Walking With Jesus

Is It All Just Emotion?

“But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. (Hebrews 12:35b-36 NLT)

A common lie that some believe is that Christianity is just emotion and it’s just for the weak. “A crutch for those who can’t handle the pressures of life.” There are few times I worship, individually or corporately, that I don’t express emotion. Sometimes I laugh out loud when I see how well the Lord is caring for me, providing for me, loving me. At times I cry, especially when I think of the tremendous sacrifice Jesus made to make my redemption a reality, and when I think of those I love who have yet to see the light of His love.

Emotion is a very real and impactful piece of my walk with Jesus, but it’s not the reason or foundation. If you think about it, how boring and lifeless would any relationship be without emotion? I love my wife and children with my mind, but I also love them with my heart. I love to laugh with them and celebrate their victories. But I also cry with them when their hearts are heavy or they’re in a dark place.

To view a life in Christ as simply based on emotion is to look at the parade of life through a keyhole. To believe that people who would rather die than violate their trust in Jesus is based on shallow emotionalism, is to fail to understand the rich and powerful dynamic of faith and belief. Yes, of course, love, which some think of as an emotion, is at the core of our confidence in Christ, but love isn’t simply how I feel about something or someone, it’s a decision I make based on intelligent and prolonged investigation.

For someone to make a cursory observation and conclude the only reason someone would desire to walk with God is to satisfy our emotional needs or because we are intellectually “crippled,” is to fail to understand the brokenness of mankind and our need of community. We need each other as human beings, but our far greater need is for forgiveness, healing, and wholeness that can only be found in a relationship with God through Christ.

And, yes, I readily admit, there are people who have found purpose, fulfillment, contentment, and in some measure, “wholeness” apart from Christ. But the wholeness of which I speak supersedes our need to muster the wherewithal to make it through this life. The wholeness that Jesus offers gives us the matchless gift of His presence with us, not only in the blip on the proverbial screen we call life on this planet, but for all eternity.

What Jesus died to give is literally unattainable in any other way than a genuine, life-transforming relationship with God, made possible by the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of God’s only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life,” and the only pathway to eternal joy and bliss, the likes of which this world cannot even conceive.

How can I have the audacity to believe such a far-fetched, “pie in the sky” tale? Because I know and love the Author of that “tale.” He confirms it’s Truth everyday in a thousand ways as we walk life’s pathways together. Am I weak, broken, and in need of a “crutch” to get me through life? Yes, I am and yes, I do! And I will as long as this old body has life.

The revealing truth is, we’re all in the same boat. This life will one day end and when it does everything will become crystal clear. What we “know” by faith now will become sight, even for those who don’t now believe. But with one HUGE difference. For those of us who know, love, and are currently serving the Savior, it will be a time of celebration, joy, and revelation. But for those who have failed to place their trust for eternal life in Jesus, it will be the beginning of an eternity of misery I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.

I implore you, even if you think I’m absolutely bonkers – PLEASE PROVE ME WRONG! Do your own investigation, not simply by reading all the books and articles of the ones you know agree with you but read and investigate the books of men like C.S. Lewis, Lee Strobel, J. Warner Wallace, John Piper, Timothy Keller, Chuck Colson – the list is virtually endless of men and women who have been intrenched in non-Christian lifestyles who have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus.

You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. And yes, of course, I’ve read books by those who have varying opinions, but they’ve served only to heighten my confidence in the God who never lies.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Is Jesus God?

“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1 NLT)

The lie that cripples a lot of people, whether they’re trying to make sense of why they should come to Christ, or that can prevent them from developing what faith they desire to have in Him, is the whole issue surrounding the God-Man, Jesus.

When I was pastoring in Ohio, there was a woman who was very faithful in attending services, but whenever the subject of Jesus’ divinity came up, she always had questions. Often, I would point out Scriptures that affirmed Jesus as the Son of God, God poured into human flesh, but there was something that was preventing her from believing. Actually, it was “someone,” but human arguments couldn’t persuade her.

That’s not uncommon. If you think about it “logically,” as a believer, it makes perfect sense, but for a person who isn’t filled and enabled by God’s Spirit to “see” God’s Truth, it’s going to seem like nonsense. Peter reminds us in 2 Peter 2:1: “But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves.”

