Walking By Faith - Not A Walk In The Park

"Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?" - Matthew 14:28-31

Walking by faith is more like climbing a steep mountain trail. Lately, I have been reading about a number of hikers getting in trouble and needing to be rescued. They start out OK and things become difficult. Unexpected things happen. They are in trouble with no help in sight. That is similar to what happens to many Christians when they strike out on a "mission from God" and forget that what they are doing is totally dependent upon the power of God and totally independent upon their own abilities. It is one thing to acknowledge God's call and another to walk in submission to the power of God.

That is what happened to Peter. Jesus called him out of the boat - at Peter's request if you recall - it seemed like a good idea - so long as he was able to focus on Jesus. But the waves got his attention and then the realization that people cannot walk on water. His focus shifted from Jesus to himself and the stroll he began suddenly became impossible. He did what all humans do when they try to walk on the water - gravity takes over and they sink.

Jesus asked a rhetorical question. "Why did you doubt?" He didn't expect an answer but did expect Peter to think about what just happened.  To walk by faith, we must keep our eyes fixed on the One who called us out of the boat. So, what happened next? 

"Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down." - Matthew 14:31-32

Jesus caught Peter's hand and went back to the boat together - walking on the water - together. And so it is with us. A lesson I have learned over the past 20 years, in particular, is that God never calls Martie and me to something that we can do on our own - it always requires the power of God. The path He sets our feet on is steep and difficult - impossible really - apart from His presence and power. We did because our faith is weak - we trust in ourselves way too much and in God way too little.

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

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

Spiritual Power and Authority

 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

"These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food. And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. As you enter the house, greet it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town." - Matthew 10:1-15

When Jesus sent the disciples out, the Holy Spirit had not yet arrived. That would happen later after His ascension. But Jesus was tasking those men to go on a spiritual quest that would have visible - worldly consequences. He tasked them to do what was impossible for them, as mere mortals to do. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. To accomplish that they would need spiritual power and spiritual authority.

I am certain you have heard the term "anointing". Certainly, in your reading of the Old and New Testaments. But you may also be aware of the term being applied to people today. The idea that God empowers certain people to do certain things for his glory and the good of others. Never for the purpose of the one who was anointed to be glorified - although that sometimes, wrongly, happens. There is nothing that man can accomplish for God apart from God. All credit goes, rightly to God. There is a story about some men who tried to do what the disciples did - on their own - 

"Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?”  And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded." - Acts 19:13-16

God will never ask you to do something for Him that does not require His power, His anointing, to do it. What He asks of us is always too hard for men. Martie and I have been called by God to do many things. The decision to obey the call was never in question even in the face of the fact that, on our own,  we could not do it. Of course, we could not - but we made ourselves available to God to do it through us. That God would be glorified, the Gospel promoted, and people would be helped in their time of need.

Do you not know that the moment you were born again you, also, were spiritually empowered by God?

"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

Do you know that He has a purpose for your life that is beyond your personal ability to accomplish?

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 Does Faith Look Like?

"When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment." - Matthew 8:5-13

The centurion recognized the authority Jesus had. authority is something that is delegated from a higher authority. Recall what Jesus said in John 17

"When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." - John 17:1-3

Jesus had been delegated authority by God, the Father. The centurion placed his faith in Jesus as the one who had authority "over all flesh". Faith is the "assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1) The centurion was a Gentile. Jesus marveled at his faith which was greater than the Jews. But with authority must come submission by the ones subject to that authority. The centurion had authority over the natural - but he recognized that Jesus had greater authority over the supernatural - the eternal. And he submitted to it - deferred to it - acknowledged Jesus as the Christ. 

That is what putting our faith in Jesus means. Not our will but His will be done.  And that is where faith often fails. People yield to the natural and reject or ignore the spiritual authority of Jesus. The act of faith is an act of submission to a higher authority. 

"And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” And their eyes were opened." - Matthew 9:27-31

The exercising of faith is an act of trust. Proverbs 3:5,6. I won't quote it - you should know it by heart by now. Our natural inclination is to trust in ourselves first and perhaps only ourselves. Do you believe that Jesus is who He says He is? Then walk in that belief. Live each day by faith and not by sight.

Do you believe that all Jesus has to do is to "only say the word, and my servant will be healed". Well, He already has - He said it on the Cross.

A friend of mine recently shared this on Facebook. It is a wonderful explanation of the Gospel. "The Gospel is not God hatefully saying" 'Turn to Me or I will send you to Hell.' The Gospel is God's Mercy and Grace saying: 'You're already headed for Hell, turn to Me, and I will save 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 

Fifth of Five People - A Man Who Despised Christians

 Acts 8:3, 9:1-7 The last person I want to talk to you about is a man named Saul.  

Saul was a Jewish religious leader and someone who hated Christians.

Act 8:3  “As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.”

He did whatever he could to see that Christians were persecuted ... prosecuted ... imprisoned ... even killed because they believed in Jesus.  

"But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one." - Acts 9:1-7

Saul had been given permission to go to another city to arrest Christians.  On his way ... he met Jesus … Saul thought he was doing something that would please God.  He was convinced that the people he put in prison were doing something wrong ... that they deserved to be punished, and God was pleased ... But Jesus said Saul was persecuting Him not the people.  

Jesus also said Act 9:15  “he (Saul) is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.”

