2 Corinthians 4:18 12/31/2019*

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

Let me prepare you for the onslaught of “20/20 vision” references you are about to endure this year. And at the same time try to set your focus for a new decade.

What are your 2020 resolutions? … Are you pursuing the seen or the unseen?... The eternal or the temporary?

The most common resolutions are exercise, weight loss, and getting organized…and those are all good decisions…however they are also all temporary.

You are an eternal being, briefly living in what God calls an earthly tent (2 Cor. 5) so focusing on the short-term comes naturally – but, what are you doing for your soul?

Let me challenge you to make some lasting investments…

Your greatest eternal possessions are your relationship with your Heavenly Father, and your relationship with His children. So, let’s concentrate on those two objectives..

Let me use the list from last week’s blog and again encourage you to make these commitments for 2020:

-      Every day read your bible.

-      Every morning spend time in prayer. 

-      Daily work on scripture memorization.

-      Regularly meet with people who encourage and hold you accountable.

-      Allocate days each month to purposefully serve others.

Scripture, Prayer, Community, Compassion…all of these carry eternal repercussions. Nothing is wasted…Nothing diminishes with time.

This is not a list of fads or untested theories …These practices have always produced unending value. They are God’s clearly defined instructions for growth.

Stop chasing worldly things and short-term fixes. Your soul is eternal and will never be satisfied with temporary playthings. Set your eyes on the unseen… pursue treasures that will gain in value, not deteriorate.

If you are frustrated and disillusioned you don’t have to stay that way…. You are simply a bird walking on the ground…. Spread you wings and do what you were made to do – pursue things with everlasting worth.

God knows what you need…and if you want perfect vision you must fix your eyes on the unseen, only then will you discover the enduring treasures your eternal soul was created to enjoy.

“Heaven wheels above you, displaying to you her eternal glories, and still your eyes are on the ground.” -  Dante Alighieri

1 Corinthians 9:25 12/24/2019*

“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”

How strict is your spiritual training now, compared to your physical training during your athletic career?  If you had approached athletics with the same consistency you currently have toward spiritual exercise how far would you have gone?

Everybody wants to improve …but “wanting” isn’t enough …you must put in the work in order to achieve results. Every day you must do the mundane, repetitive, difficult things that create progress.

Paul makes the “physical / spiritual” training comparison to the Corinthians and takes it a step further.  Not only should we train as hard spiritually as we do physically…but harder … because one is temporary and the other eternal.

Christmas should motivate us to serve God better, and a new decade gives us a clean slate to begin a training schedule that will produce results.

Expect it to take time. You didn’t begin working out one day and suddenly become an amazing competitor …It took hard work, discipline and consistency …and eventually you became skilled at your craft.  But it never would have happened had you not decided - and started.

So, let’s make the decision and start today…. Resolve to workout spiritually like you did athletically. No excuses:
 

-      Every day get in the Word.

-      Every morning spend time in prayer. 

-      Daily work on scripture memorization.

-      Commit to regular meetings with people who will encourage you and hold you accountable.

-      Allocate days each month that you will intentionally serve others.

These cannot be proposals; they must be commitments to your “spiritual weight room” that are non-negotiable.

Will you instantly become a great man or woman of God?...maybe not, but you will improve. And God says that the seeds you plant will grow. Plant some good seeds today - and tomorrow - and the next day … and soon you will enjoy a great harvest. 

By the power of God, the next decade really can be different…commit to it…start simply, and simply start.

“If we believe that life with God is possible in this world, and if we believe THAT life is the one we've always longed for, then it would be worth whatever it cost us to pursue it.”
― Mike Cosper

Luke 4:14 12/17/2019*

“When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.”

Jesus had been tempted for 40 days with hunger, fame, riches, and pride. Each attack was a misreading of scripture - which Jesus responded to with correct application of scripture. So, there is a lesson there… but let’s focus on the end of the verse. 

Christ had just overcome every temptation the enemy had hurled at Him…and yet the verse ends with satan leaving “until an opportune time.”

That should make it clear that we can never drop our guard. No matter how big a spiritual victory you are coming off of…. no matter how much God has done to clean up your life…you are not immune to temptation and must stay vigilant.

I assure you, no matter how well you’re doing, you’re an easier target than Jesus was…and If satan was planning a follow up attack on Christ – you can bet he’s not done tempting you.

