Will You Stand Against the Storm?

I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called -- Ephesians 4:1

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The bird in this picture may be hard to see. But he is sitting on rocks jutting out into the Gulf of Mexico. Little was he aware of the storm that would later hit this very place, as a hurricane blew in and the winds buffeted his home. In the picture, he was caught up in the quiet of the morning.

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It is unfortunate that many of the people who claim to be God's people are just as ignorant of the spiritual storm that is brewing. For a few minutes earlier today, I sat and talked with a very nice young woman about her life. She told me of talking to the dead and the fear that someone she knew was involved in black magic. Of course,she didn't want to talk to just anybody when she spoke to the dead, for fear they were wicked! She told me of visions and nightmares and dreams. I tried my best to explain that this was not what God wanted His people to do. I appealed to the scripture and encouraged her to surrender her life to Christ. Her look at me was a blank stare as she tried to explain to me that she operated her life under certain principles which she felt were right, which in my observation, have been very destructive to her. Much to my pain, I had taught her in church camp!

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I guess we can't be too hard on her. Many people today, some who have been strong in the faith in the past, are finding it hard to deal with Christianity and standing firm--and none of us are perfect, I know that only too well. Maybe we can't be too hard on her, based on our personal examples, but she still isn't right in terms of God's word and that she flatly rejected! And she must answer to God for those decisions and choices, as will we all.

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A. W. Tozer, a 20th century preacher, quoted in "Against the Wind" by K. P. Yohannon, p. 20, notes the following: "That this world is a playground instead of a battleground has now been accepted in practice by the vast majority of fundamentalist Christians . . . Our religious mood is social instead of spiritual. We have lost the art of worship. We are not producing saints. Our models are successful business men, celebrated athletes and theatrical personalities. . . Our literature is shallow and our hymnody borders on sacrilege. And scarcely anyone appears to care."

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Folks, are you the bird on the rock? The waves will come, the winds will blow and the tides will challenge our strength. We must be ready, able, and willing to stand firm in this day. We will be threatened and sometimes we might waver in the wind. But we can be victorious if we follow Jesus, the leader and his way, and not try to make it on our own, because we can't anyway!

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Father God, in the face of adversity, help us to be strong. Help us to realize that it is not how much fun we have, how much the music touches us, or what people think of us that matters. We know trying times will come and we will face storms. Simply, help us to be faithful and to live that faith out in front of those around us. In Jesus' name, Amen!

Easter Thoughts (3)

And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” (Luke 24:5-7, ESV)

In an old spiritual we find these words:

Hallelujah! He is coming!
Hallelujah! He is here!
Hallelujah! He is coming!
Hallelujah! He is here!

This song about the birth, death and resurrection of Christ speaks volumes to those of us who follow Him. He is here. He is here because He is not there—in the tomb that is. He has risen and this gives us reason to rejoice.

Say it with me, say it out loud, “Hallelujah! He is risen!”

Father, make us bold to shout your rising to the world around us.

Easter Thoughts (2)

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30, ESV)

It’s Good Friday—the day that Jesus was Crucified.

How? You ask. How can it be “good” if it is the day commemorating such a heinous death penalty? As a matter of fact, how can any death be looked upon and seen as good? The answer to this important question is in what happened on that first Good Friday. I’ll not go into detail about how awful the practice of Roman crucifixion was. Plenty of preachers have done that in the past. If you really want to know the cruelty of this form of punishment find a copy of The Passion of the Christ and watch it.

It isn’t that Jesus was crucified that makes today such a good day, but why He died and what He accomplished by going to the cross. Simply put, people are sinners. We are born that way. We can’t avoid it any more than I can avoid having blue eyes and curly hair. It is part of who we are. We defy and disobey God every opportunity that we get. The price of that sin is death, our death. Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross (because He was sinless) paid the price of our sin for us.

Why “Good Friday”? Because on the Good Friday Jesus made the escape from sin punishment possible. So celebrate! Sin is conquered through the crucifixion of Christ. It is Good Friday!

Father, Thank you for sending Jesus to make my sin payment and conquering my sin when He died.

Easter Thoughts (1)

Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it." (Luke 22:7-8, ESV)

Today is the day that Jesus met in an upper room with the disciples. The room prepared for the observance of the Passover feast. In that room, Jesus made the Passover come to life. In that room He explained that to the Twelve that He would die. Not only would He die, but He would be sent to His death by the betrayal of one of them there.

They did not understand all that happened as Jesus taught them lessons. Lessons about serving one another, lessons about the payment for sin, lessons that would become real to them in a few short days.

The Passover meal was one that was to remind the Israelites how God rescued them from their bondage to slavery in Egypt. What we call “the Lord’s Supper” is a reminder to us that through the death of Jesus (the perfect Passover Lamb) God would rescue us from our bondage to slavery in Sin. During this most holy of remembrances, think about what Jesus did on that night—giving a visual representation of the breaking of His body not one day later.

Toward the end of the meal, Jesus sent His betrayer away to make the final arrangements. Afterwards the rest of the disciples accompanied Jesus to a garden to pray—a time of dedication in preparation for the miracle that was to come. It was here that Jesus was arrested.

