The Outcome Is In God’s Hands

Verse of the day: Matthew 10:14 And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.

Over the years, I have been involved with many evangelistic programs, and have done the one thing that used to intimidate me…going door to door. I had a great fear of talking to people I did not know, about Jesus. However, the fear of not doing what God called me to do, and the fact that by being in ministry I had to be the example, overrode my fear of approaching people. Surprisingly, especially while on mission trips, I found that more often than not, people would talk to us and many were receptive to the message we were bringing to them. Was there rejection? Yes, of course. Jesus told us to expect rejection, persecution, and hatred, toward us because of Him and His message (Jn 15:18-25). The reality of sharing the Gospel is that there will be people who will reject the message, and even persecute us for it. Sadly, what happens is that we take the rejection personally, and we forsake the command that we have been given to preach to Gospel to every creature; to go out and win them, teach them, disciple them (Mk 16:15; Mt 28:18-20). In this verse, Jesus is telling those that He has sent out how to respond to those that reject the message of the Kingdom of God. Prior to this He tells them to take nothing with them, as they were to rely completely on God to supply their needs while they served Him (v. 9-10). They were to enter the houses of whatever cities they went to and if they were welcomed after greeting them, that is where they would stay for the night and bring the message to, and if they were rejected they were to show that they too were rejected by the shaking off of the dust of their feet. Jesus was very clear that this rejection had eternal consequences for those who failed to accept the message (v. 11-15). Not only were these messengers going to be rejected, but many could face persecution (v. 16-26). They were instructed to leave whatever cities they were persecuted in and go to the next. Today, it is no different. We get discouraged and quit sharing Christ because we cannot handle the rejection and fear the persecution. A part of the problem, at least in many of the “door to door” ministries I have been involved in, is that too many Christians are taught they not only have to share Jesus, but they also have to “seal the deal”. In other words, not only do we have to tell them about Jesus, but we have to get them to pray the sinner’s prayer with us. If we get back to the church building without getting at least one person to pray with us, we are often made to feel like we failed; especially when you go out with the church “salesman” who can sell ice to an Eskimo in the middle of winter. The truth of the matter is that we are told to go out and preach the Gospel, then if someone does accept God’s message, we are to teach them and disciple them. However, there really is no pressure on us outside of sharing Christ. There are those who have never heard the Gospel, and we may be the first person to present it. We must give room to the Spirit to do what He does in convicting the people we encounter and share Christ with (Jn 16:8-9). Just as these messengers’ message of the Kingdom of God stood to be rejected, so we too will be rejected. We will be mocked and persecuted, some even martyred. Is that failure? No, it is not. We still gain reward for our faithfulness in doing what God has called us to do. For us, when we are obedient in sharing Christ, regardless of whether or not we are accepted, we are rewarded. As a matter of fact, Jesus told us to rejoice when we are persecuted for His sake, because we have reward in Heaven for that persecution (Mt 5:10-12). We must be steadfast, and immoveable in our service to the Lord (1 Cor 15:58), and as we faithfully share God’s message, there will be occasions when we will meet someone who is ready to accept Jesus; that one person who has heard the message before, but is now ready to accept. Jesus told His disciples, and it applies to us, that they will reap where they have not sown, but will also receive a reward for having a part in bringing that person(s) to Christ (Jn 4:34-38). Any time we have the opportunity to share Jesus with someone, regardless of their reaction to it, we are doing what we are called to do. It is not for us to worry about the outcome, we must be obedient to doing what we have been commanded to do, and trust God for the results. We will never lose by being faithful to God, even when man rejects our faithfulness. Jesus suffered greatly for our sake, why can’t we be willing to suffer a little for the sake of sharing His message, and possibly seeing another soul saved for His glory?

Jesus died for all of us. Today, He extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Soothing the Pain of Betrayal

Verse of the day: Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.

King David, in this verse, seems to be reminding Himself, as a means of finding comfort, that when we hurt the most we need to bring our burden(s) to the One who cares most about our well-being (1 Pt 5:7). It is generally believed that this Psalm was penned as the result of King David’s son Absalom’s rebellion, and the betrayal of King David’s most trusted adviser Athithophel. Although their relationship was not as close as King David and Jonathan, they enjoyed a close friendship. For any one of us, the betrayal or forsaking of family or a close friend is a very painful situation to deal with. The betrayal of Absalom was another consequence of King David’s adulterous affair with Bathsheba (2 Sam 12:10-11). King David clearly states that his heart is severely pained at the fact that he is now, once again, running for his life from his own flesh and blood who sought his death. To add to the pain, the one person he trusted as a friend, and adviser, has sided with Absalom, who is now his enemy. In this lifetime God may allow us to experience painful situations such as this which He will use for our good to make us more like Christ (Rom 8:28-29). However, before we blame God for it, let us not forget that God is not the one who causes people to do these things. People do what they do because they are sinful, and because man was the one who made the decision to sin by disobeying God in the first place (Gen 3; Rom 5:12). Satan loves to use those closest to us to betray us and hurt us, but then direct the blame at God in order to put a wedge between us and Him. In verse 16 of this Psalm, King David records for us what his ultimate, and best, response is for this kind, or any kind, of betrayal, “As for me, I will call upon God, and the LORD will save me.” In the midst of his crying out to God for His vengeance upon this act of betrayal, King David recognized that his life was in God’s hands, and the LORD was the only one who could save him for his current circumstance. One of the best things we can do in times of painful betrayal is turn to the One Person who understands that pain more than anyone else; for Jesus Himself was betrayed by one of His own disciple, and forsaken by the rest of them (Luke 22:48; Mk 14:50). One of the end results that God expects from His children, regardless of what the circumstance or the form of betrayal, is that each of us forgive those who hurt us, and do evil against us, regardless of who they are, whether family, friend, best friend, fellow Christian, etc. (Eph 4:32). We are called to not only forgive but return good for evil (1 Pt 3:9; Pr 20:22; Rom 12:17-19). We see evidence of this by King David’s desire to see his son Absalom unharmed and how he mourned his death (2 Sam 18:32-33). In the end, King David’s life is saved, and he returns to his throne, even though he suffered the loss of his son. As for Athithophel, his betrayal of King David, and alliance to Absalom, ended in his suicide (2 Sam 17). The bottom line is that King David trusted the LORD to not only heal his pain, but also bring justice to the situation. This is the same God who is our Heavenly Father. As born again believers, we add to the pain of the moments of our betrayal when we refuse to trust God to take care of the situation. When we become bitter and unforgiving and seek our own form of justice, all we do is prolong our misery, and even make ourselves sick emotionally, spiritually, and even physically. If we choose righteousness when those who we hold dear to our hearts choose unrighteousness toward us, we know that “He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” We may not see the results of God’s vengeance right away, and we may not see healing within ourselves right away, but we must not hinder that process, and stunt our growth in Christ, by becoming, hard-hearted, stiff-necked, bitter, and unforgiving. Let us cry out unto our God, casting our burdens on Him, trusting that He will sustain us.

