2 Corinthians 3:17 7/31/2018*

“…where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

How long will we continue to daily put on the chains of sin and call it freedom?

Why do we listen to the lie that God wants to take away our liberty when His desire is to do the opposite?

We live in a world of bondage, obsession, and addiction… and only the Spirit of God can free us… only those that God has liberated are truly free.

The definition of frustration is to fight against something you cannot defeat…Without Christ you cannot defeat sin.  You can make resolutions, talk about change, go to church and determine to improve…but without Jesus you are a slave. 

The blood of Jesus is the fuel in the engine that sets you free. 

If you are living a life of frustration maybe it is because you are out of gas. You have built a fine religious vehicle, but it won’t run because you are trying to power it with your own works and have neglected the Cross.

Understand that you can be free today. Receive the gift that Jesus offers and walk out of prison.

It is not a process … it is a moment of acceptance, a change of position, and a lifetime of freedom.

Stop trying to be better, and allow Jesus to make you new… you have been redeemed at a great cost…and that redemption has opened the door to your cell. 

Where His Spirit is there is freedom.

“God never guides us at some time in the future, but always here and now. Realize that the Lord is here now, and the freedom you receive is immediate."

- Oswald Chambers

James 3:7-8 7/24/2018*

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Do you ever think of your tongue as a restless evil?

We treat it as our ally, but this verse would indicate it can be one of our greatest advisories.

How many times has this “restless evil” poisoned my life, yet I continue to give it free reign from day to day?

I continue to think it can boost my position and give me advantage. When, in reality, it is responsible for much of the heartbreak in my life.

As a society we have abandoned any thought of taming the tongue and instead seem to encourage reckless abandon when it comes to speaking. There is no thought of truth or wisdom as we vomit out anything that might help our side win.

That should not describe children of God.  We should be different.

Animals that cannot be tamed are kept in a cage.  Do that to your tongue today.  Treat it like a dangerous animal.  Watch it carefully and never let it get in a position to hurt you…. because if it has the chance it will.

Be slow to speak and quick to listen and understand that you carry a poison in your mouth capable of destroying friendships, families, and yourself…

Never trust your tongue in the moment.

You cannot tame it, so determine today to watch it carefully and keep it in it’s cage.

“What you may not realize is that the words you say, and the words you hear from others have the power to change your entire life.”
― Alex Uwajeh

2 Chronicles 5: 14 7/17/2018*

“and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God.”

When is the last time God interrupted your religion with His presence?

Solomon had just spent seven years building the Temple, and the day had finally arrived to bring in the Ark of the Covenant.  An elaborate plan was in place, complete with priest, singers, musicians, and all the ceremony rightly expected for such a remarkable occasion.

As they sang about God’s love and faithfulness, His presence entered the temple…and the arrival of God stopped the ceremony…. I am sure they had planned more events for the celebration, but it all ended when God showed up.

Has that happened to you lately?  Have you been stilled by the awesomeness of God? Has His arrival at your worship service stopped you in your tracks?

We are instructed to be still and know the majesty of God. Yet we seem to always be in a hurry.  Even our church programs can push us to the point of missing the point…. Sometimes we need to just stand in amazement and remember the reason for all the activity.

Allow that to happen to you today…Don’t let the activities of your religion blind you to His majesty and power.  Allow yourself to be engulfed in the cloud of the glory of the Lord.

Your strength does not come from your religious activity, it comes from the presence of God in your life. 

When His Spirit invades your ceremony…slow down, let your program end, and stand in awe of the God you serve.

“We are two free from wonder now days, too easy with the word of God; we do not use it in breathless amazement ...”
- Oswald Chambers 

Isaiah 55:8-9 7/10/2018*

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, “declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Have we lost our awareness of the majesty of God? 

Some people acknowledge the existence of God, but disagree with His management style, so they are not interested in knowing Him.  But that approach is intellectually flawed.

If you are convinced there is no God, then defend that position. But, to say that God exist and that you disagree with His actions, is a little like a hamster arguing against Einstein’s theory of relativity. You cannot argue what you do not have the capacity to comprehend.

If you have admitted there is a God that created you. You cannot demand He appear before you, so you can deliver judgement on His conduct.  It is logically inconsistent to believe that the created, can judge the Creator. 

