7 Keys to Spiritual Renewal

1. Surrender
See the need to allow God to help you grow through others. "So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in His good time He will honor you." - 1 Peter 5:6

2. Acceptance
Accept the full reality of your situation. "Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me." - Psalm 139:1

3. Confession
Begin to open up about the reality of your life. "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed." - James 5:16

4. Responsibility
Accept responsibility to make the changes that must be made. "Each one of you should test his own actions...each one should carry his own load." - Galatians 6:5

5. Forgiveness
Forgive your own failures and the failures of those who have hurt you. "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly father will also forgive you." - Matthew 6:14

6. Transformation
Transform your pain into a purposeful ministry out of love for others. "He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us." - 2 Corinthians 1:4

7. Preservation
Protect the spiritual gains you have made-persevere through the struggles we must all experience as we grow. "...continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose." - Philippians 2:12-13

Following The Map

He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.


--Psalm 23:3

Have you ever set out to go somewhere, only to realize that the direction you were heading was the wrong direction? There’s nothing quite like the experience of a trip that ends up going in a direction different then you thought it would.

That’s how it is at times in our Christian lives. We are called to follow Christ, which sounds easy enough. But there are times when it feels like He is taking us in a different direction then we thought He would. That’s when we need to cling to the Bible’s promise that Christ will indeed be with us and lead us every step of the way.

When Moses led Israel out of Egypt, God instructed him not to take the quickest and most direct route to Canaan, but to follow the path He would lead him on. I’m sure Moses wondered many times what was going on and why God was having the nation of Israel trek so many extra miles to reach the Promised Land.

But God was working out His plan in His way. In fact, in Deuteronomy 8:2, Moses says this about God’s leading in the wilderness, “And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.”

Be assured God is at work in your life no matter how strange His leading might seem at the moment.

So if you’re not sure where you’re heading today, just get close to Christ and don’t give in to the temptation of giving up or going the way you think best. We don’t have the promise of an easy and clear journey, but we do have the promise of His guidance!

STEPPIN' OUT

Have you ever said something to someone about God’s power, or love, or your faith, or “standing on the Rock”, etc., etc., only to realize that you were terrified and lacking in that professed faith?
That’s why I love this passage in Ezra. That’s exactly what happened. The exiled Jews were returning to Jerusalem, led by Ezra, and they were scared half out of their wits that they were going to be attacked along the way. They had already told the king, basically, “No problem! Our God has it handled.” The problem was that it was more bravado than belief. Aren’t you glad that when we aren’t wholly faithful, He is?

Ezra 8:21-23 NASB
Protection of God Invoked
21Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a safe journey for us, our little ones, and all our possessions.
22For I was ashamed to request from the king troops and horsemen to protect us from the enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, "The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him, but His power and His anger are against all those who forsake Him."
23So we fasted and sought our God concerning this matter, and He listened to our entreaty.

Are You David or Saul?

Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”

--1 Samuel 9:21

When you look at the life of Saul, you see a man who had everything life had to offer. He was good-looking. Humble. A leader. And God’s Spirit rested upon him. But he squandered it all because of the choices he made and the life he lived.

Saul’s fatal flaw was his own selfishness. He was determined to do his own thing and not wait on God. This selfishness transformed into stubborn disobedience, and it cost Saul everything. His stubborn will wasn’t worth the price he paid.

How often are we determined to do things our own way? To have what we want just because we want it. When we do, we take our eyes off God and plow ahead blindly.

Hopefully though, we’ll learn from the actions and hearts of both Saul and David!

David, like Saul, also wandered far from God. But David was also very different from Saul. David’s heart sought after God. He had the will to obey Him, and that made all the difference in David’s life.

You may be walking in disobedience and defeat, but you don’t have to stay there! Seek God. Seek His forgiveness. Become a man or woman after God’s own heart. Because that is the life of true victory!

is your heart more like David’s…or like Saul’s?

Above Our Circumstances

Philippians 1:19-21

We are expected to live above our circumstances and focus upon God and His sovereignty. But how do we accomplish this in practical terms? In reality, we are often too weak to properly adjust our mindset to Christ and see the potential for good in painful times. Thankfully, believers are not without help.
In order to focus on God and successfully live above our circumstances, we must understand our unity with Christ through the Holy Spirit. Life is not segregated into neat packages of work, family, church, etc., with no crossover or blurring of the lines between areas. Christ should permeate our entire existence. Paul was in such oneness with the Lord that to live in his earthly body meant to have Christ with him every moment, no matter the situation. No area of the apostle’s life could be defined apart from his faith. His mind, heart, and will were completely saturated with Christ.
When Paul wrote, “To live is Christ,” he was referring to Jesus living and working through us in the Holy Spirit’s power (Philippians 1:21). That doesn’t mean we think of divinity every second of the day, but we do make God’s will our first consideration when dealing with others.
Trying circumstances are a reality for everyone, Christian or not. The difference for believers occurs when we recognize our oneness with Christ, when we act by His strength and live according to His directions. That’s when focusing on Him becomes second nature.

Changing Our Focus

John 15:18-21

Nothing can touch a believer’s life unless it comes through the permissive will of God. That means He has complete control, even when it feels like Satan is running rampant through our personal lives. Trapped in Roman confinement, Paul knew that God could rescue him; after all, He had removed Peter’s chains. (Acts 12:7) But Paul was not simply waiting around for liberation. Even in his chains, he earnestly continued with his kingdom work because he believed God did everything for a reason.
It is true that the Lord has a purpose for whatever He brings into a person’s life. Though we may desperately wish for different circumstances, God allows us to go through a given situation when it will ultimately bring about the most favorable result. If we allow Him to finish the work instead of trying to extricate ourselves, we’ll see a positive outcome.
Paul’s time in prison proved a benefit for the Gospel, though logically, the spread of the Word should have been severely hindered by the imprisonment of such a great preacher. In two years, he had been guarded by many of the elite praetorians (Philippians 1:13), and we know what Paul talked to them about Christ during their shifts.
There isn’t a single verse in the Bible that says believers are promised an easy life. In fact, the Word warns that the opposite is true. (John 16:33) But we, like Paul, can choose to live above our circumstances by realizing that God has a plan to use our experiences for our good and the benefit others.

IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING, ANY ROAD WILL GET YOU THERE.

CHINESE PROVERB

False Prophets

I woke early this morning thinking of the false prophets in the last days that Christ spoke about in His word. (Matt. 24:24)

I think people expect them to be obvious, like, "OH, that guy! Well, I know he's a fake." The problem is that it's not like that at all.

Almost always, they will be ever so slightly off center, barely distinguishable from the truth, enticing, convincing, and by golly, they make me feel better! (Psalm12:1-4)

Sadly, they aren't "bad" people in most cases, just misguided by power, pride, money, or any number of manifestations of self. There comes a point where a breakthrough or decision has to be made where we realize that it's absolutely not about us.....Not even an inkling!

