The End and the Beginning

I have been blessed to spend the last days of this year with my parents and seeing old friends in our time in South Carolina. Yesterday was delightful.  I got to preach at my home church, eat Sunday lunch at Momma's, last night hear a dear friend preach, and then share a meal together.  A true red letter day.  Tonight we plan to cheer on the Clemson Tigers with friends who are fans and that we are fans of.  It would be worth a host of fireworks if Clemson could  upset LSU.

I do not intend to make any grand illusions.  This Christmas has been tough.  The matriarch that led half of our family Christmas celebrations is celebrating in heaven. She left us too quickly and we have been dazed in these surreal days.  I have often said at funerals, as I have witnessed in the lives of others, that after the food, funeral, and friends are gone,the real difficulty begins.  I have seldom spoke truer words.  Never felt it more so than the last month. We are happy for her, but sad for us.

We have been blessed in 2012.  Our children have thrived. A good year for both.  We have been challenged in 2012.  Dawn's pain and surgery the first half of year and the struggle of cancer and death of her mother the second half dominated our year.  The highlights of videos and the shine of trophies will remind us of our 2012 highlights. The limps of the struggles have left their mark as well. The Lord gives and The Lord takes away, blessed be the Name of the Lord.

So how do we end a year? I will tell you how I do.  I look forward to the first quarter of the year in the Gospels and the second quarter in the Proverbs and the entire year on my knees in prayer. My goals for 2013 is to walk more, pray more, and love more than I ever have.  I feel inadequate in each. I will not do it alone.  I have a Victor that walks with me. That is why I theme the coming year like this- 2013- It is All About The Walk.
My early morning question to you is 'Will you join me?'
Not on my morning walks.  I do those alone.
Not in my prayer- most of those are just me and God.
Will you join me, though, in the 'journey' to do more for Him and more for 'them' than we ever have?  I hope you will.

It may help you and encourage you to know how it will end.  It sure encouraged me this morning when I read the ending.  Just get a taste of it from Revelation 22. 3-5- No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. ⁴ They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. ⁵ And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

Let's begin celebrating His Reign now, by allowing Him to reign in our lives and to walk in His Reign.  
2013- It is  all about the Walk. 

This Christmas Season

Jesus is at the right hand of the Father interceding for us.  He lives to pray for us.  We get a sample of how Christ prays for us in John 17.  Let me give you a taste this morning:

John 17.17-18, 21- Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world... that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

He is praying for us to be effective in reaching others for Christ.  He knows what it will take for us to be an effective witness, and those priorities are reflected in his prayer.  

He prays that we will be made holy by His Word.  Now the only way that His Word can set us apart from others is for us to spend time in His Word, apply His Truth to our lives, and come back to those basics each and every day.

He prays that we will be one in purpose and priority.  There is a lot that makes our lives busy, our calendars busy, and, yes, our chuch calendars busy.  However, if we would ponder why we do what we do everytime we do it, we will use our time and energy more effectively for the key purposes in our lives. Christ prayed that His People would be one, and I am convinced that as long as we keep the main thing as the main thing, there will be less confusion, clearer decisions, and a focus on a simple and stronger purpose.

He prays that our witness will be effective by being set apart for His Purpose.   It is powerful to me to know that Christ prays for me.  I am challenged to know that a key part of that prayer is that I am molded and made set apart by spending time in His Word.    I am also challenged to know the high priority He places on the unity of the believers.  Christ believes we will be ineffective without it.  That is a strong message.  However, lastly and most of our all, I am humbled, challenged, and honored that His key purpose for all of this is that others would come to Him through my testimony and by my outreach. 

Folks, let's not be self-centered during the celebration of Christmas and the bringing in of a new year.  Let's not even be family-centered, although I am excited about the opportunity to spend time with family.   Let's be God-centered.  He prays that we are, and let's be an effective witness for Him in the process.

I hope you have a blessed and Merry Christmas.  I will be reading God's Word each morning, but not writing on it during the Christmas week.  Let's get back together after the New Year.  At that point we will be talking about a special way to prepare ourselves for Easter.  2013 will be a great year in God's Word.  I look forward to it.  Thanks for reading and I'll be writing to you next year.

Being the Low Man

John 13.14- If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.

