Putting On The Ring Of Faith

"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." - Ephesians 6:11-13

As you may know, we are at the point of leaving Texas for the West coast of Florida to assist in the Hurricane Ian recovery effort. We are convinced that God has called us to Florida. Just as He called us out of the Army, to Mississippi in 2005, to Haiti in 2010, to Texas in 2017. Now if I would ask people who know what we did in those places if they believed that God was in it - they would say yes. But when what God has called you to do or where He is calling you to go is unknown - ahead of you , well that is where uncertainty comes in. That is a faith issue (Hebrews 11:1) but what I want to address is the spiritual warfare that will surely ensue when you say "yes" to God.

Have you watched the movie - The Lord of The Rings? Well, if you have, you know that when Frodo put the ring on his finger, he entered a different world. It was present all the while. It even manifested itself visibly in the natural. But most if not all people were totally unaware of a spiritual reality. Paul addressed that in Ephesians 6. I fear that most Christians are unaware of its existence or its influence on our natural lives.

When "things" start happening to us as we prepare to pursue God's calling, it always gets my attention. Most people will brush them off as mere coincidences, but they are not.  They are attacks from the enemy intended to discourage us and perhaps convince us that these things would not happen if God was REALLY behind this. Maybe we should just stay where it is safe.  Forget the whole thing. Go sit on the front porch and watch the cars go by.

If you are not interested in living the life God has called you to - you are not a threat to the enemy. He will leave you alone. But step out in faith - put the ring of faith on if you will and you will come under attack and become aware of a spiritual dimension, that heretofore (love that word) was unseen - perhaps even unknown. 

We have come under attack so please pray for us. That we will "take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." And that is my prayer for you my friend!

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

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

Looking For Answers - RTB - Read The Book

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." - 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Have you ever had a problem with your car. Some feature that you just did not understand how to make it work? So what did you do? Well, in the olden days, you would get the Owner's Manual out of the glove box, turn to the index, look for the feature in the list, identify the page it was on and turn to it. Then follow the instructions because you trusted they were right.  Today you are more likely to "GOOGLE" it or go to YOUTUBE. That failing you might resort to looking in your glove box.

It is pretty much the same for Christians and living our new life.  There is much we don't understand in life. We don't know how to make it work. Like your car, sort of, the answers are all in the "owner's manual", the Word of God.

"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. 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 1:8-9

Do you read the Bible? Often? Or maybe just on Sunday mornings at church. And then maybe from the big screen. The Bible is critical to living your new life in Christ successfully. It is THE source of spiritual wisdom.  It is God breathed. It is absolute truth in a world that does not believe in absolutes. I can remember when my step-dad, ( I will address that phrase at the end of this devotion) when asked about a problem would say, "Let's see what the Bible has to say about it." Getting advice or direction from the One who created - designed you and me - is exponentially more beneficial than asking a friend who is also struggling to keep their own head above water.

That is not to say that godly counsel is not necessary - it is just that you must ensure that it is godly counsel based upon scripture and not worldly opinion based upon emotion or human wisdom.

The takeaway from this is that you need to make it a habit of reading the Bible. If you are not doing it consistently then you should start. A lack of hunger for the Word of God is an indication that you are struggling spiritually. Don't like the sound of that? Neither do I! Use what I call the "crawl, walk run" method. Start slow with small bites and work you way up to a full meal on the Bread of Life.

Ok now to the phrase - "step-dad".  I will be 73 years old this year. My parents were divorced when I was 2 years old. My mom remarried when I was 4 - maybe 5. That means for almost 70 years I have had two father figures in my life. I lived with my mom and step-dad. He made a choice that we would not call him dad but Don. But all along, I thought of him as my dad. I wanted to call him dad. To this day I hesitate when making reference to him, even as I typed out this devotion I wondered should I write "dad". I don't like calling him my step-dad. He may not be my biological father, but  is my spiritual father. 

My point? Some of you reading this may have been divorced and live with what the worlds calls a blended family. If you have not already, consider giving those children the freedom to call you dad or mom. It is important - at least it is important to me.  I have a book, What Makes A Man by Coach Bill McCartney (Promise Keepers) that was a gift from "dad" he wrote a note on the inside cover and signed it "Love, Dad" That is the only time he made a concession on the title. I love that book, because of what the author wrote or compiled but because of what dad wrote.

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

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

The Fog Of War

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible." - Hebrews 11:1-3

As we are preparing to move Pathfinder to the west coast of Florida in response to Hurricane Ian, there are a number of things that must be coordinated and/or accomplished before and during the move.  I was talking with a friend and fellow soldier who is also warring against the effects of the disaster about a number of issues that seemed to be obstacles that might be too steep and high to climb. I told her that in light of God's call to go and serve people in need, these issues were really mere distractions. I mentioned the term, Fog of  War. This is a brief elaboration on the term from the book On War ( I am certain you have read it!!). 

"War is the realm of uncertainty; three quarters of the factors on which action in war is based are wrapped in a fog of greater or lesser uncertainty. A sensitive and discriminating judgment is called for; a skilled intelligence to scent out the truth." — Carl von Clausewitz, On War

That made me think of what the Bible says about faith in Hebrews 11 ( I am more certain that you have read that!!!) Our new life is filled with distractions that would cause us to focus on them and not on what we have been called to do. Of course, my assumption is that you have indeed been called by God and are not pursuing some notion that you, yourself, have "cooked" up. 

And so I told my friend, that I was not concerned about any of the issues we were discussing. Where God guides, God provides. But climbing the hill in spite of the "fog" requires faith on our part. Life is like that for every Christian. I reminded her that in that fog were people who needed help and God sent us to help. He knows the trials we face in getting there and serving. He knew before He called us. There is nothing too hard for God.

"count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind." - James 1:2-6

And so - we are leaving on Wednesday. The fog is thick where we are going. But God is mighty and is waiting to see us coming over the hill.