Anything, and I mean anything that puffs us up is wrong because our nature is so weak that we can't stop those feelings of self from creeping in. (2Cor.11:12-15)

I've always loved the passages concerning the Bereans. (Acts 17). They were being taught by Paul and Silas. Can you imagine? That's like Billy Graham, (or in the secular world), a famous actor coming to town. I mean, wouldn't we be hanging on their every word? Anyway; What did the Bereans do? They said, "great messages guys", and then they gathered together and poured over the scriptures to make sure they weren't full of hooey.

I've watched most of these people on TV or read their books. I always have my Bible open and ask God for discernment, and it's amazing how often The Breath of God is misquoted or used out of context. (Rev.22:18-19)

If we are in the end times... and even if we're not, read the warnings in His unfailing word. (Jer.14:13-16)

It's gonna sound nice, it's gonna seem easier, And it's gonna get more confusing by the day! (2Peter 2:1-3)
The paths will get wider and there will be more of them, but there is only one center, and there is no compromise.

Describing God

How would you describe God to someone if, say, you didn't speak their language... or you were mute?

Think about that a moment.

You don't have a bible, written word, or even anything to draw with.

The first thing that comes to my mind is that I would take them to the most beautiful place I could find, turn in a circle with arms stretched wide and then point to the heavens, or direct their attention to the miracle of a baby bird breaking through it's shell. I know it sounds silly, but how do you show Jesus in your heart and soul?

Would you take the person to the Darfur region of Sudan where citizens are being slaughtered in mass by the malitia, or how about to the amputee ward of a military hospital for soldiers returning from Iraq?

God is there too.

So I was thinking it over again.
How could I describe the eternal majesty of our Father God? The saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ? The daily guidance of The Holy Spirit?

The only thing I can come up with is that I would stay with this person, day and night. I would hold them when they were sad, tend to them when they got sick, protect them against all dangers...... and eventually develop a lasting communication, that, even though we were different, we could understand each other and I would know what they needed from me, and I could, in turn, show them love with no terms.

That might just begin to describe God.

The Wrong Road

I just finished reading Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. One of his many wonderful quotes ,(and I'll paraphrase), was:

If you are on the wrong road; going forward doesn't get you any nearer to your destination. Sometimes progress means turning back and taking a different path.

That's sometimes a hard pill to swallow with the American mentality of always pressing forward, moving up, and getting ahead. Often, when we are racing forward to receive that blessing or answer from God, we should instead be going back and mending that fence we broke or reparing that bridge we burned.

Is it pride or shame that gets in the way of making things right? I know that in my own past, I have hurt and used people. I know of one lady in particular that was an excellent employee of mine. I abused her loyalty to me and she ended up getting burned out because whenever any of the other employees failed to perform, I knew she would fill the void. I wasn't the friend I should have been. I can say now that if I had been walking with the Lord on the right path, I would have treated her with the love and respect that she deserved. If I ever find her, I will ask her forgiveness.

Another way we get on the wrong path is from being led astray by false teachings. I could refer to passage after passage about the dangers of putting your faith in men, but I'll leave you with a couple to look up. 2Peter 2:1-3 and 2Peter 3:16-17.

The best way I know to get and stay on the Right Road is to keep our eyes focused on the Master and frequently look at His roadmap.

Commitment

What does "commitment" mean to you?

We all know the word, but do we really understand the meaning of a solid, unwavering commitment?

One of the scripture's clearest teachings on commitment is in Romans 12:1-3, where Paul calls believers to present their bodies as a "living sacrifice" unto the Lord. Think about that image. How did people in the Old Testament make sacrifices? They took them to the temple, surrendered them to the priest, and then walked away.

They walked away.

They didn't keep their hands on what they brought to the Lord.

They didn't offer it temporarily or expect to get it back.

They simply gave it up, trusting that God would honor their sacrifice.

Does this kind of complete surrender characterize your commitment to the Lord? Have you fully and completely given yourself over to His will, His guidance, and His purposes?

Many people can't answer yes to these questions. Hesitant believers may profess a saving faith in Christ, but it's almost like they envision a little contract between themselves and God. They think, You can have me now, Jesus, as long as you take care of me. If something bad happens to me, though, I'm going to take my sacrifice back.

Is your commitment contingent on God's blessings? Do you face your hardships with joy(James 1:2), or do your struggles chip away at your holy commitment bit by bit? Active, growing faith requires total surrender to God. Are you ready?

ACT!

Danilo Dolce once stated, "It's important to know that words don't move mountains. Work, exacting work moves mountains.

People pray. People believe in prayer......but do they act as a part of that prayer or is it all in God's hands?


We should never forget that we are the mouth, hands, and feet of God. I truly believe that if God equips you, He expects you to step up to the plate.

When the disciples were complaining about not being able to catch fish, Jesus told them to cast their nets into the deep. Jesus stepped into the boat with them but they had to do the work.

Is Jesus in your boat?

I have a close friend who's marraige is stagnant and seemingly hopeless. They say that they pray about it all the time, and yet, not 10 minutes later they will be complaining about or criticizing their spouse. It's no wonder that the marraige isn't improving.

There was a period in my youth when my father played around with the notion of Christian Science. While I'm sure they are very good people, I believe they have gotten caught up in legalism. My gradeschool music teacher was a Christian Scientist. He died from a simple case of Pneumonia because he would not act and see a doctor.

Whether it is a marriage, friendship, relationship, or even a life in the balance. God expects us to take action. It doesn't actually say, "God helps those who help themselves" in the bible, but I think it is a statement worth listening to.

Are Your Walls Fortified?

In ancient times it was customary to build walls around a city to protect it's inhabitants from marauding bands and enemies. The farmers and shepherds knew that they could enter the gates of the city for protection should attacks come.

Proverbs 25:28 says: "Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls.

Or, in other words: A person who lacks self control is defenseless and opens the door to things that can tear them down.

Where are your walls being torn down? And how can we keep our defenses built up?

Proverbs 30:5 tells us that Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. And;
2 Timothy 3:16-17 teaches us All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

A recent survey was conducted concerning pastors who had fallen away for one reason or another. The most common cause that was given was that they had become too busy and had let their time reading God's Word lapse.

Daily study and meditation of God's word, along with other ways of "Putting on the Armor" will keep our walls standing strong.

Do You Want To Know A Secret?

We like secrets, especially when we stand to benefit from knowing a certain secret. Secrets are alluring and to possess a secret can make us feel powerful and in control. On most covers of any magazine you will discover that you too can possess the secret to happiness; tight rock-hard abs and buns of steel; how to retire by age 50; becoming a fabulous cook, losing 10 pounds is seven days, and many other secrets that will make us healthy, wealthy and wise.

Then there are those secrets that we carry within us that we never want to reveal. Perhaps the fear of guilt and shame and the risk of being rejected run too deep for many of us. So we hold on to our secrets for the perceived power we feel by maintaining control.


We all have secrets; everyone of us. We don't have to be ashamed of our secrets before God.

This morning I meditated on Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18. This is the lesson about charitable deeds where Jesus instructs his hearers not to be concerned about outward appearances and being seen by others but to enter the secret places of our hearts where God sees in secret. Jesus said that God is in the secret place.

We don’t have to hide in secret from God.

