Stacking Stones – Remembering God’s Faithfulness

In these uncertain times – it is good for us to remember God’s faithfulness in the past.  These are three examples from the Bible. After defeating the Philistines and ending the oppression of Israel –

“Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us.’” – 1 Samuel 7:12

After 40 years in the desert and finally crossing the river they had refused to cross because of fear and lack of faith –

“And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan, that the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying: ‘Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe’, and command them, saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.’” – Joshua 4:1-3

Israel defeated Amalek –

“And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword….. And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-Lord-Is-My-Banner” – Exodus 17:10-13, 15

In each of these stories, God showed His faithfulness to those He had called.  They marked the place and the time and remembered the Lord.  In the study, Experiencing God, Henry Blackaby calls those “Spiritual Markers”.  We all have them. Times when God did something significant in our lives – live altering – when He revealed Himself to us.  I want to encourage you to reflect on those times in your life when God revealed Himself in a supernatural way.  I will share a few of ours as a “starter” for you.

September 1976: While at Fort Knox, Martie and I visited my parents, attended church with them, heard the Gospel and prayed to receive Christ. While we were at Ft. Knox we met three other Christian couples.  All three couples eventually left the Army for full time Christian service.  We spent the best part of the next 15 years moving and discipling adults wherever the Lord planted us.

February 1992: After Desert Storm in 1991, I returned to Ft. Rucker, AL. I had the distinct impression that I was to leave the Army. It was as if God was saying through His Spirit, that I was sacrificing my family for a career. Although I was very successful, by Army standards, our family was struggling.  We chose our family.  We decided that it would be best for our family if we left the military before retirement and started a new life in Alabama. 

September 1993: I attended a Promise Keeper Conference in Boulder Colorado which led to my eventually quitting my job as a government contractor and serving on staff with the Promise Keepers Ministry as the state manager for Alabama and Mississippi.  I served in that capacity for almost 2 years and then returned to contractor work. 

August 2005:  The Elders at Gateway Baptist church met (it was my first meeting as an Elder).  Hurricane Katrina had made landfall and we discussed how the church might respond.  Pastor Alan arranged for the Red Cross to conduct a training class on Thursday night and Friday morning, we headed for Mississippi.  On the way, our destination was changed from Pascagoula to Ocean Springs.  Our mission was changed from helping in a shelter to opening and running a shelter. 

After 2 weeks in Ocean Springs, Martie and I knew that the Lord wanted us to stay, we just did not know how or where.  A friend from Christian Appalachian Project who was providing volunteers in Ocean Springs told us about Waveland, Mississippi.  Our hearts resonated at the sound of the name of the City although we had never heard it before.  We just didn’t know how we would get there.  After 6 weeks in Ocean Springs, we knew that our time there was about to an end when Pastor Jay Wolf, from FBC Montgomery came to the shelter to talk to us about helping start a volunteer camp in Bay Saint Louis, right next to Waveland.

December 2005:  Martie and I both felt that the Lord was leading us to start a separate ministry for people who were falling through the cracks. In January 2006 met with 5 couples in Montgomery and shared our vision with them.  They all agreed that we should move forward and start the ministry.  We talked about what we should call it.  My mom told me that their ministry to teenagers in the 70’s was called Pathfinder and maybe we should call it that .. so we did.  In April 2006 we moved to Waveland and started Pathfinder Mission. 

February 2010: We sensed our time in Mississippi was over.  Several friends – who did not know each other – talked to use on different occasions about going to Haiti. A year later, we were living in Haiti building an orphanage.

August 2017: In the Sunday School class I was teaching, I was asked when we were going to Texas to help with the recovery from Hurricane Harvey,  I said, “We are not – we don’t chase storms, we follow God.” Not long after, Martie told me that she sensed that we were supposed to go. A month later, we were in Texas, and still are.

There are many more spiritual markers – God-events – if you will, that I could share. But I think you get the idea.  We are by no means super-saints.  We are just like you.  So I know that if you will think about it, you will recall times when God has revealed Himself to you – brought you to a place that required faith on your part that changed the course of your life. 

Remember and rejoice!

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

The Church Building Is Closed, But the Church Is Still Open For Business

“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” – 1 Corinthians 3:16

Our routine of attending worship service on Sunday’s has been interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.  Like many, we are watching the pastor preach over the internet or perhaps have switched to another pastor on television.  Of course we need to hear the Word preached.  Preaching is part of the Body life.  Unfortunately, it may be one of the few times during the week that many Christians are exposed to the Word of God.  Some may see this as a problem, but I want to suggest that it is an opportunity.  I think that this season is an opportunity for Believers, who perhaps have relied too much on the Pastor and the collective church for their connection with God, to reconnect with the One Who called them to salvation.  I believe that this is an opportunity for the members of the Body to be strengthened and not weakened.  And the result will be a stronger Body of Christ – a brighter light – a more relevant testimony.

