Nation Building God's Way

7“Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry
And bring the homeless poor into the house;
When you see the naked, to cover him;
And not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

8“Then your light will break out like the dawn,
And your recovery will speedily spring forth;
And your righteousness will go before you;
The glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

9“Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
You will cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’
If you remove the yoke from your midst,
The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness,

10And if you give yourself to the hungry
And satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
Then your light will rise in darkness
And your gloom will become like midday.

11“And the LORD will continually guide you,
And satisfy your desire in scorched places,
And give strength to your bones;
And you will be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.

12“Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins;
You will raise up the age-old foundations;
And you will be called the repairer of the breach,
The restorer of the streets in which to dwell.

(Isaiah 58:7-12)

These passages speak on the building of a nation through fasting. A fast is all well and good, but the attitude and actions that come with it are necessary components to make an effective appeal to God.

I was surprised to be led to this passage this morning, and to think about our own nation.

We are the most generous nation in the world. Of course, critics like to point out that we are the richest, but that is only because we are a generous people. We give to causes regularly - an act of giving which is voluntarily done, not forced. Things which speak volumes about our nation and why we are blessed by God.

It is that kind of heart that the Lord blesses, and we need to put that in the forefront of our actions. In this day and age, we are probably not going to be inviting the homeless into our homes. But, it doesn't mean that we don't give and volunteer to bless others in the ways that we can.

For my own self, I have been pretty focused on my work life and career. Since I've had so much additional responsibilities as a husband and father - and then on top of that to get better at my work, it's been a journey and an effort to get the point of becoming proficient with a measure of expertise.

The acts of charity are a core part of our Christian walk however. They cannot be ignored even when life gets so hectic and overwhelming. As we enter the New Year, there has to be some changes to allow for charitable giving to be done. It is a key reminder for me to remember the heart of the Lord even as we try to pray to Him in our daily lives.

A Heart That Is Ready For The Master

Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food, in due season? ... Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servants says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Mt 24:45-51)

We don't know the "when" of Jesus' second coming. Like all things of God, there is a purpose for that because if men knew when to "be good" and "have a come to Jesus moment", they would live selfishly until that very moment. It would be part of our sin nature to say, "I know exactly when the Lord will come back (or when I'll die) and so I don't have to care about how the Lord asked me to act until the very moment of his return."

God knows that our sin natures and ability to fall for rational lies are so strong that we are prone to do the minimum - just enough to scoot by. Take premartial sex - it is only human nature, especially when it comes to something with such a strong allure, to want to try and find where "the line" is and not cross it. That's how Christians get into trouble however because they are trying to follow a rule that gets revised to a worse and worse level until all lines are crossed.

Yes, the Bible has rules and commandments. However, it isn't done for the sake of the rules. It is a lifestyle of abiding in the Lord that is the real emphasis. To have a relationship with Him and to walk alongside the Lord in what He wants to do in and through each and every one of us.

Why? Because that is Heaven - that is the original plan. For us to be with God and living in a manner which is optimum for us - according to the instruction manual that was written by our Creator.

I think this Word is a great reminder for me. In a fast food world, soundbites such as one commandment here or there are easy to digest, but they don't provide a whole picture. Jesus doesn't want us to be rule followers, prone to failing time and time again in our quest to be good while having sin-filled minds. Instead He wants to abide with us and transform us completely from the inside-out. Our thinking, our natures and then down to our actions.

Such a person will stand during times of temptation because they will not be focused on their own struggles, but instead will have the strength of the Holy Spirit within them - a strength that trusts in the Lord through tribulation and desires to follow rather than to simply "get by".

Lord Jesus, I desire to be that kind of believer. One that abides with You and leans on the strength of the Holy Spirit to direct me. If I simply follow You and step where You step, I will not misstep. My deepest desire is to be faithful to You. Sometimes that desire gets covered up by the emotions, problems, fears, and wants of the moment. But as I spend time with You, those extraneous things are brushed off and my heart becomes true. Thank You for allowing me to walk with You. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

A Different View On Church Structure?

"But you do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren." (Mt 23:8)

This passage really struck me because there is a real egalitarian aspect when it comes to spiritual matters under Jesus. Not that there is a belief that we are equal with Christ or God -- that is an error that exists in Mormon belief (that we can become a god - that Jesus is only one of many) -- but rather that we are equal in the sight of God.

I definitely would distinguish as well spiritual egalitarianism from political egalitarianism. With the concepts of personal property in the 10 commandments, "Thou shalt not steal" God clearly emphasizes that we are not promised the same "stuff". Forcible redistribution of items so that everyone has the same result is not supported in God's Word. Instead we are called to be charitable which involves a voluntary spirit of giving of our personal property to others as we personally choose. Likewise a spiritual of communal living can be chosen as well as in the book of Acts (which could very well be the picture of Heaven), but it not something that is required. Even in Acts, people gave what they chose to give, they were not forced to give all of their possessions, but they were not allowed to lie about the level of their contribution. (see Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5).

It isn't that Christian leadership is unnecessary - from an organizational and teaching standpoint, there is really a need for proper teaching and organizing. But, Christ is asking us never to exalt ourselves or others to the point of being a substitute for Him. Instead, we are to turn to Christ as our ultimate resource and our ultimate Teacher. We are to read the Word and pray constantly so that we will know His will and follow His ways.

As I mentioned the Mormon faith earlier, something that they may be doing more right than Christian churches is the concept that teaching should not be dominated by one man or group of men, but perhaps that it should be rotated amongst the congregation. That each week, a different head of a family would preside over the teaching for the group. Certainly that would bring a different atmosphere and the responsibility for teaching (and learning) would be passed from one main person to a everyone.

Although that would present a logistical headache and the consistency of teaching may be lacking, it would certainly be interesting to hear individual stories and points of view on how God has changed their lives instead of only hearing the same stories over and over again.

Church structure is a hard thing to think about, and I'm certainly struggling with it now. However, the main thing is to find a preacher that teaches the Word truthfully in a straightforward manner. Based on this scripture, I am also thinking that it is important to find a church that emphasizes that we are all equal under God and does not try to exalt the leadership beyond that.

Lord Jesus, we are on the cusp of moving, if it is your will that we get this house we are looking at. Please help us to find the right church body and the right place for us to grow as a family that will teach our kids Your ways. Thank You for being our Teacher, Father and Friend. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Keeping it Simple

"Then one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing Him, and saying, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all Your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." (Mt 22:35-40)

I'm in awe of these two commandments. There's really nothing to add or subtract from them. Everything that encompasses the simple, "Follow Me" from Jesus comes down to this verse - Give everything you have to God and allow Him to be Lord of your life, and give others the type of respect they deserve as those who have been created by the Lord God. Love them as He loves all of us.

Lord Jesus, I don't know if I match up completely with these verses, but I know that I want to. Help me to be faithful to You in all my dealings, thoughts and actions. And when I am tempted to stray, hold me firm near to You. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

A Nation That God Can Bless

"Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it." (Matt 21:43)

This verse refers to the nation of Israel versus the Gentiles, but as I was reading it, I couldn't help but to think about our nation. The United States has lived a generally charmed existence and it was founded on the back of Pilgrims escaping religious persecution in Europe to found a set of Protestant Christian colonies. These people risked their lives and died in massive numbers, but succeeded in finding a place where they could worship the Lord without the oversight of a powerful elitist church leadership who were more interested in worldly power than spiritual piety.

