Spiritual

YOU CANNOT WIN IF YOU QUIT…


Galatians 6:9 – “And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.”  NASB

The passage of Scripture that led me back to this verse is found in 2 Corinthians 4.  In verses 8-10, 16 and 5:1.  There we find a discussion or revelation regarding our earthly lives, bodies, and the problems we face in life.  In the days in which Israel endured bondage in Egypt before God’s deliverance, they endured incredibly difficult times.  In Exodus 1:12 we find that the more they were afflicted the more they grew and multiplied.  It is a historical fact that the Church has grown greatly during times of intense persecution. 

In the Book of Acts, we find in Acts 4:4 that although the disciples were being imprisoned and persecuted 5,000 men turned to God at one time.  The devil has always attempted to hinder and stop God’s work through discoursing God’s people and getting them to give up.  Jesus told Peter in Luke 22:31 that the devil desired to have him and sift him as wheat, but that Jesus had prayed for Peter. 

The devil’s purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy but God’s purpose is life and one of the purposes for which Jesus came was to destroy the works of the devil.  If we are to do the works that He did and greater works through the power of the Holy Spirit, destroying the works of the devil is included.  God has promised to protect us and never leave us and in the face of persecution and difficulty, He is there!

I had a very seasoned man of God tell me, “Son, the greater the trial the more clearly you can see your weakness and the more God manifests His great strength.”  That resonated with me and has been a source of encouragement in times of difficulty and trial.  The Bible makes it clear that one of the results of trials and battles is that we become stronger.  No, we should not want trials but as James instructed, we should rejoice when they come and know that God can and will work something good in us as a result.  As we roll our care on Him, we receive His strength.

There are some things that are imperative for us to keep in the forefront of our minds and remember.

THE DEVIL CAN ONLY WIN IF WE QUIT.

Jesus is our victory and He has promised power over all the power and authority of the devil.  He has all power in heaven and on earth and has given us that power.  We are to live our lives in the strength of His Promise, Grace, Peace, Mercy, and Power.  Paul said, “I press toward the mark.”  He also said, “I have fought a good fight, kept the faith, and finished my course.”  If we are to obtain the prize, we must run the race.  There are no participation trophies in the Kingdom but there are rewards for obedience and perseverance.   Sitting in the audience will not gain us the prize and can allow the devil to win because of our inactivity and failure to become involved.

THERE IS A VICTORY PROMISED – But We Must Overcome the Obstacles. 

It may not sound like an encouragement or appealing to read 2 Timothy 3:12 but read it we must.  Not only do we need to read the words but embrace the truth and make our decision to never give up or give in.  It says, “And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”  It does not say, might be persecuted it says that it is a fact, YOU WILL!

The words of James telling us to ‘count it all joy’ when temptations and persecutions come is amazing.  The reaction of the early church to persecution was, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer with and for Jesus.  They endured persecution even to death.  They faced resistance to their message and encountered much public disfavor, often seeing the inside of prisons.  Their response was to work hard, pray more, and preach with complete abandon.  They understand that the only way the enemy could win was for them to quit and quit they would never do.

One of the secrets to their success and endurance was, they were filled with the Holy Spirit.  They were led by the Spirit of God.  God had first place in their lives, and they made the cause of the Kingdom their top priority in life.  They worked in the church rather than working in the church when it was convenient.  They accepted the challenge before them, utilized the tools available and walked in faith trusting God completely.

It is vital that we never forget that the devil is a defeated foe.  Jesus defeated Him and we are in Christ, therefore we have power and authority over the devil because Jesus does.  The brief mention of Shamgar in the Book of Judges is powerful.  He got tired of being intimidated by the enemy and killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad.  The early Christians sometimes gave their lives for the Kingdom but refused to be defeated.  The victory is ours, but we must claim it.

Indifference is not allowable.  Because of the increase and abundance of sin, the Bible tells us that the love of many grows cold.  Many turn a deaf ear to the Gospel, but some are won if we present the Gospel to them, live righteously before them, and pray for them.  There is a price to pay for this victory that Jesus purchased for us but if we refuse to give up, WE WIN! 

