Beginning and the End

And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” (John 6:65)

The ministry we have (if it is authentic ministry) is from heaven, and it is not our own. Its value is not found in what we can do for God, but what He can do through us once we give up our own ideas and present ourselves to Him a living sacrifice. Activity is not life, and work may well be the sign that we have no intimate connection with the Father at all. Our methods, degrees, organizations, committees, and gatherings may well betray an independence from God and a leaning toward our own understanding. Intimacy with the Lord will always be the sign of God's servants and anointed ministry. Above all things, we must draw near to Him!

The Holy Spirit is the only true Teacher and Minister in the New Testament Church. He is the One who fills and empowers us to serve God acceptably, and any efforts to minister the Gospel without Him are futile at best and destructive at worst. Therefore, God's servants must seek the Lord and pray more fervently as the Day approaches. The servant who will humble himself and pray will move the hand of God more than a company of men dependent on their own righteousness and resources. We can confidently fling all our cares on God, who called us and is faithful. He knows all things, and our calling is secure in His love. Amen.

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, the main thrust in my life is the determination to be found at Your feet. I reject the focus on worldly success that has taken hold of so many. You are my one and only desire. In Jesus alone, Amen.

Capture Every Thought

. . . casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ . . . (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Effective and fervent prayer from a faith-filled saint gets God's ear every time, as worry is cast behind us where it belongs. Worry is wrestling with our thoughts, but the Lord calls us to wrestle in prayer, and there is a huge difference between the two. If we pray and worry, we are double-minded, and we cannot expect to receive anything from God, because worry is an expression of fear, while prayer is an expression of faith. God responds to our prayers and our faith, not our worries and fears.

Scripture tells me to take every thought captive and make it a prisoner of my devotion to Jesus Christ, and I can only do that in prayer. My thoughts alone will always lead me astray, until I learn by strict discipline to drag them kicking and screaming before the throne of God. My faith feeds on prayer, and that is where I find victory over my fears. So, when it comes to all that concerns me, I will remember this - I must not think about it, and I must not worry about it; I will pray about it.

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, thank You for teaching me to pray and not worry. I believe You answer prayer, and my prayers open the windows of heaven. I will continue to look up and bow down. Amen.

Just Worship Jesus

But Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me." (Mark 14:6)

Let everything and everyone else alone and follow Jesus. Others may not understand or approve of your worship and your deep devotion to Christ -- but worship Him anyway. Every concern – no matter how legitimate – must be joyfully ignored when it competes with worshiping our Lord in spirit and truth. Once we believe that He knows all things, and all things are established and consist in Him, we receive the attitude of a child who looks to his parents without the slightest doubt that all is well. With that attitude, we can enter the Kingdom, and we come to know the King. Let us not hurt the Lord by seeking to do “Christian work,” all the while overlooking Christ. May worshiping the Lord be our highest priority. Let it be said that we have found the most high place at the feet of Jesus.

Let's Pray - Father, give us the confidence to worship at Your feet and abandon every other care. Above all things, we desire to be found in Jesus, and we trust You with every aspect of our lives. In Christ alone, Amen.

Do Not Doubt

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. (James 1:5-8)

We all lack wisdom, so, this instruction is for every believer. James simply wants us to recognize the fact that we are desperately in need the Lord's wisdom, and he directs us to come to Him and ask for it. This "asking" must be based on faith, and the strength of our faith is found in our ever-deepening relationship with God. Those who are close to God believe God. The saint who walks closely with the Lord asks in faith, because he walks by faith. Those who do not walk by faith will ask and still doubt, because they do not know the Lord well enough to trust and obey Him.

James calls those who doubt God "double-minded," which is more accurately translated double-souled. These are the ones who keep their feet on both sides of the line, worldly-minded while claiming to have the mind of Christ, who confuse soul-ties with true fellowship, taking one step forward and two back, and they are committed to God and His church on their terms. They are driven and tossed by the wind, never willing to be still, to be rooted, and unable to bear fruit. The double-souled man will not receive any of the things he asks for, simply because the Lord cannot and will not trust him with spiritual things.

Beloved one, examine yourself. How would your prayer life change if you truly asked without doubting, and if you walked and talked with God more closely? Today is the day to take God at His Word, to come to Him like a child, and to ask in faith. Come without doubting, ask, and see that the Lord is good and His mercy endures forever. 

Let's Pray - Lord, forgive me for doubting You and being unstable in my walk. I submit myself to You anew, and I believe You will answer every prayer according to Your goodness and according to my faith. In Christ alone, Amen.