Regardless of what painful situation we may encounter in life, we have a God who desires to be our strength in those times of trouble. However, He wants to do it as our Heavenly Father, and not just our Creator. Today, He extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Riches: To Have or Not to Have

Verse of the day: Proverbs 28:22 A man with an evil eye hastens after riches, And does not consider that poverty will come upon him.

The subject of material riches is one that gets all kinds of reactions from Christians. For a born again believer this should not be a great difficulty. I have seen Christians actually get angry having conversations about giving. I have even heard too many of God’s children even misquote 1 Timothy 6:10 and say that “money is the root of all evil”. That is incorrect. The verse tells us that the LOVE of money is the root of all evil. Proverbs 28 is reminding us of this very thing. I will say right up front that it is not wrong or evil for a Christian to be blessed with riches, if God so desires to bless him/her with it. This verse tells us that “a man with an evil eye” is what spoils the blessing. In other words, a covetous person who goes after riches is what is not pleasing before God. 1 Timothy 6:9 tells us that those who will be rich fall into temptation, a snare, many foolish and hurtful lusts, and will end in destruction. When we read Scripture, there were men of God who had wealth, and God did not condemn them for it. As a matter of fact, God gave Solomon riches because his primary desire was to gain wisdom from God to lead His people (2 Chr 1:11-12). Will some of God’s people experience hardship and poverty? Yes they will. Jesus Himself did not choose to be born into a wealthy family. God also does not command us to give everything away and live in poverty, although there may be those times He calls us to trust Him and sacrifice what we have in order to serve Him. Sadly, too many Christians cannot seem to find the balance when it comes to material riches and money. God is clear that He loves a heart that is giving, and the Lord Himself said that, “It is more blessed to give, than to receive” (Acts 20:35). He wants us to prove Him in our giving and see if He will not bless us abundantly in return (Mal 3:10). Here is where many go astray and give with the wrong motivation. The person who loves riches, and is covetous, gives for the sole purposes of trying to gain riches in return. Our motivation for giving should be simply because God desires that we give to the poor, and be a help and blessing to those in need. He wants us to give to the work being done in the local church because of a desire to see souls saved. When we give, we must do so by faith, trusting that even if God asks us to give our last dollar, He will take care of whatever needs we may have beyond that (1 Pt 5:7). The bottom line is that not every Christian is going to be wealthy, and not every Christian is going to live in poverty. God can bless us with much or choose to have us live depending on Him for our daily bread. In either case, we should always be ready to use whatever God blesses us with to be a blessing in the life of others. When we love money more than we love God, we will fail to allow Him to use us in the way He desires. God desires that we be a people who have a bountiful eye and gives to the poor (Pro 22:9); and He desires that we give cheerfully (2 Cor 9:7); regardless of whether or not we are wealthy. Rather than focus on gaining riches, we need to make the things of God the priority, and let Him choose whether or not He wants to bless us materially. Know this, that regardless, He will always provide exactly what we need, even before we ask (Mt 6:24-34; Mt 6:8).

God has already provided for our greatest need…salvation. Today, He extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Every Sin Is Against Him

Verse of the day: Psalm 51:4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight— That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.

Sadly, this is something we do not immediately acknowledge when we sin. We often try to justify why we sin, and try to place blame on our circumstances or someone else. Too often we only confess because of the consequences or because we have hurt someone we really love and care about. However, all of that aside, the One whom we truly sin against is God. It is His Word, and His commands, that we violate. Yes, there are consequences that affect those we sin against, humanly speaking, but the priority in our repentance and confession of sin should be grounded, first and foremost, in how our relationship with God is affected. Although we are secure in our salvation, our relationship is hindered because our prayers are hindered (Ps 66:18) and our ability to hear the Spirit speaking to us is also hindered. This Psalm, written by King David in response to his sin with Bathsheba, and all that it entailed (including the murder of Uriah, her husband), is one of the reasons he was called a man after God’s own heart by God Himself (1 Sam 13:14; Acts 13:22). When Joseph was faced with his master’s wife’s sexual advances, he refused on the basis of not wanting to commit such evil wickedness against God (Gen 39:9). While God expects us to love our neighbor, and not sin against one another; our main reason for doing our best to avoid sin in our lives should be that it is an offense to God, and shows a lack of fear of, or reverence toward, God. We know that there is nothing that is hidden from the Lord. King David acknowledges this when he states, “And done this evil in Your sight”. This should be a great motivator for us to be especially careful to avoid those secret sins that no one but God sees. We live in an age of grace, and our God is a patient God; however, let us not be mistaken, our God is a God who also gets angry (Is 65:3). The bottom line is that, we must become a people who mourn our sin (Mt 5:4); not because we might get caught or because we suffered a consequence that we are looking for God to remove, or disallow. Instead, we should mourn because the offense was primarily against God. Once we have settled account with God, we must not disregard those we sin against, humanly speaking. Matthew 5:23-24 reminds us that God is not interested in our gifts when we have lingering sin against our brother/sister. We are to get right, then bring our gifts to the altar. How can we worship God, and bring praises and thanksgiving to Him when we harbor secret sins in our hearts, or refuse to repent of sins that are publicly known? When we disregard the fact that what we do we do in the sight of God, it is gross contempt against a Holy & Righteous God. The fact that He does not immediately put us to death (Acts 5:1-11) should not cause us to think that He has overlooked our sin; and for this reason we should praise our God even more so for such great grace, patience, and the forgiveness He bestows upon us. We, as born again believers should be careful to examine our lives daily, and humble ourselves before our most gracious God. Let our love for God, which is only possible because He loved us first (1 Jn 4:19), be motivation to show Him reverence by making Him the primary consideration in our attempts and strivings to live holy before Him, as He commands (1 Pt 1:15-16); truly mourning, repenting, and confessing; acknowledging that our sin is against God, above all others.