Satan can couch “lies” in such believable terms that unsuspecting people will “swallow” them hook, line, and sinker. A popular argument that especially younger people continually hold to is “proof!” Show me proof! Yet, when proof is presented to them mathematically in the astronomical odds of any one person in history fulfilling the Messianic prophecies, they just shrug.

If you follow the flow of history, from the Garden to today, given all the advances of modern science, medicine, the arts, technology, and many other areas, where has it gotten us? Is the world better today than when God destroyed the earth with a flood? Sin may be more sophisticated and attractive, but it’s no less deadly. Fear is rampant and nearly every day there’s someone blowing something up or shooting people, young and old, for no other reason than the depravity of man.

We are sinners in need of a Savior, and no man this earth could ever produce could qualify. Only a God-man – God poured into human flesh in the womb of a virgin, unstained by human involvement, perfect man, and perfect God sent to us in the form of an infant. Only God could perfectly fulfill the demands of a holy and righteous God; only God could defeat the temptations of evil; only God could be a suitable sacrifice for the sins of all of mankind; only God could be so loving and so selfless as to lay down His sinless life for the benefit of others; only God!

Even as I write, my mind goes to thoughts of the senseless murder of the only perfect Person to ever live. How could “they” have done such a horrific thing? But here’s the truth. Had you and I been living then, we’d have likely been just as blinded to His perfection as the religious people who engineered His demise. Our sin put Him on the Cross as surely as the sins of the Pharisees and their Roman cohorts.

Today, by the grace of God and the illumination of His Spirit, we see Jesus for who He is – God in human flesh – who lived and died to do for us what we could never in eternity ever have done for ourselves. We’re His holy “hands and feet” to together embody His presence and influence those in our spheres of influence.

By God’s grace and with the Holy Spirit’s help, let’s become such advocates for our living Savior that our family and friends can see how believable the divinity of Jesus is by the way we live, and move, and have our being in Him.

Let’s be, individually and collectively, the evidence that Jesus is God through the way we love and live to His honor and fame.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Is God Angry With You?

“Then the Lord became angry with Moses. ‘All right,’ He Said. ‘What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he speaks well. And look! He is on his way to meet you now. He will be delighted to see you…’” (Exodus 4:14 NLT)

This is a rather delicate subject, and I don’t want to imply anything that isn’t Biblically accurate, so I will tread lightly. The Lord’s “anger” can look quite different depending on the context of His anger, but my point in this post is that, yes, God does get angry with us, but no, it will never keep us from coming to Him.

Remember, over the last few days we’ve been looking at lies that are behind our unbelief, whether as a believer in Christ, or an unbeliever. Some lies so impact and persuade us that they prevent us from coming to the Lord at all, while the same lie may not keep us from coming to the Lord but can impede our growth and progress in our faith.

One lie that fits in that category is believing God is angry with us, so much so, He would never forgive us. The only sin for which we can’t be forgiven is the sin that prevents us from asking Him for forgiveness. When we allow our sin to be so magnified in our sight that it minimizes Christ and doesn’t allow us to see Him as the God-Man who came to free us from our sin and shame, it disables us from asking for His forgiveness.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

In the verse above, the word translated “anger” can actually mean a change of expression, or a difference in the look of your face. Moses is trying with everything within him to weasel out of the job God was calling him to do – lead the children of Israel out of captivity to Egypt – but Moses is so focused on what it might cost him that he can’t conceive of how it would ever work.

We do a similar thing when the Holy Spirit is dealing with us, either when He’s drawing us into a relationship with Jesus or when He’s positioning us to move in a new direction in our life in Christ. Often the issue with us, as it was with Moses, is that we project our anger or regret from past sins, onto God, blaming Him for the feelings we have against ourselves.

Our inability or unwillingness to forgive ourselves becomes, in our heart and mind, God’s anger or frustration with us. Satan uses what we believe we deserve – anger, punishment, unforgiveness – as an excuse for not allowing the Spirit to have His way in our lives. Our anger at ourselves blinds us to the very thing we most need from God.