From such humble beginnings, we grew up to be the nation that is the beacon of modern Christianity. From greater Europe to Great Britain, and now to the United States, the mantle of world superpower has passed. And along with each successive change in the title of world superpower, so has gone the strength of the Christian church in each nation.

I am not saying that the Kingdom of God is something to pass from nation to nation, but I do believe that it is God's hand that causes nations to rise and fall. And He brings about the rise and fall of nations in accordance to the faithfulness of that nation to His Word and His Ways.

Unfortunately, our nation has become a country of loopholes. People aren't looking to follow God in fullness, but are instead interested in finding loopholes that will allow them to sin without punishment.

In our nation, we don't lie, we misspeak. We cuss constantly and we have no qualms about showing adult sexual situations in the midst of family programming. We teach our kids that materialism is the most important thing in life and we no longer put a premium on honoring our mother and father. I don't know if even 5% of us are even remotely familiar with the 10 commandments (Even as a committed Christian, I am pretty familiar with them all, but can't name them for you in order - probably a good time to go study).

Are we a nation that is deserving of God's blessing? Has the recession, which was caused by personal greed by all levels of society, taught us anything that would get us to re-examine and reform our ways?

I can't say that I know if there is another nation in the world that has the spirit of God growing inside of them although the rumor is that China's underground church is already larger than ours. However, the point is not to be powerful as a nation. It is that we will all benefit from a nation that has God's hand upon it. A nation that respects the ways of God and lives them out in their daily interactions with their neighbor. A nation that prays and has personal charitable compassion for the society around them.

Lord Jesus, I know that a nation is only made up of individuals, and a nation You can bless is made up of individuals who make a personal choice to worship and follow You. So help me to be a person that lives in fear of You above all things, who has the strength to live as You guide us to live. Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control - those are the fruits that come from a nation that is worshipful and fearful of You. Please help me to become that man more and more each day. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Why We Forgive

²² Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. ²³ Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. ²⁵ But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. ²⁶ The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ ²⁷ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
²⁸ “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ ²⁹ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet^{a]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">[a]} and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’^{b]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">[b]} ³⁰ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. ³¹ So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. ³² Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. ³³ Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ ³⁴ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.
³⁵ “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

(Matt 18:22-35)

Forgiveness is a really tough issue and one that we have to wrestle with every day. The truth is that we don't live in a world where everything is perfect, and we also live in a world where we each have free will to do good and evil. So there are real times when we are hurt by the events in our lives.

What I've noticed here in this passage are some of the following:

Forgiveness is personal: The reason that we feel so free as Christians is that we have been forgiven our transgressions by God. Yes, we have done many terrible things and each sin is in the end a denial of God's ways, but when we come to Christ, our sins are washed away by his shed blood. We no longer face death in eternity, but life. In the same way however, as we begged our King, Jesus Christ for forgiveness, which he then provided - we must also show that same compassion when we are faced with the chance to forgive.

Forgiveness is a personal choice. No one can make that decision for us, but instead we must exercise it by our own volition. Unlike other faiths, Christians believe that forgiveness should be extended regardless of whether or not someone comes to us and asks to be forgiven.

The main motivation for me is that Jesus Christ has absorbed my sins, and I have given my allegiance and Lordship to Christ. My life is not my own any longer, and it is not myself that I represent, but Christ. In the same vein, I do not take offense and judge on my behalf, but instead I defer all judgments to Christ who will judge us during the end-times. In that sense, there is no longer anything for me to take offense over. Everything I am is given to Christ.

Another more personal reason for this is that keeping the offense within ourselves is toxic. If we remain in a state of offense, we will rehearse and re-live our hurts over and over again. Each time we do that, we are stabbing ourselves with the past and killing our joy. The Lord saved us to be free from sin - those that we have committed and those that have been committed against us. We are new creations, and we should not carry around our offenses because they will act as an anchor - keeping us from becoming the person that God is molding us to be.

We are expected to act according to the way God has treated us: Above all else, God is desiring for us to be cleansed of our sins and of the sins of the world. He desires that we should have eternal life with Him. In the same way, we should not be focused on the faults of the people around us, but we should be focused on seeing their souls saved, that they might have eternal life instead of eternal hell.

When we take offense and keep it with us, it prevents us from seeing the deeper roots - that we are here on earth to spread the good news of the gospel above all else. And in doing so, it is natural and logical that we'll be in the world with non-believers - like missionaries.

In those situations, we must seek to be like the Lord and suspend judgment because they are non-believers. We must be lights in the darkness.

In the case of believers, we must confront sins in a specific way as described in Mt 18:15-17.

Forgiveness is not forgetting: While forgiveness entails a measure of letting go of judgement and not holding it against a person, it doesn't mean that we forget what happened. In this example, the King clearly remembered what the hypocritical servant did, and then paid him back according to his actions when the servant did not extend the same type of forgiveness to others.

Unlike Christ, we don't have the power to grant eternal life via forgiveness of sins. However, we do have the power to let go of our judging of a situation and giving it over to Christ. We will not forget someone's actions against us, but we will not let it simmer within us at the same time. That is ultimately what forgiveness is - suspending and giving the ultimate judgment to Christ - and He is a just and perfect judge.

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your gift of life. Thank You for loving us so deeply that You came to die on the cross. We not only have eternal life, but we have freedom and forgiveness from our sins. Likewise, we have given our lives over to You, and as such, we have passed judgment to You as well. Nothing in all creation is hidden from Your sight, and because of that, You can and will judge everyone fairly according to their deeds. We can rest in that and trust in that. Let us then be focused to the people around us. Let us then be ready to pray for our enemies and seek them to know You more and more. In Jesus' name, Amen!

What Is Heaven Worth?

But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. for what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matt 16:23-26)

Jesus knew his destiny and shared with his disciples that he would be persecuted, killed and risen again in Jerusalem. Having a normal horrified human reaction, Peter responded with a simple, "May it never be!" He was then harshly rebuked by Jesus because He knew that to be sacrificed via crucifixion would be done out of obedience, but it was still tempting to turn away from God's instruction - no one wants to die.

To do the Lord's will is an honor and a privilege, but at the same time it involves tough choices that aren't the most appealing things to do...especially if we are driven by the comforts and approval of the world. For the most part, we are all driven by the need for security, the desire to be comfortable, and acceptance of our peers. As adolescents we bend over backwards to wear the right clothes, have the right style, the right gadgets -- all in an effort to be accepted and hip.

As adults, we are driven by the need to have a decent income, maybe by greed and power, but for the average person - there is desire to be secure and a good provider. Nothing wrong with that.

But, we must remember that the Lordship of God is paramount over all. Over our security, our creature comforts and our desire to obtain. The Lordship of God means that we are ready, willing and able to follow any instruction that we receive for the day - be it big or small. The Lordship of God means that we really have no ownership of anything, as it may be asked to be relinquished by God for His service at any time.