All too often, it is much easier for me to focus on my outward appearance and actions than it is to enter my room and reveal to God the hidden and set apart places within. I can get caught-up with “performing” the ritual and never be inwardly transformed in the secret places in my soul. Cistercian monk Michael Casey says, “Outward observance, however holy, cannot take place of the personal encounter with the Living God.”

For Jesus, this personal encounter with the living God often takes place with in the hidden parts of me. Within my soul live my hopes, lust, dreams, guilt, shame, greed, joy, fear, and every other thing I can imagine. And according to Jesus, God is in our secret places. There is safety with God in those inner places where we often feel vulnerable and unsafe.

God doesn’t live outside the context of my secrets. “Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?" There’s me, my secret, and God. I am not alone with my secret, God is there. “God knows the secrets of the heart.” Psalm 44

God loves us and has not abandoned us to be left alone with our secrets. God is there. God is Love. Love is there in the hidden places that we often feel so unlovable.

So this morning as I prayed and meditated I let God in on the secrets of my heart for there is freedom to acknowledge what God already knows; there is freedom in knowing that God hasn’t rejected, denied or despised me as a result of my secrets. God doesn’t reject me or run away from me because my secrets but begins the inward transformation as I share my secrets; as I reveal who I am. God’s grace abounds in my secret place; God begins to free me to live with authenticity. It seems that my secrets have the ability to keep me locked-up or the ability to set me free, it all depends on what I do with my secrets. There’s the old saying in AA, “We’re only sick as our secrets.” I don’t have to pretend or act righteously in the eyes of people to be accepted or approved while harboring secrets in my soul.

Instead I go to my room and open the door of my heart and share my secrets with the God. I find comfort that God is there.

The Life We Live

Chaim Potok, author of The Chosen, captures what it means to live well: “Human beings do not live forever. . . . We live less than the time that it takes to blink an eye, if we measure our lives against eternity. . . . A blink of an eye in itself is nothing. But the eye that blinks, that is something. A span of life is nothing. But the man who lives that span, he is something.”

Second Timothy paints an incredible picture of the confidence we can have on the eve of our death when we have lived well. Paul had that kind of confidence. At the time that 2 Timothy was written, Paul was imprisoned for a second time in Rome (1:8) and was awaiting execution (4:6). Many of his closest friends and ministry partners had deserted him. His prison chamber was cold and dismal (4:13). Despite his bleak circumstances, Paul’s joy and hope in Christ were not dimmed as he considered the “promise of life that is in Christ Jesus” (v. 1). Death awaited him, but it was not the end. Life in Christ is a promise for eternity.

So with this joy for the future, Paul began his letter with expressions of thanks, specifically thanking God for Timothy. Paul was obviously comforted by the friendship that he enjoyed with Timothy. He was thankful to know that while others had deserted him, Timothy remained faithful both to Paul and to the ministry. The tears Timothy had shed at their last parting assured Paul of the warmth and loyalty he felt for the apostle.

Yet Paul was not only comforted by Timothy’s loyalty but also by his sincere faith (v. 5). When so many around him had shipwrecked their faith, Paul might easily have begun questioning his efforts as an apostle. But Timothy was a “success story,” a reminder that sincere faith could indeed survive, and that Paul’s ministry efforts had taken root, been blessed by God, and had in fact borne fruit.

God's Unconditional Love

New believers may find it difficult to accept the fact that God loves us just as we are. Much of the world operates by conditional love, which offers approval and acceptance on the basis of performance. So when we first come to Christ, there is often a natural tendency to assume we must strive to "deserve" our blessings, such as wealth, happy families, or good careers.

Divine love, however, can never be earned by human effort. There is absolutely nothing we can do to make God love us more or to influence Him to stop loving us. (Romans 5:8; 1John 4:8) Many believers understand this intellectually but have trouble believing it deep down in their hearts.

No matter what has occurred in your past or what you feel right now, the Father's love has always been freely given to you.

God pours His love upon us without exception- no ifs, ands, or buts.

He did'nt begin to love you the moment you asked Him into your life. Nor did He begin loving you because you went to church or rose out of the baptismal waters.

In truth, God never "began" to love you at all; He simply always has. From the creation of the world, God knew you and loved you. (1John 4:19, Psalm 139:13)

Are you rejoicing in the Father's love, or are you withdrawn and depressed? Do you exude peace, or do you always seem anxious? Is your life characterized by power and purpose or by fear? Recognizing the amazing truth of God's unconditional love is life changing. Prayerfully open your arms to His love today!

Broken Windows

When Rudy Giuliani was Mayor of NYC he requested that when a building was discovered to have a broken window that the broken window be replaced immediately because if it wasn’t, within a couple of months most of the other windows in the building would be busted-out as well, leaving the building looking abandoned.

Apparently folks are more apt to destroy what appears to be already on a path of being uncared for and valueless.

People are a lot like buildings.

It seems that many people who have had a window or two broken out of their lives are often the ones who are pelted with stones leaving the remainder of their windows to be shattered. I guess in ways all of us have a cracked window or two.

Think of the people you know with shattered windows. I am reminded of a boy in my elementary who was picked-on by another kid. For whatever reason he hated this boy and everyone knew it. He demonized him and publicly shattered a window in his life. It wasn’t long afterwards that other students began to throw stones at his windows. Throughout our elementary years this particular boy, for no reason other than having a window cracked through the senseless and unkind words and actions of another person, was pelted with stones on a daily basis. If the eyes are truly the window of the soul, it was easy to look in his eyes and see the brokenness.

It only takes one person to start the cycle of destruction, and before long the entire building is in shambles. We take something beautiful and in our inner-ugliness attempt to break it so that it will also be ugly, just like we feel. And once we perceive it to be ugly we justify destroying it. Some feel justified throwing rocks at whatever they find valueless and ugly.

God doesn’t throw rocks.

Jesus knew what the damage of one stone could do to a person. Before long the entire crowd joins in. There’s the old saying, “Hurt people, hurt people.” Perhaps you could say, “Broken people break people.”

Adults are equally as guilty of breaking windows in the lives of others—especially those who already have a window or two busted-out. We don’t like ugly, dilapidated-looking “buildings” so we avoid those with broken windows like we do the run-down parts of town or we help break-out the remaining windows.

Jesus asks us to follow him to the discarded, forgotten, neglected and forsaken parts of town where the "buildings’" windows are broken; the "buildings" are abandoned and left to rot by society. When we dare to look into the windows of another’s soul-- we’ll find God waiting for us to bring about restoration and renewal.

Trials

Let's see if you are like I am. Most of the time I would say that I face trials and tests with a steadfast faith; an acceptance that this is His will and how can I learn from it. BUT, there are those other times when I wonder,(and wander), if there will ever be an extended period of time when I will have complete serenity. (I'm now picturing a Tibetan monk in a garden with water gently rippling down a stream, as a butterfly alights on my knee).

But seriously. Troubles are an unwelcome fact of life, but they can have value. Often what we wanted to avoid turns out to be the very thing we needed. God asks that we have a tender heart, a teachable spirit, and a yielded will.

Does that describe you?

I would say that I have some problems in all three areas.

