Walking With Jesus

Telescope or Microscope?

“Soon the people began to complain about their hardship, and the Lord heard everything they said.” (Numbers 11:1 NLT)

Have you ever wondered how you would have responded to eating the same thing for every meal for 40 years? Apparently, the children of Israel didn’t like it, and they began to complain. What about living with the same spouse for 40 years? Or dealing with the same disease for 40 years? Or working the same job for 40 years? Doesn’t it largely depend on how you view it?

Remember, the Israelites were in bondage to Egypt before they were delivered miraculously by the Lord, and His chosen instrument Moses. They had a vision of being in their “Promised land,” a land flowing with “milk and honey,” a land of plenty where they would no longer be slaves. How quickly they lost sight of that promise.

A similar thing can happen to us in our walk with the Lord. We sign up for “forgiveness of sin and a home in heaven,” but we don’t like the “desert” we have to cross to get there. When we lose sight of the big picture and begin to scrutinize the day to day grind it’s easy to get discouraged. But it’s what we do in the “desert” that defines the person we are and how effectively God can use us in the interim between now and then.

Grumbling is contagious and can poison our ability to understand why we’re where we are in our journey and why God is allowing us to be there. With the Lord EVERYTHING has a purpose, even the disappointing, and sometimes heartbreaking events that have the potential to cripple us.

The Prince of Preachers, Charles H. Spurgeon, asked the question – “Why must I go about mourning?” and in response wrote: “Dear believer, can you answer the above question? Can you find any reason why you are so often mourning instead of rejoicing? Why do you allow your mind to dwell on gloomy thoughts? Who told you that night will never end in day? Who told you that the winter of your discontent would continue from frost to frost and from snow, ice, and hail to even deeper snow and stronger storms of despair?

Don’t you know that day dawns after night, showers displace drought, and spring and summer follow winter? Then, have hope! Hope forever, for God will not fail you!”

Did God not keep His promise to the children of Israel? Of course, He did! But not to the grumblers! They all died in the wilderness on a 40-year journey that could have taken only a couple of weeks. Are you stuck in your faith because you’re trying to micro-manage God? Are you so persistently peering through your “microscope” at the way things are, you’ve forgotten the promises God has made to you and the plans that are unfolding under your nose, but you’re missing? The only way to see the breathtaking vista at the top is to climb the mountain.

In Mark chapter 8 Jesus is explaining to the disciples that He will be tortured and murdered, but Peter takes Him aside and reprimands Him for saying such things. Do you remember how Jesus responded? “Get away from Me, Satan! He said, ‘You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.’”

Peter was seeing things through the “microscope” of his own understanding, while Jesus was urging the disciples, and us, to see through the “telescope” of His omniscience. When things are hard, as they surely will be at times, take a step back and see your circumstances through the lens of eternity and God’s eternal promises. It will clarify a lot if you let it.

Blessings, Ed 😊

The Path of Least Resistance

“Jesus also said, ‘The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens.’” (Mark 4:26-27 NLT)

On some levels the Christian life is a paradox. When we yield our lives and allegiance to Jesus by opening our heart and mind to His presence and power, there is a sense in which we have no part in what then happens. We can’t make the “seed” of our new faith “grow,” yet, in some miraculous and unexplainable way, it does. How is that even possible? And what are its practical implications?

And yes, of course, there is a part we must play. In some ways it’s like trying out for a sports team. When I was in Junior High, I tried out for the basketball team. I played every day after school for hours with my friends. I was only 5’10”, but I was skinny and could jump pretty high. I was a decent shot and could handle the ball better than average.

But when I was in a “real” game, with people screaming and scrutinizing our every move, I got so nervous I could hardly move. Obviously, I would have no future in basketball if I couldn’t get over my nervousness.

It’s similar in our walk with Jesus. One on one with Jesus it’s a no-brainer, but throw in our arch enemy, Satan, and we have an important decision to make. Who will we follow? Which path will we choose because we MUST choose!

