Hiding The Fact That You Are Not Perfect

Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. —1 Corinthians 10:31

Beware of allowing yourself to think that the shallow aspects of life are not ordained by God; they are ordained by Him equally as much as the profound. We sometimes refuse to be shallow, not out of our deep devotion to God but because we wish to impress other people with the fact that we are not shallow. This is a sure sign of spiritual pride. We must be careful, for this is how contempt for others is produced in our lives. And it causes us to be a walking rebuke to other people because they are more shallow than we are. Beware of posing as a profound person— God became a baby. To be shallow is not a sign of being sinful, nor is shallowness an indication that there is no depth to your life at all— the ocean has a shore. Even the shallow things of life, such as eating and drinking, walking and talking, are ordained by God. These are all things our Lord did. He did them as the Son of God, and He said, “A disciple is not above his teacher…” (Matthew 10:24). Never show the depth of your life to anyone but God. We are so nauseatingly serious, so desperately interested in our own character and reputation.  You may find that the first person you must be the most critical with, as being the greatest fraud you have ever known, is yourself.. - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

Henry David Thoreau said, “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.”  In general, most people are very aware of what is wrong with them and don’t have any idea of what to do about it.  Moreover, they don’t want others to know that they are flawed. Too late! If you have spiritual understanding, you will know that “all have sinned” …. “There is none righteous” … “all we, like sheep, have gone astray” … “we are jars of clay” … we have no hope, but for Jesus! Our tendency is to try to hide our imperfections .. or at minimum make excuses for them … and condemn the imperfections in others.  Jesus spoke of the speck and the log.  

Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. - Matthew 7:3-5

The Apostle John wrote 

For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. - 1 John 2:16-18

It’s your pride or the lack of it that drives you to judgement. That is not to say that you ignore sin. Or you believe that there should not be consequence for sins.  But be careful about judging others.  God does that.  You who have spiritual understanding should see the struggle of the soul for what it is .. the need for Jesus .. new life in Him.  You were once lost but now your found .. was blind but now you see.  How did Jesus respond to sinners?  He told them to repent .. to have faith in Him. They did not all do that then … and they do not all do that now … Just be careful that you don’t sin in your eagerness to find fault in others. 

In psychology the term is “projection”.  Where a person projects their shortcomings onto others.  It is easier .. less stressful if you can deal with your problem in someone else’s life. (Speck and Log) In this case, the speck you see is merely a reflection of the log in your own eye. The bottom line is that our focus is on ourselves and not on Jesus.  So stop looking at others, even stop looking at yourself, and look to Jesus. 

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. - Philippians 4:8

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

Those Who Know Your Name

 Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9:10

As I was reading in Psalms this morning, I came across this verse and paused. "those who know Your name" I doubt that there is a language on earth that does not had a word of God. Most people that I know have used it in their conversations. Whether in reverence or as an explicative. For the latter - it is just a word in a phrase or expression. Nothing more. For the former - it is an acknowledgement that there is One who is the Creator of all things - Jehovah God.

Have you ever shared your faith - I assume since you are reading this that you are a Christian - with someone - maybe someone that you care about personally and not just though a chance meeting. You share the most significant truth that can be shared. One that has consequences beyond the grave - and you get the look - oh you know the one - a look that is somewhere between "I am bored" and "If you keep it up I will be offended!"  So what is going on. Well - to start, they don't acknowledge who God is.

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

I just popped out to go to the store. While going back to my car someone across the parking lot was upset about something and I could hear him yelling - crying out I suppose to God, to damn his circumstance.  I thought - if I go over there and talk to him about Jesus would he be receptive. Obviously I am being a bit sarcastic. I am not a prophet or the son of a prophet, but I can guess what his response would be.  

And so what to do. Well, I think we are to live with discernment. Understanding the times. Remembering that the god of this age (world) - the Devil - has blinded the minds of his followers.  

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. - 2 Corinthians 4:3-4

Knowing who Jesus is and who the Father is has been revealed by God to hearts that yearn to believe.

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”  Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. - Matthew 16:13-17

With no spiritual understanding, all the people could do was look to the natural - what they could see in their natural understanding but God reveals the truth by His Spirit. That is the only way that you can know His name and hear His voice.  Yet still, God has given us a role in His eternal plan of redemption and restoration. 