When Christ washed the disciples' feet and then gave this application, He was not implementing an ordinance, but a vision for serving others.  Feet are nasty, but they were worse in the day the Lord and his disciples trod the earth on the same dirt roads that the animals transported on.  Many people were barefooted.  When entering a nice home, there was a servant ready to wash the guests' feet.  That servant was at the entry level. He was the low man on the pole.  Nobody wanted that job.  Therefore, it was considered the ultimate service when Jesus knelt and washed his disciples' feet.  
Knowing who Christ was and knowing how nasty their feet were and how low a service it was to carry out, Peter was not going to have it happen.  

Who does the 'bottom of the barrel' job? Well, Jesus did.  

Then He instructed us to serve others as He served us.  

What is the equivalent to foot washing today?  
Well, think about it.  Come up with your illustration of it.....then do it for someone else....today!

May God richly bless you today as He makes you a blessing.

Mayan and Your Opportunity

Well, we are still here, aren't we!?!   Jesus said no man...or Mayan...knows the hour.  Again we are reminded that The Lord is always right.

So, now what?   Glad you asked!

I read the words of Christ this morning in John 9.4- We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.

Night is coming, folks.  However, as of the moment I write this, it is not yet, so let's get busy while there is still time.

Let's decide that man's false predictions serve as reminders to us of the real prophecy about the imminent, anytime return of The Lord, and awakens us again to the desperate need of the dark world and the absolute necessity that we do our part to shine the light.

Shine the Light today! Point them to Christ today! Let the Mayan conversation, be a starting point for a Jesus conversation. 

I pray God will open doors for such a day!

Let It Flow!

John 7.37-38-  On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. ³⁸ Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”

Have you come to Jesus?

Has He changed your life?

Are you overflowing with Jesus?

If we are in Christ, it ought to show in the overflow.  Let it flow!  Let it show!  Let'em know!

Your Fill?

A simple question today that I hope will make you think as much as it did me.

Why do you follow the Lord?

Jesus asked such a question right after he fed them on the hill and they kept coming.  He addressed them with a blunt statement in John 6.26-  Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.

Do we follow the Lord for what He does for us or for what we can do for Him?   Do we follow Him to be blessed or to be a blessing?  Do we follow Him to meet needs or have our needs met?

Frankly, it is to be for both matters.  However, it will challenge today to ponder on why you do what you do for the Lord. 

Don't just get your 'fill'.  Enjoy the journey. 

Leading In the Dark

If you noticed, sorry about the two day hiatus.  The stomach virus kept me a little restless, quick on my feet, and slightly distracted.  Good to be back.....in the land of the living.

You do know that Pharisees did not like Jesus.  He upset their apple cart.  He did not do faith like they did.  He did not abide by all their rules.  His faith was alive and life changing.  He gathered a lot of attention...which moved away from them.   He spoke of new ways, instead of old. They liked everything spiritual centered around them and focused on them.  He enlightened people  in a new way.  He even enlightened them...at least some of them.  Let's look at one in John 3.1-2- Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. ² This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

I hope you notice this morning that some want to know more about Christ, but they do not want others to know of their spiritual curiosity.   He was by day one of those that oppose, but at night, when no one saw him, he wanted to know more.  How did Jesus respond?  He did not shun him.  He asked him the hard questions and then led him to life.

There are those around us that are spiritual curious...even hungry.  Let us pray today that God will open our eyes to see them, our ears to hear them, our hearts to care for their spiritual plight, and our mouths to lead them to Life.   

The Root

We wake up this morning, once again, wrecked by senseless tragedy. Those of us who are parents or grandparents of small children try to erase the thought of 'what if' or try not to relive previously felt personal tragedy.  Yet at the same time, some parents in New England wake up this morning with empty little beds in their homes.  Let's not go on with our day until we remember them in prayer.

Let's not focus on the lashing out.  We turn on ourselves as a country or cast blame or take up political sides on the root of the problem when tragedy strikes.

Let me tell you what the root of the problem. Better yet, let James 4.7-9- Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

The heart of the problem is with the hearts of humanity. Let's make sure ours are right. Then we tell and show folks Christ and pray earnestly for the hearts of those without Christ.  Our enemy is not flesh and blood and the enemy is beaten when he loses the spiritual battles in the hearts of men and women. 

That is the root of the problem. Let's focus on that.  Let's also pray for hurting folk today. 

Remaining the Same

In all the changes in this world and all the changes in our lives, one thing remains the same.  It gives me great comfort today to know and to share with you:

Hebrews 13.8- Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Rest in that today.  It sure is reassuring.

Stir It Up!

