Welcome to Pastor's Pen

Indifference to Things Precious

2012-01-14T18:41:00.001-06:00

I have a dog. I've had many dogs. I have loved all of them. I have cried when they've died. However, while dogs can be trained, they do some pretty stupid things. They've licked up their vomit, eaten their own waste, and chased after their own tails.

You can clean a pig up, but once you leave it alone, it goes right back to the slop you took it from. Sure, they provide us with bacon, ham, and pork, but they are very dirty animals.

Matthew 7:6 (ESV)
Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

To the Jews, dogs and pigs were considered scavengers and thus considered unclean. In fact, under the covenant of Law, one was not allowed to eat anything that came from a pig. While the west celebrates dogs as "man's best friend," the Jews considered dogs to be an enemy.

The metaphor was not lost on the Jews hearing Jesus teach on the Mount of Olives. Dogs and pigs were symbols of uncleanness, sin, and outside the covenant. Pearls symbolized something of great value; something treasured. Therefore to give something holy or treasured to dogs and pigs was ludicrous!

Some people today have an indifference to things precious. They do not value truth. They live in a world of perception rather than reality. They live like victims rather than victors. Unfortunately, they hear the Word, but do not obey it. It's easy to say, "AMEN" during the preaching. But what about obeying it daily?

Some people don't want to hear the truth. They want to be told what makes them feel good. But while the truth hurts, we must hear it and respond to it if we want to live eternally with Him!

Jesus would often teach using parables. Even the disciples were confused. However, Jesus would often take them aside and explain the meaning to them. When asked why He taught in parables, Jesus answered, "Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand." (Luke 8:10 KJV)

Some only want to come for the five loaves and two fishes. Some only want Jesus when they're sick or in need. Not everyone is willing to follow Him. In fact, Jesus taught so "hard" one time, that 70 disciples decided to quit, stating, "this is a hard saying, who can hear it?" (John 6:60 KJV)

It is unfortunate. No one likes to see people give up. However, there will always be a Demas who forsakes a Paul, having loved this present world. But for every Demas, there is a Timothy with unfeigned faith who will endure to the end! Which one will you be?

Do you have an indifference to things precious? Do you only love the Word of God when it comforts you? What about when it corrects you? Do you still love it then?

Will you be one that says, "Lord, Lord" but refuse to do what He says to do? Or will you be one who hears the Word, responds to the Word, and bears fruit pleasing to God?

The choice is yours today. The pastor in me wants to choose for everybody, but alas, I cannot. But, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. I will not be indifferent to things precious! The Word of God is a priceless treasure to me. I value it above everything.

I can see Clearly now, my Beam is Gone!

2012-01-10T11:32:00.001-06:00

Matthew 7:1-5 (ESV)
1 “Judge not, that you be not judged.
2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.
3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?
5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Often what we don't like in someone else is really what we don't like in ourself. You've probably heard the phrase, "that's the pot calling the kettle black." In other words, we often judge someone harshly for something we too have done.

Many immediately jump to Matthew 7:1-5 to assert that you shouldn't judge their behavior. There is much misunderstanding surrounding this passage. Comprehending the context will aid us in properly expounding on the subject of judging.

The real heart of Jesus' words here is to FIRST judge yourself. It doesn't mean that judgment cannot be given at all. If that were the case, then no preacher could preach against sin for "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Thus, any sinner could quote Matthew 7 and say, "don't judge me!"

However, the Bible also declares that "judgment begins at the house of God." When the preacher is preaching and "judgment" is the tone of the sermon, if his heart is right with God, the result will be repentance, mercy, and forgiveness.

A quick look through the Bible proves this.

God was ready to bring judgment against Nineveh. Jonah disobeyed God BEFORE going to Nineveh. The Ninevites could have said, "don't judge us" but Jonah had repented and judged himself first. This allowed him to clearly speak the judgment of God upon them. However, the wild card in the deck was played by the people of Nineveh. They chose to repent and clothe themselves in sackcloth and ashes, and intreat God for forgiveness. God gave them reprieve from His judgment due to their repentance.

You see, true judgment shouldn't leave a person without an exit strategy!

Condemnation (the wrong type of judging) tells you that you've sinned. But condemnation doesn't leave you any hope of escaping judgment.

Conviction (the right type of judging) tells you that you've sinned. But conviction also tells you how to overcome that sin and live victoriously.

In our text for today, the Pharisees were whited sepulchers on the outside. They looked the part, acted the part, even sounded right. But Jesus knew their heart. He knew what was inside. They were full of dead mens bones! In other words, they were passing judgment on the people while they themselves were full of sin.

The lesson of Matthew 7:1-5 is "don't judge someone else if you are full of sin." Instead, remove your sin first (the beam in your eye), then help someone else remove theirs! Remember, if you judge unjustly - full of your own sin - God will also judge you accordingly. Trust me; you don't want that to happen.

Once we've judged ourselves honestly before the Lord by removing the weights and the sin that easily besets us and blinds us to the truth, we are then able to see more clearly to help others. After all, those who've been delivered from the guilt and shame of their own sin are able to help others who are bound by the same chains of darkness.

Don't be Anxious!

2012-01-09T15:44:00.003-06:00

A much quoted verse from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount is Matthew 6:33: "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you."

Messages have been preached from this single verse. Programs have been designed around this verse. Vision has been cast for churches from Matthew 6:33. All of them have seen success.

But there is more to the story. To take this single verse apart from the whole context leaves you somewhat incomplete. Peanut butter cookies would not be peanut butter cookies if you left the peanut butter out when you mixed the ingredients.

Yes this verse can be used to summarize the thought of the greater context, but don't dismiss the whole text because of how famous and quoted this verse is.

Matthew 6:24-34 (ESV)
24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?
28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,
29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Not worrying is really what this passage of Scripture is really all about. The first clue that you're not trusting God in a situation is worry. Does He not hold the world in His hand? Did He not measure the waters of the earth in the palm of His hand? Is your name not written in the palm of His hand? Then why are you are worrying?

Has it ever occurred to you that nothing ever occurs to God?

He is not surprised by the unseasonably warm winter we are having! Your marital situation hasn't caught Him off guard. He is not fretting about the economy. He is Alpha (the beginning) and Omega (the end) and He is everything in between!

He is EL-Shaddai: The God of More Than Enough!

He is Jehovah-Rapha: The Lord my Provider!

He is Jehovah-Shalom: The Lord my Peace! He is the Prince of Peace! And His peace surpasses all understanding!

He is not a man that He should lie or change His mind! (Numbers 23:19)

So, don't be anxious. You can't serve two masters anyway. Stop serving fear. Instead, starve your fears by feeding your faith! Your Father knows all your needs and if you'll seek first His kingdom and righteousness, then all these things you're worrying about will work themselves out!

What's Inside of You?

2012-01-03T13:35:00.000-06:00

Have you ever looked into someones eyes and felt warmth and love? Have you ever looked into someones eyes and felt sorrow? How about fear? What about pain? Darkness? Guilt? Shame? Yes, all of these and more. Whether good or bad, our eyes reveal more than we think.

Jesus had some interesting things to say about our eyes...

Matthew 6:22-23 (ESV)

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light,

23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

In Jewish literature, the eye is likened to a lamp that would reveal the persons character. One who had a healthy eye would be pure and be characterized by genuine devotion to God. On the other hand, a bad eye implies one who is corrupt and immoral.

So, what do your eyes reveal about you? What's inside of you? Are you full of light or darkness?

What's inside you will come out!

When reading such passages of Scripture as Matthew 6:22-23, I am always compelled to look introspectively into my heart and ask God to search me. I want to be full of Him. I must decrease; He must increase! I do not want to be full of pride, bitterness, anger, deceit, or any other type of darkness.

I must be full of His glorious light. When my friends, neighbors, coworkers, or family look into my eyes, I want them to see Jesus. I want to reflect hope, peace, joy, and genuine love.

What do your eyes reveal about you? What's inside of you?

The 7 Gifts of Christmas YOU

2011-12-11T08:22:00.001-06:00

This week I have been blogging about the seven gifts of Christmas. This idea began as a challenge among other ministers to write on a common theme. It's been exciting and rewarding. I've enjoyed reading their version of what the seven gifts of Christmas are.

All week I've showed the gifts as they are given from God to us. But today I want to ask you what are you bringing to God?

The wise men searched for Jesus and brought Him gifts. However, in churches today, it seems that people want Jesus to seek them out and be given gifts. Now, bear with me, the Bible is replete with the principle of what we receive from God. The psalmist declared, "He daily loads me with benefits." It is refreshing to serve a God who freely gives and loves to do so. In fact, it is His will to give His children the kingdom!

But what are you giving to God?

Do you serve only on Sunday? What about the other days of the week? It is unfortunate that some only know church as a place to either visit during a funeral or special occasions like Christmas and Easter. And then there are those who do attend regularly, but who don't live it outside of the couple of hours they are in church.

So, what are you giving to God this Christmas?

I know what is on His Christmas wish list.

He wants people to take up their cross, deny themselves, and follow him daily! (See Luke 9:23).

That's all. You won't find God's Christmas gift at an outlet store, a bargain basement, or a retail chain. There won't be any ads on TV or the internet giving you special deals if you shop on certain days. Instead, God wants you to live for Him and with Him daily!

Serve Him on Sunday.
Meditate about Him on Monday.
Talk to Him on Tuesday.
Worship Him on Wednesday.
Be thoughtful of His Church on Thursday.
Fellowship with His Church on Friday.
Be sincere about your relationship with Him on Saturday.

And then do it all over again, and again, and again...

He daily loads me with benefits. The least I can do is reciprocate the relationship to the best of my ability. I've got to go... it's Sunday, and I want to find a place to commune with God. I'm going to go ahead and start giving Him His Christmas presents now...

7 Gifts of Christmas, HEALING

2011-12-10T08:12:00.001-06:00

Jesus entered the synagogue and read from the scrolls. As He read the words the prophet Isaiah had penned, Jesus closed the book and added this statement, "This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears." Can you imagine being in the congregation that day? The fulfillment of prophecy has just taken place and those in the synagogue that day were the first to witness it.

Paul lists 9 gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians, but one of them is plural: the gifts of healing.

Remembering back through my life, I don't remember a birthday or a Christmas where I only received one gift. Maybe one gift from one person, but because many persons were involved in giving, I would end the birthday, anniversary, or Christmas with many gifts.

Healing is that way too. There are various and numerous types of healing. In my life, I've seen cancer's of differing types healed. I've seen God heal hearts causing the doctors to remark, "There are no traces of previous heart attacks; you've been given a new heart." I've seen someone whose body was septic and whose blood was anemic come back to life.

I personally have been healed of spinal meningitis. I was in a semi-comatose state for a couple of weeks. Three spinal taps later, my pastor prayed for me in the name of Jesus Christ, and I spoke coherently for the first time in weeks. Two days later I was discharged and sent home with a clean bill of health.

I've seen everything from back pain, to migraines, to all sorts of outward manifestations of Gods gifts of healing. However, this is not just a gift. Not only are there multiple outward types of healing. There are also multiple types of inward healing. God mend's broken hearts, cleanses us from shame and guilt, and heals our emotions too.

Are you carrying a load of guilt? Is there a relationship that needs reconciliation? Do you suffer from a broken heart? I know the Prince of peace and His peace passes all understanding! His joy unspeakable! His mercy is everlasting! This day Jesus has come to bring the gifts of healing. Jesus said "This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears" nearly 2,000 years ago, but the power of His touch is still available today. Don't let anyone tell you that God cannot or does not heal.

Will you receive the gifts of healing today?

7 Gifts of Christmas, GRACE

2011-12-09T08:11:00.002-06:00

Ephesians 2:8-10 (KJV)
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

I'm not wealthy enough to afford the gift of grace.

I'm not smart enough to ascertain the gift of grace.

This gift is freely given to whosoever will. It is the unmerited favor of God given because you ask for it. Not because you deserve it , and not because you can earn it. Consider the words of Philip Yancey, "There is nothing you can do to make God love you more. There is nothing you can do to make God love you less."

The gift of grace is limitless. And quite frankly, might even be too divine for our finite minds to comprehend. Grace is freely given to the poor and the rich. To the young and the old. To the educated and the unlearned. To comprehend that is difficult.

If I could earn it, I would be able to boast. If I could buy it, maybe I could also sell it. If I was educated enough to truly comprehend it, maybe I might feel I didn't need it. So grace is the gift of God given through faith. It has nothing to do with you or me and everything to do with God. And that adds to the complexity and beauty of this gift!

God, the creator of the heavens and earth, robed Himself in flesh to die a cruel death so that I might receive grace! WOW! But wait, there's more! Fasten the seatbelt of your mind, because we're about to hit some mental turbulence...

Had it not been for God robing Himself in flesh, and offering this gift of grace to Gentiles, I would not be able to attain it all. Prior to the New Covenant, one had to either be a Jew, or become a Jew by circumcision of the flesh. However, that all changed at Calvary. Paul writes later in Ephesians and explains that this gift of grace made it possible for Gentiles to become fellow-heirs together in Christ.

Now, because of grace, I am born again, heaven bound, and I can claim inheritance in Jesus Christ. I didn't deserve it. I still don't. But this gift was freely given, and I'm grateful to have received it. I now have access to God and confidence through faith to fulfill His purpose. I may not be wealthy, or have societal influence, but I can join Paul and say, "by the grace of God, I am what I am..."

7 Gifts of Christmas, MINISTRY

2011-12-08T08:10:00.001-06:00

A church was remodeling. The shell of the building was complete. The interior was being done one project at time, and the ceiling was a beautiful cathedral ceiling. One afternoon, one of the men of the church who was volunteering was on the scaffolding above the platform area. He lost his footing and fell. While falling, he saw the pulpit and twisted himself so that the pulpit would break his fall. Upon hitting the pulpit, he bent his arms and legs and rolled off onto the floor unscathed. After the other men came running to his aid, he stood up and declared, "The pulpit saved me from my fall."

Today's gift of Christmas is the gift of ministry. I can absolutely affirm that had it not been for the ministry in my life, I would not be here today. Time and again God used men to be His hands on the potters wheel to mold and shape me.

I am grateful today for the investment poured in to me by men of God who were faithful to the calling of God. They shepherded me, guided me, loved me, and corrected me. As I reflect on my life today, I see their imprint in my personality as well as my administrative style.

Did you know that the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers are God's gift to the church? Read in Ephesians (4:8-12) and discover this truth. God uses these gifts to equip His saints so that they can fulfill their purpose in the kingdom.

Have you been blessed by the "five-fold" ministry? Is there an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor or teacher that has influenced your life? Have you received investment from one of God's gifts? If so, take time to thank them today for their sacrifice. Send them a card or an email. Post something on their Facebook page or Twitter feed. Let them know you're thankful for the gift of ministry!

While you may not know the following men and women of God, allow me to use this blog to express my thanks for the gift of ministry to the following:

Sis. Anne Wilkins
Pastor & Mrs. Jim Gideon
Pastor & Mrs. Richard Moudy
Pastor & Mrs. Richard Privett
Pastor & Mrs. Paul Kinney
Pastor & Mrs. Rick Stoops

7 Gifts of Christmas, HOPE

2011-12-07T08:09:00.002-06:00

The instability of the economy, sickness, unemployment, political upheaval, and the list could keep on going and growing. To be quite honest, there seems to be little hope in this world. But should there be? After all, this world is not my home. My hope is not in the government, a politicians promise, or even the economy. My hope is beyond this world...it is out of this world!

Titus called it "that blessed hope; the glorious appearing of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ." You see, my hope is not supposed to be in this world or what it can offer. When I face life's hardships, I have a hope that the world didn't give and the world can't take away!

But God is with us too - He is Emmanuel: God with us! Jesus will come again; of this I am sure. My hope is secure in His coming. But my hope is also built that He is with us presently too. WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE!

Read the newspapers, watch the news, and read the internet and you could become very depressed in a short matter of time. Israel is concerned about Iran's nuclear aspirations and has threatened a military strike. Iran has threatened retaliation. Afghanistan and Iraq are no better, even with the Taliban and other terrorist regime's removed. The European economy is in on thin ice. The American dollar is in jeopardy. China has called for a global currency. I could keep going, but I'm getting discouraged just typing these headlines.

And while I'm not denying the reality of our world, the fact is I have hope because it's not rooted in or built on this world. Instead, it is built on Emmanuel: God with us! It is built on the promise of Jesus Christ's return! Where is your hope?

7 Gifts of Christmas, HOLY GHOST

2011-12-06T08:04:00.003-06:00

Under the Old Covenant, the Spirit of God would dwell on men, but in the New Covenant the Spirit of God would dwell in men! The gift of the Holy Ghost was promised and prophesied. Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law and enacted the New Covenant, and a few days after His ascension the Holy Ghost was first poured out on about 120 gathered in an upper room. They had been told to go there and tarry for the promise. They tarried and believed and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind. It filled all the house where they were sitting. Cloven tongues, like as fire, set upon each of them, and they began to speak in tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. From that Day of Pentecost until today, the gift of the Holy Ghost continues to be given.

It's for the rich and the poor. It's for the young and the old. It's for the educated and the unlearned. It's for whosoever will. In fact, Peter preached that the promise is for you, and your children, and all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call!

Those 1st Century Jews experienced the power of the gift of the Holy Ghost and a while later, they saw it spread to the Samaritans. Then another few years and they saw it spread to the Gentiles. Before long it was said of the early church, "these are they who have turned their world upside down."

I've received many gifts in my life... Toys that I no longer own or play with... Gadgets that have broken or lost their usefulness due to more advanced technology... Cologne that eventually was used up and gone... Perishable food that either had to be eaten or would rot... And so forth...

But this gift of the Holy Ghost is one that keeps on giving. It never runs out. I haven't outgrown it. It cannot be replaced by advanced technology. It hasn't run out like a bottle of cologne. In fact, it just keeps getting better and better every day!

This gift of the Holy Ghost guides me, strengthens me, helps me, corrects me, and gives me power to overcome! The chains of sin and shame no longer hold me captive. I traded in my guilt for this gift. My turmoil became a testimony when I received this gift. The mess I had made of my life has now become a miracle after receiving this gift. I have to admit that the Holy Ghost is the best, all-time-favorite-gift I have ever received!

If you do not have this gift, then do what I did. Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost!

7 Gifts of Christmas, LIFE

2011-12-05T09:19:00.000-06:00

Christmas.

A season of giving. A season of hope. Time that is treasured with loved ones. Regardless of one's religious affiliation, there seems to be a spirit of helping others in need during this time. And while retailers and consumers have helped to commercialize Christmas, many enjoy doing things for those less fortunate and fulfilling a more true meaning of Christmas.

One of the greatest verses in the Bible is John 3:16. For God so loved the world that He gave... These words challenge us. They inspire us. They cause us to realize that without Him we are nothing. And James 1:17 tells us that every good and perfect gift comes from the Father.

Life is a great gift. If you've seen the classic, "It's a Wonderful Life", you'll recall that George Bailey realizes the true meaning of life. Even though his situation seemed hopeless, his life did have meaning. I love the scene where he says, "I want my life back. I want to live again."

Jesus Christ is life. He came to bring life more abundantly. If we remain steadfast and immovable and always abound in His Word, we will inherit eternal life. What could be better than that?

How do you view your life? Maybe you've been dealt a bad hand and feel that all is hopeless. Maybe the economy has left you penniless. Maybe you've made a mistake or two and are dealing with the consequences. Maybe you don't feel that life is fair right now. Whatever you lot, consider the words of Billy Sunday, "What we see as we go through life always depends upon where we stand to look."

Stand on the Rock (Christ Jesus) and you'll see "life" through a whole new lens. If you've ever flown, or climbed a high ridge or mountain, you've seen the ground beneath you from a different perspective. Think about how God sees your situation. He knows the end from the beginning! He sees things differently. Join Him from His point of view the next time you consider your circumstance.

Maybe you will die a pauper. Maybe this earthly life will leave you with nothing. However, if you know Jesus Christ and have been born again, you have a promise of eternal life. Like Lazarus the beggar, you will be taken to a place of peace and promise. This hope of eternal life outweighs any difficulty I face on earth. I've truly been given the gift of life.

Where is Your Heart?

2011-12-03T16:05:00.000-06:00

What drives you? What compels you? What are you passionate about? Where is your heart? Jesus answers the question...

Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV)
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,
20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

What do you treasure on earth? If you could only grab a couple of things while racing out of your burning home, what would they be? Oh sure, we know some things are irreplaceable while others can be easily replaced. But, remember, you can only grab a couple of things, so what do you grab?

Maybe you've answered this type of questioning before. Maybe you've thought about it before. But I want to compel you to think about them again. Robert Brault said, "Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things."

What do you treasure? That's where your heart is. Does your Bible collect dust? Is it merely a bookend on your bookshelf? Or do you read it with desire to comprehend? Is it easier to read a novel or watch a movie than it is to read His Word? Where is your treasure? Where is your heart?

Does $100 look big in the offering plate yet small at the grocery store? Can you easily justify spending $100 on the latest gadget, but find it hard to give the same $100 to support missionaries? Why is it so easy to tip the waitress yet neglect to tithe at church? Where is your treasure? Where is your heart?

At the end of life, there will not be any U-Haul's in your funeral procession. You may amass great wealth and live comfortably throughout your life, but none of that wealth will go with you into eternity. Some use their wealth to gain access and benefits in life. They upgrade to 1st class when traveling, and receive executive treatment over those who don't have their status or income. But none of that status will be relevant in eternity. No one will take their "rewards" card with them to meet God.

When you stand before God, what will you have invested in eternity? Jesus spoke of a man whom He called a fool because while he had many riches on earth, he was bankrupt in eternity! Where is your treasure? Where is your heart?

As you answer these questions today, remember, "Only what you do for Christ will last." And remember what Christian martyr Jim Elliot said, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose."

Where is your heart?

Why do you do What you do?

2011-12-02T11:24:00.001-06:00

Why do you do what you do?

Do you live religiously so that you will be rewarded or recognized publicly?

I know we all need a pat on the back and an "atta-boy or atta-girl" every once in a while. Affirmation fuels our passion to perform. But do you need to be affirmed in order to do a good job?

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus makes us choose between being rewarded on earth or in eternity...

Matthew 6:16-18 (ESV)
16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

This time, Jesus deals with the subject of fasting to illustrate the choice between earthly or eternal rewards. Fasting is often misunderstood, so let's explore what fasting is and isn't...

Fasting does not twist God's arm and make Him do what you're trying to get Him to do. Some think that if they fast long enough, they will earn the right to be heard by God. However, the Bible tells us to "boldly approach the throne of Grace." We are "sons of God" who are led by His Spirit, therefore, we already have His attention. Furthermore, we are instructed to bring our requests to God with thanksgiving by prayer and supplication.

Fasting is not to be done so that everyone knows you're fasting. Jesus specifically addresses those trying to appear religious by disfiguring their faces in order to be seen by others. This type of religion only brings an earthly reward and has no merit in eternity.

Fasting is purely an opportunity for you to deny your flesh in order to cleanse your spirit so that you can more clearly Hear the voice of God and follow His Spirit. Fasting is important. It serves a purpose. And that purpose is to deny the flesh.

Fasting serves as a consistent reminder that I need to crucify my flesh. While food is the most common type of fasting, there is also merit to fasting from other things like video games, entertainment, online social networking, etc. Anytime one denies their flesh and opens their spirit to more of the Holy Spirit, this is a positive thing.

However, don't do it to be noticed. Don't announce your fast to others hoping to be patted on the back. Don't fast in hopes that you'll be paraded across the platform and praised for what you're doing. Instead, fast "in secret" so that God may reward you!

How Can I Forgive When it Hurts so Much?

2011-10-19T18:56:00.003-05:00

Matthew 6:14-15 (ESV)
14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,
15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Forgiveness hurts. The one forgiving feels as if they suffer a loss. And in fact, there is a loss involved. Jesus used money to help explain the principle of forgiveness. A king was owed 10,000 talents. In today's economy, gold is about $1,100 per ounce. There are 7,196 ounces in 10,000 talents, thus making what this man owed $7,915,600.00.

I have debt, but not $8 million worth.

In that Bible parable, the man who owed that debt would never be able to repay it. I fall into that category too. And not just economically. I owed that type of impossible debt to the Lord as well. My sin was an $8 million mess. But God specializes in making miracles out of messes.

However, it hurts to forgive. Just as Jesus. Forgiveness is a matter of life and death.

I could not repay the debt I owed for my sin. I had to file spiritual bankruptcy. I had nowhere to turn. No one would take a chance on the loser I was.