We can have what we need from God and have the fullness of His victory manifest in our lives.  Never, never, never give up!

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

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HOW LONG, LORD? – Part Two


Romans 13:11-14 – “And this do, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. 12 The night is almost gone, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”  NASB

Last time we discussed the condition of being Asleep Spiritually and the dangers and damage that produces.  Today, it is our hope to move into an understanding that will produce a remedy to that problem 

THERE IS A NEED – The Need is Two-fold.

We need to Know or Discern the Time.  To know, means to understand, recognize, and realize the hour in which we live and our nearness to eternity.  It is imperative that we develop a right and a clear estimate of the time.  That can come through the prophetic utterance found in the Bible and thorough visible world conditions.

It is also needful that we develop a clear and correct understanding of the Value of Time.  If we are to awaken out of our spiritual slumber and become spiritually alert, we must come to an awareness of the Nearness of Redemption or the Coming of the Lord as seen in verse 11.  Also, because of the lateness of the hour, we need to awaken and invest ourselves in God’s purposes.  We are informed in verse 12 that the night is almost over, and the dawning of the new day is at hand therefore now is the time for action.

As we develop an awareness of the lateness of the hour spiritually, we realize that there is less time to reach the lost and unless we awaken and become involved some will enter eternity unprepared.  Jesus urged us in John 4:35 to realize that the harvest is not future but now.  He also revealed that His urgency as described in John 9:4 was that the night was rapidly approaching.  He was aware of the urgency of the nearness to eternity that man faced.

THERE IS A SOLUTION – – Action.

There is the call and need for immediate action where we put aside all sin and sinful practices.  There is the need to put on all of God’s spiritual armor so that we can be prepared for the battle and equipped to reap the harvest.  Ephesians 6:11 details the armor of God and I suggest that rather than this being something God adds it is putting on Christ and allowing Him to live His life in and through us. 

The solution, is to allow the Holy Spirit to transform us and enable us to live honestly and righteously.  Paul says, “let us behave properly as in the day.”  That is interesting for it identifies that all our conduct is visible for the world to see and we need to present them a visual that draws to Christ not repel from Him.  We are to live “not in wickedness.”  Stating that differently would be that we live “in righteousness.”  We do not allow the sensual to control us.  We have moral restraint and refuse to engage in contentiousness.  There is a change in our character, and we become manifestations as well as representations of Jesus.

The need for us to recognize the hour in which we live is urgent.  The devil would like nothing better than to lull the church to sleep and cause us to become inactive and complacent.  Jesus said, “If You love me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15) and in verse 23 said, “If a man loves Me, he will keep my words.”

God’s call of this hour is to service, immediate action, holiness, and spiritual transformation.  Ezekiel expressed God’s lament in 22:30, “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap for me before the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.”  Then, we hear Isaiah, who was awakened in Isaiah 6:8, “Also I heard the voice of the LORD, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?  Then said, I, here am I LORD; send me.”

What we have spiritually depends on us.  There will be those who perish eternally if we fail to answer God’s call.  We could become like the foolish virgins if we fail to awaken.  We can become all that God says we are, but not without total commitment and become awakened from our spiritual slumber.

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

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HOW LONG, LORD?


Romans 13:11-14 – “And this do, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. 12 The night is almost gone, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh regarding its lusts.”  NASB

The message of this passage is very strong as well as deep and compelling for the honest-hearted seeker of God’s fullness and best.  The depth of the message renders it virtually impossible to discuss in one sitting or possibly even a book.  The first area of truth connects the ‘this’ of verse 9 with these verses. 

All the requirements of the Law toward our neighbor may be met by two things: Love (vv. 9-10) and a consciousness of our nearness to eternity (vv.11-14).  It is as we keep the awareness of eternity in our minds we are prompted and compelled to live a life of honesty, truth, integrity, peace, and contentment.