Believing God is angry with us serves as the justification in our mind to keep pushing God away, when the exact opposite is actually true. God took out all His holy wrath on Jesus on the Cross in order that our sins can be cast into the sea of His forgetfulness, never to be remembered against us again. Yes, of course, God’s anger with sin and Satan were and are intense, so much so that the devil and his emissaries will be cast into the lake of fire to be punished for all eternity.

But Jesus’ willingness to die in our place diffused God’s wrath against us and opens a door of opportunity for us to be forgiven and free of guilt and shame for all we’ve done to violate God’s laws and to break His heart. I understand how deep regret for our sin can look like God’s anger. In our mind we reason: “How can God NOT be angry at me for what I’ve done?”

Yet, that’s when the richness of God’s love and grace shine forth, illuminating our spirit with Truth and opening our heart and mind to the fact that Jesus has taken upon Himself the punishment we deserved, turning God’s wrath into love for us and a willingness to forgive us that will take us all eternity to understand.

Whatever you’ve done. However angry you think God is at you for all the ways you’ve sinned against Him, understand this: He loves you! He’s for you! He’s with you! And His arms of love are open, waiting to receive you. His forgiveness is yours for the asking – no matter how far you’ve strayed or how intense your anger is with yourself.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Does God Keep His Promises?

“Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises. And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.” (Romans 4:20-23 NLT)

In yesterday’s post we began looking at lies that lurk in our heart or mind that either prevent us from coming to faith in Jesus or hinder us in our walk once we come to Him. Today I’d like to look at another lie that Satan plants with the intention of crippling our faith, and that is that God doesn’t keep His promises.

There are basically only two reasons we would believe that lie. First, we misunderstand the nature of His promise(s), or we create a promise we think He should keep, so, when in our mind He doesn’t keep it, we blame Him. God is Truth, thus, doesn’t have the capacity to lie. It would violate His character to say or do anything that was untruthful. It would be like God not loving or acting in an unloving way. It’s literally impossible.

Have you ever made a bargain with God? “Lord, if you’ll do ‘this,’ I’ll do ‘that’?” So, if “this” doesn’t happen, in my mind God hasn’t come through (i.e. keep His “promise”), so I feel justified in being unhappy with Him. Who is hurt in that scenario? Me, right? God is immutable, which means He is unchangeable. So, it’s a lose-lose for me.

When we “bargain” with God, seeking to manipulate or use God to get our way, it never works out very well for us. Yet, Satan will twist truth or deceive us into believing lies about God that will only serve to push us further from the Lord, making our lives more miserable.

It’s estimated that there are nearly 7,500 promises God makes to us in the Bible, yet it seems we don’t pay much attention to them until we get in a “hopeless” situation. When our back is against the proverbial “wall,” that’s when we’re combing the Bible looking for a “promise” from God to heal or help us.

I read an article by Rick Reed that included the backstory for the song “Standing on the Promises” by Robert Carter. Carter came to the Lord at age 15 and was a gifted man who became a coach, ordained minister, doctor, musician, and songwriter. At age 30 he was diagnosed with a heart issue that threatened his life, so, like any of us who know and love the Lord, he prayed. But how he prayed was unique and worthy of sharing.

“Connie Ruth Christiansen, a teacher of college academics, the Bible, drama and music wrote of Carter, ‘He knelt and made a promise that healing or not, his life was finally and forever, consecrated to the service of the Lord.’ She added that Scripture took on new life for Carter. He truly began to lean on the promises that he found in the Bible.”

He didn’t try to bargain with God, he essentially prayed like Jesus in the Garden, “not my will but Yours be done.” The Lord gave him 49 more years and, though he had other physical issues with which he had to deal in his life, he didn’t die of heart problems.

When we stop “bargaining” and start committing all we are to all God is; when the Word of God, including all of God’s promises, becomes our constant companion; then we learn very quickly that God has never made, and will never make, a promise He doesn’t keep.

Blessings, Ed 😊

What’s the Lie Behind Your Unbelief?

“’Teacher,’ they said, ‘we know how honest you are. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. You teach the way of God truthfully.’” (Mark 12:14a NLT)

You can know something is true without following Jesus, but you can’t follow Jesus without knowing Truth. The Pharisee’s had insight into the fact that Jesus taught what was true, but they completely missed the fact that He was the embodiment of all Truth.