Someone once said, “Without a test there is not testimony.” This has certainly been a trying time – uncertainty seems to prevail. But only if you let the circumstances of this world be the measure of your confidence and trust.  This is a test of personal faith that we are facing.  There is a word – synergy – that I see applies to the Body of Christ – the Body of Christ that is spiritual – reflected by the physical in church congregations – large and small – and individual Christian groups of perhaps two or three.  The definition of synergy is “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts”.  Paul wrote quite a bit about the gifts – attributes of the Body and how important each one is.  Each part must be spiritually healthy to fulfill its purpose in the Body.  Oddly, I think that this time of separation is a time for spiritual reflection and an opportunity to draw close to the Lord.  The result will be a brighter light – a bolder witness – a stronger corporate, local church.

I am not ignoring the reality of the toll the COVID-19 virus is taking on the health and lives of people.  The toll it is taking on the financial well-being for the people in our country and countries all around the world. But I want to encourage you to not lose hope in this difficult time. Instead redeem it.

"Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God." – Psalm 43:5

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. …. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” – James 4:7-8,10

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

Spiritual Reason In The Face Of Fear

I have been watching our country shift economic gears with amazement and pride.  It is reminiscent of the re-tooling of America in response to the WW2.  People and business making significant changes in their daily lives and what they produce to help counter the threat that looms over them.  Today it is COVID-19, then it was Germany, Italy and Japan.

We are not used to lines outside of stores - food and supply shortages - being limited on where we go, who we go with and when we go. The previous generations knew that life well.

There is a lesson in all of this. So many live for today with the expectation that our tomorrows will be the same. If we can learn anything from this, my hope is that we will appreciate that life is more uncertain than we have been taught by our culture. That we must take time in this pause in our routines to consider what and who we place our trust in, which dictates how we live our lives.

"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?’" Luke 12:17-20

Since you have some time on your hands - perhaps you should consider your priorities in the life you have been given. Be careful about "drinking the media's Kool-Aide".  They have an agenda, be it left or right, but it is jaundiced so you must cull out the good from the bad.  Don't focus solely on social media - national news - but focus on what you know to be good.  I am typing this during my self-quarantine. Be socially responsible - but, at the same time, be spiritually responsible. As Christians, we have a responsibility delegated from God to be light in darkness - to be a source of hope in what seems to be hopeless - to be confident in the face of uncertainty - to be an ambassador of faith in a world full of fear.

In other words, to be like Jesus. 

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

Trusting God No Matter What

“Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” – Job 13:15

Have you ever faced something in your life that seemed like it should not happen to you or to someone care about? Have you ever asked – “Why Lord?”  Of course you have. It is part and parcel to the human condition.  The condition of our salvation is not that God promises that we will never face hardship in this life.  Jesus was crucified. As far as I know, all of His disciples – the writers of the New Testament met with violent deaths. Job didn’t understand why bad things were happening to him, but whatever might befall him, he refused to abandon his trust in God.

I was talking to a homeowner about the passing of his sister and how his mother, still living, was struggling with the loss of her adult child. He had lost a son some time back.  I shared 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 with him.

“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 tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Many Christians live under the illusion that they will never face hardship if they are right with God. Not true –  you know that all too well.  Our challenge is to not abandon God in the midst of it – but to draw closer to him as the God of all comfort.  God will use the bad in this life for good. He will use those that the bad things happened to for good – for ministry – for His glory. Lazarus is another example of that. My friend can speak into his mother’s life in a way that no one else can – as God brought comfort to Him with his loss of his son, so God through my friend can bring comfort to another – in this case his mom.

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

Did you catch that? We will have tribulation but can find peace through Jesus – the overcomer. 

So, turn your eyes upon Jesus.  Look full in His wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.

COVID – 19 will be no less real – your other problems in this life will be no less real – but they will dim as you focus on faith and the One who saved you for eternity.

