Philippians 3:13-14 12/26/2023*

“Brothers and sisters, I do not regard myself as having taken hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Another Christmas is in the books and now we look to the New Year. Most of us didn’t accomplish everything we wanted this year, and we’ve had some good and some bad outcomes…  So, how do we deal with them?   We don’t, they are behind us.  We press on toward the coming year - a blank canvas that now becomes our focus. 

Getting stuck in my past can hurt me in two ways:  My failures can eliminate my confidence for the future. Or my past successes can cause vanity and open the door to my greatest enemy, pride. 

This passage tells me to abandon self-doubt, self-confidence … and pretty much self-anything that the past generates.   I must forget yesterday and lean into today. Press on and serve God, solely depending on His power not my own.  

We will move quicker and more precisely if we drop the baggage from the past. Time moves forward, so should you. This morning didn’t just happen, God created it and has a plan… I will rejoice and be glad. I will dive into today, and keep my head on a swivel, so I won’t miss the opportunities God has arranged for me.  I’m not fearful because what God has given me to do - He qualifies me to do. I am a new creation whose past is inconsequential because God has prepared me for what’s next.

Our New Year’s resolutions should just be one thing, “Chase what matters” … That was the phrase my buddy Bruce Hayes used to inspire his students, and it should inspire me as well. God’s plan for today is what matters. So, let’s forget what happened yesterday, focus on today, and keep “self” out of the way of God’s plan for this New Year. 

The joy of the Lord is our strength. Drop the weightiness of the past and use the lessons learned to run full speed towards a productive today… Serving Him is what matters.

“What the new year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the new year.” —Vern McLellan

Romans 11:33 12/19/2023*

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!”

God’s not like me. His thoughts are not my thoughts, and His ways are not my ways. The enemy’s plan is to make me misunderstand the very nature of God. 

Reading the New Testament about God’s love is cozy compared to reading The Old Testament about His unbending Holiness. However, both attributes are essential in our understanding of The Lord.  

When I venture into the Old Testament, I realize that I don’t comprehend His power and complexity. I have created an image of God I am comfortable with…  Majoring on the love of the Lamb, to the exclusion of the wrath of the Lord of Armies.

Christmas is the collision of these two equally essential traits.  The pivot point of human history is the birth of Jesus.  This event marks the moment God demanded an accounting for my sin, and chose to suffer the payment for me.

Holiness and Forgiveness. Both inflexible conditions in a single Deity so complex that He is described as the Triune God… So magnificent that we only begin to understand if we consider Him three in one.   And yet Christmas morning He chose to come as a servant born in a shed. 

The enemy cannot deny the overwhelming magnitude and impact of Christmas, so instead he attempts to confuse it with lights, trees, and trinkets. It is wonderful to celebrate joy during this holiday, but we must not miss its meaning.  Christmas commemorates the launch of God’s rescue mission for you and me, instigated by His unfathomable love. The King of Kings made the impossible – possible, by paying an enormous price to free us from our self-earned destruction.  

You should relish Christmas, enjoying your family, food, and friends.  But don’t forget to meditate on the reason for our celebration. It was His Christmas gift to you in that manger that restored your fellowship with God and changed your eternal destiny from suffering to peace. That is truly the only gift that matters! 

"Who can add to Christmas? The perfect motive is that God so loved the world. The perfect gift is that He gave His only Son. The only requirement is to believe in Him. The reward of faith is that you shall have everlasting life." - Corrie Ten Boom

Matthew 19:24 12/12/2023*

“And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

We’ve all read this verse and yet somehow, missed the gravity of the statement.  Even the disciples were stunned by what Jesus said. So much so, that they asked, “then who can be saved?”  Jesus’ answers, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”  He didn’t say, “don’t worry, that’s just a metaphor”.  He doubles down and says, only the power of God can get the wealthy into the Kingdom. And since by the world’s standards we’re all wealthy,  we had better examine that statement. 

Money is dangerous. The love of money is lethal. I must not allow the blessing of prosperity to become a poison. So, what’s my gameplan for dealing with something Jesus speaks so forcefully about? 

I must recognize that wealth doesn’t “qualify” me, or anyone else, for God’s work. It is actually a red flag that I must be wary of... Jesus’ uses cautionary words regarding wealth because there is great temptation for rich people to worship money instead of God. 

What about you?  Would your response have been different than the rich young ruler, who when told to sell all he had and follow Christ, went away grieving?  If you had to write a check today to be a Christian, how much would be too much?

Money is not the root of all evil, the love of money is… And love of money is closely related to love of self, and love of self opens the door to the most dangerous Idol on the planet … Me.  Maybe that’s what Jesus meant.

Since only God can get a camel through the eye of that needle,  you should consider a few questions… Which book influences your life more, your Bible, or your checkbook? Do you control money, or does it control you?  Are you neglecting God’s Kingdom, in order to build your own?  The answers to these questions matter.

So, handle money carefully, it is like working with a nuclear reactor… It has great power to do good… but dropping your guard, falling in love with its power, and pursuing it at all costs, will disqualify you for the Kingdom. 

“Money often costs too much.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

1 Thessalonians 4:3 12/5/2023*

“It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable,  not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God;  and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.”

We like to say we are searching for God’s will… but it’s not hidden. His Will is our sanctification. Sanctification means “to be set apart” and sexual sin “de-sanctifies” us. 

That’s a problem because our culture promotes it. We have invented ways to degrade ourselves which has produced innumerable perversions. It’s no longer possible to shock us with depravity. It has become commonplace.  

The Bible gives two reasons that this needs to change:

1. 1 Corinthians says “… the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.” Your body is the temple of God… Sexual sin blasphemes that temple. This sin is distinctive because it violates your body which houses the Holy Spirit. If you want to know Jesus’ opinion of defiling the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, just read about His Clearing of the Temple with a bullwhip.

2. Sexual sin hurts people. God created sex to produce life, and to allow a husband and wife to become one … any other practice harms us. Every deviation ends in destruction. Look around at the demolished families, broken people, and the “spiritual roadkill” of ministries that have imploded because of this sin.  Like a disease immorality is malignant and progressive. Pornography is often the starting point and believing porn is victimless, will make you a victim.   

So, sexual sin degrades God’s Temple, and hurts His children. The Bible commands that we love God …and love our neighbor. This sin violates both elements of that commandment. You cannot ignore God’s law. If you plant immorality, you will harvest devastation.

Even though the consequences are obvious and irrefutable, our culture refuses to tolerate restraints on our sexuality … Truth is considered hateful, and facts about its harmfulness are disregarded. So don’t expect applause, you will be mocked and canceled... But God is clear on the topic, this sin is lethal, and you would be wise to avoid it, because it destroys everything it touches.

“Purity is to live according to original design.” - Josh McDowell

Isaiah 59:14-15 11/28/2023*

“So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter. Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey.” 

Written nearly 3,000 years ago, this passage is poetic, powerful, and prophetic… It is an accurate description of our culture today. 

A few years ago, “post truth” was the most searched phrase on the web. We have become that society. “Truth is nowhere to be found” and each man does what is right in his own eyes. We elect leaders who say what our itching ears want to hear, and we are reaping the harvest. Truth has “stumbled in the streets,” we can no longer even define it, and we are afloat in a sea of uncertainty.