Except God!

He chose to forgive, knowing that I would never be able to repay the debt I owed. He took a loss on the transaction. It cost Him His life. And the most amazing part of it all is that He did for me while I was yet a sinner! There is no way I can get good enough to get God. I had to get God in order to become good.

In the same Bible account, the king forgives the man of his 10,000 talents ($8 million). He clears the books, takes the loss, and releases the man from the debt. That's powerful. That's what it feels like when we repent, knowing that we are hopeless and helpless, and God forgives. That's why repenting brings such a feeling of release and relief. A load has been lifted.

But instead of this man passing on the blessing to others, he goes out and immediately finds someone who owes him 100 pence. A pence is a penny and was a days wage for the common man. In other words, this forgiven man was owed one hundred pennies. If you do minimum wage for 100 days to bring this to modern economy, it is less than $6,000 that he was owed.

Let's look at the math. This unnamed servant owes nearly $8 million and after begging for his life and the life of his family, he is forgiven. In one compelling word, the king takes the loss and allows the man to leave free of the debt. This same man is owed less than $6,000 and DOES NOT forgive as he has just been forgiven!

The king hears about this and brings back this unforgiving man. He calls him a wicked servant. And then he puts back on him the $8 million he owed originally and casts the man into prison.

This parable ends with a very life and death reality when Jesus says, "So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses." Matthew 18:35 (KJV)

Forgiveness is a life and death matter. I don't deny that it hurts to forgive. I know it hurts. It hurt my Lord to forgive me - it hurt Him so much, He died. In fact, He died of a broken heart literally. The only way for blood and water to flow is if the heart is broken.

Yes, it might hurt me to take a $6,000 loss. Sure, there are those who have offended me, hurt me, said all manner of evil against me, betrayed me, lied about me, and the list could keep on going. But I would have to forgive 1,334 of them before I could equal the $8 million Jesus forgave me of originally.

I say originally, because I've not been perfect since He first forgave me. I've had to repent since then, in fact, like Paul, I now die daily. So, the reality is I could never forgive enough to equal what He has forgiven me of.

Eternity hinges on forgiveness. Will you allow a $6,000 dispute between you and your brother to keep you from heaven? I won't.

Let's learn from the Greatest - Jesus Christ - and let's forgive others as we have been forgiven.

Forgiveness: The Heart of Prayer

2011-10-17T19:49:00.001-05:00

Matthew 6:9-15 (KJV)
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Jesus gives us a pattern for prayer, but at the heart of prayer is forgiveness. The word "forgive" is mentioned six times in these seven verses. And God will forgive us based on how we forgive others. If that doesn't shake you up, I don't know what will. Notice the word "as" in verse 12 - "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."

If we forgive others, God will forgive us. If we do not forgive others, God will not forgive us. It's that simple. It's that plain.

The debt others owe me pales in comparison to the debt I owe God. God freely forgave me when I repented of my sin (debt). I should freely forgive others of the debt they owe me.

Could it be that forgiveness, or the lack thereof, affects our prayer? I believe it does.

So, if your prayers seem hindered, maybe you should examine your heart. Do you need to forgive someone? Are you holding something over someone's head? Forgiveness can release the bitterness and enhance your prayer life.

Can you forgive others? Can you ask God to forgive others? Jesus did. So did Stephen. Learn to pray like Jesus, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." Learn to pray like Stephen, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge."

Don't allow bitterness and a lack of forgiveness hinder your prayers.

Prayer Perspective

2011-10-16T17:21:00.000-05:00

Matthew 6:5-8 (ESV)
5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.
8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Serving the Living God is a powerful reality. Being able to pray to the Living God is equally powerful. Knowing that He already knows what I have need of before I ask blows my mind!

As a parent, I've learned to look for certain clues which have given me keen insight into something my kids have done or said. Often, they wonder in amazement as to how I figured "it" out. However, this only happens occasionally. But the simple fact is, I don't always know what my kids want or what they have done, especially before they do it or ask for it.

But my Heavenly Father does! He knows what I have need of BEFORE I ask for it. Before I realize my need, God already knows it, and knows what I need to overcome and get through. That's powerful!

This perspective leads me to a better understanding of what prayer is all about. First, though, let's examine what prayer is NOT...

Prayer is not mindless babble.

It is not a one-way lecture.

Prayer is not simply giving God my request list.

Prayer IS my communication with God. It is time to express thanks for who He is and what He does. Prayer is an opportunity for me to draw closer to God and strengthen my relationship with Him.

Praying together is something the Bible instructs us to do. We see this throughout the book of Acts as they daily went to the temple at the hour of prayer. So, why does Jesus suggest that when one prayers to do it alone in their prayer closet?

The daily prayer in the temple was a season of cooperate prayer of the whole church. It was a time to come together to offer to God worship and thanksgiving. However, one should have a relationship with God that transcends church. If your only prayer life is at prayer meeting, you'll be weak in the faith. Creating a consistent relationship with God through private prayer is rewarding and refreshing.

Jesus also addressed those that heaped up empty phrases during prayer, explaining that this somehow qualified their prayers. But the fact is, if you have nothing to say, then remain silent. Maybe God is trying to speak back to you. Saying things for the sake of just saying them makes no sense in conversation, and neither do they in prayer.

Often, I find myself asking God what His prayer requests are. How many times do we take our list to God? And, we should. Scripture tells us to bring our petitions to the Lord with thanksgiving. But, I wonder how many times we pray "locally" when God desires us to pray "globally"!

Consider this - if God answered the prayer requests you prayed for today, who would benefit the most? You? Others?

Keep praying, but change your perspective to how God views prayer. Let it revolutionize your relationship with Jesus. Prayer is not optional, it is vital. Prayer is to the soul what water is to the body. God desires to commune with you. He awaits you in your prayer closet...

Temporal VS Eternal Reward

2011-10-12T16:52:00.000-05:00

Matthew 6:1-4 (ESV)
1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

If someone asks you, "Why are you a Christian?" What is your answer?

Do you serve to be seen? Are you religious so that you will be recognized?

The Pharisees loved to give, but they wanted to be publicly thanked for their giving. They desired the attention that came from being praised by the crowds for their gifts to the poor. But those who desire recognition have already received their reward and will not be honored eternally by God for their gift.

The question that we have to answer is, "Do we want a temporal or an eternal reward?"

What is the motive behind your desire for ministry? I fear too many seek to teach a class, sing or play an instrument on the platform, or preach behind the pulpit so that they will be recognized and rewarded. But this goes against the very essence of what ministry is all about. To be in ministry is to serve, not be served. To be in ministry is to help, love, and lead, and all without expecting to be rewarded, recognized, or even reimbursed.

Yes, I know there is Biblical precedent for giving honor where honor is due, but have you ever noticed that those in ministry often feel awkward about receiving accolades for their service? These types of leaders who serve because they love God and His Church are the backbone of the Body of Christ.

Many are paraded on platforms in our churches. Some have a personality so compelling that they are known from coast to coast. However, some of the greatest heroes of the church are those who are behind the scenes, who are never seen, who rarely (if ever) walk across the platform, but who give their time, effort, and support to others. These unsung heroes will one day be rewarded eternally, and then, everyone will know who they were and how they served.

Which type of person do you desire to be? Which type of reward are you after?

Think about it.......

Striving for Perfection

2011-09-23T18:30:00.000-05:00

Matthew 5:43-48 (ESV)
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Mr. Berry was my high school band teacher. We were in one of my first band practices when he stopped the class and said, "Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect!" His point was that if we practiced it wrong, it didn't matter how much we practiced, we'd still play it wrong. The whole point of practice was to perfect our skill so that when we performed we would be flawless.

Matthew 5:48 challenges us to pattern our lives after God and live perfectly just as He is perfect. Is this really possible? Can we really be perfect? I know, some of you readers might be thinking, "Of course I'm perfect." But I'm not talking about looks or education or anything else that cause pride to swell in our hearts and heads. Can we really be perfect, patterning our lives after God?

It's easy to love those who love us back. We have no problem being a friend to those who are friendly toward us. We can even be cordial to strangers in the checkout line, or those whom we pass on the street. We might even be bold enough to chat with our neighbors. But, when it comes to our enemies, we love to hate them.

But Jesus teaches against the grain of our human philosophy. Rather than fight, maim, and kill your enemy, Jesus says to love them! Instead of cursing those who persecute, Jesus tells us to pray for them! And Jesus practiced what He preached.

One whom He had chosen - Judas Iscariot - betrayed Him, but Jesus washed his feet, ate supper with, and shared the covenant meal together him. In fact, up to the very last time Jesus and Judas talk, Jesus calls Judas "friend." While on the cross, Jesus prayed for His persecutors, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

Yes, Jesus practiced what He taught.

But can we? Can we be perfect like He was perfect?

I think we can!

Stephen was persecuted for declaring the truth about Jesus Christ, and those who were supposed to be his very brothers and countrymen, took him outside the city and stoned him to death. Just prior to his death, Stephen prays, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge."

Yes, it is possible to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. In fact, it's expected of true disciples!

Let's strive for perfection like Jesus. Let's love the unlovable, touch the untouchable, and forgive our enemies. While they "kill" us with their insults, let's "kill" them with kindness. Instead of returning evil for evil, let's return good for evil. Let's not be overcome by evil, but let's overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21).

Above & Beyond

2011-09-19T18:15:00.000-05:00

Matthew 5:38-42 (ESV)
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’
39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.
41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

How do you live for God?

Do you ask or think, "How much do I have to do to be saved?" The rich young ruler asked, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" The use of the word "inherit" has always stuck out to me. An inheritance is granted on the basis of who you know - being born with the right last name. You usually don't have to work very hard at getting an inheritance. Too many people live for God wondering how little they have to do to get by.

This type of thinking is living for God in the minimums. It's only meeting the minimum requirements. It's being an average Christian. One should know, though, that average is as close to the bottom as it is to the top. Laodicea was "average" in that they were lukewarm; neither cold nor hot. God is so turned off by lukewarmness that He said He would spew them out of His mouth! I don't want to live for God in the minimums. I refuse to be an average Christian.

Jesus addresses going above and beyond in Matthew 24:38-42. This message no doubt brought gasps from the audience. Some among them wanted a Savior who would deliver them from the hand of the Romans. They were tired of carrying the Roman soldiers gear for a mile - it was Roman law that you had to do this when compelled by a Roman soldier. However, rather than carry for the required mile - the minimum - Jesus says, "Go two miles!"

WHAT!? Doesn't Jesus know that I've got things to do, places to go, and people to see? Doesn't He realize that the Romans hate us and what we stand for? It's bad enough I have to go one mile, now He wants me to double that!?

What God asks of us doesn't always make sense, but it sure does make saints!

If we lived by the idea of "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" we'd end blind and toothless! If we reacted every time we were slapped, we'd fight constantly! If we counter-sued, we'd never get out of the courtroom. Maybe if we would just do what Jesus taught, we'd be much better off!

A soft answer still turns away wrath...

Fire goes out if you cease to put fuel on it...

In other words, use the WORD and what it teaches! Don't just wear "WWJD" on your ball cap or book bag and not really live it!

Quit living for God in the minimums! Instead, let's give Him our ALL!

I may never have my name on a Hollywood Star. I may never sleep in the Lincoln Bedroom at the White House. I may never drive the fanciest or wear the finest, but if I have given my all to as many as possible - even those who have no way to every repay, then I will have fulfilled a Godly destiny! Some of the financially poorest people I know are the most emotionally and spiritually wealthiest!

So, how do you live for God?

Say What You Mean & Mean What You Say

2011-09-13T16:40:00.000-05:00

Matthew 5:33-37 (ESV)
33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’
34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,
35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.
37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

Communication is very interesting. Perception and assumption play into how we communicate. In fact, it's been taught that 93% of communication is tone of voice, facial gestures, and other non-verbal elements. These are how people perceive what you're saying. This means that only 7% of communication is the actual words you say.

Compound this by social networking and text messages that have caused us to write short blurbs in 140 characters or less. Code such as "LOL" meaning "laugh out loud" or "BRB" meaning "be right back" among other coded text messages have aided in the demise of how we communicate.

In the chosen Scripture text, Jesus is addressing the use of oaths. In the Old Testament, people would swear an oath to what they were saying, but often would fail to follow through. Jesus challenges this declaring that we should "say what we mean and mean what we say."

Consider this - are you a man or woman of your word? Can people trust that when you say something, it will happen? Are you consistent with the nurture and admonition of your children? Do you say one thing and do something else?

We've all heard cliche's like, "The check's in the mail" or "I'll get right on that" when in fact, we haven't even sealed the envelope or written the check yet, nor do we intend to get right on anything, much less whatever it is that we're supposed to be doing. As Christians, we need to mean what we say and say what we mean.

Go apply for a loan at your bank and if you're approved, prepare to sign your name so many times, you'll have a sore wrist the rest of the day. In bygone days, a man's word and a firm handshake constituted trust between two individuals transacting business. Today, with fraud, lying, and people not keeping their word, we have to sign our lives away. We may not be able to change the bank's policies, but we can ensure that we say what we mean and mean what we say.

Let's be men and women of our word.

The Heart of the Matter

2011-08-29T13:49:00.001-05:00

Matthew 5:27-28 (ESV)
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’
28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Jesus begins here with a series of statements "You have heard it said...but I say..." These illustrate that what is now expected is greater that what was previously expected. From this I draw the conclusion that grace is much more restrictive than the law. Grace deals with the heart of the matter!

Specifically in the passage selected, Jesus deals with immorality. But this principle of grace reaches every aspect of life. Outward expressions of separation and holiness are Biblically mandated from God. And if you love Jesus, you will keep His commandments. But equally important is an inward manifestation of separation and holiness.

Adultery is wrong! But Jesus adds to it explaining that looking on a woman and lusting after her in your heart is just as wrong! Sexual impurity begins in the desires of the heart. In fact, I believe all sin begins in the heart (and mind) which is why we must be just as holy on the inside as we are on the outside.

Years ago, Toby Mac stated, "The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today are Christians who profess Jesus with their lips yet deny Him by their lifestyle. This is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable."

I've heard married men say in reference to looking lustfully upon a woman, "I'm just looking at the menu; I'm not ordering anything." To which I reply, "GET OUT OF THE RESTAURANT AND STOP LOOKING AT THE MENU! YOU'VE ALREADY ORDERED!" Furthermore, if you're an unmarried man, look upon a woman, but not lustfully!

According to Scripture, what's in your heart will manifest itself...

Matthew 12:34b (ESV)
...For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

Luke 6:45 (ESV)
The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Deal with your heart. Make sure that it's pure!

Proverbs 4:23 (KJV)
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Near the end of Solomon's prayer of dedication of the Temple, Solomon addresses the heart of the matter...

1 Kings 8:61 (KJV)
Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.

Anger Management!

2011-08-22T17:44:00.000-05:00

Matthew 5:21-24 (ESV)
21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’
22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.
23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,
24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Losing your temper is not the way to get rid of it. Dealing with anger is exacerbated today by our hectic lives. Traffic jams, long lines at the Department of Motor Vehicle, and the McDonalds employee giving you the wrong order and no straws, among other things, all have their ways of ticking us off.

Some have battled their anger so much that courts mandate they enlist in "anger management" classes in order to help them both understand and deal with their anger.

In this passage of His message on the mountain, Jesus deals with the subject of anger. He explains how that a murderer would be held liable to judgment according to the Law, however, He compares anger to murder under the New Covenant! Furthermore, insulting your brother will cause you to have your day in court before the council, and finally, if you were to call your brother a fool, you could be in danger of hell fire! WOW!

I have to pause and wonder how many "amens" Jesus got on that one! I bet you could have heard a pin drop when He shared those words!

Anger is destructive and dangerous. In fact, anger is just one letter shy of "danger." Scripture is replete with warnings against anger. Usually anger manifests itself with the intent of damaging someone else, their property, or their character. Jesus goes straight for the heart of the matter by addressing how even calling someone a fool can be dangerous. Jesus vehemently opposes character assassination and so should we!

Jesus is so serious about this issue that He explains one must first be reconciled to their brother BEFORE they bring their gift to God. WOW! God is serious about our relationship with Him and others. John wrote, "If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen." (1 John 4:20 ESV)

Bottling things up inside is not the way to deal with your anger either. If there is an issue, go to your brother in a spirit of meekness and humility and address the matter.

If you feel that your worship is not what it used to be, maybe it's because you have unresolved anger in your heart. The tragedy is that if you don't deal with it God's way, it will turn into resentment and then bitterness. Bitterness is like a weed that will consume you, and eventually defile you and others around you.

Usually a preacher would tell you to go to the altar and "pray through" over your situation, but in the case of unresolved issues, Jesus tells you to leave the altar and first be reconciled, THEN come back and offer your worship. Obviously prayer and worship are imperative and cannot be ignored, but your prayers will be hindered and your worship hampered if you do not first deal with your anger.

So, let me ask you one final question, "Is it well with your soul?" If yes, then keep on keeping for God and His Church! If it is not well with your soul, then go and be reconciled today.

A Picture of the Church

2011-08-18T19:03:00.000-05:00

Matthew 5:17-20 (ESV)
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Moses was divinely chosen by God to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt into the wilderness. It has been observed that Moses spent 40 years thinking he was somebody, 40 years realizing he was a nobody, and the final 40 years seeing what God can do with nobody's who surrender to His will.

Moses faced off with Pharaoh and fulfilled God's will. As the Hebrews came into the wilderness, Moses was compelled to ascend the mountain and there God revealed His will to him and wrote the Ten Commandments.

Interestingly, at the giving of the Law, 3,000 died. However, at the giving of grace and truth (Pentecost), 3,000 were born again. John wrote that the Law came by Moses and grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

The giving of the Law was a temporary covenant which pointed to and was fulfilled in Christ. The Ten Commandments are still relevant today, even though we are no longer under the Law. In fact, if you read through the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels, you'll find references to "keeping the commandments." Jesus even said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." The epistles also carried on this truth teaching us to love and keep the commandments.

The word commandments is used 88 times in 82 verses in the New Testament and the final one speaks volumes...

Revelation 22:14 (KJV)
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

It is quite obvious that one should abide by the Ten Commandments. They teach us life principles. I believe them to be quite relational, actually. The first four deal with our relationship with God: these are vertical. The final six deal with our relationships with others: these are horizontal.

Do you keep and love the commandments? Why must our righteousness exceed that of the Pharisees? The problem with the Pharisees was that they worshipped the fences they built to protect the Word of God, rather than God Himself. It's one thing to keep the commandments and love them, but if you fall out of love with the Commander, then your religion is in vain. That being said, the Pharisees did keep the practice of the Law and aided in the preservation of the Word of God. If we couple their fear of God with a deep love for God, then we will be covered by His righteousness!

Both Jesus and Paul expressed that love was the "hinge" and the fulfillment of the Law. Without love, the practice of the Law becomes mere tradition and religion. Tradition and religion may work for a while, but it's doubtful that it will last more than one generation. Do you love the Commander? Do you love His word? Love compels me to keep His commandments.

It's similar to my relationship with my bride. I am not necessarily in love with the vows we exchanged. I am, however, deeply in love with my bride. And since I love her, I am willing to keep the vows we made to one another. Fall in love with the Commander and keeping His commandments will be the result of your relationship.

Salt & Light

2011-08-17T17:47:00.000-05:00

Matthew 5:13-16 (ESV)
13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Salt is an agent of change. It seasons. It influences what it comes in contact with. It can help to preserve and even be used in the process of healing. But all of these purposes for salt are moot if salt remains inside of the saltshaker or container it is concealed within.

Are you an agent of change? Do you bring seasoning to other peoples lives? Are you an influencer? Do you aid in the preservation of truth and the healing of the hurting? Jesus did not compare us to salt for no reason. It was not just an empty metaphor. As Christians, we are to be the salt of the earth.

Jesus knew His audience and He knew they would also understand a comparison that we may not be privy to without the aid of historical research. "Pure salt cannot lose effectiveness, but the salt that is common in the Dead Sea area is contaminated with gypsum and other minerals and may have a flat taste or be ineffective as a preservative. Such mineral salts were useful for little more than keeping footpaths free of vegetation." (from The MacArthur Bible Commentary)

I refuse to be reduced to ineffectiveness because I've lost my "saltiness." I will do all I can, every where I can, for as long as I can. I will love the unloveable, touch the untouchable, and forgive my enemies. I am the salt of the earth!

Darkness is not the opposite of light, it is the absence of it. The smallest of light can penetrate through the darkness and begin dissipating it. Light serves to illuminate the path. As Christians we are called to be the light of the world and illuminate the path leading to Christ!

Our lives, our songs, our methods must all point people to Christ. As light, we must show people the way to "The Way!" We are mere reflectors of His glory. He is "that Light" that came into the world. Filled with His Spirit, we now shine to show others that there is hope!

We will be known by our fruit, and if we are truly filled with the Spirit, we will bear the fruit of the Spirit and shine brightly against the darkness of sin and immorality.

We are a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden. Once you've been consumed by "that Light" you cannot conceal it. But why would you want to anyway?

I have an idea - rather than report that society is getting "darker" let's unite together and shine our light brighter for God.

Salt has a way of making people thirsty. Let's be so salty for Christ that people become thirsty for the Living Water that He freely gives. Let's also shine so brightly for Him that there is no question which way leads to the Truth, the Way, and the Life...

The Beattitudes

2011-08-08T19:23:00.000-05:00

Matthew 5-7 contain what is commonly called "The Sermon on the Mount." Jesus was beginning His earthly ministry and had ascended the mountain in order to teach the multitudes following Him. The mountain provided natural amplification so His voice would carry to the masses. However, still today, if you'll listen, His voice still speaks and we can learn much from this great message. Over the next few weeks (months maybe) I am going to blog about "The Sermon on the Mount" and challenge each believer to practice the principles taught from this message. Let's begin with the first part of Jesus' message - the beatitudes.

Matthew 5:3-12 (KJV)
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

How does one discipline themselves to be holy and live righteously in everyday life? Through this message, Jesus expounds to His disciples the reality of discipleship.

The beatitudes illustrate how we life happens in the kingdom of God. Each beatitude opens with the word "blessed" implying more than a temporary or circumstantial feeling. Living wholeheartedly for Christ and His kingdom brings one true joy. Happiness is based on chance. Joy is based in Christ.

The poor in spirit are those who recognize their need of God and His help. A person who thinks they are all that and a bag of chips doesn't need God. Those who feel they are a self-made-whatever, don't feel they need God's help. The poor in spirit recognize that whether they are wealthy or not, whether they are educated or not, they are in need of God and His help. For those willing to admit their spiritual bankruptcy, they will receive inheritance in the kingdom of God. This first beatitude illustrates the difference between what is temporal and what is eternal. Where is your treasure?

They that mourn are those who recognize their loss spiritually and are willing to admit they are in need. The Bible speaks of a godly sorrow that leads to repentance which leads to salvation. True repentance will be preceded by mourning. One has to realize they are lost and at a loss without God. But they who mourn will find comfort. And isn't it marvelous to know that Jesus Christ is the Comforter!

The meek are those who are gentle. They do not assert themselves over other in order to further their own agenda. The meek trust wholly in God, leaving the outcome to Him. This type of living and thinking runs against the grain of societal norms. We are told to be assertive in education, careers, sports, etc. and when one does not assert their agenda, they are mocked. Now, for the record, meekness is not being lazy. One should do what they can, when they can, and as much as they can. However, meekness leaves the outcome to God. Meekness requires trusting God to provide you an inheritance.

Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are those who know that God is the only source of righteousness. These have a hunger to have the righteousness of God manifest in their daily lives. And for those who hunger, God will fill them! If you truly desire a relationship with God, He will fulfill your request. What do you hunger for?

The merciful are they who show kindness and forgiveness to others. And those who forgive, show kindness, and are merciful, will themselves be forgiven, treated kindly, and receive mercy. This beatitude teaches the principle of the harvest - what you sow, you will also reap. Are you sowing mercy or judgment?

The pure in heart are they who seek purity inwardly and outwardly. In fact, if one is not pure inwardly, their outward purity is hypocritical. One cannot truly be pure withint without also being pure without, and vice versa. Those who are truly pure in heart will see God.

The peacemakers are they who make peace. Notice it doesn't say "peace-keepers." Peacemakers will be called the sons of God. These who promote the peace of God on the earth, those who wear the shoes of readiness of the gospel of peace will be known as the sons of God. Another verse states that they who do the will of God, they are the sons of God. Want to be in the will of God? Then be a peacemaker.