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

Understanding the Divine Design - A Word About God the Father, Jesus the Son, the Holy Spirit

“God [the Father], who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds” – Hebrews 1:1-2

I have noticed, as I have listened to people speak about the Bible and pray, that many people mix the Father, Son and Holy Spirit up. An example is when they refer to attributes of the Father and attribute them to Jesus. Certainly Jesus said that He and the Father are one – but not.  Jesus would not pray to himself, would He? Or people will pray to the Father and thank Him for his sacrifice on the cross – as you know, it was His Son, Jesus, that the Father sent to redeem the world.  So why talk about it? I guess it is like the wife cooking a wonderful meal and the guest thanking and praising the husband for the delicious meal. Certainly the husband had a role in providing the money through work to buy the food that the wife cooked. The Bible says the husband and wife are one – but they are also separate. 

I am not trying to explain the Trinity – I would not be so bold – but I am saying that we need to understand that the Father, the Son and the Spirit have different roles in the Divine design. The Father sent the Son and then sent the Spirit when the Son returned to heaven.

“But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.” – John 15:26-27

The Father speaks to us. In the past through the prophets and other means – a burning bush. In the Gospels through Jesus. After Jesus’ ascension – by the Spirit through the Word, prayer, circumstances and other Christians. 

Does that seem like a trivial thing to you? I don’t think it is, actually.  Jesus came to bring glory to the Father.

“Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was..” – John 17:1-5

The Father has given the Son authority over all flesh and by Jesus we have been adopted as children of God, the Father.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” – Ephesians 1:4-6

And the Father has sealed us with the Holy Spirit – Who abides in each Believer.

“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” – Ephesians 1:11-14

While you are “staying at home” perhaps you can meditate on this for a moment or two.

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

Is God’s Word Enough?

“And Jesus said to him, ‘ I will come and heal him.’ The centurion answered and said, ‘Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.’ When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!’” – Matthew 8:7-10

“Do you believe that what you believe is really real?” That is a quote from the Focus on the Family Study – The Truth Project. For the Centurion, he did not need Jesus to come to his house to heal his servant.  Merely speaking was sufficient.  The Centurion (a centurion was a military commander who had 100 men under him – there were 60 centurions in a legion – so 6000 men in a legion) He had great authority behind his commands to his men.  I have commanded hundreds of soldiers - I understand the power of that kind of authority. 

Please allow me to digress on the point of Jesus authority for a moment …

“But Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?’” – Matthew 26:52-54

When Jesus was arrested He said the Father could send 12 legions – 12 x 6000 or 72,000 angels to defend Him. But, instead for our sakes, He did not but like a lamb to the slaughter, endured the cross. Do you understand the authority of Jesus?

“When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. And he cried out with a loud voice and said, ‘What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.’ For He said to him, ‘Come out of the man, unclean spirit!’ Then He asked him, ‘What is your name?’ And he answered, saying, ‘My name is Legion; for we are many.’ Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.” – Mark 5:6-10

Jesus had authority over the demons – there were 6000 in the man – and He cast them out with a word.  Do you understand the authority of Jesus?

So – back to point. The Centurion understood authority and he believed that what he believed about Jesus was really real.  He had great faith. He was convinced.  That is not something we can figure out on our own.  Who Jesus was and is must be spiritually revealed by God and in that revelation, we must believe.

“When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, ‘Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?’ So they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.’” – Matthew 16:12-17

People were guessing at who Jesus was – John the Baptist, Jesus cousin – Elijah – Jeremiah – one of the other Old Testament prophets. But Peter knew who Jesus was, but only by spiritual revelation.  Spiritual understanding comes by spiritual revelation. So back to the point of this devotion.  God’s word is spiritual revelation of Truth. It requires faith – like the Centurion’s to live by faith and walk in Truth. God does not have to prove Himself –– if you will but believe that –  His Word is enough.  What impossible circumstance are you facing today? His word is enough!

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

God’s Provision And Your Purpose

“I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.” – Psalm 37:25

That was King David who wrote that. I just shared that verse with a good friend who asked me how we were doing – not just in the face of COVID-19, but with life and living in general.  I told him that “I live and do and serve like I am not getting older confident that God will always provide somehow.”  God doesn’t promise us plenty – but He does promise enough. One thing about doing what we do, we have the opportunity to see people who are in great need – live uncertain lives.  As much as I would like to, I can’t help every one that I meet.  The question always is – “Lord, do I help this one?”  I have often told people that Jesus did not heal everyone – but what He did, He did to bring glory to the Father.

“Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does.” – John 5:19-20

God has a divine purpose for each of us. We should live and breathe for His glory – just like Jesus. Our country – the world – has just had the rug pulled out from under it. In the midst of the turmoil there is a light that is shining – God is at work in the midst of all the confusion.