Imagine if we were wealthy - maybe not stinking rich - but perhaps with a million dollar net worth. A large sum, but in this day and age, with a long period of hard hard work - not impossible.

What if the Lord were to put a conviction on our hearts to give it all up and to donate our assets to a new missions project to spread the gospel? Could you do it? Could I do it? The question weighs heavily upon me because I want with all my heart to say "yes" without reservation.

But, I know that it would be something that would be difficult - especially if my asset was a home filled with my family and children.

To what depths will I trust the Lord? Money is nothing but temporary, no matter what the asset, but heaven or hell is eternal. Are we really poor if we exchange our house, cars or paper dollars for an eternity in heaven? How much would such a thing be worth?

Put into perspective -- the eternal perspective -- we see that such a gift is truly priceless. We have been given a priceless gift and opportunity by God. Even our earthly lives are worth giving to Christ.

Lord Jesus, may I hold nothing back for Your kingdom call. I get so wrapped up in the daily grind that I start to believe that the only things that are meaningful are things, people's opinions and bank accounts. In reality, all of those things are rubbish compared to You and Your kingdom. May I conform myself daily to You, and to righteousness and goodness. May I strive to live honorably with true character rather than to live like a prince. Thank You for Your Word today and for rebuking me as you rebuked Satan. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

The Bible Is Our Standard - Our Instruction Manual

"Then the disciples came and said to Him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?"

But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. and if the blind leads the blind both will fall into a ditch." (Matt 15:14)

This one stuck out to me because we say "blind leading the blind" all the time in our daily lives, but lo and behold it came from Jesus as he was referring to the Pharisees.

Despite the fact that the Pharisees had a ton of head knowledge and devotion, they argued over minutiae while trying to twist scripture to fit their own desires to sin.

I have once heard it said very well that to RATIONALIZE = RATIONAL LIES. It has stuck with me over the last decade+ because it made all the sense in the world. If we were to sit and desire to do one sin or another, we can easily convince ourselves that there are enough good reasons to feed our sin. In the case of the Pharisees, Jesus exposed the fact that they would withhold aid to their parents who were in need based on the rationalization that their profession was dedicated to God and therefore any profits should be withheld from being given away to anyone, including their parents.

Of course, the end result of this tradition is that money was never given away to anyone but only fed their own desires and pursuits. Looking at the overall practice of the Pharisees, the rational lies are exposed -- but they were so entrenched in their rationalizations, that they had deluded themselves into thinking they had done righteousness.

Scripture was given to us as God's directions for life. He created us and knit us together in our mother's womb. The life that He breathed into Adam and Eve still flows through us from one generation to the next. Science has been able to move live DNA from one cell into another -- components of original life -- but have never ever been able to breathe life into something that was dead. God is the only one who has that spark of divinity to lend to us.

And so the Creator has given us an instruction manual - one that has many authors who were used to write down the Scriptures, but the messages are consistent from page to page...if we are to read them honestly, desiring to look at the context of the author rather than cherry picking a passage here or there that agrees with our desires to sin, we would have a standard by which to examine ourselves - a standard which could be used to repair ourselves to optimal health and vitality.

I've been a Christian for only 12 years now. Sometimes that seems like a long time, but in reality I feel like I am continually being shown new depths of the Lord in so many different ways. Still, the temptation to fall into the trap of rational lies is so easy in today's culture. It is so hard to get away from all the competing influences that vie to sway us away from the path of the Lord.

In fact, it goes back to the very origins of man, when the Lord gifted us the earth to have dominion over. Because we (man) have dominion over the earth, we have the free will to choose God or to choose Satan. And Satan, being jealous of God's affection for man, continually tries to thwart us and influence our behavior to sin. (It also explains why God will prompt man to pray for God's help rather than intervening continually without an opening from man)

Yet through all of the centuries, God's Word has stood the test of time. It continues to prove itself time and time again as the book which leads us to peace, lawfulness, and order. Jesus still provides many miracles through His Word from the completely supernatural (like stories of reviving the dead via prayer), to the more mundane but still miraculous (healing addictions, mending hurt souls, giving a clear purpose to those who are lost).

But it's only effective if we read it honestly. We can't try to find loose passages here or there in order to justify our sinful behaviors, but instead we need to read it plainly, in the context of the culture (since all writing is ultimately contextual with cultural allusions).

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Word. You have completely transformed my life in so many ways that I cannot even count. I pray that I can be true to You and honor Your ways by letting Your Word minister to me and convict me in whatever way I need to be rebuked back to the standard by which You created us. In Jesus' name, Amen.

God Allows Us to Be Partners With Him

"When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, "Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary?... So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house." Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. (Mt. 13:54-58)

God can do anything. I know that, but this verse brings to my mind the partnership aspect of spiritual life that we gloss over a lot of times. Jesus, the son of God went to his home and tried to minister to the people there. He tried to do great works and miracles, but because they knew him as a youth, they assumed that he was simply the same person that he had always been...the carpenter's son.

When Jesus tried to teach and minister as a Rabbi, they were offended, and didn't want to believe that he could do miracles -- and consequently, no miracles came.

In Genesis 1:28 man was charged to subdue the earth. In short, God gave man the earth on which to live and manage. This, in essence forms the covenant by which God operates in our lives as well. Because He has given us free will to manage our lives here on earth, He doesn't always step in when it is obvious that He should or would.

He is available to us and He presents His ways and commandments as the instruction manual for us to follow - both to gain entry to His heavenly kingdom and to live optimal lives during our earthly lifetimes. However, it is ultimately up to us to determine how much access we will give to Him.

Will we simply pray from time to time and ask for His help? Or will we live lives of complete trust on Him, sometimes risking everything knowing that He will come through for us with a miracle?

God obviously wants the latter because He continually seeks to get to know us and when we do come to Him, He is a loving parent with such a deep deep well of love and affection for us (parenthood itself is the gift of a glimpse into the type of love that God has for each of us). He knows our characters more intimately than we will ever know them because He created us in a specific and special way. He wants to help us have a life that will bring out the very best in ourselves even if that involves tremendous trial and difficulty.

But, in order to do all of that, we need to willingly let Him into our lives. We need to open our hearts to Him in prayer and accept His free gift of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. If we reject Him or limit Him in some way shape or form, than miracles will not occur there. It is not because God is limited in power or scope, but it is because He is honorable to His original covenant to man. He will allow man to sort out and manage the world even though it brings us to the edge of destruction. But, at the same time, He presents Himself ready to assist us if we would simply believe and pray to Him.

Lord Jesus, thank You for this most timely of messages and reminders. I have learned so much about You through Your word, but at the same time, I need constant corrections to get myself back on track. I know that I need You in ways that I haven't been praying for, and I pray that as a family we will seek You daily. Shape our lives Lord, make us into the people that You want us to be. Help us to face our challenges and overcome them. Help us to be people after Your own heart.

In Jesus name, AMEN.