 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people - Ephesians 1:17-18

[A side note: my wife and I were watching a movie that we had not see in years. I was unpleasantly surprised to hear profanity in the movie. I did not remember it being in the movie although I am certain it was. The problem?  - My spiritual senses were dulled when I first watched it. The point. - Be careful and be watchful don't let your heart and mind be numbed by the culture and your mortal life]

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

No Matter What The World Thinks - We Are Not All God’s Children

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” – 1 John 3:1

Over the years, I have heard a number of people refer to humankind as being “all God’s children”. It’s one of those sayings that sounds good, but is patently false. It is similar to people saying "if so and so who has passed is looking down" suggesting that everyone goes to heaven when they die. We are all God’s natural creation but we are not all His spiritual children.  What happened in the Garden changed that and now we must be adopted into His family. 

Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will - Ephesians 1:5

Just as someone cannot adopt their own children, so without faith in Jesus, we cannot be part of God’s family nor are we heirs of eternal life until we are adopted.  Without that spiritual adoption I am bound for hell.  But, once adopted I have eternal life with God in heaven.  Pretty simple really.  Saying we are all God’s children may sound sweet but it is a bitter falsehood – a deception.  With the great movement toward inclusivity – that we are all the same – people are losing the distinction between what men think to be truth and what God has declared is truth.  Only the Spirit of God can convince people of that truth.  I know I have tried to convince people that they need to repent and put their faith in Jesus, but the truth is that it takes a revelation from God not wise or persistent words from me. We have an obligation to share the Gospel when given the opportunity, even in the real possibility of being castigated and rejected and called a hater or a bigot.  Why? Because you are telling people that what they have chosen to do is sin.  And you will have the opportunity.  Don’t give people who are lost false hope, but always “Speak the truth in love.” What is true is God is the Source of all creation.  And Jesus is at the center of it. 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. – John 1:1-4

Jesus is the “living” Word. [It was this truth that the Spirit used to open my mom’s eyes and led to her salvation]  I am not going to address the Trinity but suffice it to say that spiritual reality is so different from our human reality.  We try to cram spiritual understanding into the shoes of our natural understanding and those “feet” are just too big!  They don’t fit.  So the temptation is to reject Spiritual truth because of the limitation of our natural understanding. Those who have not put their faith in Jesus will not receive the truth.   Apart from the presence of the Holy Spirit it is impossible to understand.

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

As a child of God you are still in the world but you are no longer "of" the world. You may look like everyone who is lost on the outside, but you are not the same on the inside. You are a temple of the Holy Spirit. Something the world cannot see but God can.

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

Repenting Is More Than Being Sorry You Got Caught

Whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. —James 2:10

The moral law does not consider our weaknesses as human beings; in fact, it does not take into account our heredity or infirmities. It simply demands that we be absolutely moral. The moral law never changes, either for the highest of society or for the weakest in the world. It is enduring and eternally the same. The moral law, ordained by God, does not make itself weak to the weak by excusing our shortcomings. It remains absolute for all time and eternity. If we are not aware of this, it is because we are less than alive. Once we do realize it, our life immediately becomes a fatal tragedy. “I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died” (Romans 7:9). The moment we realize this, the Spirit of God convicts us of sin. Until a person gets there and sees that there is no hope, the Cross of Christ remains absurd to him. Conviction of sin always brings a fearful, confining sense of the law. It makes a person hopeless— “…sold under sin” (Romans 7:14). I, a guilty sinner, can never work to get right with God— it is impossible. There is only one way by which I can get right with God, and that is through the death of Jesus Christ. I must get rid of the underlying idea that I can ever be right with God because of my obedience. Who of us could ever obey God to absolute perfection! - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

Understanding sin in the context of a holy God.  Until a person comes to the point of conversion .. coming under conviction by the Holy Spirit and having a sudden awareness of who they are and who God is, they will never experience a sense of guilt before God and their need for salvation. Many people are more sorry they got caught than the fact that they did something wrong.  Their doing that something wrong was an attempt to satisfy some need they had. Whether it be physical or emotional. Sin is an act of desperation.  Man trying to be his own god.  It all started in the garden.  

You will not certainly die, the serpent said to the woman. For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. - Genesis 3:4-5 

The Law brings an awareness of what is necessary to “be like God”, and it is impossible for sinful man, by himself, to be like God.  Recall that Adam and Eve were already created in God’s image and likeness.  (Genesis 1:26)  But they wanted more than that.  They wanted to be equal to God. They wanted to decide what is right and what is wrong. (Sound a bit like our culture?) 

So what about today .. for you and me. Does becoming a Christian make you sin-proof?  No.  But it does make you Hell-proof.  Sins can be both internal and external.  Jesus taught that.  We tend to focus on the external and try to manage those sins .. to keep them under control.  Not good enough!  If you compare what you do plus what you think to the holiness of God, you will quickly realize that you are not so “holy” as you hoped.  If most of your sinning goes on – on the inside, you may fool people around you, but not God, who sees the heart.  The Law and our sin is a constant reminder that we need a Savior because we cannot be holy on our own.  We need a little – well more correctly – a lot of help. 

