Right and Wrong

Right and wrong are not decided by a Gallop poll. "A majority of Americans now believe" . . . is irrelevant.
Right and wrong are not decided by Congress or a majority of Supreme Court Justices or even political documents such as the Constitution of the United States.
Right and wrong are not determined by my personal convictions, by my statement "I believe that "such and such" is right--or wrong.
Right and wrong are not even determined by someone's willingness to die for what they believe in.
Right and wrong is not a by-product of man's reasoning abilities or his emotional response to any issue no matter how sincere. Man is a fallen creature--marred by sin in his entire being.

The infinitely good, righteous, holy, loving, immutable God has revealed to us through His Word what is right and what is wrong. Any discussion of right and wrong must begin with those four words that we too often hate to hear and so instantaneously and easily begin to chafe under in our puny but arrogant self-righteous pride: "Thus, says the Lord."

Now the reason we should be clear in communicating what God says is right and what God says is wrong is because the man or woman who dies in his or her sins will spend eternity separated from God and all that is good and lovely and beautiful and glorious and worthy of praise. How can I possibly say to someone that "I love them" and then, refuse to speak of the sin that will keep them forever separated from Eternal Love? To agree with a man or woman that their sin is really not sin, or really not a big deal, is to hate them, to despise their eternal souls. And how horrible would it be to do that masquerading under the guise of "love"?

Jesus said, more than a few times, "Unless you repent, you will die in your sins." And He came into the world, lived a sinless life, and died for our sins, so that anyone who recognizes his or her sinful condition and need of a Savior and who believes in Him--trusts fully and solely--on His finished atoning work on the cross will not perish but have everlasting life lavished by Eternal Love--surrounded by all that is good and lovely and beautiful and glorious and worthy of praise.

Christ Jesus came into the world to call sinners to repentance--not the "righteous." How can we do less--sinners who have been led by His Spirit to put our faith in His marvelous grace?

"The wages of sin is eternal death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Abraham and Lot

The choices of Lot and Abraham in Genesis 13 are especially instructive for this age in which we live. The issue was really fairly simple: who or what will you trust in to supply your needs. Abraham, the eldest and by all rights the one who should have done the choosing, let his nephew Lot choose. He asserted no rights, no conditions, just put Lot first. Abraham realized that no choice made by a man could undermine the promises of God. He would walk by faith. Lot, on the other hand, used man's criteria to make his choice--he walked by sight.
We all know the results of the choices. Abraham is protected and blessed by God. All his needs are met abundantly. With his eyes fixed on the heavenly city, he grows closer and closer to God, deepening his relationship with Him. Oh, it's not a trouble free walk. He at times slips in his faith and looks at the circumstances through eyes of fear and worry, but he is headed in the right direction. Having chosen the right treasure--the right security--his heart leads him to a deeper love and growing confidence in his Master. His security was his faith in the promises of God.
On the other hand, Lot, walking by sight, loses everything. And the walk is a heart rending one. Peter tells us that, being a righteous man, his soul was vexed day after day by the lifestyle and values of those whom he had chosen to live among. Lot never had a day of peace in his relationship with God no matter how much earthly security he found in the fertile fields of Sodom and Gomorrah. And, of course, the security of men can be lost in an instant. God moves and it becomes dust and ashes.
In what do you place your trust? The criteria of men? The seeking of material security in the attractive fields of human wealth and prosperity? Success there will torture your soul, destroy your family, and leave you empty handed without a moment's notice. Like Abraham, walk by faith, and the God of infinite resources will meet your needs according to His riches in glory. That's really the choice, isn't it? Self-reliance or God-reliance. Will you rely on your resources or His? Think about how simple the choice should be.

"And Abraham died . . . satisfied with life."

Celebrate with Praises

Did you celebrate your gifts today?

Chosen before the foundation of the world so that one day you can stand in God's presence holy and blameless--a citizen of Heaven.
Lovingly adopted into His family through the willing atonement made by His Son, the focus of the Father's eternal loving care.
Redeemed through His blood, even our transgressions--our deliberate sins forgiven; His grace lavished upon us.
Given the insight and wisdom to know His will--that in the consummation of human history Christ, our Savior, will be the center of it all, "that everything that exists in Heaven or earth will find its perfection and fulfillment in Him."
Obtained an inheritance, a guaranteed hope--a confidence--that we will be to the praise of His glory.
Sealed as His eternal possession by the omnipotent power of the Holy Spirit.

"Celebrate with praises the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ!"

"And this is my prayer: That God, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ and the all glorious Father, will give you spiritual wisdom and insight to know more of Him: that you may receive that inner illumination of the Spirit which will make you realize how great is the hope to which He is calling you--the magnificence and splendor of the inheritance promised to Christians--and how tremendous the power available to us who believe in God." (Phillips)

These gifts resting totally in the good, pleasing will of God the Father can never be lost or stolen or tarnished or rusted through or moth eaten or in anyway diminished.

Is there any day, then, under any circumstances that our hearts should not be filled to overflowing with joy and gratitude and trust and loving obedience?

Nonsense

"The preaching of the cross is, I know, nonsense to those who are involved in this dying world, but to us who are being saved from that death it is nothing less than the power of God.

It is written:

I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And the prudence of the prudent I will reject.

For consider, what have the philosopher, the writer and the critic of this world to show for all their wisdom? Has not God made the wisdom of this world look foolish? For it was after the world in its wisdom had failed to know God, that He is His wisdom chose to save all who would believe by the "simplemindedness" of the gospel message. For the Jews ask for miraculous proofs and the Greeks an intellectual panacea, but all we preach is Christ crucified--a stumbling block to the Jews and sheer nonsense to the gentiles, but for those who are called, whether Jews or Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. And this is only natural, for God's "foolishness" is wiser than men, and his "weakness" stronger than men." (Phillips)

Trust

Trust is always a scary proposition. Why? Humans. All of us at times unintentionally and intentionally prove ourselves to be untrustworthy. Everyone that you trust will at times disappoint. Your trust will at times, by some, be taken advantage of. Some of the greatest sorrows in life come when those who above all others should have been true and trustworthy chose instead to deliberately, callously, dare I say, maliciously, betray our trust. What to do? How should one respond?
The answer is simple: trust. Think of it this way. What if the Lord quit using us as His light and salt, quit using us to take His place as His witness to the world, quit trusting us when we had proved ourselves untrustworthy? We'd all be "on the shelf," would we not? Way back in that shelf in the back of the garage. Forgotten. Labeled "useless." "This 'product' cannot be trusted to do God's work."
We need to understand that loving someone and trusting someone are inseparable. Can a love not resting on trust even exist? Sure, there will be moments of disappointment. Some times we will be the "disappointer." But as we continue to trust--and forgiveness is essential to a life of trust--love matures and grows. Deepens. In fact, we can never grasp the full depth of love until we are trusted again after we have failed to be trustworthy. Neither can those in our lives whom we are called to love unconditionally begin to understand the full measure of love until we trust them to be trustworthy after they have failed. If God continues to trust us, humans that we are (humans who have even been given the Holy Spirit to enable us!), even after we fail to be worthy of trust, how can we not continue to trust?

You see, the real reason we don't trust is because we are more in love with ourselves than we are with the other person. You call that selfishness--the worst kind of selfishness, selfish love.

Is trusting easy? Not a chance. Will you be hurt and taken advantage of at times? Undoubtedly. But you and the people in your life will never understand what it means to be loved if we don't trust. And tell me, who in your life has God called you to love as unconditionally as He loves you? Exactly.


I cannot trust and obey Him if I do not trust others.

Christmas

Christmas:

"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am the worst. And if He can save me, He can save anyone."

"Hope makes us not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts."

"Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to all men."

"I am not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God to everyone who believes."

"Sanctify them in the truth; Thy Word is the Truth."

"Take My yoke on you and learn of Me for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

"My word which goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty without accomplishing what I desire."

"All we like a sheep had gone astray each in our own way but the Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all."

"Search me O God and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there be any way of pain in me and lead me in the everlasting way."