Alright, I can't help it.  I know it looks like a setup, but it is really not.  I am a pastor and I have always loved the church.  I am a big supporter of church and I feel like a good church home that you faithfully attend is a great need in every Christian's life.  Why?  Well, one reason is mentioned in
Hebrews 10:24-25- And let us consider to stir up one another to love and good works, ²⁵ not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

I say that it may look a setup, because I may pick a verse like that to simply emphasize the need for faithfulness to church.  No, I pick that verse because I believe in it.  I don't believe in it simply for the sake of attending.  I believe in it because I believe God's people coming together for the common cause of worshiping Christ is a powerful opportunity that everyone needs to be a part of.   Well, one good reason is that we all need to be stirred up by one another.  We need the encouragement that comes from being together.  We need the sweet reminder from God's Word about what is most important, what we ought to focus on, and how we ought to live. We need the encouragment that only comes from fellow believers.  We need all of that even more in the evil day in which we live. 

Setup or not, let's get stirred up by worshiping and serving the Lord together faithfully.   

Living to Pray

How serious are you when you tell someone that you are praying for them?  It is not a light matter.  Prayer works.  I have seen it work and I believe in it.  However, if I had not seen it work,  I would know there is power there because of the message found in
Hebrews 7.25- Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

That 'He' is Christ. Christ lives to pray for us.  That is exciting on many levels.  First it is exciting to know that we are prayed for by the only one with sinless access to the Father.  Nothing complicates His prayer life.  There is a straight line. 

It is also exciting to know that prayer is so powerful that Christ 'lives' to do it.  What an opportunity we have in prayer! 

Let's savor today our opportunity in prayer and our opportunity because of prayer. 

A Dangerous Delight

The danger in reading the Word of God, meditating on it, and allowing it to saturate your life, is that it will get to the heart of who you are.   It is alive with the Spirit and moving in us to the heart of where we live.  The danger is that feel that we are exposed before the Lord when we spend time in His Word.   The reality is that we are exposed to the Lord anyway.  When we read the Word, it lets us know how exposed we really are.

Hebrews 4.12-13-For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ¹³ And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

The danger of the Word is also it's delight.  It will not return void.  It will not be silent.  It will not grow dead.  It will work in us, through us, and around us touching on every matter in our lives that we need to give spiritual attention to.  Through such probing and piercing God works in usand we are challenged and strengthened in Him.  We grow when we are in the Word and growth in the Lord is delightful. 

Read it the Word today.  It is a dangerous delight!

The Lingering and the Leaving

Today I am reminded of the legacy of faith that my grandmother left.  I saw her breakfast of a piece of toast, a hunk of cheese, the Word of God, and a good cup of coffee.  If you did not see her strive to please the Lord, she would tell you about it without reservation.  One of my favorite places in the world is early morning at my Mom and Daddy's in the den with the Word of God and a good cup of coffee early.  There is a time before the kids get up and run into grandma and grandpa that we have to share together.  It is a treasure and a celebration of their legacy of faith that has been lived out before me.  As we dig a little deeper everyday,  we find more and more of my mother-in-law's deep reliance upon the Lord revealed in notes that she wrote and Scripture that she pondered. 

Celebrate the Godly legacy that others have left and do all you can today to leave yours. 

2 Timothy 1.5-7-I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. ⁶ For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, ⁷ for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Don't let the mistakes of your kindred linger, and don't let their Godly influence every leave.

My Precious

What do you do with your 'pot of gold'?  How do you handle those things that are most valuable to you?  I put my money in the bank.  I lock my house when I am not there.  I put 'treasures' in my car out of sight when I park it.  Whatever you have that you want to keep, you don't make it vulnerable for someone else to steal it or ruin it.

The greatest treasure we have is the truth of the life-changing Gospel and the deposit of the Holy Spirit placed in us upon our salvation.  Thankfully, no one can steal it, however, many things in this world can distract us from it.  A lot of things that we can involve ourselves in can ruin it.  Handle your relationship with the Lord as if it is precious, because it is.  The erroneous notions of this world can lead us astray and cause us to be distracted.   Value His Word and His Treasure more than anything else.  Paul put it this way when writing to Timothy in I Timothy 6.20-  O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” ²¹ for by professing it some have swerved from the faith.

What you have in the Lord is precious.  Treat it so today.

A Challenging Question

The Question of the Day:  Which do you do more: Do you complain or moan about national, state, and local leaders more or do you pray for them more?  Come on, be honest!  Which one? 

