Category Archives: Daily Devotions

Pride’s Fall at the Gate of Sanctification’s Rd

Galatians 4:16 Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?

How dare you tell me I cannot, for I will prove to you I can! For everything I seemingly accomplished in life, I needed not accolades, for I puffed myself up from within gloating at my seemingly accomplishments. When the accolades came, the prideful spirit grew exponentially, for it was seemingly self-sustaining. When God begins to break a man, the pain runs much deeper than the pride ever dwelled. The power of God seeks to root out even the origin in the sins that started the pride. The power of God’s Word and the vessels he chooses to use, will penetrate, cut to the bone and marrow, and narrow to the quick; he leaves nothing untouched when he begins to humble many supposed great men. I hang my head in shame in light of many things I once hung on my trophy wall of life. I thank God for the painful sanctification process of the last ten years; the rod he has not withheld from me, and it draws me closer to him when Satan goes down the roads of guilt, to weaken me, but God reminds me of his mercy and grace, I am set free, set free indeed.

Pride is the root of all sin; the reason Satan was cast from Heaven, and the reason Eve and Adam fell at the Garden of Eden; the reason we all are born into sin today…..pride. The evidences of those that elevate themselves play out in political arenas, play out in workplace environments, play out in our homes, and sadly, some of the clearest today play out in our pulpits. The call of God, the blessings of God to those he has called to preach, sadly turns humble servants into prideful men. Most men are broken by God when they are called, yet seem to forget and see the work as their own. Somewhere in all of this pride creeps into sermons, personalities, and many times ministries flourish because people elevate their pastor to a rock-star status. Proverbs 29:23 A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor. How many times have we seen the preachers fall? How many times have we not, is an easier question to ask. Every man you elevate will fail you. Every pastor you place, even unknowingly, above Who the message is about, will fail you; God will humble them in due time.

Accountability is critical to remain humble. Our close friends, church elder boards, our spouses that can speak openly, only through accountability will the flesh remain humble. Pride is a temporal battle for this lifetime, one that requires diligence in seeking to remain humble. Pride takes action, it takes effort to remain out of circumstances that elevate oneself. It takes intention to avoid situations that bring praise. Are you seeking the praise, or seeking to draw closer to God? If we are to emulate Christ, we are to remain humble. If we are to remain humble, we need not anything but the message of God to a world that he has prepared to hear. Seek out someone who will tell you the truth, and be prepared to listen, for you will begin the path of being closer to God than ever before, once you are humbled.

Pray He will return soon

Matthew 6:8 Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

Sooooo much on my heart, on my mind, in my thoughts continually of this world I live in. The division of my country, the evil among us, the hearts of those eternally condemned without repentance, the mis-guided focus on idolatry of endless sorts, the lack of biblical leadership in all arenas, the nation that I love seems doomed to destruction……Matthew 12:25 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. I find myself living in a time that Satan’s power is evident, and a biblical understanding of the judgement of God brings about the question of if this evil is God’s judgement on us? We are mourning this senseless tragedy in Las Vegas, yet so few cries for the 60 MILLION babies that have been killed in our country just in my lifetime. That blood is on our hands too, and God will hold all those accountable on that Day.

Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount here in Matthew, is his greatest message. It seemingly covers all of life’s needs, all that we will face and question, and all of God’s sovereignty woven into the understanding in it. All you face in life, good and bad, has flowed through the fingers of God. All that you do through the freedom of free-will, still accomplishes his purposes through eternity. One cannot understand the complexity of the One who breathes stars into existence, and allows humanity (his creation also), to have freedom of decisions, yet still ordain their steps through time. Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps. If you even look into the following passages, where Jesus taught us how to pray, the Lords Prayer is found. In it’s simplest explanation is the understanding, acceptance, and guidance to remain in God’s will and his control of all of life; to be more like Christ, and trust his control of life. Through an omniscient understanding of all his creation, not bound by time, seeing the past, present, and future the same, he knows our needs before we do. That boundary of time he has placed upon us boggles the mind, but that is where faith lies.