The persecuted for righteousness sake are those who have been mistreated because of their faith. Whenever someone continues to serve God faithfully in spite of being persecuted, they obtain favor with God. These who are persecuted for Christs sake have a hope that they will be a part of the kingdom of heaven!

The reviled and persecuted who have evil said of them should take heart in that Jesus Christ - our Lord and supreme example - was also persecuted. But we should also take heart in that we have a reward in heaven for being persecuted.

The beatitudes teach us a way of higher living. This higher life is possible through being born again. You can live like Jesus Christ. The question is, "Do you want to?" Remember, Paul said, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Staying & Sowing

2011-07-11T00:03:00.000-05:00

Genesis 26 gives quite the historical account. There is a famine in the land. It is apparent that the famine is not in Egypt because people are relocating there in hopes of surviving. Isaac is no doubt considering making the journey to Egypt also. It only makes sense that he would consider doing this. What husband/father wouldn't do everything in their power to provide for their family? However, God speaks to Isaac and tells him NOT to go to Egypt, but rather to stay in Gerar. God further speaks to Isaac, confirming the covenant He had made with Abraham. Then the Bible records these precious words...

"And Isaac dwelt in Gerar."

It's one of the smallest verses in the Bible, yet these five words sum up what the whole Bible is about = OBEDIENCE! Isaac didn't need to fast and pray for forty days and nights. He didn't need to receive seven confirmations. God said "stay" and Isaac stayed!

Now, imagine how Rebekah or their servants must have felt, or what they must have thought. Maybe they've been packing up and preparing to make the convey to Egypt. Isaac comes home and tells everyone that God has spoken to him and that they are not going to leave, but rather stay. Isaac might have heard the following questions:

"Isaac, are you sure you've heard from God?"

"Does God realize there is a famine here?"

"Did you fall off your camel and bump your head?"

In a famine the ground is parched and unable to produce a harvest. Without a harvest there is no food. If there is no food, you don't live! This was life or death. But if these questions were asked of Isaac, they didn't detour him from obeying God. Scripture does not record Isaac questioning God, or asking for a confirmation, or changing his mind. God said "stay" and Isaac stayed! Period.

This alone is a great message. Obedience to God's Word is a most beautiful message. However, what Isaac does next is even more impressive. Read Genesis 26:12.

"Then Isaac sowed in that land..."

Isaac sowed good seed on bad ground. I mean, if you're going to stay, you might as well sow too, right? No wonder Isaac's name means "laughter." I can imagine the procession of those leaving town were laughing at Isaac all the way out of town. But that didn't matter to Isaac. God had told him to stay and he stayed. He knew he needed to feed his family, and his obedience led him to faith. Isaac had to believe that God would provide for him in spite of the famine, so he sowed. Now, let's look again to Genesis 26 and see the rest verse 12 and also verse 13:

"Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him. (13) And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great."

Isaac feasted in a famine because he stayed and sowed!

Go ahead and try it. Be obedient to God and let your obedience lead you to great faith in God.

As for me and my house, we're staying and sowing, and expecting a 100-fold harvest!

Fully Persuaded!

2011-06-01T16:44:00.000-05:00

Paul writes some very powerful things about the life of Abraham. Let's see what he says...

Romans 4:17-22 (KJV)
17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:
20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

1) Against hope, Abraham believed in hope!

Biologically, he and Sarah had passed the point of no return. It was impossible for them to have children. Her womb was dead. He was 100 and she was 90.

Have you ever had someone say, "There's no hope." Maybe you've heard a doctor, loan officer, or other professional utter those words to you. I have no doubt that Abraham had someone utter those words to him, but against hope, he believed in hope!

2) He was NOT weak in faith!

He did not allow the impossibility of his situation to detour his faith. John MacArthur writes that being weak in faith "occurs when doubt erodes one's confidence in God's Word."

This has been the devil's deception from the beginning - to get you to question God's Word: to turn an exclamation point into a question mark. But not Abraham! No sir! No ma'am! He was not weak in faith!

3) He did not stagger in unbelief!

He didn't vacillate between doubt and faith. When each day passed and still no pregnant wife, Abraham did not stagger in unbelief. He trusted God's Word and trusted God's timing!

Sometimes we face things that cause our faith to be tested - but how will we test the faithfulness of God unless our faith in Him is tested?

4) Abraham was fully persuaded!

We often say, "God said it. I believe it. That settles it." However, I believe that when God says it, that settles it! This was how Abraham lived!

Is there anything too hard for God?

Nothing is impossible with God!

I know that when you're faced with uncertainty and can't seem to see a way out that you feel trapped. Believe me, I've been there. How do you face an uncertain economy, skyrocketing health insurance, and the threat of $5.00 a gallon for gas?

How do you deal with the doctors report? They can't determine what is wrong, and therefore are unsure of not only treatment, but also a cure?

I will tell you how you deal - you do exactly what Abraham did! Against hope, believe in hope! Don't be weak in faith! Don't stagger around in unbelief! Remain fully persuaded in the promises of God!

While there are uncertainties all around us, the fact is that with God there are no uncertainties! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever! His Word is forever settled in heaven! He never fails or forsakes!

Knowing God's Will

2011-05-17T18:22:00.000-05:00

Trying to figure out the will of God leaves some confused. They don't know which direction to go or what to do. This can lead to strange methods of determining God's will, as well as discouragement if or when something doesn't happen like we think it should.

The Bible may not have a chapter or verse that tells you your future spouses name, or whether or not you should buy a Honda or a Toyota, but the Bible does speak clearly about the will of God. If you'll do what the Bible says on a daily basis, you'll always be in the will of God. It really is that simple.

And those who do the will of God are considered to be part of the family of God. Jesus said, "For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother." (Mark 3:35 ESV)

1) Being a good citizen is the will of God!

1 Peter 2:13-15 (ESV)
13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme,
14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.
15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.

Voice your opinion, stand up for what is right, and exercise your right to vote. And be a good citizen about it.

I can only imagine what Peter must have felt as the Holy Ghost moved upon him to write these words. You have to realize the oppression they were under. The Romans had put demands upon their citizens and upon those whom they had conquered, and at times it was overbearing. Taxation became a problem. Political officials accepted bribes to vote certain ways. Those with money could buy their way out of problems that the common man had to deal with. Kind of sounds like the USA today, doesn't it.

And while I realize there is corruption in politics, I still must remain a good citizen. Why? Because it is the will of God for me to do so.

2) Moral purity is the will of God!

1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 (ESV)
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;
4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,
5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;
6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you.
7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.
8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

The moral fabric of society unravels more and more each day. I can remember when certain clothing was banned from public schools, and yet today the dress code of many is provocative and immodest.

And while this seems to be at epidemic levels, let us also realize that the age of social networking and the internet have created a major outlet for porn and immorality. It is the will of God that we exercise self control remaining morally pure!

I won't visit a "red-light" district downtown, and neither will I visit an immoral website. Why, because it is the will of God that I remain morally pure.

3) Giving thanks is the will of God!

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV)
give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

The KJV states, "In every thing give thanks..." We live in a very thankless society. Unfortunately, a generation has risen that seems to be unthankful. In fact, a part of the perilous times that is prophesied for the last days includes unthankfulness.

The will of God for you is to be thankful in ALL CIRCUMSTANCES! I will not allow my circumstances to detour me from being grateful and thankful to God for who He is! I will be thankful when things go good or when things go bad. Similar to the vows I exchanged with my wife, I will be thankful in the good days and the bad ones, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, till death do us part!

These three important Scriptures give explicit detail to the knowing the will of God. Could it be that as we are thankful in all things, remain morally pure, and are good citizens that we must just "stumble" upon the will of God in our daily lives.

I fear too many are searching for some mysterious "will of God" that doesn't exist. Opening your Bible and dropping your finger upon it while your eyes are closed may lead you to a good passage, or might lead you to something you don't want to read. Basing the will of God on feelings or whether or not the sun shines today will also lead to confusion.

Why not just practice a daily life of being good, remaining morally pure, and being thankful? In this practice, I believe that one will always be in the will of God, no matter what the circumstance.

Oh, by the way, it is eternally important to do the will of God...

1 John 2:15-17 (ESV)
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.
17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Revelation Song!

2011-03-27T08:40:00.000-05:00

"Revelation Song" is one my most favorite songs of all time.

A good friend of mine, Bro. Samuel Cuellar, shared this video with me and I wanted to share it with you...

Overtaken by Blessings (Psalm 23:6)

2011-02-26T11:37:00.000-06:00

Psalm 23:6 (KJV)
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

The word follow is from the Hebrew word RADAPH and means, "to run after; to chase; to pursue." In other words, God's goodness and mercy run after me, chase me, and pursue me! WOW! My Shepherd really does love me. I may never shake hands with a celebrity, I may never be on the top 500 wealthiest people list, but my Shepherd's goodness and mercy overtake me!

And notice, God's blessings don't just pursue me temporarily, but ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE! When I'm going through the valley of the shadow of death, my Shepherd's goodness and mercy are still chasing me. When I'm led into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil, my Shepherd's goodness and mercy run after me. When I'm rejected and betrayed and wounded in the house of those who claim to be friends, my Shepherd's goodness and mercy pursue me.

That's why I can wake up every day, regardless of circumstances, and declare, "This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!" I make a conscience effort to rejoice each day regardless of where I am or what I'm going through. Realizing that His blessings follow me every day gives me the strength to press on. After all, the joy of the Lord is my strength, and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Besides, His peace passes all understanding, and His joy is unspeakable and full of glory. Oh, and His hope is eternal and never disappoints. His love is everlasting, His mercy endures to all generations, and His truth endures forever. I have many reasons to be glad and rejoice! And for the record, no celebrity, employer, or politician has ever done this much for me - nor will they.

Friend, you may be reading this blog and be under the stress of life, wearied by your trek in the wilderness, but let me encourage you to turn around - goodness and mercy are hot on your trail - you are about to be overtaken by God's blessings!

But wait: there's more!

David ends this most famous of psalms with these words, "and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever." Now, unless one retires from all everything and goes to live like a monk in a monastery, isn't this impossible?

NO!

Why? Because we are the temple of the Holy Ghost; that's why!

And even though David was under the Old Covenant, he had a clear understanding of the New Covenant. Maybe even better than some today who profess Christianity with their lips but deny Christ with their lifestyles. Could this be why David was a man after God's own heart, to do all God's will? I think so.

Church is not something I do or attend. I am the church! On the way to work, I can celebrate in the presence of the Lord. I can use my couch in my living room as an altar for prayer. I can reflect God's glory and grace in the grocery store. In other words, I can (and will) dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life!

He pursues me daily with goodness and mercy, I choose to pursue His presence in order to worship and adore Him. He's done more for me than anyone. He saved me. He healed me. He forgave me. He set me up on the Rock. I've got a right to praise Him, and I will exercise that right daily!

Rules of Engagement (Psalm 23:5)

2011-02-25T13:22:00.000-06:00

Psalm 23:5 (KJV)
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou annoinest my oil; my cup runneth over.

Unfortunately, war has been a part of humanity since sin entered the world. Some battles have been fought over land, others because of arrogant ambition, and some to protect the innocent from tyranny.

Spiritually, there is a war that continues to be waged as well. It's the war for the soul, and Satan strives to kill, steal, and destroy God's flock.

David explains that God prepares a table in the presence of our enemies. This means that God sets the rules of engagement and the terms and rules of war. It's similar to the exchange between God and Satan concerning Job: "You can touch his family and things, but not him" and "You can touch him but not his soul." In both of these instances, God set the terms and Satan had to abide by them.

The Bible tells me that God will not put on me more than I can bear, therefore, I am encouraged to know that He is the one who sets the terms of war. God knows what I can handle, and for how long. He has prepared a table before in the presence of my enemies, and they have to abide by the rules of engagement that God has set forth.

Furthermore, God anoints my head with oil. Bedouin shepherds desire to protect their flocks against all enemies. When they get ready to bed down for the night, they will build a sheepfold, and the shepherd will lay at the entrance of the sheepfold making himself the door. This is interesting because Jesus said, "I am the door of the sheepfold."

But what about the oil? To protect the sheep against attacks from adders, the shepherd will rub oil on the face and head of the sheep, and pour oil in as many holes as he can find. The oil acts as a repellent against adders, protecting the sheep from being bitten and harmed. God anoints us so that we are protected from the bite of the Satan.

Finally, my cup runs over! God doesn't just give me a little blessing; instead, He fills my cup so full that it overflows! God's abundant provision and protection are not limited. In fact, my Shepherd is illimitable! TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!!!!!

God is your shepherd. You can trust Him completely.

Walking Through the Valley (Psalm 23:4)

2011-02-21T16:51:00.001-06:00

Psalm 23:4 (KJV)
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Life is filled with ups and downs. Some days it rains, other days it shines. The winter wind can chill you to the bone, with the summer sun can scorch you, sapping you of your strength.

The ocean ebbs and flows. Seasons come and go. Children grow up. Life changes. Night follows day, and day breaks again.

It amazes me that we understand all of this, and even accept it, but when we get into a spiritual valley, we often feel hopeless and helpless.

Allow me to share with you some ways in which you can overcome the tendency to allow your emotions to drive you crazy during the valleys you walk through.

First, let me retype the verse, emphasizing two very important words - "Yea, though I WALK THROUGH the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."

OK, just in case you didn't see the two words which are bold-faced, underlined, italicized, highlighted, and spelled in all upper case letters, let me give them to you again - WALK THROUGH...

Valley's are not permanent - they are temporal! When I go through one, I "go through" it. I'm not taking up residency in the valley.

Too many have a misconception about valley's. They think that the valley is a place of depression and despair, when actually it serves as a place of refreshing. Sure, the view from the mountaintop is breathtaking and the experience is awesome, but I'm not in love with the experience; instead, I'm in love with the One who leads me!

The Bible explains that the steps of the righteous are ordered of the Lord. The Word of God serves as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. So why do we complain when our Lord leads us into a valley experience? Don't we trust Him in all things and at all times?

The reason valley's are not depressing and I can walk through them unafraid is because of the next words in Psalm 23:4 - for thou art with me... You see, I'm not alone in this valley! My Shepherd is leading me into and through this valley, so I'm not afraid. And my Shepherd's rod and staff comfort me. How? Because He uses them to count me into the sheepfold each night and to ward off any potential predators.

In the first three verses of Psalm 23, David writes in the third person. David writes to us, explaining his appreciation of his Shepherd. In verses 4-6, David writes in the first person and each verse is directed to God personally. Let's spend half of our time telling others about how good our Shepherd is to us, and the other half of our time telling our Shepherd how thankful we are for all He does for us.

Guided by God (Psalm 23:2-3)

2011-02-13T13:42:00.001-06:00

Psalm 23:2-3 (KJV)

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Technology is amazing. We can guide missiles with accurate precision. We have GPS's that can guide us through traffic to our destination. Surgeons use guided lasers to perform surgeries. Yet, with all this technological ability to be guided, let us not forget that God guides us. Long before a "Global Positioning System" people relied upon their "God Positioning System." In these next two verses of Psalm 23, David shows God guiding us.

1) He maketh me to lie down in green pastures...

God knows we need rest. Even though He didn't need to rest, He rested on the seventh day of creation, setting apart this day of rest as holy.

In the fast-paced lifestyle we live today, we must learn to "be still and know that He is God." Anxiety runs rampant today, we must learn to cast all our cares on Him, for He cares for us.

Be guided by God into the green pastures, where you can lie down and relax. If you're of the opinion that "the devil never rests so why should I," remember that Jesus, not the devil, is your example. Jesus rested. He would "come apart" from the crowds to rest. If you don't learn to "come apart" you'll fall apart!

Too many irons in the fire will put the fire out!

If you're burning the candle at both ends, you're not as bright as you think you are!

Let God guide you to some green pastures.

2) He leadeth me beside the still waters...

Sheep are afraid of rushing water. Swift waters are also a risk to the sheep because it could sweep them downstream and they would drown.

The Master Shepherd knows your needs. He knows how much you can bear. He knows what you can handle and what you cannot. He will not lead you to places you cannot survive!

3) He restoreth my soul...

The word "restoreth" comes from the Hebrew word SHUWB and means, "to retreat or withdraw, but not in the sense of starting over, but to get oneself back again; to regain lost strength."

WOW! If that doesn't say it all, I don't know what does.

My Shepherd knows when I need to "get myself back again - to regain lost strength" and He guides me to places where my soul can be restored.

The next time you feel like God doesn't care or know where you are, please re-read Psalm 23 and this blog and remind yourself that God does care!

He sees every sparrow that falls. He numbers the hairs on our head. He names and numbers the stars. You're more valuable than a bird, or the stars, or how many hairs you have on your head!

4) He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake...

God will never lead you astray. He will never lead you in sin. He will lead you in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake!

The sum total of all my righteousness is "filthy rags." I cannot get good enough to get God. I have to get God to get good enough! This is why my Shepherd leads me in HIS righteous paths. My ways lead to destruction. His way leads to life eternal.

Where God guides; God provides!

And where He leads me, I will follow!

The Lord is... (Psalm 23:1)

2011-02-11T11:33:00.000-06:00

Psalm 23 is one the most quoted of all the psalms. It shows the beautiful relationship between the Shepherd (God) and the sheep (you and I). Who better than David to have written this psalm? He was a shepherd before he was a king. And David never seemed to forget his roots. Maybe this could be part of the reason that David was a man after God's own heart.

Each verse of Psalm 23 contains deep truths. Let's see what we can discover as we study to show ourselves approved unto God...

The Lord is...

The Lord is - He exists! He is real! He is alive! One of the major differences between Christianity and all other religions of the world is that our Messiah rose from the dead!

When you feel all alone, remember "The Lord is..." - He will never leave you nor forsake you! Jesus said, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the earth."

When you feel like no one understands what you're going through, remember "The Lord is..." - He is touched by the feelings of our infirmities. He was tempted in all points like we are. He knows where we are and what we are going through. And He is right there with us, going through it with us! In fact, He is leading us through it.

We serve a God who "IS"... He is with us... He understands... He leads... He loves... The Lord is...

The Lord is my shepherd...

Shepherds lead and love their sheep. They willingly lay down their lives to protect the sheep. They are not hired hands who just collect a paycheck. Shepherds love the sheep, care for the sheep, and devote their lives to the sheep!

But notice something else: The Lord is my shepherd... It's personal! I can have a personal relationship with MY shepherd. It's more than just religious rote and ritual, IT'S RELATIONSHIP! It's more than just a song with catchy lyrics and beautiful harmony. The Lord is MY shepherd!

The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want!

My shepherd does three things for me...

Protects - He guards me!
Progresses - He guides me!
Provides - He grows me!

This three-part plan is sufficient for me. I may never have the prestige or popularity afforded to celebrities. I may never have affluence in the earth. But The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want! He guards me, guides me, and grows me! What more could I ask for. Besides, all that the world has to offer will fade away, but he that does the will of the Lord abides forever.

The word "want" in Psalm 23:1 is from the Hebrew word CHACER and it means "to lack." The Lord is my shepherd I shall not lack! You see, my God shall supply all my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. I can agree with David, I too have never seen the righteous forsaken, nor His seed begging bread! WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE!

I am a Stranger in the Earth

2011-02-01T00:01:00.004-06:00

Psalm 119:19 (KJV)
I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.

This world is not my home; I'm just passing through. My treasure is not found in what this world has to offer. The things of this life will fade away. I am a foreigner - a sojourner - a wanderer. I'm only here temporarily. The "home" of my body will one day be traded for a spiritual body made in the complete image of Jesus Christ. The physical address where I currently live is also temporary. While I'm grateful for my bride and children who make our house a "home," we also realize that it is not permanent. Our home is eternal in the heavens.

In the land of the free and the home of the brave, I fear we've allowed the American Dream to overcome Apostolic Vision! We aspire to have affluence and desire to fulfill destiny, and define success by corporate standards rather than by Christ's statutes!

Have we become like the Church of the Laodiceans: "rich and increased with goods, having need of nothing?" The Laodiceans had influence and affluence. The sign and the bulletin said "Church" but something was missing. Actually, "Someone" was missing. Jesus tells the Laodiceans, "Behold I stand at the door and knock." Jesus wasn't even inside their church, and yet they didn't even realize it.

Are we so consumed with keeping a schedule that we're no longer led by the Spirit? Have we grown so used to the ways of the world that we've forgotten the will of God's Word?

I am not an alarmist by any stretch of the imagination. Yet, with recent news from China and Egypt, specifically, something in my spirit is connecting with the Holy Spirit. We don't have much time left. Don't become so comfortable on this earth fellow laborers. We are to strangers in the earth, not permanent residents!

I long for the day when I hear the last trumpet sound and this mortal is traded for immortality and this corruption is traded for incorruption! Yes, I have my hand to the plow and I'm planting and watering expecting God to give the increase. But I am also looking up because any day now, my redemption could draw near. I'm looking for that blessed hope, the glorious appearing of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This world is not my home, I am simply a stranger in the earth!

This worlds wealth pales in comparison to the crown of glory that awaits me. Popularity and position are cheap imitations of enjoying the Presence of Almighty God. My name may never be engraved in Hollywood. I may never be in the Fortune 500 Club. But, my name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life, and I am a part of the Bride of Christ. That trumps any and every other earthly affiliation!

In the "Hall of Faith," (Hebrews 11), we read quite the epitaph of some Godly heroes...

Hebrews 11:13-16 (KJV)
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Hebrews 11:38 (KJV)
(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

These heroes of faith made mistakes, but they are not defined by them because they overcame through repentance. What sets these apart, is that they realized that the "promise" of God was of greater value than anything on or in the earth.

I care not what society thinks of me. Lazarus was a beggar and regarded with disdain. However, while Lazarus never possessed this earth's wealth or prestige, when he died, he was carried to Abraham's bosom. In the same parable, Jesus explains that the rich man who saw Lazarus daily at his own gate, when he died, went to hell. This parable does not imply that wealthy people will automatically go to hell and beggars will automatically go to heaven. What is does teach, though, is that one had treasure where it mattered most! Do you?

Examine the account of your life today fellow laborer. Take stock of your priorities. What do you value? Where is your treasure? I cannot examine for you, but as for me, I am a stranger in the earth. My home is eternity with Jesus Christ.

I Will Give You All. (Psalm 119:169-176)

2011-01-31T00:01:00.002-06:00

Psalm 119:169-176 (KJV)
169 Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy word.
170 Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word.
171 My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes.
172 My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.
173 Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts.
174 I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.
175 Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me.
176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.

"I will give You all. I will give You all. If all is what You ask of me, I will not withhold. And if my sacrifice is less, than giving You my very best; help me remember Calvary's cost and be willing to say yes." This song is one of my all time favorites. But I fear that I've sang it sometimes and not really meant it. It sounds good with the keyboards, guitars, drums, organs, horns, and vocals harmonizing, but sometimes that's where I've stopped. It's easy to sing, "I will You all" when you don't have much to give. But what if God requires your all?

The Bible tells us to be a living sacrifice, but the problem with living sacrifices is they can get up off the altar and walk away. This is why we need to DIE to our flesh, our desires, and our passions. We must pray the prayer that Jesus prayed, "Not my will but Thine be done O' Lord." This final stanza of Psalm 119 speaks of giving of our all to God.

Our minds...

The psalmist prays, "Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy word." I want understanding, but I don't want to twist God's Word to fit me. Instead, I must change myself to fit the Word and it all starts in the mind.

I want my head (mind) anointed with fresh oil every day. David declared that this is what God does for us, "Thou anointest my head with oil..." Isaiah spoke about having our minds fixed upon the Lord and said, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee."

Our mouth...

The psalmist prays, "My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes. My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness." If carnal comedians can open their mouths and take the name of the Lord in vain, then I can - I MUST - open my mouth to declare His Word. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I will give an answer to anyone who asks me about the hope that I have within me.

Our will (spirit)...

The psalmist prays, "Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts." Moses commanded the people of God to make a choice and he himself chose the sufferings of the Hebrews over the pleasures of sin in Egypt for a season. Joshua called for a choice to be made and declared his own choice of God. Elijah stood on Mount Carmel and called Israel to choose. Jesus rebuked Laodicea because they were neutral (lukewarm) and had not made a choice between hot or cold. I choose God's precepts. I cannot change the message; the message MUST change me!

Our emotions (heart)...

The psalmist prays, "I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight." Jesus taught that where are treasure is, there will our heart be also. Do we only put away treasures on earth, or do we also lay up treasure where moth and rust cannot corrupt? Do we long to please God, delighting in what makes Him happy?