Development as a child of God takes time and effort, and there’s sometimes a thin line between our part and God’s part. We can read the Bible, pray, attend meetings, do all the “right” things, but still not grow in our faith, but why? Because there is a third element we often fail to consider – our own desires! Do we really want to grow in Christlikeness?

It would be, and ultimately is, a lot easier when our desires equal and become God’s desires; however, as a new believer we can be so strongly pulled away from God and His plans for us by our desire to do what we want, not what God wants. We want to follow the path of least resistance, which is to follow our sinful nature. So, what do we do? Are we on our own? Is there no power available to enable us to do God’s will?

The bottom line is this: does God give us power to overcome our sinful desires and turn from them or not? Our sinful desires vary, but the strength of their pull on our lives is common to every would-be Christ follower. Gay or straight is irrelevant, as is male or female. We’re all pulled in ungodly directions by the forces of evil that reside in us.

Sex is a powerful tool in the enemy’s hand, but so are drugs, alcohol, pride, possessions, position, or power. What is it for you? What is the greatest deterrent in your life and mine that holds us back from being everything we say we want to be for Jesus? Could it be a lack of self-worth? Are you constantly seeking to validate your existence? Looking for “love” in all the wrong places?

At some point, if we’re going to be a Jesus follower, we must decide – is Jesus enough? Can His love and the power of His Spirit deliver and keep us or not? And if the answer is “no,” then we’re looking at the wrong side of the equation. He is MORE than able and in Him “overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.”

Here’s the bottom line: The path of least resistance is following the dictates of our own sinful feelings and desires, but if we decide we want to be delivered from our sin, Jesus is the only One who can deliver us.

Put your trust in Him and commit everything you are to everything He is, and He’ll heal and help you; otherwise, there is no hope. Jesus IS our only eternal hope!

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Game to Win or Opportunity to Love?

“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye: Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” (Matthew 7:3-5 NLT)

Recently I received an “overdue” bill notice with an additional amount added to my payment. I was furious! I immediately called the company and began to rant and let them know how unhappy I was because “How can I pay a bill I didn’t know I owed!” Pretty convincing argument, right? Wrong! They HAD sent me a notice that I apparently ignored and filed away. The very soft-spoken company rep never changed her calm demeanor as I apologized and told her “I stand corrected, I’m sorry for the way I spoke to you.”

If only I could come to terms with my own “logs” in my eye when it’s my wife I’m harassing. Bruce Goff, a Family Life contributor, wrote: “An argument with your spouse is not a game to win. It’s an opportunity to love. One way we can love is by addressing our own blind spots.”

A disadvantage to growing older is our short-term memory is getting shorter and shorter, but I’m hounded by remembrances from years ago when I did the same kinds of things. Failing to see our own blind spots isn’t an issue of age so much as an issue of selfishness and pride.

Sometimes I get bent out of shape when my wife asks if I could run the sweeper or swiffer the floor. “What! Again? It’s only been 3 months!” I’m exaggerating a little bit, but what’s wrong with that picture? My mind immediately goes to ME! My time, energy, effort to please HER! But isn’t that the point?

What if my attitude was more “HER” focused and not so much “ME” focused? What if I shifted my thinking to realize what a privilege I have to be married to such an incredible woman? Why does she even have to ask? Bruce Goff concluded his article by asking: “So maybe next time you have an ‘exciting verbal exchange’ with your spouse, try, ‘Let me make sure I’m understanding you correctly …’”

The sad reality is, it’s not only our spouse with whom we have these “exciting verbal exchanges.” How many times have we been rude or short with someone on the phone or who comes to our door? Are we so quick to forget they are people with families and feelings too? Are we so forgetful that we fail to realize who WE are in Christ?

We’re a grain of sand on the beaches of the world, yet Jesus took notice of us. The King of the Universe, Creator, Sustainer, Ruler of all that is, seen and unseen, stoops to take notice of you and me! Why? Because He created us with value and worth, not because of who we are, but because of who we can become in Him!

How can we have any credibility with anyone when we’re so full of ourselves? How can we ever hope to influence someone positively for Jesus when we treat them like we’re the devil, seeing them as dirt under our fingernails?

