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Don’t Go

10 Apr

I have been asked about my testimony recently, and the reflections of my 44 years have been flooding my mind. A life full of sin, a poster child for many great sins, for I even sinned to the best of my ability I presume. But now it sickens me and I strive to live a better life, to walk in the Light as He is in the Light (1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.)  This has become a daily pursuit, a life seeking to abide in Christ. It does not come from Sunday’s alone, but from putting God first in all things. It means that Satan is making my life real hard trying to steer me off God’s path. But it means that I also have the power and plan of God to use these trials of life for His glory and my understanding of that. His Will be done, not mine.

Don’t go

Romans 13:11-12    And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

You have accepted Christ and the gift of Salvation, and you are back to work on Monday morning. Life goes on and you wonder what is next on the to do list. You know something has changed inside you, but yet the world leaps out at you and presents all those old sins that seem much more enticing than before. Satan seems to have wrapped them up as gifts and hopes to draw you away from your new found life. That is a spiritual battle that you now have entered but you have the assurance through Christ you are playing in a game that is already won through Him. He defeated Satan and sin at the cross for eternity, but Satan wants to convince you otherwise. You must seek God and His Word for the His strength to fight this battle. Galatians 5:16-17  I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.

1 Peter 2:11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. Your old life and your old sins will try to tempt you to come back to them. Satan is the author of all that temptation for God will never tempt you to sin and God will provide you a means of escape. 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. That means of escape can simply be a conscious move on your part to remove yourself from the possibility of the sin. Remove yourself from that person or place where that sin has a opening to your soul.. Romans 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. Escaping from that sin can be very simple for there is a place where the sin takes place. Do not go there.

 
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Posted by on April 10, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Marching Orders

09 Apr

Marching Orders

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 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, 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.

In the days after Christ’s Resurrection, He was appearing (and disappearing) to those whom He loved. He was encouraging them and preparing them for the ministries that they would spend the rest of their lives pursuing in His name. All of these appearances were to solidify His returning from the dead, even appearing to over 500 as in 1 Corinthians 15:6. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. Then just before He ascended into Heaven, He gave them their marching orders known as The Great Commission above in Matthew. To spread His name, to live righteously, and to have the assurance He would never leave them.

Do you follow Christ’s marching orders? Do you not only try to live right, but try to share what He has done for you? We are all called to become disciples putting Him first in all things. Luke 14:33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. When we began to truly realize what Christ did for us it begins to stir our soul. The Spirit inside us begins to prompt us to share what we possess. Do we deny the Spirit and those promptings never to share our faith with those He puts before us? When those opportunities arise, they are designed by Christ for you to encourage them through the guidance and strength He provides. Moses was scared to death when God called him to speak. But through God He delivered a nation. Exodus 4:12 Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.” The Holy Spirit that resides inside you upon Salvation is that same voice that will lead  you in times of sharing your faith with others. Be ready, willing, and able through the strength that lies within to share what you possess following Christ’s marching orders to you also.

 
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Posted by on April 9, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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He is Alive? He is Alive INDEED!

08 Apr

He is Alive? He is Alive INDEED!

Mark 16:4-6   But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away–for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here.

He is Alive? He is Alive Indeed! The women had went to the tomb, only to find Christ gone, and an angel there. They were terrified as the angel told them of His rising from the dead. Christ appeared to Mary Magdalene, and later the two disciples on the road, and they gathered and told of their experiences, but the hearers had much doubt. Luke 24:33-34   So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” The gospels are full of Christ’s appearances after the grave prior to His final ascension. The last words Christ spoke to them was called  The Great Commission found in Matthew28:18-20.  The gospel of Mark summarizes it in Mark 16: 15-16  And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  Then He ascended to sit on the right hand of the throne of God. Luke 24:51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.