Our conscience (soul)...

The psalmist prays, "I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments." I don't ever want to forget where God brought me from, nor do I ever want to forget God's commandments. I want God to control every part of my life, including my soul (my conscience). I want God to use my conscience to help direct and lead me in His paths, convicting me if I go astray.

The following lyrics sum up this blog: "Lord I give You my heart; I give You my soul. I live for You alone. Every breath that I take; every moment I'm awake; Lord have Your way in me." Let's sing it, but let's also live it!

Another one of my all-time favorite songs is, "I surrender all. I surrender all. All to Thee my Blessed Savior. I surrender all." I want to sing this song and mean it too. My life is not my own anymore. My will has been dissolved so that I might fulfill His will. I've given up my dream to fulfill His vision for my life. I surrender to His plan and purpose for me. "Lord, take my mind and mouth. Take my heart, spirit, and soul. Take all of me and use me for your glory."

The Master walked into a room filled with vessels desiring to use one of them for a special purpose. The gold vessel spoke first, "Master use me. I'm of much value, and I will shine bright for you." But the Master kept looking. The silver vessel then said, "Master use me. I will reflect Your image." But the Master kept looking. One by one, the vessels told the Master what they would do if He would but just choose them. However, the Master kept looking, until finally, an earthen vessel stood before Him and said, "Master, I will pour out for others what You pour into me." And this vessel was the one the Master chose for His special purpose.

I want to be like that earthen vessel of honor - Lord, let me freely give to others what You have freely given to me. Let me pour out for others what You've poured into me! I will give You all! It's more than a song to me...

Gold Rush (Psalm 119:161-168)

2011-01-30T00:01:00.001-06:00

Psalm 119:161-168 (KJV)
161 Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.
162 I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.
163 I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.
164 Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.
165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
166 LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments.
167 My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly.
168 I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are before thee.

When Westward expansion was the hot topic of the day, anytime that it was reported that gold had been found, it would cause a rush of people leaving everything behind and heading west with hopes of wealth and a better life.

Today is no different, even though the west has been won and settled. People seek higher education and certifications so they can advance in a career. People change jobs, move from one city and state to another city and state with the dreams and hope of economical strength. People invest money with the hope to make more. And not that any of this is necessarily wrong, but I wonder if some people own a Bible they rarely, if ever, read. I wonder if some are content to sit on a church pew and keep it warm.

However, I wonder if there are some like the psalmist, who declare, "I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil." I choose to by this type of person.

1 Corinthians 3:10-15 (KJV)
10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Do you want a surface relationship with God? This is represented by "wood, hay, and stubble." These things are all found on the surface of the earth. It doesn't take much to obtain these items. However, when this type of "works" are judged by fire, then they will be consumed and destroyed.

Do you want a deep relationship with God? This is represented by "gold, silver, and precious stones." These things are all found beneath the surface of the earth. It takes much effort to obtain these items, and when the judgment of fire comes upon these elements, they are purified and increase in their value.

So, do you rejoice at the Word of God as one that discovers a great spoil? Or do you casually read and study the Word of God? I cannot choose for you fellow laborer, but I desire to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The Word of God is life to me. It is more valuable to me than rubies and diamonds, or gold and silver. I love to mine it's depths and discover fresh revelation. While I cannot choose for you, I hopefully have inspired you to "rejoice at (God's) word, as one that findeth great spoil."

The psalmist continued, declaring, "Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments." This number is not a literal number, but rather an infinite number. On the seventh day, God rested from all His labor. In the account of creation, each of the first six days have a beginning and ending. However, there is no ending mentioned to the seventh day. Obviously it did end, and the eighth day began. However, the symbolic truth from this is that God's rest never ends. So, in keeping with this figurative example of seven, the psalmist is declaring that "All day, every day, for as long I shall live, I will praise God!"

Because of his deep passion for the Word of God, the psalmist also says one of the most quoted psalms, "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them." This word offend means "to cause to stumble." Because I love His Word more than anything... because I mine it's depths and discover His truth... Because I rever the Word like the '49ers revered gold... I will have great peace and nothing will make me stumble: NOTHING!

Economic troubles shall not "offend" me...

Difficulties shall not "offend" me...

Friends or family who reject me shall not "offend" me...

__________ (you fill in the blank) shall not "offend" me...

Thanks for reading my blog today. I'm signing off now. I've heard there's "gold" in the Word and I'm "rushing" to go see what I can find.......

New Life! (Psalm 119:153-160)

2011-01-29T00:01:00.005-06:00

Psalm 119:153-160 (KJV)
153 Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law.
154 Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word.
155 Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes.
156 Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments.
157 Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies.
158 I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word.
159 Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness.
160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.

I will never forget hearing the McGruders' sing, "I've Just Started Living." I can even now hear them (in my memory) singing this song with great anointing:

I've just started living
Found me a brand new life
It changed my direction
Washed away all my strife
I'm a new born believer
It's a holy in-filling
My load's getting lighter
My day's getting brighter
I just started living

What a great life living for the Lord! This stanza uses the word "quicken" three different times and it means, "to make alive; give life."

1) Life in His Word

The psalmist prayed, "Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law. Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word."

The only life I have is in Christ and His Word. When everything else fails, I can hope in His Word and be made alive by His Word. You have to be convinced of this fellow laborer, God's Word is infallible and without error! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I have life in His Word.

When I'm afflicted, I can go to the Word of God and receive life. When I feel overwhelmed by circumstances, all I have to do is see Christ above and beyond my situation! But, also, when things are going great, I still have life ONLY in His Word! God is not my "good-luck-charm" when things go bad. He's my all-in-all. I have no life outside His Word.

I need Him in the good days just as much as I need Him in the bad days. I don't want to go a single second without Him. For without Him, I have no life!

2) Life in His Judgments

The psalmist continued praying, "Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments." The words judgments means, "the judicial standard of God's fairness and justice." When things seemingly go wrong, I can call upon the everlasting and tender mercies of the Lord, asking for life in His fairness and justice!

Do you realize that God wants to give His children life more abundantly... and hope that doesn't make ashamed... and peace that passes all understanding... and joy unspeakable and full of glory... and the kingdom...and so much more? Jesus said it this way:

Matthew 7:7-11 (KJV)
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

I cannot and I will not believe that this passage was only for the 1st Century Church! He is my Father, and when I need LIFE in His judgments, He will give it to me!

3) Life in His Lovingkindness

The psalmist also prayed, "Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness." Lovingkindness means, "steadfast love; grace; mercy; faithfulness; goodness; devotion."

With God, my life is complete! Think about it this way: God loves me where He finds me, but He doesn't leave me where He finds me. He takes me on a journey of His steadfast love.

Ephesians 3:17-21 (KJV)
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

You talk about NEW LIFE! I can certainly sing with the McGruders, I'VE JUST STARTED LIVING Because it's true. Go ahead and try to measure the breadth, length, depth, or height of God's love, and you'll be on a never ending quest.

And for the grand finale, let's see what the psalmist said as this stanza comes to a close: "Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever."

From the very beginning of your dilemma, the Deliver is already there speaking His Word. From the very outset of your circumstance, Christ is already there speaking a true word. In other words fellow laborers, God is with us ALL THE TIME! He goes before us, walks with us, and is our "rear-guard" too! WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE!

The young lad skipped and hopped all through the park. An elderly gentlemen sitting on a bench stopped the young lad and said, "Son: I'll give you a dime if you can tell me where God is." Without missing a beat, the lad replied, "And sir, I'll give you a dollar if you can tell me where God isn't."

Now, do you remember what the word "judgments" means? If not, let me remind you: "the judicial standard of God's fairness and justice." Now, look once more with me at the final few words of verse 160, "...and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever." This means that they are still enduring in the 21st Century.

Do you need some NEW LIFE? Do you need to be quickened? Then realize with me that this passage in Psalms wasn't just for the psalmist, but it still extends today to you and I. Those righteous judgments are still enduring and will keep on enduring until the end of time!

Desperate Intercession Leads to Divine Intervention (Psalm 119:145-152)

2011-01-28T00:01:00.004-06:00

Psalm 119:145-152 (KJV)
145 I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy statutes.
146 I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies.
147 I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word.
148 Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.
149 Hear my voice according unto thy lovingkindness: O LORD, quicken me according to thy judgment.
150 They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law.
151 Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth.
152 Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.

There is something about desperation that moves the heart of God. If God responded to need, then hospitals would close down, jails would empty, and the economy would never go into recession or depression. But God doesn't respond to need; He responds to faith. Read through the great accounts of faith in the Bible and you'll see that desperation is found in each of them.

Esther - it's literally a life or death situation, as her entire race is threatened by an evil plot. She asks for everyone to join her in fasting and prayer.
Jehosaphat - he and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem are surrounded by their enemy. No shots have to be fired, they can just starve them out if they want to. Desperation is seen when a solemn time of prayer and fasting is called for, and everyone in the city joins in unified prayer and fasting.
The Syrophencian Woman - her daughter is vexed with a devil. She is not an Israelite, and Jesus plainly tells her this. But her desperation won't let her get offended, even at being referred to as a dog. Instead, she replies, "Even the dogs get to eat up the crumbs that fall from the Master's table" and Jesus honors her great faith by healing her daughter.
Jarius - his daughter is sick unto death. He finds Jesus, worships Him, and asks Him to come quickly. Jesus begins to go with Jarius, but during their journey to Jarius' house, another desperate soul has pushed her way through not only the crowd, but the shame and guilt of a problem that has plagued her for 12 long years and taken all her life savings. She finally touches the hem of Jesus' garment and is instantly healed. While Jesus is talking with her, He says to her, "Daughter, go your way, your faith has made you whole." This is interesting because Jesus doesn't call anyone else "daughter." What you'll miss in the story, if you're not careful, is that while Jesus is speaking to this woman, a servant of Jarius has told him, "Don't trouble the Master anymore, your daughter is dead." I believe Jesus said, "daughter" loud enough for Jarius to hear, and not just for the benefit of the woman He had just healed.

Both the Old and New Testaments are filled with great examples of desperate intercession leading to divine intervention. I believe that 2 Chronicles 7:14 best sums up the heart of this blog:

2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV)

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Without taking away from the beauty of this verse, or lessening it, you could sum it up by saying, "If we will.......God will..." In other words, we are not waiting on God; God is waiting on us!

When we get desperate enough to realize that God is not our last resort, but our first and only option, and when we act on that desperation, then believe me when I tell you that it will bring about divine intervention! God wants to intervene on our behalf. He wants to honor our faith in Him. Let's cry out with our "whole hearts" like the psalmist does in this stanza. In the first four verses (145-148) the psalmist expresses desperation:

"I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD...."
"I cried unto thee; save me...."
"I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word."
"Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word."

In the last (147-148), David is saying, "I rise up early, before the dawn..." and "I'm still awake, desperately praying before the night begins..."

In the parable of the unjust judge, a woman approaches him asking to be avenged of her adversary. Because she doesn't have any money to pay the judge, or bribe him, so he dismisses her case. This is why he is referred to as the "unjust judge." If you think political upheaval is new and only experienced since Watergate, you're sadly mistaken. Anyway, back to the point...

Day after day this persistent woman approaches the unjust judge until finally he gives her what she requests because she is so persistent, and quite frankly, bugging him. Jesus then explains that "God will avenge us speedily who ask."

It is not meant to paint God as the unjust judge. It's an "antitype." The point is that if an unjust judge will finally give in due to persistence, how much more will a loving God - The Just Judge - intervene on the behalf of His children who desperately intercede, asking for His help!

What is your need today? Are you willing to desperately intercede expecting God to intervene? I'll meet you in prayer friend... and remember, "The effectual, fervent prayer of the righteous avails much!"

His Righteousness (Psalm 119:137-144)

2011-01-27T00:01:00.004-06:00

Psalm 119:137-144 (KJV)
137 Righteous art thou, O LORD, and upright are thy judgments.
138 Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful.
139 My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.
140 Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.
141 I am small and despised: yet do not I forget thy precepts.
142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.
143 Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: yet thy commandments are my delights.
144 The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live.

You cannot get good enough to get God. Instead you have to get God in order to get good enough. Why? Because our righteousness is equal to filthy rags compared to His righteousness. Besides, how can an unholy sinful people approach a holy sinless God? Dr. Henrietta C. Mears answers the question; "The way to God is by sacrifice. The walk with God is by separation."

In four of the eight verses of this stanza, the psalmist speaks of God and His righteousness. And since our righteousness is as filthy rags, it is imperative that we are clothed with God's righteousness. Laodicea, the seventh church that Jesus addressed in Revelation was given a remedy for their problem. Part of that remedy included putting on "...white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear..." (Revelation 3:18).

Part of the central theme of this stanza is the psalmist's zeal for those who have forgotten God's Word. Sometimes, when we face hardship, it's hard to sing, "God is a good God, yes He is." But our circumstance doesn't change God! What seems impossible to you, is simply another opportunity for God to show forth His Almighty power. Three key words, describing God's righteousness are found in this stanza:

1) Upright...

This means "to be straight or even; to bring in order." God's righteousness will never lead you astray. The path that we are to walk on is called the "straight and narrow" path. When we are clothed with God's righteousness, we are "made straight" and "brought in order." I for one am willing to admit that before I knew the Lord, everything was out of order in my life. But once I was born again, things begin to change for the better. This is the power of His righteousness.

2) Faithful...

This means, "firmness; moral fidelity; steadiness; stability; security." God's righteousness will give you security and stability, and cause you to be steady and firm. Today people are looking for stability and security, but the only place you will find it is in His righteousness. But there's something else in this definition that stands out to me - moral fidelity. With divorce rates off the charts and some couples just choosing to live together rather than marry, and with an overall lack of relational commitment, it is comforting to know that God's righteousness is not here today and gone tomorrow! He is faithful.

3) Everlasting...

This means, "eternal; always." God's righteousness will never end. It will transcend every generation and culture. It has existed before time began in creation and it will continue when time is ended. What really lasts forever today? Nothing that we make, invent, or design does. Sure, there are good people who do good things, and live a good life. But God's righteousness is forever!

It is hard for us as limited human beings to comprehend our illimitable God. To us, life begins at conception, then there is the pain and yet beauty of birth, but after a period of time (hopefully a long time), that life is over. But God existed before time, and is not constrained to time like we are. This is why we MUST be clothed with His righteousness.

When we stand before God, if we do not have on the wedding garment (His righteousness) we will not be invited in and welcomed to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Remove the garment of heaviness, the garments of sin and shame, and put on the garment of praise today. Be clothed with His righteousness. His righteousness is upright, faithful, and everlasting.

Let the be Light! (Psalm 119:129-136)

2011-01-26T00:01:00.006-06:00

Psalm 119:129-136 (KJV)
129 Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them.
130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
131 I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.
132 Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name.
133 Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.
134 Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts.
135 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes.
136 Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.

In mass and mess of void and darkness, God moved over the waters and spoke, "Let there be light!" Darkness was dissipated and God would create the world and everything in it to His standard. Oh the power of God's Word!

Reading the Word of God is meant to be revelatory. God wants to manifest His ways, His will, and His works through His Word. God's Word is not meant to be mysterious. Neither is it some sort of coded message that has to be deciphered with algorithms. The psalmist clearly states that, "The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple."

But it doesn't stop with understanding. It should translate into a desire for more of God. The psalmist continued, "I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments." It wasn't enough to have his understanding enlightened, He wanted more of God. Do you long to know and obey God's Word?

The psalmist then requests mercy upon his life, but adds a qualifier, "Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name." The prerequisite to continued mercy in one's life is to love His name. And if you love His name, you'll love His Word, His ways, His will, and His works.

This illuminating light that opens the understanding now leads the psalmist to pray, "Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me." This is similar to the pattern of prayer Jesus instructed the disciples to pray; "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." Every day, I want God to order my steps in His Word.

The earth was without form (confusion) and void (empty) and darkness covered the face of the deep. But when light was spoken into existence, things began to be formed by God's plan, that which was empty became filled, and darkness dissipated. The same is true with us. We approach God confused, empty and in darkness, but the entrance of His words give light!

Friends and fellow laborers, it might be dark, gloomy, and cloudy right now, but I proclaim that the SON is about to break through those dark and gloomy clouds shining brighter than you've ever seen. Weeping may endure for a night, BUT JOY COMETH IN THE MORNING!

My prayer for you is the words God spoke that first day of creation, "LET THERE BE LIGHT!"

Let God Arise! (Psalm 119:121-128)

2011-01-25T00:01:00.002-06:00

Psalm 119:121-128 (KJV)
121 I have done judgment and justice: leave me not to mine oppressors.
122 Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me.
123 Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness.
124 Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes.
125 I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.
126 It is time for thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void thy law.
127 Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.
128 Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.

Sometimes it feels like everything that can go wrong does. At times it appears that things are hopeless. I'm sure we can identify with David in saying, "Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness." But when all this happens, we need to remember what I believe to be the heart of this stanza, "It is time for thee, LORD, to work..."

Do you long to see God move and work? I do! I don't believe that God's power is limited in any way. The Bible declares Jesus Christ to be "the same yesterday, today, and forever!" If God can part impassable waters to save His people, then He can work through impossible situations for you and I today. If God can feed a prophet by sending ravens carrying food to him, then God can keep food in your cupboards and refrigerator. Nothing is impossible for the Lord. If your staring down an impossible situation, then call upon God, asking Him to arise and act on your behalf.

The context surrounding verse 126 is centered around those who have neglected to obey God's law. The psalmist may have thought that God was inactive in dealing with them, and prayed this as a reminder to God of His justice, requesting that He arise and vindicate His own justice for the sake of the faithful. From this, we must realize that we cannot call upon God to help us if we are not going to be obedient to His Word. God is not our "good luck charm" nor is He reduced to a dashboard bobble-head figure.

I'm in love with Commander, and enjoy pleasing Him by obeying His commandments. Because I keep His commandments, and walk in His ways, I can call upon Him to vindicate me in my situation. John was inspired to write, "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. (1 John 3:22 KJV)"

John also wrote, "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. (1 John 5:14-15 KJV)"

So, without deviating from the context of Psalm 119:126, I believe I can seek God to arise in my impossible situations, vindicating me, because I keep His commandments and ask according to His will. The fact is that God's will is God's word!

I can pray for God to "act" in my home according to His Word because I "love my wife as Christ loved the church..." and because I will "not provoke my children unto wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."

I can pray for God to "act" in my finances according to His Word because I give my tithes and offerings cheerfully, not out of necessity or grudgingly. I can ask Him to rebuke the devourer for my sake and open the windows of heaving, pouring out abundant blessings.

I can pray for my unsaved friend or family member according to His Word knowing that is "not the will of God that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."

Know the Word and you'll know God's will. Keep the Word and you can pray according to it with confidence that God will arise and act in your circumstance. This is the confidence of those who are the saints of the Most High God!

Hope & Healing, part 2 (Psalm 119:113-120)

2011-01-24T00:01:00.003-06:00

Psalm 119:113-120 (KJV)
113 I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love.
114 Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.
115 Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God.
116 Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope.
117 Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.
118 Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes: for their deceit is falsehood.
119 Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross: therefore I love thy testimonies.
120 My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.

When everything around you seems to be caving in and you have no where left to turn. When all seems lost and hopeless. When the light at the end of the tunnel is actually a train coming your direction. When it feels like you're so low you have to reach up to touch bottom. When _______ (you fill in the blank)... YOU CAN TURN TO GOD - HE IS YOUR HIDING PLACE! You can hope in His Word. My word has the propensity for failure, BUT GOD'S WORD NEVER FAILS!

God is not a man that He should lie, or change His mind (Numbers 23:19)! When He speaks, SOMETHING always happens! Solomon said, "Where the word of a king is, there is power." How true that is of God's Word! In fact, God's Word is the ultimate authority. When all seems hopeless, I can find my hiding place in God and His Word. David said it this way, "The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run into it and are safe."

But God not only gives me hope; He also brings healing. He is the broken-heart mender. His peace passes all understanding. His joy is unspeakable and full of glory. His mercy is everlasting, enduring to all generations. His truth sets me free and endures forever. The joy of the Lord is my strength, and I can do all things through Christ who is my strength.

When I'm sick, He's Jehovah-Rapha, the Lord that heals all my disease. When I'm in need, He's Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord my Provider. When the enemy rages against me, He's Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord who Reigns in Victory. When I'm troubled, He's Jehovah-Shalom, the Lord my Peace.

David said, "Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope. Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually." The hope and healing that comes from God won't leave you "ashamed." You will be held up and kept safe, for He will never leave you nor forsake you. WOW! What a God!

Various leaders of The Church of Omaha recently wrote an essay on hope and healing. Here are some excerpts from their essay's:

"We believe that a place of hope and healing is exactly as it states: a place of hope where those seeking guidance and where we as a body place our hope in God. (Hebrews 3:6). A place of healing where people can be healed physically, mentally, and spiritually according to Scripture (James 5:14-16)." ~Donnie & Kara
"The hope for this lost world is Jesus Christ! However, if this world believes that Jesus died and He is long gone, there is no doubt that their hope has died too. This world, this country, this city needs to see that Jesus is alive, that our hope lives, but how? In John 20:20, we see that when Jesus appeared to the disciples after His resurrection, He showed them His wounds (as proof that He was Jesus who was crucified and that He was alive). Wouldn't this be the perfect time to show to sinners that we were once wounded too, that we were once broken in our hearts and spirits, that we were once dead, but because He lives, now we live!" ~Francisco & Karla
"We might say that hope is a new beginning and healing is Jesus. Without reservation, we could say we want a new beginning in Jesus. If we sin, if we need healing, or most of all life eternal, Jesus and only Jesus can give us that. As Christians we are not locked into only helping those at the Church, but anywhere we go. This is only true if we carry the true meaning of Christians so all can identify us by our actions." ~Ronald
"Not only does TCOO have "a place of hope and healing" on the doors of the church to look good, but they also practice it. I am very thankful for TCOO, for what it teaches and what it stands for. Since I was able to take the time I needed to heal, I believe I have become an asset to the church, helping where ever I am able." ~Karen
"To be a place of hope, we must be a people who are unified in our desire to look beyond the surface, to focus on potential, and to be 'love practitioners' by showing compassion to everyone we meet, not just everyone who walks through the doors of the church. As a church body, one of our goals is to birth souls, to perpetuate the healing process for souls in need of salvation. In order to do this, we must be honest with ourselves, open before God in everything, so that He shines through in every aspect of our lives. But we must also remember that "hope maketh not ashamed" (Romans 5:5), and that by being Christ-like, refusing to be quick to judgment and condemnation, we can reach the person as well as the soul." ~Joe & Betty

These brief quotes from their essay's speak to what hope and healing is all about, and not just at The Church of Omaha. We, the church, should offer hope and healing everywhere to everyone. Jesus said, "Whosoever will" and so should we.

Do you need hope today? You'll find it in His Word. Do you need healing today? In Jesus' name, be healed. Whether it's for an emotional or physical need, I believe that as we pray in Jesus' name, you will be healed.

Led by God (Psalm 119:105-112)

2011-01-23T00:01:00.004-06:00

Psalm 119:105-112 (KJV)
105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
106 I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.
107 I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O LORD, according unto thy word.
108 Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me thy judgments.
109 My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law.
110 The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts.
111 Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.
112 I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end.

On our way to visit family for Thanksgiving last year, we drove into a blinding rainstorm. Visibility was extremely low and traffic was barely moving. In fact, we could barely make out the brake-lights of the vehicles in front of us. All of my defensive driving skills were put to the test. Finally, when we exited the highway, and headed in a different direction, we began to get away from the storm. Visibility increased and we could resume normal speeds.

Sometimes living for God and following Him is like going through that rainstorm. That is when we need trust in God's Word all the more. His Word is a lamp and light, and will guide us through each and every storm.

However, just because I was able to get out of the rain and resume normal speeds, I still maintained a sense of urgency. Even though I could see more clearly, I still required the use of my lights. My point is that we should not only use God's Word when things go bad, but in all things - good and bad. I need God to guide me daily. I want Him to guide me daily.

Regardless of what others do, and how difficult the path may be, "I will keep thy righteous judgments." When things get tough, and even though "I am afflicted very much" I can pray, "Quicken me, O LORD, according unto thy word." When I rise in the morning, all during the day, and when I lay down at night, I ask the Lord to "Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me thy judgments."

Even though "my soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law." You see, "the wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts." O' Lord, "thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart. I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end."

You see, all you have to do is interject yourself into these verses. I know things get rough. I know the way is narrow. I know you feel all alone. Guess what? I'm a pastor and there are times that I feel all alone. There are times when I feel like no one knows where I am or what I'm going through. But, then I read through the Word of God and realize I'm not alone.

