Romans 12:6-21 – “Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; 7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. 20 “BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”  NASB

I want to delve into the following verses, beginning with verse nine, and consider some of the applications we are admonished to adopt into our lives and ministries.

LOVE – Complete Love God’s Way.

In verse nine, we are brought face to face with the repeated admonishment in Scripture to Love, and here, it gives an exciting addendum or addition.  We are to love without hypocrisy. 

Hypocritical Love?  What in the world is that?  He speaks of genuine love, not theoretical love or love out of necessity or obligation.  He is speaking of Agape.  That is the Greek word for love found in this passage.  It is love that loves regardless of external influences or stimuli.  It is allowing the Love of God to flow through us to others.  I suggest that kind of love is far rarer than we care to admit, and most of our love is conditional and dependent, at least to a degree, on “what’s in it for us.”

In this love, we are to abhor evil.  The word used in Greek is “apostugeo,“ meaning to detest utterly.  I have contended for years that too frequently, we in the Church and our individual lives do not truly detest and abhor sin as we should.  We have become anesthetized by modern television, the internet, interpersonal relationships, and a society that has become far more tolerant of sin than is healthy.  Too frequently, we are not disturbed by nudity on the screen, profanity in the movies or life, and the various lifestyles God calls abominable. 

I lament this in my own life, that I have been guilty of not abhorring sin to the point that I shun the very appearance of evil and turn the TV off or walk out of the movie theater or away from a conversation that is the base foundation.  We are to receive anyone who is willing to come, but we are not to be a part of the world.  There is a place and time to ‘come out from among them and be separate.’  We are admonished to be holy because He is holy.  No, I am not saying we become Pharisees, but sin should break our hearts.

We are to rejoice with those who are rejoicing and weep with those who are weeping.  In simple terms, we should be touched by the blessings and troubles of our brothers and sisters in this life.  We are not islands, and what affects you does affect me in the sense that we are part of the same body.  Therefore, if you rejoice, I can share in your joy; if you weep, I can offer comfort in your sorrow.

We are to “be of the same mind toward one another.”  What does that mean? 

Let me offer this, and you evaluate it and come to your own conclusion.  In Barnes Notes, we read, “A literal translation of the Greek will give somewhat a different sense, but one evidently correct. “Think of, that is, regard, or seek after the same thing for each other; that is, what you regard or seek for yourself, seek also for your brethren. Do not have divided interests; do not be pursuing different ends and aims; do not indulge counter plans and purposes; and do not seek honors, offices, for yourself which you do not seek for your brethren, so that you may still regard yourselves as brethren on a level and aim at the same object.” The Syriac has well rendered the passage: “And what you think concerning yourselves, the same also think concerning your brethren; neither think with an elevated or ambitious mind but accommodate yourselves to those who are of humbler condition;” compare 1 Peter 3:8.

It would seem that the Golden Rule is at work at the heart of this admonition and the directive to “be of one accord or agreement.”   If I consider your situation in the light of how I would feel or respond, I am far more likely to be empathetic or sympathetic to your plight or embrace your blessing as a wonderful thing from the Lord.  I will not become envious or jealous but will, with a humble heart, give thanks to the Father from whom comes all gifts for His blessings on that person.

We have covered verses 6-16a, and now I want to open some beautiful truths and give some beneficial things we can incorporate into our daily lives.  In verses 6-12, we have a most potent guide to everyday living, and when embraced, it will bring incredible personal victory from sin and discouragement.  It will lead us to triumph rather than depression.

I will pause again and pick this up in the following devotional.

Until then, may the rich and bountiful blessings of the LORD be yours.  Have a fantastic day!

Romans 12:6-21 – “Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; 7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. 20 “BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”  NASB

There is more here than could be addressed in a short time.  If we hit some high points, it might prove beneficial and become a catalyst for deeper study individually.  Both would be wonderful accomplishments. 

I want to take this step by step and begin with the first verse in our text, verse six.  I believe that God is very orderly and organized in what He does. He speaks words with meaning and purpose. How He organizes those words and the order in which they come forth are meaningful and essential. 

