Jars of Clay

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies." - 2 Corinthians 4:7-10

When we are born again and the Spirit of God takes up residence in us, our jar of clay if you will - That is a mystery that is not clearly explained in the New Testament. What we do know is that the Shekinah Glory - the visible presence of God was in the Holy of Holies over the Ark of the Covenant. The Bible does not make a clear connection between the Shekinah Glory of the Old Testament and the Holy Spirit of the new but Christians are referred to as the temple of the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:19)

So, to my point. You are well aware that the presence of the Spirit in you does not protect you from temptation or from sin for that matter. The Spirit does convict us of sin and does seal us for the day of redemption. We are cautioned that we should not quench the Spirit and go our own way. 

"Do not quench the Spirit." - 1 Thessalonians 5:19

Quenching the Spirit would be to ignore or deliberately disobey the leading of the Spirit. Jesus said the Father would send the Spirit to help us. Help us do what? Live our new life - our spiritual life. I have always thought of the Holy Spirit as the heavenly connector or adapter. When we were living in an RV in Mississippi, Florida and Texas our trailer was powered through a 30 amp circuit and a specific plug. Sometimes there was not 30 amp connection only a 50 amp connection that requires a different plug. So, we had to get an adapter (30 to 50) that allowed us to connect to the source of power.

That is like the Spirit in us. The Spirit gives us a spiritual connection so these Jars of Clay can connect to the Father. To give us the spiritual power we need to live our new life. Quenching the Spirit is like pulling the plug. We are on our own at that point. That is not to say we have lost our salvation - but we are living on our own power. Not a good place to be but it is all too easy to go there, as you probably already know if you have been a Christian for more than a week!

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 

Happy or Holy

"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" - 1 Peter 2:9

I happened to see a post on Facebook that was a challenge to the Christian readers to consider the question - "Does God want us to be happy or holy?" I suppose a follow-on question might be - "Why can't we be both?"

The idea of being "holy" is to be consecrated or set apart, dedicated or devoted to serving God. Separate from the world and devotion to the things of the world. That possibility happens the moment that we are saved by faith. Another question might be - "What is the source of our joy or happiness?" Position or possession. Have you ever heard someone ask in frustration, "What does it take to make them happy?" There is a quote from John D. Rockefeller when he was asked how much money he needed. The answer, "Just a little bit more." The pursuit for the things of this world to make us happy is never ending. The desire is insatiable. People with a lot of many very often have lives that are relational disasters. 

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world." - 1 John 2:15-16

If you should find yourself in pursuit of "more" in your quest to be happy, you might very well have to deny your faith - obedience to the Word - your new nature - to acquire that which you desire. The Bible is a mirror, if you will. It reflects the nature of God and the nature of man. It is also about transformation - mankind cannot become like Christ on our own - but we need God's intervention. 

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

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

The truth about happiness is that only way to be truly happy is to be holy. 

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 

Speak Lord - Your Servant Is Listening

 "And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down" - 1 Corinthians 14:30

Have you ever had that happen to you? You were not expecting it but "wham" you had a sudden realization. And more than that you knew that it was from God.  That happened to the Prophet Samuel before he was the "mighty" prophet. 

"(Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him.) And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here I am, for you did call me. Then Eli perceived that the Lord had called the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Now the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, Samuel! Samuel! And Samuel answered, Speak, for Your servant hears." - 1 Samuel 3:7-10

Do you believe that the Lord would ever speak to you? I hope you do. But you may not know it was the Lord just like Samuel. He had to seek the advice of someone who understood. Do you remember when CB radios were the thing. You do know what a CB radio is, right? Hey - you got your ears on good buddy!! Do you remember that. Channel 19 was the channel (there were 40) that the truckers used most often. That is how you knew if there were road hazards or if "smokey" had a speed trap set up.  Now you GPS tells you all of that. But I digress :)

In the study, Experiencing God, Dr. Blackaby says that there are 7 spiritual realities that, as Christians, it is important to understand. But more than that to embrace as we live our new lives in Christ. The fourth reality is that God speaks to us. He speaks by the Spirit, who is in us, through Prayer, the Word, circumstances and other Christians. I suspect that a number of people who we have led through that study had no problem accepting that truth - but putting it into practice well that is "a horse of a different color".

When I am listening to a sermon the thought I have is "Speak Lord, your servant is listening."  The pastor has been called by God to share Truth with the Believers and the Gospel with those who are lost. I am interested in hearing that Truth, but more I am waiting to hear from God as well. God does not speak because I decide it is His turn - but I hear because I am focused and listening for His voice. And when He speaks, it is always consistent with His revealed will and always requires me to exercise faith to respond. That typically means that something is about to change.

"Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." - Matthew 16:24

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 

I'd Rather Burn Out Than Rust Out

"Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." -  1 Corinthians 15:58

When do you retire from active Christianity? I don't think it is possible. One of the things that Martie and I are sensitive to is the idea of being shuffled into a "pasture" for the "seniors" at a church as if you are incapable of making a spiritual contribution to the rest of the local body of believers. Do you think there is a time when the Lord says, "OK, I think you have done enough." If He does, then wouldn't it make sense for Him to just call you home? I mean - stick him with a fork - he is done! Unless I missed it, the whole idea of our being here is that we are to be salt and light in a sinful world - there is no age caveat with those verses. That as we accumulate spiritual wisdom, it is our responsibility to share that wisdom with less mature Christians. And if it is us'ns that are immature then Houston we have a problem. The book of Hebrews speaks to this problem - so it is not new.

"We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness." - Hebrews 5:11-13

I think that part of the problem is that, at least in our culture, there is an expectation that our usefulness in the local church is used up by the time we are ready for social security. And many Christians just go along with that idea. Churches organize around it. What I tell people is that I would rather burn out than rust out. 

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11

Does that sound like the Lord has a retirement plan for older Christians? I am thinking not. How about you? For Martie and me, when a certain work is finished the thought is never that we are done with service, but what does the Lord have for us next to do. One day it will be to join Him in heaven - but not this day. And like the prophet Samuel, we say, "Speak Lord your servants are listening."

