Psalm 34:18 – “The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.”    NKJV

In the natural broken things are often despised and thrown out.  Of course, sometimes there is effort to fix that which is broken but in much of today’s world it is deemed more desirable to replace rather than repair.  Damaged goods are rejected and that includes people.  We see it frequently.

In marriage, when difficulty arises and relationships become strained, it is a far too common to “walk away” rather than go through the incredibly difficult and often painful process of reconciliation.  The world is filled with broken people, broken hearts, broken relationships and broken lives.  We “walk away” but God comes in and “restores.”  David, a man after God’s own heart, was a broken man at one point.  He cried in Psalm 51 for God to create in him a clean/pure heart and in verse 17 declared, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart – These, O God, You will not despise.”   God is near the broken hearted and His compassion opens the door to His Grace.

We toss broken things aside but God restores and renews making the repaired better than the original.  A man/woman that walks with a limp from brokenness will be mightier than someone who has never been broken.  They will walk in humility for they understand firsthand that their gift, ability, talent and/or success is not based on them but God’s incredible Grace!  Without the broken body of our Lord Jesus we could not be restored and healed.

It is in brokenness that we realize how much we need Him.  It was not until I realized and admitted my sin that God could come in and rescue me from darkness.  It was not until I found myself hopeless (broken) that He could come in and infuse hope into my being.  When we come to that place of brokenness that we no longer strive to do it ourselves but are totally dependent upon His grace we will live beneath that life He came to bring.

I have a friend who says, “I don’t trust a man who doesn’t walk with a limp.”  He was referring to brokenness spiritually as with Jacob who wrestled with God and forever walked with a limp from God’s touch.  His brokenness transformed him from a supplanter to prince with God.  Had he never been broken he would never have been the patriarch of the twelve tribes of Israel.  His greatness came through His brokenness.  The same can be said of David, Job, Paul, Samson, Gideon, Moses, Abraham and the heroes of faith of the Bible.  We are broken but never discarded by the Father.

May the Lord transform your brokenness into victory and strength in Him!  Blessings as you go through this day in Him!

Philippians 2:14-16 – “Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16 as you hold out the word of life-in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.”  NIV

 Philippians 2:14-16 – “Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.” NKJV

Although I truly believe that we should examine everything with due diligence and verify doctrines with the Word of God I also believe there is a place for willing obedience to those in authority in the Church.  I love what the apostle Paul had to say in 1 Corinthians 11:1 – “…follow me AS I follow Christ.”  In the earlier portion of the text chapter Paul tells the hearers to have the same mind as the Lord Jesus walking in obedience.

We are taught in Scripture that we are “living stones” placed in God’s building by the wise master builders that God has selected to oversee our spiritual walk.  In the natural, a stone is placed where the mason desires as prescribed by the architect but as living stones we have a tendency to resist, argue, push back and let our egos override our obedience.  We sometimes think of ourselves more highly than we ought at any particular time.

James 4:10 informs us that if we humble ourselves before God, He will exalt us.  When?  In His time!  Attitude is a problem in society and in the spiritual realm.  Our attitude determines our altitude and our altitude determines our aptitude.  If we truly love the Lord we should be content to bloom where He plants us and remain there until He transplants us.  If our assignment is cleaning the toilets, shoveling out the stables, sweeping the floors then let us be the best we can be at that task.  If our assignment is standing before people then let us do that with humility and allow the Holy Spirit to live and speak through us.  No matter our assignment we should pursue it without complaint and argument. 

I am not suggesting that you mindlessly obey any human but that you allow the Holy Spirit to hone and develop you in His time and in His way.  Iron truly sharpens iron and few of us like being sharpened for it is sometimes painful and hard on our egos.  Paul, a mighty apostle of God, could honestly declare that he was content wherever God placed him and in whatever condition he found himself.  Why?  Because his inner peace, contentment and significance did not come from external recognition or position it came from relationship with the Lord Himself.  It came through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  When God determines it is time to promote you He will and you will find success.  If you are one that forces doors open you will find discontent, dissatisfaction and disappointment.