A Christmas Story

A Christmas Story:

The old shepherd had been up all night tending the fire, alert for dangers. As always, his thoughts this time of year were on that miraculous night of--what was it now--over thirty years ago? A clear, starry night just like last night. That angel nearly gave us all a heart attack . . . he could laugh now. And what a sense of calm and serenity and peace had overwhelmed them all at those two words, "Fear not." And then the message--"The Messiah has been born in Bethlehem!" And then the whole choir showed up! Over thirty years ago . . . seems like just last night. But only three of us are left now who remember--the rush to town, the young couple, and that beautiful boy in that manger. The King . . . born in a manger. Never will forget that. Been telling people that story for . . . well, thirty years now. Not many believers. They think I'm crazy. "Spent too many days and nights hanging out with those sheep." Humph.
Went into town a few times after that to try to get another glance at the child. Didn't want to disturb the parents again though. Just kind of moseyed down the streets keeping my eyes open. Asked the townspeople about him. The folks said that he was such a gentle toddler. Everybody loved Him. Even the animals loved him.
And, of course, everybody went to town when those magi guys showed up. Impressive. Said they had come to worship the King of the Jews! Caused a few people who had questioned our story to think twice. And then that evil fox Herod sent those soldiers. To kill little babies! He answered for that when he stood before the King of the Universe I'm sure. The heart of man . . . wicked. Oh, we need a savior!
Up here in the fields we were stunned and heart-broken when we heard about it. And then we heard that the husband--Joseph, I think his name was--had taken his wife and child and left just a couple days before the soldiers came. Warned by God I'll bet. Don't know where they went. And I haven't heard a word about that baby boy--he'd be a young man by now. Puzzling. By this time shouldn't the Messiah have made Himself known to the people?
And then those rumors started coming in--even to us poor shepherds out here in the wilderness. A young rabbi, preaching about a kingdom, performing miracles. Same name too--Jesus, Jehovah saves. Sounds as if he's about the right age. From Galilee though. But maybe that's where the family ended up when they fled Herod. They weren't from Bethlehem originally. Had just arrived that night the child was born. Came from somewhere. Came to register for that tax thing. Ahhh, well.
"Josiah! Time to get up boy!" He shook his young grandson awake. "Sun's coming up. You need to get going. It's a little bit of a trip. Wish I could go with you but my old arthritic legs won't allow it. You pay particular attention to everything he says so you can tell me when you get back. I know that I would recognize him if I could just see him, look into his eyes. Sounds crazy, I know, Josiah, since I only saw him as a baby and a toddler. But I'm sure your old crazy grandpa would know Him. And I have to know Josiah! I have to know if it's Him--"little Jesus" all grown up! You won't mind missing a couple of days up here in the fields will you? Remember tell me everything He says--and does. I just have to know! And be careful. Oh, I packed you a small lunch--just some loaves and a few fish. Remember--I want to know everything he says--and does!
Is this rabbi, miracle-worker my Jesus? I must know."

Simeon and Hannah

We focus often on the shepherds and the magi. I wonder why we pay so little attention to the second "group" that encountered our Savior--Simeon and Hannah. A month or so after His birth, they embraced Him in the temple. What a place to meet the Savior!! Perhaps the two greatest scholars in Israel. Both knew He was coming--and why. "A light to the Gentiles and the glory of His people Israel." We assume Simeon was an older gentleman--don't know for sure; Hannah was in her eighties. A long time prayer warrior!! Two saints who spent their days in fellowship with the Father--and knew it. Rejoiced in His presence in their daily walk! I can just see Simeon holding that baby in his arms, blessing the promise keeping God and then blessing Mary and Joseph. (I wonder how many times he had come to the temple in expectation: "This is the day I will see Him!") Joy and sorrow in his eyes as he gently, I'm sure, told Mary of the deep and piercing sorrow she would experience by loving her Son. And Hannah coming over in the beauty of her old age (Is there anything more beautiful than the countenance of Christ radiating from one of His elderly faithful saints?) to embrace the little child as well. And then off to tell her "Bible study group" that the Redeemer had come! "I've seen Him. I've held Him!" The rewarding of the saints in the land of the living! May we who love Him having not seen Him--yet believing in Him, bless our Father and tell all who will listen, "The Redeemer has come! The Light and Glory of the world! Embrace His salvation freely offered to all who will believe."

"For unto us a child is born; unto us a son is given . . . and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace!"

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits;
Who pardons all your iniquities;
Who heals all your diseases;
Who redeems your life from the pit;
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagles."

Hannah was a young 87 that day!!

The Lord God

In Exodus 34 God describes Himself: "The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and faithfulness; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity and transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations."

You don't get to pick and choose the attributes you want and discard the others. And no, you don't get to define iniquity, transgression, and sin. And yes, should the Lord tarry, the choices our nation makes will impact--at least--the next four generations. And yes, the choices you make do not just impact you. We need to brand the word "consequences" on our minds--and hearts. "Choose you this day whom you will serve."

One of the devil's biggest lies is that "there are no consequences."

Mary

Just musing . . .

The more I think about it--dangerous I know--the more I'm convinced that when Jesus called His mother Mary, "Woman," it was a name of endearment and reminder. Reminder of what you say? A reminder of who He was and who she was. He was "the seed of the woman" come to be bruised by the Serpent, but to, in the process, crush the Serpent. (He has been crushed, you know!) She was the "Woman" God had graciously selected to be the mother of His Son. That assignment brought mystery, joy, and sorrow into her life. I'm thinking she needed encouraging reminders. Don't you love Gabriel's greeting to Mary, "Hail, oh woman greatly blessed." And, "Mary, you have found favor with God." Think she ever forgot that moment and those words? "Oh woman greatly blessed." I think our God of encouragement was eager to keep reminding Mary of her blessing and of the mission of her Son. Aren't you delighted when God's Spirit brings to your heart and mind words of encouragement?

(And while I'm musing, I wish the Lord had shared with us the moment when He found Himself in His mother's arms after His resurrection. I bet I know what He called her.)

Why Is It?

Why is it that I, who could convince anyone in about ten seconds how little I actually know, seem to always think that I know more than the omniscient God about what should or shouldn't have happened?
Why is it that I, who love so selfishly and imperfectly, am always questioning how loving my Savior is being--the One who willingly, joyously, gave His life for His enemies--for me--by the cruelest of tortures?
Why is it that I, whom am constantly spending the excess that God has given me on me, get so upset about the needs in the world that aren't being met?
Why is it that I, who sin every day without even thinking about it and too often after thinking about it, believe that the immutable, righteous, holy, sinless God is in error when He tells me what is sinful and immoral?
Why isn't that I, who don't even know for sure what will happen in the next sixty seconds, believe that the infinite, eternal God has no idea what is best for the future?

Why? Idolatry. I think that I should be god. That I could do a better job. Oh, I would never say it. But my thoughts and actions betray my self-worship. The enemy says, "You shall be like gods." And I embrace his lies.

"God me merciful to me a sinner!"

And graciously He always is. Amazing love.

"Oh, love that will not let me go, I rest my weary soul in Thee."

"O Cross that liftest up my head, I dare not ask to hide from Thee."

Conquerors

Let's see now. We are aliens in a hostile world. We have a powerful enemy who is constantly trying to attack God by attacking us. We have a sin nature that is in conflict with the Holy Spirit's desire to transform us. We have a world that constantly bombards us with ideas meant to conform us to their image and thought processes. We are surrounded by needs, and our resources and abilities can never completely solve the problem. The things we want to do we don't do, and the things we don't want to do, we end up doing. We live in bodies of flesh that time and age and ache and get sick and have unquenchable appetites. We live a life of faith with no guarantee of the outcome; and often, no idea what the outcome was.

And yet, we are more than conquerors. Why? "Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world." When we are weak, then we are strong. Where sin abounds, grace does much more abound. "My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory." "Faithful is He who called you, who will also perform it." Yes, "thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" As the song writer says, "Not to the strong is the battle, not to the swift is the race, but to the true and the faithful, victory is promised through grace." "Marvelous grace of our loving Lord!" "Great is Thy faithfulness!"

Later

"Later" has a way of becoming "never." The men of Israel who believed the ten spies who had returned from the Promised Land and had, consequently, rebelled against God's promises found that out. They "presumed to go up into the hill top" and take the Promised Land after God said they would be wandering in the wilderness for forty years. They decided that God's "it's too late" was not really true just as they had decided a few days before that God's "now is the time" was not really true. They were guilty of those presumptuous sins the psalmist prays that God will deliver him from. The enemy routed them.
Never presume upon the goodness or severity of God. When He says something, do it immediately. Many have hesitated and found it too late. Esau sought repentance with tears but it was too late to get the blessing. For Ananias and Sapphira it was too late to serve God completely and honestly. For Noah's generation it was too late to return to their Creator and worship Him. For Judas, it was too late. Lot's wife--too late. Sodom and Gomorrah--too late. Gehazi--too late. The rich man and his barns--too late. A generation of Israelis--too late. Obey God now when the call comes for obedience. Obeying God later may be later than you think. Beware. Satan always has some reasonable alternative to ready obedience, the result of which is heartache and failure. When the Spirit of God reveals to you a step of obedience, do not presume upon the patience of God. Act now.
"Keep back Thy servant from presumptuous sins and let them not have dominion over me; then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression."

