John 8:31-36 – “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”

34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.  35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.  36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”  NKJV

You can be in chains and not be a slave or be enslaved without bonds.  Chains do not determine Freedom; the heart and mind do.  Unfortunately, nothing we do will eradicate human bondage, and men will enslave other men against their will in the natural realm.  I can only imagine the physical, mental, and even spiritual torture that being captive brings.  My heart breaks for anyone who has endured that condition, either as a prisoner of war, a human slave against their will, a hostage, or anything of the like. 

I know two men who, though captives, were never enslaved in their hearts and minds.  One was a Japanese prisoner during WWII who escaped. The Vietnamese held the other in Hanoi and endured years of horrific, inhumane torture and abuse.  Both professed that their faith in God and belief in the Word of God kept them Free though in chains.  They were and are examples of True Freedom!

The only True Freedom is through the shed blood of Jesus and the Grace of God.  If we receive the forgiveness of sin and are born again, we experience True Freedom!  A person thusly free can be imprisoned, chained, and otherwise enslaved physically, but they will never be a Slave in their heart or mind because the Son has set them free!

We celebrate our Independence in America, yet multiplied thousands are still enslaved in one form or another.  Enslavement of the mind is possibly worse than being enslaved in the flesh, for if a person’s mind is captive, the attitude and actions will reflect that condition.  Breaking free and living life to the full is virtually impossible because the mind is in chains to wrong thinking, victimization, and false premises.  But if we receive the Freedom that Jesus came and brought, we cannot be enslaved.  Remember, if God is for us, who can be against us? As a friend of mine likes to say, “what difference does it make, who is against us if God is for us?”

God bless you! In Jesus, you are FREE, so Live Free!

Hebrews 2:14-18 – “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. 16 For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. 17 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.”  NASB

The writer of Hebrews, speaking by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, pulled back the veil for us to see a truth of possibility and redemption.  He makes it clear that humans experience temptations and trials as depraved creatures.  He further illustrates that as a lost creature under the domain of darkness, man could not satisfy divine justice and needed one to come who was sinless and yet functioned as a man to be a sacrifice for sin.  Adam lost the purity of life in the Garden and, through sin, became a slave of the devil.  Through man’s disobedience, Satan gained a legal right to man as the god of this world.

There had to be one who could operate, live, feel, think, and experience the temptations and trials common to man and do so without sin.  No human could meet that requirement, so God chose the Incarnation of Jesus to come ‘as man’ and ‘for man’ to experience and be subject to all the temptations as we do.  Jesus came and satisfied the divine requirement of being without sin, qualifying Him as the ‘Lamb of God’ to atone for man’s sin.  He was made like us ‘in all things’ yet did not yield to temptation or sin.  As the LAST ADAM, he did what the FIRST ADAM could not do.

When Jesus died on the Cross, the Son of Man paid the price to repurchase us or redeem the race from the devil’s clutches and legal dominion.  That did not and does not mean that ‘all were or are saved.’ It means that the door is open for their salvation.  The debt has been paid, and divine justice has been satisfied. Through this incredible demonstration of unconditional love, the Door to Salvation has been opened for ‘whosoever will’ as per John 3:16.  If you have not received Him, today is the day of salvation, and now is the accepted time.  As the Holy Spirit brings conviction to your heart, repent, and believe!  He is still calling today!

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

Deuteronomy 6:4-6 – “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! 5 ” You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.” 

Deuteronomy 11:18-22 – “You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 19 ” You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up. 20 ” You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, 21 so that your days and the days of your sons may be multiplied on the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens remain above the earth.”  NASB

It was a sad day in our history when we turned the responsibility of teaching our children to the government or the state.  Initially, the Bible was part of their public education but not today.  It has been said that America is no longer a Christian nation, which may be true.  Most still profess a belief in the existence of God but do they seek to serve Him?

It is the responsibility of parents and grandparents to teach their children the principles of life and the Word of God.  It is not the responsibility of the public school or even Sunday school.  It should be a natural part of family life.  We need to turn off the television, set aside our smartphones, log off the computers, and develop relationships that use actual language and face-to-face experiences with each other and our children.  Biblically we are directed to allow God’s word to be impressed upon our hearts to the degree that we talk of them as a family at all critical times of the day.

No wonder the Bible says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”  I didn’t say browbeat them; I said TRAIN them.  Demonstrate the importance and respect of the Word in your life and instill in them the core principles and values taught in God’s Word. 

Children are our responsibility; let’s do the right thing for them.  God bless you as you go through your day.  May God’s Richest and Best Blessings be upon you!