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 In Heaven - Not Like Living On Earth

"So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.  So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man. I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable." - 1 Corinthians 15:42-50

Have you given much thought to what it means to have eternal life? More than that - what it means to live for eternity when this mortal life is over? I think I shared that Martie and I watch a television show called "The Repair Shop". The "shop" is in England and is staffed by expert craftspeople. I always stumble the words that end in "men" these days. If I write craftsmen it is not meant to disenfranchise women but just to use a word to describe both men and women and the word just happens to end in "men". But I digress and I will stick with "people".

The "shop" captured our attention because of the great care that the repairers showed in restoring whatever it was that was brought to them. In every case, the object had significant personal meaning to the families who typically brought it to the shop as a "last resort". No one else was able to repair it. Now to my point - very often the question to the owner after the repair would be something like "so what do you think your grandfather or other relative would say about the repair?" And more often than not the owners would say, "Well, if they are up there looking down, I am certain that he or she would be very pleased to see it repaired to its former glory". 

That comment got my attention. First it suggested that they did not know if the person was in heaven. Second that the person, once in heaven, would even care about something they left behind. Jesus gave us perspective on worldly possessions that we value in this life.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." - Matthew 6:19-21

Both Paul and Jesus spoke to the difference in what is valued in heaven in contrast to what is valued on earth. The owners of the items in the Repair Shop comments also serve to reveal that we, whose feet are firmly planted on this Earth are inclined project our natural thinking onto what life in heaven will be like. So why do I bring this up? Because the issue is not ever discussed among Christians - in my experience - and I have been a Christian since 1976. We tend to over value possessions, accumulation and relationships during this life. It will all be left behind. We must be careful that we don't have the attitude of Lot's wife who obeyed God physically but looked back on Sodom with regret. Like the song, I Left My Heart In San Francisco. 

I am reminded of a story about a very rich man whose last wishes were that on the day of his death - all of his wealth would be converted to gold and it would be buried with him. And so it was. As he approached the pearly gates, he was dragging his coffin behind him.  Saint Peter asked him what was in the coffin? The man told him it was all that he spent a lifetime accumulating and raised the lid to show him. To which Peter inquired "Pavement?" 

My point - set your heart on things of heaven and don't assume that when you are in heaven that you will just pick up your life where you left off while you lived this natural life. Understand and accept that living in heaven will not be like living on earth. 

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world." - 1 John 2:15-16

Believe it when the Bible says you cannot love God and money. You will love one and hate the other. And you can take that to the bank.

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 Up To What We Have Attained

 "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God....Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s." - 1 Corinthians 6:9-11,19-20

When I write these devotional thoughts (this one makes 3203 days that I have shared with you), my hope is not to necessarily reveal some spiritual truth that has escaped you, although that may happen from time to time, but to encourage you to remember who you are in Christ today - at this moment. I must add that the first reader is always me. That somehow it will give you renewed perspective as to how, as Christians, we should live our lives - how we are to act toward others and to live in reverence to the God who has saved us by grace through faith. 

My intent is to remind you that we are by no means perfect by deed or thought so long as we walk this earth but, at the same time, have been supernaturally perfected in Jesus. Not that we might then excuse our sin, but to understand that we were born into sin, our first birth. and will be tempted by sin until we breath our last breath. That you should not be discouraged by that thought but rather be encouraged knowing that He who has begun a good work in you, our second birth, will be faithful to complete. That on Christ the solid Rock you are standing - and all other ground is sinking sand. As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians......

"... let us live up to what we have already attained." - Philippians 3:16

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 

Our New Spiritual Life

"You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you." - Romans 8:9-11

So, as you already know, as born-again Christians, we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). If that was all there is to it, then all we would need to do is wait until this life is over and - presto - change-o we would be in heaven for eternity and we could begin our new life - which will be for eternity. But that is not what happened. At the point of our salvation - our new birth - we started our eternal existence as the children of God. God put His spirit in each one of us.

"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

It is the Spirit of God that "quickens" us toward God and enables our understanding of spiritual truth. We were sealed by the Spirit. God put His mark not on us but in us. 

"In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory." - Ephesians 1:13-14

Unfortunately, we, all too often, forget that the Spirit is present in us. The presence of the Spirit is similar to what King David said of God. I love this psalm.

"O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made." - Psalm 139:1-14

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 

We Are Family

"It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression. Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.  As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not." - Romans 4:13-17

I am certain that you have heard the expression, "blood relative". I don't think that I am understating it when I say that millions of people are trying to understand their blood relationship with others through genetic testing. There is something in us that makes us want to know. Adopted children very often feel compelled to find their birth parents. 

Jesus spent a good bit of his earthly ministry telling people to stop looking at their natural condition and use it to shape their world view - what they like - what they don't like - who they like - who they don't like - what they do - what they don't do. His speaking is summed up in His admonition to Nicodemus. 

"Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again." - John 3:5-7

As Christians we have a common blood relative - it is Jesus Christ.

"He [Jesus] has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence." - Colossians 1:13-18

We have been adopted into the family of God. Grafted into the Vine. We are now called the children of God. The eyes of our hearts have been opened to spiritual truth. Our new birth has reshaped our world view (or should have) - so what we like - what we don't like - who we like - who we don't like - what we do - what we don't do - has changed and now is consistent with the will of God.

Stop looking at the outside of the cup to determine if someone is part of your family. It is the inside of the cup that determines 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 

A Simple Message With Eternal Consequences

"For Christ did not send me [Paul] to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles" - 1 Corinthians 1:17-23

At the church we are attending the pastor has been preaching on the Lord's prayer for a number of weeks. Speaking upwards to 40 minutes on each verse. The prayer on the surface is simple but there is a spiritual depth and application to the Christian life and perspective that is expansive. That is the same with the message of salvation. So simple that many think that there must be more to it. I mean after all do you mean to say that just a few words can have eternal consequences?