Well, Scripture is clear about what we ought to be doing more of.  Paul puts it this way in
2 Timothy 2.1-4-First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, ² for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. ³ This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, ⁴ who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

That is the question and the challenge for the day.  Have a blessed one.

Wandering, Wondering Minds

My mind will wander today.  I already know it.  I have never been diagnosed and, believe me, I am not making light of it, but I know I have Attention Deficit Disorder.  There is not a doubt about it.  However, I grew up in a time when it was not medicated.  I got paddlings at school.  I had to go home and write 'I will not talk.'  thousands of times.  (I tried the two pencil stuff and all the different concepts.  The 'I,I,I,I...will, will, will, will...not, not, not.....'down the page was the quickest concept for me.  I pass that on just in case someone still requires that of their students.  I don't think they do.)
However, I, sometimes, have a hard time staying on task and I know when my head moves from one thing to another. 

I have one of the greatest challenges for us attention deficit guys over the next two days.  I am sitting for eight hours today in a seminar as part of my orientation to serve on our local school board. I promise that I will do all that I can to absorb as much of it as possible, however, I already know that my mind will wander. 

Yours probably will too today, at least at some point.  The question is: Where will your mind wander to?  The apostle Paul gives us more than a suggestion.  Paul gives us good, inspired, Godly instruction in Colossians 3.2- Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (www.lifejournal.cc)

When we wander off course today, let's really just wander on course- on the course of keeping God in the midst of our thoughts. 

That is both a challenge and a delight.

Some Boots and A Cup of Coffee

When NYPD Officer Larry DePrimo was walking the beat in subfreezing weather last week and saw a homeless man without shoes, it immediately cut him to the heart.  He went into a local store, picked out some Skeecher boots, asked for a discount, and then paid $75 to give the man some boots.  A tourist took a photo of Officer DePrimo giving the generous gift and since the story has went viral.

Officer DePrimo said that he did not think twice about it.  His own feet were cold and he had two pairs of socks on.  He also offered the man a cup of coffee, but after the boots, the man went on his way.  They never exchanged names. 

We need a little more....a lot more...of this kind of kindness in our world.  Whether it is the homeless or those at home with us, let's not be selfish today.  Let's put others before ourselves.  Whether it makes the media or not, let's shock our little world as the love of Jesus flows out of our lives to impact those around us. 


As the apostle Paul put it in Philippians 2.3-4- Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. ⁴ Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Let that mark your day and you may leave His mark on others.

Understanding the Opponent

I was recently flying to Kansas City, MO for a Board of Trustees meeting at Midwestern Seminary and met Matt Millen, who was waiting on the same plane to Atlanta.  Matt played linebacker for the Raiders back in my football card collecting days (early 80's).  He then worked in football management and rose to become the president of the Detroit Lions.  All I remember about that is that it was dismal.  He now is an announcer for ESPN and had covered the MSU and Tennessee game the night before.  He had tried all day to fly out  but these were the Hurricane Sandy days up north and Florida storms down south and everything was thrown off.  Our plane had problems and we had a good delay at the two terminal airport of Columbus, MS.  A great place to fly out of quickly....that is unless...Sandy and storms and plane problems come.  The airport brought in pizza for us to eat for supper and I warmed up next to him and dropped a line- Do you come in here often?  Not really.  I did ask him about how he enjoyed his stress free life of good wages for talking about football, or something like that.  I really asked him how long he had been in Starkville and how did he prepare.  He said he came in on the Wednesday before and had simply watched film of the teams' games.  He said, "Coaches will lie to you.  Players will lie to you.  Film shows everything.  I just watch film." I have given that a lot of thought since that day.  I have watched games he has covered since and thought about his preparation.  If you know the schemes of football teams and know their approaches and know how they attack and how they defend and understand their game, you can know how to play against them, commentate about them, and even how to defeat them. 

My friend, we are involved in much more than a game.  We are in a battle.  The battle is unseen but the ramifications are not.  It is guerilla warfare and is sometimes hard to recognize, but it is very real.  It is more real than what we see.  Paul warned us this way in Ephesians 6.12-13-For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

Understand the battle.  Prepare for the battle (not with films but in the Word) and as they say in football, 'Leave it all on the field.'  In other words, hold nothing back.  You do not get another shot at standing for Christ in this world beyond this life.   Let's be strong today for His Glory!