Not only do we no longer seek truth … we don’t tolerate it.  Men of morality are vilified as haters. The world hates truth, so it calls truth hate, and those who preach it have become “prey”... They are hunted, slandered,  and canceled. Our culture demands silent compliance, so what can the church do about it?

How about we become rebels and spread the truth anyway. Let’s shine a light on sin regardless of the consequences.  Our timidness has emboldened the enemy, and as we sit silently, lies are repeated until they are accepted as truth. It is the emperor’s new clothes all over again, and someone is going to have to say something… Someone is going to have to speak the truth. 

However, “speak the truth” is not the entirety of God’s command... God says someone is going to have to “speak the truth in love”. I can easily become angry enough to speak the truth …. But can I love others enough to do it? Truth lands differently when it comes from a place of love.  

If I know people who are walking toward destruction, and I watch in silence so as not to offend …that is not love… But neither is screaming vitriol at them and hoping for their demise… So, speak hard truth today… Be accurate and don’t water it down…  but don’t use it as a weapon… use it as a rescue rope to save those who are drowning in a sea of deceit. 

“Truth is not only violated by falsehood; it may be equally outraged by silence.” - Henri Frederic Amiel

2 Peter 1:10-11 10/21/2023*

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choice of you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble.”

Peter encourages us to be diligent to make certain of God’s calling and choice of us. That is a peculiar statement in light of other scripture.  The Word of God is clear that we are saved through faith, yet Peter says our diligent obedience makes it more certain… You don’t hear many sermons on this, yet Peter speaks of it almost casually.  

Salvation is by grace through faith, and that faith is a gift from God, so we have nothing to boast about. But this verse says our diligent practice of obedience confirms the certainty of that gift…  That’s confusing because in Romans, Paul refers to  his own “good works” as rubbish in acquiring salvation.  

So how do we unite these two passages?

Let’s approach it this way… The appearance of apples on a tree… is not what makes it an apple tree, it simply proves that it is one.  In the same way, our conduct is not what makes us Christians, but it offers proof that we are.

Christians aren’t perfect and are still badly in need of grace, but our faith is confirmed as we strive to be more like Christ… “Fire insurance” salvation, where you walk the aisle, recite a prayer, and just continue down the same road, is not found in scripture.

Jesus said, "follow me", and that means changing direction. Grasping the relationship between obedience and salvation is challenging. But study it anyway… As you grow consume the meat of the Word, not just the milk. Dig deep into scripture. Verses like this can be uncomfortable but our goal is not comfort… it is holiness. Christ offers to be your Lord and Savior; and those titles are inseparable – so be diligent about His calling. 

As you grapple with Omnipotence, Holiness, and the myriad of other topics in scripture that can be hard to understand, make sure that you spend as much time obediently living out the things in His Word that you do understand. 

“The Bible recognizes no faith that does not lead to obedience, nor does it recognize any obedience that does not spring from faith. The two are opposite sides of the same coin.” - A. W. Tozer

John 16:26-27 11/14/2023*

”In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.”

In this passage Jesus clarifies that your salvation is personal… You should approach God as your Father. He desires to speak with you... Let me clarify… God wants to talk to you.  

It would have been a benevolent gesture had God just sent an interpreter. Someone who could bring our petitions to Him… Any opportunity to communicate with God would have been a blessing beyond measure.  

But God did much more than that… He sent a sacrifice to destroy the separation between us … His gift imputed holiness to you and created a way for you to have a relationship with Him.  

But the most astonishing part - is WHY He did it... 

God did all this because He loves you… That is staggering.  That statement is so outlandish that Jesus had to clarify it by saying  “I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father Himself loves you...”  

Maybe we’ve been told that God loves us too many times… so many times that  we don’t really hear it anymore ... the statement should make us shudder… It is a shocking truth that should leave us stunned every time we hear it.  Being told that God, who knows your every thought, mistake, and shameful failure …  looks at you with love, should bring you to your knees.  

God allowed His Son to be executed for your transgressions… That is the ultimate demonstration of love. Because you love Jesus and believe that He came from God  - The Father Loves YOU. 

That’s the gospel… That’s life changing grace … In the midst of the storm, when the world says you’re not enough,  wrap your head around the fact that your faith in Jesus has given you new life, and that God adores you… Let that give you confidence and change how you approach God, and how you treat others.  

“We should be astonished at the goodness of God, stunned that He should bother to call us by name, our mouths wide open at His love, bewildered that at this very moment we are standing on holy ground.” ― Brennan Manning

ISAIAH 2:22 11/7/2023*

“Take no account of man, whose breath of life is in his nostrils; For why should he be esteemed?”

In this age of “influencers” attempting to sell you a template for your life… this verse is good advice… Stop looking to other humans for guidance, value, or self-esteem.

We frantically chase after diets, workouts, jobs, clothes… anything that we think can cover our insecurities… and worse, we think we are the only ones who feel that way.  This self-doubt is reinforced every time we look at our phones and see all our perfect “friends” with their perfect jobs, marriages, and lives. 

This verse says that that perception is a lie… They are in the same boat as you. Most are searching for meaning, and living their life “one escape after another”… This verse says that, just like you, they are 30 seconds away from needing their next breath just to continue living.  

Maybe that is why God has us breathe 22,000 times a day. To remind us that life is a fragile gift, and 22,000 times a day we should be grateful for it.

We should use more of those breaths to thank Him since every rich, powerful, famous person on earth would give everything they own – just for that next breath. 

So, it makes no sense to esteem people who are in the same predicament as you are… Why look to them for guidance?... They are searching for control they will never find – so why follow them?  Instead follow the one who breathed life into you in the first place. Look to Him to establish your value and give you direction. 

We are all running the same race… sinners in need of redemption which we cannot afford. “Self-help” is a misnomer… We need help from power not found within ourselves. Salvation is a gift only found through the death and resurrection of Jesus.  

Love everyone – envy no one. Stop looking for life models online, in clubs, or in the rich and famous …That’s all just smoke and mirrors.  

Jesus said He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  He came to give you life abundantly.  Your value and security come from walking humbly with God and following His Word… everything else is just a distraction.

“Religion says earn your life. Secular society says create your life. Jesus says, 'My life for your life. - Timothy Keller

James 1:1 10/31/2023*

“James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ...”

God didn’t use me to write the book of “James” because… well, it would have been called “Boyd” for one … but more significantly, I would have been too intent on listing my qualifications … If I were in James shoes, I would have used my kinship with Jesus to elevate myself …my letter would have started like this: “I’m Boyd, Jesus’ little brother… so I’m pretty important.” 

But James’s only claim to fame is his servanthood to God and Christ. 

Being a brother of the Savior, the leader of the church, a guy who spent his whole life with Christ and knew Him better that any of the disciples… None of these “credentials” mattered to James… Instead, the title he chose was “bondservant of God.”

What titles do you choose?... What accolades do you consider important?  Are there things you “humble brag” about to make sure you are listened to, and respected by others?

Scripture says we must decrease so He will increase, but most would rather tell you to do that, than do it themselves. We want to be humble, but we want people to admire our humility …and that’s a problem…self-promotion is a problem… Jesus says we have it backwards. 

