Walking With Jesus

Understanding the Times

“From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.” (1 Chronicles 12:32 NLT)

1 Chronicles 10 records the death of Israel’s first king, Saul, then chapter 11 tells of David becoming king of all Israel. The signs of the times were clear as David became king, and he knew, as all Israel knew, that before there would be peace, they must commit to a time of war. Ron Hutchcraft wrote: “when you know what time it is, you need to know what action to take.”

In 1 Chronicles 12 we read of the tribes of Israel stepping up and joining their new king, ready for battle. But I love verse 18 that says: “Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, the leader of the Thirty, and he said, ‘We are yours, David! We are on your side, son of Jesse. Peace and prosperity be with you, and success to all who help you, for your God is the one who helps you.’”

The Thirty were the “baddest” of the good guys. They were the most special of Israel’s “Special Forces.” They were the guys you wanted on your side if you were going to war against a powerful enemy! I’m reminded of John Piper’s words: “You cannot know what prayer is for, until you know that life is war.”

Do you realize that if you’re a child of God you are in the Lord’s Army? And you weren’t drafted, you volunteered. “How so?” you may wonder. It was the day you knelt before the Lord of Heaven’s Armies and pledged your allegiance to His eternal Kingdom. “Hmmmm,” you may be thinking, “I don’t remember that.”

May I be honest? Committing your life to Jesus is, in a lot of ways, like committing your life to your partner in marriage. You may not be married, but if you are, I strongly suggest you remember the date that partnership began. Similarly, while I don’t remember the exact date, I know it was the Spring of 1963 when I knelt at an altar of prayer in a small church in South Charleston, West Virginia, and committed all of me to all of Him.

If you don’t remember making that decision, could it be because you haven’t? When you’re a member of any branch of our Armed Forces, you have a date of enlistment. From that point you do basically what you’re told when you’re told to do it. If you don’t like taking orders, I have three suggestions: Don’t join the military! Don’t get married! (the two most important words in marriage for any husband are “Yes, dear!”) And don’t become a Jesus follower!

I’ve read the last chapter of the Bible and I know a few things for certain. Jesus and His eternal family win! But I also know what’s coming before His return is going to get a lot uglier and messier than we can imagine. Jesus said in Luke 12:49-52: “I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning! I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of Me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished. Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other! From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of Me, and two against – or two in favor and three against.”

The only hope our loved ones have, especially those who are currently “against us,” in terms of their devotion to Jesus, is for us to peacefully, lovingly, compassionately, yet without compromise, help them to understand the times in which we live and that their only hope of eternal survival is Jesus.

Pray! Pray! Pray! That the strong Spirit of God will penetrate their hearts and minds, giving them insight and understanding of the words He will give us to share with them.

Blessings, Ed

Sharing the Truth in Love

“Jesus came and told His disciples, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’” (Matthew 28:18-20 NLT)

Coming to Christ for salvation begins an amazing adventure! Knowing Jesus and making Him known is the all-encompassing passion of my life, and I pray, yours. Today I’d like for us to look at how that can work out in practical ways in our daily lives.

The priority of our lives must become prayer. Think of any meaningful relationship you have with family or friends. What if you never spoke with them? How important is a relationship in which there is no conversation or communication? So, naturally, any effective strategy to reach our loved ones and friends must begin with prayer. But how?

Each morning I literally pray around the world. I pray for every person on earth who is saved, especially those believers who are undergoing persecution or oppression from the enemy, either literally or figuratively. I also pray for every person who is lost, beginning with my family, then extending to friends, my literal neighbors, then others.

The reason I do that is to give the Spirit of God an opportunity to open my heart and mind to those in my spheres of influence whose lives I can personally touch. In considering how we can most effectively reach out to our family, friends, and neighbors we must consider a few things.

First, how deeply connected are we? Is our relationship such that I can easily and opening share what’s on my heart? Will those with whom I have a close relationship listen, or do I know from past efforts that they will likely “shut me down.” So, secondly, what alternatives do I have?