Security

Security has nothing to do with how much money you have in the bank. It has nothing to do with how marvelous your health is. It has nothing to do with the stability of the economic system. It has nothing to do with job security. It has nothing to do with how fantastic of a retirement plan you have. It has everything to do with Who holds you in His hands and promises to be with you and stand by you in the midst of the flood, in the midst of the fire, in the midst of the storm, even in those times when you're trying to live as if you don't need Him or want Him or trust Him. In poverty His presence makes you richer than a king. In loneliness His presence lavishes you with His love. In defeat and failure His presence makes you an overwhelming conqueror. In the shadow of death His presence makes you confidently fearless. In disappointment His presence sets you on the Rock of hope. In times of prosperity His presence gives you His heart of compassion for the needy. In times of confusion His presence gives you the clarity of faith. In each and every moment of your life, His presence makes you secure.

Security: "But while God and I shall be, I am His and He is mine."

A Lineage of Grace

This time of year I always meditate on the grace found in the lineage of our Savior. My favorite is the double grace given to Rahab. First, her faith saved her from Jericho's fate. And then she got a Jewish husband! (I tend to lean toward it being one of the spies she saved--but who knows.) And she became one of our Savior's grandmothers. The double blessing of grace? She had a godly, compassionate son who is also one of Scripture's heroes. His name was Boaz--Ruth's kinsman redeemer. Grace, grace, marvelous grace!

Another grace story in our Savior's lineage: A wife by the duplicitous wrangling of her father; a victim of a husband's apathy because of his selfish disease called "playing favorites." (He was really "good" at it.) Yet, chosen by God to be another one of our Savior's grandmothers. Her name? Leah.

A third grace story: David and Bathsheba. Their first son died. Please don't believe that grace eliminates consequences. But the grace of God was undeniably evident in the birth of their second son. You've heard of Solomon, right? Grace, grace, marvelous grace.

When I read Jesus "family tree" in Matthew, I am struck by how many of those people we know absolutely nothing about. They are nearly anonymous blips on the screen of history. Yet, our God knew each of them and by His grace preserved them so that in the fullness of time we might have our Savior. From one blip on the screen of history to another, isn't it astounding that the God of the universe knows you and that your "family tree" has been preserved through all the years of history from Noah to today? What did all my European ancestors live through--wars, plagues, famines, migrations, who knows what?--that I would be here today in this century, in this country, chosen and adopted into His family by His infinite grace? Grace, grace, God's grace--marvelous grace. Isn't it great being one of his blips on the screen of history? 

Hilltops

The prophet Jeremiah--the weeping prophet--sat on the hill overlooking Jerusalem after the city and its people had been plundered and pillaged by the ruthless Babylonian army; and, he had these thoughts:

"How lonely sits the city that was full of people! She has become like a widow who was once great among the nations."
"For the Lord has caused her grief because of the multitude of her transgressions."
"My eyes fail because of tears, my spirit is greatly troubled; my heart is poured out upon the earth."
"The Lord has done what He purposed; He has accomplished His word which He commanded from the days of old."

God's people had become no different from the pagan societies surrounding them: idolatrous, immoral, apathetic to the poor and needy, pompous in their "security" that since they still worshiped Jehovah (along with the other gods) that He would protect them--not judge them. They were wrong. The immutable, infinitely holy and righteous God, always judges His people for their spiritual adultery. Jeremiah knew the judgment was righteous, but it broke his heart.

And then at possibly the worst moments of his life, the prophet remembered--remembered those words that we so often sing without reflecting on their context:

"The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease; for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I have hope in Him.' The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him. It is good that He waits silently for the salvation of the Lord."

At those worst moments in our lives, can we sing those words? Can we with tears streaming down our faces rejoice in the great faithfulness of God? Can we seek Him by waiting, silently, without complaint, knowing that He is our Deliverer from any and all disappointments, any and all failures, any and all discipline? He is all that He has revealed Himself to be. Sitting on our hilltops, may we remember and believe.

"Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father, there is no shadow of turning with Thee; Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not; as Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be. Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see; all I have needed Thy hand hath provided--Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!"

Trivial Pursuits

The Bible constantly warns us of two things: the pursuit of the temporary--stuff, and the pursuit of "rubbish"--the accolades of men. The reasons are obvious--but so often trivialized; which is, I suppose, to be expected. But not condoned. When our hearts are set on stuff, they are not set on the permanent--the spiritual, the "things above." And as Jesus warned us, stuff, and the worries that inevitably come with stuff, turn fruitful lives into barren lives. The things of this world are the weeds that choke out fruitfulness. "Love not" is His command. "Don't pile up" is His command. There is no satisfaction to be found in the temporary because it doesn't last. How big is your pile of stuff?
The desire for the accolades of men, the "rubbish" as Paul calls it, turns us into men pleasers. It makes our obedience eye service. Such an attitude sabotages any hope on our part of coming to know Him in all His fullness. If the voices I listen to, if the rewards I crave, are not His--are not His Spirit's leading and the Father's "well done," I lose the inner confidence of His love and our relationship is strained at best, quenched at worst. There is no satisfaction to be found in the works of the flesh--the hay and stubble of human effort designed to conspicuously gain man's approval. They will not survive the test of fire. And "fiery trials" are a certainty not a perhaps in the life of each one of His children. How big is your pile of rubbish?
And sometimes those two desires intertwine, do they not? We seek stuff to gain the approval of men. We accumulate in order to impress. And what a collection of garbage that will be. And then we spend our days enveloped by worry and anxiety and insecurity lacking the contentment that can only be found by resting confidently in His love, His provision, His Spirit's inner peace and witness. Beware. Don't let your heart, your love, be wrapped up in the trivial nature of stuff. Don't let your confidence rest in the fickleness of man's approval. Don't let a heart of good soil be inundated by the weeds of earth's worthless treasures.
"Having food and raiment" let us be content. Having a heart that longs to do only those things that please Him let us bask in His loving assurance as His faithful bond-servant and His beloved child. Do you really need more than you have? Do you really need another smile instead of His? And yes, those are rhetorical questions. In our hearts, we know the answers. In our lives lets by His Spirit's empowering grace live the answers day by day.

Unspeakable

"Wide, wide as the ocean, high as the heavens above, deep, deep as the deepest sea is my Savior's love. I, tho' so unworthy, still am a child of His care; for His Word teaches me, that His love reaches me, everywhere."

"For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."

"Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gifts!"

"Wide, wide as the ocean, high as the heavens above, deep, deep as the deepest sea is my Savior's love. I, tho' so unworthy, still am a child of His care; for His Word teaches me, that His love reaches me, everywhere."

A Hearing Heart

We know the story. God came to a young man named Solomon who was going to be king over His people and told him: "Whatever you want. Just ask and it's yours." And what he asked for and what God gave him was--literally--a "hearing heart." If only I could stop and reflect on that truth--that a wise heart is a hearing heart--a listening heart. Do you desire godly wisdom? Be slow to speak and quick to listen. Let the meditation of your heart be acceptable in His sight. Be still and listen for His voice. Nothing gets in the way of discernment more quickly than doing more talking than I do listening. Listening even at times builds discernment in the heart of the one who is sharing his heart's problem with me. Numerous times as someone has "talked through" his or her dilemma with me, the solution to the problem becomes abundantly clear to that person without me saying anything more than, "Yes, you're right. That's what would honor God in your situation." How often has it been rewarding to respond to a question with silence, with time alone to think and pray through the "answer" before actually going to the person and saying anything at all. Quietness and reflection--part of a hearing heart--are invaluable in developing godly discernment. Why are we so afraid to say, "Can I pray and think about that and then I'll get back to you with an answer?"--instead of just blurting out, thoughtlessly, the first thing that comes to mind? And how often have I shunned wise counsel--a fool's pride--instead of listening, hearing, those whom God has given insight and wisdom, those in whom God has already developed a listening heart, a teachable spirit. May those whom we love and care for, those who come to us for help, know that they will find a listening, hearing heart. There can be no godly discernment without such a heart.

"Make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding."

Fear of the Lord

"The fear of the Lord is to hate evil."

First, in my own life. Then in the lives of those I love. Then in the culture in which I live. Why?

Evil affects my relationship with my Savior.
Consequences. There are always consequences for evil in anyone's life and in the culture in which I live. Guaranteed. The God of love is the God of righteousness. And justice.

"The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be shortened."

"In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence."

"The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life."

"The fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom, and before honor comes humility."

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom"

My attitude toward evil reflects the depth of my reverence for my God. And the breadth of my wisdom.