Listen to me … God chose to use Saul for something good – Saul, someone who had done terrible things … was forgiven … Jesus died for Saul … Jesus died for you and me …. Jesus died for the world … that all could receive eternal life … but all people won’t …do you know why?  Because not everyone will put their faith in Jesus … Jesus dying on the cross is not enough for anyone to go to heaven … even the demons know that Jesus died on the cross … but you must be born again … you must receive Jesus as Lord and receive the Holy Spirit … It does not matter what you have done that will keep you from heaven ... believe and repent and God will forgive you in Jesus … Come to Jesus ... and find a new life … 

Saul was certain that what he was doing was right before God ... he didn’t believe that Jesus was the Christ ... the Messiah ... but then Jesus spoke to him ... to his heart not to his head … and Saul heard Him and believed in Him.  Saul’s life was changed forever …. His name was changed to Paul ... and it is because of Paul that I am writing this BLOG today ... proclaiming the Gospel.

Over the past five days, I have told you about 5 people ... five people who thought they had it all figured out ... they knew what life was all about ... but then they met Jesus.  Maybe your life or someone you know is like one of these five people … trying to fill the emptiness in us with something, anything but Jesus ... some of us try to be good enough and learn enough to go to heaven.  Friend ...  we must be born again.

The Bible says in Rom 10:9,10 “that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

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 

Fourth of Five People - The Adulterous Woman

 John 8 The Adulterous Woman (8:3-11) 

"The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.  And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more." - John 8:3-11

The religious leaders brought a woman who was caught in adultery to try and trick Jesus … you cannot trick God … He is the creator ...  there is nothing that he does not know.  They wanted to have her stoned for her sin … that is what the Old Testament law said to do.  She deserved to die.  She was undoubtedly looking for something to fill the empty space in her life … she used sexual sin to do that ...  but it did not fill the space it just made her life worse than it was before.  Not only did she hurt herself, but she hurt the man she had sex with ... and his wife and their family and her family … when we sin … we do not sin in isolation ... our sin affects other people … so now she stood before Jesus.  She was afraid ...  why had these men brought her to this man?  Who was he?  He wrote something on the ground ... and then said to the crowd … the person who has not sinned ... let that person be the first one to throw a stone at her … One by one the people left until there was no one but her and Jesus.  She found herself standing before the Messiah ... the savior of the world … the one who could forgive her sins and give her eternal life.  

He could fill that empty spot with the love of God.  He told her to turn away from her sins and sin no more.  She could not do that on her own ... she had already tried that ... she needed the power of God in her to be right before God ... she needed to be born again … 

Romans 3:23 says “we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  Those men were condemning her when they themselves were guilty and deserved to be condemned … when Jesus spoke, they saw the truth and had to leave or be condemned with her.

Romans 6:23 says “The wages of sin is death … eternity in hell ... but the gift of God is eternal life" by faith in Jesus Christ.  Forgiveness of sins and eternal life in heaven is what Jesus offered that woman … Nicodemus, the lame man, and the Samaritan woman … all of mankind.

Jesus died on the cross for our sins … He was raised on the third day .. defeating sin and death … that is an eternal truth and it will always be true ... but we must believe in Jesus ... put our faith in Him ... we must be born again. Perhaps you know someone who feels they have sinned more than what can be forgiven. I am reminded of a song. How Deep The Father's Love, Stuart Townend - "Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer But this I know with all my heart His wounds have paid my ransom."

(Lyrics)

How deep the Father's love for us? How vast beyond all measure? That He should give His only Son To make a wretch His treasure. How great the pain of searing loss? 

The Father turns His face away As wounds which mar the Chosen One Bring many sons to glory. 

Behold the man upon the cross My sin upon His shoulders. Ashamed I hear my mocking voice Call out among the scoffers It was my sin that held Him there Until it was accomplished His dying breath has brought me life I know that it is finished.

 I will not boast in anything No gifts, no power, no wisdom But I will boast in Jesus Christ His death and resurrection Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer But this I know with all my heart His wounds have paid my ransom. How Deep The Father's Love, Stuart Townend

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 

Third of Five People - The Religious Man

John Chapter 3.  The religious man. 

"He [Nicodemus] came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”  “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 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." - John 3:2-6

Nicodemus was a very religious man ... he had spent his whole life learning about God ... learning right from wrong ... teaching others what he had learned … lately, he had been watching Jesus … Nicodemus saw that God was with Him ... "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." Nicodemus had never seen anyone like Jesus. 

I think Nicodemus came at night because he did not want his friends to know what he was doing ...  they would make fun of him ...  reject him ... perhaps he did not want to lose his position of respect in the community ... in the temple … so he came at night when no one could see or would know. Have you ever kept quiet about your spiritual interest because of other people in your life? Nicodemus came to talk to Jesus because apparently, he knew that there was something missing in his life and understanding.  In all of his knowledge ... all his learning … all his studies ... he had missed something … but he did not know what it was, so he thought that maybe Jesus would know what it was.

Jesus saw his heart … just like the woman at the well … Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born again … that He must believe that He, Jesus was and is the Messiah ... the One that Nicodemus had spent his life learning about ... Nicodemus had been placing his confidence in his religion ... trusting that knowing about God was all he had to do to go to heaven ... to be as good as he could be …. But Jesus told Nicodemus that he must put his faith in Jesus and then God would put his spirit in Nicodemus as a guarantee of his salvation … he would be born again, spiritually.  That he would not and could not go to heaven unless he was born again by the Spirit.  