I do not know what tomorrow brings. I do not know where my feet will be, but I trust that He has directed my steps. I do believe we are living in the last days of this world as we know it. I do believe that God is casting some judgement on our nation, just as he used evil to judge the sins of Israel throughout the Old Testament. I do believe we are seeing biblical evidences of the coming return of Jesus to judge the world, and then return it to the perfection he created. I do believe there is a call on every Christian to proclaim this news to those he has put in our circles of influence. He will ask you that Day, why you did not. Live your life as if you knew Jesus was coming back soon……cause he is.

Playboy’s Death

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God;

Hugh Hefner died, the world celebrated his life, and yet as Dr. Michael Brown wrote, “I hope he found grace and repentance before leaving this world. I also hope that his death will signify the end of the sexual revolution. It has failed miserably on every front. May it never rise again.” Amen. I was introduced to porn in my early teens; I remember ordering my Playboy subscription as soon as I moved out on my own, a seemingly right of passage. I remember throwing away a collection of over 10 years of porn when God opened my eyes to my sin. I realize the life I lead down the immorality road, a life I now hold my head in shame for. I have told my oldest son I know not what was the worst thing I ever tried, porn or drugs, but porn was the worst drug. It’s addition lingers through life, and now with it’s availability in my hands every day, it still can rear it’s head, and yes, I still have failed just like we all do sometimes. That temptation is one of Satan’s greatest weapons, for as Paul writes in his epistles, it is a sin against God. 1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. Paul was strong on sexual purity throughout his epistles in the New Testament for he saw the power Satan has over us in our lustful sexual desires.

You are not alone in this battle. Men and women battle the lust of the flesh every day. We are enticed by attractive people around us, our minds wander, and sadly some may turn to porn to deepen that fantasy. We always want what we don’t or can’t have; even look back to the origin of sin in the garden, when Eve wanted to be like God. That desire is the battle of good and evil that lies within us. I can attest to though, the feeling of a spiritual victory anytime through God’s power alone, we gain victory’s in the pursuit of purity. The saying, “no” to those temptations of any sort, bring an intimacy with our Lord. Why, because of the intimacy of Him living within us. 1 Corinthians 6:15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. You are grieving the Holy Spirit of God that is living inside of you when you go down that road of sin. We begin to ask really big questions of our salvation when we continue in sin after proclaiming Christ. We must ask ourselves how we can mock God, while continuing down these roads Paul writes about. 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. My prayer is that your sexual revolution died with Playboy this week also. My prayer is that you pursue purity and intimacy with God through the denial of the sin lust within. My prayer is that you be open with others of your testimony, to bring others to the saving knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Winners & Loosers

Matthew 12:25 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.

Division everywhere; race, politics, religion, sports, sides of any stance at an all time high at causing strain at a level my generation has really not seen. Seemingly even catastrophes that bring unity in times of crisis, are only days later forgotten in the interest of self-will. I have been intrigued by a Vietnam war documentary playing now; a depth of that story I did not know, and the division of our country on many lines I did not realize around the time of my birth. I see the evidences of the uprisings, over war, and race, and equality; I saw the incredibly poor leadership, and ponder how the history books will write of these days in which we live now. I wonder if we are in that cycle of history repeating itself, sadly, maybe even on a larger scale, but rejoicingly meaning we are closer to Jesus’ return. Is it possible that my generation is witnessing this division as the preamble of his return? Is it possible that my country, yes, one founded on Christian principles and lived much of it’s life as so, is the great falling away that Paul wrote about? 1 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Our nation finds itself greatly divided, and Christians find themselves picking sides, while not focusing on the eternal and remaining neutral to seek unity and peace. We go against the Bible and ridicule our nations leaders, leaders that God set in place to rule us. We find ourselves divided over race, a scary situation replaying from 50 years ago, or even worse the Civil War, regardless we find ourselves divided against ourselves, and we will ultimately fall.

