Walking With Jesus

Our Faith Journey

“When Jesus woke up, He rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. Then He asked them, ‘Where is your faith?’” (Luke 8:24b-25 NLT)

In the Greek language faith and believe are derived from the save root word. They are two sides of the same coin and have many similarities in meaning; however, they also have some distinct and notable differences. Some of these differences are illustrated in the story in Luke 8 above.

Jesus is asleep when a massive storm arises and literally threatens to sink their boat. Have you ever wondered why Jesus didn’t wake up on His own? The storm has obviously been howling and the rain falling long enough for the boat to be quickly filling. You’d think the turbulence caused by the waves and the fact He’s soaking wet would have been enough to awaken Him, but what if He purposely allowed Himself to not get up and take charge of the situation before now?

Couple that idea with the question He asked them – “Where is your faith?” There’s a part of me that is asking: “What does faith have to do with it?” Not that faith isn’t always vital, but what does faith have to do specifically with THIS circumstance? How should their faith have been exercised?

A case could be made that their faith in Jesus led them to awaken Him, but on some levels, Jesus seemed disappointed that they didn’t take care of the storm on their own. But how? Could this have been a “test” of their faith?

In John 5:19 Jesus said: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself. He does only what He sees the Father doing.” Then in John 15:5 Jesus says to His disciples and to us: “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.”

Please bear with me. I realize this is Christianity 101, but the Lord is showing me that we can know things intellectually and not “see” them spiritually – experientially. Jesus was God in human form, yet, His whole purpose and goal of being a man was to please His Father. In fact, according to the verse above, He did nothing except what His Father did. What’s the implication? His only desire was to please His Father.

Likewise, as believers in Jesus who have committed our all to Him, our desire is to only do what we “see” our Savior do. Why? Because when we stray into doing our own thing, we “disconnect” from the vine. We can’t do anything of eternal value apart from Jesus. So, here’s where the plot thickens.

In John 14:11-14 Jesus told His disciples (and us): “Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen Me do. I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in Me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in My name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it!”

Remember the withered fig tree in Matthew 21? In verses21-22 Jesus said: “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”

And some of you may be thinking: “Aren’t you being a little repetitive?” Yes, I am, with very good reason. We’ll pick this up in tomorrow’s post.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Why Does the Lord Allow Storms?

“As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger.” (Luke 8:23 NLT)

Each of us is either coming out of a storm or heading into one. Life on earth is rarely “smooth sailing.” Why do you think that is? We so easily drift out of harmony with God’s plan for us, so He will often use a “storm” to blow us back on course, or at least get our attention shifted back onto Him. But why? Maybe to build our faith?

In the verses above the disciples are genuinely fearing for their lives and, in their minds, Jesus wasn’t doing anything about it. Have you ever stopped to consider – What did they think Jesus was going to do? Help them bail? Yet, frantically, they turned to Him in desperation.

Maybe that’s why you’re experiencing a storm right now. It’s likely not to literally kill you, but it may be a means of getting your attention. Why does He want our attention? There are many, but there are typically a few common reasons.

In the verse above the Lord desired for the disciples to realize He had authority over any storm. When they woke Him up the Bible says: “He rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. Then He asked them, ‘Where is your faith?’”

Why would He ask them such a question in that setting? The disciples were literally terrified. Some were professional fishermen who had experienced many storms on that lake. They were no stranger to storms, but apparently none that had scared them this badly. They’d obviously survived all the others, but this one was different.

A couple observations. The Lord allowed the storm. Nothing enters our lives except it passes through the filter of God’s permission, so He had a reason. The storm you’re facing has the Lord’s fingerprints all over it, but why? Could it be He’s wanting you to see that He has authority over your storm? But even beyond that, could it be He wants you to see that He has given YOU authority over that storm!

