James 5:16 6/29/2021*

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”

We don’t confess our sin to each other very often.  Because that would infringe on our national pastime of presenting a perfect self-image to the world. 

 
We use “filtered” photographs, staged activities, and blatant lies to present a deceptive picture of who we are…. 

Why would we ruin all that by telling someone the truth?

 
We might “humble brag” by confessing a struggle with pride or self-discipline.  But our propensity to tell the truth diminishes as the sin gets less socially acceptable.

Pornography, alcohol abuse, and drug addictions are less likely to be shared and the probability lessens as we get into sexual deviance, theft, and acts society deems as “darker” sins.…. We not only don’t confess these… we deny them.

  
This obsession with hiding our flaws and fighting our addictions by ourselves is the enemy’s greatest tool.  Our insistence on handling problems alone makes us vulnerable like an antelope that has wandered away from the herd. 

We hide our sin in the dark and put up a façade…. but sin flourishes in the dark, so God tells us to drag it out into the light.

  
Your first step is to find some loyal brothers and come clean about your struggle, then together you devise a plan to eliminate this sin from your life. 

The unmentionable wickedness that has paralyzed you for so long is a paper tiger… and if you will stop trying to be The Lone Ranger - stop hiding in the shadows - and reach out to some friends … its lack of power will become evident.

That does not mean to post it on Facebook or shout it in the streets.  It means to find some buddies you trust – tell them you need help and get their commitment to hold you accountable and to pray for you …. Resolve to remove this sin from your life whatever it costs …and according to God, the prayers of your friends will “accomplish much”.

  
Life is not an individual activity…it is a team sport, and we must have each other’s back…Be courageous enough to tell the truth, and watch the truth set you free. 

“The confession of evil works is the first beginning of good works.” - Saint Augustine

PSALM 23:1 6/22/2021*

 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

This Psalm begins with a massive truth - and then immediately inserts what should be the result of that truth.
 
The Shepherds in David’s day lived with their sheep. And unlike western Shepherds, they did not drive them - they led them. The sheep recognized their Shepherd and followed him wherever he went. In times of danger, they would move toward their protector.
 
Does that describe your relationship with the Lord? 
 
It seems at times I run to God only after I have run everywhere else.  I turn to Him after I have tried to fight the wolves on my own. Then after struggling - I come bruised and bloodied to Jesus so He can rescue me.

Sheep are not the brightest animals in the pasture, but at least they know what to do when they are threatened. It would seem useful for me to learn that principle myself.
 
The second phrase, “I shall not want”  means I will have all I need - but the wording also illuminates another important message for me.  
 
Not only will I not be in need - but If the Lord is my Shepherd - I should not want anything more than I have. I should understand that He knows what I need - and He knows what I don’t need. I ought to trust in what I am given and what I am denied with equal enthusiasm.  In other words, I should practice contentment.
 
How about you? ...When you wake up in the morning would you describe your mood as content? Or would you use words like anxious, worried, or exhausted? Those are words used to describe Sheep with no Shepherd. Those are words that describe someone fighting their own battles.
 
A lamb is safest when he is close to the shepherd.  Do you trust Jesus as your Shepherd? Do you move close to Him when you are threatened and rest comfortably in His protection…or do you “want”? 
 
Practice relaxation and contentment today…He has given you what you need.

Even though the wolves prowl nearby - if you stay close to The Shepherd, all they can do is growl - Because He that is in you, is greater than He that is in the world.
 
“Safety comes in our nearness to God, not in our distance from our enemies.” ― Dillon Burroughs
 
 
 

Numbers 12: 1-3 6/15/2021*

 Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard this.…. At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you.”

This may be the first recorded “trip to the woodshed” in biblical history.

Miriam and Aaron didn’t agree with some life choices Moses had made so they spoke out against God’s chosen leader.  The part of the passage that gets my attention is … “the Lord heard this”. 

That should be enough reading for the day. That should stop us in our tracks and give us something to think about.

At times I say things about God’s children that are not uplifting… this is usually done to elevate myself….and the problem is, the Lord hears it.