Our most valuable resource to reach lost people is God’s Holy Spirit. He can speak in ways that we never can, but He can also speak to us, giving us alternative avenues to reach out. One such avenue He’s showing me is the written word. Almost no one writes letters anymore, other than in texts or emails. What if you sent a hand-written or typed letter explaining how much you love the lost person the Lord lays on your heart, and in simple, but Scripturally based words, let them know the way to open their hearts and lives to Jesus? (I mention “typed” because my handwriting is so bad, I can hardly read it)

Another option the Lord is causing me to ponder is going door to door in my neighborhood and speaking with anyone who will allow me a few minutes. Or, writing them a personal note and hand-delivering it. I’m haunted by Ray Comfort’s timely words: “If you are not concerned about your neighbor’s salvation, then I am concerned for yours.” The reality of the closeness of Jesus’ return is also building the proverbial “fire” under me.

The bottom line here is this: If I don’t have a heart, especially for those in whose lives I have access, I must not have the heart of the Father who gave His only Son out of love for the lost. Fellow Jesus lovers and followers, time is short! We must be sharing the Truth of who Jesus is and what a wonderful gift He’s given us, with whomever will listen. We’ve got to get our minds off of what people will think of us and turn our attention onto where they’re going to spend eternity without Jesus.

I’m alive in Christ because He laid on someone’s heart to share His love and life with me, and they were obedient. Who is He laying on your heart with whom you can share His words of eternal life?

Blessings, Ed 😊

What’s Your Addiction? (Part 2)

“Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.’” (John 14:6 NLT)

In yesterday’s post we began looking at our varied addictions to sin, that are draining the life, not only out of the people who profess no faith, but many within the church.

“Religion” is perhaps a “good person’s” favorite “drug,” but there are many others who won’t have anything to do with the church who are just as lost. The only antidote to sin is salvation, and the only way to have salvation is through Jesus. How do I know that? Because God’s Word is clear in Acts 4:12 where we read: “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”

We only have one Savior and one life and one opportunity to choose life in that one Savior and it’s in this one minute! All previous minutes are gone, and we’re not promised the next minute. Please, if you aren’t prepared to meet Jesus; if you haven’t yielded your life and allegiance to Him, I’m literally begging you not to wait another second. Click the link at the bottom of this page and learn how you can know for sure that you belong to Jesus.

And please don’t be presumptuous like the five bridesmaids who thought they didn’t need to be concerned about extra oil. If you once prayed a “prayer of salvation,” you regularly attend and serve at church, or you just see yourself as a good person who believes in Jesus, please let the Holy Spirit help you do a heart check.

Pray with King David in Psalm 139:23: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Loving Jesus is very much like loving anyone else, it’s an ongoing process of learning how to overcome obstacles that crowd out intimacy and block our communication. We can drift away from Jesus, believing everything is fine, when in reality it’s not fine at all.

Trusting in the few words of a prayer you prayed, or believing because you were baptized as a child, or because you’re faithful in attending church that that’s going to get you to heaven, you need to take a step back and look at the fruit of your life. Is your life bearing little or no evidence that you love and are seeking after Jesus? Is He on your heart and in your mind throughout your day? Do you love reading and studying His Word? Do you strive as often as possible to share what God lays on your heart to share with your lost loved ones and friends?

And please understand, my desire isn’t to criticize or discourage you. I want in my own life and in yours, to know that Jesus is my Treasure, that nothing this world offers has any appeal to me compared with the draw of His loving friendship. Devotion to Jesus IS my life and I pray is yours.

For those of you who know and have certainty of your place in God’s plan of salvation, we’re going to look tomorrow at some ways to help the ones in our spheres of influence to know they need Jesus and why. But if you don’t have certainty that Jesus is your Lord and Savior, please click on this link and get things settled in your heart, mind, soul, and strength.

The Bridge to God | Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.

Blessings, Ed 😊

What’s Your Addiction?