In much the same way that unbelievers in Jesus can recognize and even know some things to be true, we, as Jesus followers, can know the Truth, but still harbor pockets of unbelief that can cripple our growth in Christ. How so?

One very common issue is projecting onto God beliefs we have concerning our earthly father. Our first thoughts of God as Father are largely based on our ideas about our earthly father. For example, if my dad was loving, kind, caring, a good provider, etc., I find it very easy to see God in a very positive, loving way. But if my dad was mean, a drunkard, vulgar, unfaithful, and I was afraid and never sought him out or desired to be in his presence, it’s understandable that I would have reservations about trusting God or seeing Him as the loving Father that He is.

We formulate ideas and form opinions based on our experiences as a human being, and it’s common, whether we’re a believer or not, to project those ideas and opinions onto God and Jesus, thus making it harder to fully commit ourselves to that God, we perceive Him to be.

So, today I’d like us to look at some of the lies we’ve come to believe, whether we realize it or not, and begin to unmask them for what they are. Hopefully, as a result, we can see our gracious, good, loving, kind, and generous Father for who He is, in light of how the Bible paints Him.

A very common lie we often believe, especially if we grew up in a difficult environment, is that God isn’t good. Even as adults when we see how unfair the world is, how evil, how uncaring, and selfish, how violent, and cruel, it’s easy to stand back and judge God for “not doing anything about it!”

Yet, even in the garden, when life was perfect, God put humans in charge of the earth and everything on it. When mankind fell, disobeying God and displacing His priorities in our lives, evil gained a foothold and Satan began his reign of terror upon the earth and her inhabitants. It’s only getting worse in our day, but we can’t lose sight of how our good and gracious God has used His influence in the hearts and minds of His people across the ages to be the caregivers of civilization. Most of the hospitals, Universities, Orphanages, and other centers of provision for human need were established by believers.

We’re still the ones responsible for protecting the lives of the unborn, those being trafficked, low-income and the homeless. These kinds of needs can’t be “fixed” by throwing more money at them. The “cure” isn’t financial alone, it’s emotional, mental, physical, but most importantly, it’s spiritual. Not until we band together as the Body of Christ can we put a dent in the needs of our lost world.

It’s not like God is in heaven wringing His holy hands, uncertain as to what needs to happen. He’s in full control, so much so not a sparrow falls to the ground without His notice. He’s called and equipped people across the ages to step up, and He’s continuing to do that today. But there are so many distractions it’s getting harder and harder to hear His voice above the turmoil of our daily activities. It’s not that God doesn’t care or that He isn’t good, it’s more that we, as His favored creation, have gotten so self-centered, we’ve not only lost sight of Him, but of His creation over which we’ve been given authority.

We’ll continue to look at the lies behind our unbelief in tomorrow’s post.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Be Blessed Beloved Child

“I am in them and You are in Me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that You sent Me and that You love them as much as You love Me.” (John 17:23 NLT)

*Please read carefully and be attentive to the Holy Spirit as you read this devotional by Sylvia Gunter. This was just too good not to share. Also, If Sylvia’s material blesses you as it’s blessed me, you are invited to purchase material or give a donation at the bottom of the page. Every penny goes to The Father’s Business ministry. I have no overhead and no ministry other than writing these posts, so I will never ask you for any donations. Used with permission.

Receive God’s Word in John 17:23 NLT. “I in them and you in me… Then the world will know…and will understand that you love them as much as you love me.”

At His baptism and transfiguration, God affirmed His love and pleasure in His Son. He said to Jesus, “You are the Son I love. I am well pleased with You” (Mat. 3:17; 17:5). Because you are in Him, the Father loves you with the same love (John 17:23,26). You are God’s beloved; that is the most intimate truth about you. It has to be true, because Jesus said it. Be blessed to live from the blessing of belovedness, not trying to attain it.

You are precious to your Father. He celebrates your existence. You were infinitely loved before you were wounded. That’s the truth of your life. There is no burden on you to prove you are worthy of being loved, of being heard, of being respected, honored, and given dignity. Your life is an unceasing “yes” to the truth that you are beloved because of God’s great love. In Him you are accepted and valued.