I cannot love God with all my heart and soul and mind and strength and love my neighbor as myself if I do not hate evil.

Give Thanks

For the redeemed, nothing is more essential on a moment by moment basis than a heart of gratitude.

A vile sinner by birth and choice, He has made you His new creation.
In the time of trouble, He shelters you under His wings.
When your world is in turmoil, He is your Rock of deliverance.
When the winds of adversity roar, He empowers you with the eagle wings of faith.
When men deliberately carry out their evil schemes against you, He transforms it into His lovingkindness.
When the night is long, His mercies are new every morning.
When everyone else forsakes you, great is His faithfulness.
When you come to your senses in the midst of the pig pen, He and His angels will dance and rejoice before the throne of grace.
Your giants He will slay with the sword of His Spirit.
In your abject weakness He will fill you with His joy, empower you with His strength, comfort you with His grace.
In your life--He is always the I AM of your present tense: I AM the Bread of Life, I AM the Light of the world, I AM the Water of Life, I AM the Good Shepherd, I AM the Resurrection and the Life, I AM the True Vine, I AM the Way, I AM the Truth. He is your Bread, your Light, your Water of Life, your Good Shepherd, your Resurrection, your Life, Your True Vine, Your Way, your Truth. This moment and every eternal moment to come--He is your I AM.

"Praise the Lord!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty expanse.
Praise Him for His mighty deeds;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

Praise Him with trumpet sound;
Praise Him with harp and lyre.
Praise Him with timbrel and dancing;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipes.
Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with resounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Hallelujah!"

Oh! give thanks unto your Lord, for He is good!

A Revolutionized Life

God is in control.

All things work together for good.

My God shall supply all my need.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and He will direct your paths.

If we really believed those simple truths--and lived like it, it would revolutionize our lives.

Steps

When we choose to sin and disobey God, we take a step away from a sense of His abiding presence--which makes it easier to take the next step away in disobedience.
When we choose to obey God, we draw near to Him and sense more deeply His abiding presence as He, as He promised, draws near to us--which makes the next step of obedience easier.
Mind that first step. And it's always the next one. You never take one that's insignificant.

Think

Sin begins in the mind--the thoughts. "Casting down imaginations" "Taking every thought captive to obedience." "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he."

And you don't think it matters what you feed your mind?

"Be not conformed . . . be transformed by the continual renewing of your mind"

"Here is a last piece of advice. If you believe in goodness and if you value the approval of God, fix your minds on whatever is true and honorable and just and pure and lovely and praiseworthy."

"Set your mind on things above where Christ sits at the right hand of the Father."

Cast down. Take captive. Renew. Fix. Set. How healthy is your mind? How holy--Christ-like--is your life?

Same question.

Sin

One of the Wesley brothers once said, "Give me men who love nothing but God and hate nothing but sin." Such a man was Joseph. Surely the devil had him "right where he wanted him." He had been betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery. Now, even though a slave, he found himself in a place of prominence and importance. He had gone from being abased to abounding. Then, Satan came with the lure of pleasure and sin--the daily temptation of Potipher's wife. Even though Joseph resisted day after day and tried to stay away from her, one day Satan had him with her and they were all alone. How easy for Joseph to forget God's claim on His life and enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season. No one would know. Yet, Joseph would not exchange the blessing of God for the satisfaction of the creature--his natural man and its desires. Don't think Joseph was some super human individual who was not really tempted by her. He was one hundred percent human that's why he wouldn't even be with her. You resist temptation by fleeing from it, not by trying to stand up to it on your own. Joseph defeated temptation by avoiding it and when it reached out and grabbed him, he left his coat and fled as quickly as he could. He would not forget his God even for a moment.
And what happened? He was accused and convicted of the sin anyway. But not in the eyes of God; so that, even in jail, God was with Joseph and prospered him. The only way to the palace was through the prison. Joseph's resistance to temptation--his fleeing it--put him in the place of blessing, even if in human terms it appeared that the exact opposite was true.
What will it be for you? The pleasures of sin for a season or the blessing of God in all that you do--no matter where you find yourself? The only road to blessing is to flee temptation--at full speed. Leave your coat behind if you must, but flee. God's blessing awaits.

Impact

One of the greatest impacts that trials have on our life--perhaps the greatest--is that when we find Him faithful--His presence a comfort, His grace sufficient, His strength empowering, His other kids encouraging--it deepens our love for Him.

Fear

One of the greatest enemies of faith is fear. Paul told Timothy that fear robs us of our power, our love, and our sound judgment. Think of what little a Christian has left if those three are forfeit. It would be impossible to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. It would be impossible to love your neighbor as Christ loves you.
Fear causes us to disconnect with the power God has placed within us in the person of our Helper, our Teacher, our Guide, and our Comforter--the Holy Spirit. We hesitate to yield to His leading, frustrate His sanctifying work in our lives, and render our gifts ineffectual in His service. We are afraid to trust Him with ourselves. And then though the very life of God abides within us, we become powerless--unable to minister to those to whom God has sent us.
Fear also makes us incapable of loving others as Christ loves us--faithfully, unconditionally, honestly, susceptibly. We become afraid of being hurt, afraid of being taken advantage of, and even afraid to embrace His love and forgiveness of us. We cannot love the unlovely, forgive the incorrigible, or allow ourselves to rest in His unchanging love. We become slaves to the opinions of others and to our opinions of ourselves. We fall short of the maturity God wishes to develop in us, the proven character that reveals itself through tested love. Mature love casts out all fear.
Fear affects our ability to make sound judgment as well. Our decisions are influenced by what others might think of our choices, not what God thinks. We fail to see the hand of God in our afflictions; consequently, we fail to evaluate our circumstances in light of God's truth. Being unable to trust God with all things, we wallow in the futility of our own human efforts, fret with worry, and victims of a subtle paranoia. Nothing clouds sound judgment like being fearful.
How then do I defeat fear? You must rest in, really believe in, God's promises. He is with you always. He has taken care of all your tomorrows yesterday. You can cast all your cares on Him. He is the God of lovingkindness and mercy--even as we go through the consequences of our wrong choices. The Spirit is greater than the power that is in the world. His grace is sufficient no what the depth of our weaknesses. We can survive a broken heart; in fact, a broken heart will empower us with a deeper sense of His love for us, and our need to love our neighbor.
Fear is the enemy of faith because faith is the destroyer of fear.

Endure All Things

Endurance: "rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer."

Endurance = Steadfastness

"Behold we count those blessed who endure. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord's dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful."

Love "endures all things."

Exhaustion

Physical exhaustion and spiritual exhaustion often go hand in hand. One can produce the other. As we wage a great spiritual battle, often we begin to feel the inward struggle in outward signs of listlessness and self-pity. Our spiritual wrestling wears out our physical bodies and minds. What are we to do in such a situation? Find help. It is not a sign of spiritual failure to lean on the Christian friends God has given you. It is a sign of spiritual wisdom. It takes great strength to rely on fellow travelers on the journey home. Why do you think God tells us to be sure to spend time with other believers? And I mean "tells us." It's not a suggestion. How can our Christian friends hold us up? Prayer--never hesitate to tell others how desperately you need it. Also, friends can help us by taking on some of our responsibilities from time to time--especially for those of us who haven't learned to say "no" yet. Other people can do the job just as well as you can. They have the same Holy Spirit you do to enable them. And we can also help ourselves by taking time to rest, to find a place of solitude to spend some time with Him. Rest is a holy, sacred obligation for the child of God. Our Savior, who had a body that got just as tired as mine does, often went off alone to rest and pray. Are you exhausted? Worn out by the struggles and responsibilities of life? Don't throw your hands up in despair. Throw your hands up in prayer. And go to those who love you in Christ and ask them to help you hold up your hands as well. They will be delighted to do so. And later on it will be your turn to say, "throw your arms around me and let me help you on the journey home as you so graciously helped me."
To not admit your tiredness and to try to go it alone is arrogance--spiritual arrogance. Is there anything more foolish spiritually than that?