“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil.” (Matthew 25:1-4 NLT)

Every day we likely pass many people who have destructive addictions. Some are easy to spot, but many blend in and are essentially hiding in plain sight. Substance abuse is rampant in our world and is claiming millions of lives. Satan is subtle, but deadly in his untiring efforts to have the people of this world worshipping at his unholy and deadly feet.

It’s ironic on many levels that Satan’s strategy hasn’t changed since the Garden of Eden. God gives us clear instructions and the enemy says in so many words: “Yeh, but that’s not what He meant!” And we’re falling for it just like Adam and Eve.

Okay, that’s all well and good, but what does it have to do with the 10 bridesmaids? Did you ever notice how Jesus’ parable begins? “Then!” “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like…” A couple of questions: first, to whom is He speaking? And, secondly, who is He describing? If you read the context, you’ll soon discover that the end of His life and earthly ministry are rapidly coming to a close, so several of His stories have reference to end times. Why is that so vital for us to understand?

“The Reason for My Hope” “Used by permission, © Ray Majoran, GlimpseOfInfinity.com”

Anyone with a vague acquaintance with the Bible can see that we’re living in the end times. “Yeh, but people have been saying that for 2,000 years!” And they’re right, but that’s my point. It could be another 2,000 years before He returns, but I can assure you of this – no one reading these words will still be here if that’s the case, and neither will the people in your current spheres of influence who don’t know Jesus. “End times” doesn’t necessarily refer to the end of the world. It can, and for thousands of years and for billions of people, does point to our individual “end.”

Like all of Jesus’ parables, this isn’t an allegory, with every detail having a separate meaning. Parables have one main point, and the point of the 10 bridesmaids is simply this: be prepared! Why? Because Jesus is coming! And we only have this life in which to get prepared.

You want to know the devil’s favorite words when it comes to us having a relationship with Jesus? “Not now!” Five bridesmaids were prepared, they brought extra oil. Five were not prepared. Why not? They thought they had more time. It’s irrelevant why they chose not to be prepared, the point is, when they came to their senses and realized they weren’t prepared, it was too late. They waited too long, and the door of opportunity was closed.

Do you understand that’s a picture of the Church in America and many other parts of the world today? Good people living good lives involved in many good things that are sucking the spiritual life right out of them. People are addicted to a lot more than alcohol and drugs today. They’re addicted to sin! As human beings our “drug” of choice doesn’t matter, the problem is it takes Jesus’ rightful place on the throne of our life. And, sadly, millions don’t see it or give it a thought until it’s eternally too late.

We’ll look at this more closely in tomorrow’s post.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Has the New Come?

“Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like Him.” (Colossians 3:10 NLT)

While how we feel and act are not the only ways to recognize that our hearts, minds, and lives have begun to change, our new life in Jesus should bear evidence of the Spirit’s presence within us soon after our coming to Christ. Depending on how we lived before beginning our walk with Jesus, there should be noticeable differences in our behavior, our habits, our attitude, our demeaner, our thoughts, our priorities, and how we treat others.

In the verses preceding verse 10 above, Paul points to some specific areas of our lives that should immediately draw our attention. He writes in verses 5-9: “So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.”

What’s his point? If we’ve received Christ Jesus as our Savior and Lord, He has given us a new life, which carries with it a new responsibility to move in directions in our life that are pleasing to Him. So, we must start living in such a way that others can see and know we’re changing for the better. Are we instantaneously transformed by God’s Sprit? Yes, and no. Yes, in the sense that when we open our heart and life to Jesus, we get all of Him. But no, in the sense that He very likely doesn’t yet have all of us.

I’ve been living for Jesus for nearly 60 years, but He’s still pointing out things that are displeasing and that He desires me to change. For example, He’s continually reminding me to keep my attitude in check when my precious wife points out something that I do or have done that I shouldn’t have. I’m learning that one of God’s primary ways of pointing out areas of needed change is through those who are closest to us. Why is that?