"[God] who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us," -Ephesians 3:20

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

Surviving An Anger Ambush

"Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath [anger], selfish ambitions, dissensions" - Galatians 5:19-20

Anger – you know the feeling don’t you? That feeling that rises up inside of you? Like a jug quickly filling up with water until it overflows.  You face is flushed.  Your heart is racing. Anger can be often be triggered by frustration or disappointment. Many people try justify their feelings and behavior by pointing to their ancestors, their family’s dominant country of origin or maybe blame it on the other person when it is nothing more or less than their sin nature poking its head out. They might try to suppress the display of an emotion that is raging in their hearts.  Remember that God looks at the heart. 

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

Some time ago we ran into a plumbing snag at the house we are working on.  It was fixable, but the repair could cost one or two thousand dollars.  The plumber was talking to me on the phone, almost apologetically because he knew we are a ministry and the home owner had no money to pay for the repair that must be made. I could sense that he was expecting me to be unhappy and perhaps even angry about it.  I told him – “Brother, I have seen much in my life. I have served in two wars.  If someone is not dying – I don’t get anxious about it.” I went on to say "I know two things – God is good and Jesus Saves."  That brought perspective into the issue.  I told him that I was happy that I was dealing with this problem and not the home owner.  

 “Bear one another’s burdens and thus fulfill the law of Christ.” - Galatians 6:2

If you can’t quell your anger – if you cannot - not let your emotions rule – that is a pretty good indication that you are not fully submitted to the Spirit of God.  

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

As Christians, we are empowered by the Spirit to respond to life in a way that shows the world the power of God. People often point to Jesus being angry in the temple as an excuse for their own anger.  I would say that the next time you go to church and the money changers and vendors are set up in the foyer – go ahead and drive them out with a righteous anger.  But don’t use Jesus as a reason to make excuses for your flesh and sin.  And you know the difference. Others looking for an excuse for themselves may buy it, but God doesn’t.  

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” - James 1:2-3

We all are tested, every day.  We all are given opportunities to respond with out flesh or the Spirit of God in us. Letting the emotion of anger have its way is a temptation -  a fierce temptation – that will spring on you without notice – like an ambush.  It is part of the old nature which is waiting for the opportunity to show itself. The only way you will “survive” an anger ambush is if you recognize it for what it is and fight your way through it.  To do that you must have prepared yourself Spiritually for such an occasion beforehand.  And how do you do that? You do that by putting on the "whole armor of God". 

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" - Ephesians 6:10-18

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

Getting What I Deserve Or Deserving What I Get

“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” - 1 Peter 4:12

“Wanting to make sure that my adversary gives me all my rights is a natural thing. But Jesus says that it is a matter of inescapable and eternal importance to me that I pay my adversary what I owe him. From our Lord’s standpoint it doesn’t matter whether I am cheated or not, but what does matter is that I don’t cheat someone else. Am I insisting on having my own rights, or am I paying what I owe from Jesus Christ’s standpoint?” Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

Why is this happening to me?  Why are they treating me this way?  Hidden behind those questions is the underlying assumption “I don’t deserve it!”  Here is the deal … bad things will happen to “good” people … even to someone as good as you are.  Did you deserve what happened to you? Perhaps or perhaps not.  Whichever the case the important issue from God's perspective is how we respond to what happened.  For most of us our response will be to defend ourselves. We hunker down in our foxhole and fire back with “righteous indignation” and perhaps disappointment and sorrow if the offender holds a close place in our heart. 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” - Matthew 5:38-48

Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.  Wow!  How hard is that?  It’s not humanly possible.  You will never respond the way Jesus told you to if you try to do it on your own.  The response to others in 1 Peter and Matthew 5 are not derived from our human will but by faith in Jesus and the power of the Spirit in us. How the Bible says we should live is an impossibility apart from faith and the power of God in us. Stop trying to live the Christian life in obedience to the Word of God through your human determination .. it just does not work. 

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

Almost Persuaded - Almost But Lost

“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?  I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind" - Jeremiah 17:9-10

I was listening to the news this evening. There was another mass killing. This time in California. People are lost for answers. How to stop the needless killing of innocents. Is the answer to take the guns away and any other instrument someone might use to kill another person. If you take away the guns and knives, then they will use sticks and stones. Why? Because the heart of man is desperately wicked. The police look for a motive. People want to know why.  This is why.

"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" - Romans 3:23

"There is none righteous, no not one!" - Romans 3:10

The problem not the lack of laws, it is a spiritual problem.  Most people will deny that as a possibility. They are convinced the way to control the wrongs people do, the expression of our sin nature, is by making more rules. To say it is a spiritual problem is to speak spiritual truth. Here is the dilemma.

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. .... Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks [Gentiles or non-Jews] foolishness" - 1 Corinthians 1:18, 20-23

The solution is spiritual, but the world apart from salvation through faith in Jesus is incapable of understanding and embracing the truth. Rules that are meant to constrain behavior do not change the heart from which that behavior springs. In fact, more laws only make the problem worse. Why - this is what the Bible says about the law and sin.

"For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law....For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do....O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus. Christ our Lord!" - Romans 7:5-7, 14-15, 24 - 25

The natural man - those people who are lost in their sinful nature, prove that they are incapable of fulfilling the laws of man, let alone the laws of God. So many mourn the loss of others while rejecting the solution which is faith in Jesus. It saddens me to watch the news and listen to the struggles that others face - all the while rejecting the only viable answer. Do you remember King Agrippa listening to Paul?

"Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” And Paul said, “I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.” - Acts 26: 28-29

King Agrippa was almost persuaded but lost. There was a song by that name sung by Tennessee Earnie Ford years ago.

Almost persuaded” now to believe;

“Almost persuaded” Christ to receive;

Seems now some soul to say,

“Go, Spirit, go Thy way;

Some more convenient day

On Thee I’ll call.”