Let your attitude be one of obedience and I am convinced God will open the doors to your dreams in due time!   God bless you as you go through this wonderful day!

Ephesians 4:26-27 – “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil.”  NKJV

Years ago a dear church member said as I became visibly angry over something, “Anger is sin!”  This individual believed that even the slightest agitation was a sign of a sinful heart and because I had become agitated there was sin in my heart.  Based on that belief it was their conviction that I should immediately resign the church or be removed.  They never got over my momentary lapse and could not modify their belief to accept the above passage.  It was almost, do not confuse me with the facts my mind is made up.

Clearly anger is destructive and if one has no control over their emotions they damage their own souls.  Here the apostle Paul declares, “Be angry, and do not sin…”  He did not say if you become angry you have sinned.  Admittedly, you may have but every demonstration or experience of anger is not sin.  The Bible warns us to guard against wrath, rage and being quick tempered.  It also warns against allowing the emotions to become unbridled and describes anger that is harbored in the heart is a condition of a fool.  We are told to guard our mouths and that harsh words stir up strife.  James declared that a person that is slow to anger is better than the mighty and if we have control over our anger we are mightier than one who conquers a city.  Jesus warned that in our anger we are standing on the precipice of judgment.  Ephesians 4:27 declares that we are to “give no opportunity to the devil.”  Here Paul instructs that if we become angry we are to resolve it quickly, “do not let the sun go down on your wrath”.  He could have stopped there but he did not and continued, “…nor give place to the devil.”

ANGER opens a door we do not want open.  It allows the enemy of our soul to plant seeds of bitterness, vengeance, malice, jealousy and even hatred.  Proverbs 14:29 gives a powerful revelation that a person who is slow to anger has great understanding, but if we are quick tempered we exalt folly.  In Proverbs 25:28 we read, “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.”  Anger leaves us defenseless and gives the devil a clear pathway to our minds and our hearts.  If we are to resist the devil we must resist anger as well.

If I see a child being abused physically or verbally I become angry.  If I see blatant wrong being committed I become angry.  If I see the American flag burned I become angry.  If I see or hear biblical values trampled by politicians and so-called Christian leaders I become angry.  My anger is sometimes directed at the ones committing the act but always at the devil for inspiring the act.  However, I also seek to be forgiving and want to guard my heart against hate and bitterness.  Therefore, I strive to be like Stephen as he was being stoned to death, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”  I also strive to be like my Lord Jesus as He hung on the Cross, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”  I would be less than honest if I said I am always successful and become angry without sin.  Sometimes I have to not only repent of the anger but of sinful anger.

It should be a Christian objective to never open a door to the devil needlessly and that is so easily done via the emotion of anger.  I pray for you that the LORD help you keep your emotions in check and never give place to anger nor allow it to remain producing the root of sin and opening a door to the enemy of our souls.

God bless you as you go through this beautiful day!

James 1:12 – “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”  NIV

The word rendered trial in this version and temptation in most others is “peirasmos” which means to “put to proof by experiment and experience.”  Trials and temptations are, in reality, tests through which we grow, experience, develop and learn.  If we learn the lesson well we do not find ourselves taking another lap around the mountain and can move on to the next test and lesson to be learned in our maturation spiritually.

James calls the person who perseveres in the process a blessed individual.  The reason is that when we have going through the trial, passed the test we triumph and receive the Crown of Life.  That is the prize of the high calling Paul was speaking of in Philippians 3:14 and is the objective for which we are reaching.

I have dealt with people experiencing various trials and/or temptations and many would lament, “Why is God doing this to me?”  The reality is that God is not doing anything to us it is a condition or door we opened in our lives.  It could be a Job-like experience in which we are being tested where God has lifted His hand momentarily and conditionally allowing the enemy to come in like a flood.  The key is NEVER GIVE UP!  If we persevere and having done all to stand, stand we will find that the prize far outweighs the tribulation.