Do we have a longing to always follow God's ways? Read Psalm 42:1

Are we willing to be taught by the "classroom" of His choice? Read 1Sam. 1:1-2:10; and John 11:17-27

Are we committed to His will? Read 2 Cor. 5:7; and John 15:5

Without Love

The next time you are sitting out on your porch in the beautiful spring evening or wake up to the welcoming sunrise and smell the crisp morning air on your way out to work, consider the seemingly endless hatred that occurs in other parts of the world. I was struck with the contrasts between that and what I experience in my surroundings.

The violence on the South Korean border; the continued atrocity in Darfur; the Taliban spewing hatred in the court room; the tendency to bash our country’s leaders instead of praying for God to give them wisdom; and the list goes on. Here I am in my peaceful surroundings while being bombarded with stories of violence, rage, and hate. I was thinking to myself how sad it is that humans continue to devastate one another. Where does this dark, evil hatred and violence from?

The God who created the birds that fill the morning air with voices of tranquility and peace created people who fill the world with destruction and chaos. How can this be?

In my morning devotion I focused on the Corinthians 13 and it became clear that I often feel the same rage and anger toward those folks who I view as a threat to my sense of security and well-being.

Like the guy in the SUV, who while talking on his cell phone and exceeding the speed limit by 20 MPH nearly hit me as I started to pull out in front of him. He laid on his horn for several seconds, looked at me with disgust and shook his head. I really wanted to mouth two words to him so that he would know exactly what I thought of him. I could have also included some sign language just to be certain he understood how I felt.

To be embarrassing and shamefully honest there was a split second that I thought to myself, “I dare you to get out of your car. I will make you eat that cell phone.”

Out of the same heart that tells my wife she is beautiful; out of the same heart that says, “I love you Jesus”, out of the same heart--
speaks wicked rage. This should not be.

This morning it hit me, in many ways my heart is no different at times than those barbarians I read about in the newspaper. I am capable of some extreme feelings and potential acts of hostility despite my claims of spirituality and being a follower of Jesus.

I may not act on my impulses but it seems to be only by the grace of God that I don’t.

My heart needs help.

When I respond to another’s actions that threaten my sense of well-being and security with hatred or rage I am no different than those I accuse. Jesus said that it’s what comes out of a person that corrupts the person. What comes out of me is apparently what was in my heart—evil. I could have rationalized and justified a stupid, ego-driven, fear-based sense of rage. In the dark corners of my closet I am no different than many of those thugs I hear about on the news. I found this to be shocking—and very humbling.

At times I am nothing more than a loud gong and a clanging cymbal; the noises that drown out the beauty of the birds who fill the earth with God’s beauty and serenity.

I may have the faith to move mountains but not the faith to allow God to remove the mountain of self-righteousness inside of me that prevents me from being love.

I may cherish the hope for more peace in the boundaries of humanity but I don’t possess the love within the boundaries of my own heart to help create the peace that I hope for the world.
I can possess much hope and faith to see change in the world but without love on my part, its all for nothing.

Faith in The Storms

It's easy to have faith that God is going to do something in the distant future. For example, if you walked into church and asked the congregation,"Who believes that Jesus Christ is returning?" nearly every hand would go up. But if you ask a guy who is drowning in debt if he thinks God can eliminate his debts in three months, he's likely to express doubts. And yet our day-to-day life is where we must practice unswerving faith if we hope to be effective for the Lord.

James (chap.1) tells us that our faith can't be like the waves of the sea that rush first in one direction and then seem to double back on themselves and race the opposite way. In the Christian life, we rush forward to do the Lord's will until He makes a difficult request or allows a painful experience to come into our lives. Suddenly we are driven in the other direction by our doubts.

The reason we hesitate to trust God fully is that we judge our circumstances by what we see. Sight is the enemy of faith because our eyes and brains can't envision a way for God to do what He promises. Our knowledge of scripture tells us that our faithful God can do anything, yet we forget and doubt.

Faith can overcome doubt only through action. We must turn a blind eye to circumstances and make the first step toward doing God's work. If we exercise our faith every day, those seas won't be so rough.

Practicing Discernment

Spiritual discernment develops slowly. The Lord doesn’t simply pour knowledge into our heads; we must seek His will daily and study to understand Him better. To do so, we need to regularly spend time in the Word and place ourselves under the Holy Spirit’s teaching.

I know, I know… easier said than done… right?

Church is where we receive instruction. If a poll were taken as people left weekly services, they would give many different reasons for attending: worshipping, fellowshipping, encouraging one another, and inviting others to receive Jesus Christ. How many would say they come to learn righteousness? Yet, teaching about holiness is a primary calling of the pastor. (Ez. 44:23)

A minister’s goal should be to teach in such a way that parishioners hear a godly principle and learn to apply it. In this way, believers grow in spiritual discernment.

Instruction doesn’t do any good unless we practice what we learn. David exercised spiritual discernment throughout his life. He went against conventional military wisdom, facing Goliath armorless and with a few stones. (1 Sam 17:37-39) Later, he repeatedly avoided claiming the throne until God’s plan was fully revealed. But David made mistakes as well, such as his indiscretions with the married Bathsheba. We, too, can ignore the Spirit’s promptings and instead appease our own desires.

Recognizing principles is not enough; we must live out what we learn. It’s wise to observe the consequences of obedience and disobedience so that we, like David, can grow in our spiritual discernment.

He Works All Things!

Romans 8:18-30
James Lindsey Smith’s ordeal was “a thrilling narrative of escape.” Under cover of darkness, he and two other men sailed a small boat from Virginia to Maryland. There the men were separated, and Smith managed to avoid detection as he walked alone through Delaware to Pennsylvania. Along the way a woman fed him. In Philadelphia, a man secretly sheltered him and arranged to get him to New York. There he met others who helped him travel to Norwich, Connecticut, where he settled, married, and became a preacher.
The year was 1838 and Smith was a black slave. Like thousands of others, his journey on the “Underground Railroad” was conducted by nameless individuals who assisted and protected him. With their help, Smith eventually made it to freedom. In a similar way, believers are on a journey from bondage to glorious freedom (v. 21). Along the way, we’re helped in our weakness by the Spirit, who intercedes for us and leads us according to God’s will.
But before glory, there’s much suffering. On the one hand, our present suffering doesn’t compare to this future glory (v. 18). In fact, this glory will be so great that the entire creation groans eagerly for it! Because we have the Spirit, we too groan, because deep down we know that this present life isn’t all there is. We long for our resurrection bodies, which will be free from corruption and decay.
On the other hand, however, God knows that our present suffering could overwhelm us, so He assures us of two things. First, we’re not alone. The Spirit helps us in our weakness and translates our groaning into inexpressible words before the Father. Second, God assures us that He’s working redemptively in every circumstance we encounter (v. 28). This doesn’t mean that things will turn out how we expect, or that we’ll have comfort and ease. Rather, it means that God uses every situation to make us more like Jesus Christ. What an amazing assurance, even in our darkest trials!

Moving Mountains

We Christians have the capacity to believe God for far more than we are willing to ask Him to do. Instead of demonstrating a solid conviction of His faithfulness, we often act out of weak, halfhearted belief.

