Mar 1, 2024 – “Pastor, do I need to take a bath (clean up my life) BEFORE I can be saved?” No, the bath we need is not a physical bath or a “good intentions” bath, because we can never improve ourselves enough to gain the favor of God. Instead, God must come to the rescue, and He graciously does!
God’s salvation consists of God giving us a spiritual bath in the blood of the cross that results in a totally new life…Christ in the believer. “He that has the Son also has that life…the life of the Son.”
Today’s Verse teaches salvation is “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” The act of regeneration is God creating a new born-again nature in the believer…a wonderfully clean nature which motivates the believer to live in fellowship with the Savior. God is not interested in reforming us but in regenerating us. The former always gets dirty again; the latter, though, always stays clean, because it is God living in the believer.
Some of us may remember what it was like to be washed by our mothers in the kitchen sink. Some may even recall placing a wash tub in the middle of the floor and everyone getting a bath from the SAME water. A man told me that he was the eighth child and always the last to get his bath (using the same water). He told me, “You can imagine what the water was like for me.”
Imagine having such a wash tub in the center of the church. We give the invitation for you to be saved. You come up, climb in the tub with all of your clothes and say, “I’ve got to be washed in order to be saved. Give me your best soap and scrub brush!” That may sound ludicrous, but that is exactly what some do. They want to clean up their act then come to Christ. How foolish!
Friend, you can wash in that water from now until the day you die, but you’ll never be clean enough to be saved. Why not? Salvation is “not by works of righteousness which we have done.” It is not by you washing yourself, because you can never get clean enough. Your works of righteousness will never make you acceptable to God. The washing we need is the “washing of regeneration…of being born again!”
There needs to be a washing of the soul and the only soap that can thoroughly wash a man’s soul is the blood of Jesus Christ! “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”
What is the old saying? God takes a sin-blackened heart, washes it in red blood and makes it white as snow! That is something which only God can do.
Salvation begins with the sinner coming to Jesus and saying, “Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole, I want Thee forever to live in my soul, Break down every idol, cast out every foe, Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.”
My friend, do you remember the day you were washed in the blood of Calvary’s Lamb? If yes, you probably also remember what it was like to FEEL whiter than snow for the first time in your life.
Cleansed…born again…and for the first time in life we were acceptable to God!
Feb 29, 2024 – At what time in life does a person get saved? The answer is simpler than many believe.
A wealthy businessman lived a very ungodly life. One day he decided to take a trip on a train. He arranged to have a private compartment where he could do some reading. This businessman closed the door then sat down and started reading his book. He had not read very far when his eyes came across one certain phrase. This is what the book said:
“If a man was falling from the top of a tall building, he would be as much lost after he had fallen the first foot as when he struck the ground.”
The businessman said, “That is the way it is with me, too. I am lower this year than last year.”
He then set down the book and began pacing the floor. Sometime later he fell down upon his knees and called out to God for God’s help and forgiveness; he accepted Christ as his personal Savior.
Here was a man who came to a point where he wanted to get saved and when he wanted to get saved he then got saved. Not before that time but when he was prepared to get saved. Please keep reading, because I do not want you to misunderstand.
First, no one gets saved against his will. God doesn’t force the issue, put a gun to someone’s head and say, “Believe right now or die.” God didn’t create man to be a robot, but He created man with the will to choose. No one will get saved until he is willing to believe.
Second, no one gets saved until he knows he needs to get saved. No human being can bring a sinner to that point. We can share the gospel with them, but it is the Holy Spirit’s ministry to convict them of sin, righteousness and judgment. Evangelist Glenn Mathews says, “Of sin or sinner because that’s who you are, of righteousness because that’s what you need, and of judgment because that’s where you’re headed.” The Holy Spirit does the convincing work. Quite honestly, He doesn’t need our help.
Third, no one gets saved unless it is God’s time, also. The Bible declares, “Today is the day of salvation.” God somehow brings the sinner to not only his day but also His day. In other words, both of them are ready for salvation to occur. God the Holy Spirit has done His work (God’s part) and the sinner knows what he must do (man’s part): “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved!” The old-time preacher would say, “No sinner wants to be saved unless God is already working in his heart.” How true! God plows the hard ground and turns it into receptive ground for the gospel message. But if God is not doing His work, nothing else will happen.
What are the implications for you and me? Simply this: Be careful about “pushing” someone to accept Christ. The ground may not yet be fully prepared. The heart may not yet be ready to believe. In some occasions, the sinner’s response may be, “Absolutely no.” At other times the message will be quite sincere, “I know you’re right. I’m just not there yet.” Be sensitive to those times and remember no one will get saved until he freely, thar means from his own will, says, “Yes” to the call of Christ. They won’t get saved because mommy and daddy say, “It’s time to get saved” nor because a friend or pastor pressures them. They will get saved when it is the right time. And “Today” is not always the right time for every person. Give it time to develop…trust God to water the seed you have sown.
Feb 28, 2024 – What do I most need? The underlined words in Today’s Verse describe Jesus Christ as “a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” This writer is not a tax collector for the IRS, but I am a sinner whose life comes far short of the glory of God. Thank God, there is a Friend for sinners like me!
The time had come to bury the Austrian emperor Francis Joseph. All of the emperor’s relatives had been buried in the church mausoleum in the city of Vienna. This was where he was to be buried as well. The funeral procession carried the emperor to the mausoleum and waited for the doors to open. A voice called out from inside the mausoleum and asked the question, “Who is there?”
The people replied, “It is His most serene majesty, the Emperor Francis Joseph.”
The voice said, “I do not know him. Who is there?”
The people replied, “It is the emperor of Austria and the Apostolic King of Hungary.”
The voice again said, “I do not know him. Who is there?”
There was a pause then the people said, “It is a sinful man, our brother Francis Joseph, who is to be buried.”
The doors to the mausoleum then opened and this sinful man was finally laid to rest with all of his relatives. At that point it did not matter that Francis Joseph had been the most powerful man in his country. His money did not matter, his palace did not matter nor did his great name matter. It only mattered that he was a sinful man who needed to be buried.
Are any of us any better? Someday it will be said of me, “He was a sinful man who needed to be buried.”
But there is more to my story than that! I remember January 14, 1965 when I knelt at the altar. Jesus walked down the center aisle and asked, “What can I do for you?”
I answered, “Do for me what I cannot do for myself. My debt of sin is too great to count!”
Jesus said, “Yes, your debts are very large, but I want you to know that I am able to save to the uttermost those who come unto God by the way of the cross. I am your friend who gave His life for you.”
Jesus then picked up my sins and made them His very own by nailing them to His cross. I gave my sins to Jesus and He gave His own righteousness to me!
In so doing, He became a friend of this sinner…not just any friend but the best of the best friends. Can you say the same?
Feb 27, 2024 – Has God ever put you on a detour? Cheer up! Detours are part of God’s plan for your life.
A young man was accepted as a missionary to Africa. This man was ready to get on the ship when it was learned that his wife was sick and could not go. The young missionary was heartbroken, but he determined to make all the money he could and put that money into the Lord’s work.
This missionary’s father had started to make some grape juice for the communion service at church. This young missionary took over the business. He kept growing the business into one of the largest grape juice companies in the world.
Would you like to guess his name? Welch. Mr. Welch used that company to put hundreds of thousands of dollars into the Great Commission: taking the gospel of Jesus Christ to the uttermost parts of the world.
Though he had good intentions, Welch started toward the wrong field of Christian service, but God brought him back to the right field! He accomplished more through his financial giving than he could ever have done in person on the field.
Lesson: When we seek God’s will above our own will, God will maneuver us into the right field for Christian service. It may seem like a detour to us, but it is not a detour to God. My internet ministry friend Dennis Lee says, “Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be broken.” How true! So stay flexible.
A woman went to her pastor and asked, “Will you please tell me in a few words what it means to be in the will of God?”
The pastor held out a blank sheet of paper and said, “Being in the will of God means signing your name at the bottom of this blank sheet and letting God fill in the rest of the sheet.”
Many years ago I was the guest speaker for the spring banquet at Tri-State Bible College. Afterward, Doug Carter, the well respected black pastor at Burlington First Baptist, came to me and said, “Young man, step out by faith, let God be God and God will take care of everything else including the finances.” God used him to increase my faith…AND MY FLEXIBILITY! I called him eighteen months later and thanked him for his advice!
Bottom line: Be flexible. Develop a tender heart that is sensitive to what God is doing around you, to you and also wants to do through you.
Feb 26, 2024 – Many years ago the Governor of Texas spoke at one of the state penitentiaries. He then stayed around to listen to anything the prisoners might want to tell him. The convicts came to him one at a time. They told him that they were innocent and had been wrongfully imprisoned. They wanted to get out.
Finally, one of the prisoners said, “Governor, I don’t want to take much of your time. I only want to say that I really did what they convicted me for. But I have been here a number of years. I believe I have paid my debt to society and that, if I were released, I would be able to live an upright life and show myself worthy of your mercy.”
A few days later the governor pardoned that man, because he was the only man who would admit his guilt…and also admit his willingness to change.
The Bible has a word for that: repentance. It’s a common word in the Bible, but not a common word in modern day preaching. Some today claim the word sends the wrong signal to the sinner and, therefore, decline to use the word. This writer, though, has always believed that God is smarter than us. John the Baptist preached, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Jesus preached, “Except you repent you shall all perish.” If John and Jesus preached repentance, well, it seems to this writer that it’s proper for us to preach repentance, too.
According to Jesus no one can be saved without repentance. That big word simply means “a change of mind” but it also contains the element of “a change of mind which results in a change of direction.” It is true the Bible says the “leopard cannot change its spots” nor can a sinner change his nature. But the sinner can say, “Turn Thou me, and I shall be turned” (Jeremiah 31:18). “Turn from what?” In brief, turn from a wayward life to a life with Christ. It is a turning “from” and a turning “to.” It is similar to being on the broad road that leads to destruction, realizing I am on the wrong road, and saying, “I repent of the direction I am headed. Turn me around, God. Change my life and I shall be changed.”
It is more than mere sorrow over a messed up life. I paraphrase 2 Corinthians 7:10 like this: “Godly sorrow worketh a change of mind toward salvation not to be changed again (i.e. once you get saved you won’t want to be lost again because God will do a change of direction in your heart that can never be undone); but the sorrow of this world only produces death.”
There is such a thing as worldly repentance where some people change their mind and then try to change their lives with their own power. That’s called reformation, not regeneration or born again. Alcoholics Anonymous does a wonderful work, but it is a reformation process, not a regeneration process. AA stops short of biblical repentance that brings a sinner to Christ.
No person can get saved who wants to stay in his sin. But when he decides to turn FROM sin and turn TO Christ…
“I’ve wandered far away from God, Now I’m coming home; The paths of sin too long I’ve trod, Lord, I’m coming home.”
Feb 24-25, 2024 – Where is God as we minister for Him? The reality soon sinks into our spirit that we are not alone in our role as God’s messenger. God is with us. God is alongside us in whatever we do as God’s messenger. Consider the biblical evidence.
Jehovah said to Moses, “Certainly I will be with you” (Exodus 3:12).
God said to Joshua, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not fail you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5).
David was confident of this fact: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me” (Psalm 23:4).
Jesus simply stated a fact when He said, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
Paul informed Timothy, “At my first trial no man stood with me. All abandoned me. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me” (2 Timothy 4:16-17).
The Lord has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).
The Apostle John was imprisoned on the island known as Patmos. But he said, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day” (Revelation 1:10). Ah, God knew where He was and did not need a road map to join him!
Thank God, we never need to pray, “Lord, be with me today,” because He is already with us. His presence encourages us. His power empowers us. His wisdom enlightens us. His gospel emboldens us, because the gospel will work in every situation in every century in every culture. Therefore, the Apostle Paul was able to write in total confidence, “I am not ashamed to proclaim of the gospel or good news of Jesus Christ; the good news of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to every person that believes” (Romans 1:16). He knew which side his bread was buttered on: “Our sufficiency is of God!”
“Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant.“ God has made lowly me SUFFICIENT to be His minister. He knows my weakness and my inadequacy. But He remedies my weakness and my inadequacy with His presence! So I go and try again and again…and so do you! Our confidence is not in the flesh, but it is in our God. We believe He is with us and can also use us!
The poet teaches, “God is before me, He will be my guide. God is behind me, no ill can betide. God is beside me, to comfort and cheer. God is ALL AROUND ME, so why should I fear???”
Hallelujah! The messenger of God is never alone!
Feb 23, 2024 – How important is the Bible? Why do we make it the central part of our church services? And build our lives upon such an ancient book?
Boice answers, “Jesus intended that we should recognize God’s existence and power through nature. But nature is not enough. For one thing, no one has ever come to an obedient faith in the God of creation through nature. For another, the revelation of God in nature is not specific in terms of God’s plans, and it is not personal…Men may recognize the power of God, but if they would know His plans, they must consult the Bible.” (The Gospel of John, pg. 35)
The central theme of the Bible is one of redemption, that is, revealing the way of salvation to sinful man. The Bible is not a scientific book although it contains truths oriented to science. The Bible is not an economics book although it provides excellent advice oriented to finance and materialism. The Bible is not a medical book either although it contains many healthy instructions.
But ask the Bible, “Show me a passage about redemption,” and the Bible will answer, “Which page would you like to see?” “The Scarlet Thread of Redemption” weaves itself from the Garden of Eden through the Old Testament historical section, through the Poetry books and into the Prophets’ chamber, through the Gospels and the writings of the apostles, and finishes in the glorious Apocalypse with the saints singing around the throne about what? The blood of the Lamb which secured their salvation!
Spurgeon said, “I can take any text, but I then make a beeline for the cross!”
When Henry Blunt was dying, the doctor said to him, “Sir, you are drawing near the grave, and I think if you have any accounts to settle, you had better settle them now.”
Blunt replied, “I have no accounts to settle; I owe nothing to man, and my Savior has paid all my debts to God!” Amen! “My Savior has paid all my debts to God!” What a blessing to know!
Make the cross the center point of your ministry. After all, it is the center point of the Bible, too.
Feb 22, 2024 – Faith! Is faith included in your story? If yes, how much has faith transformed your life? Unfortunately, the story title for many Christians is, “O Ye Of Little Faith.” But the title of Hebrews 11 would be, “O Ye of Great Faith.”
The Greek word (“pisteuo”) translated “believe” is found 233 times in the New Testament (99 times in John’s gospel), the kindred term “faith” (Greek “pistis”) occurs 239 times, while “faithful” (Greek “pistos”), which simply means “full of faith,” appears 52 times. The Greek word for “believe” means to persuade, to give credit to, to trust, or confide in. The Hebrew word for “believe” means to stay, to support, and then, that which forms the stay, i.e. its foundation. Note: It is from the Hebrew word that we derive the English term, Amen, signifying “of a truth,” or “so be it.” So when we read that Abraham believed God, he actually “amened” God! And Abraham then went forth looking for a city whose builder is God! His amen was firm!
Someone has provided us with a simple acrostic to help us understand faith. Faith is “Forsaking All I Trust Him!” Forsaking all other approaches to life and coming instead to a condition of dependence upon the Savior.
Let us glean more about faith from these comments by others:
1. Apart from the faith God asks for there can be no access to Him or blessing from Him.
2. Without faith, God stands outside a closed door and His grace and power cannot prevail. The electric current cannot communicate its energy till contact is made. Faith, then, is the switch supplying the spiritual contact. It links the soul to God so the power of God is released.
3. Thomas Watson: “Faith fetches all from Christ and gives all glory to Christ.”
4. Faith does not contradict reason; it rises SUPERIOR to it. What reason cannot understand, faith accepts. Reason is full of “why’s” and “wherefore’s.” Faith, on the other hand, asks no questions. It takes God at His word.
A Bible translator was working on John 3:16. Each word came to mind with one exception: faith. How could he convey the meaning of faith to his readers? As he pondered, a runner dashed into his tent, muttered a few words then collapsed on a cot. The translator asked, “What did he say?”
His helper explained that the runner had said, “I will throw my whole weight on this cot!”
The translator shouted, “That’s it! That’s the word I need.” He then translated the verse, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever ‘throws his whole weight’ on Him will not perish but have everlasting life.”
Can I trust God enough to throw my whole weight on Him? Yes! Absolutely! 100%! But will I trust God enough to walk by faith and not by sight or feelings or reason? God has spoken…but will it be enough?
Feb 21, 2024 – Many years ago the popular radio preacher J. Vernon McGee pastored a church in Pasadena, California. One Sunday morning he gave a gospel invitation and two couples came forward. One couple cried all over the place; they went through every handkerchief, every tissue. They cried so hard they couldn’t even talk.
Those tears made a big impression on some of the people; they said, “We haven’t seen anyone get saved like that in a long time.”
The other couple, though, never shed a single tear in receiving Jesus as their personal Savior. That bothered some of the people. After the service one of the church leaders even went to McGee and asked, “Do you think those two are really saved?”
Twenty years passed. McGee said the couple which had cried all over the place didn’t last very long. They ended up in a religious cult then they got out of that cult for a while then they went into another cult and still another cult.
But twenty-five years later the couple which had not shed a single tear—which hadn’t shouted a single shout—was still standing firm in their faith regarding the Lord Jesus Christ.
Several scriptures come immediately to mind: “Man looks on outward appearance; the Lord, though, looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). “The one sown on rocky ground—this is one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. But he has no root and is short-lived. When distress or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away.” “My sheep hear My voice and they follow Me. A stranger’s voice they will not follow” (John 10). “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away, behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). “A washed sow returns to wallowing in the mud” (2 Peter 2:21).
There will always be different responses to our sowing of the gospel. It was like that for our Lord; it is like that for us, too. DO NOT allow yourself to become sidetracked by those who fall away. Instead, focus on sowing as much seed as possible. The more you spread, the greater potential you have to reap! And there will indeed be reaping!!!
The Apostle Paul sowed his life in the Thessalonians, and he described them as his “crown of rejoicing!” Paul was very proud of the fruit of his labors.
The missionary William Carey sowed his life in the Far East and thousands of churches were born. Carey often said, “I’m not afraid of failure; I’m afraid of succeeding at things that don’t matter.”
David Livingstone sowed his life in deepest Africa where no missionary had ever gone before. David wrote, “I will place no value on anything I have or may possess except in relation to the kingdom of Christ.”
My good missionary friend John Fulks (you may support him through Global Outreach International) spent many years sowing his life as president of a Ugandan seminary. Many have been saved. The best part is that many of his graduates are now serving as pastors in their village churches. His sowing ministry has made a countrywide impact!
So don’t get discouraged if you hit a dry patch. Just trust God’s process of sowing and watering…and let God do what only God can do: Give the increase!
Feb 20, 2024 – PART FIVE – “The LORD has brought me back empty.” Those same words have been expressed by many backsliders through the annals of time. Why? In this final study, we learn that backsliding is a consequential decision. Not only do we reap what we sow, but we also experience the discipline of our loving Father in heaven. Yes, there are consequences to our walking away from God and walking back into the world.
Were you disciplined as a little boy or girl? I suspect the answer is yes! But were you always disciplined in the same way? No. There are different forms of discipline including standing in the corner, time out, being sent to bed without supper, being grounded, suspended from the television or internet, or losing our cell phone.
Does God love His children as much as your parents loved you? Yes, even more so. “Whom the Lord loves He chastens and when necessary He even scourges every son whom he receives” (Hebrews 12:6).
There are times in our Christian life when God disciplines us by standing us in the corner, sending us to bed without our supper, takes away our job or our health, but there are also some times when we resist God’s discipline.
All of this happened in the story of Elimelech and Ruth. For ten years this couple ignored the discipline of God! What did God then do? One day Elimelech got sick and everyone wondered why. Then he died. One day the #1 son Mahlon got sick and everyone wondered why. Then he died. Then the #2 son Chilion got sick and by now everyone surely knew why. Then he died.
There was now no reason for Naomi to stay in Moab—all of her male support was gone.
How does chapter one end? “It is time to go home but not with my husband or sons!” She returns to Bethlehem (“the house of bread”) and tells the people, “Call me no longer Naomi (“pleasant”) but call me Mara (“bitter”). I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty.”
This story contains a very painful lesson which we must convey to those in the Christian community: “Every backslider leaves full but returns empty.” It is similar to the gasoline tank being full at the beginning of the trip but later becoming empty, because we did not find any gasoline stations on the trip. The tank could not sustain itself. It used up whatever fuel it had including the fumes then it was simply empty.
Emptiness is a horrible thing for the human soul. But it is when we realize our emptiness that we also realize where we can once again become full. “In Thy presence, Lord, there is FULLNESS of joy.”
The book of Ruth is a catastrophe in the opening chapter because Moab, by its limited nature, can be nothing but a catastrophe. The book, however, turns favorable and becomes the beloved story it is when Naomi returns to God’s “house of bread.” God help us never to forget where His blessings exist!
*22 pages are dedicated to explaining chastisement in my book Sanctification: How God Creates Saints out of Sinners. Available at Amazon, Apple, etc.
Feb 19, 2024 – PART FOUR – “Contradictions! Doesn’t make sense! This isn’t good reasoning! You should be doing the opposite! Have you lost your mind?”
Those expressions also describe the child of God who has backslid into a life of carnal, sinful behavior. In Part 4 we will look at the contradictions that occur in the mind and actions of that Christian who professes Christ but has wandered away…rebelled…grown cold toward Christ…is living more like an unsaved person than a child of the King.
The love story called Ruth opens with a look at the contradictory decisions of Elimelech and Ruth. (See Parts 1-3.) The opening verse says they moved from Bethlehem (the “house of bread”) to the land of Moab. This is not as simple as moving across a state line. It’s the equivalent of leaving church people and embracing God’s enemies.
What is the significance of Moab? God says in Psalm 108, “Moab is My washpot.” It is also translated “wash basin.” In those days they used the wash basin for washing dishes, washing hair, taking a bath, etc.
How many of you have washed dishes in the last week? What do you do with the water when you finish washing the dishes? Do you drink it? Wash your hair in it? Wash the baby in it? Wash your clothes in it? Eat the food at the bottom?
KEY: What do Elimelech and Naomi have in common with the wash basin of Moab? Imagine Elimelech and Naomi being in the house of bread but trading it for a wash basin. Does that make sense? Will they still be eating milk and honey from God’s table? No. Will they still be praising God? No. Will they have good Christian women to marry their sons? No. (The women of Moab worship idols—a worship which is actually described in the Bible as demon worship.) Does their decision make sense? No, but to them it is apparently easier to change their lifestyle than to repent and have God end the famine.
We ask, “Why are you in Moab?”
They answer, “We know we shouldn’t be here, but somehow we ended up here. We cannot break our ties here and go back home.” (The consequences of their decision will be discussed in Part 5.)
This pastor has visited many a backslider who has grown cold toward God and His work. I’ve said, “You need to get things right with God. You are miserable.” Guess what? They will usually admit they are miserable, that the way of the Lord is a more blessed way, but they cannot repent. They know what is right, but they still choose to do wrong and be miserable.
Remember: Backsliding is a contradictory decision and contradictory lifestyle. How then should we minister to such a person? Not by beating them over the head with a Bible, but rather by showing love and compassion. After all, God’s chastisement has already made them miserable. So be there to love them back to the fold. “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted” (Galatians 6:1).
They already know they don’t make sense. But they need someone to love them. Be that special someone!
Feb 17-18, 2024 – PART THREE – What are the two least preached subjects today compared to a generation ago? They are related, of great importance to the child of God but seldom heard in our modern don’t-chase-them-away philosophy. The subjects are backsliding and chastisement. Both words appear in the King James Version, less so in modern translations and, admittedly, it is harder to use the terms if the terms do not appear in your translation. However, both words possess theological meaning to the trained listener…and, in my mind, no substitute in modern language has the power of those words.
Dutch Brammer preached at (not to) my father seventy years ago, “You’re backsliding while you’re sitting on the front row.” The term had meaning to my father; he often recited that quote in the following decades.
Let’s define the two terms. “Have you seen that which backsliding Israel has done? She has gone upon every high mountain and every green tree and played the harlot” (Jeremiah 3:6). The New Testament equivalent is James 3:4, “You adulterers and adulteresses, don’t you know that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?” The term “backsliding” was used to describe a redeemed Israel (pictured by the blood of the Passover) that had wandered away from God. The Apostle Paul described such Christians as “carnal” or “controlled by the flesh rather than the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 3). Though saved, they often behave more like unsaved people than saved people.
The second term “chastisement” is the result of the believer’s backsliding. It is the father disciplining his child for wrong behavior. The central passage on chastisement says, “Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11). Chastisement has been described as God taking the rebellious Christian to the woodshed. It can be as simple as a gentle conversation that brings correction or as harsh as the believer dying a premature death (Acts 5). It can involve sickness of any type…could it be that much of the mental and physical sickness in the Christian community is actually undiagnosed chastisement? (In David’s case of rebellion God took the life of his newborn baby.)
Hence, such consequences mean it is foolish to ignore these two subjects, because there are consequences and sometimes severe consequences to walking away from God. Sadly, many of the people in today’s “feel-good” pews have never been exposed to this teaching. But if it was me, I would want to hear the truth, wouldn’t you?
Interestingly, my father passed on to me as a young preacher what the old preachers passed on to him as a young minister: “The people may stray from the Lord as young adults but if or when they return in their later life, they will usually stick.” Why? Like Solomon, they have exhausted what the world has to offer and found the best deal is always in Jesus! The old song, “Wasted years! O how foolish!” describes their years of rebellion.
I recall visiting a backslider at his home, seeing that backslider get his heart right with God a few months later and then seeing him become a very good pastor. He “stuck” real good!
Call backsliding and chastisement whatever you wish, change the names if you wish to something more modern and understandable…but, for everyone’s sake, let’s make sure people know what God expects from His children and that there are consequences to rebellion.
* 22 pages are dedicated to explaining chastisement in my book Sanctification: How God Creates Saints out of Sinners. Available at Amazon, Apple, etc.
Feb 15, 2024 – Poor Barney had always been proud of his thick, wavy hair. But then he began to lose his hair. Finally he had just one hair on top of his head. One morning Barney awakened, looked at his pillow, and was shocked to see that last hair lying on his pillow. He ran downstairs and said, “Martha, I’m bald!”
Question: Did Barney become bald overnight? No, it was an everyday process of having less and less hair. The same is true of the Christian who abandons the call of God, all that is so glorious about the Christian life. The Old Testament uses the term “backslider” or “one sliding backward” to describe such an individual.
Picture sitting next to a fireplace. The closer you get, the hotter the fire feels. But the further away you move, the cooler the fire feels.
The book of Ruth is often described as “the love story of the Old Testament.” That is true about the final chapters, but it is not true about the book’s beginning. Ruth begins tragically with a married couple (Elimelech and Naomi) walking away from the promised land to live in the godforsaken land of Moab. Interestingly, they left David’s birthplace of Bethlehem which means “the house of bread” because of a famine…most likely, a God-induced famine to punish Israel for its sin. But instead of confessing sin, they moved to the land of sin.
“And remained there.” It was bad to forsake Bethlehem for one day…to say, “Well, today is my sin day. I intend to spend today in Moab sin city.” Perhaps they said, “I’ll get back in the swing tomorrow. JUST ONE DAY AND THEN WE’LL GET BACK TO NORMAL.” But the Bible says they did not get back to normal because they “continued in that place.” Ah, if they hadn’t gone there, they could not have continued there.
We don’t want such an experience to happen to us but please ponder: Where does backsliding begin? It begins when we are living in the house of bread and praise! It begins when we are singing in the choir, teaching and ministering. But something happens…and before long our heart becomes cold toward God and we begin sliding backward! It doesn’t begin once we get to Moab, but it begins when we are where we ought to be.
My father’s pastor, Dutch Brammer, often said, “You’re backsliding while you’re sitting on the front row.” (Dad would look around and realize he was the only one sitting on the front row.)
Have you ever tried to go down a sliding board backward? It is made to slide down frontwards! My granddaughter accidentally did this yesterday on the long slide at the park. Her shoe was even pulled off and followed her down the slide by two seconds. Ask her: She will tell you sliding down backward is not done very well nor is it very safe! But once you start down the slide it is hard to stop until you finally hit bottom!
Ultimately, Elimelech and Naomi reaped what they sowed…the worst harvest imaginable, because it is hard to reap a good harvest in Moab outside the will of God.
So keep your eyes open…keep your heart close to God!
Feb 14, 2024 – A famous German philanthropist (Oberlin) was journeying through a snowstorm and became lost. He fell into a snow drift and thought he would die. But a stranger passed by. pulled him out of the snow drift and took him to the city.
This stranger refused to accept a reward. The philanthropist said, “At least tell me your name.”
The stranger said, “Tell me the name of the Good Samaritan.”
“I do not believe his name is given.”
“Then let me withhold mine as well!”
James 4:6 says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Throughout the Scriptures we learn God resists the proud: the proud church, the proud Christian, especially the proud nation! But God rewards the humble with what? Not money, not fame, not the best job, not the biggest ministry…but with one of the most transforming virtues of all: GRACE!
There is truly something special about those who are gracious. They possess an air, an attitude which distinguishes them from the mass of humanity. Their smile is different…it’s actually real. The tone of their conversation is pleasant and non-threatening. Their deep, inner peace actually makes itself to the surface for all to see. They aren’t afraid to reach out a helping hand. They’re just….gracious and they really stand out from the crowd. In so doing, they are remembered by the rest of us.
It is very unlikely the Good Samaritan behaved only once in this manner. Rather, it is much more likely that this story reflects his lifestyle. Such a lifestyle is cultivated over time; it is a transformation of God’s grace in a willing heart.
May God help all of us to allow the same transformation to occur in each of us.
Feb 13, 2024 – What does God really want? A very poor man lived alone in his little hut. One day a wealthy man offered to buy his hut. The poor man decided to sell it. He patched the roof, made some other repairs and was happy to be selling the hut in first class condition.
The new owner signed a contract a month later and began to tear down the shack. The poor man said, “Don’t tear down my little home. I have repaired it so nicely.”
The wealthy man said, “I do not want your shack. I only want the site, this corner lot.”
Likewise, God does not want the self in us even if it is patched up. He just wants the site, an empty life which He can use for His honor and glory! “Give Me your heart!” is God’s cry to each one of us. It is not the same as, “Give Me your abilities…your bank account…your charisma, even your hut.” But it is, “Give Me who you are, all that you are” and make Me Lord of all.
The very poor man in the hut is like so many of us. We think (oh, how foolish we sometimes think) that God wants what we have so let’s manufacture MORE to give Him…but in reality He doesn’t need that because He can manufacture anything He chooses. Rather, He desires us…what we are, who we are…our heart.
It is like a woman meeting the man of her dreams and saying to him, “I give you my heart.” That is the greatest Valentine’s present any man can receive for, in so doing, she is committing her all to his care. She realizes it is the greatest commitment she can make, the most personal commitment she can make. And in joy she makes that willing commitment.
Can you imagine God’s joy when we make that same commitment to Him? “All to Jesus I surrender!” becomes more than a song! In much the same way as a marriage, it becomes the seal that deepens our relationship to a very personal, even intimate level. From this point no request from Above is deemed too difficult or demanding.
The Psalmist writes of his own experience, “O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You” (Psalm 63:1-3).
Are you struggling in your spiritual life? Let Today’s Verse linger in your mind. “My son, give Me your heart—your heart—and let your eyes delight in My way.” Then you’ll know…
Feb 12, 2024 – What can prayer do in the life of a believer? NOTHING if the prayer is never prayed. NOTHING if the prayer is prayed but not prayed in accordance with God’s policy. Consider the importance of prayer to Christianity:
Louis King says, “The Bible and the record of history reveal that there has never been such a thing as a prayerless revival.”
Leonard Ravenhill says, “The church is dying on its feet because it is not living on its knees.”
The great revival under Jonathan Edwards in the 18th century began with his famous call to prayer.
Someone has said, “No prayer, no results. Little prayer, little results. More prayer, more results. Much prayer, much results.”
But all effective prayer is contingent upon several key elements as detailed in 2 Chronicles 7:14. First, prayer must include a spirit of brokenness. This popular revival text begins with God’s condition: “If My people humble themselves.” The root meaning of “humble” is “to bend the knee.” The idea is one of brokenness. “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). John Bunyan writes, “He that is down need fear no fall, He that is low, no pride; He that is humble ever shall Have God to be his Guide.”
Second, prayer must include a spirit of selflessness. “If My people pray…” There are twelve words in the Hebrew language which can be translated by our English word “pray.” Robert Young defines this particular Hebrew word like this: “to judge self habitually.” Imagine a courtroom setting in which you place yourself on trial each day. God then shows you certain areas in your life which are being done more your way than God’s way. Paul prayed an unselfish prayer when he said, “I am crucified with Christ. I begin every day realizing that self has been crucified. It is no longer I that live but Christ now lives through me.” O, God, save me from myself (my greatest enemy) that I might be useful to Thee!
Third, prayer must include a spirit of earnestness. “If My people SEEK My face.” It is easier for a Christian to seek good music, good preaching and good fellowship than to seek God. Earnest seeking is more than singing, “Have Thine Own Way, Lord.” How much we need to be like Jacob when he prayed, “I will not let You go until You bless me!” He held on out of earnestness!
Fourth, prayer must include a spirit of holiness. “Turn from their wicked ways” precedes, “Then I will hear and will bless…” James reminds us, “The prayer of a righteous man is very effective.” Paul emphasizes the righteous aspect of prayer when he writes, “Men should pray everywhere, lifting up HOLY hands…” David asks, “Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a clean heart.” But, on the contrary, “if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will NOT hear me” (Psalm 66:18).
Ah, friend, let us challenge ourselves with the old saying, “When we pray according to God’s conditions, we see what God alone can do!” Amen.
Feb 10-11, 2024 – The Bible closes with a book whose title is appropriate as a title for the entire Bible. The Greek word “apokalupsis” means “the unveiling” or “the revelation.” Imagine attending a school play. The top of the hour arrives and the curtain is opened; suddenly, that which has been hidden behind the curtain is unveiled or revealed. The unknown or the unknowable has now become known!
The ultimate revelation, of course, is “The Revelation of Jesus Christ”—quite appropriately, it is John’s apparent title for the final book in the Bible since that is how he begins this prophetic masterpiece. This book unveils Jesus Christ to anxious eyes in a way that is truly awe-inspiring.
Thinking more broadly, though, we also must recognize that Jesus (Savior) Christ (Messiah or Anointed One) is the central person in world history. History is actually HIS-STORY. The universe revolves around Him not only as God’s spokesman but also God’s redeemer for fallen man.
Thus, we should not be surprised to learn He will be the central person at the CONCLUSION of world history, also. The nineteenth chapter acquaints us with His unveiling Himself to all of humanity for the very first time since His ascension to the Father’s right hand. “Behold, I saw heaven opened and a rider upon a white horse…He has a name written on His robe and on His thigh—King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (Revelation 19). Wiersbe writes, “The title speaks of Christ’s sovereignty, for all kings and lords must submit to Him. No matter who was on the throne of the Roman Empire, Jesus Christ was his King and Lord!”
Unveiled in all of His essence…God coming to judge…God coming to rule…God coming to establish righteousness…God coming to lift the curse upon creation…God coming to imprison the devil and his imps…God coming in vengeance on those who have conspired against Him. He who has been hidden behind the curtain for so long that man has forgotten Him…this One is now being unveiled as the world has never seen Him! The first time He came as a lamb to die but the second time He comes as a King to reign!
“Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30). No one has ever seen such an unveiling before. (I hope I will be able to take a megaphone and shout to one and all, “I told He was coming!”)
“The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever’” (Revelation 11:15). (Perhaps you and I will be among the “loud voices in heaven.”)
“God has highly exalted him and bestowed upon him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11). “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is NONE OTHER name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Thank God, I know Him! And I am happy to serve Him as my King and someday this world’s King! How about you?
Feb 9, 2024 – Our own children often teach us some of the most valuable lessons of life. One Sunday morning our two-year-old daughter did not eat breakfast—her choice, not ours! We went to church, I preached, and we headed home. We stopped at a traffic light, and our daughter spotted the big “M” sign. She was not a big talker, but she knew the word to say: “Eat.”
I asked, “Do you really want to eat at McDonald’s?” She nodded yes. I decided to give her a test. I said, “Give me a hug.” She did! “Give me a kiss.” She did. “Give me your towel.” Got her towel! Ah, this was getting really serious.
Then came the greatest test of all: ”Give me your thumb!” There is no greater sacrifice to a two-year-old than the thumb! And she did! That told me there was nothing more important to her than eating at McDonald’s and so to McDonald’s we went.
Wonder if God does the same thing with us? We often say we want God to bless our lives, our family, our church…how about sending a revival? Or saving souls? Wonder if God tests us as to whether we really want it?
The short answer is “YES!” One such test appears in Today’s Verse: “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” The “if” indicates a condition must be met. In this case the conditions are many: humble themselves, pray, seek my face, turn from their wicked ways. That’s tough stuff because it means an abandonment of “self” and a reliance upon “Thee.”
There are many stages to experiencing such a personal and corporate (church or country) revival. The old song captures the stages quite well. “Oh, the bitter pain and sorrow That a time could ever be, When I proudly said to Jesus, ‘All of self, and none of Thee.’” (The only positive in that stage is the recognition of our own rebellious behavior. We have deliberately chosen our own course in life. We most likely feel the spiritual loss, too.)
“Yet He found me; I beheld Him Bleeding on th’ accursed tree, And my wistful heart said faintly, ‘Some of self, and some of Thee.’” (The seed of revival has been planted. God is doing a work in our soul. Our heart is being tugged heavenward; the first sprouts of renewal are manifesting themselves.)
“Day by day His tender mercy, Healing, helping, full and free, Brought me lower while I whispered, ‘Less of self, and more of Thee.’” (Such things as going to church, listening to a sermon, studying the Bible, even prayer are taking on a fresh meaning. We are not yet fully where we need to be, but the embers in our heart are now glowing and producing much-needed warmth.)
“Higher than the highest heaven, Deeper than the deepest sea, Lord, Thy love at last has conquered: ‘None of self, and all of Thee.’” (The Apostle Paul describes this stage as, “that I may know Him!” Experience Him! Be consumed with Him! Not just know about Him but have a deep, personal walk with Him. Not only are we on His mind, but He is on our mind, too. “And He walks with me and He talks with me and He tells me I am His own. And the joy we share as we tarry there, None other has ever known.” We have willingly submitted all to Him. As a result, life is now what life was always intended to be: lived in the will and presence of our God.)
“Give Me your thumb. Show Me you are serious and then I will bless.”
Feb 8, 2024 – Who will you meet in your ministry? What kind of people will they be? The Apostle Paul finishes the last chapter of his life by telling us about people whom he has met in the ministry. Interestingly, we can expect to meet the same type of people, too.
First, Paul mentions, “Demas has forsaken me.” Why? Demas “is in love with this current world system.” The loss of Demas apparently hurt Paul deeply enough that he mentions it to Timothy. Perhaps he is preparing Timothy for the day when one of Timothy’s co-workers, flaming hot for Jesus at one point in his ministry, will walk away from his calling and his church. So it will be with us, too, with some we try to mentor. We can only pray the “walking away” is short in duration and trust God’s chastisement process (Hebrews 12) to restore our friend soon!
Second, Crescens and Titus were faithfully ministering in distant places! How thrilling to see fellow believers grow in the Lord to become someone with very large assignments! Nothing else is known of Crescens. He is unknown in the history books, but he was certainly known to his generation. On the other hand, Titus was well known. Paul left Titus in Crete that he “might set in order the things that remain out of order.” It is always thrilling to know you have impacted a Crescens and Titus.
Luke was Paul’s chief companion in ministry…and life. One of God’s greatest blessings is to give companions to each of us for not only the journey of ministry but also the journey of life. They may not be many, but they are gems that shine on the darkest night. They just have a way of being there when you need them. God bless them, one and all!
“Mark is useful to me for the ministry.” Sometimes we err in giving up on people. Paul committed that error with Mark when, as a young man, Mark left the mission field and returned home to momma. Paul refused to allow Mark to join them on a later missionary journey. It probably looked to Paul that Mark would never mature…would be a waste of his time. But Paul forgot that God does not give up on his own. Mark eventually matured…his fledgling faith became a mature faith. This same Mark later wrote the Gospel of Mark. Near the end of his life Paul teaches us about his mistake…and in so doing Paul encourages us to be smarter than him!
“Alexander, the coppersmith, did me much harm. Be on guard against him, for he vigorously opposed my teaching.” It is foolish to think there will be no opposition to our ministry. On the contrary, opposition is usually a sign we are doing something right! Just consider the source is even more against Jesus than you…and keep on keeping on.
“Timothy, my son in the faith, do your best to come to me soon.” Apparently, Timothy was Paul’s favorite disciple. The bond between them was more like father-son than teacher-student. That’s natural for us, too. There is only so much of you to be spread around, so there will be a select few that God will bind to your heart. This binding will prompt you to target those people in various ways including prayer and encouragement. They, in turn, will listen to you…and when they hopefully outgrow you, well, you will have done your job! Hurrah for you!
So how about the people whom you have met in ministry? Are they really that much different than the people whom Paul met? Probably not. Generations come and go, but the traits of people are the same. Ah, friend, that’s why ministry stays the same, too.
Feb 6-7, 2024 – What does your pastor preach? Social issues, politics, whatever pops in his head or does he specialize in “preaching the Word”? Does he do “soft preaching” intended to offend no one (including the devil) or “biblical preaching” that goes word-by-word, leaving out nothing, intentionally making everyone aware of what God says?
During the days of slavery, the master of the estate went to a slave who was also a preacher. He said, “I understand you are preaching. I will give you all the time you need. I want you to prepare a sermon on the Ten Commandments. Bear down especially on stealing. because there is a great deal of stealing on this plantation.” The slave’s countenance changed from one of joy at the prospect of preaching to despair at preaching such a subject. The preacher explained he could not do that. After all, there wasn’t the “warmth” in that subject that there was in other subjects.
The truth is it takes a very ARROGANT Christian to WANT to offend people in presenting the Bible whether in a sermon, lesson or work/family setting. Yes, there are some such people who pretend to hide behind, “I’m telling you this because I love you,” but let’s hope all of you have grown beyond that stage and are able to be more diplomatic about how you say it. Remember: Jesus’ harshest words were for the self-righteous Pharisees, not the typical “help-me-out” audience we have on Sunday. It’s one thing to deal with goats; it’s an entirely different matter to deal with sheep.
Our job is not to offend people nor is our job to applaud people. Rather, our job is to give the Word of God to people in a way they can understand it…to “make the message clear and plain” so that people see God’s point of view. Above all, we must not allow ourselves, including our personality, to get in the way of God’s Word. One fellow prayed for his pastor just before the sermon: “Lord, hide him behind the cross. May we not see him, but may we see Your message and do what You would have us to do.”
Henry Ward Beecher pastored in Indianapolis. He preached a series upon drunkenness, gambling, other heinous sins and even called out the names of certain establishments and businessmen that were profiting from those sinful activities. One day Beecher came face-to-face on the street with a would-be assassin. The man showed Beecher his gun and demanded a retraction of his sermon. He said, “Take it back right here or I will shoot you on the spot.”
Beecher said, “Shoot away. I don’t believe you can hit the mark nearly as well as I did!”
Beecher’s comment about “hitting the mark” is valid and occurs thousands of times each week throughout our country. The preacher, though he may think he is important, is just God’s messenger or delivery boy. But the message is empowered by God to bring the person into contact with God!
John Wesley had a unique philosophy regarding this matter. He posed two questions to every young disciple he sent out to preach. “Has anyone been converted? Did anyone get mad?” If the answer was, “No,” Wesley told the disciple he did not think the Lord had called him to preach. Why? Wesley said, “When the Word of God is preached, the Holy Spirit convicts, and sinners either get converted or mad!”
This world of ours needs to hear, “Thus Saith the Lord!” So let’s preach the Word, teach the Word and live the Word! May God speak through you to bring others into HIS presence!
Feb 5, 2024 – “Conscience is not a safe guide because very often conscience will not tell you that you have done wrong until after you have done it. But the Bible will tell you what is wrong BEFORE you have done it.” D. L. Moody’s words appropriately begin Part 4 in this study (the Word of God), because mankind is looking in the wrong place for guidance…in effect, in ANY place except the right place.
We Bible believers recognize the Word of God is infallible, because it is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16) from the One who knows all things. Conscience, though, is tainted by Adam’s sin and is very fallible. Self-help books are also tainted by Adam’s sin as are counselors, educators, friends and parents. But of the Bible alone can it be said it is “perfect, converting the soul.” AWESOME!
In this world of increasing falsehood we need a truthful manual for life…not just religious matters but ALL matters. Today’s world cannot even identify a person’s gender…how then can it be an accurate guide? We need something more than what the world provides. And God’s Word is the solution!
Spurgeon testified, “If my compass always points to the north, I know how to use it, but if it veers to other points of the compass I must judge out of my own mind whether it’s right or not. I am as well without the thing as with it. But if my Bible is always right, it will lead me right and since I believe it is always right, I will follow it!”
A young Christian was preparing to take a long trip. He said to his friend, “I am just about packed. I only have to put in a guidebook, lamp, microscope, telescope, volume of fine poetry, few biographies, package of old letters, book of songs, sword, hammer, set of books I have been studying, and a cabinet full of spiritual vitamins.”
“But you can’t possibly get all of those items in your bag.”
“Oh, yes, I can. It doesn’t take much room.” He then placed his Bible in a corner of the bag and closed the lid!
O, friend, let us use the Word of God as the Guide of God in EVERY area of life as we navigate through this world!
Feb 3-4, 2024 – Some years ago the planet Mars came nearer the earth than it would be for many years. There was much excitement among the astronomers. Two men set up a listening station on the summit of a very high mountain. Their reception extended far into space. They listened expectantly for an entire twenty-four hour period. But not a sound was heard. Oh, their disappointment!
Ah, I can do them one better! In the Word of God we have not a voice from Mars but a voice from heaven! “Forever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in HEAVEN.” The source of the holy scriptures is not earth nor Mars but heaven and, specifically, the One who is on heaven’s throne.
We are often asked how much of the Bible we believe. “Do you believe the miracles? Do you believe the prophecies? Do you believe in the Deity of Jesus Christ? Do you believe in a literal heaven and hell? Do you believe in the biblical account of creation, the sinfulness of man, and the need of redemption?”
The answer is very simple: We believe in all of it.
A bishop said he believed the Bible was inspired in some places but not in other places. He sounded so intelligent! When asked for proof, though, he misquoted Hebrews 1:1, stating the verse means the Bible was given in varying degrees of truth. Thus, some verses were fully inspired but not all. The bishop, though, was thoroughly embarrassed when a young layman asked, “How do you know your proof text is one of those completely inspired verses?” The poor bishop had no response!
Jesus answers the critics in a very unique way. He says, “Until heaven and earth pass away, not one jot (the smallest Hebrew letter) nor one tittle (stroke of a letter like the slash mark in a “k”) shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (Matthew 5:18). We often hear preachers say, “We believe in word-for-word inspiration.” To be more accurate, we actually believe in letter-for-letter inspiration—that all of the original writings were perfectly recorded on paper. “Holy men of God spoke (and wrote) as they were moved along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). Not by their own spirit or their own whims but by the Holy Spirit of God!
1,500 years after Herodotus wrote his famous history there was only one remaining copy in the entire world. Plato wrote his masterpiece…1,200 years later there was only one remaining manuscript anywhere. Today’s world has but a few manuscripts from such historic figures as Sophocles, Euripides, Virgil and Cicero. But God has preserved His word and has given us thousands upon thousands of Old and New Testament manuscripts which form the basis for so many outstanding translations today…the Bible in their own language so that people everywhere can hear the message of God for their soul.
Yes, we believe without apology in an inspired text. Thank God, we know by experience what it means to be “born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; the word of the Lord REMAINS FOREVER. And this word is the good news that was preached to you” (1 Peter 1:23). Amen!
NOTE: Section One in my fourth book “God Speaks—Today” explains how God has given us a reliable Bible though thousands of years have passed. This section was taught to the Wednesday Bible class in my last church. Available at Amazon, Apple, Kobo, etc.
Feb 2, 2024 – Could we pause for a moment to celebrate the wonder of the Bible that you teach? “Let us imagine a religious novel of sixty-six chapters begun by one writer around sixth century A.D. After completing five chapters he suddenly dies. During the next one thousand years up to the sixteen century around thirty amateur writers feel obligated to contribute to this unfinished religious novel. Few of the authors share anything in common. They speak different languages, live at different times in different countries with different backgrounds and occupations, even write in different styles.
“Also imagine at the completion of the thirty-ninth chapter, the writing suddenly stops. Not one word is added from the sixteenth to the twentieth centuries. After this long delay, writing begins once again by eight new authors who add the final twenty-seven chapters. With all of this in mind, what would be the chances of this religious novel becoming a moral, scientific, prophetic and historical unity? Yet this book is the Bible…and this process shows what a miracle it is. We can only conclude that man did not write it!”
Flavel adds, “Mad men or devils could not have written the Bible for it condemns them and their work. Good men or angels could not have written it for in saying that it was from God when it was their own invention, they would have been guilty of falsehoods and could not have been good men. The only remaining Being who could have written it is God.”
Can you imagine a mortal man standing in the midst of your group and proclaiming loudly, “Thus saith the Lord!” and then presenting a long message. That would be stunning to see. No Bible is in his hand, no one is there to prompt him on what to say next, and yet there is amazing authority in what is proclaimed.
More than 3,800 times the Old Testament writers use expressions like “Thus saith the Lord” or “The Lord said.” Do you know what you are doing when you teach a Bible lesson? You are declaring the very word of the Lord. It’s not newspaper quality words nor Nobel literature quality words nor New York Times Bestseller words nor backwoods folklore words…rather, it’s a message that has come not by the post office nor internet but through holy men of God who have been moved upon by the Holy Spirit in a similar manner of the wind moving into the sails and propelling a sailboat across the water. They cannot help but move, because they are being moved!
One of evangelist Billy Graham’s many strengths was repeating one statement over and over in his sermons: “The Bible says.” Imagine getting a dollar for every time he said it! But he made it clear that the audience is not hearing his beliefs, but they are hearing the Word of the living God!
Supernatural…the only book of its kind…operating at a level that can be understood by a tiny child but at the same time it is a mystery to many educated people.
Moody said it very well, “I am glad there is a depth in the Bible that I can’t understand because it proves God wrote the Bible.”
Ah, friend, don’t allow yourself to become BORED with the Bible to such an extent that your teaching becomes more of a commentary on world events or national politics or (yikes!) sports, etc. Let the wonderment of the Bible grasp your soul and rescue you from boring your audience. Spiritual people need to be fed…and our weekly commentaries don’t accomplish that goal. Spiritual people always appreciate Bible teaching…so keep your teaching centered on the Word of God. Make sure you study enough to have something to teach!
Feb 1, 2024 – What is the authority for our ministry? Is it in us or in something else? Will it last only as long as we minister or will it outlive our ministry? Does it require the ordination of a church or Christian college?
These questions go to the heart of ministry. There is no question that all of us can do better, but is that the key? No, not by a long shot. No amount of training can change or improve the authority underlying our ministry.
We must think this through: The authority for every successful ministry is the Word of God itself. It is not one’s education or charisma or money. It is, “Thus saith the Lord!“ This cannot be stressed enough.
Over a period of time Martin Luther came to recognize the authority for ALL things spiritual was in the Bible, not in the pope nor church council. I wonder how he felt! One man standing against the most powerful religion of his day: Roman Catholicism. To them, Luther was nothing more than an annoying gnat. But Luther, as best he could comprehend, had switched his confidence from church authority to inspired Bible authority…from religious authority to the one main Pauline teaching that “the just shall live by faith.”
The result? The Protestant Reformation was born. Why? The Bible became recognized as the authority…and once the proper authority for life, salvation and ministry is identified, people can move forward in confidence.
BEWARE OF TRYING TO MINISTER WITHOUT SATURATING YOUR MINISTRY WITH THE WORD OF GOD! Why? The Bible is a supernatural book with the power of heaven running through its pages. Ritualism and tradition will produce only man-made solutions, but the living Word of God will produce godliness.
One of the problems with today’s Christianity is not that we have too much Bible, but too little Bible…too little exposure in one sixty minute service on Sunday…too little exposure in our own homes…too little exposure to the one Book which “will not return to God void, but it will accomplish what I, the Lord, please” and that, of course, includes transformed lives.
Luther’s words bear repeating, “Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason (for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. May God help me. Amen.”
Well, here I stand, too. How about you?
Jan 31, 2024 – What is the need of today’s Christianity? Richard Foster writes, “Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem. The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for DEEP people.”
Do you remember singing as a child, “The house built on the rock”? The house built on the sand went S-P-L-A-T! (I can still see the children pounding their fist in the other hand to simulate S-P-L-A-T!) But the house built on the rock survived, even prospered despite facing the same hurricane.
Luke’s version of the story contains an interesting expression: “a man built his house and dug DEEP and laid the foundation on a rock.” He dug deep. We read so fast nowadays that we would probably miss that word, but it was an important word to the builder…and to the God who gives us this text. The builder did not dig just below the surface but he dug deep. In other words, he was not a shallow man. Whimsical? Not on your life. Cheap? No way. He believed in quality, doing things right, making certain that whatever he did survived to his dying day.
This word “depth” appropriately describes the strongest Christians in the Bible: Moses, Daniel, Peter, Paul, etc. This same word “depth” describes the strongest Christians in your church, too. Their depth gives them consistency when bothered with headwinds or blessed with tailwinds.
John MacArthur once was approached by a man who said, “I don’t agree with you at all. I have never accepted your Christ and do not intend to do so. But I come because I like to hear a man that stands for what he believes.” What an unusual compliment! This unbeliever was applauding the depth of someone with whom he did not even agree.
What kind of person do you want to be? An airhead? Just bouncing from here to there? No purpose for life? Living only for the moment? Wrapped up only in self? Focused solely on the next twenty-four hours?
The choice is ours. The choice is not made by government decree nor by parental discipline nor by an employer nor by a spouse nor by some crazy advertising scheme. The choice is ours. Ours alone. No one gets to the “deep” stage by accident but by deliberate choice.
Schedule some time to think through who you want to be…not only spiritually but in every aspect of your life. In so doing, you won’t arrive at your final destination by accident.
Jan 30, 2024 – How treasured is the Bible? Our pastor Lee Roberson worked in his younger years under the direction of L. W. Benedict in Louisville, Kentucky. One day Roberson struggled into a car with a stack of books in his arms. He said, “I got in the back seat and dropped the books on the back seat. I then turned around and sat down.
“Dr. Benedict started the car, drove a few feet then stopped. He leaned over into the back seat, reached under all the books that I had dropped on the back seat, pulled out my Bible and placed it on top.
“He then said to me, ‘Young man, remember this: The Bible is always on top. The Bible is always FIRST!’”
Roberson said, “I never forgot that.” What perhaps is insignificant to so many became a lifelong lesson for a young preacher who eventually became one of the leaders in America’s evangelistic movement.
All of us would be wiser if we took to heart the words of the old song: “We need a new look at the old Book. We need a new look at God’s Word. We need to read the scriptures every day, Hide God’s Word in our heart. We need a new look at the old Book, We need a new look at God’s Word!”
“For the Word of God is living…powerful…sharper than any two-edged sword!” “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” “The blessed man’s delight is in the law of the Lord. In His law he meditates day and night.” “This book shall not depart from your mouth…meditate on it day and night…then you will have great success (Joshua 1:8). Interestingly, this is the only time the word “success” appears in the Bible and please notice it is connected with the degree of Bible saturation that occurs in our life!
Bottom line: Spiritual strength for Christian ministry is directly related to our time with God and His Word. Notice I used the word “spiritual” rather than physical or educational, because God’s Word is designed to communicate with man’s spirit, even make man spiritually alive…and that is something the books of this world do not have the ability to do.
Spurgeon writes about the Bible, “This volume is the writing of the living God. Each letter was penned by the Almighty Finger. Each word in it dropped from the Everlasting Lips. Each sentence was dictated by the Holy Spirit. The Bible is God’s Book unto man. It is God’s Word.”
So let’s respond by placing God’s Book on top…not merely on top a stack of books but on top as our ultimate guide and source of truth!
Jan 29, 2024 – “Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall, All the King’s horses and all the king’s men Couldn’t put Humpty together again.”
What a shame! Various questions could be asked such as why was Humpty (though unstated Humpty is apparently an egg) in such a vulnerable position? Even a simpleton knows that eggs break when they fall. It would be similar to a hundred-year-old man climbing on a roof to clean out his gutters. It just doesn’t make sense. Then again, did Humpty ever investigate his own weaknesses? Did he know what he could safely do and not safely do? Did he consider the downside to taking such a position? Did he care? Was he simply responding to a spontaneous nature? Did anyone advise him not to do such a foolish thing? Could he have achieved the same purpose but in a safer way?
The above questions may seem frivolous to an egg, but they are not frivolous when one considers they largely determine the outcome of our own life. Life is full of tragedies like Humpty. Beautiful children are born with so much potential. But so many of those lives are horribly scarred by the time they reach the age of thirty, let alone an older age.
I have often told our high school graduates, “Most people make their biggest mistakes in their twenties. I wish you could skip your twenties, arrive at age thirty but possess the wisdom gained from your twenties.” In my thinking such a wish would save them from many scars.
But that is not the way life works. I commented in a recent sermon, “Don’t moan to me about your baggage. Why not? EVERYONE has baggage. You must begin where you are and move on.”
Mistakes are made. Humpty crashes. People also crash. Scars are created, some of which can never be undone. Life’s sunshine becomes cloudy, dreams are shattered, troubles are added to troubles.
These people desperately need “you who are spiritual” to help them come to grips with this thing called life. Quite often, it is then that we have an open door for ministry because Humpty realizes he’s in trouble…and needs help. Your credibility as “one who is spiritual” will often allow you to walk through that open door and not only instruct but also demonstrate the power of a relationship with Jesus Christ. At those times “who you are in Him” will speak louder than any words. “Who you are in Him” over time has resulted in less scars, less Humpty experiences, less troubles because you made a LIFE CHOICE to both KNOW Him and FOLLOW HIM. (“Lead us not into temptation” was part of your experience.) You aren’t perfect and, yes, you have your own baggage but life is different for you than the Humpty’s of this world.
Bob worked in a factory with some of the worst sinners imaginable. This man was not a preacher nor was he a public speaker or vocalist. He specialized in living a quiet Christian life and speaking up for Jesus when the opportunity presented itself. One day during his lunch break a co-worker asked him, “Bob, may I sit with you? There is a question I’ve wanted to ask you for some time but was ashamed to ask. I want to know what makes you different from the rest of us. You never get angry no matter what we rough fellows say to you. What do you have that we do not have?”
Bob answered, “I am no better than others, but Christ lives in my heart. He enables me to live different than others. To Him be the glory!” Nothing further needed to be said.
If you aren’t yet to the level called “spiritual” you need to work on getting to that level by submitting to Him and allowing Him to change your life. If you are there, don’t take your eyes off the goal, become lazy and lose it. After all, Humpty needs you.
Jan 27-28, 2024 – Let’s take Today’s Verse and explore some very basic questions that are posed by Christian workers.
1. Will everyone love me? No, though I wish I could give you a different answer. This answer is a hard one to swallow, because we pour our lives into others, not for financial gain, but to make their lives better. Surely they will appreciate that! But in many cases our efforts are thrown back in our faces. Let’s remember that poor Jeremiah invested his life in his Jewish brethren but was rejected and taken as a prisoner to Egypt.
2. Will I always be healthy? Some erroneously believe the dedicated Christian will be free from health issues. Some years ago our state Baptist convention had difficulty securing health insurance BIDS for its pastors and state staff. Why? The insurance firms determined that pastors have more medical issues than normal people because of the stress associated with the job. The state had to look high and low to find someone even willing to make a bid.
3. Will life be easy if I follow Jesus? Sometimes yes and sometimes no. Job had his good years and his bad years. Paul encountered much opposition, even stoning. John was imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos. Our word “martyrs” refers to faithful-to-the-death Christians. Perhaps our greatest pressure today is walking contrary to the course of this world.
4. Will I always be happy? That is a loaded question, because it depends upon your definition of happy. For our purpose, let’s assume we think of happiness in terms of being surrounded by good circumstances. That kind of happiness, though, can be fleeting. When Jesus taught the Beatitudes (Matthew 5), He employed the Greek word “makarios” which means much more than the English translation of “happy.” It actually has the idea of “inner blessedness…something much deeper than circumstantial happiness.” God wants you to have more than a happiness which may flee tomorrow; God wants you to experience the inner blessedness which brings the peace of God and conviction of faith living.
5. Will I always feel saved? No. Not by a long shot unless you are spiritually light years above most of us. Perhaps we should ask, “Will I always feel married? Will I always feel I am the physical child of so-and-so? Will I always feel like eating my broccoli?” The Bible reminds us, “We walk by FAITH, not by sight” (another word for sight is feelings). The up’s and down’s of our feelings do not change the infallible Word of God. The Bible is always more sure than saying, “I am saved…I am not saved” as we pick the petals off a daisy. Let the plain words of the Bible settle this issue.
6. Will I always know the will of God? The Bible clearly states the general will of God such as avoiding sin, confessing sin, walking in obedience to Christ, etc. However, what about all the other issues? I knew crystal clear whom I was to marry and that we should begin our marriage with my becoming a pastoral student at Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga, Tn. I knew that as much as I know the sun will rise tomorrow in the east. But there are many other issues which are less certain. One of the best tests is to ask, “Will this bring glory to God? Will it support God’s kingdom? Do I have peace about this matter?” Then put your hand in God’s hand and trust Him to get you where you need to go.
7. Will life be adventurous at times? Yes! But remember, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.” Your life is in His hands. Thus, it is not an “as luck will have it” life. It’s a FAITH life patterned in accordance with Hebrews 11…and that’s the kind of life that stretches you!
I pray these answers will be a blessing to you!
Jan 26, 2024 – A boy wanted to help his mother prepare the evening meal. He was so eager! He was also neglectful! In his eager desire to help, he asked, “Mom, may I put the bread on the table?”
The mother replied, “My son, are your hands clean?”
The young lad ignored his mother’s question and instead posed another similar question then still another question. But each time his mother posed the question, “My son, are your hands clean?”
Years passed. The lad became a man. He possessed a deep desire to be used by God…to give God’s bread of life to others…and once again he heard the voice of his long dead mother, “My son, are your hands clean?”
We have a tendency to run around with the world the entire week then rush into church on Sunday morning and say, “Lord, here I am! Use me!” God, though, asks, “My son, are your hands clean?” It is the equivalent of being a dirty dish with ketchup smeared across the plate. Or ordering a cup of tea and finding a blade of grass in the cup…and even worse at the bottom of the cup.
The Bible employs the word “sanctification” (meaning “set apart”) in three senses: 1. Positionally set apart at our salvation and made a member of God’s family, the new creation; 2. Practically set apart from the world to do God’s everyday ministry in the world and, 3. Perfectly set apart in a glorified body in eternity. The second sense is most often emphasized by Christians, and it is the one that is emphasized in Today’s Verse.
The mother asked, “My son, are your hands clean?” i.e. “Are your hands set apart from playing in the dirt to work in the kitchen?” “If anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, SET APART AS HOLY, USEFUL to the master of the house…”
In the 1970’s Pastor Gustavson told us about a worldly young man who approached him and said, “I feel God has called me to preach.”
Gustavson replied, “You’ve missed your calling.” He showed the man these words in 1 Thessalonians 4:3, “For this is God’s will, your sanctification.” Gustavson finished the conversation by saying, “You’re not set apart. When you do that, then we’ll do some talking.”
Oh, some churches do not care…they only seek a warm body to fill a position! But God cares…and God expects more from each one of us or else His power will not be present in our effort. We can’t fool ourselves into thinking we can be one person during the week then become a super spiritual servant on Sunday. It simply does not work that way.
Do you qualify as a vessel for honorable use? Set apart as holy and therefore useful to the master of the house?
God wants a clean vessel…a clean plate…a clean life. To provide Him with less is to grieve the precious Holy Spirit and effectively tie one arm behind God’s back. It is hard for God to minister to dirty people with dirty people!
Try not to stray this week. Try instead to practice being set apart to the Master of the universe.
(If you desire a deeper study in this subject, try my book “Sanctification: How God Creates Saints out of Sinners” at Amazon, Apple, etc. Caution: It is a seminary level book.)
Jan 25, 2024 – What happens when a person or group of people can’t keep the rules? They are very prone to change the rules!
I recall playing intramural basketball and facing that very dilemma. We were playing a superior team, because it had a superior player. We knew we could not win unless… I guarded the star player and did something no one expected. Each time he went up for a shot, I stepped on his toes! My interference was just enough to throw him off balance. As a result, he scored only four points in the first half. Finally, he complained to the referee. The first foul was called on me, followed quickly by a second foul and I had to change my policy. (Yes, we lost the game.)
I see the same tendency in our grandchildren. We tell them the rules of the board game, but they change the rules if the rules go against them!
Are grown-ups any different? No. The Jews in Jesus day had a rule called the “Corban Rule.” It absolved the children from the necessity of caring for their elderly parents. The children said, “Dad, we are designating that pool of money to God’s use. Sorry. But your money is gone.” J. Vernon McGee summarizes, “Their tradition permitted them to escape the responsibility to their parents. At the man’s death, his estate went to the temple and he was relieved of his responsibility to his parents.” But, most importantly, he enjoyed use of the money while he lived! Does that sound fishy?
This changing of the rules even applies to Christianity. If we can’t keep God’s rules or we find God’s rules too difficult, we choose the simplest solution: Change the rules!
Today we have Christian service without dedication, people professing salvation without spiritual understanding, candidates being baptized without repentance or life change, beautiful buildings but empty lives, “My Jesus, I love Thee” but You don’t get a minute beyond our sixty minute “worship” service.
Many in Christianity have watered down God’s rules for so long they don’t realize they’re actually playing according to man-made rules rather than God’s rules.
In the case of the Corban Rule, the Jews had a SATISFYING religion that did not cost them a single cent! Ah, friend, is such a religion really worth having? Does it agree with Peter’s words, “Lord, we have left all in order to follow You”? Does it agree with Paul’s desire, “Counting all things but loss, I press toward the mark for the prize of the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus”?
My friend, please don’t allow yourself to become complacent in your Christianity. Today’s world desperately needs to see Christians on fire for Christ! And it must begin with you and me.
Jan 24, 2024 – What is the #1 cure for discouragement? Defeat? Disappointments? Troubles? Trials?
Martin Luther, the man whom God used to stoke the fire of the Protestant Reformation, returned home one day with a very discouraged look. His maid met him at the door and she, too, seemed very discouraged, very sad. As a matter of fact, she looked as if someone had just died.
Martin Luther noticed her sadness and asked, “What happened?”
The maid said, “He’s dead,” and she then began to cry.
“Who’s dead?” The maid continued to cry. Once again, Luther asked, “Who’s dead?”
The maid said, “Oh, he’s dead.”
Martin Luther almost panicked. He had just experienced a long, tiring day. Now he was greeted at the door with the sad news that someone had died.
Luther demanded again, “Who died?”
The maid answered, “Martin Luther knows who died.”
“No, I don’t. WHO DIED?”
The maid said, “Oh, God died.”
The maid then received a lecture for the next forty minutes on the idea that God is eternal and cannot die. When Luther finished, the maid looked at him and said, “Well, Master, then act like it! God is alive! He’s real! He’s active! Quit acting like He’s dead.”
It was then Luther realized that it was really he and not the maid who needed the lecture.
Luther had somehow placed all of his troubles, all of his cares on the throne of his own life. He had somehow forgotten it is still God who is on the throne and what that means is, “I can STILL DO ALL things through Christ who strengthens me!”
Guess what? I can be an optimist – an eternal optimist – in the midst of all my troubles, because my God is still on the throne. How about yours?
Jan 23, 2024– “Gentlemen, it’s quitting time.” The speaker entered the room quietly, without warning, and interrupted the men consumed in their raucous behavior with that announcement. The scene was spell bounding for all. Noise became silence The speaker dangled the keys in front of the heads of state, the many guests plus the ordinary from off the street as well as the servants and simply said, “Gentlemen, it’s quitting time.” Thus, ended the…well, everything.
Interesting words. “Gentlemen, it’s quitting time.”
The words indicate the speaker has the authority to make such a statement. Only a fool would make such a statement without the authority to enforce it.
The words also suggest there is indeed such a time as “quitting time.” Contrary to how humanity thinks, there is a time appointed in the volume of the universe as “quitting time.” Such a time will not be determined by man nor by climate change nor by war. But only by the speaker with the authority to make it happen.
The keys suggest ownership belongs to the speaker. Indeed, he does own it all. Based upon that ownership he and he alone has the right to declare, “Gentlemen, it’s quitting time.”
The speaker is the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who comes accompanied not by some mere musical band but with the clouds of radiant glory. To Him belongs ownership of everything we see and even that which we cannot see. To Him belongs authority, even power, to fulfill His words, yea, even every promise. And to Him belongs the right, the ability and the wisdom to determine “quitting time.”
“Behold, He comes with the clouds.” He is indeed coming again. “So it is to be. Amen.”
”When all the great plants of our cities
Have turned out their last finished work;
When our merchants have made the last bargain
And dismissed the last tired clerk;
When our banks have raked in their last dollar
And have paid out the last dividend;
When the Judge of earth says,
‘Closed for the night!’
And asks for a balance—WHAT THEN?”
Jan 22, 2024 – Lyman Abbott (1835-1922) was traveling through a region that had been devastated by a large fire. The region was mostly populated by Puritans. There were many temporary log homes and shanties. But Abbott was surprised to see one large brick building that stood head and shoulders above the rest. He asked about the identity of the building and was proudly told, “That is our church.”
Abbott said, “What a miracle! The church was not destroyed by the fire.”
The person responded, “Oh, yes, the church was completely destroyed. That is the new church. We rebuilt God’s house before we rebuilt our own houses.”
The world would consider such an action frivolous, misinformed, and downright foolish. But to God’s people it was the right decision because the church is God’s primary agency in today’s world to show forth His glory and truth.
Though today’s church is battered and worn, we need to remember that Christ died for the church and, in so doing, He made it His church…yea, more than that, even His bride and wife. Yes, that church of yours with so many issues, frustrations, two steps forward followed by two steps back attitude. He DIED for that which we sometimes view with little respect. Sadly, we often focus more on what the church is NOT doing than on what it is doing.
Perhaps it is time to take a fresh look at God’s church and recognize it is truly God’s possession, not ours. I first heard the gospel in an imperfect church for which Christ died. I was saved and baptized in that same imperfect church. I learned the basic Christian doctrines in imperfect churches. I learned Christian living by watching the example of some saints in the imperfect churches. I got an appreciation for true worship…for the size and immensity of God in the imperfect churches. I grew up to pastor imperfect churches (yes, some more imperfect than others) for nearly four decades and wouldn’t trade it for a hundred million dollars. My first book (God’s Greenhouse) was not about real estate nor investing nor politics but about God’s imperfect church and how to become more of a Great Commission Church.
Quite honestly, I wouldn’t be where I am today without God’s imperfect churches. Thankfully, they don’t expect perfection from me either! Next Sunday is coming…take the time to look around you at everything that is still a blessing…and be thankful God has provided an imperfect church in your community for an imperfect person like you.
Jan 19-20, 2024 – Why do so many Christians fall into sin and lose their ministry? Lose their love for Christ, the church, the Bible, souls, and prayer?
Charles Spurgeon muses, “When I meet with professors who talk lightly of sin, I feel sure they have built without a foundation. If they have felt the Spirit’s wounding and killing sword of conviction, they would flee from sin as from a lion. Truly forgiven sinners dread the appearance of evil as burnt children dread the fire. Superficial repentance always leads to careless living. PRAY EARNESTLY FOR A BROKEN HEART.”
The Bible tells the story of many who fell from the mountain top of Christian success to the valley of ruin. Samson’s sin led to his being blinded and dying in a catastrophe of his own foolishness with the devil’s imps. King David’s misdeed with Bathsheba brought much ruin to his family. And what about us? How many in our ranks have fallen and never recovered to their former success?
Today’s Verse provides guidance about how we can avoid losing our ministry through sin. First, the believer should identify that the wicked have a path or pattern of life which is distinct from the path of righteousness. “Do not enter the path of the wicked” is based upon the believer being able to identify such a wayward path. This writer has been told too often, “I did not mean for this outcome to occur.” Well, it would not have occurred if they had properly evaluated the course they were about to take. Identify, identify, identify! Open the eyes…put the brain in gear.
“Do not” occurs three times in this passage. This is the equivalent of God’s “No Trespassing—This Means You!” sign. What is sin? One Greek word includes the idea of crossing the line in the sand…going where no one should ever go. In other words, pay attention to God’s sign! Treat all that is on the other side as radioactive to your health! It is similar to Eve crossing the line to eat the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. One preacher said, “Too many Christians are sacrificing principle on the altar of compromise.” “If you wallow with the pigs, you should expect to smell…and look like your companions!” It is wise to follow this axion: “DO NOT DO WHAT YOU SHOULD NOT DO…then you will be blessed with the means to do what you should do.”
“Enter, go, travel and pass” describe the entirety of our choice. Though sin occurs one sin at a time, more than an isolated “one time” is in view with these words. The concept includes a complete life journey rather than a short trip to the store. The Psalmist expressed a decision for his entire life journey with the words, “I will set no wicked thing before my eyes” (Psalm 101:3). That commitment was for more than Sunday. Likewise, each believer needs to assess what he will allow and disallow on his own life journey.
“Pass on” gives us a beautiful picture of the believer taking the by-pass around that which he wants to avoid. He has looked at his map of the approaching city and determined how to avoid the traffic entanglements of the inner city. So here comes the bypass and he chooses that course which allows him to “pass on” without being slowed, hindered or enticed by the inner city.
Have you noticed these words are true in the lives of the strong Christians in your circle of friends? At the same time, have you noticed these words are NOT TRUE in the lives of the weak Christians in your circle of friends, because sin always drags us down, down, down.
There is nothing wrong with choosing right. But history makes it clear there is much wrong with choosing wrong.
Jan 17-18, 2024 – Do you know anyone getting married in 2024? Probably! The world offers much wisdom regarding marriage…and some of it is quite good. For instance, newspaper columnist Ann Landers writes, “Sensual pleasures have the fleeting brilliance of a comet; a happy marriage has the tranquility of a lovely sunset.” The American humorist Mark Twain advises, “To get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with.” Diane Sawyer of 60 Minutes offers, “A good marriage is a contest of generosity.” I especially like these words: “A good marriage is one where each partner secretly suspects they got the better deal.” That’s a win-win marriage. (P.S. I believe I got the better deal!)
Wonder how God felt when He officiated the very first marriage? Imagine God saying, “Adam, you may now kiss your bride!” I suspect it was a long kiss.
There is joy in saying, “I do” but there is also joy in seeing two people marry that are, as best we can tell, made for each other. ALL, with no exceptions, must experience personal growth to become good marriage partners. Adjustments have to be made by each person so each person must be willing to make such adjustments. Forgiveness and apologies cannot be random events. Love must be demonstrated, not merely spoken. Helping each other to grow and mature is a daily assignment. Being with one another takes precedence over hobbies and events.
But, above all, the most beautiful marriage of all is based upon the same setting that occurred in the first marriage. Notice that the first marriage began with God! And that is where marriage must begin: with God’s presence!
So someone you know will get married. Do you ever wonder what to write in their card? Here is a splendid poem worth sharing with the blessed couple that will minister to them long after the “I Do’s.”
“Here Christ shall come and here He shall abide;
Our table shall be set for our great guest –
Our lamps be lit, our hearts be warm and wide;
And here He shall find shelter, food, and rest.
And He will talk with us beside our fire,
And He will walk with us through every task.
We can confide every hope and every desire,
No question be too great or small to ask.
Because He lives with us, is one of us,
We shall take care no evil shall be heard –
Because His ways are kind and courteous,
We shall watch our ways in every spoken word.
This is our new house. Lord, be Thou its head.
We gladly share its simple fare with Thee.
Sit at our table, break and bless our bread –
And make us worthy of Thy company.”
Author Unknown
Jan 17, 2024 – What should be our subject matter next Sunday morning? Politics? It will be the subject for some Bible teachers. Finances? It will be the subject for some. World unrest? For some. Poverty and social issues? For far too many.
It is said that in his younger years, D. L. Moody was invited to preach at one of the large New York City churches. The church attendance included doctors, lawyers, politicians, college professors, financial experts, and others of notoriety. Thus, it was a very intimidating audience to this uneducated preacher, a former shoe salesman who often abused the King’s English.
Moody was conflicted about what he could say that would interest the audience. He bemoaned the fact of his little education and that he was unprepared for the task at hand.
But a wise friend comforted him with the words, “Preach the Bible, Moody! They probably know very little of it!”
Moody proceeded to preach the Bible like he did to any other audience; the Spirit of God fell upon the place and many were saved from the wrath to come by placing their faith in Jesus Christ.
The words of the wise friend are good for every Christian AND every church. “Stay with the Bible! They probably know very little of it.”
The Apostle Paul reminds us of our subject material in Today’s Verse. The preceding verse (verse 15) urges us to “rightly divide” or in modern terms, “handle accurately” the Word of truth which, of course, is the Bible. It should go without saying, but, alas, it still needs to be emphasized, that Bible teaching should always be exalted as the MAIN COURSE in any church; if not, it is highly likely the church and the people have erred and are more involved with “irreverent babble” that corrupts the soul like gangrene corrupts the body. In so doing, the ungodly are led into even more ungodliness, because they have not been exposed to the way of godliness.
“They have turned away their ears from the TRUTH and have been turned unto fables or myths” (2 Timothy 4:4). Marvin Vincent correctly writes, “If people desire a calf to worship, a ministerial calf-maker is readily found.” Vincent wrote those words more than one hundred years ago. Dear reader, what would he write today?
Arthur Pink explains the reason people prefer “irreverent babble” to truth. He writes, “The Word does not flatter men; it puts them in the dust.”
But what is the outcome of no Bible teaching? “Gangrene” develops from a poor circulation problem. Diabetes is a common cause. If the problem reaches the no-return point, amputation or death will occur. How appropriate is such a word to describe what happens to those who forsake Bible teaching? “For the wages of sin is DEATH, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.” But if one neglects to teach “the gift of God” he is only left with the opening conclusion of “Death.”
Just wondering…what will be your subject matter on the next Lord’s Day?
Jan 16, 2024 – In his early years (1921) evangelist John R. Rice did some graduate work at the University of Chicago. He heard the famous William Jennings Bryant lecture on, “The Bible and Its Enemies.” The university authorities put up the head of the Botany department, a Presbyterian layman, to counter Bryant’s words. This layman spoke on the evidences for evolution. Rice, though young but a staunch Bible believer, was shocked to find nothing more than “speculation and guesswork and unproved theories” to back the evolutionary teaching of unbelievers.
After hearing the professor in Mandel Hall, Rice asked him in private, “If the Bible account of creation is not true, what about Jesus Christ? Is he really God’s Son, deity in human form, as the Bible claims He is?”
To his surprise the professor, a Presbyterian no less, stated it was not worthwhile to answer such questions! He refused to provide a clear answer.
As Rice left Mandel Hall, he happened across two freshmen engaged in a heated argument. One was the son of a university professor, the other was the son of a missionary father teaching in Robert College in Constantinople, Turkey. This freshman was on the verge of tears. He said, “I wish my father was here. I have always understood that he believed the Bible is all true, the very Word of God.”
The other boy retorted, “Well, you have to take scientific facts when you find them. You can’t believe all those old-foggy nothings.”
The missionary’s son turned sadly away, his face shaken in the Bible.
Have you ever had your faith shaken in the Bible? I have. Sometimes Satan unloads both gun barrels. The world can, and does, present a strong case on the surface for its unbiblical views. But the longer one digs, the more dirt gets removed and finally you hit paydirt and you KNOW by the Holy Spirit that God’s explanation in the Bible is the RIGHT explanation. It truly is the Word of God to man! That does not necessarily mean our interpretation is always right, but it does mean that God is the ultimate source of truth and, in part, has revealed that truth in His Word.
The reason that strong Christians exist is not because they have ALL the answers but because they know the God who has all the answers. What they don’t know does not bother them. Rather, they have FAITH that God has the answer and will reveal that answer in His own time.
Notice the first two words in Today’s Verse: “by faith.” Not by scientific proof though there may be such proof. Not because a Christian scientist wrote a book, though his conclusions may be accurate. Not because of a classroom experience nor because of what the parents believed. But, in the long run, the bottom line for all that we believe and all that we do is always one of faith.
Remember: Faith is not a leap into the unknown. It is instead a leap into the KNOWN of what God has revealed. Thank God, we are not as ignorant as we appear to unbelievers. We simply prefer to believe in another source of Truth…and believe with all of our soul that our source of Truth will prove His superiority over their source of Truth in the future. As for me, I’m at peace in waiting on God to prove Himself.
Therefore, may I suggest altering the words of the unbelieving freshman to, “Well, you have to take biblical truths when you find them. You can’t believe all those old-foggy theories of man.” Amen!
Jan 15, 2024 – When the early church saint Polycarp was brought to trial, the judge urged him to renounce his faith in Jesus as the Christ. The judge encouraged, “Have respect to your old age. Swear the oath and I will release you. Revile the Christ.”
Polycarp said, “Fourscore and six years have I been His servant and He has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my king who saved me?”
Polycarp paid for his faith by being burned at the stake. He became one of the first Christian martyrs just fifty years after John’s writing of the Revelation.
We American Christians know basically nothing of persecution. If we were to share our “persecutions” with Polycarp or Paul or Peter or Jeremiah they would likely laugh and ask, “Do you call those things persecutions? Let me tell you what REAL persecution is.”
Nevertheless, we do face pressure…and sometimes we yield to that pressure and act like pepper instead of salt…like a mute instead of a herald…like a goat instead of a sheep.
You probably remember Peter’s denials on the eve of our Lord’s crucifixion. How did he respond to the pressure of the ungodly? Peter answered, “I know not the man of whom you speak.” That was a case of ACTIVE denial. He opened his mouth wide and did it…could never deny it…probably heard about it until the day he died. Incredibly, that apostle failed in perhaps his greatest test, but not so in the case of a lesser saint named Antipas (see Today’s Verse)—a saint whom Christ PERSONALLY describes as a “faithful witness” who experienced martyrdom. “Faithful!” Like Polycarp he was not afraid to declare his faith in the risen Christ regardless of the consequences. Can you imagine the impact of his faithfulness in that community?
But many more Christians engage in PASSIVE denial. They hold their peace when they should speak. They hide their faith when their faith should shine. Their lifestyle does not openly promote Christ, their silence never upsets the applecart of world opinion, they always hedge when asked about spiritual matters, and they consider themselves a success if no one knows they are a believer.
On the other hand, I can picture Antipas showing up for work carrying a Bible, can’t you? Making himself AVAILABLE to help people spiritually. As if he is wearing a billboard that says, “Bring me your prayer concerns.” Perhaps wearing or displaying something uniquely Christian that makes it clear, “I am a follower of Jesus Christ.” Not afraid to put his life and testimony on display, despite knowing full well that he will sometimes fall short of the Christian goal. “But as much as in me lies, I will stand for my Lord!”
Likewise, when Martin Luther found the truth that is in Christ, he did not keep it a secret. He explained, “My Lord has confessed me before men. I will not shrink from confessing Him before kings.”
Based upon the way God often does things, it’s very possible that you may be put on the spot shortly after reading this devotional. Determine now that you will STAND TALL when that opportunity or test comes your way!
Jan 13-14, 2024 – “We have some neighbors who believe a false gospel.” So said the church member to the pastor. “Do you have some literature which I can give them?”
The pastor opened his Bible to Today’s Verse and read, “You yourselves are our letter, known and read by everyone.” The pastor continued, “The best literature in the world is no substitute for your own life. Let them see Christ in your behavior and this will open up opportunities to share the good news of Christ with them.”
Quite often to the listener, the quality of the MESSAGE is determined by the quality of the MESSENGER. The credibility of the messenger is often of greater importance than the credibility of the product. Indeed, the product may not be evaluated until after the messenger is evaluated. The world is quick to identify a phony promoting a product. But the world is apt to listen carefully to someone who has EARNED credibility in that particular field.
Sometimes we forget that we are an open letter that can be known and read by everyone. People see what we do, hear what we say, identify what we value, know how we spend our time, and count the ways we spend our money. They do not necessarily look for perfection but rather for consistency. “Does his walk match his talk? Is he for real? How long has he lived in this way? Does he REALLY believe this Jesus stuff or is it superficial?”
One thing is certain: Those questions WILL not only be asked but they will also be answered by the people around us. That is why the pastor advised the church member, “Let them see Christ in your behavior and this will open up opportunities.”
This principle has always been important, but it will become even more important as our nation becomes increasingly multi-cultural in its religion. Distinguishing “Which Religion Is Real” from “Which Religion is False” will be largely based upon our own credibility as messengers of the gospel. Our words, “We worship a superior God and Savior” must be supported by a superior lifestyle in submission to our Lord.
Many years ago, this writer was challenged by a missionary citing the words of C. T. Studd. Studd served the Lord as a missionary to three continents. Studd wrote, “Some want to live within the sound of a church or chapel bell. But as for me, I want to run a rescue ship within a yard of hell.” I thought to myself, “I want to do the same!”
Well, many years have passed and it seems that ALL of us, ready or not, are now living in a world within a yard of hell. It is a world that needs credible Christianity which is “lived out” by credible Christians.
Let us walk so close to Him that our character validates our message.
Jan 12, 2024 – “Many people sow their wild oats on Saturday night but hope for a crop failure on Sunday morning!” That old saying has much truth in it! People have a tendency to react on impulse…and impulse is not always the same as acting rationally or after much evaluation.
The Bible has much to say about the law of sowing and reaping. “You reap what you sow” (Galatians 6:7) is as true today as it was the day it was written.
Proverbs 6:16 adds, “These seven items the Lord hates” and one of them is, “one who sows strife among the brothers.” Actively, intentionally stirs up trouble rather than brings the gospel of peace.
Hosea 10:12 is the Old Testament equivalent of, “You reap what you sow.” It says, “Sow for yourselves, with a view to righteousness; Harvest in accordance with kindness. But you have plowed wickedness and, thus, you have harvested injustice.”
This principle of “sowing and reaping” is one of the most important principles any individual will integrate into his or her life. Why? First, it is true. You can’t plant turnips and reap cucumbers. Therefore, exercise great care in what you plant today, tomorrow and every day.
Second, it is CONSISTENTLY true. “Consistently” reminds us that we cannot outrun it or undo it. This principle will still be in operation ten generations down the road. Therefore, PLAN for it to be a major part of your life and sow wisely what you wish to sow. Remember that payday will eventually come…but the payday will be tied to the type of seed that is sown.
Third, it is an abundant truth, too. Have you noticed that seeds have a tendency to give back more in quantity than themselves? Thus, the question is not one of abundance but, rather, one of which TYPE of abundance one wishes to reap.
“To him that sows righteousness there is a certain reward” (Proverbs 11:18) and that reward is righteousness in so many aspects. “He that goes forth weeping, bearing [spreading] precious seed shall undoubtedly come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (Psalm 126:6). “Those who lead the many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever” (Daniel 12:3).
Charles Spurgeon says, “I would rather be the means of saving a soul from death than to be the greatest orator on earth. I would rather bring the poorest woman in the world to the feet of Jesus than I would be made the Archbishop of Canterbury. I would rather pluck one brand from the burning than to explain all mysteries. One of my happiest thoughts is that when I die it shall be my privilege to enter into rest in the bosom of Christ and to know that I shall not enter heaven alone. Thousands have already entered there who have been drawn to Christ under my ministry.”
What is the impact of your righteous life? No one knows on this side of heaven. But we shall someday know how God has used the law of sowing and reaping to bring righteousness THROUGH YOU to a world like ours.
So go forth and sow some more. Sow bountifully. Sow often. Sow righteously.
Jan 11, 2024 – The One who counts truly knows!
The story is told about an offensive guard for a football team. The team was playing for the conference title. The clock had wound down to the final seconds. The team trailed by five points but had marched to the one-yard-line. It was fourth down. If the team scored, they would win the game. If the team did not score, well, perish the thought.
In the huddle the quarterback called for the final play to go through the offensive guard’s position. He immediately began psyching himself for the big play that would determine the winner. New strength seemed to flow through him. He determined within himself that this would be the greatest block of his career.
The team marched to the line of scrimmage; the offensive linemen assumed their positions. This guard noticed his opponent was crouching lower than usual, that he had really dug in and only a bulldozer could move him out of his place.
The signal was called, the ball was snapped, and the guard hit his opponent so hard that he knocked him back into a linebacker, knocking both of them out of the play. The guard pivoted to the right, blocking another man and jamming up one side of the defensive line…then suddenly he was overwhelmed and buried beneath a maze of people. As he fell, he saw his team’s fullback run through a hole big enough for a truck. No one touched him! Touchdown! Game over! We win!
The fans went wild with excitement. They cheered the fullback as he ran off the field. The other players were jumping on him, congratulating him for the touchdown run. This offensive guard slowly picked himself off the field, slung mud and blood from his arms and started off the field feeling as if he was on cloud nine. He had made the best block of his career! He was the hero!
Then he realized that not one person was cheering for him. All of the cheering was directed to the man who had carried the football and not been touched. Suddenly all of the pride was gone, he dropped his head and started crying.
As he reached the sideline, though, a hand appeared in front of him. He looked up and saw the coach, hand outstretched. The coach said, “Good job, Bill. You couldn’t have done better. Thanks for winning me a conference title.”
Suddenly the guard’s attitude changed. He realized that the one who counted knew. The fans and even his teammates did not know. But the one who counted knew.
Dear Christian, maybe your efforts aren’t always recognized here. But the One who counts…well, He knows. He really does.
Jan 10, 2024 – Do you need motivation? Yes! Everyone requires motivation. Daily! This writer was recently challenged by this piece of advice: “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again…this time more intelligently!” Some people are motivated by reading about others triumphing over great odds such as, “Helen Keller, at the age of nineteen months, became deaf and blind. But that didn’t stop her. She was the first deaf and blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree.” Wow!
But, sad to say, most motivational stories/sayings will only take you so far. Zig Ziglar is right when he says, “Of course, motivation is not permanent. But then, neither is bathing; but it is something you should do on a regular basis.” In other words, always keep something before you that can motivate you to a higher level of performance.
Have you identified specific items that motivate you in your Christian walk? A variety of Christian motivations work best. Some Bible verses like the one in Today’s Verse can spur us on! (Write those verses in the back of your Bible. How about thirty? One for every day of the month.) Reading a good sermon or the testimonies of overcoming Christians is very motivational. How about reading a daily devotional from the Bible or a devotional guide like Our Daily Bread? My book 15 Spiritual Laws to Grow People is 90% motivation and 10% teaching. All of these motivations work!
Here is one motivational story I keep before me. The Standard Oil Company, once the largest petroleum company in the world, wanted to hire two extra men. Mr. Li was one of the two chosen. He served as the housemaster in a boy’s boarding school operated by the China Inland Mission. His wages were to be double what he earned in the school. But he learned he would be required to work on Sunday, and he resigned from the new job.
The company responded by offering Mr. Li a salary worth three times his original salary. He accepted the offer and returned to the job. But he was immediately unhappy with his decision.
Finally, after much prayer he wrote this letter: “I am sorry I cannot work for your company. I have decided to work for God and win the boys to Jesus Christ.”
The Standard Oil manager said to a friend, “I thought I did well to hire a Christian, but I see now that they put Jesus first and business second.”
This writer came across that story at a crossroads in my own life. God spoke to me through that story. I stayed the course just like Mr. Li and have no regrets about doing so.
I strongly suggest you surround yourself with items that will motivate you. Ziglar cautions us about relying too much upon the same motivation, and, there is logic in his words. Therefore, surround yourself with items plural…arrange for them to pop up in a random way so they are fresh. You may be surprised to find that God brings the right one from “out in left field” when you most need it. After all, He is the best motivator I know!
Jan 9, 2024 – Do you have any policies or rules that keep you on the straight and narrow for Jesus, that keep you from bouncing off the guardrails on each side? This writer has experienced some folk that get really enthused for Jesus on Sunday, but, oh my, then comes Monday morning…the fire is gone, the emotions have changed, the ice is thickening on their heart. Sunday exists as nothing more than a dream!
All of us have experienced that roller coaster. One Assembly of God pastor tried to help his congregation understand the up’s and down’s of human nature by saying, “Hey, I don’t even feel saved in the morning until I’ve had my fourth cup of coffee!”
We need to remember the roller coaster ride does not change the date on the calendar, the money in the bank, the place we work, our number of children, the debt on the house, the model of car, nor our name, address and social security number. Yet we allow it to sometimes affect our Christian ministry. Our effort runs hot and cold for Jesus rather than at a consistent pace driven by our faith in Him.
The Apostle Paul urges us to adjust our attitude to one of a soldier. Two observations may be made from Today’s Verse. First, the soldier avoids anything which distracts him from his main purpose…and he does so every day of the week. Second, the soldier is dedicated to pleasing or obeying his commanding officer…and he does so every day of the week. Without fail.
He approaches Monday in the same way that he approaches Friday. His goal is the same.
He approaches rainy days in the same way that he approaches sunny days. His goal is the same.
He approaches “my get-up-and-go has got-up-and-went” days in the same way he approaches “let’s get-up-and-go” days. His goal is the same.
In the soldier’s case, his rules for living are Simple and Straight-forward. The same should be said for the child of God. Simple: Please your Commanding Officer: Jesus Christ. Straight-forward: Please your Commanding Officer, Jesus Christ. What else is there? Nothing really. The best part of this approach is that in so doing everything else in life falls into its proper order! Amazingly, the most important issues of all truly become the most important issues to you (this recognition of what is important may bring about a much-needed adjustment in how the Christian thinks).
J, Wilbur Chapman understood this principle. He established what he called “my rule for Christian living.” It says, “The rule that governs my life is this—anything that dims my vision of Christ or takes away my taste for Bible study or cramps my prayer life or makes Christian work difficult is wrong for me, and I must as a Christian turn away from it.” Interesting words but words worth considering by all of us. Those words could have been written by a soldier as he tries to please his commanding officer!
Perhaps it is a good time for you to think about a simple rule that can guide you on Monday as much as on Sunday! After all, you’re not “the same yesterday, today, and forever” but He is!
Jan 8, 2024 – For what are you known? An explorer was traveling through the rugged territory of Alaska many years ago. It was bitter cold. The environment was harsh for the animals, let alone humans. The explorer stumbled upon a little church and mission school where a lone missionary preached and taught the Word of God.
The explorer asked him, “What are you doing in this cold, dreary out-of-the-road place? Why do you waste your life in a place such as this?”
The missionary smiled a knowing smile then answered, “God sent me here. Here I shall remain until I die or until God gives me further orders.”
The explorer retorted, “But the task here is hopeless. You have made so few converts in all these years. The results have been so small.”
The missionary patiently explained, “Results are not my business. I will leave the results with God. I must be faithful and do my best for Him. Someday results will come.”
This writer would like to meet that missionary! (I shall someday around the throne.) He had the right perspective on life, time, priorities, success, and values.
1. Life – “Only one life will soon be past, Only what is done for Christ will last!”
2. Time – America is wrongly consumed with, “What have you done for me lately?” Many corporations on the stock exchange wish they were now privately owned, because private investors focus on the long term instead of “lately” as in the last ninety days. One business leader said, “Our culture overestimates what can be accomplished in the short term but underestimates what can be accomplished in the long term.”
3. Priorities – The missionary could have done other things with his life, but where could he have experienced greater impact? God had called…what better calling is there?
4. Success – We may be surprised in heaven to learn the greatest successes in God’s eyes are those who labored in small churches and were not the television celebrities! Someone said, “God must love small churches, because He made so many of them!” Such workers are forgotten by the masses…but not by God and God blesses their work, too.
5. Values – The missionary valued people over things, the will of God over the will of man, and the barrenness of Alaska over the comforts of a Lazy Boy in a warm climate.
There is much to learn from such a life. Though strange to some, that environment was where he found satisfaction of the soul…peace of heart…a sense of fulfillment as he accomplished a purpose in which he believed with all of his heart.
Have you found those ingredients for your own life? If not, it’s a good time to think about what needs to change…and if yes, it’s a good time to rededicate yourself to God’s call upon your life. GO FORTH WITH GOD FOR THE GOLD MEDAL OF HEAVEN!
Jan 6-7, 2024 – A Christian woman went to see a marriage counselor. The woman said, “There seems to be friction in our home. I really don’t know what the problem is.”
The counselor replied, “Friction is caused by one of two things.” He then picked up two blocks of wood from his desk and said, “If one block is standing still and one is moving, there is friction. Or if both blocks are moving but moving in opposite directions there is friction. Now which is it?”
The wife then saw what was causing the problem. She said, “I’ll have to admit that I have been going backward in my Christian life, but Joe has really been growing as a Christian. What I need to do is to get back in fellowship with the Lord so that we can both be going in the same direction.”
“Together” is a magnificent word when people are truly “together,” but it seems to be nothing but a dream or a fog when people are pretending to be together but are not actually together.
Sadly, some Christian homes in my pastorates were actually mission fields. Though both spouses PROFESSED Christ, the home was certainly not REPRESENTING Christ. In some of my marriage counseling I have asked the couple, “What is Jesus’ role in your home?” Far too many times the response has been nothing but an empty expression, even a shocked expression that Christ should be ANY part of the discussion. On the contrary, though, Christ should be the MAJOR part of the discussion.
As this writer has stated before, the first item Ruth Ellen and I did on our honeymoon was kneel by the bed and invite Christ into our marriage. Praise God, He became the rope that knotted us together…that has kept us tied not only to each other but also to Himself. He never comes to visit our home; rather, He continues to live here and sometimes He even gets involved in our loud discussions, too (we don’t have arguments).
The Bible insists that every home should be built on the same foundation with the same contractor going in the same direction!
Here is a simple Marriage Covenant that can improve both your marriage and your joint ministry.
“We will:
1. be in church together when the doors are open;
2. edify (build up, encourage) together everyone that God sends our way;
3. pray together for our pastor and our church;
4. give together in support of the Great Commission;
5. weep together over the souls of lost men and women;
6. serve together wherever there is opportunity to serve;
7. study together the one Book which is a “lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.”
“All of this we will do together, because we want to build our home for the glory of God!”
Jan 5, 2024 – What message was in your Christmas cards this year?
I read about a woman who was in the typical Christmas rush. She purchased fifty greeting cards without reading the message on the inside. She signed and addressed all the cards but one, dropped them into the mailbox without taking time to read the message. The verse on the inside was completely overlooked.
Just imagine her utter dismay when, a few days later, she finally glanced at the one unmailed card and read the message on the inside: “This card is just to say a little gift is on the way!”
Of course, the gifts were never received. The result was forty-nine disappointed families wondering what had happened!
Sometimes we are like that woman. We rush, rush, rush…and, though our intentions are good, we fail because we do not pay attention to the details and finish the job well.
Look for a moment at the underlined words in Today’s Verse. “Guard…keep unchanged…entrusted.” Those are powerful words. It is as if a newborn has been committed to our care…something of tremendous value. The Amplified Bible calls it a “treasure [that precious truth]” and appropriately defines it as “the good news about salvation” for what better treasure do you and I have than the knowledge that we have been saved from the wrath to come through the intercessory death of our Savior? And what better gift can we share with others than the same message that brought us to faith in Christ?
We have noted in the first few posts of this new year the importance of putting first things first in 2024. This verse builds on those lessons. “Guard” means something, in this case the purity of the gospel, must be protected at all cost. Above all, we must not allow the enemy to tinker with it, to add something to the simplicity of faith in Christ…”for by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves, lest anyone should boast about saving himself.” “But since salvation is by grace [God’s unmerited favor], it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace [it would not be a gift but a reward for works]” (Romans 11:6). Therefore, we guard the gospel message because it is the only good news which can save the soul nearest hell…including the souls that are closest to you.
There can be no compromise on the simplicity of the gospel. Thus, let us preach it, teach it, and share it!
On July 1, 1555 John Bradford was burned to death. At one time he served as the chaplain to King Edward VI of England. Bradford was one of the most popular preachers of his day, but he became a martyr to the simplicity of the gospel. As he was being driven out to Newgate to be burned, he was given permission to speak from his wagon. Throughout the entire journey from West London to Newgate, Bradford shouted the same message, “Christ! Christ! None but Christ!”
I submit he got it right!
Jan 4, 2024 – “When a boy gets up at four o’clock in the morning to deliver newspapers, most people say he is a go-getter. If the church should ask that same boy to get up at four o’clock to do some work for the Lord, the same people would say: ‘That’s asking too much of the boy.’
“If a woman spends eight hours away from her home working in a factory or if she works in her garden, she is called an energetic wife. If, however, she is willing to do the same thing for the Lord they say, ‘Religion has gone to her head.’
“If one willingly ties himself down to making payments of hundreds of dollars each month for a new car, people brag about his new car. But if that same person places that money in an offering plate, many people say, ‘He is crazy.’”