So what does it mean to you? It is the culmination of the entire Old and New Testament fulfilling of the scriptures for  God’s plan for the redemption of the human race from sin. It enables you to spend eternity at the feet of God, and not the pit of hell.  Life is a choice of placing your hope in worldly means that will perish; or in eternal things of Christ that mean paradise forever after your time here. Once you begin to humble yourself and repent of your sins asking for forgiveness, you take on a new Spirit that lives inside you that brings a new outlook on life. This ultimate sacrifice enabled the Holy Spirit to live in you as a gift from God. The Spirit is called the Enabler, for He opens the doors for you to understand the scriptures and the things of God. All this came as a result of Christ dying on the cross paying the price for sin, rising from the dead. and ascending into heaven. You can have all He has offered by just asking for the free ticket, for He has already paid it all for you.

He came, He died, He arose, He ascended, He is coming back. Thank you Jesus!

 
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Posted by on April 8, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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The day between

07 Apr

This morning I have been seeking answers on this day between Christ’s death and Resurrection. The shock of His death has left those followers in disbelief and great sorrow. They are in wonder of what is next. They are even about to return to their old jobs and go back to life as they knew it before Christ. They feel like life is over. The hours and days following death are traumatic

The day between

Mark 15:42-43 Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath,  Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

They day between death and Resurrection. Christ is in the grave. Joseph of Arimathea had gotten the nerve to go before Pilate and ask for the body of Christ. Courage is doing what you must do even when you fear the consequences. Joseph was held in high regard, but may have feared what could have been said or done by him placing honor on the dead Christ. Matthew Henry spoke of him saying, “Those who wait for the kingdom of God, and hope for an interest in the privileges of it, must show it by their forwardness to own Christ’s cause and interest, even then when it seems to be crushed and run down.” Joseph put his great faith before anything man could do to him and honored God. This even as all Christ’s disciples had abandoned him over the last hours of His life. God raised up Joseph to honor His Son.

1 John 2:12 I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. Most of us have lost someone close, and in those first hours and days questions fill our minds of the why’s and where they are now that they have left their earthly body. Most all of Christ’s followers were in disbelief of the events that had taken place and were in great sorrow. They were gathering together and trying to understand the events. Questions filled their minds. When we loose someone now to death, Christ has brought us the possibility of the understanding the answers to many of these questions. This price He paid on the Cross for our sin, gives us the assurance of passing into heaven with Him, and can remove much of the sorrow and doubt we feel if those we loose are Saved. Hebrews 6:11-12 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Rest in the assurance of the promise of this day between.

 
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Posted by on April 7, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Snatched from the fire

06 Apr

This morning I have been spending time in the four gospels reading the accounts of the last days of Christ. Each author telling his story of betrayal, trials, and Crucifixion. It stirs my soul and I cannot grasp the selflessness of Christ, and the understanding of His fathers Will, even to the point of asking if there was any other way. The weight of what He bore for us is impossible for us to understand for even the heavens were blackened for hours. The weight of sin bore down on one Man for eternity….wow. I could not help but feel led to gratitude for what He did for me. How can we not do all we can for Him, when we realize what He did for us? My hope is that you respond to the weight you may feel this Easter in the realization of the events. That the stirring inside you provokes a response and movement towards a change in your relationship with your Savior. May you respond to that gut feeling inside you as never before, for it is never too late, until it is.

 

Snatched from the fire

Romans 12:1 I beseech 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.

Over 2000 years ago today represented a mark in history that forever changed eternity like none other. The mark in which lives are given the ability to pass into eternal paradise, or hell if they choose to deny Christ. Before the day of the ultimate sacrifice we all would have died in sin. Today Christ has paid the price for all of us that we cannot pay through any good deed and earn our way into heaven. Hebrews 12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Today we should be draw to rejoice and humble, grateful thanksgiving for what was given for us.

If you were asleep with your home on fire, and someone rescued you from sure death, you would naturally forever feel gratitude and obligation to them for giving you life. You have been asleep in sin, and Christ rescued you from your sin, providing you a path from eternal fire. Isn’t it natural once you realize that to feel obligated to Him? 1 Corinthians 6:20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. The realization of what Easter brings is humbling and should draw out from you a spirit of gratitude of what Christ did even for those who hated Him. I cannot fathom sacrificing my sons for anybody, much less to a world that hated me. That is a depth of love from a God of love that should stir your soul. Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Let the weight of what Easter represents press on you, and let the Spirit stir you to begin His work in you for living your life as a sacrifice to Christ, whom paid the ultimate sacrifice for you. Thank you Jesus.