Scripture says be alert and sober minded… “your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour”. Lions look for prey that is distracted… targets that have wandered away from the herd, confident in their own strength…And when prey escapes… lions begin planning their next attack.

You will never be in more danger than when you believe you are untouchable. Spiritual growth does not remove you from the danger zone and thinking it does puts you at more risk. Your marriage, your career, your reputation…are all targets that satan wants to kill, steal, and destroy. You must actively and intentionally protect them.

A reporter once asked Billy Graham how his ministry had avoided scandals for so long, to which Reverend Graham responded, “I run scared young man…I run scared”. Pride equals destruction but humility brings prudence.

Don’t allow the enemy an “opportune time”. Be in community with people who have your back.  Stay in the Word. Keep your head on a swivel. We are in a war – and will be - until we hear our King say, “Well done good and faithful servant”. Then you can drop your sword and relax.

But until then, stay alert and “play to the whistle.”

If you will tell me when God permits a Christian to lay aside his armor, I will tell you when Satan has left off temptation.  

- Charles Spurgeon

Romans 5:8 12/10/2019*

“But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

It is a shame that familiarity has lessened the impact of what this verse says…While it is not often thought of as a Christmas verse - it captures Christmas and contains the bulk of what you need to know about your salvation. 

Your Christmas gift is a receipt, stamped “Paid in Full” by God Himself. Offered only because He loves you…. You did nothing to earn it in fact you actively pushed it away.  

If you ever wanted proof that you are loved?.... Christmas is it.

The cost of sin is death…by definition, it separates us from a perfect, holy God. That is the price tag and there is no other possibility.  If you have sinned (and you have) you are under that sentence.

BUT God … did something that demonstrated His love. He didn’t want to lose you …so He paid your debt.  You were not pardoned…the debt was not forgiven…He did not decide to ignore it…. He paid it.

Don’t miss that…HE paid the price for YOUR sin. This didn’t happen because you cleaned up your act… you were still sinning when He set up the plan. It happened because He loves you…not because of your deeds - but in spite of them.  

What a gift…what grace and mercy was delivered to the world on that first Christmas.  It is undoubtably the most important day in history. The pivot point for all humanity. The day God launched the rescue mission to restore us to Himself.

The cost of that plan shows how much He cares - paying for our crimes as we were still committing them - and offering us the benefit at the price of His Son. 

The gift is yours for the taking. Admit you need it, hate the depravity that made it necessary - and receive the Holy Spirit to empower you to resist sin.

You are being offered the key to freedom at no cost to you…and it cost Him the ultimate sacrifice…. That is love…and that is the only Christmas present that matters…because it is the only gift that will change your life.   

“Grace means undeserved kindness. It is the gift of God to man the moment he sees he is unworthy of God's favor.”  - Dwight L. Moody

Luke 15:20 Rev 19:13-15 12/3/2019*

Luke 15:20
“… his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. ^“

Rev 19:13-15
“He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, … ¹⁴ The armies of heaven were following him…. ¹⁵ Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron scepter.”

Both of these verses describe attributes of God …if one of them makes you uncomfortable then your view of God may be inaccurate.

If you picture God as a Santa Claus like figure on the auction block for your consideration … or you think He is a cruel judge waiting to zap you when you make a mistake – then you have been misled.

We tend to focus on certain aspects of God and insist He fit in the box we’ve made for Him. We feel the need to grant our approval of His actions, so we try to explain what He allows and rationalize everything that happens.  When men can’t do this, many will either declare God does not exist - or reject Him…

But the created should not expect to fully comprehend the creator.

Job says, “God is so great that he is beyond our understanding”.  The great theologian John Wesley said, “Bring me a worm that can comprehend a man, and I will show you a man that can comprehend the Triune God.”

God is much bigger than you think He is - and the importance of grasping that is impossible to over-emphasize. 

We must not cling to one characteristic of God and ignore the others.  If you are not aware of the “mighty warrior” side of God then you cannot understand the price that was paid for access to the “Loving Father” side of God.

To not comprehend the repulsion and rage of a Holy Deity at your sin…is to not understand the dreadfulness of the Cross.  It is to not grasp the magnitude of what took place at Calvary.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom…recognizing that our feeble attempts to define God are inadequate is the first step towards seeing the immensity of the Great I Am. What good would a god be that was little enough for you to explain?

No matter how we try to define God our box is too small…The righteous, powerful warrior is also the merciful Father who loves you …. So, stop trying to explain what you cannot comprehend and focus on what He has revealed to you in His word.