Christ preached that the first shall be last… The servants will be the masters… Being poor in spirit is the only way to be rich.  And while we often preach these truths – we seldom pursue them. 

We call pride a sin but fail to recognize it as the original one… It is the enemy’s first and favorite weapon, and our semi-tolerance of it has allowed it to destroy countless lives. It breeds hypocrisy. It disguises itself as piety, and poisons churches …  Nothing disqualifies you as a follower of Christ more than pride.

Let’s try humility today… Not for a moment, but for the entire day … Let’s think of others as more important than ourselves. Praying that God will use us  - and not even let us know – so we may walk in humility with God, serve others, and not be tempted by the deadly sin of pride. 

Nothing will enrich your life more than choosing to elevate God and His children, instead of yourself.

“Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.” - C. S. Lewis

Colossians 4:2-3 10/24/2023*

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.”

After encouraging the Colossians, Paul mentions that he is in chains.  If I were writing the letter, I would have started with that,  and encouraged them to pray for my freedom!  I usually pray about opening earthly doors… Paul desires prayer about opening doors for the gospel. 

He says, “devote yourself” to prayer so the mystery of Christ can be proclaimed … Am I devoted to talking to God?... And when I do pray, is it to promote His Kingdom or mine?

To be honest, the times I hit my knees in real devotion usually involve a personal emergency. And that is an appropriate response.  

But when did I last cry out to God about unbelievers?  When did I lose sleep because I was burdened by the sinfulness of our culture?  We are quick to post about politics, but do we pray for our country?  I cannot find the verse that tells me to lambast my political opponents online … but scripture clearly instructs me to pray for those in authority.  

It seems prayer is a more intricate issue than we have made it.  It’s not just a time to complain to God when we feel slighted… or place our order for the blessings we desire. 

Prayer is an avenue allowing us to be involved in God’s plan. It is an opportunity to wage war against “principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” That is what prayer is intended to be.  It is the greatest honor, and the most powerful weapon in all of creation …and we must not reduce it to a mantra, mindlessly uttered before meals. 

Let’s re-evaluate our approach to prayer. Let’s pray with passion and confidence making it our first, and last resort…. Prayer is powerful because God is … He is able to do more than we could ever ask for or imagine … That is what Jesus meant when He said... “Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen”

I know of no better thermometer to your spiritual temperature than, the measure of the intensity of your prayer. – Charles Spurgeon

Jonah 4:11 10/17/2023*

“And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left…?”

God is sympathetically pointing out the condition of the lost people in Nineveh … But Jonah didn’t like the Ninevites because their sin was different than his.  God wasn’t telling Jonah to tolerate their sin, He told him to tell them to repent… but Jonah didn’t want to, because he was afraid they would listen and avoid the punishment he had decided they deserved. 

We shake our heads at Jonah’s judgmentalism, but don’t we do the same thing?  Don’t we know people who are so lost they can’t tell their right hand from their left – and our response is to judge them, and leave them in their “lostness”? 

Let’s be honest…there are sins that we somewhat tolerate…but if you venture outside of those sins, our attitude toward you changes. If you succumb to a sin outside of our acceptable list, we don’t offer redemption, we don’t pray for you… we label you as arrogant, sick, ignorant, perverted, selfish, the list goes on and on… 

Here’s the problem with that… God loves sinners… and instructed us to do the same.  Sin is never to be tolerated, it requires repentance and change… if not,  sin leads to destruction.  However, God will determine deliverance or devastation … that is not my department. 

My job is to love others and tell them the truth, and I can’t do one without the other.  Truth without love will be condemnatory and condescending… Love without truth leaves people lost in their sinfulness. Both Truth and love are required to be effective.

So, who are the Ninevites in your life? …. Which group of sinners have you become judge and jury for?  Who have you stopped praying for because they don’t “deserve” the gospel? 

 Are there people who have hurt or upset you to the point that you would just as soon see them go to hell?  If so, you have allowed your heart to harden like Jonah’s did, and if you’re not careful you may find yourself figuratively lying on a beach, in a puddle of fish vomit.

“I can no longer condemn or hate a brother for whom I pray, no matter how much trouble he causes me.” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Hebrews 12:1 10/10/2023*

“Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us…”

What a great life verse….  

The first part reminds me of the beginning of a football game. In Highschool, parents would form two lines into Tully Stadium and the team would run between them, from the locker room onto the field.  I didn’t realize the symbolism of that then, but I do now.  

There are several ways to interpret the first part of this verse - but only one interpretation for the second….  It clearly says that each day as I enter the race,  I must throw off anything that can trip me up.  

When I ran through those lines, I was wearing gear that protected me, and nothing that would cause me to stumble.  The equipment was light weight so as not to sap my strength. I ran onto the field determined to succeed and that was my only focus. 

Every morning I should visualize running through those lines and beginning my day with the same mentality. There is a game plan. I must put on the full armor of God and eliminate any sin or habit that might cause me to lose balance…  Too many days I just wander onto the field unmotivated, and unprepared... hoping I might win by accident. I won’t.  

This morning let’s be deliberate… throwing off “hinderances” like bailing water out of a sinking ship.  Let’s attack today being strong and courageous pursuing our goal of winning the race, knowing full well that it will take endurance to do it… “Quit” and “concede” will not be allowed into our vocabulary. 

How different would today be if you started it that way?... How different would your life be if you started every day that way?

We are surrounded by witnesses, and that is encouraging.  But we compete for an “audience of One”.  God is watching. So, hold nothing back. Look the opponent in the eye without blinking and run the race fearlessly. When life gets difficult, persevere like Jesus, who ran the race perfectly. 

Trust Him, one step at a time, and He will carry you until the race is over. 

“Heroism is endurance for one moment more.” - George F. Kennan

Mark 8:31-32 10/3/2023*

“He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.”

Peter’s “rebuke” provoked Jesus to say to Peter, “Get thee behind me satan” in the very next verse.  

This was Peter’s most caustic reprimand from Jesus …much more severe than when he denied Christ.  So, it would be worthwhile to know what produced such a fiery response from the Son of God.  

What appears to have bothered Christ, was that Peter put human concerns in front of Godly ones.  Peter balked when God’s plan didn’t fit with his own plan of success.

It’s hard to blame Peter for not wanting Jesus to suffer and die, but Peter’s focus was on earthly happiness above Heavenly purpose … Peter protested because God’s plan carried too high a personal cost… That prompted a shocking response from Christ.

That hits me right between the eyes.   

I am fine with vague talk of suffering … I can accept that some may think I am odd if I follow Jesus… But if you imply that I am expected to endure abuse, and loss for Christ, I will distance myself from you. That may seem like a mundane reaction, but it is a passive version of exactly what Peter did.

Our attitude of tolerating God’s plan until it cost too much, draws a harsh response from Christ … Jesus doesn’t just want me to allow Him to “influence” my life… He wants my life committed to Him - at all cost. 

He is my King, and He has said that sometimes on this earth I will suffer, … There will be times that He calms the storm - and other times that He calms His child. Only by fully trusting His plan will I be content in either circumstance.