The Lord is waiting for us to come to Him in complete trust.

The people who are living the richest spiritual lives are those who expect the Lord to do great things- they exercise the gift of faith.

Exercising faith can't be passive. Notice how action words follow every mention of faith in Hebrews 11 (prepared, obeyed, and lived). Instead of folding our hands and waiting for God to do something, we need to get busy. Our first reponibility is to go before the Lord with our petition, often more than once. Then, we must consciously decide to trust Him for an answer and wait with the assurance that He will always follow through with His promises.

We have the potential for Him to work powerfully in and through us. Of course, He doesn't ask us to tackle more than we can handle.

Start today by giving Him the small anxieties that plague you. Or ask God for one change you want Him to make in your life.

Praying Specifically

Look around any day, and you'll see people who need to make changes in their lives. Maybe you have a brother who doesn't know Christ or a believing friend who struggles with lust or can't keep from gossiping. The most powerful way to effect change in another person's life- or our own- is by praying. God, through the apostle Paul, has given us a prayer pattern that is Christ-centered and specific.

Too often, we are lazy in prayer. We say, "Lord bless so-and-so" without giving a single thought to what form the blessing should take. God does not work in generalities; He makes deliberste movements in every person's life. And He is pleased when we use His Word when talking with Him. Paul's prayer from Colossians 1 includes God's greatest desires for His children. He delights in responding to requests that someone be filled with the knowledge of His will and a desire to please Him!

Results may not be instantaneous. We could wait months or years before we see a loved one turn to Christ or witness a beleiver bearing fruit. But remember that The Lord is working all things, even if we don't see it. Our responsibility is to keep praying in a Christ-centered and specific manner.

Get Out Of The Way

Have you ever noticed how we spend so much time trying to "get" what God wants us to receive?

We always want our miracle, but we don't get out of the way.

I recently read in 1 Samuel 13 where the prophet Samuel told King Saul to wait for him to return to offer a burnt offering to the Lord before going into battle against the Philistines. Saul waited the alloted 7 days, and when Samuel didn't show on schedule, Saul got nervous and took it upon himself to make supplication to the Lord himself. Because of his lack of faith, God's blessing was taken from him.
In another case, Abraham and Sarah were promised a child in their old age. They waited and waited, and finally, Sarah decided that she had the solution. Abraham should lay with her maidservant. As we all know, that was not God's plan.

At least in my life, I have found that every time I try to take care of it for Him, it only breeds frustration. It's only when I say, "That's it, I'm finished. I can't do it anymore", that He can do His best work in my life.

That's a key word there. BEST.

Saul still defeated the Philistines that day
Sarah ended up having the promised child, but there was and is a rift to this day between the descendants of Isaac and Ishmael.

God will still work through us, around us, and in spite of us, but to receive His best, we need to get out of the way.

Ever Feel Resentment?

Resentment is like taking poison and hoping the other person will get sick.

Resentment is an unmet expectation.
Resentment: Indignation or ill will felt as a result of a real or imagined grievance.

Do you have any resentment?

Think about the people you resent. You know them when you see them. What do you do? Increasing irritability and difficulty letting go of resentment can be signs of depression.

I am in a decent place right now, but it doesn’t take long to begin to feel resentful toward a person, especially if I don’t deal with my sense of frustration or hurt immediately.

I don’t like resentment because I am the one who gets sick—not the person I am resenting.

I’d like to say that I attempt to address my issues with another person upfront and as soon as possible- but I don’t. I’d feel so much better. Sometimes it is only after the fact and I notice my feelings. Right then, I should make myself go to the person and let them know what I'm feeling. My wife is really good at that (one of the many reasons I love her). You'd think that it should be easier with family members or close friends, but, at least for me, it isn't. I think I'm afraid of hurting a relationship, where in reality, I'm probably not giving the other person enough credit to accept my perceptions maturely. I need to dwell on that a bit. Anyway, I’m sure I would find that I am much less sarcastic. I need to remember that I’m doing it for myself. I’d probably sleep better as a result. And I bet I’d find I spend considerably less time working through forgiveness or attempting to forget.

Even with the simple things.

Poison is substance that causes injury, illness, or death. Resentment poisons me.

Sell Your Soul For A Quick Buck

Here we go again.

There is yet another book coming out disputing the divinity of Jesus our Christ.
I saw an interview with the author of "The Jesus Letters" the other day on a national news program. These letters supposedly support the claim that Jesus not only conspired with Pontius Pilate to fake His death, but He continued to live another 45 years and wrote letters claiming that He was not the virgin born Son of the Living God.

An interesting point: The interviewer quoted the author, saying, "There is incontravertable evidence in these letters." The interviewer commented that that was a very strong statement and asked if the author had ever seen these letters. To which the author replied, "I have never seen them, but was told about them by a reputable Theologian."

1 Timothy 4: 1-2
The Great Apostasy

1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron

Clear the Temple!

“In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.” John 2:14-15

What are the tables that need to be kicked over in your life? Who are the money changers that crowd the temple of your soul that need to be driven out of your life so that you can make space for God?

I think it is all too easy to immediately go to those negative areas of our “character defects” and think that we must cleanse ourselves of all our impurities.

Perhaps what needs to be driven out of our lives is fear, perfectionism, and worry etc. and from the religious laws and rituals that we attempt to abide by in order to make ourselves acceptable and pleasing to God. Perhaps what needs to be slaughtered and given up to God is our idea that we are unlovable and undeserving of our Creator’s love based on our merits, instead of God’s grace. Isn’t this one of the main messages of Jesus? He begins to break laws and codes that have robbed people of their humanity and dignity and he claims God’s love for all people, especially those kicked to the roadside by religion.

When we cleanse the temple it makes those who want to control God uncomfortable and paranoid but frees us to encounter God in our soul and to loosen our grip and enjoy the ride. Then we can say , "Look God, no hands!"

The Journey

"It seems that Christians have been worshipping Jesus' journey instead of doing his journey. The first seems religious, the second seems human." Richard Rohr

What makes one a Christian?

Depending on who you ask, you'll get various answers. Some would say Baptism as a sacrament makes one a Christian; it is a work of God's grace.

Some would say belief and then have a set of doctrines to follow.

Over the past several years I have been asking myself how Jesus would answer that question. I'm beginning to believe that doing his journey is what he desires.

It seems that doing his journey is being committed to a person-- Jesus. The other seems to be more about religious belief and doctrine. How does our faith impact, not our individual lives, but also the lives of those around us? His message was much, much more broad than an individual, personal salvation.

Many spend a great deal of time talking about why Jesus died but perhaps another relevant question is, why did Jesus live? What did Jesus live for? It seems to me the very thing that he lived for was the reason that some tried to kill him.

At some point we are to walk in his shoes or at least in his footprints.

What do you think?

Giving it over

Luke 18:22 "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."

Jesus Christ says a great deal that we listen to, but don't necessarily hear. When we do hear, His words are amazingly hard to take.

Jesus made no attempt to keep the guy with Him. He simply said-Sell all you have, and come, follow Me. Our Lord never pleaded, He never cajoled; He simply spoke the sternest words mortal ears ever listened to, and then left it alone.