Because they know us best and, usually, love us most. I’m trying to not respond negatively when those I know well point out things that irritate them or distract them from seeing Jesus in me. I have to believe the Lord is prompting them to say those things that will enable me to grow in my intimacy with Him.

Putting on the new self and growing in our likeness of Jesus is a life-long process. The new person God has in mind for us to become is a work in progress as long as we’re residents of this planet, but having said that, it’s something that requires our constant effort. But how? How do we most effectively learn to grow and mature in Christ?

Jerry Bridges wrote: “It is impossible to practice godliness without a constant, consistent, and balanced intake of the Word of God in our lives.” I mention it a lot because it’s so important, but our progress and growth in our walk with the Lord is largely dependent upon the development of godly disciplines. Things like reading and studying God’s Word, praying regularly and often throughout each day, maintaining community with a local fellowship of believers, being a part of a small group, building friendships with a few men, if you’re a man, or women, if you’re a woman, with whom you can be absolutely open and honest about what’s going on in your life. Also, finding an area where you can invest time and money in serving the Lord, volunteering in or through your church and community.

Ultimately, only you and the Lord know for sure whether the “new” has come in your life. If there’s any question, now is the time to seek the Lord with your whole heart, mind, soul, and strength. Don’t put it off another second. Call your pastor or close, Christ-honoring friend, and seek their counsel and guidance in knowing with certainty you’re living in a manner that’s pleasing to Jesus.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Are You Captivated with Purpose?

“The disciples were indignant when they saw this. ‘What a waste!’ they said. ‘It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.’” (Matthew 26:8-9 NLT)

There is a sense in which everything we do as a Jesus follower is, or should be, done as an act of worship, carried out for the purpose of glorifying, and honoring Him. And while, in the hearts and minds of others, what we do can be deemed “extravagant,” it must always be seen in the light of His extravagant display of love for us on the Cross.

Whether it’s our time, money, energy, acts of kindness, or sacrificial gifts to the Lord or others, they should all be given as evidence of our complete surrender to the Lordship of Jesus in and over our lives. As I understand it, that’s essentially what being captivated with purpose is all about. Pleasing Jesus should be the motivating factor behind everything we say, think, or do; otherwise, why are we doing it?

In the verses above, the disciples were unhappy because a woman had poured a very expensive container of perfume over Jesus’ head as an act of worship. We’re not given her identity but can deduce from the response of the disciples and, I’m quite sure, of others around the table, that she was likely an immoral woman whose life Jesus had redirected.

Could this have been the “woman caught in the very act of adultery” we hear about in John 8:4, whose life was literally saved by Jesus’ intervention. We won’t know for sure until we get to heaven, but it’s clear that her intentions were to worship and give expression to her undying love and appreciation she had for Jesus, caring not what anyone thought of her.

In what ways do we give expression to our love for and devotion to Jesus if not through expressions of extravagant generosity? And please understand, “extravagance” is a relative term. If I’m working 80 hours a week to keep afloat and give a few hours of my time to help someone move, that’s extravagant? Or if I’m a millionaire and give $1,000 to someone in need in an effort to honor Jesus, while that’s a wonderful thing to do for someone, it’s not extravagant, at least not for the one giving the gift.

In Mark 12:44 Jesus, who has been sitting near the collection box in the Temple, says of a poor widow: “For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.” Too often we get entangled in the “comparison” game. In our mind we reason that we may not be giving what we should, but we’re giving more than so and so.

Bob Goff wrote: “We won’t be distracted by comparison if we are captivated with purpose.” What purpose has captivated you? Is your purpose to just give a little more or make a little bit better effort than those in your spheres of influence? Or is it to have others think you’re really better than you know you are?

If our all-consuming purpose is anything less than giving our all to the glory and honor of our Savior, we’re being distracted by the enemy. If what we give and do is motivated by anything but love for and devotion to our Lord and Master, we’re falling short in being all we’ve been called to be. Did Jesus leave anything on the Cross?

