Author: rbeaird

CHRIST’S WORK ON EARTH THROUGH HIS SPIRITUAL GIFTS…


Spiritual Blog - Gifts

1 Corinthians 12:27-31- “Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. 29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? 30 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? 31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way.” NASU

Ephesians 4:11-16 – “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.” NASU

I personally cannot fathom life, in any dimension in which there was the absence of the direction of the Lord.  That life would not be effective or effectual.  Jesus and the writers of the New Testament continually referred to the Great Body of Believers as “The Body of Christ” and thereby identified particular functions for each of the many members or organs within that body (as in the human body).  Jesus established and identified a plan to function through His Body (made up of multitudes of believers) in numerous passages, the two above or just examples.

We have A LIFE and that LIFE involves the spiritual, mental, physical, relational, political, and practical.  We are not cats we do not have “nine lives” nor “compartmentalized lives” we have A LIFE!  It is the sum total of what we are and who we are.  It is the expression of our relationship with Him and the world around us.  He is the basis, the foundation, and the guide for all our decisions, moral foundation, political ideology, and spiritual relationship.  To assume anything else flies in the face of Scripture.

Not to address every individual gift ministry in this short devotion but suffice it to say that His purpose in giving those gifts, functions, and/or ministries was to “equip”, “train”, “unify”, and “mature” the Church to become a fully functional manifestation of Him in this present world.  These gifts/ministries were to last UNTIL we all come to the UNITY OF THE FAITH.  Since it is quite clear we are not there, then one can conclude without fear of contradiction that they are valid today.  Are there abuses?  Of course!  Are there misunderstanding and misinterpretations of their role, authority, and function?  Of course!  Does that invalidate them?  Absolutely not!

The ministry of the New Testament Prophet is one largely of being a confirming or correcting voice.  The prophet is not the rudder of the Ship of Zion, Jesus and His Word are.  He/She are not the psychic to eliminate the need to seek God’s face for ourselves they are directional – pointing us to Him who is our foundation.  The prophet “warns” us when we are making wrong decisions.  He/she “encourages” us when we are under stress and duress and need to be encouraged to stay the course.  Likewise, this ministry/function is vital to keep us on course identifying spirits at work, help develop plans of action and empower the Church to “fight the good fight of faith” with foreknowledge and even revelation.  He is called a “seer” in the Old Testament for good reason – – He/she “SEES” into the Realm of the Spirit and comprehends things that the human mind misses or ignores.  We need the Prophet today and the prophet must be held accountable to the strict guidelines and parameters of Scripture.  He/she MUST be men/women of impeccable integrity.  They do not speak of their own but declare the very Words of the Lord to the situation, at the time, for the purpose at hand.

I have no idea why anyone would desire that be eliminated from daily life, the church body as a whole and the oversight of the nation?  We need to hear God in every aspect and dimension of life not as a State Run or State Controlled Religion but as a fresh unrestricted expression of the mind of God I all matters.  The “true prophet’s” ministry is often a lonely one and often he is the source of ridicule and scorn but to dares declare “thus says the Lord” and places himself directly between God and man and face the most severe consequences of God if spoken out of personal bias, prejudice, doctrinal interpretation, or preference rather than the actual speaking of God to that situation.  A history of accuracy lends authenticity to the voice of the prophet and will demonstrate a growing humility in the speaker, knowing that God has spoken through them not because they were special but because they were a willing vessel and obedient to Him.

EVERYTHING is to be “tested” through the Word of God!   EVERYTHING!  When confirmed it is the Word of God for the moment it is to be heeded implicitly with gladness as well as “fear and trembling”.  We need each member, gift, function, and ministry as we need EVERY ORGAN in the natural body to function to perfection as is God’s expressed desire for His Church!  Treasure the gifts and allow God to cultivate them and demonstrate them in your lives and local congregations.

May God bless you as you reach an even higher plane in the Kingdom in your pursuit of excellence in the Spirit!