"But what does it [the Word of God] 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

That is so simple - yet for many the simplicity is a stumbling block. I mean, nothing in this life that is of any importance is simple - right? When you share the Gospel with people there is something greater at work than the words that you speak. Although what you say is an eternal truth and THE mystery of the ages. That something is the working of the Spirit of God in the heart of the hearer. I do not know how many times I heard the Gospel, by very well-intentioned people. But the words rolled off like the proverbial water off of a duck's back. But then one day, my heart was quickened and I understood the truth of the Gospel - I believed in my heart. It was the work of the Spirit. Do you remember Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus in John chapter 3?

"Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?" - John 3:3-10

Spiritual truth cannot be understood through the wisdom of the world. People might understand the words in their minds, but it is only with the transformed heart that we can understand God's truth and recognize the Truth who is Jesus. The One Nicodemus was looking for was the One he was talking to.

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 End of Days

"When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains." - Mark 13:7-8

Technology has made the world smaller. People who once may not have heard about something until months after it happened now know almost the instant that it happens. The "opium of the masses" is the smart phone. People's faces are glued to it. Their minds filled with visual input - most of it only a distant relative of truth and reality. Everyone is an actor and film maker.

Every generation has been faced with what it considered "as bad as it can get", but it isn't. Especially for the economically developed countries, the people know little about hardship - hardship in terms of what many people face every day in less developed countries.

In each generation there is a remnant that will yield their hearts and very lives to Jesus by faith in His death and resurrection. Like it or not - believe it or not - the majority of mankind is headed for the gates of hell - gas pedal on the floorboard.  Hell bent, if you will.  

"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." - Matthew 7:13-14

Will the world come to a cataclysmic end - yes. Will it happen in my lifetime? Perhaps but probably not. Jesus said that not even He knows when that will happen - only the Father knows.

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man." - Matthew 24:35-39

All I can encourage you to do is be ready. Be ready as if the Lord will return tonight. And if He does not, then know that your life may be required of you before the day breaks in the morning.

"And he [Jesus] told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God." - Luke 12:16-21

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 

Treating God Like A First Responder

"Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” - Mark 12:41-44

Giving God your all is relative to what you have. What you put your trust in. The more you have the more you are inclined to trust in it and set God aside for emergencies. Like He was a first responder. You know - those people who are ignored until you are facing a crisis that is beyond you - that is when you call 911.  

The widow had put all of her trust in God - for every aspect of her life. Even to the point of giving God the last 2 coins. Do you trust God like that? Are you willing to go "all in" with God. Put all of your chips in the pot. Total dependence upon God and not yourself or what you have in the bank. I have quoted Proverbs 3 on this BLOG so many times over the years.

"My son do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops." - Proverbs 3:1-9

Are you willing to lay everything down if the Lord requires it of you? He already does you know. There must be no other gods in your life - gods being those things that you put your trust in for your well-being. Is there something in your life that you would balk at giving up? It is one thing to say "all I have belongs to the Lord" but it is another thing to open your hands and release those things. 

Trust and faith are hand in glove. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. 

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 Perfectly In An Imperfect Family

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." - John 16:33

I have been reflecting on where I am in life.  All of us would want perfection in our family but have never had it.  Like a wisp of smoke, you see it but when you try to grab it, there is nothing in your hand. There always seems to be something out of whack.  I suspect a lot of families try not to think about loss – disappointment – broken relationships – unforgiveness – resentments – bitterness – heartache – everything that results from our fallen nature that seems to linger in our new life in Christ.  I am sure you remember the story about Cornelius and his entire household being saved. (Acts 10).  The story didn’t stop there.  Those people went on to live out their lives.  Did you imagine that their lives were trouble-free after that day? Being trouble free while we live on this planet is an illusion – that puff of smoke I mentioned. 

We long for something that seems unattainable, so we often try to pretend life is what it isn’t.  Do you ever feel the pressure to not let others know that you have problems in your life.  It is as if having problems suggests that you are failing as a Christian.  When we are with Christians, rather than bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2) we hide our pain and struggles.  Have you ever asked someone how they are doing and were dismayed when they actually told you more than “Fine!” or “I am blessed!”?

There are moments – some days – when it appears that all is well and then comes the spoiler – a person or event that puts a blemish on what would have been a perfect day. Oh, that this life could be perfect.  But as I struggle to not let “reality” dampen my spirits, I am reminded that what I experience is exactly why we need a Savior.  The matter of the fact is that we will never experience perfection of any kind on this earth.  It will always be just out of reach.  Oh - but one day. As one preacher said, "It's Friday but Sunday's coming!"

I was thinking about the Beatles song “Imagine”.  That song was about an idyllic world – free from trouble.  Those guys went on a spiritual journey looking for it – looking for love in all the wrong places.  The answer was and is Jesus.  You have the family that you have.  Your family is your first place of ministry.  No matter what imperfections may prevail, your place is to show them what Jesus looks like by the way you live your life in the midst of their and your imperfections. But you can’t do it on your own! Be filled with the Spirit.  Draw close to Jesus and let your light shine.

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

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

Don't Be Satisfied With Good Enough

"For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." - Romans 10:2-4

What does it mean to be right before God? For some Christians and unbelievers, it is a self-defined righteousness. It is a mix of the natural and the spiritual. Oh - not the really bad part of the natural - just the part that is contrary to God's word but acceptable in the eyes of man.  Most would consider you a nice and honorable person if you are like that. But then, most don't have any idea what right living and right standing before God are. It is a relative measure where you are compared to other people. It is easy to find people that are not as good as you are. You don't have to look far to find them. And when you do, it gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling that you have arrived. The point is not living a life of constrained behavior but a yielded heart.

As Christians. our goal must not be that we are seen as "good" in the eyes of man. This is the same world that Jesus warned the disciples about.