Horatio Spafford felt as if God Himself didn't even know how he felt, yet in the midst of great tragedy - the loss of his children at sea - he penned these words, "When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, it is well, it is well, with my soul."

I am convinced that if you remove the tragedy and trial from the great heroes of faith, you will also remove the great triumph they experienced also. I want to be led by God, even if it means being led through painful experiences. I trust Him wholly. I will not waiver in my faith just because the path is rough and my companions few. Like Job, I will maintain my integrity and not charge God foolishly, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him." I may not be able to feel God on the right or left, in front or in back of me, but I know that He knows where I am. I also know that when I come forth, I shall come forth as gold tried in the fire. In other words, I will be purified by God's Word.

How can I sleep peacefully at night? Because I trust in His Word. How can I live in this world filled with crime and immorality? Because I trust in His Word. God's Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Regardless of how dark the night, I know that the morning comes!

It was at midnight that Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises. It was in the twilight that the four lepers decided to get up and go to the camp of the Syrians. The study of both "midnight" and "twilight" shows that these times were the darkest times. This is both literal and figurative. If you're weeping during this dark time, realize that JOY COMETH IN THE MORNING, and the morning will come!

Don't be afraid to be led by God. He will never leave you nor forsake you. He will never lead you astray. Even though you might feel confused and frustrated, and your own visibility limited, remember, His Word is the lamp and light and His Word never fails. NEVER!

No Success Without a Successor (Psalm 119:97-104)

2011-01-22T00:01:00.002-06:00

Psalm 119:97-104 (KJV)
97 O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.
99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.
100 I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.
101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.
102 I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.
103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

We cannot afford to drop the baton as it is passed to the next generation. Raymond Woodward said at Because of The Times 2011, "We are in desperate need of leaders who will pass the baton while they still have strength to cheer."

True success is not achieved unless there is a successor to continue succeeding. This principle is not first found in leadership books or conferences, but rather in the Bible. Moses got the children of Israel through wilderness; Joshua led them into the Promised Land. Elijah anointed and appointed Elisha who received a double portion of his spirit. Jesus anointed twelve to carry on the gospel of the kingdom and they in turn appointed others to follow them.

This is the way it is supposed to work, and if it does not, then we have failed and our success will be nothing more than a flash in the pan.

David speaks three different times of having "understanding" in this thirteenth stanza of Psalm 119. Two of those times it is in reference to understanding more than his teachers and elders. This is not a slap in their face, nor is it to say that we can disregard our teachers or elders contribution. However, if they are irreplaceable, what happens when they die? Does the dream die with them?

If the church is to get better, more powerful, and see greater things, then we must pass the baton successfully. This requires teaching and trusting.

Joshua led the children of Israel into the Promised Land. He and Caleb and that first generation were conquerors. They constantly and consistently possessed their promise! Victory after victory is recorded as they claimed what God had promised them.

The elders represent the second generation. These elders are identified as maintainers. There were no new victories won, and no new lands conquered. They just maintained what the previous generation had achieved. This brought up a third generation that didn't know God or His works. Read it - it's in Judges 2:10. This third generation falls away from God's will and serves false gods.

If we do not teach our children diligently, then we will see a third generation rise that doesn't know God or yet His works. This is the magnitude of my blog today. We could only be one generation away from extinction if we do not experience fresh victories!

Are we satisfied to read about prayer meetings and God's provision in the past? Has the American Dream effectively replaced our Apostolic Vision? Do we believe that miracles are reserved for stories from the Bible or only in foreign fields? GOD FORBID!

I am grateful for every elder and teacher I've had (and still have). Those I still have, I pray for them daily and seek their counsel often. However, I cannot rely on their prayer life to get me through. I cannot rejoice at the accounts of their victories and rejoice in their faith without also seeing my own. I too must possess a steadfast, immovable, always abounding faith and passion to see my generation experience the glory of God. I must effectively pass this on to my son and daughter. Otherwise, I am not a true success.

Unfortunately, I've noticed some who depart from this precious faith proclaiming a new found liberty in Christ. However, this new liberty requires less discipline, obedience, and sacrifice than previous generations gave. It is obvious, then, that this is not a doctrine that parallels the truth. The fact is that I must give MORE than my elders and teachers gave. This is not to imply that I would be somehow better by doing more. Instead, the fact is that we are living a world whose moral fabric continues to unravel. Sin abounds more and more today. What once was hidden in coded messages in music is now blatantly spoken in modern lyrics.

I'm eternally grateful for every elder and teach who has walked this blameless way before me. I too must also walk it faithfully. It will require of me absolute discipline, ultimate obedience, and complete sacrifice. I'm willing make the commitment to accept the baton from those handing it to me, and I'm willing to invest in the succeeding generation and one day pass it to them as well.

And the way I will successfully accept the baton and pass it on is found in David's words, "O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word. I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me. How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" (vs 97, 101-103)

It's Good (Psalm 119:89-96)

2011-01-21T00:01:00.000-06:00

Psalm 119:89-96 (KJV)
89 For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
90 Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.
91 They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants.
92 Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.
93 I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me.
94 I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts.
95 The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: but I will consider thy testimonies.
96 I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy commandment is exceeding broad.

Think about all the words we use to describe things we design and build:

Awesome
Beautiful
Cool
Dazzling
Etc...

I'm sure we could go to the end of the alphabet and start all over with all types of adjectives and adverbs, but have you noticed that cars rust, houses depreciate, fad and styles change, computers get outdated, and trash dumps continue to grow?

God created the heavens and the earth and at the end of each days work, He just simply said, "It's good." And on the end of the sixth and final day of work, He said, "It's very good." And have you noticed that seasons still change, oceans still ebb and flow, and all of creation still does what it was intended to do?

Grass still turns green in the Spring. Trees still sprout their leaves in the Spring lose them in the Fall. The moon reflects the sun, and stars continue to shine. All because God commanded them to be created and to fulfill His divine purpose. This is why David could declare, "Thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants."

We too are created in His image and made in His likeness. When we are born again, we begin to take on a pure nature. The Holy Spirit is a downpayment of the perfection our bodies will experience when this mortal is traded for immortality and this corruption is traded for incorruption! With His Spirit indwelling us, we now are becoming "good" again. You see, you can't get good enough to get God; you have to get God to get good again! We should be like creation, obeying the Masters voice without question.

We sometime sing songs that say, "Where He leads me I will follow" and yet complain if He leads us into a wilderness experience. Or maybe we sing, "I surrender all" but when He asks for our all we negotiate in an attempt to only surrender some. But I suggest that we learn from creation and obediently serve our Lord and Savior. Let's abandon it all for the sake of the call. Let's burn the ships of doubt and fear and go forward into all that God has for us.

David continues in this stanza, praising God for His Word. He refers to the Word as ordinances (vs 91), law (vs 92), precepts (vs93-94), testimonies (vs95), and commandments (vs 96). In verse 96, David says, "I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy commandment is exceeding broad." The meaning is this: all earthly things are limited, but God's Word is infinite and illimitable!

What we design and create will rot and rust. What God speaks into existence will last until He speaks it out of existence! Our word has the propensity to fail. God's Word never fails! We can classify things with all the latest and greatest words and they will still never measure up to the GOODNESS of God and His Word and what He creates! Let's allow God to speak a "good" Word into our lives, for His Word will not return unto Him void. It will accomplish His purpose.

Hope & Healing (Psalm 119:81-88)

2011-01-20T00:01:00.001-06:00

Psalm 119:81-88 (KJV)
81 My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.
82 Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?
83 For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget thy statutes.
84 How many are the days of thy servant? when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?
85 The proud have digged pits for me, which are not after thy law.
86 All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.
87 They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not thy precepts.
88 Quicken me after thy lovingkindness; so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth.

The purpose statement of The Church of Omaha is "To build a Spirit-filled church where all people can experience the hope and healing promised by Jesus Christ."

When Jesus sent out the apostles and disciples, He told them to heal the sick and to proclaim that the kingdom had come to them. The kingdom was their hope and whether it was emotional or physical, they were healed.

Our hope will not be found in the government, or a politicians promises. Our hope is not in the economy. But like the old hymn declared... "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand; all other ground is sinking sand."

David transparently admits that even though his soul was faint, he also hoped in the Word of God! David also admitted that he needed healing as he stated, "Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?" Have you ever wondered when God was going to answer you? You're not alone. David is not the only Bible character who asked God questions.

All too often we rush through the stories in the Bible and we've heard them in Sunday school, listened to them as the preacher preached, and we know the end of the story. Unfortunately, we rush through, thinking that these heroes of the faith had some sort of supernatural and superspiritual strength that we'll never attain. Or worse, we think that they wouldn't know what we're facing now and that their problems do not relate to our situations.

Friends, let me plainly tell you that the reason these heroes of the faith are heroes is because they persevered even through the questions and feelings of hopelessness!

David felt like a "bottle in the smoke." In other words, he felt like an old wineskin that was blackened, shriveled, and of no further use. Sure, go ahead and jump to Acts and listen to God say that David was a man after God's own heart, but know that David didn't feel like a hero of faith when he wrote these words!

Wineskins would become blackened and shriveled, and when they did, the owner had a choice. He could discard the wineskin for new ones, or he could put the old wineskin through a process of restoration. This process included the old wineskin being soaked in oil to stretch it back out and clean it up, but it also included a period of drying. This old wineskin would have to endure a period of NO wine before it could receive NEW wine.

We are the same way! Sometimes what we're going through is a process of NO wine. A process of restoration. It doesn't feel like "hope and healing" but trust me, IT IS! If you'll endure the process, you'll understand the purpose and will once again be filled with His promise! Do what David did in spite of your helpless and hopeless feeling:

Hope in God's word (vs 81)
Ask God for help (vs 82, 84)
Don't forget His statutes (vs 83)
Tell God the problem (vs 85)
Remember that He is faithful (vs 86)
Don't forsake His precepts (vs 87)
Ask Him for quickening power and keep His testimonies (vs 88)

I can tell you I've been there. I've asked God why? And if you'll be honest enough to confess, you have too. But through it all, I will not forsake God and His Word. Like Job, I will say, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him!"

I find hope and healing in God's Word and being with those of like precious faith. When I see that precious lady worshipping, knowing the hell she's been through, I say to myself, "I can make it through my problem." When I watch that man bow on his knees in humble adoration of God, even though he's been looking for a job over four months, I say to myself, "If he can worship through his problem, so can I."

Maybe this is why gathering together with believers is so important and why Paul instructed us to NOT forsake the assembling of ourselves together. We need each other. Your true worship inspires me. My true worship inspires you. Together is better!

Just as faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, I believe that hope and healing comes by worshipping through the pain. When you can see beyond the pain and problem to see the promise, your praise will take on a whole new level of power!

Made in His Image (Psalm 119:73-80)

2011-01-19T00:01:00.002-06:00

Psalm 119:73-80 (KJV)
73 Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.
74 They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.
75 I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.
76 Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.
77 Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.
78 Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.
79 Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy testimonies.
80 Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.

The world were framed by the Word of God. Everything in creation was spoken into existence except man. God thought and what He thought He spoke and what He spoke became reality! However, God did not speak man into existence. Instead, He made man and breathed life into his nostrils and man became a living soul. When we are born again, God once again breathes new life into us.

When God made man, however, Adam was the negative. Adam disobeyed and sin entered the world. However, when Christ came, He was the "second Adam" and His life was obedience personified. Christ is the completed picture of what we are to be.

At repentance, I die to my flesh. I change my mind about God and needing Him in my life. I realize I am not a self-made man, but rather a self-made mess and I need God to make a miracle out of my mess. When I'm baptized in Jesus' name for the remission of my sins, I put on Christ. Then, when I receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, I receive God's Spirit within me. This is the only the beginning, but this is where things begin to change.

In creation, God specifically said that everything would produce "after its kind." Apple trees would produce apples. Fish would produce after their kind. Humans produce after their kind. In other words, the union of my marriage will not produce monkeys, but other humans. And what is seen in the natural world is paralleled in the spiritual. When I am born from above, I now produce "after HIS kind!" I am made in His image.

I think differently...

I act differently...

I live differently...

Life takes on new meaning as I begin to walk in newness of life. However, in this tenth stanza of Psalm 119, I see a verse that cause some to not want to continue walking this new life: "I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me." Modern Christianity seems to divert people away from these types of verses, telling them that God wants to bless them with popularity and prosperity. While we are daily loaded with benefits from God, we must also realize that sometimes God uses afflictions to teach us a lesson.

In verse 75, judgments means, "the judicial standard of God's fairness; justice." Afflicted means, "to be humbled." In one of the study Bible's I use, they place Hebrews 12:10 as a cross reference to Psalm 119:75. The basic context of Hebrews 12:4-11 is centered around the disciplines of life. In this context, Paul compares being disciplined by earthly fathers to that of being disciplined by our Heavenly Father. He is divinely inspired to also say that one who cannot receive correction is not a true son of God, but rather illegitimate.

I want to know God in both the power of His resurrection and in the fellowship of His sufferings. I don't want to run from discipline or correction. David realized this and instead of begrudging being humbled, he chose to praise and thank God for his "fairness" and "faithfulness" in humbling him if needed.

Do you truly believe that God knows best? Do you truly believe that God orders the steps of the righteous? If you answered yes to both of these questions, then you must let God be sovereign and follow Him, even if it is through a wilderness experience.

Oh, sure, some may and will judge you. Some may say, "What sin did they commit that they aren't being blessed right now?" You see, we often classify blessings as money in the bank, promotions in our careers, a clean bill of health, etc. But David in this tenth stanza declares the blessings to God to be the following...

His merciful kindness is my comfort (vs 76)
His law is my delight (vs 77)

Sure, the proud may say things to make us feel as if we are not blessed. But let us remember that God has the last laugh. I'm quite certain that many laughed at Lazarus as he begged at the gate of the rich man. However, when it was all over, Lazarus rested in peace in Abraham's Bosom while the rich man was tortured in hell.

I want to be made in His image, and that means that I will let God choose what's best for me. If affliction (humbling) is on the menu for today, then so be it. I want to be formed in His likeness. I choose rather to suffer affliction with God's people, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. What do you choose?

All Things Work Together (Psalm 119:65-72)

2011-01-18T00:01:00.003-06:00

Psalm 119:65-72 (KJV)
65 Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according unto thy word.
66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.
67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.
68 Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.
69 The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.
70 Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law.
71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.
72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.

Have you ever wondered, "Why me?" Why am I going through this trial - this valley?

My wife overheard me asking God "why me" one day and lovingly blurted out, "Why not you?"

Maybe it's because we look at afflictions the wrong way. The 1st Century Church rejoiced at trials and tribulation, we run from them. They joyed over being counted worthy to suffer for the name of Jesus Christ. We want a get-out-of-trials-free card.

When Jesus was 30 years old, He went to John the Baptist to be baptized to fulfill all things. The Bible (Luke 4) records that Jesus came out of the Jordan full of the Spirit. Then the same Spirit that filled Him led Him into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. Then after persevering through Satan's temptations, and defeating him with the Word of God, the Bible records that Jesus came out of the wilderness in the power of the Spirit.

Some would just as soon skip over the "led of the Spirit to be tempted part" but if you're not led by the Spirit, you'll never walk in the power of the Spirit, regardless of being full of the Spirit.

I know affliction is not easy. Trust me, when I'm in the heat of the moment, I sometimes wonder why I couldn't skip over the wilderness part and jump straight into the power part. But it doesn't work that way. It never has. It never will.

Like David, I must remember that, "Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word." You see, without the trials, I might forget that I need God. Maybe the wilderness is to help me learn that I cannot do it on my own. I am not a self-made anything! It's not "my ministry" or "my church" or "my anointing." It's God's calling in me. It's His church - He bled, died, and rose from the dead for it. It's His anointing covering me and working through me. At best, I'm a simply a conduit for the Spirit to flow through. I am nothing more than a vessel He can use at His discretion.

You see, my life is not my own. I gave up my dreams and ambitions for the cause of Christ. I've surrendered my will for His will. My passion is now to fulfill His purpose! He has asked, "Whom shall I send?" and I have replied, "Here am I; send me; I will go."

I agree with David, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes." In the wilderness, Jesus used the Word of God. No special powers. No calling down angels. No lightning bolts. No commanding word of authority that would decimate Satan. Jesus just simply said, "It is written."

You know, without a test, I will never have a testimony and the Bible records that we overcome the enemy of our souls by the Blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. The Blood of the Lamb is God's part. The word of our testimony is our part.

Remind yourself that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

Remind yourself that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.

Remind yourself that no weapon formed against you shall prosper.

Remind yourself that you are more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ who loves you.

Now, find those and more Scriptures and the next time you're being led into the wilderness by the Spirit, you'll have an arsenal of weapons to overcome Satan with. Oh, and here's another one, "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty to the pulling down of strongholds..."

There are plenty of people who are filled with the Spirit, but not enough are being led by the Spirit, and fewer still are walking forth in the power of the Spirit. I cannot afford to just get filled. I want to be led too, and walk in His power.

The Bible records that the steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord. As well, one of the most famous Proverbs (3:5-6) explain that God shall direct the paths of those who trust Him with all their hearts. So, I've got a question - if you truly believe that God orders your steps and directs your paths, then why would you ask "why me?"

His Mercy Endures Forever (Psalm 119:57-64)

2011-01-17T00:01:00.002-06:00

Psalm 119:57-64 (KJV)
57 Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words.
58 I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.
59 I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.
60 I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.
61 The bands of the wicked have robbed me: but I have not forgotten thy law.
62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.
63 I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.
64 The earth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes.

Have you ever travelled and thought the road and journey would never end? This past year on July 1st, Braxton and I pulled out of our driveway in Caribou, Maine and headed south. After about 10 hours on the road, we began to head due west. After three days, a flat tire, and more asphalt than I ever want to see again, we arrived at our new home in Omaha, Nebraska.

I have to admit there were times that I thought the highway would never end. The only thing that kept my spirit up was I knew eventually we would get to the end.

In 1993, I flew from Kansas City to Los Angeles and then on to Manaus, Brazil. Once again, I thought we were never going to land. Especially the flight from LA to Brazil. But, alas, that journey came to an end too.

However, you can plumb to what you think is the deepest depths of God's mercy, or ascend to what you think is the highest height of God's mercy, and I promise you that you will never find an end to it!

His mercy is everlasting. His mercy endures to all generations. His mercy endures forever! What a mighty God we serve!

The Bible is all about God's mercy. Time and again, judgment was mandated, but God's mercy would step in and change everything. Think about it...

Adam and Eve should have died! They blatantly disobeyed. But in His mercy, God made them coats of skin, and although they were evicted from the garden, He didn't kill them...
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all lied...
David committed adultery and ordered the murder of Urriah...
The list could go on and on, and while each of these did pay a consequence for their sin, they were all given mercy to repent.

You want your mind blown for a moment... watch this... God even gave Jezebel a space of grace! Read it with me in Revelation...

Revelation 2:20-21 (KJV)
20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.

WOW! God's mercy is so everlasting, so enduring, so effective that He even gave Jezebel an opportunity to repent.

Judas Iscariot, the one chosen and anointed to be an apostle but chose to betray Jesus was given mercy. On the very night of betrayal, Jesus washed Judas' feet, ate with him, and even commemorated the covenant meal with him. WOW; talk about mercy!

But wait - what if someone does something worthy of death? When the Pharisees brought the woman caught in the act of adultery to Jesus, there motives were impure. However, there were some Pharisees who thought they were doing what was right. And in fact, they were. There was a law to maintain.

Sure, you can ask the question - where was the man? The last time I checked, it still takes two to tango. So, why didn't they bring a man to him too? I suppose we'll never know the answer to that question. But for a moment, let's believe that there were some religious leaders who thought they were doing what was right, and had pure motives. The Bible causes me to believe there were... think Nicodemus...

Ok, so now back to the story as the plot thickens. Jesus is faced with a dilemma. If he says the woman should die, then He has broken Roman law. If He says she should live, He has broken Moses' law.

Jesus breaks neither law, but rather fulfills the Law and allows anyone who doesn't have any sin to cast the first stone. Have you ever considered that He was the only one who could have thrown the first stone? Think about it, the Bible says, "He who knew no sin, became sin..." In other words, Jesus was sinless. He could have picked up a rock and hurled it at the woman, beginning the process of her being stoned to death for committing adultery. But instead, He chose to extend mercy rather than throw stones!

Does this mean Jesus was a liberal minded, emerging philosopher who didn't respect the Law? NO! A thousand times NO! Jesus was the fulfillment of the Law! And Jesus, who is God manifested in the flesh, has ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT MERCY! Let's look into some Scriptures to see how God feels about mercy...

Lamentations 3:21-26 (KJV)
21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.

Micah 7:18 (KJV)
Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

Now, for the record, let us remember that while Jesus did not condemn the woman, He also commanded her to go and sin no more. True mercy does bring about accountability. We don't sin just so that grace will abound, GOD FORBID! When we are granted mercy, we stay away from what caused us to need that mercy in the first place!

We've been shown mercy, will we show others mercy? Mercy is receiving something I do not deserve. Will you give mercy to those whom you think do not deserve it? If you can't or won't, then you are not like your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I cannot answer for you, but as for me and my house, we will show mercy. We will love the unlovable, touch the untouchable, and forgive our enemies. We will pray for them that despitefully use us and say all manner of evil against us. We have been given mercy, and to whom much is given, much is required.

In Bethesda there was a pool that was visited by an angel daily. When the waters were troubled, whomever got into the pool was healed. Do you know what Bethesda means? It means, "house of mercy." Let it be said of each of us, and of our church, that we are a "house of mercy."

Remember! (Psalm 119:49-56)

2011-01-16T00:01:00.001-06:00

Psalm 119:49-56 (KJV)
49 Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.
50 This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.
51 The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not declined from thy law.
52 I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself.
53 Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law.
54 Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.
55 I have remembered thy name, O LORD, in the night, and have kept thy law.
56 This I had, because I kept thy precepts.

There are things all of us would just as soon forget. There are moments in our history that we wince if we have to remember. And yet, I'm sure there are memories we enjoy reliving over and over. The key to success in life is to balance the two. Life does throw you a curve ball every now and then. Some days it snows and other days the sun shines. Some days it's too cold or too hot, and other days, it's just right. Jesus said, "It rains on the just and the unjust."

Have you ever been in a valley? Not a literal valley between two mountains, but rather a figurative one. Maybe you're in one now. You don't know how you're going to get out of this situation. All you can see is the circumstance and you feel overwhelmed. Well, friend, take heart: today's blog is for you. I've got three things to share with you today. I believe if you'll do these three things, you'll receive strength to see Christ in the midst of your circumstance.

1) Ask God to remember...

Psalm 119:49-51 (KJV)

49 Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.

50 This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

51 The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not declined from thy law.

David's hope was built on the unfailing, infallible Word of God. So is ours!

David's comfort in his affliction was the quickening power of the Word of God. So is ours!

When others mock and ridicule and make us feel like we are using Christ as a crutch, we don't turn from him just like David refused to "decline from God's law."

While in prayer, ask God to remember His Word to you. The old hymn "Standing on the Promises" comes to mind, but unfortunately, most Christians today are only "sitting on the premises" rather than "standing on God's promises"!

God is not a man that He should lie or change His mind!

God's Word is forever settled in heaven!

The Word of God is exalted higher than even His name!

God's Word does not return to Him void, but rather accomplishes what He sent it to do!

Every Word of God proves true!

Every Word of God is pure!

These are just a few verses I've quoted from memory while typing this blog. Grant it, they are somewhat paraphrased and may not include the whole verse, but in my nearly 38 years of life, I've walked through enough valley's to amass an arsenal of Scriptures to take with me.

I have no problem whatsoever asking God to remember His Word to me when I'm staring Satan square in the eye. Whenever I have a problem that starts to overwhelm me, I just simply start asking God to remember His Word!

If you want real hope and real change, don't vote for a politician that tickles your fancy. Rather, trust in God will all your heart and don't lean on your own understanding. But in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths!

2) Remember God's judgments...

Psalm 119:52-54 (KJV)

52 I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself.

53 Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law.

54 Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.

Judgments means, "the judicial standard of God's fairness and justice." After I've asked God to remember His Word, I then remember it for myself. I remind myself that God's judgments are true and right. I remind myself that He is a just God. And this brings me comfort!

Yes, when horror grips my heart and I see wicked people forsake God's Word, I remember God is just. I hold to His Word. When others say all manner of evil against me, and slander me, I remember God is just. I remember that it rains on the just and the unjust. I know that I've built my house upon the Solid Rock, Christ Jesus, and when the storm is over, my house will still be standing!

