When You Approach God Is Your Hat In Your Hand?

Clouds and darkness surround Him… —Psalm 97:2

A person who has not been born again by the Spirit of God will tell you that the teachings of Jesus are simple. But when he is baptized by the Holy Spirit, he finds that “clouds and darkness surround Him….” When we come into close contact with the teachings of Jesus Christ we have our first realization of this. The only possible way to have full understanding of the teachings of Jesus is through the light of the Spirit of God shining inside us. If we have never had the experience of taking our casual, religious shoes off our casual, religious feet— getting rid of all the excessive informality with which we approach God— it is questionable whether we have ever stood in His presence. The people who are flippant and disrespectful in their approach to God are those who have never been introduced to Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). …. the way God speaks to us; not by visions and dreams, but by words. When a man gets to God, it is by the most simple way— words. - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

Are you familiar with the idiom “Coming with your hat in your hand”?  It means to approach someone “In a meek or submissive manner. (The removal of one's hat is typically a gesture of respect.)”  Men used to tip their hat  or grab the brim and move it downward as a show of respect.  Standing before God with our hats in in our hands is comparable to Moses removing his sandals because He was standing on holy ground. When we come to worship, we may come just as we are, but we must be careful that we are not prideful in our attitude toward God thinking He can “take it or leave it”.  You are thinking, “I would never do that?”  Well, my fear is that many of us refuse to remove our hats when we stand before God.

Over the past 30 years, there has been a shift in how people dress on Sunday morning.  We no longer wear our “Sunday go to meetin’ clothes”, but whatever we pull out o the closet.  If a man wears a suit and tie to church people think he is going to preach or is in some kind of leadership position.  You know that God judges the heart of man, not his outward appearance.  But very often the outward appearance is a reflection of the heart.  Don’t misunderstand me.  I don’t think Moses had a suit and tie on when God interrupted his life … he had on work clothes.  This is not about clothing.  It’s about reverence.  

In times past, I am certain that many people came to church “all dolled up”, “dressed to the nines” (I love those old sayings) with sin in their heart, looking for recognition by men and not God.  What I am concerned about is that we may have lost our awareness that we have come to worship a Holy God.  When we approach Him, on any day, it must be with an awareness that the only reason we have access to God is because of Jesus and His sacrifice. 

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. - Hebrews 4:13-16

The next time you pray .. read the Word of God .. attend a worship service … maybe even take your next breath … keep this in mind.  He is the potter, we are the clay.  We are saved by grace through faith and not works .. there is nothing we can take credit for.  So take off your hat!

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 God Says Go And You Say No

Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God. - Acts 5:1-4

So what happened here? I think that Ananias and Sapphira initially responded to the prompting of the Spirit to sell their property. But then something changed. A faith response can seem to be a frivolous act when view through the lens of the world. So if I will you permit me to be liberal in my interpretation of the events - knowing that the Word is silent on the details. I imagine a conversation between them went something like this. 

(Sapphira) "Ananias we got so much money from the sale; I had no idea!"

(Ananias) "Me either! I was thinking that maybe we could use some of that money to pay our debts and maybe have some for our future. We didn't tell Peter what we would sell it for. Surely the money we will give to the Apostles will be more than most will give. Let's just tell them that what we sold it for is the amount we give them!"

(Sapphira) "I agree. We need some of that money for us!"

And you know the rest. So, why did that happen? The Bible gives us some insight.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. - 1 Timothy 6:10

They lost spiritual perspective - took their eyes off of Jesus and focused on the world. Peter rightly said that they could have decided to give some and not all - but they had committed initially - by their choice to give all - and then decided to lie to conceal their sin. But God sees the heart of man.  

I was on staff with the Promise Keepers ministry some - well I guess many - years ago. I recall the wives of the men who attended the conferences along with as many as 60,000 other Christian men telling me that their husbands came back as new men, but after about 2 weeks, like Moses coming off the mountain, the glory faded. (Later I likened it to taking a Promise Keeper pill that would last a year.) The men were faced with the realities of life on this planet. They took their eyes off of Jesus and started focusing on themselves. Their hearts were drawn back to the affairs of this world.

After 5 years, our time serving in Mississippi after Katrina was drawing to a close. Several people - who were geographically separated and unknown to each other, talked to Martie and me about going to Haiti to help after the earthquake. We both came under conviction that the Lord was indeed leading us to serve in Haiti. And so, we made the commitment to go, knowing what the cost would be.

I was talking with a friend - who was religious but not saved - when I told him what we were about to do - he looked me squarely and asked "Are you crazy! Don't go to Haiti!" I responded with, "It's not my idea, it's God's!" Of course, he did not understand our decision in light of the difficulties he knew we would most certainly face.

"The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit." - 1 Corinthians 2:14

The Word says that a person without the Spirit of God is incapable of understanding spiritual truth. For us it was a faith thing. It was a spiritual calling. And our friend was spiritually deaf and blind. 

When you are faced with the leading of God in your walk of faith be on your guard! The cares of the world will want to get in the way. When God speaks you must be ready to go. Your flesh will want you to say "no!". Remember the admonition in First John chapter 2 .... 

"Do not love the world nor 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 and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever." - 1 John 2:15-17

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 

Spiritual Understanding Requires Spiritual Perspective

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

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, My Utmost For His Highest

There are no coincidences in the life of a Saint.  God is always at work, all around you.  The question is, “Can you see Him at work?” Even in the mundane – simple things .. God is at work.  Very often we think of Romans 8:28 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 think “Lord, why did I meet this person?”  And so should you when you meet someone.  The 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

So What Is So Bad About Money

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

Do you think of yourself as someone who loves money. Well, if not, how about someone who needs money. Even if you are still at home under the care of your parents, when you wander away from home on some social soirée, for one reason or another.  Most often for simple, inexpensive things since you are still a dependent on someone else for food, health and shelter. But eventually when you venture out on your own, you must bear the weight of the cost of living your life - surviving.