Numbers 23:19 – “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”  NKJV

I love the story of Balak and Balaam.  I do not like the story because of what was attempted but because of God’s incredible wisdom.  Balak was paying Balaam to curse Israel; each time Balaam would stand to do what he was being paid to do, the Lord would put a blessing in his mouth.  This infuriated Balak, and finally, Balaam uttered the words of our text. 

Remember when Saul, the King disobeyed the directive of Samuel the prophet in 1 Samuel?  I love Samuel’s way of approaching issues.  Saul had defeated the Amalekites and Agag, their king, and rather than being obedient, he spared the king and took his livestock for spoil, contrary to God’s directive through the prophet. 

Samuel showed up, and Saul gloated about his great victory and obedience to God’s directive.  Samuel looked around and asked, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?”  “Saul, if you had been truly obedient, I wouldn’t be hearing this.” 

Saul protested that he did it to bring the livestock to sacrifice to the Lord, and the prophet said, “Be quiet!”  He let Saul know that God was not the least bit interested in his justifications for disobedience.  In 1 Samuel 15:22, he uttered words that should resonate with us daily, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD?  Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.” 

This reminds me of the pastor struggling with what to do, and one of his little ladies said, “Pastor if God tells me to jump through a hole in the wall, it is my business to jump and His business to make the hole.”  William Burton McCafferty used to say, “God can pull us through anything if we can stand the pull.”  Obedience is our business making the way where there seems to be no way, Gods.  

Paul’s message to the Philippian church is revealed in his declaration in 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” and in 4:19, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus.”  It is our responsibility to OBEY.   We do not have to understand it all or even see how it will all work out.  We are to OBEY.  That obedience is out of a heart of love and confidence that God is God and will do what He does and NEVER FAILS.

Let me caution you.  I have tried to jump through some walls I wanted God to tell me to jump through, and He had not.  The result was some severe headaches and pains from trying to run through a troop and leap over a wall He had not directed me to do.  However, there have been many times when I knew in my spirit that He had given me a directive, and it seemed impossible.  In those times when I leaped, he made the hole, and victory was realized. 

Our problem, too often, is that we are not listening to that still small voice of the Spirit of God and going with what we think ought to happen or what we have been told.  We need to develop ‘spiritual hearing’ and become Obedient in all things and at all times.  It is daunting to see the wall, hear the directive to jump, and see no hole through which to go.  Yet, it is incredibly exhilarating to take a flying leap, and suddenly there is a hole for you to go through, a supernatural move of God.

If we can trust Him for our salvation.  If we can believe He created the heavens and the earth.  If we can believe that Jesus died on the Cross for our sins.  If we believe that He loves us with everlasting love, and it truly is His pleasure to give us the kingdom, why is it difficult to be obedient?  I need no credit for anything attributed to me as having accomplished in life for all that I am, all that I have, and all that I have done is the result of being Obedient and His moving on my behalf.

God bless you as you enjoy this wonderful day in Him!

Philippians 3:7-11 – “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ  9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”  NKJV

There is enough here to preach for months and write an entire book, but one particular phrase leaps off the page for me.  The beginning words of v.10 scream for my attention, “…that I may know Him….”  Of course, there is more, but where better to begin, for without this reality, none of the other has meaning. 

That I may know Him is the cry of my heart, and there is an ever-growing hunger in my heart and spirit to KNOW Him.  I do not mean know about Him but to KNOW Him.  I have experienced the new birth, but I am talking about something beyond that entrance into the Family of God; I am speaking of the intimacy found in the biblical word KNOW.  In Genesis 4:1 we read, “…Adam knew Eve…”  The full meaning of the word KNEW is revealed in the following words, “and she conceived….”  He KNEW her in an intimacy that transcends knowing about but in becoming one in flesh and spirit. 

I want to KNOW Christ in an intimacy where we are so completely one that there is no distinction between Him and me.  I want to KNOW Him so intimately that His thoughts become my thoughts, and the mind in Him becomes my mind.  In the natural world, it is impossible to KNOW someone on that level without spending time with them and investing yourself in them and in the pursuit of KNOWING them. 

The critical question is, how can we KNOW Christ on that level?  We know Him through the Holy Spirit.  We know Him through prayer.  We know Him through His word.  We know Him through obedience.  We know Him through service.  We know Him through His suffering.  We know Him through His resurrection power.  We know Him by being transformed and having done all to stand, stand and follow the prescription Jesus gave in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness….”  We know Him by making Matthew 5:6 our life pursuit, “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” 

If we want something badly enough, we will make the time to pursue it, invest whatever it takes to achieve it, and devote our energy to realize it.  In relationships where love is deep and true, it is a small thing to invest energy in learning the object of our devotion and affection.  In our spiritual relationship, too often, we seem to want to KNOW Jesus, as this passage describes, without investing or divesting ourselves as required.  He must become LORD of All if He is to be LORD at all. 