Jesus died to pay the price that belonged to us to pay. Today, He extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Be of Good Courage

Verse of the day: Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

If God has commanded something, can anyone override it? Simply put, “No.” There is no one that is greater or more powerful than our God. Even Satan who is our greatest foe is no match for our God (1 Jn 4:4). Yet, we often approach our service to God, and the promises He makes to us, as if someone can thwart God’s will and plan in our lives. We allow fear of the unknown, and fear of how we perceive those who oppose us, to hinder our ability to move forward and accomplish that which God has called us to. The end result is that we miss out on great blessings that God has in store for us. The Israelites missed out on a great blessing, and as a result wandered in the wilderness for forty years, because they lacked faith, and trusted what they saw over who God is, and what He had promised them (Deut 1:19-45). The Promise Land was already theirs because God had given it to them long before they were sent in to take possession of it; a land promised to Abraham & his descendants (Gen 12:1-3). We, like the Israelites can miss out on great blessings when we allow fear to dictate whether or not to follow through on God’s commands. God promised, if He is for us, who can be against us (Rm 8:31)? A promise was made to Israel that is a truth we can also live by, that no weapon formed against us, as His children, will prosper (Is 54:17).  Here we see that God is giving Joshua a second chance to enter the Promise Land, both he and Caleb were the only two who were ready, the first time around, to charge forward and take the land God had promised. They were the only two with enough faith to override what their eyes saw in respect to those that already occupied the land (Num 13). The same promise that God made to Joshua here about the Lord being with him wherever he goes, is the same promise made to us in Hebrews 13:5-6, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” So, what is it that keeps us from sharing the Gospel we have been commanded to share? What keeps us from serving Him within our local churches? What keeps us from giving to, and helping, others, by faith, when God commands us to, and promises to take care of our every need? Are we allowing the “giants” in our lives to make our God seem small in our own eyes? Our God is God of gods, and Lord of lords; there is no one greater (Deut 10:17). Serving God will not be without its challenges. When God commanded the Israelites to take the Promise Land, they still had to work to possess it. They still had to confront the opposition of those who already occupied it. It is no different today in our service to the Lord. He gives us our marching orders and as we move forward, we must not forget that we have an enemy that will oppose us (1 Pt 5:8-9). We have a world that opposes the things of God (Jn 15:18-25), and we have our own struggles and temptations that we must often face (Mt 26:41). However, regardless of whatever challenges we face in our service to God in ministry or in our personal, every day, lives, we have a God is bigger, greater, and who reminds us to be of good courage, nor be dismayed, for He is with us wherever we go (Mt 28:19-20).

Jesus is our Promise Land. All we need to do to take possession is call upon Him by faith. He has already conquered death and the grave. Today, He extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

He Sees It All

Verse of the day: Jeremiah 23:24 Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?” says the Lord; “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the Lord.

In this verse, the Lord is rebuking the false prophets who are prophesying in His Name, when God has not spoken to them. He is condemning these false prophets who prophesy in His Name, yet their lives and behaviors are completely contrary to those who are true followers of God, leading His people astray. Although this occurred so many years ago, today, this still holds true. We have so many who preach in the Name of Jesus, yet their hearts and intentions are corrupt. They use the Word of God for their own gain, and their secret lives do not match their public lives. However, just as God reminded those false prophets that He sees all, and nothing is hidden from Him, it would behoove us to heed the same warning today. I am not talking just about those who are pastors and teachers, I am talking to each of us who proclaim that we are followers of Jesus, but our live do not line up with what we say we believe. I am talking both to the preacher who stands before the masses preaching a false gospel, and preaching for self-gain, fame, and wealth; but also well to the lay Christian who uses the Word of God to build a façade for their “religiosity”. God warns that what we sow, we will reap (Gal 6:7). The Scripture is clear that our God is omniscient, and sees all. In Psalm 139:7-12, King David reminds us that even if we made our bed in Hell, God is there. Darkness and light are the same before God. Where can we go to hide from Him? He sees all, and knows all. 2 Chronicles 16:9 tells us that the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth. No one will escape His judgment. It is for this reason that we need not be overly concerned about those who do wickedly against us and prosper, as if this is something that will not be repaid in due time. Proverbs 11:21 tells us that the evil man will not go unpunished. Psalm 37:1-3 tells us not to envy the prosperity of the wicked. Instead, we are to trust God and do good; for the Lord, just as He sees the works of the wicked, also sees our faithfulness to Him in Christ, our service to Him, and all the good we do in Christ. What we do for Him, with the right intentions, and motivations, will be rewarded in due time (Col 3:23-24; Rom 2:6; 1 Cor 15:58). Let us not forget that God knows the intentions of the heart (Ps 44:21; Lk 16:15; Rom 8:27). God promised that false teachers would meet their judgment and punishment (2 Pt 2:4-11). Knowing that God sees all, and knows all, why would we not then do all we can to be honest in who we are in Christ? Why would we think that we can preach one thing, and live another, and God not see it? These false prophets, and today’s false teachers, are blinded by their own wickedness. Let us not, as God’s children, fall into the same trap, thinking that our secret sins are not seen by our God. Let us not think that just because we can put up a religious front before man, and God is gracious and patiently convicts and waits for us to turn back to Him, that we can deceive an omniscient, all-knowing God. Sooner or later the Lord will say, “Enough is enough.” Let us strive to live honestly before God, asking Him to show us what is in our hearts (Ps 139:23-24), cleansing us, and doing the most we can to feed the desire to live holy lives, by doing what is good and righteous before God. Let us begin today by repenting and confessing the secret sins we hold on to, knowing full well that God knows every thought, sees every action and deed, even if no one else sees them. He promises that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us of all unrighteousness (1 Jn 1:8-10).

God has provided eternal life for all of us. However, in order to receive it, we must ask for it. Today, He extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

We Should Not Be Surprised

Verse of the day: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

This morning, as my wife and I were sitting on the deck having coffee, we were aware of the fact that the forecast called for rain. The skies were partly sunny, and there was no indication that it would rain while we were out there. However, within a fairly short period of time, the dark clouds began to loom overhead, and the winds began to slowly pick up. The smell of rain was in the air, and we knew that it would only be a matter of time, even though we did not know exactly when. When the rain finally came, even though it was at a time that we did not exactly know, we were not surprised by the fact that it began to fall. For us, as born again believers, this is what the return of the Lord should be like. It will come at a time least expected, but not an event that surprises us as if we did not know it was imminent. The Apostle describes it here as a thief in the night, who comes suddenly, at night, while those in the household are asleep, and completely not expecting it; 2 Peter 3:10 describe His return in the same manner. Although the Apostle felt no need to write to them any further about the times and seasons of Jesus’ return (because they needed to know nothing else relative to His return), he did write to them of the consequences of not being ready. The sad fact is that not everyone will be saved before the Lord’s return. The unsaved, at that time, will have a false sense of security, as many of them do today, in the things of this world, and their false beliefs (v. 3). Because of their false sense of security, they see no need to change their vile and wicked ways. However, the return of the Lord will be to their destruction and to their dismay; and by then, it will be too late to be saved from the eternal consequences that even now they both ignorantly and willingly face, by their conscious choice to reject the Gospel (Jn 3:18). In verses 4-7, we are reminded that as born again believers we are children of light. We are no longer of the darkness (Col 1:13). To be a child of light is to be as one who does not slumber because there is no night. In the light the acts of wickedness, that are committed in darkness, are exposed; therefore, we should be doing whatever we can, as God’s children, in anticipation of His return, to live righteously, putting away those things that we practiced before we were saved, and putting on the new self (Eph 4:24; Col 3:10). We know that in these last days there will be scoffers, mockers, and persecutions (2 Peter 3:3-4); for this reason we must be sure that our Spiritual Armor is securely in place each day (v. 8; Eph 6:11-18). The closer we get to His return, the worse that people will get in their attitude toward God, His Word, the Gospel, and anything that has to do with the Lord. The bottom line is that not one of us who knows Jesus as Savior and Lord can claim ignorance in respect to His return. If we ignore the warnings, like the unsaved, although we have been rescued, in Christ, from condemnation (v. 9; Rom 8:1), we will be found not doing what we should be doing, and it will be to our great shame. The closer we get to His return, the more careful we must be to live holy, righteous, lives that honor God now; and the more vigilant we should be, so that even though He will come at a time least expected, it will not be an event that is a complete surprise, just as the rain falling was not a surprise this morning after the rain clouds appeared and the winds began to blow.