God does not want you to live a life of guilt because you struggle with sin and the flesh .. He wants you to confess and repent.  But repentance is more than trying harder .. it is trusting more … it is submitting more … it is “faithing” more. I don’t expect to be perfect in the flesh … but I also know that I cannot ever be satisfied with my sinful nature.  Some people say “That is just the way that I am!” in response to some attitude or action that does not glorify God and is hurtful to other people.  As if they can blame their sin on heredity … well they can, but then again, they can’t.  Adam and Eve may have started it, but we are each responsible for our own sin. So we need to own it, confess it, and repent of it.  Today would be a good day to get started.

One of my favorite quotes is attributed to the man who wrote "Amazing Grace" - John Newton.

“I am not the man I ought to be, I am not the man I wish to be and I am not the man I hope to be, but, by the grace of God, I am not the man I used to be.” - Whether you be a man or woman - Can I get an Amen?

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

Let Your Faith Not Your Past Define You

You shall not go out with haste,…for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard. —Isaiah 52:12

Security from Yesterday. Our present enjoyment of God’s grace tends to be lessened by the memory of yesterday’s sins and blunders. But God is the God of our yesterdays, and He allows the memory of them to turn the past into a ministry of spiritual growth for our future. God reminds us of the past to protect us from a very shallow security in the present. Security for Tomorrow. “…the Lord will go before you….” This is a gracious revelation— that God will send His forces out where we have failed to do so. He will keep watch so that we will not be tripped up again by the same failures, as would undoubtedly happen if He were not our “rear guard.” And God’s hand reaches back to the past, settling all the claims against our conscience. Our yesterdays hold broken and irreversible things for us. It is true that we have lost opportunities that will never return, but God can transform this destructive anxiety into a constructive thoughtfulness for the future. Let the past rest, but let it rest in the sweet embrace of Christ. - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

None of us are free from heartaches, disappointments, or regrets. Some of them are our doing, some not.  But, if you are born again, new in Christ, you do not have to let your past define you. 

One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 3:13-14

Oh that we could embrace that attitude. Well, actually we can, but not by willing it.  It is a product of a deep and abiding relationship with Christ.  I was speaking with our daughter-in-law one day about the nature of heartache.  If you were to break a bone, it would be painful of course, but the pain would eventually subside.  You can remember the event.  You can remember that you broke that particular bone.  It might even remind you when a storm is approaching.  But one thing you cannot do is feel the sharp, stabbing pain that you felt when the bone was broken.  You know it hurt, but you cannot conjure up the same feeling that you had in the past. Not so with a broken heart.  It only takes a word or a thought to bring back the pain of the moment when your heart was broken. 

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted  and saves those who are crushed in spirit. - Psalm 34:17-28

What a promise.  He delivers us out of all of our troubles.  He gives us strength.  He gives us comfort.  He gives us hope.  He gives us life.  You have so much to look forward to in the days ahead.  Don’t let the pain of the past define you.  Instead let the Lord renew you.  

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be 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

Listening To God

Most of us show incredible disrespect to God because we don’t even hear Him. He might as well never have spoken to us.  The goal of my spiritual life [should be to have such a] close identification with Jesus Christ that I will always hear God and know that God always hears me …. If I have not developed and nurtured this devotion of hearing, I can only hear God’s voice at certain times. At other times I become deaf to Him because my attention is to other things— things which I think I must do. This is not living the life of a child of God.  Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

Have you ever said something in a conversation only to have someone say “That is just what I said!”  But you didn’t hear it.  Or maybe the thought that you had was not yours at all but the words the other person had just spoken.  Whatever the case, the person is normally just a little put out because that tells them, in no uncertain terms, you are not listening to what they say. 

That is how it is with us and God.  It is not that God is not speaking .. the problem is that we are not listening.  Our attention is on the cares of this world .. we are so focused on the issues of life that we cannot hear what God is saying to us. 

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!  The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. - Psalms 46:10-11

Hearing God requires focus … looking intently on Him. God is not your enemy He is your advocate.  As you live your life every day, the Lord is with you.  He is your strength.  He knows what is best for you.  Our natural desire is to trust in our own judgment and not listen to His voice …  

Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left. - Isaiah 30:21

God speaks through His Word, through nature, He is always speaking  …. But we must listen …. 

(James 1:25)  “But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty (the Bible), and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. “

This will not necessarily make you problems go away … the men that were inspired to write the words in the Bible all struggled in life … the proof of God’s presence is not the absence of trouble … 

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

But He has overcome the world … He is at your side … you can have peace in the midst of the storm you are in now.  Put your hope in God … listen to Him .. and then walk in the way He shows 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

Do You Have The Faith To Believe, But Sometimes Still Doubt?