"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." - John 15:18-19

You might say, "The world does not hate Christians." OK, take a stand on something that the world has declared as right and good, but God has declared as sin. The line will be drawn quickly. You will be quickly labeled as being out of touch with the truth - their truth. How important is acceptance by the world to you? Ok, closer to home - your co-workers - your friends - your family. Enough to reject the Truth to embrace a lie all for acceptance. Choosing to go along to get along.

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man." - Romans 1:18-23

And if you find the Christian life difficult to live, that is because it is if you are only trusting in your won't and will power and not the power of God that is 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 

Recognition - Remorse - Repentance - Reconciliation

"Some Pharisees came and tested him [Jesus] by asking, is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife? What did Moses command you? he replied. They said, Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away. It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law, Jesus replied. But at the beginning of creation God made them male and female. For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So, they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate. When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. He answered, anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery." - Mark 10:2-12

Very often I find myself writing about issues that I suspect will make some readers uncomfortable, but my hope is that it will provoke your thought and reflection on the realities of living in a fallen world. Divorce is an all-too-common event, in our culture in particular. When I tell people that Martie and I have been married for what will be 53 years in January, many reply - "wow, that is uncommon these days, or words to that effect.

In the United States, "when it comes to first marriages, 43% (eventually) are dissolved. Second and third marriages actually fail at a far higher rate, though, with 60% of second marriages and 73% of third marriages ending in divorce." - Legal Advisor article (Revealing Divorce Statistics In 2024) In case you are wondering, divorce rates among Christians are not much better. Recent surveys and studies suggest that approximately 20 to 25 percent of Christian marriages end in divorce, with higher percentages reported among millennials and younger generations of believers.

The woman at the well.

"The [Samaritan] woman said to him, Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water. He told her, go, call your husband and come back. I have no husband, she replied. Jesus said to her, you are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true. ... The woman said, I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us. Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he. .... Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, He told me everything I ever did." - John 4:15-18, 25-26,39

Notice Jesus did not say to the woman that she needed to be restored to her first husband. Although divorce is destructive to the very fiber of marriage and family, it is not the unpardonable sin for which there is no forgiveness. I will leave that to your own study if you are so inclined to pursue it.

Given that one exception to the possibility of forgiveness by God's grace, we should not consider our sins to be OK so that grace might abound.

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?" - Romans 6:1-3

I am quite certain that Jesus had an admonition for the woman at the well, just like He had for the adulterous woman.

"When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life." - John 8:10-12

If you will indulge my alliteration - after we sin, there should be recognition - remorse - repentance and reconciliation. "Stuffing" our sin by quenching the Spirit does not get us a "pass" from God. You may fool your friends but not God.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation." - 2 Corinthians 5:17-19

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 Rightly

"And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus, he declared all foods clean.) And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person." - Mark 7:14-23

Jesus was making a spiritual distinction. Our natural "bent" is to look at the physical and impose it on the spiritual. Jesus said instead we should consider the spiritual and impose that on the physical.  The Jews has strict dietary laws that, if not followed, were considered to be sinful. Jesus "debunked" that thinking - making it clear that God judges the heart and not the stomach. The Apostle Paul expanded on that teaching. 

"Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall." - Romans 14:19-21

However, even though it is lawful or OK to do something, it may be better to refrain if a weaker brother might stumble by you doing it. When Cain was asked where his brother Abel was, after Cain had killed him, Cain responded with, "Am I my brother's keeper?" The answer is "Yes" in light of the second greatest commandment.

"Teacher [Jesus], which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." - Matthew 22:36-40

Consider that with Jesus' admonition recorded in John 15

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." - John 15:12-13

Willingness to set your own life aside for the good of others. If the question rises up in your heart - "Why should I not be able to do what I want if it is not wrong or sinful?" I would counter with this.

"If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them." - James 4:17

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

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

Straining At The Oars Against The Wind

"Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits." - Mark 6:6-7

The disciples were with Jesus but when He sent them out, He had to give them authority to do spiritual things. Spiritual power is gained by association. You cannot go to church - watch enough sermons - even read the Bible often enough to do what God calls you to do - has purposed you to do. 

"And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them." - Mark 6:11

Just because you have the spiritual power does not mean the world will embrace you. In fact, most of the world will not. 

"He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them." - Mark 6:48

When I was in Army flight school, I used to go fishing early on Saturday mornings for a few hours. Stress relief. There was a pond - a rather large pond that I would fish on. I used a small john boat with a trolling motor to fish out of. On one particular day I was fishing with Martie.  As we turned the boat back toward the car, a strong wind picked up.  It was blowing in the opposite direction of the place we wanted to go to. Hard as I paddled with the trolling motor set on high, the boat was pushed back on the opposite shore. I had to yield to the wind. The boat belonged to the people who owned the pond, so we abandoned the boat and walked back around the shoreline through brambles. Martie helping me carry the fishing gear and me carrying the car battery and motor. Life is like that. The winds of life are very often against you. You don't have enough strength to overcome the force of the wind. 

You are faced with a choice. Surrender to the wind or surrender to the Lord. 

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

We all need to stop straining in our own power - surrender to the Lord.

"I can do all things through him who strengthens me." - Philippians 4:13

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 Is Your Mission Field

"And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled." - Mark 5:18-20

The demon-possessed man had been living in the tombs - in isolation - when he met Jesus. His deliverance was an incredible - unimaginable event. He was ready to join up with Jesus, to go wherever Jesus went. But Jesus had another mission for him. "Go home to your friends and tell them." His mission field was at home. He was to be a living testimony to those close to him. You don't have to go to a foreign land to serve God and be faithful to your calling.

Did you notice that Jesus told the man to tell others what God had done for him. That is called a personal testimony. 

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear." - 1 Peter 3:15

What has God sent you to do and where has He sent you to do it? Since God told me to lay my uniform down and follow Him, Martie and I have been on a remarkable journey - living like gypsies often times - (I call us Gypsies for Jesus). Today, although our traveling days may be behind us, our mission and ministry continue and will until we are called home. 