1 CommentLeave a comment

SIMPLE GUIDELINES PAY BIG DIVIDENDS…


Spiritual Blog - Give

Luke 6:37-38 – “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.  38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” NKJV

Most of us make too many things complicated and for many in the role of “teacher” or “preacher”, we tend to look for something DEEP to share some GREAT INSIGHT or REVELATION that will AWE people.  Yet, for the most part, God’s Word is SIMPLE, STRAIGHT FORWARD, and CLEAR.  It was written so that ANYONE could understand it, apply it to their lives, and reap the rewards of living according to Scripture.  This passage is a clear example of that:

  1. JUDGMENT always results in Judgment. If we are judgmental we will find that we are judged by the same standard that we use in judging others.
  2. CONDEMNATION always results in Condemnation. If we are quick to condemn others, events, or things we will find that same coming back to us.
  3. FORGIVENESS always results in Forgiveness. If we are of a forgiving heart, we will find that people are more responsive to our requests for forgiveness because of the gentleness of our hearts and we will be more readily forgiven.

Then I come to the part that I really wanted to bring to light that is directly tied to the first three found in (verse 38).

GIVE – – There is a very big little word in this sentence that is the “key” to the entire passage.  “IT”.  Notice: “Give, and IT will be given to you….”  What does that mean?  It means that you will GET what you GIVE.  If you give “money” the return will affect you monetarily in some way.  If you give “compassion” the return will affect you in the area of compassion.  If you give “love” the return will come to you in the form of love and understanding.  If you give “understanding” the return will come to you in the form of tolerance, temperance, and understanding.  God gives back not only according to the standard of measure you use He gives back in kind.  Remember the passage regarding “reaping and sowing”.  You reap WHAT you sow, you reap, MORE than you sow, and you reap LATER than you sow.  If you give with a thimble the return will be with a thimble.  If you give with a Number 3 Wash Tub the return will be the same.  If you give out of your of your lack God will give out of His abundance.  You give out of your abundance so that you don’t know it, feel it or are even affected by its outgo then you probably won’t notice its return.

Think of what God has given us in the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross and how that we would have nothing if it were not given to us by Him.  Any money we have earned, though it comes through hard work, ingenuity, and industry it was because God gave us the ability.  Therefore, what I give, no matter the area I am only giving back what God has allowed me to have possession of.  I’m distributing it as He has chosen and He has promised He will return it to me IN ABUNDANCE.  Be that Love, Understanding, Compassion, Forgiveness, or Money.  Give it a try, you just might find that it is a lifestyle that you want to adopt.

May God bless you as you begin your week in the Kingdom with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

 

 

0 CommentsLeave a comment

TRUE FRIENDS…


Spiritual Blog - Friends

Proverbs 17:17 – “A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.” NASU

Proverbs 18:24 – “…there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” NIV

Most of us have people we call “friend” or they call us “friend” but are they really?  What level of friendship are we talking about, because there are many and most fall into the category of “casual friendships” or friendships that cost us little or nothing!  I call them “friendships of convenience”.  They are valid when they provide a benefit for us and are convenient for us to maintain.  Then there are friendships that go beyond that to the level of “good friends”.  These are friendships that we are willing to invest at least some time and effort into and even be inconvenienced to a degree, but even in this category, there is a limit.  Then we come to the type of friendship mentioned in the passages above, I would call this “covenant friendships”.  These are friendships that we are willing to die for and will do whatever, whenever, and wherever to fulfill any need, obligations or requests within moral boundaries for them.  I have such friends in my life and for that I am grateful.

I had several friends in Vietnam that we would have died for each other.  I have friends in ministry who would lay down their lives for me and me for them.  I have friends who have driven hundreds of miles to check on me, called at all hours of the night because God laid me on their hearts and they knew I needed help.  I’ve done the same for some of them.  That kind of friend is worth more than all the gold in Fort Knox or all the oil beneath the surface of the earth.  They are priceless and you cannot treasure them enough.

Yet, as believers we have a friend that is even more committed to us and more capable of meeting our needs than any human friend.  His name is Jesus!  He has NEVER and WILL NEVER fail you are me.  He KNOWS every need, sees every tear, hears every cry, and stands ready at ALL TIMES to come to our aide.  No power can stand against Him and no love can match His.  If you don’t know Him I highly recommend Him to you today.  He truly is a “friend that sticks closer than a brother,” and “will NEVER leave us nor forsake us.”

May you enjoy your Sunday in the Lord and reflect on those whom you call “friend” and not only treasure those friendships but cultivate them and develop at least some of them to the level of “Covenant Friendships.”

May God bless you as you go through your day and week in His Care and Keeping!

0 CommentsLeave a comment

HAVING DONE ALL TO STAND… KEEP STANDING….


