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The Narrow Gate

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:21-23) It is hard for those with great possession, great talents or skills, great appeal, or profound influence to walk through the narrow gate that only the "poor in spirit" can enter. The words of Jesus cut through every good intention, every ounce of human goodness, every effort at self-justification, and they point to the need in each of us — He is everything we need.   To receive Jesus, there must first be the realization that we can do nothing apart from Him — nothing spiritual, nothing of any eternal consequence, and nothing holy. We can o...
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Confess Your Trespasses

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.  (James 5:16)   There is lifesaving and life-changing power in confession. Confession unleashes the dynamic power of the truth, as we agree with God about our words and actions. When we confess, we bring light and freedom to bear on things that would otherwise remain in the dark. Our faults and sins wield power over us as long as we keep silent about them. That is why James encourages us to release those things and receive God's forgiveness and comfort in exchange — to confess. The sins we commit are not our greatest problem, but the sins we hide. Millions are in pain and bondage today because of unconfessed sin — and once we have hidden sin longer than we should, we become blind and numb to its corroding effect. This is why every Christians must be on guard against the devastating effects of unconfessed sin.   Find...
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Kingdom, Power, and Glory

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever . . .  (Matthew 6:13)   Do not be distressed over the challenging times in which we live. Jesus is preparing and encouraging us, so we do not panic or respond fearfully when things are hard. He is teaching us to respond to trouble and tragedy with prayer. We pray without ceasing, and that is spiritual wisdom and faith in action. Therefore, we enjoy an unshakeable peace because we have placed every care at His feet.   That is our lifestyle; prayer, worship, and the confidence that God has the entire world in His hands. Remember, Jesus is not going to overcome the world — He already has.   Let's Pray  -  Dear Lord, teach me to walk faithfully, even in exceedingly tough times. I have the deepest confidence that You see all and know all, and You will make all things good in time. Thank you, Father. Amen.
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Just Look Up

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  (Philippians 3:13-14)   Jesus quickly forgave and forgot when men offended Him. He found no need to be right or defend Himself when He was wrongly accused or attacked. He reconciled all things in the light of His Father’s sovereign will.   Therefore, let us do what Jesus modeled for us – forgetting, letting go, and pressing forward toward the vision of glory the Father places in our hearts. There is no time in our fleeting lives for mourning missed opportunities, outdated relationships, mistakes, and misunderstandings. While we all experience hardships and disappointments, the Lord offers us a new day and season, if we will just look up!   What we see has everything to do with our focus and our perspective. If we w...
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Every Good Gift

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.  (James 1:17-18)   James tells us that every good and perfect gift comes to believers from above. In James' mind, nothing good rises to God from the earth. If it is good, it is of God and comes down from God, and there are no exceptions.   Every suitable work we do in the service of God is born of the Spirit dwelling in us. James speaks of this as  "the meekness of wisdom,"  which is quite different from the forceful and strident spirit some display. James calls worldly wisdom earthly, sensual, and demonic. The tell-tale signs of this type of spirit are envy, selfishness, confusion, and every other evil thing. God has called us to something much better. He has called us to Himself in Jesus, and He...
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Present Your Bodies

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  (Romans 12:1) We need not become experts in religion or ministry, but in exclusivity — that is, taking ourselves back from the world and from ourselves, that we might be able to offer our lives to God exclusively, which is the only reasonable thing for us to do.   Therefore, we must first deny ourselves and lay down our rights before we have anything to offer the Lord at all. Truth is, some of us have so little to give, for our hearts and time are committed to a myriad of folks, causes, activities, affinities, and affections. And even so, we can convince ourselves that we are living for God. Help us, Lord!   God has called us to live consecrated lives. A consecrated life is not an isolated life or a petted life, but a life set apart for the Lord's purpose. The Holy Spirit gives us the focus and discipli...
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Shine the Light

So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.  (Exodus 34:30)   Not so with My servant Moses; he is faithful in all My house.  (Numbers 12:7)   You know a man who has seen the Lord, because he is different than he was, and he is distinct from other men. His face shines, as it were, and most men stand apart from him, because the light he shines exposes their darkness. He is separated unto God, and the things of this world do not interest him any longer.   Christians who have seen the Lord are like Moses not common. The Lord has drawn them into His confidence more so than most, and He is able to invest Himself in them more deeply. God shares His heart and thoughts with them, and like Moses, He can trust them to minister holy things to His children without selfishness or agenda. The light they have seen makes them humble, not haughty or proud. The Lord will never reveal Hims...
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