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

It’s All About Obedience - When You Know, You Must Go

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." - Hebrews 11:1

 “Common sense and faith are as different from each other as the natural life is from the spiritual, and as impulsiveness is from inspiration. Nothing that Jesus Christ ever said is common sense, but is revelation sense, and is complete, whereas common sense falls short. Yet faith must be tested and tried before it becomes real in your life. Faith is a tremendously active principle that always puts Jesus Christ first. The life of faith says, “Lord, You have said it, it appears to be irrational, but I’m going to step out boldly, trusting in Your Word” (for example, see Matthew 6:33). Turning intellectual faith into our personal possession is always a fight, not just sometimes. Until we know Jesus, God is merely a concept, and we can’t have faith in Him. But once we hear Jesus say, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9) we immediately have something that is real, and our faith is limitless.” - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

When I woke up this morning the thought “Seeing is not a requirement for believing.” was on my mind.  The Spirit was speaking to me.  That ever happen to you?  Probably, but perhaps you don’t realize that is what is happening when it does.  To know something to be true without evidence is different from “thinking” something might be true.  Faith is spiritual and works on another plane than our natural reasoning.  I know that I know, but don’t know how I know.  I struggle because I try to filter a faith-fact through my natural mind.  Thomas struggled with believing that it was Jesus standing before him, until he filtered it through the natural man – “I must touch his wounds!”  Jesus then said “Blessed are those who believe and have not seen.”  (John 20:29)

Can you ...will you trust Jesus even when what you are trusting Him in is contrary to reason?  I did not say contrary to the revealed will and Word of God.  When faced with a Faith challenge, it will always be consistent with who God is and His truth.  But it may not make any sense.  Martie and I find ourselves in that place all the time.  We are there right now as a matter of fact. I should say, "Once again we find ourselves responding to God's leading." 

The hazard (if you will) of our calling.  Proverbs 3:5-6 says not to lean on our own understanding.    In other words, faith comes first.  Understanding will follow … most of the time.  When I was in Army Basic training at the ripe age of 18, I had one particular drill sergeant, SSGT San Felice.  He was 6’2”, red hair, from Puerto Rico.  He had a very thick accent.  He told us .. “I don’t care if you don’t understand me, you better do it!”  I think I did a lot of unnecessary pushups!  Well, our life in Christ is that way in some respects.  We hear God, we don’t understand what was said, but we doubt God.  The disciples did that during the storm.  Peter did that while walking on the water.  We do that when God says do something that makes no earthly sense.  It means that we have to give up our worldly confidence and rest in God’s faithfulness.  Friend, that is the life we have been called to.  Our oldest daughter posted a comment on a picture of a trailer we are preparing to carry our tools to Florida to help with the recovery there. "It’s all about obedience" I told a friend, when asked about our leaving, "When you know, you must go." 

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

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

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

Think about it – 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

Culture And Christianity Know The Difference

“Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” - 1 Peter 1:17-19

“Supernatural sense is the gift of His Son, and we should never put our common sense on the throne. The Son always recognizes and identifies with the Father, but common sense has never yet done so and never will. Our ordinary abilities will never worship God unless they are transformed by the indwelling Son of God. We must make sure that our human flesh is kept in perfect submission to Him, allowing Him to work through it moment by moment.” Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

Our nature, as mere mortals, is to cling to our culture, even after we are born again.  We embrace those things that we have been taught are right and wrong by man. When I was in grade school I can remember reading about the United States being a “melting pot”  where many nations came together to be one people.  The experiment of the United States, actually, is man’s attempt to do what only God can do.  That attempt has failed.  What I see today is one nation with many cultures trying to cling to what they were before they or their ancestors came to the United States.  People set up enclaves centered on their ethnicity or nationality.  European, African, Hispanic, the list goes on.  It is the nature of man to associate with people who look and act like themselves.  Among Christians, it is the same.  Someone said that 11:00am Sunday is the most segregated hour of the week in the United States. For most people when they read this, their minds will think I am referring to black and white, but it is more pervasive than that.

“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” - Galatians 3:26-29

2 Corinthians 5:17says - old things – including our primary devotion to our race or ancestors nationality – are gone and all has become new.  That is a spiritual truth – a fact.  One which many Christians have a hard time living with and applying.  Why? Because devotion to the traditions of their natural fathers are very strong and the way some Christians treat other Christians because of those differences have a hard time accepting that truth as truth.  I have said several times, if I was standing with a group of men and said something against their fathers or ancestors, they would become angry, but if I used God’s name in vain, few, if any, would care.  Why? Because they are more devoted to men than they are to God. When I would preach in a Haitian church for the first time, I would always begin with “Mwen pa blan, mwen fre nou” which is to say “I am not white, I am your Brother”  That was a hard truth to digest for a congregation of mountain people who rarely saw a white man.  My point was that I was not standing before them as a white American, but as an adopted son of God, saved by the blood of Jesus and His resurrection.

How do you want people to see you?  How do you see yourself? First as a Christian? If you believe Matthew 22:37, that you are to love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. Where does that leave your natural heritage and the traditions of your father?  Listen, what I am telling you is truth, but it is a hard truth.  It is difficult to overcome.  We don’t all have to speak with the same accent or eat the same food or like the same clothing style, but we serve the same Lord and belong to the same family. What the founders of this country tried to set in place with written law, God has already put in place through His Son by His Spirit. So maybe we should act like 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

Hey Batta, Batta! Keeping Your Eye On The Call

"Look to Me, and be saved…" —Isaiah 45:22

“Do we expect God to come to us with His blessings and save us? He says, “Look to Me, and be saved….” The greatest difficulty spiritually is to concentrate on God, and His blessings are what make it so difficult. Troubles almost always make us look to God, but His blessings tend to divert our attention elsewhere. The basic lesson of the Sermon on the Mount is to narrow all your interests until your mind, heart, and body are focused on Jesus Christ. “Look to Me….”  […] We will find what we are looking for if we will concentrate on Him. […]  Build your hope on Him. No matter how many things seem to be pressing in on you, be determined to push them aside and look to Him. “Look to Me….””- Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest 

There are many things – distractions in this life that would draw our attention, trust and devotion away from God.  It requires a deliberate effort on our part to keep our focus.  I was thinking about a batter in a baseball game.  People are yelling at the batter .. opponents and fans trying to distract him so he will miss the ball and be called out.  They want to keep him from accomplishing his purpose which is – of course – to hit the ball and score a run. The Coach is saying,  "Keep your eyes on the ball!"

