, but to bless you .. to make you better.  The pain or difficulty you experience is from the battle between the flesh and Spirit.

My encouragement to you is the same as Paul’s to the Romans.  

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” - Romans 12:1-2

 God won’t make you do that.  You must willingly, completely surrender your very life to Him by faith.  Will 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

Serving God Without Conditions

“It is one thing to follow God’s way of service if you are regarded as a hero, but quite another thing if the road marked out for you by God requires becoming a “doormat” under other people’s feet. God’s purpose may be to teach you to say, “I know how to be abased…” (Philippians 4:12). Are you ready to be sacrificed like that? Are you ready to be less than a mere drop in the bucket— to be so totally insignificant that no one remembers you even if they think of those you served? Are you willing to give and be poured out until you are used up and exhausted— not seeking to be ministered to, but to minister? Some saints cannot do menial work while maintaining a saintly attitude, because they feel such service is beneath their dignity.” Oswald Chambers - My Utmost For His Highest 

Have you ever known someone who had to have things go their way or they would withdraw from whatever was going on?  It might be a game, work, ministry, or perhaps a relationship.  Or maybe you are that person. If we live our lives as Christians in that way, we have a conditional faith? Demanding that things go our way if we are to comply with what God has called us to.  I recall visiting a remote village in Southwestern Haiti some years ago, Donglise (Dawn gleece).  

The pastor was not well.  I prayed for him.  Not to just be healed but that God would give him the health he needed to do what God had called him to.  It is not important for me to be completely healed of my infirmities, although that would be a good thing.  But I ask that God would give me the strength I need to accomplish His purposes through me.  And if He does nothing, some would say it is because I lacked faith.  I say the healing would be good, but does not matter because I will continue to serve in spite of it. 

 “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.  Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.  And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” - 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

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

Don't Lose Your Witness

Jesus says, in effect, “Don’t worry about whether or not you are being treated justly.” Looking for justice is actually a sign that we have been diverted from our devotion to Him. Never look for justice in this world, but never cease to give it. If we look for justice, we will only begin to complain and to indulge ourselves in the discontent of self-pity, as if to say, “Why should I be treated like this?” If we are devoted to Jesus Christ, we have nothing to do with what we encounter, whether it is just or unjust. - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

When you read those words, does it seem right to you?  I mean shouldn’t you be shown kindness?  Shouldn’t people that treat you poorly be dealt with – divinely?  Wouldn’t that make you feel better?  What did Jesus have to say about it?

But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,  bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.  To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.  Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.  And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. - Luke 6:27-31  

If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father.  But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, 'THEY HATED ME WITHOUT A CAUSE.' - John 15:24-25 

Most of us will agree that concept is good ... but when you are being treated poorly how do you feel ... what is it that you must control?  I sometimes say, tongue in cheek, ‘I don’t want to lose my witness’ ... what I am really saying is I don’t want to act on what I am feeling and wanting to do.  You know what?  It’s too late at that point.  I have already missed it (the mark). I have already sinned in my heart.

Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. - 1 John 3:15  

We love Him because He first loved us.  If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?  And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. - 1 John 4:19-21  

You see it is the attitude of your heart .. sin finds its roots in the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. - Hebrews 4:12

You don’t have to act on your sin to sin.  Thinking that it's OK so long as you didn’t do what you were thinking has stopped short of sin is not right thinking.

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  

Remember David on the roof?  He had already sinned before Bathsheba ever entered his house.  Pretty high standard isn’t it.  It cannot be achieved through determination .. will power .. or won’t power … but only by the power of God in us.  Are there things - thoughts in your life that you have been accommodating? Pretending that they didn’t matter .. Get your heart right … do not sin … James says that sin begins in our heart when we are tempted 

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 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 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 1:12-15 

That is where it must end … It is only when we are spending time in the Word and with the Lord will we be able to stand against the temptation to sin, but … that is another devotion for another day …

Shine bright today

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 I Was Is Not Who I Am

 “I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be, I am not what I hope to be in another world; but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God I am what I am” ― John Newton

My heart resonates with John Newtons words. In case you are not certain - that is the same John Newton who wrote Amazing Grace and was the captain of a slave ship - buying and selling human beings before he met Jesus.

Well, I was thinking about my life - my life before I became a Christian - that day that I prayed in surrender by faith in Jesus one Sunday in  September 1976 and the path my life has been on since then. Oh - I was a pretty "good" and polite guy - as far as the people knew - but I had my demons - like everyone else. I was lost in my sin at the core. Another point of interest - my wife was kneeling at my side as we both prayed and were both born again that same night. God is good - all the time!