Why else would He question His disciples about THEIR faith? Jesus had absolute confidence that the wind and waves would obey Him. How did He know that? He’s God! He created them and knows they have no choice but to bow to His command. And He would later tell the disciples, and us: “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in Me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.” (John 14:12)

The purpose of storms is to build our faith and either propel us toward the fulfillment of His clear command or redirect us, like He had to do with Jonah, back to the mission from which we’re running. Beth Moore reminds us: “Sometimes a storm in your life is what will blow you to the place you are longing to be.”

Wherever the Lord is allowing the storms to blow you, know this: He’s in control and He’s not going to let you drown. He’s using whatever it is to build your faith, not only so you can be more like Him, but that you can take command and exercise the authority He’s given you to carry out the mission He’s given you.

No, of course, it’s not apart from Him. We can’t do anything apart from Him. It’s like the dad steadying the bike while their child is learning how to balance. But it’s us on the bike! It’s us He’s entrusted to carry out the mission, and it’s us who will ultimately give Him all glory and honor for what He accomplishes in and through us.

Wherever your storm is blowing you, trust that the Lord is with you and is using those circumstances to put you where He wants you to be – a place that will help build your faith that will ultimately honor Him.

Blessings, Ed 😊

The Value of Exhortation

“You must warn each other every day, while it is still ‘today,’ so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.” (Hebrews 3:13 NLT)

As believers one of the easiest things for us to do is to get lazy. We want to sit around and consider how good heaven will be, so much so we tend to forget we’re in a war. It’s like a soldier looking at pictures of his wife and cleaning his weapon while the enemy is advancing on his position.

There will be plenty of time in heaven to bask in the grandeur of it’s splendor, but for now our attention needs to be on the majesty of our Commander-in-Chief, the Lord Jesus, and on those He’s commissioned us to reach in His name.

These are the days we’ve got to continually be warning one another of the dangers of losing our focus on Jesus. Satan is so subtle, yet so persistent. It starts with an errant thought, word, or action that can lead us down a rabbit hole of distraction. In these last days, whether ‘til Jesus comes or calls us home, we need to be diligent, not only doing God’s will in our own life, but encouraging each other to stay strong and alert.

The Lord has given each of us a mission and a sphere of influence in which to carry it out. It’s no accident you live where you live, work where you work, shop where you shop, vacation where you vacation, hang out where you hang out, play where you play. Nothing we do is done in a vacuum. God engineers circumstances in each of our lives every day to put us in front of someone who needs a word from the Lord.

It may not be a Bible verse they need as much as a word of encouragement. Maybe they just need to know that someone notices them and cares for them. And too often that “one” is someone in your own household. We never know when we’re telling them goodbye if we’ll ever see them again this side of eternity. Satan loves it when we get under one another’s “skin,” silently sulking because we got our feelings hurt.

We’ve got to get over ourselves! We can’t let pettiness rob us of an opportunity to be Jesus to someone He loves and wants to bless, while we’re too busy pouting to be concerned about someone’s soul. The word used in the verse above that is translated “warn,” means “to call to one’s side, call for, summon.” It can mean “to admonish or exhort, even to beg, entreat or beseech.” But it can also mean “to console, to encourage and strengthen by consolation.”

What’s my point? Satan will do anything he can to put a wedge between us and another believer. Maybe what someone said came across wrong, when they just got bad news and their words had nothing to do with us. We’ve got to turn our self-focus to others-focus; we’ve got to be attentive to the Holy Spirit who will que us when someone needs a kind word or a hug rather than a scolding.

Rather than being hypersensitive about our feelings, we need to ask the Lord to help us be more in tune with what’s going on in the people around us, especially those we most want to influence positively for the Lord. Exhortation can be a valuable tool for helping us and others stay on track and not allow the enemy to deceive us or harden our heart to the voice of God.

If someone speaks in a way that is offensive to you, before you bite their head off ask the Lord to give you sensitivity to His voice. Maybe it’s Him trying to get your attention and that approach is the best way to get through to you.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Stand Up to Your Bullies!