God does exist… and He has made sure that in our hearts we all know that to be true. (Romans 1:19).  What we seem to have forgotten is that His complexity, supremacy, and intellect are beyond our wildest imaginations.

Our apathy towards God is a product of us trying to make Him into our image.  We water down His greatness until we end up with a god not worthy of our devotion. Perhaps we don’t want to serve God because we have completely missed who and what He is…. Maybe for our comfort, we have defined Him in such a way that we can put Him in a convenient box. 

The fact that we do not endorse what God does is not an inditement of His character, but of our capacity to understand Him.

Spend some time today striving to comprehend the actual God of the bible. You will only have the ability to understand a fraction of His glory. You will only be capable of seeing a glimpse.… but if you see it…that glimpse will be enough to change you forever.

“If you can’t see the sun you will be impressed with a street light. … And if you turn your back on the greatness and majesty of God you’ll fall in love with a world of shadows and short-lived pleasures.”

John Piper

Proverbs 12:27-28 7/3/2018*

“The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.”

When is the last time you had a sentence formulated in your mind and you just swallowed it because it wasn’t necessary?

Can you remember passing up a comment simply because it wasn’t uplifting, or helpful?

We tend to believe quick witted, snarky comments are sign of intellectual prowess… but according to this scripture it is the activity of fools.

What would happen today if you only said things that built others up?  How many words could you save if you eliminated all the self-serving, and careless comments you make.

I want to challenge you to answer that question. 

Let’s conduct an experiment…. put every word you say today through a filter.  Don’t let a syllable out of your mouth that isn’t necessary and intended to build up those to whom it is directed. Instead of vomiting out every word that enters your mind, first make sure they are worth saying.

Begin this morning with the concept that, by their value, every word must earn the right to leave your mouth - and see where it takes you.

I think you will be amazed at how much less you say.

Using words with restraint will change your countenance and the image you present to others. According to scripture you will appear more knowledgeable and people will consider you to be wise.

… you may want to make it a habit.

“The less men think, the more they talk.”
-  Charles de Montesquieu

Leviticus 19:32 6/26/2018*

“Stand up in the presence of the elderly, and show respect for the aged…”

Unfortunately, our society has drifted away from this instruction.

We mistakenly believe we are honoring our elders by struggling to make them live longer, when they would really prefer to live better.

Having confused honor with preservation, we work solely on longevity, and then blame them for their resilience. We fight to keep them alive but fail to remind them how valuable they truly are to us.

Perhaps we have forgotten that no sum of money can purchase wisdom, and no amount of intelligence can replace experience. In life, the elderly are the experts and the rest of us are novices. We must not forget the importance of that fact.

No rookie, no matter how gifted, can outplay a seasoned veteran because they don’t fully understand the complexity of the game yet…. the same applies in the game of life. Senior citizens know the game, and their proven wisdom can provide depth and direction to our existence.

Let’s get back to “standing in their presence”.  Commit to spending time with the elderly God has placed in your life.  Be the rookie that listens when the veterans make recommendations. 

Pay attention and you will find that it helps both of you.

The bottom line is, God is not making a suggestion in this verse, He is issuing a command. He is demanding we value and respect the elderly in our lives.

Be intentional in this… we reap what we sow, and the next generation is watching.

Youth is the gift of nature, but age is a work of art.
- Stanislaw Jerzy Lec

Proverbs 12:22 6/19/2018*

The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.

Sports, politics, relationships, business… lying has become an accepted, and expected practice. It is tolerated and, in some arenas, even sought after.

Yet scripture is clear that the Lord “detest” lying lips.

So why does God hate something that doesn’t really impact Him?  God never has been, nor ever will be deceived… so why is He so offended by untruths? He hates lying because it interferes with our ability to love each other. 

At times, we can be selfish, and rude to each other, and of course that will damage a relationship. But lying goes a step further.  When you lie to someone, you not only hurt the relationship, you also damage the only tool you have to repair it.  

Friendships are restored when we sit down and talk to each other… but if what we say cannot be trusted, it interferes with the healing process. Therefore, God detests it… because it extends the pain of His children.

Deceitfulness never removes the pain from a difficult situation… it only postpones it…and when it arrives it is then magnified by the lie.

What would happen if we took God at His word and decided that telling the truth was our only option?  In this world, where absolutes are harder and harder to come by, let’s make this one non-negotiable.

Speak the truth. Decide to be trustworthy.  Wounds from deception fester and become infected…but hurt that comes honestly will heal.