I visited a family yesterday – the wife had renal failure, a kidney transplant and now lung cancer. But she is hopeful.  We are doing work on her home.  There are yet some things that must be corrected. She called me on Sunday afternoon and I had gone there to see what must be done.  I assured her and her husband that all would be well.  (BTW, Their nephew is joining the Marines. I gave him a Marine’s Bible I had from the Campus Crusade (now CRU) Military Ministry. It so happened that I joined the Army on March 23^rd, 1969 – 51 years ago yesterday – wow!) At any rate, as I was about to leave the husband said “Pastor would you pray for us?” I must tell you that I don’t promote the idea that I am a pastor – although that is what the Haitians called me – and what a number of people here call me – not because of any formal training – or because I pastor a church – or that I tell them that I am a pastor, but because of God’s anointing.  God reminded me of that yesterday. Of course we prayed. 

So what has God purposed for you to do? What is your anointing? What do you see God doing that you are to do – just like Jesus did? Like Rick Warren began in his book, The Purpose Driven Life, “It is not about you.” What is it about? Your life in the context of God’s blessing and God’s calling.  The world needs to see Jesus in you. Today.

Living On Bread and Water

“I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”" — John 6:51

I suppose you have seen the lines at the grocery stores – if not then you have seen the empty shelves.  The Lord – the Spirit of God – has been impressing upon me the need to encourage the Saints in this dark hour. I just had the vision of me walking behind the line of foxholes encouraging the warriors to stand firm – to face the enemy with confidence.  To remember their training in preparation for this battle.  To face the enemy with confidence. To not abandon their post. It is times like this that God has equipped the Church for. Thinking about the encouragement that the Lord gave to Joshua.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9

I am co-leading an Experiencing God Bible study using a video conferencing application “Zoom”.  We started it before the COVID-19 outbreak, but it has proven to be timely. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US, LET ME KNOW (charley@pathfindermission.org – of message me on Facebook) Zoom is free, but you would need to buy the study guide. Back to my point – I was working on the study this morning when I happened across John 6:51. Jesus is the Bread of life.  Then I remembered His encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well.

“Jesus answered and said to her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.’” – John 4:10

(OK – you might think this odd, but as a friend would say,  “It is not odd, it’s God”) I write this devotion, initially, in an email then copy it to my BLOG.  I use the previous email as a template so I don’t’ have to look up email addresses each time (I send it to 21 people by email). I went to my Bible software to get the verse from John 4 to paste into the devotion – I copied it, then returned to the email and viola there was the verse – exactly in the place I would have pasted to – a verse I used in my previous devotion.

So Jesus is the bread and gives us living water – He provides spiritual nourishment.  In times like these – it is even more important to listen to God – to seek Him out.  The media is dominated by COVID-19 and the impending doom for the world – dark times to be certain.  But there is a Light – God has not abandoned us.  He will give us what we need to endure this time of trouble.

 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” – Matthew 6:31-34

I didn’t say it – Jesus did! He also said this!

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

It is time for the Church to lean forward in the foxhole and face the enemy with spiritual weapons, all for the world to see!

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

What To Do When You Feel The Heat Of The COVID-19 Furnace

“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”" —Daniel 3:16-18

I see so much encouragement to the Saints on social media in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The threat of contracting it has affected everyone. It has disrupted “normal living”. Struck fear in the hearts of the vulnerable, whether that vulnerability is age, health or wealth.  What many thought was inevitable – a sure thing – has been snatched from their hands. It is like we are facing the fiery furnace – about to be tossed in and there is nothing we can do about it. Well – maybe buy more toilet paper! (sorry could not resist) But a word about that – emotion and logic coexist and are not connected to each other.  When you see a fear response in people – like hording – that is emotion. It is easy to be critical when logic rules in you, but what is needed is compassion and understanding.

I used the story of the fiery furnace because those three guys were tossed into the furnace. They did not avoid it.  The Bible does not say they did not feel the heat – it says their clothes were not singed and they escaped death. I am not saying that Christians will be spared from the COVID furnace – not will some not lose their mortal lives because of it. As I have said in the past – God says all will die a natural death – but He does not say how we will die, where we will die or when we will die – He does not say that we will not get sick – that we will not have to endure financial loss. He does say that our hope must be in heaven and not in this mortal existence.  Those people buying the toilet paper and other things – who feel that their lives are out of their control – all of our lives are out of our control – need to be encouraged to look to God.  With respect to the love of God – the shelves will never be empty.

“Jesus answered and said to her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.’” – John 4:10

The Love of God, Frederick M. Lehman

The love of God is greater far Than tongue or pen can ever tell; 

It goes beyond the highest star, And reaches to the lowest hell;

The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win;

His erring child He reconciled, And pardoned from his sin.