Yet, the message that the apostle Paul sets forth goes to even greater depths in reference to the believer and how he/she lives.  There are three things readily visible in these verses.  There is a Condition that exists or could exist in the Church and the life of the individual believer that could and does hinder our progress if allowed to prevail or continue.  There is the Need to Awaken out of the condition and become Transformed.  Then, there is the Solution.  All three, demand careful consideration and provide immeasurable benefits in our Christian walk.

THE CONDITION – Being Spiritually Asleep.

This spiritual sleep is a state is a condition that can only be ascribed to Believers or Christians.  I say that because the Bible makes it clear that the unbeliever and unsaved are spiritually dead and that does not require an awakening but a resurrection. 

Thus, the condition of being Asleep Spiritually suggests a state of spiritual apathy.  The person who is asleep spiritually is unconscious of the hour in which we live regarding eternity.  They are usually unconcerned bout the need to awaken and unaffected by the call to awaken. 

Let me offer this for your consideration: “Every time we hear in vain, we grow sleepier and the voices of those sounding the alarm become a sedative to cause deeper slumber.  Some people have listened to rolling thunder for so long that their ears have become deaf to the sound.  The Cross has been presented so frequently, to some, it’s brightness no longer attracts.  It is just another message and has little impact. It is important that we pay attention to not only what we hear but how we hear.”

The result of being asleep spiritually is that it produces a state of religious inactivity.  There is no longer a compulsion to study the doctrines of Christianity and pursue the duties God has detailed.

There is a place in the Atlantic Ocean known as the Saragossa Sea.  That sea is known for lengthy times of calm seas but is thickly covered with entangling seaweed.  Few things are more terrifying for the seasoned mariner than to be caught there.  The conditions of that apparent calmness but underlying danger can immobilize even the greatest ships entangling their screws and impeding their ability to sail through. 

The religious or Christian life has its own Saragossa Sea and far too many individuals and churches are entrapped in the calmness but are being entangled by the deadly seaweed of destruction through tradition, habits, and formalism.  They are asleep, inactive, and become entrapped.

There is the danger of becoming so accustomed to sin and sinful conditions that there is a literal flirtation with sin.  That tends to produce conformity to the customs and practices of those not following God trying to be tolerant and fit in.  The Bible warns that there are times when we must ‘come out from among them and be separate’ rather than complying and being conformed to their ways.

It is unfortunate that some have embraced a false sense of security and thereby lost the freshness of their experience of grace.  They have allowed slackness in their lives and are often living on memories rather than demonstrating the power of God in the present.  This condition is destroying lives, emptying churches, and rendering them impotent spiritually.  The condition of being asleep spiritually is deadly and must be realized.

We will discuss this more in the next devotional but until then, ask God to awaken you out of your sleep and enable you to press into His presence and become the overcomer He says we are.

God bless, have a great day!

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REPROGRAMMED – "No More Rut Thinking"…


Romans 12:1-3 – “I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. 3 For through the grace given to me, I say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.”  NASB

It is quite apparent that some or many in the Church and the World are in a rut in their thinking.  Frequently, that ‘rut thinking’ has robbed them of many blessings and victories God has made available.  Rut Thinking has produced sickness when there could be health and healing.  It has produced lack, needs, and want when there could have been plenty, provision and no sense of lack.  It has relegated some to living in the lows of the valley when they could have been living on the mountaintop of victory. 

There is adage regarding computers, “Garbage in garbage out” or what we put in is what we get out.  If we input bad data in our computers or wrong thoughts in our minds, we will get bad results, wrong beliefs, and produce problems that were not necessary.  If input unreliable information we will get unreliable information.  If we put in truth we will, in turn, get truth and truth has the power to make us free.  Our minds are programmable and what we put in (programming) determines what we get out.

