Walking With Jesus

The Joy of Cross-Bearing

“We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” (Hebrew 12:2 NLT)

Have you ever done something you don’t like to do for the anticipated joy you’ll have when it’s completed? The first thing that came to my mind was running the sweeper and swiffering the floors. It takes me about two hours, and I’m beat by the time I’m done, but I love the big smile on my bride’s face and the warm hug she gives me when I’m done. Pleasing her brings me great joy.

On a much larger scale, I believe the joy submitting to the Cross brought to Jesus, was the anticipated smile on His Father’s face and the joy His Father would express to Jesus for a job well done. It wasn’t simply Jesus’ joy alone, but that of another who was more important to Him than His own life – His Father.

John Stonestreet wrote: “This is not unlike something Jesus alluded to when He said, in one breath, that we should ‘take up our cross’ to follow Him, and in the very next breath that He came to give us ‘complete joy.’ At first glance, these promises seem contradictory. They aren’t.’”

What brings you the greatest measure of joy? And please don’t misunderstand, joy is a lot different than happiness or pleasure. There are multiple ways to feel good or find satisfaction, even for a job well done. For some, doing their best and seeing the results of their completed work is joy in and of itself, and there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s just not enough. It’s setting the bar far too low.

For those of us who have invested our lives in the work of the Kingdom of God, our greatest joy isn’t found in anything we do, except it’s done to the glory of the One we love more than we love our own life. That’s essentially what “Cross-bearing” is and means. Taking up our cross basically means to trade our will for God’s; to trade our life or His; to live for His honor and fame, not our own.

The greatest joy for a Jesus follower is never found in the work of our hands, except to the extent it’s done in the name of and for the glory of our Savior. Submission to the will of our heavenly Father is the means to a much greater end than mere personal satisfaction. It’s the gratitude we feel and the complete joy that floods our heart knowing that our lives have value and meaning that far outweigh the meager contribution we can make to life on this planet.

We have the privilege and opportunity to invest our whole being – heart, mind, soul, and body – in the eternal end of helping people find hope and life in Jesus – who is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life!” (John 14:6). To live simply for wealth, prestige, position, power, or acclaim on the earth is like filling a huge swimming pool and calling it the ocean. If it wasn’t so sad it would be funny.

Perhaps John Piper said it best when he wrote: “The domestication of cross-bearing into coughs and cranky spouses takes the radical thrust out of Christ’s call. He is calling every believer to ‘renounce all that he has,’ to ‘hate his own life’ (Luke 14:33, 26), and to take the road of obedience joyfully, no matter the loss on this earth. Following Jesus means that wherever obedience requires it, we will accept betrayal and rejection and beating and mockery and crucifixion and death. Jesus gives us the assurance that if we will follow Him to Golgotha during all the Good Fridays of this life, we will also rise with Him on the last Easter Day of the resurrection. ‘Whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it” (Mark 8:35). ‘Whovever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life’ (John 12:25).”

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

When I Realized How Rich I Am

“The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.” (Mark 4:18-19 NLT)

God’s plan and desire is that we live fruitful and productive lives to His honor and fame, not to ours. Yet, we live in a world whose bent is to desire more, whether we need it or not. Jim Daly (Focus on the Family) wrote: “Have you ever noticed that the more you have, the more you want – and that the never-ending grasp for things beyond your reach is not only making you miserable, but also hurting your relationships with the people closest to you?”

That was me for more years than I care to remember. Chasing the proverbial “American dream,” to get rich and live without care. It saddens me to think of all the people I neglected, especially in my own family, because of my insatiable appetite for “more.” But why? My rationale was “to give my family a better life” or “so that I might help more people.” But I believe the truth is, I just wanted to feel better about myself.

It took losing everything that mattered to me for me to realize how “rich” I already was. When my wife left and took the kids, I didn’t think about the nice house, new cars, or any other material possession. What haunted me were the walks we took together, tossing ball with my son, worshipping together and sharing meals – all the things that families do when they love Jesus and each other. How did I so easily lose sight of those important things?