Miriam and Aaron started belittling Moses and God’s immediate response was “the four of us are going to have a discussion”.  I bet that was a long walk out to the tent for Aaron and Miriam. 

I remember in High School my typing teacher sent a message to my coach asking him to visit with me and my buddies at practice about being quieter in class…Coach sent back a message instructing her to have us come see him immediately…. that was a long walk as well.

I am aware that my kids aren’t perfect…but I would not respond well to someone degrading them - and it would be downright dangerous to demean them to their mother.

God is like that.  His servants aren’t perfect, but you should be careful if you plan to ridicule a child of God in public…because this scripture says God hears that…and He is partial to His kids.

Decide this morning to only say things that are “helpful for building others up according to their needs”.  If you do this, you will strengthen others - and avoid future long walks out to the woodshed with the Father.

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."
- Leo Buscaglia

Malachi 4: 2-3 6/8/2021*

 ^“But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and frolic like calves from the stall.” 
 
After the “Snow Apocalypse” last February – When the sun reemerged, I sat outside and let it warm me. The stress from the cold nights without water or power melted away and the warmth brought joy and energy because it signaled the end of the blizzard.
 
I believe it will be that way after the apocalypse of living a lifetime in this frozen world with its pain and disappointment …When I get to Heaven, the Son will warm my soul and bring it back to life. The stress will melt away and be replaced with the soothing Love of God.
 
That expectation is not a fictional concept designed to appease me – it is a trusted fact that my life is built upon - It is a game changer. This deliverance is the promise I count on.  It is my true North, and everything I do should be congruent with that calling. Time spent resting in the love of my Father is a beneficial habit that brings joy in this life - and it will be the glory of the next one.
 
However, some who are caught in this storm are not aware that there is a way out…they wander through life with no hope or direction.  Each day is just one escape after another – never knowing what they are pursuing. 
 
But that is not what we were created for...
 
It is true that in this world… we will endure trials and tribulations as Christ did - But we are not lost, or alone. We have a purpose and a promise. God walks with us, and He has given us His Word as a compass. We must use it to set our path out of the blizzard… and show others how to use the compass to help them find the healing warmth of the Son.
 
The Joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10) and that joy comes when you realize that this cold world is not your home - you are just passing through… Resting in the warmth of God’s glory is your final destination.
 
“Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.”  -  C. S. Lewis
 
 

2 Kings 22:12-13 6/1/2021*

"…When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes…. Great is the Lord’s anger that burns against us because those who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book…”

The law is not soothing. The words of this book expose our sin and lead us to Christ. 

But our tendency is to downplay sin…we prefer to say we made a “mistake” or “slipped up” …. Instead of meeting our rebellion head on, we compartmentalize our sins and as long as they don’t fall outside our acceptable circle, we are content to believe that we “aren’t that bad”.

But that is not how God sees sin. God sees it as a grave violation of His holiness and the reason for the agonizing death of His only begotten Son.

We need to respond like King Josiah. Sin should produce remorse that ruins us.  We need confession and repentance - not minimization and denial. Sin is catastrophic.  The word itself should taste bad leaving your mouth.

Not owning the fact that we need forgiveness is the stumbling block many of us trip over…. When I was a coach, there were parents who could not accept that their kids were sinners. 

They would say “deep down he is a good kid” …. No, he is not …and neither are we…. In our DNA is a destructive, self-centered disease that we are born with – It is an affront to God and causes His anger to burn toward us. It must be destroyed.

There is only one therapy that will eliminate it and that is the complete submersion in the blood of Christ.

Christianity is not a sweet story intended to give you a warm feeling inside…. It is a narrative of redemption and rescue. It is a story of deliverance from a toxic, deadly virus at an unmentionable price.

The bible is extreme about sin and grace. And I must be an extremist in these areas also. If you are to understand the depth and width of the love of God – you must first grasp the horror and depravity of your sin. And your response should be like King Josiah’s… “tear your robe”, confess, and commit to repentance and change.

“Self-centered indulgence, pride and a lack of shame over sin are now emblems of the American lifestyle.” -  Billy Graham

Psalm 59:16-17 5/25/2021*

“But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely.