Spiritual Blog - Stand

Ephesians 6:13-20 – “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, 19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” NASU

 

This is a lengthy passage but I want to pull out a few key elements and focus on them briefly.  We live in troubled times and the world around us is in chaos and crumbling from the reality that we have known most of our lives.  The increase in violence, mass murders, school shootings, etc. has caused people to cower in fear and demand that politicians fix the problem.  They cannot because it is not a legislative problem but a spiritual one.  The prophecies of the Bible seem more relevant and imminent than at any time in our lifetime so what do we do?  How do we respond?  What do we think?  How do we live?  We basically have two choices we can live in “fear” or “faith”.  We can live in a “survival mode mentality” or an “overcoming mentality”.  I believe that is what Paul is addressing here for those hearing him.

It is important to “know” what the FULL ARMOR of God is, how to put it on, and when we are missing an element of it.  That is critical to our survival as well as our success in our labors for His Kingdom.  Yet he says something that signifies the determination that we must have, the commitment we must possess, and the faith/confidence we must embody in these last days.  “…having done everything to stand.  Stand firm….”  Once you’ve done all you know, in Him to do, plant yourself like a granite boulder and refuse to be shaken from your position in Him.  Don’t run in fear, death is not to be feared.  Don’t run in fear, He is more than a conqueror.  Don’t run in fear, His promises will not fail and He will NEVER leave us NOR forsake us.

We need to focus first and foremost on Him, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  He must become the central figure of our universe.

  1. Everything must revolve around Him, His will, His desire, His word, His way, His character, and His Love.
  2. We must invest ourselves in TRUTH and make it a covering for our lives (for out of it we reproduce).
  3. Our hearts must be anchored in RIGHTEOUSNESS because if our hearts condemn us and wickedness is found in our hearts we are easy targets for the evil one.
  4. Our feet (Walk, Way of Life) must be shod with the GOSPEL for that is our driving force. He is the truth, the way, and the life and no other way to God but through Him.
  5. We must carry the SHIELD OF FAITH for without faith it is impossible to please Him much less face the struggles of life that we have now and will have on an even greater scale in the days to come.
  6. We must have our minds covered with the HELMET OF SALVATION. We too frequently discount the “thought processes” but in a great measure, salvation begins in the mind.  “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”  We are not what we think we are but we are a product of what we think.
  7. We must be committed to Him in all things and at all times.

 It is not only for survival that we need this but for taking the battle to the enemy and claiming the land for Christ.  We are triumphant in as much as we do these things.  So, do all that you know to do to “stand” then determine in your heart to “keep on standing” NO MATTER WHAT!  He will give you the grace, strength, encouragement, and power to come through the Fire and the Flood victorious.

Blessings as you go into your weekend victorious in Christ!

 

0 CommentsLeave a comment

ARE WE A SPIRITUAL HOUSE OR A STONE PILE?


Spiritual Blog - Living Stones

1 Peter 2:1-5 – “Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, 2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. 4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”  NASU

 

Personally, I have always found this a fascinating passage.  In fact, I believe that it is God’s Word to the Church in this hour!  I believe that the Church, the Body of Christ has come to a ‘new phase’ in its development and progress in the Kingdom!  I believe we are at a new juncture on our road to BECOMING that which God has designated and desired for us to be at this time.  If we are to become ONE BODY and function as a body to fulfill God’s plan and purpose for our sphere of influence and world we must become a SPIRITUAL HOUSE rather than just be a STONE PILE filled with individual stones.

  1. We MUST come to realize and know who we are.

We will never fully know who we are until we truly know whose we are.  I do not mean the religious cliché “I’m Gods”, I mean HIM – His person, nature, character, love, grace, trustworthiness, etc.  We must come to know the Covenant Maker and Keeper WHO IS GOD.  I’m talking about intimacy with Him not familiarity with Him.

  1. We MUST come to know His Covenant and His Kingdom.

I believe the Covenantal Relationships are the ‘foundation for function’ in the Body of Christ and in life.  The power, provisions, and promise of Covenant as walked out in daily living.  I believe that as we know God’s Covenant and Kingdom we come to know God and thereby know WHO WE ARE.

  1. We MUST come to know God’s Pattern for Function locally.

I’ve often called this the “Jethro Principle” as revealed to and practiced by Moses in the wilderness and by Jesus in the New Testament.  It is the PATTERN for Body Ministry and, I believe, the only way to successfully reach and develop the harvest.  It is here we come to know God’s Truths about Body Ministry, Team Ministry, Apostolic authority, and function rather than position.  It is here that we are able to pull down religious hierarchies and come to maturity in Christ.