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 

We All Need Help To Understand

"And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it. But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples." - Mark 4:33-34

Jesus spoke in parables. Speaking to people about spiritual things by using analogies - stories. The people could hear the words but did not understand their meaning. And so, it is with the Word of God. The disciples, as close as they were with Jesus, did not understand either - they needed some help. In the same way we need some help to understand spiritual truth. Before Jesus ascended, He told the disciples - 

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." - John 14:26

Like Jesus and the disciples, it is the Spirit of God that reveals spiritual truth to us. To the unsaved - the Word is just words - stories - parables.

"But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." - 1 Corinthians 2:14

Read the parable of the seed in Mark 4. Our place is not to prepare the ground but to cast the seed. The result is spiritual - super-natural if you will - beyond our influence. As I have written before, you cannot explain spiritual truth to someone without the presence of the Spirit of God. We are merely the messengers - as if that were not amazing enough!

A thought just occurred to me. One of God's traits is that He is omniscient - all knowing. Man's undoing was the desire to be like God - more to the point to be "God" and not need the Creator. Just recently artificial intelligence (AI) has gained traction in nearly every facet of commerce, social networking and education. The knowledge of the world is now at our fingertips through it. Helping man to be omniscient, more like God, if you will. (Now if you asked Bill Gates, I am pretty certain that he would not agree with that as the motivation.) There is some concern that AI could evolve on its own and become malevolent. To "take over" - and man could lose control.  The thing is - AI is limited to what is known - what has been revealed in the natural - but not what is unknown - only revealed in the super-natural. That is the Creator God's domain. www.GodIsInControl.hvn (I made that website up)

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 Challenge Of Having Dual Citizenship - In The World But Not Of it

"Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you. Who are my mother and my brothers? he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother." - Mark 3:31-35

Does that seem odd to you, that Jesus would essentially ignore his family - His earthly mother and brothers in favor of the people sitting at His feet - listening to His teaching? There is an undeniable tension for those who are born again and in ministry in particular. The tension is between devotion to biological family and the natural world and the family of God. For all of us adopted as sons and daughters of the Creator God by faith in Jesus who is God - the Father's first born among many. Intentionally living with an awareness that, as Christians, we all have been adopted out of the world into the kingdom of God.

"having predestined us to adoption as sons [and daughters] 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 1:5-6

Jesus was teaching a spiritual truth. when He didn't say, "Oh sorry folks, my mom is here - see you tomorrow!"  His point being - we must look beyond the physical to the kingdom of God. Since, as Christians, our primary citizenship is in heaven. 

"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." - Philippians 3:20

Our loyalty is first to God and then to the world. Did Jesus have affection for his mother and brothers? Of course He did. But there was a greater point to be learned. I see pastors and Christian leaders struggle with this issue - often. Not with loving God first, but with managing the ministry God has called them to with the demands of their personal family. Both require time and attention. Is there a point of balance - yes. Finding it can be a challenge. We often tend to think of the tension in terms of all or none. One or the other. Too often we end up choosing the world over God, convincing ourselves that we really haven't. The Bible says you cannot love both the world and God. You will love one and hate the other. (Matthew 6:24) Choosing God first is not the same as forgoing a ministry meeting so you can spend time with your wife, son or daughter. Neglecting your responsibilities as a husband or father - wife or mother -  to your spouse and children is actually sin. 

"I [Jesus] have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world." - John 17:14-16

There is a saying that goes, "Christians are in the world but not of the world." That is not actually a verse but a paraphrase of verses in John 17.  Having spiritual awareness of your standing in the world and your need to keep that in its proper place is critical to a successful walk of faith. Keep in mind ... 

"We love Him because He first loved us. If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?" - 1 John 4:19-20

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 

What It Takes To Make It

"Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one." - Matthew 6:11-13

One day at a time, dear Jesus. That is all I am asking of you. When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray - that is what He told them to do. Ask God for enough for today. Our daily bread or portion. A little later He said this ...

"seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." - Matthew 6:33-34

Focusing on today. There is a saying in Haiti, "Ti pa ti pa", meaning gradually, small steps or step by step. Put another way, answering the question, "How do you eat an elephant?" Answer, "On bite at a time." Ask God to provide for what you face today. Then tomorrow, and then the next day. 

"Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." - John 6:32-35

"You can have all this world. More than silver, more than gold. You are the treasure that I hold. Now that I've tasted of Your goodness. Nothing else will satisfy. Just give me Jesus." Give Me Jesus, Fernando Ortega.

When we think of our daily bread, I think most often, our minds go to the natural - physical, relational, financial issues. But, on reflection, I think it must start with a hunger for the "Bread of Heaven." - the spiritual. everything else is subordinate to that - don't you think so? We say that we love God with our all, but when we are faced with the fires of life - when we feel the heat from them - it is in our nature - our old nature - to give those things primacy in our minds. It is not wrong to pray for those things - but it is wrong to let them dominate us.  

Seek first His Kingdom. 

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 

Obedience and Trouble

"As he [Jesus] went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him." - John 9:1-3

I think some Christians live with the false assumption that the troubles that come their way are a result of some sin on their part. If they were living "rightly" then they would live a trouble-free life. The fact is that spiritual obedience does not mean you will avoid the troubles of our natural lives. Jesus said, 

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." - John 16:33

Notice the words. "You WILL have trouble" Trouble in this life is unavoidable, but don't lose heart - trust in Jesus. 

"Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:5-7

How you respond in times of trouble is a testimony of faith - or at least it can be. It is possible to be at peace and yet be up to your ears in turmoil. It is all a matter in where you have placed your faith and trust. Proverbs 3:5-8 speaks to what we should do and then what we often do.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones." - Proverbs 3:5-8

Do you see it? We are supposed to trust God and not ourselves. Not be wise in our own eyes but understand Who God is and trust Him!

God's purposes can and will be accomplished in and through us in spite of the troubles we face.

