Genesis 1:1-2 – “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”  NKJV

The first sentence of Genesis 1 must become a settled issue in our hearts if we are to grasp, understand and accept the remaining sentences in the entire Bible.  I was sharing with some evolutionist once and told them that in the beginning God created or made everything out of nothing.  I knew that would be challenged and one of the most vocal said, “That’s ludicrous, YOU cannot create something out of nothing!”  I calmly responded, “You are sure right, I (ROY) cannot but then I am not God.”  We went into some lengthy discussions of the intricacies of our universe, planetoid relationships, species of the animal kingdom and the human body and after pointing out numerous ‘stop gaps’ that God had put in place and the astounding nature of the human body with the nerves, veins, vessels, heart, lungs, and other organs all connected through a central nervous center that is beyond any computer ever built.  In the end I asked them what the statistical probabilities would be for ALL THIS just happened.

The distinguished British astronomer, Sir Fred Hoyle once said regarding evolution, “the chance that higher forms have emerged in this way is comparable with the chance of a tornado sweeping through a junk-yard and assembling a Boeing 747 from the materials therein.”  He went further and said, “At all events, anyone with even a nodding acquaintance with the Rubik cube will concede the near-impossibility of a solution being obtained by a blind person moving the cubic faces at random. Now imagine 10⁵⁰ blind persons each with a scrambled Rubik cube, and try to conceive of the chance of them all simultaneously arriving at the solved form. You then have the chance of arriving by random shuffling at just one of the many biopolymers on which life depends. The notion that not only biopolymers but the operating programme of a living cell could be arrived at by chance in a primordial organic soup here on the Earth is evidently nonsense of a high order.”

             I could never in a trillion years explain God but I believe HE IS and when I consider the probabilities, the problems, and potential of creation I cannot comprehend any other conclusion that IN THE BEGINNNING GOD CREATED.  For me, it actually would take a much greater measure of what the evolutionist call ‘blind faith’ to accept their postulation than to believe in creation.  One of the reasons I believe so deeply and emphatically is because I have ‘experienced’ God personally.  That would be enough for me and I know that some who are atheist or agnostic tell me that religion is simply the ‘opiate of a weak mind.’  They ask me where God came from and conclude that since I cannot answer that the possibility of creation is unacceptable.  I ask them to prove He does not exist and they cannot thus bringing, us to the heart of the matter – FAITH.

I grew up in a home and community that believed in the existence of God although all did not profess to serve or know Him.  After returning from Vietnam I was introduced to Jesus in a very real personal way and will never forget the ‘transformation’ of the night I opened the door upon which He had been knocking and received His pardon and grace.  I did not have to tell others there was something different they told me.  Oh, I told them what had happened in the best way I could but they saw it before I said it.  My countenance, attitude, and actions were different.  I began at the beginning and settled the question GOD IS and since then I have learned that HE IS A REWARDER of those who diligently seek Him.  I have learned that He is longsuffering to us and fulfills His promise to never leave us or forsake us.  Therefore, I believe and stand in confidence that the heavens and earth were created by God.

May God be with you as you go through your day!

1 Thessalonians 5:14-22 – “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. 15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.  16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies. 21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.”  NKJV

Here we find just a few of the many biblical directives for the believer regarding our attitudes, reactions, relations, and daily lives.  I contend that if we make them rules or religious lists we will fail miserably but if we seek to have ‘Christ in us the Hope of Glory’ and allow Him to live His life through us we can and will succeed.  It is a matter of life vs. legalism in a very real sense.

Consider the directives:

• Warn the unruly among us.

That does not mean chastise those who are not doing things or living the way you want them to. It means those who are disruptive and detracting from Christian unity. 

• Comfort the fainthearted.

Most of us would readily acknowledge that and sincerely try to do so but sometimes become weary with the perpetual weariness of some who never seem to come out of the doldrums and tend to turn the focus inward and live in a continual state of personal pity. 

• Uphold the weak.