Life is like that for a Christian.  The world is constantly vying for our attention.  Stop looking to God and trust yourself .. make your own way .. achieve righteousness through your own effort and not by faith and devotion to God.  It’s natural for us to be distracted by the things of this world.  To trust ourselves.  To make our own way.  But …. If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation .. old things are passed away .. all things are becoming new … (2 Corinthians 5:17) We are being shaped into the image of Christ.  (Romans 8:29) Just like the baseball player, we must fix our eyes on the “Call” – our new life and faith in Jesus.  

What is calling for your attention? To lose focus. Oh, it will seem so reasonable. So justified for you look away and focus on worldly things. So your mind, actions, and attitude lose their focus and "Zippppp" - Strike one! Maybe you need to step out of the batter's box for a moment. Get your heart right before God and then step up to the plate ready for the next thing the world is going to throw at you.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  - Hebrews 12:1-2

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

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

Facing Adversity A Faith Test

"I [Jesus] have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” -  John 16:33

Everyday we all experience adversity, disappointments, losses, failures, difficult people, heartache - things that stir up the "old man" in us, our old nature, what has been surrendered and crucified. Things that might cause us to lose hope. The big question is, "How do we respond to that stirring?" Does it have it's way with us or is it put in its place? We can read the Bible all day long. You can agree with the rightness of what we read. And then when faced with the opportunity to apply it in some adverse circumstance, we turn to our old nature and respond in the flesh. Let 'er rip! We all fall victim to it now and again. It happens in a nano-second. It is not that we prefer to respond in the wrong way, but when our flesh is provoked, our flesh demands to have its way and to respond in kind. And sometimes, if we are not careful, we kill the proverbial gnat with a sledge hammer. Things can go sideways in an instant and there goes our Christian testimony. 

So what to do. I mean responding in kind can seem so reasonable and justifiable, natural even. An eye for any eye, if you will. After all, isn't that in the Bible? My daughter found some WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) bracelets the other day and asked me if I wanted one. I gracefully declined. I told her that Christian accoutrements, trinkets, can become like a ring on your finger. When you first put it on you are aware of it, but soon you no longer feel it on your finger or even look at it for that matter. Besides, the real question is not what "Would" Jesus do, but "What DID Jesus Do and TELL us to do?" AS a reminder, this is what He said about getting back at others.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." - Matthew 5:38-48

Take it from me. Apart from the power of God in me, I could not do what Jesus said to do on my own and neither can you. God never tells us to do something that we can do by our will or won't power. It always requires the power of God in us (aka submitted to the Spirit of God and the Word of God.)

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." - James 1:2-3

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

By Their Fruits You Will Know Them

"Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." - Galatians 5:19-24

Some years back we attended a church and we were certain the Lord had called us to be a temporary part of it. They held a monthly "business" meetings where administrative, financial, and ministerial issues were discussed and voted on, when called for.  Martie and I watched and listened since we were "passing though" and not official - voting members of the congregation.

Inevitably, at every meeting, some of the more vocal members would pull out what I call their "pet rocks". Issues or ideas that they felt strongly about. Issues and ideas that the rest of the congregation did not necessarily embrace, but they were, in large part, sheep and would prefer to go along to get along. So the loud and obstinate ruled the day. When two of the vocal ones did not see eye to eye, things could get tense. Like I said, Martie and I just watched. Then one day, I was asked to do the devotion at the beginning of the meeting.  You might have guessed that I used Galatians 5:19-24 as my text. What I called the "fruit of the flesh" and the "fruit of the Spirit". The first description, I made up - the second, of course is in your Bible"

When I explained that "enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy" were a reflection of our old nature and our flesh - what followed was the best behaved business meeting they had for a very long time.  No one wanted to be accused of being unspiritual. What they did not understand is that God sees the heart and what they were holding inside and not saying but thinking revealed their hearts to God, even if hidden from men.  But, my hope was that the Word and Spirit would do their work in them and change their hearts as only God can.

Very often, spiritual attacks come from within our ranks. Why? Because of what I just described. People can have a form of godliness but they are operating in and on the strength of their flesh. Don't let that surprise you and discourage you. It is the nature of things. The important question is - what power  are you depending upon to do what you see as "spiritual/godly activity" in your life? 

“You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit." - Matthew 7:15-17

As far as dealing with others is concerned, think of yourself as a "fruit inspector". Learn to recognize the difference between that which is from the Spirit and that which is from the flesh. I don't judge an apple to be an apple - it is what it is. I can see if that apple is not good to eat. That it is a bad apple and so can you. That is called discernment.  When I was in Haiti I used a mango tree as the example. I would say, "If you tell me you are a mango tree and I come to pick some fruit but I find sour oranges and not mangos, I must believe that you are not a mango tree at all." Why do you need spiritual discernment? That means you must have your spiritual eyes open. That means you must be in step with the Spirit. So you know how to respond - knowing which is of the Spirit and which is of the flesh. Resist the temptation to respond with your flesh when you feel provoked or defensive.  Don't become part of the problem.  Let them see Jesus in 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

And So Were Some Of You

"And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Corinthians 6:11

Paul was talking to the Corinthians about those who were lost and their evil deeds. Then he reminded them that they were once just like them. Lost with no hope. I suspect that he was thinking back about his own life until he met Jesus along the way. And that made me think about my life. 