THE GIFTS AND THEIR EXERCISE.

This is a clear revelation that each of us has some gift(s), and we need to discover what they are.  That is insufficient for a gift; talent or ability is useless if it is not utilized, and therefore, we must also learn to operate or exercise those gifts, talents, and abilities for them to fulfill their purpose and design. 

Some do not believe in prophecy today, but this is the New Testament and the Covenant under which we readily identify that we are to live.  This was not spoken simply to the First Century Church but to all believers everywhere. 

Therefore, let those with the gift of prophecy utilize that gift, including preaching the Word of God.   Let those gifted with service engage in and learn to be the best stewards of their gift and serve.   Let those with the ability and gift to teach seize every opportunity and use every means to teach.  Let those with the gift of exhortation and inspiration find that stump or soapbox, stand on it, and proclaim their message.  Let those with the Gift of Giving, and this is a real gift. 

Some have been blessed with this gift, and God has seen fit to put in their hands that which they are to give and often in abundance.  A stingy person will not realize the magnificence of this gift and the open door it provides.  I have known people with this gift; the more they gave, the more they had to give, and the cycle continued to grow and grow.  Their heart was to give.

Some people in leadership positions do not have the gift, inclination, training, talent, or ability to lead but have somehow been pressed into that role.  Some have the Gift of Leadership that is overcome with timidity or the lack of self-confidence. They tend to hide in the shadows or, as with Saul, among the stuff.  They are little in their own eyes, one of the needed characteristics of outstanding leadership.  Not timidity and indecisiveness but humility. 

Those who are gifted with Mercy, and we should all be merciful, are encouraged to demonstrate the heart of God in Mercy and do so with overflowing joy and cheer.  That becomes infectious for those who observe this incredible and supernatural demonstration of God’s incredible Love and Mercy.

I will pause here and pick this up in the next devotional. 

Until then, may the LORD bless you and keep you, making His face shine upon you.  Have a fantastic day!

Proverbs – 11:30 – “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.”  NKJV

The last portion of that verse should be both an encouragement and compulsion for every believer in our daily lives.  It clearly declares that it is the privilege and duty of every believer to reject the notion that evangelism or spreading the gospel is to be relegated to professionals or preachers. 

It is the expressed commission of every believer to “go ye therefore” and spread the news of the gospel and salvation that can only be found in Christ Jesus our Lord.  There are myriads of stories of people in history whom God has powerfully used in evangelism, and I wish to share one of those.

In the 1700s, there was a young black man named John Marrant.  He was born in New York, his father passed away when John was eleven, and his mother sent him to Charleston, South Carolina, to live with an older sister and learn a trade. 

Instead of following that course, he became skilled with the violin and French horn.  In a couple of years, he became a child prodigy, and as he recounted, “I was invited to all the balls and assemblies that were held in the town and met with general applause of the inhabitants.  I was a stranger to want, being supplied with as much money as I had any occasion for.”  His talent made a place for him and provided for him amazingly.

He and his traveling companion passed a crowded meetinghouse on his way to perform at a particular event. They observed an incredibly large crowd and saw “a crazy man was hallooing there.”  The crazy man was George Whitfield, a prominent religious leader in what is known as the “First Great Awakening.”  

Most people know some of the history of George Whitfield. It is estimated that he preached to as many as 10 MILLION people and over 18 Thousand sermons, averaging over 500 messages per year.  His meetings have reported that up to 500 people would fall to the ground prostrate under the power of his sermons and the power of God. 

Marrant’s friend dared him to disrupt the meeting by sounding out a loud blast with his French horn.  As he raised the horn to his lips, Whitefield saw him and said, “Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel!”  Marrant fell to the ground as though some unseen force had struck him down and lay there for over one-half hour.  Whitfield ministered to him as he came to, and after three days, John Marrant accepted Jesus as his personal savior. 

Marrant returned to his family to share his experience, and they rejected him.  He took a similar path as Moses and fled to the wilderness, where a Cherokee warrior befriended him. They spent ten weeks together hunting, fishing, and becoming fast friends. 