Wait, if I grow weary with the fainthearted then I have already failed in upholding the weak.  Everyone is not at the same level of maturity or understanding and therefore we should always consider the ‘weaker’ or perceived ‘weaker’ brother or sister.  Remember that you once were a newbie to the Christian faith and were ‘weak’.  Don’t remember that?  God does! 

• Stand against Vengeance and Retaliation.

God has demanded the ‘vengeance’ belongs to Him, not because He is vengeful but because He is Holy and if left to us it would degenerate into a vile thing but if He keeps that for Himself it become divine justice and is laced with mercy. 

• Always pursue good for yourself and others.

Do I really need to say anything regarding that?

• Attitude of Rejoicing, Praying, and Thanksgiving is to be the normal natural and daily part of our lives.
• Do not quench the Spirit and do not despise prophecies but Test all things and Hold fast that which is good.

If we adopted that last item we would move so far toward satisfying the others it would be remarkable.  I encourage you to seek God first and above all else and invite the Holy Spirit to guide your life, guard your mouth, and grant you access to the mind of Christ.  May He walk with you as you go through this day!  Blessings!

2 Chronicles 7:14 – “ if My people who are called by My name will 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.”  NKJV

The last time I used this passage I had someone tell me to stop using it for it only applied to natural Israel and could not be applied to any other people or nation today.  I understand the context and to whom this was spoken but would contend that it is an invitation and promise that applies to all of the Body of Christ today.

Let me approach it by reminding everyone of Peter’s declaration under the inspiration of the Spirit of God in 1 Peter 2:10 – “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy“.  He was speaking to gentiles and calls them ‘chosen, royal priesthood, and a holy nation’.  We were once ‘afar off’ but now are ‘brought near’ by the Blood of Jesus.

I would also call your attention to the words of Paul in Galatians 3:13-14 – “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”  And we are reminded of Paul’s words regarding the New Covenant in Hebrews 8:6 – “But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.”

Therefore, the promises God gave them are applicable to us.  So it is my belief that when God extends an invitation that carries with it such an incredible promise we should take note and actively pursue that.  In our present world most would acknowledge that the conditions are far from perfect and often very volatile, dangerous and even evil.  In our land we need HEALING that can only come from God.  So let’s quickly consider what is being said and see if it is applicable for us in 2014.

Notice the word “IF” for it is the catalyst that propels us into the rest of the promise.  “IF” my people and if you can accept what I have just stated above you will see that ‘my people’ applies to the Body of Christ as well therefore is a legitimate condition for us to engage in this activity and expect the promised results.  But it does not end with “IF” it continues, “if My people who are called by My name WILL….”  There is a condition placed upon the promise which requires decision and action on our part.  “Will what?”  PRAY!   Unfortunately for some the word prayer invokes nothing more than reciting some rote ritual and tossing around a casual or flippant, “God help us.”  But consider the continuation where he says AND…. And what?  SEEK MY FACE!  That is a determined dogged decision to overcome all obstacles, opposition, and attitude that would separate us from God.  It is a decision and determination to enter into His presence and stand before the LIVING GOD.  That is our part where we PRAY, SEEK GOD and TURN FROM WICKEDNESS then comes God’s part THEN…   Then what?  God promises to HEAR us and 1 John 5:14-15 declares that if we ask ANYTHING according to His will He HEARS us and if He hears us He GRANTS the petition.  The continuation is not only will He HEAR us but will FORGIVE us and HEAL OUR LAND.

If you had a family member facing certain death and there was something you could do would you do it?  I believe that 99.9% would be willing to do whatever it took to save the life of their loved one and here God gives us a solution for HEALING OUR LAND but sadly few actually seem willing to engage in it.

My prayer is, “God stir our hearts restore in us a right spirit and create in us a clean heart.”  May God be with you as you go through this day!

James 5:7-11 – “Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. 8 You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. 9 Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. 10 As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.”  NASU

I love the way the Bible uses life illustrations to communicate truth.  This is an example where the principle of ‘patience, faith and endurance’ is illustrated in the life of the farmer.  I cannot tell you the number of times I have been called into a situation where someone had lost hope and contemplating giving up or had given up.  Some were suicidal some were at their wits end ready to abandon their faith, family and future.  They had endeavored to be patient but time had eroded their confidence and the lack of visible evidence or result had worn down their resolve to the point they were distraught and without hope.

