Compassion Without Borders

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

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

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

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

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

So what is the measure that you use to decide if you should offer help to someone or not?

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

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

When You Know That You Know

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Having The Faith To Believe But Still Having Doubts

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

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

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

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

Here is the problem.  If we try to figure God out on our own, we are doomed to failure.  (Isaiah 55:8-9) “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  You, with your mortal natural mind, cannot figure God out.  (1 Corinthians 2:14) “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.” You see, in order to not have doubts, you must see the world as God does, and you can only do that by the power of God’s Spirit in you.  

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

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

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

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

Scouting Out The Land

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fruitfulness Through Faithfulness

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Living On The Wild Side

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Where God Guides - God Provides

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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