So, when it starts to rain,  I must choose. Either have faith in God and follow Him, or rebuke God and follow my own plan. There is no compromise in this area that will not provoke a forceful response from my Creator. 

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” 
- Corrie Ten Boom

Mark 4:18-19 9/26/2023*

“Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.”

Jesus is referring to the gospel as seed, and people’s hearts as the soil where it  lands.  So, what is the condition of your soil?  When was the last time you examined your heart for thorns?

Even healthy plants suffer from the proximity of weeds and thorns which use up nutrition and block the spread of good roots. Unwanted plants interfere with production.  If you were to examine your heart for weeds and thorns, would you know what they look like? 

Some are obvious… immorality, substance abuse, self-centeredness… We all recognize these as unwanted and destructive.  But Jesus lists a few other things that sometimes pass under our radar unnoticed.

Christ calls “worrying” a thorn that stops you from bearing fruit.  We think of worry as a mental health issue, but Jesus says it impacts us spiritually.  Allowing worry to take root in my heart takes my focus off God and reduces my ability to make disciples.  According to Jesus, it’s also a waste of time … "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?” "But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.” Anxiety is fruitless… Having confidence in God’s power removes the thorn of worry and replaces it with expectant and productive faith. 

The second thorn Christ mentions is wealth’s unquenchable desire. He calls it deceitful.  Its deceptiveness comes from the fact that money is not the root of all evil… it is the love of money that is the problem…. It will take root in your heart, distract you from chasing what matters, and choke out everything good you have planted.  You can’t pursue God and money; so, choose one.   Many who set out to accomplish worthy goals have seen the pursuit of profit take over and wreck their mission.  Love of money is destructive and will make a garden worthless.

Faith and discipline can remove thorns from your life… Confidence in God can eradicate worry and eliminate your obsession with money. Removing those thorns is easy…  deciding you want to, is what takes some doing.

“We gain the strength of the temptation we resist.” -  Ralph Waldo Emerson

Colossians 4:6 9/19/2023*

“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” 

The book of James speaks of the power of words.  It warns that the tongue  “corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.” That’s a strong statement and most of us can attest to its accuracy. 

Many have experienced the wildfires an unbridled tongue can produce and know the difficulty of extinguishing those fires once they are lit. So, in this verse, when God instructs us on how to use our words, we should listen.

Is my conversation full of grace and seasoned with salt? Do I even know what that means?  I think it means my speech must be kind and gracious… full of compassion. But it also must have some preserving power… there must be substance and truth to it.  

We often swing too much one way or the other…either only sweet, flattering words, or only words of corrective discipline….  This verse says I must have balance in order to know how to answer everyone in every situation.

The assumption this verse makes is that we control our mouth.  That is a big assumption… Do you control yours, or does it control you?  Do you emotionally react with unbridled words, or intelligently respond with beneficial comments?

Scripture says we should be quick to listen and slow to speak. Most of us get that exactly backwards. I shouldn’t speak unless I have something valuable to say, and when I do speak, it should be balanced with compassion and truth.  Since that is not always appreciated, my motivation must be to benefit others, not myself. 

How are you doing in this area?  What would people think if today your discussions were “full of grace”, and “seasoned with salt”?  Would it shock them?  Would they think something was wrong with you? Or is it normal for your conversations to be full of wisdom, and sound advice?

Speak with purpose today… Monitor your tongue and aim your words carefully. Have the right balance of sweet and salty so people will benefit from what you have to say. 

“The test of a man's spirituality is not his ability to speak, as we are apt to think, but rather his ability to bridle his tongue.” - R. Kent Hughes

Psalms 46:10 9/12/2023*

“… be still, and know that I am God…”

When was the last time you did that?... Isaiah says we were “formed to show forth His praise”.  What percentage of your time is spent doing what you were formed to do?  

When did you last shut off all your devices, get alone, and consider the love God has for you, and the invincible power He possesses.

Do we know how to be still anymore? From sunrise to bedtime, we are plugged into constant distraction. If the enemy can’t make us bad, he’ll settle for making us busy.  Too busy to focus on what matters.

This verse says that being “still” leads to knowing God … but we’re never still. We never stop and look for purpose in our movements, we are desperate to finish our trivial task, check the box,  and anxiously move on to the next chore.

So how do we break that cycle?

When a computer is performing poorly you reboot it.  Turn everything off and restart … If you never reboot, parts of programs may continue running in the background even after the project is completed… lingering meaningless activity …  In computers, that slows down the processer… In your brain it does the same thing… it’s called stress and anxiety.

Some of you haven’t “rebooted” in years, you are anxious out of habit… You constantly deal with lingering stress because you haven’t been still long enough to remember that God loves you, is in complete control, and has already dealt with whatever you’re worrying about. Nothing is beyond His power. 

STOP… just stop for a minute.  Unplug, and get alone with God.  Don’t allow your mind to drift, intentionally focus on Him.  Pray… listen… meditate… be still and rest in the magnificence and power of the God you serve.  

Today doesn’t have to be another futile, chaotic day…. pause and reflect on God - and like the old hymn says, “the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.” 

Nothing will improve your life more than learning how to be still… so step out of the rat race for a few minutes this morning and  seek to know Him – once you grasp who He is – You can rest in what He will do. 

“We should be better Christians if we were more alone, waiting upon God…” – Charles Spurgeon

2 Kings 17:40-41 9/5/2023*

“However, they did not listen, but they kept acting in accordance with their earlier custom. So, while these nations feared the Lord, they also served their idols; their children likewise and their grandchildren, just as their fathers did, they do to this day.”

This sounds very familiar … In our culture today we also cling to our customs, wanting God to be part of our plan – While God wants us to be part of His. 

We profess Christianity … but say we must be “realistic” when the Bible demands changes in our behavior. The bottom line is we want a Savior… but have no intention of handing over the reins of our lives … However, God’s offer is to be both our Lord and Savior; it has always been a package deal.

Like the church at Laodicea, we think we don’t need anything. We show up Sunday morning, expect to be entertained, and bask in our self-righteousness… Never looking honestly at our hearts as that would demand confession and repentance…and would require change and obedience.

The idol of comfortable prosperity lures us as it has for generations. We want to serve The Kingdom, but only when it advances our own. Servanthood and self-sacrifice are no longer preached or practiced, and cultural traditions and opinions have replaced scripture as our guide. 

How can we have drifted so far from the truth?  

Have we forgotten that we are not fighting against lost people  - we are fighting for them?  God commands that we obey scripture,  and lead others to Christ.  Yet our hypocrisy not only misleads us, it misleads our children and grandchildren as well… Our culture is faltering, and we must get off this path.

The cost to follow Christ is everything… we must die to ourselves.  So, either make that choice, or stop talking about it and confusing others with your duplicity.

If you fear God but still want to pursue your idols, you have a dilemma… The first commandment could not be clearer…it insists that we have only One God. Parttime Christianity has never been offered. So, choose this day whom you will serve… and then start obediently serving. 

“ The Bible recognizes no faith that does not lead to obedience, nor does it recognize any obedience that does not spring from faith. The two are opposite sides of the same coin.” - A. W. Tozer

Isaiah 40:27-28 8/29/2023*

“Why do you complain, Jacob?  Why do you say, Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God”? Do you not know?  Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. ...”