What an upside down world is our world! First things come last, last things come first and the people then wonder why they are still miserable, dissatisfied and even angry! It’s amazing to consider: Most Americans have never had it better and yet they are the most dissatisfied people of my lifetime. It doesn’t matter if one is a Republican or Democrat or Independent, white or black or brown, young or old, educated or uneducated, independently wealthy or dependent on government subsidies…none of those classes of people are satisfied. Clearly, they must be looking in the wrong place for satisfaction!
But the first three paragraphs in Today’s Verse for a Better Ministry have great significance and ought to be shared throughout the internet, because they reflect an entirely different way of not only thinking but also living. Oswald J. Smith taught us to sing, “There is joy in serving Jesus, As I journey on my way, Joy that fills the heart with praises, Ev’ry hour and ev’ry day. There is joy in serving Jesus, Joy amid the darkest night. For I’ve learned the wondrous secret, And I’m walking in the light. Ev’ry moment, ev’ry hour, As I draw upon His power, There is joy, joy, Joy that never shall depart.”
Though many, including many Christians, do not understand these next words, they are undoubtedly true. There is JOY in fulfilling your purpose in life and knowing that purpose is the RIGHT purpose. What is the old saying? “Find a job you enjoy doing and you will never work a day in your life.” How true! That’s what REAL Christianity is. I say again, That’s what REAL Christianity is. And if you haven’t realized those words in your life, it can only be because you are not yet in love with Jesus Christ.
For example, this writer once approximated how many dollars I have given to the Lord’s work in tithes and offerings. If I had kept the money for myself (as the world suggests), I could have afforded new cars instead of used cars, the latest electronics, etc. But I have NEVER felt I wasted that money, because I believe that God has used that money to bring eternal souls into His kingdom and where on this earth could I have found a better investment than that?
Yes, life is what you choose to make it. But I’m here to tell you the “joy of the Lord is your strength” is a very powerful and blessed life indeed.
Jan 3, 2024 – One day in 1951 a Christian editor boarded a Canadian Pacific Airlines plane at Vancouver enroute to Tokyo. He was greatly surprised to find that, apart from the crew, he was the only civilian on the plane. However, there were thirty-three American soldiers on board the plane with him. These men were armed to the teeth and due to arrive in Korea within a few hours to engage the enemy in the Korean War: a war which had come with thunderclap surprise upon the world stage.
At that time the need was so imperative that soldiers had to be rushed to the front by any and all available means. The editor studied these soldiers and learned they were not officers nor highly trained technicians nor even warriors with wide experience. On the contrary, they were a very average collection of men. The man sitting next to the editor hardly knew how to hold his gun, let alone use it!
But the Army was paying about $20,000 to get these thirty-three soldiers to Korea to fill the gaps that now existed in the bloody ranks. Experience? Very limited. Expense? Not even considered. The editor said, “There was a war to be won and it had to be won at ONCE, or it would be lost in a very few days.”
The soldiers of Jesus Christ face a similar challenge today. A spiritual war is brewing for the souls of men everywhere. Biblical values are under attack from every corner of society. Mankind is headed on the broad road that leads to destruction and few are pointing them instead to a narrow gate that leads to life.
Just as in Korea, the need of this hour is urgent. The outcome for many people, perhaps our entire country as well as our future generations, hangs in the balance. The enemy is strong and boldly on the attack seeking to enslave entire communities. As in Korea, the battle will be LOST without the commitment of all: those with experience and great skill as well as those with little experience and little skill.
Those with strength must rise up and fight for the night is coming when strength will flee and no one can work. Those with wisdom and knowledge must apply that wisdom and knowledge on the battlefield for the night is coming when age will diminish our wisdom and knowledge.
One dear brother confessed, “I am now old and cannot do what I once did. I lived my life on the front lines for Jesus, but now I am down to financial giving and intercessory prayer. My night has come when I can no longer work.”
Anna L. Coghill urges us, “Work, for the night is coming, Under the sunset skies; While their bright tints are glowing, Work, for daylight flies. Work till the last beam fadeth, Fadeth to shine no more; Work, while the night is dark’ning, When man’s work is o’er.”
Yes, there is a battle to be fought for the souls of men, women, boys and girls. If we don’t fight this battle, who will fight it in our place?
Jan 2, 2024 – How are you spending your time? A woman took a short train trip through an area known for its scenic beauty. Once on board it took her quite a while to get her baggage stored in the overhead rack exactly as she wanted. Then she had trouble adjusting the window shade.
She then decided she would rather be farther back in the coach, so she changed seats. More shuffling, more rearranging.
The thought then occurred, “Do I have my return ticket?” She diligently emptied her purse in search of her return ticket. Of course, it was the last item she saw.
She then decided to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Just then the conductor announced the train was arriving at the woman’s destination.
The woman exclaimed, “Oh, my! If I had only known we would be here so soon, I wouldn’t have wasted my time fussing!”
Benjamin Franklin teaches us, “Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time for that is the stuff life is made of.”
It seems to this writer that few things are harder in life than getting people to think about things of greatest importance, yea, even eternal importance. It takes time to think, and time must not be squandered on foolish thinking. After all, we only have 525,600 minutes to live in this year called 2024. Nearly two of those minutes have passed since you began reading Today’s Verse for a Better Ministry, a scripture written by a man nearing seventy years of age who has gained much experience and who wishes to use that experience to motivate a young minister named Timothy. This man named Paul could have written about investing your money for the best return or how to influence people or how to cook good enough to appear on the Food Network…but he instead writes about “putting first things first.”
How does that process begin? It begins by identifying what is truly “first.” One dear saint said, “My first thought in the morning is about my responsibility to God.” As a result, that saint became skilled in organizing his life not only around the Savior but also through the Savior. The Savior became the conduit through which his life flowed. What was the outcome? Psalm 1:3 says, “That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever he does prospers.”
That is why Paul includes this motivation in his final, dying words to young Timothy. “Do your best!” properly catches the meaning of the Greek word “spoudazo.” It is also in the imperative mode, thus indicating these words are expressed not as a suggestion but as an order as in a drill sergeant giving an order to a young recruit. I can picture Paul grabbing Timothy by the shoulders, giving him a good shake and shouting, “Do your best!”
How will you begin 2024? Doing your best for what is first? Or for what is second, third, fourth, perhaps tenth? Will you charge forward and take 2024 by the horns or will 2024 take you?
“Give of your best to the Master; Naught else is worthy His love; He gave Himself for your ransom, Gave up His glory above. Laid down His life without murmur, You from sin’s ruin to save; Give Him your heart’s adoration; Give Him the best that you have.”
God help us in 2024 to do our best for Him who ought to be first.
Jan 1, 2024 – The 1936 Berlin Olympics contains a lesson for us as we enter 2024. The women’s 400-meter relay was being run; the German squad held a comfortable lead. However, when the third runner attempted to pass the baton to her teammate, the baton fell to the ground. The Germans had the race won—until they dropped the baton.
Shortly after the games, a magazine carried a picture that showed the despair on the face of the fourth runner. The publication was distributed in Europe with captions under the picture in two languages. The English caption read, “They muffed the baton.”
But the French caption said they had dropped “le temoin,” which means “the witness.” The idea conveyed is that the runner who reaches the finish line with the baton is a “witness” to the fact that the entire course has been run. Those German runners had the honor of being on the Olympic team, and they did run, but they lost the prize because they dropped the baton.
We are once again entering a new year…or a new race. For some people 2024 will be a continuation of the 2023 race, but for others it will be an entirely new race…either anticipated or a total surprise. Who knows what lurks around the next bend? Not me, only God knows. Who knows whether 2024 will be my best year or a disaster? Not me, only God knows. Who knows how 2024 will end? Not me, only God knows.
One thing, though, is certain: I don’t want to waste these next three hundred and sixty-five days. I don’t want to drop the baton for the team at church, the team at home, the team of Godsgreenhouse readers, the entire team of humanity which needs all the Christian help it can get.
No, I don’t want to drop the baton of my responsibilities in 2024. Are you with me? So as much as lies within me, God help me to walk into 2024 under His watchcare to do His work in His power and leave the results in His hands. Dear Lord, help me to remember:
“Time that is past you can never recall,
Of time to come, you are not sure at all.
Only the present is now in your power,
Therefore, redeem and improve every hour.”
Amen and amen.
Dec 30-31, 2023 – A tooth for a tooth! Would you like to live by that standard?
During a root canal experience with a bad tooth, this writer was reminded of the Old Testament penalty that can be summarized as an “eye for an eye, and a TOOTH for a tooth.” In other words, if someone knocks out your tooth you have the opportunity to reciprocate and force him to experience the same loss (and pain).
I recall playing football with the much bigger boys when I was perhaps eight years of age. I was a runt in those days! The boys played rough. During a play one of them knocked out one of my front teeth. That hurt! I ran home to momma with a bleeding mouth and a new hole; the offender almost out-ran me to momma with the bad news and his apology! Oh, he pleaded for grace and grace was bestowed.
But in the Old Testament I could have exercised my right and knocked out one of his teeth! I wonder: Which tooth would I have chosen? Obviously, the one that would hurt the most! He had hurt me, and it made sense to return the favor.
The cross of Jesus Christ teaches that Christ provides a salvation which is not based upon a tooth for tooth experience but rather upon a grace for sin experience. It was our sins that caused Jesus to undergo such a violent beating, but none of us have suffered in that way for our sins. Our sins caused the nails but none of us…our sins caused the crucifixion and the sacrifice but, in turn, we go free? Yes, we do indeed go free.
“For by grace are you saved through faith and that salvation is not of yourselves lest any man should boast!” We must never forget that it was “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a _______ like me!”
Have you been saved from your sin and sinful lifestyle by trusting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? If the answer is yes, you are a living recipient of God’s abundant grace. Leave the “tooth for a tooth” philosophy at the foot of the cross. Instead, make a point of sharing God’s grace with a spouse, child, parent, neighbor, co-worker, friend, or total stranger as you enter this new year.
Dec 22–28, 2023 – “What Child is this, who laid to rest, On Mary’s lap is sleeping? Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, While shepherds watch are keeping?”
Some say He was just a good teacher, but good teachers don’t claim to be God.
Some say He was merely a good example, but good examples don’t mingle with prostitutes and sinners.
Some say He was a madman, but madmen don’t speak the way He spoke.
Some say He was a religious phony, but phonies don’t rise from the dead.
Some say He was only a phantom, but phantoms can’t give their flesh and blood.
Some say He was only a myth, but myths don’t set the calendar for history.
Some say, “I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.” C. S. Lewis refutes such a view with these words, “That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher…You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool…or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us.”
What say you? Ah, but there is only one opinion that truly matters. It is the opinion of the invisible God the Father whom no man in flesh has ever seen. The Father declared His opinion during Jesus’ experience on the Mount of Transfiguration in Luke 9: “And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is my beloved Son, My Chosen One; listen to him!’”
The instruction, even pleading, for us to, “Listen to Him” is still ringing today. Are you listening in this Christmas season?
May His words and His presence become part of your life as you celebrate His birth into this world.
*** Godsgreenhouse.net wishes you and yours a very Merry CHRISTmas. I thank you for reading these daily devotionals and trust God uses these writings to focus your effort on your heavenly calling. It is now time to take a holiday break to visit and be visited by family and loved ones. God bless you and yours! See you soon. Tom
Dec 21, 2023 – What is the worth of a soul? My soul? Your soul? Mary’s soul? All the people in Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Judah?
Today’s Verse takes on added importance for the virgin Mary. Though exalted in Roman Catholicism as the so-called and much misunderstood “Mother of God,” it is noteworthy that she views herself in a much different light. Indeed, her words are the same that I would utter as I look upon the Christmas story: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” Mary, like this writer and, no doubt, you, too, dear reader, acknowledges her need of a Savior outside of herself…no parent or friend or counselor or politician will do…only God can qualify as the Savior she needs.
With that in mind, one cannot escape wondering about the unique relationship which must have existed between them. As Mary nurses her child, wonder if she is pondering how this tiny babe can someday become her Savior? As the child grows, wonder if He often views Mary as the lost sheep “out on the hills away, Far off from the gates of gold. Away on the mountains wild and bare; Away from the tender Shepherd’s care.”
Mary, the sinner, has an eternal soul…and Jesus, the eternal Son of God, has come to the earth to save His earthly mother’s soul.
Roland Hill of England was preaching in the open air to a vast audience. The famous Lady Anne Erskine was riding by and noticed the great crowd. Lady Anne Erskine asked for the name of this preacher and was told that it was Roland Hill. She said, “I have heard of him. Drive me near the platform so that I may listen.”
Suddenly, Roland Hill stopped and said, “My friends, I have something here for sale.” Everyone thought this preacher intended to sell something in the middle of his sermon!
Roland Hill continued, “I am going to sell it by an auction, and it is worth more than the crown of all Europe. What I wish to sell is the soul of Lady Anne Erskine. Will anyone bid for her soul? Hark! me thinks I hear a bid. Who bids? Satan bids. What will Satan give? ‘I, Satan, will give riches, honor, and pleasure. Yea, I will give the whole world for her soul.’
“But, hark, I hear another bid for this soul. Who else bids? It is the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus, what will you give for this soul? ‘I, Jesus, will give peace and joy and comfort that the world cannot give; yea, I will give eternal life for her soul.’”
Roland Hill then turned to Lady Anne Erskine and said, “You have heard the two bidders for your soul. Which of the two shall have it?”
Lady Anne Erskine ordered the footman to open the door to her carriage. She pushed her way through the crowd and said, “The Lord Jesus shall have my soul, if He will accept it.”
What is the worth of a soul? My soul? Your soul? The answer is at the heart of Christmas.
Dec 18-20, 2023 – Is the Christian life one of misery, drudgery and boredom? The average unbeliever thinks, “If I get saved I will be placed in a prison. I will be enclosed in a tiny room with no windows. The confinement will be so extreme that I just can’t afford to be put in that prison called salvation.”
How many think, “Surely it is easier to go along with the crowd than to serve Jesus!” But I want you to know salvation is not spelled P-R-I-S-O-N, because it saves you OUT of that prison where the unbeliever is right now held in bondage by the devil.
Would to God the lost man could see just how enslaved he really is! A ship was making its way across the ocean. This ship had been to a foreign country; its cargo was some rare birds destined for America. Halfway across the ocean one of the birds got loose. This bird flew away from the ship.
The bird was so happy to be free from his cage. But after a few days the bird became worn out and he barely made it back to the ship. This bird was now all haggard and he had just about “had it.” But the bird had learned a lesson. The ship which he had thought to be a prison was in reality a place of safety and security. But outside the boat, even though he thought he was free, he had found no place to rest his foot upon!
Just like that bird, the unbeliever goes here and there, tries this and that, looking always for something which he does not have and yet never finding it, because he is always looking in the wrong place!
My friend, if you would rather have the drinking crowd, the immoral crowd, the cursing crowd and the hateful crowd you can have it, but as for myself I have found something which is much better because God has saved me from all of that and,
“I am now living on the mountain, underneath a cloudless sky; I’m now drinking at the fountain that never shall run dry; O, yes, I’m feasting on the manna from a bountiful supply, For I am dwelling in Beulah Land” with Jesus Christ.
“I bring you GOOD NEWS OF GREAT, EXCEEDING JOY so that you may know it is well with your soul and that surely goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life!”
My friend, that is what the Christian life is really all about!
Dec 16-17, 2023 – It is a horrible experience to want to be accepted but not to be accepted. This experience happens time and time again to people in ministry. We work so hard to get our foot in the door only to limp away with a swollen toe and a bruised ego. Spiritual Law #6 in my book “15 Spiritual Laws to Grow People” is titled, “Everyone should Anticipate Acceptance AND Rejection.” We may not like it, but the two go hand-in-hand; therefore, this spiritual law needs to be embraced by all of us.
Even Jesus experienced this spiritual law. Today’s Verse says “He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him.” That’s called rejection! Guess what? I am not nearly as skilled as Jesus; thus, if my Master experienced rejection what chance do I have to avoid rejection?
The truth is you and I can only do what we CAN do. We must acknowledge that everyone has the right to choose. Rest assured, the Holy Spirit pleads more than we ever can…but even His work is not enough for some and they choose to go their own way.
But one thing is clear: The Son made the issue clear! The Holy Spirit makes the issue clear! May God help us to make the issue clear, too, both in speech and in conduct!
That brings us to three simple stories about people who “did not receive Him.”
First, look with me at one of the earliest movie entertainers, W. C. Fields. It is said that not only did Fields play a drunk but he often was a drunk. The day came for W. C. Fields to die and meet his Maker. A friend went to visit Fields and found him reading, of all things, a Bible. The friend asked him what he was doing with the Bible.
Fields replied, “Looking for loopholes, my friend. Looking for loopholes.” But that same Book tells us there are no loopholes when the death angel makes his final call!
Story #2 – A critic of the gospel was visited by a good Christian man. This critic laughed at the Word of God then said, “The only hell or heaven that I will ever experience is now on earth.”
That same evening this man went to the funeral home. As he left he said to the funeral director, “It will be a long time before you get me.” But that “long time” was actually a “short time” because one week later that man was killed in a traffic accident. No time to manufacture any loopholes.
Story #3 – A man was very angry with the Bible, God, and the gospel. This man wrote a letter to the newspaper editor. He finished his letter by writing, “I hope there is a hell for those hellfire and brimstone preachers.” He wasn’t even interested in a loophole.
Three men…same decision…no loopholes available…all three are mentioned in Today’s Verse in the words “did not receive Him.”
But, thank God, I am not mentioned in that verse. Rather, I am mentioned in the NEXT verse: “But as many as RECEIVED Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God.” That’s my verse! How about you? Isn’t it good to know “it is well with my soul”?
Dec 15, 2022 – Perhaps no Bible verse better summarizes the meaning of Christmas than Today’s Verse! Who is Christmas about?
First, a Savior! Do you see yourself in need of a Savior or do you have a different view? The awesome truth of Christmas is God’s view—that men need a Savior because they cannot save themselves. Therefore, God provides a Savior for man and that Savior is also recognized as Christ the Lord.
The name or title of “Christ” is the Greek way of expressing the Hebrew word “Messiah.” Some of the newer translations rightly use the word “Messiah” in place of “Christ” in this passage, because it helps the reader to better understand the Old Testament concept. For example, picture yourself as a Jew living in the time of Jesus’ birth. Imagine an angel sharing the good news that the long awaited and long prophesied Messiah has finally been born in the city of David! That would have been the most exciting news of your generation. “He whom we have been waiting for so long—well, He has now come! Let us go and see Him!”
And this same One is also the Lord! This term must never be viewed lightly. We often sing, “Jesus, Lord at Thy birth.” It must be remembered, though, He is also Lord BEFORE His birth…and though He lies in a lowly manger or feeding trough (care to guess His weight?) He is Lord at that time, too. His size makes no difference. “By Him all things were made that exist.”
Charles Spurgeon touched the hem of His garment when he proclaimed, “Infinite, and an infant. Eternal, and yet born of a woman. Almighty, and yet hanging on a woman’s breast. Supporting a universe, and yet needing to be carried in a mother’s arms.” My friend, how can such a thing be?
Do you recall His words to Governor Pontius Pilate? “You would possess no power unless it was given to you from above.” In other words, “You’re not the Lord. I who came from above—I AM THE LORD!” He is more than the Truth, the Way, and the Life. Above all, He is Lord and all creation shall someday acknowledge that fact to the glory of God the Father.
Thus, in this season and in every season, we honor Him with our time, attention, love and adoration.
Would you agree He deserves even more than we can give Him?
Dec 14, 2023 – “Consider this: An obscure teacher from a small town in a ruined country changed the world—AFTER HIS DEATH” (David Jeremiah). That’s a profound statement, but it is true in the case of Jesus Christ.
There is an important lesson here: Our impact cannot be measured by the preacher who speaks at our funeral. Rather, our impact can only be measured by God in eternity. Life is a voting machine, but eternity is a weighing machine. Everything will look different, even much different, in eternity. Life measures what people and the world think of us, but eternity has different values and views everything from the perspective of what has eternal value. Sadly, not much associated with this world will last!
One day a king sent for his court jester and presented him with a stick. The king said, “Take this stick and keep it until you find a bigger fool than yourself.”
Several years passed. The day came when the king was lying on his deathbed. Once again, he sent for the court jester. The king said, “I am going away.”
The jester asked, “Where to?”
The king replied, “To another country.”
The jester asked, “What provision has your majesty made for this journey and for living in this country whither thou goest?”
The king answered, “None. No provision at all.”
The jester then handed the stick to the king. He said, “Take it. I have finally found a bigger fool than myself for I myself only trifle with the things of time but you have trifled with the things of eternity.”
The jester could have said those same words to many in the Christmas story: the innkeeper, Satan and his fallen angelic demons, the silent people of Jerusalem. But others chose a different course: the Magi from the east, Mary and Joseph, and the shepherds.
Time…eternity. Oh, which do you prefer? Which regulates your decisions and lifestyle? Is it the voting machine called life and public opinion or is it the weighing machine called eternity when all things will be properly weighed, even perfectly evaluated? Choose wisely.
Why do so many Christians expect the devil to roll over and play dead for their ministry? One brother became so frustrated that he quit the ministry and went back to being nothing more than a pew sitter. His explanation? “I did not expect to face trouble and opposition.” I wonder: Did he expect the devil to become less than the devil and his imps to become choir members?
Today’s Verse presents Pharaoh’s reaction to the demands of Moses to release Israel from Egyptian slavery. Pharaoh represents Satan in the story. These words, “I will not let Israel go” represent the devil’s attitude toward humanity. It is a never-yielding attitude.
Interestingly, Jesus included Satan in his first teaching in the Matthew 13 parables. Hey, He thought it was so important for us to know that He made it the very first lesson. “When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and SNATCHES AWAY what was sown in their heart.”
One of our greatest problems is simply getting the people’s attention! As a matter of fact, Jesus ran into the same problem in His own ministry. Jesus said, “They seeing see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. For their ears are dull of hearing and their eyes they have closed.”
The story is told about a modern day prodigal son. The boy’s father was dying and did not have long to live. The father said to his wayward son, “I want you to promise me one thing.”
This man’s son had been a trouble maker all of his life. He was so bad that he had even spent time in jail.
The father continued, “After I die I want you to sit beside my casket. I want you to close all of the doors and sit alone by my casket for five minutes. Look into my face. Think for five solid minutes about eternity.”
The son hesitated then finally agreed to the father’s request. The father died only a short time later. The son then fulfilled his father’s last request. He shut the doors, sat down by the casket, looked into his father’s face, and began to think about eternity. Within sixty seconds the son was on his face crying out, “God, be merciful to a sinner like me,” and the son was marvelously saved!
But it all began when the son finally filled his mind with the things of eternity instead of the things of this world!
That story illustrates how the devil works…and also how God works. No one was in the funeral parlor to talk to the young man. How then could he know how to respond? Simply this: The father had sown the gospel even when the opposition was strong. Then, in God’s time, the soul was pierced and the sinner became serious.
In a nutshell, that is the philosophy behind Godsgreenhouse.net. The word is distributed or sown…whether by website, videos, devotionals like this, books, etc. And we wait on God to give the increase! May your ministry also be a sowing and waiting ministry in the hands of the Lord.
Godsgreenhouse.net Dec 12, 2023 – Is anyone more devious, more destructive than the being known as Satan…the “diabolos” which is translated devil? How destructive Is he? More so than any human who has ever walked the face of this earth.
In years past the ocean ships relied upon lighthouses to warn them about getting too close to the coastline. One of those lighthouses was built on the shore of England in 1757. It was known as the Eddystone Lighthouse.
In those days France and England were at war with each other. A rather unscrupulous counselor approached Louis XV, the king of France, and suggested a way that he could get even with the English.
This counselor suggested that the French send a few cruisers across the English channel and harass the men who were working on that very important lighthouse. In so doing the project would be ended, and many more English ships would wreck upon that very rocky coastline.
King Louis, though, became rather indignant and said, “Sir, I am the enemy of England, but I am not the enemy of ALL humanity.” In so doing King Louis rejected that counselor’s advice; he allowed the lighthouse to be finished for the good of all mankind everywhere.
But the Bible teaches us that the devil is no King Louis, because the devil TRULY IS the enemy of all humanity everywhere.
The Bible warns, “The whole world lies in the hands of the wicked one,” that he is the god of this present world system organizing it into a godless society. As far as intelligence is concerned the Bible says, “The devil is more cunning than any beast of the field.” If the devil could fool Adam and Eve then he can fool you and me!
As far as power is concerned the devil is more powerful than any man, also more powerful than the angels including even the archangel Michael. Woe to the person who believes he can handle the devil on his own. We need the only higher power: the power of the Holy Trinity.
As far as intentions are concerned, the devil is more evil than you can possibly imagine. The Bible says he is “a murderer from the beginning as well as the father of lies.” The devil is the ONLY being to whom the Bible refers as “the evil one.” That phrase describes Satan’s character. He is more than filled with evil; he actually IS evil in his very spirit!
Who convinced King Herod to murder the male infants of Bethlehem at the first Christmas? We see the devil’s handiwork on full display though he is not mentioned in the passage. What had those children done? Nothing except being born in the wrong time and the wrong place. Such savagery marks Satan’s handiwork throughout the Bible in his assault against the Jew, the Bible, and the church.
Mark my words: Wherever one finds evil, one will also see the handiwork of God’s nemesis. That is why Jesus said the devil comes to “steal and to kill and to destroy. But I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.”
During this Christmas celebration the devil will come to steal our attention from worshipping the Christ. Most people will instead worship a tree, a gift or even time away from work. And the devil will laugh about his success all the way home.
Why? It is because the devil is the ENEMY OF ALL HUMANITY everywhere. Oh, friend, don’t let him steal this Christmas from you!
Dec 11, 2023 – Is it difficult to identify Christians at work? At school? In the community? Not usually. They’re different because they march to a different drum. Let me paraphrase Today’s Verse: “Do not be conformed to this world which is BELOW but instead be transformed by the world which is ABOVE, by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test/prove—in other words, know beyond any shadow of doubt—what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God for your life!”
The world which is ABOVE is more than a match for the world which is BELOW. The more time we spend with the Savior, the more time we will think and behave like the Savior.
This writer has walked with the Lord nearly sixty years. Quite honestly, I do not feel that I have been deprived of anything worthwhile during this pursuit of Him. On the contrary, I feel that I have been granted a very blessed life. I have enjoyed this life of knowing Him and working with Him in His spiritual greenhouse. I have enjoyed being part of His family, too, with so many brothers and sisters. I have even enjoyed tithing, because I believe everyone deserves to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. He has given me an appetite for clean living plus plenty of dessert to go with it.
When I come to the end of the road, you will not hear me singing, “Wasted years, O how foolish!”
We often talk about living by faith; it is fascinating to realize that we are transformed into heavenly thinking and heavenly behavior by that very same faith. How? Faith always contains an element of transformation. We become what we believe in!!!! And sometimes we do not realize how far along we are in that “becoming” process until someone points it out to us.
Some friends took Uncle Bud Robinson, the well known Holiness preacher, to visit New York City. These friends showed Uncle Bud all the attractions…all the flashy lights…all that the big city had to offer. My, was it impressive!
Later that night Uncle Bud knelt by his bed and he prayed one of the most remarkable prayers ever prayed. He prayed, “Lord, I thank you for letting me see all the sights of New York City. But I thank you most of all that I didn’t see a thing I wanted.”
The songwriter expressed it this way,
“I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold,I’d rather have Jesus than have riches untold; I’d rather have Jesus than houses or land; I’d rather be led by His nail pierced hand!
“Than to be the King of a vast domain; And be held in sin’s dread sway; I’d rather have Jesus than anything This world affords today!“
It is a song which so many know by memory; it is also a song which you can experience as He transforms your willing mind!
It has been said that modern life can be summarized in only three words: “Hurry, worry, bury.” Sure enough, that aptly describes how most people live their lives!
I read about a senator who was running breathlessly down a hallway. A reporter caught up with the senator and asked him, “What do you think about the current world crisis in the Middle East?”
The senator replied, “Don’t bother me. I am in a hurry to make a speech on the radio. A crisis like this is no time to think!” and the senator rushed past the crisis in the Middle East in order to deal with the crisis of making a little speech on the radio.
Most people have their mind so filled with the ideas of the world, so busy with the appointments of the world that they have no time to be alone with themselves…or especially God!
To be honest, isn’t there something else to life besides being a part of the RAT RACE? Besides running here and there and yet never having the time to get everything done? Isn’t there something else to life besides getting married, finding a job, having children, making money, building a house, buying a car, saving for your retirement and then just sitting down and getting ready to die?
Somehow we have forgotten the Scriptures which say, “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; they shall walk and not faint.” “For the Lord Himself is the strength of my life; of whom then should I be afraid?”
Webster’s Dictionary defines the word solitude as “a lonely place, the state of being alone.” The idea of being alone with yourself…alone with your thoughts and problems…also alone with someone who can counsel you and strengthen you for the task at hand. Of course, the Person whom we need in our quiet time is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself!
“There is a place of quiet rest, Near to the heart of God. A place where sin cannot molest, Near to the heart of God. There is a place of full release, Near to the heart of God. A place where all is joy and peace, Near to the heart of God. O Jesus, blest Redeemer, Sent from the HEART of God, Hold us, yes, hold us, who wait before Thee, Near to the heart of God.”
For Moses that place was on the backside of the desert. For Daniel it was on his knees in his chamber with his windows open toward Jerusalem. For the Apostle Paul it was in the wilderness of Arabia. For John the Baptist it was in the wilderness of Judaea where “the child grew, became strong, and was in the desert till the day of his revealing to Israel.”
For you it may be in a prayer closet or on a quiet hillside or perhaps kneeling beside your bed but one thing is certain: You will receive much more in the presence of God than you will ever receive in the presence of man!
Phillips Brooks is best known for writing, “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” Brooks was a very busy pastor, but he always seemed relaxed and unburdened, ready to take time for anyone who had a problem.
A young friend wrote to Brooks shortly before Brooks died and asked him the secret of his strength. Brooks wrote back that his strength and serenity was due to his still-growing relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
“The more I have thought it over, the more sure it has seemed to me that these last years have had a peace and fullness which there did not use to be. It is a deeper knowledge and truer love of Christ. I cannot tell you how personal this grows to me. He is here. HE KNOWS ME AND I KNOW HIM. It is the most real thing in the world. Every day makes it more real. And one wonders with delight what it will grow to as the years go on.”
Yes, that is the way it should be…and that is the way it CAN BE.
Dec 8, 2023 – What does your church do for you? Then again, what do you do for your church? Today’s Verse mentions three items that every one of us should receive from our church but also give back to our church. First, stir up love among the people! “Love covers a multitude of sins.” Do you want to be loved? Then be a loving Christian to others and you will attract people like honey attracts a bear!
Second, stir up good works among the people. Works of righteousness, not works of darkness. Live it and teach it by your example. Don’t be one of the critics that lives on the wrecking crew instead of the building crew. Stir up works that will build lives and God’s church.
Third, exhort or encourage one another. Have you noticed that a person of faith is also a positive person? He encourages others with his optimism that, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” “If God be for me, who can be against me?”
This writer has been on the receiving and giving end for many decades. Despite my years of maturity, I confess that I still need what my church can do for me. Yes, I do! I have never outgrown my need for God’s church. Nor will you.
A fine, elderly Christian lady had been in the hospital for some time. Her health was failing. The doctor believed she would be bedfast for the rest of her life.
It came time for this woman to be dismissed from the hospital and sent to a convalescent home. The ambulance attendants placed her in the back of the ambulance and prepared to drive away.
The elderly Christian said, “May I ask a favor? It isn’t far out of the way to go by my church. I just wondered if you would mind. You know it may be the last time I will ever see my church.”
The ambulance driver pulled up in front of the church and allowed the woman as much time as she needed. She talked about how she loved her church, of how she had served God in that place for so many years.
Then she said, “I wanted to see it just one more time for fear that I might not get back again.”
One of the attendants said sometime later, “I never knew what the church could mean before, not until I saw how much it meant to one who might never again be able to go inside its doors.”
This man’s thinking was then changed. It was not long until this man rededicated his life and became a faithful servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But consider what she said: “I wanted to see it just one more time for fear that I might not get back again.”
Friend, when we get to the end of the road none of us will regret a single hour we spent in God’s house with God’s people stirring up love, stirring up good works and encouraging one another!
Dec 7, 2023 – Thomas Naylor taught a business management course at Duke University. One day he asked his students to write a personal strategic plan for their lives—for what they wanted to do and where they wanted to go. These students were supposed to be some of the smartest students in America. They carefully prepared their personal strategic plans and gave them to Thomas Naylor.
Naylor found a common pattern in the strategies. He reported, “With few exceptions what these students wanted fell into three categories: money, power, and things—very big things, including vacation homes, expensive foreign automobiles, yachts, and even airplanes.“
The teacher summarized, “This was the student’s basic request of us teachers: Teach me how to be a money making machine.”
No thought of humanitarian service or spiritual service or political service either…no thought of anything except, “Teach me how to be a money making machine.”
That is the way it is all across America—students going to school, learning everything from astronomy to zoology, paying tuition, sitting in classrooms, receiving a diploma then walking out just as ignorant as when they first came, because they have learned nothing which can truly satisfy the emptiness in a man’s soul!
That is why Jesus’ statement in Today’s Verse has so much meaning. “Learn from Me” (“Follow Me as My disciple”) is an invitation to learn the most important issues of life (both spiritual and material) from the greatest rabbi of all time who is also the ONLY INFALLIBLE rabbi of all time.
Every person has to decide in which school to enroll to learn a philosophy for everyday life. Moses began his education in Egypt in the house of Pharaoh; that education would have made him a success in the eyes of the Duke students, but Moses learned that education fell far short of a better education.
Someone has said, “Moses spent the first forty years learning he was a somebody, the second forty years learning he was a nobody, but the last forty years learning what God can do with a somebody who is a nobody.” The first forty years in Egypt being programmed by the world; the next forty years on the backside of the desert being reprogrammed by God in the right subjects, the right principles, as well as the right values!
Would you like to guess who got the better education? Moses or the Duke students?
Above all, don’t fall into the Bible category called “ever learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7). Instead, seat yourself at the feet of a rabbi named Jesus and let Him not only speak but also change your life.
Dec 6, 2023 – “Joseph, flee to Egypt!” The wonder of the Christmas story is indeed a wonderment to behold from so many different perspectives that it leaves one wondering which wonder to consider next. It’s like a child in the toy store…where does he go next?
Pause with me to consider only one wonder: God has the entire situation under control. A kingly lineage, a virgin birth, a rebellious king, shepherds in the field, magi from afar, a manger, a full inn, a shining star like none other, a young couple willing to trust Him, gifts to cover expenses, a place of refuge called Egypt…yes, God has everything under control.
Move forward two thousand years…2023 until the end of time. The same words will always be true for your life and mine…for every life yet to be lived…a simple but profound truth that our God has the entire situation under control.
The time was World War II. An ocean liner left a British port and headed for a harbor in the United States. It was widely known that a variety of enemy ships were nearby, just hoping for an easy target like an ocean liner.
The ship’s captain was given secret instructions: “Keep straight on this course. Turn aside for nothing. If you need help, send a wireless message in code.”
Three days later the crew spotted an enemy cruiser on the horizon. This cruiser seemed to be trailing the large ocean liner. The captain immediately sent a coded message which said, “Enemy cruiser sighted. What should I do?”
The reply came back from a ship which was nowhere to be seen, “Keep straight on. I’m standing by.”
The captain did not understand, but he kept the ocean liner on its predetermined course until they safely reached the United States. The captain was then surprised to see a British warship slip into the same harbor alongside them. Although this British warship had never been seen, yet it had still protected the ocean liner. All the ocean liner had ever needed to do was to simply stay with the plan and obey its orders!
“I do not know whether my future lies Through calm or storm;
Whether the way is strewn with broken ties Or friendships warm.
This much I know: Where’er the pathway trod, All else unknown,
I shall be guided safely on, for God will keep His own.”
Amen.
Dec 5, 2023 – Are you the apple of anyone’s eye? Someone said about the little boy, “He is the apple of his grandpa’s eye.” What a unique expression! The phrase refers to the pupil of the eye—the most sensitive place imaginable. You can poke me in my stomach and it will only annoy me, but poke me in my eye and you’re in trouble AS SOON as I recover! But it will take time to recover, right? Because it is a very sensitive place.
Thus, the location emphasizes the preciousness of the individual. We protect the eye at all cost. Everyone I know will give up a hand before they will give up an eye. They’ll give up their hearing but not the eye.
That means Jacob (and by linkage his descendants) was very blessed when God placed him in the center of His own eye. If the devil wants to take on God’s people, in effect, the devil is poking his own finger in God’s eye…and God will likely react just like you react.
I am very special to God. That is a comforting thought. Life can be hard. Even at our best we don’t have all the answers and sometimes we don’t even have all the questions! But God takes us in our weakness and places us where we are safe. We can go to bed tonight realizing that if live we are the Lord’s and if we die during the night we are still the Lord’s. “If God be for us, who can stand against us? Who is foolish enough to stand against us?”
A dear saint of God was lying on her deathbed. A friend asked the dear saint, “Now, Nannie, suppose after all of your praying that God should forget you and allow your soul to be forever lost?”
The dear saint laid her hand upon the Bible and said, “Is that all the faith you have? If that happened it would be God Himself who would suffer the greatest loss. Poor Nannie would only lose her soul; but God would lose His very own honor and that would be a much greater loss!
“Haven’t I hung my soul upon His exceeding great and precious promises? If God breaks His Word then God would make Himself a liar and the universe itself would rush into confusion.”
Dear Nannie knew she was safe, because God had made her the apple of His eye!
So let us live and minister in confidence!
Remember, “he that touches you touches the apple of his eye!” (Zechariah 2:8).
Dec 4, 2023 – The name of John Dewey is well-known in the field of education. John Dewey, though, was what you might call an absent-minded professor. One day John Dewey was walking across the college campus with a close friend. A little boy ran up to him and asked for a nickel. Dewey gave the boy a nickel and sent the lad on his way.
Dewey then mumbled to his friend, “The trouble with the boys in this city is that they are always asking you for money.”
The friend asked, “But isn’t that your son?”
Dewey looked around until he found the boy then said with surprise, “Why, yes, I guess it is.”
Here was an earthly father who had forgotten his own son, but the Bible assures us that our heavenly Father never ever forgets His own. Today’s Verse says, “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though your mother may forget you, I, the Lord, will not forget you!”
Genesis 8:1 says, “And God remembered Noah.” John R. Rice said, “No man on earth was ever more helpless than Noah. He was on an ocean liner… but without chart or compass or sail or rudder. THERE WAS NO LAND TO REACH IF HE COULD HAVE REACHED IT.” But Noah did have one thing in his favor and that is that “God remembered Noah.”
Genesis 19:29 says, “And God remembered Abraham.” It was time for judgment to fall upon Sodom and Gomorrah, but “God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of Sodom when God overthrew the cities in which Lot dwelled.” God allowed Abraham’s nephew to live, because God remembered the promise which He had made with Abraham.
1 Samuel 1:19 says, “And God remembered Hannah.” Poor Hannah! The priest thought she was drunk, her husband thought she was depressed, and the other wife badgered her constantly because Hannah could not have any children. But God heard the prayers of Hannah and in due time “God remembered Hannah” and God gave her a son by the name of Samuel.
Do you sometimes think God has forgotten you? Rest assured, He has not.
Let’s write something to put on your refrigerator or workstation. Take a sheet of paper or post-it note and write, “And God remembered” across the top. Then write the numbers 1-4 below those words in order to make a list. Next to 1 write Noah. Next to 2 write Abraham. Next to 3 write Hannah. And next to 4 write your own name. Then place it where you can see it for the next several days.
Let God remind you that even though you may be only one of eight billion people, you will never be forgotten by Him. Rest assured, our God never ever forgets His own.
Dec 2-3, 2023 – PERSONAL ENCOUNTERS WITH GOD – Part 5 – Imagine being Moses and seeing a bush that is on fire but is not being consumed by the fire! Sometimes we preachers get too wrapped up in trying to explain this amazing sight. Oh, there is no doubt but what the burning bush is indeed an amazing sight, but what we often miss is that the burning bush was primarily intended to produce a life-changing event in Moses!
You must remember that Moses is now eighty years old. He has been everything from the Prime Minister of Egypt to a lowly shepherd on the backside of the desert, but the most important point of all is that Moses has never yet amounted to a single thing in the work of Almighty God. He is a man with a resume a mile long but yet his life has been a total waste as far as God Himself is concerned. And it is this “nothing” man who now comes face to face with God in an experience which promises to change his entire life.
God says, “Moses, come with Me and I will send you unto Pharaoh that you may deliver the children of Israel from Egyptian slavery.”
Moses can then turn away, walk back into the desert and never be heard from again OR he can obey the call of God. He can say, “God, here am I, send me!” and set his heart to what God has called him to do.
For Moses it is time and a place for a life-changing decision—a decision which will change his goals, habits, family, activities, yes, even an entire lifestyle. This decision will determine whether Moses becomes:
1. A worthless man of the desert or a Spirit-filled man of God.
2. A mere shepherd of sheep or a much greater shepherd of people.
3. A man with an important future or just a man with an empty past AND future.
From this day forward Moses will never be the same, because he has personally met God at the burning bush of a life-changing decision!
There is a place in Portsmouth, Ohio, which is very special to me. In my pre-preaching years I worked as a motor bank teller at the Security Central National Bank in Portsmouth, Ohio. I was working one night on the four to midnight shift. It was my custom to pray and study the Bible when there were no customers at the drive-up window.
I already knew God wanted me to go to a Bible college and prepare for the pastorate, but I did not yet know the time nor the college where this training was to begin. This may seem strange but God gave me the answer one night at 10:00 while I was praying in that motor bank.
God said to me, “Tom, you are to go to a school in Chattanooga called Tennessee Temple. You are to begin your studies as soon as school begins in the fall.”
I said, “God, I was planning to go instead to Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia and study under Jerry Falwell and Harold Wilmington.”
God said, “No, you are to go to a school which is led by Lee Roberson and J. R. Faulkner. You go to that school and leave the rest of your life to Me.”
Sure enough, that is exactly what Ruth Ellen and I did. We got married on August 28th and we arrived in Chattanooga on August 29th so I could begin my studies at Tennessee Temple College. The best part of all is that God did indeed take care of all the rest. Not only that, but I want you to know that God is still taking care of all the rest. God assured me like He assured Moses, “Certainly I, the Lord, will be with you and I want you to know that you will eventually serve God in victory upon this mountain” (Exodus 3:12).
Through the nearly fifty years of ministry there have many mountain top experiences. To be honest, there have also been many valley experiences, too, but I would not trade any of it for anything this world has to offer. All of this began for me at my own burning bush: at a motor bank in Portsmouth, Ohio where I came face to face with the burning bush of a life-changing decision.
The poet Robert Frost said it like this:
“I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence;
Two roads diverge in a wood, and I –
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”
It is the place AND time of your own burning bush. It is the place and time where you meet God and your life is never again the same. Amen.
Dec 1, 2023 – PERSONAL ENCOUNTERS WITH GOD – Part 4 – “We are standing on holy ground, And I know that there are angels all around, So let us praise Jesus now! For we are standing in His presence on holy ground!” This song describes the ultimate church service: the time and place where God meets man in a sacred, personal encounter.
The two words “time” and “place” are emphasized in the prior devotionals, because that’s what an encounter is. Such an experience happens at a specific time and a specific place like in a church service. God’s meeting with His people turns that location into holy ground. That’s why people often refer to the building as “God’s house.” They recognize there is something which distinguishes “God’s house” from every restaurant, schoolhouse, factory, and community hall in the entire area. It is a specific place at a specific time where God meets with His people in an experience which can thoroughly change any person’s life. Therefore, as you enter that building “it is time to take off your shoes for the ground on which you stand is holy ground!”
We need to be like the usher who worked in a small church just outside Philadelphia. He was asked by another usher how many people he had counted in that morning’s service. He answered, “I counted fifty-seven people.”
The second usher said, “That’s strange, because I only counted fifty-four people.”
The first usher smiled and said, “It is because you forgot to count the Trinity. As for myself I always add three more to my count: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, because the Bible says, ‘Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.’”
We ought to come to church just like David went to church in the Old Testament: “Entering into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise, for I was glad when they said unto me, ‘Let us go up into the house of the Lord!’”
This writer thanks God for the local church because it was at church where I:
1. heard someone first preach the gospel of my salvation.
2. had a chance to fellowship with godly men and godly women.
3. learned how to worship in spirit and truth.
4. was taught how to pray, sing, witness, study and crucial doctrines of the Christian faith.
I dare say if you yourself ever amount to much as a Christian, it will include your spending time with God at the burning bush of a local church!
A great compliment is told about Spurgeon’s church over in London, England. In that day there were no automobiles. All of the people traveled instead by horse and carriage. The taxi driver of that day was known as a hack driver.
Tourists came from all over the world to witness this awesome burning bush known as the Metropolitan Tabernacle. Those people would read Spurgeon’s sermons in their hometown newspapers; they wanted to be part of this place. Time and time again these tourists would stop the hack drivers and say, “We want to see Spurgeon’s Tabernacle.”
The hack drivers would give the same answer over and over again. They would say, “Aye, laddie, for a fee I’ll take you across the Thames River and show you the Tabernacle. But I warn you, it’s a SOUL TRAP. If you hang around that place for very long you’re liable to get converted.”
What a testimony! Come to think of it, the same compliment can be said about church after church in your own neighborhood. Why? It is because God is “in the midst of them.”
Nov 29, 2023 – PERSONAL ENCOUNTERS WITH GOD – PART 2 – Where were you born again? Earlier today our country watched the funeral of Rosalynn Carter. Sister Carter—I truly believe she is my sister in Christ—and her husband President Jimmy Carter popularized the biblical expression “born again” during Jimmy’s presidency. Even tv talk shows discussed its meaning. Television comedians cracked jokes about it. The expression became part of American conversation—some good, some bad.
I recall Vice President Walter Mondale running for President against Ronald Reagan in 1984. During a television debate Mondale was asked if he had been born again (that question tells you how the term had become part of even the political debate). Mondale replied, “I don’t know if I have been born again, but I know I was born into a Christian family.” That is a sad reply, because the Bible makes it very clear that “born again” is something you will know for certain, because it is a passing from spiritual death unto spiritual life, from darkness into light, from the old creation to the new creation, and, furthermore, the entire concept of a birth indicates that it happens at a specific time in a specific place.
So WHERE were YOU born again and WHEN were you born again? Your first answer may be that you were born again into God’s family at the cross of Jesus Christ for, “On a hill far away stood an old, rugged cross, The emblem of suffering and shame; And I love that old cross, Where the dearest and best, For a world of lost sinners was slain.” Certainly it is true that all of us were born again at the foot of the cross when we accepted Christ as our Savior. “Oh, What A Saviour, Oh Hallelujah! He Gave His Life’s Blood For Even Me.”
For this writer it was on January 14, 1965 at the Ice Creek Missionary Baptist Church in Deering, Ohio. The evangelist was Homer Webb and the pastor was Vern Davis. The time was 9:00 pm and the place was an old-fashioned mourner’s bench at the front of the church. Some of today’s brethren strangle on the language or terms we sometimes use to express salvation. They act like it’s up for debate. Suffice it to say, if you have been born again, it is because the Holy Spirit convinced you that you were a great sinner, but Christ was an even greater Savior…and you took Him into your life as your Lord and Savior.
This nine-year-old boy left the church that night knowing that I had the Son and, more importantly, He had me!
There is a legend which they tell about Zaccheus—a wee little man was he! When Zaccheus became an old man he spent a great deal of time in a garden which he had purchased alongside the Jerusalem road. The neighbors noticed there was one tree under which Zaccheus would often sit—a tree which Zaccheus would touch with what seemed to be an act of reverence.
One day a stranger asked Zaccheus, “Why do you care for the old tree?”
The aged man lifted his glowing eyes and said, “Because it was from the limbs of this tree that I first saw my Lord and heard His voice.”
Legend? Maybe some parts of it, but the truth is that most of us remember the time and the place where the Lord saved us by His marvelous grace.
Wouldn’t you agree with me, that place is a very, very sacred place?
Let’s dig a little deeper tomorrow.
Nov 28, 2023 – PERSONAL ENCOUNTERS WITH GOD – PART 1 – “Meeting God” is sometimes such a memorable encounter that you remember every detail about the meeting.
For Abraham it was a place called Bethel. The word Bethel means “house of God.” This encounter was so real that Abraham built an altar so everyone could remember the place where he met God.
For Moses it was a place on the backside of the desert where a bush burned with fire and yet was not consumed—a bush where Moses met the living God, received his commission from God and the journey of faith kicked into high gear.
For Saul of Tarsus it was on a road to Damascus. A bright light shone forth with such brilliance that Saul became blinded. A voice spoke from nowhere earthly, “I am Jesus Whom you persecute.” It was there that Saul of Tarsus was permanently changed.
For John Wesley it was at 3:00 in the morning on October 3, 1730. That evening began with John Wesley enjoying a meal with sixty other preachers including George Whitefield. Those men of God then spent the rest of the night in prayer and what a night it turned out to be! Sometime during the night—John Wesley later said it took place at 3:00 in the morning—Wesley said, “There has now come upon me the blessing of God and for the first time I know what it is to be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
George Whitefield had a special encounter with God on the day of his own ordination. He said, “On my knees that night when Bishop Benson laid his hand upon my head there was such a yielding to God’s blessed will for my life that then and there I knew for the first time that by faith I had been filled with the Holy Spirit.”
D. L. Moody often told about walking down Wall Street in the city of New York. Moody had been praying for God to fill his life with the power of God. God answered that prayer while Moody was enjoying his walk. The power of God was so awesome that Moody had to immediately talk with the Lord. He went to the nearest place he could find—a friend’s apartment—and he remained alone in that room for a number of hours—just him and the Lord. God’s presence was so real that Moody finally had to ask God to withhold His hand, lest Moody should die right there in that room.
For each of these men there was no doubt as to the time and the place where they met God in an unusual way…more than just an everyday encounter. Something of such magnitude that it permanently changed them for the glory of God.
But please note those encounters were NOT the only encounters which came their way.
One dear brother asked me, “Have you received the second blessing?”
I responded, “I have received the first blessing, second blessing, third blessing, fourth blessing, fifth blessing, sixth blessing, seventh blessing, eighth blessing…” He got the message!
Dear believer, the Christian life is not limited to merely one encounter. That’s why we sing, “And He walks with me and He talks with me And He tells me I am His own!” It is like being married. You enjoy daily encounters with your spouse, but you also have special occasions which rise to a much higher level. Times when you can honestly say, “Then and there is where it happened.”
I am just wondering: When was the last time you met God at your own burning bush?
We’ll continue this study tomorrow.
Nov 27, 2023 – Why do so many Christian marriages (and therefore ministries) fail? Reason #1 is because the husband and wife do not agree on the purpose of their home. Sometimes that leads to divorce, but other times it leads to resignations and a lack of Christian service. I will always remember one of our pastors trying to pastor with one arm tied behind his back. Why? His wife did not support his ministry and did not even attend many of our services. Good man but a hindered ministry.
Recently a pastor resigned. When asked why, he said, “My wife does not want to be a pastor’s wife. She will have to adjust the way she lives.” In other words, the two of them do not agree on their purpose.
The same can be said about wives who want to serve the Lord but are married to a husband with much different goals. The husband did not agree with Joshua’s goal, “As for me AND my house we will serve the Lord.”
But how different is the home AND the Christian ministry when both husband and wife are building in the same direction, possess the same goals, believe the same philosophy and are living out the same ideals. Those people can enjoy life together in a very special way on a spiritual level that other people will never experience!
The great English preacher Matthew Henry died in 1714 but not before he wrote some of the greatest commentaries which this world has ever seen. As a young minister Matthew Henry was quite poor. As a matter of fact it looked as if he would be poor his entire life. It so happened that Matthew Henry was courting the daughter of a very rich man. This daughter was the heiress to a considerable fortune.
The girl’s father objected to his daughter marrying this poor preacher named Matthew Henry. The father argued, “He may be a great scholar as well as an excellent preacher, but he is a stranger to us; we do not even know where he COMES FROM!”
The daughter replied, “That is indeed true, but we do know WHERE IS GOING and I should like to go with him.”
Finally, the daughter won her father’s approval, and she married this preacher, because he knew where he was going and she wanted to go along with him!
From that day on their home was built around one single purpose: “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and let God take care of everything else.” History tells us that is exactly the way it happened, too!
Two people sharing the same purpose, the same schedule, the same prayers, the same ideals and ultimately the same rewards!
So much in common because they were building in the same direction by serving the Lord Jesus Christ!
That commitment will always result in a very blessed and successful marriage AND ministry.
Nov 25-26, 2023 – The Thanksgiving holiday weekend is a time when families come together in a marvelous way. Yet we must recognize that our families are facing more pressure than ever before…and we are encountering more domestic problems than any generation in American history.
I read about a hillbilly who sent an advertisement to the newspaper which said, “Farmer, age thirty-six, wishes to become acquainted with woman around thirty who owns a tractor. Please send a picture of the tractor.” Ah, friend, God has a much simpler solution for the family unit than a tractor!
An American went to Niagara Falls with a friend from England. They were both stirred by the enormous waterfall, by the rapids and the whirlpool at the base of the falls. The American said, “Come and I will show you the greatest unused power in the world.”
The American led the Englishman down to the foot of Niagara Falls. He then pointed up at the huge waterfall and said, “There is the greatest unused power in this world!”
The Englishman said, “Oh, no, my brother, that is not so. The greatest unused power in the world is the Holy Spirit of the living God.”
Consider the truth of this next sentence: “The greatest unused power in the Christian home is the Holy Spirit of the living God!”
There is something uniquely special about a home and a marriage where the Holy Spirit is given the right to rule. The people smile bigger, laugh louder, sleep better, love unreservedly, possess contentment, forgive easily, live righteously, experience joy and think purely.
Read again Today’s Verse and notice that the context indicates the fullness of the Spirit affects each person in the home by bringing their conduct into conformity with the will of God. Is it any wonder a Spirit-filled Christian home is different than most homes in America?
Think of the Holy Spirit as your contractor. It is important that both the husband and wife select the right contractor. For example, you need the same contractor when you:
1. have an argument and His name ought to be the Holy Spirit;
2. must deal with the in-laws and His name ought to be the Holy Spirit;
3. set financial goals and His name ought to be the Holy Spirit;
4. raise your children and His name ought to be the Holy Spirit.
In so doing, you will learn the lesson that so many others before you have learned: The Holy Spirit will be the most important Person in your home.
“Wherefore, be not unwise but understand what the will of the Lord is…Be filled with the Holy Spirit!”
THANKSGIVING 2023 – Ten lepers were miraculously healed by the Savior. MARVELOUS! But only one returned to give thanks for being healed. NOT SO MARVELOUS! Would I be the one who returned to say, “Thank You!” or the nine who went flippantly on their way without expressing any thanksgiving to the One who healed them?
(Interestingly, Jesus (a Jew) healed nine Jews and one Samaritan (contemptuously deemed a half-breed by the Jews). None—not a single one—of the Jews returned to give thanks. Only the half-breed Samaritan returned…the very one that you would not expect to return.
The Lady Elgin, a steamer ship of long ago, was nearing Chicago when it began to sink. The people on the shore watched the floundering ship but did nothing. However, two young theological students responded. Nat picked up a rope and swam out to the sinking vessel. His brother held the end of the rope on the shore. When Nat reached the boat, he grabbed a passenger and pulled him back to the shore to his brother holding the rope. They repeated that process for seventeen people.
Then Nat, totally exhausted, collapsed. He could not go out again. But when he heard the screams of the people on the Lady Elgin, he said, “I’ve got to go!” He went again and again until twenty-three people had been rescued.
300 people went down with the ship and lost their lives. But twenty-three were saved by Nat. When he brought his last one in, he was so exhausted that he became unconscious. He was taken to the hospital. He slowly recovered, but he never regained all of his strength because of that strenuous effort.
That brings us to the conclusion. In the years that followed not one—not a solitary one—of the twenty-three thanked him for what he had done. Not one sent a letter. Not one came to see him. Na’s body bore the strain of that effort for the rest of his days…but not one soul acknowledged his effort in any way.
May God help me (and you) to be thankful enough to always say, “Thank you!”
Nov 22, 2023 – When do the devil and his imps come to create trouble for you? Remember: ANY time is a good time for the enemy. Any time includes your best moment as well as your worst moment. It even includes being in church. My father often said, “Pastor Dutch preached, ‘You’re backsliding even though you’re sitting on the front row of this church.’” Dad would look around and realize he was the only one sitting on the front row! Ah, even the devil attends church!
Hey, ANY time includes even right now. ANY time is a good time for the devil to bring you and me down.
The Bible says the devil came when:
1. Job was the richest man in all the land. Suddenly Job’s cattle were gone, suddenly his sheep were gone, suddenly all ten of Job’s children were gone. Job learned that prosperity is an especially good time for the devil to walk into one’s life.
2. King David was at the zenith of his career. In this case the devil used his best…a stunning woman named Bathsheba to bring David down.
3. Peter was defying gravity by walking upon the water. The devil whispered in his ear, “Look at the water! Look at the lightning! Look at the waves!” Peter yielded to the devil’s hints; he soon learned that even doing the miraculous is a good time for the devil.
4. Jesus was just finishing His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. In walked Judas with the soldiers! Amazingly, even being close to God in prayer is a good time for the devil.
Indeed, the devil may come for you even right now while you are reading this devotional. Have you ever been assaulted even in your prayer or church time? I have. It’s embarrassing. I find myself wondering, “From where did that thought come?” One thing is for sure: The thought did not come from God!
Peter, the apostle that was swallowed by a lion on the night of Jesus’ arrest, probably had his own temptation/failure in mind when he wrote, “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil is walking about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.” Peter would humbly confess any time is a good time for the devil!
Sometimes temptation comes in strange ways. A man walked up to his pastor and said, “Pastor, good-bye. We are moving to Virginia. I have a new job which pays much more than I now get.”
The pastor looked the man straight in the eye and asked, “Sir, is it the will of God for you to move your wife and four children to that new place?”
The man looked shocked! He said, “Will of God? This is a job. This is my work!”
The pastor said, “Yes, but you must be in the will of God in order to be happy and prosper.”
One week later this same man took the pastor’s hand and said, “It is NOT God’s will for me to leave my job nor my church. I am staying where God put me for the sake of my wife and four children. I would be out of God’s will to move.”
This man became convinced that he was being bribed by the devil. The fact is following the Lord may mean less money, but who cares if you are in the will of God? “Godliness actually is a source of great gain when accompanied by contentment [that contentment which comes from a sense of inner confidence based on the sufficiency of God].” This does not mean that all job offers are bribes, because that is not so. However, Paul cautions, “Some by longing for it [money] have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves [through and through] with many sorrows.” The believer’s goal should never be the Almighty Dollar but should always be the Almighty God.
Horatio R. Palmer taught us to sing,
“Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin; Each vict’ry will help you some other to win; Fight manfully onward, dark passions subdue; Look ever to Jesus, He will carry you through.”
Ah, “Look ever to Jesus, He will carry you through!”
Nov 21, 2023 – The army veteran moaned, “I have been in war. I have been in a hurricane. I have been in the desert, too, but the worst place I have ever been is in the waiting room at the hospital.”
The man went on to say, “I do not like to just sit there and wait—to know that the matter is out of my hands and that I must wait until the answer finally comes.”
No one likes to sit in the hospital waiting room, but one lesson which all of us have learned is that only the doctor can do what needs to be done. Furthermore, until the doctor finishes his work there is nothing else which we can do!
Surprise! One of the most important words in the Psalms is the word “wait.” This word appears twenty-two times; almost every time it includes this idea that we are to wait upon the Lord.
Psalm 37 urges us to, “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him!” Psalm 62 says, “My soul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from Him! He only is my Rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.”
But sometimes we get tired of waiting. As a matter of fact, the Psalmist himself even got tired of waiting! The 69th Psalm expresses his frustration, “I am weary of my crying; mine eyes fail while they wait for my God.” But what better thing could he have done than to keep waiting upon God?
This simple idea of waiting—waiting on God to make the answer plain, to open the door to some new opportunity, to part your own Red Sea and lead you through. Waiting on God to do what He knows to be best in the time which He also knows to be best!
How many rush into marriage and then wish they had never met their spouse. How many rush into a business deal only to see their money take wings and fly away. How many rush into a decision about college or a decision about the children or about changing their occupation, even setting a date for their retirement BUT THEY NEVER PRAY about the matter. As a result, they later wish they had waited for another time.
We need to be reminded that, “No horse gets anywhere till he’s harnessed, no steam or gas drives anything until it’s confined, no Niagara ever turns anything into light or power until it’s tunneled, no life ever grows great until focused, dedicated, and disciplined.”
One place where so much of that can be done is in God’s waiting room!
Habakkuk 2:3 says, “Though the vision tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come; the vision will not tarry forever; for the just shall live by faith!” We often quote the words, “the just shall live by faith” but please notice the context includes this idea of waiting patiently upon God.
A man asked his pastor for advice. The pastor suggested, “If you are uncertain then you wait upon God. If there is a question stand still, wait, and pray.”
The man said, “Ah, that’s what I wanted to hear you say. I’ll wait and pray. Maybe a week, maybe two weeks. God may give me the answer tonight. I don’t know but I will simply wait and pray.”
The lesson should be clear! God’s WAITING room is called a WAITING room for one reason: It is the educational room where God teaches you to wait upon Him. I wonder: Are you a good student?
Nov 20, 2023 – We humans are so limited by time but we serve a God who is from everlasting to everlasting! Thus, one lesson which you and I need to remember is that all time is God’s time; therefore, God never has the human necessity to be in a hurry! Amazingly, God never needs to drive over the speed limit because He is late for an appointment; how, though about you? God never needs to ask someone for help because a deadline is drawing near; how, though, about you?
This truth is so because God is not only the God of this universe, but He is also the God of time. That means God knows the best time to get saved and that time is always now, the best time to get married and that time is NOT always now, the best time to have children, buy a house, trade in the old car, even retire. All of this is so because God knows WHO you are, WHERE you are going and WHEN you should get there!
There once was a man who delivered pets to a local pet store. One day while delivering a pet rabbit this man drove his truck into a ditch and the truck overturned. The rabbit’s box was thrown out of the truck. The lid came off the box, the rabbit jumped out of the box and ran away.
The driver saw all of this happen and yet made no effort to capture the rabbit. To everyone’s surprise the driver stood by the wrecked truck and laughed as the rabbit ran away.
Someone asked the driver, “Why in the world are you laughing?”
The driver said, “I am laughing at that rabbit! He is running as fast as he can and he doesn’t even know where he is going. You see, I have the address right here in my pocket!”
I suppose God probably laughs at us in the same way. We think we know our destination, but only He really knows! How often we fail to ask Him for the address and end up in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people!
May I make a suggestion? Take some time and do yourself a favor by sitting down and identifying what God is doing in your life. Not only what God is doing right now but also what God has been doing for the last ten years. Look at the people whom God has allowed you to meet, the decisions which God has forced you to make, the environment in which you have lived and even now live (maybe a Christian home or a non-Christian home, a wealthy home or a poor home, a praying home or a sinning home, a good job or maybe no job at all).
Just stop what you are doing—sit down and ponder what God is doing in your life.
Flavel writes, “When God intends to fill a soul He first makes it empty; when He intends to enrich a soul He first makes it poor; when He intends to exalt a soul He first makes it sensible of its own miseries, wants, and nothingness.”
…and all of this learning AND growing requires time! Guess what? God has all the time in the world…in YOUR world, too, to get you to the right address at the right time with the right people. Isn’t God good? So let’s take advantage of His fatherly care.
Nov 18-19, 2023 – Poor Charlie Brown says, “I am afraid that someday my boat will finally come in, but I’ll be at the train station.” In other words, in the wrong place at the wrong time. That statement is true for all of us SOME of the time, but God’s providence operates according to HIS time, and, thus, patience is a necessity for all of God’s children.
Think of it like this: There is a right time for you to succeed; wouldn’t you rather succeed at the right time which is God’s time than fail by doing it at your time?
When Abraham Lincoln was a mere boy. he spent three days husking corn so that he could buy a second hand copy of the book, “The Life of George Washington.” Little Abe read the book then said, “I don’t always intend to delve, grub, shuck corn, split rails and the like.”
Mrs. Crawford asked, “What then do you want to be?”
Little Abe answered with great confidence, “I intend to someday be the President of the United States of America.”
She laughed and said, “You’d sure make a purty president with all of your jokes and tricks, wouldn’t you?”
Little Abe refused to back down. He said, “I will study and get ready and SOMEDAY MY CHANCE WILL COME.”
So he studied and he studied but for years it looked as if his chance would never come. As a young politician Lincoln ran for the legislature in Illinois but he was badly defeated. He next entered business and failed there, too. (He spent seventeen years paying off the debt of a worthless business partner.)
Along the way Lincoln fell in love with a beautiful, young woman. The two of them were engaged to be married, but the young woman soon died and once again Lincoln lost.
Lincoln then returned to the world of politics. He ran for Congress but was terribly defeated. He tried to get an appointment to the State Land Office but failed. Then in 1856 he became a candidate for the Vice Presidency and would you believe it? He was once again defeated.
A friend asked him, “Isn’t it about time you quit trying?”
Lincoln answered, “It’s no time to quit. I’m too busy preparing to make another attempt.”
Sure enough, Abraham Lincoln finally became the President of the United States of America, but please notice he was a man who had to WAIT for his time to come.
So it was also with Moses…forty years in Egypt followed by forty years in the desert. Then, at the age of eighty, Moses’ boat came in: His time had finally come. His first eighty years, though containing many significant events, paled in significance to his next forty years. Hey! I’m only 68! You’re only ______! That means God may still be training us to do something more before He finishes with us. So don’t quit…just view yourself as being in advanced training and keep giving God your very best!
Nov 17, 2023 – How should a Christian handle false teaching that he or she knows is blatantly false? The short answer (and correct answer) is to always stay with the crystal clear teachings of the Word of God. These mainline teachings are non-negotiable. One church, though, rationalized their acceptance of false teaching by saying, “If we don’t compromise, we won’t keep the doors open.” How foolish because the Bible says God will ALWAYS have His remnant: “all whose knees have not bowed to Baal.”
Some erroneously insist,
1.“The life of Christ is sufficient to save,” but the Bible’s mainline teaching says, “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”
2.Too many errors in the Bible,” but the Bible’s mainline teaching says, “All scripture is God-breathed” and “Forever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven.”
3.“God is the Father of us all,” but the Bible’s mainline teaching insists, “You must be born again!”
God told Elijah that it was time for him to be a man and take a stand! Why? Because it is right to do so! God’s remnant may not be many in number, but it will always be more than Elijah thought AND it will always be more than the critics think as well!
History tells us that Napoleon’s armies invaded Russia. The French soldiers came to a village where everyone had fled except for one man. He happened to be a woodsman and the ax handle was stuck in his leather belt.
The soldiers started to shoot this man. But he showed such calmness and courage that the French captain decided to spare his life. But the captain said, “We will mark you. We will brand you for life.” They heated a branding iron and stamped the letter “N” in the palm of his hand.
The woodsman asked, “What does that mean?”
The soldiers said, “The letter “N” stands for Napoleon. You now belong to the emperor.”
The woodsman, always a loyal Russian, thought it was time to take his stand. He took the ax from his belt, put his hand on the chopping block and cut that hand off at the wrist. He said, “That hand may belong to Napoleon, but I am a Russian and if I must die I die a Russian.”
By so doing, the woodsman took his stand, and everyone knew where his loyalty was placed.
Dear brethren, let us stand for our Savior no matter what the cost. The world needs us more than it will ever know.
Nov 16, 2023 – There is an old saying, “There are no atheists in a battlefield foxhole.” Interestingly, this writer does not recall ever meeting a true theological atheist, but I have met many practicing atheists.
Psalm 14 begins, “The [theological] fool says in his heart that ‘there is no God…no Being that can be called God.’” The practical atheist, though, modifies that statement to read, “No God for me!” He says, “As far as I am concerned, there is no God. If, though, there is such a God I do not want that God telling me what to do with my life. SO NO GOD FOR ME except myself!”
The Bible describes a practicing atheist. “This man’s farm brought forth an abundant harvest. He thought, ‘What shall I do? I have no room to store my harvest!’ He said without any thought of God, ‘I will pull down my barns and build greater barns; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, thou hast many goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.’ But God said, ‘You fool, this night your soul shall be required of you: then whose shall those things be?’”
Neither the theological nor practical atheist wants God in his life. Sure enough, that is exactly how each man lives, and that is exactly how each man dies!
The atheist’s battle cry rings out today: “No God for me!” No God in our:
1. schools so out with school prayer and the 10 commandments;
2. government so out with the Christmas displays;
3. worship so let’s worship ourselves! Tithe to ourselves! Even pray to ourselves!
4. society; thus, there is no right or wrong, no standards, no morality, no discipline in the schools.
Is it any wonder that we live in a country with so many problems? It is because, “there is none that seek after God; there is no fear of God before their eyes; sinning willfully after they have received the knowledge of the truth…who knowing the judgment of God not only practice such evil deeds but actually have pleasure in them that practice the same.”
George Washington was right on the mark, though, when he said, “It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.”
This is rather startling but, “Atheism never composed a symphony. Never painted a masterpiece. Never dispelled a fear. Never healed a disease. Never gave peace of mind. Never dried a tear. Never gave meaning to man’s life on earth. Never built a just and peaceful world. Never built a great and enduring civilization.”
On the contrary, atheism is a failed system which creates failed lives, and it must be challenged every place that we see it.
Remember this: The best attack against both theological and practical atheism is YOUR OWN changed life, because, “if any man be in Christ he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new!” Thank God for the preserving salt which is YOU!
Nov 15, 2023 – Let’s begin in World War II Germany with Martin Niemoller—a man who lost his preserving saltiness at a time when the world needed him the most. Niemoller told of what happened, “In Germany, the Nazis came for the communists; I didn’t speak up because I was not a communist. Then they came for the Jews; I didn’t speak up because I was not a Jew.
“Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I didn’t speak up because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I, a Protestant, didn’t speak up. But then they came for me! By that time there was no one to speak up for anyone.”
Niemoller spent the rest of the war in a Nazi concentration camp. FOR HIM THE WAR HAD ALREADY BEEN LOST!
The poet Dante writes: “The hottest place in hell is reserved for those who, in time of crisis, preserve their neutrality.”
Moses maintained his neutrality for the first forty years of his life. He politely looked the other way, avoided making waves and lived like a king in the very palace of the king! Moses had chariots, servants, gold and silver, reputation, the right to go wherever he wished and to do whatever he wished.
But surely Moses was also a very disturbed and troubled man—a man who could not help but see his brethren in crisis. Moses saw his own people bound in the chains of slavery, his own mother and father living in misery, his own brother and sister being treated like dirt but for the first time in his entire life Moses finally got enough courage to take a stand and be salt in a kingdom of decay.
Moses said, “I would rather suffer affliction with the people of God and know that I am right than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season and know that I am wrong!”
Moses declared, like Martin Luther three thousand years later, “Here I stand! I can do no other! God help me. Amen.”
It is this writer’s belief that if America fails it will not fail because of the American people but because God’s people did not take a stand…did not fulfill our calling to be the preserving salt that maintains a better world. After all, just about any food can be preserved if we apply enough salt!
The famous circus performer P. T. Barnum was known for taking a salty stand against alcohol. As he was delivering a speech about the evils of alcohol, a man in the gallery howled, “How does alcohol affect us—externally or internally?”
Barnum yelled back, “ETERNALLY!” and he then went on with his speech. In so doing, he spread some salt where it was obviously needed.
Will you join me at the cross and pledge, “Here I stand! I can do no other! God help me. Amen.”
Nov 14, 2023 – There are only two days in the year that a soul cannot become a heaven-bound child of God: Yesterday and Tomorrow. Yesterday’s decision to live without Christ is set in concrete and cannot be undone. One sinner moaned, “If I ever again feel the call like I did on THAT day, I will get saved immediately!” but that day was Yesterday and Yesterday does not allow itself to be repeated.
On the other hand, Tomorrow is the biggest fraud in existence, because Tomorrow convinces us there will be a more convenient time in the future to receive Christ, but, rest assured, Tomorrow will whisper the same message when the next day comes.
“’Tomorrow,’ he promised his conscience, ‘Tomorrow, I mean to believe; Tomorrow, I’ll think as I ought to, Tomorrow my Saviour receive. Tomorrow I’ll conquer the habits That hold me from heaven away.’ But ever his conscience whispered, ‘One word, and one only, TODAY!’
“’Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow,’ Thus day after day went on, ‘Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow,’ Till youth, like a vision, was gone, Till age and his passions had written The message of fate on his brow, And forth from the shadows came death, With a pitiless syllable, ‘Now!’
“’What will you do with Jesus?’ The call comes loud and clear, The solemn words are sounding, Now, in your listening ear. Immortal life’s in the question, And joy through eternity. Then, ‘What would you do with Jesus? Oh, what will your answer be?’”
Who is the author for the above poem? The author’s name cannot be found. Does such an omission, though, truly matter? No. What really matters is what you do with Jesus, the one and only Savior of the world. Have you ever read His claims and why He died? I challenge you to read the Gospel of John and let Him speak to your heart. You will learn there is a vast difference between church and Christ, emotions and faith, salvation by doing and salvation by believing, religion that leads to nowhere and a relationship that leads to eternal life. Indeed, the key is knowing Him…a real Person.
How does John conclude his book? “But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31).
If you already know Christ as Savior, how about sharing this with your own audience? They need Whom you have!
Nov 13, 2023 – Do you stand for something or fall for everything? One of the most remarkable events in religious history took place in the year 1521: Roman Catholicism came face to face with a mortal man named Martin Luther. This man found a Bible verse which changed his entire way of thinking—Paul’s words that, “The just shall live by faith” – by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ rather than in religious works.
Martin Luther immediately began to preach a different way of salvation than the Pope, the cardinals and the rest of the Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic officials demanded that Luther recant or he would soon face much greater trouble: Not only would he be excommunicated, but he might even be burned at the stake for the sin of heresy.
The pressure on Martin Luther was tremendous. For all intents and purposes Luther was standing alone against the most powerful religion of his day! It was then, though, that Martin Luther preached his most famous sermon. He said without apology,
“Unless I am convinced by Scripture or by right reason, for I trust neither in popes nor in councils since they have often erred and contradicted themselves—unless I am thus convinced, I am bound by the texts of my Bible, my conscience is captive to the Word of God, I neither can nor will recant anything, since it is neither right nor safe to act against conscience. Here I stand! I can do no other! God help me. Amen!”
Those words marked the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. The genie had finally been let out of the bottle. The world would never again be the same and it all began because Martin Luther said, “Here I stand! I can do no other! God help me. Amen!”
One of the most startling characteristics about our modern world is that so many people know what is right, want what is right, appreciate what is right, even talk about what is right but yet so very few take a stand and finally do what is right! They talk a good story, but they change no one nor do they even change themselves.
Would you like to help someone? Be that person’s rock and provide comfort and guidance? Then BE SOMEONE by STANDING for a cause greater than yourself. Yes, STAND! How? Let Christ REVEAL HIS STAND through you taking the same stand. In so doing, you will make a difference…just like the Bible saints made a difference.
Nov 11-12, 2023 – This week’s devotionals have highlighted the importance of one life…your life, my life, everyone we meet whether we be very old or we be very young!
Preacher Tom Malone once visited in the home of a man and talked to this man about his soul. The man insisted that he was not ready to receive Christ; he rejected the gospel invitation. The man seemed so hard, so callous, so indifferent.
Tom Malone preached the following Sunday morning then invited sinners to come and receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. To the preacher’s surprise, this man came running down the aisle almost on a run. He threw both arms around Tom Malone’s neck, hugged him, cried on him, and said, “Tom, I want to get right with God!”
The preacher said, “I am so glad you came today, but I did not expect you to respond this morning.”
The man said, “After you left my house, my little five-year-old boy climbed up on my lap. He had heard what you said to me. He reached out his chubby arms, put them around my neck, hugged me real tight, put his little mouth up to my ear and whispered, ‘Daddy, we don’t want to be a Christian, do we?’
“I sent my little boy upstairs to bed then I said, ‘O, God, if I am damning the soul of my little boy, I want to get right the first church service I can attend.’ That is why I came this morning!”
Yet it all began with the power of a little five-year-old boy!
The poet said,
“We may not work a miracle in any given place,
But we can be a miracle of God’s redeeming grace.
The call to work a miracle may be for one short day;
The gift to be a miracle shall never pass away.”
It is the miracle of your own life.
So be careful and handle your life with care!
Nov 10, 2023 – How do you measure the power of a single life? Today’s Verse mentions a baby was born, but who in the community would have thought this life (John the Baptist) would have so much influence? For that matter who would have foreseen the influence of little Abraham or little Joshua or little David either? But yet each of those men changed history for millions of people!
Lest we forget, there is power in your own life as well. The Bible reminds us, “No man lives to himself and no man dies to himself.” Regardless of what we think, all of us exert influence over someone else. Power to build or power to destroy, power to educate or power to confuse, power to lead or power to deceive, power to influence others toward the Savior or away from the Savior.
Lesson: You can never measure the power of YOUR influence upon others!
A young nobleman found himself in a little village in Cornwall, England. This nobleman sought in vain for a tavern where he could get soused. The young man became impatient in his search. He happened across an old peasant who was on his way home after a long day of work. The nobleman asked, “How is it that I cannot get drunk in this wretched village of yours?”
The old man recognized the nobleman as a person of royalty. He pulled off his cap and bowed humbly. But, even so, there was a proud look in his eyes as he answered rather quietly, “My lord, something over a hundred years ago a man named John Wesley came to these parts,” and having said that the old peasant walked on.
You may be thinking you are a total nobody. No, my friend, the fact is there is power in your life! Power to influence your children, your parents, your spouse, your neighbors, co-workers and relatives, too.
It is true that John Bunyan is dead, but we Christian pilgrims are still marching toward the celestial city; Cowper is dead but we still sing, “There is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel’s veins;” Raikes is dead but thousands of Sunday schools meet weekly to study the Word of God; Livingstone is dead but missionaries around the world are still motivated by his story. Yes, I am still motivated by them in 2023—motivated just as much today as when I preached my first sermon forty-seven years ago.
O, the influence of their lives!
O, the influence of your life as well as mine!
O, God, help us to remember the power of our own influence!
Nov 9, 2023 – Does your life have a purpose? Many do not. This poem describes them: “Here lies a man who did no good, And if he loved he never would; Where he’s gone and how he fares, Nobody knows and nobody cares.” But those words should be written about no one, including you and me.
First, your purpose ought to emphasize creative value. This means you need to identify why you exist. The first direction you should look is not into your future but rather into your past!
A little boy was told to memorize the Westminster Catechism. Testing day came. The teacher asked, “What is the chief purpose of man?” The answer, of course, is “to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.”
The little boy, though, got his words twisted around. He answered, “The chief purpose of God is to glorify man and to enjoy him forever!”
The teacher did not know what to say. Finally, he said, “I had never thought about it like that but that is exactly what God intends to do: to give man a glorified body and then to enjoy man forever!”
So go back to the Garden of Eden. Get hold of this idea that your purpose is to walk with God, serve God, worship God and enjoy God. In so doing you will find a very fulfilling life.
Second, your purpose ought to emphasize heavenly values. It is true you are an earthly person, but if you have been born again you are also a heavenly person, born from above into the family of God. “For your citizenship is now in heaven from which we now eagerly and expectantly look for the Savior!”
You are now a heavenly citizen with heavenly privileges along with heavenly power to live the victorious Christian life. So let heaven change the way that you live! Live like a saint instead of a sinner. Dress like a Christian instead of a heathen. Talk like a child of God instead of a child of the devil. Keep your mind on whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure and lovely and of a good report. Make certain that your purpose emphasizes heavenly values instead of mere earthly values.
Third, let your purpose emphasize eternal values—a lifestyle which will be worth something not only in the here and now but also in that life which is to come. The Bible reminds us to “love not the world, neither the things which are in the world for the world will eventually pass away but he that does the will of God abides forever!”
There is nothing wrong with winning the forty yard dash, but it is much better to finish the race which God has set before you. There is nothing wrong in being popular with man but remember it is better to be popular with God—to walk in His favor day after day. Making a million dollars is ok, but remember that money is to be used to make disciples for God’s kingdom.
William Carey was a great missionary to India. He became deeply concerned about the attitude of his dear son Felix. Felix was a professing Christian who had promised to become a missionary. But Felix was later appointed the ambassador to Burma and he broke his vow of becoming a missionary.
Carey requested prayer for his son, “Pray for Felix. He has degenerated into an ambassador of the British government when he should be serving the King of Kings.”
Ah, friend, invest your life where it will be of the greatest value! Build your life around God, around God’s people and around God’s call for your own life!
Nov 8, 2023 – The Egyptian Pharaoh ordered, “Kill the male child! Abort the male child!” but the mother of Moses said, “Let my baby boy live, because children are a gift from the Lord; the fruit of the womb is His reward! So let my little boy live!”
Do you know the human heartbeat begins somewhere around the 20th day after conception? The basic skeletal structure is complete by the 42nd day? Brain waves can be measured shortly after eight weeks. At nine weeks the baby is able to swallow, move his tongue and clench his fist! Then at eleven weeks he begins to suck his thumb just like a newborn baby!
I recall reading about an abortionist in Sweden. This doctor was performing an abortion on a ten week old baby when that baby suddenly screamed out in pain. The doctor (Mats Waktel) said, “I won’t perform another abortion as long as I live and I will never forget that scream.”
Imagine what would have happened if Moses had been aborted—Israel might still be enslaved in Egypt!
Suppose Mary had aborted Jesus—after all, some said Mary was a common whore, that the child had been conceived out of wedlock! Imagine where you would spend eternity if Mary had aborted the Savior!
Suppose the world had never met preachers like John the Baptist or the Apostle Paul, if the world had never met leaders like Abraham Lincoln or Winston Churchill, if the world had never met engineers like Bill Gates, athletes like Babe Ruth, doctors like Louis Pasteur, inventors like Thomas Edison.
Hey, imagine what would have happened if you yourself had been aborted ! Imagine the joys you would have missed! Imagine the friends you would never have met! Imagine the places you would never have seen!
And all of that is true because life is so very precious!
So be careful and handle your life with care!
Nov 7, 2023 – You and I are walking miracles. Man has always wondered about the origin of life—about where all of life originates and, most important of all, where man himself originates. The ancient Egyptians taught Moses that frogs and toads had their beginning in the silt of the Nile River. Therefore, it naturally followed that they treated the Nile River as the fountain from which all life began.
Then along came Aristotle. This philosopher believed that worms came from the dew and slime and that mice sprang into life out of the damp soil.
Many years ago TIME MAGAZINE printed a cover story entitled “How Did Life Begin?” The story proposed that life began when certain molecules encountered any one of three ideal conditions. The article speculated that life may have begun in a “warm little pond” (that was Darwin’s original idea), second, near hydrothermal vents (underwater geysers on the ocean floor), or, third, in bubbles floating on the warm ocean surface. The article proposed that man evolved from nothing but the article forgot that it is impossible for something to evolve out of nothing…and so in the end the evolutionist is still bothered by where that first something came from!
A similar infidel took on D. L. Moody. Moody asked the man, “How do you account for the formation of the world?”
The infidel said, “Oh, force and matter work together, and by chance the world was created.”
Moody laughed, “It is a singular thing that your tongue isn’t on top of your head if force and matter just threw it together like you believe!”
Thank God, I am not a creature by evolutionary chance but rather I am a creature by divine creation! God formed my body—that in itself is not a miracle—but God did one more item that can never be explained: God somehow made this body of flesh come alive with the spark of life and, dear brethren, that is something which only God Himself has the power to do! The undertaker may dress the body, but he cannot give it that miracle spirit called life! The doctor may put medicine in the body, try all of the latest drugs, but even he cannot make alive that which is dead!
But then along comes God and notice what God does with every single one of us when we are conceived! “And God breathed into man’s nostrils the breath—the miracle spirit–called Life!”
In our case God imparts to that seed the miracle spirit of one human life—of one human soul—and that body then begins to live with the person whom we know as you!
The miracle of one human life!
Nov 6, 2023 – My state of Ohio will vote soon on legalizing abortion for any case at any time in the pregnancy. If the vote passes, some Einsteins will not be born…nor will some great world leaders, athletes, businessmen, educators, Christians, change-agents of all kind. The world should mourn such a loss, but, unfortunately, many will celebrate such a loss. Quite honestly, such a pro-abortion position for any cause at any time is so dumb…not only morally but also economically, educationally, socially, politically, religiously, etc.
PLEASE CONSIDER: The geography class had spent the entire school year traveling around the world in their classroom books. It came time for the final test of the year. The teacher asked the students to write what they considered to be the Seven Wonders of the World.
The students cast the most votes for Egypt’s Great Pyramid, the Taj Mahal, the Grand Canyon, the Panama Canal, the Empire State Building, St. Peter’s Basilica, along with China’s Great Wall.
The teacher noticed that one student, a rather quiet girl, had not turned in a paper. The teacher asked the student if she was having trouble with her list.
The girl said, “Yes, a little trouble. I couldn’t make up my mind, because there were so many wonders of the world.”
The teacher suggested, “Tell us what you have and maybe we can help.”
The little girl slowly rose to her feet. She then began to read, “I think the Seven Wonders of the World are to touch, to taste, to see, and to hear…” She hesitated for a moment then said, “And also to run and to laugh and to love. Those are the Seven Wonders of the World to me.”
In such an innocent way, the little girl reminded us again of the most unappreciated wonder of all: It is the gift of life…of being given a chance. Do you agree?
(If you agree, please share this edition of Today’s Verse via Facebook, Linked-in, and email with your acquaintances.)
Nov 4-5, 2023 – Consider these startling words: Every gospel-preaching church in your community is only ONE generation from extinction. Not three generations, not two generations, but ONE.
History supports that statement. For instance, preaching the gospel in Europe was once a common thing, but now it is an UNcommon thing. We currently send missionaries TO Europe, the very continent that originally sent the gospel to America.
The same decline is coming to your community…unless you and others “agonizingly contend for the FAITH.” The word faith in Today’s Verse does not refer to the faith that saves (for example, “The just shall live by faith” or “whoever believes in Him shall not perish”) but to the system of belief that makes a person a Christian or defines Christianity. This comprehensive system includes such items as inspiration (accepting God’s Word about us as truth), creation (we have an accountable relationship to a Creator), the Trinity (the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit), the substitutionary death of Christ to make payment for our sins, salvation by faith (not works) in the finished work of Christ, a future judgment, eternity in heaven or hell, etc. This system of belief or faith is what all genuine Christians believe.
If we fail to preserve this system of faith, our community will become like Europe, India, China, etc. It must be stressed the only hope for the next generation is what WE pass on to that generation. My contending or lack of contending will have an impact for generations on my offspring. Just as Adam’s decision in the Garden affected humanity, so my degree of steadfastness will affect my OWN great-grandchildren whom I may never see face to face.
As for me, I want my church to be a gospel station for years to come, how about you? The world does not need more religion; it needs the truth and my church must remain steadfast in proclaiming the truth of God’s Word! I must join those saints in contending for the Christian faith against all worldly pressures. I must give it my best! I cannot fail!
The very future of my own not-yet-born family members depends upon my doing what I can to insure they will be repeatedly enlightened by the gospel message. I don’t want them to attend a dead church (or even a lukewarm church) where the gospel and everything associated with the gospel is a secondary thing. I want them exposed to a living church and the living Christ!
“O, God, help us to faithfully contend as long as You give us breath!”
The Nazarene preacher, Uncle Bud Robinson, prayed such a prayer: “O Lord, give me a backbone as big as a sawlog and ribs like sleepers under the church floor; put iron shoes on me and galvanized breeches and hang a wagon load of determination in the gable-end of my soul, and help me to sign the contract to fight the devil as long as I have a vision and bite him as long as I have a tooth, and then gum him till I die. Amen.” That’s not the prayer of a quitter. That’s the prayer of a contender. Will you join me in that prayer?
Nov 3, 2023 – Have you ever met someone whom you tried to save from choosing the wrong road? During my recent sermon study I opened one of my reference books and was surprised to find a newspaper obituary from 1986. I met the deceased individual only once. He was young, age 21, and quite popular on Marshall University’s campus.
He attended the ordination service for a new deacon in my first pastorate. He was a schoolmate of the deacon’s son and spent quite a bit of time in the deacon’s house. The deacon knew him very well. They would often play Trivial Pursuit together.
Our deacon practiced Today’s Verse seven days a week. He truly lived Christ as best he knew how. He was genuine. This young man saw that Spirit-filled attitude in our deacon. The deacon was a walking witness by not only what he said but also by his standards.
This young man attended the deacon’s ordination then trusted Christ as his Savior a few weeks later at another church in September,1986. He died on November 30, 1986 in a car wreck driving home after an evening church service. His death was a horrible jolt to the community.
It would be easy to say the ordination service made the difference for him. After all, God sometimes speaks through one-time events, whether bad or good. But I suspect God spoke to him through a lengthy process. That process included the lifestyle of our deacon and his wife. The young man saw and saw and saw…and he saw not perfection but genuineness. There is no question their testimony helped him accept Christ…just eight weeks before he got the biggest surprise of his life and entered eternity to be with Christ.
Never forget what you are to stand for. Someone will always be watching.
Nov 2, 2023 – We conclude this short series on God’s plan for our lives with a poem that probably deserves a place in your Bible for future reference. As we often say, “You may not need it today, but someday you will!”
Things just don’t happen to children of God, They’re part of a wonderful plan; The troubles, reverses, the sorrows, the rod Are strokes of the great Sculptor’s hand.
When some dread accident strikes you a blow And you worry and fret and demand; Why try so hard the mystery to know? It’s not just an accident; it’s planned.
Have you been dropped from a place of power? Do you wonder and reprimand? Don’t rebel, but look to Him in that hour; This didn’t just happen; it’s planned.
Persecution, tribulation come down like a storm; Friends disappoint and withstand; At last, all alone, bewildered, forlorn, You look, and He smiles: “This is planned.”
Do you wonder why God to affliction should call, And why you must suffer and moan? “No man should be moved by affliction,” says Paul, Don’t question – He planned it just so.
Things don’t just happen to children of God, The blueprint was made by His hand; He designed all details to conform to His Son, So all things that happen are planned.
No matter what happens to those called “His Own,” Events that are awful or grand: Every trial of your life He sends from His throne. Things don’t just happen, they’re planned.
Ah, friend, isn’t it good to know Someone smarter than us is in charge of tomorrow? “I don’t know about tomorrow. It may bring me poverty. But the One who feeds the sparrow Is the One who stands by me. And the path that be my portion, May be through the flame or flood; But His presence goes before me And I’m covered with His blood. Many things about tomorrow I don’t seem to understand! But I know Who holds tomorrow and I know He holds my hand!” Amen.
Nov 1, 2023 – How strong is your faith in God? Is it strong enough to cause others to think? Consider these words:
Donald Barnhouse was preaching in a church where the pastor’s wife was scheduled to have a baby. One evening the service began without the pastor. Everyone assumed the pastor was at the hospital with his dear wife.
Barnhouse was about halfway through the message when the pastor entered the church. All of the people smiled at the pastor in the belief that all was well. The pastor, though, did not return the smile.
The service was soon finished. The pastor asked to speak with Barnhouse in private. The two of them went to a quiet room and shut the door.
The pastor then blurted out, “My wife has given birth to a mongoloid child. She doesn’t know yet and I don’t know how to tell her.”
Barnhouse said, “God has a purpose in this for you and your wife. God has given you this child to love. Tell her that God has blessed us with a mongoloid child and remind her of how much God loves all of you at this time.”
The pastor hurried back to the hospital and talked with his wife. It was hard for them to understand, but they put the matter in the hands of the Lord.
The pastor and his wife did not know this, but the switchboard operator was close enough that she listened to their conversation. This woman was an outspoken critic of the Bible and Christianity. Yet the faith of this pastor and his wife astonished her. All of this started her to thinking about her own soul.
On the following Sunday that operator along with seventy nurses attended the pastor’s church. When the pastor gave the invitation, more than two dozen of those hospital workers came forward and received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior!
Bottom line: Real faith WILL BE seen by others and will often affect others, sometimes even bringing them to Christ for salvation. That is why Peter instructed those with unsaved husbands, “They may be won to Christ by the behavior (faith on display) of the wives” (1 Peter 3:1). Never underestimate the power of your faith in God! After all, your faith is not in YOUR faith but it is in YOUR God and YOUR God moves mountains through faith! O, may your faith shine this week to all that God brings your way!!!
Oct 31, 2023 – There is no replacement for being in the center of God’s will for your life. Knowing the hand of God is upon you as well as your effort is an incredible knowledge. Knowing you are where you ought to be with whom you ought to be in the place you ought to be…well, it doesn’t get any better than that.
In Today’s Verse Abraham’s servant has been given the assignment to find a wife for Isaac, Abraham’s son. The unnamed servant is providentially led to the lovely Rebekah—the right woman at the right time who just happens to be in the right place: the same well that has drawn the attention of this thirsty servant. Coincidence? Nah! The servant is thus able to testify, “The Lord has led me in the way.” Not “a way” but “the way.” Again, I say, there is no replacement for being in the center of God’s will for your life.
Maybe you have heard of Roland V. Bingham, the founder of the Sudan Interior Missions. Bingham was seriously injured in what we would call a traffic accident. He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
This man of God survived the night and regained consciousness on the following day. He asked the nurse what he was doing in such a strange place. The nurse said, “Don’t try to talk now. Just rest. You have been injured in a traffic accident.”
Bingham exclaimed, “Accident! There are no accidents in the life of a Christian! This is just another incident in God’s perfect leading.”
This man of God believed Psalm 37:23–“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.”
Think about what God did with Fanny Crosby. It was through the means of her blindness that so many beautiful songs were written. As a matter of fact, it was a blind Fanny Crosby who wrote the song, “All the Way My Savior Leads Me, what have I to ask beside?” What a testimony!
Think about Jericho! Our military would have called in the B-52’s, the artillery and the tanks but God said, “Your only weapon is to march around the walls of that city seven times.” Sure enough, the walls came tumbling down and the city was conquered!
Think about your preacher! Some say, “The preaching of the cross is foolishness”—that the cross is a foolish message delivered by foolish men to even more foolish people but yet you have been saved by the means of good, old-fashioned gospel preaching!
Let the world say what it will, but I believe that God still knows what He is doing, amen? So let’s give God credit for being a little smarter and a little wiser than any of us!
Oct 30, 2023 – “He’s got the whole world in His hands.” Are you having a great day? A lousy day? This writer has been homebound for a few days with Covid. Three straight lousy days for me, but, hopefully, three great days for you. As for me, I had plans for this weekend that had to be cancelled. Hopefully, you were able to accomplish all of your plans. But I take comfort in the realization that the God overseeing your great days is the same God Who is overseeing my lousy days. And when the tide turns (as it always does) that same God will still be overseeing both of us.
One day a father took his little boy to the top of the Empire State Building. The elevator moved toward the sky at a tremendous rate of speed. The little boy was so excited that he caught his breath and asked, “Daddy, does God know that we’re coming?”
Sometimes we need to be reminded that God knows that we’re coming! The Psalmist took comfort in that knowledge. Literally, Psalm 16:5 is translated, “You maintain my lot.” But what it means is “You make me secure” or “You hold my future.” That’s why many saints say to the doctor before the difficult surgery, “I’m a winner either way! I will either wake up here or I will wake up with the Lord. My future is in His hands, not yours.”
A man was sitting under a walnut tree on a hot August day. He was studying a nearby pumpkin vine which ran along the ground. This man began to complain. He said, “How foolish God is! God puts a big heavy pumpkin on a tiny vine without strength to do anything but lie on the ground. Then God puts tiny walnuts on a tree whose branches could hold the weight of a man. If I were God I could do better than that!”
Suddenly a breeze of wind knocked a walnut from the tree. The walnut fell on the man’s head. The man rubbed the bump, suddenly became much wiser, and said, “Suppose that had been a pumpkin up there instead of a walnut! What a mess I would now have! Never again will I try to plan the world for God. I shall instead thank Him that He has done it so well!”
To God be the glory, Great things He continues to do…
Oct 28-29, 2023 – How does God work in our lives? It is a fact that God can always arrange things different than He does. For example, God could have arranged for Moses to be born on the west side of the wilderness where Moses eventually met God at the burning bush…or God could have arranged other birth places such as Europe or how about America among the American Indians or how about deepest Africa with the savages but yet God wanted Moses to be born in a specific place—a land of slavery and misery for the Jews but a land of education and riches for Moses. (Egypt, in many ways, gave Moses the tools to become such a great leader.)
God placed Moses in Egypt for His own purpose and, ultimately, His own glory. So think about the places where God has placed you—of the lives you have touched in all of those places, also of the way you were touched in all of those special places!
I think about my early life in Deering, Ohio. I was the star basketball player in the fifth and sixth grades. (At least I think I was!) During the sixth grade, my father was transferred to another city by his company. That meant moving to a new school, making new friends and facing new challenges. I must admit that all of that rubbed me the wrong way; my teenage years were very difficult years.
That took place more than fifty years ago. To this day I still do not know why God necessitated that move, but I still believe God knew what He was doing!
Maybe God was keeping us out of trouble. Maybe God was stirring up our faith. Maybe God was growing my brother and me through new experiences. Somewhere down the road God will make all of that plain! But what I do acknowledge is that those years shaped me into someone different…and hopefully someone better.
One night a young man called the house and asked if my father would be interested in pastoring his church which was some forty-five minutes away. I remember my grandmother saying to my father, “Son, don’t take that little church which is so far away.”
Dad looked at his mother and said, “Mom, I have already told them that I will pastor that church.”
Time passed. That young man on the telephone later became my brother-in-law. It was in that church that I met a beautiful young pianist by the name of Ruth Ellen Wiseman, and what a surprise that church turned out to be!
Whatever you do, always remember that God prepared the prison for Joseph, the caves for David, the den of lions for Daniel, the fiery furnace for the three Hebrews, the bed of affliction for Job (I am currently working through my second affliction with Covid), the sycamore tree for Zaccheus, the great storm Euroclydon for Paul, even the Isle of Patmos for John—the place where that Apostle said in triumph, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day,” a very unlikely place to meet the Lord but yet the place where God gave to John the awesome Revelation of Jesus Christ!
It does not matter whether it is the place you want to be or the one place where you would never want to be—whether the place is the result of God’s perfect will or the result of your own rebellious will, but somehow God is not surprised at your location or your situation.
As a matter of fact God has prepared today’s place just especially for you; that means God is able to bless you and help you no matter where you find yourself!
Thank God for His wisdom and exercising such watch care over His children!
Oct 27, 2023 – We Christians believe in a sovereign God who has all things under His control. That does not mean we are fatalists destined like machines to fulfill some God-appointed task. But it does mean that God’s plan includes each one of us not in an accidental way but in a very purposeful way…in a way that no one has ever been able to adequately explain. After all, He Himself acknowledges, “My ways are higher than your ways!”
One person shrugged off the meaning of his life by saying, “I am just an accident of my parents.”
Someone with biblical understanding replied, “You may be an accident to your parents, but you are not an accident to God.” How true! God knew that person was on the way, and God somehow included that person in His plan without coercing the person to do something he would rather not do.
The fact is our God has a very complicated plan—a plan which includes everything which is good as well as everything which is bad, everyone who loves God as well as everyone who hates God, everyone who dies in an “accident” as well as everyone who dies of old age. Thank God for a Creator who knows all things and who is able to work each tiny detail into His overall plan!
There is a Bible verse which I do not understand but yet I believe this verse with all my heart. God said to Jeremiah, “Before I formed thee in thy mother’s womb I knew thee and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee and I even ordained thee—I set thee apart as a prophet unto the nations!” You say, “Explain that verse to me.” My friend, that verse is totally beyond my understanding, but what it plainly says is that God prepares the person for his own special place in history. That includes preparing the person intellectually, physically, even emotionally for that person’s own special place in history, even if we are considered ordinary.
I remember the story about my own birth. Sister Josie Chinn said, “We knew that you were going to be our preacher boy,” and yet here I was just a tiny babe in her hands. I had not yet been saved nor had I learned to pray nor had I even been to church but yet somehow they knew that I was going to be a preacher. “Set apart from my mother’s womb just like Jeremiah, Paul, John the Baptist as well as you and so many others!”
Sometimes, though, I wonder why God designs us like He does .How about you? I wish I was six feet two inches tall, strong as an ox, and the most handsome man on the face of this earth, but God allows me to be this way for a reason. I wish I could preach like Billy Graham, evangelize like D. L. Moody, and teach like John MacArthur, but God allows me to be this way for a reason. Indeed, perhaps even I have been made for such a time as this!
Consider this: The Bible reveals our God is such a perfect God that He is able to use even His own enemies to carry out His plan for the history of this world. Believe it or not, God’s plan includes even Pharaoh in the book of Exodus. That evil man mocked God, “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice?”
But God said to him, “Pharaoh, you are nothing but a weak nobody; for this cause have I raised you up so that I might reveal My power in humbling you; in so doing, My name will be declared throughout all the earth.”
So take advantage of every moment which you live. Make every day count because, as in the case of Queen Esther, “You have come for such a time as this.”