Resetting To God Regularly

It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! (Mt 10:25)

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Mt 10:28-31)

I've been remiss in my reading and studying of His word lately. I am His disciple, but I have let the obligations, cares and burdens of the world crowd out the priority of Him. And it isn't as if the world doesn't stop hammering away at you when you take a break from God. It just does it more subtly in ways that you don't realize are weakening your defenses.

I needed to hear this chapter and set of verses today. It is a reaffirmation of everything that is a Christian life. Courage in the midst of fearful circumstances. Jesus was sending his disciples out into different towns and cities where they would be welcomed in different ways. Sometimes it would be pleasant experience, and other times they would be hated and reviled.

That's so similar to life. We represent Christ Himself wherever we are, and we are being called to live by the standards that Christ has set. Honor, Integrity, and Honesty. The sad fact is that that is hardly the standard of the world. And of course it is understandable that people are more driven by their sins and fears than they are by the Lord. But, the Lord clearly warns us about Hell -- it is our awaited punishment unless we follow Christ.

We all have an appointed time to die. Nothing will happen to us, especially those who stand with Christ, unless the Lord allows it. That is the truth - and it is also the truth that bad things and tragedies also happen to Christians as well. However, our responsibility is ultimately in our response to these trials.

Will we continue to stay strong and obedient to the Lord's calling, no matter what the world and Satan tries to throw against us? Or will we be battered down and give up?

It all depends on whose strength we are leaning on in times of difficulty and trouble. If we are not trained up to know God's word intimately and thoroughly, we will falter because our foundation is weak. That is the risk that I face today. Can I not even read one chapter daily to meditate and pray upon?

The Lord has reminded me of how weak I am without Him, but also how strong I can be in the midst of trial when I am near to Him.

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. (1 Cor 10:12)

As Christians we have given our lives over to Christ. We do not stand without Him, and if we ever find ourselves drifting to a place where we don't think we need to read the word or seek to do His will, then there is a big issue.

I don't think I quite got to that type of place, but surely this has been the reminder of who I am, and how I need to react in the face of trials and situations that call me to compromise.

Lord Jesus, please forgive me that I have been absent from my reading and studies. I know that this is a recurring theme in my life -- will I not learn?! Am I instead to wander in the desert in circles just outside the promised land? I know that there is so much ahead, but I need to submit to Your will, Your ways, and seek You out daily. Please help me to grow my inner strength and to have Your strength as I face the trials ahead. In Your overcoming name I pray, AMEN.

Letting Nothing Become A Stumbling Block

Jesus Counsels the Rich Young Ruler

¹⁸ Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
¹⁹ So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. ²⁰ You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’"
²¹ And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.”
²² So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
²³ But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.

With God All Things Are Possible

²⁴ And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
²⁶ And those who heard it said, “Who then can be saved?”
²⁷ But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”
²⁸ Then Peter said, “See, we have left all and followed You.”
²⁹ So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, ³⁰who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

I've been thinking about this passage lately, and what it means to my life. On the surface, I think it has been misinterpreted sometimes to mean that riches are not acceptable. That we need to be poor and penniless to go to Heaven.

Reading the passage however, especially in v 29-30, Jesus explains that we must be willing to leaving everything behind for the sake of the kingdom. We have a life that we used to live without Christ, but when we became Christians, we have given over our lives to God in everything. Our orders do not come from our own will and desires, but instead have been put under the Lordship of Christ.

Our salvation doesn't come from works - it doesn't matter what they are, so simply giving away money isn't the "trick" to get to heaven. Man cannot do it on his own (v27). But each of us have a propensity to build up our own kingdoms here on Earth and develop affinities to things that we cannot live without. For the rich young ruler, it was his money. He could not let it go because he ultimately identified himself with his riches. For others they could be ultimately influenced by their parents or their peers. If they are unable to let them go when the Lord calls, they are not really following Him.

Now that I'm working again, I'm enjoying it and the pressure of finding a job in this uncertain market has eased (but it hardly fades way with the threat of job loss at any time). Budget-wise as a family we have been thinking about some of the expenses that we've held off on. A minivan - maybe a house. Each of those things are not necessities, but preparing for a larger family and establishing a home would be nice.

However, having those things doesn't preclude the chance that the Lord may call us to do something radically different and follow His call to a new place where we might have to start all over again. My employment is NOT my identity. The place I live or the car I drive is NOT my identity. Those things are ultimately rubbish when placed against the upward call of Christ Jesus (Phil 3:7-8,14).

The danger for us Christians is not obtaining possessions, but is in our ability to let go of them when we encounter Christ walking in a different direction. It can be anything (even the smallest possession that we are asked to leave behind), but if it serves to impede us, it is a stumbling block and we are no longer following Him. And as the call of Christ gets farther and farther away, where is our faith? It atrophies until we get back on the path that Christ calls us to.

For my family, moving to Southern California was the fulfillment for a calling from God. Initially, we really didn't know anything except that we needed to leave Seattle and come here. We had no promises of success or employment. We only had a reliance on God and even for the first 5 months, we were simply spending our savings - it wasn't an easy thing - yet we had peace that we were walking with the Lord.

Our faith and family bonds grew stronger as we focused in on developing our family bonds together (the first few weeks of my wife and I being together 24/7 were tough!) - and I can honestly say that I hardly recognize the people that we were in Seattle. We were settled and contented in our small kingdom with the materialistic dreams we were aiming for.

But the threat to return to that is always there. It must be guarded against through faithful living and a desire to follow Him daily. That is still a challenge today as things have been busy at work. How little time I have spent in prayer and abiding with Him lately!

Lord Jesus, this passage today was a warning for my family and I. You led us here to develop and recharge our faith, and there is always the chance that we will atrophy back to where we came. Let us not do that in Jesus name. Let us never be shy to fall on our knees and simply submit to Your will - whatever that is and whatever it may entail. We know that we may never have a house, but it doesn't matter. As long as we are near to You and doing what we have been called to do, we are home. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Letting God Take Our Burdens and Stress

"Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matt 11:28-30)

What a killer week! We are going through a quarterly close and we lost a day with the July the 4th holiday weekend. In this case none of our standard deadlines moved while the workload stayed the same. On top of that a slew of work related issues came up which further decreased my free time to do my standard duties by 50%.

My wife had to also deal with my prolonged absences which caused her to have a draining week of caring for my daughter by herself. So for our family it was a tough situation.

The Lord woke me early this morning however because He reminded me that I really need to come apart and be with Him. Jesus Himself set the example for us when He would rise early to be apart from the crowds in quiet while praying to the Father. In truth, these quiet moments are really the best times that I have. All of my days are spent driving, working, meeting, chatting, watching, or even playing. But, how much of that is spending some consistent one to one time with the Lord? Very little.

What the Lord also keyed upon when He woke me was the fact that I have been absorbing a lot of blows during the week. Blows from the sales guys who are trying to book excessive revenues, blows from trying to please my boss, blows from trying to manage my staff, blows from the stress that my wife needs to vent to me, and blows from trying to watch over my child. Yes, the blows come from everywhere and I'm good at absorbing them -- to a point. At some point, the accumulated stress will lead to a breakdown.

That's precisely what happened to me at my previous job. I had tried to take on so much of the stress in my work with my own strength, that I let my faith and relationship to God slip. The consequence was that I had times of stress overload and even volunteered for counseling to talk out some issues.