So you learn to see having money as a necessity. At first, you make it a point to live within your means. You don't spend more than you make. If you are careful, you might even have some money left over at the end of the month. All the while you are being bombarded opportunities to buy with things that would be nice to have but not things that you necessarily need to have. Maybe your friends have them - nicer things than you have and you want to be like them. Or perhaps you see something on social media, the internet, or television that catches your interest. If you only had more money.

But wait - you don't have to have all of the money you need to buy the things you want! You can buy things on time. You just need a credit line. Then you can go in to debt and pay over time.  All you have to do is be willing to pay interest. Here is an example.

Say you buy a $30,000 car on credit. You pay $5000 down and pay the rest in equal payments for 5 years at 10 percent interest. You actually pay a total of $43,184 for the car over 5 years. In other words, you pay an additional $13,184 in interest for a car that has been depreciating, losing value, every year. So by year 5, on average, your $30,000 car will have depreciated by 42% of its value or $12,600. So the car that you paid $43,184 for will be worth $17,400. My point is not that you should not have a car - but that we buy thing on time because we want them - or in the case of a car - need them with little regard for the true cost. When you tell someone what you paid for the car you will most likely say $30,000 not $43,184.

Don't get defensive on me. I am not suggesting that you don't need a car. Or that you should not finance some purchases - but that going into debt has been made easy. 

The Average household credit card debt in the US is $11,153 as of the 1st quarter of 2026. Total U.S. credit card debt:  $1.25–$1.32 trillion depending on the reporting agency (Federal Reserve, Experian, NY Fed). Money that people didn't have when they bought whatever it was that they bought.  You can even get your paycheck a few days early from a bank or lending institution - of course there will be a cost. And what is the motivation - the need for instant gratification. I want it and I want it now!

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

And what is the "balm" that helps satisfy the lust of your old nature - it's money - either yours or someone else's. Be on your guard Christian! There are many things in this life that vie for the affection of your heart. Your heart that should be devoted to God alone. Money in and of itself is not evil - it is the lust born from our old nature that draws us away from God.

Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. - Matthew 22:37-39

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 God

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, My Utmost For His Highest

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 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 had already 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.  What God asks you to do, you cannot do on your own … serving God is spiritual that manifests itself in the natural.  We look at the natural … everyday living … as if it is separate from the spiritual .. 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.  Regular joe-Christians. You want to know what’s missing in your new life?  At the root, you will find that it’s the level of your love for God. Like it or not!

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 Do You Look like?

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. -  Romans 8:29

God does not change us from the outside in but quite the opposite - from then inside out. The Apostle Paul encourages us to abandon conformity to the world and 

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. - Romans 12:2

Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. - John 14:8-10

I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. - John 17:20-23

I worked in my step dad’s family business with his dad, mom and 2 brothers while I was in high school.  People always commented or assumed I was one of the brothers – but I didn't look like them. They were English/Swedish – I was Scotch/Irish/German – they were short – I was tall. I was full of freckles and they were not. But it was not my looks that made them think that – it was my behavior.  

So do you remind people of your "big brother" or your Dad (Abba) even?  I am not talking abut sitting in church on Sunday - I am talking about bearing fruit in your life that shouts that you are a child of the King!

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. - Galatians 5:22-23

If people see that in your life it will make them think about Jesus. If they have seen you then they have seen Jesus and if they have seen Jesus then they have seen the Father.

[And] 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

Or at least they are supposed to be. It can be a struggle. How are you doing with that?

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 or What Do You Love

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. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. - 1 John 2:15-17

1 John was written to Christians—likely one or more churches in the region of Asia Minor, probably around Ephesus. The letter does not name a specific church or individual recipient, so it is often classified as a general or “universal” letter. One of the great challenges in any Christian's life is to not yield to our old nature and its desires. As John wrote there is not wiggle room with respect to the devotion of our hearts. Your heart is either fully devoted to God or it is not. 

And when God had removed 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

I have heard people describe David as loving God with his whole heart and yet, as you know, David sinned. He was but a man who struggled with his flesh as we all do. But I suspect you are like David and are a man or woman after God's own heart and are not content with walking with sin in your heart. Like Psalm 51 where David asked God to create in him a clean heart after he was confronted by the prophet Nathan over David's sin with Bathsheba and send her husband Uriah to his death on the battlefield.  Not that we would not like to be able to hide our sin - but God sees the heart.

People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. - 1 Samuel 16:7

After Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit led him into the wilderness, where he fasted for 40 days and nights. The devil then tested him with three temptations (the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life)

1. Turn stones into bread — Jesus refused to use his power for himself, replying, “Man shall not live on bread alone.”

2. Throw himself from the temple — Jesus refused to test God, saying, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”

3. Worship the devil in exchange for worldly kingdoms — Jesus rejected power gained through disobedience: “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.”

Jesus responded with the Word of God in each instance.

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

Just like Jesus - when we are tempted we must respond with the Sword of the Spirit - the Word of God.

Your word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you. - Psalm 119:11

I remember two Indiana Jones movies. In the first - Indy was facing a man with a huge sword when he remembered he had a gun so he shot the guy. In the second movie he faced another man, Indy smiled and reached for his gun, but his holster was empty. Think of both of those men as temptation and the gun as the Word of God. And as the old American Express commercial would say with respect to the Word of God - "Don't leave home without 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