Oct 26, 2023 – SURPRISE! One of my strangest experiences took place just after we moved to a rental house in Wheelersburg, Ohio. I was in the sixth grade. One Friday night we went out to eat and do some shopping. We did not make it home until around 8:00 in the evening and, boy, were we surprised when we got home!
We thought we were on good terms with the landlord, but guess what we found when we arrived home? We found a big sign in the front yard which said, “House for Sale” – a sign which we had never seen before! My brother and I said, “Dad, who put up that sign? Do we have to move again? Are they kicking us out?”
We stepped inside the house and then it happened! People jumped out of every doorway and shouted, “Surprise!” One of us dummies had shared the location of the house key with our church friends. They had made themselves at home, made the sign, washed the dishes and waited patiently for our arrival, and, oh, were we surprised! (We moved the key as soon as they left.)
Life is full of surprises. How, though, should we handle the surprises of life? The second chapter of Exodus gives us surprise after surprise. Some people refer to these surprises as coincidences, but the Christian recognizes there are no coincidences or surprises to the God who knows all things and is prepared for all things.
Let’s consider the events in this chapter. In verse 1, suppose this man had died before he could get married or suppose this woman married the wrong man, but, Surprise! the two of them got married just like God knew!
In verse 2, suppose this one (later named Moses) was born a daughter instead of a son. That would have been the end of the whole story but, Surprise! a son was born just like God knew!
In verse 3. suppose this tiny ark leaked; suppose it sank and the boy drowned before he could be rescued. So much for the famous exodus but, Surprise! the ark floated just like God knew!
In verse 5, suppose the daughter of Pharaoh is sick on this day and does not come to the river, suppose she comes at a different time of the day or suppose she never notices the ark, but Surprise! she sends for the ark just like God knew!
In verse 6, suppose she follows the king’s orders and executes the child, suppose she has no compassion on this particular day, or suppose she just hates babies, but Surprise! she does indeed have compassion just like God knew!
On and on the surprises go—coincidence after coincidence—chance after chance until eventually Moses becomes one of the greatest men of all time! But I suppose this is the way it is with all of history, amen? because “all things are known by God from their very beginning, for God, as the author and the finisher of our faith, works all things after the counsel of His own will.”
Ah, friend, let’s walk by faith in a God who has everything under His control!
Oct 25, 2023 – “Only the dead have seen the end of war.” General Douglas MacArthur included this quote from Plato in his 1962 farewell address at West Point. The General asked, “What sort of soldiers are those you are to lead? Are they reliable? Are they brave? Are they capable of victory? They died unquestioning, uncomplaining, with faith in their hearts, and on their lips the hope that we would go on to victory. Always for them: Duty, Honor, Country. Always their blood, and sweat, and tears, as they saw the way and the light.”
Indeed, there are battles and even wars worth fighting, because the cost of doing nothing may be much greater than the cost of fighting the war. As we know, freedom is not cheap. Nor is salvation cheap either for the Bible says, “We are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ.” Blood so precious that no appropriate price can ever be assigned to it.
I wonder: Does the devil ever take a day off? Do the demons ever go on vacation? Does the world ever embrace the tenets of Christianity? Is there a single country where Jesus Christ would be elected its leader? The answer, of course, is no because there is no respite from the spiritual battle between God and the devil, good and evil, salvation by faith and salvation by works, etc.
We Christians need to realize we are in a spiritual war (not merely an occasional battle) that will never end. The Christian answers to a higher calling (think of it as an enlistment) that can be stated in this manner: Duty, Honor, the CROSS!
“Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war! With the CROSS of Jesus going on before!” Thus, we “put on the whole armor of God,” we “pray without ceasing,” we proclaim Christ as the only Savior, we lift up the Bible as the infallible Word of God, we use our money to spread the gospel in our community and throughout the world, we live circumspectly lest we bring dishonor upon His name, and we’re always there when the church doors are open because that single service has the potential to change someone’s life.
Yes, we’ve enlisted in the greatest cause of all and our motto is Duty, Honor, the CROSS!
I pray these next words can be said about you. This incident took place on a British warship in the Bay of Biscay. The battle was drawing near and there were many things against them. The pilot said to the admiral, “It will be an awful night, and there is a lee shore, and the wind is rising.”
The Admiral saw the enemy, recognized that the danger was great. He then said, “Son, you have done your duty in pointing out the dangers. Now if you would please: Lay me alongside the enemy.”
This, too, is my own prayer. “O, God, lay me alongside the enemy. Let me fight the devil with everything I have so that he may not win.”
Duty, Honor, the CROSS!
Mrs. Billy Graham said, “If God does not judge America, God will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.”
The sins of humanity are everywhere around us…and, unfortunately, IN us. That’s why our Lord came to the earth—to make us aware of our sins so that we can repent of our sinfulness and place our faith in Him.
However, it is impossible to get a person born again until that person first realizes that he is a sinner unable to save his own soul. Paul declared such a message is an “offense to some.” Indeed, the gospel offends the person who deems himself to be righteous with the dismal message that he is actually UNrighteous—that God will never accept any of his actions as sufficient righteousness to save his soul. That message offends those who believe they are better than others!
Can you imagine, though, the offensiveness of John the Baptist’s message? “You deeply religious Pharisees and Sadducees are actually a generation or brood of vipers! I am warning you holier-than-thou people that you must flee from the wrath that is soon coming upon your souls!”
WOW! I suspect some walked away when they heard those words. But it is important for us to note that the words of John, though offensive to the senses of the listeners, were totally true AND were exactly what the audience needed to hear. They didn’t need a pat on the back or a “pretty please”, but they needed to deal with their own sinfulness before a holy God.
As for this preacher, I would rather preach and offend (though not needlessly offend) than mislead my audience into believing they are right with God when in reality they are not right with God.
Perhaps we should change the title of Pastor in our churches to “God’s Messenger.” In other words, “The overseer of this congregation is the Messenger of God. We did not hire him or call him to be anything of greater significance than the Messenger of God. His duty is to tell us what God wants us to hear: the good as well as the bad, the pleasing as well as the offensive.”
“Tell us, o messenger of heaven, what God wants us to know!”
Someone complained to the old preacher, “It’s better for us to go along with the crowd. Let’s not wash the dirty linen in public.”
The old-time preacher, though, said, “I have watched preachers through many years. Preachers who don’t wash dirty linen in public don’t wash dirty linen anywhere.”
In plain English, if you don’t have enough courage to do what is right in public then you probably don’t have enough courage to do what is right in private either.
Edmund Burke reminds us, “All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”
Well, John the Baptist was a good man who did something rather than nothing. He stood for God’s cause even though he stood alone early in his ministry. As a matter of fact, John finished his ministry like he began his ministry: alone but still standing as God’s messenger.
May God help us to be His messenger wherever He places us.
Oct 23, 2023 – The greatest everyday enemy this writer faces is “self.” Pure and simple, hard fact to accept, but true. That is so not only for me but also for you…and also for Moses in Today’s Verse.
God called Moses to his holy task at the burning bush. Moses, though, was overwhelmed by his inner self. Moses proceeded to give every excuse in the book to God. Do any of his excuses sound like excuses you have tried with God? “I am not able. I have no ability. I have no message. I have no authority. I have no eloquence. I have no desire. Call someone else!”
But Moses eventually returned to his first statement and surrendered to the will of God in a “Here am I” declaration similar to Isaiah’s own “Here am I” declaration.
All of us struggle with self. Unfortunately, far too many lose the battle to self; few of them spend “their” precious time with these devotionals, because they have no desire for a better ministry. But others like you, dear reader, live by faith in the God who called them…who believe that God will also equip them just like He equipped the saints of old. This writer is oft encouraged by reading about the weaknesses, not strengths, of the Bible saints…and realizing God called them in the full knowledge that they would fail just like me…so who am I to quit on what God has called me to do? Or refuse to do what God has laid upon my heart?
Moses presented excuse after excuse, but God was not interested in his excuses; God was only interested in Moses seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Woe be to that man or woman who waves the white flag of surrender and turns away from the call of God!
I will never forget watching the World War II movie “The Sands of Iwo Jima.” Our boys had assaulted a Japanese stronghold in one of the bloodiest battles of the entire war. Bullets were flying everywhere. One of our patrols was low on ammunition. They chose a man to go back and get what they needed.
This man, though, was rather lazy. He gathered the ammunition then decided to rest. Someone gave this man some coffee and a cigarette and they talked for a long time. The soldier eventually made it back to the front lines. He called out for his friends, but no one answered. He crawled into the nearest foxhole and found one of his buddies dying.
The dying man asked, “What kept you? We ran out of ammunition. Then the Japanese charged, and there was nothing which we could do. What kept you?”
There is a much greater battle being fought today: the battle for the souls of men and women, boys and girls. Quite simply, we must not allow self to keep us from winning that battle.
Remember: The question for many is, “What kept you?” The flesh has no answer for that question. That’s what happened to Moses in Today’s Verse. His flesh cried out with answers that held no water…that did not satisfy. God allowed Moses to think his way through each of his objections and to come to the conclusion that the will of God was the right will for his life.
May we grasp God’s will and awaken each day with the resolve that God’s will is why we live.
Oct 21-22, 2023 – Benjamin Franklin’s seventh birthday was a birthday which he never forgot. His friends gave him a pocketful of small coins. Young Ben started toward the nearest store to buy a present with this small fortune!
Young Ben met a boy on the road, though, who charmed him with a toy whistle. Ben offered the boy all of his money for that whistle. Young Ben returned home that evening blowing his whistle. He was happy until his brothers told him what that whistle was actually worth—just a tiny fraction of what he had paid! Young Ben was so embarrassed that he then sat down and cried!
It has been said that every person has his selling point—that every person can be bought if the price is only right. But God expects better from you and me. I want you to know the Bible is full of people who could not be bought! Men like:
1. Moses who forsook the riches of Egypt to suffer reproach with the people of God;
2. John the Baptist who refused to look the other way, who boldly told adulterous King Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have her!”
3. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who said, “I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold,” and, singing the praises of God, they were thrown into the fiery furnae.
But lest we forget, the devil bought:
1. Lot with the biggest office in town. The devil offered, “Lot, I will make you the mayor of Sodom if you forget about living in the promised land.” Lot said, “Give me the pen and show me the dotted line!”
2. Demas with the empty pleasures of this world. The devil offered, “Demas, I’ll give you the thrill of a lifetime if you will only abandon the Apostle Paul, the church and the Bible.” Demas said, “Give me the pen and show me the dotted line!”
3. Solomon with sexual fantasies untold! The devil offered, “Solomon, feast your eyes upon the forbidden fruit and you will be satisfied all the days of your life.” Solomon said, “Give me the pen and show me the dotted line.”
I could mention so many others who sold out! Adam because he did not want to stand alone. Jonah because he did not want God’s will for his life. Even the great church at Laodicea because it had been bought off with a beautiful building, a big treasury, padded pews and a beautiful cathedral choir!
I recall speaking with a veteran preacher. This preacher had seen many young Christians come and go. As we talked the conversation turned to a rather promising young preacher. The veteran said, “I am afraid so-and-so has already sold out, has already gone as far as he is going to go, and HE DOESN’T EVEN KNOW IT.”
God help us to encourage one another to keep our eyes fixed upon Jesus!
Oct 20, 2023 – “Too many Christians are sacrificing Christian principles on the altar of worldly compromise.” We are fast approaching the day when “anything goes” in our lives and, therefore, in our churches. Year after year the salt is becoming less salty, the light is becoming less bright, the gospel is becoming less clear, the Bible is becoming less studied and the genuine Christian life of spiritual transformation is becoming less experienced.
This writer does not want to further the decay, but rather I see myself as standing against the rising tide which threatens to swamp the entire land. But our number is dwindling…and our influence is weakening. Are you with me in standing up for Jesus?
Here is how the devil worked on the people of Israel during their last days in Egypt. Guess what? He will try the same approach with us!
Exodus 8:25 – “Pharaoh called for Moses and said, ‘Go, sacrifice to God IN THE LAND—go and worship if you must but stay in the land of Egypt.” That suggestion probably sounded good to many, but, even so, that was less than total separation from Egypt. That was not good enough! God wanted Pharaoh to release Israel to be a free people, so Israel could fulfill its spiritual and physical destiny in the Promised Land. Pharoah, though, wanted Israel on a leash rather than re-leased…to give them just enough liberty to satisfy their religious longing.
Exodus 8:28 – in the second compromise Pharaoh said, “I will let you go so that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness. In my second offer I will let you go just a little further but even so do not go very far lest I lose control over you.” It is similar to the man who said, “I will follow Jesus, but let me first bury my father, first settle my financial matters, first…” and the list never ends. Other items are always in control! Perhaps the intentions are good, but God overlooks our intentions and says, “To obey is better than sacrifice.”
Exodus 10:11 – in compromise number three Pharaoh said, “Go, now, ye that are men and serve the Lord as you wish,” but verse 10 includes this important detail: “the wives and the children are to remain in the land!” In other words, I will let you men go serve the Lord, because I know you will eventually return to be with your families!
All in all, Pharaoh offered a grand total of three spiritual compromises which would have left Israel stranded in Egypt and still being controlled by the god of this world.
A Christian banker asked Bob Jones, “Why is it that some people will curse a good Christian school like Bob Jones University? Your students do not drink, gamble, smoke, or swear. Why then is the world against Christianity?”
Jones answered, “The devil is not against a bank, but he is against a Christian testimony. If you were to put a sign in front of your bank which said, ‘This bank stands without apology for the Blood of Jesus Christ, for salvation by grace through faith in the atoning blood of Jesus’, brother, all the demons in hell would line up against your bank. The moment you step over on the side of Jesus Christ, that very moment you line up wicked men against you!”
May God help us to seek fellowship with Him more than fellowship with those opposed to Him!
Oct 19, 2023 – Gustave Valbert studied the history of warfare and concluded, “From the year 1496 BC to AD 1861, in 3358 years, there were 227 years of peace and 3,130 years of war or 13 years of war to every year of peace. Within the last three centuries there have been 286 wars in Europe.”
The world’s attention is currently drawn to still another war (politicians may call it a conflict, but the people on the ground know it to be war accompanied with all the casualties of war) involving Israel and its neighbors. But how does this war compare with other wars?
Our country has engaged in numerous wars, too: World War 1, World War 2, Korea, Vietnam, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Iraq, etc. We view those wars as having a beginning…and an ending. BUT IN REALITY, DO ALL WARS TRULY END? Or do those wars simply move on to another place, to another people, to another time, because in Today’s Verse we come face to face with the unholy war which never ever ends!
Mark my words: The greatest war of all time is not the great wars surrounding Germany, Japan, or Russia nor is it even the future war of Armageddon, but the greatest war of all time is the never-ending war between the armies of a holy God and the armies of an unholy devil! To be honest it is not really the war of Arab versus Jew, Catholic versus Baptist, liberal versus conservative, immorality versus morality, communism versus capitalism, or the courts versus law enforcement but rather it is the never-ending war of the devil versus God!
This war is at least six thousand years old. It is a war in which you and I are personally involved even though we may sometimes wish we were not involved.
This war began in the Garden of Eden when Adam sinned against God. “The Lord God said to the serpent, ‘And I will put enmity (open hostility) between you and the woman, And between your seed (offspring) and her Seed; He shall [fatally] bruise your head, And you shall [only] bruise His heel.’” Satan declared war on God (Isaiah 14), then Adam sinned and by that act of sin Adam began a state of rebellion by the human creation against the Creator. And thus it has continued to this present day.
Can you imagine Jesus running for President of the United States? He would not have a chance. Can you imagine Jesus as the leader of your favorite political party? Again, He would not have a chance. Indeed, can you imagine Jesus running to be the head of modern-day Christianity? Once the so-called Christian community evaluated His claims and expectations (think of His expectations in the Sermon on the Mount), His poll numbers would quickly plummet. Please remember that Jesus is pictured as being OUTSIDE the end-time church of Laodicea, not inside. The Head of the church had been replaced by something else at Laodicea.
Some years ago two great saints of God appraised the coming environment in Christianity, looked at each other, and one said, “The time is coming when we will be as rare as a pelican in the wilderness!” (This was a paraphrase of Psalm 102:6). The other said, “I believe that time is already here!”
The world is changing. That includes Christianity, too. But BLESSED IS THAT SAINT who does not change to be like the world…who instead hoists his flag high and sings, “Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war With the cross of Jesus going on before!”
It is a war of righteousness which must be fought not only today, but also tomorrow and until Jesus comes again to finally settle the conflict. It is a struggle for the eternal souls of people of all ages and all races! God help us to understand He did not call us to be accepted by the world but to be accepted by Him! We can’t do both!!!
Let’s stand for biblical truth. We may not always win, but at least we will be right! In so doing we will “snatch some out of the fire, making a difference!”
Oct 18, 2023 – PART 5 – “He who keeps Israel” often does the heavy lifting Himself. But at other times “He who keeps Israel” uses people to protect God’s chosen people. Those people include a British general known as Edmund Henry Allenby, a Christian.
During World War I the city of Jerusalem was occupied by the Turks. The British, though, wished to capture this famous city. General Allenby led a large number of British soldiers out of Egypt to take the holy city of Jerusalem.
As a mere child Allenby was taught to close his evening prayer with a special plea for Israel, to pray, “Forget not thine ancient people. Hasten the day when they shall be restored to Thy favor and to their land.” That is how he prayed as a child.
As Allenby approached the city of Jerusalem he became concerned with not destroying the city nor its many holy places. On the night before the attack Allenby spent the entire night in prayer and Bible study. Sometime during the night the Lord gave him a verse of scripture: Isaiah 31:5. He used this verse of scripture to plan his attack against the city.
On December 11, 1917 Allenby sent wave after wave of planes flying low over Jerusalem. As a result, the Turkish army fled the city. No bombs were dropped, not a shot was fired, not a drop of blood was shed. Allenby then gathered his troops before the city and read Isaiah 3l:5 to them, “AS BIRDS FLYING, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also He will deliver it; and passing over He will preserve it.”
General Allenby then announced, “Men, this day has this scripture been fulfilled before your very eyes.”
Allenby was later honored at a reception in London. He said, “I never knew that God would give me the privilege of helping answer my own childhood prayer.”
Horatius Bonar writes,
Forgotten; No; that cannot be: All other names may pass away,
But thine, MY ISRAEL, shall remain In lasting memory.
Forgotten! No; that cannot be: Inscribed upon My palms thou art,
The name I gave in days of old Is graven still upon My heart.
Forgotten! No; that cannot be: Beloved of thy God art thou
His crown forever on thy head, His name forever on thy brow.
Forgotten! No; that cannot be: Sun, moon, and stars may cease to shine,
But thou shalt be remembered still, For thou art His and He is thine.
AMEN.
Oct 17, 2023 – PART 4 – Would you agree that God has a purpose for ALL that He does? The Bible assures us that “God works all things in accordance with the counsel of His own will” (Ephesians 1:11). Why does God do what He does? Broadly speaking, God brings glory to Himself by His activities AND, in many ways, He graciously allows us to share in that goodness. One of the greatest blessings of the new heaven and new earth will be the realization that “God HIMSELF shall be with them [redeemed saints of all ages]” (Revelation 21:3). Not apart from them hidden behind a curtain like the Wizard of Oz, but WITH them!
Rest assured, God always has a purpose. The nation of Israel, as well as every nation, is included in God’s purpose. The United States is currently enjoying the bountiful blessings of God as the most powerful nation in world history. Will that continue for another two hundred years? The Bible does not say anything about the United States, so we may be only a blip in world history. But the Bible has much, much to say about the Jewish people, because God selected, for His own purpose, to make the Jewish people the focal point in world history. Though they have never been mighty in number and have not always been a nation, the Jewish people have drawn the attention of the world, and often the ire of the world, for its entire history.
Therefore, every Christian minister from usher to pastor needs a good understanding of God’s purpose for the Jewish people…especially in light of current world events. That brings us to Part 4. Let me allocate today’s remaining space to something you have never considered: God’s response to those who try to destroy the Jews. Are you ready? God’s response has often led to the establishment of a new holiday for the Jews.
For instance, Pharaoh tried to destroy the Jews in Exodus. However, God intervened and soon the Jews were celebrating the famous holiday known as the Passover.
Then along came wicked Haman of ancient Persia (book of Esther). Haman tried to exterminate the Jews. However, God intervened again! Haman was sent to the gallows for his sin. The Jews received the special holiday known as Purim.
Don’t forget Antiochus Epiphanes (168 BC). That madman defiled the Jewish temple by sacrificing the blood of a pig upon the altar of God. How did God respond? God raised up a band of men known as the Maccabees to lead a revolt. Out of this experience the Jews received yet another holiday: Hanukkah, the festival of lights.
The evil Nazi Adolf Hitler put a great deal of faith in the occult. He often went to see the spiritualists and fortunetellers. It is said that Hitler once asked a fortuneteller, “On what day will I die?”
This seer looked into the future and told him that it would be on a Jewish holiday. Hitler became upset. He said, “Why are you so sure of that?”
The fortuneteller said, “Any day that you die will be a Jewish holiday.”
Hitler’s goal of exterminating the Jews perished with him. I suspect God delivered this message to him in hell: “On May 14, 1948, in Tel Aviv, Jewish Agency Chairman David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the State of Israel, establishing the first Jewish state in 2,000 years.” That knowledge alone would be hell for Hitler.
So it is that out of the Jew comes:
1.the Savior – the Lord Jesus Christ.
2.the Bible, the very Word of God on paper.
3.the cure for diphtheria and polio.
4.the magic of penicillin.
5.the beautiful music of Mendelssohn and many others.
6.the investment capital behind many businesses.
I submit the world should celebrate the contributions of the Jew rather than denigrate such people. But, lest we forget, can you see the hand of God in all of those items?
More on this subject tomorrow!
Oct 16, 2023 – PART 3 – “What makes the Jew special?” An unbeliever asked me that very question.
I replied, “Only one thing. God chose the Jew as His people based upon His own sovereign grace, not because of anything the Jewish people have done or will ever do. As a matter of fact, quite often God has been forced to drag them step-by-step, because Israel has stubbornly rebelled against God for much of its existence.”
Indeed, the spiritual condition of Israel has not changed since the crucifixion of our Lord! However, neither has our Lord’s intention changed for God is not finished with Israel. (Note: If God was finished with Israel in the first century, how likely is it that the Jewish race would have maintained its identity through twenty centuries of world hatred? Not very likely in this writer’s view!)
The Bible indicates that “a partial hardening has come upon Israel, UNTIL the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25). The word “until” clearly indicates the cup of Gentile domination will soon be full…and the pendulum will swing in the opposite direction: to God’s fulfilling His Old Testament promises to Israel by bringing His own kingdom to planet earth.
My ninety-nine year old father-in-law and I had a discussion on this very point earlier today. In regards to Bible prophecy AND the current mess in the Middle East, we both concluded, “We know where we are now AND we know how it will be in the end [Israel will become the center of Messiah’s kingdom] but we don’t know how we get from point A to point Z.” For that matter, no one knows what the next steps will be in God bringing about His desired end. We can rest assured, though, that the Jewish people will survive regardless of what the world throws against them.
A preacher took a trip to the Holy Land in 1969. He sat across the aisle from a Jew who was 89 years of age. This Jew was traveling with his daughter. The man did not speak English, but his daughter spoke fluently a total of seven languages. The preacher asked the man through his daughter what they were doing. The man answered, “We are moving to Israel.”
The preacher asked, “Have you ever been there?”
The man answered, “No, I have never been to Israel.”
The preacher was puzzled. He asked, “Why then at your age are you now moving to Israel?
This 89 year old Jew smiled and said, “We know that Israel is the place where it is going to happen and we want to be there to see it happen.”
Oh, such confidence…such faith…such optimism…and it was all because of God’s promise to the Jew.
More on this important subject tomorrow!
Oct 14-15, 2023 – PART 2 – How did the Jewish nation begin? In yesterday’s edition, we examined the world’s hateful attitude against the Jewish people. In Part 2, let’s think about God’s original promise to Abraham, the Father of the Jews—a promise which is as real today as in the days of old.
Imagine that you are Abraham. You are living your ordinary life of being a nomad, traveling here and there with your family, cattle and sheep. You are also one of the most prosperous men in all the land, but, despite your prosperity, you know that you will someday die, your name will be forgotten and your family name will be buried in the sands of the desert
But one day the Lord of heaven suddenly appears before you, maybe in a bodily form or a dream or just your mind. The Lord makes a promise to you and you only among all the millions in the world around you. Furthermore, it is a promise like none before it—a promise which only an all-powerful God could make with certainty.
God says, “Abraham, I intend to do something with you which no one is this world will ever be able to stop! First, as to the number of your children. Abraham, you have no children now. It looks like you and your wife are too old to have children, but I promise that your seed shall someday be as the sand of the sea—a number so great that no man can count them!
“Second, as to the longevity of your family. Surrounding you are the people known as the Kenites, the Kadmonites and especially the powerful Hittites. All of these people will eventually disappear, but until the stars fall, until the sun ceases to shine your people shall continue!
“Then, third, as to the inheritance of your family, because I, the Lord, have chosen a land just especially for your family!”
The critic asks, “What right do those Jews have to live in the Middle East? What right do they have to take away that land from the Arabs?”
The truth is the Middle East belonged to God long before it belonged to anyone else! ALL of us are merely stewards overseeing whatever God has deposited to our care. God said to Abraham, “Lift up your eyes and look to the north, look to the south, look to the east and the west! I will give to you and your seed all the land which you now see. SO ARISE, WALK THROUGH THIS LAND FOR IT IS NOW YOURS!”
Believe it or not, all of the land belongs to them from the river of Egypt on the west to the great river Euphrates on the East—all the way to the Iraqi capitol of Baghdad (Genesis 15:18). However, it is very unlikely that promise will be realized before King Jesus returns to the earth to establish His kingdom over the kingdoms of man. At that day the King of Kings and Lord of Lords will take ownership of what is rightfully His and distribute it according to His own sovereign will.
Then will come one of the greatest events in all of world history for the Bible says that God will then regather Israel from the four corners of the earth; Israel will then dwell in peace in the land of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In that day there will be no more fighting, no more terrorists and no more wars for Jesus said, “Many shall come from the east and the west and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.” Literal people in a literal kingdom on earth.
Bless God, I myself will be there to witness it with my own eyes. Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus.
We’ll discuss more about Israel tomorrow.
Oct 13, 2023 – PART 1 – Will the Jewish people survive? Will the Jewish people live until the sun ceases to shine? Or will the Jewish race be, at long last, exterminated from every place in the world until it becomes only a record in history?
Once again, the Jewish people are under attack. The atrocities remind one of Old Testament destruction. The undeserved murders are unsettling to even the hardest of hearts. Such behavior has once again proven the depth of man’s sinfulness. “Who can know the depth of man’s wickedness? Only the LORD who searches the heart” (Jeremiah 17:9).
Think for a moment about the history of the Jew beginning with Pharaoh in the Exodus. Pharaoh issued the decree that every male child was to be exterminated; in so doing the entire Jewish race would also be exterminated.
Warren Wiersbe said, “God rewarded the women not by making them sterile (which would have been safer) but by giving them families.”
So Pharaoh issued his decree, but God overruled that decree, because God had already made His own decree: “that if the sun and the moon depart from before me, then and only then shall the Jewish people cease from the earth!”
Throughout the centuries the attacks have kept coming against the Jews, but yet the sun and the moon still shine in the heavens and this people known as the Jews still shines upon the face of the earth!
1.In AD 70 the Roman general Titus marched into Jerusalem with his massive army. Titus killed around 1,300,000 Jews plus took many others into captivity.
2.You may recall the Crusades. In the 11th century the so called “Christian” Crusades swept across the Middle East. One of their favorite sayings was “Kill a Jew and save your soul,“ and many more Jews died.
3.In the year 1350 the Black Plague swept over Europe. Amazingly, the Jews were blamed for that plague. As a result, nearly one-half of the Jews in Europe were murdered!
4.You remember the year 1492 for Christopher Columbus, but the Jews remember that year for a totally different reason. In that year the country of Spain forced some 800,000 Jews into the sea, most of whom died from drowning or exposure.
5.Then along comes World War II and the awful Holocaust of Adolf Hitler. There are some people today who are trying to prove that the Holocaust never really happened, but history tells us that by the time Hitler was finished 6 out of every 10 Jews in Europe was dead!
6.But the greatest Holocaust of all—the Holocaust of the Great Tribulation—is still in the future!
Queen Victoria of England one time went to her Jewish prime minister, the great Benjamin Disraeli. The queen asked, “Can you give me one verse in the Bible which proves that the Bible is true?”
The prime minister said, “Your Majesty, I will give you all the proof you need in only one word—it is the word JEW! If there was nothing else to prove the truth of the Bible, then the history and survivability of the Jews would be sufficient!”
The queen asked, “Then you take the Bible literally?”
He said, “Oh, yes, your Majesty! GOD SAID JUST EXACTLY WHAT HE MEANT!”
This writer does not stand with Israel because Israel is always right. On the contrary, they crucified my Lord. But God, for His own purpose, has chosen the Jewish race as His people. The world may not like them but guess what? The world is stuck with them, because God will continue to use Israel for His own sovereign purpose. History proves it is folly to cross swords with God’s chosen people!
We’ll discuss more about Israel tomorrow.
Oct 12, 2023 – “What is my life worth in actions? What have I accomplished that will last?” The young man’s questions are worth considering!
The Apostle Paul writes, “According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it” (1 Corinthians 3:10). We see so many promising teenagers make a mess of their lives in their next decade because they ignore these words, “take care how he builds upon it.” This writer has often said, “The decade of your twenties is your most dangerous decade.” Truly, we would be much better off if we could take our experiences from the twenties into our thirties WITHOUT having to live our twenties and make so many mistakes. But, of course, that is impossible because it is our experiences that give us our experience!
Today’s Verse is directed to born again children of God. These Corinthians have been delivered from the miry pit of sin, set upon the rock (Jesus Christ) and now have a promising future. But will that promising future become reality? Will they take full advantage of God’s Grocery Store of Spiritual Blessings or will they squander their Christian life and only be mediocre or even something less?
Paul describes two possible outcomes: “The fire of final judgment will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. But if anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.”
A little boy was playing along the seashore. He built a complete city in the sand. He laid out streets, built houses and stores, banks and churches. It was a masterpiece! With childish fancy he built an ancient city wall around his city. Then he laid out highways and farms outside the wall.
He worked the entire afternoon building his city. He did not notice the sun was setting, the clouds were gathering, the wind was increasing and the temperature was falling. Nor did he notice the tide was now coming in, that the waves were getting closer with each passing minute…until suddenly one wave mightier than the rest came sweeping around him and washed away his houses, his farms, his city, even his wall.
Frightened, the child ran back to the cliff. He saw his older brother above him. The older brother had witnessed the entire event. The older brother could see his brother’s fright. He reached down, grabbed hold of his younger brother and pulled him to safety. He then put his arm around the crying boy and started for home.
All that the younger brother had built was taken away. That experience will be repeated many, many times when God evaluates the lives of His children. Most, perhaps even all, of a life’s accomplishments will go up in smoke.
Let us prepare for that day by heeding the words of Jesus: “Seek FIRST the kingdom of God.” Let’s build a life that will last!
Oct 11, 2023 – During an afternoon baseball game when American League umpire Bill Guthrie was working behind home plate, the catcher for the visiting team repeatedly protested the umpire’s calls.
Guthrie endured this for three innings. But in the fourth inning Guthrie said, “Son, you’ve been a big help to me calling balls and strikes and I appreciate it. But I think I’ve got the hang of it now. So I’m going to ask you to go to the clubhouse and show them how to take a shower!”
Are you ever the catcher? Imagine God is the umpire and you’re the catcher. Do you think you would agree with the way God calls the game? The reality is we would likely protest at some point. Why? It is because we protest at times in our ministry that God should have done it another way.
Jonah got upset with God when Nineveh repented and postponed judgment until a future generation. Poor Jonah pouted like a baseball player throwing his bat and helmet!
Job contended with God about his personal disasters; God thundered such a strong rebuke that job said, “I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.” Basically, God said to both Jonah and Job, “It’s time for you to take a shower.”
Life is not easy. Plans go awry. Prayers are not answered in the way we prayed. The results are not what we expected or dreamed. Our excitement gets dashed. The goal seemed so realistic…now we know it will not be achieved. Unexpected opposition arose. Health issues popped up out of nowhere. Maybe we just weren’t as smart as we thought we were.
It is easy at such times to do the unthinkable and blame God for the poor results; after all, we tried! We gave Him our best effort and God obviously should have done a better job! That’s the way we reason.
We question God, the church and also our ministry, because we are so badly disappointed. And many of us quit on God.
I attended today an Annual Association Meeting (mostly of pastors) in Dayton, Oh. What was the topic of the first sermon? It was addressed to the pastors…and the subject was, “Don’t Lose Heart.” Ah, tis amazing to consider, because the people we most expect to NOT LOSE HEART are the pastors who are telling the rest of us not to lose heart. Obviously, there are times when even the encouragers need encouragement! In other words, Today’s Verse happens to ALL of us in ministry.
What is the cure? At times like these this writer falls back on a simple axiom: The ministry is not mine but God’s. I am merely the servant that reports for duty, gives it my best shot and prays, “Have Thine Own Way, Lord.” If God wishes to use what I bring to the table, SO BE IT! And if God wishes to do something unexpected…well, “God help me to still say ‘so be it’!” Above all, in sunshine or shadow, I must sing in faith believing, “Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him! How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er. O FOR GRACE TO TRUST HIM MORE.” And I keep plugging along, how about you? May God help you to be strong in the midst of your own disappointments.
Oct 10, 2023 – What is a divine appointment? It is an appointment in our schedule that is made by God…not by you or me. Such an appointment may not seem to be made by God; actually, it may seem to be an accident. Ah, it may not even be recognized by us! But God has somehow arranged this event and, if we are really smart, we will be able to trace God’s hand at work: an opportunity for ministry that we did not plan.
Bob Jones Sr. was headed to a church way, way out in the Alabama countryside. As he drove along the muddy road the car skidded into a ditch. The preacher spun the wheels, but the wheels only sunk deeper into the mud. Bob said, “If I don’t hurry, I will miss my opportunity to preach tonight.”
He walked down the road to a house and knocked on the door. A man’s voice said, “Come in.”
Bob walked inside and saw a strange sight. A man was sitting in a chair, holding a baby in his lap and trying to put on a diaper. There were four other children playing on the floor—five children in all plus this man.
Bob asked, “Sir, are you in some kind of trouble?”
The man said, “Yes, I am. I buried my wife two days ago. I’ve got these children, and I don’t know how to put on a diaper. My wife has always taken care of the children and I don’t know how to do any of it.”
Bob bent down and helped the father put the diaper on the baby. He said, “Sir, my car is in the ditch about a mile up the road. Would you help me?”
The father said, “Yes, if you’ll get someone to take care of the kids.”
They arranged for someone to take care of the children, and the two of them walked to the barn. Bob asked, “Your wife was a Christian, wasn’t she?”
“Oh, yes, one of the finest in the world. She was saved. Everything was all right. When she died she went to heaven.”
“But what about you?”
“Well, I am not saved. I know I should be. I know I ought to be for the children’s sake, for my dead wife’s sake. I should be saved. But I have never been.”
Bob then knelt at the barn door and asked the man to kneel alongside him. Bob took his Bible and led the father to the Lord Jesus Christ. He who was lost became found!
The preacher said later, “I know now why the car skidded into the ditch. I never preached that night. I didn’t have to. The Lord wanted me to go back and talk to the father who was now trying to raise children in a home without Jesus Christ. Then Jesus came in and saved the father.”
That’s a divine appointment. God help us to open our eyes to what God is doing AROUND us and THROUGH us…to seize the opportunities He opens for more ministry!
Oct 9, 2023 – M. R. DeHaan was visiting in a home of thirteen children. Eight of the children were Korean orphans. Each evening the parents gathered the children for their daily Bible study.
DeHaan said, “I have never seen anything so impressive as the eight children from Korea, the five children from this family, the mother and father—all fifteen of them gathered around the Word of God and in prayer!”
Then he said, “A strange thing is that many children are spiritual orphans. Mother and father seem not to care. They do not read the Bible to their children nor do they pray with their children. Nor do they seek to guide or help their children in any spiritual way.”
What is the result of raising spiritual orphans? First, a wasted home for that community, because there is no difference between the child INSIDE the home and the child OUTSIDE the home. Second, in most cases, a wasted child-adult because the person’s worldly accomplishments will someday pass away with a fervent heat.
The Amplified Bible sheds a bright light on Today’s Verse: “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger [do not exasperate them to the point of resentment with demands that are trivial or unreasonable or humiliating or abusive; nor by showing favoritism or indifference to any of them], but bring them up [tenderly, with lovingkindness] in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”
Charles Spurgeon’s mother called her son aside one day and said, “Charles, your father and I have trained you in righteousness. We have taught you the Word of God. We have lived a godly life before you. If you do not live a godly life, we will stand before God in the day of judgment and bear witness against you!”
All four of the parents in today’s devotional took their spiritual responsibility seriously. They recognized they were indebted to God for the SOULS and the LIVEs and the ATTITUDES and the GOALS of their children. What a challenge! What a responsibility! BUT WHAT A WONDERFUL GIFT TO THEIR CHILDREN: the gift of imparting Christ and everything about Him to their children. No box under the Christmas tree is big enough to contain such a gift!
If you have been blessed with such parents, what an advantage is yours! To see life from a Christian perspective puts you in a class that few will ever know for the Christian perspective is not only an ETERNAL perspective, but it is also a RIGHTEOUS (doing right) perspective. Just being right and doing right is a blessed way to live. Quite honestly, it is the #1 blessing any child can ever receive…and it is a blessing any parent can give regardless of their financial condition.
Remember: You’ll always be right in raising your children AND grandchildren to know Jesus. Ah, friend, let’s heed Today’s Verse and “bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”
Oct 7-8, 2023 – It’s Pastor Appreciation Month! Today’s Verse always contains my own words…until today. One of my mentors, Cliff Hartley, is retiring at age eighty from his Director of Missions position in a northern Ohio Baptist association. He has been in the pastoral/DOM ministry for fifty years and was one of my early Sunday School teachers! Cliff’s heart for evangelism and pastors is well known. Also, his wife Jeanie has been by his side every step of the way. This article is taken from his book “Five Things about 365 Things.” These words express the heart of a pastor to pastors! May his words both bless and challenge you!
Pastors today are faced with more work, more problems, and more stress than any other time in the history of the church. 1,500 pastors leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout or contention in their churches. 4,000 new churches begin each year, but over 7,000 churches close. 50% of pastors’ marriages will end in divorce. 80% of pastors and 84% of their spouses feel unqualified and discouraged in their role as pastors. 50% of pastors are so discouraged that they would leave the ministry if they could but have no other way of making a living. 80% of seminary and Bible school graduates who enter the ministry will leave the ministry within the first five years.
90% of pastors said their seminary or Bible school training did only a fair to poor job preparing them for ministry. 85% of pastors said their greatest problem is they are sick and tired of dealing with problem people, such as disgruntled elders, deacons, worship leaders, worship teams, board members, and associate pastors. 90% said the hardest thing about ministry is dealing with uncooperative people. 75% of pastors feel grossly underpaid. 90% said the ministry was completely different than what they thought it would be before they entered the ministry. 75% felt God called them to pastoral ministry before their ministry began, but after three years of ministry, only 50% still felt called. (Research: Life Line for Pastors, Barna, Focus on the Family, and Fuller Seminary)
In appreciation for who our Pastors are:
Pastors are Saved. Jesus said to Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, “You must be born again” (SAVED). Men of God must have a personal salvation testimony of a Damascus Road experience if they are to have a shoulder against the severity of ministry. Hang your Spiritual Birth Certificate on your wall in your office along with your degrees!
Pastors are Shepherds. Shepherds do not bear sheep, sheep bear sheep. Christ alone is the Chief Shepherd. Pastors are under shepherds, being shepherd by the Good Shepherd, to lead the flock, keep the flock, and feed the flock. Shepherds are not sheep-stealers, they do not build on another’s fold, and they are not hirelings. They are men of God who will not quit until the tally of 100 is safe in the fold. Put a staff in your office.
Pastors are Servants. That is, servants of Christ. When pastors lose sight of this, they are soon to be a ship gone aground. If Christ has called you, dear pastor, to walk on water, keep your eye on Him alone. Put a towel and basin in your office to be visible every day.
Pastors are Scholars. Paul told Timothy to “study to show thyself approved unto God…rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). The majority of pastors only study the Word of God for sermon preparation, not for spiritual growth. An old anvil is needed in your office.
Pastors are Soldiers. Ministry is a fight (it is not a place for cry-babies), there is blood to wade, and there are bruises to prove it. AWOL is not an option. “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” (2 Timothy 2:4). Put some bullets in that coin dish in your office.
It seems to me…men of God are not born; they are born-again and made in ministry.
(Excerpt from Five Things about 365 Things by retiring Director of Missions Cliff Hartley. You may contact him at cwhartley43@gmail.com.)
Oct 6, 2023 – One of the greatest ways to raise a child is to teach by example. Do you agree? There is an old saying, “What you are speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.” That saying is especially true in growing a child!
The Apostle Paul challenges us, “Be followers of me, even as I am a follower of Christ.” But many parents say, “Be followers of me, even as I am a follower of the world and its values.”
Let’s consider the possibilities. If the parent wants his children to drink beer, he sets the example of drinking beer. If the parent wants his children to take dope, he sets the example of using dope. If the parent wants his children to curse God and go to hell, he curses God and goes to hell.
A Sunday School teacher asked a little boy if he was a Christian. The boy replied, “I am not a Christian because my father is not a Christian and I am the same thing.” Pity that father at the final judgment when he realizes the error of his example!
But there is another possibility. If the parents wants his children to be clean living, he sets the example of being clean living. If the parents wants his children to be faithful to God, he sets the example of being faithful to God. If the parent wants his children to obey the Bible, seek first the kingdom of God and be filled with the Holy Spirit he sets the example in all those areas. Speaking for me, I prefer this possibility, how about you?
Dwight Eisenhower explains the power of an example by placing a string on the table and saying, “Pull it and it follows wherever you want it to go, but push it and it goes nowhere.”
What is an example? It is the parent pulling (not pushing) his children in the same direction he is ALREADY going! That’s the kind of parent (and example) our children need.
It is my prayer you will be a PULLING parent, not a PUSHING parent!
Oct 5, 2023 – In the movie The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy asked our friend, Scarecrow, “How do you talk if you don’t have a brain?”
Scarecrow replied, “Well, some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don’t they?”
According to a recent survey, 65% of Americans believe that we use only 10% of our brain. That, however, is not true. Emily Dickinson was right when she declared, “The brain is wider then the sky!”
One common brain imaging technique, called functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), can measure activity in the brain while a person is performing different tasks. Researchers have concluded that most of our brain is in use MOST of the time, even when a person is performing a very simple action. That means the brain is even active when a person is resting or sleeping. Perhaps that explains why we often awaken during the night with a fresh idea!
Science has determined the brain’s memory capacity is the equivalent of 2.5 petabytes of memory capacity. As a number, a “petabyte” means 1024 terabytes or a million gigabytes, so the average adult human brain has the ability to store the equivalent of 2.5 million gigabytes digital memory. To put that in perspective, my current computer has 1 terabyte of storage capacity. In other words, my brain’s capacity is more than 250 times that of my new computer. How can that be? I am amazed at the power of my computer. But it is nothing compared to what I myself possess.
I am indeed “fearfully (that means I stand in awe or reverence) and wonderfully made (made with great wonders that never cease to amaze me).” Quite honestly, I am much better made than I appreciate. So are you!
Augustine writes, “Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars; and they pass by themselves without wondering.” Perhaps today would be a good day to look at more than the wrinkles or the extra pounds in the wrong place. Perhaps today would be a good day to reflect upon how much we possess in knowledge, wisdom, ability, experience, etc.
Quite honestly, when we pass away the world will be the poorer, because it will lose what we know and who we are. Truly, we are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Sep 29 – Oct 4, 2023 – PARENTING PART 2: Parenting is not easy and there are no guarantees, but there are principles that have worked since the beginning of time. In Part 1 (see Today’s Verse for Sep 28, 2023) we studied about the role of IMAGE in parenting. In Today’s Part 2 we will focus on the word INSTRUCTION. Image deals with “who you are” but instruction deals with “what you teach”—what you encourage your children to do or not do.
Question: Who does God expect to do the instructing? The public schools? To some extent. The church? To some extent. But the primary responsibility lies elsewhere.
The story is told about a mother who died and went to heaven. She stood at the judgment. God asked the mother to explain why her daughter had turned out like a devil.
The mother said, “I don’t understand. I did everything I knew to do. I sent her to Sunday School every Sunday. I told her to read her Bible. I enrolled her in the best Christian school. I enrolled her in the Girl Scouts, and she won every medal. What else could I have done?”
God opened His Bible to Today’s Verse, read it to the woman and said, “You could have started by accepting the responsibility YOURSELF instead of passing the buck to everyone else!”
Today’s Verse (Deuteronomy 6:6) identifies whose responsibility it REALLY is and that is the parent’s responsibility. Verse seven identifies when the instruction is to take place and that is when the parent is sitting down, standing up, going to bed or getting out of bed…i.e. twenty-four hours a day constantly teaching. Verses eight and nine identify how the parent is to instruct: place the Bible instructions on the inside of the house, the outside of the house and even wear them in front of your eyes as a constant reminder of what God expects from His people. In other words, keep God in front of everyone in the home!
Remember: God did not give the children to the school, the church or the government, but He invested their eternal souls to us as parents (should I add grandparents, too?). We have a solemn responsibility to teach our children the way of the Lord twenty-four hours a day. Let us not forget the way of the Lord is the right way, the safe way, the smart way, the blessed way, the satisfied way, and the eternal way.
Perhaps your children are grown, but they may have their own children. Or you may be surrounded by neighborhood children. How about the children at church? Regardless of whether you now have children at home, we need your help in raising this new generation. It does indeed take a village to raise a child and, as a parent, I am very thankful for the village that helped raise our three children. Be sure you’re part of such a village for the children around you!
“O, God, help us to help them know You!”
Sep 28, 2023 – A little boy seated himself in a barber’s chair and explained that he wanted a haircut. The amused barber asked, “How would you like your hair to be cut?”
The boy answered, “Like grandpa’s.”
“How is grandpa’s hair cut?”
The boy said, “Real short with a hole in the top!”
That boy will likely change his tune when he gets older, because his hair will eventually start looking like his grandpa’s—real short with a hole in the top because image begets image and likeness begets likeness.
Today’s Verse expresses an eternal truth: “Parent Adam begot a son in his own likeness, after or according to his own image.” What is an “image”? “Reproduction of a person or thing…an exact likeness…a person strikingly like another person.”
If you want to be a good father or mother, the first item you must understand is your children will look like you. Why? They have been born in your image just like you were born in the image of your own parents.
When a doctor examines you the first time, he wants to know the illnesses of your parents, because the doctor knows that image begets image and likeness begets likeness. When a counselor first meets you he wants to know about your parents for the very same reason.
My wife’s uncles—forty years ago I thought they looked different, but when they reached their 70’s and 80’s they looked the same! And now that is happening to my brother and me…to my wife’s brothers, too.
Mentally—What is the old saying? “He is smart like his father or mother.”
Every parent needs to be presented a wall mirror on their child’s first birthday. Why then? The parents have endured parenthood for 365 days…some things are becoming clearer. The wall mirror should bear these words, “My child will likely become JUST LIKE THE PERSON IN THIS MIRROR.” That includes much more than physical attributes; it includes the whole person including his goals and outlook. Will that be good for the child or not-so-good? The parent needs to answer that question each time he/she combs the hair, adjusts the clothing, dries the face, makes sure everything is ready to face the world.
Yes, “My child will LIKELY become just like me.” This writer is not a betting person, but you could probably make a lot of money betting in favor of those words…but probably lose everything betting against those words. After all, it is a biblical truth that likeness begets likeness.
Perhaps you should share this with the younger parents in your family.
Sep 27, 2023 – A preacher stood in Tiffany’s Jewelry Store in downtown New York City. He heard a lady ask a salesman about some pearls. The salesman said, “Those pearls cost $17,000.” (Perhaps over $100,000 in today’s dollars.)
The preacher was so surprised that he asked to see the pearls. The salesman placed the pearls on a black cloth; the preacher studied the pearls very carefully. He asked, “I suppose all of the jewelry in this store is very valuable, isn’t it?” Of course, the answer was, “Yes.”
The preacher then imagined the jeweler bringing all of the store’s jewelry to his house and saying, “We want you to take care of this jewelry tonight.”
The preacher thought, “I would then have to call the police and say, ‘I have all of the jewelry in Tiffany’s in my house, but it is too great a responsibility. Would you please send some of your best policemen to help me protect this jewelry?”
(After all, we would do everything in our power to protect all of that jewelry, wouldn’t we?)
The preacher then thought, “But I have a little boy in my home and I am also responsible for him!”
Lesson: If you held all of the world’s rubies, pearls and diamonds in one hand and placed the little boy in the other hand—which would be worth more?
Socrates taught, “Could I climb to the highest place in Athens, I would lift my voice and proclaim, ‘Fellow-citizens, why do you turn and scrape every stone to gather wealth and take so little care of your children to whom one day you must relinquish it all?’”
Good words to consider…
Sep 26, 2023 – What is your church’s reputation? Not only on the inside (within the membership) but, more importantly, on the outside in the community? This is not a trivial matter. Indeed, it is one of the most important issues that will determine your church’s effectiveness.
The audience for Today’s Verse appears to now be in the 200-500 viewer range on a daily basis. Most of you are in the “committed” category of church members. You’ve moved from the Community to the Crowd (those attending) to the Congregation (membership) into the ranks of the Committed, and some have even made it into the Core inner circle. You’re different than the community, the crowd and even the congregation because you are deeply committed to providing an effective ministry for the people. Thus, let’s turn our focus to something you, the Committed and the Core, need to consider: the importance of your church’s reputation.
One of my pastorates was in a dysfunctional church. The people did not get along. The sign in the front yard bore the church’s name and included this line: “A Friendly Baptist Church.” I asked the deacon, “Don’t you think you should change your sign?”
The deacon asked, “Why?”
I answered, “This whole community knows you are NOT a friendly Baptist church. Baptist yes, but friendly no.”
That blunt conversation could be conducted in many churches. Unfortunately, those churches have lost their influence in their community. That loss of influence means they will be the church at the bottom of the list when one considers visiting a church. It means they will have little to no influence in presenting Christ in that community’s homes, little to no influence in shaping the community and reinforcing righteous standards in the school system, government and other entities.
Have you read how the Lord evaluated the churches in Revelation 2-3? Our Lord says, “I know your works” and He then elaborated on what He knew. Guess who else knows? The community. They watch with an eagle eye. They hear how the members talk. They hear the gossip. One newspaper editor captures this idea with his own admonishment, “If you don’t want it printed, then don’t let it happen!”
The community ALWAYS knows for there is no such thing as a secret business meeting. Benjamin Franklin wisely said, “Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.“
By contrast, I visited a former pastorate yesterday that, with only a few hiccups, has built a reputation as a Great Commission, soulwinning church for three decades. They have diligently worked at God’s work, and the result is a high level of expectancy within the community. The community expects that church to be God’s church!
Imagine the Apostle Paul’s words being said about your church! “Your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.” All I can say to those words is “WOW!” May such words also be said about your own church either in the “now” or in the “very soon.”
Sep 25, 2023 – Do you ever get discouraged with the current state of the world including our own country? The prophet Isaiah expresses his concern for his own people in Today’s Verse. Israel’s spiritual decline into idolatry was threatening to destroy the entire country. But in spite of the odds, Isaiah still had hope. Isaiah recognized there was still one force that could prevent his country from experiencing a TOTAL decline into an abyss as evil as the sinfulness of Sodom. That force was the followers of Jehovah, not the followers of the common gods of that day known as Baal.
These followers of the great I AM weren’t known for their skills in politics, economics, or education. Nor were they known for their great number (the Bible describes them as a “very small remnant). But they were known as the LIGHT of the world…the SALT that prevents total decay from sweeping the land. Why? Salt preserves and light illuminates! In other words, they make everything better!
The Bible makes it clear the most important people in America are not the people in Washington D.C., but the people who radiate God’s presence in their communities. But it’s not an easy calling!
A Christian woman found it difficult to be true to her Christian principles at work. She expressed her many frustrations to her pastor. The pastor asked, “Where do you put lights? In a bright place?”
“No,” she replied. “in a dark place in order to make it light.” Suddenly, she understood why God had placed her in such difficult surroundings!
Some of you may be the only light or salt that some people experience this coming week. What an opportunity is yours!
Go forth and be God’s light and salt to someone this week!
Sep 23-24, 2023 – I called the police department at 11:30 p.m. and pleaded, “I have two men at my bank window apparently trying to cash a stolen check. I need help now!”
It was the mid 1970’s before banks had ATM machines. Our bank had just reduced their downtown motor bank hours from twenty-four hours a day to eighteen hours a day. I worked the four p.m. to midnight shift by myself in a small stand-alone building across the street from the main building. The bank claimed the window was bulletproof, but I am sure the walls were not…and a good kick would break open the door.
Many times on Friday’s paycheck day I would wait on 300 customers in that eight hours. Cars would be lined off the bank parking lot onto the main street. The final rush occurred at eleven p.m. when the factory workers left their evening shift and needed to cash their payroll checks. It was near the end of that rush that this story occurred.
The car drove up to the window. I slid out the drawer; the driver handed me a check but no identification. I requested a driver’s license, but the driver said he had forgotten his wallet.
All banks were paper-based in those days. Our check register was a paper document that listed all the accounts and the balances. I opened the check register to see if there was enough money to cover the check. To my surprise the account was not listed. Not there! The checks were not over-the-counter checks like a customer receives when he opens a new account. Instead, these were printed checks from Deluxe bearing the corporate name; thus, I immediately concluded this was most likely a stolen check.
I grabbed the telephone and called the police department. (There was no 911 in those days.) I identified myself and said, “I have two men at my bank window apparently trying to cash a stolen check. I need help now!” The officer enthusiastically responded, “Help is on the way!”
I recall stalling the driver. I asked, “Are you really so-and-so (the name on the check)?” He assured me that he was but said he could come back tomorrow with his id. I asked, “How about your friend in the front seat? Does he have any id?” The answer was again no. He requested that I return the check.
I ignored his comment, took some money out of the drawer and counted it slower than a sloth.
A few seconds later the city’s entire police department arrived. There were police cars everywhere. The driver was blocked on all sides. The two of them were arrested on a concealed weapons charge, later charged with a stolen check, etc. and the driver eventually ended up in the penitentiary.
I share this because I want you to realize the Lord Jesus Christ is NOT a forger. He is the REAL thing. He is Deity in every aspect. He was Deity before His birth, He was still Deity when He walked the earth, He is still Deity in heaven, and He will still be Deity when He comes to end this age of world history. We preach Him and teach Him not merely because there is no one like Him, but because He is Deity…He is the real thing! And you must get to know Him on a personal basis.
May He be as dear to you as your dearest friend!
Sep 22, 2023 – In the old days, a blacksmith said of Norman McLeod, “He never came to my shop without talking to me as if he had been a blacksmith all his life; but he never went away without leaving Christ in my heart.” What a testimony! What a goal for each one of us! Our words preach, our actions preach, our character preaches, our influence preaches, our money preaches, our recreation preaches, literally everything about us CAN be an instrument to “turn a sinner from the error of his way.”
The word “can” is capitalized in the previous paragraph because such a disclaimer needs to be added. Have you ever heard someone say, “Don’t do as I do but do as I say”? That does not work in Today’s Verse. We can’t “turn a sinner from the error of his way” if we are walking in the same evil or worthless way. Remember: The salt of the earth purifies, not the dirt of the earth. There is a good reason we like to eat on clean plates, not dirty plates. The same principle is true in your sphere of influence. You influence best if you have proven the path works for you!!!
Let’s take a closer look at Today’s Verse. Look carefully at the words: “Sinner” represents the person’s designation before a thrice holy God. This person is not considered holy but rather unholy—in need of salvation from sin and, therefore, deserves to be identified as a sinner!
“Error” = he has chosen wrong. It may not be a sinful choice but it is definitely a worldly choice. O, such errors create so many unnecessary scars! Why don’t people listen to God in the first place?
“Way” = pattern of living. His “error” is not occasional but a pattern, because he follows an erroneous philosophy of life. He has joined the majority of people on the broad road that leads to destruction. God may be an afterthought but is certainly not the sinner’s first thought.
“Death” = death is not cessation of being (as the annihilationist erroneously teaches) but eternal separation from God. “These shall go away into everlasting punishment” (Matthew 25:41). John describes such separation as “the second death” (Revelation 20:14). Such a person needs our pity…but, most of all, needs our guidance.
“Cover” = the same Greek word is used of a ship being “covered” or swamped by a giant wave. That’s what God does with the repentant sinner. God covers or hides our sin from His face. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Ask any repenting sinner and he will tell you, “It feels good to be clean!” And it does!
Let us use today to influence a sinner from the error of his way!
Sep 15, 2023 – “Who then can be saved?” asked the disciples. That depends on how you can answer this question: Who is ABLE or QUALIFIED to be a savior? Let’s rephrase that: Who is able to save our souls from a guilty verdict at the final judgment?
First, in order to qualify as such a Savior one must be able to save or capable of saving the one that needs saved. It does not matter if a person is willing. The question must be asked, “Is the person ABLE to save?” For example, a man was seen drowning in the stream. A man saw him struggling and yelled, “I want to save you, but I don’t know how to swim. I start swimming lessons tomorrow. Can you stay afloat until then?” Many may be willing but few are able to save.
Comedian Pat Paulson expressed such futility in a water safety film of years ago. (Pat also ran for President several times.) The safety film portrayed a person drowning in a swimming pool. Pat laid on his side at the edge of the pool, extended his arm to the drowning person, but did not jump into the pool to rescue the person. His actions did no good.
Second, in order to qualify as such a Savior, one must be in a better situation than the one that needs saved. In other words, he cannot be in the same sinking boat as the victim, because the boat is going down for both of them. For example, two men were sinking in quicksand. They took comfort in holding on to each other, but it accomplished no good. Neither man could save the other. Nor can any of us save any others of us! All of us are in the same sinking boat with no lifeboat, no life preserver and no hope of saving ourselves. Our ship is going down!
But along comes Jesus Christ, the Lord of heaven, and He is able to do everything that is needed. “He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” “But this man after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever sat down at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12). “For God has made Him, who knew no sin [that’s why He qualifies as a sacrifice] to be sin for us [as our substitute] that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). He takes my sin and gives me His righteousness! That’s grace! “Wherefore, God has highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name…” and what Is one of His names? It is JESUS which means Jehovah Saves!
Aren’t you glad there is One in heaven Who deserves to be called OUR Savior?
Sep 14, 2023 – R. E. Winsett taught us to sing, “Troublesome times are here, Filling men’s hearts with fear! Freedom we all hold dear now is at stake. Humbling your hearts to God Saves from the chastening rod; Seek the way pilgrims trod, CHRISTIANS AWAKE.” Awake, though, to hope or despair? The answer comes: “JESUS IS COMING SOON, Morning or night or noon, Many will meet their doom, Trumpets will sound. All the dead in Christ shall rise, Righteous meet in the skies; Going where no one dies, Heavenward bound!”
The times do indeed look dark, but let us remember that “weeping only endures for a night because joy comes in the morning!”
Why? Because Jesus is Lord of all to the glory of God the Father. He who came to die is coming again to reign! Someday the greatest battle of all will be fought at the Battle of Armageddon. The armies of the earth will join forces to battle the One who comes to claim the right to rule planet Earth.
“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns…And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”
What is the result? The armies of the Earth do not even have a chance. They “were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse.” It is such a great slaughter the Bible adds these words: “And all the birds were filled with their flesh.”
Mark my words: When all is said and done, Jesus will be on the throne.
When the devil’s reign has ended, Jesus will be on the throne.
When the last judgment is complete and sin has been fully punished, Jesus will be on the throne.
When the lake of fire is sealed for eternity, Jesus will be on the throne.
When the universe has been dissolved with a fervent heat and the earth is no more, Jesus will be on the throne.
When comes the dawning of the new heaven and new earth, Jesus will be on the throne. Oh, yes, HE WILL!
What about us? “And while the ages roll we’ll keep on praising Him, And our voice will never tire nor grow old. And our song shall ever be, Praise the Lamb who died for me! And I’ll sing it while ages roll on!”
Ah, dear believer, raise your head! Your redemption is drawing near!!!
Sep 12, 2023 – Are you an “and” Christian? You have to see this for yourself!
Please take your Bible and look at the first word of the verses in Mark chapters 1 & 2. Then take a brief look at the following chapters, too. Most translations correctly begin the majority of Mark’s verses with the conjunction “and” or another conjunction such as “but” or “because.” For all intents and purposes, the book of Mark consists of one very long run-on sentence.
My English teachers would have flunked Mark for his writing style; however, by so doing Mark teaches us a very valuable lesson about ministry (as well as life in general). Mark presents the ministry of Jesus in terms of one long, unending flow of ministry rather than an occasional event such as teaching a Sunday School lesson once a week.
Jesus was constantly ministering each day of the week to whomever He met, in whatever circumstance He found Himself, constantly viewing Himself as being on mission for His heavenly Father. Why? Jesus might explain it like this: “It’s who I am, it’s what I do, it’s why I keep on doing it.” The concept of Christian ministry was totally engrained in Him. He lived it and breathed it. He did so when He felt like doing it; He also did so when He did not feel like doing it (Garden of Gethsemane). Yes, He rested from ministry (Mark 6:31), and He enjoyed friendship (with Lazarus and others). But He never ceased BEING what He was supposed to be: a minister representing the Father.
In a similar way, the best Christians are not the flashy Christians that make a big splash on Sunday but the ones who never cease BEING what they are supposed to be. It begins with the internal, not the external…the determined will rather than the marvelous talent. The best Christians simply do it and keep on doing it, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year and decade after decade. They aren’t measured by occasional events but by an everyday process of representing God before man. The effectiveness of such lives CANNOT be measured in the here and now.
I salute so many of you who have made your Christian calling your #1 calling for your life. Rest assured, you have indeed made a difference…and will continue to make a difference. “It’s who we are, it’s what we do, it’s why we keep on doing it.” Amen.
Sep 11, 2023 – How important is Jesus Christ? During the Civil War an elderly gentleman sat outside the main gate to the White House. His clothes were covered with dust and his eyes were filled with tears. A young boy stopped and asked the man why he was crying.
The man explained that his son was in the army but was condemned to be shot, because he had deserted his army post. The man said, “The guards will not let me in to see the President. Mr. Lincoln is so kind and generous. If he will hear the full details of my son’s desertion I feel sure he will pardon my son.”
The boy said, “I can take you to the President.”
“You?”
“Yes, he’s my father and he lets me come in and talk to him anytime I feel like it.”
The son took the old man into the White House. Abraham Lincoln heard the father’s request and granted it.
THE KEY TO SEEING THE FATHER WAS KNOWING THE SON. Likewise, the way to God the Father is through God the Son! In Today’s Verse Jesus declares, “No man comes to the Father except ‘dia’ Me.” The Greek preposition “dia” may be translated “by” or “through” but the point is clear: Jesus Christ and Him alone is the channel one must travel to get to the Father. What did Peter say? “There is no salvation in anyone else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). The Apostle Paul declares, “There is ONE mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). Only One can reconcile God and humanity!
It is true that we believe in an exclusive religion, but that is not based upon our whims or personal beliefs. It is because we accept Jesus’ words as truth and, therefore, we approach the invisible God the Father through Christ and ONLY Christ. In effect, Christ serves as the door to the Father (John 10:9). Not the Virgin Mary, the Pope, a particular church or denomination nor a religious rite such as a sacrament, but solely through Christ: the One who died for our sins, was buried but rose again on the third day for our justification.
Think with me for a moment. Jesus prayed in the Garden, “If it be possible, let this cup pass from Me.” Had there been ANY other way, Christ would NOT have died. But it was not possible! There could be no salvation from sin except through what He accomplished on the cross in dying as our substitute.
He paid the ultimate price, and today He is the door for your salvation and my salvation. Thank God, He is my door, how about yours?
Sep 9-10, 2023 – Forgiven! Too many Christians lay awake at night worrying about the extent of God’s forgiveness in their salvation. The idea of “total forgiveness” is foreign to their minds. But, rest assured, God is able to provide that kind of salvation, because forgiveness is based upon the complete removal of sin from our account.
The Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16) includes a picture of what God does with our sin in salvation. This picture included a live goat (scapegoat) as well as a sacrificial goat. The latter goat was sacrificed to pay the penalty for the sins of the people. It was literally put to death as a substitute for the guilty. We are familiar with that! The live goat, though, taught a DIFFERENT aspect of salvation. It served as the sinner’s scapegoat. Let us remember that a scapegoat is blamed for the faults of others, not the faults of himself. In this picture, the live goat removed the sins of the people from the presence of God.
The priest laid his hands upon the live goal (picturing the transfer of sins from the people to the live goat). The goat was then banished into the wilderness, never to be retrieved again. Thus, the sins were “sent away” or “put away” where no one could ever retrieve them. What a picture of salvation!
Interestingly, the Greek word “aphiemi” (translated “forgiveness”) means “send away” or “put away.” Thayer teaches, “a release, the letting them go as if they had not been committed, thus, forgiveness, a remission of their penalty.” Wuest adds, “the latter goat typifying that aspect of redemption in which the sins of the human race were put away, never to be charged against the individual again.” MY SINS ARE GONE, never again to be brought against me!
This teaching is in accordance with Psalm 103:12: “As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.” How far has the scapegoat taken our sin? To infinity and beyond if possible! A person can always travel east or west, but he can only go so far north or south before heading in the opposite direction. Thus, there is a limit to north and south, but there is no limit to east and west.
Ada R. Habershon testifies, “As far as the west is removed from the east, He banished my sins, both the greatest and least; My sins are forgiven, Are yours?
“Like clouds they had gathered, obscuring the sun; He blotted them out, there remaineth not one; My sins are forgiven, Are yours?
“I could not have settled the least of my debts; He paid the great price, and He even forgets; My sins are forgiven, Are yours?
“My sins were as scarlet, and crimson the stains; He made them like snow, and no vestige remains; My sins are forgiven, Are yours?
“My guilt and my need His great love have revealed; Once wounded for me, by His stripes I am healed; My sins are forgiven, Are yours?
“And this is the reason I’m pardoned today, Because with His blood He has washed them away; My sins are forgiven, Are yours?”
This writer can safely say, “My sins are indeed forgiven,” but how about you?
Sep 8, 2023 – Why does a Christian give up his or her life as a martyr for Christ? The writer of Hebrews admonishes us with the reminder, “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood” (Hebrews 12:4). You and I may moan at times about the difficulties associated with the Christian life, but, truth be told, we know practically nothing about real suffering for the cause of Christ. Oh, how scriptures like Today’s Verse should shame us for our groaning!
One pastor said, “Sundays are so hard that I resign my pastorate every Monday, but I re-sign by Wednesday!” Those words are often said in jest, but they often reflect the weakness not only of our flesh but also of our spirit. We are so prone to wilt like a flower in the mid-summer sun.
Today’s Verse concludes with the commendation of these early church saints, “of whom the world was not worthy.” NOT WORTHY! We could employ those same words to describe our Lord: “of Christ the world was not worthy.” No argument can counter those words. Yes, Christ is above all and this rebellious world does not deserve the gift of Christ dying for the sins of all humanity.
But these words are not used of the Christ, but of saints who “resisted to the point of shedding their blood.” People that went much further than you or me.
Elizabeth Alden Scott, a graduate of Moody Bible Institute, was martyred alongside her husband in China one hundred years ago. Betty’s father gave her a Bible when she was a sophomore at Moody’s. This Bible was found in her effects after her death. The Bible contained this solemn vow which should challenge us to even greater service:
“MY COVENANT: ‘Lord, I give up my own purposes and plans, all my own desires, hopes and ambitions (whether they be fleshly or soulish), and accept Thy will for my life. I give myself, my life, my all utterly to Thee, to be Thine forever. I hand over to Thy keeping all of my friendships, my love. All the people whom I love are to take second place in my heart. Fill me and seal me with Thy Holy Spirit. Work out Thy whole will in my life, at any cost, now and forever. To me to live is Christ and to die is gain.’” Elizabeth Alden Scott, August 3, 1925
Elizabeth wrote, “Work out Thy whole will in my life, at any cost, now and forever.” She not only wrote it, but she also lived it. God help us to get to that level in our own Christian effort.
Sep 7, 2023 – How would you like to be remembered? Sitting Bull said, “I want to be remembered as the last man of my tribe to surrender my rifle.” Baseball star Ken Griffey, Jr. said, “A couple things I’m gonna be remembered for: the hat backwards and the swing. And the smile.” True! Ohio State’s basketball center Greg Oden said, “I’ll be remembered as the biggest bust in NBA history. But I can’t do nothing about that.” (Greg suffered a career ending injury. No one knows how great he may have been!)
But how would you like to be remembered? The old saying is true: “The person who aims at nothing hits nothing.” Most people wander through life looking for who-knows-what and, of course, never finding it because they never define their goal.
If we ask the average Christian to identify the most important characteristic of Noah, he will likely respond, “Noah built an ark.” That is indeed a tremendous accomplishment. But nothing is said about building the ark in Today’s Verse. Isn’t that weird? The #1 item we expect is missing. What is mentioned? Peter mentions the #1 cause Noah represented: righteousness.
Perhaps that is so because Noah was on the ark less days than he stood for righteousness. Perhaps that is so because the ark influenced less people than his call for righteousness. Regardless of the reason, Noah must have really let his “little light shine.”
Noah’s generation was best known for its UNrighteousness, not righteousness. What is righteousness? The simplest answer is to say “righteousness” means “being right” or “standing for what is right.” Who, though, determines what is right? It is God. Let me restate that: It is ALWAYS God. If God says something is right, it is right. If God says something is wrong, it is wrong. God’s people are called to stand for what is right as defined by God; in so doing, we will often find ourselves taking a stand against that which is wrong. (Caution: This stand includes much more than the abortion issue. Christians are not called to be one-issue people but multi-issue people.)
When Noah died some people undoubtedly said, “Thank You, Lord, for giving us a preacher of righteousness.” Others, though, likely said, “Glad we don’t have to listen to him anymore.” Regardless of the verdict, though, both sides knew what Noah represented.
Philosopher Edmund Burke says, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
What, though, about us? Do we have the courage to be like Noah and take a righteous stand? When we pass on, will anyone say about us, “He or she was a person of righteousness”? Oh, God, may it be so!
Sep 6, 2023 – PART 5 – How much do you want to be God’s kind of Christian? Totally committed to Him and also to His purpose in the world? That question has been explored carefully in the previous four editions of Today’s Verse. As noted in prior devotionals, only the Apostle John went all the way with Christ…through His many trials, His flogging, and His crucifixion. Only John is present at the crucifixion, and it is to him that Jesus commits the care of His dear mother, Mary.
The old song says, “By and by when I look on His face, I’ll wish I had given Him more.” Those words express the attitude, not of a careless lukewarm Christian, but rather of a Christian who is firmly committed to serving Christ…and does indeed serve Christ with great intensity…but who also understands that Christ deserves even more than he can give. “Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a present far too small, Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all.” Such is the attitude of John in the last few hours…and such is the attitude of God’s committed servant.
Let us close this study by examining the fourth reason John was able to go all the way with Jesus. It is because John follows ONLY Christ.
Jesus said, “Where I am, there will My servant be also.” The first part of Today’s Verse makes it plain that Jesus is not thinking about heaven but rather of ministry. We must remember that Jesus “chose the twelve that they might be WITH Him” (Mark 3:14). Not lone gunslingers doing their own thing, but rather Christians that are in the yoke with the Master, thereby following His lead and His teaching.
What about us? This same Jesus has now returned to heaven, but prior to His departure He told us about the mission He wanted to continue through us and He said, “Go into all the world and preach or declare the gospel to every creature.” “Lo, I am with you always” whether you’re accomplishing My mission in the fifth century or the twenty-first century. Thank God, we are not alone as we do this God-called ministry of world evangelization.
Ah, the greatest privilege of man is to be “with Him.” Adam experienced that privilege in the Garden of Eden. The Apostle Peter had a similar opportunity in the Garden of Gethsemane, but he chose to sleep and then later desert Christ. Only John followed Christ…and only John experienced those final hours.
Pay attention: It ought to cost something to follow Christ. Indeed, it DOES. It cost John his fishing nets. One day Jesus passed by John’s boat and said, “Follow Me and I will make you a fisherman of men.” John heeded the call! He left his nets and followed, not knowing where he would eventually go or what he would eventually do. As a result, John saw and experienced things that are beyond description. He finished his life by writing about meeting the exalted Christ in the Revelation, “I saw One like unto the Son of man who said, ‘I am He that lives and was dead; behold, I am alive forevermore, AMEN! And I have the keys of hell and of death.’”
No words can describe what John saw or did in the years after accepting that heavenly call to “leave your nets and follow Me.” The cost was nothing compared to the blessing.
Likewise, it cost Moses the riches of Egypt in the house of Pharaoh. He chose instead to follow the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He was later able to write, “The Lord spoke to me FACE TO FACE as a man speaks to his friend” (Exodus 33:11). What Moses lost was practically nothing to what he gained.
Many Christians shy away from following Christ, because they do not want to pay the cost to go “with Him all the way.” But they don’t realize how much they really miss in having Christ as part of their everyday life and ministry. No one ever said ministry is easy…but, if you are one of us who are committed to Christ, can you think of anything you would rather do than ministry? It is not only something you do, but it becomes who you are: God’s minister to this world. What a calling! What a blessing! What a journey!
“And where I am, there will YOU be also.” Let’s make it happen!
Sep 4-5, 2023 – PART 4 “So said all the disciples. ‘I will not deny You.’” But only John stayed with Jesus to the bitter end. Peter and the others undoubtedly had good intentions when they confessed Today’s Verse, but good intentions do not always produce faithful actions. 91% of the apostles failed to stick it out with Jesus through His trials, beatings and crucifixion. Only 9% of them – i.e. only one – hung in there, stayed faithful and loyal—the one named the Apostle John.
KEY: What enabled John to go all the way with Jesus? “I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way,” was more than a song to John; it was also a pledge and a commitment.
Let’s look today at the third reason John excelled in his calling. #3 – John goes all the way to the cross with Jesus, because he SERVES ONLY Christ. In many ways, John is like the faithful dog that follows the hearse to the cemetery, and remains at his master’s grave for days on end. John has died to self; he is alive, though, to exalting Christ more than anything else in life. Therefore, where else should John be except in the place (the cross) that God has assigned him?
Shallow Christians dwell upon the question, “What is best for ME?” In the case of the apostles, “Should I stay with Christ or should I flee?” “Me” is their biggest enemy. They serve themselves, are focused on their own self-interest. From their perspective, it is not profitable for THEM if they take a stand for Christ in the workplace, family or anywhere. They reason, “If I want to be well-liked, I better not be committed to Christ.”
But John does not ask the question, “What is best for ME?” He instead asks, “What is best for HIM, for the Christ? He is my Lord and Savior. Where else should I be?”
In the early days of my ministry, I prayed this prayer: “Lord, give me the backbone to stand for Thee. Help me to stand for only Thee. When the pressures come to bend, help me to stand straight and tall. When trouble comes, help me to hold to Thy unchanging Word. Lord, my ministry is Your ministry. Take this ministry and use it as You see fit. Amen.” By God’s grace I rejoice today that He has kept me busy on His team for nearly fifty years!
Perhaps you are struggling with this issue of total commitment to Christ. Wonder why? Have you identified the reason? Let me suggest three possibilities. First, are you struggling with your past? John had to overcome a not-so-good past to go all the way with Jesus. John was known as “the son of thunder.” Apparently, John’s temper tantrums were legendary! The Apostle Paul faced a similar struggle in dealing with his past blasphemy of Christ and persecution of God’s church. Ah, but neither man allowed his past to define him or overcome him.
Second, are you struggling with your memory? Some people have incredible memories. They never forget a bad church experience, though it may have occurred thirty years ago. (I have met some vicious church members in my day, but they did not stop me nor should they stop you.) Then again, some Christians may struggle with a bad experience that creates much uncertainty, a serious loss of confidence. Or they may remember a time when they were wrong on an important issue and they cannot put it behind them. (Note: Ten apostles, including Peter, will successfully overcome the “memory” problem and go on to very important ministries.)
Third, are you struggling with your priorities? “We won’t be in church in body, but we will be present in spirit.” After hearing it for six weeks, the pastor finally said, “I’d rather have you here in flesh and not in spirit.” I recall one of my father’s pastorates where the church annually took off the summer to go camping. Their lack of commitment was a serious handicap to doing the Lord’s work. But one summer job difficulties resulted in a loss of income…and no money to vacation the entire summer! So they attended church, kept praying, and doing God’s work. What was the result? It just so happened the church advanced that summer from a “C” level church to a “B” level church for many years to come. It simply changed the church through and through.
KEY: No one can walk all the way with Jesus until that person stops serving himself. The flesh will allow you to go only as far as the devil’s fire as in the case of Peter. As we both know, that is not far enough! It falls far short of what God expects from each one of us.
Only John could be counted on…because John served ONLY Christ, not himself. May we do the same.
Sep 2-3, 2023 – PART 3 – Whom do you believe? Believe enough to trust that person’s wisdom all of the time? To surrender your will to that individual and allow him or her to take control of your everyday life? That is a hard question.
This devotional is Part 3 in a five-part series exploring the question, “Would you have made it to the cross with Jesus?” The flippant answer is a quick, “Yes.” The reflective answer, though, may be something entirely different. What is the difference? The reflective answer is developed only after reflecting upon the real events in the twenty-four hours prior to the crucifixion. After all, real life is NOT a fairy tale!
Let’s remember Jesus prophesied to the apostles, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered’…Peter answered, ‘Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble’” (Matthew 26:31). Peter gave a flippant, though well-intended, answer, but he soon learned “the arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own strength.”
Indeed, Peter’s failure (and the failure of the others except John) should cause us to reflect before answering the question, “Would you have made it to the cross with Jesus?” Sadly, most of our church members cannot even make it to church on Sunday, open a Bible on Monday, bend their knees in prayer on Tuesday, let their light shine on Wednesday or give their tithe on Thursday, etc. But they still sing, “O How I Love Jesus.” What a disconnect!
But John was not like such church members nor was he like the other apostles. John made it ALL THE WAY to the cross. Why? Yesterday we gained an understanding that John goes all the way because he sees only Christ. John’s attention was not focused upon the enemy, but upon One greater than all the enemies combined.
That brings us to the second reason John triumphs over his own fear, fleshly weakness, and lack of support from others. #2 – John goes all the way because he BELIEVES only Jesus. Notice I did not say that John UNDERSTOOD Jesus, but only that he BELIEVED Jesus. John 12:16 says, “Jesus’ disciples did NOT understand these things [about the crucifixion] at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him.”
Do you recall Jesus’ words in John 14:1? “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, right? Well, believe also in _____.” Yourself? No. An elected official? No. A school teacher? No. A pastor? No. A family member? No. Who then? Jesus said, “ME!” Jesus is emphasizing, “During the next twenty-four hours you will experience things that will knock you off course, threaten your faith and your Christian ministry. During those hours you need to believe in ME! Believe that I know what I am doing, that I am still in charge, and that the will of God is being done.”
Why is this necessary? It is because ministry is not easy. That is why so many are either in a hot-or-cold pattern or fall away altogether. Listen: It is easy to serve God when everyone is patting you on the back, but it is another matter entirely when you’re swimming upriver against all kinds of obstacles and problems. Trust me: You will experience both situations in your ministry. How will you survive at such a time? You must do what John did: You must abandon everything else and believe only Jesus.
First, believe Jesus knows what He is doing in leading you through this valley. Ten apostles never considered this idea. They thought the entire thing was a mistake! John, though, must have glimpsed this truth. What words are often quoted from the book of Esther? “Who knows but that God has prepared you for a time such as this?” It took courage for Queen Esther to approach the king on behalf of her people. Likewise, it took courage for John to take his stand at the cross. Both Esther and John believed God knew what He was doing in whatever He allowed to come their way.
Second, believe Jesus is bigger than your own difficulty. The three Hebrew children testified, “Our God can deliver us from the furnace of fire. But if He chooses not to do so, mark our words, o King: we will not worship you!” Those are the kind of words uttered by those who triumphantly make it to the cross. Though we may be deep in the pit, we must remember our God can deliver us, even if He chooses not to deliver us as in the case of the deacon named Stephen. We won’t back down!
Third, believe Jesus can bring you through the problem. “Have faith in God!” echoes throughout the pages of Holy Writ. John made it to the cross one step at a time, one breath at a time. There was no magic formula for getting there…just persistent belief in his Master. John kept believing! Someone said, “I have a hold on God but, more importantly, God has a greater hold on me!” God’s hold upon John gave him a burning desire to stay with Christ despite any detrimental outcome.
Fourth, believe Jesus is right in what He wants you to do. Jesus regarded His mission as the most important mission of all. So must you! Jesus died upon a cross; you are called to “die daily.” Die to self, but be alive in the yoke with Jesus, continuing His ministry on planet earth. Note: When the going gets tough, the final resolution will depend upon whether you faithfully believe in what God has called you to do. Has God made a mistake with you? If you quit, your answer is yes. If you continue to minister, the answer is no.
Picture in your mind John standing at the cross. Someone asks him, “Why are you still with Jesus? Why are you here?”
John points at the One on the middle cross and confesses, “It is because I still believe in Him! I will not turn back!”
Can you say the same?
Sep 1, 2023 – PART 2 – Would you have been present at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ? Jesus began the previous evening with twelve apostles, but one (Judas) committed suicide, ten deserted Him and are now nowhere to be found, and only the Apostle John has the courage to stand at the foot of the cross. John does not stand alone, for he is accompanied by the mother of Jesus and other women.
Only one of the twelve made it to the cross! In many ways, this effort represents the most dedicated effort of any apostle in the Gospel accounts. The old song says, “I can hear my Savior calling, Take thy cross and follow, follow Me.” That is quite a challenge, but it is the same challenge for each one of us. John accepted the challenge and sang, “Where He leads me, I will follow. I’ll go with Him ALL THE WAY.”
The evangelist John R. Rice wrote one of the hardest-hitting books on dedication I have ever read. The book’s title is “What It Costs to be a Good Christian.” I am not sure most current day Christians would tolerate such a challenge. We live in an age when Christians prefer education to challenges…mediocrity to selling out for Christ. One state director recently told me, “We’ve forgotten that church revitalization (the new philosophy) can’t happen without revival of the heart.” I don’t want those words to be said about me. Do you want them to be said about you?
I’d much rather be a John than any of those who never made it to the cross. How, though, did John do it? What instilled him with the courage to go farther than the others? We will look at four commitments by John over the next four editions of Today’s Verse.
First, John goes all the way, because he SEES ONLY Christ. Christ is the sole object of his focus. John did not write the book of Hebrews, but he LIVED this Hebrews verse through and through: “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1). The Psalmist echoes those words in writing, “I have set the Lord always before me. I shall not be moved” Psalm 16:8).
During this entire process (betrayal through the crucifixion) John did not focus his attention upon the enemy: the soldiers, the trials of the Sanhedrin Court, the howling mob, the injustice of Governor Pilate or even his own inner turmoil. Though undoubtedly frightened by this whole ordeal, John looks past the enemy and fixes his eyes upon the Christ. John has reached a place where nothing else matters, only the Christ matters.
Interestingly, Peter had the same opportunity as John to enter the high priest’s house and stand alongside Jesus. But the Bible indicates that Peter stayed outside in the courtyard. From that vantage point Peter could not see the Christ; he could only see the enemy. The enemy—a little damsel girl—asked him, “Aren’t you one of Jesus’ disciples?” Peter sees the nearby soldiers listening to the conversation and chooses to run. Why does he run? He sees only the enemy.
In so doing, Peter repeats the same mistake he made when he walked upon the water with Jesus. Peter experienced victory when he kept his eyes upon the Christ, but he nearly drowned when he put his eyes upon the enemy (water). Defeat is supposed to teach us something, but it is evident Peter did not learn his lesson. Peter is still looking in the wrong direction in the courtyard.
KEY: The key to conquering the enemy is not the SIZE of the enemy. It appears the entire world was against Jesus at His rejection and crucifixion. It would have been easy for John to have thrown in the towel. After all, he was badly outnumbered. But the key to conquering the enemy is not the SIZE of the enemy, but the size of our Savior. Peter looked at the enemy and was defeated. On the other hand, John looked at the Christ; Who he saw gave him courage to do what no one else did. John believed, “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us” (Romans 8:37). John set his sights upon the One who is ranked higher than all principalities and powers! He knew “in Whom he believed and he was PERSUADED…”
Ah, friend, where did Abraham look? “He looked for a city whose builder and ruler is God.” In other words, he saw only Christ.
Where did Caleb look? Although there were formidable giants ruling the land, Caleb proclaimed, “God has given me this mountain and no giant can keep me from claiming it.” He saw only the powerful Christ high and lifted up, much higher than those dreadful giants.
Yes, John could have fled, but he said, “I’ll go with the Conqueror who calmed the sea, fed five thousand with five loaves and two fish, healed blind Bartimaeus, redeemed a fallen tax collector named Zaccheus and Who brought salvation to my soul. He has gone all the way for me. How can I do less for Him?”
Just wondering: Will you accept the challenge and join John at the cross? More tomorrow.
Aug 31, 2023 – Do you ever wonder what you signed up for? A maid was hired to work for the Hollywood comedian Gracie Allen. About this same time Gracie Allen received a small, live alligator as a practical joke. One day Gracie had an appointment rescheduled to “as soon as you can make it.” Not knowing what to do, she placed the tiny alligator in the bathroom and left for the appointment.
When Gracie returned home she found this note from the maid: “Dear Miss Allen, Sorry but I have quit. I don’t work in houses where there is an alligator. I’d a told you this when I took on, but I never thought it would come up.”
There are many things in ministry which we never thought would come up. Recently I was interviewed for a doctoral dissertation about the pastoral ministry. At the conclusion, the interviewer and I agreed that seminary does not adequately prepare a minister for the ministry, because there is a big difference between the real world and the classroom. Things happen that leave one shaking his head and asking, “Who would have imagined that?”
John the Apostle (and the other apostles) must have felt the same way when Jesus was betrayed by Judas in the Garden. It had to be one of those “I didn’t sign up for this” moments. The expectations of a successful ministry were dashed in one misdeed, and John’s mind was left reeling. Everything came crashing down. A few hours passed then John found himself standing at the foot of the cross, watching his Lord experience excruciating pain and yet displaying incredible tenderness to those nearby.
I read the statement recently, “When the Christian loses heart, he loses everything.” The statement sounded good when I first read it, but I soon realized the statement is not correct. For example, when the Christian loses heart he may lose much but he cannot lose his salvation. Jesus said, “I give to them eternal life and they shall never perish” (John 10:28). Nor can the Christian lose the presence of God, the One who has promised to be with us until the end of the world (Matthew 28:20). Nor can the Christian lose his home in heaven for it has been “reserved in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:5).
But there are times when the Christian loses heart. What did the apostles do in response to Jesus’ arrest? Did they organize a protest movement? No. They ran like jackrabbits for their lives. Their pity party was likely one for the ages. They made no plans for an Easter Sunrise Service at the tomb. Instead, we find them gathered in a room with locked doors (John 20), fearful for their lives.
As a group they have lost heart. It happens to us as individuals when our personal expectations are not met. It often happens to churches when they hit a rough patch. I have preached in churches where no one smiled, because they had lost hope.
But one apostle—his name is John—somehow had the faith to follow Jesus to the cross. It seems reasonable to say that it was God’s will that all eleven apostles be at the cross to attend to Jesus’ needs, but ten are missing. Indeed, Peter only made it to the devil’s fire before turning back. So sad!
But John was different. Something made him different. Something very powerful allowed him to practice the old song, “Where He leads me, I will follow. I’ll go with Him through the garden. I’ll go with Him through the judgment. I’ll take my cross and follow all the way.”
1 out of 11 made it. That’s a 9% success rate but a 91% failure rate. Which statistic best describes your Christian ministry? Do you keep battling when you lose heart or do you lose the battle also when you lose heart?
What made John special? Tune in tomorrow!
Aug 30, 2023 – Are you discouraged with your ministry? Perhaps not seeing the results you want to see? Perhaps disappointed with the current trend of our nation against Christianity? Also bothered by the lack of spiritual intensity/purpose within our own churches? “Lethargy” is a good word to describe the mood of many modern churches. Evangelist B. R. Lakin said about some churches, “If someone comes forward to be saved, they better be careful because they might slip on the ice in the aisle!” In other words, there are some very cold churches out there!
Many pastors graduated from Bible college with the hope of setting the world on fire for Jesus. A few did. Most, however, did not accomplish their goal even though they went on to experience good ministries. They raced for the gold, but only received the silver or the bronze or an honorable mention. A few even left the ministry in utter disappointment.
The reality is that ministry has never been as easy as it looks when we watch the television preachers. TV seems to always make things look better than they are! I preached in a revitalized church in the Dayton area this past Sunday and said to the people, “You have worked hard to get to this level. And you will have to work just as hard to stay at this level or go to a higher level.” For all of us that means conquering disappointment, discouragement, setbacks, failures, conflicts and I haven’t even mentioned the devil yet.
Jesus says in Today’s Verse, “Hold fast or keep holding on!” In the next verse He promises, “He who overcomes, I will make him a PILLAR in the temple of My God.” A pillar! Wow! Something solid, powerful enough to bear a heavy load. Nothing is really said about being a great preacher, awesome teacher, thrilling singer, smart administrator or enthusiastic soulwinner. But what is said is, “Hold fast or keep holding on” through thick or thin, plenty or want, in season or out of season. BE AN OVERCOMER!
Sometimes you may find yourself hanging on by your fingernails…hey, “Hold on for one more day!” Then tell yourself the same thing tomorrow and the day after.
During the Civil War, General William T. Sherman was driving his troops on his decisive march to the sea. He left behind in a fort on Kennesaw Mountain a small contingent of men to guard the rations. General John Bell Hood of the Confederate Army attacked the fort and a fierce battle followed. One-third of the men were killed or wounded, and J. M. Corse, the general in command, was severely injured in the fighting.
Just as Corse was about to raise the white flag and surrender, a message arrived through the signal corps set up on a chain of mountains. General Sherman was within fifteen miles of the fort and had sent the message, “Hold fast! We are coming.”
Those few words were all the encouragement the fort needed! They held on and kept the fort from falling into the hands of the opposing Army.
Based upon that experience, Phillip Bliss wrote the thrilling song, “Ho, my comrades, see the signal, waving in the sky! Reinforcements now appearing, victory is nigh. ‘Hold the fort, for I am coming,’ Jesus signals still; Wave the answer back to heaven, ‘By Thy grace we will.’”
Ah, my friend, hang in there till Jesus comes! After all, He is coming!
Aug 29, 2023 – Who would ever think that something like the next sentence could happen…to anyone, let alone you? The fire chief of Simsboro, La. almost drowned when the town’s only fire truck overturned on the way to a fire, spilling 1,200 gallons of water on top of him. Who would have thought?
In Norway, a man was hunting rabbits when he decided to take a break. He laid down his shotgun next to his dog. The frisky pup accidently hit the trigger. Pellets ricocheted off a rock and hit the hunter in the face and arm. Deputy Sheriff Steinar Mydland refused to name the hunter. He said, “It wouldn’t be right to give his name. It’s embarrassing for a hunter to get shot by his dog.” Who would have thought?
Strange things happen. Good things, bad things. Unpredictable things. Items not scheduled on our calendar. Things that may not even be imaginable such as the above two stories. Sorrowful incidents, laughable incidents, too.
Yes, life can be chaotic at times. This writer does not like chaos, how about you? I prefer a predictable flow. Based upon my financial background, I have often said, “I wish life was a spreadsheet, because a spreadsheet is logical!” But life is not always logical, and it leaves me confused.
Jonah’s story is one of the most unexpected, illogical stories in the Bible. Many of us rebel against what God has called us to do. But none of us have duplicated Jonah’s experience and been swallowed by a great fish. But all of us have encountered events which we were not expecting. In some cases we were not prepared for the event; in other cases, though, God had carefully prepared us for what was coming, and we were ready to go forth and conquer.
Sometimes God uses these unexpected events to teach us Who is really in control. James writes about the typical human attitude which says, “Let’s go to such a city, do business for a year!” But James admonishes, “You ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.’ But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.” James is really harsh in his language: “You boast in your arrogance!” Such language gives us God’s view of how most of us plan our days. Would you agree we need to be humbler?
Sometimes God uses these unexpected events as a test. It is easy to become discouraged when our plans go south on us. I marvel at how many people drop out of church when they lose their job. You would think those people would be running to church, but the opposite occurs more often. Those people fail the test. Consider these words: Tests show what is reality and WHO is real. On the other hand, these unexpected events may encourage us…like a pay raise or a much needed “Well done!” Be warned, though, because those events can give us a Superman attitude, cause us to depend less upon the Lord.
Sometimes God uses these unexpected events to teach us to depend upon Him. Jonah didn’t have many options once he was inside the fish. He was literally “boxed in.” The next verse says that Jonah then prayed to the Lord. There is no mention of Jonah praying until he arrives inside the great fish. But now he needed the Lord! Jonah probably sang the old hymn, “Where could I go but to the Lord?” It’s amazing how we lose sight of how much we need the Lord…and, sad to say, it often takes an unexpected STOP sign to get us back on track.
One truth is certain: God is working all around us. He was with us yesterday, He is with us today, and He will hang around with us tomorrow. May you keep a tender heart…and lean upon Him no matter what comes your way.
Aug 28, 2023 – How much does God want to save your soul? More than anyone you have ever met! It is unfathomable to a sinner like me that the holy God of heaven would make a commitment to send His OWN Son to die on an old rugged cross to save my soul.
This writer has preached in the Bible belt for nearly fifty years. Quite often I have quoted the old country preachers who said, “Hell is the hottest for the people in our area who rejected Christ. Why? They have received more opportunities to be saved than most other places in the world.” Others said, “If a sinner in our community rejects so many efforts to save his soul, well, there must be a hell for a sinner like that.”
A young man lived such a wicked life that he brought his mother to an early death. She had prayed for her son’s salvation, but he had spurned the offer. After the funeral service, the father and son returned home. The father sat down in the living room before the fireplace. The boy went to his room on the second floor.
A few minutes later the boy came down the steps. He was going out for the night. The heartbroken father begged his son to remain at home with him.
The boy insisted, “No, I am going out.”
The father stepped to the door and begged his son to turn from his life of sin and receive Christ. Again, the boy refused. Then the father threw himself upon the floor and said, “Son, if you leave this house, you will have to go over my body.”
Uttering vile oaths, the young man stepped UPON the body of his father and rushed out into the night.
Perhaps that story gives us insight into these words: “How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews 10:29).
God the Holy Trinity developed a plan that could save every soul from the wrath to come. God the Son offered the one and only perfect sacrifice that can save our souls. And God the Holy Spirit convinces or convicts the sinner (both those that get saved and those that don’t get saved) of sin (what you are), righteousness (what you need), and judgment (where you are headed). Where does that put us? Right here: “But to as many as RECEIVED HIM (the Savior), to them He gave the right to become children of God.”
Thank God, I have received Him, how about you? But it was only possible because God was “not willing that any (can you put your name here?) perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
“Well, it was a time on earth When in the books of heaven, An old account was standing For sins yet unforgiven. My name was at the top And many things below; But I went unto the keeper And settled it long ago.
“Long ago, long ago, Yes, the old account was settled long ago, And the record’s clear today ‘Cause he washed my sins away. And the old account was settled long ago.” Amen.
Aug 25-27, 2023 – Some years ago, in the city of Toronto, a young man passed a street meeting. He heard the street preacher quote one verse from the Bible: “Son, give me thine heart” (Proverbs 23:26). The young man kept walking and heard nothing else. The verse seemed to go in one ear and out the other. Fifty years later, though, the verse became alive to the now much older man. The verse continued to repeat itself to his mind. At last, the conviction of the Holy Spirit fell upon him, then belief came to him and he fell upon his knees, crying to God for mercy and forgiveness. The lesson is so simple: The Word of God is a living book unlike any other book in the history of the world. But, above all, this Book must be understood or it accomplishes nothing.
Today’s Verse establishes the goal of the teacher/preacher as being more than simply communicating knowledge; it must be the goal of providing understanding. “They gave the sense of the passage so that the people understood the reading.” One evangelist said, “Follow the Lord’s instructions and concentrate on, ‘Feeding the sheep’ rather than ‘feeding the giraffes.’” The majority of church members are not giraffes with the ability to eat the higher fruit but sheep that need their daily bread at ground level.
Vincent Van Gogh reminds us, “How difficult it is to be simple!” There is an art to making things simple. It is not easily learned. My father (also a pastor) gave me a book in 1982 (my sixth year of ministry) with the following inscription: “May God grant that you should always speak so that others will understand and follow Him.” Then he highlighted this Bible verse: “In the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, in order to teach others also, than 10,000 words in another language” (1 Corinthians 14:19). Oh, we must make the message clear and simple or it will not be understandable!
Indeed, the goal of reading the Bible to yourself or to others is more than simply reading. Ruth Ellen and I read the Bible to our children each night in our family altar. As they became older, we engaged them in reading the Bible, also. In many ways, our children learned to read by reading the Bible in that sacred time. But even that success was not the goal. The goal was not merely reading but creating life-change based upon “understanding the reading.”
That same goal must be your goal as a teacher of God’s Word. Before teaching your students, think through what they may not know about the text and how best to help them know; only then can you properly apply the truth to their lives. Never forget: You do not exist as a Sunday School teacher, pastor or even seminary professor to merely inform; you exist as an instrument to bring about life-change in the listeners.
“Oh, God, teach us how to communicate Your Word to those You have entrusted to our care!”
Aug 24, 2023 – A little boy walked up to the pastor and said, “I hate the devil.”
The pastor replied, “So do I, son. But why do you hate the devil?”
The little boy began to cry and whimpered about two men in military clothing who had come to the house and “told momma and poppa that Bubba would not be coming home. He was killed in an enemy attack.” The boy recognized the devil and sin were behind war. Do you know there will be wars and rumors of wars until Christ puts the devil in prison? Only then will man “study war no more.”
In another city a little boy with a black eye went to the preacher and said, “I hate the devil. Last night daddy went out, got drunk, and when he came home, he got mad at mommy and me and he beat up mommy and me.” The boy knew Satan for what he is. Such stories are not rare.
In another city a pastor looked into the face of a young mother lying peacefully in the casket. He put his arm around the husband and the husband said, “I hate the devil. What am I going to do? I have three children—ages 6, 4 and 2. What am I going to do?”
If you were any of these three, wouldn’t you hate the devil, too? The Bible says people die because death is the wages of sin and, as we know, he—the devil—is the author of sin. Every funeral bears witness to the devil’s work. It wasn’t supposed to be this way! Thank God, we’re headed for a city where there will be no more devil…and since there is no more devil there will also be no more death nor sorrow nor crying.
That is why the Apostle Paul says, “Be alert! Wake up! We wrestle not against flesh and blood…against politicians and bosses and flimflam artists but against…spiritual wickedness in high places including the diabolical one who rules the darkness of this present world system” (Ephesians 6:12).
Unlike your worst acquaintance, nothing morally or spiritually good can be said about the devil. The Bible describes him as a murderer, liar, thief, destroyer, schemer, adversary plus so much more. No wonder the Bible cautions us, “Give no place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:27). One sage testified, “Be careful! Give the devil an inch and he’ll take a mile!” And he will!!! And he won’t stop until he destroys all that we hold dear.
I wonder: What does Satan want to do with you? Ah, friend, there is another choice. “Flee to the Rock that is higher than I!”
Aug 23, 2023 – Let’s absorb a seemingly random collection of material today…similar to the book of Proverbs. The older I become, the more I realize the gold mine contained in Proverbs. It’s good for any stage of life and any condition in life. I finally wised up and preached through much of this book in my last church; I encourage you to soon peruse the totality of its wise sayings.
I offer these pearls of wisdom in a similar way to you. I am sure you will save one or two or perhaps even all of them.
Charles Spurgeon: “If you preach what is new, it won’t be true; if you preach what is true, it won’t be new.” This applies to all who teach God’s Word!
Vance Havner: “Most Christians live such a subnormal life that if they ever lived the normal Christian life the world would think they were abnormal.”
There are three groups in every church: those who make things happen, those who watch it happen and those who wonder what happened!
A woman said to evangelist B. R. Lakin, “I don’t get much out of your sermons.” Lakin replied, “Did you bring anything to catch it and take it home in?” Many Christians go to church like one boy showed up to play in a baseball game: He did not take a ball, bat, or glove!
“Someone has said that this generation is a generation of mini-sermons.” “Isn’t it strange you have the shortest Bible message for your largest congregation?” “Sermonettes make Christianettes!”
Vance Havner: “Too many church services start at 11:00 sharp and end at 12:00 dull.”
“Worship” comes from the old English word “worthship.” In worship we acknowledge worth!