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

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

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

Here is the problem. If we try to figure God out on our own, we are doomed to failure.  God said .... 

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. - Isaiah 55:8-9

We, with our mortal natural minds, cannot figure God out.  

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

You see, in order to not have doubts, you must see the world as God does, and you can only do that if you have the power of God’s Spirit in you.  

We are given an account of a young boy being healed by Jesus.  The boy was apparently beyond human help.  

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

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

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 Consequence Of Not Keeping My Flesh In Check

He will glorify Me… —John 16:14

The holiness movements of today have none of the rugged reality of the New Testament about them. There is nothing about them that needs the death of Jesus Christ. All that is required is a pious atmosphere, prayer, and devotion. This type of experience is not supernatural nor miraculous. It did not cost the sufferings of God, nor is it stained with “the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 12:11). It is not marked or sealed by the Holy Spirit as being genuine, and it has no visual sign that causes people to exclaim with awe and wonder, “That is the work of God Almighty!” The New Testament example of the Christian experience is that of a personal, passionate devotion to the Person of Jesus Christ. Today He [Jesus] is being portrayed as the figurehead of a religion— a mere example. He is that, but He is infinitely more. He is salvation itself; He is the gospel of God! Jesus said, “…when He, the Spirit of truth, has come,…He will glorify Me…” (John 16:13-14). The Spirit of God does in me internally all that Jesus Christ did for me externally. - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest 

A person who is born again and committed to following Jesus has a devotion to Jesus and therefore to the Father, that is evidenced in how they live and how they treat others.  But there is one aspect that is invisible to the people around them and only visible to God.  That is the condition of their heart.  A heart wholly devoted to the Father.  It is possible to attend church, put on your happy face, listen to sermons, and sing worship songs and not be devoted to following Jesus.  

These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules. - Matthew 15:8-9  

[People] having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. - 2 Timothy 3:5-7

Many people are convinced that “doing” is the same as “being”. They practice the Christian religion, embrace the teachings but lack the devotion to the Cornerstone of the Church. They may go to the altar every Sunday morning and still be spiritually ignorant and far from God.  They lack understanding and they lack commitment to their faith … that is , if they have a saving faith.  The demons know who Jesus is, but they don’t serve Him.  They have another master. For many Christians, their hearts that were once alive toward God have become hardened toward spiritual things in favor of those things that satisfy the flesh.  They go through the motions .. say the right things .. but serve themselves and not the risen Lord.  Sound harsh? The truth often does because truth brings conviction and conviction brings discomfort and causes us to make a decision.  Will I respond to the Truth or will I ignore it and choose to continue on the vain journey I am pursuing. 

What am I saying?  Friends, we need to be on our guard or before we know it .. those people .. will become “we the people”.  I must examine myself and my devotion every day.  I have to keep my flesh in check.  The only way that we can glorify the Father is by being spiritually “right” and devoted to His will in every aspect of our lives.  You must be careful that you do not relegate your spirituality to Sunday morning.  We are Christians 24x7 into eternity.

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

Hearing God's Voice

The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, Samuel! Samuel! Then Samuel said, Speak [Lord], for your servant is listening. - 1 Samuel 3:10 

But most of us show incredible disrespect to God because we don’t even hear Him. He might as well never have spoken to us.  The goal of my spiritual life is such close identification with Jesus Christ that I will always hear God and know that God always hears me …. If I have not developed and nurtured this devotion of hearing, I can only hear God’s voice at certain times. At other times I become deaf to Him because my attention is to other things— things which I think I must do. This is not living the life of a child of God.” Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

Have you ever said something in a conversation only to have someone say “That is just what I said!”  But you didn’t hear it.  Or maybe the thought that you had was not yours at all but the words the other person had just spoken.  Whatever the case, the person is normally just a little put out because that tells them, in no uncertain terms, you are not listening to what they say. 

That is how it is with us and God.  It is not that God is not speaking .. the problem is that we are not listening.  Our attention is on the cares of this world .. we are so focused on the issues of life that we cannot hear what God is saying to us. 

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!  The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. - Psalms 46:10-11

Hearing God requires focus … looking intently on Him. God is not your enemy He is your advocate.  As you live your life every day, the Lord is with you.  He is your strength.  He knows what is best for you.  Our natural desire is to trust in our own judgment and not listen to His voice … 

Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left. -  Isaiah 30:21

God speaks through His Word, through nature, He is always speaking  …. But we must listen …. 

