Judges 16:6 Ephesians 4::1 Hebrews 13:8 1/26/2016

Judges 16:6

So Delilah said to Samson, “Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.”

Are you a TV dinner or a casserole?  What I mean is, does your life look the same no matter where you dip into it, or is it compartmentalized with different ingredients in different areas?

Sampson was a gifted warrior for God.  Devoted and disciplined, he had taken a Nazarite vow, from birth.  He never drank alcohol, never cut his hair, and in many areas of his life he was rigorously committed to God.

However there was at least one area that Samson kept God out of... his love life. Sampson was not wise when it came to women, and was not interested in God's input in this area.   This would prove to be his Achilles heel and would cost him his eyes, and eventually his life.

So again I ask, are you a TV dinner or casserole?  Does your life look the same through and through, or are there areas of your life where God is not welcome?  Would the people you go to church with see the same guy if they visited your office, or does you life look different depending on where you dip into it.

If you're a TV dinner, what is your Delilah? .... Where is your Godless area?  Is it your career?  Your tongue?  Your marriage?...

If so, like Samson, the results can be disastrous.  You were created to consistently ".. walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called" Ephesians 4:1

Take an honest look in the mirror, and tear down any walls you have allowed in your heart.  Be so full of Christ that He permeates every area of your life. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8  Don't allow a Delilah to steal your integrity and eliminate your strength.

"Sincerity makes the very least person to be of more value than the most talented hypocrite."

- Charles Spurgeon

Romans 6:6 John 14:26 Romans 7:24-25 Jeremiah 31 1/19/2016*11/11*

Romans 6:6  "For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin"

I recently had a conversation with some college buddies discussing why the old testament heroes seemed more flawed than those in  the new testament.
  
After some thought, I concluded that most old testament heroes were devastated by sin, in the long run.  - David lost his family and kingdom - Moses never entered the promised land - Noah struggled with alcohol...and the list goes on. Even men "after God's own heart" at times, seemed helpless against the ravages of sin in their lives.
  
While the heroes of the New testament seem to start off as thieves, hypocrites and murders, but in the long run became solid men of God willing to stand against sin, and die for their faith.

Unlike the old testament, the new testament uses words like victory and  freedom in reference to sin.  The disparity we had been discussing was the very reason there had to be a new arrangement.

The reason for a new covenant was the need of the Cross, and the gift of the Holy Spirit. "...the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." John 14:26  

Holiness is not achieved, but received.  It is a gift, and we are also given a "Helper" to allow us to walk in it.  That is the gospel in a nutshell.  

If you attempt to walk without the Spirit then you too will fail in the long run. "Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:24-25) 

Take the gift, seek the Spirit...and live in victory over sin.

“Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah,... I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." Jeremiah 31

It is without a doubt the most expensive gift you will ever receive.

1 Peter 4:12 John 16:33 1 Peter 5:8 Gen 50:20 1/12/16

1 Peter 4:12 "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you."

We have a tendency to think things should come easily for us.  With today's "everybody gets a trophy" mentality...it's easy to let an entitled, self centered  philosophy seep into your spiritual life.

The problem is it sets you up for disappointment.  Christ never said it would be easy.  In fact He said the opposite.  "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)   We can expect victory, but we should not expect it without a fight.

We as Christians need to understand that satan is real, and  he "... prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8) and his plan is to  "... steal and kill and destroy."(John 10:10).   He is described as your adversary, and the more you do for Christ, the more you can expect resistance.

You'll find it hard if you resolve to spend a few minutes reading the Word and praying every morning.  There will be obstacles if you decide to attend a christian concert, bible study,  or event. This is evidence of the battle, and should encourage your perseverance.

The enemy is real and active.  But if you put on the full armor of God, and walk in the Spirit...then after the battle, you will be more than victorious and blessed by the outcome.

"...you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result" (Gen 50:20)

This week take the attacks as confirmation you are moving in the right direction, and let the struggle solidify your commitment to the fight.  Don't fear it, don't be surprised by it, and because of who you serve, never stop short of victory.

“A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence.”
Jim Watkins

Psalm 119:11 Eph 6:17 Proverbs 7:1 1/5/16

Psalm 119:11 - " I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."