Some friends are like an umbrella: Johnny-on-the-Spot when the sun shines, but they cannot be found when it rains.
“I went out to find a friend, but could not find one anywhere. I went out to be a friend, and friends were everywhere.”
The church will rise no higher than its pastor, though I have seen churches rise higher than their deacons. Pastor, it begins with you. Set the right example!
Happy thinking!
Aug 22, 2023 – A lady began to faithfully attend a particular church. Sometime later the lady received Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. A curious observer asked the lady what attracted her to that particular church. She said, “I went because of the love that each had for the other.”
There is something contagious about love. Perhaps that is because there is a universal need to be loved. Perhaps it is because love is so incredibly powerful. The Apostle Paul writes so eloquently, “Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). James adds, “Love covers a multitude/abundance of sins, wrong-doings, mistakes” (James 5:20).
A wife lived with an overbearing husband. One day he insisted that she follow his lead, because he was the man of the house. The wife quietly asked, “Are you doing this because you love me?” Inserting the word “love” in the discussion changed the tone of the entire discussion and led to a different course of action.
These words describe a church in old England. “The people were all farmers and shepherds, poor as Job’s turkey; an uncouth lot whose speech one could hardly understand, unable to read or write; most of them pagans cursed with vice and ignorance and wild tempers. The Established Church had never touched them; only the humble Baptists had sent an itinerant preacher there and he had made a good beginning.”
The preacher was an unknown preacher named John Fawcett. By and by, a much more prosperous church (Carter’s Lane Baptist Church in London) extended a call to Fawcett which he accepted. ”The farewell sermon was preached, the bulky items of his furniture and some of his older books were sold and the day of departure arrived. The two-wheeled cart came for the rest of his belongings, and likewise came the parishioners to say good-by. The crowd was despondent and in tears.
It was then that John’s wife cried out, “I can’t stand it, John! I know not how to go.”
John responded, “Lord help me Mary, nor can I stand it! We will unload the wagon. We’ve changed our minds! We are going to stay!” They did indeed stay…54 years!
John later wrote these words which many of us have sung: “Blest be the tie that binds, Our hearts in Christian love. The fellowship of kindred minds Is like to that above!”
Never underestimate the power of love. It teaches louder than anything you say!
Aug 21, 2023 – This writer was a very small boy when I learned the most important part of being God’s messenger. What did I learn? I learned never to be a Jonah and refuse to deliver God’s message. This particular story happened when I was very young. I had just graduated from the “crawling around under the church pews” stage. (Some of you don’t know this but crawling under the church pews was an Olympic sport in my day.) Our pastor, Vern Davis, preached one Sunday night on Jonah. The Bible says, “The Lord spoke unto the fish and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.” But that’s not the way Vern preached it. He said, “The Lord spoke unto the fish and the fish spit out Jonah upon the dry land.”
I may have been young but I knew Vern hadn’t told the story right. I went to him after church and said, “Pastor, you didn’t preach that right. The Bible says the fish vomited out Jonah upon the dry land, not spit him out.”
Vern put his arm around me and said, “Tommy, some of these women have weak stomachs and I was afraid it might upset them if I said vomit.”
I said, “If the Bible says it, then you ought to preach it.” Vern was still telling that story fifty years later!
The story still brings a smile to me but it also reminds me that God’s Word preaches itself if we allow it to do so. My third book “Sanctification: How God Creates Saints out of Sinners” is dedicated “To the many voices (of the ‘One Above All’) crying in today’s wilderness: Keep sowing Jesus!” The reality is that God’s messenger is not the message but rather the VOICE proclaiming the message. The voice’s identity is unimportant in the big scheme of things; he simply exists to make the message known…to deliver what the Author wants declared. The voice fails if he alters the message or fails to deliver the message. But he succeeds when he delivers the message…that success does not depend upon whether the message is accepted or rejected.
The same is true for you and me. We are not the message nor should we ever allow the message to become us. We exist to present God’s message. Sometimes the message will be positive but sometimes it will be negative. It is much easier to be positive than negative, but we must never shun from declaring the WHOLE counsel of God. Never forget it is God’s message. God wants to speak to those around you. Please allow Him to use you as His voice!
Aug 19-20, 2023 – Do you know you are a poem? Not merely a reader or writer of poems, but your very being is a poem. Today’s Verse describes believers as God’s workmanship. We get our English word “poem” from the Greek word “poiema” which is translated “workmanship, masterpiece, a work of art, creation” in various translations.
This verse teaches that God is very interested in you…in developing you into a higher form of you. The Supreme Poet of the universe is writing His poetry in you. In brief, you are His expression or His poetry to humanity. But what if there was no humanity? The focus would still be upon developing you into the image of Christ…”till Christ be formed in you!”
Isn’t this amazing? God wrote poetry on paper in the Psalms and other Bible books. God, though, is now writing poetry in human hearts. It is one of the joys of being a Christian….of being able to experience growth and yet realize you have so much farther to go.
The cartoonist Charles Shultz portrays Lucy telling Charlie Brown, “No one is perfect, Charlie Brown. That’s why pencils have erasers.” How often my Poet has used His eraser on me! Can you say the same?
What do we learn from poetry which is also true of us? First, poetry is the production of the poet. The pen and the paper do not control the poet, but the poet controls the pen and what is written on the paper. What the poet writes is his production. He himself is responsible for the words. Man says, “I am self-made. Look at what I have done.” That is true for the unbeliever. But for the Christian it is not, “I am self-made” but, “I am in the process of becoming God-made.”
The Supreme Poet seeks our soul in salvation then begins His sanctifying work of converting us to the final product: the image of His Son. Just as the sculptor knows the final product before he hits the first blow with his hammer, so God knows what our final design will be…and how to get us to that point.
Second, poetry reveals the writer’s mind. His inner thoughts cannot be known unless they are placed on paper. Poetry is a form of expression. So is anger. A woman complained, “That store clerk made me furious. I gave her a piece of my mind.” Her friend said, “I’d be careful. You don’t have much to give!”
How does the Supreme Poet reveal His mind? Today’s Verse includes these words, “created in Christ for good works.” The Poet shapes us so that we long to perform good works. In so doing, we become “the light of the world. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and GLORIFY YOUR FATHER who is in heaven.”
Third, poetry possesses different rhythm. “Rhythm in poetry is the art of creating a beat and pulse that gives a poem its musical quality.” If you read ten poems by ten authors you will likely find variations in the design. God’s poetry is different, too. Although every believer is designed to be completely like Christ, yet every believer is given his own unique design. This design is displayed through our different passions, abilities, personalities and experiences. No two believers, including twins, are the same. We’re unique and deliberately designed with our own uniqueness by the Supreme Poet.
Bottom line: You’re special because God is making you special.
During the late 1970’s I met a little boy in a McDonald’s in Chattanooga. His t-shirt said, “I’m little and I’m good cos God don’t make junk!” Sometimes I get down on myself. I then repeat that slogan. “I’m now big and I’m good cos God don’t make junk!” I have value to myself, my family, and my God. And so do you. Thank you, Jesus.
Aug 18, 2023 – SUCCESS STUDY PART 4: BUILD SOMETHING THAT WILL LAST! F. A. Barillas cautions, “If you are asked to build a castle, don’t build it out of sand by the ocean, don’t build it out of ice in the middle of summer. Build it with the best materials, with the best design, and with the intention to make it last the passing of time.”
Some people purchased lots in a certain part of Minneapolis and proceeded to build houses where there had once been a swamp. Many of the people assumed the ground was solid so they went about building in the usual way.
One man, however, was suspicious about the land. He hired someone to drill a series of test holes. After examining the results, he elected to drive some pilings eighty feet into the earth before laying his foundation. His neighbors thought he was wasting money, but he did it anyway.
Several years passed. Things changed. Several of the houses had settled. Some of the basement windows were now a foot below the ground. But the house where the pilings had been driven had not settled at all. It was now obvious who was wise and who was foolish.
Everything in life goes back to one’s foundation. Upon what or whom is the person building? That is why we spend so much time with children. We KNOW the foundational importance of those early years. We try to get to them before the devil or the world does. In these last four devotionals we have contrasted the weak foundations of this world with the rock-solid foundation of Jesus Christ…the Master, the Rabbi, the Savior and Creator. As we wrap up this study, there are three items that catch my attention.
First, the wise man’s house speaks of shelter. Lasting shelter against the storms of life! When the storms of life race toward the wise man and the sky turns black as midnight, the wise man runs to his place of shelter. He takes comfort in Jesus’ promise, “The rain fell, the floods came, the winds blew and beat on that house, but it DID NOT FALL, because it had been founded on the rock.” The wise man KNOWS he is safe, because the Lord Himself is the anchor of his soul.
Second, the wise man’s house speaks of home, of the family, of the place where his loved ones gather. Houses in Bible times were routinely full and overflowing! Jesus’ listeners understood His promise extended to the entire family. So the wise man was wise about his family, too. He was not only thinking of himself, but he was also thinking of his loved ones.
Third, the wise man’s house speaks of a lifetime—not merely a life but a lifeTIME. Most houses last a lifetime. Even to this day one’s house represents the average person’s biggest investment. Purchasing a house is intended to be the investment of a lifetime. Jobs come and go, but the wise man always has a place to go. Not just now but in the years ahead. Thus, he was careful about how he built and where he built.
What does Jesus say? “Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a WISE man who built his house on the rock.” It is a foundational principle, because it is about the foundation and the foundation is critical to one’s success in life.
Are you building on the right foundation who is Jesus Christ? Or do you need to make a mid-course adjustment? Be wise, not foolish, and tie your success to Jesus Christ!
Aug 17, 2023 – SUCCESS STUDY PART 3 – It’s going back to school time. What is the most important item that can be taught to those students? Suffice it to say the most important item is unlikely to be taught. That is not the fault of the teachers. They have been hired to teach important material which is more than just stuff…information that can prepare the students for advancement in life, being able to care for themselves rather than being government dependent.
KEY: The most important material that can ever be taught by a school teacher, parent, pastor, politician, etc. concerns the right foundation for building a life. It needs to be a foundation that can stand the test of time. This foundation should stabilize the entire person: body, soul and spirit. This foundation should be trustworthy, always telling the truth. It should also work well in every stage of life. Also, this foundation must be stronger than any other foundation…never need strengthened…remain rock solid for as long as we need it (we will need it until death).
May I recommend the most solid foundation of all? The Lord Jesus Christ! The Apostle Paul says, “No other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11). Christ! The One who holds the entire universe together (Col. 1:17). Not merely the Creator of all things but also the Sustainer of all things. The One who brings peace in the midst of the storm, Who holds our tomorrows in His hands, Who directs our steps and Who gives vitality to one’s soul.
Imagine Jesus teaching in our schools! Here is His FIRST lesson: “Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Not on the rock plus other things. Not on one of many rocks, but on THE rock. Not lived frivolously either as in the case of the man who built his house upon the wind driven sand and who was left with nothing of value.
Our Lord’s instruction denotes an element of PURPOSE, of intentionality. This life is DELIBERATELY CHOSEN by the person. He could have chosen among many possibilities. But he chose this possibility and he invested his all in building his life upon the rock.
This, of course, begins with receiving Jesus Christ as one’s Lord and Savior. “God drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a ROCK, making my steps secure” (Ps. 40:2). What a graphic passage! The condition of all outside Christ is in the “pit of destruction” and “the miry bog.” I hate walking in deep mud! The mud pulls my shoes off my feet. No progress can be made. Life is such a mess at times like those. Frustrated! No peace! No hope! Always struggling.
In last Wednesday’s service an elderly man testified that he did not know how to love or how to be a good husband until he was born again as a middle-aged man. How often those words are said! “Out of the pit of destruction and the miry bog and established on the Rock!” Christ makes a difference if we allow Him to make a difference!
Are you sure you are on the rock? Are you following His instructions as you build your life? Is what you’re building tied to the rock or tied to something else?
What does this mean? We’ll discuss this issue further tomorrow.
Aug 16, 2023 – PART 2 – We want success too easily! Unfortunately, many people expect success to be granted on a silver platter; they fail to understand that true success requires a four letter word called WORK. One of the early Smith Barney investment firm commercials showed an old banker saying to the camera, “We make money the old-fashioned way. We earn it!”
A person may inherit a great sum of money, but that inheritance will not make the person a success. It just means the person has money. The same principle exists in church ministry. Many a young man has been described as “the next Billy Graham” solely because he had the ability to talk…or, more correctly, gab. Far too often people rely on their charisma, but charisma will take an individual only so far. One new employee explained his laziness to the boss by saying, “I get tired real easily.” Sound familiar?
Lee Roberson, our pastor during my Bible college days, gives us these cautionary words, “The University of Hard Knocks is divided into two colleges: the College of Needless Knocks and the College of Needful Knocks. There are some needless knocks which we receive. They do us little good and are the result of our own foolishness. Then there are the needful knocks which come to make us what we ought to be.”
How true! Ministry is not for lazy people. Ask any successful Christian and you will get the same answer: “You have to fight your way through many battles. One of the most difficult and never ceasing battles is with self. You have to overcome laziness, desiring the easy life, and compromising your biblical values. Then comes the easier but still hard part: the battle to minister through all sorts of obstacles.”
Some things NEVER change. Hence, your battle is the same as that faced by Moses, David and the Apostle Paul. I repeat: Some things never change.
First, people will be the same no matter in what era you live or what your age may be. Human nature has been contaminated by Adam’s sin. Frederick the Great says, “The more I see of men, the better I like my dog.” All of the Bible saints struggled at times with people in their ministry. What would those saints say to our complaints? “Been there, done that!” Thus, there are no green pastures to seek. Perhaps better pastures, but there is no pasture without troubled and troubling people. Just keep ministering!
Second, today will be replaced by tomorrow. Tomorrow won’t be a repeat of today. Don’t expect it to be. That truth may be a blessing or it may not be a blessing. But the world will change overnight. Awaken tomorrow with the expectation that something new, perhaps good or perhaps bad or perhaps neutral, is headed your way. Ask God for the strength to deal with whatever is new, whatever is old and whatever just “is.” After all, He is the God of tomorrow, too. Just keep ministering!
Next, peace treaties never last. It would be nice if the world could experience the peace of Christmas throughout an entire year. But that won’t happen. Wars will break out between nations, family members, employees, neighbors and church members. Don’t allow yourself to become discouraged by such conduct. Jesus kept His eye on the ball: the cross. Nothing deterred Him from achieving His purpose. Just keep ministering!
Fourth, churches are churches. I was so happy in pastoring my first church. My pastor-father poured cold water on my joy when he said, “Son, it’s still a church.” A church ought to be a collection of saints but my pastorates have included sinners in various stages of pursuing (or not pursuing) sainthood. Some loved Bible teaching whereas others did not want Bible teaching. Some were opposed to implementing the Great Commission or supporting missionaries. Sadly for the minister, there are no perfect churches. Indeed, sometimes the leadership marvels that the church is able to accomplish as much as it does given the obstacles. It’s just the way it is. We have to live with this reality in order to minister successfully. Just keep ministering!
Last, our imperfections are more than we realize, but God’s power to use us is also more than we realize. The Bible bluntly reveals the imperfections of God’s saints. By contrast, none of my imperfections appear in my resume. I always put my BEST foot forward. How about you? But the imperfections are eventually realized. Success will never come if we dwell upon our imperfections. But success CAN come and WILL come when we surrender the ministry to God and God’s power takes control.
Above all, just keep ministering!
More about success tomorrow!
Aug 15, 2023 – Do you want to be a success? Practically everyone longs to be a success. But in what way? I knew of an alcoholic who considered himself a success because he could outdrink everyone he knew. Was that a good thing? It was to him but not to me. First, it was a waste of money. Second, it was a waste of time. Third, it was a waste of relationships. Fourth, it was a waste of his better skills. Bottom line: It was a waste of a life.
Wonder what they wrote on his tombstone? Perhaps they wrote, “The rain descended on his life, the floods came, the winds blew and beat on this man’s life; and it fell. And great was its fall.” Dennis Swanberg writes the somber words, “Every person enters this world with an ‘expires on’ date.” Therefore, each of us should live each day with the goal of making the most of that particular day.
How, though, can we make the most of each day or the TOTALITY of our days? The President of Brazil once asked the American economist Roger Babson why the United States with its no greater resources than those of Brazil had gone so far ahead of Brazil and the other South American countries in economic development. Babson replied, “The reason is probably this: North America was founded by people seeking God. South America was founded by men seeking gold.”
The Brazilian President responded, “I believe you are right.” Ah, friend, building on the right foundation settles so many issues!
However, there are many pursuits in life which are false…which may look good or feel good at the time but eventually play out like a gold vein plays out. Soon the “victim” watches the air leak out of his balloon and realizes he has little or nothing to show for his effort.
Some pursue pleasure. That includes sex and drugs. One NBA star bragged about taking more than one thousand women to bed. Just wondering, why did he need more than one woman? Or two? Or three? Or a dozen? You know the answer!
Some pursue religion. The appeal of false religion is strong to many. The Bible describes many religious people as “having a form of godliness but denying the power of godliness.” In other words, they are satisfied, like the Pharisees of old, with an external religion. “Give me a ritual, not a relationship!”
Some purpose the business world and money. Solomon, the richest man of his day, cautions, “Don’t wear yourself out to get rich; stop giving your attention to it. As soon as your eyes fly to it, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky” (Proverbs 23:5).
Some pursue education. Education, though, often fails in providing a well-paying job or satisfaction. Amazingly, it is estimated that nearly half of school teachers in the EDUCATION field leave the profession within the first five years. Something is missing!
Some pursue parenthood or an early marriage. “I must escape home from mom and dad.” “I think getting married or having a baby will solve my problems.” Perhaps, but usually the problem is much deeper!
What do you seek? Ultimately, the FOUNDATION of your life will determine whether your life will be a success. We will discuss this issue further in tomorrow’s edition.
Aug 14, 2023 – Dealing with children evangelistically is very challenging! We do not wish to mislead a child into believing he is a believer when, in reality, he may simply be agreeing with us as we share the gospel.
Let these words encourage you from the old-time Methodist preacher John R. Church. “I was definitely converted in an old-fashioned Methodist revival when I was about nine years of age. My conversion was very clear and unmistakable. I have never had any doubt about my conversion. Some people say that children do not know what they are doing at that age, but I want to testify that I knew what I was doing, and I feel certain that my sins were forgiven and that I became a child of God at that time.”
I often reflect on the hour I placed my faith in Christ as a little nine-year-old boy. It occurred on a Thursday evening in a revival meeting in my home church. I don’t recall anything about the sermon or the music, but I do recall yielding my heart and receiving Christ as the one and only Savior. He became mine and I became His at nine o’clock p.m. on January 14, 1965.
Lydia Boekell, long-time staff member of Child Evangelism Fellowship, testifies, “I was saved at the age of three. I was in my bedroom and mom was putting me to bed. I knew I was a sinner and I would not go to heaven if I died unless I accepted Jesus as my Savior. So that night I asked Jesus to be my Savior. I was not baptized until I was age eleven. The night before I was baptized the thought went through my mind that if I really was not saved, I needed to make sure I was saved before baptism. So that night I prayed and told the Lord that if I really did not mean it when I was three, I meant it then. But I know now that I was saved at the age of three. I believe Satan was trying to make me doubt my salvation.”
Thank God, a person, even a child, can KNOW he has more than religion! He can know that He has Christ! “Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life” (John 5:24).
Dealing with children is, in most ways, no different than dealing with an adult. The Holy Spirit does the most important teaching of making the sinner aware of his sin, future judgment for that sin, and the solution for his sin: the death of Jesus Christ as payment for all sin. If a person CANNOT comprehend those three facts he cannot be saved REGARDLESS of his age. Indeed, if he cannot accept items one and two, there is no reason in his mind for him to trust in a Savior. Therefore, what does the sinner (including the child) know and accept as fact?
I always suggest asking open ended questions rather than questions requiring a mere “yes” or “no” answer. Let the seeker explain what they know. For example, “What is sin? Have you sinned? What is the penalty for sin? Who is Jesus? Why did Jesus die? What happened to Jesus after He died? What can you do to save yourself from hell?”
James D. Price draws our attention to the opening words in the Great Commission. “The significant word in Mathew 28:19 is the Greek word ‘matheteusate’ which means ‘make a disciple’ or ‘teach.’ The KJV translated the word as ‘teach’ two times (Matt. 28:19; Acts 14:21), as ‘instruct’ once (Matt. 13:52), and as ‘be a disciple’ once (Matt. 27:57). The concept of ‘make disciples’ infers ‘teach to the point of discipleship’ where the person comes to personal faith in Jesus and is ready for baptism.”
Thus, does the person know enough to exercise faith in the Savior? Some do in our first discussion while others do not. In the latter case we need to “teach to the point of discipleship.” Such teaching takes time and must be targeted to their need. (Missionaries follow this process in foreign cultures. Our culture is becoming more foreign all the time.)
Last, we have always relied upon God’s providence to handle any mistakes we make. For example, if we erroneously tell a child he is forgiven it is likely God will continue His work in the child’s life and at some future time bring that awareness to the more mature person. Every minister has baptized adults that made a profession of faith as a child but later determined the profession was lacking. In time God brought those people to such an awareness, they established their personal faith in Christ as Savior, and, in most cases, they became strong Christians.
God bless you with wisdom to “instruct to the point of belief.”
Aug 12-13, 2023 – PROPHECY STUDY #2 – One stormy night an elderly couple entered the lobby of a small hotel and asked for a room. The clerk said the hotel was full as were all the hotels in town. “But I can’t send a fine couple like you out in the rain. Would you be willing to sleep in my room?”
The couple hesitated, but the clerk insisted. On the next morning when the man paid his bill, he said, “You’re the kind of man who should be managing the best hotel in the United States. Someday I’ll build one for you.” The clerk smiled politely and the couple disappeared.
A few years later the clerk received a letter from the elderly man in which he recounted that stormy night and asked the clerk to come to New York City. A round-trip ticket was enclosed. When the clerk arrived, his host took him to the corner of 5th Avenue and 34th Street where stood a magnificent new building. The man said, “That is the hotel I have built for you to manage.”
The man was William Waldorf Astoria and the hotel was the original Waldorf-Astoria. The young clerk, George C. Boldt, became its first manager.
“Because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.” Our Lord will apparently say those words to those believers who have faithfully used whatever God deposited in their hands. Some were given much in ability or substance; others were given much less. But the task was still the same: “Serve Me with what you have until I come again.”
Someday Jesus will establish His Millennial Kingdom over the earth (Revelation 20). The promises to Israel about possessing the Promised Land will be accomplished. The Jews will be regathered to the Promised Land and will sit with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and experience their greatest celebration of all. King Jesus will personally reign over the earth on a literal throne similar to King David’s. As for us, the Bible makes it clear that “we shall REIGN with Him for a thousand years.” Ah, friend, the critics can’t spiritualize that away! If God didn’t mean what He said, then why didn’t He say what He meant? I take God’s Word literally…like an ordinary person would do. How about you?
Could it be that we in this current age might rule as mayors or governors in the Millennium? Some have suggested this possibility.
However, two points are certain: First, we will remain a part of God’s plan throughout eternity. There will be no time to play a harp in heaven and float on a cloud! We’ll be busy. Second, God will reward His faithful servants. Notice the words in Today’s Verse. He knew our effort and said, “Well done.” He identified our calling: “good servant” for God’s best are not known for their name but for their service. Last, He revealed His criteria for judgment: “faithful” rather than “successful” or “recognized by all.”
Guess what? All of us can excel in those three areas! Let’s give God our best!
Aug 11, 2023 – Last night I finished reading the Bible from cover to cover and I have good news for all of us: WE WIN! The Bible begins triumphantly with the creation of the universe and all that is therein, but immediately takes a nosedive into ruin due to Adam’s sin in the Garden BUT it does not end that way for someday the King—the real King—will indeed come and make all things right!
Imagine it! During our moments of despair, we often think the Christian cause is hopeless, the world has turned against us, and there is no reason to try. We must remind ourselves, though, of how the Bible ends: It does not end with man continuing his rebellion but with the King exerting His authority, crushing every act of rebellion, judging the wicked, and reigning forever and ever.
MacArthur aptly states, “All of the world’s diverse national, political, social, cultural, linguistic, and religious groups are in reality one kingdom under one king.” That, of course, is Satan. From God’s vantage point it is not a case of individual countries but of one humanity that has rebelled against its Creator. Man is the same everywhere! Shaking his fist at God, man says even to this day, “We will not have this man to reign over us.” But someday the hosts of heaven (I’ll be among them, how about you?) will shout, “The day of God’s delay is NO MORE and He has come to the earth to reign forever and ever.” What a glorious prospect!
Evangelist Glenn Mathews says with such confidence, “You may say, ‘I just don’t know what is going to happen.’ Oh, yes, you do. The Lord is going to come. Suddenly, but certainly, and the dead in Christ are going to be raised. And we who remain will be called up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and we will forever be with the Lord.
“If you think it is rough now, you wait until the Church of Jesus Christ is gone, and seven years of hell on earth begin. The Lord is going to come back. He is going to establish His Kingdom. We won’t study war anymore; it will be peace. Not just peace in the valley, but peace on the mountaintop. Not just for the Jews but for the Gentiles as well. We are going to enter into that. God is sovereign.”
Yes indeed, God is sovereign, and He will bring it to pass in His time…O Lord, hasten the day! Come quickly, Lord Jesus! Are you ready for that day to come? I am!
Aug 10, 2023 – How do you define worship? Quite honestly, it does not really matter how YOU define worship. All that matters is how God defines worship. Here is the biblical definition: “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” “Do all – A-L-L.” The little boy said it quite well, “All means all and that’s all all means.” In other words, A-L-L means a lot.
A-L-L means everything we do, say or think. A-L-L means everything we PLAN to do, say or think. A-L-L touches every area of our life including material possessions, goals, behavior, entertainment, vacations, use of money, employment, etc.
An old Christian named George told me about his initial act of worship. He was saved in adulthood at a church I later pastored. As I recall George drove a beer truck for a local distributor. But the church was praying for George’s salvation! Sure enough, the Holy Spirit reached down, got hold of him and brought him to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
Many years later George told me, “I walked into my supervisor’s office on the next day and quit my job. I said, ‘I have accepted Christ as my Savior. I cannot work any longer in this sinful place.’ My supervisor said, ‘But, George, you have a family to support. What will you do?’ I told him, ‘I have no idea what I will do, but God will make a way.’” Sure enough, God made a way. George raised his family in church and in the Lord’s way. He maintained a good testimony to the day of his homegoing. And, yes, he always had enough money to pay his bills.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans, “I beseech [beg or plead] you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). Paul deems such an act of worship as a “reasonable” act rather than an “unreasonable” act. Paul’s words are the New Testament equivalent of the first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” In other words, “Everything belongs to Me as your God.”
What is the most difficult item in worship? It is the human will. Most of us recall how our will fought us when we considered accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Our will did not want to be brought under His control. If we had listened to our will, all of us would end up in a devil’s hell. But we instead listened to the wooing of the Holy Spirit and SURRENDERED our will to His will and received Christ. “But as many as RECEIVED Him!” expresses the surrendering of the will!
But the will is still rebellious after our salvation. It wants to rule, but Christ DESERVES to rule as our Lord and Savior. He urges, “Take My yoke upon you.” Why? It is because the yoke makes life truly worth living. Wearing the yoke is where we learn the depths of worship!
“Is your A-L-L on the altar of sacrifice laid? Your heart does the Spirit control? You can only be blest and have peace and sweet rest As you yield Him your body and soul!” Ah, friend, that song describes where life can be lived at its fullest!
Aug 9, 2023 – What is the secret to having peace in one’s soul? The secret is not to seek peace but rather seek the PEACE-GIVER, the Lord Jesus Christ. Too many people seek peace in things or a place, but such peace is very illusive. It is similar to a peace treaty for what is the old saying? “They sign a peace treaty after every war.” In other words, the previous peace treaty did not last and should have been named a “truce treaty.”
Never has a man spoken peace or brought peace to my soul like Jesus! How often I have experienced Jesus walking on the water to my storm-tossed boat! John chapter six tells us about Jesus sending the apostles by boat across the sea. During the voyage a great storm arose. The ship was in danger of sinking. But along came Jesus walking on the water (an incredible feat to me but not to Him) uttering those calming words, “It is I; be not afraid.” The key word to the apostles was “I.” “I” is big enough to take care of every problem we face. “Whether we live, we are the Lord’s and whether we die, we are the Lord’s.” What better place to be than in His hands?
It is said about the most successful comedian of our day, “He can make us laugh but he cannot give us peace.” Which would you prefer? The ability to laugh or experience peace? Jesus is the Master Peace-Giver.
Jesus looks at the apostles on the eve of His own crucifixion—the event which would seemingly bring the world to an end for so many of His followers. What does He say? “My peace I give to you.” How can you explain those words coming from One who is about to be crucified?
Such peace becomes ours when we rest upon His power/will to deal with the current situation, though dire it may be. It is not such foolishness as saying, “What will be, will be” but rather saying, “My Lord is bigger than this situation. I will cling to Him…trust in Him…for ‘He doth know the way.’ To God be the glory! I will trust Him to do what is right.”
Two artists were asked to paint a scene that would reflect real peace. One painted a mountain lake, so calm and quiet, undisturbed, in the hills that was ringed by tall, slender pines whose glory was reflected in the mirrored surface of the lake.
By contrast, the second artist painted a very rough, even turbulent waterfall which came crashing down upon jagged chunks of granite rock. And there above the explosive waterfall was a slender birch tree with its fragile branches reached outward, teasing the foam rising from below. And in the fork of one of the branches was a nest. And nestled very serenely in the midst of the spray and foam was a bird sleeping. That, my friend, is genuine peace. That is the kind of peace that Jesus extends to us in the midst of our turbulent times.
“There is peace in the midst of trouble. There is peace in the midst of the storms. Where? In the shelter of His arms.” What a blessed place to be!
Aug 8, 2023 – Wouldn’t you agree that Jesus’ opinion on ANY subject is worth considering? How about the salvation of one’s soul? Isn’t that the #1 issue for each of us? Let’s consider three verses which clearly articulate Jesus’ view…and what must also be our own view if we are to be saved.
First, “It is finished” (John 19:30). So many people think that the way to salvation is to believe in Jesus PLUS something else. However, the Bible makes it clear that there is nothing else that can be added to the sacrifice of Christ, because His sacrifice TOTALLY satisfies God’s wrath against our sin. This writer thoroughly enjoys preaching on John 19:30 because the Greek word translated “finished” (Greek tetelestai) means “paid in full.” It is the idea that the bill has been stamped “Paid in Full.” The bill of my sins had to be paid. What could I do to pay them? Nothing. What could Jesus do to pay them? Everything! He died as a perfect sacrifice to pay my debt. When I believed in Christ the Savior, God the Father took His big stamp in heaven and stamped “Paid in Full” on my list of sins. What a blessing!
Second, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). “No one” excludes everyone who tries to come to the Father through the Virgin Mary, the Church, rites of baptism or communion, good works, donations to the poor, etc. Jesus made it plain as day that the issue of our sins is resolved in Him and Him alone.
Third, “I am the door. If any man enters in [through Me] he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture [for his soul]” (John 10:9). One deceived man approached the evangelist B. R. Lakin and said, “I am going to heaven because Peter has the keys to heaven!” Lakin responded, “I can do you one better, because I have the Door and His name is Jesus Christ!”
Bottom line: Our salvation depends totally upon Jesus or else there can be no salvation. Based upon the words of Jesus above, we can KNOW that our redemption is not based upon anything we bring to the table, but it is based solely upon the work of Christ on the cross of Calvary!
The London missionary George Woodall led a female patient in Mildnay Hospital to put her trust in Jesus Christ. A few days later she said, “I keep getting worried. Has God really forgiven my past?”
Woodall said, “If this keeps bothering you I believe I know what the Lord would say to you: ‘Why don’t you mind your own business? I have made your sins My business. I died for your sins on the cross.’” Woodall continued by paraphrasing Micah 7:19, “He took our sins behind His back, dropped them in the depths of the sea then put up a notice that said ‘NO FISHING ALLOWED.’”
Brothers and sisters, isn’t it great to know that God has put our sins where “No Fishing is Allowed”?
Aug 7, 2023 – Napoleon Bonaparte said about Jesus Christ, “I marvel that whereas the ambitious dreams of myself, Caesar and Alexander should have vanished into thin air, a Judean peasant named Jesus should be able to stretch His hands across the centuries and control the destinies of men and nations.”
Quite honestly, there is something different—much different—about Jesus Christ. That special something is due to His identity as God the Son, the Second Person in the Holy Trinity. The opening chapter of John’s Gospel says about Him, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him…And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
The Presbyterian James Boice writes, “Plato, we are told, once turned to that little group of philosophers and students that had gathered around him during the Greek Golden Age in Athens and said to his followers, ‘It may be that someday there will come forth from God a Word, a Logos, who will reveal all mysteries and make everything plain.’”
Criswell adds, “Plato, who probably had the most incomparable mind outside of the Scriptures, cried saying, ‘Oh, that there were some sure word that like a raft could bear us across the seas to that unknown shore!’”
In ages past, a young man went to a well-known philosopher and said, “I want to know all there is to know.”
The philosopher took him to the shore and instructed him to peer closely at the ocean. He said, “Tell me about the ocean.”
The young man proceeded to tell him all that he saw. The philosopher said, “Tell me, though, about the ocean you do not see.”
The young man struggled for a moment then confessed, “The ocean is too big for me to see all of it.” And it is. The would-be philosopher soon grasped not the ocean but the reality that the ocean was more than he could see, comprehend, or grasp.
So it is also with God the Son. “There are many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25). Oh, how awesome He is!
“Never man ever spoke like this Man!” Unlike my words, His very words are life—not only do they declare the way to eternal life but they are actually alive. No fair-minded individual can read the words of Jesus Christ and say, “They’re just words. Nothing more.” Why not? Because God has put His Spirit in these words of Jesus. And if you will listen—that means earnestly take the time to listen—you will find His words to exist on a higher plane than any words ever spoken.
And you will also know that more than a mere man has spoken to you. Indeed, you will.
Aug 5-6, 2023 – “If I have seen farther than others, it is because I was standing on the shoulders of giants.” Sir Isaac Newton’s words hold much truth for all of us and are well worth considering in this edition of Today’s Verse.
There are two “giants” that have meant much to me beginning in the 1960’s to the present day. Their names are Cliff Hartley and John Hankins. Both men attended my home church when I was a youngster. Cliff was one of my Sunday School teachers (I still have a Bible that he presented to me at that time). Both men announced their call to the ministry in our church. Both men were challenged by an anti-seminary mentality in our churches to stay local. However, both men rose above that challenge. Both men left their occupation and went to Bible college to prepare for a life of ministry. (Cliff went to Liberty in Lynchburg in its infant years and John attended Midwestern Baptist College in Pontiac, Michigan. Cliff was one of the reasons I seriously considered Liberty for my own training. I, however, was eventually led to Tennessee Temple.)
Both men graduated; in time both men established churches that are still proclaiming God’s Word to this present day. Both men became avid soulwinners; their ministries are known for old-fashioned standards, evangelism, and sold-out dedication to Christ. Both men have stayed at it through thick and thin. Both men are now eighty or more, but still active. Cliff is a Director of Missions helping pastors and churches in northeast Ohio. John is wrapping up a two-month preaching campaign in Ohio and returning home to Florida to teach and preach.
The impact of these two men will not be fully known this side of glory. In many ways, they paved the way for me (and others in our church) to go all the way for Jesus…to step out by faith and give God a chance to do what only God can do. I was not a pioneer, but merely followed in their footsteps. To paraphrase Newton, “I stood on the shoulders of my giants.”
KEY: Through those youthful years I watched…and kept watching. I cannot remember their sermons, but I can remember what they stood for. And still stand for. That speaks volumes!
I recently heard John preach in person. Afterward, I asked him if he recalled a difficult situation in his church in the 1980’s. I explained that dad (dad taught John and Cliff in Sunday School) had shared the story with me in my early ministry. John told me the complete story. I expressed that I had to take a similar stand in one of my churches…and had used John’s experience to help me deal with it. Quite honestly, it was his courage that helped me have courage.
Two thoughts: First. if you are in ministry (in whatever area), always remember to be that someone for the young. You may, even unknowingly, be a giant to them. The world history books may not contain your name, but you may still be a giant. After all, someone is always watching.
Second, if you are young and just beginning in ministry, find someone to challenge you and help you grow. Live in the shadow of those saints that have faced life’s difficulties and prevailed in the strength of the Lord. The greatest examples are not to be found in the library’s biography section but in the churches around you. Watch them. Study their consistency. You’ll see their failures, but you will also see them recover and move on. They are your giants.
“If I have seen farther than others, it is because I was standing on the shoulders of giants.”
Aug 4, 2023 – Do you believe God honors prayer and in the old adage, “Prayer changes things”? I do! The Bible says, “You receive not because you ask not.” Jesus says, “Keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking, and you shall receive, find, and it shall be opened to you.” May I paraphrase that passage? “If you don’t ask, you won’t receive. If you don’t seek, you won’t find. If you don’t knock, the door will never be opened.” In other words, PRAY!
Let’s explore two items today. First, for WHAT do you pray? During a Wednesday evening prayer service Pastor Roger Martin, one of our Tennessee Temple professors, took prayer requests from his congregation. (I was present.) A little boy raised his hand. Roger identified the boy then asked for his request. The boy said, “Today I was playing with a stapler and I ran a staple into my hand. And it hurts.” Someone snickered, but the pastor took it seriously…as he should have. The congregation proceeded to pray for that little boy. Never forget: What is not a suitable prayer request to you may be a suitable prayer request for someone else. Never minimize anyone’s prayer request.
After all, how big does a prayer request have to be in order for it to become a valid prayer request? Someone asked Spurgeon if it was appropriate to pray about little things such as a lost key. Spurgeon replied, “Can you think of anything that is big to our God?” But God hears us ask about all of our small things! Isn’t God good?
Second question: For whom do you pray? This story will challenge your heart to think differently about your prayer life. The poor lady was well up in years, her body was bent. She was poor in terms of money, but she seemed to be carried along by a special Divine power. One day a friend asked her, “How can you be so happy despite your current condition?”
The old lady said, “I do not have much money that I can give to others. My body is too weak to do much serving, but I clip the obituaries in the daily newspaper and then I pray for each one of the stricken households.” Total strangers to her, but not to God. How different prayer becomes when we pray beyond “me and my family.”
Want to try something new? Find someone today for whom you have never prayed before. Maybe someone you know…maybe someone you have never met. Maybe you know a need…maybe you know of no need. None of that really matters. But identify the person and then pray for that person. Pray for someone new today. Who knows? You might make this idea a part of your daily prayer life.
Aug 3, 2023 – It was a great discussion between a nonbeliever and a believer. The nonbeliever asked, “Suppose you discover after death that there is no such place as heaven and through the years you have been laboring under a delusion. What then?”
The believer responded, “Well, I would still be ahead for I have had a most wonderful and joyous time getting there. Suppose you, on the other hand, make the discovery after death that there is a hell. What then?”
“What then?” That is a fair question for both sides to answer. Someone close to Ruth Ellen and me once described us as Puritans because of our clean, wholesome lifestyle. We don’t drink, curse, smoke, have affairs, do drugs, trash talk others, steal, murder, lie, etc. We don’t even think about becoming someone else and adopting another identity. We’re satisfied with the Christian lifestyle; indeed, we wish the entire world would follow Christ!
During my many years as Vacation Bible School director, I would begin the final program by asking the visiting parents (many of whom were non-church parents), “Wouldn’t you agree this world would be a much better world if everyone followed Jesus?” Most of the people nod their heads in agreement, even those who have chosen to live a contrary lifestyle! It is at times like those that I note, “It is one thing to know what is the better choice; it is another matter entirely to enact the better choice.” Sadly, many parents bring their children to VBS in the hope that we can prevent the children from becoming like them!
I am fully satisfied that my commitment to Christ the Savior is the right choice. However, even if everything about Christianity is false, I am convinced I have still come out ahead of those who have gone the way of a worldly lifestyle…who bear so many scars from poor choices, impure behavior, deceitful mirages and failing allegiances. My scars, hurts and disappointments are far less than so many of my classmates from years ago. Some may possess more money or a bigger name but at what cost? Sorry, but that’s not for me.
Evangelist B. R. Lakin summarized it quite well: “I want to live my life so that when I die my family won’t have to apologize for me.” That’s a good goal for all of us.
Remember Today’s Verse because it can be true for you: “The memory [how we are remembered] of the righteous is a BLESSING.” It would be great for people to say at our funeral, “He or she made me a better person. I can see farther and do more because of them.”
I wouldn’t trade such a memory for the world. Amen?
Aug 2, 2023 – What is the most amazing riddle of all time? The riddle which will continue to have more answers added to it until the end of time?
Someone asked evangelist Curtis Hutson, “What is the greatest proof that the Bible is true?”
Hutson told the story of a little boy who was brought before a judge. The judge looked through the courtroom for the boy’s father but saw no one that might qualify as the father. The judge asked the boy, “Did you know your father was supposed to come to court with you? He has to sign the papers. So why didn’t you bring your father?”
The boy replied, “It is because my father died three years ago.”
The reply ended the discussion, because the judge considered the boy’s statement to be ample proof. After all, it is hard to argue with death, because death clearly establishes some things.
What is the answer to the greatest riddle of all time? I believe it is the New Testament in the Old Testament. St. Augustine, who lived 354 to 430 AD, says “The New Testament is in the Old concealed; the Old is by the New revealed.” The linkage between the two is a sight to behold for the Old Testament promises things that seemingly defy description and yet the New Testament displays the fulfillment of so many Old Testament promises in specific detail.
Time and space will not permit us to examine the many Old Testament prophecies about the life and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. Just reading His genealogy leaves my head spinning as to how so many unique personalities were brought into play. The Lion of Judah, the genealogy of King David, born in the birthplace of David just like God promised! That’s a sermon in itself. On and on it goes. How often the New Testament contains these words, “that it [an Old Testament prophecy] might be fulfilled.”
Some people fret about whether the Bible is true. That thought has never crossed my mind in these sixty-eight years. Why not? Simply this: I have read the Book! I have also studied the Book. The Holy Spirit testifies to my spirit that this Book is the Word of the living God. Fulfilled prophecy confirms time and time again that it is the Word of God. Logic confirms its truth, too! Though some may discount its pages as too old-fashioned, I find that its analysis of current humanity and current world affairs is the only logical explanation AND furthermore, it provides the only logical solution.
May I ask what has caught your attention in its pages recently? My mind is repeating this prophecy during the past week, “He will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:32-33). David sat on a literal throne in the city of Jerusalem. Bless God, Jesus will someday do the same. Sit on a literal throne in the city of Jerusalem where He will reign forever and ever…and of His kingdom there shall be no end! Oh my, and I will get to see it for myself. It’s not a pipe dream, but it’s a certainty to me…because the Bible tells me so.
Aug 1, 2023 – How should we advise someone in need of physical healing? This issue shipwrecks many Christians, because what they want for themselves or a loved one (physical healing) does not always occur despite their many prayers.
We Christians treasure life and especially ENJOYABLE, HEALTHY life but should that be our expectancy? Have we forgotten Today’s Verse? 1. “Father, can You remove this cup that I prefer not to drink? 2. But I will trust in You and ask for a higher will to be done than My own will: THY WILL BE DONE.” As we know, the immensity of Christ’s physical suffering during the next twenty-four hours cannot even be measured.
Adrian Rogers, the best preacher I ever heard, once said, “Down on earth the family asks the church to pray for Aunt Betty to get healed while up in heaven Aunt Betty’s family is praying for her to get sicker so she can come to heaven!” He said that tongue-in-cheek, but there is much truth in those words!
William Evans writes these words in his phenomenal book “Great Doctrines of the Bible”: “God has healed in the past by prescription, 2 Ki. 20:7, 1 Tim. 5:23; through physicians, Luke 5:31, Col. 4:14; by direct intervention, Mk. 3:1-5; in answer to the faith of friends, Mk. 2:5; in response to prayer, Jam. 5:15-16, and in spite of unbelief, Mk. 6:5.
“It did not please God to heal Daniel, Dan. 8:27; Elisha, 2 Ki. 13:14; Timothy, 1 Tim. 5:23; Epaphroditus, Phil. 2:26; Trophimus, 2 Tim. 4:20; or Paul, 2 Cor. 12:7-10. God is able to heal anyone at any time, but the Bible reveals that it is not normally His purpose to do so. Evangelicals therefore believe in divine healing but not in [modern day] divine healers.
“Sickness and infirmity are permitted for a number of revealed reasons: so that God’s works may be made manifest, Jn 9:3; for His glory, Jn 11:4; for our profit, Ps. 119:67, Heb. 12:5-10; so that we may be able to comfort others, 2 Cor. 1:4; to make us more fruitful, Jn. 15:2, Heb 12:11; to prepare us for future glory, Rom. 8:17, 2 Cor. 4:17.
“God always provides a way to escape, 1 Cor. 10:13. It comes through prayer, Matt. 6:13, Heb. 4:16. It may also come through self-judgment in the light of His word, 1 Cor. 11:31, 2 Chr. 7:14. If God does not heal His grace is sufficient, 2 Cor. 12:9.”
The mother of my friend Charlie Scarberry lay dying in the hospital. The family was very troubled…but not Charlie. He greeted me with the words, “Pastor, it will be ok. I have prayed about this. God has assured me that mom will be healed.” To the surprise of many, Charlie was right! She soon recovered and left the hospital. A year or two passed. The same situation arose. I returned to the hospital, but this time Charlie greeted me with the news, “Pastor, mom will not be healed this time. God has told me how it will be.” Sure enough, she went to be with the Lord a day or two later. In the first case, asking for healing became a prayer of faith because God confirmed the request in Charlie’s soul. In the second case, however, God exercised His right to say, “No, for I have something better for her.”
Above all, seek the Lord in times like these! Don’t prejudge the situation nor order God what to do. Instead, engage God in conversation…lay it out before Him…and then have the faith to add this simple prayer, “Not my will but Thy will be done.”
Jul 31, 2023 – Worship! What comes to our mind when we think of worship? The most prevalent idea is, “The worship service begins at 11:00.” Or, “We’ll worship then hear a sermon” or, “I go that church because I like the way they worship.” The average Christian’s understanding of worship is woefully inadequate and helps explain the superficiality of today’s Christianity. Indeed, Today’s Verse says NOTHING about a church service, music, preaching, tithing, praying, length of hair, Bible translation, denomination, worship style…but it sure does address what God thinks of worship.
My cousin, Pastor Phil Rice, has written extensively about worship in his ordination document “Statement of Faith.” His words are worthy of our consideration because they agree with the Apostle Paul’s definition of worship.
“There is a misconception in many people’s minds that worship is music, and while music plays an integral part, true worship is not about music at all. True worship is all about God, and it begins with the first and greatest commandment: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’…If I truly love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength then it will change the way I live, think and act on a day to day basis. In Romans 12:1 Paul says to ‘…offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.’ And 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, ‘So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.’
Phil continues, “In light of these verses, worship begins in the heart of the believer with an overwhelming love for God that affects every area of our lives. As I grow to love God in this way, everything I do, even the things I eat and drink, becomes an act of worship.
“…As my love for God grows, I will begin to see a transition from expressing myself, to expressing my love for God and being God’s expression of love to others. I will also begin to see a difference in the depth and intensity of the way I worship, because I will do it as unto the Lord with all my heart, soul, mind and strength.”
May your day be filled with a heart dedicated to worship your Savior in all of your heart and in all that you do…after all, this is your TRUE WORSHIP.
Jul 28, 2023 – PART 3 – I grew up watching Saturday college football on ABC with announcers Chris Schenkel and Bud Wilkinson. Bud was the former coach of the Oklahoma Sooners and won three national championships. I know nothing of Bud’s spiritual life, but he taught me something that has application to God’s church, also.
Bud was asked during an interview, “What contribution does professional sports make to the physical fitness of Americans?”
To no one’s surprise Bud answered, “Very little. A professional football game is a happening where 50,000 spectators, desperately needing exercise, sit in the stands watching twenty-two men on the field desperately needing rest.”
In a nutshell, that statement describes the average church. The old 80-20 rule prevails in church after church: 80% of the work is done by 20% of the people.
May I ask, “Are you in the 20% of the people?” If the answer is yes, I salute you for your tenacity and perseverance in conducting the work of God in God’s church. The church needs more people like you. I recently buried one of my favorite saints. I said in my funeral comments that this dear saint was a finisher; I could give her an assignment, walk away and know she would get it done and do it well. Whatever she began, she finished for the glory of the Lord. She even let me know in advance if she was headed out of town and would miss a service…and always assured me that she had her job covered! Such people are like fresh air to the pastor, but they also have a special place in the Lord’s heart, too. So I salute you.
If you’re not in the 20% then you must be in the less active (or inactive) 80%. It’s time to “fan into flame the gift of God which is in you.” Some of us are tired and need help. Others are getting old and can’t do what they once did but they’re still trying. The fields are abundantly “white unto harvest” indicating that many are headed to a devil’s hell, but we lack laborers to reach them with the gospel.
You may think, “No one needs what I can do.” This may surprise you but in my sixty-eight years I have never been in a church which turned away help. Instead, every church has a “Help Wanted” sign in the church office. We need people who are born again, baptized, live a separated life unto the Master and are WILLING.
One dear lady told me, “I don’t know what I can do, but I am here to do it!” That lady soon became one of the 20%.
How about volunteering at your next church service? The Lord is waiting…and so is the church.
Jul 26, 2023 – PART 1 – How do you think of God’s church? How would you describe it? Much literature has been written in the last thirty years on the topic of “body life” or “body dynamics.” Hopefully, you have grown in your appreciation and understanding of what the church really is. Let’s do a refresher study in the next several editions of Today’s Verse.
Let’s distinguish two words today: organization and organism. Is the church primarily an organization or an organism? Our answer determines our entire philosophy about God’s church.
What is an organization? Of course, we know the word “organize” has the idea of things being in order. If you replace a car battery with the horn you’re not going anywhere! Many years ago some boys swiped the distributor wires on my car during my midnight shift at the motel…and they compounded the problem by switching the firing combination on the remaining wires. We not only had to replace the stolen wires, but we had to learn the firing combination for the remaining wires, too. It was chaos! Thankfully, New Tribes (now Ethnos360) missionary Mark Barnes knew what to do, otherwise I would still be there to this day!
But an organism is a much higher form of organization, because it includes the special distinguishing quality called life! When you look at me, you see an organism…very well organized with hands where I need them and eyes where I need them but also an organization endowed with the spark of life. I am alive! I am capable of five senses, but my automobile is not. My circulation system is eons above that which exists in my vehicle. If my body suffers a cut, the clotting occurs without my consulting a training manual. My car’s water pump can’t clot if it’s leaking! I’m able to grow physically and mentally, able to make decisions including good and bad decisions, able to care for myself and others. and, most importantly, able to know people on an intimate basis (including God).
I am alive! And so is the church…but in what sense? This brings us to the MOST FUNDAMENTAL TRUTH OF ALL, and, sad to say, it is a fundamental which is often missed.
The church is alive because… Let’s begin by stating the church is NOT alive because it is has living human beings in attendance. Human life or physical life allows an Alcoholics Anonymous gathering to occur. It allows a college football game to occur with tens of thousands of people. It allows a business to thrive. It even allows a family to be a family.
BUT THAT IS NOT HOW GOD VIEWS HIS CHURCH. God views the church as an organism because it possesses SPIRITUAL LIFE. In other words, it consists of people who have been born again into God’s kingdom…people that are indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
A proper understanding of the church does not begin with what people can do (that’s merely organization), but with what PEOPLE ARE. Do they possess the life which comes from above? Have they been to Calvary and been washed in the blood of the Lamb? One pastor lamented, “I preach on being born again and half of my people look at me with puzzled looks as if they don’t have a clue what I am speaking about.” The great Baptist leader W. A. Criswell writes in one of his books that he doubted if half of his church’s members had been genuinely born again. Oh, yes, they had made a profession of faith and been baptized but time has a way of separating the chaff from the wheat.
For what saith the holy scriptures? “You [God’s church] are being built together for an habitation [dwelling place] of God through the Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22).
Never forget: The quest for quantity (increasing the organization’s size) must always be secondary to the quest for quality (can the prospect give testimony of having been born again?). Why? It is because you can’t have a church unless you have born again people! It takes spiritual life to have a church!
Jul 25, 2023 – It is reported the gospel songwriter John Peterson was offered $250,000 for his song, “Over the Sunset Mountain.” A recording firm was prepared to turn this beautiful song about the Christian’s hope into a love song.
The first verse of Peterson’s song contains the words, “Over the sunset mountains Someday I’ll softly go, Into the arms of Jesus, He who has loved me so.” The second verse said, “Toiling will all be ended, Shadows will flee away. Sorrow will be forgotten, Oh, what a wonderful day.”
The chorus went, “Over the sunset mountains Heaven awaits for me. Over the sunset mountains, Jesus, my Savior, I’ll see.”
One of the recording studio’s proposed changes was to make the chorus read, “I’ll see Jean, my sweetheart.”
Peterson responded, “No, the words may not be changed. The song is not for sale.” Thus ended the negotiations.
John Peterson penned over one thousand gospel songs during his career. Some of those songs include “Surely Goodness and Mercy,” “It Took a Miracle,” and a personal favorite, “A Flag to Follow.” The Peterson family gave me permission to quote “A Flag to Follow” in my book “God Speaks—Today!” Here is the full quote from that book:
“During my teenage years I needed a cause…a cause for living. I am happy to say I accepted God’s opinion—that opinion became my own goals. These words by John Peterson express my life-long cause best of all.
I sought a flag to follow, a cause for which to stand,
I sought a valiant leader who could my love command,
I sought a stirring challenge, some noble work to try,
To give my life fulfillment, my dreams to satisfy.
I found them all in Jesus,
The Life, the Truth, the Way,
Beneath His flag I’ll take my stand
And follow Him today!”
Today—fifty years later—I would still choose the same song!
Bottom line: Peterson made his choice regarding “Over the Sunset Mountain” BEFORE he ever conceived the song. That choice was made BECAUSE he knew who he was and what he was to do: a servant of Christ and exalt Christ. That knowledge/commitment settled the entire issue. It is amazing how “settling a few core issues” settles 99% of the other things that come our way! As this author has stated many times, “It is who we are, what we do, and why we keep doing it.”
Ah, friend, settle the core issues in compliance with the will of God and life will take on new meaning!
Jul 24, 2023 – I like to brag about God’s goodness to me. How about you? How often we have sung, “God is so good, He’s so good to me!” Indeed, He is!
One of those “goodness blessings” for me concerns a country church named Palestine Missionary Baptist Church. Though now living a few hours away in Dayton, Ohio I still return to our old stomping grounds to preach homecomings, fifth Sunday events and special services. I am blessed again with the opportunity to preach next Sunday at Palestine’s homecoming.
Key: Each one of us comes to intersections in life where we make a decision…and that decision affects our lives for the duration. Indeed, the choice at the intersection may be made by someone else such as a parent; that kind of decision puts us on a course to some new destination.
What is the most important question to ask at such intersections? “Which decision is God’s decision, because God’s decision will always be the right decision?”
It reminds me of the two generals discussing the next day’s battle. One nervously said, “I hope God is on our side.”
The other general said, “That is not my main concern. My main concern is, ARE WE ON GOD’S SIDE?”
During my teenage years my father received a telephone call from a young man at Palestine named Steve Wiseman. (Dad was between pastorates at the time.) Steve asked dad if he would consider pastoring Palestine. Steve explained the older members did not think dad would be interested (they thought dad would want a larger church), but Steve said, “I told them that we’ll never know unless we ask. So, I’m asking.”
It would be a long drive for us: forty-five minutes each way. At that time the church had no indoor plumbing, only outside toilets. (I always checked for a snake before entering.) There was no air conditioning either. One family member discouraged dad from accepting the call and suggested he wait on a so-called better situation. But dad said, “Yes. I will be your pastor.” Dad proceeded to pastor the church for three very blessed years. Quite a few people were saved during those three years. Plus the church developed one of the best youth groups you’ll see in any church. More about that in a minute.
Dad left the church and God moved in another fine pastor named Carl Holderby. Carl was also considered one of the “bigger church pastors” of that era, but he, too, accepted the call to Palestine – a church with attendance of around forty people. In time Carl became one of my mentors. He was really good with young preachers. Carl stayed for a long time and helped raise that youth group into adulthood. Carl’s true impact cannot yet be measured.
What were the results? First, I happily married Palestine’s pianist. The best looking pianist I ever saw! Dad’s decision at his intersection set many things in motion that would never have occurred otherwise. I cannot imagine my own life without my ministry partner Ruth Ellen. Second, Ruth Ellen’s brother Jon is also a pastor. He recently completed his M. Div at Southern Seminary in Louisville. Another teen named Benny Taylor grew up and now has two sons in the pastorate. Three of Ruth Ellen’s brothers teach Sunday School. Another Palestine descendent named Todd Warner now pastors my home church. And not long ago I preached for a Dayton, Ohio pastor whose great-grandparents attended Palestine during dad’s pastorate.
Bottom line: What you choose at life’s intersections can affect generations to come. It is easy to forget the impact of how we live. It is also easy to leave God out of our decisions.
Oh, God, remind us! Give us insight to both seek Your way and walk in Your way so the results of our decisions will be the right results for the generations to come!
Jul 22-23, 2023 – We want short valleys and long mountain tops. But God does not always give us our “wants.” The Bible describes the life of Joseph, son of Jacob, in great detail as a lesson in how God shapes our character.
Let’s look at the outline of Joseph’s up-and-down life. First, Joseph was loved more by his father Jacob than anyone else. Jacob presented Joseph with the famous coat of many colors.
Second, Joseph’s brothers were jealous of Joseph.
Third, Joseph was blessed by God with prophetic dreams. The brothers resented the dreams instead of acknowledging the dreams revealed the will of God. The dreams only inflamed their jealousies.
Fourth, Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery to heathen merchants. Joseph was discarded like a dirty rag by his own family. No more mountain top!
Fifth, Joseph eventually landed in Egypt. Heathen country! Of course, this was God’s doing, but that was not clear at the time. Nevertheless, things improved! But it wasn’t like home. And he was unable to know what was happening at home.
Sixth, Joseph was falsely accused of attempted rape by his master’s wife. There was no court hearing, just a prison cell with no means of escape or acquittal. Poor Joe didn’t deserve prison any more than he deserved being sold to the merchants. It looked like everyone had abandoned him including God. Imprisoned and forgotten. That’s a mighty deep valley.
Seventh, Joseph interpreted a dream for the chief butler that sent the butler up the ladder to fame and fortune. Joseph asked the butler to reciprocate by remembering him to the authorities; the butler agreed but then conveniently forgot Joseph when he became someone special. The valley continued.
Eighth, may as well die right here in prison! “Lord, I’m getting old. Prison is dangerous. If You’re doing to do ANYTHING with my life, You better do it now.”
Ninth, TWO YEARS pass. It’s awful to say it, but God moves slowly at times. Very slowly. We are so impatient! “The problem is that I am in a hurry, but God isn’t!” All of us eventually experience this lesson.
Tenth, God opened the door for the dreamer to interpret Pharaoh’s dream. Pharaoh rewarded Joseph by making Joseph the Prime Minister of Egypt and placing him in charge of preserving the food crop for the pending famine. FINALLY on the mountain again!
How does the story end? It ends with Joseph’s family nearly starving to death in Canaan then traveling to Egypt for food…and in Egypt the family is reunited with Joseph. Joseph, a man of godly character, forgives his brothers of their misdeeds and cares for his family.
Bottom line: God does not always give you what you want in life INCLUDING in ministry. Things don’t always make sense. Wrong things happen. Good people even do wrong things that may crush you. Life goes berserk at times. The valleys can be very long and the mountain tops non-existent.
Only one question needs to be answered at such times: Will you still trust in God?
Jul 21, 2023 – Where have you met God in such a manner that you remember the place, the time and the circumstances?
In Today’s Verse God reminds Jacob of a place where he met God in a special way. His brother Esau was ready to kill him for stealing his birthright! His father was also angry at Jacob’s deception. Fearful Jacob was fleeing for his life and unlikely to ever return home.
During his flight Jacob made camp at a “not important” place that soon became a “very important” place. He dreamed about a ladder that stretched from heaven to earth with angels descending and ascending on the ladder. Guess Who was standing at the top of the ladder? The Lord! The Lord promised that Jacob would receive the land promised to Abraham and Isaac. Furthermore, the Lord would never leave him.
Jacob awoke from the dream and uttered, “Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not.” He proceeded to assign a name to that place. He called it Bethel which means the “house of God.”
Bethel became a place of spiritual significance to Jacob. Jacob then wandered like sheep are prone to do for a number of years. But then, seemingly out of the blue, God appeared to Jacob again and said, “Go back to Bethel and let’s get some things straight.” And Jacob did as the Lord commanded.
Surely all of us have a place called Bethel. Perhaps, as in my case, it is multiple places. I recall driving home after candidating at a church on Sunday morning. It had been difficult preaching. I was so discouraged! I did not see how I could help the church. I even decided to call the deacon chairman as soon as I arrived home and tell him to find someone else to preach that night…that I was no longer interested in the church.
Well, those were my intentions. But I can take you to the spot on the highway…ascending the high hill…when the Lord whispered, “I’d like for you to go back one more time. Just one more time.” (That’s exactly how I remember His impression on my mind.) I immediately said, “Ok.” I went back that night, sat on the front row during the music and God gave me peace about accepting the pastorate. The church turned out to be the smallest church I have pastored, but it was the church that gave the best effort of any church I have pastored. I will always thank God for whispering to me at that spot on the highway.
I recall meeting God while driving to Pikeville, Kentucky for a meeting. On the previous day we had received word that headquarters was eliminating our department. Some of us would be offered transfers (likely for me). While driving God suddenly said, “You are not to take the transfer, but it’s time to leave the company and pastor on a fulltime basis.” I asked, “Where?” He said, “One thing at a time!” I immediately surrendered to God’s call, traveled on to Pikeville and shared the news with some of my Christian brothers and sisters. I remember one of them saying to me, “I hope God makes it plain like that for me!”
Where is your Bethel or Bethels? Perhaps we should label them Bethel #1, Bethel #2, Bethel #3, Bethel #4 and so on, because there will be more than one as you walk with the Lord.
It is the place where you meet God. And you never forget being with Him in that special, special way. And He makes things so very plain.
Jul 20, 2023 – Can one person make a difference? More specifically, can you make a difference? We often minimize ourselves. Whereas some are so full of themselves that we wish they’d go brag to someone else, others are concerned they are totally irrelevant.
But the old saying is true, “Little is much if God is in it.” Sure enough, “There is a lad here…his mother sent him with a sack lunch of five loaves and two tiny fish. That’s all the food we have for this crowd of five thousand men plus women and children.” In my mind, Jesus laughed and said, “It is enough.” He then proceeded to make sure that the “little” was all that was needed.
Leslie B. Flynn shares a story that all of us need to consider in preparation for those down days that are certain to come. He writes, “T. J. Bach was converted while a student in Copenhagen, Denmark. Walking down a street on a Sunday afternoon, he noticed a young man crossing the street to give him a gospel tract. Bach crushed the tract in his hand, muttering that people should mind their own business.
“The young man did not respond but instead turned aside to pray as tears began to run down his cheeks.
“Thought Bach, ‘He has given his money to buy a tract. He has given his time to distribute it. And now he has given his heart in prayer for me.’
“The young man’s compassion toward Bach’s crude behavior brought deep conviction. Half an hour later in his room, Bach pasted the tract together. Before he finished reading it, he was down on his knees, asking God for forgiveness.”
And it all happened because someone whom we will never know this side of glory decided God might possibly be able to do something with his effort.
“There is a lad here.” Come to think of it, I am still a lad, though age 68. I’m not a giant, how about you? But I do have something comparable to loaves and fish. Most importantly, we have a God who can do something when we sometimes think we are actually nothing. Isn’t God good?
Jul 19, 2023 – PART 4 – Oscar Wilde wisely advises, “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” Why? Wilde continues, “Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.”
In some ways Jesus took an opinion poll in Matthew 16. He knew the discussion would end with Peter’s heaven-sent declaration that, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” But Jesus set the stage for that awesome announcement by first asking the apostles, “Who do people say that I am?” Three names were given in response: John the Baptist, Elijah and Jeremiah. Each of those names has been explained in the last three devotionals. But something still remains to be discussed.
Interestingly, Jesus did not ask, “Who do the scribes and Pharisees say that I am?” Jesus was not interested in the view of the religious establishment. Does this absence have meaning? Perhaps so. It certainly reminds us that organized religion has historically been opposed to Christ by consistently substituting rituals, traditions or people (think of the Virgin Mary or praying to church-designated saints) for the person of Jesus Christ. Never forget: The essence of Christianity IS Christ Himself…nothing more, nothing less.
Let’s note some other answers to Today’s Verse—some good, some not so good. But please note that NOTHING man says or believes changes who Jesus really is. Nor does anyone’s belief change what Jesus is to do. In many ways that is the substance or lesson of today’s devotional: Be who you are in the power of the Holy Spirit and don’t try to fit someone else’s mold. His shoes probably weren’t made for your foot…and, besides, God designed you to be what and who we need. If we needed someone else, God would send us that person instead!
To His credit, Jesus did not change based upon the opinion of the people. “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God” (John 13:3). “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38). Jesus stayed right on track! But what did the people say?
A sinner! “They say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners’” (Matthew 11:19).
Demon possessed! The Pharisees: “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons” (Matthew 12:24).
Guiltless! Governor Pontius Pilate: “I find no fault in Him” (John 19:6).
God’s sacrifice! John the Baptist: “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
Innocent! Judas Iscariot: “I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood” (Matthew 27:4).
Authoritative! “Never man spake like this man” (John 7:46). “He spoke not as one of the scribes but as one having authority” (Matthew 7:29).
Blasphemer! “He declares Himself to be the Son of God” (John 19:7).
How can one person be described in so many different ways? Welcome to the human race! Let’s focus instead on our calling to be WHO God called us to be and to DO what God called us to do!
Jul 18, 2023 – PART 3 – SURELY NOT, but according to the people, surely YES! Who did people see in Jesus? We often say, “I want people to see Jesus in me.” However, the opposite occurred in Today’s Verse: In this case the people saw the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah in Jesus. Wonder why?
In the last two devotionals we were introduced to the first two of THREE unique personalities that people saw in Him who is the Christ. Jesus asked His followers, “Of whom do I remind the people?” Three names were given in response. The first of those names was John the Baptist. The second name was Elijah. The third name, and perhaps the most surprising name, was Jeremiah.
No one can deny that Christ was a great world leader. Therefore, it is quite surprising to find Jeremiah mentioned here as a description of a great world leader such as Jesus or Napoleon or Alexander the Great. We might expect the people to mention John the Baptist, because John had a fiery personality and was very blunt in his preaching. Elijah makes sense, too, because Elijah was a man of great power who performed miracles outside the realm of human possibility.
But the chief characteristic of Jeremiah…well, we would not expect to find it in a powerful world leader. But it is a characteristic that is clearly demonstrated in the Son of God. What is that characteristic? It is written at the top of the first page of the book of Jeremiah. Most Bibles title the book, “Jeremiah, the WEEPING prophet.” In brief, Jeremiah was known for his tears of compassion for his sinful, rebellious countrymen.
It broke Jeremiah’s heart to tell his people that an awful judgment was coming. “For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Cut down her trees; cast up a siege mound against Jerusalem. This is the city that must be punished; there is nothing but oppression within her. As a well keeps its water fresh, so she keeps fresh her evil; violence and destruction are heard within her.’” Sure enough, the destruction came, the city was devastated, its walls leveled, the people carried captive into a foreign land where most of them would die. Jeremiah witnessed all of this horrible, heart-wrenching event and he chronicled his pain in his sequel called “The Lamentations or Sorrows of Jeremiah.”
Napoleon was just the opposite. On one occasion he warned the Austrian statesman Metternich, “You cannot stop me. I can spend 30,000 men a month.” 30,000 lives meant nothing to him.
But when the people looked at Jesus they knew their lives were important to Him! “But when Jesus saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.” How did He respond to the need of the hour? “Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people” (Matthew 9).
Just as Jeremiah kept trying despite a broken heart, so Jesus kept trying despite a broken heart. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate” (Matthew 23:37).
Do you ever experience rejection? So did Jeremiah. So did Jesus. Jeremiah was dragged off to Egypt by his rebellious countrymen and died in that foreign land. Likewise, Jesus became a man of sorrows, deeply acquainted with grief, rejected by men, “having come unto His own and His own received Him not”, and then suffering the ultimate rejection of being crucified.
What does this mean to us today? “All your anxiety, all your care, Bring to the mercy seat, Leave it there. Never a burden that He cannot bear, NEVER A FRIEND LIKE JESUS.”
Rest assured, my friend, your Savior understands. He KNOWS!
Jul 17, 2023 – PART 2 – Who did people see in Jesus? We often say, “I want people to see Jesus in me.” However, the opposite occurred in Today’s Verse: In this case the people saw the Old Testament prophet Elijah in Jesus. Wonder why?
In yesterday’s Part 1 we were introduced to the first of THREE unique personalities that people saw in Him who is the Christ. Jesus asked His followers, “Of whom do I remind the people?” Three names were given in response. The first of those names was John the Baptist. (Read yesterday’s devotional for more information.) The second name was Elijah.
Elijah was known for his power: not only spiritual power in preaching but also power to perform physical miracles. That power was the result of Elijah’s close relationship with God plus the fact that God chose Elijah to receive this supernatural power.
Have you noticed in the Bible there are three distinct periods in which miracles were performed on a frequent scale? The first period was during the lifetimes of Moses and Joshua. The second period was during the lifetimes of Elijah and Elisha. The third period was during the lifetimes of Jesus and the apostles. In each period God chose to demonstrate His power to validate His messengers as well as His message.
Elijah was one of God’s greatest messengers in a time of national spiritual darkness. Elijah demonstrated God’s power by restoring life to the widow’s dead son in 1 Kings 17. The Bible says, “The LORD Jehovah heard the voice of Elijah, and the life of the child returned to him. Elijah then showed the boy to his mother and said, ‘See, your son lives!’ And the widow said, ‘NOW I KNOW that you are a man of God and your words are truth.’”
In a similar way Jesus Christ validated His own words by His own supernatural power. Jesus said, “If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe Me, BELIEVE THE WORKS, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father” (John 10:37). Believe the works because the works confirm His identity!
Elijah demonstrated the power of God in dealing with that rotten king Ahab. Ahab endorsed, even promoted worship of the satanic idol called Baal. But Elijah refused to bow in spite of the king’s coercion. He stood strong. What did Jesus say to the false religionists of His day? “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness” (Matthew 23:27).
Elijah further demonstrated God’s power in prophecy. He told Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives…there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word” (1 Kings 17:1). Guess what? It did not rain for three and a half years. Quite a feat if I say so myself! Along comes Christ and He prophesies the destruction of the temple (accomplished in A.D. 70), His own death AND resurrection, plus His second coming. It’ll happen, too!
Last, Elijah totally overwhelmed the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18). The false prophets prepared their sacrifice then called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, “O Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice. Then Elijah said, “Move over, boys.” Elijah prayed then “the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, ‘The Lord, He is God!’”
What about our Lord’s greatest challenge? It was really no challenge at all for “Up from the grave He arose, With a mighty triumph o’er His foes, He arose a Victor from the dark domain, And He lives forever, with His saints to reign. He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!”
The Lord Jesus demonstrated that kind of power throughout His ministry. Indeed, there was no problem too great for His ability. Isn’t it great to know that? That’s another reason why you can place your faith in Him. It is because NO ONE IS BIGGER THAN HIM! Amen!
Jul 15-16, 2023 – Who did people see in Jesus? I recently preached in one of my early pastorates for the first time in twenty-five years. One of the men said afterward, “I heard two preachers today. At times I heard you, and at other times I heard your father.” I suppose it is like that for all of us, too. We remind people of others by our appearance, our choice of words, our attitude, and our voice. Therefore, should we be surprised to know that Jesus also reminded people of others?
We often say, “I want people to see Jesus in me.” However, the opposite occurred in Today’s Verse: In this case the people saw John the Baptist in Jesus. Goodness! What a compliment to John! Of course, the people did not yet have a full understanding of Jesus’ identity or capability. But, lest we move on too quickly, we need to recognize that this man John must have been a phenomenal man with a capital P. He set the stage for the unveiling of the Messiah, but he also set a high standard that must have been off the scale.
Today’s Verse introduces us to the first of THREE unique personalities that people saw in Him who is the Christ. Jesus asked His followers, “Of whom do I remind the people?” Three names were given in response. The first of those names was John the Baptist. Wonder why?
The Lord of Glory testified about John, “Among those born of women there has never risen a greater than John the Baptist.” Thus, it makes sense the people would connect whom we know as the “second greatest” person John with the “first greatest” person God the Son. In their minds, to see one was also to see the other!
You will remember that John the Baptist had been executed by King Herod. John had rebuked Herod for the sin of adultery. Imagine rebuking the king face to face! Herod responded by showing John who was boss. He tossed John into prison. A short time later Herod executed John at the request of his lover.
But was that the end of the story? No. What was Herod’s reaction when he heard about this wonder-working Messiah named Jesus? Herod cried out, “This has to be John the Baptist risen from the dead” (Matthew 14:2). In his mind, who else could it be? I suspect Herod suffered nightmares, imagining that this resurrected John might want to settle the score with him.
What, though, made John so special? First, John was a holy man. No scandal was attached to him or his ministry. What did Pilate say about Jesus? “I find no fault in Him.” Even Judas admitted, “I have sinned in that I have betrayed the INNOCENT blood.”
Second, John was a strong man, not a wimp. He stood tall, so tall he rebuked the king for his heinous sin. Likewise, Jesus rebuked the sins of the religious leaders and others.
Third, John was a man of the common people. He did not do well with the well-to-do, but he connected with the common man of his day. Doesn’t that sound like Jesus? He was constantly surrounded by the common people.
Fourth, John preached the kingdom (and, by association, the king) was at hand! So did Jesus. Their joint message of “Repent!” provided a prophetic-style message that stirred the nation.
Fifth, John practiced the rite of baptism as a sign (not cause) of repentance. Jesus’ disciples continued the same practice. They both made a big issue of baptism and so should we. This baptism helped distinguish their followers from those who rejected their message.
It is not trivial to say, “You look at the life of John and you see Christ. You look at Christ and you see John.” Joined at the hip. Like the old saying: “Like father, like son.” Dedicated servants of the same Master.
The person told me, “I hear your father preaching when you preach.” Those words are indeed a great compliment. But wouldn’t it be so much better if people could say, “I hear Jesus preaching when you preach”?
“Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me, All his wonderful passion and purity, O thou Spirit divine, all my nature refine, Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.” Can anyone say, “Amen”?
July 14, 2023- The television preacher Charles Stanley said, “Today is the father of tomorrow. What we are today is the result of what we have been thinking and the way we have lived in the past.” All of us are acquainted with the old saying, “You made your bed, now sleep in it!” How about another wise saying, “You reap what you sow.”
Unfortunately, life is full of shipwrecks: people whose lives have been broken on the rocks of bad decisions by sailing where they should not have sailed, when they should not have sailed, how they should not have sailed, and with whom they should not have sailed.
So many people view life as a dartboard. They throw their darts and whatever happens, happens. They have no plan on where to go or how to get there. However, Jesus and His followers are just the opposite. They have the Bible as their technical manual, the Holy Spirit as their Guide, the church as their equipper, and the world as their mission field. That’s not a dartboard approach by any means.
Life for God’s children is not an accident waiting to happen but rather a well-planned strategy with a desired, biblical goal. Brothers and sisters, there is great assurance in KNOWING that your life not only has meaning but has eternal meaning! The list of regrets is much shorter; the list of successes is much longer!
How wisely are you investing your life? If things continue as they are, will the results of your life be what you desire? Or will you discover your life has been tragically wasted on trivialities?
Pastor Pierce Harris spoke one day in a prison. A prisoner introduced him by saying, “Several years ago two boys lived in a town in north Georgia. They went to the same school, played together, and attended the same Sunday School. One dropped out of Sunday School and said it was ‘sissy stuff.’ The other boy kept going. One boy rejected Christ; the other boy accepted Christ. The boy who rejected Christ is making this introduction. The boy who received Christ is today’s honored speaker.”
Oh, heed the cautionary words of the old song, “Wasted years, wasted years! Oh how foolish! As you walk on in darkness and in fears, Turn around, turn around, God is calling! He’s calling you from a life of wasted years!” The person described in that song has lived a life of bad choices, hence ‘wasted years.’ God is now calling him to redeem what time is left by surrendering his life to Christ and, henceforth, living for Christ.
Let’s be careful! Life is delicate. Let’s make the right choice TODAY before today’s years become wasted years!
Jul 13, 2023 – It is incredible what God has done! He has intentionally chosen “what is foolish in the world to shame the wise.” In a nutshell, that strategy can be summarized in one word: faith, specifically faith in the finished work of Christ, but in a more general way, the entire faith concept. Verse 20 asks, “Where is the philosopher? Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn’t God made the world’s wisdom foolish?”
Look around you today. Did the evening news mention faith? No. Especially not faith in God or God’s way as revealed in the Holy Scriptures. Does the college professor teach faith? No. He teaches economic laws, mathematical laws, etc. We have become incredibly smart as a people. If I don’t know how to plumb, I call a plumber. Need air conditioning? Call a trained specialist. Want to cook something new? Watch the Food Channel! Don’t know how to invest your money? Call an investment professional. Don’t know how…well, there’s someone who knows the how!
So smart we have become! We have the answer to practically everything. Cell phones, artificial intelligence, Da Vinci surgical robots, driverless trucks, want to take your own trip into space? Yes, so smart we have become!
Have we become too big for our britches? Amazingly, modern man is headed for a day when he will worship the greatest of God’s earthly creation: himself. From a worldly perspective such worship makes sense, because man views himself as so self-sufficient. Or others might say, “God, aren’t You proud of how far we have come? Go take a vacation because we don’t need You.”
But how does God approach man? Does He pat man on the back and say, “I’m glad to know you! Glad I created you!”? No. God instead totally ignores what makes man “wise in his own eyes” and chooses the very opposite approach. God takes something so ridiculously foolish (in the eyes of the “wise”) and makes it the most critical element in dealing with man. What is that foolish item? It is faith…pure and simple faith. Discarding our knowledge, ideas, skills, resources, achievements, opinions, finances and, to paraphrase Jesus, “Go and give away what you depend upon then come and follow Me.”
Yes, it is incredible what God has done. The very opposite of how we think! He has built His entire approach upon a concept so simple that a mere child can comprehend it…so refreshingly simple that a simpleton can grasp it without calling for a specialist. In so doing, God has “confounded” or “shamed” the wise of this world. While such brilliant people proceed down the WRONG path, others discover a path less traveled by called faith and encounter the Sovereign God.
Consider what faith does! By faith Abel offered…by faith Enoch was raptured…by faith Noah built…by faith Abraham went out…by faith Sarah conceived…by faith Isaac and Jacob blessed…by faith Joseph prophesied…by faith Moses led…by faith Jericho’s walls fell…by faith Rahab survived. “All these were approved [by God] through faith, but they did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us” (Hebrews 11:39-40). Hebrews 11 teaches the same thing has happened over and over again since the beginning of time: God has blessed faith but ignored everything else.
And the “wise” miss it.
What about you? Are you in the way called faith?
Jul 12, 2023 – At the beginning of the last century an evangelist held a meeting in Binghamton, New York. The evangelist angered the people when he said, “Sodom, Gomorrah and Binghamton are three of a kind.”
Some of the area preachers in attendance objected to that statement. They went to the evangelist after the service and argued with him. They contended that they had a good, clean city. They pointed to their churches, schools, hospitals, prominent people and fine art. They said it was unthinkable to liken their city to ancient Sodom.
However, later that same night one of the clubs in the city opened the doors to debauchery of all kind. They brought up fifty prostitutes from New York City. Many prominent men attended the party. By midnight everyone was drunk. By four a.m. these fine upstanding people were tearing up the furniture and the police had to be called to deal with the debauchery. The evangelist may have been ridiculed, but he was right…and he would be right in ANY city! Sin is everywhere in abundance!
Jonathan Edwards gives us these remarkable words: “The heaven I pursued was a heaven of holiness.” Edwards did not want to be associated with debauchery, riotous living or sinful impulses of any kind. He set his eyes upon God’s call to “be ye holy for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). “Come out from among them and be separate.” (Edwards is often credited for preaching the greatest sermon on American soil: “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.”)
One of the failures of many modern-day Christians is trying to do the holy work of God with unholy hands, unholy thoughts, unholy hearts, unholy attitudes and unholy ambitions. The old preacher often got under my skin as a young Christian when he preached, “How holy are you?” I remember thinking, “Not as holy as I need to be. I have work to do!” How would you answer the question?
Someone asked J. Wilbur Chapman, “What do you consider a good rule of life?”
Chapman answered, “This rule governs my life. Anything that dims my vision of Christ, or takes away my taste for Bible study, or cramps my prayer life, or makes Christian work more difficult is wrong for me and I must as a Christian turn away from it! I MUST!”
Remember: A better ministry begins with being someone that God can use. The surgeon does not ask for a dirty scalpel in beginning a surgery but for a clean scalpel. Likewise, you refuse a dirty fork and dirty knife at a restaurant. Again, you flush out the water lines before drinking if there has been a leak in the lines.
The same principle is true in God’s work. Being like the crowd is a non-starter. God did not call you to be like them; rather, He called you to be separate from their lifestyle and to be separated to Him! O, friend, be as clean as you can be for the Master’s use!
Jul 11, 2023 – “Mrs. Prayer Meeting died recently at the First Neglected Church on Worldly Avenue. Born many years ago in the midst of great revivals, she was a strong, healthy child, fed largely on testimony and Bible study, soon growing into world-wide prominence, and was one of the most influential members of the famous Church family.
“For the past several years Sister Prayer Meeting has been failing in health, gradually wasting away until rendered helpless by stiffness of knees, coldness of heart, inactivity and weakness of purpose and will power. At the last she was but a shadow of her former happy self. Her last whispered words were inquiries concerning the strange absence of her loved ones now busy in the marts of trade and places of worldly amusement.
“Experts, including Dr. Works, Dr. Reform and Dr. Joiner, disagreed as to the cause of her fatal illness, administering large doses of organization, socials, contests and drives, but to no avail. A post mortem showed that a deficiency of spiritual food coupled with the lack of faith, heartfelt religion and general support, were contributing causes. Only a few were present at her death, sobbing over memories of her past beauty and power.
“In honor of her going, the church doors will be closed on Wednesday nights, save the third Wednesday night of each month, when the Ladies Pink Lemonade Society serves refreshments to the men’s handball team.” (Source: Free Will Echo)
Where has prayer gone? Public prayer? My wife and I recently visited a church where the first prayer in the church service was prayed at the SEVENTY minute mark. Which prayer was it? It was the closing prayer. Perhaps that was an oddity for the church…after all, things do sometimes get messed up…but what are the odds of that?
In Today’s Verse Jesus says something strange to the modern mind about His house of worship. He could have said many things, but He zeroed in on prayer. Prayer! Talking to Almighty God! Isn’t that activity at the very heart of worship? Rest assured, one of the greatest ways to teach your people to pray is to SHOW them how to pray by publicly praying in their presence.
In contrast to the previous church I mentioned, we visited another church on a Sunday evening that devoted the entire service to prayer. They do this once a month. It’s programmed into their schedule to make certain they don’t neglect it! After a short music program, one of the men presents a fifteen minute Bible lesson on the subject of prayer. What does the church do with the rest of its time? It prays. The pastor had a list of twenty or more items that needed prayer. The list included two troubled churches in the area as well as people who need to get their hearts right with God. Plus some pending surgeries and others who are sick. The pastor explained the first item then someone came to the front and prayed in the microphone for that specific issue. This was repeated until the last item was mentioned. Bless God, even the youth participated and that was a blessing indeed!
Being a semi-retired pastor in the Dayton area, I could not help but think I was witnessing the secret of this church’s success! They intentionally put the horse (prayer) in front of the cart (everything else). May God help all of us to do the same in whatever way works best for you.
Jul 10, 2023 – How would you describe God or portray God to the average person?
A homiletics professor in one of our seminaries was teaching his students how to preach the inspired, inerrant Word of God. He assigned them to study Genesis chapter three, the story of the Fall of Man and how Adam and Eve hid themselves in the garden when they heard the voice of God in the cool of the day.
In the next class, each student stood and read the passage to the class. One young man stood and read the passage as though the Lord was a policeman. Another read it as though God was a condemning judge in the act of passing sentence. Still another read the passage as if the Lord was totally indifferent. And one read the passage as though the Lord was merely curious.
But then one young man stood and read the passage as though God was a broken-hearted Father. “Oh, Adam, where art thou?”
When, with deep emotion, he finished reading the passage, the professor said to the student, “Young man, you will be a great preacher. You will be a great evangelist, a great soulwinner.” Why? The young man had caught the true heart of our heavenly Father.
“The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and great in mercy” (Psalm 145:8). “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one which is lost, [searching] until he finds it?” (Luke 15).
Well, He found Adam, didn’t He? And He found me, too. I wonder: Has He found you, also? If the answer is yes, you are very richly blessed. And if the answer is no, well, listen very closely because He is calling your name. “___________, where art thou?” Rest assured, He already knows!
Jul 8-9, 2023 – The great preacher Charles Spurgeon had an unusual meeting with a young man. The lad had his finger pressed on two verses of the Bible. He had a very confused look on his face. He said, “Mr. Spurgeon, I have studied and studied and I just cannot understand these two verses.”
Spurgeon replied, “Son, give the Lord credit for knowing some things you don’t know!”
What is the best solution to understanding the Bible? One fellow answered, “I think I’ve made one of the first steps toward unraveling the mysteries of the Old Testament: I’ve started reading it!”
Much of today’s confusion exists because of seven human (not divine) factors. First, the reader’s reluctance to embrace all Scripture equally. People retain the Scripture that supports their position but disregard the Scripture that apparently contradicts their position. Extreme doctrinal positions fall into this error.
Second, the failure to interpret Scripture in its context. One Christian expressed this attitude when he said, “I already know what I believe. Don’t confuse me with anything else.” But the old adage cautions, “A text out of context is a pretext.” Context often limits the meaning of a particular Scripture to a specific setting or circumstance.
Third, the failure to compare Scripture with Scripture. The best interpreter of Scripture is the Holy Spirit; the next best interpreter is other Scripture. For example, how does the same Bible writer use this word or thought elsewhere? Also, how do the other Bible writers use this same word or thought? This type of study can be done easily with a concordance.
Fourth, not comparing translations. I was fooled in my early years on a few Scriptures because I misread a translation. My fault! Such an error would have been avoided if I had read the passage in another translation (each translation presents the passage through a different set of eyes).
Fifth, ignoring the text in its original language. Hebrew and Greek words have specific meanings. Occasionally, words possess alternate or secondary meanings, but those words are much fewer in number. Please note: It is never a good strategy to devise a personal translation or word definition that is not confirmed by several of today’s outstanding translations. Today’s translators are excellent scholars in the field of textual criticism. Their training likely exceeds the training of those reading this devotional. I urge you to bounce your ideas off them. Avoid teaching something new which is not confirmed by others.
Sixth, failing to admit we simply do not know. Teachers ought to resist the urge to always be authoritative. Some passages are rock solid and allow only one interpretation. Other passages, though, are less clear and leave us with several options. Today’s audience will appreciate an honest opinion when your analysis concludes with a question mark. Suffice it to say, the world will not end because of an occasional question mark.
Seventh, exalting feelings or experience above the text. No personal experience should ever be allowed to change the text. The text is not on trial, rather personal experience is on trial. The text is always the judge, not one’s feelings or experience. It is possible to have a religious experience that is not generated by the Holy Spirit nor conforms with plain Bible teachings.
Happy reading!
* See Chapter Six “Illumination: Spiritually Understanding God’s Spiritual Book” in my latest book God Speaks—Today! for deeper study material.
Jul 7, 2023 – When will my salvation be complete? Not until I am 100% like Him!
If the Lord Jesus does not return soon, my body shall go the way of my father. Someone may stand at my grave and read the age-old committal,
“We commit his body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, looking for the resurrection and the life of the world to come through our Lord Jesus Christ: at whose second coming in glorious majesty to judge the world, the earth and the sea shall give up their dead; and the corruptible bodies of those who sleep in Him shall be changed, and made like unto His own glorious body; according to the mighty working whereby He is able to subdue all things unto Himself.”
We often speak of our reuniting with loved ones in heaven, but there is another reunion which holds special meaning to the child of God. It is the reunion of the soul in heaven to the body on earth—a body that has housed our soul since the day of our conception. This body of mine may not look like much to you, but it is home to me.
KEY: God’s salvation will not be complete in my life until God also sanctifies my corruptible body through the act of a physical resurrection. “Who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself” (Phil 3:21).
Therefore, we can be certain that God will not finish with any of us until the totality of each one of us is just like Jesus! 100% like Him! Not 90% like Him with 10% defects. But totally like Him! Everything about me will be free of defects. Not only will I live forever, but I will live forever in 100% conformity to God’s holy laws.
“It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. As we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly” (1 Cor. 15).
There will obviously be a difference in our appearance, but we can be confident that it will be a glorified difference with no weaknesses of any kind! “For now we know in part, but then shall we know fully even as we are now fully known” (1 Cor. 13:12). “Therefore, from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh” (2 Cor. 5:16).
Imagine what the new you will be like! One of my female co-workers was impressed with the hairstyle of a new female employee. She told the new employee that she wished her hair was as straight as the new employee’s hair. She then asked, “Would you like to trade?”
The new employee bluntly said, “No. I don’t want your gray hair.”
Imagine you without all the defects, weaknesses, limitations, insecurities, forgetfulness, and sicknesses. Rest assured, dear saint, the half has not yet been told!
*** See Chapter 23 in my book Sanctification: How God Creates Saints out of Sinners for a much deeper explanation of the resurrection and glorified body. Available at Amazon, Apple, Kobo, etc.
Jul 6, 2023 – Our dear friend Patricia went to be with the Lord on this past Sunday evening. Her body was placed in the soil today. The grave has her body NOW, but one day the grave will have to RELEASE her body, because He who is named the Resurrection and the Life will shout, “Patricia, come out!” and, rest assured, that body which is now dead will become alive again in a glorified body patterned after the glorious, resurrected body of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
What does this tremendous event entail? Let’s rejoice together in its prospect since we cannot yet rejoice together in its reality.
The English word “resurrection” comes from the compound Greek word anastasis. It is a unique word with a very powerful meaning. Ana means “up.” Stasis (from histemi) means “to cause to stand.” Thus, the compound word expresses the idea that one who is prone is now caused to stand up. Oh, my, such a brilliant concept! The dead body lies horizontal without strength in a casket until it is made to stand perpendicular by Someone of greater power.
It is as if the body is rising in obedience to the General’s order of, “Attention!” Suddenly, that body of flesh has strength; furthermore, it demonstrates that strength by rising in anticipation of some future activity. It stands to attention! The body is no longer asleep but is fully awake. It is responsive. It is functioning. It is ready to participate again.
Perhaps soon my body will return to the dust. But I have God’s guarantee that He will someday save this body, too. Sometime in the future, the trumpet of God shall sound, and this body of mine shall immediately stand up!
The resurrection of Lazarus presents a beautiful picture of our resurrection.
“So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised his eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you heard me. I know that you always hear me, but because of the crowd standing here I said this, so that they may believe you sent me.’ After he said this, he shouted with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out bound hand and foot with linen strips and with his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unwrap him and let him go’” (John 11:41-44).
“It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power” (1 Corinthians 15:43).
We might paraphrase those words in this manner: “Sown INTO the earth in weakness but raised OUT of the earth in power!”
As it was with the Master, so it was with the servant. “Up from the grave, Lazarus arose! Like a mighty victor over sin, death, and the grave.”
“On that bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise, And the glory of His resurrection share; When His chosen ones shall gather to their home beyond the skies, And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.” Yes, indeed, what a day that will be!
Jul 5, 2023 – They tell the story about a golfer who was so used to cheating that, when he made a hole-in-one, he took out his score card and wrote down ZERO! Again, there once was a Texas rancher who got into a heated argument and shot a man. The rancher telegraphed a lawyer three hundred miles away and offered the lawyer an enormous sum of money to defend him. The lawyer telegraphed back, “Am leaving for your town on the next train and bringing three eyewitnesses!”
We live in a lying age. We live among liars. We live in a world where a man’s word is no longer his bond, and he no longer feels bound by what he has promised. Some are so confused or so blatant in their false lifestyle that they call “evil good and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20). In many cases, our secular classrooms have “exchanged the truth for the lie” (Romans 1:25).
Jesus’ solution to this world condition was unique. He called us to be so honest that no one would require us to swear upon a Bible that we are telling the truth! O, what a standard that is! It would be like someone saying, “Bill said it. I know Bill. If Bill said it happened, then I know it happened.”
The Jews of Jesus’ day did not share the opinion of Jesus. Ryrie comments, “The [Jewish] emphasis on the sanctify of oaths led to the feeling that ordinary phrasing [conversation] need not be truthful or binding.” In the words of the common Jew, “Tell the truth if you are sworn to do so, but say anything you want if you are not under an oath. It’s only a lie if it’s said under an oath.”
Jesus countered that thinking by emphasizing the highest possible standard. He basically says, “Quit swearing at all! Instead, pay attention to EVERYTHING you say. Make sure that EVERYTHING you say is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Don’t make the authorities drag you into court to get the truth from your lips.”
How can we attain such a standard? Simply this: We speak the truth, because we strive to LIVE the truth! Living the truth is part of who we are; speaking the truth is merely the outflow of who we are. We tell the truth because we are friends OF the truth and friends WITH the truth and believe it is best for all concerned if the truth prevails. We don’t talk with a forked or crooked tongue, because we walk the straight and narrow. Who we are determines how we talk, what we say, and whether we are credible witnesses in the eyes of others.
The Apostle John writes, “To the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in TRUTH; and not only I, but also all who know the TRUTH, for the sake of the TRUTH…” No falsehood, no lies, no deception but only truth. Such truth should be the basis for our entire manner of life at home, work, church, and community.
Dedicate yourself to being a person of integrity that can be respected at all times by your peers! Be a person of truth!
Jul 4, 2023 – “GOD BLESS AMERICA, LAND THAT I LOVE. STAND BESIDE HER AND GUIDE HER!”
In October 1976 President Jimmy Carter received a certified check for $35,000 made out to the United States of America. The attached letter said, “Dear Mr. President, The check of $35,000 is a gift for the U.S.A. – LONG LIVE! With me it is not what the country will do for me; it is what I can do for my country. My age is past ninety-two. I came from Russia in 1906.” This man felt he owed a debt for the privilege of being an American. Sadly, too many of today’s people feel America owes them something just for breathing its air. Perhaps they would feel different if they came from Russia in 1906!
Due to our affluence, practically all of us have lost sight of what it cost to bring this country (the greatest country the world has ever known) into existence. Imagine how different things might be today if just a few things had occurred in a different way. What things?
Paul Revere could have said, “Why pick on me? It is the middle of the night. I can’t ride through Middlesex Village. Besides, I am not the only man in Boston with a horse.” (Revere, however, climbed on his horse and warned the countryside that, “The British are coming!”)
Patrick Henry could have said, “Yes, I am for liberty, but we must be realistic. We are small compared to the British, and someone is going to get hurt.” (Henry, though, pushed forward and risked everything for the American cause.)
George Washington could have said, “Gentlemen, you honor me, but I am getting some personal matters settled and have much to do at Mount Vernon. Why don’t you try General Gates? Also, you might say I have served my time fighting the French.” (Washington instead rose to the challenge and rightfully deserves the title “The Father of Our Country.”)
Benjamin Franklin could have said, “I’m over seventy-five years old. What you need as a Minister to France in these strenuous times is a younger man. Let a new generation take over. I want to rest.” (Franklin instead negotiated the Treaty of Versailles.)
And God could have said, “These people will eventually turn against Me. I will not help them.” O, if that had happened…
My friends, let’s not take America for granted! Let us continue to pray, “God bless America, land that I love!”
Jul 3, 2023 – What do you most desire? Figure skaters Randy Gardner and Tai Babilonia were the favorites to win the gold medal for the United States in the 1980 Winter Olympics. This couple had trained many years for this opportunity. They had won the gold medal at the 1979 World Championships. Everyone thought they would win in 1980! But Randy tore a thigh muscle on the day before their performance. The people wondered, “Would Randy give up?” No! The world waited…performance time finally arrived.
I watched the warmups on television. Randy tried to do one of his famous twists only to fall to the ice. Randy and Tai immediately withdrew from the competition. Although they greatly desired a gold medal, they left the Olympics without even a performance.
What do you most desire? Can you write down those desires? Second, are those desires really the right desires, the ones that you would be proud to possess when you stand before God? Last, are those desires currently being fulfilled in your life? Desire can also be expressed in terms of passion…having a heart motivating you to do something. We INTENSELY desire whatever we are passionate about.
May I suggest a biblical checklist for all of God’s children? First, we should desire to know Christ…not merely by name or by attending church, but we should desire to know Him on an experiential, everyday basis. The Apostle Paul yearned, “That I may know Him and the power of His fellowship.” To know Him on a first-name, person-to-person, intimate basis. Don’t be like the man who was visited by the Lord in a dream…who asked the Lord for His identification, because he did not recognize the Lord! Instead, get to know Him, His passions, His will, His power, and His wisdom!
Second, we should desire to know the Book. Which book? The Bible! The Apostle Peter encourages us, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow.” Babes have no past and must be taught everything. Our three-year-old grandson recently studied how the latch works on our sliding door. He is just bursting to gain knowledge, particularly mechanical engineering knowledge (he’s ready to attend college). I often hear Christians say, “The Bible is a boring book to me.” But a baby does not say that about milk. It yearns for the bottle! Undoubtedly, such a “boring book” attitude indicates that Christian needs a personal revival!
Third, we should desire to know that others are saved. Paul’s life was wrapped up in this mission. He said, “My heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved.” His attitude was one of “spreading the gospel where no one else has ever gone.” Would you like to guess how many names of unsaved people appeared on Paul’s prayer list? Without a doubt, the number would be quite large. A friend from a previous church called me today. One of my first comments was, “I prayed today for your son’s salvation.” Every Sunday School class or small church group should share names of unsaved people for continued prayer. After all, it is likely that someone prayed for your salvation; it is now your turn (and your responsibility) to do the same!
What is the result of these three simple but life-changing desires? William Branham summarizes, “That’s my heart’s desire, to live a life that people KNOW that Christ lives within us.” WELL SAID, and, if put into practice, it will also be WELL LIVED…for all of us who come to know you!
Jul 1-2, 2023 – NOT SO! The devil’s statement of faith has been described as a group of people getting together in order to believe nothing. Such fanciful words are nothing but fanciful. They may sound amusing, but there is no truth in them, because the devil does indeed have some core beliefs.
Today’s Verse gives us insight into what our arch-enemies (Satan and his imps) really believe. Jesus encounters two demon-possessed men and, somewhat astonishingly, the demons speak to Jesus by using the man’s vocal cords! This is an incredible event…a man unable to control himself…a man totally controlled by demonic forces…a conversation between Deity and the demons. What do they discuss? Three items stand out to this writer.
First, the demons recognize a higher power. These beings clearly identify the earthly man Jesus as the heavenly Deity known as the Son of God. Today’s world openly debates the identity of Jesus. Is He merely man or is He what He claims to be? Some declare He is merely the bastard son of a Roman soldier, but not so with these demons! The demons know they are in deep trouble when Jesus comes their way, because God the Son is their creator, too! The Bible declares, “By Him were all things made.” “All” includes the good angels who later fell into sin and became demons. They know His power is supreme. His supremacy brings comfort to my soul, but it is a frightening truth to these demons.
Second, the demons acknowledge their pending punishment. “Have You come to torment us?” The demon world lost the greatest battle when they could not keep Jesus in the tomb. They tried, but He arose victorious over sin, Satan, soldiers and death. Was there ever any doubt about His eventual victory? Of course not. The demons acknowledge that expectation in Today’s Verse. They know their end and it is a horrible end indeed. Don’t let any liberal water it down. because the Greek word for “torment” has the idea of torture. (The same word appears in Matthew 18:34 to describe the torturers.) Such a future prospect should cause us to shudder but also to rejoice that our future is heaven.
Third, the demons recognize their time of freedom is limited. “The appointed time” is an admission that they have only a limited time before the appointed time arrives. In this passage they are afraid that Jesus might deal personally with them NOW rather than wait for a future day.
Bottom line: The enemy is MORE of a believer than the unbelievers in our community!
An army chaplain in the Great War was sent to France on the eve of a great battle. It would be the first battle for many of the soldiers. The soldiers were rightfully scared. The chaplain nervously said to the soldiers, “I want to be as helpful as I can. Tell me: Would you like for me to preach a sermon, or would you rather hear some of the latest jokes in America?”
A big soldier rose to his feet and said, “Chaplain, you have come three thousand miles to talk to us. Some of these soldiers will be in eternity in twenty-four hours. If you don’t know whether to preach or tell jokes, I suggest you go ahead and tell us jokes.”
