Not an Easy Task!

“Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.” Proverbs 3.7

Solomon’s counsel to us today addresses three issues for us: (1) how we view ourselves, (2) how we view the Lord, and (3) how we view the world. First, let’s look at how we view ourselves: “Be not wise in thine own eyes … ” I never want to reach the place in my life where I think I have learned all I can learn or I already “know it all”. Solomon is known as a wise man, so when he speaks, I want to listen. If anyone could have known it all, it would have been Solomon. So remember, “Be not wise in thine own eyes … ”

Next, how do we view the Lord? We read this phrase, “fear the LORD” at least over 30 times in our Bibles. What does that say to you? Does it create a negative mood for you or do you find yourself rejoicing about WHO God is? To fear Him is to stand in awe of who He is. When I think that this sovereign God of the universe chooses to interact with me every day, I am literally overwhelmed. I am in awe of His willingness to interact with me.

Finally, how do we view the world? Solomon tells us to “depart from evil.” We already know this truth, but it is easy to be sidetracked by Satan and find ourselves drawn into evil circumstances and situations. In order NOT to be drawn into such situations, we must stay focused on HOW we live each day, realizing that our sole purpose in this life is to glorify God. What have you consciously done today to glorify God? What do you PLAN to do today to glorify God? Has that element of life even crossed your mind? If not, ask yourself why it hasn’t. Take a moment right now and review these words: “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.” Just my thoughts …

You Gotta Be Kidding!

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; ³ knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” James 1.2-3

I don’t know anyone who likes to have their patience tried. So, why would James even make a statement like this: “count it all joy when ye fall into divers (many) temptations … ” I know the Holy Spirit told him to write this, but if you are like me, you would like to know why? What, then, is the main purpose of this verse?

What do we already know? We are going to be tempted. No one likes that, but we live on this earth where Satan is the prince of the power of the air and he is going to tempt us. Our question is often, “Why would God let him do that?” Now the purpose of the verse begins to unfold: “…  the trying of your faith worketh patience.” You say, “I don’t WANT patience.” Sure, you do. Do you like being around someone who always seems to have a “short fuse.” They explode over everything that happens that they don’t like. A LITTLE patience goes a long way. Have you ever had to be patient with your spouse, your kids, a church member, or even God?

Your faith can be tested at any moment. When that test comes, does your “short fuse” kick in or do you exercise patience? God doesn’t want you going through life mad all the time. Let the trying of your faith produce patience. Life gets easier, you become easier to be around, and guess what? God is pleased! Just my thoughts …

It’s Not a Hard Decision!

“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Romans 8.6

What does it mean to be carnally minded? The word carnal means “relating to physical, especially sexual, needs and activities:” So, if one is carnally minded, he or she is thinking mostly about how personal sexual needs can be met or what kind of activities one can engage in to have those needs met. This is a rather powerful statement from Paul’s pen. “to be carnally minded is death … ” Verse 5 gives us some context for this verse: “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.” Remember that Paul is speaking to believers here. If a Christ follower spends all or most of his time thinking about how to meet the needs of the flesh, there is nothing in that person’s life that can or will glorify God. As far as the kingdom of God is concerned, that person might as well already be dead.

In contrast, Paul shows us the spiritual value in the spiritual life: “but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Obviously, if one is spiritually minded, he or she is thinking, not about how to meet the needs of the flesh, but how to glorify God and build the kingdom of God. I believe the word “life” here is used to emphasize the difference between the two life styles. One who is spiritually minded enjoys a life that is actually alive – has purpose and meaning. One who is spiritually minded enjoys a sense of God’s presence that is characterized by an inward peace that can be explained in no other way except “God”. If given the choice of the kind of life I want to choose each day, I am going for the life that is the result of being spiritually minded. That must be MY choice and MY focus. Just my thoughts …

Take Up My What?

“And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. ³⁵ For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.” Mark 8.34-35

How many times have you hear someone say something like, “I would be a Christian if it didn’t cost so much”? Let me remind you and myself that salvation costs us nothing, but it cost God everything. It cost Him the price of His “only begotten Son”.