Worship or Waste

And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply. But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” (Mark 14:3-9)

One of the hardest things for a Christian worker to do is to keep his focus on Jesus and off the world and the work. The Lord of glory was right there in the room with His disciples, yet they took issue with a woman who was determined to worship and make a sacrificial offering to Him. In their minds, she could have and should have made better use of her time and resources. They missed the essence of the matter, being snared by their own selfishness. This woman may not have followed protocol, she may not have been an expert on scripture, she probably wasn't highly esteemed, and she wasn’t one of the twelve – but she knew Jesus was the Messiah and her Savior; and she ministered to Him in a way that honored and strengthened Him for the horrific experience that lay before Him -- "She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial."

"Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her." The woman in this passage did what the disciples should have been doing, but they were caught up with everything and everyone but Jesus. We are still talking about her and what she did, because it was done solely and strictly for Jesus, and that is all that matters to God. Thus, we have been given a true picture of acceptable worship and ministry – that which is done, maintained, and fiercely focused on Jesus Christ alone. That is the Bible's definition of ministry, and it must become ours. Are we motivated to glorify the Lord in all we do? That is how the Lord will judge our works -- and He will judge.

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, forgive us for ministry that comes from our own sense of righteousness. Help us regain a Christ-centered focus and seek the Kingdom first and last. Amen.

Our Own Devices

Now Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" And Saul answered, "I am deeply distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from me and does not answer me anymore, neither by prophets nor by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may reveal to me what I should do." Then Samuel said: "Why then do you ask me, seeing the LORD has departed from you and has become your enemy?" (1 Samuel 28:15-16)

Saul could no longer go to God in prayer. After years of refusing to walk uprightly, the Lord had withdrawn from him, and he was left to his own devices and the consequences of his sin. Saul took drastic measures to save himself, but he would not be able to cover the tracks of decades of recklessness and pride. He saw the end coming, and he could not do anything to stop it, because God refused the repentance he sought, though he sought it with tears. How sad!

Note how many Christians are like Saul – hiding behind the thin veil of status or religion, yet far from the Lord and devoid of the Spirit of grace. Beloveds, we are still enjoying a time when the hand of God is being extended to us, so let us humble ourselves in His sight and receive the wisdom He offers in His Word. Do not be fooled into the malaise that defines so many, and let us take heed to God’s encouragement in Hebrews 2:1; Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. Let us not be like Saul, who drifted away and never found the way back.

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, may we heed Your warnings and receive Your wisdom while it is available to us. May we not be like Saul and Esau, who lived recklessly and tempted God. Help us, Father. Amen.

Bearing Much Fruit

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)

When Jesus says we can do "nothing" without Him, He's not suggesting we are unable to do things independently, just nothing of eternal or spiritual significance. It is quite possible for us to set and reach goals, to make names for ourselves, or even to become successful in ministry without God. Empires, nations, fortunes, and great legacies have been built by folks who have never taken a second to acknowledge the Lord, and many magnanimous feats have been accomplished without a single prayer being lifted to heaven. The Father, though, is looking toward the day when the works and words of every man and woman will be judged according to His holy standard -- and His standard is Christ. Nothing short of perfection will withstand His white-hot scrutiny. The sharp two-edged sword that proceeds from His mouth will separate the worthy from the worthless, and the things He did through us versus all we did in our own strength. In other words, things that some count as "something," Jesus counts as "nothing."

" . . . let us make three tabernacles; one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" - not knowing what he said. (Matthew 17:4) 

Some, like Peter, suppose Jesus is pleased with our earnest efforts to do good and make a difference in the world in His name, but that is a grave error. Peter sought to do what he considered a great and noble thing, yet the thing he should have done was be quiet and listen -- "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" (Matthew 17:5) We must learn to wait on the Lord, to be still, and hear Him clearly. Our "work" is to abide in Jesus, and that takes much more time and effort than we first thought. Be still today and wait, because you can do nothing good without Him; but be encouraged, because all good things are possible with Him. "He who abides in Me, and I in Him, bears much fruit . . ." 

Let's Pray - Dear God, I fully realize Your ways are superior to mine. Every day, I will ask You to fill me with the knowledge of Your will. I humble myself in Your sight. Amen.

Not About Me

Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. 

(John 5:19)

"It's not about me!"Those are some of the most important words I've ever learned to speak to myself. They reflect a basic understanding that undergirds everything the Lord wants to do through me and for me. Once I die to the belief that the world revolves around me, what I think, and what others think of me, I am ready to receive the life and perspective of the Lord. Once my feelings and my agenda are cast down and I find myself at the feet of Jesus, then the Lord can have an honest conversation with me that will change my perspective from an earthly one to a heavenly one. When I wake up tomorrow, I must start the whole process again, "It's not about me!" -- because my flesh and my pride will never relent as long as I live. Dying to myself is a day-by-day, moment-by-moment, conversation-by-conversation thing, and so is coming alive in Christ! I can make that choice, and therein lies my freedom. I am most free when it's not about me!