In other words, “We don’t need you here.” Why not? The chaplain had no answer for their need. Oh, our world is so deceived but not so with the demon world. THEY KNOW!!!
Jun 30, 2023 – A pastor saw a woman in church who should have been crying but was laughing instead. The pastor was deeply disturbed. He went to the woman after the service concluded and asked her about her salvation. The woman plainly stated, “I am lost.”
The pastor asked, “Do you know what that means?”
The woman replied, “That means hell.” She smiled as she uttered those words about her own fate.
During my Tennessee Temple days in Chattanooga I often rode the city bus. One afternoon I checked a poster at the bus stop for route information. Someone had written on the poster, “Protect God’s reputation. No souls live forever in torture. God is not guilty of such a trap.” I wrote down the words and have shared them often with people.
I recall reading a poem in our company newsletter during my banking days. The poem was titled, “Why Worry?” It’s a popular poem to this day, but I don’t like it at all. It ended with the lines, “If you go to heaven there is nothing to worry about. If you go to hell, you’ll be so busy shaking hands with friends you won’t have time to worry.”
Those three stories describe the world’s attitude toward God’s warning of—His words, not mine—everlasting punishment. I speak honestly when I say I wish that was not so. I wish it was only temporary punishment or instant punishment such as is preached by the annihilationist. But it is not so.
How long is eternal life with God? Forever and ever. I praise God for allowing me to enjoy that quantity and quality of life forevermore. Please note the same Greek word (“aionios”) is also used to describe the quantity and quality of punishment in the preceding words. In other words, as long as heaven is, so equal in length is the punishment of eternal hell. Fully conscious in heaven, fully conscious in hell. Unending duration for each person no matter where they are.
I urge you to saturate yourself with God’s Word about eternal realities and not allow your thoughts to be watered down by the philosophy of this world.
Never forget that people around you are making decisions with eternal consequences.
Therefore, always live in accordance with this old-time mandate and adapt it to your own life: “Preach as a dying man to dying men headed for eternity!”
For surely that is what all of us are!!!
Jun 29, 2023 – WHAT IS A MISSIONARY? A missionary organization recently appointed seventy-nine people to be foreign missionaries. Is that how we should primarily think about missionaries? Not according to the Bible. The reality is the missionaries in our home town are just as much missionaries as those in a foreign land. Please remember, all born again people are living in a foreign land! Our citizenship is in heaven, not on earth. Like Abraham, we are pilgrims in search of a heavenly city! Our calling is to be God’s ambassador (sent by heaven) to this foreign place called planet Earth. Our mission field is not merely in Africa, but it is all around us. Everywhere we look!
It has been rightfully said, “MISSIONS IS THE HEARTBEAT OF JESUS.” He “came to seek and save that which is lost.” He lived that mission seven days a week. Rest assured, you’ll never be closer to Jesus than when you are involved in His mission of reaching the world with the gospel of the cross!
How then should we think about the identity of a missionary? WHAT EXACTLY IS A MISSIONARY?
First, a missionary is God’s person. It may be a man, woman, boy or girl. All of us are involved. Some of the best missionaries are children bringing other children to Jesus.
Second, a missionary is God’s person in God’s place. God has a place for everyone. It is the right place, too. Where you work is not an accident. The children in your home may be an accident to you, but they are not an accident to God. Where you live is the right place. God has planted you where God wants you. You may have stumbled all over the place getting to your current place, but, unless you are a rebellious Jonah, it is a place where you can bloom in sharing and living the gospel.
Third, a missionary is God’s person in God’s place doing God’s work. God’s work is the most important work in the world. We have been appointed to evangelize, baptize, and disciple others. Many years ago the Salvation Army held an international Bible conference. Its founder, General William Booth, was unable to attend because of physical weakness. He cabled his convention message to them. The message consisted of one word: “Others.” God’s work is only secondarily about you; it is primarily about others upon whom you can shine the light of the everlasting gospel.
Fourth, a missionary is God’s person in God’s place doing God’s work in God’s way. Have you found any better way than Jesus who is “the way, the truth, and the life”? A church lady resigned as a member of the Women’s Missionary Union and said, “I can’t see that it is getting ME anything.” So many begin but never finish! God’s way requires great effort called “taking My yoke upon you and learning of Me.” Too many take a short-term mission trip and think their work is over. Not so! Remember: God’s work must be done in God’s way in order to guarantee God’s results. Stay with the Bible way, do it the Bible way and you will be blessed!
Last, a missionary is God’s person in God’s place doing God’s work in God’s way for God’s glory. If you ask a genuine missionary in your church, “Why do you do what you do?” the missionary will likely respond, “He must increase but I must decrease. To God be the glory!”
An artist was asked to paint a picture of a decaying church. His effort amazed everyone. Instead of depicting on canvas a tottering old building, he portrayed a stately edifice of modern design. Through the open doors one could see a richly carved pulpit, a magnificent organ and beautiful stained glass windows. The vestibule featured a large offering plate for the gifts of the well-to-do worshippers. But that’s where the artist’s idea of a decaying church became obvious. A small coinbox was located next to the offering plate. The coinbox bore the inscription, “For Foreign Missions.” Over the coinbox’s slot the artist had painted a huge cobweb!
God help us to be the missionary He wants us to be!
Jun 28, 2023 – “Lord, what will You have me to do?” Acts 9 records the story of Sheriff Saul’s conversion to Jesus Christ. Yesterday’s devotional discussed the role of grace in Saul’s conversion. Grace transformed this sinner into the saint we best know as the Apostle Paul. Let’s look today at three answers to the question posed in Today’s Verse: “Lord, what will You have me to do?”
Do you recall the words spoken by Jesus to the woman caught in the act of adultery (John 8)? Jesus said, “Go and sin no more.” Why? “First, sin has ruined your life. Second, I am setting you free from the chains of sin that have enslaved you. Third, don’t allow yourself to become entangled again in sin. Go and sin no more.” Many years ago I wrote, “You don’t get saved so you can return to your sin; rather, you get saved so you can turn from your sin. God gives you power to do so through the Holy Spirit.” “No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him” (1 John 3:6). The power of God in our lives distinguishes us from those who don’t believe.
Be careful, though, in developing a “holier than thou” attitude. Charles Spurgeon said a certain man whom he knew was very pious. Spurgeon said he thought the man was practically sinless, until one day he said he was, and then Spurgeon knew he was not! The fact is “Go and sin NO MORE” is the goal, but none of us will ever achieve that goal as long as we are fighting this sinful flesh. We may not be SINLESS but we should be SINNING LESS.
Second, Paul instructed Timothy, “Study or do your best to show yourself approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed but is accurately dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
A young Christian complained to a veteran preacher that he understood the Bible poorly. He wondered if his Bible reading did him any good. The two of them were sitting next to a little stream. An old-fashioned tomato basket was nearby. The preacher said, “Take the basket to the stream and fill it with water.” He repeated this request three times. The basket, of course, had gaps that allowed the water to run out of the basket very quickly.
Finally, the old preacher asked, “The basket doesn’t hold much water, does it?”
The young man said, “No.”
The old preacher asked, “But do you see anything different about the basket now than when you began?
The young man replied, “Yes. The basket is a lot CLEANER now than when I first started!” ‘Nuff said!
Third, Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). Share your salvation with others! Don’t hide what God has done for you. Instead, speak it and display it in as many places as you can.
The great preacher Gypsy Smith attended a revival service. Someone identified him and asked him to say a few words at the end of the service. He walked up and began to sing, “Where He leads me I will follow. I’ll go with Him all the way.” The building became totally silent. Gypsy Smith then added, “When we give Jesus the privilege of leading our lives every day, our lives will become beautiful!”
‘Nuff said!
Jun 27, 2023 – “He can’t get saved. He’s so wicked and mean. No, don’t even waste your time praying for him. He’ll never get saved.”
But he did get saved. Just as saved as you or me. Born again from above by the Holy Spirit into God’s family. A place reserved in heaven for even him.
Yes, he was wicked. Yes, he was mean. Yes, he hated Jesus and everything associated with Him. He even presided over the murder of at least one Christian, imprisoned others, forced many to flee their homes, and showed no compassion for even the youngest children in the Christian households. In his eyes all Christians needed to be exterminated.
Sometimes we think so-and-so is past the point of salvation. Mean. Curses. Adulterer. Druggie. Violent. Liar. Child abuser. Thief. Alcoholic. Black sheep of the family. Picture on the post office wall. Scum of the earth. No one we’d want marrying into the family.
But Saul of Tarsus still got saved. His salvation experience can be read in Acts chapter nine. It is worth reading again and again, because it demonstrates how a man can be so dogmatic against Jesus Christ for so many years, be travelling on the road to arrest Christians in the next community, and yet in the space of just a few seconds this man does a complete 180 – not a 90 or 120 or even 179 but a total change. Saved! And called by God to be an apostle that would turn the Roman Empire upside down!
Is it any wonder that it is he who later writes, “Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more”? Is it any wonder that it was the slave trader (can anyone sink lower than a trafficker in human flesh?) John Newton who wrote, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound (it was surely a sweet sound to him) that saved a WRETCH (we would consider that word to accurately describe Newton) like me.” Is it any wonder that it was a thief on the cross who said to Jesus, “We are being crucified JUSTLY but this man Jesus has done nothing wrong. Lord, remember me when You come into your kingdom. You’re my only hope.”
George Whitefield was preaching one Sunday in London, England. He cried out: “The Lord Jesus will save the devil’s castaways!”
There were two lowly women listening out in the street. One woman said, “That must mean you and me.” They immediately accepted Christ.
One of them wrote Whitefield a note and sent it to him. The note said: “Mr. Whitefield: Two poor lost women stood outside your tabernacle today, and heard you say that the Lord would save the devil’s castaways. We seized upon that as our last hope, and we write you this to tell you that we rejoice now in believing in Him, and from this good hour we shall endeavor to serve Him, who has done so much for us.“
Guess what? Those two women are included in these words of Jesus, “Whoever comes to me, I will never cast out.”
Thank God for the grace that abounds much, much more than our sin! Therefore, let’s not give up on anyone! “Tis grace that taught my heart to fear AND GRACE MY FEARS RELIEVED!”
Jun 26, 2023 – HE HAS COME TO THE EARTH ONCE…WILL HE COME A SECOND TIME? Yer can bet yer bottom dollar the answer is yes, yea, and yeah! What a first coming! And what a second coming, too!
Jesus arrived as a babe two thousand years ago, and what a difference he brought. “Never has a man spoken like this man.” “What manner of man is this that even the wind and the sea obey His voice?” “Who has ever made the blind to see or the lame to walk?” Amazingly, even the calendar is built around Him.
Jesus brought change into the world—so much change that the world could not handle Him. He will bring even more change when He establishes His future kingdom and rules in absolute righteousness. As for me, I yearn for the day when money/power will no longer rule the world. Instead, I yearn for the day when the standards of righteousness will rule. Pure righteousness. Wrong will be wrong, right will be right and enforcement will be the same for both the privileged and unprivileged. Someday it shall indeed be. O, but I digress…
We, too, live in a changing world. 90% of the items in today’s supermarket did not exist ten years ago. Half of college graduates are going to jobs that didn’t exist when they were born.
One man said, “My great-grandfather rode a horse, but he was afraid of a train. My grandfather rode a train, but he was afraid of a car. My father rode in a car, but he was afraid of an airplane. I ride in an airplane, but I’m afraid of a horse!” In that family’s case, change has come full circle.
But the greatest change of all is the result of the indwelling Christ being at “home” in the believer. The word “dwell” in Today’s Verse has the idea of “being at home.” Such an experience in normal life indicates one is COMFORTABLE in the setting, the activities, the culture, the entertainment, and so on.
Let’s think of the word in a spiritual context. Wonder if Jesus is comfortable in your heart? Comfortable with the setting, the activities, the culture, the entertainment and so on? The reality is Jesus brings change wherever He goes (including our lives), but sometimes that change can be too radical for us…just like it was too radical for many people in His first coming.
Has Jesus truly changed your life? He came that we might have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10), that we might be delivered from darkness into His awesome light, that our address could change from the flames of hell to the perfections of heaven. “I’ve been changed from the creature that once I was And redeemed is now my name. I’ve been changed, I’m a new born, All my life has been rearranged; What a difference it made, When the Lord came and stayed In my heart, oh yes, I’ve been changed.”
May your heart be a home to Him today!
Jun 24-25, 2023 – PART 2 of 2 – Yesterday’s devotional (Part 1) posed the question, “Are you facing a troubling situation? Perhaps one you wish could be avoided but must be faced head-on?” Part 1 presented five lessons that are best learned in valley experiences, not in mountain top experiences. Those lessons are worth posting somewhere for quick review when you enter your next valley. But today let’s look closely at how David dealt with his own trouble. In this case what worked for David will also work for you and me!
First, David requested God’s nearness or presence in his valley experience. There were times when David, though surrounded by many, was actually alone. Being alone in the valley is not a pleasant experience. Thus, David cries out in verse seven, “Hear me speedily…hide not Your face from me.” Obviously, David did not want to experience God’s frown nor God’s distance, but rather he yearned to know or sense God’s presence. Of course, God was always close by, because God does not desert His own; however, that does not mean we always sense God’s presence. (For example, we live in the same house as our spouse, but we do not always sense the presence of our spouse.)
In my childhood we sang, “Anywhere with Jesus I am not afraid. Anywhere, anywhere! Fear I cannot know; Anywhere with Jesus I can safely go.” This psalm was written when David was being pursued by King Saul. Saul wanted David dead! In other words, this is a deep, deep, deep valley. Running for one’s life has to be one of the most harrowing experiences a person can ever encounter. What was David’s solution? Call the police, the military, Christian brothers? No. He sought refuge in the Lord Jehovah, Jehovah being the name that represents God’s covenant relationship with His people. David says, “I want to experience the God that has covenanted or promised to watch over me! Come, Jehovah, to my aid!” That sounds like a good prayer for you and me, too.
Second, David requested God’s guidance. He writes in verse eight, “Cause me to know the way in which I should walk. Teach me…reveal to me. Do I go north or south? East or west? Hide, run or fight?” David freely acknowledged that he did not have the answers nor did his many advisors have the answers. But David knew the One who does have ALL of the answers. “Cause me to KNOW…not guess or throw a dart at the board.”
Would to God that life had only one problem and only one solution! If that was so, we would always know the answer. But life can be very complicated at times. “The enemy has persecuted my soul…driven me to the ground…my spirit is overwhelmed” (verses 3-4). But the Psalmist did not quit; instead, he sang, “Where could I go but to the LORD?”
“Cause me to KNOW…” Do you desire God’s will? We need to focus just as much on God’s will IN the valley as on the mountain top.
Third, David requested God’s sovereign intervention. The word “sovereign” means “absolute authority and power to do whatever one wishes to do.” David cries in verse nine, “Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies.” Not “enemy” but “enemies.” He had more than one! The number might have seemed numberless to him. But David did not ask for soldiers plural to combat his enemies; no, David requested the intervention of only ONE: his God.
In a similar way our Lord teaches us to pray to ONE Being, “Deliver us (many LESSER beings) from evil.” ‘’Ah, isn’t it great to know you are praying to One who can do “exceedingly, even abundantly ABOVE all that you ask or think”? One of our major failures is that we ask TOO LITTLE of our God, primarily because we don’t think something phenomenal can be done. David, though, overcame that hinderance by recognizing the sovereignty of his God and saying, “I flee to You to hide me.”
Is any valley too big for your God? I think not. Let your next valley become a time of spiritual growth!
Jun 23, 2023 – PART 1 of 2 – Are you facing a troubling situation? Perhaps one you wish could be avoided but must be faced head-on? Some falsely teach the Christian life is one of always living on the mountain top. O, how I wish that were the case! Valley experiences are common, though, for every believer. How do I know? The Psalms are consumed with valley experiences! In addition, which book is read the most? It is the Psalms, because we have a need for the comfort in its pages.
It has been said that we learn more in the valley than on the mountain top. What do we learn? First, we learn to trust fully in God rather than self. Psalm 140 begins, “Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man.” Psalm 141 begins, “LORD, I cry unto thee; make haste to me!” Psalm 142 begins, “I cried unto the LORD…with my voice I make my supplication or request.” The next Psalm, Today’s Verse, begins similarly, “Hear my prayer, O LORD.” Four consecutive psalms deal with valley living, not mountain shouting!
Valley living often strips away our self-confidence, creates doubt and confusion. “I hit rock bottom.” “It can’t get any worse.” “This is my Jonah in the whale experience.” “I’m so far down I can only go up from here.” “Even my dog is upset with me.” Such experiences can prompt us to look up to God, confess a rebellious spirit, reset our priorities, choose to live by faith and “make the main thing the main thing.”
Second, we learn God wants our attention. We often become too wrapped up in ourselves. Pastor Charles Stanley tells about being hospitalized for an illness. He was so frustrated with being forced from the ministry and into a hospital bed. Charles complained to God about his inactivity. He later testified, “God then spoke to my heart and said, ‘Charles, NOW THAT I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION…” That experience then became a time of spiritual renewal…and listening!
Third, we learn the Christian road requires a determined spirit. Serving the Lord is not for wimps! Wimps are like the plant that looks good until the hot sun causes it to wither. Jesus did not describe the Christian life as a garden of roses and riches, but rather of “taking up your cross and following Me daily.” The valley prompts us to buckle down, put our shoulder to the task and push on. And, in so doing, the victory becomes so much sweeter!
Fourth, we learn that God has a purpose in all things even though we may not understand God’s purpose at the time. Gilbert K. Chesterton wisely says, “One sees great things from the valley, but only small things from the peak.” “Iron sharpens iron” describes the trials of the valley experience. The valley is designed to make us worth more at the end than we were at the beginning. Plus, the valley is the best place for ministry because more people are in the valley than on the mountain top!
Last, we learn to thank God for all circumstances. The Apostle Paul urges, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). What is the old saying? “If God brings you to it, God will also bring you through it.” Somehow…and the somehow may be a question mark to us…but somehow God is present in these circumstances. The Psalmist found that lesson to be true throughout his life whether it was on the mountain top when he slew the giant Goliath or it was in the valley when he was fleeing for his life. But somehow God was with him and God was forming him…especially in the hardest times of all. After all, suffering is a powerful teacher.
Remember: The God on the mountain is also the God in your valley!
Jun 22, 2023 – How should a Christian approach the subject of scandal in God’s church? The scandals in Christianity just keep coming: child molestation, misuse of church funds, sexual immorality among church leaders, etc. It’s sickening to watch the name of Christ being dragged through the mud…and it becomes personally sickening to have unbelievers throw these sins (abominations may be a better word) in our face when we try to represent Christ before them.
One saint writes, “I looked for the church in the world only to find the world in the church.” In other words, the world’s conduct and the church’s conduct have now become the same. Unfortunately, the church is rapidly losing its influence as the salt, because it has embraced sin or tolerated sin instead of rebuking sin.
I once asked a deacon, “Why did you retain your pastor after learning of his adultery?” The reply was given, “It is because everyone liked him!” Would anyone like to guess why that church had problems?
Let me suggest six lessons many churches and leaders have forgotten. First, the Bible must be our authority in all manner of life, including dealing with scandal. Should our allegiance be determined by how we feel about someone or how we feel about God? The Bible is a plain book that expresses God’s opinion very plainly about these scandals. God bless those who have the courage to say, “This is what God says to do and we must do it!”
Second, any Christian can fall. That includes Christian celebrities, too. David, at one time a man after God’s own heart, committed adultery with Bathsheba. Peter fell when he denied knowing God the Son. Samson was such a mighty man in physical strength but a mere weakling in moral strength. Therefore, don’t be surprised if your hero falls, too, but don’t allow your disappointment to pretend nothing happened.
Third, accountability is important. The old saying is true: “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” I have always instructed my churches: “Don’t ever allow a pastor to take control of your finances. You should demand that all of your finances be handled above the table.” One pastor stole funds from a church cemetery fund. When asked for his reasoning, he replied, “You don’t pay me enough!” How sad! But who gave him access to the funds in the first place? Life would be so much easier if we required accountability among our leaders.
Fourth, sin must be judged, not overlooked. The Apostle Paul writes, “Those that sin, rebuke before all that all may fear” (1 Timothy 5:20). Contrast those words with the reaction of the Corinthian church: “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. AND YOU ARE PROUD! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this?”
One televangelist was caught in a sexual tryst. Someone defended him by saying, “What will happen to his ministry if we deal with the problem?” No one asked, “What will happen to God’s honor if the sin is ignored?” One of the major networks even used the words “slap on the wrist” to describe the response of Christianity to this sin.
Fifth, forgiveness should not be confused with restoration. Many think that if someone cries crocodile tears that we should give that person a clean slate and move on. Not necessarily so, for the Bible (recall the first lesson) says, “You reap what you sow.” David’s sin was serious, his confession was contrite but his household reaped a four-fold harvest of unspeakable horror. Did God forgive David? Yes. Did God restore David to how things were previously? Not by a long shot. Remember: Sin leaves scars, often deep scars. Some no longer meet God’s qualifications such as “blameless” and “having a good reputation among the unsaved.”
Sixth, always place your trust in God and not man! Will God ever fail? No. But man will fail though hopefully not in a major, disqualifying way. The Psalmist urges, “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man” (Psalm 118:8). There is room for only one person on our pedestal: our Lord and Savior. Keep your eyes on Him, follow Him, obey Him, and you will help the church deal scripturally (and therefore correctly) with any scandals that come your way.
Jun 21, 2023 – Did God attend your church service this past Sunday? You were present, the music director was present, the ushers were present but how about God? Did you know He was also there? Did you enter the doors with the expectation of communing with Him in joint worship?
It is true that God’s Holy Spirit indwells each believer (Romans 8:9), but it is also true that God’s presence abounds in a unique way when two or three people meet together to lift up the name of Jesus. It is good to be alone with Jesus, but it is also good to be with others enjoying Jesus. It’s special!
Harry Rimmer, the well-known preacher in Los Angeles, had a relative called Aunt Fanny. This woman was quite a Bible scholar. She knew the Bible through and through.
Harry had just undergone a grueling week. He’d preached four funerals, spent hours in hospital visitation plus handled quite a bit of church business. Sunday came and Harry realized he was not ready to preach! The sermon was only 1/3 ready! He decided to struggle through the sermon and hope it made sense. Harry walked to the podium, sat down, and tried to look very confident. Just as he sat down, in walked Aunt Fanny! She marched down the aisle and took a seat.
Harry almost fell apart. He thought, “I can’t preach that sermon to Aunt Fanny. It’s not done. I don’t even know where I’m going with it.”
Harry rushed off the podium, entered his study, and dug out a sermon he had been working on for several months. This sermon, though, was only half finished. Quickly, as the choir sang, he researched further, wrote down a few hasty notes and said, “That has to do!”
The pastor raced back to the podium just in time to preach. He thought he did a rather good job. But what would Aunt Fanny say?
After the service Aunt Fanny came to him, kissed him on the cheek, and said, “That was a rather good one. Of course, it will need more work. You work on it some more, and that will be a good one.”
Harry Rimmer almost shouted! He left the service with a spring in his step as if he was walking on air. Aunt Fanny had given him a passing grade! Yes! “That was a rather good one!”
Suddenly, Harry felt himself run into a stone wall. He began thinking, “Why are you rejoicing? You were ready to preach that first message. You’d have been satisfied to preach that message with Jesus out there but not with Aunt Fanny out there.”
Harry acknowledged his failure and created an unusual remedy to make sure it did not happen again. What did he do? He placed an empty chair in the congregation and pretended that Jesus was sitting in that chair. He preached for several months with that chair in his mind…and preparation. That did not guarantee every sermon would be a great sermon, but it did help him focus on the most important person in that service: Jesus Christ who promised, “there am I in the midst of them.”
Ah, how foolish we can be! Are you ever like Harry? Do you sometimes lose sight of the presence of Jesus? Does your mind wander? Or are you able to commune with Him from the moment you step on the property?
What did David say? “I was glad when they said, ‘Let’s go up to the house of the LORD.’” May we possess that same gladness by possessing the same attitude!
Jun 20, 2023 – Why do things happen WHEN they happen? I do not know…but God knows.
It was Vacation Bible School, 1980. Our school met during the 7:00-9:15 period. More than eighty children attended on this particular night—perhaps a record for the church. At 9:30 in the twilight I was standing outside with one of our teachers and two of our church kids. The church bus had left the parking lot only minutes before. There were very few cars left on the parking lot.
Suddenly, from up the hollow came a horrendous sound. It sounded like all the junk in the world had been dropped from the sky.
I saw an old pickup truck racing down the road out of control. The truck climbed a steep bank and rolled into our parking lot on two wheels. It appeared ready to tip over at any moment. The truck then righted itself—landed on all four wheels with such force that the hood flew up and blinded the driver. He swerved the truck around in the parking lot; suddenly, the truck started directly for us…then just as suddenly away from us until it did a complete circle.
For some reason the children raced toward the truck and the teacher chased after the children. It was total chaos. The truck reached the edge of the parking lot and barreled into an electric pole, thereby being brought to a stop. I ran to the truck to see if the driver was injured. He was already in motion, backing up the truck with the intention of clearing out!
I stopped the man. He claimed the brakes had failed. There was no disputing his words. After some time he slowly drove the truck up the hollow to his house. The pole was okay, the children and adults were scared but okay, the truck…well, it was already beyond the okay stage.
I thank God to this day that the truck arrived at 9:30 instead of 9:15 with so many children and adults on the parking lot. It would have been better, though, if the truck had arrived at midnight when no one was on the parking lot. Then again, there were witnesses on the parking lot at 9:30 of what COULD have happened…but what God prevented from happening.
Why do things happen WHEN they happen? I have often said, “Life without God makes no sense, but there are times when even life WITH God makes no sense.” The book of Job addresses the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Other passages (Psalm 73) explore the question, “Why do good things happen to bad people?” And the ENTIRE Bible deals with the question, “Why do things happen WHEN they happen?”
The Christian is not called to always understand, but the Christian IS called to walk by faith in a God who “works all things after the counsel of His own will” (Ephesians 1:11). My job, nor yours, is not to understand nor to help God improve His plan. At no point in my sixty-eight years has God called me in for a summit conference and sought my advice. What God has done instead is called me to live “by faith and not by sight.”
The timing will somehow be right, because it will be God’s timing. As much as possible, we should strive to leave the timing in God’s hands.
“Cause me to know the way in which I should walk” is a good prayer to pray each and every day.
Jun 19, 2023 – A man rushed into a railroad station and breathlessly asked the ticket agent, “When does the 8:01 train leave?”
The ticket agent replied, “At 8:01.”
The man said, “Well, it’s 7:59 by my watch, 7:57 by the town clock and 8:04 by the station clock. Which clock am I to go by?”
The ticket agent said, “You can go by any clock you wish, but you can’t go by the 8:01 train because it has already left!”
By the 7:59 clock there was still opportunity. By the 7:57 clock there was still opportunity. But by the correct clock there was no more opportunity.
Every day has the same number of hours in it: 24. Every day has the same number of minutes in it: 1,440. Every day has the same number of seconds in it: 86,400. BUT EVERY DAY DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES IN IT!
Jesus urged us to make the most of today by saying, “Work while it is day for the night is soon to come when no one can work.” That statement made sense in Jesus’ day, because electrical lighting did not yet exist. Therefore, you worked when you could work…when you could see!
I listened to one of my childhood heroes this morning: an 85-year-old preacher that rejoiced in accepting God’s call to study for the ministry nearly sixty years ago. Like in the case of Moses, God said, “I am sending you” and, despite his weaknesses (he was an introvert at the time, but God changed him) he said, “I will try. I hope You know what You’re doing!” This man stepped by faith through the door of opportunity, and God continues to use him in a fantastic work.
On the other hand, I recall hearing an old preacher say, “God gave me the opportunity to pastor when I was middle-aged, but I said ‘no. Make the offer again when I retire from my secular job and I have time to do it.’ But God’s offer never came again. He let me preach, but He never let me pastor. I missed my opportunity.”
The old saying is true, “Preach like a dying man to dying men!” because no one knows when the last opportunity will come!
Think of Judas missing his opportunity to be saved! What a wasted opportunity. Think, though, of you accepting the opportunity to be born again and what a change it has made in you! Think also of the everyday opportunity to impact the people around you beginning with your own family. Think of the opportunity to represent Christ today…right where you are.
The Bible is full of opportunities that were either accepted or rejected. Perhaps someone should design a new reference Bible and call it the “Opportunities Reference Bible”…include footnotes on EVERY opportunity in the Bible no matter how large or how small. Such a Bible would be voluminous! We would learn that each accepted or rejected opportunity led to either a good or poor harvest. In so doing, we would learn that no opportunity exists in a vacuum!
The same can be said about your own life. Opportunities abound! But which opportunities are only for today? or only for this season of life?
Are your eyes open to identifying opportunity and making the most of each opportunity? Would you recognize opportunity if it knocked on your door today?
Let’s begin today and “make the most of every opportunity.”
“Find something that motivates you!”
Those words are pounded into us during our high school years. We are pushed to determine what we will do after we graduate. But finding that “something” is often difficult. In my case, I tried college but to no avail because I did not know what I wanted to study. I went to work for a bank for three years. In time I grew into what I knew to do: be a pastor of God’s church. The fog dissipated and I could clearly see my future direction.
I have never had a problem with motivation since that time. But others do. That’s the reason they run hot and cold. They can’t keep it going, because their motivation does not go deep enough. Oh, they are motivated to be great parents, but they fall short in their Christian walk.
“Find something that motivates you” is appropriate for all of us, regardless of our spiritual level. It may be a Bible verse like Col. 3:17, “whatever you do in word or deed, do ALL in the name of the Lord Jesus.” It may be Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the kingdom of God.” One family’s motto hung in their living room: “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord” (Josh. 24:15).
It may a motto. Our 1970’s pastor Lee Roberson ingrained in us, “Only one life will soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.” Those words still motivate!
It may be a story that still touches your heart. The story may be in the Bible or it may be something you read/heard. But it resonated. Thus, you determined to be someone of greater value!
It may be a need. A young man was being baptized. He told the preacher, “Do you know why I got saved? It is because I am a new father. I want my son to have a Christian father.” Wow! Amen!
It may be a challenge from a song. Some songs continually challenge me even though I sang them as a young Christian. “I gave My life for thee, what hast thou given for Me?” “I sought a flag to follow, a cause for which to stand. I found them all in Jesus!” “Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a present far too small, Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all.” Those songs still stir my blood!
It may be others. “Others, Lord, yes, others. Let this my motto be. Help me to live for others, That I may live like Thee.” The “others” will undoubtedly include protecting your family with the life-changing, character-changing gospel of Christ. Don’t let the devil have them without a fight!
It may be hell. Henry C. Trumball writes, “Unless a man is ready to work for the salvation of others, it may be questioned whether or not he himself is saved. He who wants only enough religion to save himself is not likely to have even that much.” The Apostle Paul was motivated by hell. He writes, “Knowing the terror of the Lord, we spend our time persuading men”…pointing people to the Savior.
So what motivates you? Write it where you can review it, perhaps in your Bible, perhaps on your computer/desk/calendar/day planner. Write it, keep it, and work it!
Jun 16, 2023 – We learned as a child, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who’s the fairest of them all?”
Undoubtedly, the Fairest of all is the Lord Jesus Christ. Do I need to be reminded of who I am and who Jesus is? Yes. The Bible provides an incredible service to me: it provides a mirror to my soul, my innermost being. The Bible serves as the most powerful mirror of all!
A mirror on the wall reveals how we appear on the outside; however, the Word of God reveals what we actually are on the inside. Which is more important? The inside! Why? The inside is the real me. Unfortunately, my outward appearance may be a camouflage that hides the real me. Camouflage works well in the time of war, but it is not prudent nor appropriate in everyday life. After all, camouflage is a fake that is designed to hide what we do not want others to see.
But God knows what I try to hide, and to a large extent, I know the real me. Sometimes the real me is not the person I want others to see. Does this ring a bell with you?
Thus, the Bible encourages us to gaze into its mirror (Psalm 119). A brief glance gives us only a brief, often distorted or incomplete view, but a gaze gives us opportunity to think upon whom and what the Bible reveals. Sometimes the Bible confirms our suspicions, but sometimes it reveals something previously unidentified. Sometimes it confirms we are right, but sometimes… Suffice it to say, “hearing” and “doing” what the mirror reveals will make us a consistently better person…and isn’t that one of our goals in life?
A police magistrate developed a new way of dealing with the drunks brought into the police station. He lined the drunks before a large mirror on the wall. The drunks did not need to gaze in the mirror to see themselves as they really were. Some were humiliated to such an extent they signed a pledge to leave their alcoholism and seek help. The mirror helped them recognize the truth!
In a similar way, an African woman was asked if she enjoyed reading her new Bible. She answered, “Sir, I am not reading this Book. This Book is reading me!” The woman’s statement is quite accurate. The Bible, unlike other books, reveals “us to us.” Please give it the time to speak to you! And to reveal you…to you!
Jun 15, 2023 – Hudson Taylor, missionary to China, was traveling on a boat from Shanghai to Ningpo. During the voyage Hudson shared the gospel with a man named Peter. Peter listened but rejected the message. However, it was evident that Peter was deeply bothered by the message. God the Holy Spirit was driving the message home!
Then Peter fell overboard. He could not swim.
Hudson noticed that no one made any effort to save Peter. Instinctively, he sprang to the mast, lowered the sail then jumped overboard in hope of finding Peter.
A fishing boat was nearby. Hudson made several attempts to gain their help. They agreed to help only after bartering to take every penny from Hudson. The fishermen dragged the area with their fishing net and found Peter in less than a minute. But it was too late. He was already dead.
These fishermen were too busy fishing to worry about a drowning man.
“No man cared for my soul!”
How can such a thing happen? Two lessons need to be thought through. First, Peter waited too long to get saved. The Bible warns, “Today is the day of salvation” or to paraphrase it, “THIS VERY MOMENT is the time to get saved.” No one is guaranteed tomorrow or even their next breath. That is why we stress the urgency of receiving Christ when you CAN receive Christ which is always NOW. Don’t postpone salvation. The salvation of your soul is the most important issue in your life. To wait is fool’s folly. I have buried too many people who could recite how to be saved but postponed it until a later date by saying, “Not now, preacher.” Well, now is no longer possible. Don’t let it happen to you.
As much as possible, don’t let it happen to your loved ones either. Lesson #2 is to make a conscious effort to keep the gospel in front of people. Build sowing the gospel into your everyday process. Talk about the Lord in your everyday conversations. Brag about how Jesus has changed your life. Mention the gospel in your social media like facebook, linked-in, twitter, etc. Click that share button and share gospel posts on-line with your many acquaintances. Take a few minutes to read your Bible in front of people at work or the soccer field. Pass out some gospel literature. Invite people to church. The list goes on and on. It is true some people don’t want to be bothered…they may even say you’ve bothered them too much! Ok, so go in the back door: Keep putting the gospel in front of them through other means, many of which have been described above. Work at it and do it intentionally!
Let’s bring as many Peters to Christ as we can!
Jun 14, 2023 – How powerful is the Word of God that we believe, teach and obey? It is powerful enough to change a life!
The man had at one time been a pickpocket. He stood in a church meeting and testified, “I was a pickpocket for many years. One day on a busy street I saw a man whose hip pocket bulged. I said to myself, ‘There is a fat purse in that pocket.’ I slipped out the purse, didn’t look at it until I got home. When I took it from my pocket, I saw it was a New Testament, not a purse! In disgust I threw it on the floor. After a while, however, I picked it up and began to read it.
“It told me that I was a sinner. It told me about Jesus, the sinner’s friend. I asked Jesus to come into my heart and clean up my life. Well, He did exactly that. Now I find my greatest joy is telling others about Him!”
Peter writes in Today’s Verse that this Book is not an ordinary book, but it is the “living and enduring Word of God.” How powerful is it? It not only reveals our need but also provides the solution of being “born again of imperishable or incorruptible seed/life.” That result, my friend, is more powerful than being healed on a hospital bed, the blind being made to see or the lame being made to walk, because it is a spiritual resurrection from “dead in trespasses and sins” to eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God is not in the reformation business, but He is in the resurrection business…not in making something bad to be a little better but in taking something which is dead and making it alive. That part of man which is deadened toward God is given a new capacity/nature which is alive toward God and allows the born-again one to commune with God. One of the components in that ultimate resurrection is the Word of God that lives and endures from one generation to the next.
Do you want to impact your family after your death? Then impart to them the Word of God in the time that you have remaining, because that Word will endure to all generations! Sow the seed of God’s teachings! Such a gift will be more significant than any other item in your will. And it is the only thing that can make it possible for your future generations to join you around God’s throne!!!
Jun 13, 2023 – A little serving girl (maid) appeared in court as a witness and was asked by the lawyer if the family owned a Bible. She answered, “Yes, sir. That’s where they keep the newspaper clippings!”
This family owned a Bible, but it was a neglected Bible. It did them no good.
What is your reaction to the Bible? Is it an open book or a neglected book? Let’s think it through.
The Bible is an open book to the person who recognizes the inspiration of the scriptures. Jesus declared with authority, “The scriptures cannot be broken” (John 10:35). Again, “Till heaven and earth passes away, not one jot [smallest Hebrew letter] or one tittle [ornament over a letter –so tiny!] shall in any way pass from the law until all of it be fulfilled” (Matthew 5:18). Brother, that’s not only verbal inspiration; that’s letter and apostrophe inspiration! We must affirm with the Apostle Paul, “All scripture is God-breathed, that is, inspired by God” (2 Timothy 3:16). You and I must acknowledge that all of God’s Word must be accepted, and none of God’s book can be discarded. You see, WE APPROACH THE WORD OF GOD WITH THE CERTAINTY THAT IT TRULY IS THE WORD OF GOD! We allow it to speak to us as God Himself speaking, because that’s what it is. So let’s listen to what God has to say!
Second, the Bible is open to the person who realizes it reveals the one and only way of salvation. So many trust in a tradition but not the Savior! The Bible, though, makes the message plain: “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all ACCEPTANCE [I can take it to the bank] that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am #1” (1 Timothy 1:15). “These verses are written that you might believe!” (John 20:31). “I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except by Me.” On and on the point is made that Christ alone is the Savior. Accepting that truth is like opening the door to the entire treasure and in Him all of life’s mysteries will be solved…either now or in eternity.
Then again, the Bible is open to the person who accepts its practical use in everyday life. Remember: The Bible is not a theoretical book; rather, the Bible is a very practical book about everyday living. It has instructions for everyone of every age. The Amplified Bible is on the mark with these words from the first Psalm: “His delight is in the law of the Lord, And he will be like a tree firmly planted [and fed] by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season; Its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers [and comes to maturity].” That’s the kind of book I need, how about you?
Cliff Hartley, one of my mentors, once told me, “The standards of the Bible have never failed.” How true!
So, let’s return to where we started. What is your reaction to the Bible? Is it an open book or a neglected book?
Jun 12, 2023 – During my late 1970’s years at Tennessee Temple, I worked weekends at the Tradewinds Motel. One night two Grecian painters came into the office. They had been hired to paint a Chattanooga bridge. They were conducting their conversation in Greek. One of them said to me, “I’ll bet it’s all Greek to you!”
I replied, “I have studied two years of koine Greek.” (I did not volunteer that I could not make out a single word they said!)
One told me that his father, age 72, was a priest in the Greek Orthodox church. Both of these painters were Greek Orthodox, also. They both knew about Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. I asked them if they believed in heaven and how they intended to get there.
Mr. Koulianas said, “I believe if a man is good, doesn’t steal or murder or do other wicked things, that he’ll go to heaven.”
I replied, “The Bible says otherwise. Romans 3:23 says, ‘for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.’”
He said, “That’s ok. I don’t care if it’s in the Bible.”
I proceeded to share the story of Nicodemus with him. “Jesus said, ‘You must be born again. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.’”
Mr. Koulianas said, “I don’t care what the Bible says. Do you mean to tell me if a person lives a good life and does good but doesn’t believe in Christ that Jesus will say, ‘Because you didn’t believe in me I’m throwing you into hell’?”
I stated that I believed what the Bible said, and the Bible teaches that only people who put their faith in Christ will go to heaven.
I’ve never forgotten his next words. He said, “I don’t care what the Bible says. You have to think LOGICAL on these things and not let any book tell you what to believe.”
Question: Which is more logical? To heed the Word of God or to create one’s own religion? To acknowledge our own imperfections and subsequent need of a Savior or to ignore our own imperfections? To have a basis for what we believe or to build on a foggy imagination which shifts with the winds of time?
Remember: It was LOGICAL for Abraham to obey God’s call to go into a far country. It was LOGICAL for Noah to build an ark. It was LOGICAL for Israel to walk around the walls of Jericho. And it’s also LOGICAL to trust my salvation to the blood of Jesus Christ. Why? It is because it is always LOGICAL to believe what God has plainly said. My hope rests not on some obscure Bible passage that can be translated or interpreted a number of ways, but, rather, my hope is based upon the crystal clear Bible passages that are repeated in a crystal clear manner throughout the Bible.
Ah, I have a basis for what I believe. How about you?
Jun 10-11, 2023 – Some people ridicule the Bible. They say it is a book of contradictions—a book that defies human logic. One skeptic challenged a preacher, “There is no way I could believe that book. It has too many contradictions.”
The pastor asked, “Can you give me an example of one of those contradictions?”
The man replied, “Most certainly. I read in the Bible about that ark of Noah’s and how big it was and how many animals it held. Now, preacher, can you tell me how a handful of men could carry that ark for forty years in the wilderness?”
I’m glad he didn’t ask me! My immediate reply would have been, “Are you ignorant about anything else or is this the only subject?” The Bible admonishes us to “answer a fool according to his folly.” It continually amazes me how many people have graduated from the school called Folly University! That poor fellow did not know the difference between Noah’s ark and the ark of the covenant. (Hint: Remember Indiana Jones’ search for the ark of the covenant? That wasn’t Noah’s ark!) Heaven help him!
Question: Do you understand everything you read…in any publication? I don’t. Does that mean something is wrong with the publication? Not at all. It’s usually more a referendum on my intelligence than the publication. Likewise, I still (even after fifty-nine years as a Christian) find myself flailing at times trying to understand a particular Bible verse. I freely acknowledge I need help! The Holy Spirit probably wishes He had a better student than me, but He patiently shows me more and more as I explore the pages of Holy Writ.
I am currently reading through the Bible and finding material to use in my fifth book, “God’s Righteousness on Trial.” I have read through the complete Bible many times. I am using the Ryrie Study Bible this time. (I alternate Study Bibles when reading through the Bible and encourage you to do so.) I am starting the minor prophets today. What has stood out to me this time? The book of Jeremiah. That book is considered a “downer” by many, because it contains so many judgment passages. However, God has opened my mind to things I have missed before. In one case, it was as if God added an entire chapter to the book. That chapter has never clicked with me before. (It will be a significant addition to the new book.)
But that’s the way it is with the Word of God. Things just magically “click” when you’re least expecting it. The unclear becomes clear. The question mark becomes an exclamation point.
Without question, the Bible is a book of wonders! It is truly a miracle book which deserves to be handled with precious care.
It was written by many different writers arising from different cultures, centuries, backgrounds, and education. Luke was a physician, Paul was “college” educated, Matthew was a tax collector, Moses was educated in a foreign culture, Peter and John were mere fishermen, Nehemiah was a cupbearer, David and Solomon were exalted kings, Job was a rich farmer, Samuel was a priest and Amos was a shepherd.
It is often difficult to get individuals in the same family to agree on anything, but God used people separated by thousands of years from every conceivable background to create a Book with one central theme without any contradictions which has the power to save a man’s soul.
Thank God for the Bible!
P.S. I’ll wait on God to clear up the so-called “contradictions.” See “God Speaks—Today!” at Amazon or Apple for deeper study material.
Jun 9, 2023 – “Ask not for whom the bell tolls…it tolls for thee” (John Donne). Maybe tomorrow, maybe next week but certainly someday.
One of the items that troubled my grandfather was his fear of dying alone. I do not know why that thought lingered in his mind, but I know that it bothers many. For some people it is an issue of facing the unknown. For others it is a lack of faith. Then some are just naturally fearful of anything they do not control.
But the child of God can rest upon the truth of the Word of God and know enough about death that he or she is able to see death as an already conquered foe. ”O death, where is your sting? O grave where is your victory? Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!”
“Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death [what harm can a shadow cause me?] I will fear no evil, because Thou art with me.”
“Absent from the body and present with the Lord!”
“How precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints!”
“When the beggar died he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom.” What a sight (and joy) that must have been!
Do you recall Stephen’s words prior to his execution? He looked skyward and said, “I see Jesus standing at the Father’s right hand!” In my mind Jesus is standing because it is time to welcome Stephen home!
I recall J. R. Faulkner sharing the story of visiting a paralyzed lady who was near death. During the visit she suddenly became excited. She said, “Grab my hands, now raise me up, because I’m going through the pearly gates,” and up out of that bed she came, and when she had gone as far as she could go she just kept on going and she went on to be with Jesus! GLORY! She didn’t die in fear but rather in confidence. She died just like Stephen…in confidence about her next stopping point!
Thank God for the Word of God, because it gives confidence even in our time of death!
Jun 8, 2023 – “God hath not promised skies always blue, Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through; God hath not promised sun without rain, Joy without sorrow, peace without pain…”
A young boy decided to play a touch football game in a neighbor’s yard. No one wore a football helmet or pads, because no one expects to be hurt in a touch football game. But this boy became tangled up with the bigger boys. He fell to the ground. Another boy tried to jump over him. This boy’s heel on his shoe clipped the young boy on the head.
The young boy was not hurt; he continued to play the game. The game eventually ended, and he returned home. He sat on the living room floor and began telling his father about the game.
Suddenly the boy grabbed his head—the same spot where the shoe had clipped his head. He uttered a loud cry then fell over dead. The father jumped to his son’s side, gathered his son in his arms and began crying. He knew that his son was dead.
The father later said that something very special happened at that very moment. As he held his son in his arms, he felt the presence of Jesus enter the room. The father was not alone! Here he was holding his son and it was as if Jesus WAS NOW HOLDING HIM.
These words of Jesus came to his mind: “Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God; believe, also, in Me.” Those words were spoken only twenty-four hours before the darkest hour of all: the crucifixion of our Lord. “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you!”
Remember: Being a Christian does not spare us from suffering. But it does provide us with a comforting God who holds the entire world, including you and me, in His arms.
“…But God hath promised strength for the day, Rest for the labor, light for the way, Grace for the trials, help from above, Unfailing sympathy, undying love!”
Jun 7, 2023 – Jesus is my friend. Jesus is unlike any friend in this world. I have never met Jesus face to face, but, based upon His own words, I know He is my dearest friend. I have never seen the scars in His hands, but I know those scars exist because of His love for me. I have never seen the wound in His side, but I know the spear proves that He died for me. I have never seen the color of His hair nor the color of His eyes. I have never seen his height either (do I look up to Him or down to Him?).
But I know Jesus is my friend because He testified, “Greater love hath no man than this: that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Jesus Christ identified me as His friend, because He laid down His life for me. In so doing, He opened the door to forgiveness and eternal life for this hellbound sinner. His death results in both a family relationship (I am a child of God (John 1:12)) and a friend relationship.
What an incredible thought! Jesus Christ and I are actually friends. That is not foolishness; indeed, James 2:23 mentions that “Abraham was called the friend of God!” Jesus says to this writer, Abraham AND you, “I call you friends and have revealed to you what I have heard from My Father” (John 15:15). On one occasion He asked, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? No” (Genesis 18:17). He who knows it all has shared so much with me both through His word and our many talks together. The song is so true: “And He walks with me and He talks with me And He tells me I am His own! And the joy we share as we tarry there, None other has ever known!”
“There is a friend that sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). Ah, brother and sister, no one will ever stick closer than He who promised, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).
When the Apostle Paul neared the end, he said, “The Lord is still standing with me. All others have left.”
You and I toil and toil in the Master’s vineyard in obedience to His call upon our lives. Our co-workers come and go, but, amazingly, He remains right there with us. He’s there on the pleasant days when we think, “It can’t get any better than this”; He’s also there on the bad days when we think, “It can’t get any worse than this.” He’s there because He’s our friend.
I preached my first sermon at Leatherwood Missionary Baptist Church in 1976. The title of that message is, “Jesus Is My Friend.” I am happy to say that message has been true for 47 years. I am happy to say it can be just as true for you, also.
“I’ve a friend who’s always near me, I’ve a friend who always cheers me; I’ve a friend who is so dear to me, What a precious Friend is He.”
“On His promise I’m relying, All my needs He is supplying; He’ll be there when I’m dying, What a precious Friend is He.”
Thank You, Jesus, for being my friend.
Jun 6, 2023 – During President Andrew Johnson’s term, a man named Wilson was condemned to death for a crime. The governor, though, had mercy on Wilson and issued a pardon. However, Wilson refused to accept the pardon. He said, “I don’t want the pardon. I do not want to live. I want to die.”
The governor insisted that Wilson take the pardon. Wilson insisted just as strongly that he did not have to receive the pardon. The case went to the court. The court decreed that Wilson did not have to accept the pardon. The court’s verdict stated that a pardon is of no value unless the recipient is willing to receive it. What happened? Wilson died.
Wilson’s decision leaves me bewildered. Why would a man turn down a pardon? Why would he deliberately choose death instead of life? It makes no sense.
In Today’s Verse King David of Israel does not cry for justice but for mercy. This was the king of Israel speaking. He was not a peon nor a drunkard that lived in the gutter. He was the king that had been personally chosen by God to lead Israel. His resume was impressive and began with slaying the giant Goliath. It also included many victories on the battlefield.
Had David been like most people he would have begun Psalm 143 by writing, “Lord, give me my just deserves. You weight my life, my good deeds versus my bad. If my bad deeds outweigh my good deeds then cast me to my enemies.” But those words do not appear in Psalm 143. Why not? David knew that to plead for justice was to be given a verdict of death.
David took a good look at his life and realized, “I have sinned and fallen short of the glory of a God who is perfectly righteous and holy.” Thus, “I do not ask for justice, but rather I ask for mercy! I cast myself upon Your mercies…Your grace…Your provision of salvation…” Why? “Because I know that NO LIVING BEING is righteous in Your sight.”
Jeremiah writes several generations later, “It is of the Lord’s MERCIES that we are not consumed” (Lamentations 3:22).
Remember: No one can plead for justice with God and win. No one! That is why the cross of Jesus Christ is so significant. Indeed, it is the MOST SIGNIFICANT event in your entire life. Christ, the innocent, died for the guilty: for all of us! Mercy holds back God’s judgment from you and me, but it did not spare God the Son.
The heart of the gospel is focused on the grace and mercy of God…of God coming to our rescue. The Apostle Paul writes, “God saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).
That brings us back to Wilson and the rejected pardon. I cannot fathom his reasoning, but I know he needed mercy! Likewise, acknowledging the necessity of mercy is the first step in a sinner coming to the cross for salvation. Thank God, when justice called, Mercy stepped in!
“Once I was lost down deep in sin, But Christ my Lord then took me in. My soul was on destruction’s road, Then Christ came in and took my load. For justice called and mercy answered!” Amen!
Jun 5, 2023 – A preacher tried to talk down a sales price by playing up that he was a preacher…a man of the cloth…a man sent from God who therefore deserved special privileges. He advocated his position by declaring, “I’m just a poooooor preacher.”
The clerk looked down at him and said, “I know. I’ve heard you preach!” HA!
That preacher was not walking circumspectly. Pardon the pun, but he was actually making a spectacle of the gospel. That is a tragedy, because it leaves a stain not only on him but also on all of us who are trying to “walk circumspectly” or “carefully in living our daily lives.” The Amplified Bible says, “Do not OFFEND Jews or Greeks or even the church of God [but live to honor Him]” (1 Corinthians 10:32). The idea is that we do not give anyone an excuse to disbelieve the gospel or to blaspheme our God. Our speech, conduct, even our money affairs should be in keeping with a good, honest and clean testimony before men.
Twas the young pastor’s first pastorate. He was filled with a zeal for the unsaved. He became deeply burdened about the druggist in the little town. During one of his drug store visits he began to talk to the druggist about his soul. The man listened respectfully but in deep silence. Then the druggist took the pastor to his office at the rear of the store. He opened a ledger and turned its pages then stopped at a certain account. The druggist asked, “Do you know that man?”
The pastor said, “Yes, I do.”
“Do you see how long his debt has been unpaid?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Is that man able to pay his bill?”
“Yes. He is a prosperous member of my church. I can’t understand.”
The druggist turned to a second account. The two repeated the same conversation about the second account.
Two professing Christians, both refusing to pay their bill, were blocking the road to heaven for the unsaved druggist. The young pastor stood speechless for a moment then walked dejectedly from the store without another word.
Being a Christian is not really hard, but being a really good Christian is really hard. It involves both knowing and accepting our responsibility to ourselves, to God and others. We need to heed the words of the children’s song: “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine! Let it shine, shine, shine!”
“Walk circumspectly.” Keep your light shining!
Jun 3-4, 2023 – Ever been fooled by a con artist into buying something that didn’t do what it was supposed to do? “Slick” hands and “slick” minds possess a dishonest skill of transferring money from my hands to their hands. They call it “good business”; God, though, calls it an abomination. What is an abomination? It’s considered the lowest and most rotten sins or behavior.
In Today’s Verse Solomon writes about one of the most common abominable acts of his day: weighing produce with deliberately faulty scales. Those scales had been rigged in favor of the scale’s owner. For example, if the owner was buying wheat the scale would reflect a lower amount of wheat than actually existed, thereby shorting the seller but benefiting the buyer. Such gimmicks have existed since the beginning of time. Some defend such behavior as “free market enterprise” and “let the buyer beware.” But, as stated above, God calls it an abomination. Why? It is because God has committed you and me to be our brother’s keeper. We can’t “keep him” or benefit him if we are stealing from him!
Remember: Honesty is always the best policy. Ultimately, our success depends upon obeying God and trusting Him to supply our needs. God calls us to be honest and to teach honesty through our lifestyle, explain honesty to our children, and expect honesty from the people around us.
Faith living is about trusting God…not some cheating or borderline dishonest scheme.
A Canadian baker bought his butter from a neighboring farmer. One day he became suspicious that the butter was not the same weight so he decided to investigate further. During the next several days he weighed the butter. To his dismay he learned that the rolls of butter were diminishing in weight. This so angered him that he had the farmer arrested.
The judge said to the farmer, “I assume you have weights.”
“No, sir,” replied the farmer.
“How then do you manage to weigh the butter that you sell?”
“That’s easily explained, Your Honor. When the baker began buying his butter from me, I thought I’d get my bread from him. It’s his bread – HIS ONE POUND LOAF – that I’ve been using as a weight for the butter I sell. If the weight of the butter is wrong, he has only himself to blame.”
Ah, the baker was cheating himself! And the whole community!
Let’s not cheat ourselves by cheating others. By so doing we will always lose more than we gain. Let’s instead trust God and live honestly before all men.
Jun 2, 2023 – I watched two men argue. It was a heated argument. The argument began during the morning break in the breakroom. Both men were known for their lying. In this case, it wasn’t merely exaggerating; it was outright lying to such an extent that the listeners were left shaking their heads in disbelief. But these guys did not get along and neither liked the idea of being inferior before the other.
The argument reached its zenith in front of my desk. One told a bigger lie which was outdone by the other’s lie. Then one said to the other, “You’re lying!”
And, to everyone’s amazement, the other said, “Yes, and you’re lying, too!” He then marched off with steam coming out his ears; thus ended a classic argument for the record books.
There are many things that can be said about us. Some things are pleasant to the ear while others are hurtful. Some statements are truthful while others are false or, at a minimum, so distorted they can’t be treated as truth.
But one thing should be said about all of the readers of Today’s Verse: We are honest. Our speech is honest. Our conduct is also honest. We seek truth and to promote truth. We shouldn’t be forced to swear on a Bible that “what you are about to say is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.” Instead, our conduct should be in compliance with our Lord’s mandate: “Don’t take an oath at all. But let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ mean ‘no.’” Jesus’ point is that our honesty should be so well known that people don’t see a need to place us under oath!
All of us have weaknesses. Many weaknesses cannot be overcome. It doesn’t mean we’re worthless, even though we may be worthless in that particular area. But regardless of our weaknesses, we can and should achieve the Bible mandate of living honestly in this dishonest world of ours. Remember: Honesty is a character issue. Character is who we really are and honesty should be one part of who we are.
Live honestly before God. Live honestly before your spouse and children. Live honestly at work, in the neighborhood, with your friends.
Evangelist B. R. Lakin often said, “I want to live such a life that when I am dead my family will not have to apologize for me.” Well, he achieved that goal. No apologies were necessary.
Let’s you and me dedicate ourselves to that same goal!
Jun 1, 2023 – General Robert E. Lee was walking down a street when a woman with a small child approached him. She said, “General Lee, will you kiss my child and give me some advice on what I should teach him?”
General Lee took the child in his arms and kissed him. Lee then said, “Lady, teach your child to DENY HIMSELF.”
“Denying self” is tough…really tough. The flesh screams, “Me first!” It may adjust that attitude to saying, “My kids first!” but I am not sure those ideas are really that much different. Our identification with our children is so strong that parents often live out their own dreams through their children. Perhaps “My kids first” is simply another way of saying, “Me first.”
Someone wrote, “The expression ‘Get all you can, can all you get, and sit on the can’” is a reference to greed. “Get all you can”: acquire everything that you are able to in any way you can get it. “Can all you get”: keep it stored or tucked away as in a tin can, coffee can, or a mason jar as people sometimes do. “Sit on your can”: protect it all.
That doesn’t sound like Jesus, does it? How would Jesus say it? Perhaps like this, “Give yourself away!” “Invest your life in Me!” “Put eternity ahead of today!” “Live for a cause greater than your own cause!”
Have you ever noticed the order of events in Today’s Verse? “If any will or wills to come” may describe someone who means it when he says, “I Surrender All” or it may describe someone who is stepping into the water without realizing what it entails. The latter individual may soon abandon the call!
“Deny himself” is the first challenge and perhaps the most important challenge. It isn’t “tithe your income” or “be kind one to another” or “pray night and day” but “deny yourself.” Ouch! That hits us very hard, because we want to be our own lord or master. The poet William Ernest Henley writes, “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” Jesus, though, says, “We have to deal with this issue first and foremost. Your life can’t be about you. It has to be about Me and My will.”
“Take up your cross.” Samuel Rutherford reminds us, “Christ has no velvet crosses.” The cross is an instrument of death. Some of the most powerful words to a committed believer are the words, “Die to self.” “Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and DIE it abides alone. But if it dies, it brings forth much fruit.” It is a paradox but still true: Out of death comes life! And power! And effective ministry.
“Follow Me.” No one can follow who does not pass the first two challenges. Why not? Because you’re not going in the same direction with Jesus unless you follow in His own steps of denying Himself and taking up His cross.
Remember: The Christian life is not a hard life nor is it an easy life. Rather, it is a disciplined life. It is the key to the victorious Christian life.
May 31, 2023 – How should a Christian answer a skeptic? Most of us are skilled enough to answer a casual question, but what about the deep thinking critic? Oh, we no longer hear questions like, “Where did Cain get his wife?” or “How many angels can stand on the head of a needle?” but the critics still voice questions that even the best of us are unprepared to answer. Guess what? You don’t need an answer to every question.
Let me suggest several guidelines to guide your discussion with a skeptic. First, do not allow the discussion to become an argument. That happened once to me. I hurt my testimony by arguing. Sometimes the skeptic may bait you, but at other times the devil may use the skeptic to bait you! Be alert to such bait. Don’t be a smart aleck. Above all, be kind. Follow Peter’s admonition to demonstrate meekness, not defiance.
Second, don’t be sidetracked from your original purpose. Notice the underlined words in Today’s Verse. Our “defense” or answer is best confined to a discussion of our HOPE in Christ, the Savior. Why do we trust in Him? You already know the answer. Quite honestly, most skeptics divert our attention elsewhere because they are AFRAID to discuss our hope. Our hope is about our sinfulness and our solution: Christ! That kind of discussion makes them uncomfortable.
Third, remember it is God’s job to do the convincing, not your job. Some preachers preach loud then louder as if they are the ones that must do the convincing. Not so! The work of the Holy Spirit is to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. Don’t worry about doing His job for Him.
Fourth, make Jesus the issue. How? Challenge the skeptic to a face-to-face encounter with Jesus. How? Challenge the skeptic to read the Gospel of John with an open heart. John’s Gospel was written for this express purpose: “This book is written that you might believe Jesus is the Christ, the SON OF GOD, and that believing you can have eternal life through His name” (John 20:31). Picture a sinner opening John’s Gospel after first opening his heart to an honest appraisal of Christ. It will then become a God-sinner issue. God will make John’s writings come to life in the skeptic’s heart. The skeptic will be drawn to Christ, will recognize the absolute uniqueness of Christ. He will recognize Christianity is not about religion but about a relationship.
Ah, “make the message clear and plain. Christ receiveth sinful men!” Our God will do the rest.
May 30, 2023 – “Why don’t you do something for God?” Interested?
One Sunday morning in Chicago a minister pointed to a young woman in the midst of his sermon. This woman had accepted Christ as Savior one year earlier. The minister zeroed in on the woman and asked, “What are you doing for God? Why don’t you do something for God?”
To add emphasis to his words, the minister stepped down from the pulpit and walked to where the woman was sitting. He took her by the hand, drew her into the aisle, turned her toward the rear door then gave her a push and said, “I want you to start doing something for God.”
That push eventually sent the young woman to the other side of the world. She resigned her occupation and began to study for Christian service. Later she went to Africa as a missionary. While in Africa she is credited with winning a number of British people to Christ including General Allenby, the man who led the freeing of Jerusalem, and thereby opened the door for the eventual establishment of the State of Israel.
Who was the pastor? D. L. Moody. Who was the young woman? Miss Malla Moe. She served the Lord from that day until her eventual death at the age of ninety.
How did it start? With a question: “Why don’t you do something for God?” In view of what He gave for us, that question is a very serious question.
Many Christians never leave the starting gate, or, in racing analogy, never make it past the first turn. They lose their motivation, because they lose sight of the cross of Jesus Christ. One of my Top Ten Christian songs is “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.” The song’s first three verses give the singer a detailed look at the cross. Then come the words of verse four: “Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a present far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, DEMANDS MY SOUL, MY LIFE, MY ALL.”
Perhaps it is time for you to START doing something for God. Then again, perhaps it is time for you to RESUME doing something for God. Or perhaps it is time to declare, “I intend to KEEP doing something for God.”
Regardless, though, of our current effort, wouldn’t we both agree that He deserves our very best?
May 29, 2023 – It’s Memorial Day. It’s a day when tears are shed and yet hearts are also warmed by memories that are indeed precious memories.
During today’s sermon in one of my former pastorates, I shared the story of John Jordan’s mother. John was a deacon in the first church where I served. John came to me at noon one Sunday and told me about the homegoing of his mother. I recall taking a pen and writing down what he told me, because I wanted to be certain I recorded his words correctly.
John said, “Mom was in a coma the last four days of her life. She never spoke a word. Finally, just before she died she opened her eyes and said, ‘I think I am going to go home now,’ and she then closed her eyes and went home to be with Jesus.”
Home…no fear, no trembling, no confusion, no dread, no sadness either.
What exactly is home? It’s not a motel, is it? It’s not a beach rental either. Instead, it’s the place where we live, and it’s usually a place in which we find comfort, joy, and peace. That is a fitting description of where John’s mother went…and where we will also go if we know Christ as Savior.
Comfort…Jesus promised, “I go to prepare a place for you.” In other words, I won’t be floating around on a cloud, lost somewhere in the universe. Peter says, “This place is reserved in heaven for you.” The Revelation testifies, “God Himself shall be with them” in that place. He who calmed the storms on the Sea of Galilee will exert total control in my future home. And you and I will experience comfort for our broken souls.
Joy…”In Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11). Imagine a joy which bubbles from your innermost being into your eyes and your smile and your face and your speech. Totally absorbs you. Who would dare hold back a dying loved one from such joy? Yea, the greatest joys of all still await the child of God…and notice such “fullness or completeness of joy” is always associated with His presence, not Disneyworld nor a pay raise nor an earthly achievement. Why is that so? It is because He outlives all of those things.
Peace…Shortly before he died, the atheist Jean-Paul Sartre stated that he tried to resist despair by repeating to himself, “I know I shall die in hope.” But then with sadness he confessed, “But hope needs a foundation.” Indeed, it does or it is nothing but futile; we certainly don’t want to encounter futility when we encounter death. But peace is ours in heaven. All of the things on earth which have taken away our peace will exist no more in our eternal life with God. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).
Perhaps Memorial Day is a hard day for you. But is it really a hard day for that loved one who has gone on to be with the Lord? I think not. It is instead a day to be envied.
May God comfort you with these words.
May 27, 2023 – Let’s face it: English is a crazy language. But if we explore its many paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig. English muffins weren’t invented in England or French fries in France.
Quite simply, what you expect is not always what you get. In many ways, life itself is a paradox. What is a paradox? It is a statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense…yet is true in an ironic sort of way.
This lesson is also true in your life and mine as believers in Christ. For example, Jesus taught us, “He who desires to be great must first become the SERVANT of all. The FIRST shall be LAST in My kingdom.” James continues the thought in these words, “Submit or lower yourself before the Lord and He will then LIFT YOU UP.” How oft I have heard the proverb, “The way up with God is down.” God’s way is NOT the world’s way (or modern Christianity’s way) of self-promotion. I recall the chairman of the board saying about our company president, “He writes his own press releases, and the worst part is he believes them!” Based upon holy scripture, we can conclude that president’s philosophy does not align with God’s philosophy.
Today’s Verse was uttered by our Lord shortly before His crucifixion. Christ was not only teaching a spiritual principle, but He would soon set the example of that very principle. “In order for the seed to produce much fruit, it must first die to itself. In so doing, it will become something it currently is not: dead to self. I can do something with that seed which dies, but I can do little with that seed which retains its own identity…purpose…goals. You MUST die to self.”
When such a death occurs, strange results may also occur.
Consider how this principle impacted our Lord…and notice it works TO OUR BENEFIT. The Creator of earth—the One with all power—was born in a stable, not a king’s palace. The same King who establishes earthly kings and takes them down—that same King fled into Egypt to escape a king. The only Holy One to walk upon the earth was abused, cursed, and accused of sin. The One who brought Israel through the Red Sea to the praise of all Israel was later rejected by His own. This One chose twelve apostles to proclaim His kingdom yet one sold Him for a mere thirty pieces of silver.
Who among us would have expected such a result? BUT PLEASE NOTE, THOSE RESULTS ARE NOT THE FINAL RESULT!
“But if the seed dies, it produces much fruit.” He died…and the resulting fruit includes a wretch like me some two thousand years later! I am alive because He died! And so are you! We are saved because He died!
Bottom line: Life will not always make sense. Indeed, life will occasionally be a paradox. But God did not call us to understand; rather, God calls us to die to self. Neither of us can control everything around us. But we can control whether we die to self or live in our own rebellious will. Which choice makes the best sense to you?
May 26, 2023 – Are we smarter than the angels? In some ways the answer is yes. Those magnificent beings have not experienced some of our human experiences. They have watched us in our experiences, but our experiences are not necessarily THEIR experiences.
First, the angels of heaven do not know the meaning of the word “lost.” Paul describes such angels as “elect angels” (1 Timothy 5:21). They are to be distinguished from the angels that followed Lucifer in his rebellion against God. Apparently 1/3 of God’s angels chose to serve Lucifer/Satan than serve God (Revelation 12:4). These angels rejected the light and chose the darkness. They lost their original estate, their original composition of sinlessness and became lost or separated from God. But the holy angels of heaven never entered that condition. They remained holy and righteous. Unlike us, these angels have never committed a single sin. They’re at least 6,000 years old and, even to this day, they do not know what it means to be lost. (In case you’re wondering, their current classification of “elect angels” means they can never become non-elect or lost.) You and I know what it means to be lost, but not them!
Second, the angels of heaven do not know the meaning of the word “saved.” Why not? They have never experienced it for the simple reason they have never needed it. They cannot sing, “Redeemed how I love to proclaim it, Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, Redeemed through His infinite mercy, His child and forever I am.” One saint said, “When I sing that song in heaven, the angels will have to fold their wings and bow their heads, because it is a song they cannot sing.” Only the redeemed can sing about redemption!
Third, the angels do not know the meaning of the word “changed.” Why not? They have never experienced change in the sense we will experience change. We have experienced the change of the new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) but not so with God’s angels. Ah, how about the change associated with the resurrection? “We shall not all sleep but we shall all be CHANGED, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye…the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15). The angels of heaven do not have scars that must be erased. They do not get gray hair or bald heads. Their teeth don’t rot out. Their body parts don’t decay. But we know that experience, and we need change! How we look forward to the day of our own perfection!
Friend, wonder how many angels will attend your next church service? After all, “Even the angels long to look into these things!”
May 24, 2023 – An unusual memorial of World War Two can be found in the Chapel of St. George in Westminster Abbey. This memorial consists of four bound volumes which contain the names of the 60,000 civilians who were killed in the city of London by enemy action.
One volume lies open on the shrine. A light shines down upon the names that appear on the opened page. Each day a page is turned. Thus will the names of those who were rich or poor, titled or the common people, old or young, healthy or ill, sound of body or crippled, stand together to be revealed in the light for all to see as a page of the book is turned every day.
It is a book of death.
But there is another book in heaven called the book of life. Eternal life. Spiritual life. Born again life. Life of God and life with God which never ends. This book records my name and hopefully your name. It contains the name of every person who has received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Yes, the name of EVERY person in heaven appears in this book. Think of it! How awesome! The old song, “When the Roll is Called Up Yonder” included the response, “I’ll be there!” Perhaps such a roll will be called, then again perhaps not, but the idea is precious. God knows I will be there! He has written my name—all twenty-four letters—in this book.
Name after name…every name spelled right…not a single name of the redeemed is missing…ah, glory!
Jesus pointed the apostles to this great truth when He proclaimed, “Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”
O. S. Davis put this teaching to song with these words,
“If I Should Live A Thousand Years Upon This Earth Below, I Never Could Forget The Day; That Jesus Wrote My Name Within The Blessed Book Of Life, And Took My Many Sins Away.
“He Wrote My Name Way Up In Glory, He Saved My Soul From Sin And Shame. I Never Shall Forget The Day The Blessed Savior Wrote My Name.”
Ah, friend, is your name recorded where it counts: in the Lamb’s book of life?
May 23, 2023 – PART TWO – God asks, “Can you silence Me? Can you thwart My will? Can you intentionally rebel and not suffer the consequences? Be reconciled to Me!”
Today’s world does not recognize it is at war…and that war is with Almighty God. The Bible describes humanity in this war as the “enemies of God” (Romans 5:10). From God’s perspective, man is an enemy combatant!
Man has his multiple ways. By contrast, God has His singular way. The two ways travel in opposite directions. The tension becomes greater with each passing year. Something must eventually give. And, as we learned in the previous Today’s Verse, something will indeed give. Thus, the Apostle Paul issues this plea of immediacy, “Be reconciled to God.” Jesus says, “Repent!” Isaiah writes, “Let the wicked forsake his way” (55:7). The Psalmist writes some of the most stirring words of all, “Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish from the way.”
In the old colonial days, an African chief did something evil which incurred the wrath of the ruling English government. The government responded by sending a gunboat to administer punishment.
A runner brought word to the African chief that a gunboat had entered the river and was headed his direction. The chief responded by killing the courier.
On the next day a second runner arrived with additional news that the boat was moving steadily up the river toward the village. This poor fellow also lost his head.
The same fate was met by the other couriers who arrived on the following day with even more dire news.
But the chief’s reaction did not keep away the English gunboat nor delay the day of judgment. Suddenly, the jungle echoed with the thunder of cannon. The huts of the native village collapsed like cardboard. Within minutes the mission was finished, and the English boat returned to its port.
Most of today’s religious world defies the God of the Bible. Most of the education system defies the wisdom of holy scripture. The same can be said for the economic system, the world of politics, and the vast entertainment industry. Will this defiance continue forever? No.
George Truett says, “There is a point where God and man must meet either in grace or judgment and at that point BOTH ARE REVEALED AS THEY ARE.”
Question: Has God’s gunboat left the port? Perhaps so.
May 22, 2023 – It’s called “orgé” in the Bible’s original Greek text. Strong defines it as “anger, wrath, passion; punishment, vengeance.” The Bible records many instances of God demonstrating His “orgé” against sin and sinners. Entire cities were destroyed, entire nations were destroyed, Noah’s entire world was destroyed with the exception of his family. Today’s Verse mentions a future day (actually a period of seven years) when God’s wrath will be poured out in wave upon wave like a continually erupting volcano. The extent of destruction and death will be indescribable.
How does this teaching affect us as believers in Christ? The scriptural teaching presented throughout the book of Revelation does not need to be embellished by a Hollywood producer. The Scriptures speak for themselves. It is said that no soldier can go through the hellish battles of war without being changed; likewise, no believer can embrace this hellish scenario without being changed.
First, this teaching rightly impresses God’s anger toward sin upon the believer’s heart. It is unfortunately true that believers at all stages of spiritual maturity treat sin too lightly. It is easier to make excuses than to acknowledge sin. It is more pleasant to label sin a mistake than a rebellious act. However, the more the believer ponders God’s hatred (not merely dislike) of sin, the more likely it is the believer will realize its true abominable nature to the holy God of heaven. Increasingly, the believer should develop a hatred of sin as well as its devastating effect upon others.
Second, this teaching leads the believer to develop a reverence and awe toward God. “Let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29, ESV). Israel’s experience at Mount Sinai generated deep reverence and awe, though only for a short time. Such reverence, awe, even fear is not something to be shunned but rather to be embraced. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the HOLY One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10, CSB). Such wisdom begins with a knowledge of Him as holy, that this holiness leads to the demonstration of His wrath.
Third, this teaching provides inspiration to praise Him for delivering the believer from the wrath to come. The Apostle Paul urges the believer to “wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath” (1 Thessalonians 1:10, CSB). God’s eternal wrath is not our future!
Last, this teaching constantly reminds the believer to persuade men to receive Christ as Savior! “Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord we persuade men” (2 Corinthians 5:10, KJV). Love is a powerful motive, but it does not motivate everyone. However, what sane person wants a loved one to experience firsthand the eternal terror of the Lord? Such a prospect is unimaginable. It should drive us to our knees in prayer for those who do not know Christ. A spiritual believer will obey Jude’s instruction to “save others by snatching them from the fire.” It is as if their feet are only inches from slipping into the fire. And it is us who snatch them from such destruction by sharing with them the gospel of peace.
God help us to open our eyes to this coming reality!
May 20-21, 2023 – How can you explain salvation? The world emphasizes “do and you will be okay,” but the Bible emphasizes “believe in Jesus and you will be okay.” How can we explain the difference to those who do not know Christ?
The simple answer is the wrath of God against our sin must be appeased, satisfied or paid. By whom? Either by the sinner or by the sinner’s substitute.
Two men had been close friends in their youth. Time passed. They drifted apart. But many years later they met again: in court! One sat on the judge’s bench; the other sat in the prisoner’s chair. The evidence was presented. The prisoner was found guilty.
The ties of friendship were still strong between the two men. The prisoner’s family felt the sentiment associated with their friendship would enter into the judge’s verdict. But to their dismay the judge said, “I cannot fail to pass sentence upon you, though you be my friend. That would not be justice. Justice must be done, and I must uphold the law.”
The judge then sentenced his friend with either a large fine or fourteen days of jail confinement. The condemned man had nothing with which to pay the fine so jail confinement was before him.
Then the judge, having fulfilled his duty, stepped down from the bench, walked to the side of the prisoner, opened his own wallet, paid the fine in full, then put his arm around his friend and said, “Now, John, you are coming home with me to dinner.”
Likewise, God cannot overlook sin. God is a just or righteous God. Right must prevail and right does indeed prevail in the courtroom of heaven. But God’s own Son, Jesus Christ, paid the complete fine for each of us when He died for our sins—all of our sins—on the cross of Calvary. Today’s Verse states that, “Christ redeemed or purchased us by becoming our curse…by paying our penalty and enduring God’s wrath against our sin.”
The just died for the unjust. The righteous died for the unrighteous. The sinless died for the sinner. In so doing, “God laid upon Him the sin of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).
“Now I never could quite understand why a king would wanna leave His throne To don the robe of an earthly man and feel the pain of flesh, flesh and bone, Then to later trod that lonely path That lead to Calvary But those blood red stains broke all my chains SO THAT I COULD STILL GO FREE!”
Praise the Lord for Calvary!
May 19, 2023 – Has God been patient with you? Just how patient has He been? How long has He been patient? What has He endured to get you to this point?
William Gurnall wrote in 1660, “When I consider how the goodness of God is abused by the greatest part of mankind I cannot but be of his mind that said, ‘The greatest miracle in the world is God’s patience and bounty to an ungrateful world.’
“If a prince hath an enemy get into one of his towns he doth not send them in provisions but lays close siege to the place and doth what he can to starve them. But the great God that could wink all His enemies into destruction bears with them and is at daily cost to contain them.
“But think not, sinners, that you shall escape thus: Nothing smoother than the sea yet when it is stirred into a tempest nothing rageth more. Nothing so sweet as the patience and goodness of God, and nothing so terrible as His wrath when it takes fire.”
“Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling” is true for all of us who have been born again.
As a little girl, my wife heard the invitation song, “O, Why Not Tonight?” sung at home by her father and sister. “Our Lord in pity lingers still, And wilt thou thus His love requite? Renounce at once thy stubborn will, Be saved, oh, tonight. Our blessed Lord refuses none Who would to Him their souls unite; Believe on Him, the work is done, Be saved, oh, tonight. Oh, why not tonight? Oh, why not tonight? Wilt thou be saved? Then why not tonight?” On the next night she was saved by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior!
O, the patience of the tender Holy Spirit in dealing with our wayward hearts! May this be a day when we pause to thank God for His incredible patience in reaching out to save our wretched souls!
May 18, 2023 – People across all political, philosophical and societal spectrums have launched an attack against the Bible. Why? The Bible explains, “men love darkness rather than light…not more than light but instead of light.” BUT WILL THE ATTACKERS SUCCEED?
During the first three centuries of the Christian era the Roman emperors sought to destroy God’s Word. One of them named Diocletian actually believed he succeeded in eliminating the Bible. Diocletian killed so many Christians, burned so many Bibles that the remaining believers went underground and became quiet. Thus, Diocletian imagined that he had succeeded and the Christian religion was no more. He was so elated at his achievement that he ordered a medal to be inscribed with the words, “The Christian religion is destroyed and the worship of the gods restored.” But Diocletian was wrong. The Word of God continued to endure because God guarantees it will endure forever.
The French philosopher Voltaire predicted in 1776, “One hundred years from my day, there will not be a Bible on earth except one that is looked upon by an antiquarian curiosity-seeker.” One hundred years later Voltaire was dead, and his own printing presses were being used to print Bibles. “Heaven and earth may pass away but My words shall never pass away” (Matthew 24:35).
Arthur Pink writes, “When we bear in mind the fact that the Bible has been the special object of never ending persecution the wonder of the Bible’s survival is changed into a miracle.”
We can sing with confidence, “How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word! What more can He say than to you He hath said, To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?”
“The B-I-B-L-E! Yes, that’s the book for me. I stand upon the Word of God, the B-I-B-L-E!” And all of God’s people shouted, “_________!”
May 17, 2023 – May 17 is my birthday! 24,837 days old. That’s a lot of days and a lot of water under the bridge. It’s a good time to pause, do a review and determine if I am still headed where I want to go. These thoughts may help you reflect on your own life/ministry, too.
Before recently relocating to Dayton, Ohio I ministered as a guest speaker. One of my members from years ago was in the congregation. He told me, “That was like the old days.”
I asked, “Are you saying I’m old-fashioned?”
With a twinkle in his eye, he said, “Let’s just say you’re a classic!”
I liked his words! A classic—something from old that retains its value today. Like a classic movie, it hasn’t changed. Oh, the black and white classic movies may now be in color, but that’s a cosmetic change, not a content change. And it’s the content that makes the movie a classic. Not merely the actors nor the setting nor the director but the content.
“Let’s just say you’re a classic!” I chuckle when I think of his kind words, but there is one sense in which the statement is true: The content in my life has been the same since entering the ministry in 1976. That is so because my Bible hasn’t changed despite the changing fashions of man and churches. Interestingly, I began using a New Scofield Reference Bible in 1975. I still use that very same Bible today. It has been rebound, but it is the same Bible. Some of my notes have faded, some of the pages have torn, but I recently preached from that Bible in my home church. It’s precious! “Sing them over again to me, Wonderful words of life! Words of life and beauty, Teach me faith and DUTY!” How true!
That Bible has been my compass throughout these years. What is the result? Consistency of purpose which had led to consistency of person. “Tell the people what God says and leave the consequences to God” has been my goal for this ministry of faith. Sometimes the message has been received, but other times the message has been rejected. (I remind myself that Moses and Paul experienced the same results!) But the results, though encouraging or discouraging, did not change the Bible nor the purpose of ministry nor the person in the ministry.
Always staying in the center of the road…never too far to the right…never too far to the left.
Through the years I have watched Christians go left, others go right, and still others go both directions (I was never sure what some believed at any specific moment in time). The Bible did not change, but they did. In some cases they were like a pendulum…swinging toward a new direction because they may have been swinging AWAY from something such as a bad experience. That is understandable, because, after all, life is tough. The problems of life can really mess with us. It is difficult to stay in the center of the road but, I am happy to say, Ruth Ellen and I have stayed in the center of the road. Our biblical beliefs haven’t really changed. I preach today what I preached in 1976. My values haven’t changed. On some occasions my goal to develop Great Commission churches met opposition in unlikely places, but that goal never changed; indeed, that goal is the foundation for the sowing ministry of Godsgreenhouse.net.
Where do I go from here? The same direction for the simple reason that it is still the right direction! Godsgreenhouse.net is simply a continuation of what I have been doing for these many years. It is reaching more people on a daily basis than I did in my largest pastorates. Why? Because some people still want to know the Lord on a deeper level.
The answer for all of us is still Jesus Christ. He alone can fill the hole in every heart. He alone knows the future, even your future. Who better to trust with your future than Him? He alone can provide salvation for the soul. As Lord and Savior, He provides a calling for each believer. What greater calling can one have than Christ’s calling on one’s life?
Don’t allow yourself to turn to the right or to the left. Your family needs you to be what God called you to be! Your church needs you to be what God called you to be! Your nation needs you to be what God called you to be! Stay in the center of the road!!!
May 16, 2023 – A little boy’s home was being visited by his grandmother on HIS MOTHER’S SIDE of the family. The boy said, “I sure am glad to see you. Now maybe dad will do the trick he has been promising us.”
“What trick is that?”
“Daddy told mommy that if you ever came to visit, he would climb the walls!”
Oh, out of the mouth of babes so much truth is revealed! The mother-in-law now knew the opinion of the son-in-law.
Do you ever wonder what people think about you? Not merely say about you but really think about you? One man said, “I don’t attend high school football games anymore, because I know they’re talking about me every time they get in a huddle.” Perhaps these words were written for that football fan, “You’ll worry less about what people think about you when you realize how seldom they do.”
“How people think about me” is a typical human motivation. But notice such a motivation is missing in Today’s Verse. “Paul and Timothy, big shot preachers” might reflect how some think. But “servants” expresses a much different attitude…and this different attitude is actually a CONQUERING attitude.
Kenneth Wuest skillfully writes, “They [Paul and Timothy] were servants by nature. The word is doulos and refers to one bound to another. Paul was bound to Jesus Christ by the bands of a constraining love. It refers to one born into slavery…born into the position of a loving bondslave of the Lord Jesus Christ by his new birth. It refers to one who is in a relation to another which only death can break…one whose will is swallowed up in the will of another…one who serves another even to the disregard of his own interests. Paul [once] served Satan to the detriment of his own interests. Now he serves the Lord Jesus with a reckless abandon, not regarding his own interests.”
KEY: The “servant” compulsion serves as a filter on the “me first” egotistical attitude that haunts so many of us. Jesus always had a way of putting things in the right order and He said, “Whoever desires to be first among you, let him first become the servant of all. As for Me, I came to serve and to give My life as a ransom for many. I came not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”
Let’s major on serving Him, and let Him take care of what others say!
May 15, 2023 – In the deepening twilight of a summer evening, a pastor called on the home of one of his members. As the pastor walked into the yard, he found a little boy seated in the doorway. The boy had both arms extended, holding a line in his hands.
The pastor asked, “What are you doing here, my little friend?”
“Flying my kite, sir.”
The pastor looked skyward but saw nothing except the line disappearing from view. He shrugged and said, “Flying your kite, huh? I see no kite nor can you.”
“I know it, sir. I cannot see it, but I know it is there because I feel the tug.”
Every child of God knows what it is to “feel the tug of heaven” in his soul. We have been born again into another world and that world does indeed exert a tug on our soul. “This world is not my home, I am just passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door, And I CAN’T FEEL AT HOME in this world anymore.” “You ask me how I know He lives. He lives WITHIN my heart.” “Heaven came down and glory filled my soul.” “I now have light in my soul for which long I had sought, Since Jesus came into my heart!”
The Word of God declares, “His Spirit bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (Romans 8:16). “By this we know that He abides IN us, by the Spirit whom He has given us” (1 John 3:24). “I, John, was in the Spirit, on the Lord’s Day” (Revelation 1:10). “The Lord stood with me and strengthened me” (2 Timothy 4:17). “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). “He, the Holy Spirit, will abide WITH YOU forever” (John 14:16).
Do you recall the chorus of the much-loved Christian hymn “In the Garden”? “And He walks with me and He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own. And the joy we share as we tarry there, None other has ever known.”
One of the most blessed truths of all is the truth that we Christians are never really alone. We’re attached to heaven, and heaven is also attached to us. Heaven is part of our current life, because the Architect of heaven has made a personal commitment to us…so much so that He Himself is a part of our life. “This is the record that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that has the Son has life” (1 John 5:11).
Yes, there is a tug in my soul today. How about you?
May 13-14, 2023 – Where is your home? There is a difference between a house and a home. The old saying, “Home is where the heart is” appropriately states the issue. One of our most special “homes” was our “honeymoon” apartment on the second floor of Mrs. Ruby Land’s house in Chattanooga. We moved in immediately after the wedding and lived the next three years in that apartment during my theology training at a Baptist college called Tennessee Temple. Oh, it was special! It had formerly been the maid’s quarters…small but the right size for two people in our beginning days.
It was so special we requested permission to tour the apartment again in 2020. The new owner agreed! As we entered the apartment the owner asked, “Is that the same range you used?” My wife immediately answered, “It is.” Lest I forget, we lived in the apartment in 1976-1979. That range threatens to outlive us.
Home. Unfortunately, it may not be your current address, but isn’t it good to have a place somewhere called home?
But what about the most important home of all: our eternal home? According to God’s Holy Word, two and only two eternal homes exist: heaven and hell. I recently asked a Sunday night congregation, “Why did you get saved?” The answer was repeatedly given, “I did not want to spend eternity in hell.” Those people looked at the two options and chose the only sensible option: escape from hell by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
By contrast, the infidel Robert Ingersoll began a lecture with the words, “I am going to prove conclusively that hell is a wild dream of some theologians who invented it to terrify credulous people.”
A man, heavily under the influence of alcohol, stood and said, “Make it strong, Bob. There’s a lot of us poor fellows depending on you. If you are wrong, we are all lost. Prove it clearly and plainly.”
Who would you rather believe about your eternal home? Robert Ingersoll or Jesus Christ? Jesus warns, “These shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal” (Matthew 25:46). I choose eternal life, how about you?
The ancient city of Venice had a bridge called The Bridge of Sighs. At one end of the bridge was a courtroom, but at the other end was a dungeon. Above the door to the dungeon appeared the words, “Abandon hope all ye that enter in.”
Such words could be said about the eternal home of more people than we can count. But, I say to you today, IT IS NOT MY HOME. My home is in “the city which is to come.”
“I, John, saw the holy city…coming down out of heaven from God…a voice saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
And, I, dear friend, will then finally and eternally be at home!!!! Amen?
May 12, 2023 – The music group Chicago produced a hit record in the 1970’s titled, “Does Anybody Know What Time It Is? Does anybody really care?”
A salesman had traveled on a certain railroad for many years. It upset him that his trains were always late. But one day, much to his surprise, the train arrived on time.
The salesman said to the conductor, “You deserve a medal. I’ve been traveling on these trains for fifteen years. This is the first time a train ever arrived on time.”
The conductor frowned and said, “Keep your medal, mister. THIS IS YESTERDAY’S TRAIN.”
So it is that many things do not run according to man’s schedule. I recall gathering with many people on a Florida beach to watch a spacecraft launch. The cameras were rolling! But THREE SECONDS before launch the mission was scrubbed.
But man is not God. Man plans, but the results of those plans are subject to many variables, some of which cannot even be anticipated. But what about God? God devises a plan plus a schedule. Variables mean nothing to God, because all things, including even the so-called Black Swan variables, are under His control and are included in His plan. As the Lord God Almighty He is able to fulfill His plans to the smallest detail. If God wishes the cow to jump over the moon, He will make it happen!
But “Does Anybody Know What Time It Is? Does anybody really care?” Well, we, as God’s people, care! While our world continues to play its “ignoring God” games, God’s clock continues to approach the next events in His plan. To our current world, items like Antichrist, Rapture, Armageddon, and Judgment are fictional “made for Hollywood” folklore. But to the Bible believer these prophetic events are CERTAIN events—as certain to come as if they had already occurred.
We KNOW God’s clock is ticking toward the next event followed quickly by another event…and, yes, we really care. “Therefore, KNOWING the terror of the Lord, we persuade men!”
God help us to publish the news both far and wide. GOD’S TRAIN IS RUNNING ON SCHEDULE. Are you ready for its arrival?
May 11, 2023 – Do you like weddings? The concept of “All of me” is shared in wedding vows by people deeply in love. It is a pledge of total commitment, totally giving one’s self to a partner. Have you noticed that everyone listens when these vows are shared? The building becomes silent, because the guests are well aware they are witnessing the giving of “sacred vows.”
Likewise, a mother makes the same “All of me” commitment when she brings a newborn into the world…sees that precious, little babe for the first time…gently holds the babe in her arms, touches the little hands and feet. Words can’t express that feeling. The mother experiences an “All of me” moment that is staggering in its depth and power…a transforming moment when everything else pales in significance.
What about the Christian? Do we have precious moments like that? YES! It occurs at the moment of salvation, but also occurs at various key moments in our life when God’s call is upon us in a unique way.
The great preacher, B. H. Carroll, provides one of the clearest testimonies of such an experience. He wrote it for everyone to read. These “All of me” words are in the form of a prayer.
“Lord, write Thy name on my head That I may think for Thee;
Write Thy name on my lips That I may speak for Thee.
“Write Thy name on my feet That I may walk with Thee;
Write Thy name on my hands That I may work for Thee.
“Write Thy name on my ears That I may listen for Thee;
Write Thy name on my heart That I may love Thee.
“Write Thy name all over me That I may be wholly Thine—
Always and everywhere.
“In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
What a commitment! What a challenge to you and me! “All of me.” Isn’t it good when we, too, can honestly say, “All of me!”
May 9, 2023 – What role does prayer have in one’s salvation? For example, if you approached me with a desire to be born again, what would I do? First, I would carefully explain the gospel to you: that God became man, offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice as payment for YOUR sins (make it personal), that Christ was then resurrected, later ascended to glory, will soon come again and, furthermore, is willing TODAY to accept ALL who trust or believe in Him as Lord and Savior…trusting not in some religious rite or person (like the virgin Mary) but rather trusting in Him and Him alone. Hopefully, the seeker already understands the sufficiency of Christ to save his soul. If not, I’ll want to make sure the seeker understands these truths. It may require additional counseling after the church service concludes, but it is very important the seeker comprehends these basic truths.
If the seeker accepts these truths, I will usually lead the sinner in my own version of “the sinner’s prayer.” There is no magic formula for such a prayer. Sometimes people prefer to pray their own prayer. Others ask for guidance. Pay attention: The prayer itself will not save the person so don’t stress out about “saying the right words.” John 3:15 and 16 and abundant Bible verses make it clear that salvation comes when one exercises faith or belief in Christ. What is the prayer? The prayer is the tool to express the faith.
Evangelist John R. Rice wrote one of the best tracts ever written about salvation. (“What Must I Do To Be Saved?” is available from Sword of the Lord in quantities of fifty.) Rice explains the relationship of salvation to prayer like this:
“The Lord encourages the sinner to pray; and the Lord hears and answers the sinner’s prayer IF he trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation when he prays. Jesus heard the prayer of the thief on the cross, of the publican in the Temple, of blind Bartimaeus. But the Scripture says, ‘How then shall they believe on Him in whom they have not believed?” (i.e., in Whom they have not already placed their faith.)
Rice continues, “Certainly everyone who is to be saved must believe. Prayer is evidence of that faith. But no matter how long one prays, if he does not trust in Christ he can never be saved.”
The Gospel of John uses the word “believe” a grand total of eighty-six times. “86 times” emphasizes that salvation is by faith and faith alone! And the one who believes is now ready to express that belief in personally committing himself to Christ the Savior. Oh, the joy of hearing any –age sinner telling Christ—not me, but Christ—that he now receives Him as his Savior!
“I am resolved to go to the Savior, Leaving my sin and strife; He is the true one, He is the just one, He hath the words of life. I will hasten to Him, Hasten so glad and free, Jesus, greatest, highest, I WILL COME TO THEE.” Amen!
May 6-7, 2023 – Do you desire an empty life or a very satisfying life? Ponder these next words:
An old minister was speaking to a group of young people about the urgency of dedicating themselves to the person and cause of Jesus Christ. He told them that if they failed to do this, their loss would be irreparable. Afterward a young man flippantly asked what would happen if he ignored the preacher’s advice.
The preacher said, “Nothing will happen to you.”
He then said something which the young man never forgot. He said, “That is just the point. You will miss your chance. You will bypass greatness. Remember: The town which refused Christ had nothing great happen to it. You, too, might miss everything which might have been yours by following the most HEROIC MAN who has ever walked down the roadways of this world.
“Young man, you will miss life—life now and life eternal. Remember: The man who refuses to accept the spiritual leadership of Christ becomes less than he himself wants to be at his best and less than God has planned for him to be.”
Fascinating words but so very true. Simon’s story in Today’s Verse illustrates this truth. “We did it our way. We have fished the entire night and caught nothing.” Had Simon Peter stayed with his fishing nets he would have gone through life and, at the end, realized his life had caught nothing of true value. But Simon Peter apparently grasped that things were different if Jesus was the leader and so he utters these words of commitment, “But if You say to try again and this time to try in the deeper water, we will do so.” Well, Peter did as the Lord required, and the catch was so great that the net broke.
Hear again the old preacher’s words: “Nothing will happen to you. That’s just the point.”
May those words stimulate your thinking on the importance of following Christ!
May 5, 2023 – How well do you handle failure, especially embarrassing failure? Perhaps you have witnessed baptisms where the pastor quoted this Bible passage as he placed the person under the water: “Buried with Him in baptism, raised to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus.” What could possibly go wrong?
The young pastor, though, was so nervous that he instead quoted a verse from Communion. He said, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” then lowered the candidate into the water and quoted this verse from the Bible: “And now drink ye ALL of it.” Oh, my!!!
Of course, the congregation laughed, and the young pastor was quite embarrassed. Is he alone? Hopefully, in that particular instance he is alone. But is he really alone? The answer is no. Unfortunately, these next words are very true: If you haven’t messed up in the ministry, you are still in line to do so! That day is coming.
I attended a wedding where the singer was introduced with the words, “So and so will now sing the first prayer (the Lord’s Prayer) of this marriage.” The singer proceeded to pass out and fall off the stool. Not good!
I recall preaching about the father giving a ring to his prodigal son. I meant to say, “The ring has symbolism like a wedding ring.” However, it came out “redding wing.” Now I call it a “wedding band”! My father spoke on the same text and blundered into saying, “The prodigal son’s shoes were coming out his feet.”
I share these embarrassing moments, because the devil will use similar moments in YOUR ministry to chase you OUT of the ministry…if you allow him to do so. All of us are sensitive to failure, especially embarrassing failure. Sometimes we have to fight the devil just to get to the point of trying…and then we make a blooper that turns the next occasion into a “feared occasion.” Indeed, some throw up their hands in dismay and say, “I’ll never try again.” And they don’t!
Think, though, for a moment about all the people before you who had their bad moment, in some cases “bad moments” with an “s”, but hung in there and fought their way through the bad moment. John the Baptist lost his faith while in prison, Elijah lost his courage before Jezebel and became depressed, John Mark deserted the Apostle Paul, Noah became drunk, David had too many bad moments to mention, Peter only opened his mouth to change feet, Abraham disowned his beloved wife, etc.
Benjamin Franklin admonishes us, “I never knew a man who was good at making excuses who was good at anything else.”
Connie Mack, Philadelphia Phillies manager of the early 1900’s, points out, “I have seen boys on my baseball team go into a slump and never come out of it, and I’ve seen others snap right out and come back better than ever. I guess more players LICK THEMSELVES than are ever licked by an opposing team.”
Remember this: The devil will provides us with many excuses to quit. The devil will often remind us of our past failures. Third, the devil will try to convince us of our own worthlessness.
But please note that none of those three devilish schemes change or end your opportunity to minister in the name of Christ! Resolve now to always get up and try again! People are depending on you!!!
May 4, 2023 – How should a believer respond to the modern-day critics of Christianity and the Bible?
During the slave days a teenage black girl happened to hear a street corner critic of the Bible. This man was ridiculing the Bible to anyone who would listen. A small crowd had gathered. The teenage girl listened to his rant. He said, “The Bible does not really mean when it says about _______.” and he would then cite a Bible reference. He read the story of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16) then said, “Jesus did not mean there was a real fire called hell. He did not mean the man was actually thirsty nor that his tongue was being parched in flame nor that he was calling for a literal drop of water. It was just a story to scare people.”
The girl listened until she could not take it any longer. She then raised her hand and said, “Sir, might I ask you a question? I know you is an educated man and I is not an educated girl, but you keep saying the Bible does not mean what it says. Now if the Lord did not mean what He said then why didn’t He say what He meant?”
Ah, she was right! We Christians owe much to those scholars who specialize in biblical apologetics, because those scholars provide strong scholarly responses to the critics of the Christian faith. However, we need to remember that the Bible can, and does, take care of defending itself.
A man asked his pastor, “My friend does not believe the Bible is the Word of God. How should I reason with him?”
The pastor wisely said, “A man with no weapon faced a man with a sword. The swordsman threatened to kill the man if he did not turn over his money. But the man just laughed and said, ‘I don’t believe that sword is a danger to me.’ So the swordsman ran him through!”
The pastor went on to say, “Your friend’s unbelief does not change the power that is in the Bible. I say to you, ‘Run him through!’”
Many an unbeliever has entered church disbelieving everything about Christianity only to come face to face with the Holy Spirit and the Word of God…and realize he was wrong and Christianity is right!
Ah, friend, don’t worry about someone’s unbelief! Just turn the Bible loose! LET GOD PROVE HIMSELF! Rest assured, our God is more than capable of proving Himself.
May 3, 2023 – “Aunt Mary fell flat for the new Pastor Spratt, His scholarship surely did win her. His ethical spiel had a pull and appeal For this dear, simple gullible sinner.
Why, the Bible had errors! Black hell with its terrors She could see now, was nothing but libel. So with scissors and knife, and with anger quite rife, She proceeded to doctor her Bible.
So Jonah and the whale and the Genesis tale, The ‘folklore’ and ‘myth’ were extracted. She cut and she clipped, she erased, tore, and snipped As her list to these essays protracted.
But now she must quit and silently sit And gaze at her new pastor lover. Of her Bible bereft, she has now nothing left But a map, two fly-leaves and a cover.“ P. K. Kadey
A denominational leader said, “In our denomination what you call the Faith of our Fathers is approaching total extinction. Of course, a few of the older ministers still cling to the Bible but among the younger men I do not know of a single one who believes in miracles, in answers to prayer, in what you call the new birth, in the return of Christ or in any of the things you classify as the Fundamentals.” God pity them! Such people have not a Bible but only a map, two fly-leaves and a cover!
Though some say otherwise, this writer believes the Bible has NO errors, how about you?
Though some say otherwise, this writer believes in hell with all its terrors, how about you?
Though some say otherwise, this writer believes in Jonah and the great fish, how about you?
Though some say otherwise, this writer believes in the Genesis account of creation, how about you?
May I continue? Though some say otherwise, I believe God became man, dwelt among us, died for our sins and was resurrected from the grave, how about you?
Though some say otherwise, I believe the red blood of the cross can cleanse a sin-blackened heart and make it as white as snow, how about you?
Though some say otherwise, I believe Jesus is soon coming again…and the best part of all is He is coming for me! How about you?
Thank God, “This is the word that was preached” to me as a boy, and it is the same word that I declare to you in godsgreenhouse. IT IS THE WORD THAT STILL WORKS…AND IT IS THE ONLY WORD THAT WILL WORK!