Life is filled with twists and turns.  Life is filled with trials and I am convinced that there will be tests, trials and temptations as long as we walk on planet earth and draw breath, in the natural.  However we can face whatever may come with the confidence that we are not alone.  We have the promise of the LORD to never leave nor forsake us.  We are assured that we are more than conquerors through Him and that we can do all things through Christ who is our strength.

The presence of trials in your life is not an indication that God is mad at your or sending evil upon you.  James declares that God is not tempted by evil and does not tempt anyone.  He informs us that temptation comes out of the depravity of our human hearts.  Therefore, many of the trails we face in life have arisen because we have opened or left open a door of opportunity for the devil to enter.  I have long taught that we need to regularly check the doors to be sure they are closed and locked.  In the natural we would not leave our houses unlocked nor should we leave our spiritual houses with unlocked doors through which the enemy can enter.

The trials come and bring a test that once we have endured or persevered we move closer to the ultimate prize of God the Crown of Life!   May God be with you and richly bless you as you go through this beautiful day in Him!

1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  NKJV

The process to Salvation is crystal clear in the Bible and it is incredibly simple but often complicated and misunderstood by humans.  The three step process described by John in our text is:  Confession, Forgiveness and Cleansing.  But it is more than that but it is worth our time to consider what is said here and the subtle nuisances found in this sentence and truth.

• The Word “IF” is inescapable.

The Bible is filled with “if’ – “then” clauses, statements or conditions regarding the promises of God but that imperative is critical in this case.  If implies that we might attempt some other method other than honest confession.  Man has a tendency to justify his wrong and earn his redemption.  Therefore, unless we confess we will not move to step two in the process.

• The Word “CONFESS” is critical.

The word “confess” here includes and means to acknowledge.  We are to agree with God that we have “missed the mark” or sinned.  We have failed to meet His standards, been weighed in the balance and found wanting and we have violated His Law of Life and Liberty.  Unless we confess there will be no step two or three.  There will be no redemption.  We will remain in our lost condition.

Confession of sin flows out of a broken heart not because we were caught but because we disappointed and broke God’s heart and laws.  It is remorse out of our guilt and repentance is doing a 180 degree turn and going the other direction.

• The Word “FORGIVE” is important.

God not only forgives He forgives ALL our sins.  Not some but ALL and that is critical.  That is why the Paul could declare in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that if we are IN Christ we are new creations and the passed is gone as we now walk in the newness of life.  All that we were is gone. We may not have reached sinless perfection but we are a totally different creature on the inside.  We look the same, our mannerism may be much the same, the inflection of our voice the same but we are NEW CREATIONS.  We have been given a new heart, our spirits made alive and our souls born again.  We are REDEEMED!

• The Word “CLEANSE” is not to be overlooked.

The word means to “purge” or “purify”.  We have not just found that those things on our account have been erased but our person is transformed.  It is not simply that God now opts not to remember our past and hold it against us it is that He transforms us into new creatures.  We are BORN AGAIN spiritually!

It all begins with “IF”.  Failure to “confess” results in no forgiveness and no cleansing.  It is not earned or deserved for it is by grace that we are saved through faith.  It is the gift of God through the Lord Jesus Christ but on our side of the ledger it begins with the action required in the word “if”.  Total Confession brings Total Forgiveness and Total Cleansing.  

            May the blessings of the LORD be upon you as you walk in His Redemption and Grace!

Proverbs 24:10 – “If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small.”  NKJV

             The word “faint” means to let drop, relax your hold or become disheartened.  The word “adversity” means a tight place or a place of trouble.  Therefore, it would seem this passage is declaring that if we “let go of, relax our grip on or become disheartened when we face difficulty, are in a tight place and feel hemmed in” our strength is small.