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, please help me resist the temptation to place myself and my thoughts on the throne. That place is reserved for Jesus alone. Amen.

Love Never Fails

Love never fails. (Romans 13:8)

Let love be without hypocrisy. (Hebrews 13:1)

God is love, and we cannot love apart from Him. His love is unique and unfathomably profound. It is beyond what we can give or appreciate, and it is best expressed in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Therefore, our love must mirror His love, or we are merely hypocrites -- bad actors. Love embraces good and rejects evil, it is kind, generous, consistent, durable, and humble. It takes action, overcomes obstacles, and manifests in service to others. It takes less and gives more. Love is alive, active, pure, and it has no agenda. We must love freely, and withholding love is not an option -- it is not ours to withhold.

Our Father knows the difference between love and everything else. True love looks like Jesus, it harkens to Jesus, it honors and glorifies Jesus, it worships Jesus, and it imitates Jesus. It is not churchy or religious, not soulish, not formal, nor is it cold, calculating, or carefully measured out. God has loved us tenderly, and He expects us to love those around us the same way. I must no longer count what love may cost me, but what it cost Christ -- and it cost Him His life. Therefore, I will love like He loves, because love never fails, and I must never fail to love.

Let's Pray - Father, help me to lead with love and end with love, because God is love, and God never fails. Thank you for the love that never gives up, never gives out, and always gives all. In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Godly Life

Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. (Romans 12:17-18)

The only Teacher is Jesus Christ, and His life is made real to and in us only by the Holy Spirit. No amount of well-intentioned striving will ever achieve the goal of wholeness, holiness, and health in Him -- we must be filled with the Holy Spirit. This truth is central to our understanding and appropriating this instruction, as it is with all the scriptures. Yet, this truth is the stumbling block that frustrates so many -- that is, we have no chance of doing what the Bible instructs until we surrender and exchange our strength, receiving God's strength in return. Only then does this passage become instruction we can successfully obey -- and obey it we must.

It is not good enough to be good citizens of earth, but we must first be good citizens of heaven. God's standards are nothing like the world's, and there is no possibility of reaching them by striving to be good Christians -- we must die to ourselves and let Him live His life through us. For instance, it will not be possible for me to live peacefully with all men and women in my own strength, no matter how hard I try. But if I learn to see the difficult person or situation as an opportunity to share the love of Christ, I will succeed every time. It doesn't matter whether or not my love is appreciated; what matters is Christ revealed in my words and deeds, and God will handle the rest. That is the path to peace the Lord has laid out before His children. Let's walk that path before Him.

Let's Pray - Dear Father, give me Your Spirit so I am able to do all You instruct. I realize I cannot do anything worthy on my own. I surrender all to You, right now! Amen.

Character and Time

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21)

We must not assume that we come easily into the realm of righteous living without first overcoming many obstacles, both within us and outside us. Christian behavior is derived from Christian character which is developed over time and with much attention and care. Our new (spiritual) nature is firmly established as our dominant nature by the painstaking process of putting the old man to death, and then we must guard the gains we've made with much effort and diligence. This is a difficult and glorious process which is to end in our sanctification and oneness with Christ -- and in Him, we become one with the Father. Amen.

True Christian character is revealed in the tireless war it wages against the forces of evil all around it. It understands that the battle for life and righteousness is the Lord's, and the victory is at hand, no matter the present circumstance. It knows that the earth is the Lord's in all its fullness, and He is fully in control of all things. The life of Christ in His children will outwork, out flank, and outlast the wiles and wickedness of hell; and we will endure to the end to glorify the Savior acceptably. God's grace and mercy are working effectively in us, and we are to display that work in every deed and conversation. That is how the Lord is glorified, the lost are found, the blind see, the naked are clothed, and the poor hear the good news. That is how we overcome evil with good, and that is how we overcome evil with God.

Let's Pray - Father, I understand the Holy Spirit is developing godliness in me day by day, and may I let patience have its perfect work. Help me to not be discouraged on this journey to spiritual maturity and thank You for being patient with me. Amen.

I Must Endure

". . . though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things He suffered." (Hebrews 5:8)

It never dawned on me that Jesus had things to learn. I always assumed that because He was God, He knew everything there was to know. Yet the scriptures teach He emptied Himself of the privileges and prerogatives of His deity, and became like us in every way, yet without sin (Philippians 2:5-11). Jesus humbled Himself to the lowly status of a child, student, and servant – and the method the Father used to train and mature Him included suffering. Only then was He able to receive the mantle of High Priest, which was the Father’s purpose for Him.