Nicodemus had spent his life trying to find God and heaven with his mind … but Jesus said that he had to do it with his heart by faith.  It is not knowledge about God that will save you from hell ... it is not going to church every Sunday that will ensure you will go to heaven …. it is faith in Jesus Christ … the same one who healed the lame man. Jesus said “I am the way and the truth and the life and no one can go to heaven unless they believe in Me."  Do you believe that? Jesus asked the disciples ....

“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven." - Matthew 16:13-17

The truth of who Jesus is can only be revealed to you by the Spirit of God. Like Nicodemus you may know there is something missing in all your religious activity … It is the spirit of God that is missing ... what you are doing is empty ... you must be born again ... you are calling out to God, but He does not hear you ... because you have not put your faith in His Son … you have not been born again.  Have you believed that going to church and learning about God ... even knowing about Jesus was enough to go to heaven ... Like Nicodemus ... Come to Jesus and find the life you have been looking for.

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 

Second of Five People - The Lame Man

 Acts 3: 1-10 The Lame Man

"One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon.  Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So, the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”" - Acts 3:1-6 

 This was a man who was lame from birth ... Everyday some friends would carry him to a gate by the temple so he could beg ... that is how he lived ... he could not walk ... he could not marry ... or have children … or even work ... all he could do was beg ... day after day ... he would beg ...hoping to get enough money so he could eat ... He thought the answer to his problems was money … just a little bit more … but it was never quite enough … He had no hope that anything would ever change ... he was convinced that he would always be lame ... why wouldn’t he think that …. that is all he knew ... it is what everyone thought .... He would always be poor … That was his life ... there was no reason for joy ... no reason for hope … just begging … he could beg, or he could die … those were his choices. So, he would beg until he died … 

When he saw Peter and John ... he saw two men like all other men that passed through the gate ... they could walk … something he could not do ... so they might have money … He called to them, and they stopped.  Peter told him they did not have any money.  But then he said ... what I do I have I will give to you … In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth ... rise up and walk … and the man did … He was healed 

"Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him." - Acts 3:7-10

He had never been able to walk before ... he never imagined he could ... but he was walking and leaping in the air … His whole life was changed … in a moment ... that is how long it took for him to put his faith in Jesus and find healing, joy, and hope.  But it was not just his body that was healed … He had eternal life … he was a beggar one moment and a child of Jehovah God the next.  All because of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.  What did Peter have that was better than silver or gold … the Gospel ... the good news ... that Jesus died for our sins ... was raised from the dead and is now at the right hand of the Father.  This man, by his faith in Jesus, was going to heaven and not to hell.  

What about you?  Do you believe that your life can ever change?  It can.  You have no hope, no joy ... maybe you think that more money will be the answer … The answer is Jesus ...  your life can be changed in a moment … believe in Jesus Christ of Nazareth ... and live.

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 First of 5 People - The Woman At The Well

Seven years ago, seems so far away and a lifetime ago, I preached at a revival in Haiti on a mountain in Bossier village. I spoke to the villagers about 5 people in the Bible. This morning, I was reading through those sermon notes and thought I would share some of my thoughts with you. 

The people I told the Haitians about were all people in the Bible ...people who were lost … struggling with life … I told them about a woman who carried water, a man who could not walk and had to beg for everything he got … a man who was very religious, a woman who was found with another woman’s husband, and a man who hated Christians.  

All of these people had something in common ... they were all looking for something ... but they didn’t know what it was. Over the next few days, I will share each story with you over the next few days. My hope is more than your merely seeing yourself in the story but you will be mindful that the people you meet every day will share in one or more of the struggles related in these stories. That you will see the people you meet and know in a different light. 

The first is the woman at the well.  

"Now he [Jesus] had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” - John 4:4-13

Jesus chose to go through Samaria ... the Jews did not like the Samaritans and would travel a long distance, so they did not have to enter that country.  Why did Jesus go? Because He had an appointment … he was going to meet someone at a well and change her life.  When Jesus arrived at the well in the middle of the day there was a woman drawing water … most people drew water in the morning or evening ... just like they do in Haiti ... but this woman wanted to be alone ... she went to a public place when there was no one else there on purpose ... she was shunned and ashamed.  She had been married five times and was living with a man who was not her husband.  She was lonely ... without hope ... rejected by the people around here … I think that she had been married each of those five times thinking that maybe she could find happiness and peace with a different man ... but it never worked … 

So now she was talking to Jesus ... God knows our hearts ... He knows your heart ... He knows all about you … even those things that you don’t want anybody to know about … God knows … Jesus said to the woman ... you are here to get water that will satisfy your thirst for the moment ... I can give you living water that will satisfy you for eternity.  What the woman needed was not another man ... another failed marriage ... what she needed was Jesus Christ to save her and the fill that empty space inside of her … not just for the day ... but for every day ... for eternity.