Did He not give everything of Himself in the payment of the penalty for our sin? Did He not give us His very best in the person of the Holy Spirit as He went to bear intercession for us at the side of His Father in heaven? We cannot and must not seek to justify anything but our best in service to the One to whom we owe everything we are or ever hope to be.

We must not allow ourselves to be distracted by the trinkets of this world as we seek to give our all to the glory and honor of the Treasure of our lives. We must pursue with every ounce of our being the purpose for which we’ve been captivated by Christ.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Why Give?

“When the Roman officer who stood facing Him saw how He died, he exclaimed, ‘This man truly was the Son of God!’” (Mark 15:39 NLT)

Giving, in whatever form it may occur, if it’s done in an effort to do good, blesses the heart of God. The story that Jesus tells in Matthew 25 regarding the final judgment implies that those who were kind to someone who was hungry, thirsty, in need of shelter, clothing or care, whether sick or in prison, were giving to the Lord. Even though they didn’t realize they were doing it as unto Him.

It causes me to wonder what our stinginess is costing us. One principle the Lord taught me many years ago was: “You can’t outgive God!” You can’t outgive Him in kindness, thoughtfulness, mercy, love, hospitality, grace, monetarily or in any other area. The Lord Jesus gave us His life. He traded His life for mine…and yours! There’s no gift we could ever give or receive that would come close to comparing with His loving sacrifice.

So, as believers, as persons of God who are investing ourselves in “seeking first the Kingdom of God,” why give? What does giving accomplish? Why is it so vitally important? How does it promote and forward God’s Kingdom?

These and many other questions are deserving of our attention, but as we launch into another year I’d like for us to think about basically two things. First, why do you give or not give, of yourself, your time, your money, and so forth? And, secondly, who are you ultimately seeking to please, or to use a Biblical word, to bless?

I’ve mentioned before the two most obvious evidences of what we believe is how we spend our time and money. Jesus said in Matthew 6:21: “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” On some levels, that seems backwards to me. I’m thinking it should be wherever our heart is, that’s where we’d put our money. But that’s not what Jesus said. He said “Wherever your treasure is…” your heart will follow. And please understand, He’s not just talking about money.

Our treasure can be a relationship, our job/career, our kids, our possessions, and on and on. Money, as much emphasis as we give it, is ultimately a means to an end, and Jesus is concerned about that end. Why? Because that’s where our heart will be. And the revealing picture that’s painted when we learn what that destination of our treasure is, is this: is it a source of blessing for only us or for someone else?

Mark Driscoll wrote: “You shouldn’t give to get a blessing; you should give to be a blessing.” Jesus didn’t leave the splendor of heaven to come to the ghetto of this earth, to get blessed. He came to bless! He came in submission to His Father’s will to accomplish a specific purpose – to open a way to the Father where no way previously existed.

Yes, of course, the Jewish people knew of the Father and a whole system of religious activity resulted, but rather than point people to God, it enmeshed people in the pursuit of a religious process that was often devoid of God. It resulted in obedience to a list of rules that often blocked their view of God, rather than to illuminate His holy presence.

Jesus is the ultimate reason to give – our life, our love, our devotion, our commitment, our resources, our time, our energy, in short, everything we are and everything we ever hope to be or have. Jesus is the blessing God the Father gave to us that has changed our lives, our life’s direction, our attitude, our desires, our ambition, our goals, our plans, our commitments, our eternal home, and our life’s fulfillment. Nothing satisfies like loving and being loved by Jesus. Pleasing Him and blessing others to His honor is why we give – of everything we have and are!

Blessings, Ed 😊

Death Is Not the Greatest Tragedy

“But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:22-23 NLT)

The loss of a loved one is difficult regardless of the circumstances of their passing. There’s a gaping hole in our heart and life when we lose someone to whom we were close. The agony of separation by death was never God’s design nor His desire.

Physical death was never God’s plan, so, understandably, it’s painful and emotionally distressing. Grief is a process that only became of part of our “normal” life cycle because of sin. The wages of sin is death.