But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty (the Bible), and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.  - James 1:25

This will not necessarily make you problems go away … the men that were inspired to write the words in the Bible all struggled in life … the proof of God’s presence is not the absence of trouble … 

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

But He has overcome the world … He is at your side … you can have peace in the midst of the storm you are in now.  Put your hope in God … listen to Him .. and then walk in the way He shows 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

Come to Jesus and Live

‘The first thing I must be willing to admit when I begin to examine what controls and dominates me is that I am the one responsible for having yielded myself to whatever it may be. 

There is no power within the human soul itself that is capable of breaking the bondage of the nature created by yielding. For example, yield for one second to anything in the nature of lust, and although you may hate yourself for having yielded, you become enslaved to that thing. (Remember what lust is— “I must have it now,” whether it is the lust of the flesh or the lust of the mind.) No release or escape from it will ever come from any human power, but only through the power of redemption. You must yield yourself in utter humiliation to the only One who can break the dominating power in your life, namely, the Lord Jesus Christ. 

When you yield to something, you will soon realize the tremendous control it has over you. Even though you say, “Oh, I can give up that habit whenever I like,” you will know you can’t. You will find that the habit absolutely dominates you because you willingly yielded to it. It is easy to sing, “He will break every fetter,” while at the same time living a life of obvious slavery to yourself. But yielding to Jesus will break every kind of slavery in any person’s life.’ Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest 

The yoke of the master of lust or self-centeredness is a harsh one.  There is no peace only the demand for more … there is no blessing only a moment of satisfaction before the need to be satisfied rises up again.  There is no love, only the suggestion of affection which is really a tool to get what you want.  But then there is Jesus … 

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. -  Matthew 11:28-30  

Chris Rice – “Come to Jesus”

 “Weak and wounded sinner,  Lost and left to die,  O, raise your head for Love is passing by, Come to Jesus and live

Now your burden's lifted, And carried far away,  And precious blood has washed away the stain... so Sing to Jesus and live,

 And like a newborn baby, Don't be afraid to crawl, And remember when you walk sometimes we fall... so Fall on Jesus and live,

Sometimes the way is lonely, And steep and filled with pain, So if your sky is dark and pours the rain... then Cry to Jesus and live,

O, and when the love spills over, And music fills the night, And when you can't contain you joy inside... then Dance for Jesus and live,

And with your final heartbeat, Kiss the world goodbye, Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side... and Fly to Jesus and live,” 

 So, what are you waiting for? An invitation … you’ve got it!

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

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

As Your Run The Race - God Will Be Your Second Wind

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. - Acts 20:24

Have you “renounced the hidden things of shame” in your life— the things that your sense of honor or pride will not allow to come into the light? You can easily hide them. Is there a thought in your heart about anyone that you would not like to be brought into the light? Then renounce it as soon as it comes to mind— renounce everything in its entirety until there is no hidden dishonesty or craftiness about you at all. Envy, jealousy, and strife don’t necessarily arise from your old nature of sin, but from the flesh which was used for these kinds of things in the past (see Romans 6:19 and 1 Peter 4:1-3). You must maintain continual watchfulness so that nothing arises in your life that would cause you shame. Never dull your sense of being your utmost for His highest. Many people have turned back because they are afraid to look at things from God’s perspective. The greatest spiritual crisis comes when a person has to move a little farther on in his faith than the beliefs he has already accepted. - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

When I was in the Army, we would do a lot of physical exercise as a unit.  I can remember with one particular unit in the Aviation Squadron of 3rd Armored Cavalry in El Paso, Texas,  I had a squadron commander that trained us for war.  Not just physically, but mentally.  We had a saying “you fight the way you train”.  Well, in one case he used our physical training to help us with mental toughness.  We were used to running a particular route.  Early in the morning – 5:30 early – we call it O-dark thirty. We knew the land marks for our 3 to 4 mile run.  We knew when we were half way and we knew when we were at the finish. By then, we were ready to hear “Quick time – march”, which means – stop running and walk in civilian vernacular.  Well, one day we got to the “finish line”, but we kept running.  That is when the mental panic sets in! We were already exhausted by the time we got to that point, but he kept running.   Being exhausted and pushing yourself in spite of the pain in your lungs and legs - falling out was not an option. But you ready to start walking, and thrilled you were at the finish line – but the squadron commander kept us running right past the point where we could not go on!  We ran for another half mile or so.  What was the lesson?  We can do more than we think we can.  War is very demanding on the body and the mind.  You must be able to go beyond yourself. And you know what? God will call you to go beyond yourself ... but ... He will be your second wind.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. - 2 Timothy 4:7

Paul said that in the face of great personal trials. He had gone beyond himself many times, running on faith – Spirit power, and not his own determination and wisdom. 