Whim

The Holy Spirit has been given us to guide us into all truth. As we are sensitive to His leading, He teaches us God's truth, explains to us the thoughts of God revealed in His Word, and directs our behavior in line with the truths we have been taught. He is consistent in His directions. Unfortunately, we live in an age that has substituted preference for truth--for faith. We have decided that our personal ideas are legitimate commentaries on Scripture. We fit the Word of God into our lifestyles instead of adjusting our lifestyles to the teachings of God's Word. We have replaced faith with whim.
One of the areas always influenced by such leanings is our attitude toward the world. When we determine for ourselves how to live, we are always caught up in the things of the world and the pleasures we think they can afford us. But the Spirit always leads to righteous behavior. He is not a lover of the world or the things in the world. And there is no excuse for our not knowing that. When I believe that since I am redeemed by grace I can live anyway I please, I am in great error. Such a mindset and the behavior it produces cannot be tolerated by the holy God. As He told the church at Laodicea, He would rather we be cold than lukewarm. I believe that a Christian whose lifestyle is indistinguishable from the world's lifestyle yet claims that that is a lifestyle that the Holy Spirit has led him to is worse than the secret Christian who just lives like the world without claiming to be a child of God. The lukewarm Christian like the nation of Israel in the Old Testament blasphemes the name of God. When our Christian liberty causes us to violate God's truths, we are grieving the Holy Spirit that lives in us. We are sinning against His love for us--and the truth He has taught us. And misplaced love always turns our hearts to the wrong treasure. And the wrong treasure always puts us under the deception of the wrong master. Thus, the longer we pursue the wrong treasures, the more we are convinced that they are the right ones. We live in the dark convinced we are walking in the light. And the only way God can bring us back to the right love and the control of the Spirit He has placed within us is to take away our treasures. Trust me. It is better to live rightly and to love rightly with those other things in their proper place than to lose them all. But our God is a jealous God who loves us enough to return us to the right path for His Name's sake and for our good--no matter what the cost.

Consistency

Consistency is really just being what you ought to be--not being influenced by the situation to change your behavior. If we are Christ-like, we must be consistent. "For I am the Lord, I change not." "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever." God never acts in any way inconsistent with His character.
And that's the key to our consistency--God's character. The problem is that we spend our entire lives trying to sanctify or "spiritualize" the natural man--our character. That's impossible. Why else would the Lord give us a "new creation," the perfectly consistent life of God to live and reign within our hearts? The only way for me to live a consistent godly life is to quit trying to make myself more Christ-like and to surrender to the will of the life of Christ that is already in me in the person of the Holy Spirit. The natural man--that's me--can never act consistent with God's character. The Holy Spirit--God--can never fail to act consistent with His character.

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me."

Beyond All These Things

Paul told the Colossians to "beyond all these things, put on love." The question arises, what are "these things"? What are the things that must be "put on" before I can "put on" love? Obviously they must be highly significant character traits if they are the necessary foundations for clothing ourselves in love. And the ability to put on those things that lead to love is based on our understanding that there are no distinctions in the family of God, no distinctions between those who are in Christ and who have Christ in them. There are no national distinctions, no ritual distinctions, no intellectual distinctions, no societal distinctions. We are all equals in Christ. Each of us as necessary as the other, each as vital as the other, each as loved as the other. Christ is all and in all.
What then are the foundations of love? The first is compassion. Compassion is the ability to automatically be moved by the needs of others without any regard for the character, circumstances, or choices that produced the need. Compassion, without the slightest hesitation, places one's own needs in the background and focuses on how to meet the need of the other.
The second foundation for love is kindness. Kindness never seeks to repay evil with evil. Kindness always thinks in terms of what is the best thing I can do for that person at this time. Kindness needs no reason or excuse to be kind. Kindness is not a "pay back" for an act of kindness done to you. It stands alone without any thought of "payment."
The third foundation is humility. Humility is the ability to readily, joyfully, pour oneself out for others. It is the spontaneous desire to serve others, to be the least in the kingdom of God. It is the determination to do whatever it takes for as long as it takes to meet the need of another. Humility is the positive response to God's call to His servants to lay down their lives for Him by laying down their lives for others.
The fourth foundation is gentleness. Gentleness is the desire to stoop down and lift up another, the desire to come along side of one who is in pain and sorrow and say, "lean on me." Gentleness is ever attentive to the cry of the one of the one hundred who has wandered away. Gentleness thrives on restoration.
The fifth foundation is patience. Patience never watches the clock. Patience is never in a hurry and trusts the timing of God. Patience is the ability to love someone where one finds him. Patience endures. Whatever someone does or does not do in response to love affects patience not in the least. Patience waits without ever changing its character.
The last foundation is forgiveness. Forgiveness is the ability to respond to the actions of others as Christ responded, and responds, to our actions. Forgiveness sees the actions of others as paid for by the blood of Christ. Forgiveness sees every hurt as already dearly and lovingly paid for.
Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness. All these must be "put on," worn in such a way that all can see them active in our lives, if we are going to be able to "put on" love. If any of these are missing from our daily lives, we have not yet learned love. Perhaps we have not yet accepted the truth that every believer is just as important to God and just as much God's beloved child as we are. The second commandment, "Love your neighbor as yourself," is just the first commandment put in practical, everyday, demonstrable language. We must put on love.

Hindrance

I think that one of the things we struggle with as believers is the refusal to set aside those things that are a hindrance to our Christian walk--be it sin or something I've become more attached to, more devoted to, than to Him and His desire for my life. The refusal to confess sin--a choice that takes me one deliberate step farther into the darkness away from Him--hinders my fellowship with the God who is light. I lose all sense of His presence and the joy and peace that that affords me in my daily walk. The refusal to lay aside for His sake something or someone that has become more important to me than He is--my latest idol--reflects my soul's desire to worship me and my wisdom.
The really idiotic thing about these choices is that they are perceived as a matter of freedom--being in control. The exact opposite it true. Romans clearly warns us that the sins in our lives are chains--bondage, not freedom. Giving into them or holding on to them doesn't fulfill my desire and free me from their stranglehold, but instead, such choices create in me a deepening attachment and dependence. Our not being able to give up the thing that the Spirit has shown us is a hindrance to our walk only proves that it is our master and that we are its slave. It has power over us to control our choices. Power that belongs to the Holy Spirit, the person God has given us to lead us into the way that we should go, the way that sets us free. We wonder at the weight of our struggle toward sanctification when we ourselves are the ones forging the chains around our feet. And the solution is so simple. Confess, let go, walk in the light. And it is something we must do every day.
When I agree with God about the sin in my life--that it is indeed sin, or when I agree with God that something, some person, or some idea is keeping me from full devotion to His right to my life, He sets me free to do what ought to be, and needs to be, done. Such a choice will renew my sense of His presence, bathe my walk in the light of His truth, and reflect to others the freedom and joy that comes from pleasing Him daily.

Eternity

We have the wrong opinion of eternity--of everlasting life. First, we always picture it as something that hasn't started yet, as something future. But eternity has always existed. It is a "now" not a "yet to come." At this moment God sits on His throne in "eternity present" just as He sat on His throne in "eternity past" and just as He will sit on His throne in "eternity future." He is, not He was or He will be. His name is the great "I Am." It was that exact truth that Jesus used to admonish the Sadducees when they tried to make a joke of the idea of eternal life and the supernatural. "I Am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." With that rebuke He silenced those "intellectuals" who tried to deny the existence of eternity. God is the God of the living, not the dead. "He who believes in me shall never die."
And I do not have to wait "to die" to experience eternal life. The moment the Holy Spirit regenerated me and made me a child of God, an escapee from death's sting, I began to live eternal life. I am already a child of eternity. How did Paul put it, "Christ, in you, the hope of glory." And that's an important concept to remember on a daily basis. Often we are told to be careful what we do or say because we do and say it in the presence of God. Yet, for the child of God, it's so much more than that. I do not merely live in God's presence, God's presence lives in me. That's why everything I do is so significant. I am in fellowship with Him--a "partnership," a participation exists. He participates in everything I do. It is no wonder that my apathy toward the spiritual can grieve the Holy Spirit who resides within me. It is no wonder that my failure to spend time in the Word and in prayer leaves me spiritually listless and insecure. I don't allow the Spirit to lead me; instead, I force Him to come along with me. I "drag" him from place to place--and claim He is a burden.
As a child of God, you have begun to live your eternity. You have eternal life now. God's presence is in you. Live in such a way. Live a life dominated by the indwelling presence of God.

Peace--Rest

Be at peace--at rest. He is always in complete control.

Be at peace--at rest. Your life will be used to bring eternal glory to His name.

Be at peace--at rest. His grace and His mercy are infinite and everlasting. You--nor those you love--can ever exhaust it. 

Be at peace--at rest. The Lord is your Shepherd. Today, He will lead you to the green pastures and the still waters. His goodness and mercy will saturate your yesterdays. He will empower your weary soul. And He is no hireling. He will not run from the wolves but will, instead, be your fortress and your rock. Be at peace. Rest. 

Be at peace--at rest. This life of endurance and perseverance and joy--they are inseparable--is but a breath of eternity. And the rest of everlasting will be spent in a place prepared for you by the majestic Creator of all things. And in His presence--who is infinite love. 