"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

There is, or was, a building materials store in Jacmel, Haiti with the name, Perseverance - like a little Home Depot in Haiti. Each time I drove past that store - or when I would stop in to buy materials, my heart was warmed because the name caused me to remember James 1. We faced considerable adversity during our time in Haiti, small in comparison to what the Haitians face every day - but God proved Himself faithful at every turn.

Someone once said, "There is no testimony without a test." 

"I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." - Psalm 121:1-2

I encourage you to read that entire Psalm. And then ... 

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 Difference Between good and GOOD

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." - Ephesians 2:8-10

I am certain that many of those reading this recall at least hearing about Vince Lombardi. 

"It was the summer of 1961 and Vince Lombardi started Green Bay Packers training camp holding something that needed no explanation and said…“Gentlemen, this is a football.” In five words, he communicated his point: if you want to be successful, we’re going to remember the basics and make sure we’re executing the fundamentals. You never graduate past the basics. Yes, you build on them but you never move past them."  (Mark Tiderman, Jr.)

So I would hold up Jesus and say, "This is the source of our salvation and right standing before a holy God." The basics of our faith. Saved by grace through faith not by our "good" works. In his letter to the church in Rome, Paul wrote that 

"And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace." - Romans 11:6

Grace is unmerited favor. Mercy, on the other hand, is not getting what we do deserve. Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus that we cannot be good enough to merit God's favor. Once we are born again by faith then there are good works that God has prepared us to do by the power of His Spirit. If what we do does not have, at its root, a spiritual seed, then it will not accomplish God's purposes. I recall telling a group of what they called "Ex-patriots" (meaning that they were living in one country - Haiti - but were citizens of another - the United States) that if they were in Haiti and God had not called them to the work, then they should go home. That was not well received. Each one was doing a "good" thing in their mind - but if they were doing it without the prompting of God merely out of a desire to do a good thing, then they should not give God the credit. It was a work of the flesh not faith.

"So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." - James 2:17-18

Good works are a natural result of faith. God purpose it. Faith apart from works is a dead faith - meaning it is not producing the fruit it was intended to produce. Doing good things apart from faith is like an apple tree producing oranges. The tree branches do not decide what fruit will be produced - the Root does.

 "A certain ruler asked him [Jesus], Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? Why do you call me good? Jesus answered. No one is good—except God alone." - Luke 18:18-19

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

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

Don't Just Clean The Outside Of The Cup

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.  In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside, you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." - Matthew 23:27-28

The tendency of human nature - our sinful nature is to become more sinful - not less. Transformation happens on the inside and is demonstrated on the outside. The United States is not a Christian nation, although the majority of the world thinks it is, at least in name. Our country was founded on Biblical precepts but also declared the right for people to believe whatever they wanted to believe - to practice the religion of their choice. I read this report from NBC news recently.

"the U.S. has grown even more secular in the eight years since Obama left office, with a record 28% of adults now identifying as religiously unaffiliated, according to the Pew Research Center, surpassing evangelical Protestants and Catholics to now be the largest religious group in the country. As recently as 2007, when Obama was preparing his first presidential run, the religiously unaffiliated — who include people who identify as atheists, agnostics and “nothing in particular” — made up just 16% of the country in Pew’s data. And presidential historian Michael Beschloss said Americans have grown more cynical about their politicians and what their religious affiliations might say about their character. “We’ve learned a lot about a lot of politicians who seemed to be very religious but did not necessarily follow the tenets of their faith in one way or another,” said Beschloss, noting religion has become as much about policy as personality. “So, for many people, religion may no longer say much about someone’s personal character.” NBC News

That is not just a problem for politicians. To be a politician you must be willing to compromise. So too for people who are not politicians. Or at least that is what one might be led to believe. Go along to get along. Cooperate and graduate. The Pharisees promoted a faith that they, themselves, were unwilling to practice. Do as I say and not as I do. What the world needs to see are people who are demonstrating their faith by the way they live and the choices they make. Being as vocal about what they are for as they are for what they are against. 

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean." Matthew 23:25-26

As a Christian you do not hold the majority view on issues of morality and justice. And you shouldn't. You will always be part of the minority. 

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." - Matthew 7:13-14

While we were serving in Haiti, we often hiked into remote areas. On one such trip I saw the gate shown in the picture included in this post. It reminded me that as much as I want all to believe, not all will believe. But some will. Be the light. Resist compromise. Stand for the truth, as God has revealed it, not as our culture defines it. Let your life be a reflection of your heart and faith. 

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 

Can These Dry Bones Live

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:35-39

Martie and I travel by road a good bit and are, admittedly, totally dependent upon the GPS in our vehicle. Years back we used a Road Atlas and would plot our route on a physical map before ever leaving the house. Then as one of us drove the other would follow along on the map. Those days are long gone. Now, we just hop in the truck, type in our destination and "voila" the route appears. As I drive, I don't pay much attention to the map, just listen for the voice to say something like "turn right at the next exit and you have reached your destination".

I am getting a little "long in the tooth". My personal odometer rolled over 74 years a couple of months back. I am watching as people in my generation are passing, having reached their destination. Some are people I know, both Christians and lost. People that I have had a personal relationship with at some point in my journey. It is a stark reminder of the verse.

"And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment" - Hebrews 9:27

I don't stay up at night worried about life and death. But I do understand that more of my life is behind me than is ahead of me. And one day I will hear the words, "turn right at the next exit, you have reached your destination." 

I recently saw an article about how archeologists found the bones of some Vikings in Scotland. My roots go back to northern Scotland in a town named Elgin (pronounced with a "hard" G like gun). Yes there is a family connection. Anyway, there is also some history with the Vikings in that area and so I am drawn to those articles when I find them. But I digress. The article included a picture of a man's skeleton being uncovered. Seeing that I was reminded of another verse. 