Interactions with others must be seen as divine appointments, not a game to be played, but an opportunity to be Jesus to them, loving them like Jesus would. Think of all the people in the Bible that everyone discarded – the blind, lame, leprous, adulterous outcasts whom the Pharisees counted as “scum,” yet Jesus healed and made whole for His holy name’s sake. Let’s allow the Lord to help us get the “log” out of our eyes so we can see more clearly to get the “specks” out of another’s eye.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

When our “Tummy” Hurts

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I’ll say it again, – it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!’ The disciples were astounded. ‘Then who in the world can be saved?’ they asked.” (Matthew 19:23-25 NLT)

Family Life writer Justin Talbert wrote: “’Daddy’ moaned my sick 4-year-old from bed. ‘My tummy hurts. I need a hundred cookies. It will fix me.’ I started to laugh … Until I realized I use the same logic. In some sense, I am (we all are) spiritually sick and hungry. That’s why we go looking for satisfaction. For a cure. But when we don’t look to Christ, things get frightening real quick. We step into the realm of sin. And here’s something I’ve learned all too well: sin brings about personal ruin. By ‘sin,’ I mean any rebellion against God. And by ‘personal ruin,’ I mean … personal ruin!”

In the verses above Jesus has just had a conversation with a very wealthy young man who wants to have eternal life. He’s concluded that his wealth can’t purchase heaven for him, so he comes to Jesus, hoping to find a cure for his spiritual “tummy ache.” Because Jesus understood that the young man’s money had him, he didn’t have his money, Jesus asked him to sell all his possessions, give the money to the poor, then come and follow Him. The young man decided he liked the “sickness” more than the cure.

Because most of us, especially in America, are “rich” beyond many people of the world’s ability to comprehend, we miss the connection between us and the young rich man. Yep, we want Jesus, but we also want to hang on to our “stuff.” It took losing everything I had to bring me to an acute awareness that nothing – and I mean that literally – nothing this world offers can compare with loving, serving, and walking closely with Jesus.

Yes, I still have more “stuff” than I’ll ever need, but it doesn’t have me. My wife and I are in the process of sorting out what we really need and giving away what we no longer need. There’s a cleansing effect that has on our souls. You’ve likely heard the adage “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” I saw that on the faces of the people who came to pick up the things we were “selling” for pennies on the dollar the last time we moved.

We had tools, furniture, clothing, and numerous other things that (don’t tell my wife) I ended up giving away, not because I’m a great guy (I’m not), I’m just a person who has grown to love Jesus and others more than I love stuff.

Sin is pleasure for a season, so when we’re hurting and need a quick fix, we’re so prone to turn to our sin of choice, whether it comes in a bottle or can, in pill form, something we can view on the internet, or someone we can call. In whatever form our sin comes, it might seem fun for a short time, but it can’t satisfy our soul. Only Jesus can do that.

Do you find it odd that even for those of us who profess faith in Christ, we can be so repulsed by someone else’s sin, but so “comforted” by our own. As long as we’re in these bodies of clay, we’ll have to deal with our allegiance to sin. But here’s the wonderful news: We have a Savior, Christ Jesus our Lord, who doesn’t simply forgive us, He cleanses us and casts our sin into the sea of forgetfulness, never to be remembered against us again.

Yes, of course, we still have the capacity to sin, but on the basis of more than 60 years of following Jesus, nothing, absolutely nothing, this world can offer compares to intimacy with Jesus and walking in harmony with Him.

Sin – it’s just not worth the price you pay to enjoy it.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

When It Gets Personal!

“And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say: ‘How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!’” (Romans 10:15 NLT)

In yesterday’s post we looked at how vitally important it is to share our faith in Christ with those in our spheres of influence. Many faithful believers believe their life will give expression to their salvation and faith in Jesus, and it does! But our lifestyle won’t answer the questions people who are lost are asking.