Those who have trained in martial arts tell me that it requires and requires a total commitment to master the discipline and techniques to become proficient in their art.  Those who are successful in business tell me that it requires a singular devotion and commitment to the pursuit of that business to succeed.  Those who have successful marriages and relations declare that they have invested themselves in the quest to know their mates. Although it was an easy decision, it is a continual process and requires total commitment.  Knowing does not just happen; there is no shortcut to coming to KNOW.

If you are hungry to KNOW Him, you can KNOW Him on that level of intimacy, but it will not be easy, nor will it be without pain.  No one in their right mind would desire to suffer, but in KNOWING Him fully, we must KNOW His suffering, for it reveals His heart.  His suffering pulls back the veil of the WHY of the Cross and the Power of the Resurrection.  May a craving and commitment to KNOW HIM to be birthed in each of our hearts.

God bless you richly as you embark on today’s journey.

Joshua 1:1-9 – “After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, it came to pass that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: 2 “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them — the children of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory. 5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong, and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”   NKJV

My title question is worthy of consideration even if you do not feel you are being held back from pursuing your dreams and purposes.  I have to ask a follow-up question, “Are you reaching your full potential?”  Then, “If not, why not?”  Is there anything holding you back, spiritually or in any other way?  I hope to use this account regarding Joshua to help us see some possible hindrances personally.

Moses, Joshua’s mentor, was dead.  Joshua had inherited the mantle of leadership and was responsible for leading the nation of Israel.  Even with his experience of watching Moses and learning the positives and negatives of his role, he is clearly filled with trepidation. 

It is one thing to know you will become the person occupying the decision-making chair and another to put on that hat.  God comes to Joshua and says, “Joshua, Moses is Dead!”  Have you ever wondered why God said that?  Joshua knew that Moses was dead, but God said it to identify Joshua of something that was potentially holding him back. 

It could have been that Joshua was intimidated by the leadership style of Moses.  He may have had trepidation, fearing that the people would not respect his authority and follow his directives.  He may have questioned his own ability and even questioned his ability to clearly and truly hear God.  I do not know what was truly involved, but God first reminded him, “Moses is gone, and now it is up to you.” 

God made some powerful promises and commitments to Joshua if he would do what God directed and promised to be with him in all things and at all times.  Then God said, “Be strong and of good courage….”  Okay, that could be a simple statement of encouragement, but it might identify the seedbed of fear that was budding in his heart and mind. 

In the following sentence, God says, “…be strong and very courageous….”  This emphasized the need for courage.  But to make matters worse, in a sense, God says in verse 9, “Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”  God addressed his fear and the need for courage three times in a very short span.  Something was coming that would not be very comforting, and courageous action would be required.

I am convinced God was not simply speaking of enemies from the outside but also the unwillingness, at times, of his own people to cooperate.  Yet, I believe there was an even greater issue involved: Joshua’s heart and mind.  Thus, God said, “Moses is dead….”  Joshua could no longer rely on Moses but must now rely on God and hear God for himself.  Joshua must not step out in obedience and faith.

Many, if not most, of us need to have our Moses die so that we can move out from under the shadow and the safety of that which we have relied on and place our trust and confidence in God and God alone.  It does not have to be a person that dies, but whatever has become our security blanket.  When we reach the place and come to the position that God is our source, we will shake off the shackles that bind us and allow us to become what God has designed and desires!

God bless you richly, is my prayer!

2 Corinthians 12:6-10 – “But even if I would desire to boast, I shall not be a fool; for I will tell the truth: but now I refrain, lest anyone should think more of me than what he sees me to be and what he hears from me.⁷ And lest I should be exalted through the abundance of the revelations, there was delivered to me a thorn in my flesh, the angel of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted.⁸ Three times I besought my LORD concerning this thing, that it might depart me.⁹ And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you: My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, I would rather boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me.¹⁰ Therefore, I am content with infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, and imprisonments for Christ’s sake: for when I am physically weak, then I am mentally strong.”

Let us continue our consideration of God’s Sufficient Grace.  We saw that this Grace is Sufficient for Salvation and is Sufficient in Tribulation. Now, let us take another step in understanding God’s incredible Grace.

THIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT TO CARRY US HOME TO HEAVEN…

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 – “Behold, I tell you a mystery; We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed,⁵² In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

Jesus promised that He would return for us, and the Bible clarifies in many passages that He is coming back for those looking for Him and those who remain faithful until He comes.