Just a glimpse of His grandeur… will produces a reverence that makes offering to Him anything less than all you have, unthinkable.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” – God

Psalm 107:1 11/26/2019*

“Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.”

What percentage of your communication with God would you call gratitude?

When you talk to God do you mostly give thanks, or list your needs?
Do you stand amazed at His grace and mercy …or do you question what He allows and promote your own plans over His? 

The answer to those questions depends on how well you understand the end of this passage. The verse says “God is good” …that is a statement of fact.  Then the conclusion of the verse proves it with ….”His love endures forever”.

Stop and consider what it means.  His love – for you – NEVER ENDS…

That should astonish you.  You should be stunned by the fact that He is even aware of you…much less loves you eternally.

Just a cursory look at human history should make you wonder how God has tolerated mankind up to this point - and an honest look at ourselves should makes us wonder how He can possibly love us individually.

This verse encourages you to take a longer even more honest look in that mirror. Consider God’s stubborn love in your life. The times you have pushed Him away and He has refused to leave you. 

The result will be thankfulness - His goodness will overwhelm you and motivate you to “Give thanks to the LORD”. 

Try starting today by reflecting on his mercy and grace in your life. 

Consider what you have been forgiven of…exam the selfish heart that only you and He are aware of… and realize that nothing in the depths of that sinful heart has ever discouraged Him from loving you…that is mercy.

Then consider the blessing you have been given. Realize the protection He has provided throughout your life, calming some storms - and carrying you through others. And finally meditate on the dreadful Cross…and fall on your face and worship Him for His unmerited amazing grace.

His unending love for us proves He is good…it is not a product of anything we have done but of who He is…..and that should produce so much thankfulness in us that it defines who we are…if I take one breath today without thankfulness – it will be because I have forgotten that He is good, and  has promised to love me forever.  

“We are in a wrong state of mind if we are not in a thankful state of mind.”
- Charles Spurgeon

1 Thessalonians 5:16 11/19/2019*

^“Rejoice always”

This is a good memory verse for two reasons:
First – it’s short …Second - it will change your life.

This verse is not a suggestion ... God is not saying “hey, it might be good if you thought about incorporating joy into your day”.  He is commanding you to rejoice always… And the Greek translation means “rejoice always”.  So, the instruction is clear…

But how is it done?...  How do I rejoice in a broken world full of pain? How do I rejoice at a funeral…a divorce…a medical report with terrible news? 

Part of our problem is our confusion between the words “joy” and “happiness”. Happiness is a flimsy, circumstantial emotion- and suggesting that we should be happy at any of the above listed examples is misguided. 

The confusion exists because our culture has morphed the two words together. If you google “Joy” it is defined as “a feeling of great pleasure and happiness” …which is not an accurate definition of biblical joy.

The most glaring difference is that biblical Joy is a condition not an emotion.
Joy is permanent. It is a gift from God. It is fruit of the Holy Spirit and it doesn’t change with circumstances.

Not only is it permanent but Nehemiah says, “the joy of the Lord is your strength”. So again…how do we do it? How do we obtain joy so we can have strength?

We do it by choice.  Instead of obsessing over the problem, we choose to anticipate God’s solution.  Joy is a biproduct of understanding that God is in control and choosing to trust Him. It is a life changing anchor in the storm.  Not only is joy appropriate at a funeral…a divorce…or a debilitating illness…it is the very thing that carries us through the suffering. 

Whatever you face today – you don’t face it alone.  Psalms says that God is “an ever-present help in trouble”. He is with you, lean on Him. 

Joy is the state of knowing that God loves you - and recognizing what He is capable of doing…nothing can separate you from the Love and security of Christ …and that is the amazing reason you have the ability to “rejoice always”.

“Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control, the quiet confidence that everything is going to be alright, and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.” – Rick Warren

2 Peter 3:17-18 11/12/2019*

^“… you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…”

Are you growing? If you think about last year at this time, are you amazed at how young your faith was and how much you have learned?...Or have you become complacent and switched your faith to auto pilot? 

You can’t stand still in your faith. You either grow closer to God or you drift away.  Peter says that if we aren’t growing in Christ, our life becomes unstable and our wisdom and discernment fade as we become distracted by other things.