Tragically, there are those who never receive the promises of God because of the prison of ‘rut thinking.’  They accept their situations as their destiny and fail to become transformed in their minds.  They accept defeat as their lot in life rather than pressing into the Promises of God because of ‘rut thinking.’  It is a sad reality that some, even believers, believe the lies of the enemy and look at their own inabilities and believe that is the final determination rather than looking to God with whom all things are possible.  They fail to allow the Total Victory of Calvary to become a reality in their minds and then in their lives.

I do not preach or ascribe to ‘mind over matter’ but I do believe that we should think positively regarding the Promises of God and Life.  God made the promises for everyone who believes, not just the select of the elect and the chosen few.  If He has declared it in the Bible, we can believe it, receive it, and expect it.  If we will follow the prescription and directives of the Word of God, we can have the provisions and promises of God as realities in our lives. 

It is possible to program or condition our minds with ‘rut thinking’ and the vision of who we are is tempered and determined by what we see and feel.  In 2 Kings 7, we have the account of Israel under siege by the enemy and the people were so demoralized they were waiting to starve and expected that to be their reality.  Elisha prophesied of plenty and one of the king’s officers countered saying, “Behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, could this thing be?”  Elisha told him, “You will see it but not benefit from it.”  God’s Word does not depend on what we feel or what we see, it depends on Him and if He says it, we can depend on it.  Why not?  Why do we allow ourselves to be captivated and imprisoned by ‘rut thinking?’

I suggest that believing comes before seeing or feeling, so stop depending on what you see, feel, touch, taste, or smell but look to the Book and reach for the promises.  I am not suggesting that you simply declare something, and it is yours without conditions.  I am saying that we need to focus on God’s Promises and Provisions and begin to declare them aloud and repeatedly.  That does two things.  It reminds us of our source and reminds the devil that we know the promises of God and the victory of Jesus.

We need to begin to meditate on the Word of God and the Promises of God.  We need to ponder them and turn them over in our minds until we cannot get away from them.  We need to allow our minds to become transformed with the visual of God’s Promises and Provisions.  Who do we trust, God or our senses? 

The Bible says, believe and you will receive, not believe after you receive.  We need to totally commit ourselves to God and become totally dependent upon Him and His Promises.  We need to become earnest students of the Bible and determined in our prayers.  We need to reprogram our minds so that our thoughts are not our thoughts but His thoughts.  We need to fill our hearts and minds with His Word and allow the Holy Spirit to bring us to the place that we abide in Jesus and Jesus’ words abide in us.  We become one with the word.

Once we have done that we need to step out on our faith and live as if what God says is the truth.  That will not always be easy because circumstances, senses, feelings, and the visual will be contrary and cast doubt.  Faith, the Faith of Hebrews 11, the Faith of Jesus holds on regardless of circumstances.  We can have and be what God has promised and declared us to be, but we must become Reprogrammed in the Spirit of our Minds for that to become a daily reality.

I invite you into the World of the Impossible where all things are possible through God!  You are more than conquerors through Jesus, so why not live victoriously?

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

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THE EYES OF THE HEART…


Ephesians 1:18 – “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened…”  NASB

I have always found this passage most intriguing.  When we seek to unravel the truth as found in God’s Word, we seek the context of the text and the context of the entire Bible.  Simply, we do not allow an isolated passage to define truth but examine it in the light of all the other declarations of the Bible on the matter.  If we follow the guide of 2 Peter 1:20-21 we determine that opinion or perception is not the allowable basis for an interpretation of biblical passages. 

An examination of Proverbs 4:23 is needed in this attempt to discover the ‘eyes of the heart’ and the revelation provided in seeking the enlightenment of the heart’s eyes.  We are told by the writer of this proverb, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”  In repentance and the development of a Christian relationship with our LORD, we learn to view everything for a radically new perspective.  Our focus changes and as 2 Corinthians 5:17 declares ‘everything is new.’ 

It is needful for us to realize that perception is a matter of heart and is a matter of choice.  We choose to see and hear what we want to see and hear.  Isaiah 6:10 addresses that in a powerful way as it speaks of understanding with the heart leading to conversion and healing.  Jesus addressed this truth in John 12:40 speaking of hardened hearts and understanding with the heart leading to conversion and healing. 