Verse 54 reminds me of an old hymn with these lyrics... "As I journey through this land, singing as I go, pointing souls to Calvary, to the crimson flow. Many arrows pierce my soul from without-within. But my Lord leads me on, through Him I must win..."

Yes, I can walk through this valley remembering God's judgments. He is forever faithful and true!

3) Remember God's name...

Psalm 119:55-56 (KJV)

55 I have remembered thy name, O LORD, in the night, and have kept thy law.

56 This I had, because I kept thy precepts.

If I were preaching this, I could "preach" on this for a while. When you're down and out, remember His name. When you're going down for what seems to be the last time, remember His name! When you're faced with a dilemma that is too big for you to handle, REMEMBER HIS NAME!

You see, His name is higher than any other! That means its higher than cancer... higher than debt... higher than marital strife... higher than teenage rebellion... higher than sickness, sin, and shame... higher than condemnation... higher than guilt... and so on and so forth!!!!!!!

Just remember His name - Jesus - and speak it boldly. He wants to save, deliver, and heal. He wants to help. All you have to do is call on Him for He's as close as the mention of His name.

Maybe we've become too reliant upon doctors and bankers and the government. You'll never know Jesus is all you need, until Jesus is all you got! So, call on Him. In fact, call on Him first, EVEN BEFORE you get into the valley.

Notice with again the last verse today - "This I had, because I kept thy precepts." What this means is that if Jesus is only a "good-luck-charm" or you only call on him when in distress, you may not remember His name when you're faced with a dilemma.

However, if you know Him in the good times too. If you worship Him on the mountaintops too, then when you're in the valley, you'll be able to remember His name.

Think of it this way - if you only seek his hand (desiring things from Him), you'll never know His face. The psalms and the Bible instruct us to seek His face. I don't just want to remember Jesus when I'm faced with difficulty. I want to know Him at all times.

I am Free (Psalm 119:41-48)

2011-01-15T00:01:00.002-06:00

Psalm 119:41-48 (KJV)
41 Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation, according to thy word.
42 So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word.
43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments.
44 So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.
45 And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.
46 I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.
47 And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.
48 My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.

On March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry concluded his famous speech with these words, "It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace-- but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"

The old spiritual hymn declared, "Free, free, I'm free at last. Thank God Almighty, Im free at last."

Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Law. He became sin, who knew no sin, so that we might become His righteousness. He was the Supreme sacrificial Lamb of God. He didn't just roll our sins ahead for a year - He forgave us of our sins! Paul plainly tells us what to do with in this new liberty...

Galatians 5:1 (KJV)
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Free Because...

In our Psalm today, the first four verses (41-44) explain how I am free - through the mercy of God, His salvation according to His word.

This merciful salvation provides me with an answer for those who would reproach me. It gives me the courage to trust in His word and His judgments, knowing that He is right and righteous. And since, I mercifully saved, I can keep His law continually!

The only reason I am free today, is because Jesus Christ chose to take my sin to the cross for me! I deserved death, but instead received life. I deserved the cross, but instead He has reserved for me a crown or righteousness.

By His grace and mercy, I am made free! Free from sin and shame! Free from guilt and guile!

Once like a bird in prison I dwelt. No freedom from my sorrow I felt. But Jesus came and listened to me. And glory to God He set me free!

Free to do...

Psalm 119:45-48 explain what I am free to do:

Walk in liberty!
Seek His precepts!
Speak of His testimonies unashamed!
Delight in His commandments!
Love His commandments!
Worship Him and His commandments!
Meditate in His statutes!

Throughout Psalm 119, the words "commandments, judgments, ordinances, statutes, testimonies, word, law, ways, & precepts" are all used to identify the multifaceted definition of the Word of God. Here's how they break down throughout this chapter:

Law (TORAH) used 25 times meaning, "the whole will of God; His instructions for holy living."
Testimonies (EDOT) used 22 times "describing the Word as a witness to God and His righteousness."
Precepts (PIKUDM) used 21 times meaning the "specific guidelines for all who define themselves as God's people."
Ways (DERECH) used 18 times meaning, "the path; the way we are to walk according to the Word of God."
Commandments (MITZVOT) used 22 times meaning, "the specific 'thou shalt' and 'thou shalt not's'."
Statutes (CHUKIM) used 22 times meaning, "the laws which God does not give us a logical explanation; we keep them because He says so."
Ordinances/Judgments (MISHPATIM) used 23 times meaning, "the judicial standard of God's fairness and justice."
Word (DAVAR/IMRAH) used 42 times meaning, "the all around general term for the expressed will of God."

We are free to live for Him. Paul called himself a bondservant of Jesus Christ. It's a voluntary surrendering to God and His purpose. I am bound to Him, but not because He forces me to. I am free to live for God and I do not mind making myself a bondservant to Him and His will.

Sin and shame enslaved me involuntarily. Guilt plagued me at every turn. Condemnation was always peering over my shoulder bringing up my past.

BUT Christ came... and set me free... Why would I not want to surrender my life completely to Him voluntarily? Whom the Son has set free is free indeed!

Give me Life (Psalm 119:33-40)

2011-01-14T00:01:00.005-06:00

Psalm 119:33-40 (KJV)
33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.
34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.
36 Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.
37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.
38 Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.
39 Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good.
40 Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.

In his famous speech on March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry asked the question, "Is life so dear?" What a question to propose!

In light of the current moral decline our society has seen, I would wonder if others feel life is so dear. Many seem to be more concerned with saving whales and endangered species rather than stopping abortions. You can be fined and even arrested for killing certain animals, yet, aborting a baby is ok and depending on your economic status, may even be paid for by the government.

But breathe easy dear reader, my blog is not a political rant today.

Instead, I want you to look at our Psalm and notice the word "quicken." It is used twice (vs 37, 40). The word quicken or quickened is also used 9 other times in Psalm 119 and means, "to be restored to life or health; to revive; refresh; restore to life."

Has anyone ever told you to "get a life"? Maybe you've used this phrase.

In Christ and through Christ, I do have life! Knowing Jesus Christ is eternal life! And the life that He gives is abundant.

1) Life in Your Way:

Psalm 119:37 (KJV)
37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.

What are you looking at? What is your mind fixed upon? The things of this world pass away so easily. The lust of the flesh, the eyes, and the pride of life are fading away with this world. However, whoever does the will of God will abide forever!

I don't want to do things my way. I want to follow Jesus Christ because He is "The Way!" I want real life, not a manic pursuit of money. I don't need prestige, position, or popularity. I want to be quickened in way of God.

Imagine if all of us would turn our dreams over to God and let Him choose what's best for our lives. I want to be Spirit-led, rather than led by my feelings.

Isaac was faced with a dilemma. There was a famine in the land. He has a family to feed and care for, and if you can't plant and reap, you don't eat. So, like everyone else in Gerar, Isaac is saddling his donkey's and getting ready to make the trek to Egypt where it's been reported that there is food. However, God tells him to stay put in Gerar and Isaac obeys. In fact, he not only stayed in Gerar, but he planted and the Bible records that in the same year he reaped a 100-fold harvest.

I want to be quickened in God's way, completely obeying His voice.

2) Life in Your Righteousness:

Psalm 119:40 (KJV)
40 Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.

My righteousness is equal to filthy rags. I need to be covered in God's righteousness.

Many often say, "I'm a good person." But being a good citizen, paying your taxes on time, and helping your neighbor shovel their driveway doesn't earn you brownie points towards righteousness. Yes, it will equal to good works and be pleasing to God; however, each of us must be made alive in God's righteousness.

When Jesus rebuked Laodicea, one of their indictments was they were "naked." This was not a physical nakedness, but rather spiritual. They looked like the church, sang hymns like the church, had a pulpit, platform and praise team like a church, but they only had a form of Godliness.

Life?

All too often, our version of life is temporal. It's that mountaintop view, overlooking a serene lake. It's less hassle and hustle, and more simplicity. It's a fire place and family gathered around talking and sharing. It's nothing short of a Norman Rockwell picture perfect painting.

I want God's way of life and while I enjoy everything mentioned in the paragraph preceding this one, I don't want to become fixated on this life. Rather, I'm looking forward to eternal life with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As the old hymn proclaimed, "This world is not my home, I'm just a-passing through. My treasures are laid up, somewhere beyond the blue..."

I Have Chosen (Psalm 119:25-32)

2011-01-13T00:01:00.000-06:00

Psalm 119:25-32 (KJV)
25 My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.
26 I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes.
27 Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.
28 My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word.
29 Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously.
30 I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me.
31 I have stuck unto thy testimonies: O LORD, put me not to shame.
32 I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.

Choices surround us daily.

Paper or plastic?
Regular or supreme?
Coffee or tea?
Open a menu at your favorite restaurant and you're overloaded with multiple choices.

Of course, there are other choices too; and remember, we live and die by our choices. In fact, if more people would think to the end of their decisions, they would make better choices.

Do I laugh at the off-color, racial joke or not?
Do I log on to that website and view inappropriate images or not?
Do I gossip about someone or not?
Do I tell that lie to keep me from admitting the truth or not?

The Bible is full of heroes of faith who made choices. We can and should learn from them.

Noah chose to build an ark and save his family.
Abraham chose to obey God and leave his homeland.
Esther chose to obey, realizing she was brought to the kingdom for such a time.
Daniel chose not to violate the Law of God and eat meat sacrificed unto idols.
The 3 Hebrew boys chose not to violate God's commands and bow to a false god.
Mary chose to obey telling the angel, "Let it be to me according to your word."

Moses is of particular interest to me, especially in light of this blog today. Moses was spared Pharaoh's wrath due to the intervention, courage and faith of his mother Jochebed. He spent 40 years being raised as a prince of Egypt. However, during his early years, Jochebed had been awarded the right to wean him. I believe that she used every day of that period to instill in him who he was. When Moses was 40, Hebrews records his choice:

Hebrews 11:23-27 (KJV)
23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.
24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

Moses did some key things worth emphasizing:

He refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,
Chose to suffer affliction with the people of God, rather than enjoy sin for a season,
Esteemed the reproach of Christ greater than all riches of Egypt,
And he forsook Egypt!

Moses did all of this by faith! You and I can make the same decisions.

Think about this for a moment - God has called and chosen us but have we chosen Him? Do we choose His ways? Do we really ask "What would Jesus do" and mean it?

Joshua's words must be ours, "Choose you this day whom you will serve, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

I have chosen to follow him, taking up my cross daily, and denying myself. I'll see you on the journey - on the straight and narrow path...

Open My Eyes (Psalm 119:17-24)

2011-01-12T00:01:00.003-06:00

Psalm 119:17-24 (KJV)
17 Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.
18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.
19 I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.
20 My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.
21 Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.
22 Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies.
23 Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.
24 Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.

Helen Keller, the American educator who was both blind and deaf said, "I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can to something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.

Keller also said, "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart."

Some say Helen Keller saw more being blind than people with 20/20 eyesight.

Too many people carry a Bible they never read. And yet some read just to check off their daily reading. Few read with revelatory insight.

So, when you read the Bible, do you desire to know more of God? Do you ask God to speak to your heart and reveal His truth to you?

David desired to know about God. His cry must be ours too, "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law."

Saul of Tarsus was an Israelite of the tribe of Benjamin. He was a Pharisee and well versed in the study of the Law. He knew the prophecies and had an understanding of the Scripture. However, he didn't know Jesus Christ who was the fulfillment of the Law. But on the way to Damascus, a great Light shined and Jesus spoke to Saul. Saul said, "Who are you Lord?" Three days later when Ananias prayed for him, Paul's eyesight was given back to him and the Bible says that something like great scales from his eyes.

Oh that the scales of tradition and religious ritual would fall from our eyes. Oh that revelation would lead to relationship with Jesus Christ. Paul explained to the Corinthians that "only through Christ is the veil lifted."

The servant of Elisha saw their enemy surrounding them, yet after the prophet prayed, his eyes were opened and he saw the army of the Lord surrounding their enemy!

Oh that God would open our eyes!

Just prior to ascending, Jesus opened the understanding of His disciples that they would be able to comprehend the Scriptures. It is my daily prayer that God would open my understanding, open my eyes, and reveal Himself and His truth to me.

What good is reading if I do not comprehend what I'm reading? I don't want to casually read the Bible just so I can say I've read it through. I want to understand what I'm reading. I want to know Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I want to know Him in the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings.

David's desire is mine also, "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law."

What to do With the Word (Psalm 119:9-16)

2011-01-11T00:01:00.001-06:00

Psalm 119:9-16 (KJV)
9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
12 Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.
13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.
14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.
16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

There is a lot that can be done with the Word of God. Unfortunately, some mistreat it, misapply it, and mislead others by twisting it. While Thomas Jefferson had many good things to say as one of America's founding fathers, I am appalled at the Jefferson Bible. Why? Because Jefferson would pick and choose what he wanted inserted and what he wanted left out. We cannot do that! It's all or nothing!

1) Heed the Word

Psalm 119:9 (KJV)

9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

Heed in this verse is the same Hebrew word for "keep" in yesterday's blog (Psalm 119:4, 5, 8) and means, "to hedge about; guard; protect; attend to; observe; preserve; be circumspect."

Vine's Expository Dictionary explains this Hebrew word (SHAMAR) is used 470 times in the Old Testament and in every period of time.

Many hear the Word, but how many heed the Word? James writes, explaining that we should not be hearers only, but doers also of the Word. One who only hears is only deceiving themselves. The Word of God calls for action.

Maybe our society and the desire to get second opinions have plagued our thinking. Let me plainly and boldly say that if you want to be cleansed, you must heed the Word. There is no second opinion. There is no higher authority than the Word of God.

2) Hide the Word

Psalm 119:11-12 (KJV)

11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

12 Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.

To hide God's Word in one's heart means to treasure the Word of God. Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Hiding the Word of God includes memorizing Scripture as well as studying, but it also means to hold it dear to your heart.

When was the last time you asked the Lord to teach you? Whenever you become to old to learn, you're already dead.

My mom tells me that I experienced my first Pentecostal service when I was just three days old. I cut my teeth on Pentecostal pews. My mom taught me, and I had the privilege of serving with some great men of God along the journey. However, each day I search the Scriptures desiring to learn, grow, and mature in the faith. I never want to reach the mindset that I've learned all there is to know about the Bible.

The Word of God is a treasure to those who will mine its depths. Who will join me?

3) Herald the Word

Psalm 119:13 (KJV)

13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.

It's not enough to heed and hide the Word, I must also herald it. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - are you? It's easy to talk about what you obey and treasure.

Are you able to give anyone an answer of the hope that dwells in you? The Word of God instructs us to be ready to do just this. And it doesn't require a preachers license to herald the Word of God.

What has God done for you? Your personal testimony is just that - personal. It is yours. You own it. So, declare His word and testify His works unashamedly to friends and family.

4) Honor the Word

Psalm 119:14-16 (KJV)

14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

The last six words of verse 16 my daily motto. God has been too good for me to forget Him, even if I am in the midst of a storm. I will honor the Word of God above everything!

In Paul's final letter to Timothy, he states to his son in the Gospel, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith."

These words to Timothy sum up heeding, hiding, heralding, and honoring the Word of God. Let each of us be able to say these words with Paul.

Love the Word...

Live the Word...

Lead others to the Word...

The Blameless Way (Psalm 119:1-8)

2011-01-10T00:01:00.004-06:00

Psalm 119:1-8 (KJV)
1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.
2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.
3 They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.
4 Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.
5 O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!
6 Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.
7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.
8 I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.

From this 1st of 22 segments of Psalm comes some rich insights to daily Christian living. As we journey this pilgrim way, looking for that blessed hope - the appearing of Jesus Christ - we need to practice the following four things daily!

1) Walk in the law of the LORD:

Psalm 119:1 (KJV)

1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.

Walking can be mundane and common. We do it all the time and rarely have to think about it, if at all. It has become second nature to us. However, what you may not realize is that walking as it relates to daily Christian living is anything but mundane and common.

The first reference to walking that we see in the Bible is the voice of God walking in the cool of the day in the garden east of Eden. Adam and the woman have hid themselves in fear of the Lord, because they've disobeyed and eaten the forbidden fruit. It is believed that God walked with Adam daily. Man's disobedience created a divide between God and man that was not fully restored until the second Adam (Jesus Christ) came and became the mediator between God and man.

The second reference to walking is Enoch, who walked with God. Enoch pleased God and had a testimony of faith in God.

The third reference to walking is Noah and how he walked with God, finding grace during a time when society was spinning out of control and morally bankrupt.

The fourth reference to walking is when God commands Abraham to get up and look up and start walking throughout the land that He has promised to give him and his seed.

I could fill this whole blogpost with hundreds of references to walking. If we jump ahead to the New Testament, we will find it is replete with walking references:

Walk after the Spirit - Romans 8:1, 4; Galatians 5:16, 25
Walk honestly - Romans 13:13
Walk by faith - 2 Corinthians 5:17
Walk as a new creature in Christ - Galatians 5:15-16
Walk in good works - Ephesians 2:10
Walk worthy of your calling - Ephesians 4:1
Walk in love - Ephesians 5:2

The list could go on and on. Hopefully I whet your appetite enough that you will dig some more out on your own. After all, this is what Bible study is all about. Let me conclude point one by referencing one more Scripture on walking:

1 John 2:6 (ESV)
whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

2) Seek Him with your whole heart:

Psalm 119:2 (KJV)

2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

Some seek fame and fortune. Others seek popularity and position. Some seek revenge. Some seek illicit relationships. Some seek their next high. Some seek to be comfortable. Some seek to please. Other seek to cause pain.

What do you seek?

What do you seek with your whole heart?

When you seek God, do you only seek Him for answers to your dilemma? Do you look at God like a good luck charm? Do you see God like a vending machine where you put in your prayer request, press E5 and receive your blessing?

Do you seek His precepts looking for loopholes so that you can justify a lifestyle that you know is wrong?

Or, do you seek Him with your whole heart, desiring like Paul to "know nothing among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified?"

Oh, and by the way, God also seeks something. Jesus explained that the Father seeks true worshippers to worship Him in spirit and in truth. I say it's time to seek the Seeker of true worship!

3) Keep His precepts diligently:

Psalm 119:2, 4 (KJV)

2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

4 Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.

The condensed definition of the word keep in these two verses means, "to hedge about; guard; protect; attend to; observe; preserve; be circumspect."

There is more to the definition, but yet again, I challenge you to dig deeper for yourself. Oh, and by the way, this word keep is used 29 times in Psalm 119 alone!

However, I must also warn against building a hedge so big that we wind up loving the hedge, rather than the Word we are supposed to protect. I believe this was National Israel's problem when Jesus condemned and rebuked them over and over. They had become whited sepulchers, but were full of dead men's bones. Jesus told them that by their traditions, they were shutting up the kingdom of heaven and making the Word of God of no effect.

They worshipped the practice of their religion rather than the Person of their religion!

I believe in holding a high moral standard of holy living. I believe holiness is both inward and outward, for what good is a clean heart and spirit, yet an immodest behavior outwardly! Equally, what good is modest behavior and dress if my heart and spirit are blackened by bitterness and sin?

Let us observe and preserve God's precepts and principles, but let us not become like those who made the Word of God of no effect.

4) Praise Him with a pure heart:

Psalm 119:7 (KJV)
7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.

Praise from an impure heart is nothing more or less than lip service. God doesn't want platitudes, He desires pure praise.

Jesus explained that if you've come to give your offering (praise) and you remember that someone has ought against you, that you are to go to them first, making it right, and then return with your praise.

Matthew 15:6b-9 (ESV)
6 ...So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.
7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
8 “ ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

I want my praise to be acceptable to God. David said it well, "Create in me a clean heart O God and renew in me a right spirit." Praise MUST come from purity, otherwise it is not true. Remember earlier in the blog - the Father is seeking true worshippers to worship Him in spirit and in truth? I cannot answer for you, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord...with pure hearts!

How Much Does it Cost?

2011-01-06T12:14:00.000-06:00

How much something costs is most likely the number one consideration made prior to purchase. We budget, save, work extra, borrow, or use credit to buy what we need and want. Of course, if we're not careful, we put ourselves in to debt and hope for a bailout from the government. And with ads telling us to "buy now, pay later" our senses are triggered and we often impulsively buy what we cannot afford to impress who we don't even like with money we really don't have.

But, before you think this is a blog about impulsive buying or the nations credit crisis, let me assure you it is not.

There is also a cost in living for God. There is a price-tag attached to discipleship, and you cannot make this purchase at a bargain-basement outlet, nor will it be on the clearance rack. You have to pay full price for it.

Jesus taught the principle of counting the cost and the wisdom of wise stewardship. I want you to consider the cost of discipleship with me, and before you make the purchase, count the cost. God desires daily disciples, not weekend warriors.

Unfortunately, some just want to come to church or have church. But this type of thinking has produced a lazy generation that has forgotten we are to be the church! Worship is a lifestyle, not just a 30 minute segment of a weekly service where we sing. The psalmist said it best, "Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness" (Psalm 96:9).

Paul wrote that we are to be a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. He further explained that this type of daily living was our reasonable service unto God (Romans 12:1-2).

So, my question today is this - do you just want to be "around" Jesus, or are you willing to "follow" Jesus?

Matthew 8:18, 23 (ESV)
18 Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him...
23 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him.

You see, the crowd was content to be around Jesus. They liked getting their blessing, their word for the day, and possibly some loaves and fishes. However, crowds don't follow Jesus into boats to ride out storms. But disciples do!

The last time I read Matthew 16:18, it still says that Jesus will build His church...not a crowd!

It's easy to attract crowds: plan a BBQ, complete with free food and giveaways, and you'll attract a crowd. But once the BBQ is over, the crowd disappears. However, true disciples are willing to get into the boat with Jesus, even if a storm is imminent.

True disciples are willing to pay the price. They don't just want to be around Jesus...they want to follow Him! Do you? Are you willing to pay the price?

In the Bible I use, it has subheadings to help break up the context of the Scripture for better understanding. Just above Matthew 8:18 is this subheading: "The Cost of Following Jesus."

While I cannot answer for you, I can, like Joshua, boldly proclaim - as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord! I choose to pay full price. I choose to follow Him, even if that means into the heart of a storm. Why? Because I know that He has authority to calm either the storm or me, but either way, His peace will surpass all understanding, and I will come through this storm a stronger disciple of Jesus Christ.

I'll see you on board...

Fixing The Car

2010-12-13T12:34:00.002-06:00

All week long, my car ran great. Here and there, across town and back, up hills and down; no problems. I turned the key, the engine fired and I was on my way. Then, suddenly, on Friday a terrible thing happened. I was cruising along when it coughed a couple of times, sputtered, harrumphed and then quit. Nothing. It would turn over, but not fire. I was stranded.

Being the master mechanic that I am, I walked around the car and gave all four tires a firm kick. I opened the hood, jiggled a few wires, pulled and twisted stuff, and burned my hand on something hot. But no matter what I did, the engine would not start.

I was at the point of despair when I noticed a large sign about a hundred yards ahead. It said, "BMW - Believers Motor Works." Perfect, I thought. If anyone can help me, surely my fellow believers can. I pushed the car over, and as it rolled into the parking lot, a man in a loud sports coat, and ugly tie came out, grabbed my hand, slapped my back, and welcomed me to his shop. he had me fill out a visitor's card, popped the hood, and took a look inside.

"Brother," he said, "Your car seems to be functioning below statistical standards.

"Yes, sir," I nodded. "I can't argue with that."

"I think I can help you. First, we will need to form a committee to study the statistics on this car. They will get the input of experts and others who own functioning cars of this model. We get together, write a report, then formulate a program that will get your car's statistics up. I will give you an 800 number for the experts in Nashville and Atlanta who can help you to figure out why your numbers have slipped."

"Thank you, sir, but..."

"Please call me Brother Bob," he interrupted.

"Well, Brother Bob, I appreciate all that, but can you fix my car?" I asked.

"You're in luck, I have a new curriculum that just came in last week - look, here's the box right here. A shop down in Florida has had great success in getting their cars running using this program. If it worked for them, I am sure it will work for you."

"What is it?" I asked.

"I don't have all the details, but if has a catchy slogan and some cool and creative graphics. There's even a website with 10 pages of FAQ's. Just what you need!"

I thanked him and scanned the street. I am no mechanic, but I knew that my needed something a little more than a catchy slogan and a new program. I didn't need an expert in Florida to tell me how well his car runs; I needed someone HERE to help me get my car running.

