Something to Shout About

My Utmost For His Highest

“You shall not go out with haste, . . . for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard” —Isaiah 52:12

“God requires an account of what is past” (Ecclesiastes 3:15). At the end of the year we turn with eagerness to all that God has for the future, and yet anxiety is apt to arise when we remember our yesterdays. Our present enjoyment of God’s grace tends to be lessened by the memory of yesterday’s sins and blunders. But God is the God of our yesterdays, and He allows the memory of them to turn the past into a ministry of spiritual growth for our future. God reminds us of the past to protect us from a very shallow security in the present. […] Our yesterdays hold broken and irreversible things for us. It is true that we have lost opportunities that will never return, but God can transform this destructive anxiety into a constructive thoughtfulness for the future. Let the past rest, but let it rest in the sweet embrace of Christ. Leave the broken, irreversible past in His hands, and step out into the invincible future with Him.” CHAMBERS

We must be careful that we don’t let our past sins become the reason we say “no” to God today.  The Bible is full of examples of people that God used in a mighty way who had done terrible things .. committed great sins … and yet, they found forgiveness and were given a new start as they walked with God.  There were some things that they could not do because sins do have consequences.  To imagine that we can do anything and it not affect others is an attempt to justify our sins .. to make an excuse for what we have done.

Confession – means to agree with God.  We must lay all of our excuses aside and understand that we are no different from anyone else.  All have sinned .. there is none righteous .. only Jesus … and in Him we can be assured of forgiveness.  Forgiveness means that we are no longer facing the penalty for those sins.

Psalm 103:8-18  "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts"

 

We don’t have to be enslaved by what sins we have committed in the past, but can be free to live for God by His grace and mercy for eternity.  Now that is something to shout about.

 

Here is a verse for 2014 and the rest of your life …

 

Philippians 3:13-14 “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus”

 

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)

A Great Reason To Celebrate

My Utmost For His Highest

 

‘His Birth in Me. “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you . . .” (Galatians 4:19). Just as our Lord came into human history from outside it, He must also come into me from outside. Have I allowed my personal human life to become a “Bethlehem” for the Son of God? I cannot enter the realm of the kingdom of God unless I am born again from above by a birth totally unlike physical birth. “You must be born again” (John 3:7). This is not a command, but a fact based on the authority of God. The evidence of the new birth is that I yield myself so completely to God that “Christ is formed” in me. And once “Christ is formed” in me, His nature immediately begins to work through me.’ CHAMBERS

 

Last night at our Christmas party with the children, I asked the children why we were celebrating.  One answered, because Jesus Christ was born.  I then asked who could recite John 3:16 in Creole.  Many hands went up.  Mostly from those who have given their hearts to the Lord over the past year. I explained to them that Christmas was the beginning of the fulfillment of John 3:16.  That God sent His Son to the earth because He loves us.

 

As I type these words, most of those who will read them are still sleeping.  But when you awaken today, you will celebrate Christmas with your families.  I want to encourage you to not miss the opportunity to share the Good News with them.  Not only that Jesus was born into the world in the flesh, but that Jesus died on the cross for our sin and rose again so that we could have eternal life. Now there is a great reason to celebrate.

 

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)

God Loves You And Don't You Forget It!

My Utmost For His Highest

 

“The Spirit of God testifies to and confirms the simple, but almighty, security of the life that “is hidden with Christ in God.” Paul continually brought this out in his New Testament letters. We talk as if living a sanctified life were the most uncertain and insecure thing we could do. Yet it is the most secure thing possible, because it has Almighty God in and behind it. The most dangerous and unsure thing is to try to live without God.” CHAMBERS

 

When you think of living the Christian life, do you see levels of living? In other words, there are certain levels that Christians live on.  Some are very close to God and others are relegated to live at a distance.  You are still in the same area, just not as close as some people are.  You can’t imagine yourself of ever being really close … you have too many issues for that. So you decide to be content with your life as it is.  As a friend of ours says .. “That is stinkin’ thinkin’”

 

You are a child of the King.  (1 John 3:1) You are not a step child.  You have been blessed with every spiritual blessing. (Ephesians 1:3-6) You get a front row seat … not because of how good you are, but because of the sacrifice of Jesus.  You are loved! Give thanks to Jesus this holiday season. And praise God with your life.