On whom do you rely?

David wrote this psalm when King Saul had men hunting him in order to kill him.  The government is after David – the king of the land has issued a death warrant ….and David’s response is to wake up in the morning and start singing praises to the Lord.

I also claim to rely on God yet feel anxiety at the slightest hint of danger. Any threat, credible or not, can destroy my peace and send me into an episode of dwelling on the most catastrophic possible outcomes of my situation.

So, there appears to be a disconnect in what I say I believe, and how I live my life. And it seems to be related to my lack of understanding of the last phrase of this passage… “on whom I can rely”.

So, let me ask you again…who do you rely on?  When it comes down to it what is your fortress?  What do you trust in times of trouble? …Is it your money?  Is it your ability to avoid problems? … or maybe your connections to powerful people?

Those are all things we run to – but none of them are reliable. David’s peace is unshakable because his reliance is on God.

In this fallen world there are terrible threats. There are real dangers – but your God is powerful – He loves you and paid an incredible price to redeem you.  God withheld nothing when it came to purchasing your salvation, and He will not abandon you now. …Rest in that truth.

Make God your refuge during this time of trouble.  As you wake up this morning with dogs growling at the door … choose to sing praises to God. Choose to implicitly trust in the one you can rely on.  

Intentionally put your faith in your Father’s love…bank on it… rest in it…Let God be your refuge, and when fear knocks at your door - let your songs of praise drowned out its lies.

"Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God."
– Corrie Ten Boom

Ezekiel 31:10 - 11 5/18/2021*

 “Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because the great cedar towered over the thick foliage, and because it was proud of its height, I gave it into the hands of the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with according to its wickedness.”

I wonder how long I will read the bible before I stop being surprised at God’s reaction to Pride.  Taking credit for what God has given and lording it over others is considered wickedness in God’s sight.

I am quick to point out wickedness - and there is plenty around these days … But I seldom view my arrogance as an example of it.  However, God does… and considering its destructiveness I see why God’s is disgusted by it.

lucifer was cast out of Heaven because of pride.  Adam and Eve were evicted from the garden because of arrogance…. And in this passage, a ruler is brought down due to conceit… Pride is the original sin and is devastating.

We are ripped apart by its poison. Family members do not speak to each other because of pridefulness. We split from friends when we are offended.  Culturally, we divide into tribes and separate from each other based on meaningless differences. People are depressed and angry because their self-importance is not recognized.

Our society has found ways to tolerate and even celebrate this venom. We call it self-reliance, or confidence…. but when that confidence is not based on the power of God - He calls it wickedness.

We call ourselves self-made men…but how ill-informed is that? We didn’t make anything …. We were made in the image of God, and by the power of God.  That, and that alone, is why we are valuable.

Pride is a toxin that we carry within ourselves. If it is in your heart, you may rest assured it is not dormant.  It is growing and has plans to destroy you and separate you from those you love.  Pride is a product of ignorance and is the most destructive force in human history. 

Do not celebrate it, do not tolerate it, and do not ignore it….  It is a viper in your home. Make it your mission to root it out and eliminate it today.

“Let us measure ourselves by our Master, and not by our fellow-servants: then pride will be impossible.” - Charles Spurgeon

 

 

 

 

Colossians 3:13 5/11/2021*

“…Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
 
This will be a rough ride this morning so continue reading at your own risk. 
 
Can any of us forgive as the Lord forgave us?
 
When I think of the people, I have “forgiven” I feel virtuous…but my reconciliation efforts pale in comparison to what God has done for me.
 
For the record:
- No one has brutalized and put my child to death. 
- No one has continued to attack me after receiving my forgiveness.
- No one has accepted my forgiveness and then ignored me until they needed something else.
- No one takes my forgiveness and then continues to do the same thing repeatedly still expecting to fellowship with me.
 
So, this verse is a mystery…but if God means what He says, (and He always does) then we have an immense amount of work to do. 
 
First, we must define the standard…how does God forgive? 
 
God’s forgiveness separates me from my sin as far apart as the east is from the west” (Psalms 103:12). Is that how you forgive?  Is the sin of the person you forgave far away from them… or is your forgiveness partial and conditional?
 