I point these things out so we might realize the marvelous hand of God in our lives, even in things that hurt and things we don’t like or understand. When we begin to view our sufferings in light the eternal weight of glory God has for us, we are able to endure them with a joy that blesses God and confounds the world. Most importantly, we give pleasure and glory to the Lord when we trust Him with our lives through every season and circumstance. So, smile – the more stress and difficulty, the more pleased the Father is to help us, and the more it makes us like Jesus!

Let's Pray - Lord, if Jesus suffered for me, I must be willing to do the same for Him. Help me to press on when I am weary and perplexed. There is a greater weight of glory stored up for me when I endure. Amen.

Wholly Following God

Then the children of Judah came to Joshua in Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him: “You know the word which the Lord said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh Barnea. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God. (Joshua 14:6-8)

How do you want to be remembered? That is a question each of us will grapple with at one point. What would those who know you best say about you and the life you live? Most importantly, what would Jesus say? Since we will surely give an account for our lives, what should our testimony be, and how do we live in a way that we will one day hear the Lord say, “Well done . . .” ? 

Caleb was a man known for one supreme attribute — he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel. This was true of him as a young man and in his old age.He didn’t just follow God, but he wholly followed God, and that fact differentiated him from others. The Bible is filled with stories of God’s people — yet, there are those who stand out above the rest, those who seem larger, stronger, more dynamic than others. Daniel, Abraham, David, Moses, Nehemiah, Isaiah, Elijah, and Ruth come to mind immediately. What was their secret? What did they have in common? Like Caleb, they wholly followed the Lord when everyone else opted for something other and something less. Do you “wholly” follow the Lord? Is that what others would say? I hope so!

Let’s Pray – Dear Father, thank You for giving Your children a different spirit from those in the world. May we be found walking closely with You, and may it be known that we have made the choice to follow Jesus wherever He leads. We will wholly follow You, Lord. Amen.

Brokenness and Submission

So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest . . . Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.  (Hebrews 5:5-8)

Jesus humbled Himself, and He became our High Priest. He glorified the Father by receiving His sufferings willingly and submitting to His will. What a remarkable relationship they shared -- so much so, that the death of the Son brought glory and praise to the Father. Could the Lord be calling us to die to ourselves as Jesus did? Perhaps the Lord allows just enough stress in our lives to drive us to our knees with cries of brokenness and submission. It may feel like defeat, but the child of God prays to the Father who is able to save us from death, and to bring us joy for every tear we shed. And truly, the Lord is glorified by the wonderful service we render to Him and the saints in spite our sufferings!

Every Christian must make peace with the place suffering is to play in our lives. The sufferings of Christ are beyond our comprehension, yet we are called to comprehend and receive them! This is a difficult and exquisite truth -- we must die to live, and we must be crucified with Christ if we wish to receive resurrection life. The Lord will only rise in us when we lay our lives down, and He will only fill us when we are empty. If we say we see, we will remain blind, and our earthly riches only make us poor. These are the things we come to understand once we set our hearts toward heaven. This is how we learn obedience, and how we become like Jesus –through suffering.

Let's Pray - Dear God, I am willing to go through all that is necessary to arrive at Christ-likeness. Help me to see every difficulty as an opportunity to give You glory. In Jesus' name, Amen.

A Life Laid Down

Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” (Matthew 19:21)

I meet so many folks who believe there is a God, that God is good, that it would be best and right for them to follow after God with their whole heart, that the Bible is true, etc. But I meet few who get these beliefs out of their heads and into their hearts – too few who are truly converted, changed, who pick up their cross, and walk in repentance. I witness so much ministry born out of the goodness of men's hearts instead of the brokenness and weakness that God honors. Successful ministry is never a matter of what men say or do, or how many are in attendance; but it is the fruit of a life laid down, so that Christ may rise up and be glorified.

Jesus has a value system that is very different from many of those in the church. For instance, we have been taught to believe that prosperity and physical health are the signs of a robust faith. Some teach that our words are containers of faith, and we can have what we confess. They also teach that the Bible's promises are ours to claim, and we can have what it says we can have. Nothing could be farther from the truth, and Jesus is still seeking those who will die to themselves, sell what they have, boast in their weakness, and accept the chastening of a holy Father. We have nothing, and we can do nothing apart from Jesus. In Him, we have everything, and all things are possible. The Christian life is a matter of focusing on Christ and coming to Him on His terms. " . . .  sell what you have . . . and come, follow Me."

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, I lay down my life, so that Jesus Christ may rise up and glorify You through my sacrifice. I will be sure to give You all the glory and honor You deserve. I consider that an honor and my life's work. Amen.