It is your spirit connection with your Father that matters. People do not give you legitimacy. True legitimacy comes from the One who chose you with everlasting love. Your Father says, “I called you by name from the very beginning. You belong to me. I know you as my own, and you know Me as your own true Father. I carved you in the palms of My Son. I hide you in My embrace. You have My infinite tenderness.”

Say “Yes” to your belovedness, your significance, your worth, and your belonging. His “Yes” is engraved on your heart. Rise up to discover how to fulfill your deepest essence of who you are, beloved in God your Father and kept in His Son.

Be blessed in the name of the Beloved Son. Matthew 3:17 NKJV

Taken from Safe In The Father’s Heart: Finding The Love You Have Always Wanted, page 111 © 2014 Sylvia Gunter and Elizabeth Gunter. Click here to learn more and order For archive of past devotionals:www.thefathersbusiness.com

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Why Is Faithfulness So Vital?

“Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:2 NLT)

While travelling with my daughter across some of the western states, we stopped at Yellowstone National Park. I’d heard of “Old Faithful,” but had only seen pictures, so I was looking forward to seeing what all the fuss was about. They had scheduled times when it would erupt, so we gathered with many others at the appointed time.

I’m not going to lie to you, for me it was anticlimactic. Watching water spew into the air isn’t all that exciting to me, but then it dawned on me – it’s not only what it does, it’s what it is, and the predictability of when it does it’s spewing that’s impressive. I wonder if that’s how the Lord views us sometimes?

My life is pretty anticlimactic. Not many people would drive very far to see me, and I’m fine with that. But there is Someone I’d give anything to see one day. His name is Jesus. But as I understand Scripture, one of the requirements to be finally and forever ushered into His eternal presence is faithfulness. What is faithfulness and why is it so important?

Being faithful speaks to consistency and dependability, just like Old Faithful. In the context of the Christian Faith, it speaks to consistently following and reflecting the character of Christ, depending upon the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, and equip us to do the work that results in eternal life, not only for us, but for those with whom we consistently share Jesus.

Faith and belief are derived from the same Greek root word, so, in some respects, are two sides of the same coin. A person can be very faithful to wrong beliefs, and it will render no eternal benefit. For example, I can faithfully carry out the duties and responsibilities of my given profession, earning promotions and gaining recognition, but if my only concern in the end is a paycheck and the accolades of others, from an eternal standpoint, it’s a waste of time and effort.

Unless and until Jesus is magnified in and through our faithfulness, we’ve missed the point. Faithfulness is so vital because it illustrates the character of Christ; it points to His faithfulness to us as His followers; it demonstrates to others that we’re trustworthy and reliable, just like Jesus.

Our faithfulness, as Jesus followers, must be centered in and focused upon His promises. We’re not faithful simply for the sake of being faithful, there’s purpose and meaning in our faithfulness because it paints a picture of what our faithfulness is leading to. The underlying foundation upon which our life of faith is based is our confidence in the truthfulness of not only who Jesus is, but on what He said and did to fulfill the requirements of God’s law that we are helpless and hopeless to fulfill ourselves.

Faithfulness shouts dependence upon our trustworthy Father in heaven with whom we can only have access through faith in Jesus. Jesus said in John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.” Our faithfulness should confirm our love for and trust in Jesus’ completed work on Calvary, in our place and to pay the penalty of our sin.

Perhaps the most important implications of our faithfulness are they link us to Life (Jesus), root us in His promises, and equip us to carry on His work until He comes again. Our living has purpose and meaning because everything we are or ever hope to be is anchored in hope in our living Savior. A life lived apart from faithfulness to Jesus is a wasted life because it misses the point of why we’re taking up space on this planet.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Are You Willing to Change?

“He who is the Glory of Israel will not lie, nor will he change his mind, for he is not human that he should change his mind!” (1 Samuel 15:29 NLT)

On some levels it seems odd that our unchanging God created us, not only with the capacity to change, but with the necessity of change. When Adam and Eve sinned, they set in motion a destructive cyclone that has literally changed the complexion of creation. No one, not even Jesus, has gone unaffected by sin’s rampage.

While Jesus never yielded to sin’s subversive tactics or control, He nonetheless underwent an amazing and miraculous change in order to become our flesh and blood Savior. John said it this way in John 1:14: “So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.”