I don't have any idea who reads these posts. Whether you are saved or not, so I will ask, "What about you?" Or what about someone you know. Is there an emptiness inside that you or they have been trying to fill – but it is never satisfied?  The answer is to come to Jesus by faith. In Haiti, the people go to the public well every day to fill their buckets with water … the water they got today will not be enough for tomorrow … The "water" Jesus will give them, perhaps you, and all to who turn to Him is living water. … Water that satisfies the soul … If you haven't already, put your faith in Jesus. And if you already have then encourage someone you know or meet to "drink from the well of living water that never will run dry." When should you tell them about the water? When the Spirit prompts 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 

Patience Is A Demonstration Of Faith And A Fruit Of The Spirit

Though it tarries, wait for it… —Habakkuk 2:3

“Patience is not the same as indifference; patience conveys the idea of someone who is tremendously strong and able to withstand all assaults. Having the vision of God is the source of patience because it gives us God’s true and proper inspiration. Moses endured, not because of his devotion to his principles of what was right, nor because of his sense of duty to God, but because he had a vision of God. “…he endured as seeing Him who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27). A person who has the vision of God is not devoted to a cause or to any particular issue— he is devoted to God Himself. […] “Though it tarries, wait for it….” The proof that we have the vision is that we are reaching out for more than we have already grasped. It is a bad thing to be satisfied spiritually. The psalmist said, “What shall I render to the Lord…? I will take up the cup of salvation…” (Psalm 116:12-13).” - My Utmost For His Highest

Patience is a reflection of faith.  Our willingness to wait on God, even when our common sense tells us that we need to act … to do something on our own.  Consider King Saul’s lack of patience and what it cost him.

“Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering. Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him. “What have you done?” asked Samuel. Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash, I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.” “You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure…” - 1 Samuel 13:7-14

Patience is a fruit or product of the Spirit in us.  In other words, our ability to demonstrate godly patience is a function of the depth of our faith and trust in God.  The Apostle James wrote “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness."  (James 1:2-3) Saul’s faith in God was tried and tested and he was found wanting.  His choice to act on his own... putting himself in the place of God and the prophet … cost him his kingdom.  Has anyone ever “tried your patience”?  Often that means that you are about to get angry about something or toward someone.  The Bible is clear about how Christians are to live and relate to others.  But we often forget that the Bible assumes that you, Christian, are living by faith submitted to the leading and power of the Spirit and you are not making the mistake of trying to live the life of faith in your own strength and wisdom. Like King Saul.

“Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.” - Proverbs 3:5-6

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” - Isaiah 40:31

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 Challenge To Live By Faith

If you have faith as a mustard seed…nothing will be impossible for you. —Matthew 17:20

"We do not earn anything through faith— faith brings us into the right relationship with God and gives Him His opportunity to work. God wants you to understand that it is a life of faith, not a life of emotional enjoyment of His blessings. Faith by its very nature must be tested and tried. And the real trial of faith is not that we find it difficult to trust God, but that God’s character must be proven as trustworthy in our own minds. Faith, as the Bible teaches it, is faith in God coming against everything that contradicts Him— a faith that says, “I will remain true to God’s character whatever He may do.” The highest and the greatest expression of faith in the whole Bible is— “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15)." - My Utmost For His Highest

God’s intent is that we have a serving faith, not a self-serving faith.  The greatest commandment, the one that all of the law hangs on is to “love God with all of your mind, souls and strength” and the second is to “love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39) Jesus said “No greater love has one man than this, but to lay down his life for his friend” (John 15:13) Just like Jesus did for us.  “If you want to be great in God’s kingdom, learn to be a servant.”  (Matthew 20:26) “So where do I fit in?”, you might ask.  “What about me?”  Good question.  What about YOU indeed!  

What do you think it means to pick up your cross daily? (Matthew 16:24-26). If I am truly living a life of faith, then I must abandon any notion that my needs must be met before I follow Jesus .. before I put the full weight of my future in the hands of God.  Faith in God means that I trust Him and not myself.  Listen, living by faith is a spiritual act, not some great expression of personal will and determination.  God will take you places that defy human strength and courage.  We are so puny and God is so great.  

“It’s not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit.” (Zechariah 4:6)  

Our challenge with faith is remembering that the strength that is borne out of it is from God and is not some strength conjured up from way down in our inner being. And so, we must draw close to God seeking a greater faith when we are tested in this life. Living a life of faith does not mean that we do what we want and then trust that faith will get us out of whatever problems our decisions have caused. It means that we live our lives in obedience to the will of God, by the power of God, in step with the leading of the Spirit, placing our full trust and confidence in God.  So that we can say, just like Jesus, “Not my will but thy will be done.” And really mean it. "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my (Jesus) sake will save it." (Luke 9:24)

Our request to God should be like the father with the son who was possessed. The father had exhausted every hope of a cure. 

"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 9:21-24

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 

Walking On The Other Side Of The Road

"Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." - Galatians 6:2

"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost (sic) to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" - The New Colossus, Emma Lazarus November 2, 1883 

That is a quote taken from a plaque on the Statue of Liberty. It speaks to an attitude of compassion. This nation is a nation of immigrants. Our country was founded on Biblical principles lived out by fallible people. But as I reflected on Galatians 6:2, the story of the Good Samaritan came to mind. Taking on the burdens of strangers - well not even strangers - just others - will always cost you something. The motivation for reaching out to others is not with the hope of me benefiting from the benevolence, but me being obedient to the Word of God. It is an expression of the love of God through me.

"We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen." - 1 Joun 4:19-20

The Levite and the priest did not love God, they loved themselves and their religion. That did not include another Jew in a ditch or for certain, Samaritans. Walking to the other side of the road where the person in need is requires me to lay my life down - perhaps for someone who does not deserve my kindness. Sound familiar? It should - if you are a Christian you are benefiting from God's love, grace and mercy.