Strengthen Your Brothers

And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.” (Luke 22:31-34)

Satan constantly works to hurt and hinder the children of God, and pride is his favorite tool against us. He uses pride so effectively, because we almost never detect it in ourselves until it's too late. Every time we claim to be good, to be right, or to be better than anyone else, we give Satan the right to claim that ground on which we choose to stand. That is why the devil asked for access to Peter; he was leaning on his own strength, and that is Satan's territory. Peter was about to learn the most painful lesson of his life -- pride comes before a fall.

Jesus never ceases to pray for us, and He prayed for Peter. The power of His love and His prayers is infinitely greater than hell's hateful schemes. Satan's attempt to destroy Peter would fail, and the Lord would soon seek and restore his disciple. Peter would be baptized in the Holy Spirit, and that baptism would be his armor against the pride that was nearly his undoing. He would never again give Satan the right to claim any dominion in his life, and he would intercede for others the way Christ did for him. "Strengthen your brethren."

Let's Pray - Precious King, please forgive me for my arrogance and pride. I want to see and hear the words You speak to me, so I humble myself in Your sight. Thank You, Jesus, for always interceding on my behalf. Amen

Repentance and Conversion

And when Simon saw that the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! (Acts 8:18-20)

Simon believed, but it wasn't enough. He was amazed by the power and glory of God, but his heart remained hard and unrepentant; therefore, he saw the Holy Spirit as a commodity to be bought and sold. This entrepreneurial spirit is entrenched in the church to this very day, and much that masquerades as ministry is the peddling of the Gospel derived from the same counterfeit spirit. It is so much easier to preach power than repentance, because many men want the power of God, but few want to die to themselves and pick up their cross. You see, men must not just believe in God, but repent and be converted – that is true belief.

We suppose we are saved because we made a confession of faith and prayed the "sinner's prayer." Then we got baptized in water and joined a Bible-believing church. We may have also stopped doing certain things, stopped going certain places, or stopped keeping company with certain folks. Yet, all of these things can be done by someone who simply made an emotional or mental "decision" for Christ (as sincere as they might be) but was never truly saved. That is because salvation is a sovereign work of the Lord, and nothing we do can bring about the new birth found in Jesus alone -- He did it all! Eternal life is a most precious gift of God, and the only true measure of salvation is the indwelling Holy Spirit, given to each of us who truly receives life from God. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. (Romans 8:9) May the Lord Himself sanctify you wholly, may your endurance and your good works prove that you really are God's child, and may there be no doubt that you are truly saved by grace and through faith. Amen.

Let's Pray - Father, may I not fall short of repentance. Forgive me for coming to You on any other basis than the shed Blood of Jesus Christ. Thank You and Amen.

The Will of God

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. For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15-17)

We suppose the Lord is preparing us for things here on earth; things like success, breakthroughs, the fulfillment of hope and dreams, financial prosperity, marriage, careers, ministry, etc. But that is not true. God is preparing His children for one thing only -- heaven. If we are prepared for heaven, we will do well with everything that pertains to this world; but we can gain the whole world and lose our own souls! Those who seek to fit into this world make themselves unfit for eternity; and in spiritual terms, eternity is all that matters.

The scriptures call for us to develop a Christ-centered perspective on all things, and to realize all the world has to offer is fading away. Those things are temporal and superficial, but we are spiritual, and the Lord has saved us for His eternal purpose. When we reckon ourselves to be citizens of heaven first, our value system changes dramatically, and our eyes focus on that which matters to God, not men. This new outlook renders us strange and ill-fitted for the world, but precious and useful to Christ, who desires we glorify His Father -- our Father. So, let the world pass away in all its futility, while we turn our hearts to God. May the Eternal King of Glory receive our worship now and forever. Amen.

Let's Pray - Father God, give me the perspective of heaven, so I might see what You see and love what You love. I lay down my wisdom to receive Yours. Fill me with Your Spirit and lead me in the way I should go. In Jesus, Amen.

Faith and Experience

And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” 

(John 20:26-27)

While it is said that a wise person learns from experience, it is better said that a wise person learns best from someone else's experience! So it was for Thomas, and so it is for us. Thomas would not believe in the Resurrection simply because he was unwilling to accept the testimony of his fellow disciples. Yet, that is exactly how the Lord intended the truth be communicated; not according to sight and personal experience, but by the word of faith from those who came before us. Thanks be to God for the powerful testimony of those who have seen the risen Christ. That is how the Kingdom is shared and how the Kingdom works.