What I had forgotten however, is that stressful times requires real time with God. Not to specifically do anything, but simply to read a bit of His Word, pray and let Him minister to my soul. At the same time, all the burdens I've absorbed need to be released. No judgement or accusation needs to be retained over what has happened or what was done to me, but if I need to confess my sin, then that is the time to do it. If it wasn't sin that I committed, but maybe sin against me, I need to release it and let God take the burden and judgement instead.

It is so easy to forget sometimes that God is really the one who will judge. It doesn't have to be left to us and so we are free to let go of the things that have happened to us, no matter how harsh. Yes, those who have sinned against us may not get what they deserve here on Earth, but the Lord will be just to judge each sin in the proper way (it can happen here or in eternity).

Lord, please help me to give it all over to You. I'm so grateful that You take the burdens of this life away from us because we don't need to carry all that junk in us all the time. We can learn from our mistakes and have wisdom of the ways and follies of man, but we don't need to always try to get retribution or even with every single thing that happens to us. No, we release it to You to take care of it in its proper way for You see beginning to end. Instead, we just need to follow You. The daily blows become nothing when we have a clear vision of You in front of us at all times. Thank You for being my light and my salvation. In Your healing name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

The Ease of Living Honestly

Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich. (Prov 28:6)

The world seems to be resetting. Although there was great prosperity for almost 30 years from the 1980's through the 2010's, prosperity for prosperity sake seemed to take priority over simple honest living. Now that the party has been halted or even completely extinguished for many Americans, we are left to re-evaluate ourselves and our priorities.

I know that for our family, we have changed a lot during this recession. After having an extended period of being unemployed, we have been humbled, but at the same time we have also strengthened our family bonds and have a deeper reliance on each other and especially upon God. In that way God gave us a great gift that is worth more than any gold in the world.

But even now, we live pretty humbly as a family, but we are lacking in nothing. As I pause and consider the things that we are blessed with, I realize that God has been so very faithful to us. Truly he has known what is best and the ways in which to develop us as well.

We still pray and dream for a house and a bigger family, and along with that we know that it would be nice to have certain things (like a minivan), but as I look upon our lives, I realize that we have no fears or worries about our conduct. We have been able to live honestly, and so even if we have little, there is no drama or worry about it all. There is no weight upon our shoulders.

In the same way, we strive not to push too quickly to move up the ladder. We don't want to cut corners to do something so aggressive that we will run into financial difficulty later.

As I get older and hopefully wiser, I can see that the honest life is indeed best. It may come with little in terms of perks or glamour, but it is the key to a long, happy life.

Lord Jesus, your word is true in every way and when we base our lives upon it and lay down our old ways to You, You lead us upon wise paths. The future is so uncertain, but by Your awesome grace, I know we will get through it all and do so honestly. Please help us to live by Your standard and not get pulled into senseless materialism that can lead to us losing our souls. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

The Flesh Profits Nothing

"And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. he who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." (John 6:35)

"Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die." (John 6:49-50)

"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing." (John 6:63)

We have many great men in this world. They are well-known and are powerful. The decisions they make affect a great many things, a ripple into the lives of others. At the end of their lives, I believe that their goal is to have affected as many people as possible. To have power and to have weld it, for good or bad, is what makes them important in this world.

For our children today as well, they are taught to "make a difference". By default this means affecting the lives of other people. That in itself is not a bad thing at all. If they can make a positive contribution to society, more power to them.

But as much as we are to go through life "making a difference", the source of our actions makes the real difference. Jesus teaches that He is the source of life - there is no other. Therefore, as Christians, we must source all of our actions in Him alone. The Word is our sole authority and we must read and interpret it with honesty and clarity, not taking little snippets which help support our personal fleshly desires.

For even the most powerful people on the earth, their lives will probably have some good and some bad mixed in. However, without the Lord, what will have been their profit? When standing in front of God steeping the sins we all have, yet not having the blood of Jesus as a propitiating sacrifice, what will they say in their final accounting? They can only say that they lived for their own fleshly desires, and disregarded any of God's leading. No matter what they did in their lives, having never known God, they will not enter the Lord's house.

For myself, this is a call to reorient once again to the Lord. It is so easy, living in the world to get focused on stuff - moving up in the world and obtaining more status symbols. These days, on Friday and Saturday nights, I even see the youths driving souped up used 3 series and Infiniti G coupes. Wow, nice cars for the young guys! We are so rich and brand conscious in the US that even our kids, who probably haven't worked much in their lives desire and are given expensive brand name status symbols to drive.

But no matter what house we live in, or what car we drive, that stuff isn't life. For the most part, within 5 years, all the possessions we have will no longer be hip, cool or fashionable. They are literally fading and rotting before our eyes.

We too have precious little time on the earth. Our lifetimes are fading second by second and minute by minute.

However, the Lord created us with a purpose and a plan. He knew what our lives would mean, and it is when we get close to our Creator that we live the way we were meant to. I need to spend more deliberate time with the Lord. I need to make time to get away and to pray. To ask the Lord about my actions and plans, to get His counsel and to stay on the path that He desires for my life.

Lord Jesus, I know that today's process was roundabout, but I don't want to fall into the cycle of the world and the ways of the flesh. In the end, there will be no profit in that in the final accounting. Instead, I know that there is a specific plan and process that You are leading me through. Help me to come back to the simplicity of a daily walk with You. Let me never be drawn off by the busyness and whims of the world. You will lead me and guide me in all things, and I will rest in You. In the life-giving name of Jesus, Amen.

God Is Our Ultimate Daily Provider

"Then the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not." (Ex 16:4)

"Let every man gather it according to each one's need" (Ex 16:16)

There is mindset of trust that the Lord wanted to develop in the Israelites. One of the primary ways in which we trust, in which all beings on the earth trust in God is in daily provision. The people had slavemasters in Egypt and they had gotten used to relying upon their slavemasters for their provision and they complained to Moses that they should have just been left in Egypt where they had tons of food to eat (they had quickly idealized their past enslavers).

The Lord did provide for the people supernaturally, but He also wanted to develop a new paradigm. Not to rely upon a hand-out from other people, but to instead trust solely on the Lord to survive. Part of this commandment was to take what was needed instead of trying to hoard everything that was out there -- knowing that God will provide.

When the people defied the commandment of God, the extra food they gathered did not last the next day.

Two things strike me in these verses:

1) Obedience is key. There is a specific way that God wants us to do things. It can vary from task to task, but only where it doesn't conflict with His overall commandments to do good and not evil (as defined in the Bible). He will sometimes give us a task that should be completed in a certain way.

During the time of Joseph in Egypt, food was gathered and stored during a time of plenty in order to survive an impending drought. However, for the Israelites in the desert, they were to only gather on a daily basis as God would bring more manna the next day.

2) Excessive riches aren't to be a primary goal for us. God is our security, not money or possessions. We wonder why God doesn't pour riches upon his people - it's because it is a false security that will not bring discipline or a closer relationship with the Lord. In fact, in most cases during times of plenty, we will choose to rely upon the money more than we rely on the Lord, which effectively negates the ways that He can use us. We will be more afraid of losing our incomes and posssessions than following the Lord.