Eventually, they went to the warrior’s village, and he was immediately made a prisoner because the Cherokee were at war with the settlers. Marrant, though black, was clearly one of the settlers. 

The chief threatened his life, and Marrant spoke to the tribe in their language, sharing the gospel of Jesus according to Marrant:  “The king [the chief] himself was awakened [converted], and the others set at [spiritual liberty]. A great change took place among the people; the king’s house became God’s house; the soldiers were ordered away; and the poor condemned prisoner [John] had perfect liberty and was treated like a prince.  Now the Lord made all my enemies become my great friends.”  The chief gave him permission to evangelize the entire tribe, and he did so for nine weeks and also reached out to the Muskogees. 

It was said of Marrant that he was “A Negro in America…who spread the seed of Christianity among the Native American Indians before the birth of the American Republic.”

Later, Marrant worked as a carpenter on a plantation near Charleston, and his heart was broken for the spiritual condition of the slaves, as he preached to them, many were converted.  This resulted in terrible treatment for those who converted but remained faithful to Christ’s word and forgave those who abused them. 

When the American Revolution began, Marrant was captured by the British and forced into service in the British Navy.  After the war, he was ordained and continued his soul-winning in England, Canada, and finally back in the United States.  He died of an illness when he was 36, but his life left an indelible mark on multitudes.  He truly lived the admonition of Proverbs 11:30, that “He who wins souls is wise.” 

I have discovered that what holds our hearts also enters our conversation.  God help us to become so gripped with the joy of salvation that we cannot be silent but become those who fulfill this admonition of Proverbs 11:30.  

God bless you as you embark on this beautiful day in Jesus!

2 Corinthians 1:24 – “Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy; for by faith you stand.” NKJV

1 Corinthians 7:17-24 – “But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches. 18 Was anyone called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters.  20 Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. 21 Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it.  22 For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave. 23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 24 Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called.”  NKJV

Most people understand that Freedom is a precious commodity.  It is essential to understand what Freedom is, what False Freedom is, and what it means to be Free from Law and Sin.  Those are incredibly important, but one Freedom must be addressed: “Freedom from Man.” 

When men become spiritual dictators, it creates a hazardous and undesirable condition.   In 1 Corinthians 7, listed above, the apostle Paul lays down a fundamental principle: we should not be subject to people; we should be subject to God.

That makes the setting of this passage beyond essential but critical.  If we fail to grasp the setting, we will arrive at some false conclusions and develop some false interpretations.  As I read and studied this passage, I realized that Paul was battling due to some Corinthians abusing their Freedom in Jesus. 

The Corinthian Church was made up of people who, by and large, had lived in gross sin.  Many had been involved in extreme wickedness and now had Freedom in Jesus.  Galatians 3:28 advises us, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”  That is important!  The Corinthian believers knew this truth but were taking it to the extreme.  Simply, they were using their freedom to the point of license.

They took that passage and argued that marriage was abolished in Christ, nationality was erased, those in slavery were no longer to obey their earthly masters, etc.  When we come to Christ, our sex, nationality, ethnicity, and social and economic status do not immediately change, and some things never change.  Salvation affords us the potential to make the most out of every situation. 

Salvation is a spiritual change!  It can and should bring about change in the home, on the job, and in society.  The crucial point is that God does not work from the outside in. He works from the inside out.  He changes us, and that change results in a changed attitude and actions, and that results in changes around us.

Paul offered a foundational principle, “Remain as you are and allow God to make the change.”  As you consider vv. 7, 17, 20, and 24, we understand that we are to learn to make the most of our present condition and situation.  As we allow the changes to come from within, we find that God’s incredible miracle of change comes. 

Remember, we are Free, not Independent!  No believer can be independent of other believers; likewise, no believer should be totally dependent on other believers.  Our dependency is Christ, not man.  No human is to be a dictator in the lives of others.  That is true in politics, economics, marriage, and spiritually.  The slaves were still slaves, but they were Free!  The masters were to be slaves to Christ but still masters.  You and I are free from the dominion and domination of people, but that does not make us independent.  The change in our lives must begin on the inside. 