Once the Lord returns, it will be too late to call on Him to receive eternal life. Today, He extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Supplier of Our Strength

Verse of the day: Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Israel was in Babylonian captivity when the Prophet Isaiah wrote these words. Like the Israelites, we may find ourselves captive to certain circumstances in life. We may find ourselves trapped in unexpected financial hardships, the consequences of sinful behavior, or tribulation brought on by our refusal to follow the world’s way; whatever the situation, we may find ourselves in despair, drained physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually. Israel, often because of their own stiff-necked rebellion, found themselves having to wait on the Lord’s deliverance continually. The Old Testament saints endured while waiting for the coming of their Messiah, and today, we, His children, await His second coming as we endure the challenges of life. It is very easy to come to the place of defeat, discouragement, and a desire to just lie down and give up. We may find that as we serve the Lord, the fact that we are growing older in age, we may not have the same energy we had in our youth. Our strength may be diminishing, and as we have faced more battles, we may become weary in the fighting. In our old age we may become limited by physical infirmity, and our ability to do what we did in our youth may become a memory. However, our God offers us hope. We are assured of His return (1 Thess 4:16); but in waiting for His return we are assured strength, energy, and the ability to continue serving Him and being steadfast (1 Cor 15:58), even in the midst of the challenges this life will present. Like the eagle, who moults in its old age and renews its strength (youth), God promises that if we wait upon Him, we too will renew our spiritual strength, enabling us to endure physically, mentally and emotionally. In Christ, He gives us the ability, like the eagle, to soar above the storm clouds, and storms of life. He is still the One who calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee (Mk 4:39).  The Apostle Paul suffered many things in his service to the Lord, but his response was that he could do all things through Christ who strengthened him (2 Cor 11:23-33; Phil 4:11-13). Like a marathon runner who runs long distances, we have the ability to run the race set before us (1 Cor 9:24; Phil 3:13-14; 2 Tim 4:7-9), being refreshed and renewed by our Living Water (Jn 4:13-14). In life, we may come to the place where the pace that is required is a walk, because of age or physical limitation, but He promises that we will walk and not be weary. The bottom line is that in our life in Christ, and our service to Him, we will encounter those times when the challenges will wear us down. None of us are exempt. As we wait for the Lord, we are to continue in a life lived in integrity and righteousness (Ps 25:21). In due time He will strengthen our hearts (Ps 27:14), and deliver us from the discouragements, and disappointments we experience in this lifetime. We are to rest in Him, and not be dismayed by what we observe of the wicked prospering because their time will come to be judged, and our time will come to be forever with the Lord, in the ultimate victory (Ps 37:-9).

Our ultimate victory in life is in the Lord. However, it begins with a personal relationship with Him. Today, He extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Living is Christ; Dying Is Gain

Verse of the day: Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

The Apostle Paul was a great example of a life lived for Christ. Christ was his aim in life. So many of us look for our purpose in life, and often fail to find it, wasting much of it doing things that have no eternal worth. Many of us want to live our lives for Christ, but allow the world, and our own desire for worldly pleasures, to distract us from doing what is necessary to live for the Lord. How does our life become a life that is fully dedicated to Christ? We must purpose to know Him. This first begins with our decision to call on Him, and accept Him as Savior and Lord. We must then do all we can to become fully acquainted with who He is and what His plan is for our lives. This will require much prayer and the study of His Word. Sadly, many of us do not spend the kind of time needed, in His Word, to become that familiar with the One who gave His life for us. We must be willing to give Him room to demonstrate His power in our lives, especially during the time that we suffer for His sake (Phil 3:10). We must stop trying to be self-sufficient, and allow Him to be God in our lives, obeying His commands and doing all we can to allow the Spirit to work in us so that we are imitating Him in our words, actions, and deeds toward others. In all that we do, we must always look for opportunities to share the Gospel with the lost. This might mean simply living like we actually believe what we say we believe; being honest, choosing righteousness, and truly loving God and others, putting self aside for the sake of allowing God to open doors for us to preach His Gospel. A life lived for Christ, a life that is Christ, is not a life that seems burdensome to live. It truly is sad that we can stress ourselves, and live anxious lives, by all the things that we try to fill them with; yet, the one thing that will bring us great peace and joy is the one thing we put on the back burner every day, and only turn to it if we have anything left over to give Him. The reality of the Christian life is that Christ, prayer, and His Word, should be the priority, and foundation, of a life lived for Jesus. Our daily communion with Jesus should be the joy of our lives and the one thing we crave and pursue wholeheartedly. The Apostle, now being a prisoner for the sake of the Gospel, knew that it could cost him his life. Yet, because of the intimacy he shared with Christ, he saw death as gain and not loss. In verse 23, he states that it would be far better to face death and be with the Lord, but he selflessly acknowledged that it would be better for the Philippians if he remained and continued to minister Christ to them (v. 24-26). A life in Christ recognizes the great blessing of leaving this life and being with the Lord forevermore, but chooses selflessly to remain to continue to live out God’s plan, for His glory. The saddest commentary we can hear from a child of God is one where we want to remain here on this earth for selfish reasons; because we feel we have not experienced all that we can, or because we will no longer see family or friends, or because we feel that our family will not survive without us (as if God were not already doing that or would continue to do it after we have gone home to be with Him). The bottom line is that a life lived on earth, as a Christian, should be one completely surrendered to knowing Jesus, and living for Him, serving Him and those He puts before us. A life lived for Jesus is one that wants to remain for the sake of blessing others, and glorifying God, all the while yearning to leave this earth to gain the greater blessing of being in the presence of the Lord (2 Cor 5:6-8).