Have I ever heard Jesus say a hard word? Has He said something personally to me that I deliberately listened to? Not something that I could expound on or negotiate around, but something un-compromising.

This man did understand what Jesus said, he heard it and he sized up what it meant, and it broke his heart. He didn't go away defiant; he went away sorrowful, thoroughly discouraged. He came to Jesus full of the fire of earnest desire, and the word of Jesus froze him; instead of producing an enthusiastic devotion, it produced a heartbreaking discouragement.

Our Lord knows perfectly that when we have heard His word, sooner or later, it will bear fruit.
We will stay at that point until we give it, release it, reject it, etc. I wonder what we will say when we do make up our minds to be devoted to Him on that particular point?

One thing is certain, He will never cast us away.

Holy Spirit Study 2

It is important that the Old and New Testaments are in synch with respect to the Holy Spirit's deity. In Exodus 31:3, the word Elohim is used for the Spirit of God, while in Isaiah 11:2, the word Yahweh is used for the Spirit of the Lord. In Romans 8:9, Paul makes it clear that the OT refers to the deity of the Holy Spirit.

Numerous Bible texts show that the Holy Spirit is God, since He is ascribed the same qualities as God the Father. He is eternal (Heb.9:14); He is all knowing (1Cor.2:10-11); He is all powerful (Rom.15:18-19); and He is everywhere present (Ps.139:7). The names of the persons of the Trinity are also joined in a way that implies full and complete equality of Being and deity (Matt.28:19; 2Cor.13:14).

The Holy Spirit is the only One who can give inner certainty and assurance of our right relationship with God (Rom.8:16). He bears witness to the truth of Jesus' life and ministry (John15:26). He indwells and gives strength to believers (1Cor.6:19; Eph.3:16). He calls and separates believers for Christian service (Acts 8:29; 13:2; 16:6-7). He empowers believers to proclaim the truth that they have known (Acts1:8).

To deny the deity of the Holy Spirit, as some theologians do, is also to deny His personality, making Him only an influence.

The Holy Spirit Study 1

The writers of Scripture leave little question that the Spirit of God was involved in the creation of the universe. Although the personhood and deity of God's Spirit are not revealed and explained in the Old Testament, Judeo-Christian believers have always inferred His being. Only 3 references to the Holy Spirit by that name are found in the OT (Ps. 51:11; Is. 63:10-11), but other names occur, both covert and crystal clear. The full revelation of the Holy Spirit is found in the New Testament, where there are at least 93 references (per the exhaustive concordance).

The Old Testament word for spirit, ruach, is also translated air, wind, or breath and can mean life, vitality, and storm. This term emphasizes that the Spirit's work is practical. It expresses activity without defining the Spirit's being. Ruach does not imply quiet breath or wind, but a strong motion. The Spirit of the Lord is the mysterious, powerful method of God's activity and dynamic presence in creation. The Spirit is also the animating force of the first man, (He breathed life into Adam).

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, the Executor of the Godhead. This means all that God has done or is doing in the universe is through the Spirit. When we make these statements we are describing God in action, not only in the universe but also in His redemptive purpose for those who choose to accept.

Fun Friday!

Your boss has just asked you to give a speech in front of the whole company. There is approximately 300 of your associates in the auditorium. Here's the problem......
You have to give the speech naked.

What is your opening statement?

So noone else steals it first, mine would be...... "Is there a draft in here or is it just me?"

har har har!

On Compassion pt.2

I could not say this better...so I won't try.

From John Baillie's- A Diary of Private Prayer: A Devotional Classic, 1949

O Father in Heaven, who didst fashion my limbs to serve Thee
and my soul to follow hard after Thee, with sorrow and con-
trition of heart I acknowledge before Thee the faults and fail-
ures of the day that is now past....

My failure to be true even to my own accepted standards:

My self-deception in the face of temptation:

My choosing of the worse when I know the better:
O Lord, forgive.

My failure to apply to myself the standards of conduct I
demand of others:

My blindness to the suffering of others and my slowness
to be taught by my own:

My complacence toward wrongs that do not touch my own
case and my over- sensitiveness to those that do:

My slowness to see the good in my fellows and to see the
evil in myself:

My hardness of heart toward my neighbors' faults and
my readiness to make allowances of my own:

My unwillingness to believe that Thou hast called me to a
small work and my brother to a great one:
O Lord, forgive.

What a powerful and humbling prayer.

On Compassion pt.1

So how do we become more compassionate?

The first step occurs on our knees. I think we must confess our lack of concern.

The promise of 1John 1:9 involves both forgiveness and cleansing: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins." We often forget the second part of the verse: "...and purify us from all unrighteousness."

God not only declares us forgiven and justified but also furthers the cleansing work that He began in us.

When we confess that we don't care if our neighbor is going to hell, God pardons and also perfects. He makes us less stained, wrinkled, angry, contemptuous, or self-absorbed.

We might need to tell our heavenly Father, "I don't care about some people the way I should. I have a cold heart. Please make me more like You- caring, compassionate, gracious, and abounding in mercy. Give me as great a longing to see Your work in people around me as I long for it within my own life. I need You to work this out of me, because I cannot manufacture this kind of compassion by myself."

-more later.

How Much More!

We were studying in Luke 12 last night and there was a discussion about how often in God's Word, He promises us "How Much More." Each time, He emphasises our value. He gets into all of this to tell us how much He loves us, so we don't have to worry.

Often, people feel just the opposite. They feel that because they worry, He isn't going to be there because of their lack of faith- or until they get it right. That's alot of pressure.

The point is that you can waste energy on worry if you want, but there is little we can do in these matters, besides trusting God.

We discussed verse 30 and how the pagan nations have needs(desires) and will do whatever to get these needs met.

The flip side of that worldly view is the assurance we, The children of our Father, can trust that He knows and will provide.

One gentleman spoke up and said that this was all good in theory, but how do we put this into practice? To consistently trust and not worry.

I would like to know your thoughts.

Fun Friday 4

When you were a kid, did you ever make up another name for yourself? Well today you can pick another name that you would like to have, but just for the day!

Mine would be James Deucelion. The last name sounds like: Doo-say-lee-own. I just think it sounds cool rolling off the tongue.

Have fun!

Like a bad rash!

The next time satan is attacking you in that personal way where he always manages to get under your skin, think of this:

The combined forces of hell cannot equal the supernatural power of a single believer. We have Jesus the Christ living within us- the same Christ who was triumphant on the cross and whose final victory over satan is prophesied in the book of Revelation. Through Him, we can conquer satan and win our unseen battles!

On Giving Thanks Pt.2

Why would God instruct us to thank Him regardless of our circumstances?

The mere idea defies human logic. But then, of course, the Lord doesn't have to go by our man-made rules.

I know that gratitude is not conventionally considered one of the spiritual disciplines; but I like to think of it as one. Otherwise, why would it be so hard to thank God in those rough times?

I think being thankful reminds us that He is always present, which builds our trust, and in turn, strengthens our witness.

When we realize that thankfulness isn't based on emotions or positive results, we can be grateful, even during trials, because the Lord has promised to work everything for our good. (Romans 8:28) That means He has a purpose for every experience, pleasant or hard.