The only way to truly love others is to be honest with them.

“Never lie, never cheat, never steal.” -  John Wooden

1 John 3:1 6/12/2018*

“Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are!”

Have you done that today? Have you considered the incredible Love God has bestowed on you?

The word “behold” means to look at it, think about it, contemplate it.

Of course, that takes time. And if you’re like me, you are too busy to “be still”, put down your phone, and think about the fact that God loves you.

But you should… because He loves you so much He arranged the most expensive adoption in all of history. He paid the ultimate price, so you could call Him Daddy. And He did it while you were rejecting Him.

What manner of Love is this?...  It’s not a rhetorical question. How and why would God deem you worthy of that kind of love? The enemy’s main objective is to keep you from considering that.

Because the answer to that question will change you.  It will define you. You will no longer strive for acceptance. Your self-worth will be established, and your value will be indisputable.

Ironically, all of that will become irrelevant. Because your attention will turn to others as you become complete. If you will contemplate this love it will become your foundation and it will literally set you free.

When you realize that God not only “loved the world” but specifically loves you, the chains will fall away.

What manner of love is this? … Set aside time today to consider that question. It is really the only question that matters.  It establishes who you are, and what you do…everything else is just details.

“Sociologists have a theory: you become what the most important person in your life thinks you are… How would I change if I believed the Bible’s words about God’s love for me, if I looked in the mirror and saw what God sees?”
-  Philip Yancey

Romans 8:11 6/5/2018*

"And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you."

Christians rightly focus on the unearned grace given by our Lord and Savior. But in our desire to be sure we never preach “works salvation”, do we water down the strength we have been given to walk with God?

This verse says that the Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is living inside you and gives life to your body.

That being said, do you really believe you can’t conquer the sin that continually causes you to stumble? 

Do you think your anger, or your unforgiveness, or that habit you keep surrendering to… is stronger than the Spirt that raised Christ from the dead?

You carry inside you the most powerful force in all of creation…if you have been living in bondage to sin, you don’t have to any longer. 

In the next verses Paul instructs his readers to put off the old sin nature and put on new nature God provides. That is an intentional act of your will.

Once saved, you aren’t sinless, but you are different.  You have power you didn’t have before.  You have a choice. 

If a bird doesn’t want to walk anymore all he has to do is spread his wings. Perhaps it’s time to spread yours.  Stop being satisfied with a lukewarm existence.  Intentionally put off the old and put on the new and experience the joy of walking in peace and freedom. 

Today can be the day you break free from what has held you down.  Choose to forgive, decide to hold your tongue, don't allow fear to live in your mind any longer.

The enemy is lying to you…. You are not a slave, you are child of God.  Don’t settle for a life bound in the chains of sin.

The cage is open…walk out.

"Sin and the child of God are incompatible. They may occasionally meet; they cannot live together in harmony" -- John R. W. Stott

Matthew 19: 25-26 5/29/2018*13*

"When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Jesus had just finished telling the disciples that it was harder for a wealthy man to be saved than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. Astonished, they asked the logical question…” who then can be saved?”

Jesus simply tells them that they are looking at the wrong transformative power in the equation.  It is not man’s ability that matters here. It is God’s.

The power of God is not restricted by the laws of the world He created. There are no limits on the love of a limitless God, and His ability to save us is based on His power not ours.

We tend to do the same thing as the disciples.  We think we need to be at a certain level before God can “help” us clear the hurdle to salvation. The enemy will use this to convince you that you are the one person God can’t change … that you have been so sinful that God won’t help you.

                                               

You are right…He won’t help you…He won’t make you better…but He will make you new.  His love will allow you to start over. His grace will allow you to be born again.

Stop listening to the lies of the enemy…. Stop believing that God can redeem others, but not you.

Your realization that you are not good enough, is a huge step toward your salvation. 

Take Him at His word… Drop to your knees and ask God to change the unchangeable, to forgive the unforgivable, and to make new that which was broken beyond repair. 

The fact that all of this is impossible, means that when it happens you will know God did it, and you will never again doubt the power of His amazing grace.

The invitation is open, your new life can start now… get out of the way of your own salvation and let God make you a new creation. 

“Since no man is excluded from calling upon God the gate of salvation is open to all. There is nothing else to hinder us from entering, but our own unbelief.” - John Calvin