Paul presented four arguments for us to remain as we are and allow God to make the changes from within.  We can cover them later, but for now, I pray that each of us realizes that we are to obey God rather than man when man’s decrees violate God’s.  We are not islands in life but connected to every other believer, and although we are Free, we are not Independent.

God, bless you richly is my prayer and desire!

Luke 24:36-39 – “Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.”  37 But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. 38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts?  39 Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”  NKJV

After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples, and they were terrified when he appeared.  I am not sure we would not have been in the same boat.  We benefit from hindsight while they were living in the reality of the moment.  We can piously look back and say, “Well, I would never have doubted, but had we lived when and where they lived, we probably would have had the same reaction, if not worse.”

Jesus’ question applies to that and any situation in life, “Why are you troubled?  Why do doubts arise in your hearts?”  How many times do we find ourselves “troubled” and our hearts filled with “doubt” and “questions?” Probably much more than we would like to admit publicly! 

There was a time in my life when it would have been hard to admit that I had “doubt” because preachers were supposed to be perfect.  Nobody ever told me that, but that was the perception I developed from listening to my elders and church members in my early days as a Christian.  I cannot tell you how often I have been told, “But you are a preacher, so…”

So?  Because I am a preacher, I cannot have doubts.  Can’t I make mistakes?  Can’t I have wrong thoughts?  Can’t I succumb to the temptations of the flesh in some fashion?  I am not saying “can’t” because it is okay, but just because I am a preacher does not make me immune! 

While I do not doubt that God holds those of us who stand in the Sacred Desk of the Pulpit to a very high standard, I also believe He knows our frailty as human beings.  I wish that people inside and outside the church did.  If so, we would probably have a smaller drop-out rate of those who enter the ministry and then walk away at some point.  Some do so, so wounded and bitter that they lose their faith. 

Likewise, if preachers understood that the man or woman in the pew is human and approached life situations with a little more compassion, at times, we would also see fewer people walking away from the church bitter, disillusioned, and destitute in their faith.

What we need is a revival of SEEING JESUS!  We need to see His “nail-scarred hands” and remember how He got them and what they mean to us individually and collectively. 

• We need to see His “pierced side” where he was wounded as He hung on the Cross and realize that our words can be spears that do great harm in the lives of others. 
• We need to see his “tattered and torn flesh” from the lashes He received for us and realize that Without Him, we would not survive in this world. 
• We need a revival of Seeing Jesus!  We need to see His compassion for the lost, the hurting, the dying, the needy, the discouraged, the disappointed, and the disillusioned.
• We need to see Jesus in the occurrences of life and allow Him to shine through our lives in a much more real and powerful way. 

If we could see Jesus, we would find ourselves facing fewer times of “troubled hearts” and “doubt-filled minds.” We would know that no matter what we face in life – – HE IS THERE! 

So, as you go through this day, may you go in the strength of His Person! 

Blessings abundantly upon your life are my prayer and desire!

2 Timothy 2:11-13 – “This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him.  12 If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.” NKJV

Let me explain my title.  We want “half” of this statement, not the whole enchilada.  We want to live with Christ but not die with Him.  We want to reign with Him but not endure or suffer with Him.  We want Him to be faithful even though too often we are unfaithful.  We want to be able to do warfare as a Soldier of Christ but not “endure the hardship” of a good soldier. 

We become so entangled in the affairs of this life that we fit the old song of Tennessee Ernie Ford – “Sixteen Tons.”  We owe our souls to the company store. Through our “entanglement with the affairs of this life,” we have virtually become slaves to the system rather than those who can and will follow Christ anywhere, anytime, under any conditions.  Too often, it is “I owe, I owe, I owe, so it’s off to work I go.”

Dying with Jesus is not a physical death in the cessation of life as we know it but a dying “spiritually.”  It is the dying to self and the crucifixion of the old nature that we have a problem with.  We do not like it because it is hard and requires commitment and discipline.  It requires humility and often involves self-effacement. 

But, if we “die with Him,” we will “Live with Him!”  We enter the “newness of life” and find access to the Abundant Life He promised.  The end product is well worth the getting there, but too often, we are half-ers and only want the end result without the process or the pain.