  1. We MUST become a Spiritual House that is FULLY FUNCTIONING.

We must be ‘fitted and framed’ together as a unit, house, body, and family with the parts functioning as the whole.  It is in this condition that we ‘reproduce’ and ‘disciple’ others enabling them to FULLY FUNCTION as a part of the Body of Christ, God’s Spiritual House.

We are LIVING STONES and the problem with living stones is that they have a mind and will of their own.  We like to do our own thing, we do not always stay where we have been placed, and have egos, ambitions, and feelings.  Unlike natural building stones, we present a unique problem in the building of the house.  We are not inanimate objects but LIVING STONES and as living stones, we are literally ‘cells’ in the Body of Christ and linked to each other cell by the blood.  It is imperative that we ‘die to self’ in order to ‘live unto Him.’  Truly the words of John the Baptist is fitting – “He must increase but I must decrease.”  I urge you to make it your objective and purpose to become a SPIRITUAL HOUSE rather than a Stone in a Stone Pile.   

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

0 CommentsLeave a comment

HOW DO WE REACT TO THE JUDGMENT OF GOD?


Spiritual Blog - Judgment

2 Chronicles 7:13-15 – “If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, 14 and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” NASU

 

Over the past few years, I’ve heard more and more people saying that what is happening in America is the judgment of God.  It may be but that’s not the issue.  The issue is my title question – “How do we react or respond to the judgment of God?”  Sadly, I’ve heard people call the events of our nation and the world “God’s Judgment” and say it almost gloating and with pleasure.  That breaks my heart and I believe breaks God’s heart too!  If our nation is under the “Judgment of God” then we believers have a responsibility and duty to apply 2 Chronicles 7:14 to the situation and begin in earnest to “intercede” for the nation and the people.

This is the time of year when many states across this great land find themselves under the siege of “wildfires” and the devastation is frequently catastrophic.  This is the time of the year where there is a drought in one area and flooding in another.  It is the beginning of hurricane season and that brings incredibly damaging inclement weather.  Parts of the country are also sieged with fires, floods, weather-related conditions, economic conditions, and more.  The relief agencies, firefighters, police, emergency crews, hospitals, and churches become taxed beyond their capacity to respond fully and adequately.  Those suffering need US!

They need us to:

  1. Become intercessors.
  2. Volunteer our physical labors, finances, goods, and services.
  3. Be compassionate.
  4. Stay on our faces until there is an answer from heaven.

Although I have personally suffered from the drought condition I have not faced the devastation of raging fires, destructive winds or flooding.  My economics aside I have been somewhat spared although we are in a dire situation with the cost of my wife’s cancer chemo medications requiring frugality and prioritization.  Although I feel the pinch I also feel the compunction of the Holy Spirit to do what I can to help others.  The one thing that I feel best equipped to do is PRAY!  Judgment, if that is what we are facing, is not designed just to punish but to bring to repentance, reconciliation, and restoration.  There are things that I cannot do, at this time, physically but pray I can, have, and will continue to do.  However, the crisis is escalating and therefore I will commit to praying more and plead with others to join in with fasting and prayer!  Thousands if not millions of lives and families are being negatively affected by the natural disasters, personal economic crunches, and violence.  Those conditions and situations will impact them for the rest of their days here on earth.

God’s promise in this passage is that IF we humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from wickedness – THEN He will HEAR, FORGIVE, and HEAL the land.  If you are a believer it is time that you invested a portion of your day and energy praying!  Even if you feel that you have nothing to repent of, repent for the State, the Nation, and the World.  Even if you feel that you are not following wicked ways in any fashion, turn your heart toward God more than ever and SEEK HIS FACE!  The intercession of Abraham provided an opportunity for Sodom and Gomorrah to escape judgment.  The intercession of Moses spared the nation of Israel from God’s hand of judgment.  The intercession of God’s people today can turn this devastation and avert further damage.  In many ways, we are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel but many are still struggling and fearful. I do believe that it is up to us to do more than just say we will pray but to pray more than we say we will.

May God have mercy on us!  I pray that we will intercede for the nation and see God’s Restoration!  Thank you for your investment and commitment to prayer!

God bless you and may you live in peace and safety!

 

0 CommentsLeave a comment

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO WAIT ON THE LORD?