But if you and I are going to follow Christ, it will cost us everything. Here is how Jesus said it: “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” How difficult is it to deny ourselves? We are born with a selfish streak about a mile wide. We want what we want when we want it. And Jesus says, “Deny (yourself).” He wants us to sacrifice what we want for what He wants. The next step is to take up the cross. Jesus is not talking about the cross that leads to death (such as the one He was on), but He is talking about the cross of service, which is the one He wants us to carry. Is it unreasonable for God to expect us to serve Him, since He is the One who saved us? Not only is it not unreasonable. It would be unreasonable for Him NOT to want us to serve Him. Then He says to us, “follow me.” That seems like such a simple request, but our response is usually, “But where are you leading me?” What difference does it make? The words of the song say, “Where He leads me, I will follow … I’ll go with Him, with Him, all the way.”

Losing one’s life for Christ and the sake of the gospel means that we take our hands completely off and allow God to make our choices and choose our steps. THAT is how we save our life. Just my thoughts …

Don’t Just Read It – Do It!

“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” Joshua 1.8

It is significant to remember the occasion for this verse. Moses has just died and Joshua has become the leader of the Israelite nation. Not only is this a valuable verse for Joshua, but it should become a valuable verse for us.

There are several important truths here: (1) stay in the book, (2) meditate on this book, (3) remember to do what you read in the book, (4) the result will be that you will have good success. Can we think through these concepts for a minute? How important is it to stay in the Book? So many believers are content with just looking at the Bible on an irregular basis and then wonder why it doesn’t make a greater impact in their lives. That leads us to the second key here: meditate on the Book. Think about what you have just read. Allow what you have just read to have a place in your thinking throughout the day. Let it have impact on your life. The next concept is to do what you read in the Book. Knowledge without application is wasted knowledge. What good does it to for you to know it if it never has any effect on your life.

The one thing all of us want is to be successful in life. Here is God’s promise if we do what He says: “ … then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” Not only is it time to read the Bible, meditate on the Bible, and obey the Bible, it is time for us to allow God to bring us the success we long for. Just my thoughts …

Let the River Flow!

“He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” John 7.38

Believing on Jesus is a life changer. It changes my thought processes. It changes my outlook for the future. It changes where I place my hope. It changes what I value in life. It changes my attitude. That seems to be what Jesus is talking about here.

What does it mean for us to have rivers of living water flow out of our belly? That seems like such an unusual phrase. Let’s assume that our “belly” is our inner most being. If I am a believer in Jesus, then my inner most being draws its strength and hope and attitude from Jesus. So, this brings us back to the question of how does believing on Jesus change us from the inside out? When I am a believer in Jesus, Jesus changes everything about my life – my outlook is different. My outlook changes my attitude. If my attitude is different, my response to people and situations is different. That “river of living water” takes over my life and allows me to impact the lives of others around me every day. Ask yourself, “Do I believe in Jesus so completely that I allow this river of living water to really flow through me and into the lives of others”? I pray that is the case for me and for you as well. Just my thoughts …

Forbearing One Another in Love!

“With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;” Ephesians 4.2

I don’t know about you, but I don’t use these words very often in my speaking – lowliness, meekness, or longsuffering. Doesn’t mean they aren’t important, just that I don’t often think about them. But Paul brings them to our attention here, because they ARE important for us to understand their place in our walk with God. The context for his words is found in v. 1: “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called … ” Paul is asking the Ephesian believers, and us as well, to walk worthy of the “vocation wherewith we are called … ” So, what is that vocation? Would you agree that the vocation to which we are called is a life lived for the glory of God? I certainly think so. If that is the vocation, then lowliness, meekness, and longsuffering should be part of our daily walk. We have nothing about which we can or should be arrogant. We are sinners who have been saved by grace and that makes us saints. Praise His holy name. Meekness is a characteristic most often attributed to Jesus and if we are willing to exercise the same, we are that much more like Him. This word “longsuffering” brings to mind the idea of “putting up with a lot.” But then, God puts up with a lot from us. Can we not extend the same grace to others that we interact with daily?