May 2, 2023 – Will you stand for what is true or allow what is false to go unchallenged? Is your family blessed with truth, specifically God’s truth? Many of us were blessed with being raised in a Mayberry environment which provided positive reinforcement of Christian values, etc. Many school teachers were Bible believers. The Ten Commandments appeared on the school walls as a standard of morality. One area school board eliminated any quotes from the blasphemous rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar” in its school program. Society held people, even politicians, to high standards.
Oh my, where did that Mayberry go? A day when right was right, wrong was wrong, and God’s Word was respected by even unbelievers. Sadly, most people today have NO clue about what God says unless they have been raised in a Bible-believing home or Bible-believing church.
Thus, it is up to you and me to make sure God’s truth becomes known!
A Scottish shepherd was asked, “What is your greatest fear regarding your sheep?”
The wise shepherd responded, “It is the young of the flock for the wolves always attack the lambs first.”
The shepherd, though, was determined to prevent that from taking place. Likewise, each of us must accept our responsibility as a shepherd to care for those whom God has entrusted to us: family, neighbors, co-workers, community, Facebook acquaintances, etc.
J. C. Ryle’s words of more than a hundred years ago are still appropriate: “Controversy and religious strife are odious things; but there are times when they are a positive necessity. Unity and peace are very delightful, but they are bought at too dear a price if they are bought at the expense of the truth.
“It is a pity there should be so much controversy, but it is also a pity that human nature should be as bad as it is and that the devil should be loose in the world. It was a pity that Arius taught error about Christ’s person, but it would have been a greater pity if Athanasius had not opposed him. It was a pity Tetzel went about preaching up the pope’s indulgences, but it would have been a far greater pity if Luther had not withstood him.”
Ryle then states his conclusion: “Controversy in fact is one of the conditions under which truth in every age has to be defended…and it is nonsense to ignore it.”
God, give us a backbone to stand for Your truth as long as You give us breath!
May 1, 2023 – Part 2. “When He shall come with trumpet sound, Oh, may I then IN HIM be found, Dressed in HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS alone, FAULTLESS to stand before the throne.”
How is that possible? It is the result of God justifying the sinner when he places his faith in Christ as Savior. This big word “JUSTIFICATION” is one of the most powerful salvation teachings in the Bible.
Brief review: The English word “justify” is translated from the Greek “dikaios” which means “to declare righteous.” It does NOT mean to declare innocent, because God does more than that when He saves you. Do you recall these words in a prior devotional? “God alone can make you acceptable to Himself.” God does so by taking away your sin then by giving you HIS OWN righteousness. Your sin is removed from your account (it is transferred to the account of Jesus on the cross), and your account is filled with God’s own righteousness. That is not me speaking but rather God speaking! God describes Himself as “the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
That’s a lot of technical talk. But how does it work? This illustration will explain it so you can explain it to others.
An Indian and white man attended the same church service. Both were unbelievers. The Holy Spirit spoke to both men. The invitation to receive Christ was extended. The Indian immediately went forward and received Christ. The white man, though, spent a long time in deep anguish of soul. After much deliberation he came forward and also received Christ.
Following the service both men shook hands. The white man asked, “Why did I hold out so long and yet you chose to find peace almost at once?”
The Indian responded, “Along came a rich prince. That prince wanted to give you a new coat, but you held on to your old coat. You said, ‘My coat has taken care of me all these years. I believe it will take care of me in the future, also.’
“Then the prince offered me that same coat. I looked at my old blanket and I said, ‘This blanket of mine is good for nothing except rags.’ I immediately accepted the new coat.
“But you tried to keep hold of your own righteousness. As for me, I am just a poor, lost Indian. I have no righteousness worth keeping, so I was glad to reach out and receive the coat of righteousness—the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
“’In the Beloved’ I went to the tree,
There in His Person, by faith I may see,
Infinite wrath rolling over His head,
Infinite grace, for He died in my stead.
‘In the Beloved’ God’s marvelous grace
Calls me to dwell in this wonderful place.
God sees my Savior and then He sees me
‘In the Beloved’ accepted and free.”
Sees me all wrapped up in His righteousness…until that day when He makes me totally righteous from head to toe and “I shall be like Him!”
Apr 29-30, 2023 – It’s called JUSTIFICATION; it is a term you need to understand, because it will settle many questions regarding your salvation. Today is Part 1 and the meaning of justification. Monday’s Part 2 will illustrate how justification works.
A few years ago I preached a revival message on justification. Afterward, the church’s pastor said, “That is the first time I understood justification. I have been preaching it wrong! I thought it meant God treats us as innocent, but I see now that justification is much more than that!”
What does the word mean? It appears often in Paul’s writings such as the very familiar verse, “Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). 3:28 says, “we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.”
The English word “justify” is translated from the Greek “dikaios” which means “to declare righteous.” It does NOT mean to declare innocent, because God does more than that when He saves you. These words appear in the previous devotional, “God alone can make you acceptable to Himself.” God does so by taking away your sin then by giving you HIS OWN righteousness. Your sin is removed from your account (it is transferred to the account of Jesus on the cross), and your account is filled with God’s own righteousness. That is not me speaking but rather God speaking! “The justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
Thiessen beautifully writes, “Justification is that act of God whereby He DECLARES righteous him who believes on Christ.”
Do you recall yesterday’s devotional? You and I must be absolutely perfect to enter heaven. That perfection will never be our own, but it will be the perfection or the righteousness of Jesus Christ. God imputes His righteousness to my account at the moment I believe in Christ. Calvin writes, “…the acceptance with which God receives us into His favor as if we were righteous…the imputation of the righteousness of Christ.” (It is symbolized by the prodigal son receiving a new robe as a covering—see Luke 15.)
Thus, the believer’s sin has been removed (he is now innocent because nothing is charged to his account), but God goes ONE STEP further and declares him to be righteous in the courtroom of heaven. His salvation is ETERNALLY settled, because the entire sin question has been settled once and for all…and, in so doing, the righteous requirement of a righteous God has also been settled (Romans 8:30). That is why Paul exclaims, “Therefore, who can bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who JUSTIFIES or declares righteous” (Romans 8:33).
That we why we can sing, “And when before the throne, I stand IN HIM COMPLETE (clothed in His righteous perfection), Jesus died my soul to save, My lips shall still repeat. Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe, Sin had left a crimson stain but He washed it white as snow.” White! White because I am now clothed at this very moment in the righteousness or should I say “WHITENESS” of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ah, what a wondrous salvation! Clothed today in His righteousness…guaranteed to someday be totally righteous from head to toe!
Look for the illustration in Monday’s Part 2!
Apr 28, 2023 – A train passenger saw another passenger reading the Bible and asked, “How can your God, who is supposed to be a God of love, send a man to hell?”
The Bible reader responded, “I will answer your question after you first answer the question which most bothers me: How can a God of infinite righteousness—complete holiness—ever take a sinner to heaven?”
The fact is the sinner can’t stay a sinner and enter heaven. He must become a saint. That is what God’s salvation does. Harry Ironside explains it like this: “Salvation occurs in three tenses or stages. I have been saved from the penalty of sin by faith in Christ. I am now being saved from the power of sin by the indwelling Holy Spirit. And someday I will be saved from the presence of sin when I become 100% like Jesus.”
(Do you understand that? Maybe, then again maybe not. It is good if you do understand it, but you can still enjoy the ride even if you don’t grasp it. I don’t understand how an airplane stays in the air either, but I don’t fret over it. I put my full weight down and enjoy the ride!)
Remember this: God is the One who does the saving. In a nutshell, His salvation will not be complete until you are made sinlessly perfect like our Lord Jesus. Not only blessed with a perfect body which is so often emphasized at funerals, but a perfect soul which can never sin or fall short of the glory of God. To me, the perfect heart or soul will be the greatest joy of the future body! Oh, to always live spiritually in fellowship with the Savior! To never again have a sin to confess! To never again yield to temptation! To never again wrestle with doing wrong! To never again reap a bad harvest after sowing wild oats! But rather to think sinlessly, behave sinlessly, love purely, etc. We sing, “O, won’t IT be wonderful there!” but I prefer to sing, “O, won’t I be wonderful there!”
A Communist was conducting a street meeting in which he promoted the virtues of communism, even stating that communism was superior to Christianity. He reached the climax of his speech and shouted, “Communism can put a new suit on a man.”
Immediately one of God’s children shouted back, “And Jesus Christ can put a NEW MAN in the new suit.”
Thank God, “He’s not yet finished on me!” But someday He will finish on little ol’ me! “Oh, Lord, how about making it happen today?”
NOTE: My third book “Sanctification: How God Creates Saints out of Sinners” describes the entire process (see Ironside above) of God turning us into PERFECT saints—so perfect we will be allowed to live with God in the holiest dwelling place of God: God’s own home.
Apr 27, 2023 – Two BIG questions: What is regeneration and have you been regenerated?
This theological term distinguishes Christianity from every religion in the world. The other religions state YOU need to do better than you are already doing, but Christianity emphasizes you need a NEW YOU—a change on the INSIDE called regeneration (being generated or born a second time). This second birth results in a brand new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) along with its inherent new desires, new power, plus a totally new outlook on life. All of those things happen in regeneration or being “born again.”
Here is how it works. A man owned a clock of great value, but one day the clock stopped. The man tried, but he could not get the clock to work again. Every idea failed! First, he tried heavier weights, but the heavier weights hindered the machinery. Second, he replaced the face of the clock but to no avail! Then he tried new hands, but this, too, failed.
The owner’s little boy watched his father struggle with the clock. At last, the little boy said, “Daddy, pardon me for interrupting, but I believe the poor clock needs a new inside!”
This, dear reader, is what regeneration does. God is not interested in merely reforming you, because that would leave you with a sin-polluted, depraved nature that is far below His perfect standard. But God is interested in giving you a new heart—a new disposition which is patterned after His own nature (Ephesians 4:24). Jeremiah calls it “a new heart.” Paul calls it “a new man” or “a new creation.” Jesus calls it “born again…a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” Important: Each term emphasizes an INTERNAL addition to your being.
Evangelist Curtis Hutson says, “You don’t get better to get saved; rather, you get saved in order to get better, and you cannot get better until you first get saved.”
Have you been regenerated? If not, the first step is to stop trying to make yourself acceptable to God. You can’t! God alone can make you acceptable to Himself. He does so WHEN you place your faith in Christ the Savior and He does so BY inserting a new nature in your life. That holy nature will never sin; someday (at death or the Rapture) you will lose the old sinful nature, but the NEW NATURE (created in holiness) will be yours for eternity. It will enable you to know God and spend eternity with God.
What is the sinner’s step in the process? Simply this: “Just as I am, Without one plea, But that Thy blood was shed for me. And that Thou biddest me Come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come!”
Apr 26, 2023 – The experience of “Christ in you” (“the Anointed One in you”) touches all of our being, including our attitude. It does not “force” a new attitude in the sense of Marine boot camp training but rather creates a spontaneous attitude rooted deep within a person.
A little girl was asked, “Why do you like Miss Siewerth so well?”
She answered, “It’s because her eyes twinkle just as if she is laughing inside her all the time!” Her joy was noticeable…and enjoyed by others.
With whom would you rather spend your time? A person of gloom or a person of joy?
The evangelist Billy Graham was once criticized for laughing too much. The critic said, “Jesus never laughed. Why do you?” Graham did not argue; he answered, “Well, Jesus sure fixed me up so I can laugh!” And Jesus did the same for you and me, too! No matter what comes our way, the joy of the Lord can be our strength.
Our God delivers us from “idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thes. 1:9), provides godly instructors (2:1-11), gives us backbone to stand firm during persecution and difficult times (2:14), motivates us to holy living (4:3), helps us love people (4:9), and someday will come again for us (4:16). We are blessed! Let’s say those words again because they are so true: WE ARE BLESSED! Who deserves to rejoice more or celebrate more than us?
Thus, Martin Luther declares, “The devil is a chronic grumbler. The Christian ought to be a living doxology”….a living hymn of praise.
Hiebert writes, “Christian joy is not dependent upon external circumstances; it springs out of the fact that the believer is ‘in Christ’ and is rooted in the unfathomable blessings flowing from that union.” It is like a spring welling up in your soul that bubbles to the surface regardless of circumstances, that exists on a much higher level than mere ha-ha happiness moments which fade after the event, that sustains itself because it is the product of a life being lived by faith in the living and overcoming Christ. Yes, “If God be for me, who can stand against me?”
Remember: To know Him is to know more than about Him. It is also to enter His presence in faith believing and “in His presence is fulness of joy.”
Apr 25, 2023 – David Gower writes in The Baptist Bulletin, “Repentance may be the best kept secret of contemporary churches.” His words are right on! But they are not a secret to our Lord nor are they secret to the believer in Christ…because you can’t reach the believing stage without also passing through the repenting stage. The two events are different and yet practically inseparable, because genuine repentance is accompanied with belief in Christ as Savior (Acts 20:21). The person who accepts Christ does so because he first acknowledges his sinful condition and his need of a Savior.
The basic meaning of “repentance” means “change of mind.” It is more than being sorry for sin or being sorry you were caught in the act! Arthur Pink correctly writes, “Repentance is the realization of our lost condition, it is the discovery of our ruin, it is the judging of ourselves, it is the OWNING of our lost estate.” A sinner cannot change his nature, but God provides sufficient grace for the sinner to acknowledge his need of change and to turn to the One who specializes in change.
In other words, salvation is the sinner accepting God’s conclusion (“I am a sinner”) AND God’s solution (Christ as Savior).
Pay attention: This is a God thing. God will bring the sinner to the point of repentance and faith. Don’t over-complicate it like some arm-chair theologians do. A clear presentation of the gospel that is energized by the Holy Spirit will do everything necessary to save that sinner’s soul.
A murderer was sentenced to death. The murderer, though, had a brother to whom the government was deeply indebted for a past act. This brother asked the governor for a pardon and the governor agreed to do so.
The brother then visited the murderer. But he kept the pardon hidden in his pocket. He decided to first test his brother. He asked, “Brother, what would you do if I gave you a pardon?”
The condemned brother said, “The first thing I would do is track down the judge who sentenced me and murder him. The next thing I would do is track down the chief witness and murder him as well. “
The conversation immediately ended. The pardon never left the brother’s pocket. The pardon was never discussed, because there was no repentance.
Ah, heed the words of the prophet Jeremiah: “Turn Thou me and I SHALL BE TURNED” (Jeremiah 31:18).
Apr 24, 2023 – “Threatens the soul with INFINITE loss.”
During my many years of singing “Grace Greater Than Our Sin” I have somehow missed the word “infinite.” The full verse says, “Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold, Threaten the soul with infinite loss; Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold, Points to the refuge, the mighty cross.” How have I sung it? In my mind I have sung, “Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold, Threaten the soul with loss.” I have never before pondered the word “infinite” in this song. I have, sad to say, skipped over the word.
I awakened this morning with the word emphasized in my mind. (It must have been the Lord’s leading.) Perhaps because you have missed it, too. Or perhaps because an unbeliever will be directed by God to this devotional and realize how great the loss truly is.
“Infinite.” What does the word mean? “limitless or endless in space, extent, or size; impossible to measure or calculate.” Does such a word truly capture the loss of that soul which is banished to hell? The answer is a resounding yes. YES! And more yes’s!!!
Infinite loss. You can sell a stock or a house and calculate the loss. The IRS will recognize that loss. But what is the worth of a human soul? It is priceless. The price cannot be fixed, because it is more than a human soul; it is also an eternal soul which can never die.
Infinite death. ‘Dying but unable to die.” The critically wounded man on the battlefield says to a comrade, “Put me out of my misery. It is more than I can bear!” Such a deed may be done on the battlefield, but it cannot be done with the soul. Perhaps God could do what the annihilationist desires: cause the soul of the unbeliever to cease to exist, and, therefore, avoid the agony of eternal death. But such will not be the case! Jesus says, “Their worm does not die And the fire is not quenched” (Mark 6:48). Eternal dying but unable to die.
Infinite pain. Unmeasurable. Is it a ten? An eleven? A twelve? Higher? “Beaten with MANY stripes” (Luke 12:47. “Being in torments” (plural) (Luke 16:23). No Tylenol nor morphine. No rest. I wrestle with the immensity of this aspect of future punishment, but such is the plain teaching of the Word of God…and upholds the infinite holiness and righteousness of God. “As beautiful as heaven is for the saint, just the opposite is hell for the sinner.”
Infinite sentence. Contrary to common thought, there is no second chance after death. “It is appointed unto man once to die and after this comes the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). There is no “re-do” or allowed repentance after death. Revelation 20 CLOSES with CLOSURE for the unbeliever. The unbelievers, who number in the billions (this is a defined, finite number to God), are “cast into the lake of fire.” Chapters 21 and 22 do not extend any opportunity for redemption to them. It’s an infinite sentence.
Infinite loss…a loss which cannot be measured. I wonder if these thoughts went through the mind of the songwriter. One can more easily number the stars as count the unbeliever’s loss. Unbelievable. Catastrophic. A life which could have experienced grace but instead experiences loss of such a magnitude that one can only shake his head in dismay.
As for me, I rejoice that “where my sin abounded, God’s grace abounded much more.” I have been delivered from the wrath to come through the death of the crucified One!
- Saved by the blood of the Crucified One! Now ransomed from sin and a new work begun, Sing praise to the Father and praise to the Son, Saved by the blood of the Crucified One!
- Saved by the blood of the Crucified One! The angels rejoicing because it is done; A child of the Father, joint-heir with the Son, Saved by the blood of the Crucified One!
- Saved by the blood of the Crucified One! The Father He spake, and His will it was done; Great price of my pardon, His own precious Son; Saved by the blood of the Crucified One!
- Saved by the blood of the Crucified One! All hail to the Father, all hail to the Son, All hail to the Spirit, the great Three in One! Saved by the blood of the Crucified One!
Refrain: Glory, I’m saved! Glory, I’m saved! My sins are all pardoned, my guilt is all gone! Glory, I’m saved! Glory, I’m saved! I’m saved by the blood of the Crucified One!
Can you say, “Amen! I am saved by the blood of the Crucified One”?
Apr 22-23, 2023 – Have you ever met a perfect person? The preacher said, “There has only been one perfect Person: the Lord Jesus Christ!”
But a woman disagreed with him! This woman said, “Actually, there have been TWO perfect people. The second perfect person was my husband’s first wife! No matter how well I do, my husband always tells me how his first wife did it better than me!”
I feel for her! The fact, though, is “perfection” can only be defined one way: total perfection. No defects. No blemishes. Totally blameless and faultless. “A Lamb without blemish and without spot.” Only ONE person can meet that standard: the Lord Jesus Christ of heaven. Not your momma, not your papa, not your best friend, and certainly not you.
How perfect is He who offered Himself on Calvary as the sacrifice for our sins?
Governor Pilate said of him, “I find no fault in this man.”
The betrayer Judas said of him, “I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood.”
The centurion at the foot of Jesus’ cross confessed, “Surely, this is the Son of God.”
The angel Gabriel told Mary, “The holy One will be born of you.”
John the Baptist proclaimed, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
John the Apostle wrote on the Isle of Patmos, “He is the bright and morning star, slain from the foundation of the world. Righteous!”
What was said by God the Father? “This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.”
Therefore, based upon His sinless purity, He was able to do what no one else could ever do. “After he offered one sacrifice that would take away sins FOREVER, He sat down at the right hand of God the Father. By this one offering He perfected forever those that are sanctified. When the Father looks upon the sacrificial work of His soul, He shall be satisfied!”
How many of those items could be said about you? Is it fair to say, “None”? Thank God, Abraham accurately said on behalf of all of us, “God will provide a Lamb for Himself.”
That Perfect Lamb is my ticket to heaven. How about you?
Apr 21, 2023 – Who do you represent in this world? Yourself? Perhaps your parents (“Boy, don’t shame your mom and dad”)? Maybe a business? Or how about Jesus Christ?
A group of businessmen were running to catch a train. One of the men was a Christian, but the others were not. All of these men were running to catch the same train.
A little boy stood in their path. This boy was selling chewing gum and candy. He held a box containing pennies, nickels and dimes. One of the men accidentally ran into the boy, knocking the box one way and the boy the other way. The man ignored the boy and continued on after the train.
The Christian, though, stopped to help the little boy. He helped the boy to his feet, wiped away the tears. He then got down on his hands and knees, picked up the chewing gum and candy, gathered the scattered coins, and put everything back in the box. Last, he took a five dollar bill from his wallet and placed it in the box.
The Christian said, “Son, I’m sorry that someone knocked you down.”
The little boy wiped away the tears, looked up at the man and asked, “Sir, are you Jesus? Are you the Jesus I read about in the Bible?”
The man replied, “No, son, but I want you to know I am sure trying to be like Jesus. Believe it or not, Jesus has given me His personal promise that someday I am going to be absolutely perfect just like Him! That is my goal.”
KEY: All of us are “somebody” to someone. But the identity of that “somebody” is in our hands.
Christ has placed His indwelling presence in each of us so that we represent Him in this world. God help us to reflect Him and point others to Him!
“Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me, All His wonderful passion and purity, Oh, Thou Spirit divine, all my nature refine, Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.”
Apr 20, 2023 – “You must open the door! Let Jesus come in, He will save you from sin! But you must open the door!”
Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will eat with him and he with Me.“
One sinner man said, “Pastor, I agree with everything you say, but I intend to wait until tomorrow to get saved.“ But yesterday is already gone, tomorrow may never come, and what does that leave besides today?
A young girl went to an evangelist before church one evening. She said, “My daddy is coming to church tonight. I want you to pray that he will be saved.”
The young girl then began to cry. The evangelist put his arm around her and asked, “What is wrong?”
The young girl answered, “Dad and Mom lived in Detroit. They were sweet folks. They never did wicked things, but they just left God out of their lives. The other day a terrible accident took place and mama was killed. Dad is all broken up. Pray that he will be saved tonight.”
The evangelist watched the father throughout the entire service. He preached a very simple message about the plan of salvation. He then gave the invitation and this man came forward. This man never needed to hear a sermon. Having his wife torn from his arms had been enough sermon to last him a lifetime.
The man wept as he came forward and accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. The church was happy and yet sad at the same time. But the man’s words shook the people even more. He said, “I am glad that I got saved tonight, but IT IS TOO LATE FOR MY WIFE. We waited too long.”
Oh, don’t be in the group whom Jesus described as “not willing,” because there is coming a day when everyone will be willing…but, unfortunately, that day may not happen until after death when one’s destiny can never be changed.
But as for today…
“Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.
Come in today, come in to stay.
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.“
Apr 19, 2023 – Is God a bully? Is God after His pound of flesh? No. Today’s Verse indicates that the goodness [not the anger or the vindictiveness] of God takes you, the sinner, by the hand and leads you or brings you to the place where you understand both the necessity and the process of repentance. Thank God, He does a thorough job, too!
That’s the way it happened on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), because the Bible says the crowd was pierced to the heart by the preaching of the gospel…that Christ died because of their sin but was raised again as proof that He is the only Savior. The crowd responded in a repentant way, “What must we do to get saved?” Before that day was finished 3,000 people were wonderfully saved!
That’s the way it happened with the murderers of Stephen, too, in Acts 7! Stephen declared the same basic sermon that was preached on Pentecost. But he did not get to finish! This crowd was against Stephen before he opened his mouth. Stephen described them as “stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart…always resisting the Holy Spirit.” But resisting in what sense? In the sense of the Holy Spirit LEADING THEM TO REPENTANCE. They had to be dragged every step of the way! The Bible says their hearts were hard but not hard enough because “when they heard his preaching about Jesus they were cut to the heart…convicted about their sin!“ In reality, their armor against the Holy Spirit was only skin deep!
That’s the way it happened in the jail at Philippi, too (Acts 16). That mean old jailer “came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas, and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’” When he awakened that morning, he sure didn’t expect his day to end with eternal salvation.
But we’re not finished! That’s the way it also happened with Governor Felix! The Bible says that Paul spoke to Felix about “righteousness, self-control, and judgment to come.” How did Felix respond? The text says Felix literally trembled…he trembled because God the Holy Spirit was leading him to repentance—an uncomfortable place but a very necessary place.
I remember seeing something as a teenager which I have never forgotten. The pastor finished his sermon and invited the unbelievers to come for counseling for the purpose of receiving Jesus as Savior.
One woman never made it to the altar. She fell down in the pew and began to wail like a woman who had just lost her husband. She didn’t merely cry…she was actually wailing at the top of her voice…wailing louder than we could sing…wailing in misery about her sin, wickedness and wretchedness.
Why? The Holy Spirit had done His work of leading her to repentance: convincing her of sin against a holy God, the need of righteousness and judgment to come!
We may not see as many visible displays today as we saw fifty years ago, but remember this: Every salvation occurs because the goodness of God has made a personal visit and led that sinner to repentance of sin and belief in Christ. The Calvinist and Arminian may argue about the process of sinners being saved, but as for me I simply pray, “Holy Spirit, sic ‘em! Find the one that is lost and lead that one to repentance.” And He does His job quite well!!!! Can anyone say, “Amen”?
Apr 18, 2023 – Someone asked the question, “WHAT is the Holy Spirit?” My friend, a better question would be, “WHO is the Holy Spirit?” because the Holy Spirit is not a something but rather a somebody, not a force but rather a spirit, not an it but rather a He.
Jesus says in the book of John chapter 14, “And I will pray the Father and He shall give you another Comforter who is the Holy Spirit, that HE may abide with you forever. Even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it sees HIM not, neither knows HIM, but you know HIM, for HE dwells with you and HE shall be in you.“
The Bible makes it very plain that the Holy Spirit comes from God, because He Himself actually IS God; He is just as much God as God the Father or God the Son. It is for that reason that Jesus taught us to “baptize in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
The Westminster Shorter Catechism (an old Confession of Faith) correctly states, “There are three persons in the Godhead; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.” Another confession states, “The Eternal Godhead is revealed as one God existing in three persons; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. All three are co-eternal, co-equal and co-existent in attributes, power, nature and glory.”
We are introduced to God the Holy Spirit in the second verse of the Bible as “brooding like a mother hen over the oceans.” And, though, often unseen we can trace His presence and His handiwork throughout all of Scripture. Indeed, we who believe even know Him experientially (by personal experience rather than mere head knowledge), because He is responsible for bringing us to salvation by convincing us of the need of Christ, making us a born again new creation, becoming the indwelling presence of God in our hearts, teaching us God’s truth, empowering us to live the victorious Christian life, transforming our character to be like our Savior, gifting us with spiritual abilities to minister, and on and on the list goes.
Oh, how barren our lives would be without Him, the Holy Spirit! And how barren our ministries would be without His anointing!
Someone went to a famous evangelist and asked him, “Do you have all of the Holy Spirit?”
The evangelist replied, “The Bible says I received all of the Holy Spirit when I got saved. The question you ought to be asking is this: Does the Holy Spirit have all of you?”
How would you answer the question?
Apr 17, 2023 – Why is it dangerous to postpone one’s salvation? The gospel message has been heard, it has also been understood, but, “Can’t I just do my thing for a few more years then become a believer in Christ when it’s more convenient?” Ah, read on!
Many years ago, some men went to Alaska seeking gold. These men went deep into the heart of that cold and barren land. One day they came upon a miner’s hut. The hut seemed as quiet as a grave, because that is exactly what it had become. They opened the door and found the skeletons of two men along with a large quantity of gold.
There was a letter upon the table which told how that these dead men had found their gold. These two men had been so excited that they had forgotten about the early coming of winter. Each day they found more gold, and they expected to find more gold on the next day.
By and by the fall passed. Winter drew closer and closer. One morning the men awakened to find a great snow storm all around them. The snow fell for days without stopping. The snow became deeper and deeper. In just a matter of days there was no escape for these two men. It was not long until all of their food was gone. These two men then lay down and died next to their pile of gold.
For them the day of salvation was NOW PAST, because they had rejected their last opportunity to escape from the awful storms of winter.
“Go, Spirit, go Thy way, Some more convenient day on Thee I’ll call.” Only a more convenient day never came!!!
The problem with delaying salvation is that a person may never again be as concerned about salvation as TODAY. Things change and PEOPLE also change. Why wait to watch a television show if your house is on house? Yet that is what so many people choose to do in regard to salvation from hell.
Perhaps you know someone that needs to hear today’s message. Go the extra mile and send this message to that person as an indication of your concern for that person’s soul. Or perhaps that person is you, because you are not yet a believer.
TODAY IS THE DAY GOD HAS GRANTED YOU TO BE BORN AGAIN BY EXERCISING FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR. Isn’t it great that you have TODAY? Make the most of this day called TODAY!
Apr 15-16, 2023 – Does your church encourage its preachers and teachers to “speak ALL that I, the Lord, speak to you”? Or are there some subjects that are off limits? And, most importantly, what happens when “ALL” is reduced to only “SOME”? Especially, that “SOME” which allows us to remain as we are.
I’ll never forget our pastor Lee Roberson telling us about a revival meeting in Birmingham, Alabama. More than one hundred people were saved in that seven-day meeting. It was an amazing week. Even more amazing, though: It was unusual for anyone to get saved in that church!
All of Roberson’s sermons were very simple sermons about the old rugged cross, the blessedness of heaven along with the awfulness of hell. Nothing complicated but very understandable…and VERY CLEAR AND PLAIN AND TO THE POINT.
The church’s pastor went to Roberson after the last service. This well-educated preacher said, “This meeting has caused me to open my eyes to the dreadful thing I have been doing. I promised the leaders of this church when I came here that I would seldom if ever preach on the subject of hell. They told me that the pastor before me had preached too often on the subject of hell and they were tired of it. I told them that I would avoid the subject if it offended them. I have done so and this church has failed and souls have not been saved.
“This meeting has awakened me to my need to preach the whole gospel: the entire Word of God!”
Our churches exert subtle pressure to “give us what makes us feel good” rather than “that which makes us uncomfortable.” Such people angrily asked the prophet Elijah, “Are you the one that troubles Israel? The one that declares what makes us uncomfortable?” Oh, that the people could say those words about every preacher and teacher!
We must remind ourselves constantly that the Word of God exists to CHANGE us. That includes the people who do not want to be changed; that group might even include us at certain times. Please read aloud these next words: “The greatest blessing is to KNOW what God requires whether I like it or don’t like it.” By contrast, the worst insult is to not be told what God requires then to reap an awful harvest.
Are you blessed with preachers and teachers who declare the whole counsel of God? If yes, thank God for them! If no, you’re in deep trouble. Which is it for you?
Apr 14, 2023 – A battle was being fought. The officers looked for a soldier but could not find him. They finally found this soldier at the back of the lines fooling around with a few flowers in a flower garden. The commanding officer said, “Soldier, what were you doing here while the rest of us were fighting?”
The soldier replied, “I love flowers so I was here.”
The officer said, “But we were fighting a battle! The power of the enemy was great. We needed every man to help us defeat the enemy!“
The soldier answered, “But I was doing no harm to anyone. I just didn’t want to fight so I stayed here in the flower garden and worked with the flowers. I wasn’t doing any harm.“
The man was immediately arrested. A short trial was held. The man, a soldier on theoutside but not a soldier on the inside. was found guilty of desertion and severely punished.
Have you noticed that NOTHING GOOD happens when a soldier deserts his post in a time of war? Just ask King David! Today’s Verse clearly states it was the expected time of the year (after the spring rains) for kings like the warrior David to go off to war. He was EXPECTED to lead his soldiers. Instead, David stayed home…neglected his duty…became preoccupied with lesser important matters…expected others to do their duty but not him…decided to pursue other interests than God, his commanding officer, required.
It was then and there, in his palace rather than the battle line, that Satan lured David into an adulterous affair with Bathsheba. In the space of one hour David committed such evil that God severely punished David’s family. The remainder of 2 Samuel reveals that David’s family was never the same after this one sin. His actions affected many whom he loved in a horrible, bad harvest way.
Have you noticed that NOTHING GOOD happens when a CHRISTIAN deserts his post in a time of war? Just ask ___________! I hope your name never appears in the fill-in-the-blank.
Apr 13, 2023 – What is one of the greatest benefits of biblical salvation? It is peace with God! Such peace is not only a BENEFIT of salvation, but it is also an EVIDENCE of salvation that the old account has been settled!
A young man went one Sunday morning to the first church which he could find—a Roman Catholic Church. He told the priest, “I need forgiveness for my sin. I need to get right with God. How can I do this?“
The priest gave the young man a string of beads and said, “Go pray fifty Hail Mary’s, and you will be forgiven of your sin.“
The young man knelt and began to recite the Rosary, “Hail, Mary, full of grace…” and he poured out his heart to God. Suddenly, though, this young man jumped up, threw the beads across the sanctuary, and shouted, “This isn’t doing anything for my sin! This will never get me right with God!” He then stormed out of the auditorium and spent the entire day in agony of soul.
That night he walked through the doors of another church. He listened to the singing, he listened to the prayers, he listened to every word uttered by the preacher, and the Holy Spirit spoke to his heart. This young man then came forward and asked the preacher if there was any way that he could have all of his sins totally forgiven. He felt what it was to be under the condemnation of God! The pastor opened his Bible, showed the man there is only one way you can have true forgiveness of sin and that is through the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. They read John 14:6 which declares Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life; no man comes unto the Father except through Jesus Christ.”
It did not take much further convincing, because the Holy Spirit had already prepared his heart! In just a matter of minutes that young man received Christ as his Savior; he realized what the Bible means when it says, “Therefore, having been justified or declared righteous by FAITH, we have peace – peace!!!! – with God through our Lord Jesus Christ!“
The greatest peace is peace with God in the human soul. Such a person may be facing serious trials, but if he has peace with God in his soul…oh, how different life becomes! To know “it is well with my soul” when one rises in the morning or lies down at night generates a peace that the world can never duplicate.
Do you know that peace? You can! Yes, thank God, everyone can!
Apr 12, 2023 – A young man said to his pastor, “Pastor, you are the worst preacher which this church has ever had. Your sermons are too long, your sermons are too boring, and your sermons don’t have any meat in them. If you don’t do better, we will have to get a new preacher.”
A deacon heard everything said by the young man. He put his arm around the pastor and said, “I wouldn’t worry about anything that man says. You see, he is rather weak-minded. He doesn’t really know what he’s saying. After all, he ONLY REPEATS WHAT HE HEARS!”
Ah, most preachers have met that man at some point in their ministry. So, let’s discuss preachers and, hopefully, broaden how you think about the man of God in the pulpit.
During this writer’s 47 years of ministry, I can humbly say that 98% of my preacher acquaintances are in the preaching business because they are serious about communicating God’s message to as many people as they can. Practically every preacher would like to share God’s Word with a larger audience, not because larger audiences bring in more money but larger audiences bring in more listeners, and, therefore, more possibility of reaping a good harvest. After all, the same amount of work goes into preparing a sermon for fifty people that goes into preparing for two hundred people.
But a lower percentage of preachers are reaping good harvests nowadays as compared to when I first began. It’s frustrating not only for them but also for you Christian workers that expend so much energy in your local church. We share the joys, but we also share the frustrations! And we keep trying, don’t we?
Many pastors hear, “You’re overpaid. You only work on Sunday and Wednesday.” Oh, my! Thank God, I’ve only heard it once. If those words were true, the pastor would have time to work the night shift at the local motel to supplement his income! An average pastor devotes fifty hours a week to the ministry. If he’s doing above sixty hours a week, you need to graciously cut him back! Very few men can handle such a physical, psychological load. A few can, but not many! He’s likely headed for burnout, and that is not good for anyone. It is my experience that churches are like sponges…they absorb every ounce of energy they can from a pastor and lay worker. Caution: If you don’t take care of yourself, no one else will.
Preachers are not called to be politicians. Unfortunately, politics are part of church life, but most preachers are not skilled in politically maneuvering among differing groups. Instead, they tend to be “purpose” or “mission” driven. The Apostle Paul says, “The preacher speaks to edify, encourage and comfort” (1 Corinthians 14:2). One such preacher said, “I am a ‘letter’ preacher. I open my mouth and ‘let ‘er’ fly!” In a nutshell, that was the practice of the Old Testament and New Testament prophets, too. Sometimes it created problems, but they pursued their job of bringing people face to face with God’s message.
Last, ponder this question: Where would your church be without a man declaring the Word of God? That day is approaching. Billions of people in our world did not live within thirty miles of a God-called preacher on Easter, because there is a shortage of such men. Alas, in many parts of our OWN country, we have reached a point where there are more churches than pastors. This trend will likely accelerate as more and more pastors enter their twilight years and are no longer able to handle the everyday load of pastoring. The number of preachers entering the “pastor work force” is not great enough to offset the retirements plus others deserting the ministry.
Bottom line: When you pray, always remember your pastor…and his dear wife and family. He may be full-time in the ministry, i.e. ministry may be his only job. Or he may be bi-vocational, meaning he works both a secular job and a pastor job (that’s a bear!). But he won’t make it without a strong support system. He desperately needs you to be part of that support system.
P.S. Our Association hosted a “Call to Ministry Workshop” recently for men who are contemplating a call to preach/pastor. Those handouts are available for free download on this website’s Pastor page. Look for “Training Prospective New Pastors” highlighted in blue.
Apr 11, 2023 – It was a Monday morning – April 25, 1907. The news spread throughout London, England that someone had desecrated the famous church known as the City Temple. A vandal had taken chalk and written the word “ICHABOD” across the front of the church. Many questions were asked, but no one knew who had committed this unspeakable desecration.
One week later an ordinary painter voluntarily came forward and admitted that he was the person who had written the word “ICHABOD” across the front of that church. The painter was immediately arrested. He soon appeared in court to answer the charges which were brought against him. The court asked, “Would you explain why you did such a sacrilegious thing?“
The painter replied, “Our pastor, Dr. Parker, made me do it!“
The man’s answer puzzled the court, because Dr. Parker had been dead for a number of years. The court asked the painter for a further explanation. The painter proceeded to tell the court that he was a Christian who had regularly attended the City Temple when Dr. Parker was the church’s pastor.
He went on to say, “Dr. Parker told me that if our church ever started preaching the false gospel of the higher critics that I was to write the word ICHABOD over the front door to our church. The word ICHABOD means ‘the glory has departed.’ That is exactly what Dr. Parker told me to do, and that is exactly what I did.“
ICHABOD…the word which means “the glory of the Lord has departed.“ “God’s presence is gone.” “God’s anointing on the ministry has been removed.” The people may still attend, but God’s anointing on their assembly has been removed. Jesus warned the same thing was about to happen to the church at Ephesus. Jesus said, “Repent or I will remove your lampstand (candlestick).” The lampstand represented the light of God’s presence in the local church.
We live in a day when Christians need to seriously consider the words of A. J. Gordon. “Ecclesiastical corpses lie all about us. The caskets in which they repose are lined with satin, and are decorated with solid silver handles and abundant flowers, and like other caskets, they are just large enough for their occupants, with no room for strangers. These churches have died of respectability and been embalmed in self-complacency. If, by the grace of God, this church is alive [referring to his current pastorate] be warned to use your opportunity, or the feet of them that buried thy sisters will be at the door and carry thee out.”
W. B. Riley’s response needs written in our Bibles: “The church must be fruitful, and, if fruitless, it has its choice between reformation and removal.”
Oh, do your best to keep your church alive with the presence of God doing the work of God in the power of God! Don’t take your church for granted. Pray for revival, pray for a commitment of the people to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20). Pray for lives to be changed! Don’t be smug as you walk away from church saying, “Well, we had church today!” Instead, ask, “Were any lives changed today?” Never be satisfied unless lives are being changed for the glory of God by the power of God! Beware of a lackadaisical spirit: Noon on Sunday is not time to get ready to leave church, but it is time to draw the net and get results! Pray for a hunger to get results!!!
It is true your church may someday be rendered “Ichabod,” but don’t let it happen because of you!
Apr 10, 2023 – How powerful is a baptism? No amount of water has the power to wash away sin, but the picture of baptism is a glorious sight to behold. And it preaches one of the loudest sermons ever preached: not only to the one being baptized but to all who are witnessing the baptism!
Evangelist Bill Rice preached a revival in which the mean deputy sheriff was wonderfully saved. He was mean, so mean some believed he could never be saved. “But where sin abounded, grace abounded more” and he was saved in that revival. Rice put an advertisement in the newspaper about the time and place when the deputy sheriff would be baptized.
Rice announced to all that would listen, “Come and see the deputy sheriff baptized this coming Thursday night. All of his old friends ought to be here to see this.”
On Thursday night a number of his old cronies came to the baptism. The deputy sheriff walked into the baptistry then shared his testimony with the congregation.
He said, “I am glad so many of my old friends have come tonight. Fellows, I have turned to Jesus Christ and I’m trusting Him to save me. I’m going to try to live for Him. Now I don’t want you to think I am mad at any of you for I’m not. But I’m not going to run around with you anymore unless you get saved. I just don’t think it would be smart for us to run around together if I am trying to live for the Lord and you are still trying to live for the devil!”
The Holy Spirit used those words to speak to this man’s old friends. They watched the deputy sheriff as he went down into the water, they saw the deputy look like a resurrected man as he came up out of that watery grave, and some of those men immediately came forward and were wonderfully saved.
How often this writer has quoted Today’s Verse to the congregation! “Buried with Him in baptism” as I lower the candidate into the water. “Raised to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus” as I bring the candidate up and out of the water. And many in the audience respond by spontaneously saying, “Amen!” because they know what it is all about.
What a blessing to witness baptisms! It is a sermon in action! Oh God, give us more of these sermons in action!
Apr 8-9, 2023 – He is dead. His body has been removed from the cross and placed in a borrowed tomb.
His disciples are broken. Their hope is shattered. Fear reigns in their hearts. Faith has been replaced by doubt and confusion.
What, though, has really changed? Has God’s plan changed? Has God’s Word changed?
700 years earlier God told the prophet Isaiah how things would be:
“He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
“But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
“By oppression and judgment he was taken away…And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.
“…he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53)
WHAT DID THE APOSTLES NEED TO DO ON GOOD FRIDAY AND SATURDAY? They needed to read God’s Word…just read how God said it would be. After all, God had already spoken!
Never forget: God’s promises are as certain in the darkness as in the light.
When hope is lost and you are broken, take time to remember what God has said.
Good Friday, 2023 – “Peter, I have good news. I am going to die for you.”
“Oh, Lord, not so! Perish the thought that You should die for anyone!”
“Peter, you don’t understand. Except I die you cannot live.”
“But, Lord, that makes no sense…no sense at all. What evil have you done that requires your death? You are the most innocent man to ever walk the earth.”
“Peter, I am not dying for My evil but for your evil.”
“But, Lord, can’t we offer an animal sacrifice for my sins like they did in the old days? I will find a lamb without blemish like happened at the first Passover in Egypt.”
“Peter, listen closely. I AM THE LAMB OF GOD that will take away the sin of the world. It is not possible for the blood of bulls, goats and lambs to permanently take away sin. It can only be done with RIGHTEOUS blood…My blood. The guiltless must die for the guilty, the just for the unjust. Your parents and friends cannot die for you, because they are as guilty as you. For this purpose I came into the world that I might offer a sacrifice that will take away sin forever.”
“Lord, You said this is good news. But You’ll die a horrible death! How, though, is that good news?”
“Peter, it is because without My death as payment for your sin debt, you must make the payment yourself. Trust Me, you don’t want to have to pay for your own sin. Hell is hot and hell is forever. I know, because I created it for the devil and his angels. But rest assured: Calvary WILL cover it all, Your past with its sin and shame, Your guilt and despair, The Father will place on Me there, And Calvary will cover it all. Someday you will fully understand, and you will tell others about being redeemed, purchased from your sin by My incorruptible blood. Through My death I will buy your soul with My own blood. And you will then belong to Me…bought and paid for.”
And today all the Peter’s in the world look at the middle cross on Calvary and sing, “Jesus, my Lord will love me forever, From Him no pow’r of evil can sever, He gave His life to ransom my soul; Now I belong to Him. Now I belong to Jesus, Jesus belongs to me, Not for the years of time alone, But for eternity.”
Thank God, the gospel really is good news for a sinner like me! How about you?
Apr 6, 2023 – Does the Bible include any prophecies about the age in which we live? Yes! Those prophecies not only inform us of what will happen but also prepare us to PERSEVERE in spite of what happens!
Loraine Boettner’s book “Roman Catholicism” is considered a classic refutation of Rome’s false teachings, but the same author was sadly mistaken when he declared, “Christ will return to a truly Christianized world.” That comment, uttered by others in that era, has been proven false by the horrors of war after war as well as the refutation of Christianity in Europe, the Middle East and America. Indeed, Christ Himself presented the opposite view when He asked, “When I come again, will I still find the faith upon the earth?”
Unfortunately, we are seeing a significant deterioration of Christianity WITHIN the mainline denominations, too. There was a time when the names Methodist, Presbyterian and Baptist really stood for something, but that is no longer so. Our impact upon our communities is lacking. Once solid biblical standards are eroding. Mediocrity has replaced commitment. The health and wealth prosperity gospel has replaced the old-time gospel. Someone posted in response, “If Paul could see the church in America today, we’d be getting a letter!” How true!
But the point of Today’s Verse is not to moan about the decline but to do two things: 1. Remind ourselves of the Bible warnings that this decline was prophesied just as clearly as the crucifixion of Christ and 2. Remind ourselves of our responsibility to stand firm against this decline.
The Apostle Paul warned us about the dismal condition of end-time Christianity in 1 Timothy chapter four and 2 Timothy chapter three. Jesus’ words to the church of Laodicea (Revelation 3) describe the end-time church as lukewarm and non-drinkable, as having locked Him out of His own church (3:20). The entire books of 2 Peter and Jude describe a difficult, even apostate religious climate. John wrote of religious leaders “going out from us because they were not of us.” O, the irony of it! We have the greatest means of communication in world history and yet we are faced with an audience which has little use for the message!
What then is the salt to do? We are to persevere! The Lord Jesus told the church of Thyatira, “I know all about your situation, but HOLD FAST until I come! Do not surrender! Do not yield! Do not compromise! Hold fast until I come!
“You may be the only church left in your community, but hold fast until I come! You may be the only Bible preaching pastor, but hold fast until I come! You may be the only sold-out Christian left, but hold fast until I come! Do not surrender! Do not yield! Do not compromise! HOLD FAST UNTIL I COME!”
The Salvation Army was founded by a preacher named William Booth. Booth had a little daughter who owned a pet monkey. One day the daughter dressed the monkey in a Salvation Army uniform. It was not long, though, until the daughter undressed the monkey and put away the uniform.
Her parents asked, “Honey, why did you undress the monkey?”
She said, “It is because the monkey CANNOT LIVE THE LIFE.”
Key: Only the salt can ever be the salt. Only a Christian like you can made a difference so dedicate yourself to BEING a difference and MAKING a difference.
Apr 5, 2023 – What is the difference between prophecy and history?
Let’s think about the just-finished NCAA Basketball Tournament, better known as March Madness. There were more upset winners than one could have reasonably expected. For only the second time in history, a #16 seed beat a #1 seed…and that was not the only big upset. 99.9% of ALL brackets were found wanting by the end of the first round.
But I know ONE person who had a perfect bracket. Yes, absolutely perfect! How was this possible? This person followed a very simple strategy: She filled in the brackets AFTER the game was played. Of course, she wins no awards, but she has a clean bracket to preserve for future memories!
In a nutshell, that is the difference between prophecy and history. History records what has already happened. But prophecy tells you what will definitely happen BEFORE it happens.
Amazingly, not even one of the millions of brackets correctly predicted every winner. Indeed, the word “futility” could be written across every bracket. (Perhaps a chimpanzee flipping a coin would have a better chance at an accurate outcome.)
Let’s make it even harder, though. How about preparing next year’s bracket TODAY? Pick the correct 64 teams, place them in their correct seedings and game locations, plus pick all the winners including the Final Four. What chance would you have at 100% accuracy? Or even 80% accuracy? Who in their right mind would stake their reputation to such a plan? Not me!
But that is what biblical prophecy does. Through prophecy God stakes His reputation to predicting events before they happen or even can happen such as in the case that “a virgin shall conceive” but the virgin Mary would not be born for another 700 years. No matter! God said it would happen. And it did happen.
Here is something to consider: Prophecy is already history from God’s viewpoint. Though God is invisible to our modern world, yet our God is still working out His plan regarding His creation. Does anyone know His plan? YES! We who believe are blessed with biblical prophecy which is even more certain to take place than the sun rising tomorrow morning. “As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be at the coming of Jesus Christ.” “Then shall be great tribulation, such as has never been seen before on the face of the earth.” “He gathered the armies of the world together in a place called Armageddon.” “And of our Lord’s kingdom there shall be no end.” “All that are in the grave shall come forth.” “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth.” “There shall be no more death for the former things are passed away.”
Guess what? You and I can talk about those events with CERTAINTY as if they are history even though they are still prophecy. As Jesus said, “You can KNOW that summer is NEAR.” Thank God, we can know our future!
Apr 4, 2023 – Do you have any rules, policies or principles which govern your life? If yes, are they written or unwritten? Are they clear or vague? Do they bring glory to God or leave God on the outside?
Consultant Les McKeown teaches, “Transformational acts of leadership are built on a foundation of consistency of purpose.” “Transformational acts” is the desired outcome. It results in changed lives and victory! But such a desired outcome is the RESULT of what he calls “consistency of purpose.” First, you establish a clearly thought-out purpose. Second, you consistently implement that purpose. Then you allow time to work its wonders just like compound interest! Over time (I stress TIME) the second leads to the first! But if the second does not occur, neither will the first!!! After all, you can’t enjoy driving the car until it is first built!
It reminds me of the man who listened to the famous violinist then said to him after the concert, “I’d give my life to play like that.”
The violinist replied, “That’s what it cost me.” Thus, the violinist made it clear that the desired outcome was not achieved by accident but by hard work in daily, consistently applying his purpose to be a skilled violinist.
No one ever did it better than Jesus. He accepted His calling to be Light in a world of darkness. He shown brightly! And He made a remarkable difference because he possessed a “consistency of purpose.” The Bible even uses this phrase “He set His face” to indicate His singular purpose.
J. Wilbur Chapman developed a rule for Christian living which guided him all the way through life. “The rule that governs my life is this: Anything that dims my vision of Christ or takes away my taste for Bible study or cramps my prayer life or makes Christian work difficult is wrong for me, and I must as a Christian turn away from it.”
Many of you are acquainted with the famous quote of missionary Jim Elliott: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Jim was later martyred sharing Christ with the people of Ecuador. But it was his “consistency of purpose” that raised his level of importance. Notice these words from Jim: “Lord, grant me a disciplined spirit and an obedient body henceforth.”
Have you built a foundation of consistency of purpose? It will be hard to go far in the Christian life or ANY life without such a foundation. Ah, the realization of your potential depends upon conquering this issue in your life. Go for it!
Apr 3, 2023 – Oh, my! Today’s Verse was quoted to us quite often by our pastor, Lee Roberson. I can still hear him reaching out his arms toward us and pouring it out, “You must die to self! It is the only way to be used by God! Die to self and surrender your heart to Him! Then God will bless your life and ministry in ways you can never foresee. But you must die to self.”
Call it whatever you will: cross-bearing, dying to self, surrendering, crucifying the flesh, taking up the yoke. The meaning is the same: Christ MUST come first!
Robert Thomas worked for the Scottish Bible Society in the land of China in the 1800’s. During his work, Thomas learned that the Korean language was based upon the Chinese language. It made sense to him that an educated Korean could read a Chinese Bible.
The Lord compelled Robert Thomas to take the gospel to what was at that time the FORBIDDEN land of Korea. He boarded a ship known as the General Sherman. The Korean Coast Guard, though, intercepted the General Sherman and a fight broke out. The General Sherman was set on fire and all of its passengers were killed.
But the death of Robert Thomas was most unusual. As the ship was sinking, Robert Thomas somehow struggled to the shore with his arms full of books. Those books were Chinese Bibles. Thomas staggered out of the water and thrust those Bibles into the hands of the waiting Koreans. The Koreans welcomed him by taking clubs and beating Thomas to death.
That took place in the year 1866. One man died. What was the outcome? That was God’s way to introduce the gospel to that heathen land known as Korea.
Today the gospel is preached throughout South Korea. That country has become a world center for Christianity. Indeed, South Korea is busy sending missionaries to the uttermost parts of the world.
And it all began with one man by the name of Robert Thomas.
“But if the seed dies, it produces MUCH fruit.” Why? It is because God is in the resurrection business, and resurrections don’t happen only on Easter!
Be sure you have settled this issue in your own heart. It is an imperative to reach the stage called “much fruit!”
Apr 1-2, 2023 – “Nothing is accomplished without steadfastness. Nothing is achieved without your enduring and continuing on in spite of all things. You have to endure!”
The great preacher George Truett experienced hardship in his personal life that became a great burden for him. This pastor once told a friend, “Sometimes I go home on Sunday night so discouraged I say to my wife, ‘I’m resigning.’ But Monday morning I get up and ‘re-sign” and go on again.” And that great preacher kept on enduring hardness for another forty-five years! Year after year, month after month, week after week, and day after day. In other words, an entire life!
Pay attention to these next words: No one, including Jesus, promised your Christian life would be easy. If you have that impression, well, you simply haven’t read your Bible! The Christian life is a winnowing process, designed to produce “proven Christian character”…not a defeated wimp but a man or woman of God that can not only survive but also continue to thrive in life’s difficult moments.
Today’s Verse mentions just some of the problems faced by the Apostle Paul in his pursuit of Christ and the Christian ministry. Paul’s tenacity is truly amazing to behold. I urge you to read Today’s Verse one more time and honestly appraise whether you could have endured those problems. As for me, I take my hat off to Paul! Am I worthy to polish his shoes? Probably not. This man really set the example for all of us!
Without question, Paul was a fully committed soldier who endured hardship after hardship. That included his emotional up’s and down’s. Emotions change every single day! But single-minded goals never change. Paul described his goal like this: “That I may know HIM!” He stayed at it. He kept his eyes on the center of the road. Like Truett, he refused to let his emotions beat him.
Paul endured through unpopular times, too. There were many times when the protesters numbered more than his supporters. No matter! He endured. His life defines what it is to be instant out of season as well as in season!
Paul overcame even his personal fears. How? He explains, “If God be for us who can be against us? For God has not given us the spirit of fear but rather of power and love and a sound mind! Therefore, dear Christian, endure affliction, make full proof of your ministry.”
Oh, God, give us a backbone to faithfully endure!
Mar 31, 2023 – William Scott was a Northern Army soldier during the Civil War. This soldier went 48 hours straight without any kind of sleep. It should come as no surprise then that William Scott went to sleep while standing guard. The army court-martialed William Scott and sentenced him to be shot.
The news reached the desk of President Abraham Lincoln. The President appeared at the army camp on the day before the scheduled execution. President Lincoln learned that Scott was a very loyal soldier. Apparently, the sleeping incident was the soldier’s only failure since he had enlisted in the army.
The President went to William Scott and said, “My boy, you are not going to be shot. I believe you when you say that you couldn’t stay awake. I am going to trust you and send you back to your company. But I want you to know that you have caused me a great deal of trouble. What are you going to do to repay me?”
The young lad promised to give the President all the money he had in the bank, plus to mortgage his farm and give him all the proceeds. That would amount to six hundred dollars.
The President said, “Your bill is much greater than that. Your friends cannot repay it; your money in the bank along with the mortgage cannot repay it. You are the only one who can repay this debt. If from this day forward you DO YOUR DUTY as a soldier so that you can say to me when you die, ‘Mr. President, I have kept my promise. I have done my best as a soldier,’ then the debt will be paid.”
The promise was made and nobly kept. In one of the later battles William Scott was mortally wounded.
As Scott lay dying, he said, “Tell President Lincoln that I have never forgotten his kindness, that I have kept my promise. I want to thank him for giving me a chance to die like a good soldier instead of meeting death at the hands of my comrades.”
Based upon what a greater President (Jesus Christ) has done for us, “Must we be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease? While others fight to win the prize and sail through bloody seas? Sure, I must fight if I would reign; Increase my courage, Lord! I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain, Supported by Thy Word.”
God help us to not be lazy, sleeping soldiers when there is so much work still to be done!
Mar 30, 2023 – It’s called AI or Artificial Intelligence. Today’s news reads, “There’s precious little Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak and Elon Musk agree on these days, with one notable exception: AI needs to slow down. Wozniak, Musk, and more than 1,000 other business leaders signed a letter seeking guardrails and a pause on training AI models as the technology grows more powerful. The letter argues powerful AI models like OpenAI’s GPT-4 ‘should only be developed once we are confident that their effects will be positive and their risks will be manageable.'”
Bill Gates, cofounder of Microsoft, recently wrote, “The development of AI is as fundamental as the creation of the microprocessor, the personal computer, the internet, and the mobile phone.” Gates describes AI as only the second technological revolution in his sixty-seven years.
Regardless of my personal views about those three men, I freely acknowledge they are three of the most intelligent people of my lifetime…and their views are to be respected on this subject. There was a commercial in my younger years, “When E. F. Hutton speaks, people listen.” Well, when these three men speak, sensible people ought to listen.
One leading AI company is Nvidia. Nvidia ‘s latest earnings report to Wall Street states, “AI is at an inflection point, setting up for broad adoption reaching into every industry. From startups to major enterprises, we are seeing accelerated interest in the versatility and capabilities of generative AI.”
AI has been around for quite a few years, but improving technology is now allowing faster processing speeds which lead to much more ability than existed just three years ago. OpenAI’s capabilities, though flawed in many aspects, demonstrate what we are now on the cusp of seeing on a wide scale. Without a doubt, it is likely more change will occur in the next ten years than occurred in the last one hundred, even perhaps in the entire history of mankind. Quite honestly, where this road goes, no one knows for certain.
This writer does not view himself as an alarmist or a conspiracist, but as a Bible believer that genuinely believes the Bible is not only right but will be proven right in all aspects when we reach the end of time. I am certain that God has programmed the advent of AI into His prophetic calendar.
Although some will voice their concerns about AI, it is impossible to stop or even slow AI at this stage. Too much money is at stake. Also, world power (think China) is in play. In addition, AI will improve many aspects of society, especially in the area of medical cures (think cancer and Alzheimer’s). Much good will undoubtedly come. But, as always happens in the hands of sinful man, much evil will undoubtedly come, also.
Here is my point and I believe it has a very high probability of being true: The technological advancement of AI—deemed the “next technological revolution” by many—leaves me wondering why we need anything else to be developed in order to fulfill Bible prophecy regarding the rise of the Antichrist in the period of time we call the “Seven Years of Tribulation” upon the earth. AI will provide capability, in the wrong hands, to control the fate of the masses (think “666”) in commerce, politics, religion, personal identify/identification, etc. “Unprecedented ability to know all about all.” It will be the closest man will ever come to possessing the knowledge of God…and it will be used to worship the man of power we call the Antichrist.
Remember: AI will be whatever it is, because it is something God has ordained as part of His plan. Just as nuclear power can produce electricity for the good of all but yet produce weapons that can destroy us all, so AI will have the capability to do both.
It will be very interesting to see how God brings things together during the remainder of my life. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
Mar 29, 2023– Do you ever stumble and fall in your Christian walk? Well, join the crowd. Today’s Verse provides hope for each one of us. The Lord (Jehovah) will be there for us when we fall or are overwhelmed.
The first word “fall” has the idea of stumbling, the walk being interrupted, and down we go. David writes about his many falls in this diary we call the Psalms. At times David was a man after God’s own heart, but at other times he was a man after the devil’s heart. He did hideous things you and I have never done! Yet God did not desert David. The Lord reprimanded David many times and those reprimands were often harsh. (God turned David into an example for the host of Israel.) But God then picked him up.
The same experience happened to poor “foot-in-my-mouth” Peter. At the devil’s fire Peter denied three times that he knew Jesus. How did Peter respond to his failure? He retreated and “wept bitterly.” But what did Jesus say immediately after His resurrection? “Go tell Peter that I am alive” (Mark 16:7). Sometime that day Jesus had a one-on-one meeting with Peter and picked up the fallen apostle. Peter, of course, then became the main speaker on the day of Pentecost and preached one of the greatest sermons ever preached (Acts 2). Based on this promise, we must conclude there is hope for us, too, when we fall and make a mess of things. The lesson is clear: DON’T GIVE UP ON YOURSELF BECAUSE GOD HAS NOT GIVEN UP ON YOU.
The second word “bowed” has the idea of “oppressed, broken down, or bent over.” The Lord’s words, “Come to me all of you who are heavy laden…stooping because of the load” are the equivalent of this “bowed” concept. Jesus promises “rest” of soul to that person. It is similar to Psalm 23’s “He restores or refreshes my soul…renews my strength.” There is such a thing as weariness of the soul…that weariness is often worse than weariness of the body, because it goes to the heart or the will of the person. David sang, “In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul” (Psalm 138:3). Likewise, Paul testified about his trials, ”The Lord stood by my side and gave me strength” (2 Timothy 4:17).
How can we best respond to these times of weakness? Charles Spurgeon writes, “Christians who are endowed with some divine strength, are attacked at times with a spiritual, universal decline. Just as we sometimes see a strong and healthy person growing pale and wan, losing appetite and falling into sickness, until he becomes a mere skeleton, because a general sapping and undermining of the constitution has come upon him: so have I seen it with Christians; they do not lose life, but they do lose all their energy, and become listless and lifeless…they can scarce walk, much less run, and mounting with wings as eagles were quite out of the question. Such persons will bear witness that the only way of recruiting their strength is BY FAITH. They must come again to the first principles, and trust their souls anew with Jesus, believing over again with a novelty of energy the old doctrines of the gospel. They must go to God as to a real God in believing prayer, and they will not long remain weak. Out of weakness faith is sure to make us strong, and the change effected in us is equal to that which we see in a man who having been long confined to his couch at last returns to his labor showing no tokens whatever of disease.”
My prayer for you is “that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being” (Ephesians 3:16).
Mar 28, 2023 – One of the most convincing truths about Christianity is how its believers die. Not only do we believe in a Savior we have never seen, but we also believe in an eternal home we have never seen. Many a non-Christian has watched a sincere believer approach death with a victorious perspective then cried out the words of the prophet Balaam, “Let me die the death of the righteous like this person!”
Have you noticed that sometimes we preach as important a message in our death as in our life? This writer, like many of you, has been asked at times by an elderly person to pray for their death…not because they were in agony of body but because they yearned for the next step in their existence…to be “absent from the body and present with the Lord.” There is a peace about them as they look death in the face, say to themselves, “Let’s get on with it,” then put everything in order for those they are about to temporarily leave. Such confidence! Perhaps some timidity about what the actual act of dying will entail, but still ready…knowing the Savior will take complete care of them!
I recall talking with my father on the day before his homegoing. I told him the news that the latest problem was inoperable. I assured him that my brother and I would take care of mom. I then said, “You’ve been praying for several years to go home and be with the Lord. Well, God is giving you a way out of this world, and your prayer will be answered very soon.” I have often thought back to that experience…to the confidence that all of us expressed at that difficult time.
And people always notice, too, because, “It is in the darkest night that our light shines the brightest.”
John Wesley wrote in his diary, “The world may not like Methodists and evangelical people, but the world cannot deny that they die well.”
When the Puritan preacher John Owen lay dying, his secretary wrote in his memoirs, “I am still in the land of the living.”
John Owen, though, stopped his secretary and said, “You must change those words. Change them to: ‘I am yet in the land of the dying, but I hope soon to be in the land of the living.’” And he soon was.
“For our citizenship is no longer on earth but is now in heaven…” Amen.
Mar 27, 2023 – It happened at the Detroit City Rescue Mission. A man—he looked as if he had been sleeping under the bridge for a number of days—this man stumbled down the aisle to get saved during one of their preaching services.
The superintendent reached out his hand and said, “Sir, why have you come to the altar?”
The man looked at the preacher and said, “Preacher, I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.”
Lesson: It is hard to get a person saved who is satisfied with his life. But what about the unsatisfied? Jesus said, “Come unto Me, all that LABOR and are HEAVY laden and I will give you rest.” The prophet Isaiah proclaimed, “You who have run out of money, come and buy without money!” Moses proclaimed, “Those who are bitten with sin, look and live!” The prodigal son, having “come to the end of himself” or “having come to his senses,” finally looked for another solution. But not until then.
This is one of the mysteries associated with God’s salvation. It rarely happens but perhaps you were saved the first time you heard the gospel. Based upon the biblical pattern, though, it is highly likely there was substantial preparation from God before that act of belief: incidents, thoughts, Bible messages, difficulties, disappointments, etc. that brought you to the “end of yourself” or to the point where God stripped away everything else and placed the gospel message front and center before you. Such preparation is a work of God, and it often happens without people being aware of it!
In plain English, I present the gospel, i.e. I sow the seed (that sowing principle is the entire basis for Godsgreenhouse.net), but it requires an act of God to bring the sinner to the point of understanding that message.
What type of person is usually most receptive to the gospel message? Studies reveal it is people in transition. In other words, their lives are undergoing change, perhaps stressful change and even unwanted change. Uncertainty may be entering their lives. Confidence in their future may be waning. As a result, they begin the search for something of lasting substance, something in which they can truly believe.
The poor prodigal was in such a transition. He had run out of everything! In other words, he became “sick and tired of being sick and tired.”
Want to sow intelligently? Look for people in transition. Identify them and place them at the top of your prayer list. Give them the gospel more than once. Enlist others in the sowing and praying effort. Pray for conviction: “God, give them no rest until they find their rest in You! Make them miserable!” Thank God, He will!
Mar 25-26, 2023 – She asked, “Will God save a sinner like me?” This woman listened every Sunday to a radio preacher. She became so bothered that she wrote a letter to the preacher. The letter said,
“I am 55 years old. I have been married three times and divorced. I have had six children. Three of them died in infancy because of a social disease in my body. I am a drunker and a doper. I am the most vile, dirty woman in all of Greensboro, North Carolina.
“I hesitated to write to you because I didn’t want you to handle the paper that I had to handle to write this letter to you. I am so dirty and ungodly. But I have been hearing you preach on the radio and I want to know if God will save a sinner like me.”
Ah, what saith the holy scriptures? The good news of Jesus Christ guarantees hope for the hopeless, hope for those who have no hope, hope for the down and out as well as the up and in, yes, hope for everyone no matter how bad one’s life may be.
You can never be so lost but what you can still be saved, because Jesus said, “He that comes to me, I will in no way cast out.”
You can never be so poor but what you can still be saved, because God said, “Ho, everyone that has no money, come, buy without money and without cost.”
You can never be so evil but what you can still be saved, because “where sin abounded, God’s grace abounded so much more.”
You can never be so young but what you can still be saved, because Jesus said, “Allow the little children to come unto me for of such is the kingdom of God.”
You can never be so near death but what you can still be saved, because Jesus said, “Today, Mr. Thief – TODAY! You shall be with Me in paradise!
Thank God, there are no impossible cases with Jesus! D. L. Moody often said, “Jesus is able to save even the devil’s castaways.”
That’s why we present a “whosoever will” gospel to the world. It is because the good news of Jesus Christ truly applies to “whosoever will!”
Mar 24, 2023 – How does God work in the heart of a sinner? A faithful Scottish preacher walked past a glass factory. The door to the factory was open; the preacher stepped inside. He stood in front of an enormous furnace. He stared at the flames then cried out, “Oh, my, what will hell be like?”
The preacher did not know it but a factory worker heard his words. The factory worker came to church a few weeks later. The preacher declared the good news that Christ died for sinners, extended an invitation to receive Christ and this factory worker came forward.
The worker stated that he had heard the preacher’s words as he looked into the furnace. The worker then said, “I have thought of your words every time that I opened the furnace. I came tonight to receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I don’t want to find out what hell is really like.”
The two men then knelt together, the worker received Christ as his personal Savior and was wonderfully saved!
Well, guess what? I, too, have received the good news of Jesus Christ and I, too, will never find out what hell is really like!
Word came to us today of a similar experience of a man to whom I often shared the gospel message in the last decade. He is a good man, but even good men need Christ! His fiancée told us, “He’s been ready for some time.” Oh, what a blessing to hear the news! And what a blessing to be a small part of his salvation!
But think again of the words: “He’s been ready for some time.” How did he get to that point? First, he heard the clear message of the cross. Many times! I can still see him listening! Second, the Holy Spirit penetrated his heart with the message and kept watering it. You know of what I write! Like a smoldering fire, it just keeps simmering…and working on a person until the issue becomes crystal clear. At that point there is nothing more to be done except ask, “Do you receive Christ?” and the great transaction is done as soon as the convicted, God-prepared sinner says, “Yes!”
Oh, never lose the beauty of how God moves in the hearts of sinners! Never despair over a loved one or a close friend. God does not move upon a sinner when we want Him to move, but trust Him to someday move! He is not willing that your loved one perish. Keep sowing, keep praying and expect a harvest!
Mar 23, 2023 – He was disliked by the entire community. One day he died. There was no preacher. The funeral director read the obituary then asked the audience to mention something good about the deceased. Unfortunately, no one could think of anything good to say. As a result, everyone sat quietly.
Finally, the town barber said, “I believe I can say something good about this man.” He stepped to the casket, studied the man’s face then said, “Well, at least he was easy to shave. You see, there actually is something good in everyone.”
One of the great fallacies about our modern age is that people want good news, even flattery without facing the truth: the truth about themselves, their homes, their government, their money even their religion. The adage is often quoted, “If you can’t say something good about them, then don’t say anything at all.”
But yet when we open the Bible, we see that God does just the very opposite, because God does not give us the good news of the gospel until He first gives us the bad news about our depravity, sinfulness, lostness, and inept weakness. How does the gospel or good news of Jesus Christ begin? It begins with the BAD news, “When we were without strength, utterly unable to save ourselves, Christ Jesus died for the ungodly.”
Question: Why are so many people opposed to the gospel? It is not because of what the word gospel (good news) means, but rather it is because you can never appreciate the good news until you first accept the bad news about yourself.
What is the bad news? “All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way.” “The heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.” “There is none righteous, no, not even one.” “The soul that sins shall surely die.” “It is a fearful and terrible thing to fall into the hands of a living God.” “NO HOPE, without God in the world.”
From God’s viewpoint there is no good news about our soul, thoughts, or eternal destination. We are without strength!
How, though, does this impact our ministry? Ah, this is critically important! There is an old saying, “You can’t get a person saved until you first get him lost.” That means the person must come to grips with his own lostness…that he actually DESERVES hell as punishment for his sin. He can’t come to God as a good sinner pleading his case before God, but rather he must reach the point where he comes to God pleading the blood of his substitute, Jesus Christ. “Nothing in my hands I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling!”
By so doing, the sinner accepts the BAD NEWS about himself, but he also accepts the GOOD NEWS about Jesus Christ and His ability to save.
We need to make every effort to present both the BAD news and the GOOD news. That’s what God does! The temptation, though, is to focus on the positive and neglect the negative. We need to heed the words of the saint, “Preach hell hot, sin black, the cross red, and heaven sweet. Tell it all!” Yes, let’s tell it all!
Mar 22, 2023 – Remember Billy Graham? A critic wrote a letter to an Australian newspaper a few days after a Billy Graham crusade. The letter was published. It read:
“After hearing Dr. Billy Graham on the air, viewing him on television, and reading reports and letters concerning him and his mission, I am heartily sick of the type of religion which insists my soul (and everyone else’s) needs saving – whatever that means. I have never felt that I was lost. Nor do I feel that I daily wallow in the mire of sin, although repetitive preaching insists that I do. Give me instead a practical religion that teaches children of goodness and not sin. If in order to save my soul I must accept such a philosophy as I have recently heard preached, I prefer to remain forever damned.”
Evidently the gospel of Jesus Christ is not really good news to that man! What a pity! Think of everything he missed:
1. Peace with God. His hostility against the good news of Christ dying for sinners could have been replaced not merely by a truce with God but peace with God! It is a peace that must be experienced to be understood.
2. Truth. It is true the good news begins with the bad news that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” that “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God.” But to reject the truth about yourself puts one in a box…how can he get out of the box? He can’t unless he reverses course and accepts the truth.
3. The Holy Spirit. “Spirit of the Living God, Fall fresh on me, Spirit of the Living God, Fall fresh on me. Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me. Spirit of the Living God, Fall fresh on me.” He is as real as the neighbor next door.
4. The new creation. “If any man be in Christ he is a new creation.” The power of the “new creation life” is transformational, because it is regenerative, not simply reformational. “When God’s amazing grace came in, I just began to live.” LIFE CHANGES for the one who is truly born spiritually from above.
5. Purpose. The child of God is a heavenly ambassador representing God’s kingdom to the earth dwellers on planet earth. He is an ambassador seven days a week, twelve months a year.
6. Bible understanding. Jesus told Nicodemus, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” The word “see” has the idea of more than seeing with the natural eye as in seeing streets of gold. It pertains to us being able to see into the spiritual world, i.e. possessing the capacity to understand spiritual, biblical truth. The Bible reads like a foreign book to the critic, but makes sense to God’s child.
7. Heaven. “There is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun.” Oh, at the age of nine I shunned hell and became enrolled as a citizen of heaven. I am now waiting on the Lord’s promise to “come again and receive you to Myself that where I am, there you may be also!” Together with Him in a land where we’ll never grow old, never be parted again. Oh, “won’t it be wonderful there?”
If you are a critic of what we Biblicists believe, please take some time to let God speak to your heart. YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE! I recommend taking a few hours to read the Gospel of John, the fourth book in the New Testament. It is my prayer, along with the prayer of those who faithfully read these devotionals, that God will prove Himself to you as you read His own message to you!
Mar 21, 2023 – What is on your mind during Communion (also called the Lord’s Supper)? Today’s Verse captures a scene that equally captures my attention…and has caught my attention for the last two decades of conducting Communion services. I ask that you put your imagination in action and look closely at this scene with me.
Jesus is hanging on the middle cross. Can you see Him in your mind? He has been beaten to a bloody pulp. The other two “victims” are in the same agonizing condition. Their pain is intense, far beyond a ten, suffering as no human being should ever suffer. Blood is steadily dripping to the ground. The One on the middle cross is even wearing a crown of lengthy thorns. Bones are being dislocated from their joints. But there is no sympathy extended. Rather, either hostility from those who hate the crucified or total indifference from those who simply don’t care…but are there to fulfill their own duty, collect a paycheck and go home for a good night’s rest.
“And sitting down they watched Him…” Like you would sit and watch a soccer game featuring your children or watch the sunset on the beach or watch a television show. Not anxious and pacing the ground but sitting as if at rest. Perhaps even bored. Watching Him…casually, nonchalantly viewing the scene. In one sense they are guarding the dying, but in another sense they are merely watching, because there is no threat from the bystanders or the dying. It’s merely a time for the guards to make sure the execution is finalized. No reason to become excited…just time to wait.
Someone takes out some dice, and, thus, begins a game for the victims’ clothes. After all, what else is there to do? The clothes are worthless, but, again, what else is there to do?
The passersby stroll past and casually observe the proceedings. Yes, crucifixions of criminals are popular just like hangings. Someone even brought his lunch; he sits down and watches the scene while he eats.
A woman named Mary is standing nearby. She claims to be the mother of the One on the middle cross. Her silent weeping at times becomes wailing. The guards threaten her for causing a scene.
The priests on the Sanhedrin Court even come to witness this event. The hate in their faces is abhorrent as they look upon the One in whom Governor Pilate could find no fault at all…but One they wanted dead at all costs, even to the point of calling a curse upon their offspring if they are in error.
Others are there but they are unseen. The demons of hell are frolicking across the hill’s summit. Soon the sun will become dark; it will be their time to rejoice as darkness reigns where once there was light.
But there is no Peter there to watch. No Judas either. But John is there, the one that heard the heartbeat of Him that is dying on the middle cross.
Oh, my, when was the last time you visited Mount Calvary and truly “watched Him there”?
It is time to take some time to do more than read the crucifixion story. It is time to sit down and watch all that is happening. You will be surprised, dismayed, but also blessed at what you see.
Mar 20, 2023 – “I’m a born again child of God, but, pastor, I have wandered away from the Lord. What can I do to restore my fellowship with my Savior?”
Henry Grady, the popular editor of the Atlanta Constitution, attended a YMCA revival meeting back in those days when YMCA meant “Young Men’s Christian Association.” On the last night of the meeting all of the revival speakers and leaders were called to the front. They joined hands and were about to sing, “Blessed be The Tie that Binds our Hearts in Christian Love.”
One of the men said, “Just a moment. Mr. Grady, would you join hands with us as we sing?”
Mr. Grady shook his head no. He folded his arms, lowered his head as they sang the song. When they finished singing he walked out of the building. On the next morning Henry Grady called the YMCA leaders into his newspaper office and said, “Gentlemen, I apologize for last night. But I couldn’t help it. My mother led me to the Lord years ago. I am a child of God.
“But I am not now in fellowship with God. I have been so busy making money, running a newspaper and travelling all over the country that I have lost my contact with God. I have stopped going to church, stopped reading my Bible. Yes, I am a Christian but I am out of fellowship with God.”
The YMCA leaders prayed with Henry Grady then left. Henry Grady then walked through the newspaper office and said, “I’m leaving. I’ll not tell you where I’m going nor when I’ll be back.”
He caught the train to Rome, Georgia. He got off the train and walked to his old home. His mother was still living in the old house, but his father was dead. Henry Grady knocked on the door. His mother was thrilled to see him! He had been so busy with the newspaper that she had not seen him very much.
Henry Grady said, “Mama, I want you to treat me just like you did when I was a little boy, back when I first got saved. I want you to pray at the table. I want you to read the Bible. At night when I go to bed, I want you to tuck me in. Then I want you to kneel down beside my bed and pray the same way you did when I was a boy.”
His mother said, “Well, son, I’ll do whatever you say.”
Henry Grady stayed at the house. Day after day his mother read the Word of God to him. They sat and talked about the Bible, about what he should be and what he should do. At night she would pray by the side of his bed then tuck him in and bid him good night.
After two weeks Henry Grady walked in and said, “Mother, it’s settled. I’m back where I used to be. I’m right with God. I want God to have His way in my life. I am now surrendered to Him. Everything is all right. Thank you, Mother.”
They had one final prayer together and he then left for Atlanta. They say the latter days of Henry Grady were his greatest days.
Does this story ring a bell with you? Heed these words:
You are older, sorer broken,
You are tired of self, ‘tis true;
But return to where you left Him—
He is waiting there for you. Anon
Mar 18-19, 2023 – Where does the devil most take advantage of you? He knows your weakness probably better than you. He keeps probing here, probing there until he finally hits paydirt. Soon the weakness (singular) is identified as weaknesses (plural). Yikes! And he keeps coming until you put on the whole armor of God in that specific area, too.
Bible characters had the same problem as you and me. After all, they were flesh and blood, too! For example, Lot wanted prominence and power. Lot wanted to be the big man in Sodom, to be the judge who sits at the gate rendering decisions on important legal matters. Well, Lot got what he wanted but at what cost to his family!
Adam wanted companionship. He knew it was wrong to eat of the forbidden fruit, but he decided it was better to be separated from God than to be separated from Eve. Thus, Adam ate. As a result, you and I are sinners because of that one bite!
King Solomon yearned to be the playboy of his day. Solomon had 700 wives (along with their credit card bills) but, even then, was not satisfied. In his frustration he cried out, “Vanity of vanities…all is vanity.”
Peter wanted to be accepted at the devil’s fire on the night of Jesus’ arrest. Peter desired the acceptance of others more than the acceptance of God.
What about Jacob? Jacob “just naturally” liked to swindle people out of their money.
Two apostles, James and John, were known for their hot temper, for flying off the handle. Their nickname was “sons of thunder.” I’ve met a James and John in my career!
Weakness after weakness…areas where we are prone to fail, and it is in those areas where we can expect the devil to exert his greatest effort.
What should a believer do? First, admit you have a weakness. Second, identify the weakness (either by yourself or with the help of a friend). Third, seek God’s strength through prayer, yielding to the Holy Spirit, and letting God change your thoughts as you saturate your mind with the Word of God.
Be alert! The devil is after you, too.
Mar 17, 2023 – Someone said, “The idle Christian is the material from which backsliders are made.” Such people forget their mission, purpose and what God has called them to be and do!
Lot was one of those people. He became sidetracked from the will of Jehovah, left his uncle Abraham and moved into the sinful city of Sodom. Lot established nothing of Christian value in Sodom. On the contrary, he learned there is no satisfying peace in Sodom, no Bible preaching church in Sodom, no answered prayers in Sodom, and no soulwinning revivals in Sodom. As a matter of fact, there were not even ten righteous people in all of Sodom. Thus, Sodom represents that which always destroys, always pulls down, always takes away that which is most precious to you!
It is a choice which we can never allow ourselves to make. The cost is too high. Is there an alternative? Yes!
When Billy Sunday (a great evangelist of the early 20th century) was just a young Christian, an old preacher came to him and said, “William, if you will do three things every day of your life, they will never write the word backslider after your name.
“Number 1, spend fifteen minutes a day letting God talk to you through the Bible. Number 2, spend fifteen minutes a day talking to God in prayer; and Number 3, spend fifteen minutes a day talking to someone else about God.”
Billy Sunday said, “I promise to do that.” Guess what? They never wrote the word backslider after his name! May we make the same choice Billy made…and not the same choice Lot made!
Mar 16, 2023 – Be careful what you long for. Be careful what you build your life around. Be careful to choose what will not disappoint. Be careful about the illusions of “the good life” that circulate around you. You have only one life to live…be careful to make your one life count!
A Christian man was walking to the bus stop. A preacher drove past, recognized the man and stopped to pick him up. As they drove along, the man said, “Preacher, I have been working at this one job for twenty years. I have a good job, but I have an aspiration. I have wanted to be a judge in a certain court. That judgeship position is now vacant. This is a realization of all my dreams. It is all that I have ever wanted. Now I am going to have it.”
The preacher thought to himself, “This is strange. A church member who has his whole life wrapped up in the job that he expects to receive next week.”
They finally arrived at the man’s home. The man tapped the preacher on the shoulder and said, “It’s been good talking to you. I am sure looking forward to my future days and what it will mean to my family.”
The preacher never saw the man again. The man did not get the job. The job was given to someone else. The man then suffered a complete mental breakdown; he was later sent away to a mental hospital to live out the rest of his life.
Don’t make the mistake of that man. Instead, be careful that you recognize this world for what it really is. Satan is described as “the god of this world system” for a reason. Being this world’s god, he has devised a system that will both deceive and destroy. God, though, is a BUILDER Who wants to build something worthwhile. That “something” is you and the people around you.
So be careful out there!
Mar 15, 2023 – Long ago a little girl walked into a candy store with a penny in her hand. This little girl placed the penny on the counter then looked carefully at the many different kinds of candy. She imagined how each kind of candy would taste and how long she could savor the candy before having to swallow it. It was a hard decision, but the little girl finally pointed at one container and said, “I’ll take a piece of that candy.”
The clerk said, “I am sorry but that piece will cost two pennies and you only have one penny.”
The little girl once again inspected the many different kinds of candy. She imagined how many bites each piece could absorb before having to swallow it. She finally pointed at another container and said, “All right. I’ll take that piece of candy.”
Once again the clerk said, “I am sorry, but that candy is also two pennies, and you have only one penny.”
The little girl became teary eyed. It was evident she did not have enough money to buy any of that delicious candy. At long last the little girl turned away from the counter and started out of the store.
The clerk said, “Wait, little girl, you have forgotten your penny.”
The little girl said, “I don’t want my penny. It just won’t buy anything anymore.”
It is time to ponder a very important question: Is everything—absolutely everything—for sale? One Islamic terrorist observed, “It looks to me as if everything in America is for sale.” To be honest, there is much truth in the statement. Money reigns supreme in many areas of Western culture including our politics, sports, financial system, educational system, legal system, etc. We see the power of money on display everywhere. Sadly, we know money buys influence, influence embraces power and power breeds corruption.
But now to the most important question of all: Are YOU for sale? It has been said, “Everyone has his price. We already know what kind of person you are. All that remains is to negotiate the price.” I disagree. Do you also disagree? I agree all of us yield to temptation at times. However, I have met many Christians of high principles who were not for sale. Their principles were rooted in knowing Christ and following His will for their lives.
Job is described as such a man in Today’s Verse. God said of Job, “No one else on earth is like him.” What kind of man was he? The highest integrity, humble and reverent before God, avoiding evil. It is clear Job could not be bought by Satan, sin, or the world. Wonder how much they offered Job? But God declared that Job was not for sale! I would like the Lord to say the same thing about me. How about you?
Mar 14, 2023 – How secure is your salvation? Part 1 appeared in yesterday’s devotional (available on the Today’s Devotional page at Godsgreenhouse.net). Let’s finish the study today!
Yesterday’s devotional concluded with these words: “You may turn your back upon your earthly children, you may even throw them out the door and never talk to them again. However, one thing which you can never ever do is stop them from being your children. Due to the laws of nature, they will be your children from the moment they are conceived until the moment they die. The permanence of such a family relationship is just as true in the family of God as it is in your own particular family. Your child may be an F student but he is still your child, disobedient and even a criminal but he is still your child, a financial burden but he is still your child.
“No matter what you do, you can never separate yourself from your child, because your child is apart of you and you are a part of him!!!”
Do you know the same thing can be said about your relationship with your Savior? The Bible says the believer has been united, even joined to the Lord. Thus, we read in the scriptures that we have been crucified with Christ, buried with Christ, hidden in Christ, raised together with Christ, are right now sitting together in heavenly places in Christ, and presently possess the Spirit of Christ in our hearts. This is so because we are now a part of Him and He is now a part of us…united like in joined at the hip! Paul concludes, “we are now a member of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.” Brothers and sisters, you can’t get any closer than that!
The book of Isaiah gives us the promise, “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child which she has borne? Though your mother may forget you, I, the Lord, will not forget you!”
A dear saint described it like this: “If God should someday take me to the mouth of hell, if God should say to me, ‘In you go, Billy, here is where you belong,’ I would say to him, ‘Lord, it is true that I belong here. But if you make me go to hell, Your dear Son Jesus Christ must also go with me. He and I are one and You cannot separate us anymore.”
“And when I shall die, receive me I’ll cry,
For Jesus has loved me, I cannot tell why;
But this thing I find, we two are so joined,
He won’t be in heaven and leave me behind!”
Mar 13, 2023 – How can you explain salvation? One way is to compare salvation with a normal family relationship. Remember: Biblical salvation (the words seem appropriate in order to contrast Bible teaching with today’s religious teaching) is more than a religion; it is a relationship. A deeply personal RELATIONSHIP like one has with a spouse or close friend…or in this case between a parent and a child.
For example, your children entered your family by being born into your family. That is exactly the way you enter the family of God, because the Bible says, “You must be born again. Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.”
Your children began their existence as little babies. That is exactly the way you entered the family of God. The Bible says, “As newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby.”
Your children also have a resemblance to their earthly parents. Likewise, every child of God has a resemblance to his heavenly Parent, because “God is love and everyone that loves is born of God and knows God.”
Your children also have an earthly father. We who are children of God have a heavenly Father whereby we cry, “Abba, Father,” which means “Daddy, Daddy! I need my Daddy!”
In addition, your children are in line to receive the family inheritance. Guess what? As God’s children we are in line to receive our heavenly Father’s possessions, because “We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ!”
Last and perhaps most importantly, you may turn your back upon your earthly children, you may even throw them out the door and never talk to them again. However, one thing which you can never ever do is stop them from being your children! Due to the laws of nature, they will be your children from the moment they are conceived until the moment they die! The permanence of such a family relationship is just as true in the family of God as it is in your own particular family! Your child may be an F student but he is still your child, disobedient and even a criminal but he is still your child, a financial burden but he is still your child.
No matter what you do, you can never separate yourself from your child, because your child is apart of you and you are a part of him!!! Ah, the lessons are so simple that even a simpleton can understand them!
More tomorrow.
Mar 11-12, 2023 – Are you struggling? Has life become really hard? Do you feel like quitting? If so, it is a good time to take a deep breath and realize you have safety plus security in the arms of your God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
There is much truth in the words of Charles Spurgeon, “I do not believe in the perseverance of the saints, but I do believe in the perseverance of the Savior.” He perseveres with us through the bad times as well as the good. The Apostle Paul testified, “I glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For when I am weak, then I am strong!”
Today’s Verse says, “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are what kind of arms? Everlasting arms.” There was a day when you could run home to your daddy or mommy, but that day passed. Not so with God. “Everlasting arms” means He’ll never pass away, you’ll never outgrow Him, His strength will always be available on your weakest day, and all of those items mean that you cannot merely survive but even thrive in whatever circumstances you find yourself.
A woman was going through some very difficult times. This woman went to her pastor and said, “I am very much afraid that I might fall.”
The pastor said, “Well, why don’t you just go ahead and fall?”
The woman said, “But, Pastor, where would I fall and how far would I fall?”
The pastor smiled and said, “You would fall only as far as the everlasting arms of God. The Bible says that God’s everlasting arms are underneath His children, and it is certain that you could never fall through the arms of God.”
So don’t be afraid if you try and fall. You can never fall through the arms of God!
Ah, it’s time to lean on those everlasting arms!
Mar 10, 2023 – How rich are you? You can take pen and paper and write down each of your assets as well as what that asset is worth. You can enter some, perhaps all, of those items in Quicken or a spreadsheet. You might even create a chart comparing your current worth with your worth of twelve months ago. Hopefully, you will be pleased with the results. But it is likely this thought may enter your mind, “There are other things that can’t be assigned a value…things like my family and friends and accomplishments.”
So perhaps the question should be rephrased to read this way: How rich are you in the items that really, really count? You might devise a completely new list or you might simply add items to the previous list. Hopefully, you will again be pleased with the results.
But then comes one more vitally important question: How rich are you in the items that will LAST?
The story is told of a rich woman who was visiting heaven. She passed a modest cottage, scoffed at it, and asked Peter, “Whose tiny place is this?”
Peter answered, “It is yours.” She was shocked.
They continued their walk. They came to a large estate, a beautiful place. The woman was impressed. She asked, “Whose is this?
Peter replied, “That estate belongs to Harry Smith.”
The woman gasped, “Harry Smith is the name of my chauffeur.”
Peter said, “That’s right. It belongs to your chauffeur. You see, we can only build with the materials you send us from earth. That material represents everything you gave to God in your Christian service. It includes your time, your money, your effort, your prayers, your witnessing, your church devotion—in other words, everything you gave to God. This estate, though, represents what Harry Smith sent us. The cottage represents what you sent us.”
The woman then awoke from her dream.
Perhaps all of us need such a dream! There is much truth in this story. We need to focus on laying up treasures in the right place: in heaven. God help us to focus on the right things AND the right place!
Mar 9, 2023 – Does the Lord have a grip on your soul? The Bible describes us as being “under his wings” (Psalm 91:4), “leaning on the everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27), “the pupil or apple of His eye” (Deuteronomy 32:10) and being held in His hand (John 10:28). Oh, my! What a blessing! Our security, future, provision, righteousness and very life itself literally rests in His hands! Can you think of any better place for us to be? That means we can live in confidence!!!
A friend and his pastor went to the same hospital for a regular checkup. The friend was examined first. The doctor looked at him and said, “I am very sorry to tell you this, but we cannot help you.”
The man asked, “Do you mean I must die?”
The doctor nodded his head yes and said, “I am afraid…” The doctor suddenly realized that he had the wrong x-ray. The pastor’s name was on the x-ray and not the name of this man. He apologized, told the man he was okay and dismissed the patient.
The pastor was examined next. It was not long until the pastor came out of the office. His face was sad, and his voice was low.
The pastor returned home to die. The cancer took eighteen months to finish its work. The pastor’s friend visited him just a few days before the end. The pastor said, “I have suffered until I did not think I could endure it any longer.”
The pastor’s voice faded away. It seemed as if he would never speak again. The friend asked, “Is that all?”
The voice said, “No, that is not all. I am near the gate. When I pass through the gate there will be no more pain or dying, and God will wipe away all tears from my eyes.” The pastor paused to gather his strength then he said, “I have got a good grip on Jesus.”
He paused once again then he said these words which the friend never forgot. He said, “Yes, I’ve got a good grip on Jesus, but He has a far better grip on Me.”
Ah, friend, never forget what God is doing in your life. Never forget His importance to you. Never forget His power to bring His plan to pass. Thank God, He has a firm grip on you!
Mar 8, 2023 – Look around you and answer this question: What do you see? Do you see what God sees? Do you see what the world sees? For that matter, do you see anything at all or are you too absorbed in yourself? Jesus utters some of the most life-transforming words you will ever hear in Today’s Verse. He doesn’t call us to read a book, watch a video but to “look on the fields” or “look at the condition of humanity around you.” Interestingly, it is as if Jesus believes you will alter your priorities if you properly recognize the spiritual need of this lost and dying world around you.
Just look…when was the last time you took the time to look?
Some years ago two steamships collided off the English coast. Six hundred people perished. A great number of people were tossed into the water. Many were drowning; many awful things were happening.
Two ferrymen had just pulled their boats up to the shore and were headed home for the night. They both heard the collision and the cries of the people. One ferryman tied up his boat and said, “I am not going anywhere to help anyone. I am going home,” and he walked to his house.
The other ferryman, though, untied his boat, rowed out to the collision, and began pulling people into the boat. This man filled his boat and rowed the people to the shore. He did all that he could.
Sometime later the authorities called in these two ferrymen. They said to the first one, “Sir, are you an Englishman?”
He said, “I am.”
They asked, “What did you do when you heard the collision?”
He said, “I walked home. I walked away. I was tired.”
They asked, “Are you ashamed?”
He answered, “I am so ashamed of what I did that I cannot live with myself. This was an awful tragedy, and I am sorry that I walked away and never helped a soul. I regret to say that I thought only of myself.”
The authorities turned to the other man. “Sir, what about you?”
The man said, “When I heard the cries of the people, I untied my boat and rowed out. I packed my boat full of women and children and when it was full, I began rowing toward the shore. As I rowed I was crying, ‘Oh, God, give me a bigger boat so that I can save more people!’” He then broke down in tears and said, “I helped all that I could…all that I could.”
One man looked and saw the need and gave it his best effort. That’s the kind of Christian this world needs!
Mar 7, 2023 – What motivates you in Christian service? For some, you have been at it for many, many years. Some years were abundantly blessed but other years were not so blessed. However, despite the results you have been motivated to stay at it…to keep sowing your life in others for the cause of Jesus Christ. So let’s ask: What motivates you?
The Amplified Bible says in its typical unique way, “For we [believers will be called to account and] must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be repaid for what has been done in the body, whether good or bad [that is, each will be held responsible for his actions, purposes, goals, motives—the use or misuse of his time, opportunities and abilities].” In the preceding verse Paul expressed his own yearning: that he might be “accepted or approved by Christ” at the judgment seat. Paul had a deep longing to hear Christ say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
That is why Paul kept on preaching the gospel. Wonder how many messages he presented? Paul said, “Woe is me if I preach not the gospel, for I know that someday I will have to give an account of my calling at the judgment seat of Christ.”
This is why Paul refused to stop. He was stubborn! He defiantly refused to quit despite being imprisoned and even beaten. Paul wrote, “The love of Christ constrains us—compels us onward—because Christ died for all and all can be saved!”
This is why Paul worked so hard for the local church. Some folk have given up on the local church, but never Paul! He said, “I am often with weariness, with hunger and thirst, besides all those things which come upon me daily such as the care—the burden—of the churches of God.”
Charles C. Luther taught us to sing, “O the years in sinning wasted! Could I but recall them now, I would give them to my Savior, To His will I’d gladly bow.”
Amazingly, in my nearly fifty years of ministry I have NEVER heard a single Christian say, “I have given Christ too much of my life.” But I have heard much too often, “O, I wish I had given Him more!”
May God help us to make the right decisions with our future!
Mar 6, 2023 – First. First can’t mean some other number, or it would lose its meaning. First must mean first. That is why Jesus was viewed as a radical preacher. He not only preached the standard, “Have no other gods before Me” but He also lived that standard. His style of Christianity would be viewed as “radical” by most modern-day Christians who want to pick up the blessings but not their cross, but it is important to note it was “expected” Christianity from His point of view.
I came across a sermon by an old-fashioned Presbyterian preacher of a hundred years ago. Many of those preachers had fire in their belly. They not only informed the people, but they also openly challenged the people. This man was speaking to a congregation of almost 6,000 people.
The preacher’s text was Today’s Verse: “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.”
This preacher then explained that text as well as I have ever heard it explained. He said, “You church members have no right to go boat riding on that river; you have no right to go fishing in that lake; you have no right to go swimming in that pool; you have no right to play tennis, baseball, or golf; you have no right to plow your fields; you have no right to visit relatives; you have no right to make money; you have no right to even breathe until you have sought FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” Plain preaching, but can anyone disagree? After all, first truly means first or first loses its meaning.
Sadly, most of our goals are nothing but short-term goals. The truth is we need to look past the everyday goals of life; we need to look past even the goals for the next ten years. We need to set our sights upon an eternal goal—a goal which will give us direction, stability and results not merely for today but for the rest of eternity.
Why? First, because God commands it, and we must someday answer to God for how we spend our time and resources. But second, because it is common sense to make the most of what we have. The Christian’s common sense is based upon the teachings of the Word of God. If God says it, it is common sense to do it. That’s called “faith living.”
What does God say? Namely this: The kingdom of God will outlive the kingdom of man in time. Second, the kingdom of God outweighs the kingdom of man in importance. Third, the kingdom of God out-rewards the kingdom of man…both in this life and the life to come.
Which kingdom do you promote the most? God help us to promote the one kingdom which truly matters the most.
Mar 4-5, 2023 – Are you an “earth dweller” or a “heavenly citizen”? Is your home down here or up there? Do you relate better to earthly truths or heavenly truths? Does the world down here excite you more or the world up there?
A security guard was assigned to a subway near Times Square in New York City. One day an out-of-town visitor came to him, showed him a slip of paper and said, “When I reach the ground level I need to find this address. Can you direct me to that place?”
The security guard answered, “I am sorry, but don’t ask me anything about ‘up there.’ All I know anything about is ‘down here.’”
One Bible scholar said, “This one cannot see the things of heaven though he may be quick enough in regard to worldly matters.” He may be a great architect, a great musician, a great teacher or maybe a phenomenal security guard. But he cannot see what is “up there.”
The Apostle John uses a unique expression in the Revelation to describe those who have never been born again. John is the only Bible author who uses this expression. The expression should not be interpreted in a mocking way but rather in a truthful way. The expression “earth dwellers” best describes John’s meaning. Lehman Strauss explains, “earth dwellers, those who have had no interest in Heaven but who have settled down in the earth.” They have PERMANENTLY settled, permanently established their residence.
The difference between such “earth dwellers” and we whose citizenship is in heaven is vast. We can sing, “This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.” But they would rightly sing, “Your Heaven is not my home, I’ve got too much here to do. My treasures are my piggy bank, 401-k, education, job, house, car, jewelry, motorcycle, vacation, pension, social security, stocks and bonds. I’m rich beyond measure! So let us eat, drink and be merry because tomorrow we may all die.”
What is the cure? These devotionals emphasize there is only one cure: repentance from sin (earth dwelling values) and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who died for our sins according to the scriptures, was buried but rose again on the third day and is now sitting at the right hand of the Father willing to save all that come to the Father through Him. What a Savior!
And in so doing, He will change you into one of those “up there” people.
Mar 3, 2023 – “I once was blind, but now I see.” There are two senses in which these words from the hymn “Amazing Grace” can be true: first, spiritually as in being born again into God’s kingdom, and second, physically as in having one’s eyesight restored. Remarkably, people experienced BOTH during Jesus’ ministry.
We were blessed during my Tennessee Temple years by the ministry of Billy Renstrom. Like so many others, Billy’s life was changed horribly by World War Two. His biography reads, “In November of 1944, just days after his 20th birthday, Billy met with a grievous accident involving a landmine that ended his Army career. Shrapnel embedded into his face, arms and legs. He suffered internal injuries, the total loss of one eye, and irreparable damage to the other. Although Billy eventually regained his health and vitality, he was left totally blind.” Totally blind.
This blind condition existed until 1975 when he underwent an experimental eye surgery. “As the last bandage was pulled away…Billy felt a stab of disappointment that the surgery didn’t seem to have worked. His world was certainly brighter, but he couldn’t actually see anything. Then, as the doctor placed a pair of ‘Coke bottle bottom’ glasses on Billy’s face, he discovered after 31 years of darkness, he was no longer blind!” Thank God for the surgeon and thank God for the glasses…but neither compares to what Jesus did routinely during His ministry.
But let’s focus now on the most important item Billy shared with us. It involves his children. This man was still blind when he raised his children. He had no expectation of ever seeing his children. Billy told us about how he had touched them, hugged them and talked with them, but yet he had never seen them…year after year after year. Oh, such a sad story!
Then came the most important item I know about Billy. He said about his years of blindness, “But what I did do was lead my children to a saving knowledge of Christ the Savior. I kept telling myself that someday I will have the opportunity to see my children—to look upon them just like you now look upon your own children.”
Ah, this man had faith! He believed in a hereafter. He believed in a resurrection. He believed in a glorified body. He believed in a place called heaven. And, most of all, he believed that Jesus would make everything right! Everything. Absolutely everything. That is what kept him pushing on. And that is what keeps us pushing on, too.
We who believe have confidence that someday we will “see everything clearly!” Thank God, He will indeed make everything right.