Jesus lived and died for our sake. Why not begin to live and die for His sake? Today, He extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

It’s All About Perspective

Verse of the day: Philippians 1:12 But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel,

What determines, for us, whether or not we are living a good life or a bad life? Is it based on our circumstances? Is it based on whether good things or bad things happen in our lives? Is it whether or not we are healthy or live with a disability? What makes our life a good life or a bad life? Without Jesus, we can certainly lean towards having a “woe is me” attitude about our lives. Without Jesus, we can certainly lean toward depression and despair. However, as born again believers, we can choose whether or not the life we live is a good one or a bad one. When we know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, we know we have a Living Hope. There is joy and a peace that passes all understanding (Phil 4:6-7). There is something for us to look forward to; life eternal in the presence of our God. So why is it that with all we have gained in Christ, many of us still complain about the things that happen to us in this life? The bottom line is that it comes down to perspective. Life, especially as a Christian, is not so much about what happens to us, but how we respond to what God allows to happen in our lives or even in the lives of those we know and love; the key being that it is God who is allowing or not allowing circumstances to play out the way they do. In this verse, and portion of Scripture, the Apostle Paul is reassuring the Philippians that what has happened to him, although it may appear to be a negative thing, is actually a gain for the sake of the Gospel. The Apostle Paul, when he wrote this, finds himself a prisoner in Rome, falsely accused, but still doing all he can to preach Christ. In verse 13 he reveals that his imprisonment has resulted in the palace guards, and all others, being witness to fact that his chains are in Christ; the result of preaching the Gospel. In verse 14, we are told that fellow Christians were encouraged and emboldened to preach the Gospel. In verses 15-18, the Apostle makes them aware of the fact that Christ was being preached, all to God’s glory, even though some of the motives behind it were not sincere, and done out of jealousy toward the Apostle, to do him harm. We can all learn something about responding to life’s events by taking to heart the Apostle’s response to this in verse 18, “What then?” or “But so what?” or “But it does not matter”. The end result is that people are being told about Jesus; whether for the wrong reasons or the right ones, the Name of Jesus is being preached. Sadly, we get too hung up on the negative, and it hinders our ability to continue moving forward. When we fail to put life into proper perspective (from Heaven’s perspective) we end up in despair, panicked, and becoming stagnant in our faith and service to the Lord. Romans 8:28-29 reminds us that God does work ALL things together for good (and ultimately His glory). All that He allows, if we approach it with the right attitude and perspective can be used for the furtherance of the Gospel as people around us see the peace that we have in Christ; regardless of what the circumstances are. What hinders us from viewing tribulation as a blessing is that we do not always see the good that comes out of it right away. We quickly forget that God’s timing is not our timing, and that His ways are not our ways (2 Pt 3:8; Is 55:8-9). Rather than complain and allow the devil to use our circumstances to discourage us and discourage others, let us strive to seek the good in our circumstances and see them as an opportunity to possibly share Christ with others, build our faith by trusting God for the outcome, and viewing it as an exercise in learning how to respond in a Christ-like manner to the circumstances and challenges God allows into our lives.

What seemed to be a negative thing on Calvary, ultimately became the most positive thing that has happened to mankind. Jesus, crucified for our sins, put to death, but in the end, resurrected, giving securing eternal life for us. Today, He extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Love Knows and Discerns

Verse of the day: Philippians 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,

I am sure that many of us have heard the saying, “Love is blind.” We can look at the relationship between two people who “love” each other, and can agree that in some instances that statement is true. However, for us, as born again believers, we must be careful not allow our love (biblical love) to always be blind. Here in this verse, the Apostle is encouraging the church, God’s people, to have a love that is one of knowledge and discernment. As Christians, we should be the ultimate example, in a world filled with darkness and hate, of what love looks like; for we have the One who is Love indwelling us. The Scripture is clear that regardless of how much talent we have, how many abilities or gifts we have been given by the Lord, if we have not love, we are nothing but noisy, unprofitable, and basically useless for God’s purposes (1 Cor 13:1-3). We are told to love God, our neighbor, our brothers/sisters in Christ, and husbands love your wives (Lk 10:27; Jn 13:34-35; Eph 5:25). God’s desire for us, His children, is that our love not be a stagnant love, but one that grows in abundance. However, there is a great danger that exists if our love grows without a correct knowledge of that which is ethical and divine. Our love must be balanced with the ability to discern how to love; love as defined and modeled in God’s Word. True love is demonstrated when we increase our knowledge of who Jesus Christ is, and who God is in our lives. Our Savior left us a living example of what love looks like in action. Jesus demonstrated for us what love looks like when dealing with one another, and when dealing with those who do not know Him. We have an example, and instruction, in God’s Word, on how to deal with an erring brother/sister or someone who stumbles in their walk. There is not an area of life that is left out when it comes to dealing with others in love. The problem arises when we, as born again believers, increase our love without the proper knowledge and discernment, and begin to use love as an excuse to allow sin to go unchecked. We begin to preach that God is love, and that becomes the “catch all” for allowing sinful behavior to be justified or our failure to speak out against it. We use love as a justification for not disciplining our children, and for not approaching an erring brother/sister in Christ in order to help them get back on track in their walk with the Lord. We begin to only seek out preachers that preach about God’s love, and shy away, and even criticize those who preach repentance, judgment, and eternal condemnation. Yes, God is a God of love, God is love, but He is also a just God, who someday will judge sin and the sinner who rejects Jesus Christ. As Christians, we are called to judge (discern) the actions of others without being judgmental; seeking to reconcile those who stumble (Gal 6:1-5). The bottom line is that God wants us to continually grow in our love, but that growth should be in line with the increase of our knowledge of Jesus and His Word, and the increase of our ability to discern what is biblically true and morally right. Blind love will only lead us down a dangerous path of allowing that which is unacceptable before God to continue unchecked, without conviction, and ultimately damaging to the cause of Christ. Jesus loved the Samaritan woman at the well, but He did not overlook her sin (John 6). He loved the man with the infirmity of thirty-eight years, healed him, but did not overlook his sin (John 5). Jesus loved the woman caught in adultery, forgave her, but did not overlook her sin (John 8). Our love should drive us to want the best for our fellow brother/sister in Christ, and give us a desire to introduce the lost to Jesus. To use love as a justification for not lovingly confronting someone about a sinful behavior is to show a lack of love. Proverbs 27:6 tells us that faithful are the wounds of a friend. Our love must promote righteousness, and encourage holy living. Verse 10 tells us that as our love abounds with knowledge and discernment, we will be able to choose what is best, pure, and blameless, until the day of the Lord’s return; resulting in us being filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes from Jesus; and more importantly resulting in God’s glory and praise (v. 11).