Most of us come to believe in God through the ministry and testimony of others. God uses their words and their witness to point us to heaven. When we hearken to them, we become part of something greater than we could ever be on our own - His church. Satan will do everything he can to get us to believe on an independent line, to disdain the words of our brothers and sisters, and to refuse the encouragement and wisdom they offer. But we do well to listen to those who have gone before us - those who have seen Jesus. The Lord would teach us many things through those seasoned believers. May we not be afraid to hear and follow those who have seen Christ more clearly than us! . . . do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (Hebrews 6:12)

Let's Pray - Lord, thank You for my fathers and mothers in the faith, whose testimony has strengthened and encouraged me in my walk. May I be an effective witness of the Living Christ to the generations to come. Amen.

Believing Without Seeing

Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” (John 20:24-25)

“Unless I see . . . I will not believe.”

Thomas had eyes, but he could not see, because he would not see. A man may have sight, but spiritually speaking, he will never see until the Lord opens the eyes of his heart. Even then, he must be willing to receive his sight according what God reveals, and He always reveals His Son. Nothing else matters -- not miracles, victories, prosperity, healings, etc. We must see the Lord, for every good thing is found in Him. That is the simplicity and joy of faith -- nothing and no one matters any longer but Jesus.

Yes, the Lord clothes Himself in mystery and invisibility. He has hidden Himself from the learned and the wise, and the most intelligent are overwhelmed at even the prospect of comprehending Him or His ways. That is because He has chosen simplicity and humility over haughtiness and pride. He is meek and lowly, and we must come to Him as children or He will not receive us. Therefore, the world and its obsession with itself and its pleasures will never enjoy the fellowship available to those who simply hear and believe -- those who embrace the profound and indispensable joy of faith. Those are the ones who truly see God. The only ones.

Then He (Jesus) said, ". . . Do not be unbelieving, but believing." And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, may I receive the truth in all its glory and simplicity -- in Christ and Him alone. Thank you for revealing the truth in Jesus, and for enabling me to believe it. Amen.

With You in Weakness

And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

God is seeking those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. What spirit, and what truth? The spirit of humility, the Spirit given to us as a guarantee that we are His and He is ours, and the truth of God embodied in Jesus Christ. The Lord does not respect what we throw up at Him, but what we lay down before Him. He is not impressed by our talents and gifts, because they are not ours in the first place, but His. Paul understood this, and he absolutely refused to minister in a way that left any impression of himself, only that of Jesus. In fact, the Lord allowed the type of suffering and shame in Paul’s life that would have left most men in abject discouragement. But he humbled himself under the mighty hand of the Lord, and his weakness and humility became the platform for the quintessential apostolic ministry in the New Testament.

May the Lord give us understanding in the foundational place of humility in the use of our gifts. If we humble ourselves, put God first, love our brothers and sisters, and treat everyone the way we desire to be treated, the Lord will honor us with the opportunities to share His love through our gifts on a scale we never imagined. Remember, blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek, the peacemakers, and the pure in heart, for theirs is the kingdom and the King. It’s not how much, how many, how high, or how great, but how humble and how low. God has given you the gift of the Holy Spirit; and in the Spirit, low man wins!

Let’s Pray – Dear Lord, thank You for the opportunity to serve You. I desire to see Your name lifted high above every other name, so I gladly humble myself and exalt the name of Jesus. Amen.

Come Follow Me

“If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. (Matthew 19:21-22)

God's criteria for living well is 180 degrees from ours. We most often judge our success by earthly possession, fame, influence, and comfort. But the Lord judges the heart! The worldly man is possessed by his possessions, and a man filled with the pleasures and bounty of the world has little or no place for a God who asks us to lay down our lives. Jesus saved us that He might help Himself to our bodies, our minds, and our days! So, we must be sure not to crowd Him out with busy schedules and hearts set on self; and let us not frustrate the life of the Spirit with a pre-occupation with worldly pleasures.

We are all rich in one way or another, because we all have been given free will. What will we do when Jesus brings us to the point of decision, like He did for the rich young ruler?  Will we take the road to the left -- the road to my dreams, my hopes, and my way? Or, will we trust the Lord to lead us in paths of righteousness for His name's sake, and will we empty ourselves so that we might be filled with the Holy Spirit? This is life's essential question, my Christian friend -- will you lay down your life? Whose life is this, anyway?

Let's Pray - Dear Father, it is my deepest desire to be found in Jesus, following His every command. May I find value in my relationship to Him and nothing else. Amen.

Words of Life

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

(Proverbs 18:21)

So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.  (James 1:19-20)

Jesus tells us His words are spirit and life – much more than syllables and sounds, but they are alive and living and able to accomplish the purposes for which they are spoken. There are no idle words spoken from the mouth of God, and as we mature in Him, there will be fewer and fewer from us. What a marvelous accomplishment it is to become a wise steward of the tongue! Our words are pregnant with meaning and effect, and the Lord will hold us accountable for those words and the intent behind them. Perhaps we should give longer and wiser consideration before we speak.