Why do I complain?... Why am I quick to embrace self-pity, assuming God has abandoned me? Did God say I would never face struggles in this world?  No... He said for me to be strong and courageous because I would never face them alone.

We all want strength… but not weariness.  We want power, without battling through weakness.  We embrace soaring like eagles but don’t want to walk without fainting… In other words, we want the benefit of the struggle without struggling. We want spiritual muscle but lack the courage to work out.

What has caused us to become so soft? … Have we grown too comfortable here?  Have we become fair weather Christians? 

Rhett Walker has a song called “Good to me”… the chorus says, “ I will look this storm in the eye… I won’t fear for you’re on my side. My first hope, my last word now and forever…let it rain, let it pour, I will sing… all you’ve ever been, is good to me”.  Is that my attitude when I face storms?  Do I walk in faith when it’s raining, or just talk about trust when the sun’s shining?

This verse asks an important question that I need to answer… “Do I not know?  Have I not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.” How can I lack courage when I serve a God like that? How can I not face storms head on? 

There are hurricanes in this life… but The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all things.  That means I can lean into the storm … I can face it with confidence, knowing all things work together for good when I love Him and am called according to His purpose… 

It’s time I traded in my complaining for courage … I serve the everlasting God, and all He’s ever been, is good to me.

“Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.” - C. S. Lewis

2 Peter 2:1...3 8/22/2023*

“But false prophets also appeared among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, …. Many will follow their indecent behavior, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned…. their judgment from long ago is not idle…”

The lies and false teachings we are experiencing in our society today are nothing new. God warned us about this 2000 years ago. Our anxious hand wringing is not necessary. God, long ago, planned His response.

To see an illustration of God as the Warrior God of armies just read scripture about false prophets. Lying about God’s plan to rescue His children from sin is a guaranteed way to experience the wrath of God. The intelligent response to that is to make sure you are not a false messenger.

We carry a precious commodity within us… the “good news” of Jesus Christ.  We must handle it correctly.  Not so people will love us – but because God has already judged those who handle it frivolously. 

Tommy Nelson used to say that when you hear a sermon, “your eyes should narrow”.  Every detail of the Gospel is precise and must be handled carefully. We must validate that what comes out of any preacher’s mouth lines up exactly with what God wrote in His Word. 

Scripture is not written for our approval but for our obedience.  Don’t waste time trying to bend the Bible to fit your lifestyle. - Bend your life to fit the Bible. 

Don’t be shocked at all the destructive heresies out there today. Remember that in the garden the serpent’s initial strategy wasn’t to get Adam and Eve to necessarily sin, his first goal was to simply get them to question God’s word. 

The enemy’s plan has not changed. The inerrant Word of God must be your true north, or you will wander aimlessly. When you hear someone questioning the veracity of a passage of scripture be careful, you are in the company of a false teacher whose judgement is eminent. 

God has clearly written our marching order so tenaciously follow every directive in the inerrant Word of God… Walk softly and carry a big bible. 

“Biblical inerrancy was not only affirmed unambiguously by Jesus Christ, but is foundational to our firm reliance on God’s promises and revelations contained in the Bible.” - David Limbaugh

John 15:22 8/15/2023*

 “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.”

Jesus says the words He has spoken will be the evidence that will convict unbelievers. They have been told the truth and now their sin is without excuse.  But if that is true of unbelievers how much more should it apply to me?

I run to the cross for deliverance, I am saved by faith alone.  But saving faith is seldom alone, and its power should change me.  The Cross provides salvation, but this verse implies that knowledge of the Cross increases my responsibility to live righteously. 

The devil was a believer, but not a Christian… and I must know the difference.  God has defined sin in His word, and He has freed me from its control. I am no longer a slave to sin, so my sinfulness is now a choice.  

Each day I decide who I will follow…  If I put myself on the throne, I will focus on my freedom and deliverance. If God is on the throne I will focus on righteousness. 

Make no mistake, God’s focus is on righteousness and that is where He expects mine to be as well. Salvation is not a minor adjustment… it is a 180 degree turn that produces dramatic changes in my life.

I am saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone… but Jesus has now become not just my Savior but my Lord as well. 

My goal is to reflect the love of Christ and to live free from the entanglement of the sin that used to control me. I still live in a broken world and will need God’s grace to cover me. But that is not a license to ignore the price paid for my freedom from the heinous power that used to govern my life. 

I am free… It makes no sense to sit in an open cell and put the chains back on... I am a child of the King and Today I must choose to run from sin and pursue righteousness. That is why Jesus came… to make me a new creation who longs for righteousness and a relationship with Him.

“It is not enough to be delivered from sin; it is enough to be delivered to righteousness.” - Edwin Louis Cole

Isaiah 36:21 8/8/2023*

“But the people remained silent and said nothing in reply, because the king had commanded, “Do not answer him.”

The commander of the mighty Assyrian army is “talking trash” to the Jews who are on the wall guarding their city. And he’s speaking in their language to frighten them. Yet the people just sit there and look at him. 

I imagine this concerned the commander.  It is informative when people heatedly argue with you… it is also informative when they don’t honor your comments with a response… Like the little dog that barks and barks as compared to the pit bull that just looks at you and confidently waits for you to come into his yard. Which one are you? ...How do you respond when faced with taunts from the enemy?  Do you exude confidence, or uncertainty and agitation? 

The one thing you never see in scripture is God panicking... In fact, you never see Him being surprised.  Can we live in that confidence?  Can we sit on the wall surrounded by the enemy, secure and silent in the power of the King we serve? 

How differently would the world view the church today if we refused to join in their panic?  It wouldn’t be sermons, music, or programs that attracted people… it would be our peaceful confidence that would draw them like moths to a flame. 

So, before you go out today and angrily argue with your “opponents” consider your motivation for quarreling… Is it because of your own anxiety that you need to win the debate?… or are you lovingly trying to give them truth and relieve their fears? 

I suggest that as they tell you their theories of devastation that you look past the surface and see the anxiety that drives their lives.  Your theory is not going to replace theirs… So, either answer in love, or don’t answer at all. 

Fear doesn’t come from God (2 Timothy 1:7) so just let your peace and confidence in the Lord get their attention… Because in every circumstance only faith in the Father can grant sustainable peace. Sometimes it is best to just sit on the wall in silence and let God respond in His own time.

“You do not know the gospel, dear friends, if you have not obtained peace through it; peace is the juice, the essence, the soul of the gospel.” - Charles Spurgeon

Matthew 23:11 8/1/2023*

“The greatest among you will be your servant.”

Jesus makes this statement after condemning the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of the day. The rest of the chapter discusses how dangerous it is to be a pretender in the house of God.

Does that concern you?... It does me. 

When Christ speaks to sinners, He tells them to repent, change their lives, and follow Him. But in this chapter Jesus delivers a searing reprimand to people who look a lot like me. People who go to the temple often and speak as though they know God. 

I don’t want to be a man who needs reprimanding, and verse 11 is the litmus test of my authenticity… It comes down to whether or not I am a servant. 

This dovetails with 1st Corinthians which declares that the value of what I do is determined by my motives. When I speak, do I speak because I love spreading the gospel… or do I desire the spotlight? Do I write this blog to help others, or to get comments and clicks? 