Hebrews 9:29 – “unto them that look for Him shall He appear.”

1 John 3:3 – “And every man that has this hope in Him purifies himself even as He is pure.”

This is not a sprint but a marathon; regardless of length, finishing is required to receive the prize in any race.  You have no reward if you begin but do not finish; all you invested is lost.  If we draw back, we nullify the Grace of God and, in a measure, slap Jesus in the face. 

Jesus is coming soon, and I believe very soon!  In the meantime, regardless of how long until He comes, we can be assured that God’s Grace is Sufficient for our Salvation and to keep us in times of Tribulation as well as provide the vehicle to take us Home to Heaven.

Therefore, no matter what you encounter in this life, rest assured that you can totally trust and depend upon the Grace of God that is Sufficient.  Our LORD Jesus has never failed and will never fail.  As Hebrews 13:8 declares, “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever.”  HE NEVER CHANGES and NEVER FAILS!

The Question for each of us today is, are we trusting His Grace?  No matter who we are, what we have done or not done – His Grace is Sufficient.  It is Sufficient to Save our souls.  It is Sufficient to Keep us in times of Trouble.  It is sufficient to Carry Us Home!

God’s Grace is Sufficient Grace!  God bless you as you walk in His Sufficient Grace today!

2 Corinthians 12:6-10 – “But even if I would desire to boast, I shall not be a fool; for I will tell the truth: but now I refrain, lest anyone should think more of me than what he sees me to be and what he hears from me.⁷ And lest I should be exalted through the abundance of the revelations, there was delivered to me a thorn in my flesh, the angel of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted.⁸ Three times I besought my LORD concerning this thing, that it might depart from me.⁹ And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore I would rather boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me.¹⁰ Therefore I am content with infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, and imprisonments for Christ’s sake: for when I am physically weak, then I am mentally strong.”

We are discussing God’s Sufficient Grace and left off last time after we had given a preliminary consideration.  Today, I would like for us to take another step in considering the extent of this incredible Grace that is Sufficient.

THIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR SALVATION…

According to the Bible, which is the final authority on the matter, it is the ONLY provision whereby man can enter into the condition of being Born Again and Live Eternally.  It is the only road to Heaven.  There are not many roads to God, nor many roads to heaven. There is the straight gate and narrow way that leads to life and the wide gate and broad way that leads to destruction.  The choice we make concerning Jesus is of eternal significance.

Paul, the apostle, suffered persecution and much tribulation for his faith.  He suffered more than most could or would endure.  He, at times, seemed to be made of steel and had nerves of iron.  However, there is a secret to his ability to endure and succeed in his Christian walk, work, and warfare.  He found that there was something he could rely on in every situation.  He discovered God’s incredible Grace and realized that the Grace that brought him to God would keep him in his walk with God.

THIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR TRIBULATION…

Persecution is not something that only a few must endure, but Jesus said it would accompany godly lives.  He said, “the godly will suffer persecution.”  He did not say might but will as a definitive.  He warned that we would be hated by the world (those outside Christ) and that the devil would seek to kill, steal, and destroy.  Yet, he found that God’s Grace was Sufficient in all things and at all times.

What our world needs is not a new morality but old-time spirituality.  We need a personal relationship with Jesus and fully surrender to Him.  The apostle Paul suffered for the cause of Christ.  The world is constantly crying out for compromise, but Paul would not compromise his faith, and neither should we.  He chose to suffer rather than compromise His faith and convictions in Christ. 

Today we are being presented with a new version of modern morality that is not morality at all but embraces licentiousness and a measure of idolatry and perversion.  We are told that we have to be more like the world to attract the world.  But Jesus said, “If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me.”  The world’s true craving is not for compromise but a demonstration of the Power of God’s Grace in our lives.

The only army that ever strikes its colors is when it is defeated or in retreat, and the Body of Christ, the Army of God, is neither.  We are told in 1 Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation has overtaken you but that which is common to man: but God is faithful; he will not suffer you to be tempted beyond that you are able; but will make your temptation to have a way of escape, so that you may be able to bear it.”

No matter what comes – Sickness, Grief, Poverty, Defeat on some level, or Soul Sickness we can depend on the Grace of God – It is Sufficient!  In all of his sufferings, the apostle Paul never lost sight of the vision of God’s Grace and never lost the Power it Provides.  He said that if his only hope were what this world offered, he would be the most miserable man of all time.  He knew that God’s Grace was Sufficient for Salvation and Sufficient in Tribulation.

I want to address this again, but I will pause here.  God bless you as you enjoy this day, walking in God’s Sufficient Grace!