Spiritual Blog - Waiting

Isaiah 40:31 – “But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”  NKJV

 “Waiting” is not one of humankind’s strengths.  It would seem that most of us most of the time “hate to wait”.  We don’t like lines at the check-out stand, delays at the doctor’s office, the interim between the time we are ready to go and those going with us getting ready, delays in answers to prayer, waiting at restaurants for our seat or food or in traffic.  We just don’t like to “wait.”  So, when we read, “…those who WAIT on the Lord….” – – it causes some difficulty in the mind for many.  The idea in the Hebrew seems to indicate that this “waiting” is a word that comes from a prime root that means to “twist or bind together”.  It means to “look, patiently tarry, wait for” with expectation.  Therefore, in a true sense, spiritually, when we are “waiting on the Lord” we are allowing the Holy Spirit to twist us together and bind us together with Him so that we become ONE with Him.

With that in mind makes perfect sense that through this process we should gain a “renewal” of strength because we develop a oneness with Him and therefore have a greater infusion of His strength into our lives.  Because, he sees all and is overall it is no stretch to use the analogy of mounting up with wings like eagles, because from that binding together into a oneness with Him allows us to rise above the din and clutter below and enables us to see the bigger picture.  Likewise, because He is the infinite strength we would naturally find ourselves able to go tirelessly without being weary in this race and able to walk (live) without fear of exhausting from the taxations of life’s difficulties.  Therefore, if we need to learn anything it is to “wait” on the Lord.  That does not mean just sit back and delay but an active allowing of the Holy Spirit to mesh our lives with Him, our minds with Him, our spirits with His and become ONE with Him.  As we do this and learn this we find ourselves walking in a more full and victorious life in the King and Kingdom of God.

Do not fear silence or time alone with God it is a time of development of strength as much or more than intensive exercise to build muscles in the natural body.  Therefore, set some time aside on a regular basis to “wait on the Lord” and then stand amazed at the growth that transpires in your life.

May the Lord richly bless you as you embark on today’s journey!

0 CommentsLeave a comment

DISCIPLINE vs. PUNISHMENT FROM THE LORD…


Spiritual Blog - Discipline

Proverbs 3:11-12 – “My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof, 12 For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.” NASU

Isaiah 13:11 – “Thus I will punish the world for its evil And the wicked for their iniquity; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud And abase the haughtiness of the ruthless.” NASU

 

            It is my opinion that far too many people in every aspect of life misunderstand the difference between “discipline” and “punishment”.  Too many people administer “punishment” where “discipline” is called for not realizing that “discipline” is designed to bring to repentance and “punishment” is the ultimate result of an offense of the rebellious that refuses to modify behavior, repent, and return to the correct path.  It is punitive whereas discipline is administered with “reconciliation” as the primary focus.  Hell is “punishment”.  Chastisement is “discipline”.  When my children young my objective in what some called “punishment” and God called “discipline” was to shape their attitudes and behavior to bring them to the right path.  The objective was to “teach” them the error of their ways and help them understand not only the consequences but the proper way.  It was to bring them to an understanding that their actions not only affected them, their parents, and frequently other people as well.  It was to enable them to develop a solid foundation and moral base upon which to build their lives.

For the most part, our penal institutions are designed for “punishment” rather than “discipline”.  Most of our churches administer neither for fear of losing members and not fully understanding either the authority nor the responsibility of the church in this area.  Too often, when the Lord “disciplines” us we accuse Him of “punishing” us and develop a mentality of God as this Giant Ogre who is waiting for us to slip up just a little so He can whack us over the head.  I remember as a child hearing the phrase when we were acting up, “God’s watching and He’s going to get you for that.”  God’s objective is not to “get us for that” but to “reconcile us to Himself through His Son, Jesus Christ the Righteous.”  God is more interested in “reconciliation” than “condemnation”.  He is more interested in “restoration” that “retribution”.  God wants us to be FREE and live in the “Peace that passes all understanding” not live in “Fear that that is torment and paralyzes.”

Therefore, when the Lord “disciplines” you do not despise it, reject it, resist it, but embrace it, learn from it, and allow it to move you ever closer to His presence, person, and character.  You do not want to experience “punishment” those standing at the Great White Throne will know that.  Satan knows that.  The Angels that fell know that.  The demons know that.  Know that God’s “discipline” is based on love with the desire to bring you to Him in a greater measure and a deeper relationship.  It is to teach you His character, His heart, His love, and His way.  Love is the basis of “discipline”.  You will experience it and it is important that you understand the difference between “discipline” and “punishment.”  It never means that God is through with you, it means He sees enough in you to continue to invest His time, energy, and effort to bring you into total conformity to His image.  It is a sign of His love!  Rejoice in it and be thankful.