Mar 2, 2023 – What is grace? A little girl lived in the slums of a European city. One day, dressed in rags, the little girl wandered away from home. By and by she came to a well-to-do section in the city. The little girl was drawn to a beautiful garden which was surrounded by an iron fence.
The little girl was so touched by the flowers that she took her few pennies and decided to buy a few violets or even a rose for her sick mother. The little girl noticed a woman moving among the flowers. She asked the stranger if she might purchase a few of the flowers. She untied a tattered corner of the skirt and drew out a few pennies.
The stranger said, “Come into my garden and we will talk about it.”
The gate was opened, and the little girl walked into the vast garden. The well-to-do lady said, “Choose the best flowers you can for your mother.”
It took the little girl just a few minutes to make a beautiful bouquet for her mother. She then said, “Would you be willing to sell all of these flowers for just a few pennies?”
The woman said, “No. My father does not sell his flowers.”
The little girl began to cry. She said, “I am sorry, but I thought you were going to let me buy them.”
The woman said, “Wait a minute, dear. My father is the king of this country. He does not sell his flowers; he instead gives them away. Take your flowers home to your mother and tell her that they are a gift from the king!”
The little girl’s eyes grew wide in amazement. She then looked around her and realized for the first time that she who was so poor was now walking in the royal gardens of the king!
So it is also with every child of God, including even you. Today you can walk in the king’s garden. Today the most beautiful life of all can be yours.
That’s what grace can do.
Mar 1, 2023 – A little girl was sitting on her grandmother’s lap. She said, “Grandma, I love you so much. You’re so pretty!”
The aged grandmother, thin and wrinkled, laughed and replied, “That’s very sweet of you, darling, but I’m not pretty.”
The little girl thought for a moment then said, “Oh, yes, you are. You are pretty on the INSIDE.”
God specializes in making people of all ages pretty on the inside. Western culture, though, emphasizes the outside rather than the inside of the human heart. (Kohl’s and Macy’s specialize in selling “outside” items.) Our culture pushes how we look rather than who we are…pushes a beauty that is only skin deep, soon to wrinkle and sag! But in the long run marriages, homes, society and churches are built by who we are.
Which draws your attention? The outside or the inside? The Feb 27 devotional pointed out that God wants to build seven qualities into our heart that will transform each of us into a high quality person. Take a moment to read Today’s Verse; next, identify which underlined word is already a strength in your life…and which one or ones is a weakness in your life.
T. M. Olson tells about his father reading Today’s Verse to him in the best explanation you’ll find anywhere. “Add to your faith the virtue of Joseph; and to the virtue of Joseph the knowledge of Solomon; and to the knowledge of Solomon the self-control of Moses; and to the self-control of Moses the patience of Job; and to the patience of Job the godliness of Daniel; and to the godliness of Daniel the brotherly kindness of Jonathan; and to the brotherly kindness of Jonathan the love of John—the apostle of love.”
Put all of those ingredients in a bowl, mix them together and you’ll understand what God wants to do with you ON THE INSIDE!
Feb 28, 2023 – One of the greatest examples of how Today’s Verse works was a young convert by the name of D. L. Moody, the same Moody that later became one of the greatest 19th century evangelists. Moody’s education did not extend beyond the fifth grade, but it was his personal knowledge of the Lord that made him special. This young shoe salesman could not get enough of the Lord. He spent hours upon hours studying the Bible. He often said, “If the Bible says to do it, then I will do it,” and he stayed right with it.
Week after week Moody would testify to the church about his wonderful walk with the Lord. Moody, though, was in a church where no one else was diligent in walking with the Lord. These people were more concerned with world events, sports, work and their families. None of them ever testified like Moody, because none of them knew what it was to walk with the Lord.
Finally some of the older members became embarrassed by Moody’s testimonies. They went to Moody’s uncle and asked him to silence his nephew. Of course, the people failed, because Moody was diligent in putting God first—never third, not even second but always first in everything which he said and did.
One of Moody’s biographers said: “Moody’s robust spiritual health and bounding energy disturbed their napping; he was just too much. So, while they were sucking their thumbs, he was growing until he left them far behind; he grew more in a few years than they did in thirty.”
It’s remarkable what God can do with a person who hungers and thirsts to know Him! And the more he hungers and thirsts, the MORE he hungers and thirsts!
And what God did for Moody, He can also do for you. Hunger and thirst, not to know facts about Him, but to KNOW HIM!
Feb 27, 2023 – “First prize for the laziest man in the world has to go to the fellow who sits and whittles with an electric knife.” Perhaps you have met that fellow! Such laziness does not produce much, does it? That is especially true in the Christian life. The Christian life is not like the little boy waking up on Christmas morning and finding the gifts already under the tree or the wife sweet talking her husband into buying everything she wants.
In Today’s Verse Peter says it was not like that for him nor will it be like that for us either! Peter says, “Make every effort,” “Give all diligence,” “Make it an urgent matter.” To do what? Peter then lists seven items which must be built into our Christian life: virtue, knowledge, self-control, patience, godliness, kindness and love. Think of it as a seven-story building; each floor consists of one of those seven qualities. Completeness or well-roundedness comes when you reach the seventh story! In many ways, this seven-story building is Peter’s definition of a mature Christian. The mature believer is a seven-story Christian living out these seven qualities.
Do these qualities come automatically? No way! Peter says you must make “every effort”; go after it like an Olympic athlete seeking the prize.
Remember this: No man ever became a saint in his sleep. But many try. They are like the man who foolishly said to the concert pianist, “I would give my life to play like you.”
The concert pianist replied, “That is exactly what it cost me. What has it cost you?”
During my early ministry years I came across an unusual house two miles from the church. The blocks had been laid, the subfloor appeared to be finished, but that was all. There were no walls, no steps, no plumbing nor a roof. That is how the house looked in my first year, second year, third year and fourth year. Someone had begun but never finished. Maybe he ran out of money or time. Maybe, though, he decided it was too much work and so he walked away. But what a shame! And what a shame that many Christians only make it to that stage.
Peter describes such half-finished Christians in verse eight as barren and empty, in verse nine as blinded to their own possibilities, indeed, they even forget what salvation is about!
Bottom line: It takes a great deal of work to build ANYTHING of lasting value whether it be a business, a marriage, a church, a house AND ESPECIALLY A LIFE!
I urge you to heed Peter’s admonition and give EVERY EFFORT to make the best of your life.
Feb 25-26, 2023 – There once lived a mouse who read all of the self-improvement books. He attended all of the self-improvement seminars, too, but this mouse still possessed a heart which was afraid of cats. One day this mouse met a wizard who offered to help the mouse overcome his fear.
The mouse gave his approval and the wizard turned the mouse into a cat. But, unfortunately, the cat turned out to be afraid of dogs. So the wizard turned the cat into a dog. But it turned out the dog was afraid of tigers. So the wizard turned the dog into a tiger but, sad to say, the tiger was afraid of the hunters.
The wizard tried and tried, but he could not solve the mouse’s problem. Finally the wizard said in disgust, “You’re hopeless! What you need is a change of heart, and that is the one thing I cannot give you.”
Wonder how God would say it if He was speaking to us? Perhaps He would say this: “What you need is a change of heart. And that is something which ONLY I can give you.” The Christian life is as real as the sun rising in the morning. We know both biblically (based on the Word of God) and experientially (based on our own human experience) the Christian life is the best quality of life any person can experience.
In the first place, there truly is joy in knowing Jesus and serving Jesus. The happiest people I know aren’t the richest people I know but are those people who walk close to the Lord. They have an inner peace and an inner joy which the world does not give and the world cannot take away.
In the second place, there are less heartaches associated with reaping a bad harvest. Following Jesus always results in clean living, sowing the right kind of seed, and never needing to pray on Sunday morning for a crop failure after sowing your wild oats on Saturday night.
Third, there is satisfaction in knowing your life is producing eternal results. Everyone has to make a decision about whether to live for today or live for the future. In my case, I decided as a teenager to focus on eternal results, primarily because I wanted to accomplish something that would last! Fifty years have now passed. That teenage decision is still the right decision!
Last, the “new man” is God’s way for us to know Him…to be “renewed in knowledge” of knowing Him! The old, carnal nature (our nature by physical birth) is like a fish out of water when it comes to knowing God. But the new man (also known as the born-again nature) is patterned after God’s OWN image; this new spiritual nature allows us to have personal fellowship with God on an intimate, yes, very personal level.
Can you think of any better life than that of having Christ and knowing Christ? I can’t. Nor can God. What do you think?
Feb 24, 2023 – “For ALL things were changed when He found me, A new day broke through all around me, For I met the Master, Now I belong to Him!”
Herbert Bieber, who is now with the Lord, declared that after he got saved (became born again or a new creation), he went to seminary in order to find out what had happened to him because his life was now so much different!
I remember reading about a born-again man who had once been a slave to alcohol. But the Lord saved him and changed him! One day an unsaved man challenged this new convert to explain how Jesus was able to change the water into wine.
This born-again Christian answered, “I do not know how Jesus changed the water into wine. I only know that in my case He did something far more useful than that, for in my house Jesus changed all of my beer into furniture and that is something which no one else has ever been able to do.”
The old-time hymn says,
“There are some people, Who say we cannot tell
Whether we are saved or, Whether all is well.
They say we only can hope And trust that it is so.
But I was there when it happened And I guess I ought to know.
“Yes, I know when Jesus saved me, The very moment He forgave me.
He took away my heavy burden, He gave me peace within.
Satan can’t make me doubt it; It’s real and I’m gonna shout it.
I was there when it happened, And I guess I ought to know!” AMEN!
Feb 23, 2023 – How does one explain the new birth or being born again? To Jeremiah it was a “new heart,” to Paul a “new creation,” to Peter a “divine nature,” and to Jesus it was “born again.” One heart surgeon mocked the new birth by saying, “I operated on your heart, but I only saw the heart I expected to see. I didn’t find God anywhere in you!” He did not find a new heart, a new creation or a new spirit anywhere within the body of that man.
How foolish! Those skeptics are looking in the wrong place; after all, they have never yet discovered the soul of man either: that soul which God breathed into man in the Garden of Eden, a soul which somehow keeps a man alive even when the doctors think he should be dead!
The Bible establishes the pattern for the new birth with these words: “And the Lord God formed man from out of the dust of the ground and God breathed into man’s nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul!” The Bible says that God formed Adam’s body out of the dust, but even so Adam was no different than a dead man because he did not yet have the breath of life. Adam had a nose, a brain, and a mouth. In essence, Adam possessed everything he needed to function properly EXCEPT that irreplaceable quality called life. Such life did not become his until God somehow breathed into that body the spirit of human life; at that precise moment Adam “became a living soul or a living human being.”
The doctors could have examined Adam, but they would have found no scars of any kind, nothing to show how that body could now be alive and now could walk, talk and think just like any of us. They could have done a brain MRI, but they would have found no evidence there. Indeed, they could have searched the heart, but they would have found no evidence there!
All the doctors could say is, “He who was dead is now alive but where that life came from we do not know, where that life is concealed we do not know and as to how that life moves out of the body at death, well, we don’t know that either!”
So it is also in the life of every sinner who is born again by the Holy Spirit of God. Somehow God breathes upon us who “are dead in trespasses and sins”; He breathes into us that breath called eternal life and we then rise up to “walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus.” It’s now time to take off the grave clothes stained by the sin of this world and put on the robe of righteousness for “this My son was dead and is alive again; he was lost, but he is now found.”
We may not be smart enough to know just exactly how it happens but, thank God, we’re smart enough to know that it did indeed happen, amen?
Feb 22, 2023 – Little Timmy was in the garden filling in a hole when his neighbor looked over the fence. The neighbor wondered about the hole and he asked, “Timmy, what are you doing?”
Timmy began to cry and he said, “My goldfish died and I just buried him.”
The neighbor was concerned. He said, “That’s an awfully big hole for a little goldfish, isn’t it?”
Timmy patted the mound of dirt and said, “I needed a deep hole because my goldfish is inside your stupid cat!”
Ah, Timmy had to dig a deep hole in order to bury the goldfish AND the neighbor’s cat. I wonder what the neighbor had to say about that!
Jesus teaches in Today’s Verse that digging deep is necessary to establish and build a successful life. Digging shallow, though, or not digging at all usually results in an unsuccessful life…”great was the fall of the house built on the sand.” It is fairly obvious (to even a casual observer) which people around us have dug deep and who have not. Some people have depth about them. Like the person in Psalm 1, they are firmly planted or established. They know who they are as well as their purpose. Their belief system is stronger than the storms of life which assail them. Their values are not for sale to even the highest bidder. Their outlook perseveres regardless of how impossible it may seem.
By contrast, shallow people are incredibly weak in faith. They are wishy-washy. The biblical expression “unstable as water” describes them quite well. Their values are subject to change on a whim. One feels he must get their commitment in writing before engaging in a joint project. They would select a pacifier as their favorite tool. Sure today but not sure tomorrow. Never found anything to believe in or anyone to truly believe. Always searching, never arriving.
Luke includes these two words “dug deep” in his account of this remarkable story. The words deserve careful consideration. The builder made sure that he built right, that he built for survival and he built for success.
What is the key? Jesus identifies this individual in the preceding verse as the “one who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them.” In other words, the “digging deep success story” is the result of someone building his life in Jesus: who Jesus is and what Jesus represents. It is not a casual relationship but rather a “digging deep” relationship. Nothing shallow about it. But someone being committed to digging deep, past the superfluous items of this world, until he reaches the solid rock and can lay the foundation for a successful life—a life in which he can be pleased and satisfied.
Question: Are you that person? You can be. But you have to put forth the effort and “dig deep.”
Feb 21, 2023 – As the pastor drove down the highway, he listened to a radio preacher explain the words of Jesus: “You must be born again.” The radio evangelist said, “Being born spiritually is like being born physically. It happens at a specific time, in a specific place, through a specific method, because of a specific parent.” The pastor began thinking, “When was I born again? I don’t know. Where was I born again? I don’t know. How was I born again? I don’t know. Who made me born again? I don’t know.”
After further deliberation he finally concluded, “I have not been born again!” The pastor pulled off the road, listened to the gospel plea by the radio preacher then traded his sins for the cross, his religion for the Christ and was born again into God’s family.
Remember: No one grows into salvation. Rather, you are BORN into salvation. For me it was around 9:00 p.m. on January 14, 1965 in an old-fashioned revival meeting. Yes, even at an altar which is still present in that church to this day. I went to church as a non-believer; I walked out a believer. God became my parent, yea, even my Father; I became His child by receiving Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.
In your own case, you may not remember the details such as the specific date; that is okay, but you must recognize where you NOW stand: “Am I a believer in Jesus Christ? Am I standing in the blood that washes white as snow? Does heaven tug on my soul to live for Him? Is there evidence in my lifestyle that confirms I belong to Him?”
Most importantly, when the angel asks at the pearly gates, “Why should you be admitted to heaven?” will you have the right answer: “Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe! I believe in Him!”
The theologian Henry Thiessen writes, “We may define regeneration as the communication of divine life to the soul, as the impartation of a new nature, and the production of a new creation.” Perhaps we should add, “born again” has its own birth certificate, too!
The drunkard Mel Trotter stole the shoes off his dead daughter’s feet during the funeral viewing in order to buy himself another drink. He was considered hopeless by man’s standards. Mel Trotter eventually found himself on Chicago’s skid row. One night he wandered into the Pacific Garden Mission where he heard the good news of Jesus Christ, received Christ and was born again. The Lord turned Mel Trotter into a flaming evangelist. In so doing, God proved that He can change anyone!
In the years that followed, people would often ask, “Mel, how do you know for certain that you have been saved?”
Mel Trotter would smile and say, “It because I was there when it happened and I ought to know.”
Specific time, specific place…”where the Lord saved me by His wonderful grace!” Amen!
Feb 20, 2023 – Every school teacher knows you must challenge your students to realize there are some things yet to be discovered, yet to be implemented. Dr. Brokenshire had a most unusual way of challenging his students. Brokenshire taught at the Grand Rapids Baptist College and Seminary. He customarily began the first day of class by reviewing the student’s information cards and calling out their names. Eventually Brokenshire came to a student whose last name was Green. He looked up from the card and asked, “Mr. Green?”
The student raised his hand. Brokenshire asked, “Mr. Green, do you have any problems with the Bible?”
The new student answered, “No, sir, not a single one!”
Brokenshire exclaimed, “Then why don’t you read it! You will then!”
Brokenshire’s statement was true because the Bible is both a plain book and yet a book of mysteries. There is much we do know, but the Bible also contains depths that no one has yet navigated. The latter should not surprise us, because God Himself is the author!
John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement, wisely states, “This book (the Bible) had to be written by one of three people: good men, bad men or God. It couldn’t have been written by good men, because they said it was inspired by the revelation of God. Good men don’t lie and deceive. It couldn’t have been written by bad men, because bad men would not write something that would condemn themselves. It leaves only one conclusion. It was given by divine inspiration of God.”
In Today’s Verse the prophet Daniel struggled with the depths of the Bible. But notice that did not prevent Daniel from believing it…or recording it as it had been revealed to him. “Lack of understanding is not the same as lack of belief.” We Christians accept what we don’t know or can’t explain, because WHAT WE DO KNOW is more than enough to establish our faith in that which is still unknown.
A word to you who are teachers: Perhaps you struggle in teaching the Word of God because you don’t “know it all.” Perhaps you even doubt if you should teach! Let me suggest three courses of action: 1. Don’t be intimidated by what you don’t know. Be thankful instead for what you do know and, rest assured, you likely know enough to teach. 2. Don’t be afraid to answer the difficult questions by saying, “I don’t know.” Your listeners may find such an answer to be refreshing, because there is much they don’t know, too! 3. Don’t get bogged down in theories or speculations when there is so much that is crystal clear and needs taught. Teach what is plainly stated and your listeners will be blessed.
This old philosophy has much merit: God said to the country preacher, “Son, you know what is wrong with man, and you also know the cure—now go out and preach!”
When in doubt, make a beeline to Jesus! After all, Jesus is the ultimate answer for all of us.
Feb 18-19, 2023 – D. L. Moody preached on the text, “Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” BORN AGAIN! After the service Moody was met by a woman who was very active in that particular church. To put it simply, this woman lowered the boom on Moody. She said, “Do you mean to tell me that I, an educated woman—that I who have been taught from my childhood to not only be good but also to do good—do you mean to tell me that I must enter heaven in the very same manner as the worst criminals of our day?”
Moody answered, “No, mam, I do not tell you this, but it is God who tells you this. God says no matter who you are, you must be born again for ‘except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.’”
How is a person born again? Two words are underlined in Today’s Verse. The first word “hears” is easily understood as an act of intense listening…not merely hearing something in the background that does not register but rather hearing something that we actually absorb. Unfortunately, many a businessman listens to a sermon whose true ear is actually thinking through a business proposition due in the coming week. Jesus referred to such people, indeed most people, as “hearing but not hearing, seeing but not seeing.” Probably all of us have been admonished, “Didn’t you hear what I just said?” That is the sense of the first word.
Interestingly, “word” is singular, not plural. The focus, though, is not on a single word but on the entirety of His word. Perhaps the best word to express the concept to modern day Americans is the word “message.” Imagine ALL the words of Jesus being put into one message. He comes as the messenger of God the Father. His message needs to be studied but also comprehended. Jesus has much to say about sin, righteousness, religion, salvation, kingdom living, prophecy, etc. The entirety of that message tells us how different He is, how different are His standards, and how we compare with Him.
Rare is the person who is born again the FIRST time he hears the gospel message. Normally, salvation occurs as the culmination of a hearing process which convinces the sinner of the efficacy of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Remember: Your reaping is likely the result of others sowing! And another’s reaping is likely the result of your sowing!
“Believes.” No one will be born again until they first believe. The focus is always upon belief in the God who IS ALL and HAS DONE ALL that is needed to redeem the sinner from hell. “Jesus Christ is made to me ALL I need. He alone is ALL my plea, He is ALL I need. My redemption full and free, He is ALL I need.”
When the sinner truly “hears” the message, he also recognizes his own insufficiency but Christ’s sufficiency to do ALL that is needed. This leads the sinner to abandon any self-effort and transfer his faith from all insufficient things, including himself, to the SUFFICIENT One. At this point it is strictly a God-sinner transaction. Others may be present, but they, for all practical purposes, have become irrelevant. It is now between only two: God saying, “Do you put your faith in Me?” and the sinner crying out, “I DO! I BELIEVE!” And at that very moment the sinner is born again into the family and kingdom of God.
Bottom line: Trust God to bring the sinner to the point where he or she can believe. That is something only God can do!
Feb 17, 2023 – “When all my labors and trials are o’er, And I am safe on that beautiful shore, Just to be near the dear Lord I adore, Will through the ages be GLORY for me. When by His grace, I shall look on His face, That will be Glory, Be Glory for me!”
Do those words express your future? They express my future! Jesus prayed in Today’s Verse that we would witness His glory…not only the glory of heaven but His innate glory which was hidden during his earthly sojourn in the New Testament. This prayer will indeed be fulfilled because the Apostle Paul tells us, “He shall change our vile, decaying bodies and fashion them like unto His own glorious body!” We will not only view His glory, but we shall SHARE in His glory, also. Based upon this certainty, I can say with the old saint, “Well, GLOOOOOOORY for me!” “Yea, the half has not yet been told what my future shall be!”
I recall sitting on a back porch with a husband who was about to lose his wife to cancer. I said, “Brother, your wife will soon be with the Lord. She will then experience a glory like you and I have never known.” He nodded in agreement, but the prospect of losing his wife hurt deeply.
I continued, “Brother, do you remember how you felt the night you were saved? that time when ‘Heaven came down and GLORY filled your soul’?”
The man said, “Yes, Pastor, I remember it very well.”
I asked, “Do you feel that same glory today that you felt on that occasion? like you felt when your boys were saved? when your wife was saved?”
The man said, “No, Pastor, I do not feel that same glory today. I do not feel it today like I did when God’s presence seemed so powerful and so very real.”
I waited a moment then said, “Brother, down here the glory comes and goes, but up there the glory will come and yet never go. Down here the glory visits for a moment and then leaves but up there the glory will visit and yet never leave. I’ve watched you in church get so emotional in singing to Him…as if you have to ask God to hold back His presence lest you die, but up there you will be forever and ever full and yet never need to ask God to hold it back for there on that day glory will fill your soul not just for one hour, not just for one week, but for ALL eternity.”
Forever. Forever and ever. World without end. O, that will be GLORY for me!
Feb 16, 2023 – How can you improve your retention while reading the Bible? One way is to put yourself in the scene before your eyes. For example, imagine attending Jesus’ baptism. Look at the flowing river. Flowing fast or slow? Picture John in his ragged clothing standing in the river. Watch Jesus humbly enter the water, being placed under the water…then coming up and the scene becomes even better! Mark uses a word of great force (Greek schizomenous—think schism or split and you have the idea) to depict the heavens, or perhaps clouds, being torn open or “rent asunder.” (This is NOT an ordinary baptism!) Out of this opening appears a solitary dove (representative of the Holy Spirit). Be sure you follow His descent to the Christ. What a scene! None like it! And you are there!!!
Get to know Jesus by laying your head upon Jesus’ breast—listen as his heart beats for the souls of men for “as the Father hath sent me even so send I you.”
Get to know Jesus by walking with him down the road of life for, “did not our heart burn within us as He talked with us by the way?”
Get to know Jesus by asking Him to do some really, really hard things for “whatever you ask in My name, that will I do.”
Get to know Jesus by casting all your anxieties upon Him, hearing Him say TO YOU, “Peace, be still,” and YOU IN AWE then confessing, “What manner of man is this that even the wind and the sea obey His voice?”
The painter Holman Hunt announced that he wanted to paint a portrait of Jesus Christ. His friends told him that no one can do a good job of painting someone whom he has never seen. Holman answered, “But I will see Him! I will stand by His side when He works in the carpenter shop in Nazareth. I will accompany Him when He goes out to heal the sick. I will watch Him as He performs the mighty miracle of raising the dead.
“I will follow Him to Calvary and acknowledge that He died for me and for the world. I will stand beside Mary Magdalene as she ecstatically calls Him, ‘Lord’ at His resurrection. Yes, I will see Him because I will know Him and I will then be able to paint Him!”
Amen! Happy studying!!!
Feb 15, 2023 – How great is God’s salvation? Henrietta Mears told about a criminal who was condemned to be hanged. On the day before the execution, a messenger came to the criminal and said, “The governor has taken your case into consideration and has sent you a purse of one thousand dollars.”
The criminal said, “What good will that thousand dollars do me? I am to be hanged tomorrow.”
The messenger said, “I have another message, also. The governor has considered your case and sent you the deed to a million dollar estate.”
The condemned man shook his head. He said, “What can I do with that? I am to be hanged tomorrow.”
The messenger went on. He said, “Sir, I have another message. I have brought you the governor’s own inauguration robe for you to wear with his special favor.”
The criminal burst into tears. He said, “Why do you keep mocking me? Try to imagine how I would look climbing the steps of the gallows wearing the governor’s own robe?”
The messenger was not finished. He said, “Sir, I have another message. The governor has also sent you a pardon. What do you say to that?” The messenger then handed the pardon to the condemned man—a pardon which was signed by the governor and sealed with the governor’s official stamp. The condemned man read the pardon then leaped for joy. Tears of gratitude rolled down his face as he realized that he, a condemned man, was now set free.
The messenger said, “I am not yet finished. I have brought you the pardon, but in addition to that I have also brought you the purse of one thousand dollars, the deed to the mansion, along with the royal robe of the governor. All of these are now yours.”
…for God has given to us who believe in Jesus not only the pardon of salvation but also “all the things which pertain unto life and godliness.” AMEN!
Feb 14, 2023 – ”Today I went back to a place where I used to go, Today I saw the same old crowd I knew before, When they asked me what had happened, I tried to tell them, ‘Thanks to Calvary I don’t come here anymore.’
“Thanks to Calvary I am not the man I used to be, Thanks to Calvary things are different than before, While the tears ran down my face, I tried to tell them, ‘Thanks to Calvary I don’t live here anymore.’”
All of us at one time were just like the prodigal son in Today’s Verse, living with the hogs down in the hog pen of sin, (imagine a son of Abraham slopping hogs) but the testimony of every single one of us ought to be, “Thanks to Calvary, I don’t live here anymore!” The prodigal said, “I’ll leave this place and go to a better place and I know where that better place is. It is the Father’s place! I will leave my rebellion and trust in His reception. He will hear my confession and I will hear His forgiveness. He will take my rags of clothing and I will be clothed in His robe of righteousness. He will witness my hunger and admit me to His bountiful table. The Father can AND WILL save me from this awful place!”
How different life became for the prodigal when he came home on the Father’s terms!
Two assayers in the old days decided to attend a revival meeting. Both heard a clear presentation of the gospel. One responded and was born again. The other left the service without Christ as his Savior. On the next day the born again believer urged his co-worker to accept Christ. He said, “What a difference it has already made for me!”
The unbeliever said, “That’s the problem. If I get saved, who will be left to weigh the gold?”
The unbeliever’s point was clear: A good dose of Holy Spirit salvation would turn both of them into honest assayers!
A saved father ought to be a different father, a saved businessman ought to be a different businessman, a saved teacher ought to be a different teacher, a saved mommy ought to be a different mommy and a saved teenager ought to be a different teenager.
“Thanks to Calvary I don’t live here anymore.”
Feb 13, 2023 – How does a person begin the Christian life? Many are attracted to Christianity because of its values…and its perfect leader, Jesus Christ. They emulate these values as best they can, but they miss the #1 quality that defines the Christian life. It can never be stressed enough that Christianity is more than a way or a pattern; it is also a life called “Christ living in me” as a believer in Him.
The great preacher, D. L. Moody, said he was twenty years old before he ever heard a sermon about being born again. He had always been taught that if he was a good person then God would take him to heaven. Sometime later Moody got saved. He said later, “You may as well tell a black man to be white as to tell him to be good without telling him how. You might tell a slave to be free but that would not make him free.
“We are a bad lot, the whole lot of us, by nature. It is astonishing how the devil blinds us and makes us think we are so naturally good.”
Moody urged, “Don’t talk to me about people being naturally good and angelic for we are naturally bad, the whole lot of us. I have heard of reform until I am tired and sick of the whole thing. It is regeneration by the power of the Holy Ghost that we need.”
What is regeneration? It is the generation of a new life in the sinner at the moment he places his faith in Jesus Christ as his God, Lord and Savior. That life is divine in nature, meaning it is patterned after the holy nature of God Himself. It is a nature which prompts holy desires for holy living. It is so radically different that the Bible describes religious, unregenerate people as washed pigs (cleaned on the outside but still a pig on the inside—see 2 Peter 2:22) but describes born-again people as sheep (John 10). Wow! There is a vast difference in the nature of a pig and sheep. They have little in common. Such language may be offensive to some, but remember this is God’s truth; therefore, this truth needs to be absorbed rather than rejected. It is a truth that is better experienced than explained, too.
Let’s make the message clear and plain: You must be born again!
Feb 10, 2023 – How moldable is a child? How valuable is a parent, guardian, teacher or counselor? David Wilkerson, author of The Cross and the Switchblade, writes, “Good parents do not always produce good children, but devoted, dedicated, hardworking mothers and fathers can weigh the balance in favor of decency and moral character.”
Here are Ten Commandments for guiding your children:
1. Teach them, using God’s Word (Deut. 6:4-9).
2. Tell them what’s right and wrong (1 Kings 1:6).
3. See them as gifts from God (Psalm 127:3).
4. Guide them in godly ways (Proverbs 22:6).
5. Discipline them (Proverbs 29:17).
6. Love them unconditionally (Luke 15:11-32).
7. Do not provoke them to wrath (Ephesians 6:4).
8. Earn their respect by example (1 Timothy 3:4).
9. Provide for their physical needs (1 Timothy 5:8).
10. Pass your faith along to others (2 Timothy 1:5).
Perhaps it would be good to keep the above list in your Bible where you can occasionally review it. If your children are parents, share it with them. Perhaps they can benefit from these brief thoughts.
Never forget: Our most important ministry always begins in OUR OWN HOME!
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10. Every number has its own definite order and heaven help us if we put #5 before #2 and #1 after #9 because each number has its own definite order.
A popular night club performer went to a pastor, announced that he had been saved and now wanted to serve the Lord. The night club performer asked, “Pastor, what should I do next?”
The pastor said, “I strongly suggest that you become a member of a Bible-believing church like ours and start growing in the Lord.”
The performer said, “Pastor, are you saying I need to wait? I would like to do something for God right now.”
The pastor was very patient. He said, “You don’t have to wait to witness for the Lord, but I strongly suggest that you get busy in a gospel church—that you learn how to biblically use your talents for the glory of God.”
The performer, though, became angry. He said, “But you don’t know who I am. I want you to know that I am a big name performer. I want to begin a big organization, made recordings and appear before large crowds.”
The pastor then issued a warning to this young Christian. He said, “You are old in the flesh but you’re an infant spiritually. If you go too far too fast you might instead hurt yourself as well as your testimony for the Lord. Perhaps somewhere down the road God will open the door to everything you want, but right now you’re just a spiritual baby that needs to grow up in the Lord. You’re still in the crawling stage!”
The performer refused to follow the pastor’s advice. He instead began a ministry of his own. His ministry lasted less than twelve months. It was not long until he lost his testimony along with his wife and family. In time this young performer drifted into a fringe group, and he disappeared from the public ministry.
The pastor later said, “The trouble with him was his branches went out further than his roots were deep, and when that happens you eventually topple. You eventually fail.”
Spiritual depth or maturity does not happen overnight. It takes time, experience, preparation and DETERMINATION to grow. But, above all, it takes an understanding that you have MUCH GROWING to do! And when you’ve been at it sixty years you will realize how far you have come…but, also, how much further there is to grow! HAPPY GROWING!
Feb 9, 2023 – How satisfying is God’s call to Christian service? Let me finish this series with the story of one of the most unusual men that corporate America has ever known. This man’s name was D. J. De Pree; he was the president of the large office furniture company known as Herman Miller.
Mr. De Pree served as that company’s president for many years. He eventually retired from the company, but he did not retire from teaching his Sunday School class.
Sometimes our mind fades as we grow older, and it is time to let someone else do the teaching but Mr. De Pree’s mind remained very clear. He kept on teaching the class until his health forced him to resign at the golden age of 98 years of age!
Near the end a class member visited Mr. De Pree in the hospital. That special man of God said something which we should never, ever forget.
He said, “Brother, it was harder for me to resign my Sunday School class than to step down from being the president of Herman Miller.”
A man who had it all including power, fortune and management skills but yet, “It was harder for me to resign my Sunday School class than to step down from being the president of Herman Miller.”
How can that be? Why would it be so very hard?”
My friend, it is because there is no more satisfying call anywhere than what God has called you to do.
* Today’s devotional concludes the series regarding our spiritual calling. Be sure to check the previous week’s studies for the entire series. All devotionals can be read at www.godsgreenhouse.net.
Feb 7, 2023 – My father preached the sermon at my ordination. His text was Today’s Verse, “Whatever Jesus says to you, do it.” Don’t think about it…don’t argue about it…don’t rationalize it…don’t postpone it…just do it! Let Him be the captain and you be the faithful soldier that carries out the orders. In so doing, your life will be blessed in more ways than you can count.
In tomorrow’s devotional we will conclude this series about the Christian’s call by examining the satisfaction of the call. But first let’s look today at the priority of the call. KEY: It is a heavenly calling because it is a Jesus calling…a calling from Him to you specifically. Since it is personal in His view, it should also be viewed as personal by you. It’s not a mass calling, but a personal enlistment between Him and you alone. It’s not a trivial matter, but a heaven designed appointment that gives you eternal significance.
This heavenly calling gives us a meaningful purpose in life which generates eternal results far beyond today. What I do and you do for Christ will live on and on and on long after we are gone. We will impact GENERATIONS! This purpose possesses the power to influence every decision we make and to establish our priorities in every area of life. In essence, the purpose becomes who we are and determines what we do.
Sometimes the going will be easy; sometimes, though, you will have to paddle upstream against many obstacles including your own flesh, but “whatever Jesus says to you, do it!” and never get sidetracked from what God has called you to do!
Yet it is so easy to get sidetracked.
President Andrew Jackson once interviewed a preacher about a position in his government. The preacher was qualified for the position, but Jackson saw something which the preacher had missed. The President finished the interview by saying, “Sir, I have no appointment within my power which is equal to what God has called you to do…which is equal to being a messenger of Jesus Christ.” What an awesome statement!
God’s calling gives us a purpose for today…a purpose for tomorrow…a purpose for every single day that we live so be sure that you accept God’s calling and allow it to change the rest of your life.
* Today’s devotional continues the series regarding our spiritual calling. Be sure to check the previous week’s studies for the entire series. All devotionals can be read at www.godsgreenhouse.net. More tomorrow!
Feb 6, 2023 – Attitude! That word, not your skill nor ability, but your attitude will MOST DETERMINE your effectiveness in the ministry of Jesus Christ. It has been said, “No one likes to dig ditches, but they must be dug. No one enjoys changing diapers, but you better change often!” “A bad attitude is like a flat tire…you can’t go anywhere until you change it!” “Good talent with bad attitude equals bad talent.” Just ask the basketball coach with the million dollar athlete that wants to be a team of one! Oh, my!
I learned early that I would rather have so-called mediocre-talented people with the right attitude than prima donnas with the wrong attitude. The wrong attitude says, “I’m here. Now we can get started.” The right attitude says, “I’m here. Is there a place you can use me?” The wrong attitude says, “It’s about me.” The right attitude says, “It’s about you.” I once had a church quartet get into a vicious no-holds-barred argument just minutes before singing at a funeral! Their egos were still at war when they sang in the funeral! And it wasn’t the first time either.
Perhaps you’re extra special…more skilled than the rest of us. I guarantee your ego will be a continuing problem. Maybe, though, you’re common like the rest of us; if that is so, count yourself blessed because you have less to trip over. But regardless of our gift or ability, we MUST develop a serving attitude…recognize to Whom all praise truly belongs and that Whom is not any of us.
Remember: The person who lives in the spotlight thinks the spotlight is intended for him. But the person who lives HIDDEN in the shadow of the cross confesses, “Upon that cross of Jesus Mine eye at times can see The very dying form of One, Who suffered there for me; And from my smitten heart, with tears, Two wonders I confess, The wonders of His glorious love, And my own worthlessness.”
There once was a common, ordinary slave who was to be separated from his family. With tears in his eyes the slave told his wife and two babies good-bye. He was then led to the auction block to be sold to the highest bidder. The bidding was held…the price kept going up and up and up…eventually he was sold to the highest bidder. He was then taken to his new master.
The new master surprised the slave by embracing him and saying, “Sam, I have bought you at a great price in order to set you free. Free!”
The new master removed the chains from Sam’s feet. Sam then fell down upon his knees and kissed his master’s feet. He said, “Master, you have set me free, but I will be your slave forever.”
Can your attitude say the same?
Feb 4-5, 2023 – What is your S.H.A.P.E.? Football coach Lou Holtz says, “Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.” Holtz’s success was based upon accurately identifying the strengths and weaknesses of his players then building upon those strengths to create a well-rounded team. The players came to know what they could do well…and believed they could do it better than the opposing player! Holtz’s comments also carry over into our Christian service.
We have been exploring the Christian’s calling (role on God’s team) in the last few devotionals. Many books have been written on this subject, enough to confuse all of us many times over. This pastor has taught many times on this subject. It is my experience that many Christians strain at a gnat in trying to identify their calling and miss the big picture. Let’s uncomplicate it as much as we can.
Let’s begin by asking a simple question: What do you bring to the table? More than you realize!
The following acrostic called S.H.A.P.E. was developed by Saddleback more than twenty years ago. It is simple, but it is also right…and understandable. And, most importantly, it covers the entirety of you.
S – spiritual gift. 1 Corinthians 12 teaches that every born-again child of God receives at least one spiritual enablement (called a spiritual gift) at the moment of his new birth. This is not the same as a physical talent although it may be expressed through a talent. It is actually an enablement associated with the spiritual realm. Paul generates long lists of such gifts or enablements in his writings. These gifts are known as grace gifts, because they are distributed by God rather than generated within ourselves. We don’t choose our gift; it is decided by God.
H – heart or passion. “What do I love to do?” God has shaped you with certain passions that make you unique. It may be a heart for children or the aged. It may be a heart for music or evangelism. This passion may cause you to wonder, “Why doesn’t everyone treat this subject with a passion like me?” Remember: Everyone can’t be EVERYTHING. That’s why we need everyone bringing their different passions to the table. Together we are much stronger…and more balanced.
A – ability. Let’s include your natural talents and vocational skills, too The construction of the Old Testament tabernacle required many talents or skills. Some conventions sponsor their own Disaster Relief Teams. One such team cleared my driveway after a horrible ice storm. Their abilities opened many doors to sharing Jesus throughout our community…while cutting up fallen trees at the same time! This writer can organize but plumb? Only when I must do so! Many have said I have the ability to take a difficult subject and make it easy to understand. But no one ever says anything about my cooking! You’re different than me…and, trust me, God’s church needs your unique abilities.
P – personality. Introvert, extrovert. Ability to relate to some people but not all people. Strawberry, chocolate or vanilla…such a variety of personalities exists in our families, too. I knew a woman who was a wonderful children’s teacher, but she did not work well in a scripted program like a Sunday School program. I checked with her previous pastor and he told me the same thing. We put her in the Wednesday night program, let her do her own thing and she did well with that!
E – experiences. We are the product of our experiences. Trials can overcome us or turn us into overcomers. Based upon Romans 8:28 it can be correctly stated, “God never wastes an experience.” For instance, heartache is a great teacher. Who can sympathize the best? The person whose heart has been broken. Did you lose your job? Save this experience for someone down the road. Have a great success? Teach others how to succeed in the same way.
Bottom line: Go forth in the Lord’s name and “do whatever you’re good at!”
Feb 3, 2023 – Uncle Henry got saved when he was in his sixties. He was immediately baptized and became a church member. He loved the church. He said to himself, “Oh, if I could find something—just anything I can do for my Lord!” He looked and found something even he could do. The church building was an old country structure with no air-conditioning. It was miserably hot in those Alabama summers. The heat made it nearly impossible to conduct a church service.
Uncle Henry announced to the church, “Here’s something I can do! Does anyone mind if I come early and open the windows?” No one minded. (No one minds when they can get something for free.) Uncle Henry came an hour early, opened the windows and made it tolerable for the evening services.
Winter came. He needed to find something else to do. He asked, “Does anyone mind if I come early and fire the stove?” No one minded. After all, he wasn’t asking to be paid for lighting the stove. So he came an hour early and heated the building for the service. And the people came.
One day he was riding his old wagon down the road. He noticed a group of boys alongside the road. He stopped and asked if they had ever been saved. They said no. He invited them to church, but they wouldn’t come. He decided to give them a reason for coming. He bought some candy, gave the candy to them, brought them to church and those boys got saved. (One of those boys eventually became the pastor of one of the largest churches in Alabama.) The church people claimed that Uncle Henry developed the first bus route in Alabama!
What did Uncle Henry possess? Two items: an old wagon and a willing heart!
Ah, Uncle Henry did not understand spiritual gifts. He probably could not spell Ecclesiastes. He simply did what was NATURAL for him to do. AND IT WORKED! Why? Because God shapes you for His spiritual use like an arrow coming to a point. The edges of the arrow are all of the inputs that God has brought into your life to bring you to who you are…not in the sense that you are the end product for your own edification but rather that you are a finely developed instrument that God can use in today’s chaotic world.
Just curious: What comes natural to you that already is or can be pleasing to God? Take thirty minutes (no more) and make a list. Think outside the box. Perhaps ask others for their input. Don’t limit yourself to spiritual things. Make the list as complete as possible.
Question: Will you devote each of these items to God’s use?
Remember: You may not have an old wagon but you can still be an Uncle Henry…IF you have a willing heart.
More tomorrow…
Feb 2, 2023 – The deacon said, “When I get to heaven I intend to thank God for letting me play on His team in the greatest game of the ages—for enabling a weakling like me to do something for Him!” The deacon’s words are echoed by this writer. Would you like to be included in those words, too?
Yesterday’s devotional began a series about our calling. Let’s focus next on two important facts about our own heavenly calling. We’ll look at the first fact today. It is in keeping with the deacon’s confession. First, our calling is a work of nothing less than God’s infinite grace. Someday I would like to write a book titled “All of Grace is Our Story…All the Way from Earth to Glory.” We must always remember that grace not only saves us (Ephesians 2:8), but grace also ENABLES us to do the spiritual work of God.
For example, the Bible tells us about the great accomplishments of the Apostle Paul. Imagine living in the shadow of such a tremendous man of God! His accomplishments make mine look like an ant hill. But, most importantly, the Bible gives us Paul’s own testimony regarding the source of his accomplishments. Paul testified, “It is only by the enabling grace of God that I am what I am” or that “I have done what I have done” (1 Corinthians 15:10). In the same verse Paul mentions how much effort he put into the ministry and how that he “labored more than all the others” but he also hastens to add, “yet it was not I but God who was working through me by His grace.”
This teaching runs contrary to much that is proclaimed in Christianity, but the sad truth is we are too weak to be used by God. Within our being we do not have the spiritual strength or the spiritual ability to even make it on the field, let alone play in the big game! But then along comes the enabling grace of God; this grace picks us up and gives us the strength or the spiritual power to be used by God. “For though I am weak, God makes me strong.” “Without Me (Jesus) you can do nothing but with God all things are possible.” “I can do all things THROUGH CHRIST who strengthens me.” “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me to preach the gospel to the poor.” “Not by human might, nor by human power but by My Spirit.” “Laborers together with God.” “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature…and, lo, I am WITH you always, even unto the end of the age.”
Someone studied the lives of those saints that lived on a higher plane than others. He concluded, “The main item that made them different was that they counted on God being with them.” How true! The focus was not on their education, though mighty that may have been, but upon “God being with them.” We sing, “Anywhere WITH Jesus I can safely go, Anywhere He leads me in this world below; Anywhere without Him, dearest joys would fade; Anywhere with Jesus I am not afraid.” Ah, what did the fearless lad say to Goliath? “You come to me with a sword, shield, spear, armor [should we add bazooka?] but I come to you in the NAME OF THE LORD OF HOSTS. Goliath, you haven’t got a chance!” and minutes later the giant Goliath fell at the feet of young David.
Today’s Verse says, “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” That verse explains why Christianity successfully got off the ground, even why it is still changing lives today. It wasn’t because of finances because the finances were usually paltry. Nor was it because of education because education typically was reserved for the higher echelons of society. But it was because those people knew God…and allowed God to use them.
Never forget: The World Has Yet To See WHAT GOD CAN DO With A Person Wholly Committed To Him. It’s a grace work, pure and simple. Thank God for enabling me to be on His team!
Feb 1, 2023 – The country preacher Dutch Brammer was one of the first preachers I can remember. In that era (1950’s) our country churches had no air-conditioning, no nursery, and no padded pews (hard for this little boy to sleep on). (Most churches did have an outhouse!) Dutch was a man who was much wiser than his formal education.
Dutch told about a young farmer who announced to the church that he had been called to preach. The young farmer said, “I know I have been called to preach, because I have seen a sign in the sky. I have seen a sign (in the clouds) which had three letters in it: The three letters G – O – followed by the last letter P.”
The farmer said, “I believe that sign means that God wants me to ‘Go Preach.’”
Dutch Brammer knew the lad well. The lad had a lazy streak a mile long! Dutch responded, “No, young man, you have misread the sign. The sign did not say, ‘Go preach.’ It said, ‘Go plow’ as in ‘GO Plow your fields.’”
Every Christian is issued a call to Christian service. We will explore that call in the next three devotionals. Let’s begin with Dutch’s words to the lazy lad: “Go plow!” What was he saying? The Christian life is not about ease but about WORK. Isaac Watts asks, “Must I be carried to the sky on flowery beds of ease while others fought to win the prize and sailed through bloody seas?” That song preaches to us while we sing its message! Mark my words: Christian service is not accomplished by lazy people. It is accomplished only by those who understand the yoke principle in Today’s Verse.
A yoke is a farm instrument for plowing and doing other types of farm work. It is not suitable for playing volleyball! It is an instrument used in a working environment. Often hard work.
One irritant to this writer is the number of people in our churches that don’t approach God’s work as work. They throw together a last minute effort if even that. AND THE LACK OF PREPARATION OR EFFORT SHOWS! Oh, yes, it does! These people have never crossed the divide from doing something out of duty to doing something out of love for the Master. In both cases, it is still work…requires us to take the time to do it right, give it our best effort, and assign it a high priority but it is much different when one does it out of love…is captured by the importance of the work and knows its accomplishment will make a difference! Such a person does not approach God’s call with a lazy attitude, but kneels in God’s presence, willingly accepts the yoke then goes forth to do God’s bidding.
Isaac Watts continues, “Sure I must fight if I would reign; Increase my courage, Lord; I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain, Supported by Thy Word.”
May you always be a worker…never a shirker!
Jan 31, 2023 – How important to you is God’s call to be His representative to this spiritually darkened world? We sing our pledge, “I have decided to follow Jesus, No turning back. Tho’ none go with me, I still will follow, No turning back. My cross I’ll carry till I see Jesus, No turning back. The world behind me, the cross before me, No turning back, NO TURNING BACK!” Such words describe the attitude and determination of those who accept God’s call!
Think with me about the Apostle Paul. At one time this man held a rather prestigious office. I like to think of him as the sheriff of Jerusalem—as the Wyatt Earp of his day. “But,” Paul writes, “all of this I counted loss that I might win Christ.” Paul viewed himself as, “a co-laborer—laborers together—with God Himself.” Not merely a laborer for or even alongside a king but called to be God’s representative or God’s light to the Gentiles.
Paul became so consumed by this goal that he resigned his duties as an earthly sheriff and accepted God’s heavenly calling as an apostle of Jesus Christ. He still lights our lives twenty centuries later!
Let’s consider Peter, also. Peter begins his second letter by writing about his own calling—no, not his earthly calling to be a fisherman of the sea, but rather his heavenly calling to be a servant and an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Peter’s mind there was no calling anywhere which could equal that heavenly calling. It was a calling which Peter never got away from. This calling transformed him! In the end tradition says Peter was crucified upside down, because he considered himself unworthy to be crucified like his Lord.
It does not matter whether you are talking about Paul the sheriff, Peter the fisherman, Moses the deliverer, David the shepherd, the deacon in your church, the youth leader that told it straight—the highest calling in the world is what God has called you to be and do: to be light where there is darkness and to minister light wherever you go and to whomever you meet. You are God’s light to a world of seven billion people living in darkness!
Thank God, He did not give us a flashlight. He gave us Himself! The Light of the World is lighting the world through us! O God, make it happen today in each one of us!
Jan 30, 2023 – “Sooner or later you will buy a De Laval cream separator.” This advertisement appeared more than one hundred years ago. I observed it recently on display (in quite presentable form, too) in a local store. The advertisement was directed to the dairy industry, but the CONFIDENCE expressed in the advertisement is directed to all of us. “Sooner or later you WILL buy…” The designer leaves no doubt about the product; he is providing an ironclad guarantee that you may not need this product now but eventually you will!
Of course, the advertisement is overly dramatic. Everyone did not buy nor need such a product. (Note: It’s still available on-line.) But, in all honestly, can those words be said about any product? Let’s see.
Sooner or later, you will need an undertaker. Yes, you will. “It is appointed unto man once to die” (Hebrews 9:27). “For whom the bell tolls, It tolls for thee.” The old die, the middle-aged die, and so does the child. So does the healthy person. We can confidently say that sooner or later even the oldest person on planet earth will need an undertaker.
Sooner or later, you will need a Savior. John the Baptist shouted, “Who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Matthew 3:7). “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God” (Hebrews 10:31). Man is such a fragile creature. He is too weak to stand in the presence of a holy God. He is like Adam hiding in the trees when God came walking through the Garden of Eden. However, the same John that warned us about fleeing the wrath to come also told us of the solution: “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world…of us as individuals.” You may trust Him or distrust Him…regardless, sooner or later you will need a Savior. But later may be too late to correct the situation for there is no second chance after death.
Sooner or later, Jesus will come again. Jesus promised, “I will come again and receive you to Myself,” thus indicating there is a reception of us to Him ( meeting in the air)…not merely a reception of Him to us (coming to live among us like He did at His birth). The Apostle Paul was “looking for the glorious appearing of our God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). 2,000 years later we’re still looking. But sooner or later…
Sooner or later science will prove the Bible to be correct. Sadly, many Christians are afraid of science. Why? Deep in their hearts they are afraid science will overturn their faith. Jesus, though, would correct their vain thinking by saying, “O ye of little faith!” We need to remember the god of science is not the god of evolution or the laboratory or the theoretical classroom but rather the God of the Bible. IT may take true science another thousand years to catch up with the Bible (and VALIDATE the Bible) but, rest assured, it will indeed do so…in that period of time we call “sooner or later.”
Through my faith in God the Son I am prepared for “sooner or later.” How about you?
Jan 28-29, 2023 – How old does one need to be to serve the Lord? Jesus was only twelve years old when He uttered the words in Today’s Verse. His heart was set on spiritual work rather than his physical work of carpentry. “Do you not yet understand that I must be about My Father’s business? That I must be involved in the eternal work of God because it is more important than the temporary work of man?”
I can remember “being about my heavenly Father’s business” when I, too, was only twelve years of age. At the age of twelve I was singing in the choir of my heavenly Father, memorizing the Word of my heavenly Father AND held a position in the church of my heavenly Father. I was in charge of putting away the choir’s music! Guess what? I treated that position as if it was the most important position in the entire church! The responsibility was very sacred to me.
Just twelve years of age…but yet I already knew what Jesus meant when He teaches us that “no earthly calling can ever take the place of one’s heavenly calling!”
The Old Testament prophet Samuel served the Lord when he was but a child. General Naaman was rescued from his leprosy by a young child. Jesus used little children to teach us about the simplicity of saving faith. Paul reminded Timothy that “from a child you have been taught the holy scriptures.” How old was David when he slew the giant Goliath? Some of the most effective soulwinners are children who share their faith with their friends at school. I have known a few who even led their friends through the sinner’s prayer!
Are you training your children to be ministers of the Lord? What should we teach them? The old song says, “My hands were made To help my neighbor, My eyes were made To read God’s word, My feet were made To walk in his footsteps, My body is the temple of the Lord. I was made in his likeness, Created in his image, For I was born to serve the Lord, And I can’t deny him, I’ll always walk beside him, For I was born to serve the Lord.”
Don’t lose sight of the most teachable, impressionable people around you. Who knows what God can do with them even at their current age?
Jan 27, 2023 – “A work crew was assigned on Christmas weekend to do nothing but flush the 503 toilets at the Gator Bowl to prevent a freeze-up at the stadium before the annual New Year’s college football game. From dusk Friday until noon Christmas Day, the twenty-three member crew flushed toilets. Each person was responsible for an average of 21.8 toilets. Everything went fine until a power outage shut down stadium water pumps Saturday and Sunday. The stadium sustained $5,000.00 in damages to plumbing as a result of that power outage.” (Associated Press, 1989)
Imagine being asked, “What did you do for the weekend?” And you answered, “I flushed toilets!!! I spent eight hours each day flushing toilets.”
Is any job too small for you? Trust me, it is for some! But it should not be so for the child of God.
Peter expresses the proper Christian attitude by describing himself first as a SERVANT before mentioning that he was also an apostle of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:1). Which position outranks the other? Obviously, being an apostle outranks being a servant. But the Christian order is actually the reverse. It is even recorded of Jesus, the Lord of glory, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Is flushing toilets at the Gator Bowl a small job? Not to those fans with a need! Is washing dishes a small job? Not to the rest of the family. Is moving chairs at church a small job? Not to those wanting to attend. Is greeting people at the door with a smile a small job? Not to those seeking refuge after a difficult week. Is working in children’s church instead of adult’s church a small job? Not to the impressionable child who can still be reached with Bible teachings. Is driving a church van a small job? Not to the people that depend on that mode of transportation. Is passing out a gospel tract a small job? Not to the person that needs Christ.
Kay Brammer expressed this attitude so well in her home and church. She was exemplary in the sphere of servanthood. I recall facing a difficult staffing decision as Vacation Bible School director. Kay must have sensed the problem because she approached me (I did not approach her) and said, “I’m flexible. Put me anywhere you want me. And I can handle that situation if you want me to try.”
I said, “YEAH! You got the job.” She approached the entire situation with a servant attitude and the potential problem became a great blessing to one and all. The truth is the servant approaches life’s problems with a different attitude than a leader or boss. Imagine how different the gospels would be if God the Son had not laid aside His rights when He became man! Imagine Him thrusting thunderbolts upon His enemies. Imagine Him being too uppity to deal with the common folk including the poor and sick. Imagine Him saying to the dying thief, “You’ve made your bed, now die in it.” Yikes!
But He came as a servant…and He admonishes us to develop the same attitude. “As He went and did, so you go and do likewise.”
We’ll look closer at this attitude in tomorrow’s devotional.
Jan 26, 2023 – What does it mean to meditate? Everyone knows! Just ask the high school student. Cramming for a school test is a form of meditation or concentrated thinking. Working on a difficult problem for the boss is another form of meditation or concentrated thinking. Worrying is perhaps the best example of all. Worry consumes us in the same way that meditation does.
Arguments often lead to undesired meditation. For example, two men disagreed on a mundane subject; the disagreement turned into a vicious argument. Afterward, one man said about the other, “I am now living rent free in his head.” The expression, “Get out of my mind” is an affirmation that such a condition exists for many.
Richard Foster explains biblical meditation in this manner: “My suggestion is you take a single event, or a parable, or a few verses, or even a single word and allow it to take root in you. Seek to live the experience, remembering the encouragement of Ignatius of Loyola to apply all our senses to our task. Smell the sea. Hear the lap of water along the shore. See the crowd. Feel the sun on your head and the hunger in your stomach. Taste the salt in the air. Touch the hem of his garment.
“…Always remember that we enter the story not as passive observers, but as active participants. Also remember that Christ is truly with us to teach us, to heal us, to forgive us. Alexander Whyte declares, ‘with your imagination anointed with holy oil, you again open your New Testament. At one time, you are the publican, at another time, you are the prodigal, at another time, you are Mary Magdalene, at another time, Peter in the porch…Till your whole New Testament is all over autobiographic of you.’” (Celebration of Discipline, pp. 29-30)
Who will you be in today’s meditation? Where will you be? What will happen to you? And, last, NOT HOW will the story end but how SHOULD the story end if God receives glory from your story?
Jan 25, 2023 – The great preacher D. L. Moody used to say, “The churches are asleep and I know of no better way of awakening them than to get them to look for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.” In Today’s Verse Jesus tries to stir us up, to motivate us by drawing our minds to the most awesome event in this world’s future: His imminent return!
Answer me this: How do you live your daily life? Do you anticipate He will come before your life ends (perhaps even sixty seconds from now) or that He will not come for many centuries? It is easy to become seduced by our world into living for self and pleasure rather than living with Christ’s mission in focus. Jesus shouts to us, “Don’t lose sight of what I would have you to be and do! Engage in MY business until I come back. The night is coming when it will be too late to work; work while the sun shines!”
The Bible cautions us that all of our worldly money, worldly trophies and worldly goals will suddenly be left behind in a world which will someday be caused to dissolve, totally disappear when God unloosens the elements and “all the universe shall melt with a fervent heat.” No wonder then that Peter says, “seeing that everything around us will someday be dissolved, what manner of Christians ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness?” Oh, we must get “to the work, there is labor for all; For the kingdom of darkness and error shall fall; And the love of our Father exalted shall be, In the loud-swelling chorus, ‘Salvation is free!’ Let us hope, let us watch, and labor till the Master comes!”
In the days before Connecticut became a state, an incident took place which became known as the “DARK DAY.” Suddenly thick darkness blotted out the sunlight. The legislature was in session at the time; some of the members said the day of judgment had finally come.
The cry went out, “It is the day of judgment. Let us go home and get ready.”
But an old church deacon stood and said, “Men, it may indeed be the day of judgment but when the Lord comes I want Him to find me at my post, doing my duty up to the very last moment. Mr. Speaker, I, therefore, move that candles be brought in and that we get on with the business of the colony.”
…seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, let us, therefore, get on with the business of heaven–with the business of the eternal.
Jan 24, 2023 – Life! Spiritual life! Do you possess it? I do. Read on!
One of the most important, distinguishing characteristics of Christianity is that Jesus Christ freely gives eternal life to those who trust in Him. The Bible says, “Christ is our life” (Colossians 3:4). “Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). “Whoever believes in Him has (the present tense emphasizes it is happening now) eternal or everlasting life” (John 3:15-16). That spiritual life becomes ours at the very moment our rebellious will repents or turns from its sinful lifestyle and receives the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
That’s why we sing, “What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought Since Jesus came into my heart.” Indeed, the born again experience is a life-changing experience of such radical quality that it is described as a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). That’s why we can confidently share the gospel with others. It is because the gospel works! The good news of being born again is accompanied by the presence of the life-changing Christ.
Let me add the words of our former pastor, Lee Roberson: “I have a reason to question the salvation of anyone who does not specifically say that he came into his salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Too many people in this age ‘get religion.’ It is not religion we need, but Christ. In the Gospel of John, the word ‘life’ appears forty-four times and the word ‘religion’ not once.”
C. I. Scofield once told a young preacher that he did not believe the young preacher had ever been born again. The young man said, “I got religion ten years ago at such a place.”
Scofield responded, “That’s interesting. While you were getting religion, why didn’t you get saved?”
The confused young man asked, “Isn’t getting religion getting saved? Didn’t Jesus come to bring religion?”
Scofield replied, “No. Jesus Himself tells why He came: ‘I have come that they might have LIFE!’”
The young man soon saw his need, discarded his religion and received the living Christ as his Savior.
Conclusion: our ministry is about life…spiritual life…the born-again new nature that changes an individual’s life. The gospel works because it has the power of God in it! Keep sowing the gospel…it contains the life that people need!
Jan 23, 2023 – “Does it work? How long will it work? And will it work for me?” Those words describe how we evaluate a new product.
John Wesley promoted Christ like a salesman promotes a new product. Wesley said, “I am a Bible bigot. I follow it in all things both great and small.” Why? It worked for him. The Methodist church is largely the result of what Wesley experienced in knowing Christ as Savior.
An elderly man was nearing the end of his journey. He told everyone that he would soon be with Jesus. He was so happy about finally going home. The man said, “I have no doubt, no cloud, no trouble, no want! No, I have not even a wish. The doctrines the Bible teaches have served me to live by and now they serve me to die by. I am resting upon the precious blood of Christ, and that blood is a firm foundation for my soul.”
The dying man then said, “How silly all those letters against the Gospel now appear to me! I have read them and I have noted the attacks upon the old faith, but they seem absurd now that I lie on the verge of eternity. After all, what could the new doctrines do for me now?”
The answer is the new doctrines could do nothing—no, nothing at all because “forever, O Lord, Thy Word is settled in heaven.”
Do you need spiritual depth? Then delight in His book. Do you need guidance or answers? Then delight in His book. Do you need confidence? Then delight in His book. It always works!
Jan 21-22, 2023 – PART 3: Success! That word is one of the sweetest words in our vocabulary. We begin a project, often with trepidation because we are not absolutely certain about the outcome. Will it work? Will it fail? Will I be overcome?
The Bible often describes believers as “overcomers.” “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them (false teachers and influence), because GREATER is He that is in you than he (devil and demonic influence) that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). “Whoever is born of God overcomes the world, and this is the victory that overcomes the world, EVEN OUR FAITH. Who is he that overcomes the world but he that believes Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5). In other words, we overcome because our faith is in the overcoming One! All overcoming power originates in Him!!!
Peter teaches in 1:5, 6, and 7 that the power of Christ can turn the most hellish sinner into the most heavenly saint, because Christianity is no less than “Christ being formed in you, the hope of glory.”
We often sing, “Have Thine own way, Lord, Have Thine own way; Hold o’er my being, Absolute sway! Fill with Thy Spirit, Till all shall see Christ only, always, Living in me.” That song describes a life of faith, virtue (goodness), knowledge, self-control, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and agape love—a life which has been transformed into that superior character of “Christ only, always, Living in me.”
This may surprise you, but I do not like the person whom I am by physical birth. I have lived with myself for more than sixty years; I know all about my own weaknesses and failures! But, thank God, the Christian life has given me the enablement to rise above myself, to allow God to “Lift me up and let me stand, By faith, on heaven’s tableland!”
Higher ground! “No longer I but rather Christ who lives in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).
Conclusion of Parts 1, 2 and 3: Christianity provides a preeminent salvation, because there is no other religion which can do even one of those three items. Should I point out that Peter has just barely scratched the surface of everything that Jesus Christ can do for you?
So share Christ with the world around you! His salvation works for you; it will work for others, also.
Jan 20, 2023 – PART 2: “You are scheduled for a pay raise on such-and-such date.” I was elated. It was an increase of more than 6%, perhaps as much as 8%. It was in the high inflation era of the early 1980’s. We were just beginning our family. Infant formula milk is expensive! So are diapers! We needed the pay increase. But then came word that salaries were being frozen because of economic conditions. It was the first time the company had frozen salaries. The company did not re-establish pay increases for a full year. I was so disappointed! I was only a few days away from getting my increase. Surely the company could make an exception for me. But no! The promise was broken.
God is careful what with He promises…not because He can’t deliver, but because He only promises what is in keeping with His purpose and will. I like that, because I would not want God to change His mind like my company. God might not come through when I need Him to come through! But that is not a concern for the child of God.
In yesterday’s Part 1 we learned the Christian life has a superior power. Now to Part 2: The Christian life has superior PROMISES—not promise in the singular but hundreds of promises from Almighty God Himself. The Apostle Peter says that our salvation package includes “exceeding great and precious promiseS” with an “S” at the end. Peter makes it clear these promises are even more sure than the Rock of Gibraltar. Promises on page after page in the Word of God. Some writers insist that every Bible verse should be considered a promise! Maybe so in a broad sense.
We believers need to take our “Stand upon the promises that cannot fail, When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail, By the living Word of God I shall prevail! Why? I am standing on the promises of God!” Such a person lives in confidence, because He trusts in the superior promise-giver.
Too many, though, are like the woman who received a letter, but in her distress she ignored the letter and stuck it behind the clock. She instead went to a friend and asked for a loan of money. The friend asked, “What for? I just mailed you money yesterday!”
The poor woman moaned, “Dear, dear! That must be the letter which I put behind the clock!”
God has promised not only to take care of all of our needs but to do a million more things as well!
I urge you to look in the Word at God’s promises to you. Then lift your head and put a smile on your face, because the Christian life is indeed the only life worth living!
Jan 19, 2023 – PART 1: Jesus Christ is superior to anything with which you may compare Him. Accordingly, we should not be surprised that His superiority demonstrates itself in the lives of His followers. This superiority is the reason the Apostle Paul could write, “I am not ashamed of the gospel or good news of Jesus Christ for it is the POWER of God unto salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). Other religions are associated with deadness, but Christianity is associated with a living Christ…the superior Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
What is the superiority of the Christian life? Why are we so confident in what we present to the world? We will look at three specific ideas in the next three devotionals. Let’s concentrate today on the SUPERIOR POWER of the Christian life or “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). It must be stressed that this power is no less than a heavenly power, a supernatural power which causes the Christian life to not only EXIST but also to PERSIST even in the midst of this sin-cursed world.
Today’s Verse states, “according to God’s own divine power He has given to us all things (which pertain to a thriving and successful Christian life).” Let’s run a rabbit trail for a moment. 2 Peter focuses on false teaching and the punishment of false teachers including the universe. What is a Christian’s defense against such an out-of-control world? Peter BEGINS with Today’s Verse: the superior power of the Christian life which enables the believer to stand, resist and prosper in our current diabolical world.
Peter begins by stating the Christian life is not only a divinely created life (born again from above), but it is also a divinely enabled life, too. The power that begins this new life is also the power that sustains the new lifestyle.
I remember a man telling me that he did not enjoy church. He did not enjoy the music or the preaching. He complained, “Pastor, all of that looks like a waste of time to me.”
I said, “Sir, what you have told me is the undeniable proof that you have never been born again—that you have never experienced the power of God—because if you had ever been born again, you would know by personal experience why Christians enjoy what you don’t enjoy. It is because their lives have been changed by a higher power, a power which you have never yet experienced.”
Those words may have been hard words, but they were truthful words. The Christian life is a DIFFERENT life, because it is produced by a SUPERIOR POWER. It is the power of God which saves us and makes us a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). It is this power which keeps us saved (John 10:28, 1 Peter 1:5). It is this power which guides us, enables/empowers us and delivers us (Ephesians 1:19). It is this very same power which will someday resurrect us from the dead (1 Corinthians 15).
Do we fail? Yes, and sometimes many times. But the fault is not in the power…the fault is in us for not implementing the power.
Ah, we have a product (Christ) that works better than Tide or the best cleaner on the market. “Though your sins be red like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow!” Thank God for a salvation which accomplishes what it promises. Do you agree?
Jan 18, 2023 – A young Christian was almost finished packing his suitcase for a rather lengthy trip. He said, “All I have to pack now is a guidebook, a lamp, a mirror, a microscope, a telescope, a volume of fine poetry, a few biographies, a package of old letters, a book of songs, a sword, a hammer, a set of books I have been studying, and a cabinet full of spiritual vitamins.”
The young man’s friend scratched his head and said, “But you can’t possibly get all of that in your little suitcase.”
The young Christian said, “Oh, yes, I can for those things do not take nearly as much room as you think.”
The young Christian then placed his Bible in the corner of the suitcase and closed the lid.
Today’s humanity is asking many questions, but only wants the answers compatible with its own world views. That includes issues such as abortion, sexuality, beastly living, adoption, religion, and heaven knows what else.
It is our responsibility to put God’s answers out there for the taking…for the consideration of the people. God longs to have a discussion with humanity. Picture it like a conference room. God is sitting at the head of the table. The door is open to one and all to enter and begin a dialogue with God about ANY issue on our minds. Being the wonderful, superb Counselor that He is, God excels in three areas:
First, God is committed to listening to how we see things. He is not intimidated that man disagrees with Him. Rather, God invites man to put his issues on the table for a “reasoning” discussion.
Second, God is committed to providing the right answer. Some counselors may dodge the question in order to satisfy the customer. Not so with God. God desires that everyone know the answer. Rest assured, it will always be the right answer, too, because our God is a righteous God. The simplest definition for righteous is “doing right.” God will never mislead an earnest seeker. His pages of counseling (the Bible) number more than a thousand and are not contradictory. I can trust His answer even if I don’t like it.
Third, God is committed to helping us enact the right answer. As stated before, I, even all of humanity, may not appreciate God’s answer. Does God then turn and walk away? No. He continues to educate us through the holy scriptures and the person of the Holy Spirit. Though some people may, sadly, be eventually abandoned by God to their own reprobate, disapproved mind (Romans 1), the vast majority are still in a redeemable position…still patiently dealt with by Him who is above all.
So think of your next church opportunity as one big counseling session. With whom is God seeking to reason? It may be you or the person next to you. But be confident in this: God will be present and quietly breathing, “Let us reason together.”
* My fourth book “God Speaks—Today” explains how God reasons with us on multiple issues. It may be a good help for the college student in your family! Check it out at Amazon, Apple, B & N, Kobo, etc.
Jan 17, 2023 – Today’s Verse expresses one of the most powerful phrases in the Bible. Jesus looked upon some common, uneducated fishermen and said, “Come, follow Me.” Well, they did come and they indeed followed and their lives were never the same.
Those words captivate the heart of God’s best ministers whether the person is a pastor, teacher, soulwinner, counselor, musician, greeter, factory worker, clerk, doctor, parent, student, etc. Those words become life-changing words that transform the individual’s heart into something he or she would otherwise never become.
Many of you are driven to accept daily this invitation from Jesus and to “Come, follow Me.” Let me share three sentences that will reveal your future as His follower.
First, it’s who we are. The focus does not begin with what we do or where we go (activities) but with who we are as individuals. It involves our identity as a human being. Some folk are best described for wearing a particular football jersey, some for their politics, some for their business, but a genuine follower of Jesus Christ becomes a “Christ person.” Paul writes of “Christ being formed in you” (Galatians 4:19). Those words are quite powerful…transforming…and true. In so doing, the world holds less appeal, because this individual has developed the mind of Christ (Philippians 2). Thus, he thinks different, has different goals. He sees the world through “Christ-tinted” glasses with a Christian mindset. This person marches to a different drum…the drumbeat of heaven, because he has become and is continuing to become like Christ. Christ is becoming his most recognized identity.
Second, it’s what we do. I retired from secular accounting work in January, 2018. I took the next month to read World War 2 books written by English author Douglas Reeman. Reeman often mentioned a Royal Navy quote, “It’s who we are. It’s what we do.” The words expressed why those sailors were willing to enter conflict. Why? It’s “who we are, and, therefore, what we do! We don’t know how to do anything else.” Those words have stayed with me. They became the basis for my first book, “God’s Greenhouse.” I believe those words are recognized also by the followers of Jesus Christ. Our activities are quite different than the world around us. Christianity is more than a side show, even a religion. Rather, Christianity is a relationship with the living Christ. Thus, we imitate Him in what we say and do, because His values and subsequent activities are now our values and subsequent activities.
Last, it’s why we KEEP ON doing it. The goal of following Him is always before us. Not only when we first accept Him as Savior but, like in my case, some 58 years later when I am still walking with Him. We come to the point where we truly believe with all of our being that He, and He alone, is the solution the world needs, our family needs, and we as individuals need. It’s more than duty although duty is involved at times, especially when times become difficult and the flesh desires to quit. It’s an innate desire…belief in a Person and His cause just like a freedom fighter. Some may ridicule us as zealots; I am not ashamed of such a brand. After all, is it wrong to be zealous about Him and His purpose for my life? I think not!
I shall keep on keeping on. It’s who I am. It’s what I do. It’s why I will keep on doing it. How about you?
Jan 16, 2023 – PART 3: Billy Graham! The name brings to our mind images of filled sports stadiums, Billy’s passionate preaching and many coming forward to receive Christ. As a boy I recall his crusades being televised in place of the usual evening network programs. Billy Graham even replaced Gunsmoke! But let’s take a realistic look at what was happening…not in criticism but to identify a lesson which applies to us just as much as it applied to Billy.
My sixth Spiritual Law to Grow People states, “Everyone should anticipate acceptance AND rejection.” That was even true for the greatest evangelist of the last century.
Billy received Jesus Christ as his personal Savior at the age of sixteen in a Mordecai Ham crusade. Sometime later God called Billy to be an evangelist, and what an evangelist he turned out to be! Perhaps you have seen him preach or, more to the point, seen the invitation appeal at the end of his message. Literally hundreds of people would respond to that appeal and walk down the aisle to receive Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. As a matter of fact, one of my deacons was saved in a Billy Graham crusade.
I mention the Graham crusades because our attention is usually focused on the “many” who responded positively to the message. And we rejoice that it was indeed many instead of just one or two! But it is also important to realize how few actually responded! The crusade stadiums were not always full. On the contrary, there were always more people outside the stadium than inside.
Let’s assume Billy Graham was the greatest preacher since Jesus Christ. The total number of responders to Graham’s preaching was staggering in its size. However, those numbers were dwarfed by the number who did not respond. Billy may have been the greatest preacher in the last 2,000 years, but, even so, he did not bring America back to God.
Amazingly, the greatest preacher of the 20th century needed to learn Spiritual Law #6 just as much as any of us.
The prophet Isaiah cried out in agony of soul, “Who has believed our report, or message? Is there anyone anywhere to whom the arm of the Lord has been revealed?” (Isaiah 53:1) Of course, the answer was yes. God always has a remnant that will believe! But sometimes we need to be reminded of this truth. (Every pastor/teacher needs to be reminded of this truth on Monday morning when the flesh cries out, “Resign!”) The reason we need to be reminded is that the nay-sayers will always outnumber the yes-sayers.
Jesus gives us the seed of the Bible and then sends us out to sow. We sow into people’s lives in every church service, every small-group meeting, and every church activity. We also sow into people’s lives at work, home, recreation, Wally World, as well as throughout the neighborhood.
We are constantly sowing our lives and the Bible into others. And, in God’s time, we shall “doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing our sheaves!”
Ah, keep sowing till Jesus comes!
Jan 14-15, 2023 – PART 2: How well do you handle rejection in the ministry, especially in the presentation of God’s Word to people who desperately need to hear its message? Let’s continue yesterday’s study by recalling the sixth spiritual law from my book “15 Spiritual Laws to Grow People.” That law or principle states, “Everyone should anticipate acceptance AND rejection.” Rejection is an unfortunate fact of life that every minister must push through. It’s discouraging, but we MUST push through the wall of discouragement.
This spiritual law was a difficult lesson for me to learn as a young preacher. In my early years, I was similar to an enthusiastic salesman. I believed in my product so much that I believed my product would sell itself. After all, surely everyone would want this fantastic, heavenly product called Jesus! I knew by experience that His blood cleanses better than Tide or Oxydol or even Twenty Mule Team Borax. Most certainly, my only responsibility was to share Jesus. I could then expect everyone to respond like they would at a Billy Graham crusade. Well, I did my part, but, unfortunately, most of the responders did not do their part. Quite honestly, more people chose to reject or ignore the message than to accept it.
I have been in this work for nearly fifty years. I can assure you that I am constantly surprised at who accepts Christ and who rejects Christ, at who grows and who does not grow, at who is often used by God and who is rarely used by God.
We are much too often impressed by someone’s ability or personality only to be deflated later when that person remains, at best, a mediocre or nominal Christian. On the other hand, we are too often unimpressed by others who seemingly don’t possess the required skill level (whatever that means) but are then surprised to see God develop that person into someone very special for the cause of Christ.
In accordance with Matthew’s 13th chapter, perhaps this spiritual law should be renamed, “You can’t predict which seed will produce fruit.” So, what should one do? First, stop predicting! Predicting is a total waste of time. It will also lead to enormous frustration on your part. It is better to accept this axiom “You can’t predict which seed will produce fruit,” as a fact of life and move on.
Second, sow abundantly! You can’t predict which seed will develop, but you can predict some seed will develop. Though much of the seed accomplished nothing, Jesus also said, “Some seed brought forth fruit, even a hundredfold!” Therefore, sow as much seed as you can, and sow the seed as broadly as you can!
Third, commit the results to God. Remind yourself that you are merely God’s tool that is used by God to bring people to Him. The issue is not between the person and you but between God and you. We simply deliver God’s message like the Post Office delivers the mail! John the Baptist described himself as a mere voice, but it was a PROCLAIMING voice like the tower crier of past centuries standing on the street corner heralding the latest news. John was a great sower who encountered great results (Jesus’ first apostles were saved under John’s ministry) as well as great rejection (Sadducees and later King Herod). And so it will be for all of us who serve as God’s Voice or crier.
An English professor went up to Dwight L. Moody and said, “Mr. Moody, I listened to your sermon today. There were seventeen grammatical errors that you made. Seventeen of them I have written here.”
Dwight L. Moody replied: “Sir, I do the best I can for Jesus. Do you?”
NEVER STOP SOWING!
Read Part 3 on Monday!
Jan 13, 2023 – PART 1 – One hot summer day an old farmer was out in the field struggling with his equally stubborn mule. Finally, someone asked him, “Sam, where is your will power? The will power you need to defeat this stubborn mule?”
The farmer answered, “I want you to know that my will power is all right, but what you ought to come out here and see is this animal’s WON’T POWER, because it is his WON’T POWER that is the real problem.”
“WON’T POWER” is incredibly powerful. Moses faced the WON’T POWER of rebellious Israel many times in his career. The prophet Jeremiah was disowned by the WON’T POWER of his countrymen. Jesus came unto His own…and the WON’T POWER of His own people rejected Him and crucified Him. Stephen was stoned because of the WON’T POWER of the so-called religious leaders. (Stephen used the term “stiff-necked” to describe them.)
The songwriter Philip Bliss describes the experience in these words: ““Almost persuaded’ now to believe; ‘Almost persuaded’ Christ to receive; Seems now some soul to say, “Go, Spirit, go Thy way, Some more convenient day On Thee I’ll call.’”
Such a reaction is illogical, makes no sense, borders on insanity, is an act of self-destruction but yet it is human nature. Theologians trace such WON’T POWER to the sin nature which is inbred in each human person through conception. David testified, “In sin did my mother conceive me.” David did not mean he was conceived in a sinful act such as an adulterous act but rather he was conceived in a sinful condition (Psalm 51). That sinful nature is alienated from God (Ephesians 2, Romans 3) but, amazingly, has a built-in TRUTH detector that helps it identify the truthfulness of Christ and His offer of salvation. This TRUTH detector rarely retaliates against the many, many false religions in our world, but the claims of Christ really “get under its skin” in a way no other religion does. Why? It distinguishes Christ from trivial, easily discarded, anyone-can-see-through-it false religion. Instead, it reasons, “This Jesus stuff is really serious…is real!”
Accordingly, we have one more proof of the gospel’s authenticity which we preach. The WON’T NATURE’s #1 rebellion is against Jesus Christ, not only who He is but also what He represents. Indeed, “the carnal mind (WON’T POWER) is enmity or hostility/warfare against God” (Romans 8:7). Interestingly, it creates other religions, but resists the one true religion!
This WON’T POWER principle has always been and will always be. I devoted an entire chapter to its consequences in my second book “15 Spiritual Laws to Grow People.” The sixth spiritual law states, “Everyone should anticipate acceptance AND rejection.” “Acceptance” makes sense. After all, what better good news or gospel is there than Christ’s offer of complete salvation? But “rejection” makes no sense.
This resistance has consequences to our ministry. How well do you handle this kind of rejection in your own ministry? We’ll continue our study tomorrow.
Jan 12, 2023 – PART 2 – Feelings…who relies on them? Most people! The devil is very skilled at causing believers to trust more in their feelings than in the Word of God. This is especially true regarding the believer’s salvation. The devil whispers, “You must not really be saved, because you don’t feel saved!” Such foolishness is appalling, but his strategy works in many believers.
In Part 1 I suggested three questions to help the confused person clarify his position. Please read yesterday’s devotional for guidance. You may wish to add those questions to the blank pages in your Bible for future reference.
Now to illustrate how it works:
William Henry Griffith Thomas was an unsaved doctor. Some men spoke with him about salvation. Nothing they said seemed to work. The men of God finally became convinced that the young doctor wanted to “feel” saved. He was seeking some ethereal experience as evidence that he was saved. A common mistake!
One of the men took a coin and gave it to the doctor. He asked Thomas to put the coin in his vest pocket which he did. The Christian then asked, “Do you feel that you have the coin?”
The doctor said, “No. But I know that I have the coin.”
The Christian continued, “So it is with us, too. We KNOW that we are saved when we accept Christ and believe His word, even without feeling it.”
Thomas was satisfied with the answer. He later became a great spokesman for Christ and helped Lewis Sperry Chafer establish Dallas Theological Seminary. Being an outstanding scholar and leader in dispensationalism, he is often quoted in theology books.
But let’s get back to his salvation and to the best part of all. How does his salvation story end? Thomas wrote many years later, “When I awakened the next morning (after being with the men and receiving Christ), my soul was overflowing with joy and since then I have never doubted that it was on that Saturday night that I was born again!” His reasoning was very simple: Feelings are no match for the inspired, inerrant Word of God. His feelings came the NEXT DAY. But his faith came the preceding night. It was when he learned to trust in his faith rather than his feelings that the feelings came.
Ah, isn’t it simple? And yet for some it is so hard to make the transition from feelings to faith. I urge you to be patient with those people.
Jan 11, 2023 – PART 1 of 2 – “I don’t know if I’m really saved, because I don’t FEEL saved.”
We hear those words many times in our ministry. You may have even uttered those words yourself. This issue hinders spiritual growth, because it is difficult to grow when you don’t know where you stand…in the case of a Christian, if you are a Christian in the first place. Many cling more to their feelings than to the Word of God. How can we handle their concerns? Let me suggest three questions to clarify the issue for the seeker.
First, which is more permanent? Our feelings or the inspired, inerrant Word of God? The Apostle Peter says, “the Word of the Lord endures forever!” “Feelings come and feelings go, And feelings are deceiving; My warrant is the Word of God–Naught else is worth believing. Though all my heart should feel condemned For want of some sweet token, There is One greater than my heart Whose Word cannot be broken. I’ll trust in God’s unchanging Word Till soul and body sever, For, though all things shall pass away, HIS WORD SHALL STAND FOREVER!” Rest assured, our feelings will change like the weather, but not so with God’s Word.
Second, which is to be more trusted? Our feelings or the Bible? The Apostle Paul says, “Let God be true even if it makes every man a liar.” Question 1 establishes the fact; Question 2 establishes the solution. In Question 2 the seeker makes the commitment to trust the Bible over his feelings.
Third, since only the Bible is ALWAYS right, have you done what the Bible tells you to do? Paul told the Philippian jailer, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you WILL be saved.” 100% guaranteed. Therefore, have you believed on Him or are you trusting in someone or something else? Peter told Cornelius, “Whoever believes in Him shall receive forgiveness of sin.” Jesus said in Today’s Verse, “He that believes…” Paul, Peter and Jesus make no mention of baptism, tithing, reading the Bible, keeping the Golden Rule, or praying three times a day. The Bible emphasizes belief or personal faith in Him…transferring our belief or faith from someone or something to the Son of God as our Savior and Lord.
Bottom line: “Have you done what the Bible tells you to do?” Quite often, the answer is, “Yes! If I could believe more, I would!” At this point you should proceed to pray for the seeker that he will grow in faith and trust the Word of God.
In some cases, though, the answer is, “No, but I need to do exactly that.” Of course, you should proceed to explain the meaning of the cross emphasizing that “Jesus paid it all” as our substitute. Nothing is left for the sinner to do except believe! John 1:12 would be an appropriate verse to lead the seeker to accept Christ as Lord and Savior.
Be sure to read Part 2 tomorrow!
Jan 10, 2023 – Out of the mouth of babes! We often babysit our four-year-old granddaughter and two-year-old grandson. This morning we asked our four-year-old granddaughter what she called her two-year-old buddy. She smiled real big and said, “Brother!” “Ok, what does he call you?” She smiled even bigger and said, “Super hero!” Wow.
But in some ways she is right. Her brother looks up to her and often imitates her. He watches what she, only two years older, does and then tries to replicate her actions. He sees her differently than mom and dad or “Mamaw Ruthie” or “Papaw Tom-Tom.” Just a little older than him, yet she has an outsized influence on him.
All of us are like her. We have an outsized influence on some people. It may be family, a co-worker, a neighbor…a cashier that you only meet once a week but the relationship somehow bonds. Or someone on the ball field or a school activity. Someone at church. Someone on Facebook that you just happened across…but that person listens and reads what you post.
But there are a number of “someone’s” out there that need you. They may not refer to you as their “super hero” but you would be missed if you were no longer there. You’re a piece in their puzzle…maybe a messed-up puzzle.
You can be a person of peace to them. The world is at war with itself. Most human hearts are at war, too. People are desperate for peace. Your fellowship with Jesus Christ can bring you peace that shows itself in how you behave.
You can be a person of stability to them. A committed Christian is an unmoving rock. He has figured out who he needs to be. That keeps him in the center on the road of life…never too far right or too far left. Just plugging along day after day with the same purpose.
You can be a person of prayer support for them. Many people would rather have you pray for them than they would pray for themselves. Why? They believe in your prayers but not in their own. Indeed, they probably have a reason to believe that. Often one of my church members will say to me in astonishment, “My co-worker brought me her prayer concern today and asked me to pray for her. She has confidence in me!” Wonder why?
Bottom line: You CAN be Christ to the people around you. They can’t see Christ, but they can see you. And in some cases, you may even be their super hero. Oh, they won’t call you that, but they know you better than you think they do…most importantly, they believe in YOU. May they see Christ in you!
Jan 9, 2023 – Part 2: How much do you know about this subject: How can a sinner be saved from the judgment to come? Yesterday, in Part 1, we studied the biblical answer to the question. In Part 2 we will look at this verse through the eyes of a child.
Today’s Verse represents God’s last biblical invitation to the sinner for salvation. It is proof that God is interested to the end in the salvation of sinners!
During a sermon the preacher explained this verse to his audience. The church did not have air conditioning. The auditorium was terribly hot. From time to time the pastor would pause to take a drink of water! Oh, it was hot!
A little boy sat on the third row. He had never before attended a church service. Every time the preacher took a drink he repeated, “Whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely.” The boy finally decided that if the preacher offered the water one more time that he would accept the preacher’s offer!
Just then the preacher uttered the words one more time. The little boy immediately left his seat and walked up to the pulpit. The audience and the preacher watched in wide-eyed amazement as the youngster picked up the glass and took a deep swallow of water.
The boy then said, “Thank you, preacher,” and he returned to his seat.
That story explains saving faith very well! Salvation is ours for the taking! The boy knew the problem, the solution, and the offer…and he accepted the offer of water! God does the first three steps in salvation: revealing the problem, the solution, and the offer. But, as explained in Part 1, the offer of salvation must be appropriated by the sinner. And when the sinner “takes the offer” he finds it to be “water of LIFE…new life…raised to walk in newness of life…put on the new man which is created in righteousness and holiness…a new creation!” Thank God, it’s true!
Don’t complicate your presentation of the gospel. As explained above, it should be so simple that even a child can understand it. And he did!
Jan 7-8, 2023 – Part 1 of 2: How can a sinner be saved or rescued from the judgment to come? In Part 1 we will provide a biblical answer to the question. In Part 2 we will look at this verse through the eyes of a child.
Today’s Verse includes five components that simplify salvation to its most basic structure. First, “Come!” The person who comes to a new place is quite obviously leaving the old place. That is essentially what the Bible means by repentance (change of mind leading to a change in direction). The prodigal son’s repentance included leaving the hog pen (Luke 15). Symbolically, the hog pen represented his sinful life of rebellion against God. If the prodigal does not come, he will remain where he is. He cannot come unless he first leaves. Are you, dear sinner, ready to give up your own way and come to the cross? Have you reached the end of yourself?
Second, “whosoever” includes all of us. No one is unsavable. Christ died for all that all might receive forgiveness of sins (1 John 2:1-2). “All” includes the desperate criminal that was crucified with Jesus. “All” even included the other desperate criminal who railed against Jesus with his dying breath. Jesus died for him, too. He was savable but not saved.
Third, “wills” or “desires” expresses a commitment of the human will to the Lord Jesus Christ. John 1:12 promises, “But as many as RECEIVED (act of the will) Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God.” People can’t be saved against their will. The song expresses this issue in these words, “Our Lord in pity lingers still, And wilt thou thus His love requite? Renounce at once thy stubborn will, Be saved, O tonight.” As for me, I went to church on Thursday, January 14, 1965 DESIRING to get saved…and I was!
The word “take” means that salvation must be appropriated by the sinner. Such an action as “receiving” (see above) or “taking” is not classified as a human work by the Apostle Paul (Ephesians 2:8) but as an act of faith. The sinner takes or receives Christ in faith, believing that God’s way will work! The Old Testament counterpart is the act of the sinner applying the blood of the sacrificial Passover lamb (Exodus 12) to his doorpost (representative of his heart). Remember: It is not enough to know the Christ of the cross can save! It is only enough if the sinner applies or appropriates the blood to his soul! “Plunge in today and be made complete, Glory to His name!”
Last, “freely” is a grace word emphasizing “not of works which we have done but by the washing of regeneration (being born again) He has saved us.” Man adds nothing to salvation. Man can add nothing to the cross nor can he buy it. All man can do is plead or appropriate the sacrifice of Jesus as payment for his sin.
One final thought: All of the above components are included in the concept of “believing in Jesus.” It is a God thing…a very real experience (John 16:8-11) when the sinner knows what God wants him to know because God has brought him to this place. Sometimes it occurs when the sinner hears the gospel for the first time. But, more often, it occurs over a period of time as God continues to implore or teach the sinner about salvation. The sinner’s realization continues to increase. In the end, the sinner’s decision is not really about things because things have faded to the background…it is about, “What shall I do with HIM who is the Christ, the Savior of the world?” Thank God, the Holy Spirit has a way of making the issue plain!
Be sure to read Part 2 in the next devotional! It will be posted Monday.
Jan 6, 2023 – Are you a fad-chasing Christian or have you risen above that false temptation? The temptation is very real! After all, we are human and humans have a tendency to talk about, even chase after, the latest, greatest whatever that has caught our attention. It’s called “heat chasing” in some arenas. Few chase after deliberate failure or falsehood, but, oh, so many chase after a desert mirage that holds so much promise…will revolutionize our lives…solve all of our problems…put us on easy street.
This is even true in Christianity. Weak Christians are drawn more to personalities (aka television preachers, mega church preachers, or the cults) than to truth (God’s Word). They become more consumed by what “he says” than what “God says.” The flashier the more appealing; the more tears the more appealing.
One so-called modern day tv prophet sent me a letter that said, “Dear Brother Swartzwelder (the name was actually spelled right!), this will be the most historic decade ever in the history of mankind. God has given me a revelation that five great crises are going to hit this earth during this decade. God has also shown me there will come five great waves of the Holy Spirit. It is extremely important for you to stay very close in relationship with our ministry. As the PROPHET OF GOD it is my job to prepare you for what is ahead so you will not be taken by surprise.”
This so-called prophet sent me another letter a few weeks later. “As I have prophesied for years now…what is happening in the natural world is also happening in the spiritual world. God is accelerating revelations to his prophet.” The man then went on to say that all of these prophecies would be fulfilled through his own ministry. In other words, LISTEN TO ME BECAUSE I HAVE SOMETHING NEW! (He was always trying to outdo himself.)
Gullible people followed that guy by the thousands. Tens of thousands! I have been in the ministry nearly fifty years. Think back with me over the past fifty years. Do you recall ANY decade having such experiences? Not me! Didn’t happen!
It is easy to become wrapped up in fads, but fads can never do what the Word of God can do. “Thus saith the Lord” can never be outdone by “Thus saith the preacher.” Starting a new denomination may sound exciting but it’s similar to re-arranging the chairs on the Titanic!
God’s solution has never changed…and it will never change. That solution is not in things but in Him. I urge you to develop some depth. Stay with God, stay with His Word, stay with the faith that was once and for all delivered to the saints. You’ll be surprised at life’s end how effective that approach turned out to be.
Jan 5, 2023 – NOW IS NOT THEN! “Oh, they tell me of a home far beyond the skies, Oh, they tell me of a home far away; Oh, they tell me of a home where no storm clouds rise, Oh, they tell me of an uncloudy day!”
There will come a day for the child of God when the clouds will be gone, and we will see the sun shine in all of its glory. No confusion, no questions, no doubts, no anxieties for the former things will be no more and we will “know fully just as I have been fully known by God.”
“Not now, but in the coming years, It may be in a better land. We’ll read the meaning of our tears, And there, some time, we’ll understand.”
An eight-year-old boy summarized our future quite well. His grandmother had suffered for fifteen years with Alzheimer’s. Finally, she died. They brought the eight-year-old boy to the room and told him the sad news.
They expected the boy’s heart to be broken, but he instead became happy. He said, “Well, praise the Lord! Grandma’s in heaven and NOW SHE KNOWS EVERYBODY including Jesus!”
Albert Brumley encourages, “Press along, weary pilgrim To the city where faith ends in sight. Look above to the portals Ever praying, ever singing a song. Press along, weary pilgrim, press on!”
Amen! Someday we’ll understand…
Jan 4, 2023 – In the old days a pastor in southern Illinois went to spend the night with a member of his church. Just before bedtime he said to his host, “Brother, if you will bring me the Bible, I will read a chapter, we will have prayer, and I will go to bed.”
The man of the house responded, “We have no Bible.”
“Well, bring me a New Testament then.”
“We have no New Testament.”
“Bring me the church songbook and we’ll sing a song.”
“We have no songbook.”
“You haven’t a Bible, not even a New Testament, nor our songbook, nor, for that matter, any songbook. Brother, there is only one thing I can do for you.”
The pastor reached into his pocket, pulled out his Minister’s Manual and read the funeral service for burial of the dead!
Has your heart somehow become cold toward God? My pastor father often talked about his pre-preacher days and his pastor Dutch Brammer saying, “You’re backsliding and you’re sitting on the front row.” Dad would look around and, sure enough, he was the only one sitting on the front row! But that’s where backsliding or sliding away from God begins. It begins when we’re active in ministry, but our heart becomes focused on something other than God. We become like the Laodicean church: “not hot, not cold, but lukewarm and not pleasant to the taste.”
This is a constant danger for you and me. What is the cure? Paul proclaimed, “That I may KNOW HIM.” Strive to spend time with Him…to know Him…to experience Him…that Christ may not only live in you but live through you!
Jan 3, 2023 – What is the best advice I have ever received for preaching and teaching the Word of God? It is simply this: “Preach or teach for LIFE CHANGE. Remember: You are not ministering to INFORM but rather to TRANSFORM. So make sure your message requires a response from the hearer. Ask yourself, ‘What do I want them to do with what I say?’”
Today’s Verse says the same thing but in different words. It says, “Proclaim the Word of God with this goal in mind: ‘that the man of God may be complete, equipped to do the work of the ministry.’” The proclamation should not allow the person (believer or unbeliever) to remain stagnant or unchallenged, but rather should issue a challenge. The Sermon on the Mount is a great example of “Life Change” teaching. What about prophecy? The bottom line in all prophecy is, “Prepare to meet your God!”
Paul’s words, “That the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” begins with being informed, but it is fruitless, fails to reach the stage of completion, unless the information leads to transformation or a changed life.
It is sad to say, though, that the answer to our questions is not always made known by God’s messengers. Let me share a story that has challenged me for my nearly fifty years in the ministry. Three people attended church one Sunday night because each of them had a question which they needed answered.
One was a young girl whose boyfriend had been begging her to have a sexual relationship with him. The girl had told her boyfriend that she would meet him after church but, even so, she still came to church in the hope that someone would give her the courage to say no.
The second individual was a young man who had been drawn into a criminal organization. This gang was planning to rob the First National Bank at midnight. This schedule gave the young man enough time to attend the same Sunday night preaching service.
The third person was a businessman who was facing bankruptcy. This man saw suicide as his best answer. But he, too, was bothered – bothered by the prospect of dying so he came to church looking for an answer.
The pastor spoke on the subject, “Is Mars Inhabited?” Nothing convicting, nothing compelling, nothing comforting in anything which he said.
After the service the girl went on her date and committed the sin of immorality. The young man joined his gang and they robbed the First National Bank. The businessman went home, took out his gun, and committed suicide.
The article ended with the words, “How different it might have been had there been some good, old-fashioned, New Testament preaching.”
God said to the country preacher, “Son, you know what is wrong with man and you also know the cure – now go out and preach!”
God help us to focus on the cure!
Jan 2, 2023 – What is the biggest problem with a New Year’s resolution? It is only skin deep! It doesn’t go deep enough. True change develops when one of two items occurs: 1. the human will is altered by accepting the proposed change (we call it reformation, turning over a new leaf) or 2. a person receives a new will. The first solution, while powerful, is limited by the nature of our sinful human will. (“Can a leopard change its spots?” asks Jeremiah 13:23.) The second solution is the insertion of a new will when a person is born again by placing his/her faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. At the moment of belief, the believer receives this new nature (a holy, godly will) that pushes/motivates the believer in the new direction of a godly life.
Case in point: A woman acknowledged she was no less than the high school tramp. Her high school classmates decided to organize a 35th reunion. Everyone was contacted. The responses were overwhelming.
One man wrote, “Are you ready for a surprise? I now have the five B’s: baldness, bifocals, bridgework, bulges and bunions.”
A woman responded, “Back then I wasn’t half the woman I am today!” She had doubled her weight!
But the best response came from the woman who was the high school tramp. She wrote, “I can’t wait to see everyone. I have changed completely. In high school I was the class tramp. I had no standards and everyone knew it. But a few years after high school I received Jesus Christ as my Savior. My life was transformed. Because of Christ, I’m not the person I once was, and I want all of my classmates to know about it.”
She had received a new will to live a life pleasing to the Lord rather than pleasing to the sinful flesh and this world. God promises, “I will give you a NEW heart and put a NEW spirit in you” (Ezekiel 36:26)…not merely a reformed heart but a NEW heart. Jesus refers to it as being “born again” (John 3).
“What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought, Since Jesus came into my heart!” The indwelling Christ does indeed make a difference! And, in so doing, He truly makes us different.
Dec 31, 2022 – The old year is fading quickly…a new year is dawning. Take a moment to look back with me at 2022. Which of these expressions best describes 2022 in your life? “It was not the best of years nor was it the worst of years.” “Wish 2023 could be a repeat of 2022.” “Hope 2022 never happens again.” “The joys were greater than the disappointments.” “Many successes.” “A bad health year. 2023 can’t be any worse.” “Much personal growth.” “Learned more what love is all about.” “Stink, stank, stunk!”
We each have a different rating scale, and often our experiences affect how we rate things. For us, much of 2022 revolved around selling our house of 29 years and moving to a new location in Dayton, Ohio. It became an all-consuming experience. The move is complete, but we are not yet mentally adjusted to our new locality. Just yesterday Ruth Ellen discovered a new shopping mall we did not know existed! And, yes, ladies, it is close by!
In effect, Ruth Ellen and I traded property for people. We loved the old property; we loved our children (and grandchildren) more so we moved close to them. We did not expect to make this move when we retired five years ago. However, the teacher called time made a difference in how we thought, hence, the move!
2022 was a growing experience in an area we had previous little experience. Wonder if 2023 will be something similar and we’ll encounter new items in which we have little experience…and a need for personal growth? What about you? How is your crystal ball outlook? Is it as fuzzy as mine?
But there are some items you and I can count on as we enter 2023.
First, our God is already in 2023 ahead of us. As “the author and finisher of our faith” He knows the next chapter from beginning to end, in every detail, as well as the outcome. The phrase “author of our FAITH” means we are to trust Him or faith Him with our 2023. I am sure you would agree, “He’s done all right for us so far so we should trust Him with the future, too.”
Second, our God will use 2023 as a growing experience for us. That personal growth involves more than spiritual growth. It is all-around growth. It is “growing up” growth. Becoming a better person with more knowledge and more wisdom. We will discover more solutions that don’t work but some that do work!
Third, God desires to make 2023 a transforming experience in our Christian walk. The theologians refer to it as progressive sanctification…becoming more like Christ day after day. The excellent expositor, H. A. Ironside, correctly says, “I have been saved, I am being saved, and I shall be saved.” Salvation involves all three tenses in our lives. The words, “I am being saved” refer to a current experience (progressive or ongoing sanctification) of God transforming us (see Today’s Verse) from one degree of glory to a higher degree of glory…i.e. becoming more like Jesus either in a leaps and bounds experience or in a gradual experience so that we exit 2023 more refined like Him than we exited 2022.
But will God get His desire in 2023? Will that progressive transformation take place? Will He find a yielded heart in each of us or a stubborn, resistant heart? I pray He finds a heart in which He can do a great work. And that 2023 is a superb growth year for your walk with Jesus.
Dec 30, 2022 – It’s a struggle moving forward…at any age! Little four-year-old Todd was taken to the barber shop. He was too little to get into the chair by himself so the barber – a cigar smoking barber – lifted him into the chair.