Most of us have been in difficult places where we felt hemmed in and everything in us cried, “give up and give in”.  That is a sentence of death and in our hearts and heads we know it.  I heard an illustration of a baby before birth as an explanation of this passage.  Imagine how a baby must feel before birth.  The baby appear stuck with no way out and once they enter the birth canal they must feel hemmed in and squeezed by their circumstances.  That baby, for 9 months has had plenty of room to grow.  The body that housed them grew with them and then suddenly there is no room.  They cannot back up and are squeezed tightly causing stress.  They have two choices, keep pressing forward or die where they are. 

I can relate that to the condition of many in times of difficulty.  It is either keep inching forward or die where they are.  I am not saying die literally but the death that occurs is worse than physical death.  We have two choices, hold on to the promises of God and keep moving forward regardless of the pace or allow our promises and vision to die there.  We must hold fast to the strength that comes from God in those times.  The Bible gives an alternative to losing our grip and giving up in times of difficulty.  Proverbs 24:5 declares that a man of knowledge increase in strength.  That knowledge is not any knowledge but knowledge of God and His word.  Simply put, the more word the more strength!  Proverbs 10:14 reveals that a wise man will store up knowledge.

In the natural a wise steward will plan for the future and set aside funds for the unknown.  In the spiritual a wise one will always have more than they need stored up in their hearts and heads.  Then when the day of adversity raises its ugly head that one will not be left with weakness but empowered by the Word of God.  I readily acknowledge that even if we are full of the word and drawing from God’s strength adversity can take its toll.  If we do not continue drawing from the well and digging in the mine of truth drawing from God’s strength we will be overcome.  Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.”  There is nothing more valuable in our spiritual diet and exercise than the Word of God.  Hosea 6:3 declares, “let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord.  His going forth is established as the morning.  He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and the former rain on the earth.” 

Therefore, if we have become weary and are nearing collapse that is the time to saturate ourselves in the Word of God.  It is there that the Holy Spirit infuses strength into our spirits and quickens us empowering us to stand.  If you neglect anything do not let it be the Word of God or prayer!

            God bless you as you go through this day in Him!

1 Timothy 2:5-7 – “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, 7 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle — I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying — a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.”  NKJV

I have long loved Isaac Watt’s beautiful song, “At The Cross”.  What a wonderful and powerful truth of not only the beauty of what Christ did but the necessity.  In today’s world far too many churches are either no longer or are limitedly preaching the Cross as a staple.  I had a preacher tell me that the Cross was too violent for civil society and not really necessary for man’s redemption.  He did not from a liberal theological persuasion but grew up in an old line Pentecostal church and trained in a very conservative theological seminary.  How he arrived at that conclusion I do not know but he is not alone.

The Bible is clear that “without the shedding of blood is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22).  Jesus sacrificial death on the Cross paid the price for mankind’s sin and effected a legal transaction that stripped the devil of his dominion over man.  The god of this world had been empowered over the race in the Garden at the Fall when Adam sinned.  Now the Second Adam, Jesus Christ, came to earth and satisfied divine justice in presenting a lamb without blemish sacrifice in His person.  He took our place on the Cross!  He died that we could live!

The refrain is incredibly powerful: 

            “At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,

            And the burden of my heart rolled away,

             It was there by faith I received my sight,

             And now I am happy all the day!

Hank Williams wrote and sang, “I Saw The Light” and although his lifestyle testified of a life outside the light the lyrics indicate he understood something that too many miss.  In God there is light and without God there is no light.  It is at the Cross that we truly begin to see and as Watt’s song declares, it was there that real sight came.

Once we receive spiritual sight and can look beyond the present into the eternal our heart’s burdens roll away and joy comes to the heart that has been freed from sin.  The Bible declares that there is no greater love than to die for a friend.  Jesus willingly went to the Cross for you and me.  He paid for our crimes or sins and opened the door to grace that is beyond human comprehension.  I’m not sure any of us can understand grace we experience it and as a result are transformed into a new creation.

How can I fail to preach the Cross for without the Old Rugged Cross I would still be lost in my sins and separated from God?  The preaching of the Cross to those who are perishing is foolishness but to those of us who have believed it is the power of God unto salvation.  (1 Corinthians 1:18)   If one thinks the Blood and Cross too vile for civil society what will they think of Hell?