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. - 1 Corinthians 9:24-25

Not falling out of the run in formation requires discipline and faith.  In our runs in the Army, there were always people who would fall out, who could not go on, who lost heart and confidence.  They fell by the wayside.  The same way with our faith.  I am not talking about loss of salvation.  The people I mentioned were still in the Army, they needed more physical training so they could serve in the manner that was expected of them.  And so it is with us as Christians.  There are many who don’t have the faith to keep up with where God wants to take them. They need more training .. more confidence .. more encouragement ... more trust.

I remember taking a PT test in the Armor Officer Basic Course.  That test is something you must pass.  Well, a friend of mine stopped running during the two mile run.  He had a look of pain and exhaustion on his face.  I stopped too so I could encourage him to finish.  The evaluators called out to me and told me to keep going and leave him behind.  I could not and would not.  He finished .. passed, barely.  But he passed.  So did I, but helping him cost me something. 

No greater love has one man than this, to lay down his life for his friends - John 15:13

I am not bragging, I am making a point.  As Christians, we are supposed to encourage one another to love and good works. 

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. - Hebrews 10:24-25

Some of us need more encouragement than others ... but we all need it from time to time. Who do you know that needs to be encouraged in their faith .. to continue to run and not fall out .. even when they think they can’t go on?  But know this .... helping others will cost you something.  Be willing to pay the price and bring glory to God.

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

Loving God More Must Be More Than A "Want"

…being justified freely by His grace… —Romans 3:24

We have to realize that we cannot earn or win anything from God through our own efforts. We must either receive it as a gift or do without it. The greatest spiritual blessing we receive is when we come to the knowledge that we are destitute. Until we get there, our Lord is powerless. He can do nothing for us as long as we think we are sufficient in and of ourselves. We must enter into His kingdom through the door of destitution. As long as we are “rich,” particularly in the area of pride or independence, God can do nothing for us. It is only when we get hungry spiritually that we receive the Holy Spirit. The gift of the essential nature of God is placed and made effective in us by the Holy Spirit. He imparts to us the quickening life of Jesus, making us truly alive. He takes that which was “beyond” us and places it “within” us. And immediately, once “the beyond” has come “within,” it rises up to “the above,” and we are lifted into the kingdom where Jesus lives and reigns (see John 3:5). - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

One morning Martie, my wife, asked me what I was thinking about that I would write in my BLOG for the next day.  I told her that I really didn’t do it that way.  I often read Chamber’s devotion and then ask the Lord, "What am I supposed to say today".  And “out it comes”.  Very often, there may be some event – interaction from the previous day that the Lord uses as a launching point from Chambers.  So in that regard what I write is not premeditated as such, but more spontaneous … although that is not to say that there are not years of life that undergird what I write.  At this writing I’ve done this 3646 times so far, plus this one …. Frankly I am amazed by the process and perhaps more amazed that God is using me in this way.

So to the point. As Christians we live our lives on this earth with a tension between the spiritual and the natural.  The preaching of the earthly health and wealth gospel … that is that God wants you to be rich and healthy … is the carnal Christian's attempt to resolve that tension.  The idea is that God will give you money .. but He tells you not to love money because it is at the root of all kinds of evil … and health .. even though His Word tells you that you will face affliction and hardship of many kinds … Underlying health and wealth is that idea that you can really be independent of God .. all of your earthly needs will be met … do you see the heresy in this? God wants us to give up our dependence upon earthly comforts and assurances and trust Him, alone.  When Job lost everything, the assumption was that he had done something wrong .. why?  Because he lost his earthly possessions. What was the truth .. there was something spiritual at work that superseded the natural.  The same is true in our lives.  The thing is, you must be willing to submit to that … to yield your devotion and dependence upon the natural and trust God's provision - whatever from that may take.  What do you hunger for?  I see people struggling after disasters and war and poverty, while Americans are trying to figure out if they should go ahead and buy that $1000 iPhone and get rid of their $700 iPhone.  The Church in the United States is a “frog in the pot” with respect to materialism. We don’t know that we are being cooked … instead, we think the water temperature is just right.

I watched the Black Friday phenomenon  .. which it seems to be absorbing Thursday. I am trying to find money to help people recover from Hurricane Harvey and people were spending money – hand over fist – to satisfy their lust for more – because they certainly don’t need it – not really.  Pastor Brian, pastor of the church we were connected to in Texas, preached on needs and wants one Sunday.  With respect to the rest of the world, I think it is safe to say that 99% of what we buy is to satisfy our wants.  Our needs were met a long time ago.   

 Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart -  Psalm 37:4 

That is not health and wealth but rather, the emphasis here is on our focus on God and His changing what we desire to conform to what He desires.

You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. - James 4:2-4

Ugh! That does not leave a lot of wiggle room does it. I guess I should quote Jesus to bring this to a close.  

And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear - Matthew 13:14-16

.....  And I would add .. He who is convicted – let him repent.”  

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

God Knows - Is That Enough For You?

 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." - Jeremiah 29:11

There is a saying that I picked up while on staff with Promise Keepers in the mid 90's. "You can't teach what you don't know, you can't lead where you won't go, and you can only recreate what you are." It's true and can be convicting. 

So - on to my point. If you have been reading these posts then you know that Martie and I have been teaching Experiencing God which is essentially spiritual awareness training. You know at the point of salvation that God sealed you with His Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14) and your body is now the "temple of the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 6:19). But did you know that God speaks to you by His Spirit through the Word (when you hear it or read it), Prayer (when you pray to God), circumstances (life as you live it) and other Christians (who also have the Spirit of God in them). That brings us to a Crisis of Belief - do we trust God and will we obey Him? It requires faith (Hebrews 11:1) and action (James 2:14-17)

In our experience God has always spoken to us about what it is that He wants us to join Him in doing in  more than one way. By way of example I want to share the most recent "conversation" that we had with God. This is not the first time we experienced this, by the way. But I will save that for another day.

I am certain you know about the hurricanes that recently paid a visit to Florida. And you probably know that Martie and I have been  involved in Disaster Relief work in 2005.  Well, a friend of ours, Sherry Buresh, posted that she was in Florida with the ministry she is connected to helping with the relief effort. I contacted her to check on her and to see how things were going.  Her response was that Martie and I needed to come to Florida to help.  I wasn't "feeling it" and so didn't think much about it. But I did tell her that our oldest daughter was available to help. Mandi has been in Florida since October.

Martie and I talked about Florida and still nothing.  Then, out of the blue, Martie talked to me about reconfiguring our RV so we could use it better. I asked her why, since it was in Louisiana being used by another ministry, and we would not be using it in Texas. But it got my attention. It told me that something was going on in her mind and heart. She expressed concern that we did not have the money to go to Florida. We know that where God guides, God provides.  We have a sedan that is 11 years old and is having some electrical issues.  We would need a truck, an F-250 equivalent to support pulling the trailer and supporting the work and maybe an SUV to replace the car. We know that God provides, but still!

So here is what happened next.

We received a letter from the Harris County Tax office. Martie told me that she had just paid our property taxes and figured it was a reminder that the taxes were due. A couple days later she was about to throw it in the trash and she thought she should open it before she did.  Inside was a check for $1000. We had overpaid our property taxes in 2019. 3 years ago. 

That same day, I picked up our mail for Pathfinder at our post office box.  There was a letter from the IRS/Treasury. I thought, "oh great!, now what!" I opened the envelope and in it was a check for $2700 for another over payment! Whaaaaatttttt!! Of course I called Martie. We have been on this path before. We know what is happening.

I am on the board of Stormwise - a disaster relief ministry that was helping 8 Days of Hope in Lake Charles. There are 1200 volunteers working on 100 homes.  I was talking with the Stormwise team and told them that we were considering going to Florida to help. They all said -"Go to Florida!" Do you see a pattern here?

I called friends of ours who live in Florida. They had served with us in Mississippi. Ray and Darla Shands. Ray told me that just the week before he was thinking about us and perhaps we might come to Florida to help. Ray said that he was no longer physically able to do recovery work, but he could connect me to some people that might help me understand the scope of the need. When I hung up, I checked our mailbox. There was a Christmas card in it. From Ray and Darla. Coincidence? I think not. It was what I call a God-insidence. 

So Martie and I yield to God's call to join Him in Florida. But to do what. Sherry had owed me a call back. When she did call she said, "Let me tell you why you are coming to Florida!" To which I said wait until we have shared what we want to tell you. "We are coming to Florida!" Then she said you are coming to Florida to build sheds like you did in Mississippi. We did not see that coming! Talk about a Crisis of Belief. Yes, we built sheds. Yes we can see where there would be a need in Florida. But we figured we would be doing rebuilds. And we probably will. There are some mountains that need moving.

This morning at church my heart was "pierced" by a song we sang called Do It Again.  I wanted to share some of the lyrics with you. I am certain you can make that connection. When I heard it, I leaned over to Martie and told her "This song is for us".  She nodded agreement. So - Here we go!