That greatest act of love was manifested on a cruel cross, on a hill called Calvary, where Jesus laid down His life for us. Today, He extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Godly Submission (Part 4)

Verse of the day: Ephesians 6:5 Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; 

The Apostle Paul, after addressing the relationship between husband and wife, and parent and child, in the area of submission, now deals with the relationship between master and servant. Today, we can apply this principle to our employer/employee relationships. I have said this before, but too many Christians today, in their attitude and lack of work ethic, have done more to bring shame to their testimony by their lack of integrity in getting things done properly in the workplace. The key to our ability to submit to our employers or those who have authority over us in our places of employment begins with our relationship with the Lord. The Apostle urges servants to be obedient to their masters, with reverence, careful not to offend, and with sincerity, as to Christ; meaning that our attitude should be that we do what we do because of our worship and reverence to the Lord. We are to work for our employers as if we are doing it for the Lord, because we are. Colossians 3:23-24 tells us that we are to do all that we do as unto the Lord because it is from Chris that we receive our reward; and it is Christ that we serve. In essence, when we submit to anyone who is in authority over us, we submit to the Lord. There is a common thread in this principle of submission in all three of the relationships that the Apostle discusses in this epistle. The common thread is that those that have God-given authority are not to abuse that authority or command those that are called to submit to do anything that is morally wrong before the Lord. A husband must not force his wife to do that which is contrary to God’s Word. A father must not wrongfully discipline his child or force him/her to do that which is immoral or contrary to God’s Word, and the master (employer) is not to command the servant (employee) to do that which violates God’s Word or that which is prohibited by law. In this chapter, verse 9, the Apostle warns masters/employers, that the same God who is the God of the servant/employee, is the same God of the master. God is not partial to either, and will judge them equally. Therefore, the master/employer also has a moral responsibility to do what is right in respect to his relationship to the servant/employee. While the servant/employee is commanded to do what he/she does for their master/employer, he/she is to do it to please God and not man (v. 6-7). We must remember, that whether we are gathered socially, or at work, as born again believers, we represent Jesus. Our workplace is also our mission field, and our attitude and work ethic can make or break whether or not we will have an opportunity to share Christ with our coworker(s), or even our employer(s). We are to be faithful in carrying out our duties for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Gospel. We are to be diligent to put our whole energy into doing our jobs so that our reputation is one that honors God. We are to be patient and avoid temper tantrums over duties that we knew we would have to carry out when we accepted our position, and do all things without murmuring. Philippians 2:14-15 instructs us to do all things without complaining in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, that our light in Christ would shine brightly in this dark world. We are to be one of the most cheerful people in our workplace as we carry out the duties we promised to fulfill when we accepted the position we were given by our employer(s). We do this knowing that all that we do will not be done in vain, because it is our Lord who will ultimately reward us for our labor (1 Cor 15:58).

Jesus submitted to doing that which was difficult, and painful, but He did it with the joy of knowing it would afford us eternal life. Today, He extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Godly Submission (Part 3)

Verse of the day: Ephesians 6:4 And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

Today, as we celebrate Father’s Day, let us remember the greatest Father to ever exist, our Heavenly Father, who has provided for us eternal life in Jesus Christ; takes cares of our every needs, and is the ultimate example of what a father should be. The Apostle Paul, after addressing the marriage relationship, in respect to submission, now deals with the parent child relationship, with instructions to both the children and the fathers. In verses 1-2 he begins with commanding the children to obey (submit to) and honor their parents. The children are to honor both the father and the mother; a command that is repeated over and over again in Scripture (Ex 20:12; Deut 5:16; Mt 15:4; Mk 7:10; 10:19). This is a command that has no “expiration date”, and is one with promise. The promise is that obedience to this command will be followed by blessings. However, the main motivation is not the blessings, but the obedience to God’s will as it pertains to the relationship of a child and a parent. Jesus submitted to the authority of his parents, and is the ultimate example (Lk 2:51). As there is great responsibility placed upon us as sons and daughters to honor our parents, regardless of how old we get, there is also great responsibility placed on us as parents in raising our children; and in this case in particular, fathers. The Word of God is very clear that we are to teach our children the ways of the Lord, and if we do this faithfully, regardless of what path our children take, they will always come back to what they have been taught about the Lord when they are older (Pr 22:6). Part of training up our children involves their discipline. Sadly, too many fathers today are not around for their children, and if they are, too many fail to discipline them as they should. Society has made it taboo to discipline our children, and in many cases has even made it illegal. Yet, the undisciplined child grows up to be undisciplined in their living, and takes a path that is troublesome to society, and inevitably the same society that frowns upon discipline turns around and blames the parent for not properly raising the child. I will say this clearly…especially for Christian parents; a refusal to discipline our children is disobedience to the Word of God. Proverbs 13:24 tells us that if we spare discipline, we hate our children. Proverbs 22:15 tells us that discipline drives out the foolishness in the heart of a child. The Apostle Paul instructs fathers to not provoke his children to wrath, or anger. What does that mean? It means that we, as fathers, must be careful about how we discipline our children. We must avoid discipline that is applied while we are angry. We must avoid placing unreasonable blame and expectations, as well as avoid severe discipline that is unnecessary and inappropriate for whatever circumstance we are dealing with. In Hebrews 12 we are reminded that God disciplines us when we need it, but He does so in our best interest because it produces holiness, and righteousness, in our lives. It also tells us that as earthly fathers we discipline for selfish reasons. One of the reasons that many children rebel against their parents, besides a lack of discipline, is that many parents want their children to follow a bunch of rules without making an attempt to have a relationship; “rules without relationship equals rebellion”. Rather than immediately looking to discipline our children for every little thing we think is wrong, we need to first step back and ask ourselves if what they did was a mistake or an intentional act of disobedience. Then, we must look for an opportunity to turn the situation into a teaching moment using the Word of God. We must follow through in the discipline, explaining why they are being disciplined, asking them to explain it back to us so that we know they understand. Once that has happened, in my own approach, I would always send them away to think on it, and later call them back to have them explain it to me again. The session always ended with a reminder that I love them and with a big hug and kiss. The greatest thing that we can do as fathers is show our children how much we love them and our family by being the example of what it means to live a godly life before God. They must see us studying and applying the Word of God. They must see us pray and trust God for the provision of the family, and they must see that our worship of God, and relationship with Jesus, is the greatest priority in our lives. This is not to say that we are not going to make mistakes as fathers. However, when we do, we must teach them that we have a God who is gracious, forgiving, and loving, even when we stumble, and when we come to Him in repentance and confession. We teach this to them by also treating them that way when they stumble and make the wrong choices that they will make in life. For this reason we never discipline our children without ending it on a loving note. The greatest accomplishment we can achieve as fathers is to lead our children to a true relationship with Jesus Christ; and as we teach them, and they grow into adulthood, that we trust them to continue in the faith, trusting the Lord to guide them and take care of them. I would remind us as fathers that regardless of how old are children get, we are still accountable for guiding them and holding them accountable for ungodliness. Eli the priest was held accountable by God for the misbehavior of his sons, even as adults. Let us strive to be the best, godly fathers, we can be; for the benefit of our children, and for the glory of God!