Taking it a step further looking at our attitudes in society - we need to be gathers and workers. Everyday we should be doing the work that God has placed before us to provide for our families. However, there is a moral component to not hoarding and not being greedy. Those who are ultra talented can find ways to take more goods or funds from society in legal, but not necessarily ethical ways. Such activities can cause an imbalance in the system which can ultimately destroy the smooth operation of the whole (see tech bubble, real estate bubble, bank crisis). Being ethical on a moral level is imperative in a free society because it ensures that there is both liberty for individual pursuit as well as room for everyone to gather what they need (but they should not be given hand-outs). The penalty for unethical greed will be, ultimately, eternity in hell.

On a personal level, God has seen fit to gift my family with provision. We are not rich by any US standards, but we have enough to live comfortably while watching our budget. We have dreams of having more children and buying a house with a yard. Modest dreams, but expensive and costly just the same.

The Lord has given us a peace in our hearts that we will indeed realize these dreams one day, but we cannot rush the Lord's timing or the way in which He would like to develop us before granting that vision. The realization of the vision is hardly the end all and be all of our lives. There is no point at which we have "made it". The finish line is not what we have, but rather it is the journey - can we live each moment, each day in submission, service and worship of who He is and what He has called us to be? That is the real quest, the real question.

Getting the things like a house and home are only steps in the path the Lord has laid before us. My real yearning, the real thing I want to accomplish to be like Paul when he was faced with his impending execution for being a Christian and preaching the gospel:

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing." (2 Tim 4:7-8)

Lord Jesus, thank You for reminding me today that You are my ultimate provider. Not employment or a company -- those are simply vehicles. Each day, let us praise You for Your provision and rest when we are struggling to pay the bills. When times are tough, we are given the chance to build our character and our faith. Thank You Lord for all that You are doing in our lives everyday. We don't deserve the blessings, consideration and love You have showered on us. Truly it is blessing. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Escaping the Torment of Hell - Christ's Ultimate Gift

24"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life."

28"Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth -- those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation."

(John 5:24,28-29)

In churches these days we hear a lot about living the Christian life. Mostly, it's because we as a society are most curious about how to live since it's the most applicable part of the Bible for us on a day to day basis. However, the larger point of the coming of Jesus revolves around our salvation from a life of impending death, to life everlasting.

We are all moving along in the world toward death. It is a certainty that we will all die - no matter who we are in the world and no matter what we might accomplish; death awaits. In the beginning of the world, God created us for eternal life, but because of the disobedience of Adam, death entered into the world and our life became a cycle with a certain impending ending.

But we are still eternal creatures because we have a spirit given to us from God. Where will that spirit go? Christ has restored us to eternal life in God's presence because He died in our place (and rose again to show that His redemption really works). God is the only one who can create and give life; when we are with Him in eternity, we will have life coursing through us eternally.

However, what happens to us when we choose not to come to Christ and reject God? We are given precisely what we ask for -- an eternity without God. Unfortunately, that will result in condemnation with Satan and his demons because they have also rejected God. Now, it may be fine for a person to want to be left alone in eternity (or at least that would be what they think is fine), but would they really want to be in a place where Satan and demons reign over them -- hating them because they bear the image of God?

It is at that point that the loneliness and depression of being away from God the life-giver is multiplied into torment from powerful demons. There are deep implications that come with the rejection of Christ.

Sometimes I wish that Hell was made clear from the pulpit on a regular basis. Without knowing what God says about Hell, we don't know the deep extent of His great love for us and for our fellow man. I must admit that while I have the confidence and peace that comes from knowing Christ, assuredly knowing that my eternity will be with Him - I lose focus about what that means for those who do not choose Christ.

It is not a political argument or simply a religious discussion. Helping people to know Christ and receive Him as Lord and Saviour brings souls to eternal life - while allowing non-Christians to make a choice to reject God without the facts brings them condemnation...

Lord Jesus, I am having some difficulty with today's lesson because I know that I'm not sure how to help those around me in the best way. I know that the power to save does not come from my hands, so I do not worry about that, but what is it that I should do today? Whatever it is, please help me to know it and have the courage to do it. In the name of my Saviour and Lord, Christ Jesus, AMEN.

Moses: Random Pieces Coming Together

"And the people complained against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet." (Ex. 15:24-25a)

As I was reading this passage, I had forgotten that the Israelites were people who knew nothing other than Egypt. For generations they lived, died and worked there. Moses though, was born into a unique situation by the Lord because he was educated and trained as royalty for the first third of his life, then he was in shameful exile in the second third of his life - eeking out an existence as a shepherd in the wilderness.

I think anyone who looked at Moses at that point would have seen a riches to rags story. A man who seemingly had it all, and made a dumb mistake which led to a life of exile. He was part of Egyptian royalty and then he was reduced to tending flocks in harsh conditions.

Although Moses could never have seen or envisioned where his life would go next, it prepared him perfectly for the final third of his life when he was tasked to lead his people out of Egypt to follow the Lord into the promised land. He had the regal bearing and education to stand up to Pharaoh and be a leader. He also had something else that was key - intimate and extensive knowledge of surviving in the wilderness.

Consequently, when his people encountered challenges with the basics, such as a need for water, Moses with the help of the Lord was able to lead them to find it and purify it. I think about my own severely limited knowledge of the outdoors, and I would be terribly lost trying to survive in the wilderness. I would have needed a guide, and for the Israelites, that guide was Moses.

The Lord provides in many mysterious ways and uses our gifts and talents to help others in ways we cannot imagine. I'm sure Moses never knew that he would be the essential piece to free his people and lead them into their promised land.

On a smaller scale too, I'm not really sure how God will use me in the future. I know that I am a small cog in the Lord's grand scheme, but it is impossible to know how the unusual path that my life has taken will ultimately serve me down the line in the future. All the little things that seem so random, will they come together for something meaningful?

Maybe yes, or maybe no - it will be fine either way, but I do know that the Lord is free to do whatever He needs to in my life. I'm His to command and through the life of Moses, I know that He can redeem anything for His greater purpose.

Lord Jesus, help me to stay true to Your path, knowing that You will put all the random pieces of my life together for the good. Thank You that You are a God of hope and redemption - that out of my sinfulness You have desired to clean me and plant my feet on solid ground. My life is Yours - In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Perils of Isolationism

"A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment.

A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart." (Prov 18:1-2)

Our heart - we are told by society to "follow our hearts". It is a common theme. Even Christians sometimes rationalize decisions as a "burning of the heart".

The Lord is really illuminating the wisdom of Jer 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?". This verse really struck me because the world and even the church at times asks us to follow our heart and our desires.

The verses in Proverbs however, shows the foolish effects of doing exactly that type of thing. When a man pulls back from the body and isolates themselves they are primarily stewing in their own intellect and their own ideas of the world. God's Word becomes less and less meaningful and is supplanted by that man's sin nature because unless we work to maintain our faith, our faith will atrophy and backslide. Left unchecked, it will lead to apostasy.