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8

Recall - grace is getting what you DON'T deserve, and mercy is not getting what you DO deserve. The man in the ditch was a Jew and Jews did not like Samaritans. But a Samaritan looked past that fact and did what the priest and Levite were unwilling to do - go out of their way to help someone in need.

"On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” ... “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise." - Luke 10:25-29, 36-37

And my encouragement to you is - Go and do likewise. But I must caution you - in the face of the Spirit saying yes, your flesh - under the guise of pragmatism and being responsible - will say no - it's not your problem.

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 

You Can’t Lead Others To A Life Where You Won’t Live

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” - Matthew 28:18-20

They could not make disciples if they, themselves, were not disciples already. You can’t lead where you won’t go – You can’t teach what you don’t know – You can only re-create what you are.  You may have heard your pastor preach on the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.  The Great Commandment is from Matthew 22:37 – Love God with all of your heart. mind, soul and strength.  

For many Christians – faith in Jesus is only about personal salvation – that’s it.  A one way ticket to Heaven.  But there is so much more to our new life.  In the Great Commission, Jesus said to make disciples which is much more than “merely” being witnesses and leading people to Jesus. Important as that is – more important is the changed life that should result from the rebirth and conformance to being like Jesus.  A disciple should be indistinguishable from the One the disciple is following.  Jesus said (Luke 9:23) “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” Being a disciple of Jesus starts with the Great Commandment – Loving God and not yourself – and then being a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1) – “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.”  (Mark 8:35)

Here is the deal – you do what is important to you.  If pursuing God and the new life in Christ is not important to you, you won’t do it.  Talking about it and doing it are two different things. Merely showing up at church on Sunday is not enough. The simple expression of intent is not enough – being a disciple is fulfillment of that expression. So – you can’t lead someone else to being a disciple if you are not willing to go there yourself.  You can’t teach someone about the precepts of God and His will if you don’t know and embrace them yourself. If you are not a disciple of Jesus – merely saved – then you cannot be an example of a disciple of Jesus to others – you can only show them what a marginal Christian looks like. 

Now and again, we all need to consider our new life and our purpose on this earth.  And if we find that we are lacking – we need to repent and get back in step with Jesus – loving God and loving others.

“O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be! Let thy goodness like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee. Prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love. Here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above”   

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 

Explaining The Bible To The Lost

I now send you, to open their eyes…that they may receive forgiveness of sins… —Acts 26:17-18

I was once asked how to explain how another Christian could explain the Bible to a lost person.  My answer … “You can’t!” You can have them look the words up in a dictionary if they don’t understand their meaning.  After all, they are ‘just printed words”, right?  But there is more to the word of God than stories and words in the English language.  Did you know that in Haitian Creole there is no word for “fox”?  (Luke 9:58) “Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.””  Instead, the word in the Creole Bible, Bib La, used is “shen” which is dog.  What! Then how can their Bible be accurate?  Listen. I probably have the minority view on what I am about to say.  The important thing is not if it’s fox or dog.  The important thing is that in order to follow Jesus, it means giving up your life. (Luke 9:57-60) “As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.””

 “This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments” - 1 Corinthians 2:13-15

Jesus told Nicodemus that he had to be born again, spiritually, and Nicodemus, a teacher of the Law, did not understand what Jesus was saying (John 3). The Bible is a spiritual book. 2 Timothy 3:16 says that it is God breathed meaning the inspiration is from the Spirit of God not men’s contemplation and wisdom.  Salvation is not a mortal decision – I have decided to follow Jesus – but it is a spiritual awakening and spiritual transaction that is initiated by God and is very personal. It is a mix of faith and grace (Ephesians 2:8-9) And unless the Spirit of God is involved, it is impossible for someone to understand the “true meaning” of the words in the Bible.  But ... that is not to say that God will not use those words as a catalyst, in concert, with the working of His Spirit.  So, my answer to the original question should have been …. It is important to expose the Lost to the Word of God, but it is the Spirit and not you that will give them understanding and only then.  Our part is to lift Jesus up in word and deed, and the Spirit will convict them of sin and draws them to the Father. 

Bottom line - it is the Spirit of God that brings conviction of sin and spiritual understanding. God may use us to speak Truth - but that is the limit our role. Salvation in response to what we say is between God and the sinner. 

Things that make you go hmmmmmm!

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 

Walking Like A Christian

We were buried with Him…that just as Christ was raised from the dead…even so we also should walk in newness of life. —Romans 6:4

"No one experiences complete sanctification without going through the burial of the old life. If there has never been this crucial moment of change through death, sanctification will never be more than an elusive dream.  Death means you stop being. You must agree with God and stop being the intensely striving kind of Christian you have been. Has there been a point in your life which you now mark as your last day? Is there a place in your life to which you go back in memory with humility and overwhelming gratitude. Will you agree with Him that this is your last day on earth? The moment of agreement depends on you." - My Utmost For His Highest

Can you say this about yourself without reservation? (Galatians 2:20) “I …… I am crucified with Christ.” Your old nature and its desires are dead to you.  You no longer prefer what your culture or the lusts of your flesh say are right.  “Therefore, it is no longer I who lives, but Christ in me.” When people see me, they see Jesus.  “And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loves me and gave Himself up for me.”  You live a life fully dependent upon God and according to His will, not your own.  You walk by faith and not by sight.  (2 Corinthians 5:17) “old things are passing away and all things are becoming new” Is there a change in your life, more than the fact that you go to church on Sundays? 