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It’s the same battle we all face, it just affects us in different ways. It’s called sin, and it rears it’s ugly head in all of us. So, what do we do about it? The answer that’s helped me is to cling to Jesus like a dying man clings to breath. Give Him the priority He deserves in our life. Allow His Spirit to enable us to discern the difference between what is transient and what really matters.

A good rule of thumb is – people are more important than things. For me, when I realized how “rich” I am, I began to cherish my closeness with Jesus, who in turn enabled me to see how much loving my wife and children brought pleasure and joy to my life. Worship is the highlight of my day, leading to a greater appreciation of my church family, especially the men in my Men’s Group, those with whom I serve at the church, and others the Lord has put in my life to allow Him to love through me.

In the article I read by Jim Daly he mentioned a couple of people who had deep regrets: “As he lay dying, the late Bob Marley, the famous Jamaican singer, reportedly said, ‘Money can’t buy life.’ The first Queen Elizabeth reportedly remarked on her deathbed, ‘All my possessions for a moment of time.’ “

Don’t wait until you or someone you dearly love is on your or their deathbed to realize what a privilege life is. If you have a spouse, children, relatives, a church family, neighbors – love them well! Pray each day for them and listen to the Lord as He prompts you to reach out to them. Visit, call, write, FaceTime, do whatever you can to help everyone in your spheres of influence know you love them and are grateful for the important role they have in your life.

Casting Crowns sings a beautiful song entitled Scars in Heaven. Please listen and let the Lord help you to realize just how rich you are. As for me. I’m going to go hold my wife and cherish the moments I have with her.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Are You Reaching for the Things Money Can’t Buy?

“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:11-13 NLT)

What if everything you’d worked your whole life to attain was suddenly taken away? What if everything of material value was stolen, burned up, or somehow destroyed? How would you feel? Think of people to whom that has happened – because of storms, floods, or other natural disasters. What’s the lesson?

Notice in the above verses, Paul says two times “I have learned.” In verse 11 the term used means “to learn as in the sense of increasing one’s knowledge of something.” But in verse 12 it’s a different Greek word which means: “to initiate into the mysteries; to accustom one to a thing; to give one an intimate acquaintance with a thing.” (Strong’s) What are the implications?

We can learn a lot of things by reading or studying books, articles, etc., but there are some things we can only learn through experience. When Paul says he’s “learned the secret of living in every situation,” he’s revealing his heart. He’s dipping into the vastness of lessons learned on the road some have called “hard knocks.”

These are lessons no one can teach you. They’re the gems of truth you glean through suffering and heartache – the kinds of lessons no one would request, but would take nothing for the value of them once they’re learned.

Obviously, as you may have guessed by now, these are the lessons money can’t buy. These lessons are the ones Paul credits Christ for giving him the strength to endure. We too often tend to believe that the things I can do in the strength of Christ are defeating the “giants” with which we deal or overcoming a difficult habit or addiction. But while the Lord certainly will give us strength in those circumstances, the ones of which Paul speaks are the daily battles for our physical sustenance.

Going through my divorce, being literally penniless, wondering from day to day if I would eat at all, these are the “instructors” who taught me humility, appreciation, generosity, kindness, gratitude, and many more “lessons” I thought I’d learned, but didn’t have a clue. I’d had life handed to me on the proverbial “silver platter,” but didn’t realize it until my folks were gone and it was too late to express to them how much their sacrifices meant to me.

When I was maybe 11 or so, my dad took me squirrel hunting. I use those terms very loosely, because neither of us even saw a squirrel while we were “hunting,” but after hanging out in the woods for a few hours we headed back to the park where we started. My dad had brought breakfast food to make on the grill – eggs, bacon, sausage, etc.

While my dad was getting things together and fixing the food, I’d found another kid about my age, who came back with me to where my dad was fixing breakfast. Being the man my dad was, he asked my friend if he’d like to join us for breakfast, which he did. Then, after we’d eaten everything on our plates, my dad asked if we’d like some more. Which, of course, we did.