Self-centeredness is a slippery slope, and Jesus says it is critical not to slide down it. Take a hard look in the mirror this morning: What motivates what you will do today?… 

Motivation can be the difference between an offering and an abomination. The difference in giving a drink to a thirsty child because you love them… or doing it because people are watching, cannot be overstated. One is an act of worship, the other self-promotion. 

Being a servant is not a complicated theological concept… you can’t say you don’t understand what Jesus means … He is telling you to love others – and do something about it – or quit calling yourself His follower. If you think that sounds harsh, read what Jesus says in the rest of this chapter. He is not recruiting disciples. He is outlining the cost to be one. 

The first commandment is to have no other god… and that includes yourself. You will either seek to be served or seek to serve others.

What’s inside your heart will come out when jostled. What will splash on those around you today? A self-centeredness that demands to be served and recognized… or a love for others that will make you a servant?

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?” – MLK, Jr.

2 Corinthians 11:29-30 7/25/2023*

“Who is weak, and I do not feel weak?  Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?  If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.“

After stating his compassion for those he leads; and admitting he is as flawed as anyone else is… Paul declares that his boasting will only be about his weakness… Don’t skip over that concept… It’s a radical statement, and a revolutionary way to live your life. 

How do you establish your self-worth? Do you set your value on your level of performance?... Are you treasured because of what you do and how well you do it? … or does your value emanate from whom you belong to?

If my confidence is in Christ –  am I so grounded in Him that I don’t need to defend my own public image? Am I so confident in the power of my Savior that I embrace the things that show my need of Him? This is a radical departure from most people’s PR plan, and Paul is not subtle about it. 

He doesn’t have a trophy room; he boasts in mementos of his weakness… He embraces it. Do you absorb the benefits from your trials? ...or do you miss some growth opportunities because of blame deflection, denial, or self-pity? 

Paul leans into his flaws and sufferings and squeezes every ounce of growth and wisdom from each trial. No dodging, no excuses… he simply leans on the power of his Savior and allows God’s redeeming grace to transform him. 

Our adversary prowls around looking for someone to destroy.  So, we are not only exposed to suffering… we are hunted. If they’re not here already, trials are coming.  When heartache arrives, what are you going to do about it?  … Hide? Run?

Paul meets his head on… because he knows it will be the Mighty Warrior God that responds.  Paul will lean into the suffering, embrace his own weakness,  and marvel at the apocalypse God unleashes on those who hurt His children. 

So, decide today to boast about your strength, or about God’s ….  Rely on one or the other, and then let the chips fall where they may. 

“We are too much haunted by ourselves, projecting the central shadow of self on everything around us. … Redemption is this, to forget self in God.”

- Frederick W. Robertson

Colossians 4:10 7/18/2023*

“My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.)” 

As Paul ends the letter to the Colossians, he mentions everyone but himself.  

Aristarchus is a prisoner with Paul, and Paul sends greetings from his “fellow prisoner” as if they are on a cruise ship  instead of in a prison cell. 

Had this been my letter, I would have been demanding my team to get busy targeting my unjust imprisonment.  Encouraging them to write letters, make phone calls. 

But Paul’s heartbeat is that other people are more important than he is… So, he speaks for Aristarchus and then he takes care to guard the reputation of a guy named Mark. This is the same Mark who had “quit the team” during a missionary journey. Which later caused a public dispute between Paul and Barnabas with Paul refusing to let Mark come on the next trip. 

As Paul sits in prison, he takes care to tell the Colossians (who may have heard of Paul and Mark’s disagreement) that Mark is an important part of the team and that their disagreement was not over what is – what isn’t sin …. but over personal approach to evangelism. 

This delineation is something we have abandoned. There are non-negotiables… right and wrong are not “soft targets”. Scriptural definition of sin is unbendable… opinions and techniques for effective evangelism are not ... 

Paul just said Mark was to be welcomed. I might have guarded my authority, and position by saying something like “now that he sees things my way,”…But Paul just says, “if he comes, you welcome him”.  

Their dispute was public, it had gone “viral”… but Paul is unconcerned with announcing a winner. Forgiveness’s goal is not to prove me right -and then virtuous for pardoning… That’s not forgiveness, that’s self-aggrandizement. 

Paul loved Mark. Later he will praise Mark as being helpful to his ministry. So, Paul didn’t worry about his own public stature, only about Mark’s reputation.

As I deal with others today can I keep my eye on the ball?  Can I love others without my own self-interests getting in the way? It all comes down to who I think is more important…you or me? 

“A culture of honor is celebrating who a person is without stumbling over who they’re not.”

— Bill Johnson

LUKE 10:29-30 7/11/2023*

“But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho…”

Most of us have heard the story of the good Samaritan.  What we sometimes miss is that Jesus told the story in response to a question… and He didn’t answer the question.  

Jesus was asked, “who is my neighbor”?... and He answered by describing how that man should be a neighbor to others. That clarification is important because it completely changes the message.  

The man talking to Jesus wanted to establish what people needed to do to qualify as his neighbor, but Jesus said – “you’re the one who needs to qualify. Having a neighbor is your job, not theirs”. 

That flips the script... I can no longer look for loopholes to disqualify you – instead, I must do things that qualify me to be your neighbor.

God made it clear that life is a team sport and that we are to consider others as more important than ourselves. That point was significant enough for Jesus to include when asked about the greatest commandment. 

God placed the need for community in our DNA. Psychological studies on solitary confinement have revealed that isolation "destroys people as human beings."  Being alone causes anxiety, panic attacks, depression, anger, paranoia, and psychosis. The medical term for that is “it ain’t good.” We were created to love God and others. 

In scripture, God warns us not to give up meeting together.  He instructs us to go to church… go to bible study,  encourage one another… meet other people’s needs and be a good neighbor.

So, as you go out today don’t look for someone to be a good friend to you… look for someone who needs you to be a good friend to them. Look for people, like the man on the road to Jericho, who need help.   Because the only things you really get to keep – are things that you give away.

Living next door doesn’t make you a neighbor… loving someone does… Look for people who need to be loved… and then do something about it. Being a neighbor has nothing to do with where my house is… and everything to do with where my heart is.

"Bread for myself is a material question. Bread for my neighbor is a spiritual one." - Nikolai Berdyaev

Habakkuk 1:2-3 7/4/2023*

“How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?… Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?”

Sometimes I act like Habakkuk. I forget that it is unwise to admonish God for allowing injustice and wrongdoing to persist - when I am the perpetrator of injustice and wrongdoing myself. It’s called a double standard. 

It happens when I don’t see my sin as clearly as I see yours.  I tolerate your sin as long as it looks like mine, and doesn’t go outside of my “acceptable sin circle” … The problem with that is that there is no such thing as an “acceptable sin circle”.   

The wages of all sin is death. But instead of confession and repentance, we adjust the definition of sin, and call for tolerance and acceptance. But God has never tolerated nor accepted sin … 

God sees sin as the mechanism that murdered His precious Son and His reaction to any sin is exactly what you would expect it to be… It is impossible to overstate His loathing and intolerance of sinfulness.   