I was talking to another Christian the other day.  During the course of our conversation, he began to say something in response to something I said.  But he “caught the word” which was profane as it came out of his mouth and used a word that was not profane.  [I almost typed the second phrase but that would have caused you to think about the profane phrase] I suppose he did that in deference to me and not the Spirit of God.

“Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.”  - Ephesians 4:29

Does your speech reflect that which is good and brings glory to God and encouragement to others, or does it reflect your culture?  Do you tolerate language in the media, TV and movies that you would never say yourself? Do you allow your kids to be exposed to it.  Would you not watch a movie or television program because they used profanity, promoted extra-marital sex, or some other activity that is clearly contrary to the Word of God?  

Is your faith really the most important aspect of your life from which everything else springs? You know the answer but let me watch you for a few days and I can answer that question for you.  So can your family and the world my friend. Listen. the difference between criticism and encouragement is motive.  I am not being critical ... as Paul said .. I am the chief of sinners ... I, too, struggle with my flesh.  My motive is to encourage you to grasp the new life that you have in Christ and live it to its fullest potential.  You can do it.  I know you can through Christ who gives you strength.

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

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

Having A Childlike Faith

…unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. —Matthew 18:3

"These words of our Lord refer to our initial conversion, but we should continue to turn to God as children, being continuously converted every day of our lives. When God through His sovereignty brings us into new situations, we should immediately make sure that our natural life submits to the spiritual, obeying the orders of the Spirit of God. The response of the natural to the spiritual should be continuous conversion, but this is where we so often refuse to be obedient.  we must “put on the new man…” (Ephesians 4:24). Our natural life must not rule— God must rule in us.  There are areas of self-will in our lives where our pride pours contempt on the throne of God and says, “I won’t submit.” What God sees as stubborn weakness, we call strength. There are whole areas of our lives that have not yet been brought into submission.  Slowly but surely, we can [must] claim the whole territory for the Spirit of God.” - My Utmost For His Highest

Something that I have noticed with children as they grow up.  When they are small … say less than 10 or 12 … they never question their parents, at least most don’t. Small children believe their parents know everything and can do anything.  The children depend upon their parents for everything.  The parents make the rules, provide food, shelter, emotional comfort and clothing.  But then something begins to happen … as the children grow older, they begin to question their parents.  They become more demanding - independent.  They want to make their own rules.  They want to decide what they will eat and when they will eat it.  They see their parents as fallible and not quite so all-knowing.  They consider it to be unfair when a parent denies the child’s “right” to have their own way.  They begin to trust in themselves and resist their parents.  So … when Jesus said be like children … He might well have said ... don’t be like adults and teenagers.

As Christians, we are to have a faith in God like small children have in their parents.  I will use a well-worn verse, once again.  (Proverbs 3:5-6)  “Trust in the Lord and not yourself”.  Why do you suppose that God thought it necessary to include that admonition in His revealed Word? Right – because He knows us and our inclinations.  He created us with a will.  Now think about this.  He gave us our own will, but then asks that we submit that will to His.  Free will says you don’t have to ... and very often we don’t!  We are to follow Jesus’ example.  And if you want to follow Jesus … if you really want to follow Jesus … then you will pick up your cross daily (Matthew 16:24) … which is to say … sacrifice your will in favor of the Father’s will …. Believing that our God is greater than any other.  That you can trust Him even when you don’t understand everything.  To decide that you are not going your own way or the way that everyone else is going.  Can you do that? Yes! Will you do that?  Time will tell.  Personally, I hope so.  You will never experience the new life God intends for you until you do.

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 

Meeting Daily Struggles In Life Head On

We…plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. —2 Corinthians 6:1

"The grace you had yesterday will not be sufficient for today. Grace is the overflowing favor of God, and you can always count on it being available to draw upon as needed. “…in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses”— that is where our patience is tested (2 Corinthians 6:4). Are you failing to rely on the grace of God there? We tend to make prayer the preparation for our service, yet it is never like that in the Bible. Prayer is the practice of drawing on the grace of God. Don’t say, “I will endure this until I can get away and pray.” Pray now — draw on the grace of God in your moment of need. Prayer is the most normal and useful thing; it is not simply a reflex action of your devotion to God. We are very slow to learn to draw on God’s grace through prayer." - My Utmost For His Highest 

Living your new life in Christ requires constant focus on the One who has given you that new life.  

"Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." - 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 

The fact is that most of us spend very little time each day focused on our spiritual nature – the unseen – the eternal.  Instead, we are consumed with the natural life and all of the challenges it brings.  Relying on and drawing on the grace of God to endure and prosper in a sin-sick world.  Listen – there are not “magic words” that you can keep in your pocket until the time of trouble comes.  Living a successful life – success from the Father’s perspective – means that you are living the natural life in the confidence that comes from making your spiritual life and relationship with the Father through the Son by faith in the power of the Spirit and His Word. 

"Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." - Joshua 1:8-9

These are the words spoken by God to Joshua when Joshua was established as the leader who would take the nation of Israel into the promised land.  Recall that Joshua and Caleb were the only two men among the 12 spies who were sent into the land by Moses who saw the natural challenges from God’s perspective. Although they saw giants like the others had – they saw the power of God as greater.  Like David – when he confronted Goliath.  All three saw the world in the context of who God is.  And the same is true for us.  Is your heart totally devoted to God? Only you can answer that question.  It should be. That is what God desires – even commands.  And it is always for your own good and for God’s glory.