Last week we talked about second chances...this week let's talk about what to do with them.
  
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different outcome. Better results require a different plan.  The Word of God must be the key ingredient, if your plan is to improve.

In Ephesians, the only offensive weapon listed in the armor of God is "...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."(Eph 6:17)   If you want to change your life you need to combat sin, the Word of God is the weapon for that battle.

"My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you." (Prov. 7: 1)  Notice to be effective the Word is ... Hidden in our heart ... stored within us.  We have to submerse ourselves in scripture, until it becomes part of our DNA.

Do you want change?  Do you want 2016 to be the beginning of something amazing?  Then don't go into the battle without a Sword.  God's Word can not be just a part of your life, it has to be a part of you. Let it be your internal compass.   Let it be the "light unto your path".

This year, don't let the urgent overwhelm the important.

Open the Word of God each morning to start your day.  If you will "store up His commands within you.", it will produce an eternal change in your soul, and make you more than a conqueror.  You can win the battles, but only  by "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

“The soul can do without everything except the word of God, without which none at all of its wants are provided for.” ― Martin Luther

2 Corinthians 5:17 Isaiah 43:25 Psalm 103:12 12/29/15

2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."

God is a God of second chances.  This New Year, it is important to remember that.

Whatever defeated you, whatever held you back in 2015, is part of the  "old things" that have "passed away" - and you are "new" in Christ.

The price God paid for your redemption is far too precious for you to hang on to old blame, and guilt. No sin on earth approaches the power of the blood that set you free.

When you place your faith in Jesus, you are not only cleansed by His blood,  you no longer bear any resemblance to the sinner who committed those transgressions. You are  re-born as a "new creature". God says "...I will not remember your sins" (Isaiah 43:25) because frankly, they have nothing to do with you.  "As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103:12)

When you consider the price  He paid, you will know it is not a partial fix ... anything that incomprehensibly expensive is, and must be, a final resolution ... if you hear a voice saying you are still stained....it is not God.

Take this new year, and make it a year of Grace... Grace accepted, and grace offered.

As Jesus breathed his last mortal breath he said "It is finished!"... He was referring to your redemption..... live your life in the freedom produced by the finality of that statement.

His mercies are new each morning, and your "newness" was bought at a high price. Use it well.

"Perhaps the butterfly is God's way of showing that you can go through a great deal of darkness, and still become something beautiful" - anonymous

Luke 2:11 Isaiah 55:9 12/22/15*2*

Luke 2:11
"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord."

...and that changes everything. 

That sentence changed the trajectory of human history forever. Our calendar is based on this event, as though one countdown ended and another began when this child was born. 

As you celebrate this holiday season, take a moment to strip away everything that distracts from the actual meaning of Christ's birth. The lights, the gifts, the tree, all of it... even the good things like family, friends, and spending time together...while nice, they have little to do with the actual phenomenon we celebrate.
Forget all the traditions and consider this one moment in history, as though it is the first time you've heard of it..." a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah" 

In the greatest act of love ever recorded, God sent a sacrifice to change us from objects of wrath, to objects of love.  To offer us a relationship instead of rules.  This act of love transformed us from a people separated from a Holy God, to children encouraged to enter the thrown-room and crawl into the lap of the King.

The impact of this birth is impossible to over emphasize, and the benefits of this gift are of a magnitude that we cannot fully comprehend. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:9

Enjoy celebrating this Christmas season.  Enjoy the blessing of family and loved ones. 

But take time to step back, strip away the distractions, and realize that we are celebrating the most pivotal event in all of eternity
....and that this birth, and your response to it.....literally....changes everything.
 
Merry Christmas

2 Corinthians 7:10 Psalm 51:4 John 8:11 12/15/15

2 Corinthians 7:10
¹⁰ Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

We seem to view all sorrow the same way....as something to be avoided.  But there is a difference in worldly sorrow, and Godly sorrow.

Worldly sorrow is self focused and does not lead to change.  It leads to more self centered sorrow. It produces the self pity that makes us all victims. 

Godly sorrow, on the other hand,  is God focused and brings us to something vital to salvation...and that is repentance.  "Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge." (Psalm 51:4)

 It is important to realize that Godly sorrow is not repentance...but it leads to it.  Godly sorrow is the catalyst that moves us to agree with God's judgement, and change direction, and that is repentance. 