Yet, God in His infinite wisdom and mercy allowed His only Son to experience death – literal, physical death, including a brief, but agonizing separation from His Father – to pay the penalty for our sin and free us from the horrible prospect of eternal separation from God. The word translated “death” in the above verse is defined in Strong’s Concordance as: “the misery of the soul arising from sin, which begins on earth but lasts and increases after the death of the body in hell.”

It is so common in today’s world to create an illusion of what death will be like and lead to, that it’s no longer man’s greatest fear. People are so wrapped up in their own goodness, especially if they’re engaged in a service-oriented profession, that regardless of how they’ve defied God and His heart’s intent, when they die they falsely assume “they’re going to a better place.”

The greatest tragedy isn’t that people die, it’s that they die without a saving knowledge of Jesus. When someone we know loves Jesus, dies, it’s bitter-sweet. On the one hand we’re happy for them. Their suffering has ended; they get to go home to Jesus and be reunited with loved ones and friends who also loved Jesus and preceded them to heaven.

But if someone hasn’t been forgiven of their sins and united with Christ by faith in His completed work on Calvary, their only prospect in the afterlife is grim. God grieves when someone to whom He’s reached out over and over continues to reject Him and chooses hell against His will and wishes.

There are those who believe God is cruel in sending anyone to hell, but the truth of Scripture verifies that anyone who chooses hell does so over the agonizing cries of a holy God to repent and turn from their sin. God sends no one to hell – EVER! We have a choice and to not make a choice to find hope and eternal life in Jesus is to choose!

Imagine you’re in a burning building. The alarm has sounded, and everyone is rushing to the nearest exit. Firefighters are on the scene directing people to safety, but as they scan each room searching to do their best not to leave anyone behind, they find an office door locked and blocked by large pieces of furniture.

Through the glass they gaze into the smoke-filled room seeing a man at his desk, continuing to work as though nothing was happening. They break the glass and frantically seek to create a path of escape, but the man is oblivious to their efforts. By the time they reach him, he’s dead from smoke inhalation. A preventable and wasted death.

That, my friends, is a picture of God seeking the lost, who day after day go through their life as if they will live forever. And the truth is, they will! It’s just not going to be the “better place” they’ve made up in their mind. It’s a place of eternal torment from which they will see and understand clearly what a huge mistake they made . . . but their understanding will come too late.

Fellow Jesus followers, we MUST be about our Father’s business of warning the lost at any cost. Please don’t miss an opportunity to tell a loved one or friend about Jesus. Beg them to listen, and explain to them what Jesus has done on their behalf.

The greatest tragedy in life isn’t death, it’s dying without Jesus as your Savor and Lord!

Blessings, Ed

Avoiding the “Bonk” (Part 2)

“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. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” (Hebrews 12:14-15 NLT)

In yesterday’s post we began looking at the spiritual implications of the “bonk,” which is something that happens to runners who are dealing with a lack of oxygen at higher elevations. Notice some key words in the verses above. “Work at.” “Watch out.” What are the implications?

Like a runner, we have a goal, a destination that we’re committed to reach. Too many in the church today have a “one and done” attitude, with the result, we’re producing a growing number of “sprinters,” not “cross-country runners.” It seems that in too many people’s minds, if they “sprint” to the altar and say a quick prayer, they’re done, safe, secure! Now all they have to do is wait to die.

And, yes, of course, I realize that’s not the intent or desire of the leaders of the church, and it’s frustrating to many dedicated and devoted pastors and leaders. But if our bent was to walk in holiness and freedom from sin, why is the Bible filled with instructions to do those things? That’s why Paul says, “work at living in peace with everyone.”

Unfortunately, many don’t like to work at anything. They like to idle their time away doing the least they can possibly get by with. Why is it so difficult to get someone to read the Bible regularly? Forget about studying, memorizing, and applying it. Could it be we haven’t painted an accurate enough picture as to what’s at stake?