“In another battle with the Philistines at Gath, they encountered a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in all, who was also a descendant of the giants. But when he defied and taunted Israel, he was killed by Jonathan, the son of David’s brother Shimea.” (1 Chronicles 20:6-7 NLT)

When I started seventh grade it was right after we’d moved, so I was attending a new school and I literally didn’t know a single student. What was worse, I was the proverbial “98-pound weakling.” I was 5’ 10” tall, the same height as I am now, but I didn’t yet weigh 100 pounds. It must have been obvious to the school bully, because he lost no time cornering me with his “goons” and making my life miserable.

After a couple of weeks of his hounding and humiliating tactics, I’d had enough. In gym class, when I had my shorts and t-shirt on, and looking my awesome best, he got right up in my face. Using words I’d never heard, he outlined exactly what he was going to do to me, where he was going to hit me, and how hard.

With uncharacteristic calm I looked him square in his eyes and said to him: “Okay, but you’d better know what you’re doing!” He smiled and sent his right fist straight to my face, but stopping just short, he smiled, retracted his fist, sticking his hand out to me to shake. I’d just made my first friend!

Our bullies come in all sizes and shapes. Sometimes they’re our two-year-old – defiant and unruly, but other times they’re the voices in our head that belittle and degrade us. Like the giant Philistine, they tower over us causing us to withdraw in fear. Fear is one of Satan’s most effective “giants.” Coupled with discouragement, fear can cripple the best of us.

Regardless of how long we’ve served the Lord or walked in the strength of His Holy Spirit, we all have moments of weakness and doubt. We don’t necessarily doubt the Lord, but we doubt He’ll provide what we need in any given moment. And ironically, it’s often right on the heels of a spiritual victory.

That great service we left just beaming with strength and courage to face the new week. Or right after that retreat we attended that was exactly what we needed, leaving us certain that discouragement, doubt, and fear were all in our rearview mirror. Then someone stops too quickly in front of us, spilling piping hot coffee all over our new outfit. Or we have a huge disagreement with our spouse on the way out the door to give our testimony at a group meeting.

Our foe is rarely subtle and never attacks when it’s convenient or when we’re feeling prepared for battle. We’re susceptible in different ways, but all of us are nonetheless vulnerable to attack. So, what can we do when those inevitable skirmishes with our spiritual enemy arise?

When the Philistine defied the God of Israel and belittled His army, just like David when facing his giant, Jonathan, David’s nephew, killed the giant that taunted him. Just as I learned in Junior High, bullies will often backoff when confronted with someone who won’t backdown.

Satan is a defeated foe and while we may sometimes doubt this, he is no match for you and Jesus. Just as Jesus was the mirror image of His Father in heaven, His plan for us is that we would so reflect His likeness that Satan has no choice but to flee when we face him in the might of Christ.

James 4:7 reminds us: “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you.” Stand strong in the face of opposition knowing you are never standing alone!

Blessings, Ed 😊

Our New Ordinary

“The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13 NLT)

If there’s anything special about me it’s that I’m not special. I’ve sometimes perfectly fit the description that I heard when I was selling cars – “a rock with lips!” Have you ever felt that way? It used to bother me because I would see every guy I knew, even, maybe especially, my friends, were bigger, stronger, smarter, better looking, and better athletes. And every girl to whom I was attracted was “out of my league.” I wasn’t distinctive, just very ordinary – then I met Jesus!

The Lord didn’t immediately turn me into a superhero, but He did immediately begin to change me from the inside out. He forgave, cleansed, healed, and redirected my life, beginning the transformation of my mind and character that He’s still working on as I write. In short, He gave me a “new ordinary.”

The person I was before I met Jesus is becoming a whole new species of being, one that’s never existed before (2 Corinthians 5:17). Am I perfect? Only as God sees me through Christ, but I’m working with God’s Spirit to become more like Jesus every day. So, what’s changed? Why do I have a new ordinary?