It is a life of which my children cannot conceive. They never saw the "old" me, but for the grace of God. I don't think much about anymore. Old things have passed away, for the most part anyway. I suppose that the point is that we should not be quick to condemn or judge those who are lost.  That is not to say that we should ignore sin. But recognize that lost people are merely operating out of their nature. You should not expect good water to come from a bad spring. But, just like you, God can change them too. Of course it is between them and God. Our part is to show the love of God to everyone. 

We me with some people today to discuss building sheds for people who need them. I told them that we were focused on need not creed. In other words, it is not just people who believe like we do that we help. We want to help people who can't help themselves. Even people that are just like we used to be.

"Bear one another's burdens and fulfill the law of Christ" - Galatians 6:2 

That is Love God and Love Others

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

Is Jesus Really Your Lord?

"And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes." - Matthew 7:28-29

Authority - What were the people acknowledging. Authority is the power to give orders or make decisions, the power or right to direct or control someone or something. It is not same the authority someone is because they are the smartest one in the room on some subject, like she is the authority on some disease or historical information.

God, the Father, as Creator, has all authority over His creation and He has delegated authority to Jesus. Responsibility and authority are hand in glove. But, while you can delegate authority to others to act on your behalf, you cannot delegate responsibility. Remember Harry Truman, "The Buck Stops Here!" He understood that ultimately he was responsible. OK, Lesson over! Recall that the Centurion? 

"When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.”  But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to 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 this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith." - Matthew 8:5-10

He recognized Jesus authority over creation. He himself, wielded authority. It was something that the Jews failed to see. If you have served in the military or been a manager or teacher or .... you know that you had both responsibility and authority.  I would tell the young officers that served with me that there was a reason why their rank was sewn on their collars. Because when you take your shirt off, you are just like everyone else. I have known a number of leaders who did not understand that people were responding to their rank or position and not necessarily them. I recall one lieutenant complained to me that he had to remind his men that he was the lieutenant. I told him that they already knew that, it was  on his collar, what was lacking was they did not respect him.

Many times, both Christians and non-Christians who carry the "mantle of authority" confuse who they are with their calling or position and the authority that comes with that calling. For Christians, they start to think that it is them and not God working through them. They push God aside and embrace the praise and attention as something they deserve somehow. It is a slippery slope and many have fallen off the side of the mountain.

"if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." - Romans 10:9

Confessing that Jesus is Lord means that you acknowledge that He has authority over you. "say to you, ‘Go,’ and you go, and to you, ‘Come,’ and you come, and to you, His servant, ‘Do this,’ and you do it.” That is what it means for Jesus to be Lord. Obedience is at the heart of our faith.

"Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me." - John 14:23-24

Obedience is all about authority. If you don't love Jesus, it means that you do not acknowledge His authority as Lord over your life. If you have a problem with obedience to the Word it is because you are not submitted to Jesus' authority as Lord.  A position given to Him by the Father. 

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

Called By God - What Instrument Do You Play?

"Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel" - 2 Timothy 1:8-10

"There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—  one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift." - Ephesians 4:4-7

I was talking to someone yesterday about people he knew who felt called by God - not their general calling to salvation - but to their specific place in the Body of Christ. About a stirring in their inner being that there was something specific for them to do, something more. Not all are called to be pastors or missionaries or to be in what is known as full time ministry, which is not meant to imply that being a Christian and a witness to the world as salt and light is not a full-time responsibility. 

Not everyone is called to leave their life behind. But we have all been called to fill our place in the body of Christ. The question for each of us is - what is my place - what is my role. I know, in my case, I felt a stirring soon after I was born again - like there was something more, but it was not clear to me what it was the God had purposed for my life as His child. I just knew there was something. Something more! Something that I could not see clearly. It is like being asked, as a child "What do you want to be when you grow up?"  You don't have a clue but you do have a child's imagination.  Perhaps you have felt that tug at your heart, perhaps not. For some, their Christian life is enough being planted right where you are, living out the Christian life in the context of family, friends, and vocation. It is a perfect fit for you - God's purpose for you. 

Circling back to my conversation, I asked if he was familiar with the book, "The Purpose Driven Life". In it, Rick Warren uses the acrostic "SHAPE" to describe how God shapes us for His purposes. Spiritual gifts, Heart or passion, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences. Mine are not the same as yours. The mix is unique to every Believer, and yet, God brings all of that together in perfect harmony as the Conductor of a magnificent symphony orchestra. God not only calls us- but He prepares us for our part in His production. That stirring we feel is His call to get out our sheet music, take our place, and join in the song of new life.

I then referred my friend to Henry Blackaby's Experiencing God. What he calls Spiritual Realities 3, 4 and 5. God invites us to join Him in His work, God speaks by His Spirit through the Word, prayer, circumstances and other Believers, and that leads to a Crisis of Belief where we must exercise faith in responding to what He has said. That is a lot to take in - but it is part and parcel to this new life we live. Daily life can drown out His voice and quell the stirring in our heart, so we must be disciplined and deliberate in our pursuit of God and our relationship with Him. It is not enough to know - we must be willing to go. To step out in response to what we know the Lord has said. 

Sometimes we need to be encouraged to go beyond ourselves. We all need to be encouraged from time to time. Hmmm, perhaps I have written too much so I will close with this. In the CS Lewis book, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Susan asks Mr. Beaver, "Is Aslan (the lion) safe?" To which Mr. Beaver replies, "Oh no! He is not safe, but He is good!" The life you and I have been called to is not without its perils, but if God is for us, then who can be against us! Yield your heart fully to God. Take your seat, pick up your instrument and join in with the holy orchestra.

