Putting On The Ring Of Faith

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Looking For Answers - RTB - Read The Book

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

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

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

"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:8-9

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Fog Of War

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Surviving An Anger Ambush

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Getting What I Deserve Or Deserving What I Get

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Almost Persuaded - Almost But Lost

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Almost persuaded” now to believe;

“Almost persuaded” Christ to receive;

Seems now some soul to say,

“Go, Spirit, go Thy way;

Some more convenient day

On Thee I’ll call.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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