But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus -  Romans 3:21-24

My children and others who have known me since my rebirth cannot believe that I could be anything other than what I am today. But my heart resonates with John Newton as I must echo his words

[Today - still] I am not what I ought to be, [most certainly] I am not what I want to be, [clearly] I am not what I hope to be in another world - [in heaven] ; but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God I am what I am - [to which I say - Thank You Jesus]

There is a song by Charity Gayle - Thank You Jesus For The Blood - these are the first 2 verses and chorus

VERSE 1

I was a wretch, I remember who I was  I was lost, I was blind, I was running out of time.

Sin separated, the breach was far too wide But from the far side of the chasm, You had me in Your sight

VERSE 2

So You made a way, across the great divide [You] Left behind, Heaven's throne, to build it here inside

There at the cross You paid the debt I owed Broke my chains, Freed my soul and for the first time I had Hope 

CHORUS

Thank You Jesus, for the blood applied  Thank You Jesus, it has washed me white

Thank You Jesus, You have saved my life Brought me from the darkness into glorious light

Can you sing that song or at least say the words and mean it?  Oh - I hope and pray so!

Can you echo the words of John Newton? Oh - I hope and pray so!

Or how about these words

Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me

I once was lost but now am found

Was blind but now I see!

And if not - perhaps you are reading this because God wants you to know that He loves you and He has a bigger and better plan for your life. And it all starts by surrendering your heart and life to Jesus.

“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach):  that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” - Romans 10:8-13

Does that seems too simple - too easy? Well .... 

God chose the lowly [simple] things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” - 1 Corinthians 1:28-31

If you are a Christian and John Newton's words or mine resonate with you - leave a brief note to let me know they do. 

Or if you were not a Christian but confessed and believed in Jesus as you read this then let me know that as well so I might rejoice with you and welcome you to the family of God my brother or sister. 

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

Repenting Is More Than Being Sorry

Whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. —James 2:10

 “The moral law does not consider our weaknesses as human beings; in fact, it does not take into account our heredity or infirmities. It simply demands that we be absolutely moral. The moral law never changes, either for the highest of society or for the weakest in the world. It is enduring and eternally the same. The moral law, ordained by God, does not make itself weak to the weak by excusing our shortcomings. It remains absolute for all time and eternity. If we are not aware of this, it is because we are less than alive. Once we do realize it, our life immediately becomes a fatal tragedy. “I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died” (Romans 7:9). The moment we realize this, the Spirit of God convicts us of sin. Until a person gets there and sees that there is no hope, the Cross of Christ remains absurd to him. Conviction of sin always brings a fearful, confining sense of the law. It makes a person hopeless— “…sold under sin” (Romans 7:14). I, a guilty sinner, can never work to get right with God— it is impossible. There is only one way by which I can get right with God, and that is through the death of Jesus Christ. I must get rid of the underlying idea that I can ever be right with God because of my obedience. Who of us could ever obey God to absolute perfection!” - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest 

Understanding sin in the context of a holy God.  Until a person comes to the point of conversion .. coming under conviction by the Holy Spirit and having a sudden awareness of who they are and who God is, they will never experience a sense of guilt before God and their need for salvation. Many people are more sorry they got caught than the fact that they did something wrong.  They doing something wrong is an attempt to satisfy some need they have. Physical or emotional. Sin is an act of desperation.  Man trying to be his own god.  It all started in the garden.  

“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”  -  Genesis 3:4-5  

The Law brings an awareness of what is necessary to “be like God”, and it is impossible for sinful man, by himself, to be like God.  Recall that Adam and Eve were already created in God’s image and likeness.  (Genesis 1:26)  But they wanted more than that.  They wanted to be equal to God. They wanted to decide what is right and what is wrong. (Sound a bit like our culture?) 

So what about today .. for you and me. Does becoming a Christian make you sin-proof?  No.  But it does make you Hell-proof.  Sins can be both internal and external.  Jesus taught that.  We tend to focus on the external and try to manage those sins .. to keep them under control.  Not good enough!  If you compare what you do plus what you think to the holiness of God, you will quickly realize that you are not so “holy” as you hoped.  If most of your sinning goes on – on the inside, you may fool people around you, but not God, who sees the heart.  

The Law and our sin is a constant reminder that we need a Savior because we cannot be holy on our own.  We need a little – well more correctly – a lot of help.  God does not want you to live a life of guilt because you struggle with sin and the flesh .. He wants you to confess and repent.  But repentance is more than trying harder or being sorry .. it is trusting more … it is submitting more … it is “faithing” more. I don’t expect to be perfect in the flesh … but I also know that I cannot and should not ever be satisfied with my sinful nature.  

Some people say “That is just the way that I am!” in response to some attitude or action that does not glorify God and is hurtful to other people.  As if they can blame their sin on heredity … well they can, but then again, they can’t.  Adam and Eve may have started it, but we are each responsible for our own sin. So we need to own it, confess it, and repent of it.  Today would be a good day to get started.

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