Enduring with Jesus is easily one of the most difficult things we will encounter as Christians.  It is hard to endure when retaliating or running for cover would be easier.  Yet, the message is clear: if we “endure,” we will Reign with Him!  We will walk as Overcomers in this life and see the fulfillment of the promise of Scripture that “as He is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17). 

Enduring is never easy, has never been easy, and will never be easy, but if our eyes focus on the prize of the high calling in Christ, “endurance” is not only a possibility but a probability for the believer!

Too often, we fail to understand that “denying Him” goes far beyond denying that He is the Christ and rejecting our faith.  Remember that Jesus told us that as much as we did “good things” to the least of these, we did them unto Him. 

Our insensitivity to the needs of others, our callousness, our lack of the demonstration of grace, judgmentalism, and self-centeredness are methods through which we “deny Him.”  If we deny Him – He will Deny Us!  He told us that if we deny Him before men, He will deny us before the Father.  What could be worse?

Too often, we are unfaithful, but He is Always Faithful.  We are unmerciful, but He is Always Merciful.  We are sometimes unloving, but He is Always Loving. We fail, but He does not.

So instead of being a half-er, be one willing to die with Christ, as painful as that may be.  Be one who will endure with Him and suffer hardship as a good soldier when it is required.  Refuse to deny Him in word or deed, and know He will never deny us.  Refuse to be faithless or unfaithful, and rest in His Faithfulness!  He is our Hope!

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

Luke 21:19 – “In your patience possess ye your souls.” KJV

I am fully aware of the context of this passage but want to use it to speak to a particular issue that I have been aware of in my life and much of the Christian world – IMPATIENCE!  

Most Christians have been trying to live as Christians with a “Microwave Mentality” for way too long.  We have been spoiled with the instant everything in our lives.  Unlike our parents and grandparents, generations where they had more of a “Farmer Mentality,” we have a “Magician’s Mentality.”  We want it yesterday!

My mother and grandmother cooked most things from scratch, as they called it.  I remember when my mother bought an “instant cake mix” and baked a cake with it rather than from “scratch.”  Then, we were introduced to “instant potatoes” rather than real potatoes that had to be peeled, cooked, and mashed.  Next was “instant coffee,” which did not make it in our house because my dad could not tolerate the thought of not having his coffee brewed or boiled. 

He usually would take a stovetop percolator, remove the insides, leaving just the pot, put his water in, pour in the coffee grounds, and boil the coffee.  That was fine until you reached the bottom of the pot, and your cup would be filled with those pesky coffee grounds.  He did graduate to the more modern coffee makers, such as Mr. Coffee, and that was a significant step for him. 

The Farmer knows that the seed he plants today will not be harvested for weeks or months and has no expectation of waking up the following day and having corn ready to harvest or any other crop.  Today, we expect our food and everything else to be virtually instant.  We do not like to wait! 

I am probably one of the world’s worst about waiting, especially at a restaurant.  I do not like to sit and wait 30 minutes or an hour for a table.  I would rather go somewhere else.  I do not like waiting at the doctor’s office or in the examination room.  I want my computer to operate with blazing speed, and when I go to the ATM, I expect my cash to be instant. 

Unfortunately, that also spills over into our relationship with others and God.  I am virtually never late unless it is beyond my control, and then I do everything I can to notify those waiting for me.  I do not like waiting for someone who habitually arrives late because I consider it inconsiderate and an expression of the lack of value of my time.  I like meetings to begin on time, and I want an immediate answer when I pray.  God works on me on that part quite a lot.

We need to learn the value of a patient spirit.  It will help you eliminate frustration and even enhance your health and well-being.  Amazingly, with my lack of willingness to wait on many things, I love to fish and can sit all day long fishing without getting a bite and be content.  I am patient.  I can hunt the same way.  So, I realize it is a mindset I can change concerning other things I cannot control.  I can learn patience and, in so doing, learn to rest in the confidence that God is in control, and I can trust Him.