I have used this analogy many times and found it effective more than not to help someone understand that giving up is not the answer.  Having grown up on a rural country farm I understand these principles having seen them in action. It was a multiple step process which involved:

• Preserving the seed to be sown.
• Preparing the soil for sowing.
• Sowing the seed.
• Fertilizing the seed sown.
• Waiting on the rain.
• Waiting on the growth of the crop
• Harvest

            Harvest was much later and the last item in the process.  If we had given up at any juncture in the process there would be NO REAPING.  Our labor, preparation and investment would be wasted.  But if we had patience and endured as Galatians 6:9 tells us “IF” we do not lose heart we will reap if we do not grow weary and give up.  Harvest is the fruit of the labors not the beginning of the process.  As when the Kings of Israel and Judah joint forces to go against the kings of Moab the prophet Elisha instructed them to make ditches throughout the valley in 2 Kings 3.  The next morning the ditches were filled with water and when Moab looked out they saw the ditches filled with blood and rushed out to spoil Judah and Israel and were soundly defeated.  The principle of “Preparation proceeds blessing” was visible.  So remember, the devil cannot win unless we quit so LIKE A FARMER invest the time, prayer, and energy and wait on God to provide the harvest for it will come if we stay the course!

            God bless you as you go through this day!

Galatians 5:22-26 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”  NKJV

Let me get in hot water at the outset and ask, “If someone were observing your life and asked to describe your characteristics, attributes or fruit what would they list?”  I would hope they would list some of the items above in describing me but that might depend on what day they were asked.  Am I confessing to inconsistency?  I guess I am.  Am I admitting that I am human?  Well I guess I am.  Am I admitting that I exhibit more carnality than spirituality at times?  Sadly, I guess I am.  However, like Paul said in Philippians 3:14 I am pressing toward the mark. I am not there but trying to keep my ship of life headed that direction.

What would those who know you say if over time you began to consistently (and you may) the items listed in the text passage?  How would it impact your co-workers, business associates, neighbors, and the lost you encounter?  Most of us who have received the Lord Jesus as our personal savior desire that the ‘fruit of the Spirit’ be manifest in our lives consistently and are saddened when we fall short regardless of the situation.  Some have found that allowing areas of small discretion over time have allowed insulation in our conscience so that we are not as deeply touched when we fall short as we should and that is dangerous.

The fruit that the Living Lord through the Holy Spirit demonstrates in a life He indwells is love.  We are explicitly told in the Bible that one of the ways we know we are saved is that we ‘love the brethren’ that we ‘love one another.’  We often justify this or that in our lack of love but I would suggest that God is not buying it and we know it is not right.

Joy is contagious and at times infuriating.  I had a person tell me once ‘cheer down’ a bit you do not have that much to be happy about.  Walking in ‘peace’ is such a secure place for it allows you to think clearly, listen carefully, and act rationally.  Being patient is something that we learn through complete reliance on our Lord.  We are naturally impatient people and our present world is a ‘microwave world’ where we want everything yesterday.  I have internet that is ‘high speed’ and while it is lightning fast in comparison to the old dial up I still find myself complaining that it is ‘too slow’.  Imagine what it would be like if I had to go to the library and actually dig through volumes to find the answers.  SLOW?  My grandmother told me once, ‘kindness costs nothing but being unkind much.’  Goodness (integrity, honesty) is a quality that will bring favor and respect.  When I read the word ‘faithfulness’ I immediately think of the people who have most influenced my life and the common characteristic has been their ‘faithfulness’ in all things and at all times.   They exhibited the heart of Jesus and where could we find one as faithful as He.  Are we ‘gentle’ and I contend that one can be so without being ‘weak.’  In our modern world this next fruit is vanishing rapidly – ‘self-control’.   Paul tells us that ‘against such there is no law’.  He tells us that if we are ‘in Christ’ we allow the flesh to be crucified and replaced with the heart of our Lord producing in us the Fruit of the Spirit.