Refrain:

Oh, love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure— The saints’ and angels’ song.

When hoary time shall pass away, And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall, 

When men who here refuse to pray, On rocks and hills and mountains call,

God’s love so sure, shall still endure, All measureless and strong;

Redeeming grace to Adam’s race— The saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill, And were the skies of parchment made, 

Were every stalk on earth a quill, And every man a scribe by trade;

To write the love of God above Would drain the ocean dry; 

Nor could the scroll contain the whole, Though stretched from sky to sky.

Refrain:

Oh, love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure— The saints’ and angels’ song.

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

Responding To COVID-19 And Life In General With Devotion Not Emotion

“Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You now?" —John 13:37

Peter thought that he could do a spiritual thing through the strength of his own will.  You know how that worked for him.  It’s easy to sit in judgement over Peter.  Shaking our knowing heads.  No way Peter! Who do you think you are?  And yet, we are guilty of the same thing.  Trying to be Christians … do the right thing … in the power of our flesh.  Letting our emotions be a poor substitute for the Spirit of God.  Thinking that our own plans are equal with the plans and will of God.  Essentially denying the sovereignty of God .. trying to be our own god.  What! No way you say.  Yes way!  Everything we do .. everything we say .. what we think .. what we want .. should be .. must be … in the context of whose we are and who God is.  Look … our life after our rebirth is a struggle.  Our old nature wants to rule and guide, but our new nature has another ruler and another guide.  In all fairness to Peter, he had not received the Holy Spirit so he lacked the power to be and do in a way that would overcome.  Read this account of Peter being confronted after he received the Spirit of God.

“The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.  Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’” – Acts 4:5-11

Is that the same guy that denied Jesus before people around a fire?  Yes and no.  It was Peter, but the new Peter not the old one.  Now Peter could have stood before those religious leaders, even with the Spirit in him and responded with his flesh.  If he had, he would have failed just like before.  The first time, Peter did not glorify God, he protected himself.  The second time, he did glorify God at the peril of prison or worse.  The difference was who he was trusting in. 

“Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.” – Psalm 20:6-8

That can be you as you face life each day – the threat of the COVID-19 virus pandemic.  You will always be tested to trust in yourself and not God.  To respond to a situation with emotion and not devotion.  If you are wondering where the victory in Jesus is in daily living .. that may be the root of your problem.  You are trying to do what only God can do through you.  Examine your heart.  Draw close to God through the Word and prayer.  Pick up your cross daily and follow Jesus.

“‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.” – Zechariah 4:6 

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

Who Decides What Is Good? - God Does Not You

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”   – Isaiah 5:20

Most Christians don’t struggle with those things that are blatantly “evil”, but with those things that seem, on the surface, to be “good”.  Good as defined by our culture and our traditions.  There is a movement in our culture, in particular, to redefine the definition of “good” or what is not sin – what is right behavior and what is wrong.

Centuries people have striven to be like God and define, for themselves, what is good and acceptable.  Paul wrote in the beginning of his letter to the Romans ..

 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. … they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools… And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” – Romans 18,20-22,28-32

And today .. the beat goes on!  When the young man called Jesus “good teacher”, Jesus responded (Matthew 19:17)  “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.”  In other words,  “Only my Father in heaven is good and the definer of what is good.”  God is the source of all goodness.  However people continue to define their own morality, their own definition of what is good.  Jesus accused the Church of Ephesus  of being lukewarm in Revelation 2.  They wanted to do both.  Embrace God and embrace the world.  Very often when there is a clash of definitions, God is abandoned in favor of the culture.  God is rejected and the culture is embraced.  Those Christians who do it feel justified. It is the temptation of “Everyone is doing it”. 

God is the source of what is good .. His Word tells us what is sin and what is not.  His Spirit convicts us of sin unless we quench the Spirit.  (There is so much running through my head right now, but I will not share it … else this might be a book and not a devotion) Listen, if the consequence of standing on Truth and the Word, even though it is contrary to the culture and the threat of reject and criticism looms on the horizon .. why should you be any different than Jesus … don’t you want to be like Him?  Or only with respect to the “good” parts.

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also.” – John 15:18-27

We are in a spiritual battle that manifests itself in the way people live and believe.  My encouragement to you .. (Joshua 24:15)  “Choose this day whom you will serve .. but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”  Make that more than a catch phrase or a plaque on your living room wall.  Make it a commitment … everyday … but let it be more than a commitment … make the choice – follow God and not a culture headed for the wide gate!