Centering on God develops laser focus on things that matter, and this produces righteousness and holiness.  People will say you can’t maintain that in the “real world” …but that is "the big lie". Our walk with God is “the real world” …. “the fake world” is what distracts us with temporary trinkets.

The enemy’s goal is to make you busy - so you will become preoccupied and begin the slow fade…But God not only says you don’t have to fade, but you should improve. This passage forcefully warns us that lack of growth is dangerous.

Think back to when God first opened your eyes….at a camp, a retreat, or alone in your room…wherever it was - the only thing that has changed since then is you.  God is the same…your ability to choose is the same… and God’s desire to provide grace and knowledge is the same.

The difference is that now you are distracted - and you have bought into the lie that you can’t sustain holiness in the “real world”.

Like the father of the prodigal son, God is waiting for you to turn around and “Repent and do the things you did at first” ( Rev 2:5) Get out of the fake world that has disoriented you and pursue the truth again.

Refocus on community… worship… and holiness…. Resist the slow fade and don’t be satisfied to maintain…If you are not closer to God today then you were yesterday…you wasted yesterday.

The question is not are you able to grow… It is, have you decided to? … The choice is yours - but each day you don’t decide – you are deciding.

“Spiritual growth depends on two things: first a willingness to live according to the Word of God; second, a willingness to take whatever consequences emerge as a result. “    

-Sinclair B. Ferguson

Philippians 3:8 11/5/2019*

“What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my LORD, …”

How much time do you invest in knowing Christ?

I’m not asking how often you go to church… I am asking how often you spend time personally getting to know Jesus?

If you were trying to get to know me …you could talk to my friends … look at my social media… examine how I influence others…But the best way to know me is to spend time with me.

So again, I will ask you…how much time do you spend getting to know Christ?

It matters…Paul says it holds surpassing value and everything else in your life pales in importance to your relationship with Jesus. 

Unfortunately, we sometimes focus more on knowing about Jesus, instead of actually getting to know Him.  It is a subtle difference, but important…God says it like this… “be still and know that I am God”. He invites us to enter into His presences and fellowship with Him.

Is that a habit you cultivate?

If not let me challenge you to start today…In Matthew 6 it says “…when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father…” That means set aside time to stop and be alone with God. Leave your computer and your phone somewhere else. No multi-tasking …simply focus on talking and listening to God.

Start with confession and repentance – move into praise and gratefulness - and then spend some time praying through scripture that you’re trying to apply in your life. Be still and allow your heart to speak to His - and His heart to speak to yours.

Scripture plus prayer equals a conversation with God.

This will be harder than you think…and I believe it is because the enemy desperately doesn’t want it to become a habit. The routine of being alone with God will change you and deepen your knowledge of Him.

How long you spend is up to you…but keep in mind that the only way to know someone is to spend time with them. And everything in your life is insignificant compared to the “surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus”.

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” ― A.W. Tozer

Matthew 19:23 10/29/2019*

“Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.”

This passage confuses people because our churches have quit preaching God’s requirement of complete commitment.  Many churches today preach a Jesus that would have run after this young man to negotiate…. They often proclaim Christ as Savior but rarely refer to Him as Lord.

We have forgotten that sometimes the bible says hard things, but they are never suggestions. So instead of obedience we have created a biblical buffet where we pick and choose what we like out of the bible and ignore the things that bother us. If we don’t agree with what the bible says about marriage, our role in the church, how we are to respond when mistreated, or any other issue…We explain the verse away and assume God would not require obedience if it doesn’t make us happy.

But that is not the Jesus we see in this passage. What Jesus demanded was hard – And with one look into the eyes of Christ the young man knew there was no need to make a counteroffer… The price of discipleship is everything….  You either follow God - or you don’t… and obeying only what you are comfortable with is not following God - it is following yourself.

Like a loving parent, God has given guidelines for your protection. He has pointed out sin so it will not overtake you. He has written truths that are nonnegotiable. God does not give recommendations He gives commandments. And they are to be obeyed not debated.

Our fatal flaw is believing that what we want, and what we need are always the same thing… so we change His word to fit our lives, instead of changing our lives to fit His word …which insures there is never a need for submission or obedience.

God loves you deeply…. but He did not die on the cross to make you happy…He died to make you Holy. It is what you were created for, and only holiness will fill the void in your life and bring lasting joy and true freedom.

 

“More than once Jesus deliberately addressed certain issues that quickly diminished the number of onlookers. It was commitment that thinned the ranks.”
- Chuck Swindoll