 

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)

This World Is Not My Home - I Am Just Passing Through

My Utmost For His Highest

 

“Do I have even the slightest interest in the death of Jesus? Do I want to be identified with His death— to be completely dead to all interest in sin, worldliness, and self? Do I long to be so closely identified with Jesus that I am of no value for anything except Him and His purposes? The great privilege of discipleship is that I can commit myself under the banner of His Cross, and that means death to sin. You must get alone with Jesus and either decide to tell Him that you do not want sin to die out in you, or that at any cost you want to be identified with His death. When you act in confident faith in what our Lord did on the cross, a supernatural identification with His death takes place immediately. And you will come to know through a higher knowledge that your old life was “crucified with Him” (Romans 6:6). The proof that your old life is dead, having been “crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20), is the amazing ease with which the life of God in you now enables you to obey the voice of Jesus Christ.” CHAMBERS

 

When you identify yourself as a Christian, do you really appreciate what that means?  To be completely dead to all interest in sin, worldliness and self. Just like Jesus.  Not to say that you live a sinless life, but you know that God is doing a work in you .. shaping you … molding you  .. into the image of His Son. For the most part, Christians in the United States have been shielded from persecution for their faith.  But I can see a shift in the wind.  The culture we live in today, rejects the authority of the Bible and clings to the wisdom of man and the lusts of the flesh.  As a Christian, you must make choices. You are called to a life that means you may not be accepted … you may be rejected .. you may be persecuted for what you believe.

 

To be crucified with Christ … to be identified with Him is to welcome the rejection as affirmation that the Word is true.  That your faith has substance.  That the world needs a savior, just as much today as it did during the darkest times in the past.  Your challenge will be the same challenge that Peter faced when Jesus was arrested. “Hey isn’t that one of those Jesus followers?” “Uh, no! I am not one of them.  Are you kidding me?” Or will you stand as Stephen did, with your eyes fixed on your Lord with no worry about what the world may say or do?  This world is not your home.  You may live in the United States, but your citizenship is in heaven.

 

John 15:18-21  "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.  If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.  Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.  They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.”

 

“This world is not my home, I'm just a passing thru, My treasures are laid up, somewhere beyond the blue.  The angels beckon me from heaven's open door, And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.”

 

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)

Making Choices

My Utmost For His Highest

 

“Belief must come from the will to believe. There must be a surrender of the will, not a surrender to a persuasive or powerful argument. I must deliberately step out, placing my faith in God and in His truth. And I must place no confidence in my own works, but only in God. Trusting in my own mental understanding becomes a hindrance to complete trust in God. I must be willing to ignore and leave my feelings behind. I must will to believe. But this can never be accomplished without my forceful, determined effort to separate myself from my old ways of looking at things. I must surrender myself completely to God.” CHAMBERS

 

Yesterday on our way to Port au Prince, we stopped at a little restaurant run by a Christian ministry. As I waited for our order to be put together, I noticed Proverbs 3:5-6 written on their chalkboard menu.  I told the woman serving me that it was one of my favorite verses.  It was a pleasant reminder that God is my source for everything … He is the provider … driving around Haiti there are constant written reminders of God’s presence.  On trucks, buses, and even business names (Merci Jezi [thank you Jesus] Auto Parts).  But at the same time that you see so much written – public acknowledgement of Jesus and the Father, there is clearly a lack of living in obedience to the Word of God.  It is the same way in the U.S. We have built expensive monuments to God – churches – we have put acknowledgement to God even on our money …. but when you look at the culture and what it says is right and what it does … we see a clear lack of obedience.