I would suggest that if a person does not see or acknowledge God, it is largely due to the fact that they have decided to turn from His presence and deny Him.  (Romans 1:18-20).  It could be correctly argued that our desires determine what we see and hear and shapes our focus.  The Bible clearly reveals that we believe in order to see rather than seeing to believe.  It is with the heart that man believes unto righteousness!  Tragically, too often we do not see things as they are but as we would like them to be.  Proverbs 23:7 confirms that telling us, “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”

Life is a matter of choices and what we choose determines the world in which we abide.  I am not speaking of the physical world but the perceptive world where our attitudes are formed, and our beliefs are shaped.  Man’s problem comes from the inside out not the outside in. The eyes follow the heart (Matthew 6:22-23).  It is out of the heart that evil thoughts originate, and God has promised to give us new hearts as declared in Ezekiel 36:26.

If we are to progress in our relationship with God and grow in His grace it is imperative that the ‘eyes of our hearts’ continually and consistently be enlightened.  We do this, in part, by setting Him before us and embrace the ministry of the Holy Spirit as He reveals to us how God sees things, not how we would like them to be. 

Jesus told us in Luke 11:4 to “seek and we will find.”  If we want His truth, we must look for that truth and open our hearts to understand it.  That passage implies that we will find what we are looking for and that speaks to perception and choices.  Someone said, “The optimist believes that this world is the best of all possible worlds; the pessimist is afraid the optimist is right.”  Both view the same data but have dramatically different visions about reality.

Living the Christian Life and having the ‘eyes of our hearts’ enlightened is, in a very real sense, a choice between investing all our energy into not falling, or focusing on the walk before us.  This is not a sprint so let’s look to God for our help and make the finish our focus rather than the demands of the immediate. 

We have a future and a hope.  We have the wonderful eternal promises of God.  Therefore, let’s ask His help in changing our focus from the past to His future.  Let’s determine not to return to the house of bondage, the prison of fear and keep the ‘eyes of our hearts’ on Jesus.  I take great comfort and encouragement in the words of our LORD in Matthew 13:16, “Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears for they hear.”

If you are weighed down with the cares of this world and see the world through the prism of an ‘unenlightened heart’ there is yet hope.  Ask God to open the eyes of your heart and allow you to clearly see the beauty embodied in His promises.  Our Lord has promised to not leave us orphans, comfortless, or abandoned.  I pray that the eyes of our hearts will be enlightened, and we will see Who He is, who we are, and become what we see!

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

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MEMORY VERSE FOR WEARY CHRISTIANS…


Romans 8:31 – “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?”  NASB

When we give honest, open-hearted consideration to the teaching of the Bible, we quickly arrive at the conclusion that it is foolish and disrespectful to allow worry and fear to permeate our thought processes.  Worry, in a very real sense calls God a liar and I never want to accuse the Creator of all things of that.  Worry and Fear attribute more confidence in the Arm of Flesh than in the Power and Promises of God.  That is dangerous if not outright sinful.

Tragically, some live in a constant state of Fear and Worry.  That reality is tragic especially when we consider the amazing promises God has given all who believe.

Romans 8:31 – “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?”

Psalms 91:5 – “You will not be afraid of the terror by night, or of the arrow that flies by day…”

Psalms 112:7 – “He will not fear evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.” 

Hebrews 13:6 – “so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What shall man do to me?”

Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” 

Phil 4:19 – “And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” 

Those passage should encourage our hearts and banish fear and worry.  Jesus promised that He would never leave or forsake us.  Therefore, what do we have to fear but fear itself?  What do we have to worry about?  If we will remember Who we are and Whose we are, fear is banished.  The Bible declares that perfect love casts out fear. (1 John 4:18).