An honest reading of scripture clearly defines sin, and we must see it as God does.  We cannot lower the bar …Yet at the same time, we must acknowledge that none of us can clear it.  

God hates sin – yet loves sinners. 

So, we must love the lost without supporting or tolerating their sin. 

And we must hate sin - without despising those who are controlled by it. Missing the mark in either direction causes us to sin ourselves. 

The litmus test is simple: If you confess and in faith battle sin in your life, you are on the side of Christ … If you redefine and embrace sin, you are not. 

All men are in one of these two camps. There are no degrees of righteousness… you are either holy, or vile.  And we all start out as vile. Only a blood-stained faith, with a repentant heart, can move me to holiness.

Scripture is clear that I am saved by grace, through faith alone, but the question remains …do I hate all sin like God does? … or do I tolerate my sin …and only hate yours?

“It is not the absence of sin but the grieving over it which distinguishes the child of God from empty professors” ― A.W. Pink

Joshua 2:11 6/27/2023*

“When we heard these reports, our hearts melted and no courage remained in anyone any longer because of you; for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth below.”

Rahab was a prostitute who made this statement to the spies that Joshua had sent to check out Jericho. She risked her life to save them, and this verse explains why she did it.  

She had become a believer… she didn’t have a name for it, but she heard of the power of The Lord and proclaimed that God was God.  She believed in her heart, confessed with her mouth, and acted on her conviction. Her faith led her to hide the spies and misdirect the soldiers who came looking for them… She put her own life on the line to protect God’s people.

How does this young prostitute’s faith stack up to yours and mine?

My faith is more scripturally based, my theology more informed, but do my actions compare to hers? Do I declare my faith in God and then back up that statement with fearless action? Or is my faith an “add-on” to my life that I discuss when convenient and safe, but avoid when it involves risks?

How convicting it is to realize that after half a century of studying scripture, and personally seeing God’s hand at work in my life…  my faith is not as robust, as this young woman’s who had only heard of God’s power second hand. 

We have no excuse for being less courageous than Rahab. She has set the bar and there is no debate that God intends us to dangerously live out His word not just talk about it.  He expects us to be strong and courageous… not quiet and comfortable. 

What keeps our mouths shut in this culture?... Only one thing… fear… and according to scripture, Fear does not come from God. 

I believe Rahab’s faith was counted as righteousness and that she changed her life after God showed her mercy. This would make her the first recorded Gentile convert.  Some may debate that, but there’s evidence to support that belief. 

The reason God recorded her story though is less debatable… It was to illustrate that faith produces courageous action, and to challenge us to boldly live out the gospel we preach.

“Faith can move mountains - fear can create them.” - Anonymous 

Revelation 1:8 6/20/23*

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

The earth has spun off its axis and we live in frightening times, but this verse anchors our faith. God is the “Alpha and the Omega”. He is now… always has been… and always will be the King. And that should influence the way I react to “crises”.

God is different than us. The moment we arrive on this planet a countdown begins. We are allotted a predetermined number of minutes, and everything we do is influenced by the temporariness of our existence. Ironically, we spend much of our time in desperate attempts to get just one minute more. 

But God is immune to the taskmaster we refer to as time… There are no clocks in Heaven.  There is no pressure, no rush, no lateness… no anxiety about squandering time, because in Eternity there is no such thing. The Great I AM is always in the past, present, and future tense. 

Today, I pray that the future will be peaceful, but I rest in the fact that God has seen our tomorrows, and that the Bible has already recorded our triumphant final outcome.

No one is pacing the floor in Heaven. God is not anxious about America, or China, or Russia, or viruses, or AI, or anything else. God controls it all. So, I either need to trust Him, or I need to panic… but it is irrational to do both as they are mutually exclusive… so I need to choose.

In Revelation God tells the church at Laodicea that their lukewarmness nauseates Him. Their indifferent attitude, and superficial approach toward God make Him sick… I don’t want to do that.  I want to trust God so thoroughly that nothing disturbs my composure. I want to concentrate on what He has assigned me to accomplish today, and then tomorrow get up and do it again. That should be the pattern until one day my work is completed, and I go home. 

If I will just trust Him, God will produce a peaceful confidence that will transform my life… If I remember that the Navigator of my life is in complete control, I can sit back and enjoy the ride. 

“Sometimes heroism is nothing more than patience, curiosity, and a refusal to panic.” - Leif Enger

Isaiah 47: 8,10 6/13/23*

“Now then, listen, you lover of pleasure, lounging in your security”… “Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you….” 

These verses address the delusion of self-security and the distraction of pursuing pleasure… We desire to be self-sustainable, but we weren’t created to be alone; we were designed to have unbroken fellowship with our Heavenly Father, and nothing created will take the place of the Creator.  

When our soul is empty because fellowship with God is lacking, we tend to “self-medicate” in pursuit of pleasure. It may be drugs, alcohol, reckless behavior, or something as subtle as  the dopamine hit you get from ordering unneeded things online.  Whatever your go-to “medication” is, there is great danger in trying to fill the God shaped hole in your heart with anything other than God.  And the threat in our affluent society is that there is always another trinket available to try to fill that hole. 

We chase pleasure and security as a distraction from the voice that is yelling in our head that we are unfulfilled … It is dangerous to pursue wealth and finite objects to give you safety and purpose… because if you attain them, they will only disappoint… and you will never be in more danger than when you believe you are “lounging in your own security”. 

Our problem is that FedEx can’t deliver what we need. It can only deliver things that dull the pain we feel from lack of purpose.  Real meaning is not found in things. It is found in walking with God.  The only security that we can count on is being redeemed by the blood of Christ and filled with His Holy Spirit. And the goal of the enemy is to distract us from that fact. 

We must intentionally resist pursuing worldly pleasure and building our security on anything other than the loving mercy of God. 

2nd Timothy chapter 3 says there will be people in the end times who will be “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power.  Have nothing to do with such people.”

Not only must I have nothing to do with falsely religious people who speak of God but pursue the world  … I must be sure I am not one of them. 

“Many of us pursue pleasure with such breathless haste that we hurry past it.” ― Søren Kierkegaard

Daniel 1:8-13 6/6/23*

“But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself.”

Daniel “made up his mind”- and that was the game changer.  

What he believed dictated what he did. His obedience wasn’t a test run to see if it was beneficial – he decided to completely follow God.  There is a difference between those two positions.  

As a coach, it’s easy to differentiate between athletes who make up their mind to commit to improvement … and those negotiating their effort based on risk and reward. In your peer group, it is not hard to distinguish between men who are committed to pursuing Jesus, and those who are just keeping God around in case they need Him.  Daniel “had made up his mind” to chase what matters. Total obedience was his Plan “A” … and there was no Plan “B”.

What is your Plan? When people look at you do they see a hearer of the Word, or a doer?  Do you just talk a good game … or are you someone who has made up their mind not to be defiled? 

Daniel’s faith made men want to learn more about his convictions … The guard who allowed Daniel to deviate from the king’s diet, risked as much as Daniel did… Daniel’s faith led this man to more than a dietary adjustment.  It prompted him to consider God, even at his own peril. 

Interestingly, Daniel doesn’t accomplish this by belligerently demanding compliance to his beliefs, he respectfully negotiates the opportunity for God to show His power… trusting God for the outcome. 