If you are an “impatient” person, you need to hear what I am saying today and, as I have been told before, “chill out.”  I know that is not a term used today and dates me.  I remember once being single before my wife and I married. I was out on a date, and the lady with me slapped my shoulders and said – “Roy, relax.”  I had no idea I was tense, but it was so apparent that she did that.  God has done the same thing to me on more than one occasion. 

So, as you go through this day, ask the Holy Spirit to help you to be patient.  In developing patience, you will encounter things that test your patience, and you may not like my advice, but it is worth it to Learn Patience!

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

Luke 4:18-19 – “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”   NKJV

The Gospel is called “The Good News” for a reason.  If all I heard about the Gospel was how difficult it is to live a Christian life and the Fiery Judgment of God if we sin or how we go from one struggle to the next in life once we become Christians, I would probably pass. 

Not that those things do not have validity and an element of truth in them, but Jesus did say, “My yoke is easy and My burden light.”  He did say, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  He did say, “That once I have departed, I will send the Comforter (The Holy Spirit) to be your Helper.”  So, even though we face difficult times, it is still GOOD NEWS that He preached, we receive, and are to share with the World!

Notice Jesus’ quote or reading from the Prophet Isaiah concerning the coming Messiah:

The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me…

If nothing else were said, that would be enough.  If you have ever experienced the incredibleness of having the Holy Spirit UPON you, then you understand the impact of this statement.  It goes beyond human explanation, and this is one of those things that is genuinely better felt than telt as an old preacher used to say in East Texas.

Because He has ANOINTED ME TO…

The anointing has a purpose, not just to make us feel good or impress people around it.  God has a purpose in granting His anointing, and there is always ministry in view when the anointing comes.

• Anointed to preach “The Gospel to the Poor.”   The Good News to the Poor.  It is not good news to tell the poor that you will always be poor and there is no hope of achieving a better status in life, but God loves you.  Somehow, that would have the same sound as rain on a tin barn and be nothing more than a tinkling cymbal or a sounding brass.  NO!  The Good News is that “in Christ,” you can break free from poverty!  You can break free in every dimension of life.

• Sent to HEAL the Broken Hearted.  The Good News to the Broken Hearted is that this is not your ultimate state.  Your heart can be healed.  Your brokenness can become rejoicing.  Your disappointments can be transformed into reasons for optimism and joy.  That is Good News!

• To PROCLAIM Liberty to the Captives.  The Good News is that you do not have to remain captive or enslaved in any situation or to anything.  The Gospel Message is one of DELIVERANCE and HOPE!  It is not some political hype. It is a reality in Jesus.  Jesus came to set you FREE.  Free from sin, free from bondage, free from hang-ups, free from addictions, and free from attitudes that destroy.  FREEDOM is part of the GOOD NEWS!

• Recovery of sight to the Blind.  That is Good News.  If you are blind, you can see!  Some insist this does not include the natural, but I am not willing to relegate it to the spiritual.  However, I know that even if you do not recover your natural sight, you can gain more sight or insight than most seeing people. Most assuredly, you will achieve SPIRITUAL SIGHT and walk out of your blindness into the Spiritual Freedom and Opportunity world.

• To set at Liberty those who are oppressed.  This is almost a repeat of number three, but it identifies the Good News that if you are under the oppression of the devil, circumstances, finances, health, or whatever, there is HOPE…. That is a message of Good News.

• And finally, to Proclaim the Acceptable Year of the Lord.  Wow!  Today is the day of Salvation.  The Jews had a year of Jubilee in which everything was restored, and here Jesus identifies that in Him we have JUBILEE.  That is Good News!

I sometimes wonder why we fail to focus on these points in our presentation of the Good News of the Gospel.  The term “Good News” carries the image of a lamb skipping and leaping for joy, and that is how our hearts should respond to the Gospel Message!

So, no matter what you face today, know that Jesus came to bring us The Gospel – – GOOD NEWS!  So, rejoice in that Good News and allow it to penetrate your spirit and become such an integral part of your makeup that it oozes out and touches those around you.

May God Bless you richly is my prayer!