I pushed my car back out into the street and saw another shop just a couple of doors down. It was called the "Church Growth Strategy Mechanics Shop." Mechanics. That's what I needed. Maybe they could fix my car. So, I pushed it over to their shop and was invited to wait in their lush, air-conditioned lobby. As I waited, I perused some of the books and magazines. I glanced through Experiencing Cars, flipped through The Purpose-Driven Car and scanned a pamphlet called, Your Best Car Now.

Before I got a chance to digest any of the advice, a mechanic with a neatly trimmed goatee came out dressed in Khakis and a golf shirt. After I explained my problem, he smiled and said, "I think I can help you. What you need to do is take a survey of your community and find out what people feel their automotive needs are. Find out what the most popular color of paint is and what interior style and color people like the most. Once you know what the people around you like in a car, we can totally redesign your car to fit those tastes. Then we can begin a new advertising and marketing strategy that will make your car the envy of the whole community."

"Will that make my car run better?" I asked.

He shook his head sadly, "Myron, you will never get the right answers as long as you are asking the wrong questions."

I could tell I was getting nowhere with him. My car did not need a new marketing strategy. It needed to be fixed. I looked and down the street one more time. I saw another place a block away. The sign said, "CP&W Repair Shop - We can make your old car new." Perfect! I huffed and puffed and pushed my car up the small hill to the CP&W shop. Out came a man with long curly hair, in blue jeans and sandals, wearing a graphic T-shirt.

"Can you help me?" I asked. "My car won't run."

He looked inside and nodded, then turned to face me. "Dude! I have spotted your problem. Look at your sound system. You have an old AM radio with a cassette player. That thing will only play old-fashioned, out-of-date music. We, here at Contemporary Praise & Worship Repair Shop can fix you right up. We will replace your old clunker radio with the newest CD/DVD/MP3 surround sound, studio-quality, satellite music system. You will be able to get all the best stations with all the newest music."

Will it make my car run?" I asked.

"RUN?" he responded, "Why would you want to run when you could sit in your car and enjoy the experience of your wonderful, modern sound system? That's all your car needs - contemporary music!"

I thanked him and headed back out. I may be a mechanical moron, but I knew that whatever was wrong with my car could not be fixed by a new program, new marketing strategies, an exterior paint job, or a new sound system. None of that would bring my dead car to life.

I spied one more little shop, tucked back in an old brick building. The sign read, "Superior Automotive Knowledge Repair Shop." Maybe these folks knew what to do with my car. My back was aching from pushing it around town and I needed help. But, when I rolled my car into their parking lot, no one cam out to help. I poked my head in the door and upon hearing some soft organ music in the background, I walked down a hallway and opened another door. There, huddled in a small circle, was a group of men in a very intense discussion.

"Excuse me," I interrupted, "Is this a repair shop?"

With a look of faint annoyance, one mad said, "Yes, it is."

"Well, I have a car that won't run, and I was wondering if you could take a look at it."

He pursed his lips. "If you're interested and able. you may join our group as we study the true Doctrines of Cars. We are just now exploring the various aspects of "Predesticarnation - understanding the free wheel concepts of cars." We are not like those silly groups out there that focus on methods and manuals and such things. We have found superior knowledge of the inner workings of cars and it provides us with a sense of awe and humility, knowing that we know more about how cars work than anyone else."

I was a little confused and asked, "Do you actually fix cars?"

He grew even more irritated and replied, "That is not our job! If the manufacturer wants the car fixed, he will fix them himself."

I wandered back out and leaned against my car in extreme frustration. I was out of options, I could not see any more shops and I was dead tired from all the pushing. At that moment, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and saw an average looking man in work clothes. He said, "Sir, I have watched you push your car up and down the street. I think I can help."

I was a little cynical now. "What are going to do for me? Form a strategy team, call in an expert, form an elite study group, repaint my car, or fix my stereo?"

"No sir. I own that little gas station over there, the B&P Filling Station. I thought you might try something simple. Maybe your car is just out of gas. Want to give that a try?"

At this point, I was willing to try anything, so we pushed the car over to the B&P Filling Station. I pumped gas into the tank, filling it up. I sat down, turned the key, and it chugged and coughed and then started. Nothing was really wrong with the car, it was just out of gas!

I went inside and thanked the mechanic. Never had I been so happy to pay for a tank of gas.

The B&P owner explained, "Don't worry about it; it happens all the time. People drive their cars and never stop to fill them up. Then, when they go dry, everyone has a suggestion, but so often they forget to do the one thing every car needs - fill the tank."

He handed me the receipt, I shook his hand, and went on my way. As I pulled up to the first stop light, I glanced at the receipt and noticed the name of the business - "Bible & Prayer Filling Station." I was sure glad I stopped there that day.

Perhaps all the experts' advice, marketing strategies, the new paradigms, the head knowledge, the modernization, and new programs are not necessarily what we Christians and our churches need most. What we really need is to get into God's Word and seek Him until our hearts are full of His will and ways.

Programs and protocol can never replace the power of prayer. Praise is a part of who we are as Christians, but if our praise becomes performance based, rather than a daily lifestyle of worship, we will help no one. Nothing but the Spirit of God will fill an empty tank.

The Church of Omaha is a place of hope... a place of healing... Come and experience the difference at TCOO - everyone welcomed!

Managing the Christmas Budget

2010-11-30T16:40:00.001-06:00

“Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house….” Brings vivid memories to mind, doesn’t it? Homes filled with holiday decorations, people frantically finishing last minute gift wrapping, children rushing off to bed. Mom and dad are in the living room, exhausted, but it’s a warm kind of exhaustion. Mental inventory is quickly made to assure that no one was left out or slighted in any way.

The truth of the matter is the holidays are filled with tension for many folks. The pressure to buy the latest and greatest and to be fair and equitable with everyone weighs on us as Christmas approaches. Honestly, it’s a pressure we could all do without.

“Twas the month after Christmas and it’s quite a different scene all through the house…..” New toys and gadgets are now old. The clothes have all been worn and admired. The decorations are packed away, leftovers finished off and a new kind of tension fills the air. Approximately 28-35 days after Christmas the holiday cheer is replaced with the stress of “How am I going to pay all of these credit card bills?”

Ever been there? How would you like to avoid the same trap this year? A few simple guidelines for managing the Christmas budget can help all of us:

1. Be Faithful: Luke 16:10 states “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.” Faithfulness in giving is probably never more tested than during the holiday season. There are so many self-imposed demands on our finance that the temptation to hold back on our tithe and offering can be very appealing. The needs of the Church quickly become secondary, and in some cases, forgotten altogether. Amazing, isn’t it? He really is the reason for the season, yet we give less to Him and more to others during His season. This year, challenge yourself to be faithful in tithing and offerings. If you consistently give a certain percentage in offerings, continue to do so. Remember, first the kingdom!

2. Don’t Let Emotions Control Your Purchases: Humans are emotional beings. There is a natural tendency in us to be governed by our emotions, especially during the holidays. Our love and appreciation for people and our desire to be pleasing can cause us to make unwise decisions. How many gifts have you bought in an emotional moment only to regret purchasing them later? You justified the expense because of your love for the individual or because of the amount they spent on you last year. The Apostle Paul, addressing the Church in Corinth, gave instructions as to how love behaves. In verse 5 of I Corinthians 13, he states “love does not behave itself unseemly…” In other words, love does not act in ways that are unbecoming. People who truly love you would never want you to be burdened with debt to purchase a gift for them. That would be an unbecoming act of love. As hard as it may be to do so, there is wisdom in removing emotion from the purchasing process and allowing practicality and common sense to rule the day.

3. Don’t Be An Impulse Buyer: Multiple millions of dollars are spent by manufacturers and retailers hoping to influence you to become an impulse buyer. It seems that every year the advertisements and displays have more dazzle power than ever before. There is an old adage about controlling anger: “Count to 10, real, real, real slow before you speak.” There is great value in doing the same thing when shopping. Impulsive behavior of any kind always leads to regret. Just ask Moses or Saul or Simon Peter. Be assured that impulsive holiday buying will lead to many regrets. Inevitably, you will find the same item cheaper somewhere else. Often times as Christmas draws near, you will contemplate the purchases you made in haste and wish you had not done so. Impulsive purchases exhaust the budget and will cause you to take resources from other places to finish your shopping.

4. Avoid Doing Christmas On Credit: It is definitely more blessed to give than to receive. The holidays bring out the giving-spirit in all of us. However, one of the best things you could do this Christmas season is to freeze every credit card you own in a 50 lb. block of ice. The temptation to use credit can be so irresistible: “NO payment , NO interest for 90 days, 6 months and sometimes for a year or two.” Has it ever occurred to you that there are people enjoying gifts that some of you have not finished paying for yet? More interesting yet, is the fact that you are probably enjoying gifts others haven’t finished paying for yet, either! Better yet, there is a good chance that some of the gifts you are still paying for from last Christmas have already been sold in a Summer garage sale Ever wonder how many holiday gifts helped pave the road to bankruptcy? Probably far more than we would really like to know. Christmas purchases, more than any other, should always be pay as you go. Deferred payments and interest all have a due date. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you can afford to pay for it later. Chances are if you can’t afford it now, you won’t be able to afford it later.

5. Make A Plan: The old saying is “People don’t plan to fail, they just fail to plan.” Having a plan at the holidays is vital to managing the Christmas budget. When you make a plan and stick to it you remain faithful, emotions are kept in check, impulsive purchases are avoided and the credit cards stay frozen. When God gave the greatest gift of all to humanity He had a plan. John 1:1-14 “In the beginning was the Word (plan)…..and the Word (plan) was made flesh….” God realized the need for a plan. Throughout the centuries of time He has managed the plan and the entire world has been blessed!

by Ron Wofford - reposted with permission

Thanksgiving to Things-getting

2010-11-29T11:48:00.000-06:00

It is amazing how fast we go from enjoying the fellowship of family, lots of food, and celebrating thanksgiving to beginning a mad dash of "things-getting." Commercialism and coveting are proudly paraded in front of us in advertisements, almost commanding us to buy their product. The marketers tell us we need bigger, better, and more than we had last year. But do we? When life is all over and done and we die, we won't be taking any "things" with us.

Too many people treasure things and use people. We should treasure people and use things.

Do we really need to build bigger barns to put all our things in? Or can we make do with less and help someone else?

I really wonder what our children would think of us if we chose to just give the gift of love and time, rather than go in debt to buy Christmas presents?

It would seem that the season that is supposed to be about giving has really become all about getting.

Let's slow down long enough to evaluate life against eternity. Find a family this year that doesn't have much. Maybe there is a single parent in your church that struggles to keep bills paid. Instead of buying numerous gifts for your own children, why not give to help someone less fortunate?

May you and yours be blessed this year. Remember the words of Jesus, "It is more blessed to give than it is to receive."

An Excellent Wife - Proverbs 31 - 10/31/10

2010-10-31T00:01:00.003-05:00

Earlier this month - October 2 - my wife and I celebrated our 17th Wedding Anniversary. I can say with full assurance that she is a "Proverbs 31" wife, mother, and lady.

Also this month, we have been reading a Psalm, and today's Psalm is very fitting, especially verses 3-4, "Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord."

In addition to thanking God for a Proverbs 31-wife, I want to draw the comparison to the "excellent church." Two blogs during this month have focused on the "forbidden woman" comparing her to the false church. This final blog on Proverbs will highlight the characteristics and beauty of the true church!

In the book of Genesis, Abraham tells Sarah to lie to Pharaoh, saying that she is his sister. This was actually a half-truth; Sarah was Abraham's half-sister. However, half-truths are whole-lies. Abraham was afraid that Pharaoh would kill him and take Sarah into his harem, which he did anyway and God judged him for it.

Let me draw from this account in Genesis and tell you that we cannot treat the true church like our sister! We are either married to this thing or we are not! We are either in love with God or not. There is no middle ground. 99.9% won't do!

I am grateful to have been raised in "the church," but I'm even more grateful that at a very young age I made up my mind that this was the life for me. I made a determination that regardless of what others did, I was in this thing for life. The line was drawn in the sand, and I had crossed over. There is no turning back for me!

Too many today are only "dating the church" but God is not interested in a date. He doesn't want a one-night-stand. God is calling out a Bride! I exchanged vows with my wife on our wedding day and it went something like this...

I, Myron, take thee, Shannon, to be my wedded wife; to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, to cherish, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance.

Shannon also made the same vows to me. And guess what, the vows are not multiple choice! We didn't pick the ones we liked and discard the ones we didn't. We said and meant them all!

God has made some vows to the Church, His Bride...

I will never leave you nor forsake you.
Lo, I am with you always, even until the end of the world.

And we love to hear those verses, but I wonder today, have you made the same vows to Him? Will you ever leave or forsake Him? Will you endure until the end? Will you serve God, even if the days are rough? I have to tell you that my worst day living FOR the Lord is better than my best day living WITHOUT Him!

I'm quite certain that Noah's ark wasn't always the most pleasant place, but considering the alternative, I would've stayed on the ark.

I cannot tell you that every day has been "zippity-do-da-zippity-day" being married. There have been disagreements, arguments, frustrations, financial stress, sickness, and a host of other things that have made some days pretty bleak. BUT, I can also tell you that the good outweigh the bad! I can also tell you that I cannot imagine living without Shannon or our children that we've had together.

I feel the same way about the church - there are days when I'm not feeling like running the aisles. There are times when bad things are happening and my flesh wants to give up. BUT, the good days outweigh the bad and I cannot imagine living outside the church!

I started this race to finish it! I didn't join the church, I was born into it. If you think I'm going to give up, you've got another think coming! I've found an "excellent wife" - the true church - and I treasure her! I cherish her! I will never leave nor forsake her! I will never leave or forsake God. He's coming back soon and I am anticipating His return.

Every Word of God Proves True - Proverbs 30 - 10/30/31

2010-10-30T00:01:00.002-05:00

The Bible is not a collection of stories. The Word of God is TRUTH! Jesus said, "Your Word is truth!" From the very first word to the final one, every word of God proves true!

Many books have come and gone. Many writers have seen prominence for their words. But, while many write about truth, there is only Author who is the truth! The Bible covers a span of 3,600 years of the history of mankind. Over 40 different writers were inspired by the Holy Ghost to pen the Word of God. But the reason the Bible flows together so well is because God is the single Author!

In the Old Testament alone, there are over 2,000 prophecies that have already come to pass. "Every word of God proves true!" (Proverbs 30:5). The Old Testament contains 333 prophecies concerning the coming of Christ, which include 456 specific details. These prophecies were penned by many different writers between 1500 BC and 400 BC - hundreds of years before Christ was born! And yet Christ fulfilled every detail of each of these prophecies! This phenomenon is not repeated in any other book, volume, or piece of literature - not even in other religions and their writings. "Every word of God proves true!" (Proverbs 30:5).

The very worlds were framed by the word of God. He spoke and it happened. Read through Genesis and you'll see "And God said" over and over. There is power in the word of God! This same God robed Himself in flesh and spoke with authority. The religious leaders could not confuse Him. The storms could not stop Him. Death and sickness could not hold back His word. Jesus simply needed to speak the word and what He spoke happened for "Every word of God proves true!" (Proverbs 30:5)!

In fact, when tempted by the devil, Jesus didn't argue or debate. Neither did He grab a lightning bolt and shove it up Satan's nose. Instead, Jesus just used the word - "it is written!" Why, because there is power in the word and "Every word of God proves true!" (Proverbs 30:5)!

Is it any wonder that the preached word of God has the power to save, deliver, and heal? I can pray and preach in the name of Jesus Christ upon the authority of His word and know that He will act upon His Word! Why, because "Every word of God proves true!" (Proverbs 30:5)!

We need to approach God and His Word like the leper approached Jesus in Mark 1:40. He said to Jesus, "If you will, you can make me clean." In other words, the leper was saying, "I know you can, but will you?" He didn't doubt Jesus' ability to heal him. He didn't doubt Jesus' desire to heal him either. Oh that we would approach God like that!

I know God can heal my body... I know God can save the lost... I know God can give the increase... I know God can supply all my need... Now, I put my trust in His Word because I know "Every word of God proves true!" (Proverbs 30:5)!

In our tongue is the power to speak life or death. I choose to speak life! I know God can! I believe God will! I know that "Every word of God proves true!" (Proverbs 30:5) and that is the promise I'm holding on to today!

We Need Revelation - Proverbs 29 - 10/29/10

2010-10-29T00:01:00.002-05:00

"Where there is no prophetic vision (revelation) the people cast off restraint..." (Proverbs 29:18)

I see too many people content to keep a seat occupied at church without ever truly desiring to know more about God.

Why do you go to church?

Do you understand God's Word?

Revelation cannot be taught - it must be caught. I can teach principle and explain Scripture, yet if a person does not have a desire for truth, they will not catch the revelation. Unfortunately, some are content to warm a pew or chair at church. Some are content to take a casual glance at Scripture rather than trust it with all their heart. I cannot live like that! Deep calls unto deep and I am willing to launch out into the deep to see the great wonders of God.

Peter was told to launch out into the deep and that would be where he would realize a great catch. David said it is in the deep that one sees the wonders of God. Ships look pristine in harbors, but that is not what ships were built for. You and I were created in the image of God. We should desire to launch out into the depths of His Word and see His wonders! God forbid that another generation rise up that doesn't know God or His works!

As of the writing of this blog, I am 37 years old. In that time I have seen many people forsake truth. I used to wonder why someone would forsake this truth in favor of this present world. However, after I examined Proverbs 29:18 more closely, I realized why. If one does not have a revelation they will cast off restraint.

Truth restrains me. Truth outlines the perimeters. Truth identifies the boundaries. And while some feel restricted by truth, remember this - the same sheepfold that keeps you in keeps the wolves out!

When Paul was inspired by the Holy Ghost to write Ephesians, he drew a comparison to the armor of God. The first piece of armor was the belt of truth. If one does not have a revelation of truth, they will easily discard it. Belts "restrain" me. Belt's hold the scabbard for my sword. In this case, the sword is the "sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God." Without revelation, one will cast off the belt of truth!

Jesus asked, "who do you say that I am?" Peter boldly proclaimed, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus went to explain to Peter that he had not received this revelation from man, but rather from divine appointment.

Paul proclaimed that his knowledge of Christ came by way of revelation.

John wrote "the revelation of Jesus Christ" while banished on the Isle of Patmos.

God spoke with Moses face to face as one speaks with a friend.

God chose to inform His friend Abraham what He planned to do to the cities of the plain.

If these men of God can have divine revelation from God, so can I and so can you. We need revelation! I'm all for preaching inspirational thoughts, but we also need instruction! I want people to be edified, but I want them to be educated as well. We need revelation in the pulpit and the pew! For without it, we will cast off restraint!

I have no doubt that you want to be blessed. I do to. So, let's "keep the law" rather than cast it off, and we will be blessed. It is my sincere prayer that God will grant you revelation of His Word. Prior to Jesus' ascension, He opened His disciples understanding that they might comprehend the Scriptures (Luke 24:45). I pray that God does the same for you today.

Unanswered Prayers - Proverbs 28 - 10/28/10

2010-10-28T00:01:00.001-05:00

Most all of us desire for our prayers to be heard and answered. Even if God says no, we want to know that He has heard us. So, is there a way to ensure that our prayers are heard? Can we live in confidence, knowing that God will answer our prayers? In 1 John 5:14-15 we find the answer to our questions. "And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him." Let's sum up this Scripture:

Ask according to God's will
God hears prayers asked according to His will
If we have asked according to His will, then we know He hears us and will answer.

Some people pray, "Lord, if it's Your will, save my lost loved ones." However, if you know your Bible, then you know this prayer should be prayed like this, "Lord, Your word says that it is not Your will that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Your word teaches that one plants and another waters, and You give the increase. So, upon the authority of Your word, I have planted, and I believe others have watered. Now, Lord, give the increase according to Your word."

Which one do you think sounds more in line with God's will?

God's will is His word. The more you know His word, the more you'll pray in line with His will. The more you pray His word (will), the more you'll be confident that your prayer has been heard and that God will answer! The key is learning the word of God. Studying the Bible is imperative to a confident and successful prayer life.

Studying the bible is also imperative to winning the victory over Satan. When Jesus was tempted by the devil, He confidently said, "It is written." Jesus used the word to overcome temptation from Satan. However, you cannot say "it is written" unless you know what is written!

What does this have to do with our reading in Proverbs today? "If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination." (Proverbs 28:9)

If I'm unwilling to "hear the law" - listen to the word of God - why should I think God would listen to my prayer? Maybe our praying should be less lecturing and more listening.

God reacts. 2 Chronicles 7:14 proves this. The word "if" is the hinge of this verse - if we will, then God will. If we listen to His Word, then God will listen to our prayers.

Sparks Will Fly - Proverbs 27 - 10/27/10

2010-10-27T00:01:00.005-05:00

When iron strikes iron to sharpen it, sparks fly. The process of creating a sword is one that requires a lot of heat, tension, and struggle. But the end result is sharpened swords ready for battle.

John MacArthur writes, "The benefits of intellectual discussion encourage joy through a keener mind and the improvement of good character which the face will reveal."

Friends that cannot or will not be honest with you are not true friends. If we expect to become sharper, then we must endure "sparks" flying every once in a while. Besides, I want honesty, not flattery: how about you?

True friendship speaks the truth in love, even if it hurts. Flattery is like perfume: it can be smelled, but you should avoid swallowing it. Flattery only tells me what I want to hear, not necessarily the truth. Those who are open themselves to flattery fence themselves against admonition. Flattery doesn't benefit anyone and leaves you dull.

In 1988, I preached my second message ever. Pastor Paul Kinney asked me to stay with him after the following service for some counseling. After we sat down in his office, he informed me that I had done a good job preaching, staying within the time limit he had given, and staying true to the context of my Scripture I had used. However, he then explained to me that I was adding too many "fillers." Fillers are those, "Praise the Lord, church" that preachers throw out every few seconds. He also informed me that I sounded like I was hyperventilating while preaching. What Pastor Kinney said next has stuck with me every since: "Whoever you're imitating, we already have one of him. Just be Myron Powell. God called you to be you."

Iron sharpens iron! Yes, I could have become offended, but I chose not to. I realized that Pastor Kinney was sharpening me. His words have echoed through the last 22 years. I've spoken the same to many others, encouraging them to be the person God has called them to be rather than an imitation.

Do you have someone in your life that you're willing to listen to? Someone who will tell you the truth in love, even if it means risking your feelings being hurt? If you don't, then you're only kidding yourself. I want to become sharper - sharper in the way I administrate, deliver sermons, lead, plan projects, etc. I can learn as much, if not more, from constructive criticism than I can a compliment.

Sometimes, compliments are given just to be courteous. In general, no one wants to hurt someone else's feelings. So two factors play in to this scenario: #1) I have to be willing to accept the constructive criticism, and #2) I have to surround myself with those who are honest enough to give me constructive criticism. If I'm unwilling to allow iron to sharpen iron, then I will remain dull. That is not an option in my mind. Is it in yours?

Here's a challenge for today - send an email or letter, or make a phone call to those who speak in to your life and thank them for their transparent honesty. Express to them how you've grown through both their compliments and criticisms.

More Hope for a Fool - Proverbs 26 - 10/26/10

2010-10-26T00:01:00.003-05:00

In Proverbs 26, fools are referenced eleven times from verse 1 through verse 12. The word fool is defined in the literal Hebrew as "arrogant one, senseless, simpleton, foolish." These proverbs illustrate what to do and what not to do concerning fools.

Fools say there is no God (Psalm 14:1 & 53:1).
They are corrupt.
They do abominable things.
Fools do no good.
Don't be a fool!

Jesus relates a parable of a rich fool who built large barns to hold all his possessions. Jesus aptly explains that none of this fools possessions will go with him into eternity. The man God calls a fool is the one who amasses earthly wealth, yet doesn't store up anything of eternal value.

It's more than a cliche' - only what you do for Christ will last! I challenge you to take personal inventory of your life. Write down or type out what you do every day, then add up how much of it had eternal value versus temporary value. In the end, when we die, our funeral procession will not be followed by a U-Haul. Even the mementos that our family puts in our casket will not do us any good. Are you laying up treasure in heaven?

In the first twelve verses of Proverbs 26, fools are mentioned eleven times:

Honor is not fitting for a fool - verses 1 & 8
Fools need strong discipline - verse 3
Don't be like fools & their folly - verse 4-5
Don't rely on fools - verse 6
Fools are useless - verse 7
Fools are like thorns - verse 9
Don't hire fools - verse 10
Fools & their folly are like dogs who return to their vomit - verse 11

And then there is verse 12... "Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him."