Christine Caine made a great observation when she wrote: “Life is too short, the world is too big, and God’s love is too great to live ordinary.” To believe you can come to Christ and stay the same is to believe a lie. So, what does this new life look like?

Categorically, there are many areas of change in our lives that should illustrate and illuminate Jesus’ life being lived in and through us. I’ve seen people who when they came to the Lord were very plain and almost expressionless, but with God’s Spirit indwelling them, they became radiant and literally beamed with new life.

Habits change, the way we spend our time and money must change, giving time for the development of new godly habits like prayer and reading/studying God’s Word. But also finding a fellowship of God’s people who will walk with us and help steer us in right directions.

There’s a never ending season of learning and maturing that takes time and effort to discover, not only about God, but about ourselves. For example, how has God gifted you? You may be a teacher or salesperson, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that your spiritual gifts will be teaching or evangelism. They may be, but you may have gifts of compassion or helps; leadership, giving, or dozens of other spiritual gifts that send you in a direction you never would have considered before you came to Jesus.

The Lord called me to pastoral ministry early in my walk with Him. I didn’t have a clue what that meant, but the Lord put people in my life who did know, and they mentored and guided me. That’s one of the many values of being part of a vibrant and growing fellowship of believers. Something else I learned that had great value to me – in my quest to find my place in God’s plan for me, I learned a lot from my mistakes and failures.

If you’re not sure where God wants you, try many things, not necessarily at the same time, but don’t be afraid to work in the nursery, teach teens, go on missions trips, work with the elderly, serve on boards, volunteer in different areas of service within and outside the church. Test your proverbial wings and don’t be afraid to say “yes” when asked to do something that may frighten you. But never, never, ever settle for being ordinary! Stand out because you’re set apart to be a sacred tool in your Master’s Hands. And don’t be shy in sharing Him with others.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Where’s Your Security?

“I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends. Be on guard so that you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing.” (2 Peter 3:17 NLT)

Even in the early days of the Christian Faith there were those who twisted the truth of Scripture to seek to prove Jesus wasn’t who He claimed to be or wasn’t going to keep the promises He made to His followers. Foundationally, Jesus is the “Rock of our salvation!” His life, His love, His sacrifice, His victory over death and the grave, His ascension and promise to one day return so we’ll never be separated from Him in all eternity.

Clearly, the gospel of Jesus Christ is the good news of liberation from sin, guilt, and shame, not because we earned or deserve it, but by faith in His completed work on the Cross. Anytime we put faith plus anything else, it ceases to be a grace gift of love and seeks to become something for which we’ve worked or in some distorted way, what we think we are owed or deserve.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

There are days I struggle to comprehend why anyone, especially God, would love and do anything for me. How could my sins be cancelled and treated by God as if they never happened? It doesn’t make sense, at least not to a mortal mind. But isn’t that the beauty of forgiveness? Jesus paid a debt He didn’t owe, to free sinners like me and you from a debt we could never pay, even if we had all eternity.

Because foundationally our trust is in a love-based Gospel, we’re sometimes tempted to believe we can help our cause by trying to be good enough to earn or deserve God’s love. Matt Smethurst reminds us: “There is no security in a love that’s been earned.” So, does that negate in any way God’s desire for us to live holy and acceptable lives for Him?

No, of course not. Holiness is how we give visibility to His life being lived in and through us. We have no worth, no merit, no goodness apart from Him. To take credit for what He is doing in and on our behalf is blasphemous. To find in our own goodness or in the “good” life that we’re living any sense of security is to shift to us what rightfully belongs only to the Lord.

There is no security, in this life or the next, apart from Jesus. He is the center and must be the focal point of our hope for the future. Had He not paid the penalty for our sin and opened an entryway to the Father, we would remain hopelessly lost and spiritually undone.

The Bible doesn’t warn us of things that have no bearing on our lives as believers. There will always be those whom the enemy will use to distract us or seek to redirect our efforts to live faithfully and fruitfully for our Savior. That’s why we need to be rooted in Scripture and grounded in godly relationships with others who love Jesus and His Word.