As we allow the Holy Spirit to manifest Jesus in our lives and walk in the Spirit we will find it a preventative for conceit, jealousy, envy, gossip, division, and will enable us to encourage and motivate one another to press toward the mark.

May God be with you as you go through your day!

Matthew 8:23-27 – “When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. 25 And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” 26 He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. 27 The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”  NASU

Early in my Christian experience and before acknowledging or understanding the call to preach I asked a question that was birthed in this passage much to the caution and disapproval of many fellow believers. The question:  “If Jesus once did miracles why don’t we expect Him to do them today?”  Some said, “We do!”  Others said, “We don’t want to overly inflate people’s hopes and leave them candidates for failure.”  “Miracles were only for the 1^st Century church.”  “We have science, doctors, and technology so we don’t need miracles.”  Those are a few of the responses I received and I found that I was being avoided by some because my questions made them uncomfortable and they did not want to be moved out of their comfort zone.

You may not believe in miracles I do not know but I do.  I believe that the answer to ‘What kind of man is Jesus?’ is that He is GOD.  He is Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Omniscient.  He was, is, and will be I AM THAT I AM.  He has not changed, will not change and if miracles are no longer available then the Bible spends way too much time encouraging us to ‘ask what we will’, ‘come boldly before the Throne’, and ‘ask’ the Lord for things on our behalf.  If it is not possible to receive them the prodding and urging us to seek the impossible is sadistic not LOVE and God is LOVE!

I have been healed on more than one occasion of broken bones and seen X-Ray verification as well as doctor testimony on the radial head of my right arm that God healed 10 days after it was broken.  I have been healed of parathyroid cancer and my mother had a broken back and God healed her.  I have seen people given up for dead that God restored to life leaving the physicians in disbelief and questioning.  I have had financial miracles that could not be explained by natural means.  I have been led to take a different route or direction only to find that had I continued on my course calculating time, speed, etc. I would have likely been killed or faced incredible ruin.  Sorry, but I have experienced THIS MAN who can calm the stormy seas and cause the boisterous wind to become calm.  I have experienced His miraculous working power in my life, witnessed it in others and believe that THIS MAN is the SAME MAN as He was that night in the boat with the disciples.

Will you receive a miracle every time?  I would say no because that is what I have witnessed.  Why?  I cannot answer that and will not allow the condemnation that says, “Well you just did not  have enough faith, believe or confess right.”  No, sometimes the providence of God overrides our desires and prayers and I have chosen to trust Him while not allowing disappointment to diminish my confidence that He not only can but will.  He is Jesus the SON OF THE LIVING GOD!

            May God be with you as you go through your day!

John 16:33 – “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”  NASU

The Words of our Lord were never spoken frivolously or flippantly they were and are always deadly serious and have meaning.  Jesus spent his earthly ministry preparing his disciples to take the ‘Gospel’ to the world and as he taught He taught with emphasis.  He seems to always give a condition, an option, a solution, and a promise.  I wonder how often we fail to grasp those four elements in His words!

He identifies the only true source of peace – HIMSELF.  He is the ‘way, truth, and life’ and there is NO OTHER access to the Father but through Him.  He is not one of the prophets but the SON OF GOD.  He is not an accessory that you add to your religious life but the FOUNDATION of your life.  He brings ‘shalom’ which is more than the absence of trouble, struggle and strife but an empowerment to walk in that security He brings.  If peace is absent in your life there is an option you can turn to God who is the solution and the promise is PEACE.

He identifies that in the world there will be trouble – TRIBULATION.  The world hates Him and as a result will hate us.  False religions want to eradicate all who do not believe like they and reject the truth that JESUS is the way.  If you are facing tribulation there is an option.  You can try to go it alone and likely see the trials intensify or you can turn to God who is your solution and the promise is PEACE.

If you are discouraged or fearful there is an option.  You can continue to cower in fear and try to find a place to hide or you can opt to run to Him and find that He will not only encourage but embolden your hearts and give you confidence to STAND and He brings PEACE.  Remember who it is that we are talking about for He has OVERCOME THE WORLD.  He has rendered powerless the powers of hell.  He has given us authority over all the power of the enemy. [Luke 10:19].  We are no longer aliens but citizens of the Kingdom of God through the Blood of Jesus Christ and joint heirs with Jesus.