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

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

"Then he [the angel of the Lord] said to me [Zechariah], “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts." - Zechariah 4:6

I was going to write about authority, but then, because of a conversation I changed my mind - or the Spirit did it for me! Which often happens. It was a conversation about events held as an outreach to the community here in Florida. It was very successful. The person talking to me was speaking as if the success was based upon their organizational prowess. In other words taking credit for something that God had done.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” - Luke 4:18-19

I can see how God has brought a group of people together, Christian led but non-Christians being part of the group, for the purpose of giving hope to the people and bringing glory to God. So I see that and then I hear someone singing their own praises about how they had "won the day" through their own efforts.

The truth is that God calls us to join Him in what He is already doing. Not the other way around. The person speaking is spiritually blind, so he doesn't know any better. As far as he is concerned - God has nothing to do with what happened. Can successful events be held and God not be part of it? Yes, of course. Happens everyday. But not this time. This is important to Martie and me because we have no desire to be involved in secular events and effort. I suppose I have become "hyper-sensitive" to any indication that something people want us involved in has excluded God and is depending upon the dead works of man. No matter how successful it might appear to the natural man - what is produced is wood, hay, and stubble - all to be burned up in the fire. Life on this planet is too short to waste your time on things that don't matter in heaven. And be careful that when you are fortunate enough to join God in something that He is doing that you give credit where credit is due - and it's not with 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

Compassion Without Borders

"Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him." - Luke 10: 30-34

When should you help and when should you not? Martie and I were talking about this issue today as we considered the task facing us. The task? We are in Fort Myers, Florida today for the next few days. Talking to people involved in Disaster Relief. Driving to the areas stricken by Hurricane Ian. Wondering, "Lord, why are we here? What would you have us do? Who should be help?" So many laying in the ditch needing help.

It is easy to draw lines thinking that those on this side of the line we will help and those on the other side of the line we will not help. But what about the leading of the Lord. Is it possible that He will prompt us to "cross the line" to go to the other side of the road if you will? The side that we have already decided is out of bounds for us. The short answer is "absolutely". The priest and the Levite had decided who was worthy of their time and resources. The man in the ditch "missed the cut".  They would not help him - even though he was a Jew. Instead a man that was despised by the Jews was the one to show compassion and render aid.

He fulfilled the first and second greatest commandments - I believe.  He loved God and because of that love, he loved others. Showing them grace and mercy. Listen - to be like the Samaritan costs you something. Your time. Your resources. Maybe your preconceptions and predispositions. It is very possible that God will ask you to do something that you have decided that He would never ask you to do. That requires spiritual discernment. Knowing the difference between spiritual motivation and emotion. 

We will be here for a few more days and then will return to Texas for a short time. When we return to Florida it will be for a season, a few months or maybe a few years, we really don't know. Hopefully, with the Lord's help, when we do we will be walking on the right side of the road.

So what is the measure that you use to decide if you should offer help to someone 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

When You Know That You Know

"But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." -  Romans 10:8-10

This may seem simple to you - but I make no apologies for simplicity. I have told people in the past that I am living proof the God is kind to dumb animals!  Sometimes God shows me things that, when shared with others, they say, "Of course" as if they had thought it through already and I was just catching up! So here it is. My epiphany. 

For anyone to be saved, they must believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. You can't convince someone of that truth. It is not my words, from my mouth, that reveal this eternal Truth. That revelation comes from God the Father through the Spirit? And you are thinking, "Of course. Everyone knows that." But my question is, does everyone believe that. Or do you believe that someone else's salvation actually depends upon you? Think about this discourse between Jesus and His disciples.

"Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered 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 16:13-17

Did you catch the source of the revelation that Peter proclaimed? Yep - it was God. The people had gotten it wrong - thinking in human terms and coming to logical, reasonable conclusions - logical with respect the best that men could come up with.

If someone does not fall to their knees and cry out to Jesus when you share the Gospel, are you ever concerned that you might not have been convincing enough? That somehow you have failed as a Christian? As if someone's salvation actually depended upon you, your intellect, your effort and determination. I was re-reading John chapter 3. In the first part, Jesus is talking to Nicodemus telling him that knowing things, adhering to traditions of men is not enough. Nicodemus was trying to understand spiritual truth by human reasoning and education. Being born again, a second time, made no sense to him. It was then that Jesus told Nicodemus that He, Jesus, was the Christ. 

"If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life" - John 3:12-15

Wait a minute! Didn't Jesus say that God revealed the truth of who Jesus was to Peter? 

"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high" - Hebrews 1:1-3

There is the point when we each are born again by the Spirit - like Nicodemus - by faith in Jesus. Jesus told Nicodemus what must happen.  "in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son" That Nicodemus must believe that Jesus is Lord - the Christ - the Messiah - the Son of God.  As a continuation of the conversation Jesus told him what ever Christian knows if they know no other verse in the Bible - John 3:16

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God."

To know what Paul said in Romans that you must know to be saved - that who Jesus is must be revealed to you by God just like it was revealed to Peter. That takes the burden off of us that we must somehow convince someone of the truth of who Jesus is. In fact - only God can reveal that truth to a person. And when that happens, it is like a light switch was turned on. At one moment I did not know and the next moment I did. I was blind but in an instant I could see the truth and embraced it. I was lost and didn't know it until that moment in time. Incredible isn't it. 

My hope is that this sharing of my simple "epiphany" will help you to trust in and depend more on God and less on yourself as you share the Gospel whether by word or deed or both. You do your part and allow God to do His.

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

Having The Faith To Believe But Still Having Doubts

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." - Hebrews 11:1

Up front – Some may think that devotions should be short.  A few sentences.  I write what the Lord lays on my heart.  Sometimes, like today, it can be lengthy.  No apologies, just know that is not likely to change.  