Note Paul’s words above: “for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.” Whether that means in this life or the next, the point is the same. Holiness means to be set apart for sacred purpose. It means to be wholly God’s to do with as He sees fit. Holiness doesn’t intentionally ally with the enemy of our soul to carry out the will of our own desires. And yes, I understand that holiness is a process, and there is part of that that only God can do. But there’s also a part that only we can do.

At some point each of us must decide who’s going to rule our life – sin (our own lustful urges) or God. It’s not like anyone is fooling God. He knows our heart and He’s done everything imaginable and more to make it possible for us to live pleasingly before Him. But there comes a point when we must make up our mind to do what’s right, what’s honoring to God.

Paul says, “watch out” and “Look after each other.” Why? “so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God.” Salvation is a free, undeserved, unmerited favor that is all God and none of us; however, when we receive it, it comes with requirements that are non-negotiable. How so?

Paul writes in Philippians 2:12: “Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.”

We’re saved FROM sin, TO holiness and right living. Is it too much to assume if there is no effort being put forth to obey God and little or no evidence that we’re seeking to live in the power He’s provided, then the seeds of salvation have not been planted?

The only reason we have a need to avoid the “bonk” is because we’re in the race. So the logical question then becomes, if I’m not bearing the fruit of a God-enriched life, am I not connected to the Vine? Have I not entered the race?

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Avoiding the “Bonk”

“So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.” (Galatians 5:1 NLT)

While I can’t personally imagine the horrors of slavery, having been a pastor for many years and spending a fair amount of time visiting and speaking with those in prison, I believe the Lord has given me insight into understanding why returning to prison (slavery) is appealing to many who have been released. Apparently, this isn’t only a current problem, but one with which many early believers wrestled as well.

In a Family Life devotional by Janel Breitenstein, she wrote: “A friend of mine is readying to run a half-marathon up Pikes Peak. Aside from the curious question of why she is friends with the likes of me, she has been trying to overcome the “bonk.” I have not heard of this term in the same way in which she refers to it, so I lean in. The bonk, she explains, is when her body simply can’t go anymore in her 7,000-plus foot ascent, the summit of which will be at a height of over 14,000 feet. (To help one comprehend the lack of oxygen and general sanity: Trees give up growing around 11,500 feet.)”

While you may not see yourself as a “runner,” the Bible refers to us as Jesus followers using that metaphor. For example, in Hebrews 12:1: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”

There is a sense in which each of us is subject to the “bonk” as we run our race of faith. In much the same way as our body craves oxygen, our spirit’s should crave Jesus, our breath of life. The good news is, nothing, absolutely nothing, can keep us from having our desire for God satisfied. Even if someone chokes the life out of me, my spirit will rejoice because I’ll then be transferred from this life of pain, heartache, and suffering, to my joy-filled, never to struggle again, body of eternal life.

But in this life sin is constantly nosing around, looking for a way to deprive us of our needed time with the Lord. And if we’re not alert and sensitive to what’s happening, like a runner who hasn’t trained and isn’t prepared for the effects of thinner air, we’ll allow the enemy of our soul to choke our spiritual life, depriving us of our infilling of God’s presence.

Until we realize how desperate we are for God’s presence 24/7, we’ll waste time that we should be devoting to God’s written Word and miss out on His holy presence. Yes, of course, God is always with us, but the point here is, we’re not always with Him. As Paul urges us in the Galatians passage above, it takes effort to stay free.

That’s why many ex-prisoners commit crimes shortly after being released in order to be sent right back to prison. Why? Because that’s become their new “frame of reference.” It’s what they’ve become accustomed to and transitioning to life outside of prison is more than they can handle. It’s the same reason people remain in abusive relationships. At least there they know what they’re dealing with. And as sad and sick as that may be, we often do the same thing in our walk with God.

Walking with Jesus is a 24/7/365 proposition. When we let our guard down and begin dabbling in sin that we’re fully aware is wrong and pulling us in a bad direction, we must let that be for us a huge “red flag,” sending us to Jesus and the faithful friends He’s put in our life who will walk with us back to safety.

Let’s look at this more closely tomorrow.

Blessings, Ed 😊