It never dawned on me for years, until I was an adult, that the reason my dad didn’t join us for breakfast was because he’d given us his share. He’d gone hungry so we could have more than enough. These are the lessons of which Paul was speaking. These are the lessons money can’t buy. These are the lessons that exhibit the character of Christ in concrete ways, in ways that will illustrate most vividly the Christ who gives us strength.

Blessings, Ed 😊

The Towel on the Floor (Part 2)

“What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, ‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’ Does the pot exclaim, ‘How clumsy can you be?’” (Isaiah 45:9 NLT))

In yesterday’s post we began to look at some of the deeper feelings that are aroused, often over seeming small things that trigger arguments or disagreements between people. Things that, at least in our minds, challenge some very core issues. Things like our value as a human being, our self-esteem, our ability to contribute meaningfully and in a manner that’s worthy of respect and/or recognition.

What’s at stake when two people disagree about almost anything, but especially over things which trigger a strong emotional response – i.e. politics and religion? If I lose a single chess match, I can chalk it up to I wasn’t paying close enough attention. But if I lose thirty straight times to the same person, might I conclude they’re just a better chess player? It doesn’t always have to be about me!

So, if the towel’s left on the floor, or my wife thinks I should get my own drink, are those really challenges to my worth as a person? Maybe not in my mind, but possibly in someone else’s. So, why is that even important?

Foremost, because as Jesus followers, our behavior should never bring into question the worth or value of another human being’s life. We should never intentionally belittle or negate another person’s self-image as if they aren’t also made in the image of their Creator, just the same as we are. If anything, we should heighten a person’s view of themselves while explaining why they are so valuable to God.

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But the sad reality is, too often we devalue our Savior by treating Him as though He is OUR servant, rather than we being HIS. We need to listen to our own prayers: “Lord, I’m sick, heal me.” “I’m poor, make me rich.” “I need _______, please provide it.”

Yes, of course, the Lord invites us to ask Him for “anything,” and His desire is that we grow in our relationship with Him so we can rely on Him and trust Him to provide everything we need to be everything He desires us to be. Yet, we’re too often greedy, not for what we “need,” but for the things we want and shouldn’t have; things that would actually be detrimental to our walk with Jesus. How so?

When we ask God for more provision so we can waste it on ourselves, when we haven’t yet learned the lesson He’s seeking to teach us in our current state. Or when we seek wellness when we haven’t learned what He wants to show us in our illness. Or when we desire a different job or different spouse or different _________ (you fill in the blank), when He’s put us in the exact place we’re in for a very specific purpose. But rather than learning and being grateful for the opportunity He’s provided, we whine and complain that it’s too hard or we’re just not strong enough.

Of course, we’re not! That’s the whole reason we’re in the position we’re in that’s so difficult. The issue is rarely the obvious “towel on the floor.” It’s the feelings of discomfort, devaluation, or rage that rises within us, that triggers those memories or fears or reservations we have about ourselves that we can’t face or with which we don’t know how to deal. And please hear me! There’s no shame in feeling those negative emotions.

The shame is not bringing them to the Lord and allowing Him to heal and restore you. As a Jesus follower, you’re a treasured and cherished child of God who has infinite worth, not simply because of who you are, but because of who your Father is. Bask in that sacred position and smile as you pick up that “towel.”

Blessings, Ed 😊

The Towel on the Floor

“They didn’t understand what He was saying, however, and they were afraid to ask Him what He meant.” (Mark 9:32 NLT)

In our aging, my wife and I don’t remember things so well and, too often, disagree as to what we don’t remember. You know the drill: “Why’d you leave the door open? Don’t you know the dogs got out?” Response: “I didn’t leave the door open. It must have been you.” There’s no constructive end to that conversation, so we’re learning to cut each other some slack.

Now, as we see an open door, or whatever the case may be, “Hmmm, the door’s open. I don’t remember doing that, but it really doesn’t matter, I’ll close it and that will be the end of it.” We rarely argue anymore, because most of the time, a few minutes into our argument, we can’t remember why we were arguing. So, we conclude, growing old together isn’t all bad. Between us we have about half a memory.