 
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Posted by on April 6, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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BFF

03 Apr

BFF

John 15:13-15 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.

His friend….really? How do we move from humbling ourselves before Him, to becoming what He would call a friend. Christ was speaking to the apostles here in John and encouraging them from how their relationship has grown. We cannot call someone a friend that we have had one chance meeting, maybe at a time of despair, and then never spoke again. Friendships are really cultivated relationships that develop and grow together. Friendships are highly valued to us by the way God wired us at creation, and no other friendship should carry the value that Christ does. He is the only One who can truly promise to be our BFF (Best Friend Forever). After our first meeting with Him upon Salvation, how do we grow into becoming friends of Christ? It is through time with Him just as in any relationship, and becoming intimidators of Him, to live as He lived.  Ephesians 5:1-2 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

It is a fact that those we spend the most time with, we begin to resemble. They rub off on us, and unknowingly we become more like them in how we conduct ourselves. When we begin to seek God, and the things of Christ, we begin to spill out the love of Christ in our thoughts and actions. God is a God of love and Christ set the example of love through his humble servant heart for us to follow. John 13:15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.   We begin to think and speak differently for we begin to see things as Christ sees them through the eyes of God’s plans for redemption, and the sacrifices He made for us. A peace comes over our lives and we seek to do the Will of God in our lives to follow His plan and play a small part. Matthew 12:50 For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.” To become a friend of Christ, you must first humble yourself and accept Him into your heart for eternity. At that point, for eternity, you can begin to develop your friendship with the Creator and Savior of the universe of whom all blessings flow.

 
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Posted by on April 3, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Well, after I..

02 Apr

Well, after I...

Exodus 20:3 You shall have no other gods before Me.

What is holding you back? After hearing about Christ, what has the grip on your soul that you cannot release to Him? Is it pride? Is it something worldly that you hold so close, that deep within you know is wrong, but yet you cannot let go? Those things become Gods to you, for typically you begin to idolize them and your world revolves around them. Mine was racing dirt bikes for about 20 years. But all throughout the Bible God tells us “You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Exodus 20:3).  We also want to live our life in many ways, and then promise to commit our lives over to Him before it is too late. James 4:14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. We are not guaranteed another breath, much less the promise of deciding when we have fulfilled our expectations here, and then decide to rest in the assurance of Salvation.

We all must answer to God in the day of judgement that will come. We all must account for how we lived our lives here, and how did we reflect Christ for our time here. “Well God I was going to after. I…”  All those things that we are placing before committing our lives to Christ have become a God to us, for they are before the “after I” in that statement. The word judgement is found 186 times in the Bible, much of which is speaking of that day to come. Matthew 16:26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? All the things that you are seeking pleasure in will fail you in due time. Eternity is a place that will reflect your priorities and decisions you make here every day, and what you put before God. Christ has paid the price that you cannot pay, but you can receive by humbly repenting your sins, accepting the gift, and living your life as a disciple of His spreading the Good News you now possess. You will not see those things before God any longer, for you will see Him for who He is, the great “I AM.”

 
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Posted by on April 2, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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War & Peace

01 Apr

As you can probably discern, this has been a rough week. I hope she will not kill me, but I must let you know that we are facing the battle many of you are facing. Dana lost her job this week and all the stability that comes with it after 16 years. This comes as a prequel to me entering seminary in a few weeks, and slowing down my business of 20yrs to focus my life on God. Now I am the sole provider for my family. But we are understanding that God is in the details and He has well laid out plans for all of this. We will survive as a family, strengthen our faith, and watch Him work. I am still committed to seminary, and we are committed as a family to Christ. Satan fired the darts, but our shield of faith can withstand the attack.