Sin is sometimes (but not necessarily) a key part of this trend. One of my favorite Christian singer-songwriters abruptly left the industry several years ago to my great dismay. I loved her voice, her music and her songs. After effectively disappearing, she has recently resurfaced with a brand new non-Christian album. The reason for this is because she has been in a same sex relationship and has been living isolated from the church. Essentially, she didn't want to follow the scriptures against homosexuality and ceased fighting against this sin. She mentioned that life is better now because she no longer considers homosexuality a sin to be struggled against. She no longer sings most of her old songs - songs which were about Jesus and redemption. In her case, the desires of her heart were more important than following scripture and she has isolated herself from the church and from any contrary advice to her personal opinion.

That is precisely why we need to have the body of Christ. The Word of God is not convenient. It isn't something that is easy to follow and that is precisely why Jesus said that "narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it" (Mt 7:14) Our sin nature rails against the Word. Speaking personally as a man, left unchecked my own desire to fornicate would run rampant. As men, we are tasked to rein in our physical desires by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is not impossible because men do it everyday.

The job of Scripture is to convict us. It is supposed to hurt. Hebrews 4:12 likens Scripture to surgery - it is living and active, sharper than any doubled edged sword it penetrates to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, it judges the attitudes and thoughts of the heart. The Word judges us and helps us to see our areas of improvement. It humbles us, but at the same time it strengthens us to become better, living a life of goodness.

We are not to run away from the conviction of God. Yes, we might feel bad and it might be difficult to overcome the specific sin that we are prone to commit, but if we isolate ourselves we are only headed down the path of ultimate destruction. We may feel good that the weight of the struggle is done, but we are no longer walking with the Lord. We will turn to find that we are only walking with ourselves - the voices of wisdom from the Lord have been shut out.

There is one perspective shift that is necessary to make however, and personally I realize that it is quite useful. Traditionally, it has been the church's position that we need to focus on the fight against sin, but I think that makes it a negative thought process. It makes it seems as if we are missing out on something. Instead - I believe we are called to walk in God's path. We must choose to forego sin and to follow Him. We are no longer losing the chance to sin, but we are replacing those actions with righteous behavior and the goodness of the Lord's ways. We have not lost, but we have replaced.

Lord Jesus, I never really knew how twisted our thinking is in our modern world. We stand in direct opposition to You because we desire the easy route where we no longer fight our sin natures, but instead cave in to our personal desires. Sometimes it is a struggle, but let us not consume ourselves with our sins, but instead choose to walk in obedience to You. Let us fill our minds with thoughts of goodness and righteousness and let our behaviors match that intention. Help me to replace any sinful desires with Your good ways. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Letting God Overcome

"And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace." (Ex. 14: 13-14)

Israel was scared. They had just come out of a life of subjugation in Egypt and they appeared to be trapped before a sea. Egypt was angry that they had lost their source of slave labor and sought to destroy the nation of Israel with a magnificent army bearing down on a poor and hapless people.

God however, was on the side of Israel. They were His people whom He had promised to shepherd to their new lives in their own nation. In the face of panic, Moses reminded Israel who their true keeper really was.

It is the same for us as Christians when we encounter trials. I walk through life trying to remember the Lord, but most of the time I'm only doing my own thing - working my own agenda. "What do I need to do today?" "I need to do this immediately." "What do I do to fulfill me?" Everything revolves around me.

However, the Lord did not require his children to do anything when they were facing the deadly armies of Egypt. They were simply to obey. Trust and obey.

The doing is in the obedience, not in trying to gain any kind of control over a situation. The Lord has everything absolutely under control. Every day, every moment, is already planned out by Him into its proper place.

Lord Jesus, I am tempted to be my own God most of the time. Consequently, when trials come, I worry about what I need to do to rectify a situation. However, I simply need to ask You for wisdom and it will come. I simply need to trust that You will set every little thing into its proper place and in its proper time. My responsibility is not complicated when I do that. Let me rest in Your peace Father, and know that it has been arranged for the good. Stepping out of Your order will only strain what You have planned. Help me to rest in You today. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Trusting God With The Outcome

“The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1)

Today I’m going to be interviewing for a position that seems like a decent opportunity. I have been prepping and I am feeling discomforted by the whole process. I want to do well for sure, but I don’t know if I am really ready. There isn’t more that I can study or prepare, probably just to do some light review, but what is done is done at this point.

What I started to forget is simple Biblical truth in my nervousness and desire to control the outcome. All this stuff – interviewing, trying to present myself well is all good. People should interview, people should try their best to put their best foot forward. However, God is the ultimate employer. He gives to each exactly what should be given at the proper time.

Whom shall I fear? Do I fear the whims and opinion of man? Do I dwell on what they can do to me? It is to my shame that I realize that I am so often concerned about other men’s opinions that I forget that the Lord is my God. The Lord placed me in certain key positions to have a career in accounting. I cannot say how and why it all happened, but it is the truth. I am what I am today because He saw fit to get me into a Big 4 accounting firm. I know for sure that I didn’t do it all on my own (because I didn’t really deserve it), but He did it. He planned it and opened the door accordingly. Whom shall I fear?

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Prov 9:10-11)

Rest in God’s wisdom and His leading. That is the message for today. I may or may not get this position. That is ok. God is in control and He will bring the right thing at the right time. That much is a certainty. I may have career goals and aspirations, but it is God who has veto power and the plan for my life. If I am to be an accounting manager, He will open that door. If I am to be even a police officer, which would be an odd thing since I have no aspirations to do that, He will open that door. It is God that makes men who they are and what they do.

I had tried to make myself “want” this position and to be motivated by the “want”. I realize that isn’t entirely right. To be driven by want and desire is of Satan. Satan wants us to covet and to seek out our own glories. We will then get wrapped up in the seeking, some made bitter by failure and others made haughty by success. Either way, God is pushed out of the picture.
The Lord instead asks us to simply be, to wait, and to trust. He has a plan and we will strive to do our best where we are at, doing the things we can, but ultimately waiting for HIM to clear our paths.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.” (Prov 3:5-6)

God is the director. God is the leader. God has our lives completely mapped out in a good way. God works for the good for those who love Him and have been called according to His purposes (Rom 8:28). As a Christian, I have been called. God plucked me out of the depths and darkness of my sins where I was stumbling around in hopelessness, and He gave me life and life more abundantly.

There is very little I can do to “screw up”. God will still be at my side and God will accomplish what His plan is in my life. As long as I remain open to His leading wherever He prompts, I know that to be true. That is the ultimate definition of fear of God over man.

My path is set before me and it is fine. I no longer have the “want” for this interview to be successful – I simply will be and trust in whatever result occurs knowing that God is ultimately in control. If this position is where I should be, the proper door will open. If not, it will close. Neither result is good or bad.