For most people, any adversity is cause for them to be negative, disheartened, and often, depressed. We, as Christians, can show His light to the world by allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us- bolstering us when we don't feel very thankful.

Other people will pay attention. Your coworkers, family, and friends will want that peace that you are showing. So whatever you experience today, defy human logic and Praise God!

Fun Friday 3

You have just been informed that you won an all expense paid vacation for yourself and a guest to any destination for one week. The stipulation is that you will never be able to take another trip.... Ever. Where are you going to go and who will you take with you?

On Giving Thanks

"In ordinary life we hardly realize that we
receive a great deal more than we give, and
that it is only with gratitude that life becomes
rich. It is very easy to overestimate the impor-
tance of our own achievements in comparison
with what we owe others."

-Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Answered Prayer?

"God, these daily headaches are intolerable. Please heal me now!"

"Lord, my boss is clueless and I feel like I'm spinning my wheels. Please help me get another job."

Christians almost universally agree that God answers prayer. But many people, if they were honest, would say, "The Lord answers most prayers, but not mine." We can often call out to God and not receive the satisfactory answer that we want.

The stumbling block isn't God's unwillingness or inability to respond; it's the word satisfactory
that gives us fits.

If we come to God with a preconceived idea of how to solve our problem, we'll likely overlook His true answer.

Sometimes we don't like God's solution. We desire freedom from physical ailments rather than an extra measure of grace to endure the pain. Or we want a new job, instead of seeking our boss's forgiveness for our bad attitude.

In other words, we want the Lord to fix everything without requiring any effort from us.

Our willingness to obey is the key to answered prayer. When He tells us how to resolve our problem(s), we should act as He directs, or we'll never be satisfied.

As I slowly grow, I'm learning to listen quietly and patiently, rather than requesting.

Love That Builds Up

It seems that throughout the history of humankind, especially the Church there has always been struggle, confusion, and conflict between the primary issue of loving and knowing. What we call the Protestant Reformation, perhaps the greatest split in church history, had much more to do with theology-- what we think we know about God, than praxis--- how we love.

Paul said, “knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.”

It’s not about what we know. It’s about how we love.

Actually it is easier to be convinced that I am right, certain, and the enlightened one. After all, I think, therefore I am. It’s easier to reach for the fruit of knowledge than it is to trust God.

As best I can tell, Jesus was actually serious when he said to love one another. He didn’t say like everyone; agree with everyone; be nice to everyone… he said love one another… it goes both ways and sometimes loving others is painful and I don’t feel like loving others especially those who frustrate me and I “know” are wrong or in my opinion have some silly, scary, shallow and sadistic ideas about God. Does God really want me to love these people? Was Jesus really serious… did Paul know what he was talking about?

I have no problem looking others in the eyes and telling them where they are wrong; my problem is looking myself in the eyes… looking God in the eyes and admitting where I am wrong. If I’m such a master at KNOWING about love, grace, justice and mercy, then how can I so easily turn around and despise those who are created in the same image of God as me?

Paul says, if I know all the mysteries of the future and know everything about everything, but don’t love others, what good am I?

Someone once said that spiritual insanity is knowing what is right, hearing what is right and doing the opposite.

When I get honest with myself and God I begin to heal… I begin the process of transformation that happens through letting go of my self-righteousness and control and surrendering to God’s love. Just as I cannot transform the minds of others through puffed-up knowledge, I cannot expect to transform my life on knowledge alone. It takes God working in my life and heart. It begins with my willingness to allow God to be God in my life.

The way we live out our mission is not by reaching for the fruit of knowledge that can only puff us up and potentially kill us, but to a live a life of love… God, self, and especially others… that is what will build us up… that... love... is what will give us life.

Fun Friday 2

Describe what your all time favorite meal would be.

Mine might and probably would be subject to change-but for now:

A bacon wrapped filet mignon~ seared, not grilled
Coconut crusted shrimp
A colorful salad with a bleu cheese vinaigrette dressing
crusty on the outside and fluffy on the inside slightly sweet brown bread with plenty of butter
and although etiquette would tell you red, I'd have a glass or two of nice German Leibfraumilch.

Only Hope

I love music. All kinds, especially old stuff. There are alot of songs on the radio nowadays that I tune out though. I know why, If I don't like the melody, then I normally won't listen to the lyrics.

Occasionally, I stop to really listen to the words.

Today I was blessed.

The song was "Only Hope" by Caedmon's Call. The verse was:

"I have long withstood Your grace,
King, provoked You to Your face,
Would not hearken to Your calls,
Grieved You by a thousand falls."

The chorus follows to say that Jesus is our only hope.

I just wanted to share that, in case you hadn't listened closely either.

How we fall each day and deny His call to righteousness. Thank God for His mercy and grace.

FUN FRIDAY!!!

I'm starting a new thing for 2 reasons:

1. To add a bit of levity to my sight, and-

2. To get people more involved.

So each Friday, I will put out a (hopefully) fun question for my readers to answer. So don't feel obligated, and you can post anonymously, but I am interested in what's bouncing around in your heads.

Here's this weeks question:

Who is your favorite 80's, glam rock, spandex wearing, high hair sprayed, Mtv rock band video/song of all time?

This may date some of us, and others may not know or care what I'm talking about.

This morning's study

My wife and I were studying in Acts 12 this morning and I wanted to share a few blessings that we were shown.

When Herod captured Peter and put him in prison, he appointed four squads of soldiers to watch over him. Now I don't know exactly how many are in a squad, but I imagine it's a few. And likewise, in the cell, he had a guard on each side of him, he was in chains, behind a locked door, with guards watching the door from the other side.

I'm thinking that Herod must have been worried about something to have that many soldiers guarding one man. Did he hear rumors of this strange power that these followers of that man called Jesus had, or maybe he was fearful of a mob revolt by some wayward Gentiles. Who knows.

So, here's Peter, in a dark, oppressive prison cell. Isn't our sin like that sometimes? Held captive in a dark situation where there seems that no hope will come. I think it's at those times when God knows you are out of options, when you can't figure a way to escape by yourself, that amazing miracles happen.

Was Peter weeping and fretting about his future? Peter was asleep! The angel of the Lord had to hit him to wake him up, for heaven's sake. I'm sorry, I can't say I'm there yet. Peter reminds me of Abraham taking his son up the mountain to sacrifice him. Like Abraham, Peter didn't know what was going to happen in the morning, but it really didn't matter. That's faith in the midst of your circumstances.

I also noticed that in verse 7, the angel shone a light into the cell. I would think that angels don't need lights to get around, so it must have been to guide Peter's way. That is so cool that God brings it down to our level and shows us the path to follow. It's interesting that the guards were not disturbed by the light. I mean, if I'm lying in bed asleep and someone shines a light in my face, I guarantee you, I'm going to wake up. Do you think God made it so the guards could not see the light?

Where the light shines, The chains will fall.

Have I Gotta Deal For You!

Pastor Parsley: You'll Have No Reason To Fear With This Sword That I'll Send You…. (For your Donation)

Is this just weird, or is it me? This is now available from <TV Preacher Rod Parsley>...