So if you want PEACE but are facing TRIBULATION and finding it difficult to exhibit COURAGE remember He has OVERCOME the world.  So His promise is PEACE in the midst of TRIBULATION and the COURAGE to enforce the victory of Calvary!

            God bless you as you go through this day!

Galatians 5:13-15 – “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”   15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!”  NKJV

John 14:6 – “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”  NASU

Recently in discussing the sectarianism within the Christian community a friend of mine reminded me of something I had read years before.  He recited a quote that Dr. James Kennedy used, “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity.”  “In necessariius unitas, in non-necessariis (or dubiss) libertas, in utrisque (or, omnibus) caritas.”  The saying is most often attributed to St. Augustine but it appears that his creed would not allow it although his heart might have embraced it and that it can possibly be traced to Repuertus Meldenius during the 1600’s.  In a book by Gregor Frank we find, “Let truth prevail, let charity prevail, let liberty abide through Jesus Christ who is truth itself, charity itself, freedom itself.”

 I have long been disturbed with the attempts of believers to advance their ‘brand’ rather than the pursuit of ‘abiding’ in Christ.  Before you come after me with righteous indignation as you may perceive it and brand me a heretic I completely understand and agree that there are some things we cannot accept.  That is true in life and it is equally true that we do not all agree on all things in life.  If we did, we would all want the same things, same mate, same car, same house, same job, etc.  We do not and that is not a bad thing normally.

In matters of faith it is vital that in the ‘essentials’ we speak the same thing as was urged by the apostle Paul.  I had someone tell me that it would not be problematic in their theology if Jesus were not ‘virgin born’ and did not die on the Cross or rise the third day.  It would mine!  That person considered most of the bible mythological and yet stated that he was a Christian and his beliefs should not affect our fellowship.  He publicly made his views known and tried to persuade others to follow his theological beliefs and for me to continue in fellowship with him would be paramount to saying, “I can accept his stance.”  I could not and knew that if I continued it would impact a significant number of people in the community and possibly shipwreck some in their faith.  So this was one of the ‘essentials’ that I had to insist on unity and we did not have that.

When we come to the ‘non-essentials’ and while some will tell me that there are no such things in matters of faith, I believe there are some things upon which our salvation does not depend.  I recall meeting with a number of ministers in a retreat and during the evening meal some partook of a glass of wine, a few had a beer, some had tea, and others coffee.  One of the ministers drinking his coffee looked at those with wine and beer and began to challenge them for drinking alcohol.  One of the ministers from Europe paused and said, “My brother, what is in your cup?”  The minister proudly declared that he did not imbibe alcohol and that it was just coffee.  The European said, “If we are going to talk about things toxic to the human body I would suggest that you lay aside your caffeine and remove the beam from your eye before you try to remove specks from the eyes of others.”  He continued to address ‘moderation’ and readily acknowledged that becoming intoxicated was wrong.  He said, “My brother, this is an area in which we can disagree without compromising the essentials of salvation.”   I know that some would say, “Oh no, that is sin!” 

In all things ‘charity’ or ‘love’ should be exhibited.  It truly is Jesus that who should be our focus not our particular opinions.  He is the truth, the way, the life and there is no other doorway to the Father but by Him.  I decided long ago that I would endeavor to teach the ‘essentials’ and when I came to what I considered ‘non-essentials’ I would preface my message or teaching with, “This is my opinion or preference” rather than “Thus says the Lord” and attempt to press everyone into my particular mold or brand.

I am convinced that if we ‘seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness’ He will show us what to leave off and what to keep in our lives.  The foundational truths of God’s Word will NEVER CHANGE but as we gain understanding and maturity many of our opinions will.  It is my desire that we all come to the place that we will “let truth prevail, let charity prevail and let liberty abide through Jesus Christ who is truth, liberty, and charity.”

            May God be with you as you go through your day!