"The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, you know." - Ezekiel 37:1-3

One day these bodies that we have will be nothing but dry bones. But we are sons and daughters of the Creator God, because we have been adopted into the "family of God" by faith in the Son. God formed us out of the dust. Dust that He created as well. One day we will be like the Viking. But unlike that Viking, our "dry bones" will live - for eternity. But in the meantime, while we have another breath, join me in resolving that we will continue live the rest of our lives well. Faithfully pressing on with the strength the Lord provides for His purpose and the proclamation of the Gospel through deed and word. 

"For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day." - 2 Timothy 1:12

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 

Being "That Kind" Of Christian

"You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." - James 4:4

What does friendship with the world look like? It does not mean that you are a friendly neighbor. It means that you embrace what the world believes. And if that happens to contravene what God has said is truth, then if you want to continue to be a friend of the world, then you must reject God's truth. Pretty simple. Have you ever been with a group of friends when something was said that you did not agree with, but the majority did? And you decided to keep your opinion to yourself, or risk being ridiculed or worse, ostracized.

Don't be surprised or dismayed that what you believe is contrary to what the world embraces. So long as you don't disagree with the world you will be tolerated. But take a stand against something that the "world" espouses, and you will quickly be labeled "that kind" of Christian. Intolerant. You might even be part of the Conservative Christian Right suggesting that must be a Liberal Christian Left. 

Pastor Greg Laurie spoke at a conference I attended some years ago. He spoke to this very issue and the possibility of being accused of being judgmental when the Bible says to not judge. He said, "you are not a judge, merely a fruit inspector".

"Now the works [fruit] 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

Like the bank teller that learns to identify counterfeit money by examining real money. That done, it is simple to call out the counterfeit money when they see it. It just doesn't match the real stuff. It is flawed.

I am intentionally not addressing any specifics because I want to encourage you to examine those things in this culture that you may be embracing as acceptable, perhaps even preferred. To test them against the Word of God as your standard for what is truth. That is always my motivation for writing these devotions. To encourage you to be willing to stand on the truth even in the face of rejection by the world for doing it. To be "that kind" of Christian.

These are perilous and dark times that we live in. 

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 In Caesar's World

"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 1:28-32

As Christians, we live in morally perilous times. But that is nothing new. Previous generations have faced the same challenges. [Paul was writing to his current generation] The solution for some has been to withdraw from the culture and live in Christian enclaves. But for most it means living in a spiritually foreign land and trying to "not get muddy as you walk through the mud puddles of life."

"Tell us [Pharisees' disciples and Herodians], then, what you [Jesus] think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." - Matthew 22:17-21

There are civil laws, enacted by the local, state and national governing bodies that are contrary to the Word of God and laws that are not. Taxes are needed to fund the governments, therefore pay your taxes. The money you use was minted by the very same government asking for their share of your wages. But the government did not "mint" your heart and morality. God did. Later Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment.

"And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." - Matthew 22:35-39

I have dedicated my life to service. I love my country, but not more than I love God. My faith and love for God requires my primary devotion be to Him, secondly to others, then my country as an institution, then my political party, among other things. Our primary citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). That creates a dilemma for us Christians. Especially during election cycles. Politicians represent their constituents, the majority of whom are not Christians. That means that the laws they support and the decisions they make will, at times, be contrary to Biblical values but will reflect the majority view of the people. It does not matter which party the politicians represent. When asked who the best choice for president in this election was the Pope said it is a choice of the lesser of two evils. He did not say which one was less. In other words, both parties represent their constituencies which are for the most part carnal. There are no candidates that put God first - the United States is not a theocracy it is a democracy or, more correctly a republic. [Our country was founded on the idea that the power to govern was held by the people rather than a monarch. Democracy is to republic as monarch is to kingdom. Webster Dictionary]

So, in my view, as a Christian the dilemma really is to vote or not vote. In my humble opinion, to not vote is to vote for the greater of the two evils. We all need to pray and then act according to our conscience. Trusting that God is still sovereign, and our responsibility to be His ambassadors in all circumstances still stands.

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 

Like The Angels In Heaven

"Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”- Matthew 22:29-32

Now and again, I will write something with the intent of challenging your thinking about some spiritual truth. This is one of those times. You may not have thought much about this but we all should. after all, we have an eternal destiny. My hope is that this post will motivate you to do some personal study on the topic. Have you ever been in a conversation when you notice the body language of the other person sends the message that they do not like or even want to hear what you are saying to them.  The same is true with the Word of God. There are many parts of the Bible which are easy to receive - but then there are those that challenge our thinking and perhaps our hopes and expectations.  Marriage is one of them.

It is natural for us to project what we know in this life to what we imagine life will be like in Heaven. Many of us spend most of our lifetime with our spouses. We experience the "oneness" that Genesis tells us about. "That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh." -Genesis 2:24

It is also why Jesus words in Matthew 22 can rub us the wrong way. Based upon my conversations with others over the years, there is an expectation that once we are reunited with our spouse in heaven, we will pick up our relationship where we left off. Seems reasonable, doesn't it? But perhaps there is a little more to the words "until death do us part" than what we thought. Where we might think it is only a temporary interruption to our being together as man and wife, in fact, it is the beginning of a new relationship. There is a greater supernatural oneness that Jesus talks about as He is praying to the Father.

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me, and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me." - John 17:20-21

Our oneness with Jesus and the Father supersedes our oneness as husband and wife. Our earthly marriage and natural union are to be a reflection of our spiritual oneness with the Father. Give you an idea about why God hates divorce. [Malachi 2:16, NASB] I can distinctly remember my mom asking me if Don, my stepdad, remembered her since he had passed before her. The Bible does not speak directly to the issue of continued marital relationship after death, as much as we would like to know. Why we want to know, in some ways I think it is a bit like Lot's wife looking back a Sodom - leaving what she knew and loved for the unknown. I don't want to carry that analogy too far! But when you have been married to someone for so long - in our case this year marks 52 years - it is hard to imagine that our relationship will be set aside for a greater one - but I think it will be. Will, we regret it? I don't think so. The Bible says "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away" - Revelation 21:4

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 

Memorization Not The Same As Transformation

"And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” - Hebrews 10:15-16

As a new Christian one of the first things I was exposed to in my faith training was something called the topical memory system. Introduced by the Navigator Ministry, it was, and is, a simple method of memorizing scripture. It laid a great foundation for my spiritual walk.  