Seriously, a lot of arguments between spouses, friends, fellow believers in Jesus, and even with our “enemies” (which typically translates – “those with whom we disagree”) are based on surface things – or are they?

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Newly weds often get confronted with their spouses bad habits, such as leaving their dirty laundry or towels on the floor. While single, living at home, we too often assumed mom would pick them up, so it’s not uncommon for our wife to say some version of: “pick up the ________, I’m not your mother!” Of course, these too often become “fightin’” words. Why?

In a Family Life devotion by Janel Breitenstein, she wrote: “Rather than jumping to conclusions based on the “skin” of an argument, seek to understand what motivates your spouse. Because it’s probably not the towel on the floor.”

The “skin” of the argument is the surface stuff – i.e. “the towel on the floor.” But what’s motivating the argument? What’re the deeper feelings that are being stirred? It’s different with different people, but could it be the fear I’m being seen as just someone to “pick up after you? To handle your dirty ‘laundry?’ To not be seen as the capable person I am?”

Are you looking through “ME” and seeing someone to serve your needs? Am I not a person? Am I simply a means to a very selfish end for you? Often, our own insecurities rear their ugly head when we’re threatened to believe something about ourselves we don’t want to be true. Am I too overprotective of my own feelings? Am I not good enough to deserve better treatment? Am I not worthy of respect? Am I not valued enough? Am I not deserving of love? Does no one appreciate me simply for me?

These and a thousand other questions surface in unexpected ways, often over very small issues, such as “the towel on the floor,” but what’s the “red flag” that’s being raised when that happens? I remember, my first wife and I were newlyweds, sitting on our old, worn couch watching our little black and white TV, in our three-room apartment. I was very comfortable, so I asked if she would get me something to drink. Now remember, she was sitting by me, also very comfortable. So, she replied: “Are your legs broke?”

That was a defining moment for me, and us. She made it very clear that she was my wife, not my servant, which, honestly, I needed to know. But what kinds of other questions are really being raised in the arguments that ensue over very minor things? Let’s look at this more closely in tomorrow’s post.

Blessings, Ed 😊

God’s Glory, Our Joy!

“As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died. (Galatians 6:14 NLT)

What brings your deepest satisfaction, joy? A job well done? Your child who is walking closely with Jesus? Feeling well after a surgery or long illness? Reconciling with a friend or loved one? The list is long, but for me in this season of my life, nothing satisfies or brings me greater joy than seeing God’s glory magnified and His holy name honored and exalted.

Paul’s declaration that he desired to never boast about anything except the cross of Christ, bears witness with my spirit’s longing and desire. While I’m confident each of us understands what “glory” or “glorious” means, for our purposes today, Strong’s defines them as: “the kingly majesty which belongs to God as supreme ruler, majesty in the sense of the absolute perfection of the deity.” And in reference to Jesus: “the kingly majesty of the Messiah; the absolutely perfect inward or personal excellency of Christ.”

Why is it important to know those things? Two predominant reasons: first, they are defined the same for God and for Jesus, the Christ, and, second, to the extent we are able to shed light on those definitions for others, especially those who don’t yet know and love Jesus, to that extent our joy is complete.

Glory can also be understood as praise, adoration, recognition, honor, dignity, worship. So, to the extent our lives declare Christ’s greatness and grandeur, to that extent our lives become living monuments of praise, adoration, and worship of the only true and living King, our God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. That means that everything we do, say, or think has the potential of glorifying and honoring Jesus and making Him known, which in turn ignites our spirits and brings us joy.

For a fuller understanding of this whole idea of God’s glory equaling our joy, I encourage you to read John Piper’s book “Don’t Waste Your Life.” While I’ve sought for years to honor the Lord through my life, I never made the connection between His glory and my joy. Of course, on the proverbial mountain tops of spiritual experience, I had joy, delight, and desired to carry those moments with me forever. But it doesn’t work that way.