Our text verse is not a question but the revealing of a Fact – God is For Us!  The Psalmist declared in 34:15 that the eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous and His ears open to our cries.  Therefore, armed with that knowledge we must ask, “Who can stand against us?”  We could also ask, “What difference does it make if they are?”  We are more than conquerors through the One that Created us and Loves us.

Our warfare against the forces of evil is not a natural battle but a spiritual one and we are battling a second-rate power, the devil.  He is a defeated foe!

THE FACT – God is for Us.

If God is for us, we can afford to have the entire world against us and still know that we are victorious.  God is for us in Doctrine (Teaching & Truth).  When our views align with God’s Word all of heaven is behind us.  God is for us in Salvation.  He gave His Son as the sacrifice for our sins.  God is for us in Protection.  Nothing can prevail against us and no weapon formed against us can prosper.  We are His!

THE INFLUENCE – It Gives us Confidence and Courage.

It produces in us an amazing spirit of independence.  Not independence from God or other believers but from the opinion of man.  It affords us the courage and confidence to follow the directions of God’s word residing in our hearts without fear or worry.  We receive freedom from the World’s System and realize that God is in control. 

It produces in us a Spirit of Patience.  We are confident that, in God’s time and in God’s way we will see the full victory.  If God is for us, we develop the courage and patience to never give up and when we refuse to give up harvest comes.

It produces in us Unshakable Confidence.  We know that we are triumphant in Jesus and even if the whole world turned against us, we are still a majority with Jesus on our side. 

This passage should become the motto of the believer and produce an army of overcomers!  Never allow man or any religious system to rob you of your confidence and promises in God.  Stand on the Eternal Word of God and remain confident that He that began a good work in you will keep you.  If God is for us, who can be against us?

No matter what you need today, know that you have the Promise of God to keep you and provide for you.  You are not and will never be forsaken.  So, lift up your eyes to Him and rejoice!

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

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TEMPEST TOSSED BUT NOT LOST – (Part Two)


Acts 27:31, 42-44 – Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved… 42 And the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, that none of them should swim away and escape; 43 but the centurion, wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, 44 and the rest should follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship. And thus it happened that they all were brought safely to land.”  NASB

Last time we discussed the Darkness of Hopelessness that was upon them and how it relates to life.  Today we want to move to another consideration of the situation and see how it applies to our daily living in Christ.

THE PARALLEL OF MEN BEFORE RECEIVING JESUS IS EVIDENT.

Their situation was dark and hopeless and there seemed to be no pathway for survival.  In the natural, man found that the Law could not save them, and humans could not fulfill the demands of the Law.  They were in dire need of a sure anchor and Jesus was and is the only hope of mankind.  The one whom the winds and waves obey is our only hope to navigate the troubled waters of life.  The best that mankind can offer in his own strength is insufficient and can never produce the peace or the redemption desired and needed.

IN THIS ACCOUNT – Some tried to escape but when the Word of God from the man of God came everything changed.

Sadly, some will never listen, hear, or heed the warnings of the Spirit of God and the Bible until they face a life or death crisis.  Some only develop hearing ears in the midst of the storm.  In this account, Paul warned that the safety of everyone depended on complete obedience to the Word of God.  That is clearly revealed in Acts 27:31 – “Unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved.”

That warning followed the promise of hope declared by the apostle in Acts 27:22 – “And yet now I urge you to keep up your courage, for there shall be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.” 

We must never lose sight of the truth that Jesus is our Hope and He is our ship of salvation.  We must remain in him to be saved.  There is no hope outside.  He is our only hope and His promises are sure and certain!

I love what the apostle has to say in Acts 27:23-25 – “For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, 24 saying,’ Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.’ 25 “Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God, that it will turn out exactly as I have been told.”  Confidence in God is essential and comforting! 

Our Lord declared in Matthew 24:35 – “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away.”  Therefore, it is imperative that we continually go to the Book for the Words of our Lord as we navigate the troubled waters of life.  We have our Lifeboat, Jesus!