Thankfully Undeserved

You did not develop it.  You did not earn it.  It could not be manufactured.  It could not be maintained.  Our salvation is a gift from God.  True gifts are not earned.  They are simply given.  Sometimes they are deserving, but when it comes to salvation, this great gift was not deserved.  It was given none the less. 
There is never a need for us to get 'high and mighty' about who we are in Christ.  All of it has been given to us undeservedly.

So the question is: How do you respond to such a gift?  You respond with gratitude....gratitude that is shown in how we live our lives, how we grow in Christ, how we work on His Behalf.  Paul put it this way in Ephesians 2.8-10- For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not a result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Now, let's live this day as we should all days, with gratitude toward God, and showing that thankfulness in our testimony of Christ that we build by doing good works, saying good things, and leaving good marks everywhere we go.

Keeping It In Perspective

Two things that you ought to keep in mind today.  It will help you keep everything in perspective.
Both were found as I was reading Romans today (www.lifejournal.cc). 
The first is found in Romans 13.7-  Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
Try your best not to owe anybody anything...whether it is taxes or honor...don't you love that.  I guess in some ways we always owe others something.  We just don't need to be negligent with it.

Do you feel defeated today?  If you are in Christ, you should not.  Listen to Romans 16.20- The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.  Don't be overwhelmed today by Satan's ploys.  We win in Christ!  Hang on to that promise!

And have a blessed day...owing no one anything....

Let's Worship

Will you worship with me?  Worship is more than just attending 'services' together....much more.  Notice what Paul says in Romans 12.1-2- I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. ² Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

There is a lot to worship.  There might even be more than you have ever thought of.

Worship is a lifestyle.  An hour or two or three on Sunday is limited in how much it can do to revolutionize our life.   Sunday morning worship ought to be the cherry on top instead of the whole sundae.  Worship is something that we do everyday.  When Christians spend daily time with God in His Word and in prayer and then come together for the sole purpose of worshiping with other believers- Katy bar the door!  God moves in such as that!  The effectiveness of corporate worship, however, often depends on the life that comes with the attender.

Worship is a mindset. Notice Paul tells us not to conform to this world but be transformed by the renewing our minds in the Lord.  We need to have a Christian mindset that will stand up in the midst of a world that does not agree.  We need to have a steady mindset on Christ in a world with evershifting morals and values.  Worship is standing against the tides of the evil one's everchanging strategies.

Worship is a practice.  The more you do it, the better you get at it.  Spend time with God daily.  Don't give up.  The more you do it, the better you get at it.  Refocus your mind throughout the day back upon the Lord.  Allow Him to transform you everyday.  Don't give up. The more you do it, the better you get at it.  Come to worship this morning.  Don't conform to the pattern of others, but let God speak and move in your life leading you to worship Him without limitations.  Go ahead...you will influence others.  The more you do it, the better you get at it! 

Let's worship today!  Not just sing some songs and hear a sermon, but truly worship. 

A Christmas Season Delivery

Romans 7.24-25  -Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? ²⁵ Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (www.lifejournal.cc)

The only hope I have today for victory is in Christ.  The only hope that YOU have today for victory is in Christ.  Focus on Him today instead of the things that so easily entangle us. 

His Delivery is one that will make a season right....a life right!  Have a great one!

It's A Gospel Shame!

We live in a day when it is increasingly unpopular and incorrect to stand up for the Gospel.  Those that stand on the morals of the faith that are represented in Christ are often considered closed minded and out of touch.  Both of the above statements are true, but they are not one in the same.   The Gospel is the power of salvation through Christ that forever changes one's status, future, and heart.  The morals of the faith change the lifestyle that we live when we accept Christ.  However, oftentimes, Christians get the two mixed up.   We have a tendency not to speak of the Gospel message near as much as we speak of what is wrong in America, what we ought to be doing as a society, or what is not right about the evergrowing liberal lifestyles that mark America.  Our focus is often on the evidence of the greater spiritual problem.  If we would focus on the greater spiritual problem, a lot of the evidence or society's mixed up ways would fade as the power of Christ worked in the lives of new believers. 

I am not saying that we should stop standing up for what is right.  However, I am saying the lifechanging Gospel is where more of our focus ought to be.  God, once in one's life, would change their perspectives. 

Paul put it this way in Romans 1.16-17-  ¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹⁷ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

It is one thing to speak out for the right Christian way for America and, yet another, to speak out for Christ to lives that need Him.  Let's do both but let's let our priority be on the Gospel.