To the women caught in adultery Jesus said “...neither do I condemn you,”  then He said  “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11)   We eagerly accept that we are not condemned, but sometimes miss the call to repent.   Repentance means we change the reason, and the way we live.

You do not change so you can be saved....you are saved so you can be changed.

The power of the Holy Spirit is what brings repentance,  frees you from sin, and allows you to become "a new creation".

There is no way to overemphasis the importance of that fact.  If we try to change on our own power, we fall back into worldly sorrow, and continue downward until something dies.

Agree with God. Accept His judgement. Accept His loving Grace.
....then allow His Spirit to lead you to repentance and a life that reflects the trans-formative  power of the cross.

"The wonderful news is that our Lord is a God of mercy, and He responds to repentance."

Billy Graham

James 1:2 1 Peter 4:12 Romans 8:39 12/8/15

James 1:2  Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance

To understand this verse we have to understand the meaning of Joy.
Most people confuse Joy with happiness. But it is much deeper, and does not depend on circumstance.

In this verse, trials are seen as "spiritual weightlifting"....and joy is the "burn" you get when it is done correctly.  Not a pleasant feeling, but there is satisfaction when it is achieved.  That burn tells you that you are getting stronger,  and athletes intentionally push themselves until they feel it.

God says Trials should be viewed in the same way. The temporary pain will build permanent endurance.

If our culture lacks anything today, it is endurance.  We are accustomed to instant gratification, and we are quick to wave the white flag if things get difficult.  It seems we have been taught that it should be easy...but God never said that, in fact He said the opposite:

 ^"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you." ( 1 Peter 4:12)

In other words, we should not be surprised by trials, and when they come we should view them as opportunities to grow.  We must be encouraged when we feel the burn, and know that we are gaining strength.

Add to that encouragement the fact that..." neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."(Romans 8:39) .....and that combination of  "encouragement and inseparability", is the definition of "Joy".

"The Lord gets his best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction."
Charles Spurgeon

Joy is not in things; it is in us.

Richard Wagner

2 Timothy 1:7 2 Cor 10:5 12/1/15

2 Timothy 1:7
⁷ For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

We live in a culture paralyzed by fear and anxiety. We worry about offending.
We worry about being excluded. We worry about worrying.

All that creates in you something God never intended... Fear

If you are feeling timid or fearful, then those feelings did not come from God.

God has placed you here to accomplish amazing things. There are no JV Christians.  No one is second team, intended to watch from the sidelines.  God has equipped you with everything you need to make a huge impact on the world around you....but you cannot be afraid.

Instead God has GIVEN you power, love, and a sound mind.   You don't have to pray for them -
He has given them to you already....you just have to use them.

Stop letting fear make you weak.
Stop letting hate take away your power.
Stop letting your thoughts control you... instead you control them. God tells us to  bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ  (2 Cor 10:5)

Courage is not ignorance of danger, it is simply trusting a power larger than that danger.

 If you choose faith and reject fear, it will alter your life.  It will let you live, and love courageously.

Let's boldly act with purpose, and impact everyone God puts in our path.

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

John 13:35 11/24/15

John 13:35
³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Jesus says the proof the world will use to determine whether or not you follow Him, is how you treat each other.   

Based on that criteria alone, could you be convicted of being a Christian? 

If you had to take off the Cross necklace, the  christian T-shirt, the fish sticker off your car, and couldn't point to church attendance...would a jury convict you of following Christ because of your love for others? 

Strip away all the external trappings  -  and honestly consider that question.  

If , with no other information, the jury watched how you treat your family,  how you treat the waiter at the restaurant, what you put on social media ....would they think you treat others in a way that marks you as a disciple of Christ?

Jesus says that loving each other is the only admissible evidence that the world will consider.

Let's be guilty beyond a  reasonable doubt.... Lets go out and perform acts of kindness, give to those in need, offer forgiveness to those who have hurt us.  This, and this alone validates our witness in the world's eyes, and earns us the right to be heard regarding our faith.

By the way, the world is right.  If we love God, we will love each other - and  it will show.

"You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving" - Robert Louis Stevenson