A few weeks ago, I invited a neighbor who grew up under Hindu teaching, to a men’s breakfast at our church. He’s only in his 40’s, but having had a stroke, his cognitive ability is limited. I’ve given him a Bible, showed him where to start reading, and followed up with him to see if he has questions, but progress is very slow.

On the ride home I asked him if he had any questions about what he’d heard at breakfast, but he had none. I’ve spoken with him before about Jesus, but I tried to break it down into simple statements. I told Him that Jesus was God in human form, that He came to earth to give visibility to the invisible God. That He was born as a man, but never sinned. “Never?” he asked.

The point is, take it slow, but steady with your friends and loved ones. We can’t really know what someone is thinking or believing unless we take the time and make the effort to ask and listen to them. I’ve often found that what I thought someone thought or believed wasn’t even close to what they actually believed.

The Lord has also given me insight to understand that people are a lot more open to speak with me than I thought. It’s ironic that we have more and simpler ways to communicate today, but people are much lonelier than ever before. The suicide rates are the highest in history, reaching more than fifty thousand in America alone last year.

While people need Jesus more than ever before, we’re less likely to share Him. My friend expressed sincere interest as he listened in the car and the Lord has prompted me to set a time with his mom, with whom he lives, and share the Lord with both of them. Will they listen and find hope in Jesus? I pray they will, but I know this – they likely never will if I don’t give them opportunity!

Who in your spheres of influence is the Lord laying on your heart? When the Scripture says: “And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent?” that doesn’t necessarily have reference to another person or organization. It can mean the Holy Spirit can and will choose you to share Christ’s love with someone. It can be someone you know – a family member or friend – or a complete stranger.

A word of caution: If you choose to write something rather than speaking in person, write out what you want to say, set it aside for a day or two, then reread it to make sure you’re expressing exactly what the Lord is saying. I go over these blog articles many times before I post them and still miss things I should have changed or said differently.

The point is, we must be about our Father’s business! We must be making efforts every day to reach out to those who are “clinging to the tail of the plane,” waiting to be rescued. The greatest treasure we can ever invest in heaven are the ones we’re privileged to lead to Jesus, realizing we’re simply the “glove,” Jesus is the “Hand” that leads the way and changes their life. We’re the instrument, not the sculpter.

Blessings, Ed 😊

The Sixth Man

“Then the man said, ‘Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!’ But Jacob said, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me.’” (Genesis 33:26 NLT)

In a recent devotional Ron Hutchcraft recounted a tragic scene. He wrote: “When I fly into Washington D.C., I sort of flash back to an unforgettable scene. It’s been quite a while, but I can’t help but think of it as I see that same bridge. It actually happened way back in 1982 in January. It was when Air Florida’s flight 90 took off in Washington. It raked the 14th Street Bridge; plunged into the freezing waters of the Potomac River. I can still remember that image of the tail section sticking up out of the river and six survivors clinging to that plane.

And there was that rescue helicopter circling overhead, lowering a lifeline to those survivors. And there was this one middle-aged man who was unidentified in the news reports. He kept pushing the lifeline away and passing it to the other five passengers. Now, five people had been rescued. When the chopper went back for that sixth man, he’d slipped beneath the water. The pilot said later, ‘I have never seen one man with that much commitment.’”

Would you have been that sixth man? Or would you have been scrambling to get the lifeline for yourself? I’m quite confident that most, if not all, who read this blog would want to be the sixth man, but we dismiss the idea because we weren’t there on that freezing January day. Or we make other excuses: “I’m too old, I couldn’t have held on!” “I’m afraid of water, I would have had to get out as quickly as possible!” Or you can fill in your own excuse.

Think with me for a moment. Isn’t Jesus our “Lifeline” to heaven? It’s not like we have to make a choice – “us or them!” Jesus has already made that decision for us. In Revelation 22:17 the Bible says: “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who hears this say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.”

If your spouse, child, or grandchild was clinging with you waiting to be saved, wouldn’t you most assuredly have passed the lifeline to them before taking it yourself? Yet, here we are in the comfort and security of our homes going about our daily lives, often giving little or no thought to the people we love who aren’t ready to go to heaven.