Have doubts? Join the club friend. I was talking with someone the other day.  The matter was concerning what seemed to be the imminent death of a loved one.  He said, “I sure hope that when I die, I find out this (our hope in heaven) is really true.”  (Have you ever had that thought?) That statement set me back for a second.  I never thought of him as having any doubts about his faith, but there it was.  The stress of the death or grave illness of someone you care about seems to have the effect of removing inhibitions from people.  Those situations reveal things that they typically keep hidden, and you wonder “Where did that come from?” or “I had no idea they felt that way!”  But to the point …

We are on a journey of faith – like in Pilgrim’s Progress.  We are jars of clay, formed from dust.  There is something called the Law of Thermodynamics, actually there are 4 laws, like Newton’s 3 Laws of Motion, except different. “Energy cannot be created or destroyed. In other words, in a closed system, the total amount of energy that can be taken out of the system will be equal to the total amount of energy that was put into the system.” That might be why people think that they can be reincarnated.  If you leave this form, you will “pop-up” in another form.  Zero sum.  Whatever is taken away is put back in.  (Hang with me, I am almost finished with the physics lesson!!!) My point is that these “laws” are nothing more than man’s observation of God’s creation.  The truth is that God can do what He wants to do, whenever He wants to do it.  He operates on an eternal clock and we operate on seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years. Hey, we do the best we can.  

Here is the problem.  If we try to figure God out on our own, we are doomed to failure.  (Isaiah 55:8-9) “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  You, with your mortal natural mind, cannot figure God out.  (1 Corinthians 2:14) “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.” You see, in order to not have doubts, you must see the world as God does, and you can only do that by the power of God’s Spirit in you.  

We are given an account of a young boy being healed by Jesus.  The boy was apparently beyond human help.  (Mark 9:21-25)  “So He (Jesus) asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You (Jesus) can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”” 

All of us face impossible situations. Situations that challenge the promises of God and our faith.  Hebrews 11:1 says that Faith is about things hoped for and not seen.  If you want to strengthen your faith you can do two things.  Be reminded of when God showed up in impossible circumstances and keep your heart and mind fixed on Jesus.  If you don’t do that you will suffer spiritual atrophy and when that happens you will be plagued by doubt. (Proverbs 3:5-6) “Trust in the Lord in all your ways and not your own mental capacity.” In one of the Indiana Jones movies, Indy was confronted by a huge man with a huge sword.  Then Indy remembered that he was carrying a gun, so he shot the man with the sword.  Well, in a way, Indy is me and you.  Faced with impossible circumstances, we must remember that we are “packing”.  We have the Holy Spirit in us .. the Creator God is on our side .. and He is faithful to His promises. You can believe 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

Scouting Out The Land

"The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel. [....] Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and said to them, “Go up into the Negeb and go up into the hill country, and see what the land is, and whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many, and whether the land that they dwell in is good or bad, and whether the cities that they dwell in are camps or strongholds, and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there are trees in it or not. Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes. [....]  And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.” [....] So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.” - Number 13:1-2,17-20,27-29,32-33

So there you have it. I am certain you are familiar with the story. And you well know the decision that Israel made. The report from 10 of the spies struck fear in the hearts of the people, they refused to cross the river and instead they wandered in the desert for 40 years until their entire generation, with the exception of Moses, Joshua, and Caleb had died. God led them to the river, sent 12 men to spy out the land before they crossed the river and they said "no, we won't go".  It is easy for us, sitting in the bleachers to be critical of those people. It is quite a different matter to suit up and go out on the field to face your opponent, who happens to be bigger and more fierce. So what to do. You do what David did. You face the giants anyway but with faith in God.

God never asks you to do anything that you can do without Him. You always need Him.  The people needed Him to cross the river and defeat their enemies, but they lost faith and considered only what they could do or not do on their own.

Today, Martie and I are going to scout out the land. The Lord has brought us to the water's edge at our River Jordan. We have stood here many times before. Toes so close to the water, but not yet wet. I can remember my mom's advice in 2005 when we knew that the Lord wanted us to stay in Mississippi and not return to Alabama following Hurricane Katrina.  She said, "The river did not back up until they stepped out into the water!" We understood what she meant. We had to cross the river to accomplish God's purpose. we had to trust God and not lean on our own understanding. It happened again when we were called to Haiti in 2010. Again when we were called to Texas in 2017. And now, it seems, again as we are called to Florida in 2023.

And guess what. Already we are receiving reports that there are giants in the land. Reasons why we won't be able to do what we are certain the Lord is calling us to do. We can believe the reports (which in fact may have an element of truth) and think of reasons why crossing the "river" is not really a good idea and maybe it is not God after all. I mean, after all, we just had our windows replaced in our home! Or we can step out in faith and watch God do what He has done in the past and will do in the future. He is faithful.

"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." - Ephesians 3:20-21

He can do more than any of us can ask or think.  That is the God we serve, trust, and obey.

So, we will cross the river tomorrow and scout out the land. And then make plans to cross the river again to occupy the land. We don't know exactly what adventures lay ahead. What challenges. What opportunities to be discouraged and perhaps encouraged, but God does and He will be there waiting for us.

Please don't be impressed by what we do - that is not my point in sharing this. Instead, be impressed and have faith in what God can do. I am reminded of an old timey song, "It Is No Secret". Written by Stuart Hamblen, who is regarded as one of radio's first "singing cowboys." Hamblen, the son of a Methodist minister from Texas, didn't handle his fame very well. As Wikipedia tells us, his drinking, and brawling and "destructive behavior" it [his fame] produced, landed him in jail "many times." Then one day he met Billy Graham and through a course of events, came to Christ. The chorus to the song - his testimony - goes

It is no secret what God can do
What He's done for others, He'll do for you
With arms wide open, He'll pardon you
It is no secret what God can do

And that is the truth my friends! Is it time to get your feet wet?