Do It Again by Chris Brown, Mack Brock, Matt Redman, Steven Furtick

Your promise still stands

Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness

I'm still in Your hands

This is my confidence, You've never failed me yet

I've seen You move, You move the mountains

And I believe, I'll see You do it again

You made a way, where there was no way

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 Portion Of My New Life Belongs To God?

 In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them about the day on which they were selling provisions. Men of Tyre dwelt there also, who brought in fish and all kinds of goods, and sold them on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, “What evil thing is this that you do, by which you profane the Sabbath day? Did not your fathers do thus, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet you bring added wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath. .... In those days I also saw Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and could not speak the language of Judah, but spoke according to the language of one or the other people. So I contended with them and cursed them, struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters as wives to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or yourselves. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved of his God; and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless pagan women caused even him to sin. Should we then hear of your doing all this great evil, transgressing against our God by marrying pagan women?”- Nehemiah 13:15-18, 23-27

When we are born again by the Spirit our primary perspective on our lives on this planet should and must become spiritual. But there is a problem. I included verses from Nehemiah to give you a hint that while the mandate from God has not changed since the beginning, neither has the people's wandering from their godly devotion. 

God has called us out of the world's order into His order of things. He has called us to be separate from the world and our old nature. Now when I refer to our old nature I am speaking to anything that runs contrary to His revealed will.  There are many things that are natural that are part of His created intent for mankind that do not draw our hearts away from God.

But there are many things in the natural that do draw our hearts away from our devotion to God and our new life. Things that demand our heart's devotion. In Nehemiah there were several mentioned. God made it clear that the Sabbath was His day - our tithe - a day of rest - no work - and yet there they were buying, selling, harvesting. He was explicit in His command that the Jews not be unevenly yoked in marriage with non-Jews. It always led to the Jews worshipping other gods. Yet generation after generation yielded to the temptation.

Today - we face the same challenges. Embracing the culture. Justifying why what we do is "really OK". Missing the point of what it means to be salt and light in a world that desperately needs to see Jesus in us. What we say - what we do - the way we live out our faith. To be the fragrance of Christ. 

As an example, you are driving along and I wave you to a stop to tell you that the bridge is out and the road is flooded ahead. That you should not continue on that road but should go another way - and you acknowledge that what I told you is true but continue down the road in spite of the danger. It is no different than hearing the Word of God - acknowledging that the Word is Truth and, as Dr. redmond said about 2 Timothy 3:16, that the Word of God is Doctrine - that is it's about what’s [right], Reproof - that is it's about what’s [not right], Correction - that is it's about how to [get right], and Instruction in righteousness - that is it's about how to [stay right] but you still continue on with your love relationship with your culture. Remember what Jesus said?  .... 

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

Do you think denying your old nature is easy? It is a battle - every day. 

The Apostle Paul wrote

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 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 12:1-2

That is an intentional - deliberate act of lying your old life down and yielding to the Spirit of God not just having a good and hopeful attitude.

'Nuff Said

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've Got The Love of Jesus Where?

The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. - Romans 10:8-9

We say “Jesus is in our hearts” because it’s a simple, emotional way to describe a deep spiritual reality—not a literal one.

The short answer

As Christians we use that phrase to express relationship, transformation, and presence. It’s about Jesus shaping our inner lives—our values, our motives, our identities—not about Him physically living inside our chests.

So what does the phrase really mean?

First. It describes a relationship

Saying Jesus is “in my heart” means He’s not just an idea or a historical figure. He’s someone you’ve welcomed into the center of your life. It’s relational language—like saying someone “has a place in my heart.”

Second. It describes a transformation

The heart represents the core of who we are:

• our desires

• our choices

• our character

• our moral compass

So when we Christians say Jesus is in our hearts, we mean His teachings and His Spirit are reshaping those things in us.

Third. It refers to the presence of the Holy Spirit

Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to live within believers. So “Jesus in my heart” is a shorthand way of saying: God’s Spirit is with me, guiding me, comforting me, and changing me from the inside out.

We must be born again by the Spirit through faith in Jesus.

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, 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, “Most assuredly, 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. - John 3:3-6

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

Fourth. It refers to our identity

It’s also a way of saying: “My life belongs to Him. He defines who I am now.”

We don’t say "Jesus is in my heart" literally because ... 

The Bible uses “heart” symbolically. In Scripture, the heart is the seat of:

• thought

• emotion

• will

• spiritual life

So the phrase is metaphorical, but the experience it points to is real.

How the Trinity fits into all of this

Jesus - Redemption, Intercession, and Judgment

Spirit - Regeneration, Transformation

Father - Source of divine life and authority, Sender of the Son, Initiator of redemption, Provider and sustainer, Spiritual Father to all believers.

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