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

Getting And Keeping First Things First

“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. (riches or material wealth)” – Matthew 6:24

Someone once said that “Money can buy you anything but happiness ... and can take you anywhere but heaven!” The desire for having more wealth is not limited to those who already have it. The desires of the flesh are insatiable.  There is never enough.  When asked about how much more money a certain rich man needed, who was already a billionaire, he answered, “Just a little bit more.”  Many Haitians call the United States, “money land”. The United States is called the “land of opportunity.” Certainly the standard of living, even for the poor in this country, exceeds the standard for most Haitians.  Abraham Maslow, a psychologist, wrote a paper in 1943 entitled, “A Theory of Human Motivation” in which he described a “hierarchy of needs.” Simply put … each of us has progressive needs that when satisfied give rise to other needs.  The basic needs are physiological.  Food – water – health then safety – shelter and so on.  Once met, we move on to the next one. But how much is enough – for our flesh – the natural man – just a little bit more.

“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

It is not wealth or having things that is the problem.  It is when the pursuit of wealth becomes the hope of our now and of our future.  When we place more trust in our 401K than in our Father in heaven.  When we decide we need to build bigger barns.  Have you ever said or thought of a preacher, “All he talks about is money!”?  Why does that bother you so, do you think? Is it because you discern that the preacher has the wrong motive or is it possible that the Spirit is convicting you about your love for that which you will ultimately leave behind for someone else?

I recall a story about a certain man that died and in his will was the direction to sell all he had and purchase gold which was to be placed in his coffin with him. Well, he did die, like we all will one day, and they sold all of his possessions and cashed in all of his investments and converted it to gold bullion.  The put the gold in his coffin and buried him and his treasure.  That which he had sacrificed for all of his life.  As he approached the gates of heaven, he was dragging this coffin with him.  St. Peter asked him, “Bob, what is in the box?” To which Bob relied proudly, “It is that which I spent my life accumulating, I sacrificed everything else, even my family, to have it.” So St. Peter opened the lid and then with a quizzical look on his face asked, “Pavement?”

The moral to the story of course is that the things that men value on earth is not necessarily what God values in heaven.  We are here for 70 or 80 years – we are in heaven of eternity. The next time you hear a sermon on tithing or money, ask yourself – “Is God speaking to my heart. Am I keeping the first things first?”

“So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, ‘You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’ But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.” – Luke 18:22-23

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

Facing Covid-19 - The Corona Virus With Fear or Faith

“And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, ‘Master, Master, we are perishing!’ Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. But He said to them, ‘Where is your faith?’ And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, ‘Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!’” — Luke 8:24-25

I have been watching the response of world to the Corona virus.  It caused me to realize just how fragile our sense of safety and well-being really is. Shelves in grocery stores are emptying out. Ben Franklin said, “To be forewarned is to be forearmed.” I get that. But like the disciples in the boat – having done all they, as expert boatmen, knew how to do, were convinced that all was lost. The storm was just too great – they were convinced that they were going to die. The stock market is in a nose dive, professional and college sports events, cancelled. Schools closing. Theme parks like Disney World, closing. Airlines, Cruise ships, those activities that are discretionary – reflective of our affluence – being severely affected by the threat of this pandemic. Any assemblies of more than 250 people are discouraged.  Worship gatherings suspended. The world’s response reveals just how fearful people are and how fragile our lives are.

Friends, it is time for the light of the Church to shine. We need to encourage people to replace their fear with faith. When all of the natural solutions seem to fail them, that “the Master of the seas” is sovereign – He is in control. This is not really about a virus – it is about who or what we trust in.

“Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:5-7

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

WDJD - What DID Jesus Do - He Obeyed The Will Of The Father

“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

Jesus was tempted as we are tempted.  Temptation has the same root source … the old nature.  Temptation is the considering of an opportunity to do your own thing and disregard God.  For you to decide what is best for you, what is right.  When Jesus was tempted in the desert (Matthew 4:1-14) the first temptation (lust of the flesh) was to satisfy His flesh, “turn stones into bread”.  He had not eaten for 40 days!  Seems reasonable, but then most sin seems reasonable.  It was well with his power to do it.  He had turned water into wine. But that was really not the point of the temptation.  It was to choose something other than God.  “Man does not live by bread alone but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”  Often what seems innocent can be deadly to our spiritual relationship with the Father.  The second temptation was to throw himself off of a pinnacle and the angels would catch him. (Pride of life) “You shall not put the Lord, your God to the test”.  You want God to prove you have value to Him.  He already has. The third temptation, (lust of the eyes), “[Satan] showed Him [Jesus] all the kingdoms of the world and their glory;  and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” Jesus replied “You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.”