Do you see the simplicity of Jesus’ statement above? The crowds trying to create division, were accusing Jesus of working for Satan, they were accusing Him of being evil, and casting out evil. That idea alone, in it’s simplest form, made no sense. Why if Jesus was evil, would he cast out evil? 26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. The blindness of that argument is as almost seemingly ridiculous as many “stances” that are being taken today. The blind are leading the blind down the roads of condemnation, and our country is loosing sight of what and Who we were founded on. The call for the Christian is not to pick a side in these debates, but to promote peace and unity. Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. The are questions that divert the division, ones such as simple as, “Does it affect eternity? Does it unity the body of Christ or promote the division of it?” We should seek to focus on eternity, focus on being united in Christ, and the eternal victory that comes with it. Colossians 3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

Temptation

James 1:14-16 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.

I watched a special on addiction last night on 60 minutes; the sad story of how opiates in many forms are stealing our youth at an alarming rate. I muttered something to Dana about how we just don’t understand addiction, and I truly meant it. I reflected on my own testimony, and even my continued struggles today with those sins that entice. I awoke this morning and found myself led by a devotion into the epistle of James, and there lie in it those struggles what we talked about. I again pondered, and realized through his Spirit, it is as simple as sin. Matthew Henry wrote, “Neither the devil nor any other person or thing is to be blamed so as to excuse ourselves, for the true origin of evil and temptation is in our own hearts. The combustible matter is in us through the flame bay be blown up by some outward causes.” As I compared four translations, it became evident how even interpretations have wavered in the wording of this text. We want to place blame on everything, but it is our DNA, and our DNA is the evidence of our need for Jesus Christ. We are fallen by nature, and the only right is the gospel of Jesus Christ; we have a need for God.

Addiction is evil in both the inward struggle, and the evidence that it brings. The inward struggle is hidden deep, manifesting itself in the mind, tugging and firing the pleasure sensors of the brain even before conception. The mind plays tricks with the memory for pre-euphoria; an enticement that leads to sin. The sin is then conceived, the pleasure temporary, and the vicious circle starts again. The effects of the addiction are limitless on those in the circle of influence; and sadly many forms of addiction lead to the users death, and we are not only talking of opiates here.

The only solution is a humbling realization that Jesus Christ is the only answer. I always loved Celebrate Recovery’s motto, “ True change begins with Jesus Christ.” The brokenness must be realized and confronted with the gospel. There is no sin that is not defeated eternally with what Jesus did for you. Even James wrote of this prior, 12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. If you are struggling, the first thing you must do is to seek help. The next thing you must do is find accountability. Cry out to Jesus in the midst of the battle of the mind, and walk away from your temptation. The solution God gave you is to flee, run from it, to change the environment you are in, and that is the true beginning of change.

Pick Me Lord

2 Thessalonians 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,

Pick me Lord
Rescue me from my sin
Pick me Lord
Take this evil from within.

Pick me Lord
I want to live for you
Pick me Lord
For I know not what to do.

Pick me Lord
This world is fading away
Pick me Lord
It seems you could return any day.

Pick me Lord
I know I am not good enough
Pick me Lord
I will never have all the right stuff.

Pick me Lord
I want to be one of the chosen few
Pick me Lord
I want my life to be new.

Pick me Lord
The life after is what will remain
Pick me Lord
I know I won’t be the same.

Pick me Lord
My heart is pleading my case
Pick me Lord
I don’t want my life to be a waste.

Pick me Lord
Oh I feel your tug from within
You picked me Lord
I am freed from all my sin.

You picked me Lord.

You don’t know
(Predestination (or Predestined), The Elect, Election)

Romans 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

How dare I put the title of my OneMinuteMinistry “them fighting words of Theology?” The easiest way to either scare off readers, loose them, or tug them into a war of words. How dare I bring up the topic of God’s sovereignty, and our free-will designed by him? Who am I to open up these lines so many preachers are even scared to talk about from pulpits, from fear of their viewpoints and lack of understanding? I am a nobody, but I am not scared to share, and don’t take a dogmatic approach to either side on the biggest argument in Christianity. At it’s simplest form, these topics try to tap into the “mind” of a limitless God. They try to discern the unattainable, then try to argue what they can’t comprehend. There are about sixteen verses with these words in them, and countless exposition on them. For centuries we have given our thoughts on understanding God’s “mind.”

