Stopping Short with Our Confession

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. - 1 John 1:8-10

It is a simple thing to confess that we have done something wrong - sinned against God. It can be just words - "Father forgive me for I have sinned" and then we press on with our lives.  I am certain you remember the story of the prodigal son.  You never really know at what point he realized that he had indeed sinned against his father. In fact if you read the story - the reason he went back home was that he was tired of dealing with the consequences of his sin. He had abandoned his family to go his own way, but it didn't work out - and I think that is most often the case.

So he could have said "I messed up, maybe I can go home and pretend that everything is well" When in fact there was a fracture in their relationship that he caused. His father still loved him, but the relationship was broken and there was only one way it could be mended. Repentance -  a heart change. I think that is the failing of many people who think that forgiveness is something they can get so they can continue to live the way they want to. They can continue to sin and then get that sin erased so as not to interfere with their lives and their poor choices.

When we seek forgiveness through confession it must be preceded by a change of heart. That I would love God with my whole heart and not myself. When David was confronted by the Prophet Nathan concerning his sin with Bathsheba and the death of Uriah (the Bible doesn't say that explicitly, but those two things - adultery and murder -  went hand in hand) David said "Create in me a new heart and renew a right spirit in me" Psalm 51.  

With confession must come a rending of the heart - repentance - a turning away - not seeking the opportunity to continue in my sinful ways. You would say "You are not talking about me!" and I would say "Oh really?"  I am talking about all of us. We make excuses for our sin. Perhaps are not really sorry that we sinned but that we got caught in them or are, like the prodigal, dealing with the consequences of them.

The prodigal son was certain he did not deserve to be restored to a place of sonship but was satisfied with being a servant. Repenting of his sin, the father restored him and rejoiced at his return.

"And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.  And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found." - Luke 15:21-24

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

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

Don't Be Satisfied With Less Than God's Best

May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless… —1 Thessalonians 5:23

Do we believe that God can fortify and protect our thought processes far beyond where we can go? “…the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). If this verse means cleansing only on our conscious level, may God have mercy on us. The man who has been dulled by sin will say that he is not even conscious of it. But the cleansing from sin we experience will reach to the heights and depths of our spirit if we will “walk in the light as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7). The same Spirit that fed the life of Jesus Christ will feed the life of our spirit. It is only when we are protected by God with the miraculous sacredness of the Holy Spirit that our spirit, soul, and body can be preserved in pure uprightness until the coming of Jesus-no longer condemned in God’s sight.”  Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

 As I write these devotions, I can see a thread that runs through them ...  I have been writing them since 2012 and have published 3639 as of this writing. That is a long thread!  But it is the same thread that runs through the Bible.  

God has called us to a life of faith and holiness.  We cannot achieve that life on our own.  And even when we are born again, even though we are “awakened” to the reality of spiritual Truth, we continue to struggle with living a life of faith and holiness.  We make excuses for our failings, unfortunately often resolving ourselves to some lower level of faith and holiness that God never intended as some sort of self-defined compromise.  

When you talk to other Christians, even those that you might consider “more spiritual than most”, you should never think that they are immune to that same struggle.  For Christians, our struggle with sin is the proverbial "elephant in the room". everyone knows it is there, but no one really wants to talk about it. 

None of us are like Jesus yet, but all of us will be, one day.  So should we be content with our not being like Him yet?  God forbid.  We are on a spiritual journey.  We are being conformed - we are being transformed. It is a life long process. Perfection - sinlessness will continue to be out of reach until we go to heaven. In the meantime, we must keep our eyes fixed on Him, and press on.  

And so my friend, let me encourage you to press on in your faith with confidence that “He who began a good work in your will be faithful to complete it.” (1 Philippians 1:6)  

“I am not the [person] I ought to be, I am not the [person] I wish to be and I am not the [person] I hope to be, but, by the grace of God, I am not the [person] I used to be.”