Every day I cry out to God on behalf of my loved ones and friends who are lost and destined to an eternal misery unless someone warns them and pleads with them to come to the Savior. I know some of you well and I know your heart for your loved ones, and I applaud your efforts to point them to Jesus.

But I also know some who are reading these words rarely if ever give the lostness of your friends and loved ones a thought. You feel secure in your faith but believe it’s their responsibility to call out to God for themselves. And, yes, of course it is. But the words of Paul in Romans 10:14 ring in my heart: “But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them?”

And some may say some version of: “But they were in church every Sunday they were growing up!” But did they listen? Did they ever really grasp what was being said about salvation in Christ alone by faith alone? Isn’t it worth writing them a detailed letter or having a conversation to determine what they do or don’t know and understand?

Let’s look at this further in tomorrow’s post.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Encouragement

“For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means ‘Son of Encouragement’).” (Acts 4:36 NLT)

Barnabas is arguably the greatest encourager in the New Testament, save Jesus Himself. It’s interesting in the verse above the word translated “Encouragement,” used in reference to Barnabus, is the same word Jesus used in John 15:26 to describe the Holy Spirit. Jesus said: “But I will send you the Advocate – the Spirit of truth.”

Encouragement is no small thing and can take many forms. For example, some of the definitions Strong’s uses are: “consolation, exhortation, comfort and intreaty.” But rather than spend a lot of space writing about what it means to be an encourager, I’d like to address the reasons we need encouragement in the first place.

What discourages you? We all have “triggers” or “buttons,” call them what you will, that launch us upward and onward, or drag us down and set us back. Being subject to depression, it sometimes doesn’t take much to push me down, but for me a fast track to an emotional tailspin is doing something for someone you think will be an encouragement to them, but it turns out to be just the opposite.

I’m reminded of Joseph Bayly’s book The View From a Hearse. Having lost three children to death, he was quite familiar with funeral homes. One thing he said that has stuck with me was that there would be those who would come to “comfort” him, yet they would talk on and on and he thought they’d never leave. Then there were others who would come and sit quietly with him, and he wished they’d never leave.

Bayly wrote: “Tears are a universal language. One need not understand words to comprehend their meaning. They communicate far more deeply than verbalization ever could. And it is a language that everyone speaks, sometime, somewhere. The pain of illness, disease, war, rejection, desertion, financial reversal, death, and more, leaves a person suffering, stunned, questioning “Why? Why me? Why now? Why this?” It leaves them drowning in a sea of perplexity.”

Charles Swindoll wrote: “Discouraged people don’t need critics. They hurt enough already…. They need encouragement.” Pain, heartache, loss, uncertainties related to health and many other things can be discouraging, but rather than “answers,” often what we most need is a comforter, not a criticizer; someone to sit with us, hold us, pray for us, not try to figure us out or even “understand” us.

Where are you today? What is the Lord leading you to do on behalf of someone you know who is discouraged? A call? A note? An invitation to a meal? A walk together in a park? May I be honest? When I’m down I’m a lousy conversationalist. The last thing I need is someone asking me “What’s wrong?” “What can I do?” “Do you need anything?”

Sometimes I just need to be left alone, but other times I want to be wanted without explanation. Quietness can be a solace, even with someone else present. Recently I sat with a friend for a couple of hours in mostly silence after he lost a loved one to cancer. Presence is an indispensable part of relationships.

Think of the presence of God in times of trial, heartache, and uncertainty. Words can’t describe the sense of peace and satisfaction He brings with His holy presence. Never underestimate the value of your presence with someone who needs to be encouraged.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Hanging On to Your Best

“Be sure to give to the Lord the best portions of the gifts given to you.” (Numbers 18:29 NLT)

The story is told of a time in the late Queen Elizabeth’s life when she asked her chauffeur to take her for a ride in the country. Then she asked him to pull over so she could just take a little walk by herself. No crown, no gown – dressed down. So, for a few golden moments, the queen was just an ordinary lady, taking a walk in the country. She’d gone out about a mile down the road when this sudden rain shower opened up. The queen knocked on the door of a small hut that was nearby.