It’s amazing to me how quickly we can be led to believe or at least consider, something that is contrary to Scripture, yet that can be so destructive to our walk with Jesus. There are things that Jesus taught that don’t make sense to a carnal mind and heart but are a lifeline for those of us who love and serve Him.

Erroneous teachings abound in our day and wolves in sheep’s clothing are hungry to feed you lies from the depths of hell. Be on your guard and find strength in the security of your life in Christ rooted deeply in the truths of Scripture, which bears all the evidence we’ll ever need of who Truth really is.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Why Is the Resurrection So Important?

“Jesus told her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in Me will live, even after dying.’” (John 11:25 NLT)

The resurrection of Jesus is God’s stamp of approval, not only on Jesus’ life on earth, but on the sacrifice of His life to pay sin’s penalty. Every person who would one day bow in recognition that what Jesus did on the cross He did for them, would be forgiven and be given eternal life in God’s only Son.

When Jesus uttered from the cross “It is finished!” Satan’s grip on man’s soul was released and every one who by faith in the completed work of Jesus on the cross would be freed from sin’s eternal death sentence. Our sin debt was paid in full by Christ on the cross. All we have to do is receive it as our own.

There is no better news than that! That’s the glorious declaration of the Good News of salvation in Christ alone, by faith alone. Michael Ramsay said: “The Gospel without the Resurrection is not merely a Gospel without its final chapter; it is not a gospel at all.” There’s no good in the news that Jesus died unless three days later He walks out of His tomb alive.

Death isn’t the final victory – resurrection from the dead is! How excited could you get about following Jesus on earth if there was no promise of an eternity with Him after death? How many people would get excited about a message of salvation that said: “Come to Jesus and live for Him in this life. You’re still going to die and go into nothingness, but it’ll make you feel good while you’re here.”

For me it would make more sense if I was told: “Eat all the chocolate cake, ice cream, pie, candy – everything that’s not good for you, because you’re going to die anyway and nothing we do here on earth is going to change that.”

Think of all Jesus’ resurrection now means to us. Mark Jones said: “There has never been a greater humiliation of a person than that of Jesus. No one has ever descended so low, because no one has ever come from so high.” If someone doesn’t realize who Jesus is, they can’t understand the value of His death and resurrection. That’s why Jesus is the subject!

To some salvation from sin has no appeal because they believe this earth is all there is. And who can blame them? That’s why the resurrection is so vital to understand and share. Because of who Jesus is – the King of kings and Lord of lords; the Author of creation; the sinless, blameless, Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world; our only hope of eternal life – without Him there is literally no hope!

Yes, I know people want proof. “How do you know that all that Jesus business is real? Prove to me that it’s true!” That can be frustrating, but to me it’s a no brainer. More than 500 people saw Jesus after His resurrection. The claims of the early Christians were easily verifiable. But think of the implication of 10 of the remaining 11 original disciples dying rather than denying Jesus rose from the dead.

Would you die for something you knew was a lie? The better question for me is: “Prove to me that it was a lie!” If I live my life loving my family and others in the name of Jesus, only to find it wasn’t true, I’ve lost nothing. But if Jesus is who He claimed to be and did what He claimed to do and I don’t embrace it while I still can, I’ve lost everything. It’s not worth the risk in my mind.

Besides, Jesus’ Father assures me every day that He’s real and I’ll be able to spend all eternity enjoying being with Him in the special place He’s preparing for me . . . and you, if you’re trusting in His resurrection!

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

The Pain of An Empty House

“When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order. Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation.” (Matthew 12:43-45 NLT)

Something is filling your life! It’s either God’s Spirit or something else.

You may be overloaded by near frantic busyness, but not be fruitful; addicted to tv, the internet or your phone, but not filled with the Spirit of God; your time and life may be filled to the brim with commitments that aren’t producing Godly character; maxed out by your pursuit of happiness, filling your life with trinkets, but which leave no time or desire to seek the Treasure. But why?