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 

Fulfilling Your Mission - Called To Cast Seed

"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path ... Some fell on rocky places ... Other seed fell among thorns ... Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." - Matthew 13:3-9

I was pleasantly surprised the other day when someone commented, favorably, on one of my devotional posts. I did not know they were reading it. Not that it is important for me to know - but it is nice to know that someone has heard the sound when one of my trees "falls in the forest" now and again. Nice but not necessary. With that unexpected encouragement, Matthew 13 came to mind. 

"Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations" - Matthew 28:19

We are called to share the Good News - cast the seed if you will, as we have opportunity and the Spirit leads. For some reason we think that our words will always fall on "good soil" - a heart that has been prepared by the Spirit to receive the Word. And so, if our interchange does not result in a profession of faith, we feel as though we failed in our mission. We all would readily admit that we can't save anyone does not stop us from thinking their salvation is somehow dependent upon our zeal or eloquence. In fact, our mission is simple - cast the seed. Of the four places where the seed fell, only one was eternally productive. That is not to say that if you share the Gospel with 4 people, then one will be saved. That is what a friend of ours called "stinkin' thinkin'". In other words, carnal logic and desire. 

Some years back, some men at the church we were attending decided to meet at one of their homes to watch a football game. I decided to go, even though watching football is not one of my favorite things to do. (Please don't tell my Alabama friends!) During the game, I brought up some spiritual topic and was told that the men had come to watch football and not talk about Jesus. Ding! Ding! Ding!  Woot! Woot! The bells and sirens went off in my head. I complied and remained silent. Thinking back, it may well have been that someone in that group needed to hear about Jesus. But they would not that night. 

When the Spirit prompts you to speak, speak. Just be certain it is the Spirit and not your flesh. Don't try to figure out what kind of soil you are standing on before you obey the Spirit. Just fulfill your mission.

"In your hearts honor Christ, the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect" - 1 Peter 3:15

And if you are wondering if God would really ask you to share your faith - He already has.

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 

Your Salvation Is Not Fire And Forget

I have been crucified with Christ… —Galatians 2:20

"To become one with Jesus Christ, a person must be willing not only to give up sin, but also to surrender his whole way of looking at things. Being born again by the Spirit of God means that we must first be willing to let go before we can grasp something else. The first thing we must surrender is all of our pretense or deceit. Along each step of this process, we will have to give up our claims to our rights to ourselves. Are we willing to surrender our grasp on all that we possess, our desires, and everything else in our lives? Are we ready to be identified with the death of Jesus Christ? If you are faced with the question of whether or not to surrender, make a determination to go on through the crisis, surrendering all that you have and all that you are to Him. And God will then equip you to do all that He requires of you." - My Utmost For His Highest

Our faith requires constant care and attention.  There is song [Bless Thou Fount] that goes “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it.  Prone to leave the God I love.  Take my heart Lord, take and seal it.  Seal it for Thy courts above.” In the Army there was a missile that could be fired from a Cobra Helicopter called a TOW missile.  TOW stands for Tube-Launched, Optically Tracked, Wire Guided.  Once you fired the missile you had to track it – guide it – until it hit the target.  Failure to do so meant you would miss the target.  The next generation of missiles called Hellfire missiles were “fire and forget”.  Once you fired them, they followed a laser to the target directed by someone else, you didn’t have to sit and wait for the missile to hit the target. My point?  Our faith is more like the TOW than the Hellfire.  We can’t just launch our faith and then move on with life, our faith … our faith - your faith … requires constant attention, like the TOW missile, until we hit our target which is Heaven.  I am not suggesting that you are going to lose your salvation … but you will miss the life God intends … and that should matter to you.  I want to encourage you to think about it and then pray about it and then do something about it. 

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." - 2 Corinthians 4:18

After we are born again, as we live our new lives out, we are faced with the temptation to continue in some of our old ways. You know the ones .. the ones that the Spirit says to abandon, but our devotion to them keeps us from giving them up .. we cling to them … perhaps even try to hide them from God, like Adam and Eve thought they could hide behind the bushes when God came to see them.  The problem is, eventually, we see those things as acceptable Christian living .. but what we really done is compromised our faith and hindered our relationship with the One that made being Christian possible to begin with.  The thing that will help you examine your life .. if you are so inclined … is the Word of God and the conviction of the Spirit that results.  But even then, when you see the Truth and are convicted in your heart over your disobedience to that Truth, you are faced with a decision to yield to it, confess and repent, or to continue in it.  The story about the rich young ruler in Jesus is told in Matthew 19, Like 18, and Mark 10.  Shared three times, it must be significant, don't you think?  Anyway .. this guy had decided what it was that he needed to do to have eternal life, but Jesus said, “Sell all you have and give it to the poor.”  In other words ... “you love the treasures of this world more than you love God, give them up.”  Maybe you are not rich … but what is it that you love more than God? Nothing you say? What is it that you are still hanging to that is contrary to the “right you know to do”. Keep your eyes on the target until you accomplish your mission, and you find yourself in heaven.

"[Therefore], let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith." - Hebrews 12:1-2

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

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

Doing What You Don't Want To Do

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. .... For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. .... So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.” - Romans 7:15-23

In Romans 7, Paul described his and our conflict between the flesh and spirit. As we live our new life in Christ – we continue to struggle with our sin nature.  We all have hurts, habits, and hang-ups that are rooted in our old nature and the inescapable fact is that we still live in a fallen world. We continue to do the very things we know we should not do and often feel helpless to stop doing those things.  Even though we know that what we do is contrary to our new nature and the will of God we feel a compulsion to yield to our flesh.  We want so badly to have things set aright, but can’t seem to let go of our old habits and thinking instead of choosing to grab ahold of God.