            God bless you as you go through this day!

Hebrews 12:1-2 – “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  NKJV

I remember a cousin giving me advice before I departed for boot camp saying, “I was fearful of not making it but the more I thought about it the more I realized that if so many others had successfully gotten through that ordeal I could too.”  That helped me more times than I can count in boot camp, Vietnam and life in general.  The very fact that a host of others have successfully traveled the path inspires me that I can too.

Paul used the truth powerfully.  He sought to inspire the hearts with the reality that others have walked the path and because they have we should be careful to divest ourselves of all hindrances, develop patience and confidence in God’s promises and determine to endure or finish the course.  We run, not without purpose but with our focus on the LORD Jesus who is that friend who will never leave or forsake us.  He is the one that has gone before us to prepare a place for us.  He has promised to return for us and allow us to join Him in that heavenly abode forever.

The confidence inspired by others successfully achieving an objective is a powerful inspiration and reminder.  There are things we must do to enhance our journey and propel us toward victory.  Most of us have loved ones who have proceeded us having crossed over and their faith, lives and commitment are inspirations as are the desire to see them again.  In life’s difficulties we can and should be reminded of the myriad of others who have faced similar circumstances and successfully defeated the enemy.  As my cousin said, “If they can I can too!” 

I would be remiss if I failed to note that it is not in our strength we run this race but in His.  It is a biblical truth that we can DO ALL THINGS through Christ who strengthens us.  We are MORE THAN conquerors through Him.  If God is for us who can be against us?   Therefore, knowing that He has led multitudes through the twists and turns of life and successfully led them to victory we can rest in confidence that He will lead us as well.

            May the Lord be with you as you go through this day!

1 Corinthians 15:12-20 – “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up — if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. 20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”  NKJV

Bill Gaither wrote an incredibly powerful song at the birth of their son called, “Because He Lives.”  Truly, because Jesus lives we can!  We can face the future without fear and in perfect peace because He has risen from the dead, ascended to the right hand of the Father and now makes intercession for us.  Because He lives I can…

• Face Life…

The Bible tells us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever therefore the three days we need to concern ourselves with are “yesterday, today and tomorrow”.  Yesterday is history so fretting over it is futile.  It is history and what is written is written. Worrying about what might have been will not change what is or will be.  Tomorrow has not yet come and might not come therefore concerning ourselves with it is without redeeming value.  Our Lord confirmed that telling His followers to “take no thought of the ‘morrow…”  He was not counseling against planning or preparation but to not be overwhelmed with what might be.  The day we should focus on is TODAY for as the Bible declares in Psalm 118:24, “This is the day which the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”   TODAY is the moment in life that we should devote our attention.  Today is the day of salvation.  Today determines tomorrow in our lives.  Because He lives we can face today and life.

• Reject Worry…

Jesus instructed His followers in Matthew 6:25 – “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?”  NKJV We can live in peace and confidence that God is at work on our behalf and in our best interest at all times.  Remember in Romans 8:28 we are told – “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” NKJV Because He lives we can live worry free!

• Face Death…

Death to the unbeliever is finality and painfully troubling.  Although few truly yearn for death the believer is so completely confident in the promise of eternity death holds no terror.  The difference in how we face death is Jesus Christ.  If we have received Him as our personal savior death has no sting.  If we have not then death brings fear to our hearts as a terrorist’s threat of destruction.  Because He lives I can face death without fear.

• Face Eternity…

The Bible makes it clear that judgment is real.  Heaven is real.  Hell is real.  All will stand before God and give account.  The covering of the Blood of Jesus is essential and His presence at the Judgment Bar defending us before the Father is vital and affords incredible comfort as we face eternity.  Because He lives we can long for our eternal destiny rather than fearing.

May the Lord be with you and may your heart leap for joy as you consider the power of the truth that He Lives!   Blessings!