― John Newton 

 I changed the word "man" to "person" in the quote since it applies to all Christians - male and female

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But 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

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

Understanding The Times

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. - Ephesians 5:15-17

In 2 Samuel 23 there were 37 men singled out as the Mighty Men of David. They were called “mighty men” because they were elite warriors in David’s army—men known for extraordinary courage and fighting ability and for performing remarkable acts of bravery for David, especially in battles. The “sons of Issachar” are described most clearly in 1 Chronicles 12 Among David's mighty men who were especially valuable to David because of their understanding and strategy, not just their strength. They are said to have “understanding of the times”—they knew when to act and how to make good decisions in Israel’s situation—so they came to David with help that was both wise and effective in battle.

I had an interesting conversation the other day. I was asked if I believed a certain statement as being fact. I said "no", in fact I had not given it any thought. I asked how they new it to be fact and they answered "Everyone knows it is true." (me) So who is everybody? (them) Well the people they follow on the internet and other social media apps. (me) And how do those people know? Do they have proof? Proof that you can see and verify independently? (them) Well, they must. People who believe the Bible don't pay any attention to what is going on around them in the world. There are bad things happening.

That was a conversation with a person who sees the world through natural eyes. I would say that person is full of fear. While talking to them I was thinking about Romans chapter 1.

Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man....And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,  backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,  undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. - Romans 1:21-23, 29-32

It is not that Christians are unaware of how far mankind - to include our culture - has fallen away from God - but more that we understand the times and as much as we are dismayed and disheartened by what we see - we know that "all have sinned" and "there are none righteous". The tendency of sinful man is to move away from God and godly values and not toward Him. To not just tolerate the sin of others but to approve it and even promote it. So what do we do as Christians? We let our light shine. We do not hide it under a bucket but set it on a hill. The darker the night - the brighter the light. We pray for an awakening and revival knowing that things will get much worse before Jesus returns for His Bride.  

Our response is practical - how we live and spiritually how we pray. "In God We Trust" is on our  currency and in the U.S. House Chamber area and also over the U.S. Senate south entrance of the Capitol building.  That might suggest that our government places it's confidence in God first. After all our founding documents allude to Jehovah God and His precepts - but the United States is a secular nation. And so what we see happening should not be surprising to we Christians - just read the Old Testament about the faithfulness and lack of faith of the Jewish people.

So - are Christians unaware of the moral mess our country is in? - No. Surprised - No. Hopeful - yes because "In God we trust"

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

So, We Are Supposed To Be Like Jesus?

“For those whom He [God the Father] foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He [Jesus] might be the firstborn among many brothers [and sisters].”  - Romans 8:29

“Jesus doesn’t take us aside and explain things to us all the time; He explains things to us as we are able to understand them. The lives of others are examples for us, but God requires us to examine our own souls. It is slow work— so slow that it takes God all of time and eternity to make a man or woman conform to His purpose. We can only be used by God after we allow Him to show us the deep, hidden areas of our own character. Jesus will reveal to us everything we have held within ourselves before His grace began to work. We have to get rid of the idea that we understand ourselves. That is always the last bit of pride to go. The only One who understands us is God. The greatest curse in our spiritual life is pride. He will allow us to experience heartbreak or the disappointment we feel when our intellectual pride is wounded. He will reveal numerous misplaced affections or desires— things over which we never thought He would have to get us alone. Many things are shown to us, often without effect. But when God gets us alone over them, they will be clear.” - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

Have you ever given any thought to what being conformed … molded .. changed … means?  Well, first you know it is a spiritual change, right?  Second … you know that the process is going to be contrary to your flesh. God will show you things through the Spirit that you may not want to see or admit, even to yourself.  (One of the Spirit’s missions is to convict the world of sin.  The Spirit plus the Word of God are the “one-two” punch in the sanctification process.  The knock-out punch is my surrendering my will)

You know that there are certain aspects of your old nature that you want to hide or cling to.  Adam and Eve tried to hide themselves in the Garden… you know how that worked out for them. The only ones you can hide your sin from, for a season, is man.  The Word says (Numbers 32:23) “Your sin will find you out.”  God knows everything .. that is why we confess our sins (1 John 1:9) .. confess means to “agree with” not to reveal. 