She asked the lady if she had an umbrella. The lady actually had two umbrellas – a tattered, battered old umbrella and a brand new one. She gave her the beat-up umbrella. This is the queen, but she doesn’t know that of course. The queen promised it would be returned the next day.

Well, you’ve got to imagine the scene as a uniformed chauffeur pulls up in the royal limousine, goes to the door of the hut the next day and announces, “I’m returning this for the queen.” Needless to say, the woman was in shock. All she could say was, “If I had known it was for the queen, I would have given her my best!”

How like us in the daily moments of our lives. Bumping into Jesus on the streets of our cities and country sides, mistaking Him for a common person. I’ve learned to look into people’s eyes. Eyes don’t lie. Most people, if they’re lying, won’t look you in the eyes.

At a very low point in my life, I went to a work-related event at a nice hotel. As I approached the entrance a man in a uniform walked toward me. I assumed he was a doorman and was going to offer assistance, but instead he began speaking to me in ways that seemed very strange. He said: “Now here comes a real leader.” I literally turned around to see who he was talking about, but then realized he was speaking to me.

He continued by saying affirming things about me, none of which I was feeling or believing about myself. I basically ignored him and walked into the building. But within 3-5 minutes, realizing I should apologize and thank him, I went back out the same door, but didn’t see him. I searched the lobby area and every other place where doormen were serving but couldn’t find him. Was he Jesus in disguise?

Can it be we miss opportunities to give our best because we don’t believe we have any “best” to give? We shun or ignore those who are seeking to speak life, health, and inspiration into us and by so doing, miss the voice of God. Too often we mistakenly believe the way we feel about ourselves is the way God sees us, never stopping to realize we’re perfect in God’s sight because He sees us through the sinless perfection of His Son.

We tend to treat Jesus as an honored guest in our life, but rarely if ever bother to introduce Him to others. In our mind there’s such a huge contrast between who Jesus is and who we are, it’s like we don’t want to stain His reputation by letting anyone else know He lives in us. We’ve got to get over ourselves and offer others the best that we have – Jesus!

Like me on the day “Jesus” spoke to me at the hotel entrance, there are people we see every day who need a fresh word from God spoken through our lips. It’s ironic, but I find when I speak kindness, love, joy, peace, and other manifestations of the fruit of the Spirit into someone else’s life, it lifts me and enables me to see Jesus more clearly.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Are You a Leader?

“And Samuel told him, ‘Although you may think little of yourself, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel? The Lord has anointed you king of Israel.’” (1 Samuel 15:17 NLT)

Just because you have a following, doesn’t make you a leader! In today’s world we don’t have to look far to find empty shells in positions of leadership. There’s never been a time in history when there are so many examples of “the blind leading the blind,” but, unfortunately, the stakes have never been higher.

In 1 Samuel the Israelites have demanded a king and Saul has been chosen. In chapter 15 God sent him on a mission, but he didn’t follow the Lord’s directives. The Prophet Samuel confronts him, but in verse 20 Saul says: “But I did obey the Lord,” when in fact he did not. He ultimately pleaded for forgiveness, but his sin cost him the kingdom of Israel.

What “kingdom” is your sin costing you? What is your partial obedience to the Lord costing you in terms of the influence you have or had over those who look to you for guidance and leadership? You may be leading a family, a company, a team at work, a church or group at church, but are you compromising your principles and walking in disobedience to the Lord to be accepted and liked?

What about that little boy or girl who thinks you’re the king of their universe? What about that spouse who thinks you’re the real deal when you’re nothing but a fraud? What if those who look up to you, who “follow” you could see what you see on the screen of your mind? Do you not realize that nothing, absolutely nothing, escapes God’s view?

As a Jesus follower leadership is defined by our obedience first and foremost to the Lord. If we’re compromising what God has clearly instructed us to be and do, we’ve ceased to be qualified to lead. Does that mean we won’t ever sin or use bad judgment? Of course not, but it does mean we can’t consistently follow the dictates of our own conscience, walking in blatant sin, and expect God’s blessing.