On some levels it’s like the joy, delight, and ecstasy of our wedding day. The bride never looks more beautiful and the groom is never quite so full of joy as he anticipates his new life with the woman of his dreams. But fast-forward a few months or years and a lot of things change. A few kids later and the wife isn’t quite as beautiful as on the wedding day, and “prince charming” isn’t quite the catch we envisioned he would be.

Unfortunately, we’re much too prone to do a similar thing with the Lord. Our feet hardly touch the ground for a while after we’re saved, but over time, we come back to earth and begin living our lives much like we always did. Yes, of course, we may go to church, read our Bibles, serve, and even pray, but for far too many, they’re still the center and focus of their universe.

Jesus too often becomes simply a convenience in an emergency and we’re really glad He paid the penalty for our sin and purchased for us a place in heaven, but from all outward appearances, our lives don’t look any different than the lives of our lost loved ones and neighbors. Where’s the joy in living like that? Certainly not in Jesus!

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Who Is My Neighbor?

“’Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?’ Jesus asked. The man replied, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ Then Jesus said, ‘Yes, now go and do the same.’” (Luke 10:36-37 NLT)

We often remember the story of the good Samaritan, but we don’t always remember the context in which that story was told. An expert in religious law had asked Jesus a question, but, as we might say today, there was “method in his madness.” Just seeing his description as an “expert” should tip us off that he’s not there simply to ask a question, he’s there to try to trip Jesus up, to have Him say something that will bring doubt not only to what He says, but to who He is.

This man knew the law inside and out. It’s likely that he’d memorized great portions of Moses writings, so if Jesus even hints at something that isn’t in line with those Scriptures, he could call Him on it. It’s funny to me, from my present perspective, that this mere man thought he could catch the Author of those writings saying something out of line. “Whoa, wait a second! Didn’t you just say Moses wrote those words?” Yes, I did, but where do you think Moses got them?

Why is that important? Because we’re not so different than the “expert” with whom Jesus was speaking. Some who read these posts are students of God’s Word, as I am. We’re all students! We’re all still learning, and whether we choose to admit it or not, none of us have arrived, in terms of our knowledge and understanding of the Bible.

Yet, our behavior isn’t always guided by what we know, it’s too often motivated by what we desire. The “expert” with whom Jesus was speaking, though very knowledgeable, reveals an emptiness his knowledge couldn’t fill. All of his study, all of his hours of pouring over the sacred texts, couldn’t give him the satisfaction only a relationship with God could give. He actually asked the right question; he just couldn’t accept the right answer.

He knew he needed to love God with all his heart, soul, strength, and mind, but in all his brilliance, he missed what that needed to look like – love others as you love yourself. We too often do the same thing. We want to love God fully and faithfully, as long as we don’t have to love people who do __________ or belong to “that” political party or denomination.

What was the point of Jesus’ “Good Samaritan” story? That we should love those who show mercy? Yes, of course, but there’s much more to the story. That expert in religious law, for all his learning, still despised the Samaritans. It galled him to hear Jesus say he should love “them.” But the truth is, that story isn’t just for a Jewish religious leader, it’s for me and you.

The real question is – Who is MY neighbor? Oswald Chambers had it right when he wrote: “If my heart is right with God, every human being is my neighbor.” Think of that young “hot rod” who cut you off; that shabby homeless person trying to sell you flowers at a stop light; the person holding the sign about the right to have an abortion; the lobbyist who favors the rights of those you don’t think should have the same rights as “us;” the politician who holds views you strongly oppose; and on and on we could go.

What’s my point? Simply this, as children of God we don’t get to choose who we love. And I’m extremely glad that’s the way it is. Why? Because I suspect if God was choosing us on the basis of who deserved to be loved and accepted, He would likely have passed over me… and you!

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

How Do You Want to Be Loved?

“Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them.’” (Hosea 3:1 NLT)

When I think of Hosea, I think of a man who loved God more than he loved himself. How do I know that? Because he did what he wouldn’t have done, not to please himself, but to please God. He married a prostitute, knowing she wouldn’t be faithful to him. And after she was unfaithful, he paid a ransom to buy her back. Love always has a price.