The goal of this transforming – conforming process is not to make you miserable, but to bless you .. to make you better.  The pain or difficulty you experience in that process is from the battle between the flesh and Spirit. My encouragement to you is the same as Paul’s to the Romans.  

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”  - Romans 12:1-2

God won’t make you do that.  You must choose to surrender your will and then actually do it.  Will 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

Why Would You Ask For Help From A Drowning Man

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. —2 Corinthians 5:17

“Our Lord never tolerates our prejudices— He is directly opposed to them and puts them to death. We must learn that God accepts nothing of the old life! God pays no respect to anything we bring to Him. There is only one thing God wants of us, and that is our unconditional surrender. Our old gloomy outlook disappears, as does our old attitude toward things, and “all things are of God” (2 Corinthians 5:18). How are we going to get a life that has no lust, no self-interest, and is not sensitive to the ridicule of others? How will we have the type of love that “is kind…is not provoked, [and] thinks no evil”? (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). The only way is by allowing nothing of the old life to remain, and by having only simple, perfect trust in God— such a trust that we no longer want God’s blessings, but only want God Himself. Have we come to the point where God can withdraw His blessings from us without our trust in Him being affected?” - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest 

In today’s culture when someone says “Prejudice”, the narrow definition is racial prejudice or bias. But it could also mean that something that the culture embraces as truth is in fact a lie - contrary the the Word of God. Choosing to believe the Word over your culture might label you as a hater, a bigot, or prejudice.  

The root of the word -prejudice - has to do with having a biased opinion about something.  Typically that could be a negative thing - a dislike, even hatred, of people of other races or, today, other moral practices.  Racial bias is one of the prejudices that has been a bane to the Church.  It was said that 11:00 am on Sunday morning was the most racially divided hour of the week. Racial bigotry is part of our old nature. People have argued for years that one race is superior to another.  Typically it is the majority race in any culture that holds that view.  

So what does the Bible say? Well, mankind was created in God’s image. (Genesis 1:26) Genesis does not say only white or red or black or yellow or brown.  So God must not have been referring to skin color or national origin.  Paul wrote “there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female” (Galatians 3:8) in the Body of Christ.  Jesus prayed “That they may be as one, as we are one" (John 17:11).  John wrote “If you say you love God and hate your Brother, you are a liar and the Truth is not in you.” (1 John 4:20)

We try to justify our prejudices – the opinions born out of our old nature – by turning to those who think like us to seek affirmation … and we will always find approval from those who have the same prejudices we do or at least are tolerant of our prejudices lest we fail to accept theirs.  

If you want someone to say your sin is OK ask another sinner.  But - when drowning, why would you seek help from someone who is drowning beside you?  The Word is the place you go to know what is Truth.  The Spirit is the one that affirms and confirms what is right and what is wrong … the Spirit convicts us of our sins. (John16:8)  I know a good number of Christians that hold on to opinions – prejudices that were born out of their old nature.  I am one, come to think of it.  So what to do.  It’s actually a simple solution that is impossible to accomplish by wishing it so …. it requires faith not will power. 