Why are we so preoccupied by the need to live such a crowded life? Perhaps we’re terrified by emptiness. In the verses above “empty” can mean “vacant” or “unoccupied,” but it can also mean “to cease from labor, to loiter” or “to be idle” or “to give oneself to a thing.”

Each day as I’m walking my pups, I pray for each person in each house, asking the Lord to release His Spirit in unprecedented ways to open the hearts and minds of my lost neighbors. I try as often as I can to engage any neighbor who is outside. One such neighbor is often sitting at his workbench in his garage. I asked him if he was working on a project, to which he replied: “No, I’m just killing time.”

The “house” of his life is empty. He put in his time working, so now he’s just waiting to die. I invited him to breakfast or lunch and he got a funny look on his face and said: “Not if you want to talk about religion.” I assured him I had no use for religion, that I mainly wanted to listen to him, to hear his story. He told me he’d think about it.

What’s your story? Are you filled with zeal for the Kingdom of God? Or are you “kicking the tires” of “religion?” Satan thrives on people whose lives are empty, pointless, idle. He doesn’t even care if you’re not living like the devil, as long as you’re not living like Jesus.

It’s ironic that emptiness can result in inactivity – “just killing time” or hyperactivity devoted to a “thing.” What’s my point? You don’t have to do anything to end up in hell. It’s your default destination when you’re not purposely and wholeheartedly following Jesus. Or, you’re pursuing some “thing” that occupies your mind and time, but not your heart.

Think of hobbies that people love – golfing, boating, camping, hiking, running, surfing, canning, eating – the list is literally endless – but to what end? NOTHING! There is no purposeful end other than occupying a person’s time. So, what if you become an expert in whatever it is you’re devoting your life to? If it’s not Jesus, it’s valueless and your eternal destination doesn’t change.

And please don’t misunderstand. The irony is, you can be involved in any of those things, using them for a tool to reach others for Jesus and it’s not idleness, it’s ministry! It’s not necessarily what you do that occupies your emptiness, it’s why you do it.

Why are you alive? What fills your life? You see, the pain of an empty “house” sometimes isn’t realized until we stand before God when this life is ended. Accounting for idleness isn’t going to set well with a Father who gave His only Son so that your meaningless life could have purpose.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Courage to Fail?

“But no one had the courage to speak favorably about Him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders.” (John 7:13 NLT)

Of what do you think when you ponder the term “courage?” As I considered the idea of courage the first “picture” that came to mind was of Jesus on the Mount of Olives shortly before His betrayal. There, kneeling alone, He asked His Father: “Father, if You are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not mine.”

Courage, as I’m sure you’ve heard, isn’t the absence of fear, but moving forward with what lies ahead despite the fear. Sit with Jesus as He prays. Luke records in 22:44: “He prayed more fervently, and He was in such agony of spirit that His sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.”

It’s safe to say that you or I have never prayed like that. We’ve never feared that greatly, and neither have we come close to going through what Jesus went through on our behalf. And to what end? To the end that the penalty of all the sins of all who would one day proudly declare allegiance to His holy Name would be cleansed and forgiven.

Was it worth it? He surely believed it was. But why? Because He knew there would be those brave souls across the sands of time who would willingly give all they possessed, including their lives, to see His fame declared and His sacrifice celebrated.

If you study the Sacred Text, you’ll find that many we today deem the “heroes” of our Faith were cowards who did everything they could to weasel their way out of following the Lord’s directives. And, interestingly, many for the same reason we are so hesitant to do what He asks of us. Fear!

Even Jesus was terrified of what lay before Him. And unlike any of us, He was God, which meant He knew in vivid color, almost as if He’d watched this whole process being played out on a giant screen for Him to view the gory details. Every fist that struck Him; every lash of the lead-tipped whip; every drop of spit on His holy face; every ounce of the weight of His cross that drove Him to the ground; every sound of the hammer striking the nails that pierced His sacred hands; and the horrifying efforts to grab a breath once the cross crashed into the hole that would signal the spot of His final words before He died.