The story of Hosea and Gomer is a picture of God and His “bride,” the children of Israel. It vividly illustrates how God viewed Israel’s unfaithfulness to Him, yet, His willingness to restore them and love them in ways that were very foreign to them.

Because of what Jesus did on the Cross, in paying the “ransom” for our sin, He illustrated a similar story in buying us back from the sin that held us captive. In my mind, love can only be understood as it’s demonstrated in real life, with real people.

We can tell someone how much we love them, but unless and until we demonstrate our love in tangible ways, it’s simply “lip service.” But the plot thickens because we give and receive love in different ways. Gary Chapman wrote a book entitled “The Five Love Languages,” seeking to show the different ways we express and receive love. The five “languages” were: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch.

What is your love language? Why is it even important to know that? Because many times our tendency is to love like we like to be loved. For example, if my love language is receiving gifts, it’s easy to assume that my spouse or person to whom I’m wanting to express love, will also love gifts, which may or may not be true.

And you may be thinking: “who wouldn’t like a nice gift?” Which is true and the gift may be well received, but what if their love language is quality time? The likelihood is very high that they would much rather you spend time with them than buy them gifts.

Lisa Lakey, in a Family Life devotional I read said: “I not-so-quickly learned that loving my husband required respecting how we differ in both the fantastic and somewhat uncomfortable ways. I learned that waking up far too early on Saturday (without grumbling) to fish at a lake two hours away spoke greater love to him than breakfast in bed. I learned that loving him means being patient when he is a little grumpy after a 16-hour workday. It means being forgiving, humble, and gracious. Even when I don’t want to, which is often. I get one lifetime with this husband of mine. So, I want to love him well.”

Isn’t that our goal as believers – to love God well by loving those in our family and spheres of influence? Isn’t love the characteristic that enables us to be most like our heavenly Father? Yet, how we love, in some ways and on some levels, is more important than that we love. How so?

No one knows us better than God, so He loves us very personally. He knows our “love” language and loves us in ways that are not only seen but felt. He loves us largely by putting people in our lives who will either perfectly demonstrate the type of love we most need to experience, or who most need to be loved the way we love to love.

Beginning with our spouse and family, but extending to our friends, neighbors, co-workers, and others with whom we have contact from day to day, let’s not simply be desirous of being loved by them in ways that will be meaningful to us, but may we set our priorities on loving them as they need to be loved.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Holy for Heaven

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:1-2 NLT)

What is God’s purpose for you? In other words, why are you alive? God doesn’t give us life without a purpose. If you’re alive, you have purpose. No one is accidentally born. Yes, of course, women get pregnant when they don’t want to or expect to, but while someone may have been unexpected or unwanted by their biological parents, there’s no such thing as an “accident” to God. EVERY child is wanted by God!

He knew you in your mother’s womb before your mother did. He created you, loved you, and had plans for you before you took your first breath. Though you may have been pushed away and discarded by those who didn’t want you – at birth and/or otherwise – God has never taken His holy eyes off of you and He desires to have you walk with Him in full confidence that you’re a loved and wanted child of God.

Security is a by-product of knowing you’re loved, cherished, and purposely and intentionally accepted as a person of worth. I’m secure, not necessarily and always in the person I am in the flesh, but I’m secure in the love of my heavenly Father because of who I am in Christ. I still think, say, and do things that frustrate and disappoint me, so I immediately take them to Jesus and seek His forgiveness, but I do those things in the security of His love.

Being “holy” has several implications for us as believers in Jesus. Holiness is both imparted and imputed by Christ. What does that mean? It means that we are set apart by our Savior for sacred duty. We are given all the “tools” we need to be all that God desires us to be. It would be cruel and certainly uncharacteristic of a holy God to ask of us something He knows we’re not capable of doing. So, He imparts, He gives us His Holy Spirit to walk with us, teaching, guiding, loving, empowering, and enabling us to live in a manner that honors and reflects the character and holiness of our Savior.