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your message through Your word today. I really didn’t expect to hear from You when I started journaling out of my nervousness, but You are always faithful and eager to grant wisdom to those who ask (James 1:5). For whatever reason, You have chosen to bless me and I am in a good place. Perhaps this interview is the next step, and perhaps it is not. What I desire is Your ultimate result. I can’t screw up because it will go as You planned. So my prayer today is to simply ask to help me do my best as well as I am able. Help me to be energetic, lucid, concise and even interesting. However, the ultimate result is in Your hands as it should be. May Your will always be done in my life and may I always rest in You. Thank You Lord. In the name of my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, AMEN.

The Earth Will Remain the Same

"The Lord by wisdom founded the earth..." (Prov 3:19)

"The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein." (Ps 24:1)

"While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease." (Gen 8:22)

There are many movements today regarding environmentalism and "saving the earth". From the onset, I would like to clarify that I do regard some of the these movements to be quite beneficial to our standard of living, and it is undoubtable that we live in a nicer and cleaner place because of some of these initiatives. Compare our cities to other places in the world, and it is great to have cleaner air to breathe and cleaner streets to walk upon.

However, many of these movements also have a tremendous fear of the earth somehow dying or changing. These fears are packaged into theories with great warnings that we have to urgently spend lots of money on research, or put a tremendous tax burden upon ourselves to change our behaviors. In addition, we hamstring our lives by preventing our country to use some of the natural resources that we do have.

Now, again to clarify, the non-Christians of the world can believe whatever they want. They do not believe in God, and they don't subscribe to the Bible as holy. That is understandable. However, what about Christians? What does the Bible say to us?

Above in the referenced passages, we see that the Lord created the earth from His wisdom. He spoke and the earth was created. In fact, we see that the Lord owns the earth - it is not ours, it is not owned by Satan. The earth is the Lord's and all of us who are in it.

After the flood in Genesis, the Lord also promised that the earth would always function normally. There would be no great changes that would disturb the working of the earth. Consequently, we do not need to fear climate changes. Yes, there will be some fluctuations in the patterns of weather, but we do not need to extrapolate those changes to means that in 20 years we will all die and be underwater. The Lord is in control.

Science is great. We have many great conveniences that are born out of scientific work and they seem to increase in wonder on a daily basis. It is the job of scientists to also have theories of how things work - but until they are proven through consistent experimentation, they are simply theories.

As Christians, we often clash with the theories, but I don't believe we clash with scientific facts. What we have in addition to theories is the word of God and the presence of God. Christians have a relationship with God and know that He is real because He interacts and counsels us. We are never alone. However, He is also our Lord and as our Lord, we follow Him unquestionably. Part of that Lordship is to take His word as truth. For if we do not do that, we would be foolish to say that we believe in the God of the Bible, but we discard the truths of the Bible given by the same God.

At the same time, when confronted with a scientific theory versus a Biblical promise, what do we acknowledge? It must be the Biblical promise. God is bigger than anything we can do to the earth. God is bigger than the universe because He created it all. If the Lord assures us that the earth will function normally, we will be fine. Carbon dioxide or comets falling from the sky - neither of them will change God's promise to regulate this planet for life. That is truth for a Christian and we need to rest in Him always.

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your assurances through Your Word. Man's wisdom can create grand theories borne out of our fears, but You have promised that the earth will be regulated as long as it exists. The date and time for the end of the earth is likewise not in our hands, but in Yours because You own the earth. It is no one's decision to end the earth - not world leaders, not our actions here on earth, and certainly not Satan's. You and You alone will choose the date and time for the end. Father God, thank You that You always do what You promise and that we can rest even as the world around us panics. Let us carry Your peace with us at all times. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Fighting Against the World's Desire to Compromise Our Faith

(After the plague of locusts)
"So Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, "Go, serve the Lord your God. Who are the ones that are going?" And Moses said, "We will go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we will go, for we must hold a feast to the Lord." Then he said to them, ..."Not so! Go now, you who are men, and serve the Lord, for that is what you desired." And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence."
(Exodus 10:8-10)


Pharaoh was a prideful and powerful man. As a leader of his people, he was also a politician -- he did not want to lose total face with his people if all of Israel were to leave and never come back. He knew that if Israel were to go with their possessions, they would not serve him again. So he wanted to compromise with Moses and negotiate the terms of Israel's departure.

God often gives us a clear command and in our hearts we know what He says. Sometimes we don't understand the reasons behind the prompts we are given, and oftentimes it runs against our personal comfort zones. Moses never compromised God's command. He was to bring every Israelite with their possessions out of Egypt. Pharaoh counter-offered that the men could leave, but without their households as collateral to force them to come back.

Satan wants to waterdown our beliefs, convictions and purpose. He negotiates with us while beating us down with trials in order to make us abandon our core purpose. Sometimes I am weak enough to take the lesser offer just to avoid the difficulty of maintaining my ground. At the center is my belief system and my faith. Satan wants to attack the edges of our faith and drag us closer and closer to the brink of denying God altogether. Yes, we may still believe in God and even profess faith in God, but if Jesus is no longer Lord over our lives, we are lost -- and Satan has stolen our souls.

"He lies in wait secretly, as a lion in his den; He lies in wait to catch the poor; He catches the poor when he draws himinto his net. So he crouches, he lies low, that the helpless may fall by his strength." (Psalm 10:9-10 - Description of a wicked robber, the greatest thief is Satan himself)

Negotiation and compromise. We must be careful to never abuse the scriptures by taking it out of context to twist it to our needs. If we are in doubt, we must take a step back to look at the scriptures, Old Testament to New Testament, as a whole in order to discern meaning. The Holy Spirit will also be our guide in this.

Compromise - Putting it into the context of today, we know of a key congressman professing to be a staunch pro-life advocate who recently voted for a big healthcare legislation that opens the door to new funding for abortions. This, even after giving speech after speech against that same legislation? Why? Because he was pressured by his political party into accepting a compromise. One that has a general promise to not use the provisions in the bill, but doesn't actually take the abortion language out of the bill. It is a political promise with no guarantee. Time will tell of the outcome, but in a year or two when the current political cycle has past, isn't it likely that the promise to not fund abortions will fade? What then? This congressman will have to live with his failure to be resolute in the face of overwhelming pressure - such is the pain of compromise. Despite the fact that his inner core told him to vote "No", he was overwhelmed by the world.

Where is there compromise in my life? Am I doing anything that is not of the Lord? Am I really seeking Him first, and His righteousness? Those are pretty tough questions to answer because there are moments when I fool myself (which I think common). Compromise can come so quietly that we hardly notice. I'll have to spend time in prayer today on this topic - to take stock and an inventory of where I'm at. I know that when I was unemployed there were good times with the Lord and I got back to a strong relationship and friendship with Him. Now that I'm working and busy, I need to find out if I am slipping in any aspects of faith.

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:23-24)

Lord Jesus, please help me to take an inventory of where I am with You. I know that it is easy to see compromise in a public figure like a politican in a large public political fight, but it isn't always easy to see the same spirit in myself. My prayer however, is that I can stand strong in my faith in You... even in the face of losing everything that this world has to offer. May my soul never be for sale. Somethings in life, like our core beliefs, are never up to the highest bidder. Strengthen your servant to have a calm and sturdy hand even in the midst of storms - that I will always represent You in everything I do. In the name of the Jesus, the Lord of my life, AMEN.