Even if our earthly fathers fail us, we have a God who never fails, and wants to be our Heavenly Father. He wants us to be a part of His family through a personal relationship with Jesus. Today, He extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Godly Submission (Part 2)

Verse of the day: Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

The first earthly relationship the Apostle deals with regarding this command to submit is that of the husband and wife. Sadly, in today’s society, quoting this verse is equivalent to using foul language in front of a woman. Too many of God’s people have adapted the world’s view of marriage when it comes to submission and it has not worked well for Christian marriages. Women have bought into “women’s lib”, and sadly, usurped the God-given authority of the husband in the home; only to find that after some time the husband no longer has any interest in remaining in that marriage. By the same token, many Christian men have contributed to this problem by becoming tyrants in their families, causing their wives to have no desire to respect, honor, or follow such a man. If we as Christian men and women really made an honest effort to live out our roles as godly husbands and wives, living in accordance to the boundaries God set for marriage (and keeping the Lord at the center of our relationships), we would make greater efforts to keep our families intact, and would be able to overcome whatever obstacle and challenges we face as husbands and wives. The responsibility for the wife to submit to her own husband is first grounded in the fact that it is a command from God. She is to submit to her own husband, as unto the Lord. She is called to be his helpmate, and is to make him the next most important person in her life, after the Lord, and before their children. Yes, I said it…before the children. One of the saddest things I have seen, and experienced, is Christian families where the relationships are wrongly prioritized. In the beginning, when God created man (Adam), the first relationship to exist was God and man (Gen 1:26). After this relationship, then God created the relationship between the man and woman; husband and wife (Gen 2:18, 21-25); God still remaining as the foundation. It was only after these two relationships came into existence, that the relationship between parents and children came onto the scene (Gen 4:1-2). Today, this order of priority must still exist in order for us to have solid Christian marriages. The Apostle makes it clear that as Christ is the head of the church, so the husband is the head of the wife in the marriage relationship (v. 23). This puts a great responsibility on both husband and wife. A church that fails to keep Christ at the center of its worship and all it does, and submit to His authority, eventually dies. Likewise, when the wife refuses to submit and honor her husband, the marriage eventually dies. The husband who fails to truly love His wife and make the sacrifices called for in order to be the head of the family and lead his family in accordance to God’s will and plan, will also cause that marriage to shipwreck. In verse 24, the Apostle clearly states that wife must submit to their own husband in everything, not in the things she may deem to be best because she refuses to follow him. Here is where I want to speak to husbands. Men, if we truly want wives who will submit to our God-given authority, then we must truly make a great effort to be godly leaders. That means that the Lord must be the center of our lives. We must not only desire to know His Word, but we must diligently read and study the Scriptures, prayerfully make decisions, and treat our wives like the treasures they are. The Word of God tells us that we are to honor our wives as the weaker vessels (1 Pt 3:7). Note that he says “honor”. Many women are physically weaker than men, but it does not mean that they are weaker in their intellect. They may be weaker in respect to their emotions, but many are strong enough to withstand great trials when they are walking with the Lord. They are our fellow heirs in Christ, and we are not to put them down, humiliate them or abuse them. We are not to be tyrants and force them to submit to us. We must treat them like the valuable treasures that they are, handling them with great care as to not shatter them. The Apostle Peter tells us that we are to live with them in knowledge. In other words, we must make a real effort to know them; to know what makes them tick. We must not hinder their relationship with the Lord and keep them from worshiping the Lord. We must encourage them in their walk by being the godly example that they can follow, as they walk with the Lord. We must recognize their strengths in the marriage and be partners in the decisions we make about our families. Even though we are called to have the final say in matters of the family, we must not dismiss our wives’ opinions or expertise in areas that we may be weak in. We must not use our God-given authority to try and force our wives to do things that are immoral, or that violates God’s Word. When a godly wife sees that her husband is making a genuine effort to lead his family in the ways of God, she will be encouraged to submit to him, honor him, and follow him. When the husband sees that his godly wife is genuinely submitting to him and honoring him, he will do all he can to love her sacrificially, as the Lord sacrificed Himself for the church. The bottom line is that we both have a responsibility to submit; the wife to her husband, and the husband to the Lord. If we truly want a wife who will submit to us as unto the Lord, then we must be a husband who is willing to submit, in love and service to his wife, submitting ourselves to the Lord Jesus, and treat her like she is the most valuable treasure we have. Note: this is only the tip of the iceberg, as marriage is a subject that cannot be covered in one devotional thought.

Jesus submitted to the Father’s plan for our salvation. Today, He extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Godly Submission (Part 1)

Verse of the day: Ephesians 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