Praying for Others

Have you ever wondered how to pray for fellow believers?  Read the words of the apostle Paul.  He will teach you how. 
I Thessalonians 5.23-24- Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.  (www.lifejournal.cc)

That is my prayer for you today. Don't you worry- God is faithful and He will do it. 

The Increase of the Lord

After Paul would minister to a people, help them from a faith community, and build them up in the Lord, he would write back to them to encourage them, corrcct them, or guide them. Much of the New Testament is made up of these type letters.  He also had a wonderfully pleasing reflection on them many times. He did to the Thessalonica church and he told them often that he thanked God for them. He also gives them insight into how he prays for them.  Notice what he says in 
I Thessalonians 3.11-13- Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, ¹² and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, ¹³ so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

What a powerful prayer!  May God direct you and strengthen you to such a degree that it shows forth in the fellowship and your life. 

That is my prayer for you today!  May we increase in the Lord!

The Responsibility of the Opportunity

So, who's fault is it, anyway?  When given a chance to respond to Jesus, your response is in your hands, not anyone else's.  Pilate was handed the responsibility to respond to Christ properly.  He tried to let others decide what he would do with Christ.  He did not like what they said, but he went with popular opinion anyway.  It is stated like this in Matthew 27.24- So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves.”

Pilate did not have to follow their wants.  He chose to ask them first.  Let it be a lesson.  We do not need to ask anyone else how we should respond to Jesus when we are given the responsibility and the opportunity.  It is not their fault what we do and they will not answer to the Lord for we you do.  We will. 

Let's let our decision for Christ be what is most important in our lives and make a commitment not to get caught up in the world's wants, woos, and woes. 

In every situation respond to Christ obediently today.  It is your responsibility and, oh my, what an opportunity!

Responding To Others

Matthew 25.34-40- Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? ³⁸ And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹ And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ ⁴⁰ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

It is crucial that you understand this passage.  This is not a claim that salvation comes from our benevolent activity.  Our salvation comes by the cross of Christ and our receiving of the eternal gift He has offered.  However, if we are saved, it ought to show forth in our lives by how we respond to others. 

As Christ has been generous to us, let us be generous to others.

Think on such thoughts today. 

All On the Field

Matthew 21.28-31  -“What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ ²⁹ And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. ³⁰ And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. ³¹ Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you.

Many start out ready to do a good thing, but for some reason, it just never seems to pan out.  Usually, it is a matter of priorities.  There are others, however, who get a late start and never stop.  Who would you rather have: a player that quits about halfway through the game or one who has a slow first quarter, but continues to warm as the game goes on?  I'll tell you who a coach would want.  A coach would want the guy who he could depend on in the fourth quarter when the game was on the line.

Folks, spiritually the game is on the line.  If we are not in the fourth quarter yet, we are closer than we have ever been.  As they say in football 'let's leave it all on the field.'  Let's make every effort in the time that we have left to do all that we can for the Lord, spend all the time we can with those we love, and have no regrets when the buzzer...I mean, trumpet...sounds! 

Go to Church today!  You need them.  They need you.  We all need the Lord!

Celebrating Thanks

Children mimic what they see in us.  Little girls want baby dolls  so they can  play 'Mommy'.  Little boys make tools out of sticks and build or tear up stuff....just like Dad.  In the days of Christ's life weddings and funerals were big deals.  They are still but weddings went on for days and funerals involved whole towns. Children would mimic what they saw, just like they still do.

When Jesus saw how John the Baptist was met when he preached repentance and how Christ himself was met when he preached a life more abundant, he compared their listeners to school children that did not want to play along.  Notice it:

Matthew 11.16-17-  “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,

¹⁷ “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
    we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

Let's be sure to 'play along.'  Let's celebrate what Christ wants us to celebrate and mourn what He would have us to.  Often we get it backwards- we celebrate a sick society and we mourn a saint receiving her promised inheritance.  It ought not be.  Let us live as if The Lord is presently living in our lives and loved ones that we dearly miss this Thanskgiving (and her BIG OL' dish pans of dressing) are actually living out the promise that they have thankfully been looking forward to. 

And I ain't playing....

Have a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving and please pray that the Sumrall's will continue to feel the overwhelming peace that God has granted during these difficult days.

Faith In the Healer

How's your faith? Notice these guys with Jesus.

Matthew 8.2-3- And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” ³ And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 

Matthew 9. 2- And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.”

 Matthew 9.22- Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well.