In the same way that I may want someone else, my children for example, to make the right choices – to change the direction of their life, but I can’t make them do it.  They must decide that they will – take the leap – and go in a new direction – trust in God and not themselves.  Victory over our sin nature is by the power of God and not our will or should I say, won't power. Maybe you know someone in the same struggle.  If you do – pray for them – encourage them – don’t preach to them.  More than likely they already know what to do – they just don’t have enough trust to make the leap of faith.  Or maybe you are that someone.  I don’t know your struggles, but God does.  I pray that in the midst of your struggle, you will find comfort and strength and peace and confidence in Him.  

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 Is About BE-ing and Not Merely DO-ing

…be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. —Matthew 5:48

"Our Lord’s exhortation to us in Matthew 5:38-48 is to be generous in our behavior toward everyone. Beware of living according to your natural affections in your spiritual life. Everyone has natural affections— some people we like and others we don’t like. God will give you plenty of real-life opportunities to prove whether or not you are “perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Being a disciple means deliberately identifying yourself with God’s interests in other people. The true expression of Christian character is not in good doing, but in Godlikeness. If the Spirit of God has transformed you within, you will exhibit divine characteristics in your life, not just good human characteristics. God’s life in us expresses itself as God’s life, not as human life trying to be godly. The secret of a Christian’s life is that the supernatural becomes natural in him as a result of the grace of God, and the experience of this becomes evident in the practical, everyday details of life, not in times of intimate fellowship with God."- My Utmost For His Highest

When the rich young man approached Jesus (Mark 10:17-22) I think the man was certain that he had done everything right.  He had not murdered anyone, not committed adultery, not stolen, had not born false witness, not defrauded, and had honored his father and mother. But Jesus told him there was something that he lacked and then told him to sell everything and give it to the poor.  You see, God looks at the heart of man, man looks at the deeds of man.  God wants our total devotion (Matthew 22:37), man is satisfied with a form of godliness.  We think that the answer is in the “DO-ing”, when the answer is really in the “Be-ing”.  The young man went away sad because what he offered Jesus as proof that he should be given eternal life was a not good enough.  Jesus asked for the very thing that the man loved more than God – money and possession.  The man had it backwards. 

Doing good does not result in being good.  Being good results in doing good.  James wrote that faith without producing works is dead (James 2:17)  Because of our faith, the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) should be evident in us.  Good works are a natural result of true faith.  Not the other way around.  BTW, Martin Luther struggled the Book of James because he was all about being right by faith and not works. He missed the point.

True faith is not a result of good works. (Ephesians 2:8) “We are saved by grace through faith, not of works.”  Lest someone should try to take credit for being good enough. f we could be good enough then we didn't need Jesus to go to the Cross for us. The young man was doing the right thing for the wrong reason.  King David said 

“Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. …. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” - Psalm 51  

Is there something in your heart that demands your devotion above God?  Something that you trust in more than the One who is trustworthy.  Our redeemer is faithful and true and is deserving of our total devotion.  Take some time to examine your heart … let the Holy Spirit search in those locked closets and clean them out.  Fulfill the purpose for which you were created and saved.  Bringing glory to God begins with a heart totally devoted to Him.

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 

Slip Slidin' Away

"But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called today," - Hebrews 3:13

My wife and I tease about the fact that simple conversations can spark my brain to recall a song - sometimes as far back as grade school that supports the context of our conversation. I wish that were true for remembering people's names! I was thinking about all of the wonderful Christians that we have met over the years - hundreds. Many of those people have had a significant impact on our lives - but the passing of time had eroded our connection with them - to our regret. That is when the Paul Simon song "Slip Slidin' Away" came to mind. "Slip slidin' away, slip slidin' away. You know the nearer your destination the more you're slip slidin' away" 

And that is when I thought about Hebrews 3:13 and the people we know or knew. Some have passed but most have not. I think that if I told many of them that I was thankful for the impact they had on my spiritual walk, they would be surprised to know that. I recall some time ago; someone I had not seen for many years thanked me for the encouragement I had been to him - I was surprised and at a loss frankly. My influence had not been intentional on my part. I had not "targeted" him, if you will, to disciple Him - but whatever I did or said unintentionally impacted his life. 

"Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." - Matthew 5:16

Our light is not a laser beam but more like that of a lantern - illuminating the space it occupies at the moment. The light of others has shown on all of us - encouraged us - built us up - unbeknownst (love that word!) to the one who was casting the light of Life.

So what does all of this have to do with Paul Simon's song. I have become aware, of late, that I am getting older - yes, it's true! I am. I have past the tipping point in my life where there is more life on this planet behind me than there is ahead of me. Time and opportunity are slip slidin' away. I need to let those people who have encouraged me in my faith know that they have encouraged me. And in doing so - encourage them just as my friend encouraged me so many years ago.

"... encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." - 1 Thessalonians 5:11

These BLOG posts are meant to encourage you - but they are not personal - meaning, they are not specifically directed at a person. They are not a laser beam but light from a lantern. Reflect on those who have been a positive influence on your life and let them know - a phone call, email, text, or maybe a personal conversation - time is slip slidin' away.

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