Be at peace--at rest.

Fall off the cliff . . .
Jump off the cliff . . .
Pushed off the cliff . . .

"Underneath are the Everlasting Arms." 

Get Busy

The exhortation regarding the Second Coming hasn't changed since the Ascension when the angels turned to the disciples and said: "Why are you dummies standing around gawking, staring up into Heaven? He said He'll be back. Quit standing there and get busy! There's work to be done. A world's worth."

Harvest

One absolute we Christians like to shrug our shoulders at is that "you reap what you sow." God reinforces this truth throughout His Word. And it's a truth that is just as true for the godly as the ungodly--just as true for David as it was for Jezebel. For example, look at the life of Jacob. He lied and deceived His father with false pretenses, and he spent the rest of His life reaping the consequences. First, his uncle deceived him, and Jacob ended up marrying a woman he didn't love and working seven extra years to finally obtain Rachel. Then, his own sons deceived him by selling Joseph into slavery and telling Jacob that a lion had killed him. There is a deep sadness in the Lord's description of Jacob when he thought Joseph was dead. "And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted and he said, 'For I will go down into the grave mourning,'" Jacob spent many years mourning for a son who wasn't really dead. Mourning because his sons followed in his footsteps and deceived him just as he had deceived his own father, Isaac. Jacob planted the seed of deception and reaped the harvest--the wrong wife, seven extra years of labor, more than ten years of deep mourning and sadness. Some harvest, don't you think?
What are you and I planting today? At home? At work? At school? Think carefully before you plant the seeds. The harvest belongs to you. Guaranteed.

Absolutes

In the real world the word "absolutes" will usually generate quite a reaction. For if there is one thing modern man hates--as well as fears--it's the existence of absolutes. When you hear expressions like, "Well, in my opinion . . ." or "But if God is love, how can He . . ." Or "You don't really believe the Bible is the Word of God, do you?"--then the chances are someone has been backed into a corner by an absolute truth and is trying to rationalize his way out of his accountability to that truth. God's absolute truth infringes on man's desire to believe and to do as he pleases--to be his own god; consequently, man resents it. Whether a man resents God's truth or not, God's absolutes are still absolutely true--and the consequences of not believing them are inescapable. Now. And eternally.

Closest to Your Heart

I am 67 years old, and I can't begin to count how many anecdotes and sermon illustrations I've heard in my lifetime. But one that I heard a long time ago--I don't even remember where or when--has always stayed with me. A memory gift from the Spirit. It went something like this:

"A single women had been faithfully serving the Lord in some remote area of the world for decades. But people noticed that she always wore a necklace--with a heart locket on the end. The curious--there are always some of those--assumed that it was a lost love from her early days that she could never forget--a life long sorrow. Finally, her Lord fulfilled her joy and took her home to be with Him. When they opened the locket, to their surprise, it didn't contain a picture of anyone, just a reference: I Peter 1:8: 'Whom having not seen, you love, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.' "

I've needed to be reminded of that story many times in my life. The Spirit's question is always the same: Who is in your "locket," closest to your heart?

I do not know what God will or has called you to--singleness, a long happy marriage, or anything in-between, but unless He is in the "locket" of your heart, your life will lack the richness that only He can bring. And if He is the "love of your life," you will never be poor for as long as you live.

Who is in your "locket," closest to your heart?

Doubts

"When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives, don't resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends! Realize that they come to test your faith and to produce in you the quality of endurance. But let the process go on until that endurance is fully developed, and you will find that you have become men and women of mature character with the right sort of independence. And if, in the process, any of you does not know how to meet any particular problem he has only to ask God--who gives generously to all men without making them feel guilty or foolish--and he may be quite sure that the necessary wisdom will be given him. But he must ask in sincere faith without secret doubts as to whether he really wants God's help or not. The man who trusts God, but with inward reservations, is like a wave of the sea, carried forward by the sea one moment and driven back the next. That kind of man cannot hope to receive anything from the Lord, and the life of divided loyalty will reveal instability at every turn."

The problem is rarely that we doubt God's ability to help. What we doubt is whether we want Him to help, whether we want Him to show us what transformation needs to take place in our lives if we are going to be more and more like Him. The question is do we know of anything in our heart that we want more than to be transformed into His image? It is the man or women with divided loyalties, divided loves, divided wants, that is constantly lost on the waves of spiritual seasickness. Such a believer is not standing on the Rock that is Christ Jesus His Lord. Do you want to know the full joy of your salvation? Stop trying to embrace God while at the same time holding Him at arm's length. Present your bodies a living sacrifice--make your daily walk a continuous act of worship. Crush the doubts--defeat the world's conforming power. Pray "I surrender all." And mean it.

Release

We often find ourselves in circumstances totally out of our control. Life's difficulties seem to pile up, and we long for release. There are certain things we must remember during such times of testing.
First, the troubles are rarely a sign that God is disappointed with us. One of Satan's most effective strategies is to convince the believer that because of his circumstances, he must certainly be in a backslidden condition. It's such an effective lie because it causes us to doubt God's love for us. And we start to judge our love for Him and the depth of our commitment to serve Him based on our circumstances. If difficult, trying circumstances are proof of one's backslidden condition, than the Apostle Paul, for instance, must have been the most backslidden Christian that ever lived. From health issues, to depression, to betrayal, to unfulfilled aspirations, to imprisonment--and the list goes on. And on. And on. Paul had to deal with them all. And it was not because his relationship with God was broken, but because he was constantly walking in obedience to Him.
The second thing we must remember is the need for prayer. We must ask others to intercede on our behalf before the throne of grace. The effectiveness of intercessory prayer is immeasurable. Jesus always interceded for His disciples. Paul was always praying for others and always asking others to pray for him. And we must always remember our Lord's intercessory prayer the evening of the betrayal. He prayed that we would be one with Him as He was one with the Father. Knowing that His prayer will undoubtedly be answered in our lives is a great assurance. He is going to make us more and more like Him. Suffering is one of His most effective tools in doing that. In fact, God will answer all prayers in light of the prayer His Son has made on our behalf. It's a guarantee.
The last thing we must remember is that if we are going to be released from our difficult circumstances, it will be because He releases us. We cannot do it for ourselves. The choice is His--and His alone. His timing will be perfect. And when He is ready to release us, it will be because He can now be glorified through the release. Which means, of course, that we must be willing to give the entire problem and its resolution into His hands. We will find with the release that He is just as He claims to be--loving, kind, wise, and faithful. Until He is ready to release us from our trial, we must continue to live by faith--faith in who we know Him to be, and faith in His promise to reward those who diligently seek Him.
So, in tough times, remember. Your circumstances are not evidence of God's dissatisfaction with you or evidence that you are somehow some terrible backslidden Christian. Probably, just the opposite. Remember to seek the prayer support of others and to trust in your Savior's intercessory prayer for you. It will be answered. The Father will not deny the prayer of His Son. Remember that release will come when He is ready, and you will find Him loving and true--even if you don't see the slightest evidence at the moment that He is those things. What you are going through, others have been through--or worse--and they have found Him faithful. You will find Him to be so, too. Don't spend all your energy trying to gain a victory that only He can gain. There's a reason it's out of your control. Give it to Him. The victory is His--through His lavish grace. Meanwhile be faithful. One moment at a time. If you are still in the trial, it's because He knows you are strong enough to endure it. If you are still in the trial, release will come when He is ready and you are ready. If you are still in the trial, release will come. "No trial has come your way that is too hard for flesh and blood to bear. But God can be trusted not to allow you to suffer any trial beyond your powers of endurance. He will see to it that every trial has a way out, so that it will never be impossible for you to bear it."

The Problem

God is not the problem.

No, the devil didn't make you do it.

Let's see--ummmm--who does that leave that needs to do some adjusting in thought and/or action?