What prompted Jesus’ willingness to leave the splendor and majesty of heaven to come to live with us? What was so urgent, so vital, so demanding, that God Himself would choose to come to earth, not only to live among us, but to offer Himself as a sacrifice for our sin? What are so many among us, not only now, but across the centuries, missing?

It occurs to me that only the illumination of Jesus’ perfection can penetrate the barriers of darkness sin has erected in our hearts and minds; only the passion of our Savior can break loose the strongholds Satan has built for the express purpose of preventing the Spirit’s light from breaking through to us; only by grace can we find, not only the desire, but the strength to change.

Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels.com

The shackles of sin hold us fast, paralyzed by our inability to escape, frozen in our fear, incapable of change that could qualify us for anything good, let alone prepare us for a relationship with the living God and His holy heaven.

The irony to me is, the choice to change isn’t even ours to make unless and until we see ourselves in proper perspective to the only One whose opinion of us matters. Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:8-9: “God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”

Seeing our need to repent – to turn from our sinfulness and shame – and embracing the Light of Jesus’ loving forgiveness, isn’t something about which we can brag and pretend it had anything to do with our own goodness. We have none. It’s all and only the gift of our perfect Provider, the Lord Jesus.

Once we see our need to change, the next step is to place ourselves at the feet of Jesus, surrendering our inability, failure, and shame at the altar of His sufficiency, wholeness, and bountiful provision. But even then, it’s critical we understand that we’re entering into a divine partnership. We’re powerless to save ourselves, yet the Spirit of God will not make us change, He’ll only provide us the strength and resource we need to make needed changes.

Ultimately, it’s up to us to submit our will to God’s, inviting and allowing Him to do in and through us what only He can do. Peter Marshall wrote: “Lord, where we are wrong, make us willing to change.” I’m not going to lie, change is sometimes very hard and with rare exception, easy. But it’s worth whatever it costs us, because only then will we be enabled and allowed to fellowship with the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Denying ourselves opens avenues of opportunity for us to see and sense God’s presence in and for us in ways that were impossible before we met Jesus. But a willingness to turn from our sinful desires and to change the way we think, and act is the heartbeat of oneness with our Lord.

Yes, you can be whatever God has designed and created you to be, but it will require your willingness to change? Are you willing?

Blessings, Ed 😊

You Are Closer Than You Think

“After them, Benjamin and Hasshub repaired the section across from their house, and Azariah son of Maaseiah and grandson of Ananiah repaired the section across from his house. Next was Binnui son of Henadad, who rebuilt another section of the wall from Azariah’s house to the angle and the corner.” (Nehemiah 3:23-24 NLT)

It was a massive undertaking to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem, but it got accomplished largely because of the vision of one man and the cooperation of those who dared to share his vision. One very important piece of the process was to challenge the residents to work primarily where they lived. That’s essentially what the Lord has asked us to do in helping to win lost loved ones and friends to Him.

Yes, of course, we can give money to the “professionals,” the missionaries and pastors who have been to school and have been trained to present the Gospel to the lost. We believe we can pray and live godly lives, but leading others to Jesus isn’t in our wheelhouse. Someone wisely said: “Telling others about Jesus is like one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.”

What if we used the same principle that Nehemiah used to build the wall around Jerusalem? What if we focused on the lost people in our spheres of influence? The ones in our family, co-workers, neighbors, the ones we enjoy doing social or recreational things with?

And please understand, I’m not the “know-it-all” regarding effective ways to reach these people. I’m just an old man who loves Jesus and I don’t want anyone to miss heaven because I didn’t take the time or make the effort to help them understand who He is and what He’s done for them. But the truth is, there are those in your range of relationships who WILL listen to you, if you’ll prayerfully and carefully love them well.

A Piercing Light “Used by permission, © Ray Majoran, GlimpseOfInfinity.com”

What does that mean? It means let the light of your love for them shine brightly. Effective sharing begins with effective praying. I tend to be a better writer than speaker. Especially as I’m aging, I don’t think well “on my feet.” I forget where Bible verses are, and I easily lose my train of thought. So, the Lord has laid on my heart to write notes/letters/emails/texts to those for whom I’m praying.