But He also imputes to us His holiness in order that we may be made ready for heaven, not by our own righteousness, but by His. Paul writes in Philippians 3:9: “I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ.” So, does this free us to live anyway we desire because we’re now “holy?” Paul writes in Romans 6:2: “Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?”

Just as hope begins in our mind, obedience through the power of the Holy Spirit also begins in our mind, in the way we think about ourselves, as well as how we think about our devotion to Jesus. If our attitude is: “I’m holy, so now I can carry on with my sinful, self-centered lifestyle,” our life becomes a contradiction.

We’re made holy, set apart by God, for the purpose of living FOR Him, not continuing to live for ourselves. To constantly be focused on our own pleasures and desires should raise a huge red flag. Repentance, which precedes the infilling of God’s Spirit who makes us holy, signals a turning away from sin and self, moving us in a direction towards God and His will, not away from Him.

Is that to say we’ll never sin again? No, but it does imply that we’ll sin less and less the longer we walk with the Lord. The more our mind is conformed to the will of God and to continuous thoughts of God in every detail of our lives, the more holiness of life will be evidenced and the more glory our lives render to the Lord.

A major reason we’re made holy in the first place is to prepare us for heaven. Remember Hebrew 12:14: “Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.”

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Hope and Optimism

“Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way.” (1 Peter 3:15-16a NLT)

As a Jesus follower hope is a multi-faceted confidence that centers in and focuses upon Jesus, our Savior and Lord. Hope isn’t simply “wishful thinking,” or an optimistic outlook for a positive outcome. I love what the author of the Hebrew letter says in Hebrews 6:18-19: “So God has given both His promise and His oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to Him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.”

In the days in which we now live we need hope, not just optimism. We need assurance that what we believe about life and our future is rooted in something eternal, not temporal. We need to put our trust in Someone who doesn’t lie and has never made a promise He hasn’t kept or for which He hasn’t given us full assurance that He will keep.

Being optimistic is well and good, but it centers and focuses on our everchanging mind. We tend to be optimistic until we’re not. Optimism is essentially positive thinking, which is good and certainly better than negative thinking, but it can’t be the foundation upon which we build our life. Yes, of course, we can “hope” in temporal things, such as the outcome of our surgery, or the success of our marriage, but the hope of which Peter and other New Testament authors write means: “joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation” that is anchored in “the Author of Hope, or He who is its foundation.” (Strong’s)

Hope, like optimism, can be for a negative outcome. For example, “I hope my son doesn’t break a bone in his gymnastics routine.” “I’m optimistic that the coming tornado will bypass our community.” But Christian hope is more than wishing for a positive outcome, it’s faith-based confidence in the One who owns our life and has our eternal future well in hand.

So, our hope is much more than: “I sure hope I don’t go to hell.” Our hope can boldly declare: “I know my Savior lives and is preparing a place in heaven and will one day soon come for me to take me to where He is.” Is that wishful thinking? Far from that, our hope is based on the words or our Savior who promised us: “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me. There is more than enough room in My Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with Me where I am.” (John 14:1-3)

Foundationally, our hope is based on the credibility and truthfulness of the One who is the embodiment of all Truth, the Lord Jesus. I love the way Rick Warren describes it: “hope is passionate trusting.” We’re invested in the truth of, not only what Jesus says, but in who He is. Our eternal hope, as well as our hope in how the Lord will work in and through our lives today and every day He allows us life on this earth, isn’t rooted in our mind’s “optimistic” opinion, but in trust in the One who walks with us every step of the way.

Obviously, as God’s child, I’m very optimistic about my future, but based on the Word of God, I’m deeply saddened by the prospects of those who don’t know Jesus. Things are going to get a lot worse on this earth before Jesus returns. It’s never going to be easier or better for you than today if you don’t yet have a relationship with Jesus. If you’re not certain your sins are forgiven and you’re heading to heaven when you die, please watch this brief video and make certain while you still can. The Bridge to God | Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.

Blessings, Ed 😊