Leaders for Jesus must first be followers of Jesus. When we begin to think more highly of ourselves than we should, it’s going to be reflected in how and who we lead. Partnership with Jesus is our goal. To be yoked with Him in submission to His authority in our life is critical before we’ll ever be qualified to lead. To think we can lead others without dependence upon the Lord is like trying to maneuver through a tsunami in a life raft, it’s only going to lead to our destruction.

Leadership isn’t simply a position to be filled, it’s an obligation for which we give an account. To believe we can lead for our glory and honor, whether in the church or in a secular position, is to miss the point of leadership. It’s not about us. It’s only and always about the glory of God being evidenced in and through the lives of those we’re seeking to lead.

To the extent our leadership gives fuller and clearer visibility to Jesus, to that extent the people we lead will be helped and God will be honored. Perhaps the greatest evidence of effective leadership is to see the will of God being carried out in those who look to us as their leader. We rise, not by keeping others down, but by getting out of their way as they grow in their giftedness and God’s favor.

As I understand it, effective leadership is working myself out of a job. It’s creating an environment where the lives of the people I lead will not be hindered by my absence but enhanced. When I finish my course, it should be as natural as the flow of a river for someone in whom I’ve poured myself to assume the reins of leadership without hindering the work God has given us. A leader should not only know when to take the reins, but when to pass them on.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

A Banquet on the Battlefield

“Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.” (Psalm 23:4-5 NLT)

A field of battle seems hardly the place for a banquet, but as I consider that life as a believer is war, what better place for God to usher us into a feast of His holy presence. When would be a better time or place than when we’re in the midst of battle?

We don’t always tend to think of it in these terms, but when are we most vulnerable, most helpless, most in need of a touch from God? Not when we’re on the proverbial “mountain top.” Not when things are good, and God seems close, and faith comes easy. No! It’s when are heads are down, our defenses seem absent, when our spirit is dying for a drink of living water, in the midst of our darkest nights and most difficult battles.

Pastor Rick Warren wrote: “It takes a lot of faith and humility to trust God and rest when you’re under attack, when you’re misunderstood, and when rumors are spreading about you. When that happens, everything in you wants to rise up and do something about it. How do you handle people who attack you? You don’t. You let God handle them. Trust God to be your defender. Not only does God want to defend you, but he also wants to fellowship with you: ‘You’ll welcome us with open arms when we run for cover to you. Let the party last all night! Stand guard over our celebration’ (Psalm 5:11 The Message). Both Psalm 23 and Psalm 5 paint the picture of a banquet, or a party, at an unlikely time—not just when good times are happening but when you’re under attack.”

The Lord’s presence is most appreciated and welcomed when we’re most in need. When the odds against us are stacked in Satan’s favor, what a joyful sight when King Jesus bursts onto the scene. Discouragement is a near constant companion when trials are weighing us down. Our hunger for God is great, while in our hearts He can seem light years away.

How precious and welcomed when He comes at just the right time and spreads a banquet table before us with all the delicacies of His eternal presence. We may not be consciously aware, especially in seasons of loss or deep sadness, but the greatest gift God can ever give us is the gift of Himself.

Because I’m subject to depression and have physical issues that can manifest in the most unwelcome moments, I never know how I’ll feel from day to day, even moment to moment. My head can begin to spin without warning, leaving me in bed, unable to care for myself. The Lord is teaching me that those can actually be precious times when He comes to “prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.”

It’s not a literal feast of food, because when I’m in those difficult times food is furthest from my mind. It’s the life sustaining, spirit lifting, soul stirring privilege of His living presence that lifts me to the banquet hall of closeness to Him that I can’t experience in any other way. I’m learning in this season of my life that nothing is as satisfying as intimacy with Jesus.

There’s nothing this world has to offer that compares with knowing my sins are forgiven and realizing that when I close my eyes in death, I will have never been more alive.

Hallelujah! What a Savior! You are welcome to His banquet table any place, any time!

Blessings, Ed 😊