Revival

The older I get--and I'm already too old to die young--the more I am convinced that God's revival is the strengthening and upholding of a faithful remnant. That is not a pessimistic view, but an optimistic faith in God's ability to always show mercy, to always have His witness in a dark world. How do you become a part of God's faithful remnant? You develop the traits of perseverance, endurance, discernment, total dependence, and joy.
Perseverance because the road is difficult and long. The Christian life is the most difficult life in the world to live. You are at odds with your culture--sometimes even at odds with the church. The world doesn't understand the way you live and resents that your values are so different from theirs. They consider you judgmental and intolerant just by the way you live. You don't have to say a word.
Endurance because you have to be earthquake proof. It is through the trials of life that God matures you into His likeness. There is no easy road. Only those who are not afraid to embrace brokenness need apply.
Discernment because the truth is always under attack from every possible direction and source. And you are not, without the Spirit's help, wise enough to see all the deception. The Spirit must be relied on to lead you into all truth, into the narrow way, the straight path. One step to the left or to the right can be disastrous for you and for the ones you love. And there is nothing the Devil does better than to mimic the results of the truth through the teaching of lies. Wherever God's seed is being sown, he is sowing his seed as well.
Total dependence because it is impossible to do any of these things without total reliance on the all sufficient grace of God. Only in weakness can you be strong. Only in absolute submission to the life of Christ that is in you can you live right, think right, love right, and always in every situation say the right things about your God.
Joy because it is the strength of the believer, the bedrock of the abiding, fruit-bearing Christian. Joy puts a song in your heart even when it is crushed and broken. Joy turns trials into transformation, the long trek up the road into a dance. And joy rests in the certain hope of one day being in the presence of Him who came from the remnant to be the Savior of the world. To be your Savior--whose mercies are new every morning and whose faithfulness is great.
Join the revival. Plead with God to saturate you with His all sufficient grace that you might remain faithful one day at a time.

Warning

Warning: Whenever I forget that the man (or woman) after God's own heart is capable of a terrible sin and then of being hedged in by that sin and committing an even more devastating sin--both for him and his family, I am teetering on the edge of a slippery precipice. Pride goes before a fall. Any Christian is capable of committing any sin. Guard your heart!

Lepers

I am impressed by the story of Naaman found in II Kings 5. Here was a man who was a great success in life. He was a mighty warrior, an able leader, a kind master, a king's trusted right hand man. But he was a leper. What a picture of sin leprosy is! It is humanly incurable; it destroys the body; it is contagious; it inevitably results in death. And only a miracle of grace can heal it.
Naaman was a great man but filled with the leprosy of sin. He had temporal success because the Lord in His sovereignty decided to bless Him, but the earthly recognition was far from being proof that he was God's man. For he was not. He was an idolatrous leper walking about in a state of living death. The same is true today. No matter what success or station in life a man may find himself, it is not evidence that he is a child of God. No matter what a man's character or earthly value, he is still a leper from God's point of view--the only view that counts. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." "For there is no distinction to be made anywhere: everyone has sinned; everyone falls short of the beauty of God's plan." "There is none that does good, no not one." "In sin did my mother conceive me."
But there was hope for Naaman. He knew and recognized his condition. Luke tells us that Israel was full of lepers but only Naaman, the Syrian idolator, came to God for the miraculous cure that alone would cleanse him of his condition. If you are today a man or woman of worldly success, perhaps even living among the people of God, unless you have recognized your condition--"but he was a leper"--you will never find the cure for your sin. "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."
"Sin pays its servants: the wage is death. But God gives to those who serve Him: His free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." "As many as received Him, to them gave He the right to become children of God, even to those who believe on His name."

The Name

Our Good Shepherd is in the business of restoration.  It is the soul that He restores.  Many times there are things in the life and body that because of our carelessness and sin are beyond restoring. But the soul can always be restored to fellowship and love--to the loving embrace of our Good Shepherd.  As with a house, no soul can be restored that was not built on a sound foundation.  "No foundation can any man lay, save Jesus Christ."  The sheep that are His, He is always ready to gently restore to sweet fellowship with Him, walking in the light.
Notice, though, that the Psalmist tells us that He restores "for His Name's sake."  So much is revealed in His Name, the expression of His character, the expression of all that He is to His sheep:

Jesus, The Christ, The Lord, The Prince of Peace, The Mighty God, Wonderful Counselor, Everlasting Father, The Morning Star, Immanuel, Holy One, The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, The Way, The Truth, The Life, The Beloved, The Dayspring, The King of Kings, I Am, The Author and Finisher of our Faith, The Word of Life, The Righteous Judge, The Chief Cornerstone, The Head of the Church, The Light of the World, The Resurrection and the Life, The Bread of Life, The Door, Alpha and Omega, The Sun of Righteousness, The Bridegroom, The Messiah, Our Advocate, The Son of God, The Son of Man, The Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls, The Good Shepherd, The True Vine.

He is never inconsistent to any aspect of His Name.  He is always each of those things to each of His children.  Yes, He does all for us because of Who He is.  "Jesus Christ, the same, yesterday, today, and forever."  His Name is at stake, His glory, His character.  So He restores the soul of His struggling, wandering sheep.  Clasps them to His heart and whispers, "I Am all these things for you.  Let Me love you fully.  Trust in all that I Am."

"For Thy Name's sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is great."

Restore my soul.

Necessity

Faith understands that God's work is never purposeless. He always has a reason when He acts. Whatever happens in our life is not happenstance but necessity. God's lexicon does not contain the word "random." Or
"accidental." To believe otherwise robs us of our confidence in His good and wise work on our behalf. In fact, any other viewpoint is just as believable and as defensible as Aaron's excuse: "I just threw in the gold and out came this golden calf."
He has brought into your life exactly what you need to have in your life if you are going to more deeply understand His love and more powerfully show His love to others.
May God enable us to "count it all joy."

Guard Your Heart

The Christian must guard his heart daily. We are constantly being bombarded with other things to love. We are tempted to love the world's pleasures. We are tempted to love the things we can see, the things that we wish we had. We are tempted to love the attitude of the world, the adoration of ourselves and our hopes and dreams. We are tempted to love temporal things--be they people or objects. We are tempted to love those areas where we excel, those characteristics or skills that we possess that make people admire us. All those loves are betrayals. They are spiritual adultery. The preeminent love of our life must be our Savior, our Bridegroom. There is no greater sin than the betrayal of unconditional, pure love--the love that God has for us. It is the rejection of God's love that sends men and women into a Christless eternity. And yet, we who are Christians, who have experienced the transformational power of such love, so often choose another lover--reject that same love. We have an impure love. Our intimacy with God is broken. We are unfaithful "brides."
And what is God's response? He prods us with the indwelling Spirit to cleanse ourselves and return to His embrace. And when we confess our sin--our unfaithfulness--He cleanses us of all our sin renewing a right heart within us. And even if we deny our sin, call Him a liar, He stands before the Father claiming eternal forgiveness for that sin, sin that He paid for with His life.
Such love, if we fully comprehend it, should not cause us to be apathetic toward our Lover. It should not cause us to take our sin lightly. It should cause us to passionately love Him back, purely, and with an undivided heart. It should cause us to begin each day with a simple but fervent prayer: "Lord, guard my heart today. Let me walk in love and purity. Let me this day be your faithful bride."

Hiding the Word

When I hide God's Word in my heart, I give the Holy Spirit the opportunity--the freedom--to build the following into my daily walk--into my experiences.

Knowledge: the accumulation of information of a sound character; the cultivation of a keen mind; the amassing of the treasure that is sweeter than the honeycomb and more valuable than all the gold on earth--to be rich in eternal thoughts
Wisdom: the skill to use knowledge correctly in any and all circumstances
Justice: right behavior--the ability to do the right thing at the right time all the time spontaneously
Instruction: teaching--insight--that will allow me to perceive what God is trying to do in my life through His discipline--and yes, at times through His chastening
Understanding--literally "to bereave"--the wisdom to know Him more deeply through times of sorrow--to know Him is to love Him; to love Him is to be obedient in the worst of times; the ability to trust and obey no matter what
Judgment: the insight to test new ideas--things that differ--against the truth of God's Word; to know the difference between good, better, and best
Equity--developing in my life the principles that allow me to live a life of integrity--the putting to death of hypocrisy in my walk
Discretion--a life immersed in thoughtfulness; a spiritual alertness in one's daily walk; the ability to detect craftiness and subtlety in those who would lead me astray; the insight to identify wolves in sheep clothing--to know a destroyer when I meet one no matter how charming he may appear to be
Prudence: the ability to foresee evil and be prepared for it
Fear of the Lord--the spontaneous making of decisions based on how they will affect my relationship with Him; a reverence that is not afraid of what God will do to hurt me but what I might do to hurt and grieve Him--a reverent and obedient heart; genuine love

How much time do you and I devote to His Word? Godly transformation into His likeness does not occur by accident. You are what you feed on. You are what you eat. Garbage in, garbage out. Truth in--Christ-likeness out. Who do you and I want to look like--to act like? How deeply do I actually love those people in my life that God has given me--assigned me--to immerse in His love?