I can point you to a number of verses in the Bible that encourage the memorization or assimilation of scripture. For example ...

"Your Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against You." - Psalm 119-11

"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful 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 1:8-9

One might be tempted to think that if you memorize scripture that somehow scripture will keep sin out of your life. Memorization does not, by itself, result in transformation. It is the application of scripture that brings about transformation. Certainly, the Word must be in you and not merely in your living room sitting on the coffee table. Next you should be thinking about the word during the day - meditating on it - and then using it like a sword - fending off the temptation to sin. Recall that the Word is one part of the full armor of God. 

"In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication." - Ephesians 6:16-18

When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by Satan - with each temptation Jesus responded with the Word. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God."; "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test."; "You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve."

Transformation happens when the Word is applied in the face of temptation and what life brings your way.

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." - Romans 12:2

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 

When Faith Is Confronted by Life

"Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” - Mark 9:20-24

Do you believe that what you believe is really real? That is a quote from Dr. Del Tackett, The Truth Project from Focus on the Family. Jesus was asking the father of the young boy that question. The father was making it plain to Jesus. He believed but, at the same time, he had doubts. Imagine that all you had to do was believe hard enough and whatever you wanted to happen - happened. Most of our prayers have to do with getting relief from some life issue. So wouldn't that be great!

Do you believe that God wants the best for you? Of course. But what is the best for any of us? Not a trick question. Eternal life found by faith in Jesus. So, what about living our mortal lives on this planet? I can only speak for myself and what I have observed in other people. That coupled with the rest of the Bible. To quote the sage, Loretta Lynn. "I beg your pardon, I didn't promise you a rose garden. Along with the sunshine there's gonna be a little rain sometimes." Sometimes it might be a hurricane.  

"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. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." - James 1:2-4

As Christians we live in two realities - one mortal and the other spiritual. The question is which one dominates our thinking and how we respond to the here and now? The truth is that from time to time, we need help with our weak faith when that faith is confronted by the certain unpleasantries in this life. 

"Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm." - Matthew 8:24-26

Those guys were in the boat WITH Jesus, and still they were fearful. Trouble can do that - i.e., cause you to lose perspective and awareness. Don't be surprised if and when it happens to you. Read Psalm 121 - happens to be my grandma's favorite psalm and for good reason.

"I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. - Psalm 121:1-8

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 

They Can Always Imagine

"For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools." - Romans 1:20-22

I make it a habit to read the news on-line each day to get a sense of what is happening in the world. A few days ago, I read an article published by Space.com. This is an excerpt.

"Why haven't we found intelligent alien civilizations? There may be a 'universal limit to technological development’..... In less than seven decades, humanity went from having no active flight technology to walking on the moon. It took only a little over a century to get from the first basic computer to a pocket-size device that enables widespread access to nearly the entire body of human knowledge within seconds. Based on that technological trajectory, there is a persistent assumption that our technological capacities are unbounded. This notion, along with the discovery that habitable worlds are common throughout the cosmos, has influenced a question that has perplexed scientists and others for decades: "Why is the universe so quiet?" - Space.com

As Paul wrote, man has indeed become futile in his thinking. The driving force behind that futility is that sinful man does not want there to be a God. People through the generations have not wanted the Bible or Jesus to be God's revelation to mankind. Before I break down what Space.com had to say, let's talk about Darwin for a moment. I am certain you are familiar with his Theory of Evolution - The Origins of Man. Darwin was seeking to explain creation and specifically why homo sapiens are so distinctly different from other creatures on this planet. So, he came up with a theory. You know what a theory is, right? It is an "unproved" assumption. BTW as I was typing the word "unproved" the word "theory" appeared to assist me with my typing, I suppose so I don't use up my allocation of zeroes and ones. :)  The only thing missing to make Darwin's theory fact is what is known as the "missing link". The link that is still missing. So, in the meantime, many people have accepted Darwin's theory to be fact because it fits their world view. That being one without a Creator to which they would be accountable. The theory is even taught in the schools so our children will think it is fact. The thinking is that the missing link is real, we just have not found it - yet. In the meanwhile, we will just have to keep looking until we do and are proven right.

So, to Space.com. Is there life on other planets? Yes - in their minds. But the technological development on any world has an upper bound which prevents any creature from reaching beyond its planetary system. Doesn't that seem to be a reasonable explanation as to why there is no proof of intelligent life on other planets. And IF it is true then it makes the missing link not quite so important. And it debunks the idea that the universe has our planet at its center. And Homo Sapiens as a unique creation in all of the universe. Listen, there are people that will "go to the mat" over these theories. They are vehement about their allegiance to their claim that "There is no God of the Universe" theory. As convinced and vehement as I am about the fact that there is.

I read another article about Mars exploration and how scientists are convinced they will find proof of life even if it is microbial and existed billions of years ago. The world wants so desperately to believe there is no God.

NASA is set to launch a spacecraft to Jupiter's moon Europa, considered one of our solar system's most promising spots to search for life beyond Earth, to learn whether this ice-encased world believed to harbor a vast underground ocean is habitable.

And the beat goes on! Footage from the Tiangong (Chinese) space station shows Shenzhou 18 crew members — commander Ye Guangfu and crewmates Li Cong and Li Guangsu — engaged in research on the adaptability of anaerobic archaea. (micro-organisms) The research aims to test their survival under Mars-like conditions and extreme cosmic radiation, contributing to the search for extraterrestrial life, according to a report from CCTV. (that was a quote) And so ....

Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools. They can always imagine, but it doesn't change the Truth, and on that day when they stand before a holy God they will be found to be without excuse. Pray for the lost.

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