A lot more healing could come if there was a lot more faith.  Let's lay it out at His feet and trust Him with it.  That is where true healing is.  

Approach the Healer today with full faith.

Our Comfort

Yesterday my mother-in-law was rewarded with heaven after a few months battle with cancer and a  lifetime of striving for The Lord. As I rest in her too empty house, I am amazed at the Scripture she penned in so many places  that focused her on her strength in The Lord.   Please pray today and this tough week for my wife, her brother, and her Dad, who is in a horrible health fight himself. Barbara  Sumrall was loved and leaves a great void that only God can fill. Pray for the power of His Presence.

Thank God that Christ said in Matthew 5.4-Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.  We rest in that today.

Pure-T Fruity

It is interesting to see people's approach to their disobedience toward God in their life.
When the Holy Spirit confronts them concerning their wrongdoing, responses may be varied.
Let me give you some examples. 

1) Sometimes the Holy Spirit speaks to a heart through someone else's words.   When this happens, the guilty may blame it on the speaker when, in reality, it is not the words that hurt but the conviction.  John the Baptist lost his life by decapitation because of this kind of situation.
The opposite can happen as well.  Some considered Peter and Paul to be gods when God used them.

2)Sometimes people listen to the Holy Spirit, but try to make light of it.  They busy or clutter their lives enough to become sidetracked and fail to make a change.

3)Sometimes they hear what the Spirit has to say and feel bad about their guilty.  They may become real upset and cry and mourn and apologize... and then go right back to what they were doing.

4)However, sometimes the words stick, the message is heard, the effort is made, and the Spirit enables, and great change comes.  That is what John the Baptist was talking about this morning that really laid on my heart.  He stated a very simple but powerful statement in John 3.8- Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.

If we are truly sorry when the Spirit convicts us, we won't shrug it off or cry it out, but we will live it out.   When we live it out, we will be fruitful in our effort for the Lord. 

Be fruitful today!

A Restoring Word

Just a word of advice for the day.  I love football as much as anyone. My Toppers had a great season and the upsets from last night's college action made my day.  Great rivalries will be fought this coming weekend.  But, folks, let's don't burn bridges over football.  Let's not lose our testimonies, our friendships, our camaraderie.  Some folks can handle ragging and some can't.  Be easy.  It isn't worth it.

I love politics.  My 12th grade Political Science teacher got me hooked and I have seen some disappointing things happen in recent days.  However, our Savior is not in the Oval Office in Washington, our Savior is on the Throne in Heaven and in the Center of our Hearts if we have committed our lives to Him.  Let's not look to D.C. to decide our attitude for the day.  Let's look to Calvary and the Throne where Christ is making intercession for us. 

With all that said, what stoked me this morning was  2 Corinthians 13.11-
Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.  (www.lifejournal.cc)

We bring honor to Him when we honor each other.  We bring peace to others when we consider them first. 

Don't bellyache today!  Rejoice!!

A Breath of Fresh Air

2 Corinthians 9.6-8- The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ⁷ Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

Whether it is an offering at the church or a hug at the house or a helping hand to a family or friend, do what you do today cheerfully. What a breath of fresh air you will be!

Living In Love

He died to give us life.  He arose in victory. Because He lives, we too may live.

2 Corinthians 5.14-15-  For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; ¹⁵ and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. (www.lifejournal.cc)

The love of Christ is in us and needs to be shown in us.  More than anything else, this world needs the love of Christ.  May we not live for ourselves today but for Him.  Dead to self but alive in Christ.  May God bless such a path for each one of us.

What's That Smell?

We carry a spiritual scent with us wherever we go...
2 Corinthians 2.14-15-  But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. ¹⁵ For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
(www.lifejournal.cc)

The question is:  Do we stink? Do we carry a presence with us like the rest of the world?  A lot of stuff in this old world stinks.  OR

Are we triumphing in the Lord, proceeding on His Path, spreading a scent of freshness with  a welcoming aroma in our personalities and our conversation and our presentation?  It is an important question.   There are people that need the Lord around us and we are to be a witness to them.  There are also people around us who are Christians and need encouragement. 

In Biblical days fragrant incenses were often used in worship in an attempt to attract the 'nostrils of the Lord' so that He would come and hear their prayers.  Now we are to spread the fragrance of the Lord and influence others for Him. 

Let's be freshly fragrant for the Lord today, and have a blessed one!

What A Shame!