The enemy may come in roaring and raging trying to intimidate and frighten us, but we have a firm foundation in Jesus.  He saves.  He delivers.  We can rejoice in His victory over the devil and know that “in Him, we are more than conquerors.”  Never ever venture outside the Lifeboat, Jesus.  Outside the ship of salvation is sure destruction.  None will be lost abiding in Christ!

God bless you as you abide in Him and His words abide in you!  May you have a fantastic day walking in His peace and enjoying His protection!

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TEMPEST TOSSED BUT NOT LOST…


Acts 27:31, 42-44 – Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved… 42 And the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, that none of them should swim away and escape; 43 but the centurion, wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, 44 and the rest should follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship. And thus it happened that they all were brought safely to land.”  NASB

In this event, we find Paul en route to Rome along with other prisoners.  Paul had warned the Centurion in charge that to depart at the time they departed would end in tragedy.  It would have had it not been for the intervention of God.  The soldiers believed the ship captain more than the apostle and began the ill-fated voyage.  It is important to note that the apostle Paul was a child of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  He knew God and knew God’s voice.  Jesus said in John 10:27, “My sheep hear my voice…and they follow Me.” 

Paul, as was his custom prayed.  He sought God for direction not only in this situation but in every aspect of his life.  Those in charge failed to heed his warnings and they suddenly found themselves in a hopeless situation being tossed by the tempest threatening to destroy their ship.  This situation can be applied to our lives when we fail to heed the warnings of the Spirit and Word of God.

Several things are important to note:

THE DARKNESS OF HOPELESSNESS WAS UPON THEM.

They were caught in a no-win situation. The wind was too powerful for their ship and they had no power in themselves to overcome certain disaster.  The sailors understood that they would have to place themselves and the ship at the mercy of the winds and the sea.  They had to go with the flow of the current and follow the path of the wind.  It was too late to heed the apostle’s warning before they left port, they were in the sea and in the storm.  Therefore, riding it out was their only hope and that hope was quickly fading.

They followed their training and instincts.  They used cables to undergird the ship hoping to keep it in one piece.  That is a reminder of how much we need the Spirit of God to undergird our lives with His strength.  They had to strike the sails and become mercilessly driven by the ferocious winds.  They then began to lighten the ship and toss overboard anything not absolutely necessary.  A reminder that we need to set aside the little weights and sins that beset us.  They threw the tackling of the ship overboard but nothing they did averted the impending danger and disaster.

Their strength was weak.  Their ability lacking and they endured days without seeing the sun or the stars to guide them.  They were rapidly being overwhelmed with a sense of hopelessness. They realized that land was near and cast anchors from the bow and stern hoping to prevent the ship from being driven onto the rocks.  Oh, how we need a sure anchor to hold us in the midst of life’s storms.  Our anchor, which is Jesus, always holds!

When we find ourselves in a hopeless situation there is only one place to turn if we want to survive and that is God.  I want to address this a little further but will pause here and say, “If your situation appears hopeless know there is Hope.  That Hope is Jesus!  He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.  Call upon Him now!”

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

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THE THREE R’s OF CHRISTIANITY – (Part Two)


Acts 16:27-31 – “But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here!” 29 And he called for lights and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household.”  NASB

We discussed the first two R’s of Christianity in the last devotional.  The R of Repentance and the R of Resistance.  Those we called steps one and two and now we move to step three the third R of Christianity.

THE THIRD R – – RENEWAL.

There must be the continual and regular renewal of our hearts, minds, and souls in God.  That is emphasized in the words of Isaiah as he declares in Isaiah 40:31 – “Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.” 

There is the possibility of being conformed to the world or transformed to God as Paul details in Romans 12:2 saying, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”  Just as our automobiles require fuel, we must have a fresh touch of God upon our lives to live for Him.  We need His spiritual nourishment to give us the sustenance, strength, and ability to walk uprightly before Him.

We must Repent of our sins to receive His forgiveness.  We must Resist the devil for him to flee from us.  We must be Renewed daily to have the strength and ability to stand uprightly before God and manifest Him to the world.  Those three R’s are vital to our living a full and productive Christian life.