The subject matter for this series of devotionals will be one that will be “hard to swallow” for some of us in this day and age; yes, even those of us who are followers of Jesus. As born again believers we ought to be the living examples of what it means to live a life of submission; first to God, then to all those who God commands us to submit to. Note that I did not say “suggests”. Submission is a command. God does not talk about submission as something that is optional. He calls us to submit, not just to Him, but to one another. We cannot say that we love Jesus, then live a life of rebellion toward His Word and toward those that He commands us to submit to (John 14:15). We live, especially today, in a rebellious society; one that has no respect for authority, whether God’s or man’s. We live in a time when the majority of people, Christians included, do not like being told what to do, even if it is reasonable, and does not violate God’s Word. Why? The root of our rebellion and disobedience is pride. Our pride makes us stubborn and even when we are clearly wrong we still refuse to submit to those whom God calls us to submit to. Sadly, those who are in a position of authority, even biblical authority, abuse their position and power, and are often the cause of such rebellion. Before addressing the earthly relationships in respect to submission, the Apostle Paul makes it clear that submitting to each other is to be done in the fear of God. In other words, our relationship to God is the key to the humility needed for each of us to submit to one another. Jesus was the living example of what submission should looks like in both our relationship with God and our earthly relationships. In John 8:29, Jesus clear stated that He always did what was pleasing to the Father. Even though Jesus is God, as the Son He always submitted to the Father (Mt 26:39). In Philippians 2:5-8, the Apostle tells us that Jesus not only humbled Himself in obedience to God the Father’s plan, but also to the authority of man, even unto the painful death on the Cross. In His childhood, Jesus humbled Himself to the authority of His earthly parents, Mary and Joseph (Lk 2:51). In one of the greatest examples of humility, and obedience to the Father, Jesus knelt and washed the feet of His disciples, showing what it meant to submit to one another; especially since Judas, the disciple who betrayed Him was included in that foot washing (John 13:5). It is this kind of humility, and submission on the part of one who is in authority, and has power over others, that will encourage submission by those who are subordinates. The Godhead (Father, Son, and Spirit) are the ultimate example of what submission should look like, as each is God and equal in power, but still operate within the role of each Person of the Trinity. In submitting to one another, we are to remember that the fear, reverence, and respect for our God, is the foundation and basis for our submission. In 1 Peter 2:13-14, the Apostle Peter tells us that we are submit to the ordinance of man. Why? It is for the Lord’s sake. This is not to say that there will be times when we must obey God over man’s ungodly and wicked abuse of authority, as both Peter and John did when told not to preach Christ (Acts 5:29). The bottom line is that God calls us to show the love of Christ in our submission to one another. In Romans 12:10, the Apostle reminds us that we are to be kindly affectionate one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another. In Philippians 2:3, he reminded us that we are to do nothing through strife or vainglory, but in humility esteeming others as better than ourselves. This is the foundation for the relationships that the Apostle will discuss in this chapter, and the following, in respect to the husband-wife relationship; parent-child relationship, and master-servant relationship. Regardless of which relationship we interact in each day, we must (I repeat…we must) be grounded, first and foremost, in a reverent and obedient relationship with our God.

Jesus submitted to the Father’s plan for our salvation. Today, He extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Notice: Vacation Break

Thank you to all of you who faithfully read this blog, looking to be encouraged and grow in your relationship with the Lord. I pray that it has been a blessing so far in helping you walk closer to our Lord by applying God’s truth and His godly principles to your lives. My lovely wife and I will be on a short vacation and I will not be posting during that time as we enjoy some relaxing “we” time; investing some of that time in prayer and the continued study of His Word. I will be back, and resume posting the daily devotionals again, on June 16, 2017, Lord willing. May the Lord richly bless you in your continued endeavor to draw near to our God; for as we draw near to Him, He in turn draws near to us (James 4:7-8).

Imitators of God (Part 4 – Walk in Wisdom)

Verse of the day: Ephesians 5:15-16 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

The one thing that we can ask the Lord for that is always within His will for each of us, as we seek to imitate Him, is wisdom. In James 1:2-8 we are told that when we are tested by trials, we can go to the Lord and ask Him for wisdom, and He will not mock us or fault us, but will liberally give us wisdom. However, we must ask it in faith, not doubting and being as one who is double-minded, being tossed to and fro. In 1 Kings 3, God was pleased with Solomon’s request for wisdom, and as a result not only gave him wisdom, but riches beyond what he could have imagined, as well. Now, please hear me; I am not advocating that just because we ask for wisdom God is going to make us rich. If that is the only reason we ask for wisdom, God knows the intent of our hearts when we ask Him. God gives us, or keeps us from having, whatever He chooses, in accordance to His plan for our lives. Regardless of what He chooses for us, we are called to be content and give thanks in all things (v. 20). That said, one of the greatest gifts God can give us is godly wisdom. Too many of us rely on our own wisdom and understanding or the wisdom of people who are not really living for the Lord (even though they claim to be Christians). The Scripture warns against trusting our own wisdom, and leaning on our own understanding (Pro 3:5-7). The Apostle encourages us to walk diligently or maturely, not making decisions as a fool. All too often we rush to give an answer and to give our opinion of what we think the solution should be in certain situations. In every situation, whether urgent or not, the child of God should always be in a prayer frame of mind (1 Th 5:17). If we are facing a situation that is less urgent, we should be taking a step back, praying, and thoughtfully searching what God would have us do, before giving an answer. One area that I find that we, as God’s children, do very poorly in is the area of how to best use the time we have been given here on earth. Let us stop for just a moment and think about how we live out each day God gives us. How much time do we waste, literally throw away our time, doing things that have no value from a Kingdom perspective? How much of our time do we waste being mesmerized and brainwashed by the television and garbage on the internet? How much time do we throw away playing videos games, searching social media and watching things on the internet that do not glorify God? We live in evil times. We have an enemy that will go to great lengths to distract us from what we are supposed to be doing while we are here on earth. Would not our time be better spent praying, reading and studying God’s Word over watching mindless, sensual, and utterly corrupt programs on television and on the internet? Should we not be busy doing good to others and seeking opportunities to share God’s truth and Gospel message with a lost and dying world? Am I saying that it is wrong to enjoy our time here on earth? No, I am not. Having a hobby or favorite thing to do, as long as it’s not something sinful, is not a bad thing. However, when it occupies so much of our time that it becomes a priority over the things we are supposed to be accomplishing, it becomes sin in our lives. What I am saying is that we need to be balanced in our living, and set real priorities, and doing so prayerfully. How often has God given us opportunities to be there for someone in need, but the timing of their situation was inconvenient for us, even though we really did not have anything earth shattering or of grave importance to accomplish. Too often we are not willing to take up our cross, and deny ourselves, for the sake of allowing the Lord to use us to do something that will count for Heaven. Yet, we adamantly claim to be followers of Jesus. The Apostle, in verse 18 of this chapter, warns us against drunkenness, which only leads to wasted and corrupt living, and encourages us to understand what the will of God is. So often we want to know what God’s will and plan is for our lives, but in the end, we fail to do that which leads us to find it. James 3:17 tells us that wisdom from above is pure, peaceable, gentle, yielding, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality or hypocrisy. In other words, if we are to imitate our God in the way we live, we must always be thinking about and doing that which is pure. We must be peace seekers, even when we are dealing with those who persecute us or mistreat us. We must be gentle in our approach to dealing with others and be humble enough to yield to what the Lord wants us to do, and not seek our own way. We must be humble enough to think on the things of others, and seek their good even if it means sacrifice on our part (because what we do for others, we do for Jesus; Mt 25:41-46). Just as God has been merciful with us, we must show mercy to others, and not give them what they deserve by returning good for evil (Rm 12:17-21); let us remember that as His children He does not give us what we deserve (eternal condemnation; Rom 8:1). We must not show partiality, and must see others as being better than ourselves (Phil 2:3-4), and avoiding hypocrisy. This is godly wisdom in action, and this is how we imitate our God while walking in wisdom.

We do not always have as much time as we think. Time is running out, and God desires that we not perish when our time come to leave this earth. Today, He extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).