 

Proverbs 3:5-6 is about trusting choosing God’s way or choosing man’s way.  You face that choice every day, many times during the day. It is a decision of your will.  It starts with laying down the rights to your life .. every day. To trust God means to choose Him over yourself … to reject your feelings and desires and to choose God instead.  It seems to be a difficult life to many because they do not want to give their life up.

 

Jesus said “ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” (Matthew 16:24-25)

 

I SURRENDER ALL  “All to Jesus I surrender.  All to Him I freely give.  I will ever love and trust Him.  In His presence daily live.  I surrender all. All to Thee my blessed Savior, I surrender all”

 

That song is usually sung at the end of a service to encourage  the unsaved to place their faith in Jesus.  Perhaps it should be sung at the beginning of the service instead .. for everyone.

 

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)

Stand Up For Jesus

My Utmost For His Highest

 

‘If you think you are helping lost people with your sympathy and understanding, you are a traitor to Jesus Christ. You must have a right-standing relationship with Him yourself, and pour your life out in helping others in His way— not in a human way that ignores God. The theme of the world’s religion today is to serve in a pleasant, non-confrontational manner. But our only priority must be to present Jesus Christ crucified— to lift Him up all the time (see 1 Corinthians 2:2).’ CHAMBERS

 

We must be very careful that we don’t compromise our faith … our witness … the purpose of God with our natural sympathy … with our desire to not judge others … recognizing sin and naming it, is not judging . condemning is.  We do the person a grave injustice of we “go along” with the self-deception they are living .. that what they are doing .. their life style .. is acceptable to God when the Word of God says that it is not.  Our mission is to point people to Jesus.  Jesus never ignored the sin … but His focus was always on the heart of the person and their need to repent.

 

The world abounds in sin .. I think the world has accepted sin as inescapable and believes that nothing can be done to change its domination.  We have Good News, don’t we?  Jesus Saves.  We, who were once bound as they are, have been freed from sin through Jesus Christ.

 

Don’t expect everyone to rejoice in hearing what you have to say.  Don’t be afraid to stand for what you know is true.  Although some will revile you … reject you because of what you believe, there are those who will rejoice at the news and turn to Jesus.  You cannot tell them apart from all the rest.  So you must be ready tell when the opportunity comes … you must be living the same life you are telling them to choose … and be ready for whatever happens … rejection or rejoicing … in either way, God will be glorified through you. Remember Who is on your side!

 

Matthew 10:28  “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul [the world]. But rather fear Him [Jehovah God] who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

 

"Stand up, stand up for Jesus, you soldiers of the cross.  Lift high the royal banner, you will not suffer loss ... "

 

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You

God Can Change Your Spots

My Utmost For His Highest

 

‘If a person cannot go to God, it is because he has something secret which he does not intend to give up— he may admit his sin, but would no more give up that thing than he could fly under his own power. It is impossible to deal sympathetically with people like that. We must reach down deep in their lives to the root of the problem, which will cause hostility and resentment toward the message. People want the blessing of God, but they can’t stand something that pierces right through to the heart of the matter.’ CHAMBERS

 

There is a difference between confession and repentance. There may be matters in your life that you admit are wrong or unhealthy … sinful.  But they are part of what defines you.  Perhaps character traits that were shaped when you were young.  They have become interwoven into the fabric of your personality and thinking.  You know that those things are contrary to the Word of God, but you cling to them anyway.  Making excuses – “That is just the way I am.” Or “I can’t help myself.”

 

2 Corinthians 5:17 says we are new creations in Christ.  To say that God is not able to change those things is to deny His power and His nature.  A leopard may not be able to change its spots, but God can change yours.  We know He can …. The core of the problem is fear … a lack of faith … a divided love between God and what made you feel safe and secure before you were a Christian.  We must always ask ourselves this question ‘Does my life .. what I just said or thought or did .. does that glorify God?’  If it does not .. we must reject those things, confess, repent and trust.  It is time to stop making excuses and let your light shine.

 

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You