The things of this world are merely enticements for you to place your trust elsewhere.  For many, many people, they don’t own possessions, the possessions own them.  I know many Christians who say no to God because they are shackled by the things of this world.  Satan is called the god of this world.  (2 Corinthians 4:4)  He could offer everything Jesus saw to Jesus because it was his dominion.  We say God owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10) as if to justify our lust for possessing “the cattle”.  We, in fact, are God’s possession.  Bought with a price.  We belong to God and should face the temptation to act otherwise with the power of the Word of God, just like Jesus did.

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.” – 1 Peter 2:9-12

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

Christianity Is A Relationship Not A Religion

“For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” — Romans 8:15

How you view your faith in Jesus will determine how you live your new life.  Do you see going to church, studying the Bible, and praying as an obligation or as an opportunity.  Is God the Father a distant supernatural being who made it possible for you to escape eternity in hell, or is He a loving Father that you love and want to spend time with? The truth is that you are a child of the God of the universe.   

“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.” – Matthew 22:37-38

When you love someone, you WANT to spend time with them. It brings joy to your heart.  Is there someone in your life that you love, deeply? You want to be around them, talk to them, just be present with them? That is what love is.  Well, if you don’t feel that way about God, then you don’t love Him all that much.  Maybe you just like Him.  Being around Him, you can take it or leave it.  Maybe getting more sleep or doing something else that you like to do more than reading the Bible, praying, being around other Christians, or worshiping on Sunday mornings is more important. So you tell God, see you later, I have things to do and people to see!

Why am I telling you this? Because when you neglect our relationship with the Father, we miss the joy that transcends anything that this world has to offer. Most of us struggle with a divided heart.  We pay lip service to our faith – unless we want something – and pursue our natural life asking God to bless it.  Take some time to reflect on this. And if it applies in any way to your life – do something about it. A good place to start is by remembering the day of your salvation and the love for the Father that filled your heart.

Take Me Back - Andraé Crouch

Take me back, take me back dear Lord To the place where I first received you

Take me back, take me back dear Lord where I First believed

I feel that I'm so far from you Lord But still I hear you calling me

Those simple things that I once knew, Their memories keep drawing me

I must confess, Lord I've been blessed But yet my soul's not satisfied

Renew my faith, restore my joy And dry my weeping eyes

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

Works Without Faith Are Dead

“… we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” — Ephesians 2:10

It is amazing, I think that God would want to use us, sin prone as we are, for His purposes. In fact, good works is at the center of God’s plan. Why? So the world might see Jesus.

(James 2:14-26)  “….. faith without works is dead.” 

Works without faith are also dead. Good works are a natural product of our faith.  Those works and the fruit that is born from them is for God’s glory not ours.  The problem so many of us have is that what we consider “good works” can supplant our devotion to the One who called us to the work.  In that case faith has nothing to do with the work we do.  Two people can be handing out water to thirsty people.  One is a Christian and one is not.  The thirsty person’s thirst is quenched by both.  You see you can do “good things” and not have the power of God behind what you do.  That is what makes it so easy to abandon God and make what you are doing all your own.  You might still wear a T-shirt or hat or bracelet that makes reference to your faith or to Jesus, but your heart is far from God.  There is no eternal power in what you do.  Like the Pharisees, you have become a “whitewashed tomb filled with dead men’s bones.” I must constantly remind myself that what I do, I do because I am a child of God and I am about my Father’s business.  If I don’t nurture my spiritual life, then my natural life will soon take over.

Some time back we are working on repairing a hurricane damaged home.  It was really a cool house .. in a rustic sense … we had occasion to pour a cement landing outside the back door.  I was doing some shovel work preparing the area when I felt something solid under the point of my shovel.  I scraped the dirt away to find pavers – a brick path.  As I followed the bricks I uncovered a patio.  Time and neglect had taken over what was once a beautiful garden patio.  It took a great deal of effort, but eventually the patio was restored.  It’s the same with our spiritual lives.  If we neglect the disciplines of our faith, soon God’s handiwork will be covered over.  You might still “do” what you were doing before but you have become like those Paul wrote about in 2 Timothy 3:5, “having a form of godliness but denying its power”.  You see – work, no matter how well intentioned or how good or helpful - without faith is dead.  Each of us must examine what we do and why we do it.  Just as with our salvation – saved by grace through faith and not works – we bring glory to God by faith in our work.