I Corinthians 15.19- If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

What a shame it would be if we threw all of our spiritual eggs in one basket and was wrong! 
What a shame it would be if we trusted in a god that we could not see and fail to acknowledge he did not exist!
What a shame it would be for us to live this life disciplined to please God  only to find out we had simply lived a better life than others!


But guess what?   He lives!  Therein lies our hope.  Hope for the daily struggles of this life, but not only for this life....for all eternity.  Savor it and celebrate today! This is not all there is.

The real shame would be to miss it.

Hush!

The greatest lesson that I learn from Job...well...one of them (there are several 'greatest' ones)...is the freedom that we have to express ourselves to the Lord when He moves in ways we don't understand.  Job expressed his thoughts and feelings to God.  Sometimes it is uncomfortable to read when he does it.  Those of us raised not to question the Lord so much, don't feel real comfortable with it.  However, it is there.  He brings his petitions, oh let's be honest, his gripes and complaints to the Lord very openly.  Let me tell you where he got it right-- he brought his complaints to the Lord.  He did just tell everybody else what his problem was, but brought it straight to the Lord.  When you understand that God knows our heart, knows what we are thinking, and is fully aware of our fears, doubts, and bellyaches about the life that has 'been thrown at us', you understand that we are better off dealing with those things with God than with everyone else. 

With that in mind read Job 40.3-5
³ Then Job answered the Lord and said:

⁴ “Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you?
I lay my hand on my mouth.
⁵ I have spoken once, and I will not answer;
twice, but I will proceed no further.”

 

Yes, we can ask and complain away, however, it may be best just to hush.   That is right-- I said it.  Hush!  The next time you burst in before the throne of God having gained access to the Father through the shed blood of Christ who is making intercession for us until He comes back to receive us, spill your beans and then....hush....and listen.  Get it off your chest, but hurry, because your time is better spent listening to Him talk to you than listening to yourself talk to Him.  That is especially true when you think about the fact that He knows what you are going to say before you say it.

 

We can get so busy telling God everything that we want and need and how we want it that we miss His still, small, steadying voice that cuts through the darkness that has seemed to envelope us. 

 

Hush and listen today!  And enjoy His Presence!

The Company of Encouragement

It is a gift and a responsibility to be a part of the Body of Christ.  We are blessed to have each other.  Even more so....much more so...we are blessed to have the Lord.  With that blessing comes responsibility.  We all have a job to do.  We must be faithful to get it done.  We are to serve the Lord and to work together to do it. One of the great ways that we do that is described in
I Corinthians 12.26- If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.   (www.lifejournal.cc)

One of the great ways we serve the Lord is by being a company of encouragement.  Never underestimate your value in God's Body and your value to your fellow members.  

Be a part of the Company of Encouragement today.

Let's Go!

Psalm 122.1-  I was glad when they said to me,
    “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”   (www.lifejournal.cc)

I hope to see you there today!

As The Lord Assigns

As the first century church grew, people from different backgrounds started to meet together.  Some were Jewish males who had been physically marked by circumcision to show their Judaistic faith.  Others were Gentiles with no such background, faith, or markings. Since all believers from the Jews' past had been 'marked' should the Gentiles be as well.  The Gentiles did not see the need.  It led to a struggle with all kinds of questions:  Does he have this? Where is he from? Should he or shouldn't he? Should I or shouldn't I? On and on the questions went with, I am sure, some finger pointing along the way.

Notice what Paul says about it.
I Corinthians 7.17- Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him.   (www.lifejournal.cc)

The theme: Don't worry about what others do or what others think.  We are all different.  We have different backgrounds.  We come from different places.  We have had different experiences.  All Chrisitians have one thing in common:  Jesus.  Keep our eyes and our minds on Him and the rest of this stuff will work out. 

Let's just follow the Lord's assignments.

With All My Being

Keep this in mind today:
I Corinthians 6.19-20- Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, ²⁰ for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.  (www.lifejournal.cc)

Honor God with your body.

In Balance

I want you to be balanced today-not too high on yourself and definitely not too low.  Hear the way Paul puts it in
I Corinthians 1.30-31- And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,³¹ so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

It is not about you, it is about The Lord. Don't thump your chest and pride yourself, you are nothing outside of Christ.  At the same time don't listen to the devil give you partial statements.  He will whisper in your ear that you are nothing.  He leaves the 'Christ' part out.  In Christ, however, you are big stuff; not because of who you but because of whose you are. 

Let The Lord keep you balanced on that today and brag on Him.