Expounding in my five minutes of your time my viewpoint is impossible, but just as this ministry and the way He has wired me, it is that simple. I believe in a blend of the simple understanding of election of God, with the simple design of free-will, that does not waiver his ultimate sovereign will of the universe he created. I have said many times, “Our limited minds cannot comprehend the complexity of our free-will and the predestination of our sovereign God.” My God is that big, that I do not worry about such things, but trust him in all things, including who goes to Heaven. Many times these arguments divide the believers, the elect if you will, and sadly Satan receives a victory in even the greatest discussions.

The one thing, whatever you believe, even to the hardest line, the dividing line sadly, is your call to evangelize. If the call to share your faith is lost somewhere deep in your theology, you are sadly mistaken and will have to answer eternally for why you did not share the gospel. What were Jesus’ last words to us? Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. You should never shy from sharing the good news, especially if you find yourself judging someone because you think you see their path set. Share with everyone, and let God work out the details of a plan your mind can’t comprehend.

Speak Up

Luke 18:27 But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

Yesterday I disappeared into the hills of Virginia to escape the stresses and strains of this city and lifestyle. I find God’s peace in the hills; some feel it at the sea, I feel it in the wilderness and peace of the woods and fields of the country living that reminds me of how I grew up. Life slows down, anxieties disappear, and I am able to see how God designed and wired me for that lifestyle. I am battling what I define as my mid-life crisis; questioning everything past, present, and future, of what I deemed the midway evaluation. With my open battles of anxiety and depression, Satan has seen this review as a great time to elevate his attacks; he is the “accuser of the brethren,” and he has done great work at pointing out my countless faults for my first almost 50 years. It has been a very rough season.

Any road trip I take, I always listen to blends of the audio Bible, and many sermons on podcasts and radio. Yesterday I listened to many a great message; some powerful expositions on many a tough subject, I listened to how through all of them, God is in control. I reflected so much on what I see today, of how many are being led astray by the false prophets of our day. I see a nation seeking self pleasure (blessings) while not living our lives as humble servants to the One who grants us eternal life. I love the sermons by pastors that preach the offending Truth that liberates the sinner. Their is an exclusivity in Jesus’ Gospel, but there is also an open invitation for all to repent and believe. There is only One way to heaven (John 14:6), and he demands we understand and accept that; Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead to prove it. The gospel of Jesus Christ offends the world, and we live in a nation that seeks to offend nobody. We are seeing the opening doors of persecution in our nation of Bible believing Christians, and we will see many a Christian leader fall when they succumb to what the nations leaders demand, and water down the truth as not to offend.

The parable of the rich young ruler in Luke 18 is a sad story. It is a parable of someone who thought they had everything, and yet had nothing. It was a parable of someone who seemed extravagantly religious, yet his faith was weak and eternally condemned him. We never read of the rich young ruler finding repentance, we never hear of him humbling himself and accepting Jesus Christ as his savior, the story seems to have an eternally sad ending. Luke 27 though is so steep in theology, the complexity of God’s sovereign will on display, many a person are lost in what it means. Many a road have been traveled arguing the saint’s responsibility to evangelize, while others argue God will do what he has already set to do for all of time, before time began. J.I. Packers book, Knowing God, lays out the simplicity of it, of how God created us to draw glory to himself, and we do so by living our lives for him, sharing of him, and letting him decide what to do. How will the sinner ever hear of Jesus’ salvation unless the saint speaks of Him?