Todd was bothered by the thick cigar smoke. He said, “You know, it would be good for you not to smoke.”
The barber admitted, “I know.”
“Well, then, why don’t you stop it?”
“I’ve tried but I don’t have the strength to stop.”
Little Todd let out a loud sigh and said, “I know what you’re talking about. You see, I’ve been trying to stop sucking my thumb, but I don’t have the strength to stop that either!”
Life is challenging for all ages. The teenager that bullied me as a skinny twelve-year-old boy has been replaced by other challenges in my semi-retirement. Indeed, every day seems to present a challenge and many of the challenges come because “I am me.” The same is likely true for you. Unfortunately, we fall short of perfection by much more than an inch!
Guess what? This situation won’t change in 2023 either. The question is not whether challenges will come. The question concerns how we will deal with the challenges…as well as the consequences of how we handle the challenges. Let’s take a deep breath and realize, despite our best effort or intention, we won’t handle all the challenges well or right. Your challenge may seem simple and trivial to someone else…like Todd sucking his thumb…but it may be a mountain to you. The mountainous terrain may be rocky, steep and horribly uncomfortable for your trek. It may be confusing, and you may take a wrong turn…perhaps many wrong turns. Keep this solution in mind for those days:
“Have you failed in life’s battle to accomplish your plan? Is your heart heavy laden, do you fear the Lord’s command? Do you feel that no one loves you, and there’s no use to try? Just bring your cares to Jesus, your soul He’ll satisfy.
“Pick up the broken pieces and bring them to the Lord. Pick up the broken pieces, trust in His holy Word. He will put them back together and make your life complete. Just place the broken pieces at the Savior’s feet.”
Dec 29, 2022 – How can your life become worth more than it currently is?
There is an Oriental legend which tells of a king to whom the people would bring gifts of love and appreciation. The wealthy people would bring jewelry, gold and silver and lay them at the king’s feet. This pile of wealth was stunning to see.
Somewhere in the line, though, was a very poor, beggarly woman. This woman held only a penny – just a mere penny in her hand, not even enough to require two hands. The woman saw the expensive gifts and said to herself, “I cannot give this penny to the king.” She thought a moment longer then said, “But I must not underestimate my king. I believe he will understand.”
The woman placed the penny in the king’s hand then turned away. Hardly had she taken a step when the king called her back. The king opened his hand and, to her surprise, the penny had been turned into a gold coin! He asked, “Did you give me this gold coin?”
The woman said, “No, sire. I have not seen one of those in a long time.”
The king said, “But you put this coin in my hand and I have held it in my hand ever since.”
The woman was confused. She said, “No, sire, I have never seen that coin.”
The king said, “Put this coin back in your hand.”
The woman took the coin and, to her amazement, the gold coin immediately became a mere penny. The woman put the penny back in the king’s hand and it immediately became a gold coin.
What was the difference? The difference was in the person holding the coin. So it is with our own lives, too. We need to place our lives in the hands of the Master. And then watch as He turns our penny into something much more precious – precious to not only Him but also to everyone around us!
Dec 28, 2022 – PEACE! The peace or tranquility associated with the first Christmas is one of our most treasured images of this season. Perhaps that is because peace is the yearning of every human heart…but yet something which seems to lie just beyond the grasp of most people.
One writer says, “I think I have found inner peace. I read an article that said the way to achieve inner peace is to finish things I had started. Today I finished two bags of potato chips, a chocolate pie, a bottle of wine and a small box of chocolate candy. I feel better already.” Of course, he writes with a smile, but the underlying meaning is clear: Such peace won’t last.
Jesus, though, came to bring peace. Think of those words again. Jesus came to bring peace. True, genuine, lasting, deep-rooted peace. The prophet Isaiah declared one of His names would be “Prince or Royalty of Peace.” On one occasion Jesus told the apostles, “MY peace I give to you, not the peace that the world gives” (John 14:27).
It can be truthfully stated, “Know Jesus, know peace. No Jesus, no peace.” This statement goes to the heart of the matter and, in this case, the heart of the matter is indeed the HEART of the matter. There is a vast difference between peace in the heart and peace outside the heart. One can be in the most peaceful setting (outside the heart) and yet have no peace inside the heart. However, one can be in the most tumultuous of situations and yet have peace inside the heart.
The prophet Ezekiel declares, “There is no peace for the wicked. The wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud.”
The most basic problem with man is that man is at war with his Creator (Romans 5:7). Reconciliation must occur or peace can never exist. That reconciliation is available to all men based upon the substitutionary death of God the Son for sinners on the cross. Jesus Christ died to end the war and reconcile us to God through His blood so that peace can be ours. The Bible says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe IN YOUR HEART that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved“ (Romans 10:9). What is the result? “Therefore, being justified or declared righteous by faith, we have PEACE with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).
The greatest peace becomes ours when Jesus Christ becomes our Lord and Savior, thus ending the war. I sang as a little boy, “I remember when my burdens rolled away; I had carried them for years, night and day. When I sought the blessed Lord, And I took Him at His word, Then at once all my burdens rolled away. Rolled away, rolled away, I am happy since my burdens rolled away.” The war was over!
It would be the greatest of tragedies for this Christmas season to end and you never experience the peace that Jesus came to provide. I urge you to read the Gospel of John today. You’ll find that you can trust Him with even your soul…and His peace can be yours.
Dec 27, 2022 – One of the abiding principles in the Christmas story is faithfulness. Faithfulness has often been defined as “full of faith.” It describes a person who does things, because he is motivated by his faith to do those things. “Faith is who he is and faithful is what he does.”
What Christmas character best represents that character trait to you? Is it Joseph, the man who learns his wife is pregnant but not by him? We often overlook Joseph, but a closer look reveals he was incredibly faithful. It appears he did EVERYTHING required of him. Oh, my! Can the same be said of me? Or you? My hat goes off to Joseph!
Is it the wise men (Magi)? Their journey was not a simple one such as getting on an airline only to get off a few hours later at a different location. Yes, they likely traveled on the best transportation of the day: camels! But camels aren’t comfortable to me. Nor would the heat and the cold be comfortable. Yet they come from afar bearing precious gifts fit for a king. Following a star! What faith!
I marvel at Simeon. This old-timer never stopped believing. His eyesight was becoming dim but not his heart. He knew…absolutely knew…no doubt in his mind…because the Holy Spirit had revealed that he would see the Christ before his homegoing. Imagine him walking daily to the temple asking himself, “Is today the day?” And one day it was indeed the day. He just kept “plugging along” until God showed up and did what only God can do.
Faithfulness, in our modern entertainment culture, often takes a back seat to that which contains a momentary thrill. We Americans live in reverse to what God wants: faithfulness. We bounce from item to item, cause to cause, person to person, location to location, job to job, whim to whim, etc. Today’s Verse for a Better Ministry, though, emphasizes God’s goal: “It is required that a steward/manager be found FAITHFUL.” Faithful in obediently fulfilling His calling upon our lives. Doing it because God says it is right…and is expected. Trusting Him even when life throws us a curve and sometimes something worse.
Remember: The Christmas story falls apart if the participants don’t faithfully do their part. Joseph COULD have divorced Mary; they COULD have stayed in Nazareth instead of journeying to Bethlehem. The wise men COULD have decided, “That star isn’t worth changing our plans.” On and on the possibilities go. But the story is the glorious story it was intended to be, because people like you and me were faithful to what God called them to do.
Hence, this becomes one of the lingering Christmas thoughts for each of us: “Would I have been as faithful as them?” The answer is the same as the answer to this question: “Am I now in my current situation being as faithful as them in obeying my Lord?” God help us to be faithful in 2023!
Dec 26, 2022 – Christmas is over. What happens now? Life continues. The same thing happened in the lives of the people that are part of the first Christmas.
The Magi (wise men) returned home. It was just as long a journey home as it was to Bethlehem. Wonder how meeting the King changed their discussions? Wonder if they had any answers to their pre-arrival discussions? Wonder if their lives glowed with what they had seen until their deaths? Wonder if God used them to open the door to some ministry that would occur later, such as in the age of the apostles?
Simeon and Anna, the two oldest people in this story, likely had a “spring” in their aged step or, should we say, their aged heart? Viewing the Christ child represented the end of a long journey of faith. Both were now ready to die in peace.
Mary and Joseph faced a difficult period in faith living. They obeyed the Lord and went to Egypt to protect the Christ child. Sometime later, they returned to Nazareth. They proceeded to have children by the normal way of things. They had the honor of raising the Messiah, but, at times, the Messiah seems to have raised them (Luke 2:49). We may surmise that Joseph died while Jesus is young since Joseph does not appear alive in any later Bible passages. The death of the wage earner would have made life difficult.
The shepherds – what of them? Their names are not recorded, but their names are likely recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life in heaven! They returned to caring for their sheep and became swallowed up by the world around them, just like so many of us. They had their moment on the world stage. One of our modern Christmas highlights is Linus of Peanuts fame reciting the Christmas verse, “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.” Sometimes a single moment in time lasts an entire lifetime!
My Christmas is also over. Question: Will I allow it to be forgotten or will I, like the Bible characters, build on this year’s celebration? I heard new music this year that I have bookmarked for a future blessing. Our daily Advent celebration included readings from David Jeremiah’s “Why the Nativity?” that challenged me. Interestingly, I missed being a pastor for the first time…missed being in the midst of a multi-week Christmas celebration at church. (Though we attended church celebrations in Dayton, it is different being on the outside looking in!)
Looking ahead, the tree will come down, the decorations will be boxed, the bills will be paid, and life will return to normal…but normal after being with the Christ. Every Christmas should set the stage for knowing Him better and doing more for Him in the new year. My schedule for 2023 has not changed, but Christmas is like a launching pad to propel me into these activities. As for me, I have three spiritual objectives for 2023. First, to read the entire Bible beginning in January and experience Him more. Second, to seek the face of the Lord regarding ministry in our new location. Third, to write my fifth book in the God’s Greenhouse discipleship series. And perhaps provide doctrinal teaching for foreign pastors late in the year.
Christmas is gone for you, too. But is it really gone or is it preparing you for 2023? May you grasp this Christmas and, at the same time, may this Christmas grasp you! May this Christmas propel you into being who God wants you to be in 2023!
Dec 23-25, 2022 – We are blessed. In our days of abundant food, medical advances, and peace, we have little to fear or dread. However, we don’t have to look very far back into history to see a time when that was not so. Even in our own country food has been scarce, medical practice has been crude, even brutal, and peace has been shattered through war.
I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
‘Peace on Earth’? Where? When? We would be hard pressed to find a time in the history of our world when there was not war. Or, perhaps the writer means the peace in our heart. But how often – even in our time of prosperity – do we truly feel peace inside? Rarely? Never?
And though how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
This poem was written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow on Christmas Day in 1863. Often when someone throws out a date it goes right past us. But please – take note of this one. Christmas Day, 1863. Our nation was in the middle of the bloody Civil War. Brother against brother, father against son – this was no nation at peace. But perhaps the author was able to have an inner peace due to his circumstances.
I don’t think so. Less than two years earlier in 1861, his wife tragically died after her dress caught on fire. Henry, awakened from a nap, tried to extinguish the flames as best he could, first with a rug and then his own body. Unfortunately, she had already suffered severe burns and she died the next morning leaving him alone to father their six children. Henry’s own burns were severe enough that he was unable even to attend his own wife’s funeral. He stopped shaving on account of the burns and subsequent scars, growing a beard that would become associated with his image.
Till ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
His circumstances? Earlier in 1863 Henry’s oldest son Charlie joined the Union Army without his father’s blessing. Longfellow was informed by letter after his son had left. Charlie wrote “I have tried hard to resist the temptation of going without your leave but I cannot any longer… I feel it to be my first duty to do what I can for my country and I would willingly lay down my life for it.”
During the war Charlie was shot through the left shoulder, with the bullet exiting under his right shoulder blade. It had traveled across his back and nicked his spine. One doctor told him that the wound was very serious and that paralysis might ensue. Fortunately, that never came to pass, but Charlie was transported home on December 5th, 1863, to recuperate.
Only 20 days later – on Friday, December 25, 1863, Longfellow—as a 57-year-old widowed father of six children, the oldest of which had been nearly paralyzed as his country fought a war against itself—wrote a poem seeking to capture the dissonance in his own heart and the world he observed around him that Christmas Day.
And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
the wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”
And wild and sweet, the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
Merry Christmas. (A Christmas message written by Douglas Brook)
Dec 21, 2022 – The power of purpose! Jon Gordon writes, “Purpose is the ultimate fuel for our journey through life. When we drive with purpose we don’t get tired or bored and our engines don’t burn out.” Tony Robbins reminds us, “Activity without purpose is the drain of your life.” Who is the most disillusioned person? He is the person who has no purpose for living. Who is the most disciplined, focused individual? He is the purpose who has a purpose for living.
Let’s look at the purpose underlying the actions of the Christmas characters:
1. God the Father – Doesn’t John 3:16 cover this well? He loved so much that He gave the greatest gift: His Son!
2.God the Son – He comes to save His people from their sins…and He did and He does!
3.God the Holy Spirit – “Mary, that which is conceived in your womb is of the Holy Spirit.” There has never been nor will there ever be a birth like it.
4.King Herod – His purpose was to remain king. Therefore, he sought to slay the opposition. Imagine his fate!
5.Simeon – This man lived in the light of the Messiah’s Advent. What a man! “Righteous…devout…looking anxiously for the Messiah…Holy Spirit was upon him.”
6.Magi – They came from afar looking for the King. A long journey that was a difficult journey. But their purpose prevailed.
7.Gabriel – “I have a message from the Lord.” Like John the Baptist, he was merely a voice…but a very effective voice.
8.Mary – “Be it unto me according to Your will.” One purpose: To let God use her!
9.Joseph – “I have been entrusted with the care of the Messiah. I obeyed the instruction to protect the Child in Egypt until King Herod was dead.”
10.Shepherds – They were instructed to go into Bethlehem and they went. No hesitation or delay.
11.Anna – This eighty-four year old woman never left the temple. She was devout. God arranged for her to arrive at the precise time and to see the Christ child. Was this just a brief event to be forgotten? No, it re-invigorated her purpose. She “continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38).
What is your purpose? Is it built around the Messiah? Do you know the thrill and burden of picking up your cross and following Him daily? When you reach that stage, you realize that ALL things then fall into place. You see, when Christ becomes Lord, He becomes Lord of all. And that purpose becomes very, very powerful in transforming our lives.
Dec 20, 2022 – How well do you identify the details in the Bible? We Americans tend to read in concepts (capturing the thought) and overlook specific details (actual words). We talk the same way unless we are lawyers! It is as if we think in pictures and assume what should be said even if it is not said.
Unfortunately, we read the Word of God in the same way. Let’s look today at a phrase most people overlook, but yet I could build an entire sermon from these underlined words: “spoken by the Lord through the prophet.” Beautiful words. Awesome phrase. Full of information to the one who actually sees it.
In actuality, these underlined words express how the Bible came to us. They are critically important to the Christian faith. They also express why your Bible is different than any other book in your house.
Two items must be emphasized. First, the author or source. Who wrote “Lord of the Rings’? J. R. R. Tolkien. Who wrote “Gone with the Wind”? Margaret Mitchell. But who wrote the Bible? GOD! You or I can declare a prophecy such as China will invade Russia in 2029 but would you bet money on it happening? Not me! But Today’s Verse pictures God issuing a prophecy (virgin birth) 700 years before its fulfillment. The prophet Isaiah bet it would happen just as God revealed it to him. How do I know? It is evident he wrote the prophecy as it was revealed…without hedging it in any way.
In a similar way, God has prepared our Holy Scriptures. He has selected what should be recorded and what should be excluded. It was HE who spoke…thus, Paul is able to write that, “all Scripture is God-breathed or inspired.” The original source is God. Matthew’s insertion of those words is a reminder to us that you hold the message of the living God to you. Let us treasure it as that kind of book!
Second, the instrument. Think of the instrument in terms of a writing instrument such as a pen or pencil. Does the pen or pencil determine what is to be written? No. The author conceives the idea then the thoughts then the words. Those words are then recorded on paper. The prophet Isaiah (7:14) declared his virgin birth message both vocally and on paper. Isaiah did not supplement the message in any way. He saw himself as merely the spokesman, the medium or the instrument. Proclaimed and recorded by a human in his particular language but not originating with a human.
Matthew reminds us of these incredible teachings in such a simple manner that we often sail through these words without ever noticing their importance to the Christian message. May I share three words that may enlighten you as to how the Bible came to be? The first word, “revelation,” concerns the revealing of truth (from God to man). The second word, “inspiration,” concerns the recording of truth (from man to paper). The third word, “illumination,” concerns the recognition or understanding of truth (from paper to heart). Friend, it won’t reach your heart unless it begins with God. Be sure to treasure His Word as God’s personal message to you…because it is!
* My book “God Speaks Today” gets into the nuts and bolts of revelation, inspiration and illumination…plus the identity of Jesus Christ and how to interpret the Bible. Available in e-book and paperback at Amazon, Apple, B & N, Kobo, etc. The Scripture Index is available only in the Amazon paperback.
Dec 19, 2022 – “O Holy Night, the stars are brightly shining!” But the most important item on that “Holy Night” was the “Holy One” that was born to the virgin Mary.
There are many moving parts to the Christmas story; indeed, the parts become more the more that you examine the Bible account. But at the core of the story is this truth that God – the infinite Creator and Sustainer of all things – became human. He was born, grew up to become a teenager and later a full-grown man, ate, slept, faced pressure and rejection, was beaten and horribly murdered. The prophet Isaiah points out he even became a “man of sorrows, acquainted often with grief.” Thoroughly man in every sense…except one. He lacked the presence or taint of sin. Even one sin. Even one act of lawlessness against the righteous law of God.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the most unique individual the world has ever seen. The angel did not address Him as the son of Adam as was Joseph, the shepherds, the Magi, King Herod, you and me but rather as the ‘Son of God” and that means He deserves to be called “the Holy One.”
Do you realize the immensity of holiness? It means the opposite of sinfulness. But it means much more, too. There are degrees of sinfulness. We classify sinners as “good” sinners or “bad” sinners. The Bible distinguishes levels of sin, too, and assigns different punishments for different sins.
But there is no such thing as different degrees or levels of holiness. Holiness is that pure. It is purer than the purest gold. It is a standard that either attains 100% or it cannot be considered as holy. “Almost holy” is not the same as holy.
Which word is used to describe Jesus? “The Holy One.” Pure holiness. Never crosses the line even once to commit a sin. This word describes the One with Whom we have to do and someday meet. “God the Father has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man (Jesus Christ) whom He has ordained” (Acts 17:31). A 100% holy judge will be on the judicial bench. Where can the unrighteous stand on such a day? How can they defend themselves? The answer is there will be no valid defense.
But back to Christmas… The Holy Child is often displayed in paintings with a halo. That is a painter’s desire, but, in my opinion, it is a fitting way to distinguish the child from everyone else…and to give Him something special. After all, He IS very special. He is the holy God of heaven descended to the earth.
Thank God, “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet WITHOUT SIN” (Hebrews 4:15). This Holy One, being free of personal sin, took upon Himself our sin on the cross and, in turn, gave us His righteousness and holiness (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Someday we shall be like Him (1 John 3:2). We shall be allowed to live with Him (Revelation 21). He will take away our sin nature and we will sin no more. Yes, we shall be like Him. I yearn for that day, how about you?
* My book Sanctification: How God Creates Saints out of Sinners explains how God turns us into holy saints fit to live with God in heaven. Available at Amazon, Apple, B & N, Kobo, etc.
Dec 17-18, 2022 – Why is the birth of a little baby considered a threat? Alas, it is regarded as a great threat when the babe of Christmas is born in Bethlehem. It is as if the venomous wrath of a rebellious world is already at war with Him who comes as the Prince of Peace, and, indeed, that is exactly what happened.
Near the end of His ministry, Jesus said, “If (since) the world hates you, remember that IT HATED ME before it hated you” (John 15:18). Why? “Men love darkness rather than light.” We see this sad display in the Christmas story, too.
The god of this world (Satan) has been at war with God since the beginning of time. It is an unceasing war with no truces. Throughout the Old Testament Satan tried to exterminate the Jewish people, because he correctly interpreted prophecy to indicate that the coming Messiah would be a Jew…even of King David’s genealogy. Satan’s efforts miserably failed although he did make life very difficult, even strenuous, for the Jews.
Then comes the King of the Jews! The devil’s next round of attacks are concentrated on destroying the King in His infancy. Satan convinces King Herod to annihilate all of the male children near Bethlehem that are under the age of two. But God sends the sacred family to Egypt before the attack begins. On and on the attacks continue until that day when Jesus Christ rises victorious from the grave…victorious over sin, death, and Satan!
But the attacks continue to this day against God’s people. It defies logic that god-fearing people (Christian people that are clean living, pay their taxes, obey the laws, help their neighbors, etc.) would be subject to so many attacks, prejudices, and underlying resentments but they are. Sadly, modern day Jews in America are experiencing the highest number of attacks in recent memory…and anti-Semitism is very strong in many segments of our western culture. Who is behind such attacks? Satan. And he has plenty of henchmen (both demonic and human) doing his work!
God the Son never said the Christian life would be easy. He never said the world would welcome us with open arms. He never said the world would repent and accept the truth. But he did say, “If you were of the world, the world would love its own, but you are not of this world system, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:19).
We see this truth in the story of the wise men. They fulfilled their mission and presented gifts to the King. One would have thought the next verse would read, “And they lived happily ever after.” But, no! Instead, we learn that even their lives were in danger. “Being warned in a dream not to return to Herod.” Who knows what evil lurked in Jerusalem’s throne room? Not me! Nor you! But God knew. Perhaps Herod desired to exterminate them, because they were witnesses of the King’s birth. Ah, regardless of his motive, Satan’s puppet king did not succeed.
Although unsaid, it is reasonable to conclude the wise men imitated the behavior of the unknown shepherds who “returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen.”
And their testimony lives in our hearts to this day.
Dec 16, 2022 – “Behold, a VIRGIN shall conceive. Virgin? Are you kidding me? God, do You really mean ‘virgin’? Perhaps You mean…then again, You’re God and You surely know what You can do.”
Five items are to be noted in Today’s Verse:
“Lord Himself” – does that not indicate we should expect the miraculous, or, at the least, something only God could purposefully arrange?
“Sign” – A confirming sign! Millions of births occur every day. How, though, can one particular birth be noteworthy? Let’s attach a sign to it; i.e.. make it singular among so many. But how?
“Virgin” – Now that’s a sign! It’s more than noteworthy! It’s truly a miraculous sign. (Note: The definite article appears in the Hebrew text, thus indicating a specific virgin is in view.) “Virgin” is translated from the Hebrew “almah.” “Almah” appears in the following passages: Genesis 24:43, Exodus 2:8, Psalm 68:25, Proverbs 30:19, Song of Solomon 1:3 and 6:8, plus Today’s Verse. Without exception, those verses use the word to indicate more than a young woman; they also identify a particular kind of young woman such as a virgin. Matthew and Luke employ the Greek word “parthenos” (Matthew 1:23, Luke 1:27) to translate “almah” into their language. “Parthenos” also appears in the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25), Acts 21:9, 1 Corinthians 7:25, 28, and 34, and 2 Corinthians 11:2. Matthew even indicates “Joseph did not have intercourse with Mary UNTIL she brought forth her first-born son” (Matthew 1:25. I have no problem believing in the virgin birth!
“Son” – Imagine if the child had been a daughter! That would have disqualified Mary as fulfilling the prophecy. God even announced the gender seven hundred years in advance.
“Immanuel” – the name means “God with us.” This is much different than the miraculous birth of John the Baptist or even Isaac in the Old Testament. This is the birth of the eternal God the Son taking upon Himself flesh to show us the invisible God. “God has spoken to us IN SON” (Hebrews 1:2-3). HE, that is DEITY, HAS COME INTO OUR WORLD! Awesome.
The question is often asked, “Can a person be a Christian without believing in the virgin birth?” It is unlikely, although it may be the case in a very confused individual. Why? It is because the virgin birth is a key that opens the door into many other miraculous events. It is likely such a skeptic/unbeliever rejects other miraculous items, too, that are believed by Christians. After all, “a virgin giving birth” is a simple accomplishment compared to Genesis 1:1. A genuinely “born again” individual comes to be “born again” by accepting the miraculous…God becoming man, dying for our sins as a sinless sacrifice, victoriously rising from the dead, regenerating those who simply believe, etc.
This is why the virgin birth is essential to our faith. We do not compromise on this Bible truth.
Dec 15, 2022 – Why would a man who had so much wealth issue a decree designed to acquire even more wealth? “Because he could,” cries the beleaguered, tax-weary citizen, but there is actually more at work than merely that.
John Rockefeller was once asked, “How much money does it take to make a man happy?” He mimicked Caesar in responding, “Just a dollar more.”
But seriously, “Why, Caesar, do you want more?” Money Magazine reported in 2017 that Augustus was in “charge of an empire that accounted for 25% to 30% of the world’s economic output, but Augustus at one point also held personal wealth equivalent to one-fifth of his empire’s economy, according to Stanford history professor Ian Morris. That fortune would be the equivalent of about $3.7 trillion in 2017. ‘For a while,’ Morris adds, Augustus ‘personally owned ALL of Egypt.’” How much would $3.7 trillion be worth today after our recent inflation? Obviously much more.
Therefore, “Caesar, why do you want more, even much more, so you issue a decree requiring a census for an additional tax?” May I suggest that it was not so much Caesar’s decree as it was God’s decree? Unbeknownst to Caesar, this powerful emperor was actually fulfilling an Old Testament decree from a much more powerful emperor: God Himself.
Where did Joseph and Mary live? Nazareth. Where did the prophet Micah predict the Christ would be born? Bethlehem, not Nazareth (Micah 5:2). How, though, do you get Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem? Obviously, there are several possibilities, but God chose to work through Caesar. My pastor father said, “God nudged Caesar in the ribs and asked, ‘Have you checked your piggy bank lately?’ Caesar checked his bank balance and found it to be less than he wanted. So he decided to raise taxes and fill his coffers past overflowing.” Regardless of how God worked, the decree went forth and Joseph headed for Bethlehem, because he was required to return to the home of his forefather David’s family tree: Bethlehem.
Bottom line: God issued the decree in order to fulfill prophecy. Clearly, God outranks Augustus and that infinite God often works in ways that man never sees. Caesar thought it was all about him, but not so! “God works all things after the counsel of HIS own will,” not my will, not your will nor Caesar’s will (Ephesians 1:11).
Many lessons can be drawn from this amazing story. First, God is not afraid to inconvenience everyone for the sake of one. The decree was intended to get Joseph (and Mary) to Bethlehem. I am sure God was working in other people’s lives, too, through this decree but their tales are not mentioned.
Second, my inconvenience is part of God’s plan. Sometimes my inconvenience is for me, but sometimes my inconvenience is for others. The prayer “not my will but Your will be done” includes our times of inconvenience.
Third, inconveniences must not be allowed to discourage me. God knew about each inconvenience long before I did. For His own reason He has permitted it to be. Therefore, I need to live by faith and remember that God’s decree is the only important decree!
Dec 14, 2022 – Have you ever considered the role of the angel Gabriel in the Christmas story? His presence is often overlooked in our reading, perhaps given a minute or two in a sermon, but rarely evaluated. Let’s pause and look at Gabriel today.
Bible names possess meanings. The name Gabriel means “hero of God.” Interesting! We should all strive to be named Gabriel. Notice he was a particular hero…a hero of God. He was different from most heroes we admire. For instance, we treat the player that makes the winning shot in a basketball game as a hero. My father often told us of making the winning shot in a Coal Grove High School basketball game, and, oh, he was treated as a hero…until a later game when he missed the same shot and became the goat.
But Gabriel is not a hero of the world but rather a hero of God. One of God’s heroes. Someone that succeeds on the highest plain of all.
Gabriel first appears in Daniel 8:16 and 9:21. In both cases Gabriel is associated with helping Daniel understand prophetic mysteries. “I have now come to give you skill and understanding.” Astonishingly, Gabriel proceeds to utter one of the greatest prophetic passages in the entire Bible: Daniel 9:24-27. The passage unveils God’s time table for the rest of time…and the coming of the Antichrist in the tribulation days. What a privilege the entire experience must have been to Daniel! 1. In the presence of the “hero of God” and 2. receiving the revelation of God! Awesome!
This “hero of God” appears twice in the Christmas story. First, Gabriel announces to the priest Zacharias, an old man with a barren wife, that he will become the father of John the Baptist. We must emphasize the underlined words in Today’s Verse. It is the way Gabriel introduces himself to Zacharias. “I stand in the presence of God.” Apparently Gabriel is a heavenly angel in the sense that he abides very close to the throne of God until being dispatch on a special mission. Some suggest he may be an archangel like Michael, but the Scriptures are silent on that issue. But this is the way he sees himself: “I stand in the presence of God.” Rest assured, it does not matter what you are called; it matters only if you live in the presence of God.
Gabriel next appears to the virgin Mary in Luke 1:26. Once again, he comes with a startling announcement. “You shall conceive in your womb, bring forth a son and shall call His name Jesus.” His announcement covers four verses. Does Gabriel offer a personal opinion? Perhaps so. The message begins, “you have found favor with God.” The translation “favor” does not do it justice. The Greek word is very rich in meaning. Wuest translates it, “encompassed with favor,” the sense being that she is in God’s favor or grace much like a ship is encompassed by the much larger ocean. The sense is one of “overwhelming favor” or “exceedingly great favor/grace.”
I suspect Gabriel was intrigued by this news, too, because he more fully grasped its significance than Mary. After all, He “stands in the presence of the Tri-une God.” Oh, the indescribable privilege that was hers!
“The hero of God” knows so much and has done so much. I look forward to having a conversation with him in eternity!
Dec 13, 2022 – Handel’s “Messiah” is one of the grandest musical arrangements of all time. On one occasion, an orchestra presented “Messiah” so beautifully, so perfectly…it was an ethereal experience that prompted everyone to turn their thunderous applause to a man sitting in the building: Handel himself. Handel appropriately stood and recognized the applause by pointing upward, saying nothing but pointing heavenward to indicate the applause should be directed to God rather than to himself.
This is exactly what Mary does in Today’s Verse. Roman Catholicism places much emphasis upon Mary, even acknowledging her as the Mother of God. The Roman Catholic prayer called “Hail Mary” includes these words: “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.“ Many people pray in that manner; interestingly, Mary herself disagrees with many parts of that man-written prayer.
For example, Mary begins her Magnificat with the words, “My soul magnifies the Lord.” In other words, “Don’t praise me, but magnify the Lord.”
Mary explains in the next verse why the magnifying should not apply to her. “God is MY Savior.” That means Mary acknowledged her need of a salvation which she could not achieve on her own. Thus, Mary refutes the Roman Catholic doctrine of the Immaculate Conception—the idea that Mary was conceived, like our Lord, apart from sin and entered life in a sinless condition…lived that way, too. (The prayer includes the words “holy Mary.”) But Mary confesses her sinfulness and need of a Savior; the context makes it clear her Savior is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob…not some other god.
The words, “All generations shall call me blessed” is not the same as “all generations should pray to me” or “all generations should call me holy.” Instead, she refers to God as “holy is HIS name.” Certainly, she refutes any concept of her own holiness. The entire Magnificat indicates her lowliness (“low estate of God’s handmaid,” “God my Savior,” “His mercy is on those that fear Him”) but God’s greatness (“He is mighty,” “holy,” “puts down the mighty, exalts those of low degree”).
Deserving to be called “Mother of God”? Not in her eyes. What did she call herself? A handmaid. ”Behold the handmaid of the Lord” (Luke 1:38).
“Pray for us sinners.” This is refuted elsewhere by Paul’s teaching that “there is one mediator between God and man: Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).
Bottom line: It makes no sense to call on someone to save you if that person is in the same sinking ship as you. But it does make sense to call on someone to save you if that Someone walks on water, controls the wind and waves and ship and universe plus has provided the one sacrifice that will take away our sins forever! This person’s name is Jesus, not Mary. He is the One that Mary learned to trust as her Savior. Can you say the same?
Dec 12, 2022 – “Joy to the world, the Lord is come!” That’s what they said at the manger in Bethlehem two thousand years ago. That’s what we will also say when He comes again!
The Old Testament presentation of the coming Christ is unique in the sense that it presents both comings but without distinguishing them in a detailed manner. Oftentimes the readers were left scratching their heads about a suffering Messiah (Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22) but also a triumphant Messiah (Isaiah 9:7). How could such be?
The adage of the two mountain ranges is a great way to think about the Old Testament prophecies. Imagine driving on the plains toward a mountain range on the horizon. All of the mountains appear at the same distance. However, upon reaching the mountains you realize what you saw is only the first range of mountains, a range which is followed by a valley which is then followed by another range of mountains (often higher than the previous range). You probably saw both ranges from a great distance, but did not realize there was a distance (and time to cover the distance) between the two ranges.
The two comings of the Messiah have a similar tendency. The Old Testament prophets wrote what God gave them even though they may not have comprehended it. What they wrote is truth, but was likely poorly understood truth because of their distance from the mountains. We, though, have the luxury of living in the valley between the two mountains. Our perspective is much different. We can clearly distinguish the two mountain ranges…and oh, what a difference they are!
The first time Jesus came…
He came veiled in the form of a child.
A star marked His arrival.
Wise men brought Him gifts.
There was no room for Him.
Only a few attended His arrival.
He came as a baby.
The next time Jesus comes…
He will be recognized by all.
Heaven will be lit by His glory.
He will bring rewards for His own.
The world won’t be able to contain His glory.
Every eye shall see Him.
He will come as Sovereign King and Lord of all.
Yes, the next time it will be different! Amen!
Dec 10, 2022 – Busy? That’s a fair question, because, after all, it is Christmas! On-line shopping has set another record for spending. The malls are crowded. Christmas cards are in the mail. Choir cantatas and church programs are underway. Traveling to family events is anticipated. Eating another big meal (do we really need another big one? Probably!) is in the works. Yes, we’re busy.
Think with me about the different reactions of the participants in the first Christmas. The innkeeper—”What do you want?” “A room. My wife’s about to give birth.” “I’m full. Go elsewhere!” “But can’t you give us shelter in a back room, a storage room or somewhere?” “Never done that before. I probably could, but I’m too busy. I’m full and you’re not worth it.”
The wise men (Magi of the east)—”What do you want?” “The King of the Jews is to be born. Follow the star to His location.” “Hey, everyone. Get the camels ready. The long-anticipated King is on the way! We better hurry or we’ll be late.”
King Herod—”Why do you come?” “We come to find the King of the Jews.” “Well, you’ve found him! What treasures have you brought me?” “Not you! We’re looking for a heavenly King. What did your Bible scholars just say to you? ‘Go to Bethlehem, the house of David, and you will find the king.’ Herod, would you like to come with us?” “Me worship another king? I’m too busy. I’m the only king this country needs.” (Sometime later, not now, Herod ordered the execution of the male infants around Bethlehem.)
Shepherds—”What a glorious and fearful sight! We see the Angel of God!” “Fear not! I bring you tidings of great joy. Go into Bethlehem and you shall find Christ the Lord wrapped in swaddling clothes (strips of cloth) lying in a manger.” “Let us now go and see what the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with HASTE and found the babe lying in a manger. And they made known abroad what they had seen and what they had been told! Not too busy and oh, what an experience! All of the blessing was theirs, because they were not too busy to miss it.
During this Christmas season may you join the angels in praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest!”
Dec 9, 2022 – Part 3 – Do we recognize what we sing? Parts 1 and 2 (see the posts for December 7 and 8) examined the first two verses of the beloved Christmas hymn, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” Let’s look today at new material in verse three: “Hail, the heaven-born Prince of Peace, Hail the Sun of righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, Risen with healing in His wings. Mild He lays His glory by, Born that man no more may die, Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth.”
“Hail.” “Salute! Praise! Honor!” Why? Because He comes from above! “Heaven born!” John the Baptist testified of Him, “He that comes from ABOVE is above all.” Unlike my birth, His birth is not earthly in origin, because He has no earthly father. His birth is supernatural and is the direct result of heaven’s intervention. The angel told Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you…therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God” (Luke 1:35).
“Prince of Peace.” Isaiah declared the coming Messiah would be the Prince of Peace and “of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end” (Isaiah 9:7). As a boy I often sang, “Peace, peace, wonderful peace, Coming down from the Father above, Sweep over my spirit forever I pray, In fathomless billows of love.” Rest assured, there is no real peace without Jesus Christ at its center. Anything else qualifies only as a truce.
“Hail the Sun of righteousness.” We’ll deal with the “Sun” in the next paragraph, but don’t miss the connection between the peace mentioned above and the righteousness mentioned here. The premise of my next book is, “Every sin in the history of the universe must be judged and punished: either against the account of the sinner or the account of the sinner’s substitute.” That premise is true because God is a “right” or “just” God. Who establishes what is right? Not the Supreme Court nor you but God…the righteous God who does all things right. In the future the Prince of Peace will bring true peace by ruling the world according to “righteousness.” The world will not like that standard, because our world is an unrighteous world. But righteousness will prevail.
“Light and life to all He brings.” Men talk about the golden age of man, but God talks about a world living in darkness. How can there be such a disconnect? The world is blinded by darkness and unable to see what truly is. So God made the light to shine in darkness…and spiritually did so by sending the Light of Life into the world. Jesus declared, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). He came not only to die but also to expose us to what God sees and the way to eternal life.
“Risen with healing in His wings.” One of His Old Testament names is Jehovah-Rapha which means “the God who heals you.” The Bible says, “they brought the sick with every disease to Jesus and He healed them.” Ah, He emptied the hospital wards without the use of medicine. What a Healer!
“Mild He lays His glory by.” “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though He was rich, yet He became poor, that you through His poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). The outward glory was set aside; the inward glory remained His and “we beheld that glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father.”
“Born that man no more may die.” The Bible describes three deaths: 1. spiritual death which is alienation from God and is how we enter this world; 2. physical death which is the cessation of physical life and 3. eternal death which is eternally experiencing God’s judgment in hell and, later, the lake of fire. You and I need to be rescued from all three deaths.
“Born to raise the sons of earth.” We are like the men who tried to jump over the Mississippi River. Some jumped further than others, but all fell short of the goal. Likewise, “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” We are no better than sons of earth, made out of dust, that need help from a superior source.
“Born to give them second birth.” Wow! The best part for me is reserved for the last part of this song. Jesus said, “You must be born again.” But how can I, a frail, dusty son of earth, be born again? “For by grace are you saved through faith and that NOT OF YOURSELVES.” In other words, we have the illness but He has the cure! That is why we need Christmas, Good Friday and Easter. “Without Him how lost I would be but with Jesus, Thank God, I’m saved!” Amen!
That’s why we can sing from a rejoicing heart, “Hark, the herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn King!’”
Dec 8, 2022 – “Hark, the herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn King.’” So we sing, but do we understand the significance of the words? We looked at verse one in yesterday’s devotional. Let’s continue now with the second verse. Let’s sing with our mind in gear, “Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord; Late in time, behold Him come, Offspring of a virgin’s womb. Veiled in flesh the God-head see, Hail th’incarnate Deity! Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus our Immanuel.”
“Christ.” Note the mentioned title is not “Jesus” but “Christ.” Of course, Jesus is the Christ, but both titles emphasize different aspects of His being. The word “Jesus” means “Jehovah saves” or “Savior” for short and emphasizes His substitutionary death for sinners. Christ, though, means “Messiah” or “Anointed One” as in the “Chosen One of God…not one among many but THE Chosen ONE.” The spotlight of heaven is on Him! His third title “Lord” emphasizes His absolute sovereignty over all. Interestingly, many people want to have one part but not the whole package! However, He comes as a whole or not at all. Thank God, He is my Savior, my Messiah, and my Lord. I look for no other!
“By highest heaven adored.” The prophet Isaiah, though painted a different picture of “we on earth esteemed Him not” (Isaiah 53). “He came to His own and His own received Him not” (John 1:11). To this day, man still does not recognize His value, but, rest assured, heaven does. Fittingly, He comes the first time with angels…come to think of it, He will come the next time with the voice of the archangel! Maybe it will be today!
“Christ, the everlasting Lord.” Our earthly lords such as kings and presidents perish but this is not so of the One who lies in the manger. He comes “from everlasting” and He will continue “through everlasting.” That can be said of no other babe in the history of the world. He, the infinite One, who holds the world in His hands, is now held in the hands of a finite, fragile virgin named Mary. Amazingly, He could testify of His own mother, “Before I formed you in your mother’s womb, I KNEW YOU” (Jeremiah 1:5).
“Late in time, behold Him come.” The Old Testament prophets announced, “He will come!” Decades passed, centuries passed. “But when the fulness of time was reached, God then and only then sent His Son into the world” (Galatians 4:4). David Jeremiah writes, “God, knowing the cost, considered every angle in planning this operation.” Just read the story and you will be thrilled in seeing how God brings all of these circumstances together…at His time which is always the right time.
“Offspring of a virgin’s womb.” A man once argued me that Jesus was born in heaven, raised by the angels then came to earth. Not so! Don’t let your mind wander on such foolishness. The Bible pictures Him as everlasting Deity prior to His coming to earth! Notice the second verse emphasizes He is the “everlasting Lord” but also “offspring of a virgin’s womb.” The thought continues with…
“Veiled in flesh the Godhead see.” Want to see the invisible God? Look at the visible Jesus and you will see what God is like. The Apostle John declares Him to be the Logos (Word or Expression) of God (John 1:1). (See Chapter Eight “God’s Greatest Spokesman” in God Speaks Today for a detailed study on this theme.) “Veiled” or hidden not by clothing or a curtain but by human flesh. Looks like us but not like us because He is far ABOVE us. God walking among men. Ah, that’s why He could say, “I have power to lay down My life and I have power to take it up again!”
“Hail th’incarnate Deity.” Interesting words that are often overlooked when we sing. Sing your hails or salutes or praise to the One that is “incarnate Deity.” “Incarnate” is a theological term that means “God or spiritual being in human form.” In this case, the song clearly states that Deity (another name for God) has taken flesh. John 1:14 says, “The Word or Logos became flesh and dwelt or pitched His tent among us.” Tenney writes, “He expressed Himself in a human personality that was visible, audible, and tangible…with its limitations of space and time, and with its physical handicaps of fatigue, hunger, and susceptibility to suffering, so that He belongs to humanity as well as to God.” Ah, be careful how you respond to Him! He’s God come to earth and you’ll meet Him personally someday!
“Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus our Immanuel.” Immanuel means “God with us” and again emphasizes His deity in human flesh. Please remember that “pleased AS man” does not mean “pleased WITH man.” The Psalmist reminds us, “God is angry with the wicked every day” (Psalm 7:11). But in order to save us from our sins, He must become one of us. And so He did! And I am now saved!
“Hark, the herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn King.’”
Dec 5-7, 2022 – Christmas is a time for Christmas music, and, indeed, some of the most beautiful music of all is Christmas music! But do we truly contemplate the words as we sing? Some of these songs contain great Bible teaching, but I fear we miss much of what we sing. Let’s take the time during the next three devotionals to both consider AND experience the message of “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.”
“Hark!” What a way to start a song! We usually think of the word meaning, “Listen attentively. Wake up and listen!” But it actually includes the idea of being reminiscent of a past event or condition, to recall. In other words, the songwriter desires to take us back in time to a scene that is worthy of our attention. Therefore, it behooves each of us to step out of 2022 and step into a scene unlike any scene we have ever witnessed….and to be a participant in what occurs.
“The herald angels sing.” First, the incredible angels of heaven will be present at this scene. That makes it a very special scene. Second, the angels serve a purpose: The angels are heralds…messengers that carry or proclaim important news. They are God the Father’s messengers on a holy mission that involves us.
“Glory.” The herald’s message begins with a word fitting for majesty. We don’t use the word “glory” to describe mundane things but instead things of grandeur…in the upper, even top, echelon. One preacher said, “You say ‘glory’ when no other word will do!” Why, though, use this word in a manger scene at a birth?
“Newborn King.” Glory belongs to a king and what a king this is! He is the King of Israel but He is also King of Kings and Lord of Lords…the most powerful being this world will ever know. He lies so small in a manger, but He is anything but small! Recently we toured an ice sculpture display of this scene in Orlando. The sculptor caught perfectly the wise men humbly approaching the manger with their gifts. I could see the look of wonderment upon their faces! I found myself talking aloud to God about the awesomeness of traveling so far and presenting such a gift to the One you treasure more than your treasures! Awesome! It still makes me tingle!
“Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled.” We must be constantly reminded there is no real peace apart from Christ. Peace is the act of “making one that which is apart.” Sin has separated us from the holy God of heaven. The gulf is wide! But the cross is wider and brings man and God together. “Therefore, being justified by faith, we have PEACE with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).
“Joyful, all ye nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies.” Ah, you can’t sing this song like a funeral dirge. “Joyful” – there is hope! “All nations!” Christ comes as the Savior of all, not just the Jews or a select class. “Triumph!” Victory sure beats defeat, and there can be no victory without God becoming flesh.
“With angelic hosts proclaim.” Will I join the angels in their herald? And, if yes, what should I proclaim?
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.” Christ means Messiah or the ‘anointed One.’ The world longs for a Messiah with the answers to all of our problems. Sadly, the world has missed the ONE Messiah…Jesus who is called Christ. “Born.” He did not come as an Old Testament Theophany in the body of a mature man, but He came as a tiny babe through the miracle of the virgin birth. “Bethlehem” is the birthplace of King David. This location is one of the prophetic keys to identifying the Christ. If the child is born in Nazareth or Jerusalem he cannot be the Christ (Micah 5:2). But He comes in the lineage of David…and He comes as He is prophesied to come…in Bethlehem.
“Hark, the herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn King.’”
Dec 2-4, 2022 – Need the right attitude this Christmas season? Here is the Christmas Version of First Corinthians chapter thirteen:
If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another decorator.
If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another cook.
If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.
If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir’s cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.
Love stops the cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.
Love doesn’t envy another’s home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn’t yell at the kids to get out of the way but is thankful they are there to be in the way.
Love doesn’t give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can’t.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails. Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust. But giving the gift of love will endure.
Dec 1, 2022 – Part 2 – I like prophecy! Perhaps it is because there are so many unknowns in the future…but the prophecies of God’s Word reveal not only the world’s future but also my future. I agree with the fellow who said, “I’ve read the back of the Book and I know how the story ends!” That knowledge gives me hope…and much of that hope is based upon already fulfilled prophecy. (See yesterday’s devotional for Part 1.)
Fulfilled prophecy tells us that God has done it before…and, most importantly, has PERFORMED THE PROPHECY down to the letter. He’s not afraid to step out on a limb and make a bold prediction like a virgin conceiving, because He can bring even the most difficult prophecy to pass. “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” I think not!
What are the odds of fulling prophecy after prophecy? Read on!
Peter Stoner writes in “Science Speaks” about the probability of fulfilling just eight prophecies regarding our Lord. “The chance that any man might have fulfilled all eight prophecies is 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000.” (100 quadrillion!)
Stoner continues, “Take 100 quadrillion silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They will cover all of the state two feet deep. Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly. Blindfold a man and tell him he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up that one marked silver dollar. What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing those eight prophecies and having them all come true In any one man…providing they wrote them in their own wisdom.” In other words, much more than man’s wisdom is involved in biblical prophecy!
God’s wisdom makes all the difference in not only prophecy but also our daily lives. It is the basis for verses like Romans 8:28. Also, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Ah, He knows the end from the beginning, the beginning from the end and all points in between! HAVE FAITH IN GOD!
Nov 30, 2022 – Part 1 – Christmas in the Bible is an incredible story from so many vantage points. For instance, consider the vantage point of Mary. G. Campbell Morgan writes, “Think of the pathos of it. ‘She brought forth,’ ‘she wrapped Him in swaddling clothes.’
“It is very beautiful, but oh, the pity of it, the tragedy of it, the loneliness of it; that in that hour of all hours, when womanhood should be surrounded by the tenderest care, she was alone. The method of the writer is very distinct. She with her own hands wrapped the Baby round with those swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger. There was no one to do it for her. Again I say, the pity of it, and yet the glory of it to the heart of Mary.”
Consider also the vantage point of the Old Testament prophets. Their prophecies will be the subject of many sermons in this Christmas season. Interestingly, our first Advent reading of this season focused on the Old Testament prophecies. It is staggering to consider the specificity of the prophecies such as is expressed in Today’s Verse: Bethlehem! Which one because there were many? Well, the one associated with Ephratah, the birthplace of David…and, to take the story one step further, how would we recognize the Messiah? Surprise! He would be known as the Son of David! And on and on the prophecies go.
David Jeremiah’s nativity book “Why the Nativity” (excellent devotional book for your Advent celebration) connects all the prophecies in a very unique way: “Can you see the picture that emerges? It is as if many different artists had drawn strange squiggles on paper separately—only to find that when their fragments of art were combined on a single canvas, there was a beautiful portrait of a king we would come to know as Jesus Christ.” What an awesome truth! Ah, what an awesome story!
May God open His treasures to you throughout this Christmas season…and may you “oooh” and “ahhh” at the wonderment of the Messiah’s birth!
Nov 29, 2022 – Little things you may not know about pastors but need to know:
Pastors are human beings with the limitations of being human. They carry a lot of emotional baggage, because they care for people in desperate needs. They’re like the camel…how much can the camel carry? We don’t know until it breaks down.
Pastors have health issues. Health insurance can be a problem. Our state convention struggled to locate ANY health insurance firm that would cover its pastors and state employees. The insurance companies declined, because pastors have a higher number of health issues than normal people. That’s because pastoring wears you down in every way.
Bi-vocational pastors work hard. They have two jobs. During much of my ministry I worked a forty hour a week secular job plus pastored. I worked on sermons on my lunch hour! I often visited until late at night. It was grueling. Practically all of the pastors in our area are bi-vocational due to the small size of our churches. This bi-vocational number will increase as church budgets are squeezed more and more. Indeed, finding a man to pay the cost of such effort will become increasingly difficult. So don’t be afraid to give your pastor a month off from time to time to clear his mind and rest his body!
Full-time pastors (the church is their only job) work hard, too. Pastoring full-time can be the best of times or the worst of times. The best part of my life was being full-time in a situation that welcomed discipleship training. Having the time to fulfill your dreams is very rewarding. But being in a difficult church can be destructive to both the pastor and family.
Pastors see things differently than most people. They are obsessed with eternal values. They’re in this ministry because they truly believe in what they are doing. They believe it’s more important than being the President (which it is). We love God and God’s church. We don’t understand why everyone doesn’t share those values. And it hurts deeply to see people wasting their lives on frivolous, temporary things.
Pastors don’t do it for the money. Oh, a few do but I’ve only met one or two of those in my 46 years of ministry. Practically every pastor could make substantially more money working a secular job. They possess skills that are easily transferrable into a work environment.
Pastors burn out. We are warned, “You can’t burn a candle on both ends” but we try. I learned that lesson the hard way. After fourteen years of bi-vocational work including achieving my Master of Divinity Degree and helping Ruth Ellen raise three children, my candle burned through and collapsed. I resigned, stop studying for five months, told all that called looking for a pastor to call again in five months…and they did. I learned the hard way. I’m not the only one, am I?
Pastors want to make an impact. They’re like a salesman that has a great new product and is eager to promote it. In the pastor’s case, he has the transforming power of the gospel! He KNOWS it works. So he sows his seed far and wide…and waits on God to give the increase.
Pastors come to know that bigger churches have bigger problems. Pastor Adrian Rogers told his Pastor’s Conference at Bellevue Baptist, “You guys want larger churches than you have. I say you can have them! Big churches have big problems. I’d settle for a small church in the country where I can just concentrate on the Lord and ministering to the people.”
What can you do for your pastor? First, pray for him AND his wife (she is in this work, too). Second, try to understand him. He’s different because God made him to be a pastor. Last, be thankful for him. After all, you could be in a church which can’t find a pastor.
P.S. My website includes a page for Pastor’s Wives. You might like to share this link with your pastor’s wife. https://godsgreenhouse.net/pastor-wives
Nov 28, 2022 – Being “born again from above” changes a person. That’s why the Apostle Paul calls it “a new creation” experience (2 Corinthians 5:17). Here is how it works:
Before theologian St. Augustine was converted to Christ, he was an immoral youth. One day in his garden, dissatisfied and disillusioned, he heard the voice of a child singing in the next garden, “Open the book and read.”
Augustine took the words as a personal message, hurried inside the house and opened the Epistles of Paul. His eyes fell at once on Today’s Verse: “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” He was startled at the directness of the message, as if directed to him personally, which they were! The conviction of the Holy Spirit drove home this biblical message. From that moment he became a different person, turning from his life of sin and “putting on” Christ as his Messiah and Savior.
Shortly after this experience, Augustine met a prostitute on the street. Pretending not to see her, he attempted to pass her by but she called, “Augustine, it Is I!”
He turned to her and replied, “YES, BUT IT IS NOT I.”
Never minimize the power of the gospel for it is the power (the Greek word gives us our English word “dynamite”) of God resulting in salvation. Dynamite power! Life-changing power. “Christ living in me!” (Galatians 2:20). That is why we often say, “The greatest evidence of salvation is a changed life.” How about you? Has your life been changed? Mine has. I pray you know the transformative power of the new creation. IT WORKS!
*** My third book Sanctification: How God Creates Saints out of Sinners covers the entire process of salvation from the new birth to our perfected holy state in heaven. It is a book you will use as a reference throughout your ministry (I recommend the paperback because it contains a detailed Scripture Index). I used Section Three as a textbook in a Wednesday class in my last pastorate. Your pastor will benefit, too. Available at Amazon, Apple, B & N, Kobo, etc.
Nov 26-27, 2022 – William Carey was a shoemaker (he used the word “cobbler”) before he left England as a missionary to India in 1793. During his shoemaking years Carey would travel from village to village sharing the gospel of Christ. One day a friend came to him. The friend said, “I want to speak to you about a very serious matter.”
“Well, what is it?”
“Your preaching is interfering with your business. I advise you to spend more time making shoes. You will then prosper. You need to quit neglecting your business.”
Carey responded, “Neglecting my business? My business is to extend the kingdom of God. I ONLY COBBLE SHOES TO PAY EXPENSES.”
My father worked with a Christian who was a modern day Carey. The man said, “I can retire anytime I wish. I work, though, so I can give more to the Lord.” In confidence, he shared with my father how much money he had invested in his church in the prior year. It was indeed most of his paycheck.
That man’s philosophy may seem ridiculous to the world, but it is not ridiculous to Jesus. There are many people such as Carey and the widow in Today’s Verse who are so in love with Jesus that they are driven to give it all to Jesus: their heart, time, finances, goals, etc. Imagine taking every single thing in their lives and putting it in a huge pile. Guess what is on top of their pile? Jesus. He truly comes first. Being first means He establishes one’s values and attitude. They see themselves as being on a mission and the mission possesses their spirit…drives them to a higher level of performance.
As I’ve stated many times before, IT’S WHO THEY ARE. Therefore, it’s also what they do and why they keep on doing it.
This pastor considers it a privilege to be in the presence of such people. They are different. No, they’re not perfect. But they’re driven – absolutely driven – on an eternal quest that rates eternal needs over temporal, earthly needs.
THEY REALLY BELIEVE. God knows them and most of us know them, too. They’re the people we simply EXPECT to be part of the Christian mission of promoting Jesus Christ. They’re the people we expect to do the right thing, because it’s the right thing to do. They’re the people you want in a fox hole with you when the enemy is charging with his bayonet. They’re the people you want on your prayer team. They’re the people that still stand for Bible standards even when family members fail.
They’re the people that make a difference. And when they become old and leave us, they are very deeply missed…and leave a big, big hole.
Thank You, God, for giving them to us.
Nov 25, 2022 – Ever need good advice about your ministry? It is wise to always keep good advice close to where you study or prepare for ministry (including your prayer time). Keep this advice where you will occasionally see it even if you are not looking for it. In my early days I kept such advice in my sermon book; my sermon notes were always placed directly behind my collection of wise sayings. This advice served as a constant reminder of the keys to effective ministry!
This holiday weekend is a good time to unwind and listen to the counsel of others who excelled in their own ministry by the grace of God.
Bonar: “A ministry of power must be the fruit of a holy, peaceful, loving intimacy with the Lord.”
Unknown: “Unless there is within us that which is above us we shall soon yield to that which is about us.”
Hudson Taylor: “All God’s giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on God being with them.”
Watchman Nee: “When the Galilean boy brought bread to Jesus, what did He do? He broke it. God will always break what is offered to Him. He breaks what He takes, then blesses it and uses it to meet man’s needs.”
Jowett: “We never reach the innermost room in any man’s soul by the expediencies of the showman. The way of irreverence will never lead to the Holy Place.”
Sam Jones: “The Lord fishes on the bottom, and if you want to get to his bait and hook, brother, you’ve got to get right down on the bottom.”
Unknown: “No man is fully accepted until he has been, first of all, utterly rejected. It takes a crucified man to preach a crucified Savior.”
Ravenhill: “It takes broken men to break men. We have equipment but not enduement, commotion but not creation, action but not unction, rattle but not revival. We are dogmatic, but not dynamic.”
Perhaps one or two of the above statements are very pertinent to your ministry. Be sure to keep these words of counsel close to you for occasional review. Notice their main emphasis is the condition of your heart. Ah, dedicate yourself to being a heart minister!
Nov 24, 2022 – Ten lepers were miraculously healed by the Savior. MARVELOUS! But only one returned to give thanks for being healed. NOT SO MARVELOUS! Would I be the one who returned to say, “Thank You!” or the nine who went flippantly on their way without expressing any thanksgiving to the One who healed them?
(Interestingly, Jesus (a Jew) healed nine Jews and one Samaritan (contemptuously deemed a half-breed by the Jews). None – not one – of the Jews returned to give thanks. Only the half-breed Samaritan returned…the very one that you would not expect to return.)
The Lady Elgin, a steamer ship of long ago, was nearing Chicago when it began to sink. The people on the shore watched the floundering ship but did nothing. However, two young theological students responded. Nat picked up a rope and swam out to the sinking vessel. His brother held the end of the rope on the shore. When Nat reached the boat, he grabbed a passenger and pulled him back to the shore to his brother holding the rope. They repeated that process for seventeen people.
Then Nat, totally exhausted, collapsed. He could not go out again. But when he heard the screams of the people on the Lady Elgin, he said, “I’ve got to go!” He went again and again until twenty-three people had been rescued.
300 people went down with the ship and lost their lives. But twenty-three were saved by Nat. When he brought his last one in, he was so exhausted that he became unconscious. He was taken to the hospital. He slowly recovered, but he never regained all of his strength because of that strenuous effort.
That brings us to the conclusion. In the years that followed not one – not a solitary one – of the twenty-three thanked him for what he had done. Not one sent a letter. Not one came to see him. Nat bore the strain of that effort for the rest of his days…but not one acknowledged his effort in any way.
May God help me (and you) to be thankful enough to always say, “Thank you!”
Nov 23, 2022 – We KNOW…but we still need to be reminded! Case in point: The great composer Beethoven was terrified at the prospect of becoming deaf. After all, how can a musician write music if he cannot hear music? In his opinion, hearing was essential!
But Beethoven reached a point in life where what he feared most began to creep into his life. O, the turmoil this health issue caused in his heart! The doctors had no remedy. Homespun remedies failed, too. His hearing continued to deteriorate…until one day it was gone. Totally gone.
He mused, “What can a deaf musician do? The only thing I know to do is continue on!” Beethoven proceeded to write some of his best music AFTER he became deaf. What happened? Apparently, the deafness shut out the many distractions of everyday living. He was left alone in his mind. Experienced total freedom from distraction. As a result, musical melodies poured into his mind with greater speed and clarity than ever before.
Here is the key: Beethoven’s deafness became his greatest asset.
Look around you at the many people who became better people AFTER they encountered a bruising experience. No one likes to be bruised. But many of life’s most important lessons are learned at such times. Such experiences serve to change things but, most notably, change us.
“Have Thine own way, Lord, Have Thine own way. Thou art the potter, I am the clay! MOLD ME AND MAKE ME after Thy will, While I am waiting Yielded and still.”
Keep those words always in front of you. They will help you the next time you get bruised.
Nov 22, 2022 – Have you ever considered the exactness of the Word of God that we teach and believe? Some imagine only the Bible’s general thoughts are inspired or God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16), but Scripture indicates that even the “jots and tittles” (Matthew 5:18) are inspired in the original writings. (Think of a tittle like one of the slash marks in the letter “k.” That means the Bible is precise and exact!) In days past you might have received this instruction:
“Make sure every jot and tittle in the contract is perfect. We can’t afford to lose money over some typo or technicality. We’ll be scanning each jot and tittle of these documents for errors.”
“It is written!” These words appear in the Greek text as a perfect verb. Based upon the first paragraph in this devotional, we can safely conclude the verb tense is as inspired as the word itself. Why do I emphasize that? It is because the perfect tense sends a very impressive signal about the Bible’s finality. Literally (this is a mouthful so for that reason no translation translates it this way), the text reads: “It was written and it is STILL written.” In other words, God has not changed His mind! What He wrote in Bible times is still valid…still true…still accurate…still worthy of man’s time and obedience. Man intentionally distorts Deity into a god of his own design; no matter to God! He just says, “You can’t break the Word of God, because it is still the Word of God! Someday you’ll find out!”
We need to remind ourselves that THE MESSAGE HAS NOT CHANGED. Not since John closed the last words of the Revelation! Brother and sister, modern day man needs to hear and to heed what God has ONCE AND FOR ALL shared with us!
A liberal minister foolishly preached about what he perceived to be errors in the Bible…even stating that God did not mean what was written by the Bible authors. Finally, one irritated saint rose to his feet and demanded, “If God didn’t mean what He said, why didn’t He say what He meant?” The liberal had no answer, because there is no answer.
Well, let there be no mistake about it: God has said what He meant to say. Interested? His words are as close as your Bible!
Nov 21, 2022 – “’Grow—make that keep growing—in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ Grow today, grow tomorrow, grow the day after tomorrow, and the day after the day after tomorrow and keep on doing it. Eventually, you will experience a lifetime of growth. And you will look back and realize that growth did indeed happen. As a matter of fact, you will realize how much you have grown . . . and that your life is worth sharing with others.
“Near the end of my life I wrote two books that became part of God’s holy Word. My books include many, many items that pertain to your spiritual life, but I also included some personal experiences. Why? I believe my life, dear reader, will serve as an example to you about how many times one can fail and yet, in the end, over time, grow up spiritually to achieve God’s purpose for his life.
“I believe all of those up-and-down experiences can be helpful to you in your Christian journey. I have learned the Christian life is not one of 100% successful triumphs, but it also has more than its share of miserable failures. But I never allowed those failures to stop me for long. And I urge you not to allow your failures to stop you for long, either. If I could keep going, so can you!
“I leave you with these simple words of encouragement. These words also represent the very last words I wrote in the Bible. In many ways, they may be the most important words of all because they are based upon my own experiences.
“’Grow and keep growing—be constantly growing—in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.’ If I were writing the same passage today, I might phrase it like this, ‘Grow and never stop growing . . . never stop becoming more and more like Jesus.’
“In so doing, you will be greatly blessed, and you will become an even greater blessing to others.”
Yours truly,
Simon Peter
* Excerpt from Chapter One “Growing Up Spiritually…From a Friend of Long ago” in the book “Sanctification: How God Creates Saints out of Sinners” by Tom Swartzwelder.
Nov 19-20, 2022 – “Our attitude is not automatically good just because we are Christians.”
The author (I believe it is John Maxwell) continues, “It is noteworthy that the seven deadly sins (pride, covetousness, lust, envy, anger, gluttony and sloth) are all matters of ATTITUDE, inner spirit and motives. Sadly, many carnal Christians carry with them inner spirit problems.
“They are like the elder brother of the prodigal son, thinking they do everything right. He chose to stay home with the father. No way was he going to spend his time sowing wild oats. Yet, when the younger brother came back home, some of the elder brother’s wrong attitudes began to surface.
“Often we overlook the true meaning of the story of the prodigal son. We forget that we have not one but two prodigals. The younger brother is guilty of the sins of the flesh, whereas the elder brother is guilty of the sins of the spirit (attitude). When the parable closes, it is the elder – the second prodigal – who is outside the Father’s house.
“First came a feeling of self-importance. The elder brother was out in the field doing what he ought to do, but he got mad when the party began at home. He didn’t get mad because he didn’t like parties. I know he liked parties, because he complained to his father that he would never let him throw one!
“That was followed by a feeling of self-pity. The elder brother said, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you, and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet YOU HAVE NEVER given me a kid…”
One must wonder when his attitude problem developed. It seems clear it did not develop when his younger brother returned; on the contrary, that event merely revealed an already existing attitude…an attitude he may not have recognized previously. Somehow he got off track and his life became miserable…wonder how it happened? We’ll never know for sure, but we can know with certainty that we are prone to this same underlying weakness. And, sadly, we, too, may be blind to its influence in our own life until it suddenly manifests itself by gobbling us.
What is the cure? “Let this attitude be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” The rest of Philippians 2 addresses this attitude. It might be good reading for you, too. Attitude development is an every day process. May God bless you with a transforming Christlike attitude.
Nov 18, 2022 – George Sweeting, the sixth President of Moody Bible Institute, says, “Some Christians try to be secret believers, but this is a mistake. Just imagine Dr. Jonas Salk keeping the Salk vaccine a secret! That would have been criminal.
“So, too, a knowledge of salvation places us in debt to the whole world. Silence really is sinful, because we owe the world a witness.
“So are we guilty of lying when we sing, ‘I Love to Tell the Story’ when we are as silent as a sphinx about the Savior and His mightiness to transform lives?”
The poet writes,
“You talk about the weather, And crops of corn and wheat;
You speak with friends and neighbors, That pass along the street.
You call yourself a Christian, And like the gospel plan;
Then why not speak for Jesus, And witness where you can?”
Christmas is coming. How about enclosing a gospel tract or your own salvation testimony in your cards this year? Or sharing Jesus on the internet? Inviting people to your church’s Christmas program? Sharing the birth of the Savior? Wearing clothing that testifies (and opens the door for a discussion)? (I encourage you to read the article 11 Ways to Make Christmas Your Best Outreach of the Year on the Evangelism page at godsgreenhouse.net and perhaps print a copy for your church leaders.) How about developing a prayer list of unsaved friends/loved ones and sharing it with a small prayer group? How about sharing gospel messages that appear on social media with your network of acquaintances?
Don’t be a secret Christian! Be a telling, testifying Christian! KEEP SOWING JESUS!
Nov 17, 2022 – Homer Webb, one of my childhood pastors, once conducted the wedding of a very nice couple. He imagined that they might give him a generous gift. After the wedding, the newlyweds gave him a pair of nice winter gloves. Nice, but he was hoping for something more. Some months later Pastor Webb was preaching in a winter revival. It was cold! His wife got out those gloves for him to wear. But he could not get them on! After cleaning out the fingers, he found $100.00 in each finger. He said “I had it all the time and didn’t know!“
Many Christians fall into this trap of, “I had it all the time and didn’t know!” Vance Havner often says, “We Christians live such subnormal lives that if we ever lived the normal Christian life the world would think we are abnormal.” Sadly, the victorious “living in Canaan” life expressed in the book of Ephesians is not experienced by most Christians. This writer often falls short of it, also.
Ephesians pictures the Christian life as a conquering inner man overcoming any anti-God influence in this worldly system of ours. Jesus describes it as “the abundant life” (John 10:10) and “out of the believer’s innermost being shall flow RIVERS (not trickles) of living water” (John 7:38). Paul pictures it as “Christ living in me” in Galatians 2:20 and “Christ who is our life” in Colossians 3:4.
That’s powerful stuff. Indeed, it’s transforming…transformational…revolutionary…life-changing…attitude adjusting…goal establishing…outlook improving…faith inspiring…Holy Spirit leading, teaching and filling. Sound good? Yes! It’s far better than the experience of most people. Ephesians living doesn’t solve all of life’s problems, but it does solve the biggest problem of all: the hole in my own heart for something more.
I leave you with this prayer from the Apostle Paul in chapter three: “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell (be at home) in your hearts through faith.” Amen.
Nov 16, 2022 – “Can’t do it. I have no ability. I have no message. I have no authority. I am not eloquent of speech. I am the wrong choice. I CAN’T.”
“Can’t? You’re right, Moses, but you are forgetting that I CAN through you,” said God, and Moses not only could but did. All it took was Moses saying, “Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord, BY THE POWER OF GRACE DIVINE; Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope, And my will be lost in Thine.”
“Can’t do it” stops more Christians than even the ol’ devil himself. Remember: You can always try and then decide it didn’t work. That happens when you fix a meal, too! But if you don’t try, you’ll never know for certain what God could have done with your effort. And you’ll never know how God would have grown you either…
CAN’T
By Edgar Guest
Can’t is the worst word that’s written or spoken;
Doing more harm here than slander and lies;
On it is many a strong spirit broken,
And with it many a good purpose dies.
It springs from the lips of the thoughtless each morning
And robs us of courage we need through the day;
It rings in our ears like a timely sent warning
And laughs when we falter and fall by the way.
Can’t is the father of feeble endeavor,
The parent of terror and halfhearted work;
It weakens the efforts of artisans clever,
And makes of the toiler an indolent shirk.
It poisons the soul of the man with a vision,
It stifles in infancy many a plan;
It greets honest toiling with open derision
And mocks at the hopes and the dreams of a man.
Can’t is a word none should speak without blushing;
To utter it should be a symbol of shame;
Ambition and courage it daily is crushing;
It blights a man’s purpose and shortens his aim.
Nov 15, 2022 – The Christian doctor Paul Tournier writes in his Doctor’s Case Book, “There was one patient of mine, the youngest daughter in a large family which the father found it difficult to support. One day she heard her father mutter despairingly, ‘We could well have done without that one.’ That is precisely what God can never say. He is a loving Father to every one of His children.”
Are you discouraged today? Here is God’s promise to you for today:
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
“For I know the plans I have for you plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).
You’re not alone today. Not even TO your old age and IN your old age.
Nov 14, 2022 – In the old days there was a young boy in England whose father died. This boy had to quit school to provide for his family. He sold his newspapers every day then stopped by the toy store to look at the toy soldiers in the window. He imagined the thrill that would be his if he could play with those toy soldiers. But, unfortunately, there was a glass between the soldiers and him. All he could do was imagine what it would be like to play with those toy soldiers.
One day, though, the boy did not come. The shopkeeper went out into the street and asked, “Has anyone seen the little boy who would look in our window at the toy soldiers?”
Someone said, “Haven’t you heard? He was hit by an automobile early today and is now unconscious in the hospital.“
The storekeeper immediately gathered all of the toy soldiers and took them to the hospital. He set the toy soldiers at the foot of the boy’s bed then left.
The boy soon regained consciousness. He saw his mother then he looked at the foot of the bed and saw the toy soldiers. He could not believe what he saw!
He reached his hands toward those toy soldiers… getting closer and closer until, at last, the soldiers were in his hands. He then turned to his mother and said, “Oh, mother, look! Here are my soldiers and now there is no glass in between.“
I now see heaven through a glass. I can’t touch heaven at all! I know some people in heaven, but I cannot touch them. I know they are singing in heaven, but I cannot hear them. I know they have perfect bodies in heaven, but I cannot see them.
But someday God will take away the glass!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Nov 12-13, 2022 – It’s called the “Expectations Game.” It also reveals a common problem in spiritual growth. Consider the following oft-repeated story:
A pastor received a telephone call. A lady said, “We’re looking for a church where we can be blessed.”
The pastor said, “That’s fine, but we’re looking for members who can bless our church.”
She said, “You don’t understand. We’re looking for a place where we can be fed.”
He said, “That’s fine, but we’re looking for members who can feed others.”
She asked, “What kind of church is this anyway?”
The answer is that it was a New Testament church, and a New Testament church is built upon giving instead of receiving! God’s design for every single one of us is that we excel in ministry for Him! In being a blessing to Him, to each other, and to His church.
We need to move beyond the “Feed me” stage. After all, only immature children or infirmed adults say those words. But many Christians are hung up on this “Me” stage. The Apostle Paul defines that condition as the carnal or flesh controlled condition in 1 Corinthians 3 and elsewhere…and carnal living falls far short of “the spiritual stage” of 1 Corinthians 2:15.
True ministry is not about me getting but about me giving. It is built upon a sowing concept of sowing myself in the lives of others. If I receive back, great! But if I do not receive back, I keep giving or sowing because that is being like Jesus. Imagine Jesus calling your pastor and saying, “I’m looking for a church where I can be blessed, be fed.” How absurd! That isn’t the Jesus we know! Nor should it be us either.
Be a disciplined sower. Be a disciplined giver.
NOTE: My simplest book “15 Spiritual Laws to Grow People” helps you develop the sowing discipline or lifestyle. The $3.99 e-book is available at Amazon, Apple, Barnes and Noble, Kobo and many other sites. It should be read annually in order to keep you on the right track. It would make a great study guide for your church staff, too.
Nov 11, 2022 – IT’S VETERAN’S DAY! It is a day to honor those among us that have served the Grand Ol’ Flag in any capacity. It is not only patriotic to do so; it is also RIGHT to do so.
My mind reflects upon so many that deserve to be honored. I spent time with my father-in-law Emerson Wiseman this week. Emerson served as a radio operator on the submarine U.S.S. Puffer in the Pacific Ocean in World War 2 for several dangerous tours. Congressional Medal of Honor winner Woody Williams spoke to my church in the late 1990’s about his harrowing experience on Iwo Jima in that same war. So many more can be mentioned and deserve to be mentioned…people who served and came home, others who served and never returned home. Others whose lives were marred physically or mentally from what they experienced. Still others who never experienced combat…but who would have been in the thick of conflict if their duty demanded it.
We owe so much to so many.
They served…and their service continues to provide us with freedom unmatched anywhere in this world. Just think for a moment about this past week’s election (regardless of whether your candidates won or lost). Over 100 million votes were cast in a non-presidential election! The concept of such freedom is inexpressible. We can even voice our support for or opposition to a candidate. All one must do is compare our freedom with the tyrannies that have prevailed throughout man’s history…or still exist in Russia, Iran, China, etc. and one can get a glimpse of how different America is from other governments.
I have often said I am a big believer in two documents: the Bible and the Constitution. We live in a day when it is so easy for the talking heads to take issue with the Constitution. “Nit-pickers!” is the best word I can use to describe them. What the critics fail to understand is that the Constitution is the greatest man-made document ever produced. Is it perfect? Of course not. But has man ever devised anything better? No, not by a long shot.
Quite honestly, all of us need to take a deep breath, back off from this election rancor and realize we live in an experiment called the United States of America. Throughout history no other country has ever experimented with so much freedom. (This high degree of freedom terrifies the current leaders of China!) Our country is still young by historical measures. We do not know for sure that our increased level of freedom will survive the test of time. But what we do know is such freedom is ours because a vet has served to make it so.
So celebrate your freedom today…and be sure to thank a vet who served to give you that freedom!
Nov 10, 2022 – Do you know what the book of Proverbs actually is? Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings about every area of your life whether it concerns your spiritual life, physical life, financial life or your family life. It does not matter what your problem is; there is a wise saying to deal with your specific problem.
Think with me! If God could teach me about my:
- home, what would God say? “Read one chapter of Proverbs every day.”
- finances, what would God say? “Read one chapter of Proverbs every day.”
- attitude, what would God say? “Read one chapter of Proverbs every day.”
Guess what? The book of Proverbs is the very FIRST self-help manual that was ever written. Before there were cookbooks, craft books, parenting books and computer books there was Proverbs, aka Sayings of Wisdom.
Who buys self-help books? People who are admitting they are dumber than the author of that book.
One of the most famous self-help series is the “Dummies” series. “_______ for Dummies.” Guess who buys those books? Dummies. Well, the book of Proverbs is God’s book for dummies! It is a book we ought to read just as much as Romans, John, Acts or whatever book we like to read. Why? It is because we need to be constantly reminded of how to make right decisions. Proverbs helps prepare us for new problems but also helps keep us from repeating the same mistakes.
How about taking the next month and reading a chapter a day? You will be surprised at the many pearls of wisdom hidden throughout this book.
Nov 9, 2022 – “For God SO LOVED!”
One of the greatest evangelists of the 20th century was a Christian Jew by the name of Hyman Appelman. I listened to Appelman preach in the 1970’s about the love of God for sinners. Oh, how he poured out his heart to us! He emphasized, “God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance!”
Appelman covered the crucifixion of Jesus for sinners in great detail. The blood ran red, the whip was brutal beyond belief, the nails were pounded with large hammers, the stress of hanging on a cross was beyond his ability to adequately describe.
Then Appelman made a statement which I have never forgotten. He pointed off into the distance as if he was pointing to the cross of Calvary and he proclaimed, “I tell you, there must be a hell for a man who would reject that kind of love! There must be a hell!” I thought to myself, “Dr. Appelman, you are right! I know you are right!”
My next book is tentatively titled, “The Major Judgments of God: God’s First Call to Last Call to Man.” One chapter will focus on how God can be just or right in punishing any sinner with hell for the length of eternity. Many answers can be provided but Today’s Verse provides the greatest answer of all: “There MUST be a hell for a man who would reject that kind of love.”
Perhaps you are an unbeliever in Christ. Perhaps you have never given much consideration to your soul and this matter of eternity. One item can be conclusively stated: God loves you enough to provide a Savior, the means of escape from the judgment to come. It is a love which must be either accepted or rejected. Don’t you think it’s time you seriously considered this matter? Read the twenty-one chapters in the book of John and you will discover how much God loves you. He loved you enough to become human, to walk this earth and reveal God to us, and to then offer Himself as the only pure sacrifice that can appease the wrath of God against our sin. And now that same God is opening heaven to you. All because He loves you.
Yes, “there must be a hell for a man who would reject that kind of love!”
Nov 8, 2022 – “The rules don’t apply to me.” Really? There is an arrogance within our culture (including Christianity) that some are so talented, so charismatic, so skilled that the rules don’t apply to them…to me, yes, but as to such people, “we can do whatever we wish because we can get away with it…the people will follow…it will work.” Again, I pose the question, “Really?”
Today’s Verse nailed King Saul of Israel to the wall because Saul felt God’s rules did not apply to him. His “winsomeness” attitude became a “losingness” end, because no one can circumvent God’s rules and expect God’s blessings. (Oh, yes, it may still look good on the surface but let’s remember judgment day is yet in the future and we do not know what is actually happening beneath the surface. All that looks good may not actually be good.) The priest Samuel explained God’s reason for rejecting Saul in the next verse: “For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.” Circumventing God’s rules represents an act of rebellion against the Rule-Maker. One writer correctly notes that Samuel equates such rebellion to the horrible sins of paganism and witchcraft. In other words, this attitude is a very serious issue and should not be taken lightly.
The old saying, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely” is true for presidents, pastors, church leaders and followers. God sets up safeguards called rules for a purpose. His rules should not be confused with man’s oft convoluted rules, but should be recognized as clear principles which lead to spiritual success.
For example, the Ten Commandments form a great foundation for how we are to approach God as well as our fellow man. They are not the Ten Suggestions!
“Reap what you sow” is another rule. Too many people are now reaping bad harvests that cannot be undone due to bad decisions in years past. Please note: Forgiveness does not prevent a bad harvest!
“Without Me you can do nothing” reveals the utter futility of the flesh. To rely upon talent or schooling is futile, too.
“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” God’s will is more powerful than our own will. Just ask Saul in Today’s Verse. Be submissive to His will.
“Be holy as I am holy.” Too much of today’s Christianity is built around talent. Too little attention is given to a holy character. There is no replacement for holy character.
A very talented, cocky young preacher was booked as a special speaker. He was introduced to the audience as an up and coming star, responded by walking pompously to the pulpit, then proceeded to make a total mess of things. His mind went blank. He stuttered, stammered, groaned, made a fool of himself. Totally defeated he walked out of the pulpit and stepped down to the front pew.
A sage walked over to him and said, “Sonny, if you had gone up the way you came down, you might have come down the way you went up!”
God help us to walk according to His rules!
Nov 7, 2022 – It happened in a tent revival. Just before the sermon an elderly man named A. T. Humphrey came forward to sing. Dr. Humphrey’s specialty happened to be music. He had taught music for many years at Appalachian Bible College in Beckley, West Virginia. I wondered what kind of song he would sing – maybe a song with several key changes, maybe a song which we had never heard before, maybe a new song which no one understands except the singer!
A. T. Humphrey raised his eyes toward heaven, and, to my surprise, he sang a song from many years ago, “This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through, My treasures are laid up Somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.”
Dear Christian, do you ever wonder why you sometimes feel like you’re from a different planet? The people at work want to do one thing, but you aren’t comfortable with that. The television shows often depict activities that are revolting to you. The comedian’s jokes…well, you’re not comfortable with his material either. So many things rub against your soul like sandpaper applied to wood.
Why are you different? It is because God’s salvation is designed to make you different. Today’s Verse indicates you are a chosen generation, even a holy nation. Think of yourself as belonging to a different race except the distinguishing mark is not the color of your skin but the condition of your heart. Your heart possesses a born again nature that makes you radically different.
Your role in life is also different, because you are a priest in God’s priesthood…a priest with access to Him 24 hours a day. We can now “come boldly to the throne of grace, casting all our cares upon Him!”
Furthermore, the KJV expression “a peculiar people” actually means “a people of His own” or “a people of His possession.” We “are no longer our own, but we have been bought with a price.” We belong to Him by virtue of our salvation. Saved FROM the wrath to come, saved FOR the Master’s use.
Guess what? Our Master is not of this world system either! He has saved us to live apart, yes, even ABOVE this world system. To “set our affections on things above, not on things of the earth.” He has programmed us to prefer His lifestyle over a worldly lifestyle. Living the Christian life is now the preferred life, because it is the more COMFORTABLE life.
So don’t be surprised if you are different from this unbelieving world. After all, God designed you to be like Him…and He is different!
Nov 5-6, 2022 – If the Devil were to write his Beatitudes, they would probably look like this:
–Blessed are those who are too tired, too busy, too distracted to spend an hour once a week with their fellow Christians in Church – they are my best workers.
–Blessed are those Christians who wait to be asked and expect to be thanked – I can use them.
–Blessed are the touchy, with a bit of luck they may stop going to church – they are my missionaries.
–Blessed are those who are very religious but get on everyone’s nerves – they are mine forever.
–Blessed are the troublemakers – they shall be called my children. –Blessed are those who have no time to pray – they are easy prey for me.
–Blessed are the gossipers – for they are my secret agents.
–Blessed are those critical of church leadership – for they shall inherit a place with me in my fate.
–Blessed are the complainers – I’m all ears for them.
–Blessed are you when you read this and think it is about other people and not yourself – I’ve got you. – Unknown
Nov 4, 2022 – Do you remember how God chose Abraham? It was based solely upon God’s grace. Then God chose Isaac instead of Ishmael and Jacob instead of Esau. The Arabs do not like God’s decision but they cannot get rid of Israel. Why? “Many are the plans in a man’s heart but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
God chose Abraham…God chose Moses…God chose the Apostle Paul and I am convinced that God is still in the choosing business today.
For example, why did the entire world hear of Billy Graham? It was because God put His hand upon Billy. It wasn’t because Billy was the best nor does God put His hand upon you because you are the best. (Never overestimate yourself by placing yourself above others. There is someone (probably many more someone’s than you can count) who is better than you…even if you haven’t met that person yet!)
Someone said, “A big shot is a little shot who just kept on shooting…” but that’s not necessarily so because lots of little shots keep on shooting and never become big shots!
Who raised up Joseph from the dungeon to be the Prime Minister of Egypt? God! Who raised up Moses from the backside of the desert to free the nation of Israel? God! Who used uneducated fishermen (Peter and John) to shake the entire world and begin the movement of Christianity? It was God!
The Apostle Paul teaches, “Who then is Paul and who then is Apollos but mere ministers? I have planted, Apollos has watered, but it is God who gives the increase. The one who plants is nothing, the one who waters is nothing, but it is God who gives the increase.”
Perhaps you have read about the great preacher of the 1800’s who was invited to meet the President. This preacher went to Washington D.C. and was shown into an empty room in the White House.
The President arrived a few minutes later. The President had not yet seen a picture of this great preacher. The President walked into the room and found himself with a short, plain-looking, nothing-exciting-about-him kind of man. The President looked around the room for someone else who looked very distinguished. He suddenly realized that the famous evangelist was actually this very plain looking man standing in front of him.
The evangelist sensed the president’s confusion, reached out his hand, and said, “Mr. President, isn’t it wonderful whom God can use?”
My friend, when I look in the mirror I, too, must say, “Isn’t it wonderful whom God can use! That God can use someone like me for His honor and glory!”
Can you look in the mirror and say the same words? One truth is certain: It is the Lord’s purpose that prevails…even through our weaknesses!
Mar 13, 2024 – Do you ever wonder how people can be so smart and yet so dumb at the same time? Abraham Lincoln wrote, “I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how a man could look up into the heavens and say there is no God.” This pastor concurs.
Looking down reveals a mess, but looking up reveals a very organized splendor…something so amazing that our dismay from looking down is replaced with amazement at looking up. Maybe that is because man has not yet had a chance to mess up that which is UP!
One of the best things about winter is the cold Canadian air which leaves us with crystal clear nights to observe the stars. It seems the colder the night, the more sparkling the stars! And guess who owns it all? Our God who is also our Father, Savior, Protector and Sustainer. Imagine being so superior to everyone else that it is a simple thing to “pitch a tent big enough to house something as big as the sun.” Our God is indeed mighty!
General Napoleon Bonaparte took a walk one night when the stars were shining so very brightly. The great general happened across a number of soldiers who were mocking the existence of God. Napoleon waved his hands toward the stars of heaven, and said, “Gentlemen, I suggest that you get rid of those first!”
The Bible says, “By Him all things consist, or, more literally, are held together.” Our future, along with the future of the universe, is tied to Him.
It reminds me of the little boy who knelt by the bed for his bedtime prayer and prayed, “Lord, be sure to take care of Yourself, because if anything ever happens to You, we’re all in a heap of trouble!” Amen!
Be sure to think for a moment about Who is really in charge of this universe! Remember: Your God is also in charge of today, too. So put your hand in His hand and face today…and tomorrow…and the rest of your days in confidence.
Mar 12, 2024 – How can we measure the value of a human soul like yours…or mine? Please consider this exercise from one of my sermons:
“I have a question for all of the adults and all of the children.”
Hold up a $20 bill for everyone to see.
“Who would like to have this $20 bill?”
Hands go up.
“I am going to give this $20 bill to one of you, but first let me do this.”
Crumble the bill into a tiny ball.
“Now who wants to own the $20 bill?”
The same hands go up.
“What if I do this?”
Drop the bill on the floor, step on it, grind it into the carpet.
“Who still wants the $20 bill?”
The same hands go up!
“Why do you still want it?”
The audience answers, “It’s still worth $20!” (Yes, I gave the money to a child.)
KEY: No matter what I did to the money, it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. The original value had not changed. Wadded up, but still worth $20. Stepped on, but still worth $20.
Maybe you feel like that $20 bill. You have been crumbled, dropped, stepped on and abused by life. But, rest assured, you still have value. Your original value as a living, eternal soul has not changed.
“So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.” That’s what God does…He’s good at taking what is marred or even broken and reworking it into something of use.
“He’s still working on me, To make me what I ought to be…How loving and patient He must be, He’s still working on me!”
Do you know anyone who needs to make a visit to the Potter’s House?
Mar 11, 2024 – The Good Samaritan, the Levite, the priest, perhaps even multiple priests…which one best describes your life in the parable of the Good Samaritan?
Jesus tells us about a man journeying to Jericho. This man fell among thieves and was brutally attacked. He was robbed, stripped, wounded, and left dying, probably rolled into a ditch where he would be out of the way. It is likely that a number of people passed by.
The first, a priest, evaluated the man’s needs but refused to get involved. Perhaps he said, “I keep the Golden Rule of ‘do unto others as I would have them do unto me.’” “That’s a great philosophy, but what would the man in the ditch have you do for him?”
A passing Levite also evaluated the man’s needs but refused to get involved. He said, “I keep the 10 commandments. O HOW I LOVE JESUS!” “That’s a great song, but do you love your neighbor as yourself?” “No,” and he passed by.
Another Levite: “He is not one of my church members.” Passed by.
Another priest: “His skin color is different than mine.” Passed by.
Relative: “I only take care of my own family.” “Aren’t you both a member of father Adam’s family?”
The man in the ditch wails, “No man cares for my soul!”
The priest asks, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The Levite asks, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The relative asks: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” God answers, “Yes!”
But along comes a Samaritan (an outcast from the Jewish viewpoint) and “he saw him and had compassion on him!” The Samaritan said, “I’ve never met you but God knows all about you and that is good enough for me. I’ll have to change my plans but God brought me your way for a reason! My reputation will suffer, because we Samaritans and you Jews don’t get along, but your need is more important than my reputation.”
The Samaritan, who was good in heart, then lifted the man from his misery and cared for his soul. “Which one was a neighbor to the man in need?” The lawyer said, “The one who had mercy on him.”
As you move through this week, you will likely meet someone who has been wounded by life and left in a ditch. It won’t hurt to get your hands a little dirty. It won’t hurt to get involved. And who knows what God will do with such a simple effort?
Mar 9-10, 2024 – A number of years ago at the Dallas, Texas fair everyone’s attention was drawn to the first place hog. This hog was the prettiest hog you have ever seen. It was wearing its first place ribbon and did not have a speck of dirt on it. Its hooves had been manicured, its hair looked like it had just come from a beauty parlor. It was the prettiest hog anyone had ever seen.
The hog’s owner was superbly dressed. It was obvious he knew how to take care of hogs…and himself!
But someone then noticed it was the owner’s twelve-year-old son who was in charge of the hog. This boy was so skinny that you could count his ribs. His face looked like a corpse. His clothes were ragged and torn. He was smoking two packs of cigarettes a day and drinking himself to sleep every night.
The owner of the much loved hog was also the father of the totally unloved son!
The worst abandonment of all takes place every day that we live. David spoke about such abandonment in Psalm 142, “I looked for help on my right hand but there was no man who would help me or even know me; refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.”
All of us are surrounded by people with needs. Some needs are physical (sickness), material (financial), psychological (mental) but the greatest need is the spiritual (the soul) because it is eternal. You and I are part of God’s answer to meeting these needs.
“Am I my brother’s keeper?” The answer is an emphatic, “YES!” from the throne of God. We too often think we are self-made, “I succeeded, why can’t you?” and our heart is hardened toward those with greater needs than our own. This writer has actually seen people that needed help, got the help, grew up to no longer need help then become hardened against those who need help. Such an attitude should not be, but it happens more than we think.
First, let the Holy Spirit soften your heart toward the needs of others. What happens when you are Spirit-filled? The “fruit of the Sprit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control.” Love is mentioned first because the Spirit softens your heart toward others! Who better practiced this teaching than Jesus? “But when Jesus saw the multitude, He was moved with compassion on them because they fainted and were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd.” His heart was touched by the needs of others. When we are like Jesus, we cannot help but be touched by the needs of others.
Second, let the Bible remind you of your responsibility to others. James doesn’t define true religion in how many times we have attended church, but ”pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble.” The story of the Good Samaritan should also spur us to do more than we do.
Third, realize every person is a potential opportunity. Jesus met the Samaritan woman while she was getting water from the well, Zaccheus while Zaccheus was sitting in a tree, the thief while both of them were dying, and the blind man outside the temple when He just “happened” to pass by. Jesus made a difference in those lives, because He seized the opportunity.
God help us to open our eyes and seize the many opportunities that surround us!
Mar 8 2024 – I asked, “William, what is your way of salvation?”
William replied, “I have done everything I know to do. I have asked Jesus to save me from my sins PLUS I am trying to live right. In addition, I have been baptized, I am a member of several churches, I try to respect all religions. I try to be a good son and friend.” He then said, “I’ve covered all the bases.”
Bottom line: William was not satisfied with Jesus and Jesus alone. His faith was spread over multiple avenues in hope that one or all of them would secure his salvation.
Perhaps you’re not yet satisfied with Jesus and Jesus alone. It is easy, though, to establish why Jesus is enough. For example, Who is the savior? Jesus. Who is the keeper of our soul? Jesus. Who is building our home in heaven? Jesus. Who is coming again to get us? Jesus. What does this tell us? It tells us that salvation begins with Jesus, continues with Jesus, and it also ends with Jesus. Salvation is totally the work of Jesus!
Spurgeon teaches, “It is not thy hold on Christ that saves thee; it is Christ. It is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee; it is Christ. It is not even thy faith in Christ, though that be the instrument; it is Christ’s blood and merit.”
KEY: You are either resting in Jesus or you are trying to earn your own salvation.
What is Jesus doing today regarding our salvation? First, Today’s Verse indicates that Jesus is now saving our souls to the uttermost. How much farther can you go than the uttermost parts of this world? How much farther can you go into sin than the uttermost? Jesus intercedes for you no matter how deep into sin you may go!
In spite of every sin you may commit—Peter denied our Lord, Samson committed adultery, Ananias lied to the Holy Spirit and what, dear reader, have you done? More than we care to admit. Yet God saves to the uttermost because His salvation is the only kind of salvation that saves! Otherwise, we would lose our salvation multiple times a week or perhaps a day.
Let’s look at a second verse. Hebrews 10:12 states, “After He offered one sacrifice for sins forever, He sat down at the right hand of God.” Interesting term: Jesus is now sitting down. Why is Jesus sitting down? Is it because He is tired or lazy? We read the answer two verses later, “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” Jesus is so satisfied with our salvation that He is now sitting down.
The devil whispers to Jesus, “Tom did it again!” But Jesus answers, “Yes, but I did it once and for all!”
The devil demands, “Tom needs more payment for this new sin! Go back to the cross and die again!” Jesus responds, “My one payment is payment enough.”
Jesus is so satisfied that He can sit down. There is nothing even Jesus can add to our salvation!
“Yes, the old account was settled long ago! And the record’s clear today For He washed my sins away, And the old account was settled long ago!”
Guess what? The old account is still settled TODAY!
Mar 7, 2024 – Can you add anything to your salvation—to what Jesus accomplished on the cross? Today’s Verse says, “The Son of man came not to be ministered to but rather to minister and to give His life a ransom for many” i.e. Jesus came to set you free by paying your ransom.
What do we see when we look at the cross? First, we see that we have sinned. We owe a debt to the holiness of God. God’s holiness demands judgment and punishment. “God’s judgment is without mercy. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” The only price which can set us free is the blood of Jesus! So He offers Himself to God as a ransom—the price necessary to set us free.
Think of it like this. You get a bill through the mail. You go to the store to pay the bill. The bill says you owe $48.12. You give them $48.12 in cash. They split the bill in two—part of the bill goes in their drawer with the money. They take a stamp and apply it to the other part of the bill. What does that stamp say? PAID IN PART? No. Why not? Because the bill has been paid in full.
Question: After you get that stamp on the bill, do you lay awake at night worrying about paying that bill? Why not? It is because you have the assurance that your bill has been paid in full.
What happens when you come to Calvary for salvation? God stamps, “It is finished, paid in full” on your sin debt!
“My sin, o the bliss of this glorious thought, My sin, not in part but the whole, Is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!”
Jesus paid the penalty for your sin to such an extent that you cannot lift a single finger to add to your salvation. If you said to God, “I need to add something to the plan of salvation. Maybe I need to add keeping the golden rule. Maybe I need to add tithing, praying, church membership, living a good life.”
Do you know what God would do? God would become angry at our ignorance and ask, “How dare you think that you can you add anything to the perfect sacrifice of my Son?”
The truth is we cannot buy ourselves out of our own sinful poverty. No! All we can do is commit ourselves into the hands of our redeemer. So trust Him—trust that He is telling you the truth.
Mar 6, 2024 – Fanny Crosby lifts us to the throne of God with this song: “Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine! [What exactly is assurance? Confidence!] Blessed CONFIDENCE, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine, Heir of salvation, Purchase of God, Born of His Spirit, Washed in His blood.”
Four words: heir, purchase, born, and washed…none of them are what we can do for ourselves, but they describe what God does when He saves our souls from the wrath to come.
A teenager walked up to a preacher and asked, “What must I do to get saved?”
The preacher shocked him by saying, “I’m sorry, son, but you’re too late.”
The teenager became frantic. He said, “You don’t understand. I don’t want to go to hell. What must I do to get saved?”
The pastor said, “Son, it’s too late for you to do anything to get saved, because Jesus did it all two thousand years ago. All you must now do is believe in the finished work of the cross, and you will be saved. It is not doing that saves you but rather it is believing in Jesus that saves you.”
This writer cannot do anything to save my soul. Nor can this writer do anything to keep me saved. Earlier today I added this line to my next book: “The resurrection of Jesus Christ is God the Father’s validation that His Son’s sacrifice on the cross of Calvary satisfies God’s wrath against our sin.” You can write this down as an absolute fact: Our only hope of salvation rests solely upon Jesus Christ! Thank God, He did it all and because He did it all I have a blessed, confident assurance that it is well with my soul.
“Heir of salvation.” God has bestowed upon me His own righteousness (see Today’s Verse), because I am one of those who believe.
“Purchase of God.” This believer does not belong to the devil or to myself. I belong to God. “Bought with a price!” “Redeemed [purchased] how I love to proclaim it! Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb! His child and forever I am.”
“Born of His Spirit.” My date was January 14, 1965. What is your date? A new nature is planted in the heart of every person at the moment he or she believes. That nature has new desires, too. That’s why a believer ought to behave differently than an unbeliever.
“Washed in His blood.” Every sin covered, put away, as far from us as the east is from the west, buried in the deepest sea, never again to be brought against us. Why? It is because God the Father is satisfied with the payment for our sins that was made by Jesus on the cross.
What a difference it makes when the Lord comes in to stay! “BLESSED CONFIDENCE, JESUS IS INDEED MINE!”
Mar 5, 2024 – What kind of salvation do you enjoy? This question may seem strange, because there is only one salvation for all. However, some lack confidence in their salvation. As a result, they spend more time fretting than faithing. Perhaps this analogy will help.
As a boy growing up, our evening routine was very consistent. Dad arrived home from work each evening around 5:30. Mom usually had the food on the table by 5:45 and we would sit down to eat. Dad would eat then go to the living room to relax. Dad always went to the same place, because dad had a place which was very special to him.
I remember there were two things which belonged to dad and dad alone. The first thing which belonged to dad was dad’s chair. We couldn’t afford a Lazy Boy in those days, but dad always had a decent chair to sit in. Soft… warm…dad’s chair!
The second thing which belonged to dad was dad’s footstool. Dad would lean back in his chair, prop up his feet and relax. He would then read the newspaper, watch the television, or read a book.
As a boy I remember thinking that all was well with the world when dad propped up his feet! There was no more work to be done. No more effort was necessary. No more worrying or fretting! All was well with the world when dad propped up his feet.
“Jesus said, ‘It is finished’” and He then propped up His feet, too. There was no more work to be done for my salvation. No more effort was necessary to save my soul. No worrying or fretting, wringing of hands, pacing the floor, wiping sweat from the brow either. All was well with my soul when Jesus said, “It is finished” and propped up His feet.
“We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time” (Hebrews 10:10). “For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). “Now where there is forgiveness of these sins and lawless acts, there is no longer an offering for sin…let us draw near with a true heart in FULL assurance of FAITH” (Hebrews 10:18-22).
Dragnet’s Joe Friday often said (he never smiled), “Just the facts, sir, just the facts.” In other words, don’t confuse me with what you think, but give me the facts. Here is one fact which you can take to the bank: “God the Father shall see the work of His soul [dying on the cross for the sins of the world] and He shall be satisfied” (Isaiah 53:10). Since God is satisfied, I can be satisfied, too.
It’s time to prop up my feet and enjoy the Lord’s salvation.
Mar 4, 2024 – Do you ever become fearful? Read on!
One night many years ago an ocean liner sank off the coast of England. Many people drowned; other people were crushed by the rocks on the shore. A sixteen-year-old boy, though, grabbed hold of a large rock; he clung to that rock throughout the entire night. Someone spotted him on the next morning, and this boy was wonderfully rescued.
The rescuers said, “You held all night to that rock. Were you scared? Did you shake and tremble as you held on to that rock?”
The boy said, “I shook and trembled all night long, but the amazing thing is that rock never shook nor trembled a single time.”
Let me ask three questions that deserve your attention.
First, was the boy safe on the rock? The answer is, “Yes!”
Second, was there any reason for him to shake and tremble all night long? No!
Last, did his trembling making any safer? No!
The thing which made this boy safe was the rock and not his trembling. His fear added nothing to his safety. Doubts, confusion, education, piggy bank, heritage, and home address had nothing to do with his safety. His safety depended solely upon the rock.
Too many Christians are like the old man who took his first plane ride. His family later asked, “Were you afraid?” He answered, “No. But I NEVER PUT MY FULL WEIGHT DOWN.”
Please understand: YOU CAN PUT YOUR FULL WEIGHT DOWN ON JESUS! He is your rock of deliverance, your rock of safety, your rock to bring you through ALL the storms of life. You can either stay awake all night worrying or you can put your trust in the rock and get a good night’s sleep. Which is better for you?