  • Repentance is Required for Forgiveness.
  • Resistance is Required for us to overcome the devil and temptation.
  • Renewal is Required for us to become the mature Christians that God desires.

The question I would ask in a meeting would be, “Have you taken the first step?”  Then I would ask, “Are you resisting?”  Then, I would remind everyone that it is God’s desire to renew us in the Spirit of our minds and transform our hearts.  He wants to make us like Jesus in the sense that we have Jesus living His life through us and manifesting Himself in us.  We are truly the only Bible that some will ever read.

Whatever we need He is. He is the Great I AM!  He is whatever we need.  If we need forgiveness, repentance is the first step to peace.  If we have received forgiveness, resistance is required and He provides strength for the struggle and endurance for the journey.  If we have received forgiveness and are resisting, He is there to renew us day by day and give us the grace and peace to continue the journey.

May the LORD bless and keep you, guard, and guide you, and give you peace!  God bless you!

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THE THREE R’s OF CHRISTIANITY…


Acts 16:27-31 – “But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here!” 29 And he called for lights and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household.”  NASB

I am convinced that everyone with a basic knowledge of God’s Word knows the simple path to salvation.  It is through Jesus Christ by Grace in repentance and faith.  However, knowing the path without taking the appropriate action is inadequate.  We need to keep in mind that the first step is not the entire race, there is more!

I would like to address some very simple and fundamental principles.  It is my conviction that there are Three R’s of Christianity that everyone needs to keep in mind.  We need to progress beyond step one in order to become constant and consistent in our Christian walk.  If we are to be victorious, we must grow in His Grace, Love, Peace, and Power.

THE FIRST R – – REPENTANCE.

Repentance is required for us to gain access to God.  Acts 3:19 informs us that we must “Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;” We need to heed the warning of Acts 17:30 – “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent,” 

Repentance opens the door for cleansing of the soul from sin.  The oft-quoted passage from 2 Chronicles 7:14 is germane and offers an understanding of what we need to do.  2 Chronicles 7:14 – “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.”  The words of Isaiah are valuable.  We read in Isaiah 55:7 – “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.” 

Repentance is the first step in Christianity.  It opens the Door to Salvation!  It ushers us into the presence of the Savior! 

THE SECOND R – – RESISTANCE.

That may sound strange in connection with repentance, but resistance is a vital element in our Christian walk.  Once we have received the Cleansing of the Blood and the Forgiveness of God for our sin and entered the New Birth we must Resist.  Resist what?  We must resist the devil and all his devices, schemes, and temptations.  We must exercise a certain amount of will-power.  God is not going to do it all for us.  We are required to Resist the devil for him to flee from us.

This will-power of which I speak is the enabling power of God through grace. We have power over all the power of the enemy.  We can resist the devil and he will flee.  We can walk in the righteousness of God and have our minds transformed and renewed. 

Paul gives a beautiful explanation of the value and benefit of the full armor of God in Ephesians 6:11. James offers valuable instruction telling us that in submission to God we find the strength to resist the devil and when we do the devil is forced to back off.  (James 4:7).  We need to learn to say NO!  The writer of Proverbs tells us that when sinners seek to entice us, we are to refuse.  (Proverbs 1:10).

It is important that we guard our life’s activities and follow the directive of Proverbs 4:4 and refuse to enter into the path of the wicked.  We are to resist temptation and resist yielding our bodies, our minds, or our abilities to the devil and commit our entire selves to God and His purposes. (Romans 6:13).

            We must learn to avoid error and that requires an investment of time and energy in studying the Word of God.  (2 Peter 3:17 and Hebrews 2:1).  Resisting is necessary if we are to be complete in our Christian walk. 

We will pause here and pick up the last R in the next devotional.  Until then, may the LORD of God keep guard, and guide you in your pursuit of His purposes. 

I pray that your day will be prosperous and filled with peace!  Blessings!

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