Seasonal Faith

Ecclesiastes 3:1 To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:

I have floated in and out of Ecclesiastes for probably a month now; reading at least three versions, sometimes four, soaking in God’s Word with one of my favorite books, penned by the wisest man who ever lived, yet he still wrote of life’s biggest questions. Even in the early chapters of it, he wrote of how he understood that he could never understand life; he grasped God was infinitely in control of it all, and that brought about the holy and reverent fear of Whom he sought with the brilliance He had bestowed upon him. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. The depth of that passage is as boundless as the universe He created; we as the pinnacle of creation, created in His image, yet limited. All of his life Solomon sought to understand life, yet in verse eleven he realized the vanity of that pursuit. “Vanity of vanities” as so it seems.

I have felt for probably close to a year a change coming; I know not what it was, it has felt big, but I cannot seem to shake that feeling. I have seen lots of ripples in the pond, but still unsure of what is to emerge. Lots of my changes have been external, many in the business side of my life, and I am about to enter another. It has truly been a roller-coaster year in the work world in which I live; the realization, reflection, and question of what have I accomplished with what I have dedicated half my life to? I, like Solomon, have pondered really big things, questioned much of life, and pondered life’s paths. I, like Solomon, have gained the understanding that God wants us to enjoy the fruits of our labor, and to understand He is in control of even the details of our daily work that so many of us see as drudgery. I love my job, especially the ministry aspect of it, helping people in their time of need and the freedom to share my faith at any given time. It is always a blessing to see God work through things as simple as the scripture on the side of trucks to encourage people everywhere. I hope when I get to heaven he opens revelation of how he used A&G for kingdom work.

Do you fear change? Do you remain still instead of moving for the fear of moving? Do you rest in the boat instead of stepping out to walk on the water? Where is the faith in the status quo? Where is the faith in going outside of your comfort zone? God will stretch you beyond imagination, beyond your abilities, so that you can only rely on him, IF, you will get out of your comfort zone through faith. Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Read Hebrews chapter eleven and be encouraged in your faith, understanding all of life is a season, that seasons change, and that your faith allows God to show you he changes the seasons of life too.

Fear is the Start

Ecclesiastes 1:2-3 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
3 What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun?

A mind wanders at the depth of a statement such as this, written by the wisest man gifted by God to ever live; most scholars agree that Solomon wrote this book. The depth and interpretation of the word “vanity” is complex they agree, and comparing translations reveals that. I love the poetic interpretation most used above, disliking as a personal opinion some of the others. They all struggle with those six words of life’s meaning; rolling into the next verse with the description of our time spent here doing what? A reflection of one’s life is healthy, the biggest questions to ask oneself brings about likely change to more focus on what truly matters in life. This book will likely tug at your soul, as/if God chooses, differently than many others in the Bible. It seems to morph the eternal questions into mortal ones; to ask ourselves what we are doing with our lives here, and now, and how that effects here and now. The book is full of introspections, full of the questions of life. I love the simplicity of the opening statement in one of my study Bibles. “The theme of Ecclesiastes is the necessity of fearing God in a fallen, and therefore frequently confusing and frustrating, world.” It reminds me of the Proverbs and Psalms where we read of that holy, reverent fear of God. Psalm 111:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.

This time of year personally brings me incredible work loads; 70-80 hour work weeks for the summer months stretch me physically, emotionally, mentally, and tug me away from intimacy with my Lord just from needed rest. My in depth hours in study turn to 15-20 minutes of prayer each morning on my porch, only sometimes digging deeper into his Word. I look back at my favorite devotional (My Utmost for His Highest) and the journaling portion of it many times is blank after years of use. The world tugs me away, and my heart yearns for that intimacy. This week God tugged me in prayer back to this book by Solomon, knowing I needed an in-depth time with him. This week I had three encounters with customers and contractors that God gave me to help me realize he is still using my heart for him. I needed that divine encouragement; life’s struggles are real, and the older I get, the seemingly harder they get.

Will you seek to walk through the book of Ecclesiastes with me over the coming months? Will you prayerfully enter into a study of God’s Word, to let him work on our souls together? Will you seek to let the word of God seek your soul, to show you where he wants you to be as a bondservant to him? 2nd Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
If you will let him, this seemingly complex book of Ecclesiastes will become as simple to you as the opening statement of the study Bible. To fear God is the beginning of wisdom.