Careless words are an offense to God, and we've all spoken far too many of them. Yet, we can never change or fix our speech by our own efforts, no matter how sincere. Therefore, we must not only be more careful, but more prayerful! The words we speak are not primarily a matter of the tongue or of the mind, but a matter of the heart . . . For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (Matthew 12:34) When our hearts are right with God, gossip, slander, cursing, harshness, crassness, lying, and cynicism will no longer be found in our words; but the Holy Spirit will speak encouragement and grace through us that blesses and edifies the hearer. So, listen closely to your words today, and they will reveal the condition of your heart. Then, take your heart, give it to Jesus anew, and ask Him to purify it like only He can. He will do as you ask, and from that point forward, you will hear it in your speech; words of life that pour out of a pure heart. Amen.

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, if You will purify my heart, I will set a guard at my mouth, so I might speak in an acceptable way. Teach me to speak words of life as my Savior does. Amen

Your Kingdom Come

In this manner, therefore, pray: our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9-10)

These words are the baseline for every prayer the disciple prays. God is our Heavenly Father who loves us, gives us every good and perfect gift, and whose name is to be revered and praised both now and forevermore. The very mention of His name evokes power and fuels the forces of the universe in both the spiritual and natural realm. His kingdom is a present reality for His children, not just an after-death experience. He rules in the hearts of His children, and we recognize His sovereignty over all things. God is King, the universe is His territory, and we are His people. It is our deepest desire to see His will unopposed in our lives and in our world. We establish the superiority of His will over ours, and we work and pray to that end. So, we pray, "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done in this world as it is in heaven."

The Lord's Kingdom is coming, and it has already come, manifest in the victorious lives we live and the praises we lift to heaven. One day we will see the Kingdom established and His will done here on earth; and until then, we wait and walk by faith which sees and embraces that which is promised as if it was already here. That is not living in some fantasy world, but simply believing that God is good, and He is able make all things work together for good. That is the blessed assurance of every believer; that His Kingdom will come, and it has come -- in us.

Let's Pray - Lord, I exalt You as God and King, sovereign and mighty, holy and true. There is no one who compares with You, nor shall there ever be. I am honored to be called Your child and Your servant. Amen.

When We Surrender

“O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” (Matthew 26:42)

When we say yes to the Lord’s call, the life we have entered into is nothing like we thought. No man or woman can predict what the Lord is going to do with or through them. No one knows where our obedience will take us, and we would be wise to count the personal cost. That is because devotion to Christ is an exquisite thing, and it will test every fiber of our being; but in return, it will gain us more than we can imagine, if we endure to the end. Our journey only begins when we pick up our cross and follow Him. This is much more than a "decision" for Christ (remember, you did not choose Him, but He chose you); but a daily commitment to laying down our lives, and a refusal to ever take them up again. There is no other way to live for Christ and to serve Him acceptably. "Your will be done."

We begin a new and profoundly beautiful life as we learn to trust and obey, especially when all prevailing wisdom tempts us to take the common-sense path; that road is littered with many shipwrecked lives. Jesus is teaching us to trust Him completely, to wait with Him, to stand with Him, to suffer with Him, and to reign with Him. His will, not ours, makes our lives the sweet-smelling sacrifice that pleases the Father, and that is the blessed life that enjoys His favor and intimacy. So, let the Lord have His way and surrender to His will. You can be sure the end of your surrender will be glorious, just like our Lord's.

. . . looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)

Let's Pray - Lord, may I never fail to surrender my will and desire to Yours. Lead me by Your loving Spirit, and I will follow. Amen.

Preach the Gospel

Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.  (Jonah 3:10)

The Lord sent Jonah to do what he did not want to do – to preach repentance to the hated Assyrians. It was a ministry of mercy, and so is the message God sends us to preach today. He will send us where we would not go, to speak to a people we naturally care nothing about, and to do what can only be accomplished by our strict obedience to His commands. And when people are saved, we will marvel at God's mercy and the powerful simplicity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ – not our gifting, or programs, or presentations – but the Gospel alone!

Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. (John 4:9)

Jesus came to preach the Good News, and He was not going to be held back by any restrictions imposed by men and religion. Likewise, His arms are still outstretched to save, and He will leap over every boundary to reach souls others have rejected or ignored. For the love of Christ compels us . . . (2 Corinthians 5:14) - Let us not suppose that the preaching of the Gospel will be limited by our prejudices; but let those who are called to preach do so according to the leading of the Spirit. The light that shines in us will lead many to Christ, if we will not debate, but go when and where we are sent.

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:

“Whom shall I send,

And who will go for Us?”

Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” (Isaiah 6:8)

Let's Pray - Father, may Your servants preach the good news of Jesus Christ, and that alone. There is no other message with the power to save the lost. May we preach Your word and see many sons and daughters come to glory. Amen.