Doubt

Most of the time we do not really doubt that God means what He says. Nor do we doubt that He is in control. What we doubt is whether we want Him to be. We don't really want a life of consequences. We don't really want God to do all that is necessary to conform us into His image. We doubt if the cost of discipleship is worth it, if Christian maturity is the path we wish to walk, if being refined like gold is worth the trial by fire. We doubt that the place God has placed us in is the place we want to be.
What is the cause of such doubt? Fear is one. We doubt that it is love that motivates our Savior to discipline and train us. Irrational, is it not, to doubt that One who died for you and defends you before the Father would act out of anything but love? Do you really doubt that the One who cared for all the needs of all His people when they wandered through the wilderness shaking their fists in His face, testing His every move, complaining about every trial, is not the God of love?
What does doubt cost us? Much more than submission will cost us. We lose God's peace, we lose confidence in prayer, we lose the fullness of His joy. Oh, we don't escape the trials. We just wander through life--a wilderness--always on the edge of Christian victory and the rest it affords in the worst of conflicts. We wander through life always afraid to enter the "Promised Land," always afraid of the enemy who cannot defeat us because of Him. Do you know of any people more miserable than the generation of God's people who wandered for forty years short of God's best? Doubt put them there. They were always testing God to see if He was good or evil--to see if He was the God of love and mercy and lovingkindness that He claimed to be. And though He was--and is--they lived the miserable existence of one who doubts. Of one who constantly questions what God is doing in his life and how could it possibly be good--how could it possibly be His love at work.
Do you really want to be more and more like Him? Then you must consider it all joy when He brings into your life those things that will purify and refine you into His image. Will it make life easy? Not a chance. But it will keep you from a life of misery, of wilderness wandering. You will have a life, regardless of the circumstances, basking in the full awareness of His love for you. Certain that when "sorrows like sea billows roll," that "peace like a river" will attend to your soul. And all will be well. All will be well with your soul.

Formalism

One of the great dangers of Christianity is formalism. It comes when I base someone's spirituality on outward appearances. That someone being me. When I replace inward devotion with reluctant external obedience, I have become a formalist. I have the form of godliness but not the power of godliness. Others may be taken in by my pretense; God is not. And in most cases, I know that I'm living a lie. I am doing all the right motions but there is not a song in my heart. I may with great flourish sing "deep and wide," but I'm wading in the shallows--and I know it. Now, I'm not talking about those times when the struggle is hard, when obedience demands all my focus and energy. I'm talking about those times when obedience is easy but motivated by what I think people expect of me. I want everyone to think I'm spiritual knowing that if I moved to another town where no one knew me, I wouldn't go on with the pretense of loving God.
The great danger of formalism is the susceptibility to temptation. In the moment when I think the formality of obedience can't be seen, I opt to give in to sin and disobedience. The result is that I become an even bigger stickler for external obedience and enchained by secret sin. That eventually leads to a great fall when my real internal me becomes visible to all around me. Many men and women have lost any further chance of ministry at such a time.
What is the cure? It begins with honest confession. I must agree with God that I am going through the motions with a cold heart. And then I must repent. I must ask Him to bring to my remembrance those times when His love for me controlled my every thought and thus my actions. Then, I must go back to doing those things. The time to start that process if I am a perpetrator of formalism is now. You cannot walk on the edge very long without a disastrous fall.

The Difference

"A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel"

"Fools despise wisdom and instruction."

The difference between a wise person and a fool? A teachable spirit.

Growth

The Christian Growth Cycle:
"For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience, joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light."

It begins with you and I praying for growth in the lives of those we love. Our prayer? That they become filled--completely satisfied with and completely saturated with a knowledge--understanding, discernment, comprehension--of His will--in all spiritual wisdom and understanding--in the ability to see everything in their lives as He sees it. Evidenced by a walk in which everything they know they put into practice in their lives; a pleasing walk--the walk of faith, which allows them to bear fruit--to become more and more like Him, doing the good things that He would do if He were "in their shoes." And such a walk saturates them with an even fuller understanding of the character and nature of the God they serve. And what does growth produce in their lives? An increase in God's power to enable them to be faithful; the might of His glory, His abiding presence in their lives as they make His grace and truth visible to those around them; an enduring steadfastness in every situation; a patience characterized by joy and a thankful heart toward the Father; and a deep life affirming confidence in the sure hope that as He promised He is coming again for us that we might spend forever in the eternal room He Himself has personally prepared for us in His Father's House.

Remember where it all begins! For whom are you faithfully interceding that God might continue His work of spiritual growth and maturity in their lives?

Fools

Foolishness has nothing to do with IQ.

We are all capable of becoming a fool.

When the Bible warns us to not walk with the ungodly, one step is one step too many. 

"Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs rather than a fool in his folly." 

Synonomous

In his first epistle John tells us: "God is love."

In his gospel he says the same thing just in a few more words: "And we beheld His glory, the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."

"God is love." "Full of grace and truth." Synonyms. Unless the meditation of my heart, the words of my mouth, and the actions of my life fully reflect grace and truth, both, I do not love as God loves. As Christ loved when He walked among men. And do you think that there is anything that more deeply grieves the Holy Spirit who resides within me than a sham love?

"And we beheld His glory." Unless our lives radiate grace and truth in every way, we are not making His glory known; we are not making the invisible God visible. We are parading about foisting upon the world a god of our own making--a god who looks, thinks, and acts an awful lot like ourselves. I can't think of anything more frightening. Or ineffective in drawing men to our Savior's love.

The Struggle for Contentment

Have you ever been in God's will; and yet, at times, wish you weren't? Yeah, me, too, once in awhile. In fact, I've been hovering in and out of that inane mindset for a couple of decades. I love the kids I teach. (Shhh, don't tell them they're still kids.) I love loving the kids I teach. When it happens, I love being loved by the kids I teach. I love teaching! The problem: I have very little use for education. Its standards, practices, and values are decidedly headed in the wrong direction in many areas--from my perspective. More and more Christian education tries to prove its worth by imitating the mindset and methods of public education. Now, being decidedly human, my "vision" is undoubtedly flawed in places, but I perceive those trends as real; and thus, I, at times, in my pride, struggle with contentment in the place that God has called me to serve.
Yet, on the other hand, I see, in at least some small ways, that God is using me on a daily basis. He is certainly still teaching me many things and continuing to prune away those things that get in the way of His ability to bear fruit through this old branch. And as I continue to abide--to rest--in His Word and to submit to His Spirit, He is able to do His transforming work despite my struggles in the place He has called me to. He continues to surprise me by allowing me to touch the lives of students and adults.
The question is what to do in those times when God graciously continues to perform His work of godliness in your life, but you yourself are struggling with the contentment necessary to make you rich toward Him--to make you a recipient of great gain? I have found several things vital to my walk with Him in such times.
The greatest thing is the absolute reliance on Him that becomes an absolute necessity for me in order to be what He has called me to be. I have found so uplifting the truth that His grace is all-sufficient--that at my weakest moments He empowers me beyond my ability or desire. When I struggle with even the desire to be faithful, He remains faithful to me. He energizes me through each day.
I have also come to rely on the great power of encouragement. (And to practice it daily I pray.) The steady love of my friends, the love of my students, a word of encouragement from others, a gentle touch of thank you, all those things remind me of His ever-present love. And though some may see that as another weakness and perhaps, even selfishness on my part, I have come to rely on encouragement as a way in which He meets with me every day. It is, certainly, a weakness, but a weakness that has engendered in me the strength I need for each and every day.
I have also found that when I am struggling with contentment that our enemy likes to "pour it on." You would think that after all these centuries that he would have learned that "pouring it on" just sends the child scurrying for the arms of His Father. When things appear out of control, I am more likely to talk--complain--to Abba; and thus, the lines of communication are opened wide, and I become more sensitive to His leading and direction. I am not saying that I enjoy the "pouring on," but that when the winds of adversity increase, I must rely on the eagle's wings of faith that He has given me and without even realizing it, I find myself soaring. Consequently, He enables me to please Him by causing me to live by faith in His eternal, ever-present love for me. I more deeply sense His love for me in the turmoil of the storm.
Finally, I must continue to remind myself--constantly--that the things I know to be true about God are indeed true even if I am feeling that they are not. I must always continue to testify to the right things about God. Always! I must always express my thankfulness to Him for all He has done for me, all He has done through me, and all the patience He constantly shows me as I struggle to become more and more like Him.
Yes, godliness with contentment is great gain! And it is something that I must continue to learn through a variety of circumstances and struggles. The more deeply He makes that truth real to me, the more assuredly I will rest in the promise that I can do all things only through Him, and that He alone, not just can--but abundantly will--supply all my need according to His infinite riches that are mine through my Savior's love. And as I learn how difficult life is when I fail to be content in the place where He would have me serve, the more lovingly, patiently, and kindly, He keeps reminding how marvelous that truth can be: Godliness with contentment is great gain!