After 11 verses describing the terrible state of the fool, verse 12 shows the hopeless situation of one who is unteachable and stubborn. Already we've seen just how much we should avoid being fools at all costs, we must even more diligently avoid being unteachable and stubborn. There is more of a chance of repentance for a fool than one who cannot be taught.

The day we stop learning is the day we are already dead. I never want to get to a point that I feel I've learned all I can know about the Bible. I never want to be at a place where I cannot be taught, and I definitely cannot afford to be stubborn towards God or His Word or His teachers.

Stubbornness may be a good trait in light of staying in the fight until the end. Being stubborn has it's good side when it comes to being a running back and getting back up over and over until you get the touchdown. But stubbornness towards God, His Word, or His teachers coupled with being unteachable may cause me to cross a line that I might never return from. I cannot afford to make that mistake! How about you?

Rehoboam was stubborn and unteachable. He chose to ignore the wisdom and experience of his elders and rather listened only to the youthful zeal of his peers. Because of his folly, the kingdom was divided and morale was lost. We need the energy of youth to be balanced with the experience of age; when this happens, we will be most effective. There is wisdom in the multitude of counselors.

As a pastor, I must know my calling and fulfill it with the highest integrity. This I strive to do daily. However, I realize that I cannot succeed alone. I need elders. I need accountability. I need "younger's." I cannot remember from whom I heard it, but it bears repeating - "Every man needs a Paul - someone who he is accountable to. Every man needs a Barnabas - a peer encourager. Every man needs a Timothy - a son in the gospel to invest in."

Should I die before the First Resurrection of the Saints, let it be said that I died learning. I want to go to my grave being teachable. I want to die being pliable - not stubborn! How about you?

Self-Defense - Proverbs 25 - 10/25/10

2010-10-25T00:01:00.002-05:00

Gates and walls were once a city's main defense against attack from its enemies. The higher and stronger the wall, the better chance of success. Much engineering went into strengthening gates so that an enemy would be unable to penetrate into a city overtaking it. It is believed that until the Greeks built the Trojan Horse, that Troy's gates and walls had never been breached by an enemy attacker. However, while the Greeks did manage to overcome the Trojans, they did so by trickery, not by penetrating the walls by force.

And that's just how the enemy works too. He first slithered into the garden, east of Eden, and beguiled Eve with trickery. The serpent questioned the very Word of God and then added a single word to what God had said. God said, "you shall surely die" concerning eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. However, the serpent said, "you will not surely die." All he did was insert the word "not" and it changed everything.

Furthermore, just like the Trojans were tricked into thinking that the Trojan Horse was some sort of gift or peace offering, the serpent had caused the fruit to appear pleasing to the eyes. What he did to accomplish this, we do not know, but it worked. Eve's defenses were down and her "wall" was breached. Adam joined her in disobedience and sin entered the world. The next time you hear someone ask why crime is so high, and why the moral fabric of society has unravelled, tell them to blame Adam and Eve - their disobedience opened "pandora's box" of sin upon humanity.

We must do what is necessary to protect ourselves. We must ensure that our defenses are in tact and working properly. Like those in antiquity who would construct stronger gates and build higher walls, we must also defend ourselves against the barrage of temptations the enemy fires at us. We cannot be tricked by Trojan Horses who want to creep in unaware. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life rage against our gates and walls. This is why it is so important to maintain a daily walk in the Spirit. This is why a prayer life is imperative to our success as Christians. This is why we must be committed to studying and applying the Bible.

Casual Christianity is an oxymoron!

You cannot be carefree in your commitment to Christ!

Why? Because "a man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls." (Proverbs 25:28)

Psalm 122 - our Psalm reading today - even speaks about the security of strong walls!

The ESV Study Bible states this concerning Proverbs 25:28 - "Self-control relates to the passions (such as anger or love), the appetites (for food, sex, etc.), and the will (as illustrated by impulsive decisions). The lack of self-control is the mark of a fool. He is like a city ... left without walls, that is, with no means of defense against enemies."

Have you examined your gates and walls lately? Do you practice self-control? Can the enemy of your soul breach your walls, or penetrate your gates with little or no effort? Or are you a strong fortress of integrity and self-control?

Joseph's life exhibits great self-control. He was naturally and physically handsome, yet we never see pride ensnare him (Gen. 39:6). When faced with the seduction of his masters wife, Joseph ran away rather than commit sexual sin (Gen. 39:7-13). Joseph was unspoiled by sudden prosperity when he graduated from the pit to the palace (Gen. 41). These three things pretty much sum up "the pride of life, the lust of the eyes, and the lust of the flesh." (see 1 John 2:16)

Learn the art of "self-defense" today. Start with repentance. Then commit yourself to a daily walk in the Spirit. Will it be easy? Probably not, but it will be rewarding. Remember, those who want to live for God easy find it to be hard: yet, those who live for God hard, find it easy. A daily regimin of the Word of God coupled with prayer will strengthen your "defense systems."

We're not promised a relief from the attacks of the enemy, but if we are faithfully committed to the cause of Christ, living a righteous and holy life, we are promised that no weapon formed against us shall prosper! (see Isaiah 54:17)

What's in Your House? - Proverbs 24 - 10/24/10

2010-10-24T00:01:00.001-05:00

In the Spring of 2004, we began the long and tedious process of building our home. First came the clearing of the land. Years of growth had overrun the property, even though it was prime real estate. With the chainsaw blaring and the tractor pulling the bush-hog, the work began. After clearing for a while, and mowing down the grass with the bush-hog, we created a brush pile, obtained a burning permit, and enjoyed a Maine summer evening watching the brush pile burn.

After some more detailed clearing, and more brush piles, we were ready to have the excavator do his job. We had marked off the spot where we wanted the house, and tripled check the measurements. The ground was being broke and I could close my eyes and see the final product - even though it wouldn't be finished for another three months.

After the ground was broke, the concrete contractors were hired to pour the foundation floor and the four-foot concrete walls upon which we would build our house. Then came the framing. On top of the concrete walls, we built another four-feet of 2x6 walls creating the half-basement. The interior walls were laid out and then the second story added. The second story was a pre-fab and fit perfectly in place, due to my father-in-law's experience.

At this point, all we had was a "shell" but you could see where everything would be. Little by little, other jobs were completed: electrical outlets, lighting, cabinets, sinks, ceramic tile and hardwood floors, trim-work, etc. Day by day, we could see the house "coming together."

After everything was completed and painted, it was now time to move in all the furniture. Piece by piece, and truckload by truckload was brought in. Next we worked on the details of hanging pictures, and creating a "home" out of a house. Finally, it was finished, and memories were already being made.

What does this have to do with our Proverbs & Psalm reading today? I'm glad you asked... "By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all pleasant and precious riches." (Proverbs 24:3-4)

If we had stopped with the shell of our home, from the outside it would have appeared to be complete, but the inside would have told a different story. Don't stop halfway in living for God. Build your house by wisdom. Establish it by understanding. BUT, also, fill up every room with knowledge!

I cannot imagine living for God and not knowing about Him. I cannot fathom living an "empty" shell kind of life. I don't just want to wear the badge of Christianity. I am not satisfied with just coming to church. The five foolish virgins had a lamp, but no oil in it. What good is a lamp without the fuel to light it? I will not live that type of life. I will not have that type of "house."

Those who are empty, swept, and garnished are advertising to the evil spirits that they are vacant. These evil spirits actually bring back seven worse spirits than before and re-inhabit that person. Matthew and Luke both record Jesus teaching this. Being swept and put in order are two excellent characteristics. Swept implies being thoroughly cleaned. Our lives are out of order before Christ, but His blood washes (sweeps) us, cleansing us from sin, and He puts us in order. So, why do these evil spirits return with a vengeance? Because those who remain empty have a "VACANCY" sign over their soul.

Don't remain empty! Fill your house with knowledge of Jesus Christ. Only what you do for Christ will last. Don't fill yourself up with things that will fade away. What are you doing to learn more about Jesus Christ? How much time are you genuinely studying the Bible? Ask yourself these questions and answer them honestly.

If children can quote the Qu'ran and young people can devote their lives to the book of Mormon, surely you and I can love the Bible, learn the Bible, live the Bible, and lead others to the Bible! What's in your house?

Buy the Truth - Proverbs 23 - 10/23/10

2010-10-23T00:01:00.003-05:00

If you've been told that Christianity is free, then you've been lied to. We are not saved by works, that is a Biblical truth; however, keep reading in Ephesians 2:8-10 and you'll see that we are saved unto good works. A serious read through Scripture will reveal that it will cost you something to be a Christian. Paul even writes that we are to be a living sacrifice.

Proverbs 23:23 instructs us to "buy the truth and do not sell it." Value is placed on things based on how much people are willing to pay for them. Are you willing to pay the price to obtain the truth?

You can't buy the truth on Ebay or Craigslist. You won't find it at a bargain-basement or outlet store. Truth cannot be purchased on a clearance rack. You must pay the price - the full price!

Your pastor can't buy it for you. Your parents can't buy it for you. Your peers can't buy it for you. You have to buy the truth and never sell it!

Are there any Naboth's reading this blog today? Naboth was offered money and land to buy the vineyard, the inheritance of his fathers, but Naboth didn't give in. He did not sell out!

I pray to God none of you reading this blog ever turn out like Esau. He despised his birthright and sold out for a bowl of soup.

Who will be like David today and buy the threshing floor? David said, "I will not offer to God that which costs me nothing."

It's one thing for fads and technology to depreciate. They change so frequently that their value is often short lived. While many variables factor into the cause of depreciation, the fact is that our possessions lower in esteem over time. The value of decency erodes ever so slightly. Common courtesy and decency once expected seems to be no longer required.

But more alarming and devastating than the depreciation of money, manners, and morals, is the trend of misplaced value has crept into our churches! Things once valued are vanishing. Things once respected are being rejected. Beliefs once embraced are now disgraced.

Allow me to get on my soap-box for a minute. When a supposed Christian song can be sung to my wife without changing the lyrics and you wouldn't know the difference between it or a secular love song, then something is wrong! I'm all for singing about the love of God, but the greatest love song is to sing about the blood of Jesus that was shed for my sins! If it wasn't for the blood, I wouldn't know about God's love! BUY THE TRUTH AND NEVER SELL IT!

David Wilkerson proclaimed, "I look at the whole religious scene today and all I see are inventions and ministries of man and flesh... it's mostly powerless... it has no impact on the world... and I see more of the world coming into the church and impacting the church rather than the church impacting the world... I see music taking over the house of God... I see obsession with entertainment in God's house, and a hatred of correction and a hatred of reproof and nobody wants to heart it anymore. Whatever happened to anguish in the house of God?"

Yes it will cost you something! But it's worth the cost! Buy the truth and never sell it!

Laodicea was a weak and powerless church. Oh sure, the sign, the letterhead, and business cards all said, "church" but they had nothing Jesus wanted. Their wealth didn't impress God. Their increased goods didn't impress Him. In His eyes, they were poor, blind, naked, wretched, and the worst of it all was that they didn't even know it! They were simply going through motions of "church" instead of becoming the church! Jesus wasn't even on the inside of the church of the Laodiceans - He was on the outside knocking on the door!

Friends, if Jesus isn't in what I'm doing, THEN I DON'T NEED TO BE IN WHAT I'M DOING!

Go back and re-read Revelation 3:14-22 again. Notice that part of the remedy for Laodicea was to BUY from God those things that were of real value!

Buy the truth and sell it not! It will be the best investment you will ever make in your life.

Ancient Landmarks - Proverbs 22 - 10/22/10

2010-10-22T00:01:00.006-05:00

"Do not remove the ancient landmark that your fathers have set." (Proverbs 22:28) Landmarks were necessary to delineate the boundaries of one's property. Moving these boundary stones was the equivalent of stealing another man's property as well as his ancestral heritage. Obviously, deception and theft are characteristics that are anti-God, and parallel the works of the flesh. Just one chapter later, their is another similar verse, "Do not move an ancient landmark or enter the fields of the fatherless." But do these passages have any deeper meaning? Do they have a figurative-type purpose?

I think they do.

I believe in studying the context, culture, language, etymology, definitions, and anything else relevant to understanding a passage. And while not every passage of Scripture has a figurative meaning to it, I do believe that there are principles that can be drawn from certain texts to aid in illustrating a point. Such is the case in today's blog.

I am appalled by those who claim that principles of holiness and standards of Christian living are no longer important. Some talk of wanting to make a difference in the world, yet they're not living different from the world. In order to make a difference, you have to be different! We don't make a difference by being the same. Andrew Sanders recently tweeted, "Our Gospel is acceptable without watering it down. Jesus didn't offer the rich young ruler a more acceptable salvation when he walked away."

Furthermore, I speak with people nearly every day that tell me they do not want the "feel-good" type of sermons that most churches are serving from the pulpit. They want it straight and convicting. In other words, people want to know the boundaries and don't want them moved. Don't remove the ancient landmark!

It is alarming to me that people will turn on their televisions for "reality" yet go to their church for "entertainment." Why is it people will believe whatever the media reports, but questions what the minister preachers from the Bible? Could it be in part that we've allowed culture to influence the church rather than the church influence culture? You will either leave your mark on the world, or the world will leave it's mark on you.

Psychology won't save people. The foolishness of preaching Christ and Him crucified will! Why do we think we need to change the message in order to reach people? I've had preachers tell me that they do not want to preach or teach doctrine because it divides. Of course it divides! It divides the wheat from the chaff. It divides the sheep from the goats. It divides the wise from the foolish. However, I can also prove to you Biblically that doctrine saves! "Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you." (1 Timothy 4:16)

The precepts of God are the specific guidelines for all who define themselves as God's people. In Psalm 119 alone, the word precepts is found 21 times. Today marks the 22nd and final reading of Psalm 119 and it is fitting that right in the middle of this last segment is this verse, "...I have chosen your precepts."

Those who have chosen the precepts of God do not move the ancient landmarks. Too many read the Word searching for loopholes. David sought the Word to understand God and fulfill His precepts. What choice will you make today? Will you be like those with itching ears, who will find a teacher that tells you what you want to hear? Or will you be one who wants to hear the Word and obey it?

When saints approach me for spiritual guidance, I ask them, "Do you want me to be your preacher or your pastor?" If they only want a preacher, then they're just looking to have the conscience soothed and for me to rubber-stamp what they are either already doing or want to do? However, those who want a pastor are those who want both edification and instruction. These are willing to be corrected if necessary as they desire to fulfill God's precepts. Which are you?

What God Desires - Proverbs 21 - 10/21/10

2010-10-21T00:01:00.003-05:00

Long before people in our society were tired of dead, dry, and dull religion, God was turned off by it. Cain wanted to bring fruits and vegetables as a sacrifice rather than be obedient and bring a spotless lamb. He was unwilling to repent, even after God gave him an opportunity to overcome the sin on his doorstep. Rather than repent, Cain killed his brother. He wanted to worship God on his own terms, not God's. In his epistle, Jude warns the church not to follow the way of Cain. The way of Cain is a self-designed religion; but what God desires is relationship!

In our reading today, Solomon writes, "To do righteous and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice." (Proverbs 21:3).

"People are not vindicated by their own consciences, but by God's judgment (21:2) which cannot be averted simply with sacrifices and religious rites (21:3)." (from the ESV Study Bible)

Saul tried to avert God's judgment with religious rites, but because of his disobedience and rejection of God's Word, he was rejected from being king over Israel. Although he did not die for quite some time after that prophetic word by the prophet Samuel, Saul lost his relationship with God. True relationship will produce pure and undefiled religion. Otherwise, your religion is in vain! Saul learned the hard way that obedience is better than sacrifice.

When religion is worshipped more than God, then it is not true worship. Keeping the commandments is imperative to Christian living, but too many are in love with the commandments. I'm in love with the Commander, and thus, keeping the commandments is the natural byproduct of our relationship.

David was a man after God's own heart, to do all His will (see Acts 13:22). In Psalm 119:165, David writes, "Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble." If you've been reading through Psalm 119 every day, you'll note a deep respect for the Law by David. He desired it more than wealth. However, David's love for God compelled his love for God's commandments, precepts, statutes, judgments, ordinances, ways, and word.

In Psalm 51, David hits the nail on the head. This is David's prayer of repentance after his sin is exposed by the prophet Nathan. In verses 16-17, David hits the bullseye, "For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."

Religion is not a bad word, unless it is not based on a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ. God doesn't want us to show up for church, He wants us to become the church! God is not looking for a "prom date" He wants a bride! Worship is not how well you sing, or play an instrument. Worship is not the emotional outburst of running, dancing, leaping, bowing, clapping, etc. Worship is a lifestyle that pleases God daily! I'm glad you can dance, but can you walk? I'm glad you can run the aisles on Sunday, but can you live holy Monday through Saturday?

God seeks true worshippers who will worship Him in spirit and in truth (see John 4:23-24). I want to be what God wants. I want my life to bring God glory. I want to be pleasing to Him in my thoughts, actions, and life. I choose to give God what He desires? Who's with me?

Return to Repentance - Proverbs 20 - 10/20/10

2010-10-20T00:01:00.002-05:00

It would seem in some churches that repentance has become a lost art. The quick-fix, drive-thru mindset of the last couple of decades, along with the rapid increase of technology, help to drive a concept of praying people through to the Holy Ghost quickly. I've seen altars filled with people who are rushed through repentance and it grieves me.

A few years ago, a young man came to the altar after I was finished preaching. I was ready to lay my hands on him and speak faith, but God stopped me and said, "Let him repent!" I obeyed and encouraged the young man to pour his soul out to God in genuine repentance. He repented for nearly an hour. It was genuine godly sorrow and it did lead to salvation. The next week he came back and within just a few seconds of being in the altar, God filled him with the gift of the Holy Ghost, evidenced by speaking with other tongues.

Repentance is imperative to the Gospel message. It is vital to salvation. It cannot be avoided or rushed through. Even the design of the Tabernacle placed the Brazen Altar of Sacrifice as the first piece of furniture. It represented death. Death represents repentance as it is a place where we die to our will and desires.

Whatever happened to the days of weeping and travail? Whatever happened to our altars being filled with hungry people pouring their hearts out in Godly sorrow? Have we allowed our fast-paced society to rush us through repentance?

What does this have to do with our reading today? In Proverbs 20:21 the Bible states, "An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end." The Holy Ghost is the inheritance of our Father and it should not be gained hastily. While this verse contextually refers to wealth, the principle can be understood for the Holy Ghost too.

Angels rejoice over one sinner who repents.

John the Immerser's first message was "Repent!"

Jesus Christ's first message was, "Repent!"

Repentance is not something to be rushed through! I want people to receive the Holy Ghost as much as the next pastor, BUT, I refuse to rush people through repentance. The Holy Ghost is too precious an inheritance to be gained hastily.

God's Purpose Stands - Proverbs 19 - 10/19/10

2010-10-19T00:01:00.003-05:00

Layoffs. Sickness. Unstable economy. Politics becoming more crooked. Divorce. Crime. These and so many more things can plague us if we're not careful. We can become so inundated with negative news that we feel hopeless. However, after reading this days Proverb & Psalm, I have good news to bring! GOD'S PURPOSE STANDS!

When others lie... God's IS truth!

When others leave... God never forsakes!

When other fail... God proves faithful!

When others fade... God shines!

"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand." (Proverbs 19:21)

David echoed this same truth in our reading from Psalm 119 today. "...all your commandments are true... you have founded them forever." (Psalm 119:151b, 152b) David could hope in God's Word because His purpose stands forever! (Psalm 119:147)

Human responsibility is always subject to God's absolute sovereignty. What we plan doesn't always go according to how we planned it. However, when God purposes something to happen, it always happens! Maybe we should strive to fulfill His purpose as opposed to our own.

The old hymn declares, "On Christ the Solid Rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand."

If you're interested in real hope and true change, don't take a politicians word for it - take God's Word for it. His purpose will stand.

"God is not a man that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Has He said, and will he not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not fulfill it?" (Numbers 23:19)

Hell can't stop God's purpose. Military power cannot overcome it. Humanistic education cannot teach it away. Intellect cannot think it away. Political process cannot vote it away. God's purpose stands!

The Power of the Tongue - Proverbs 18 - 10/18/10

2010-10-18T00:01:00.001-05:00

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."

Remember saying that to someone when they demeaned you? I do. I also remember walking away realizing that their words had in fact hurt me. You see, "death and life are in the power of the tongue." (see Proverbs 18:21)

The old Sunday school chorus taught us to "be careful little eyes what you see... be careful little feet where you go... be careful little tongues what you say... etc." Why? Because death and life are in the power of the tongue.

The tongue is a small member of the body, but it can do extensive damage to the "body" if we're not careful. James compares it to a small fire that breaks out and becomes uncontrollable. It is imperative that we yield all of ourselves, including our tongues, to God. He is the only one able of controlling the tongue. Maybe this is why one speaks with other tongues when they receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

A while back in a small town church, the pastor delicately explained to the church secretary that she needed to retire. Her labor had been much appreciated, but her age was beginning to show in some of her duties. He had secured a plentiful retirement plan for her, and made sure she was appreciated for her multiple years of service.

However, even with all the accolades, and the retirement pay, she was upset that she was asked to retire. So, she started a rumor that the only reason she was asked to leave was so that the pastor could have a younger, more attractive secretary work at the church. She went on to allege that the new pastor was already having an affair with his new secretary.

The overseeing elders of the church's denomination immediately met and began their own investigation. After reviewing all the facts, and unfortunately the rumors, they concluded that the pastor was innocent of all the charges. However, due to the smallness of the town, and the deep wound that had been caused, they regrettably asked him to leave and take another church elsewhere in another state.

Realizing that her words (and lies) had caused this, the old secretary came to the office to apologize to the pastor. She begged him to stay, and said she would stand before the congregation, and the whole town if necessary, recanting her story. The pastor replied for the secretary to come with him to the top of the bell tower. They climbed the steps and after reaching the top, he ripped open an old feather pillow, shaking it in the wind. Before long, all the feathers were gone. Some had spread out beyond what they could see from their vantage point. The pastor then looked at the old secretary and said, "If you can retrieve each and every feather from this pillow, then you can undo what you've done with your words."

Open your Bible Concordance and look up gossip, slander, tongue, mouth, lips, etc. and begin a search of the Scriptures that speak out against using your tongue for falsehood. If it doesn't restore the fear of God in you, I don't know what will. We who are Christian must be Christian in our actions and not just in name only. Let us realize today the awful power that exists in our little tongues and use them for life and not death!

Let's Build Something Together - Proverbs 17 - 10/17/10

2010-10-17T00:01:00.000-05:00

While Lowe's has this phrase trademarked, God really was the originator of it. It is His desire to help us build something of eternal value. We have the choice to make as to what type of materials to use. In 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, we are given the choice between two types of materials:

Gold, silver, and precious stones
OR wood, hay, and straw

Let's begin with the second set of materials - wood, hay, and straw. These are all surface materials. You can see them all above ground even though their roots go beneath the ground. Wood, hay, and straw is easy to come by too. When we purchased land to build our house, the first thing we had to do was clear it. There was all sorts of brush and wood that had to be removed and burned in order for us to build our home.

The other set of materials - gold, silver, and precious stones - are all buried beneath the surface and difficult to come by. These materials don't grow above ground like wood, hay, and straw. And neither are they just a few inches beneath the surface. You have to mine out these materials from deep within the earth. Oh, and they are a lot more valuable and costly than wood, hay, and straw.

In 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, Paul informs the church that fire will test our works. When you apply fire to wood, hay, and straw, it is consumed and becomes ash. However, when you apply fire to gold, silver, and precious stones, the impurities are purged from it and it becomes more valuable.

Question: How does this apply to todays reading in Proverbs and Psalms?

Answer: "The crucible is for silver, the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tests hearts." (Proverbs 17:3)

When God tests my works, I do not want it to be destroyed. I want my works to remain and be found to be pure. Yes, wood, hay, and straw are less expensive and easier to attain than gold, silver, and precious stones; BUT, I want something that lasts!

How do you approach living for God? Are you a "weekend-warrior" or a "daily disciple?" Is your worship something you do, or something you are? Do you come to church only, or have you become the church? Are you reading through the Proverbs and Psalms just to say you did it, or are you reading and studying with the desire to grow?

How you answer these questions determines whether you're using wood, hay, and straw or gold, silver, and precious stones. Is your relationship just a "surface" one, or is it a "deep" one? Think about it.