 

 

War & Peace

Philippians 1:28-29 and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,

This morning I was returning to Philippians and spending time reading about suffering. I won’t go into all the details, but the pressures and strains of life have greatly increased on me this week. Well laid out plans have been thrown into the fire, what matters most has become questioned, and the provisions have been removed. A great weight has been placed on my shoulders, almost impossible to mentally bear, and without Christ and my daily time with him, I believe the stress of it could physically break me. I am truly suffering for my dedication to Christ, but it is with “joy” as in James, and humble honor to not let my adversary see my terror, but to rest in the Lord. The terror will push us to withdraw to worldly comforts, and not the peace that comes from Christ indwelling in us.

I returned to the gospel of John for comfort. John 14:26-27 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. I have said many times I can describe my “religion” in one word – Peace. My peace has been attacked this week in a large assault, but I will not retreat, I will stand and war within. Ephesians 6:11-13 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. When you know that you are headed down the path of your life following God’s Will for your life, Satan will do the best he can to blast you off God’s highway. You must pick up the armament of prayer, His Word, and faith to continue down the righteous pathway to eternal paradise. With the eternal security of Salvation, you can rest in that peace that Christ has given you that He resides in you, and the armies of Hell cannot darken where His Light lies.

 
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Posted by on April 1, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Broken Easy Button

31 Mar

Broken Easy Button

Philippians 1:6  being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

But I want it to be eeeaasssyyy. Why would God let these things happen in my life? Why are those that are living for their time in the world, full of blessings? Because God loves you so much He desires to make you more like His Son. That gift will last you more than maybe 100 years, but will last you an eternity in paradise with Him. They have their time now, and we have ours for eternity. When God is working on you in a sort of stress or tribulation, be glad that He loves you enough to be performing that work, molding you into the image of His Son. James 1:2-3 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

Those scriptures go against the worldview of consistent self gratification in all things. The world preaches do whatever feels good at whatever cost; Christ preaches faith in Him to control all things and His Will to be done. Once you humble yourself and submit to His authority over your life, you have told Satan you are no longer a pawn in his team. He will ask God for permission to test your faith through many means, and plans to draw you back to the dark side. God knows that your faith can be strengthened through his tests, and Satan’s plans backfire. Paul who endured much suffering for Christ, spoke of these things in prison in Philippians 1:12: But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel. When we are up against all that life throws at us, let us lean on the One whom it all filters through His hands. Let it build us up as He plans, not tear us down as our enemy plans. Take it all to God as in Romans 12:12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer. Thank you Lord for where you have me today, your plans for me today, and the hope for tomorrow.

 
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Posted by on March 31, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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When one opens, it also closes

29 Mar

When one opens, it also closes

Acts 6:14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.

We are creature’s of habit that resist change. We rest in our ways feeling through ourselves we can accomplish the goals set before us. Stephen had been chosen as one of the first deacons by Christ’s apostles to aid in the duties of the growing church spreading the Gospel of Christ. His diligence and great faith stirred up those who were against the change of which he was speaking. They felt if they followed the law of Moses, they could attain heaven through the power of themselves and their ability to follow the law. But they did not understand the law was there to point them to Christ whom had already come, and now provided the way to heaven through the grace of God. This caused them to blasphemy and plot, and ultimately kill Stephen.

Matthew 18:11 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. Those words reflect the biggest change presented to us, that will affect us for an eternity. In the eternal lostness that you reside in your pride without Christ, your resist to change will haunt you to no end. We all have heard of “When one door closes, another door opens.”  What if that door was the door to your soul and only you have the key to accept change by opening the door to follow Christ? When you open that door to your heart, you close the door of hell forever behind you. No change in life has the impact of Salvation, and no change in life that you make to feel you have earned your way there opens that door. You have the key, but Christ is the lock that opens and shuts it behind you. John 14:6 “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father but by Me.” Humble yourself, repent your sins, and accept He has the ability to change you like you have never experienced before, before it is too late to have the option.

 
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Posted by on March 29, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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