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

Fruitfulness Through Faithfulness

"He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God." - Micah 6:8

How do you define success in your life - naturally and spiritually? I am thinking that how we view success and how God views success may not be the same. We tend to see success or accomplishment in terms of quantity - something measurable.  But I think that God sees things in terms of quality. For example, you might be led to believe success as a Christian is measured by how many people you have led to the Lord. But just suppose God sees success in terms of how you have lived and loved.

"And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master" - Matthew 25:20-21

Reading those verses, it would be easy to draw the conclusion that success is quantifiable. God gave me 5 and I made 5 more so now I have 10. Yay me! But then one must ask - was the parable really about money or was it about  fruitfulness through faithfulness?

The Bible has much to say about material gain - none of it is good. It also has to say much about love, devotion, faith and obedience and it is all good. You may be a seed planter - a tender of the garden - or a harvester? But it is God who brings the increase, not us. (1 Corinthians 3:6) We don't get to choose our role, though we might try to. The role we fill is up to God. Our responsibility is to be found faithful in fulfilling that God-given role. And no matter what place you have been given in the body of Christ, God has called us all to do justly - doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do. To love mercy - finding opportunity to show grace and mercy to others just as God has shown grace and mercy to you. And to walk humbly with God - submitted to the will of the Father - not demanding our own way - but acknowledging Him as God - living by faith - obedient to His call and direction in our lives.

We are fruitful when we are faithful. And that is praiseworthy from God's perspective. We are full of fruit when we are full of faith. The fruit of faith is good works. That's where five becomes ten to the glory of God and for the good of others. 

"This is the word of the Lord ..... Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts." - Zechariah 4:6

From God's perspective you are fruitful because you are faithful.

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

Living On The Wild Side

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33

[Before I get started - I was talking to a friend that I have not talked to in several years. During the course of our conversation he mentioned that he reads my devotion on Facebook - I had no idea. Would you mind liking this post if you read it. Just this time. That would be a great encouragement to me to know that others are reading it as well. thanks. Charley]

Have you ever thought about why Jesus felt He needed to tell us that? Isn't there a glimmer of hope in you that somehow Christian values will prevail in this country and other countries in the world? That God's way will somehow become the preferred way of man? That peace will reign because everyone will decide to get along? That people will stop hating and warring. That sounds a bit like heaven doesn't it. Unfortunately, that is not going to happen until the end of time for human kind, when the "age of man" has come to its end on this planet. When Jesus returns. So we say, then Jesus come quickly, Maranatha! (Maranatha is an Aramaic word that means “the Lord is coming” or “come, O Lord.) He will return but on the Father's timetable - not ours. 

So, in the meantime, what does that mean for us. Well, good question. Christians are, have been and always will be in the minority among all people. What is right and just in societies has been and will be determined by a majority that is far from God - or a minority who wield political, economic, and social power. It is all part of the human condition. As Christians we must remember that we have been adopted out of that reality into a spiritual reality. Our natural ethnicity has not changed. Our cultural heritage has not changed. The fact that we must work by the sweat of our brow has not changed. W get sick - sometimes unto death - and endure hardships - in those respects we are just like everyone else.

So what is different. Well - our eternal destiny for one thing. We have a dual citizenship. I am, by natural birth, a citizen of the United States but also a citizen of Heaven by spiritual birth. And so, I can experience the fruit of the Spirit of God, by whom every Christian is sealed. That is a game changer with respect to how I am able to respond to life. Like having peace in tribulation - times of trouble.

".. the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit." - Galatians 5:22-25

That source of that fruit is present in us and the fruit flowers and manifests itself as we submit to the Spirit.  That fruit appears in spite of the circumstances that we face while living on this planet. That is something that those who are not Christians cannot experience or even conceive of because it is Spiritual. Not only can they not experience it, they cannot understand it when they see it in us.

That is a way that our light shines in the world. Each of us has a responsibility, as ambassadors of Christ, sons and daughters of the Most High God, to let our light shine in the world and to be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in us. (1 Peter 3:15)

"Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." - Matthew 5:15-16

So I encourage you to not be discouraged by what you see happening around you. It should come as no surprise.  The Bible makes it plain. A cursory reading of scripture will show you that. But be encouraged to know that you were once lost like those in the world around you, but now you have been found. You were blind (to spiritual reality) but now you see (with spiritual understanding). Take that truth into the new year with you and let it shape how you respond to life in 2023 and until someday you see Jesus face to face. 

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

Where God Guides - God Provides

"I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing." - Psalm 37:25-26

Some years ago - the mid-90's - we were befriended by a couple who were retired missionaries. Ruth and Edwin Messerschmidt.  They mentored us as we began to step out for God passing along wonderful wisdom.  One phrase that they taught us, that we have embraced as truth, was "Where God guides, He provides." King David wrote that he had never seen the righteous forsaken or their seed begging from bread. Put another way, "God has you back!"

God never calls you to some thing or some place where He is not already at work. He asks us to join Him and not to do something on our own.  If we are about God's business then we "must" rely on Him and not ourselves. 

"The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." - Proverbs 16:9

It is a mistake to think that you don't need God to do what He has purposed for you to do. He may gift you in many ways but what He calls us to do has spiritual significance an we are incapable of accomplishing anything in His name without Him. 

What God calls us to do is always beyond us. It always stretches us. It always brings us to what Experiencing God calls a crisis of belief which requires faith and action or obedience. And invariably saying yes will always require us to set something aside. To lay something down. To say "yes" to God and "no" to self.

When confronted with that truth by Jesus, "Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions." Matthew 21:21-22

There are things that we can come to depend upon to bring us comfort and peace that are not of God. You must decide what you love more. Jesus asked Peter ...

"He [Jesus] said to him [Peter] the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep." - John 21:17

How many times does God have to ask you that question. If you do say "Yes", then He will say "Prove It! Feed My Sheep"

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