“ … forbearing one another in love … ” I submit to you that this is no easy task. But it is a necessary task and one that will certainly glorify God if and when we do it. We want God to love us no matter what. Don’t you think other believers desire the same from us? We don’t always act lovable to God and others don’t always act lovable to us. Do it anyway! “ … forbearing one another in love … ” Just my thoughts …

He SHALL Strengthen Thine Heart!

“Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” Psalm 27.14

We have talked about the concept presented in this verse before, but I believe we need to be reminded of the significance and importance of waiting on God. David presents more than one truth in this verse. He mentions three specific things: (1) wait on the Lord, (2) be of good courage, and when we do these things (3) realize that God will strengthen our hearts.

Let’s examine these concepts: (1) wait on the Lord. I don’t think most of us reading this find it easy to wait on anything or anyone. That includes the Lord. But what is the value, if any, of waiting on the Lord? In life, waiting may produce a better result than if we do something before the time is right. So it is with God. Waiting on God may produce a better result than if we insist on doing whatever it is in our own time and in our own way, not giving God an opportunity to accomplish what is best for us.

In addition to waiting on the Lord, David tells us to (2) be of good courage. I think that is the result of waiting on the Lord. It does take courage to wait. Why? Because of the unknown factor inherent in waiting. We want to know what ia going to happen, when it is going to happen, how it is going to happen and we want to know right now. And God says, “Wait! I’ve got this!” it takes courage to leave the matter in the Lord’s hands, knowing that His way is perfect.

I think this last phrase is so crucial: (3) he shall strengthen thine heart. First, let’s realize that God is the only one who can strengthen our hearts. Second, let’s realize that our hearts were strengthen because we chose to wait on the Lord and because He chose to grant us good courage. Those are not small matters. So, the next time you believe God is asking you to wait on h=Him, trust Him, let Him give you courage, and watch Him strengthen your heart. Just my thoughts …

Is It You? Is It Me?

“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.” Isaiah 6.8

I’m sure you have heard many messages on this verse. In almost every mission conference that I have attended, someone has preached on this verse. It is a POWERFUL verse. But, let’s take it out of the abstract for a minute and see if speaks to you and me today.

Suppose, like Isaiah, YOU heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for me?” What would your response be? You might be thinking, “God might want me to go to some far-off country, far away from family and friends, to a people I have never heard of, and to a language that I would never be able to learn.” I can understand the fear in that thought. But what IF God was simply saying, “I just want you to go next door. I just want you to go across the street.”? Could you, would you respond, “Here am I; send me”? You see, every heathen doesn’t live a thousand miles away. They may be your closest neighbor. I can hear some thinking, “They aren’t heathens. They live in America.” IF they are lost and without Christ as personal Savior, they are in the same condition as the heathen, and they need the same Savior as the heathen. And YOU may be the only person between them and hell. That concept scares me beyond belief. I don’t WANT to be the only one between them and hell and fail to tell them, and God says to me at the judgment, “Why didn’t you go?” You know what, I won’t have an answer. Fear is not an answer. It is merely a feeling. Is God saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And is your response, “Here am I; send me.”? I pray that it is. Just my thoughts …

Watch … with Thanksgiving!

“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;” Colossians 4.2

Praying is such a vital part of the believer’s life. I’m not sure why the Spirit needed Paul to remind the Colossians to continue in prayer. But when I think about it, I am reminded that He is speaking to us also. Do we need to be reminded to continue in prayer? How important is prayer to you? Is it something you practice on a daily basis, or is it just an emergency relief program that you turn to when nothing else seems to work?

As a believer, I can’t imagine my life without a daily regimen of prayer. I don’t say that because I am some kind of spiritual giant. I say it because prayer is such a necessary part of my walk with God every day. We have looked before at 1 Thessalonians 5.17 where Paul reminds us to “Pray without ceasing.” I think we can see from these two references how important prayer must be for every child of God.

Then Paul tells us to “watch in the same with thanksgiving.” How often do you approach the events of every day with a prayerful spirit? With a spirit of thanksgiving? I’m sure some days we experience things for which it is extremely difficult to give thanks. But the instruction doesn’t change just because the day becomes difficult. I think it is ok to say to God, “I don’t know what You are doing. But give me a spirit of thanksgiving even when I don’t understand what is happening.” I believe that honors God. Just my thoughts …