The Sword of the King

A symbol of your freedom to walk in fearlessness in 2006!

God’s promise for you in Isaiah 41:10 is, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

You have no reason to fear in 2006! And The Sword of the King is a beautiful reminder of that promise! This sword is a replica of the sword of the legendary King Arthur and features:

* Intricate detail throughout the handle and blade.
* Two-tone antique copper- and gold-colored metal handle.
* Polished stainless steel blade detailed with the cross of Christ.
* Beautiful display board with wood grain finish and two gold-colored studs to hang the sword from.
* A length of 37 inches.


Display this specially crafted sword in your home as a reminder that this is your year to walk in complete fearlessness, according to Isaiah 41:10!

Give just $41.10, as a statement of faith that you believe in Isaiah 41:10, and get the SWORD OF THE KING today!


So, I'll tell you what.... If you send ME $41.10 today, I'll send you the Sheild of Faith to go with it. It may look conspicuously like a plastic CoolWhip bowl lid, but trust me, it is an authentic Sheild of Faith.

Sorry, I just get a little irked when I picture a bunch of old ladies with these swords hanging on the walls of their one room apartments while eating Banquet TV dinners.

I wonder what ol' Rod's driving these days.

Psalm 1:1

I wrote this study a couple of years ago. The Psalms never fail to bring me comfort.

Psalm 1:1
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
This is such a short and simple verse and I know I’ve read it dozens of times but, as usual, God decided that this time I was going to see something different in it. It’s just one sentence, but it speaks volumes. I think it not only teaches us how to live a holy and separate life but what’s more amazing to me is the warning it gives us concerning that slippery slide into sin and how easy it can be.
Let’s look at this verse as it mirrors our lives today. First we casually walk by a situation. We’re curious or even intrigued by that sin we see or hear but we keep on walking. I mean what’s the big deal right? We’re strong enough to resist. In fact, we can walk by that as much as we want.
Then we’re walking by one day and we’ve got a few minutes on our hands so let’s just stand there for a bit and observe. It doesn’t hurt to look. Just because we hear that sin doesn’t mean we have to believe it. Jesus hung out with sinners anyway. Lighten up already!
You know there’s not much use standing around and looking conspicuous. Besides who wouldn’t rather sit down. It’s easier to see what’s going on and hear the conversations. In fact we’d probably have a lot of valuable input. And why should we feel bad. Just because we sit with them doesn’t mean we’re like them. We’re getting along with everybody… even God… He gets our Sundays...... right?
I think rarely is that slide into sin or that slipping away from God earth shattering, or at least we choose not to notice. The slide can be so gentle and easy that it’s sometimes imperceptible until it’s too late. So let’s walk with the righteous, and stand up for Christ… and sit down to read God’s Holy word and pray.

Avoiding Prison

I was driving past our county jail the other day and I noted how long it was taking to build the new section.
A spiritual prison, too, can be erected very slowly, one sin at a time without a believer noticing.

Ensnarements happen slowly, beginning with a thought. Over time, unless these thoughts are eradicated, contemplation turns into action. With satan falsely promising happiness as the reward for giving in to temptation, sin gains strength through repetition until our conscience is finally overpowered. One morning we wake to find that the devil holds our will in bondage.

But we can avoid spiritual chains. Our first step is accept two basic truths: all sin enslaves, and bondage begins in the mind. We can't maintain a healthy relationship with the Lord while indulging sin. When a wrong thought creeps into our consciousness, we have the choice to expel it or embrace it. Through the Holy Spirit, every believer has the power to change his mind.

A second step is to ask ourselves, Is the pleasure of this sin worth the consequences of being imprisoned? Inevitably, the answer must be no.

Third, we order our life according to God's Word. Make the choice to place yourself in bondage to the Father because we find true freedom in Him. His Word trains us to recognize wrongdoing and expel it from our hearts.

Talk to Him always.

Falling

A pastor in our community resigned from his church the other day because he was caught having an inappropriate relationship with an underage girl.

Many things go through our heads at a time like this. A member of his flock must have a myriad of feelings. Shock, dismay, righteous indignation, anger, betrayal, sadness, even rage.

I'm also just as sure that there are those both saved and unsaved that may feel vilified or even relish in an affirmation of their preconceived "Hypocrite Christian" viewpoint.

It is my hope that there are also some people who might feel compassion, hope for restoration, and a sense of humbleness that "there but for the grace of God go I."

This called to memory a similar situation in my church a few years ago where a very gifted and learned leader let self and pride come between himself and God. If the church had been an orchestra, he would have been the conductor, and he was good at it. The problem was that the church had been steadily losing members, largely because this person couldn't relinquish control of anything and often intimidated people, including our pastor, to get his way. Through much heartbreak, the board asked him to step down from a leadership role for awhile and be a part of the body, sitting in a pew, rejoicing, singing, worshipping, and listening for what the Holy Spirit had to say each week. That wasn't good enough. Self and Pride won out, and he, along with his whole family, left the church immediately. I know thay my sister and I loved them very much and were broken to see them go. I pray to this day that he has found peace once again with Jesus.

It's a hard thing when our desires of self become the god we worship more than the true God that we should wholly serve.

If a leader, or any brother or sister, for that matter, denies and defies when they are confronted according to the Gospel, then of course they should be taken out to the woodshed, but, I can't stress enough that we must have compassion and a hope of restoration for those who have fallen and turned away because the world won't give it!

You might be thinking that it wouldn't have been as bad had the sin involved an older woman, or that he should have known better because he was a pastor, but before we jump on the bandwagon and throw stones, let's ask ourselves where we have fallen each day. We are all called to be priests, holy and sanctified. How often do we cut corners, or turn into someone else when we drive, or abuse God's temples with alcohol, tobacco, or excessive amounts of food, or gossip about that horrible and weak pastor?

We all, daily, require our Father's forgiveness, compassion, mercy, and restoration.... And I know He asks the same from us.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

John 8:7 (concerning the adulteress) He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.

I ask that the readers of my blog pray with me for this pastor who loves the Lord but has lost his way. Pray for a renewed relationship between himself and the Lord. Pray for his family and the church that looked to him for guidance. And that they will all find some peace in this trying time.

God Bless

Feeling Loved

How many people know that God loves them but yet they don't feel loved by God?

I'll be the first to admit that I have felt that way many times in my walk with Christ.

What causes us to believe this?

1. We believe the devil's lies about us.
1 Peter 5:8 exhorts us to be sober and vigilant because satan goes around like a roaring lion seking whom he may devour.

2. We have an unworthy feeling about ourselves.
1 Peter 2:24 said that Jesus Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness- by Who's stripes we were healed.

We can claim the supernatural life that is ours when we surrender our whole lives to Him. If we confess our doubts and fears and ask Him to take them and then....(and here's the important part), don't pick them back up, we can then open our hearts to Feel His love because we have released the guilt and shame.

Ephesians 3:20 says,"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

WOW! Isn't that exciting? Not only can we live in His love but He has sent the power, which is the Holy Spirit, to help us. Praise God our Father.