Do you think He ever wondered if it was all going to be in vain? That the price He paid would ultimately not be enough to change the course of history? Do you think He feared He might fail in His efforts to change the hearts of men and women, boys, and girls?

David Prince wrote: “Courage to fail always precedes the courage to succeed.” There’s a sense in which courage is built in the fear of failure. How so? If there’s no chance of failure, why do you need courage? Success isn’t simply the accomplishment of a purpose, it’s the triumph of courage regardless of the outcome.

Jesus’ sacrifice has “failed” to change millions, likely billions of lives, yet, His triumphant courage has been rewarded countless times in the hearts and minds, not only of those who profess His wonderful name, but in and through those who overcome fear to share His name with others. When you’re tempted to be afraid when speaking with someone about Jesus, look at the Cross. Behold the courage of the One who literally gave everything to prepare a place in heaven for that one with whom you’re speaking.

Please don’t let anything stop you from opening your heart and mind to the Holy Spirit as He shares the heart of the One who died in that person’s place, to give them a future and a hope. Be courageous for Him, even in the face of possible failure! You cannot fail when you are faithful!

Blessings, Ed 😊

When Words Aren’t Enough

“Then David asked the Lord, ‘Should I chase after this band of raiders? Will I catch them?’ And the Lord told him, ‘Yes, go after them. You will surely recover everything that was taken from you!’” (1 Samuel 30:8 NLT)

1 Samuel 30 records a story of the Amalekites raiding Ziklag, where David and his men lived, and stealing everything they had, including their wives and children. When David and his men learned what had happened, they wept bitterly, but their weeping soon turned to anger that ultimately focused on David. It got to the point they were talking of stoning him, but to his credit, David immediately reached out to the Lord and sought His guidance. Nothing David said would appease his men until David got a word from the Lord to go after the men who stole their families.

The battles that rage in our lives may not be as dramatic as this story of David, but there are lessons to be learned, nonetheless. As a younger man I lived with near constant anger. It seemed to simmer just beneath the surface of my life. I could erupt at a second’s notice, often without provocation.

Derelict house, desolate location by Zorba the Geek is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0

What I learned was that depression often manifests itself in anger, largely focused inward, but outwardly expressed through mistreatment of others. It’s as if we verbalize how we feel about ourselves but can only handle hearing it when expressed in reference to others. I’ve pushed a lot of people away, most of whom I dearly loved and truly desired in my life.

In the scenario above from David’s life, no amount of talking would have appeased his men, they needed to DO something about what they were feeling. They needed to channel the anger and frustration and grief they were feeling into concrete action that would bring resolution to their problem – they needed to at least make every effort to get their wives and families safely back to them.

That’s why it was so critical that David had the good sense and spiritual maturity to seek God first. Too often in the heat of our “moments,” the last thing on our mind is a conversation with God, but it’s the most vital piece in finding a suitable resolution. I implore you as God’s child to bathe your life in prayer and never allow thoughts of Him to drift far from the surface of your heart.

Yes, of course, there is a time and place for words, but when your heart is breaking or there’s such an urgency to find an answer to a critical issue, all we sometimes hear is “blah, blah, blah, blah, blah!” One thing I’ve learned and continue to learn about God is He will answer! In my darkest moments when I had no heart or desire to move forward, He’s ALWAYS met me there.

He’s closer than the air you breathe and cares so deeply about you and your concerns that He’s promised NEVER to leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). There’s never a millisecond you’re not on His holy mind. It may seem counterintuitive to believe, but there are times God desires your company without your words.

Sometimes in the midst of our crisis, the most soothing “word” we need to hear, is the silence of our Savior as He envelopes us with Himself. Being in the arms of the One you love more than life itself, brings insight and understanding and healing. It’s in those critical moments you realize that words just aren’t enough to give you what only His closeness can.

Blessings, Ed 😊