There is a lesson there for me. I don’t have to win the argument; I just have to win the opportunity to show what God has done in my life, and that opportunity is seldom won by words alone. 

I must make up my mind not to defile myself, to “walk what I talk”, so that my life can be a light in the darkness that leads others to God… It may be hard at times, but it is not complicated…I just have to make up my mind to do what He says.

“In the end, our worship is more about what we do than what we say.”

Louie Giglio

Jonah 1:2 & 3:2 5/30/2023*

Jonah 1:2  “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”

Jonah 3:2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”

The first verses of chapter 1 and 3 in the book of Jonah repeat the same instructions…  Why?... What happened in chapter 2?  We get a hint about what took place in verse 2:1:  “From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord...”

Jonah finds himself in trouble because he runs from God. The instructions God issues in chapters 1 and 3 are the same – but Jonah has changed.  His rebellion caused events which taught him that ignoring God is dangerous and futile. 

History would have viewed Jonah differently had he just obeyed God in the first place. He would have been remembered as a powerful prophet had he not been stubborn and self-centered.  But chapter 2 occurs because “Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish”… This decision led to Jonah reluctantly becoming the world’s first Ichthyologists to study the inside of a living fish while it swam in the ocean.  

How could Jonah think he could choose a better path than God?… Probably the same way I do when I rebel against the Lord’s plans for me. And like Jonah, I resist turning back to Him until I  find myself in danger. Why does life have to go completely off the rails before we pray?… Why do we run away until we find ourselves in the belly of a fish and have no other option but to cry out to God?  

We must learn from Jonah’s story. We can’t just focus on the Love of God to the exclusion of His power and authority. He is our loving Father, and He is also the Omnipotent Ruler of the universe and must be obeyed.  Maybe by meditating on Jonah we can acquire a clearer view of God and eliminate the “chapter 2’s” in our lives. The chapters where we choose our own plan over His. If we can reduce our tendency to run from God, it will decrease the number of times we find ourselves lying on a deserted beach in fish vomit. 

“Running from the presence of God has the futility of "trying to shovel smoke with a rake". - Paul David Tripp”

1 Peter 5:8-10 5/23/2023*

“…the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you…”

Two powerful truths this morning:  

First, the devil is a predator stalking the herd.  Don’t casually read that. It carries a stark warning. Life is a team sport, and we need each other.  

Lions won’t stalk, a healthy animal in the midst of the herd. They look for a weak one that has wandered away by itself. Arrogance, which says, “I don’t need other people,” will make you a target. 

You need community and you won’t find it by accident.  We have never been lonelier than we are today… Though constantly on our devices with a mob of superficial “friends”… without transparency, we are alone in the crowd.

Go to church. Get connected. Find committed brothers you can be honest with, and who will be honest with you. Seek friends with a biblical world view that you can be transparent with, and who will have your back when the enemy is prowling around in your life. 

The second take away from this passage, is that Self-pity is not an effective life strategy…. faith is. We have been trained to be victims but that’s not scriptural.  We’re never alone in our suffering, and we should not be surprised when a world that crucified our King, is not enamored with His servants. 

We will face battles, but the war has already been won.  Christians everywhere participate in the sufferings of Christ. It is part of living in a broken world, but it’s not a permanent condition. Our eternal destiny is to be more than conquerors. 

Don’t be bewildered at the fiery trials of life, and don’t face them alone … Stand in your faith with a loyal group of authentic friends. Face the fight with courage. And trust that nothing impacts you that has not first passed through the hands of God . He loves you.  He redeemed you, and in the end, He Himself will restore you. 

“A man who fears suffering is already suffering from what he fears.” 

- Michel de Montaigne

1 Peter 3:10 5/16/2023*

“…The one who desires life, to love and see good days, must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.” 

We enjoy examining biblical complexities but are often hesitant to implement simple truths that are inconvenient. This passage is clear, yet in our friendships, social media, politics, and even church, we simply ignore it. 

You cannot “cherry pick” which biblical mandates you follow. You can twist interpretations, argue translations,  and debate hermeneutics - but when you’re finished, this verse will still say exactly what it said before – “If you desire love and life... watch your mouth.” 

Even in church, we have become adept at softly brutalizing others with our speech. Acid words flow from our smiling lips as we are condescending about a brother… not that you don’t love him of course, but he really struggles with (insert gossip here).  It is especially satisfying if they differ with us politically. This has become standard operating procedure… even tolerated from the pulpit… So, we dismiss it and move on, but scripture does not.  

This verse contains a crystal clear “If/Then” statement.  IF you desire love and life THEN watch what you say… The inverse is clear also -  continue vomiting evil from your lips and see what happens. 

Words are our spiritual thermometer…they come from our heart and reveal what is inside it.  If I find ways to insert selfish, demeaning comments about others, then I have a heart problem. If I can’t speak to, or about people who are not like me, without personally attacking and degrading them – then how is my heart any different than those who don’t know Christ? 

By the way if you’re reading this and thinking about someone who really needs to hear it - you missed the point.  Look in the mirror and read it again. Then make changes in your heart so that your words will be “like honey - sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” (Proverbs16:24)

A heart that produces polluted speech has a lethal problem. And if we camped out on this verse every Tuesday morning for the rest of the year it would not be overstating its importance. 

“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness… My brothers and sisters, this should not be.” – James 

 

1 Thessalonians 5:25 5/9/2023*

“Brothers and sisters, pray for us”

In his letters Paul asks for many things for others… forgiveness for Onesimus… funds for various churches… kindness to each other… But the only thing Paul ask for himself from other Christians was prayer.

Does your love for others cause you to pray for them?  How often do you pray  for your wife?... your children? …your friends?  And how much do you depend on prayer from others? … Do you really desire other believers praying for you, or do you prefer they simply fund your projects? The answer to those questions depends on your opinion of prayer. 

My Buddy Bruce Hayes was a lifelong teacher and coach and in every one of his classrooms he would post 3 letters  “CWM”.  Every student knew what they meant, “Chase what matters”.  

Jesus thought prayer mattered.  So much so that He “would often slip away to the wilderness and pray” (Luke 5:16).  How often do  you slip away to talk with God?  That’s important because prayer is powerful, and the enemy would prefer us to do almost anything rather than pray. 

Can you be described as a man of prayer? … Are you a man after God’s own heart?  Or do you chase trinkets, and delegate God to Sunday morning?  

Is God so big to me that I believe the greatest gift you can give me is to  pray for me?… That should be my first, and main request… If I had the slightest understanding of the power of prayer, I would provide it for those I love and request it from them continuously.

Busy work for God without prayer is like sitting in a Ferrari without any gas… a pathetic negligence of power. If you put fuel in the engine, you  will unlock a new level of power and closeness to God that you have never known. 

 So, like Paul, I would ask you to pray for me… pray that I learn to pray out of freedom not just discipline.  

Prayer and scripture are how you grow … asking which is more important is like asking whether breathing in, or breathing out is more important… Prayer matters – Chase it with all your heart.

“Prayer itself is an art which only the Holy Ghost can teach us. He is the giver of all prayer. Pray for prayer- pray till you can pray.” – Charles Spurgeon