Luke 8:22-25 – “Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” And they launched out. 23 But as they sailed, He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. 24 And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 But He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, “Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!” NKJV

We are all probably quite familiar with the account here and marvel at the Power of God in speaking to the storms and having them obey his command. 

Several things come to mind as I read this account.

1. Jesus spoke His desire for their destination – – The other side of the lake.
2. His calm assurance that they would reach that destination resulted in Jesus napping during the journey.
3. A sudden storm appeared, as was common on those waters and in our lives.
4. The disciples were filled with fear and trepidation over the circumstances and what they could see and knew about boats and sailing.
5. They fearfully appealed to Jesus, crying out, “Master, Master, we are perishing!”
6. Jesus calmly arose from his nap and rebuked the wind and the waves, and they obeyed, bringing total calm.

At that point, Jesus asked the most penetrating question that could be asked.  He turned to them and asked, “Where is your faith?”  A question that could be approached from several vantage points:

• He could have been asking about the existence of faith on their part.  In that respect, He would have asked, “Why did you need to wake me when you have the power (through faith) to do what I just did?”

• He could have asked “in what” their faith rested or resided.  Where or in what have you placed your faith?  The boat?  Your ability to navigate the stormy seas?  Me?  Where?  That is a question that the Holy Spirit will frequently ask us during life’s struggles, and tragically, sometimes, our faith is everywhere but IN HIM!

As we face life’s storms, the question for us is, “Where Is Our Faith?”  Let us ensure that it is IN JESUS rather than in our ability or anything of the Arm of Flesh but the Hand of God! 

That does not mean God will not allow or direct us to utilize our knowledge, ability, doctors, etc.  It means that our ultimate and foundational confidence and faith is IN HIM!  If our faith is “in Jesus,” no matter what the storms of life may bring, we can face them with the same calm confidence that He exhibited on the boat.

May the God of Peace grant you Peace that passes all understanding and guard your heart and minds through Christ Jesus our Lord in all things.  Blessings as you go through your day!

Philippians 3:12-16 – “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. 16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.” NKJV

Many songs come to mind in thinking about the title of this devotional message, and many of them excuse our humanness and justify our sinfulness.  That is not my motivation in presenting this thought but rather the opposite.

Paul fully understood that he Was Not Perfect, but that did not prevent him from striving for the lofty goal.  He was driven by the ambition and desire to fully apprehend and comprehend the Lord’s Christ and walk in that knowledge and condition.  He had an approach that we would do well to consider; far too often, we do not follow this prescription and, thus, many of our difficulties.

• He Acknowledged His Deficiency.

He knew he had not arrived at the glorious state of perfection in Christ.  He knew that he would make mistakes, fail, and possibly hurt others in the process.

• He Had an Objective.

Reaching Spiritual Perfection was his ultimate desire.  He did not just want to accomplish that when he got to heaven but wanted to walk before this world unblemished in Christ, being the absolute best representative and manifestation of Jesus he could be and thereby win many.

• He Has His Thinking Right.

“…this one thing I do….”  What was that one thing?  FORGET those things that are behind or of the past life “before” Christ.  REACH for those things that are to be attained and achieved in Christ.  He PRESSED for the goal of the prize of the “Upward Call of God in Christ Jesus.”  It was always “upward” and “onward” in Christ.  Never stagnation, complacency, or looking back because to Paul and us, the past is history, and we must learn to put the past in God’s Hands of Mercy and move on.

• Then He Walked in What He Learned and Achieved.

He encouraged everyone to walk in the level of light and understanding they possessed.  Do not try to walk in mine; I will not try to walk in yours.  We are individuals.  We should assist each other in sharing our knowledge, experience, and level of light, but NEVER expect others to be EXACTLY LIKE US.  God does not need clones; He desires WARRIORS!

As you go through each day, learn to leave the mistakes, errors, misgivings, shortcomings, failures, and sins in the past.  Give them to the Savior and allow Him through the Holy Spirit to put them under the Blood of Jesus’ Sacrifice. 

Keep pressing on looking to the Author and Finisher of your faith!  Blessings as you go through your day!