May God richly bless you as you move through the conclusion of your long weekend and move toward the goal of life!

0 CommentsLeave a comment

THE “IF” – “THEN” OF JESUS…


Spiritual Blog - If

John 8:31-32 – “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.” NKJV The NASU lists it as “… if you continue in My word….”  NIV – “…If you hold to My teachings…”  NLT – “…if you keep obeying my teachings….”

 

            It is sometimes surprising how many times we fail to notice simple little phrases in what the Bible teaches and either ignore them to fit our doctrine or miss them because we are reading with a preconceived notion of what it should say or should mean.  Here is a most powerful statement by our Lord that contains an “if” or a CONDITIONAL PHRASE.

Jesus said to His followers regarding their relationship with Him that IF you “abide”, “continue”, “obey”, or “continue obeying” my word, my doctrine, my teachings, my truth YOU ARE OR SHALL BE “My Disciples Indeed”.  Then He adds an addendum that is without price in its value – – “You shall “know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”.  Spiritual freedom comes through relationship and relationship comes through obedience to Him and His word.  That is inescapable!  The idea presented here is “continued obedience” not one-time “acceptance”.  It is a “maintained relationship” not signing a membership card and paying regular dues like a club membership.  It is a “personal relationship” that is maintained through communication, communion, and commitment.  In too many ways and too many situations, we seem to have lost that and it’s time for the church and God’s people to return to their “First Love” and restore that relationship and commitment to the Lord of Lord and King of Kings!

May God bless you as you continue your brand new week of opportunity in His service and Kingdom!  Blessings!

0 CommentsLeave a comment

KEEPING YOUR EYE ON THE GOAL…


Spiritual Blog - Goal

Philippians 3:12-16 – “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do:  forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; 16 however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.” NASU

 

There are two ways that one can go through life.  You can go through life looking forward, eyes fixed on the prize, goal, or destination or you can constantly be looking back playing the “what if” game and wondering, second-guessing, and questioning.  One way leads to an assured victory the other way has a great propensity for failure.  Recently I sat with some old friends from my early days and they began reminiscing about some of the antics that we pulled during our youth and for a brief moment, we all began to live those times again.  The laughter was there, the memories vivid, and even some of the feelings of those things came back when suddenly the Holy Spirit stopped me and reminded me of a passage that caused me to change the topic.  He said, Luke 9:62 – “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” NASU Then He also spoke to my spirit, 2 Peter 2:22 – “…A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.” NASU He asked me, “Do you want to reminisce on sinful things and possibly create a longing to go back or do you want to keep your eye on the ultimate prize in Me?”

The answer was obvious.  The things we were reminiscing about involved drinking and mischief.  They were times of our youth when we were young, wild, and free (so to speak).  We were invincible and 10 feet tall and bulletproof!  We danced to our own drummer and resisted and rebelled against the status quo and were constantly stepping outside the acceptable into those things that would cause raised eyebrows among the older generation.  Most just called it “sowing wild oats” but it was not a spiritually positive time of my life and not something that I wanted to get back into my mind or spirit.  So as gently and inoffensively as I could I moved the subject to some of the times when we were more in step with what was considered normal and acceptable and began to tell how my life changed after Vietnam and I came to know the Lord.  What was heading down a path that was not spiritually productive became a time of deep introspection and reflection on how our lives had changed and mostly for the better over the years as we had grown and matured.  Each of us confessed that we would be very disturbed had our children done the same things we did.

It is important to keep your eye on the goal.  If you don’t know where you are going, how will you know when you get there?  If you don’t know your objective how will you know when you have achieved it?  If you don’t know what is required how will you know what to do to be prepared?  Focus, in everything, is important but in spiritual things it is critical.  We MUST keep our “Eyes on Jesus” lest we turn aside and become sidetracked and lose our way.  He will walk beside us, provide the Holy Spirit to be our very efficient and capable guide through this maze called life and lead us to that HIGHER CALLING and enable us to ATTAIN THE PRIZE of the HIGH CALLING of God in Christ Jesus!  So my dear friend, don’t let the little issues sidetrack you.

May God bless you as you go through your day in Him!  Blessings!

0 CommentsLeave a comment