A good rule of thumb is, the closer relationship you have with someone the more accurately you’ll be able to know how to approach them. For example, when meeting someone for the first time, I try to find something we have in common. I’ll ask them where they grew up, how long they’ve lived where they live, or I ask about their family – are they married? Have kids? Pets? Depending on where I meet them, I often ask if they’ve found a good church since they’ve lived here?

Ultimately, I’m moving in the direction of determining whether we’re a “good fit,” in terms of compatibility. If they’re antagonistic, argumentative, or just not interested, I don’t try to force anything, but If I feel a connection, I’ll often ask them if we can exchange numbers and maybe meet for breakfast or for coffee. As I’ve shared before, the best context out of which to share faith is friendship. If someone doesn’t like you, they likely won’t listen to anything you have to say.

The point is, God has put you in the spheres of influence you’re in for a reason. Prayerfully consider two or three people you know or with whom you’d like to get better acquainted and begin to pray about the best ways to connect with them. People tend to share what’s most important to them, and often the best time to connect is in a crisis.

When someone is hurting and you’re able to express concern and genuine empathy, it can go a long way in opening a pathway over which you can share love for them and the Lord with them. Leading someone to Jesus begins with loving them enough to care that they’re lost, but you’ll never know that with certainty until you get close enough to find out.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

When You Can’t See Through the Fog

“For the Lord God is our sun and shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right. O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, what joy for those who trust in You.” (Psalm 84:11-12 NLT)

One of the most difficult and scary environments in which to drive is in heavy snow or dense fog. When you can barely see the front of your car, let alone another car; when your own light’s glare, as they shine off the snow/fog, preventing you from seeing where you are, not to mention where you want to go.

That can happen to us in our walk with Jesus. It can happen when we lose a loved one, at the loss of a job or opportunity, when our health fails, or when life just seems to close in on us. It happened to me when my wife left.

Another way to think of this is when we lose hope, when the light of Christ’s life and love are dimmed due to heartache or loss. These are, admittedly, the darkest and most difficult chapters of our lives. But here’s the good news – they come to pass, not to stay!

Perhaps you or someone close to you is experiencing one of those foggy seasons. No matter what you say or do, it doesn’t seem to matter. It’s as though they’ve become a different person. Words just bounce off of them, your efforts to help just go unnoticed and unacknowledged. Or if it’s you that’s struggling, it’s like you’re numb to the world around you.

What we hear when others are trying to speak “truth” or “sense” to us, is “blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.” We hear the words, but it’s like they just don’t make any sense to us. We’re so numb and the darkness is so blinding, we can’t hear even if we wanted to. So, what needs to happen?

We need time to heal; time to reorient any sense of logic that prevents us from “seeing” or understanding what we’re going through. The popular saying is “time heals all wounds,” but that’s a lie. Time doesn’t heal anything. Only God can ultimately heal our sickness, whether physical, spiritual, emotional, or otherwise.

Yes, of course, it takes time, but our dependence needs to be on the Healer, not simply marking the calendar in anticipation of something “magical” happening after the passage of time. Our confidence is in the fact that God NEVER leaves or forsakes us, regardless of how we feel. The fact is, if we could sort through the lies we believe about whatever happened, beginning with the ones that place us at the center of the blame, at that point healing can begin.

Blame is the killer of a lot of people’s hope. We blame ourselves for another’s or our own death, whether literal or figuratively. We begin the tortuous “if only’s” – if only I’d seen that other car! If only I’d been a better spouse, mother, father, sibling, or friend! If only ____________, and you can fill in the blank. I blamed myself for years for the breakup of my marriage and the waywardness of my children from the Lord.

It’s a horrible place in which to live. But ultimately, as the “fog” clears and we begin to see what happened for what it is, not for what we’ve created it to have been in our memory, we understand that God is still on His throne; He’s still the Sovereign over all creation, and He can still cause “everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28)

I love how Ron Hutchcraft describes it: “Yes, the fog’s been billowing up. Yes, it’s been filling your view and maybe even making you forget the sun sometimes. But the fog can never ultimately win. Don’t lose hope now. Don’t stop trusting now. Don’t stop doing what you know is right just because the fog has rolled in. The light may have been delayed, but there’s no way it can be canceled. The sun’s coming up, and the fog doesn’t stand a chance!”

Blessings, Ed 😊