Just Go

But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.  (Jonah 1:3)

Many of us heard the story of "Jonah and the Whale" in Sunday school as children, and we never forgot the image of a man in the belly of a big fish. But this is not a tale about an ancient prophet gone astray; it is our story, because there is at least a little "Jonah" in each of us. Who among us hasn't done the opposite of what we knew was right? Who has not rebelled against the Lord's clearly expressed will and run the other way when He called our name? Who among us is without sin? Yes, the Book of Jonah is about us; and it is a gift to us, if we will only humble ourselves and receive it.

We may see Jonah’s disobedience as an extreme case of rebellion, but is it really that rare among Christians? No, it is not! We must obey at once, or we too will experience the firm hand of God's discipline as Jonah did. Many saints today are in the "belly of the fish" for this very reason. Even small degrees of disobedience are drastic in the Lord’s sight, especially if you follow them to their ultimate conclusion - death. Remember, God's commands are not suggestions, but a revelation of His sovereign will for us. His words are “spirit and life,” and they must be received and obeyed as such.  Let our response to Him always be, "Lord, Thy will be done - starting in me!"

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, forgive me for the times I have been slow or unwilling to obey your commands. Teach me to say, "Yes," every time You call or send me. In Jesus, Amen. 

Resist the Devil

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. (James 4:10)

Humility is the most aggressive posture a saint can take against the wily tactics of Satan. Lowliness is a most formidable spiritual weapon, and the devil has no answer for it, because he cannot humble himself. The saint who is bowed low in submission to Christ cannot be touched by the lies of the accuser, the lust of the flesh, nor the lures of the world. When we fall to our knees and submit ourselves to the Father’s will, a decisive blow is delivered to the forces of hell around us. Down at His feet is the most high place!

Satan will offer you a great number of options, but none of them will involve humility. He will convince you to offer lip service without truly serving others – to feel sorry for your actions, yet, fall short of repentance - to embark on your own mission and call it ministry - to follow your agenda and call it obedience. Yet, our Lord tells us to humble ourselves in the sight of God and men, because He resists the proud and lifts up the humble. What an honor it is to respond to His call to be like Jesus, who laid aside His glory to serve us and die for us! Listen closely and you’ll hear Him calling you to become like Jesus by humbling yourself. Will you answer His call?

Let's Pray - Lord, I humble myself in Your sight today. Hide me under the shadow of Your wings, and I will worship You and give You the glory You deserve. Amen.

More Earnest Heed

Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.(Hebrew 2:1)

The attention we give to our relationship with God is sweetly expressed in our love for and obedience to the scriptures. The Word is God's love letter to His children, and it is the revelation and counsel of the Lord given exclusively to His church, for we alone hear Him and believe Him at His Word. We are complete in Christ, and our identity is rooted in Him. We are His and He is ours. When we allow the Word of God to shape our thoughts, we are no longer defenseless against the onslaught of the world's mindset, it's aimlessness, confusion, or futility; but we put on the complete armor of God and no weapon formed against us will prosper or defeat us. We are more than conquerors in Him. By His Word, we come to know His love, and we are perfected in that love. Even in our weakness, He is strong, and where we fall, He lifts us up. No one can successfully prosecute a charge against God's elect, for it is God who justifies us. This is the blessed assurance of believers -- the Word of God. Jesus is that Word. Hear Him.

Let's Pray - Father, I will give more and more attention to Your Word and the voice of the Holy Spirit each day. Thank You for leading me in holiness and righteousness for Your name's sake. Amen. 

That Good Part

Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me. And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42)

One of the most effective tricks of Satan is to get our eyes off Jesus and on work, causes, creeds, religion, our communities, the needs of men, even good things -- and we lose the focus the Bible demands we have on the Man, Jesus Christ. You see, the most important place a we will ever come to is the feet of Jesus. So, we must learn to sit before Him and value the precious moments of intimate fellowship He offers. That is where we come to know Him, to find our peace and rest in Him, to enjoy Him, and to truly experience His love as we should. "But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part . . ."

"Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things." Are you troubled today? Are you busy, distracted, worried, burdened, broken? Perhaps now is the time to set your work and your worries aside, come sit at the Lord's feet, and just wait patiently on Him. Jesus sees into the dimensions of our being, and He identifies the truth about each of us; that He is all we need. Remember, work is not bad or wrong, and perhaps we need to work harder than ever - that is, work to get to the feet of Jesus.

Let's Pray - Dear Father, help me to keep my eyes and my mind on Jesus Christ. I want to sit at His feet and enjoy "that good part" that Mary enjoyed. Thank you for drawing me near. Amen.