The light that shines from our lives is the presence of the Spirit of God and the fruit that is born from the Spirit in a life submitted to the will of God and the leading of the Spirit. Good works are not merely limited to the work of our hands but the outpouring of the love of God from our hearts.

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

Looking For Peace In Our Possessions

“Then one from the crowd said to Him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.’ But He said to him, ‘Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?’ And He said to them, ‘Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.’” —Luke 12:13-15

These verses precede the parable about the rich man building bigger barns.  Jesus had been talking to his disciples about spiritual matters when the man asked Jesus about money and civil injustice.  The request revealed a couple of things. First, it revealed the man’s heart.  He was not particularly interested in spiritual matters – what he wanted was what was lawfully coming to him and he wanted Jesus to help him.  Second, Jesus revealed that His purpose was not to be a civil judge – Jesus is the eternal judge – who will separate the sheep and the goats on that day. Jesus knew the man’s heart and the man’s devotion. His heart was devoted to earthly wealth and pursuing his passion – money, possession, and the accumulation of both. 

“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

It is a part of our nature to lust after these things. The idea that our world will be right if we just have enough money and things.  There is a stream of thought that the proof of God’s blessing is that we have a bounty of worldly possessions.  If your friend was a diabetic and struggled with eating the things that hurt them, why would you offer them the very thing that was harmful to them.

“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

It is in our nature to define prosperity and success in terms of what the world treasures.  Just like Jesus talking to the man about his inheritance, God does not bless us with material wealth so that we can be at peace in our hearts. The peace God wants us to enjoy is a fruit of the Spirit of God that transcends our circumstances. If you pursue possessions as the source of your peace, you will abandon your devotion to the Father.   A couple of verses for you to dwell on today.

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” – John 14:27

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7

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

Being Sorry Is Only The First Step Of Repentance, Not The Last

“Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation…” —2 Corinthians 7:10

Being sorry for our sins is not enough.  Repentance means turning away from our sin, not merely being frustrated and sorry that we continue to sin.  Conviction of sin is a supernatural act of the Spirit of God that brings an awareness of the truth of our sin … all sin separates us from God.  But sin is to the sinner like drugs are to the drug addict.  As Christians we know that sin is not good. That it’s contrary to our new nature, but something drives us to want to cling to that sin. We may even ask God to forgive us, but really all we want is relief from the conviction and the consequences.  We have not abandoned what it is that draws us to that sin.  This is a spiritual struggle. (Ephesians 6:12)  Our struggle with sin manifests itself in our flesh – through physical actions and our thought life.  So it leads us to the question that Paul wrote in Romans 7 …  

“I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.” – Romans 7:21-25

The danger for us is that we can become complacent about the sins we struggle with.  Even accepting.  Giving in. Rationalizing their presence and persistence. Someone once said that to rationalize is to tell yourself “Rational Lies”. But that is not the life we have been called to.  When you come under the conviction of the Holy Spirit because of your sin, (John 16:8) don’t see it as a problem but as a blessing. A heavenly reminder that you are a child of God.

“ So ….. let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:1-2

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

Living Like There Is No Tomorrow

“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.” — Hebrews 9:27-28

You cannot live life on earth and not be touched by the death of someone you love.  Family or friends, the fact of the matter is that our days are numbered and everyone is going to die a physical death. From the time we drew our first breath, the clock was ticking for the time when we would draw our last.  Although that Bible tells us that death is certain, God does not tell us when we will die, where we will die, or how we will die. It would be wonderful if we all would just go to sleep one night and wake up in heaven.  That does happen, but I think that is not true for the majority of us. 

“Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” – Psalm 139:16

Martie and I just celebrated her 70^th birthday, mine is in August. 70! Wow! I never imagined 70, it seemed so far off.  We know that the majority of our days are behind us. The point is not that we only have a few left – the point is, “What are we going to do with the days we have left?”  A friend just told me about a relative who was 64, apparently in good health, dropped dead from a heart attack.  It was a reminded that tomorrow is not promised to any of us. When we are young, we live as if there will always be a tomorrow – that we always have time to “get our life right” – to focus on our faith and not so much the natural things in our lives.

“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?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” – Luke 12:16-21

We don’t like to think of ourselves as foolish – instead we prefer to think we are wise and responsible when our priority is on securing our financial future – and really there is nothing wrong with that so long as we don’t abandon our trust in God and devotion to others in the process. I don’t know when I will see Jesus face to face, but until I do, I must redeem the time I have. Make every day count – be a light to the world so that some might see Jesus and be saved. God does not need me or you for that purpose, but He has chosen to use us and will should we be faithful to seek first the Kingdom of God. Think about it.

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