We must surrender the prejudices we embrace born out of our old nature – to God.  Offering ourselves, daily, as a sacrifice. Confessing our sins, daily. (1 John 1:9) As you develop your spiritual acuity, (one day you will have 20-20 spiritual vision) you will see those opinions or prejudices for what they are and abandon them by faith and through the power of the blood of Jesus.  “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.  What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

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

Sarah Laughed

And He [the Lord] said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.) Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. - Genesis 18:10-14

When the Lord called Martie and me to Haiti it was to do something that I have never done before - build an orphanage. We arrived in Haiti in July 2011 and I was asked to have the orphanage operational by October 1. The Lord provided everything I needed to accomplish the task - materials, construction expertise, equipment, manpower. What I provided was leadership and a willing heart to walk by faith. Not long after the work had begun, I was talking to a Haitian pastor. He asked me when the orphanage would be ready for the children. When I told him, he laughed and said "Nothing happens quickly in Haiti". To which I replied - "Pastor - Sarah laughed!" I can say from the expression on his face he was not happy with my response - it was a challenge to his faith - and that, frankly, was my intent. On the first of October the children walked through the gate of their new home. 

‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts.  ‘Who are you, O great mountain? Before [the Lord God]  you shall become a plain! - Zechariah 4:6-7

How is it that we can accept Genesis chapter one's creation story or John 1:1-3 but when we consider God's word to us, we doubt. Do you not know that Sarah conceiving was the Lord's will and not hers? She was resolved to a life of being barren - childless. Not that she did not long for a child. But the season for any possibility of that happening has long since passed. Recall when Jesus prayed in the Garden, He prayed - "Yet not my will but Your will be done" There is no heavenly drive-through where we can place our orders and then God puts them in a sack and hands them to us as we drive by. We must align our will with the Father and where our will is not aligned with His, we must yield our will to His. And that means picking up our cross and following after Jesus. 

Then He [Jesus] said to them all, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. - Luke 9:23

Are you ready to do that? Even it means that you don't get what you want or things don't go your way? Really? My victory in the orphanage was followed by my contracting malaria, followed by chikungunya disease, and then followed by cellulitis. God is faithful - in good times and in difficult times. In the midst of it all, good and bad - God has been and will be faithful. Put your trust in 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

I Don't Love Your Choices But I Still Love You

There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. - Proverbs 14:12

I am quite certain that you have someone, perhaps more than one someone, in your family who is struggling with sin. And very likely, you struggle with how you should respond to that someone. Well, I think that to find the answer you seek, you might have a look back at your own life. Was there a time when you and your heart were far from God? Of course there was.  Did you want people telling you that you were wrong and needed to go another away? Of course you didn't! 

So what changed in your life?  Did someone continue to love you? That is not to say they condoned the choices you were making. But they, still, did not "throw the baby out with the bath water!" 

Do you remember the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15?  When the son repented and returned to his father, his father saw him from a long way off.  That suggests to me that the father was always looking toward the hill for the son's return. But he did not go after his son. He loved him and waited for the son to have a change of heart. True spiritual transformation is not something that you can mandate or manipulate. Oh you might be able to influence someone's behavior when you are around them, but not change their heart. That is something that they must do. It is between them and God.

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. - John 3:16-18

God has made a way for restoration but it takes each one of us yielding our hearts - repenting of our sin - and being restored to our heavenly Father through faith in Jesus. The life that we were living that led to death and eternal separation from God was saved because Jesus paid the price for our sins. I know some of my relatives are living their lives apart from God. They know the truth about God's love and yet they continue to live in a way that defies the Truth but makes sense to them. I have shared the Gospel on more than one occasion.  It is not that they have not heard the Truth. It is that they choose not to repent. There is nothing I can do about that. I can't make the decision for them.  But I will continue to love them, looking down the road, hoping that one day I will see them crest the hill as they return with a new heart.

My folks witnessed to me for 7 years - sometimes with words - but mainly with love and acceptance - living as examples of children of the King. They didn't love my choices, but they still loved me!  I heard their testimonies but there was another way that seemed right to me at the time, until one day - my eyes and heart were opened to the Truth - and my life was changed - forever. I was born again. If it can happen to me - it can happen to anyone. But it takes a divine - personal - revelation from the Father - Jehovah God.

Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to 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 16:16-17

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

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