Today is a day of remembrance, a day to consider what this season’s payment is for us all.

Father, teach us again what you did on the first Easter weekend.

Taking Ownership of the Gospel

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel,. . . -- 2 Timothy 2:8

This past Sunday, my 10 year old grandson decided that he wanted to use my camera to take the photograph of two of our church ladies. He didn't ask; he just grabbed the camera. And then when the picture was done, he wanted to make a copy of the picture. And, not only a 4x6 inch picture, but also an 8 x 10 picture as well. He can be very forceful sometimes.
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I thought about his insistence for a moment and then I realized why it was so important to him to finish that picture and deliver it in just exactly what he thought was the right way. It is for the same reason that Paul uses the next to the last word above; that word is "my"!
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It is so important in our day and age for people to take ownership in what they are doing. My grandson saw it as his purpose in life to bless the two ladies with the picture. Paul thought it was significant to share the gospel and he emphasized that he believed it was necessary by calling it "my" gospel -- not about Paul but rather what he took ownership of.
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Here is the point: when we are willing to take ownership in what is happening in our churches and we have it in our heart and in our actions to make our service for the kingdom of God the most important thing, then things will happen for the kingdom. And so we close this devotion with this thought: what is important to you, so important you would do it above all else? What a difference can you make in your community and your church if you take ownership of the gospel and touch of the lives of people for Jesus?
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Dear God, sometimes I get so preoccupied when I see the barricades the devil puts before me. Help me to decide what is the most important things I should be doing. Give me a vision and a challenge and help me to take ownership of the gospel and desire to serve others for the kingdom. In Jesus' name, Amen!

What Offends You?

Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? -- John 6:61

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Just a few years ago, on one of our last trips to Six Flags Amusement Park in St. Louis, an astounding, somewhat amusing, almost ridiculous thing happened to us. My wife was wearing a witness t-shirt that talked about the love of Jesus. A young person, somewhere between 9 and 13 I would say, walked right up to her, looked her in the face, and said, "Your shirt offends me; I am Jewish!" Then the young lady seemed to disappear.

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It would almost be laughable if that weren't a major problem in the world today. Everybody is offened by everybody else, both from within and without the church. You don't think so? Consider this. How many church people are offended by the music of the church, both traditional and contemporary, if we might use those labels? How many people are offened by the Bible version we use? How many people are offended when they don't get their way in some happening in the church family? How many people are offened if they are forgotten accidentally during some thank you or sharing time? The list goes on! And on! And on!

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In the scripture passage in John 6, which I cited above, the disciples of Jesus were offened because Jesus was teaching about his body being food indeed and his blood drink indeed. Most people, at least, understand this to be a pre-direction for the Lord's Supper. But they looked at it as cannibalism -- how could anyone eat Jesus' body. And so, they left--offended!

Jesus' question to the rest of disciples is one we need to answer today as well. Are we offened by Jesus' expecation for us as His people? Are we offened by our brothers and sisters? Are we big enough to forgive and press on and not miss the importance of obeying and following as the scriptures suggestion?

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I can only ask the questions? The answer must come from you!!

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Father, it is human nature to be offened when things don't go our way. You have called us to a life of self-disciple which includes learning how to handle offenses. Help us not to be offened by you or by another. Especially, help us not to be offened by the cross! Help us to pursue each day as important for the you and the Kingdom. Help us to realize we are servants on a unique mission to help the world see you. Help us to realize that offense builds up walls against kingdom work and we should be doing everything in our power to tear them down and build unity by being of the same mind. In Jesus name, Amen!

Finding Answers in Prayer

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." -- Matthew 7:7-8

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"A little girl, dressed in her Sunday best, was running as fast as she could, trying not to be late for Bible class. As she ran she prayed, "Dear Lord, please don't let me be late! Dear Lord, please don't let me be late!"While she was running and praying, she tripped on a curb and fell, getting her clothes dirty and tearing her dress. She got up, brushed herself off, and started running again! As she ran she once again began to pray, "Dear Lord, please don't let me be late...But please don't shove me either!" -- source unknown

Recently our church faced a short fall on being able to pay a major bill. In a phone conversation with a new Christian friend I was making, I sought his prayer for this need. He readily agreed to pray and I later found out prayed several more times. He sought the answer by continually asking; he took time to bring it before God and wasn't afraid to knock on God's door and was allowed into God's presence; he asked knowing God could meet the need. He said he would pray for more money than was needed for the bill. And sure enough, within three days, a check for the money came in with over $100 more than the bill was for. Together, we rejoiced in God's goodness over the phone -- and the hope of searching for answers to this life God gives us. For me, I confess the whole situation was a growing experience as I saw Jesus' words in action and looked at how situations can turn us away from keeping our eyes on Jesus and his principles. Sometimes, I think I need a shove -- and I got it. Do you need a shove?

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Dear Father, when I am weakest, I need your strength. Oddly enough, when I am strong in myself, I am weak in my relationship to you. I need you. I thank you for the answers to prayer and the promise that I can ask, seek, and knock to find out the answers to the needs in my life. Thank you most of all for Jesus, the one person I need most, to deal with the things in my life that keep me from fully knowing you. It is in his name I pray! Amen!