Do you say, “I’ll forgive you, but I won’t forget”? - God says, “I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." (Hebrews 8:12)
 
Is the one you have forgiven permanently stained by the act they committed? - God says, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow" (Isaiah 1:18)
 
That is the target. The bar has been set and will not be lowered.  I warned you this would be a rough ride… but God said what He said… By the way Jesus re-enforces this with His parable of the unforgiving slave. (Matthew 18:21-35)
 
This kind of supernatural forgiveness can only be achieved through the power of the Holy Spirit and the strength to do it can only be found on your knees.  Take God at His word and determine to obey.
 
“Forgive as the Lord forgave you” … Six little words that will change your life. It will be the hardest thing you have ever done, and it will provide the greatest freedom you have ever experienced…both for you and the one you forgive.
 
“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” - Lewis B. Smedes

PSALM 23:3 5/4/2021*

“He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness. For the sake of His name.”

If there is one thing in life that I need it is to be restored. “He restores my soul” is a powerful statement that brings peace over me when I read it. 

Each day is a battle that I often feel battered and depleted after fighting, and this verse says that HE restores me… God Himself, like a loving parent restores my soul…not my bible reading…not my quiet time…just His loving power – redeems and rejuvenates me.

Don’t miss this offer…. Is there anything in life you need more than to be restored?  

Can you imagine the freedom of being forgiven and allowed to drop all the baggage you have been carrying? Can you think of anything better than permanently erasing all the mistakes and sin in your past and being able to look in the mirror and like what you see?

Most people would give all they have to be renewed - and yet every morning when you meet with God that is on the table. 

Restoration is clearly and powerfully offered each day and instead we leave it and try to restore ourselves. But redemption is His business and only He has the power to restore you.

After restoring you, He also guides you– Like He did the Israelites, with shade in the daytime and warmth and light at night. God does not give you a map and point the way to righteousness - He grabs your hand and leads you down the path.

The end of this verse tells you why …You bear His name…You are His child…He loves you and paid an inconceivable price for your redemption.

No matter how lost you have become he will restore your soul. Stop fruitlessly trying to repair yourself. Quit wandering aimlessly. And start reaping the benefits of being a child of the King.  Turn to Him and He will restore you, guide you, and embrace you as His own. 

“God is able to fix that which is broken so that what stands repaired is immeasurably greater than that which stood before... Therefore, the most staggering brokenness conceivable is in reality the greatest opportunity imaginable.”
― Craig D. Lounsbrough

 

 

James 1:2-4 4/27/2021*

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
 
This is a command not a suggestion.  It does not say “try” to consider it joy…it says to do it.
 
That seems counterintuitive.  Joy is the last thing that naturally comes to mind when things go wrong - and yet there it is in black and white…” consider it pure joy.”  
 
I suppose God knew this would confuse us because He explains in the next verse that the result of struggling is perseverance. It makes you stronger and braver.  Once you have endured something you do not fear it anymore…That is called Spiritual maturity.   
 
We are not supposed to relish trouble. But this passage says that it will come, and when it does, we should view it as spiritual weightlifting.  We should understand that overcoming problems builds spiritual muscle.
 
I have never been one of those guys who enjoyed the weight room…but I appreciated the results. Working out made me more effective on the field and allowed me to avoid injury. And while it was at times exhausting, there was a sort of joy that came from knowing you were improving.
 
Spiritually, that is what trials do. God is instructing us that when we go through rough waters, we are to appreciate the results of the struggle, and avoid self-pity by focusing on the growth. We must realize that the fight is making us better.
 
Our “instant gratification culture” does not produce or appreciate patience and endurance, but they are game changers.  Endurance is most often the difference between failure and success. You never truly fail until you stop trying – so endurance breeds accomplishment.
 
Each time you fall down and then get back up - you are encouraged, and your enemies are disheartened …So get up one more time. Make note of what you have learned - and try again.
 
Like most people, I would love to stay on the mountain top…but nothing grows up there.  Periodically we must travel through the valley to allow things to flourish.
 
"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened..."
 - Helen Keller