Walking With Jesus

God Is Able – To Subdue Everything Under His Control!

“Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself.” (Philippians 3:21 KJV)

When we first place our faith and trust in Jesus, there are things with which we wrestle, many that pertain to our body. If you think about it, we are “prisoners” of our body as long as we’re residents of this world. That’s why Paul said in Romans 12:1: “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him.”

Loving and serving Jesus, as in loving and serving anyone, isn’t only a matter of our heart. The commandment instructs us to love God and others with our whole being – with everything that is within us. Where is the “everything” within us? While on planet earth, our bodies are a critical part of who we are, how we function, what we’re capable of doing or not doing. Our bodies are critical in our service of God, because they house our soul.

Our bodies can also be the key contributors to our waywardness from God, not only keeping us from coming to God, but also from serving Him effectively once we’re God’s child. And, on the other hand, while we’re to care for our bodies, we’re not to obsess over them to the point of giving them priority over the care of our heart, mind, and soul.

Philippians 3:21 (above) speaks to the much-needed change of our “vile” body, with the clear implication that we have little or no ability to make those changes ourselves. The term speaks to our abasement, lowliness, humility, essentially a willingness to submit the rulership of our bodies to the Lord. Similarly as pilots control an airplane, God can give guidance and direction to our bodies and lives.

If I were to ask you: “What was/is the biggest hindrance , as you think of those things that cause you the most problems in coming to Christ or your service to Christ?” Would you agree that the top of our lists will be filled with those things we do habitually? We do them without thinking or we crave them without provocation. Thus, they’re the hardest things for us to “subdue” or control.

Specifically, this verse is speaking to what God will do in changing our bodies from earthly bodies to heavenly bodies when the Lord returns or when we die. But the clear implication is that one day He will bring everything under His control. But, because God is God, He has the ability and desire to enable us to bring everything in our lives, including our weak mortal bodies, under His divine supervision and control.

Think about the power of Jesus’ voice. He spoke and the winds and waves obeyed; demons had no choice but to obey; the dead returned to life; the lame walked; blind eyes were enabled to see; lepers’ skin was healed; sin was forgiven; dignity restored; the courses of people’s lives were changed; and the eternal addresses of billions have been changed from hell to heaven.

You, personally, may never have been addicted to alcohol, drugs, sex, or other addictive behaviors common to so many today. But I can guarantee that without exception we’ve all been addicted to the vile and degrading effects of sin in and on our lives. God has broken the chains of sin in the lives of each of us who have placed our trust and given our allegiance to Jesus. It may not have been in a moment, but over time, Satan’s grip on us has lessoned and the only thing that now matters is loving and serving Jesus and others to His honor, glory, and praise.

He is able to free you from anything and everything that hangs you up or holds you back! He’s God, He can do anything we ask of Him in faith for Him to do that will result in greater measures of praise and honor for His Father! Submit your addictions, your sins of choice, any habit that is dishonoring to Jesus or harmful to you or others. He will bring it under His control. He IS able!

Blessings, Ed 😊

God Is Able – To Make a Way Through Temptation! (Part 2)

“And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand.” (1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT)

Yesterday we looked at what temptation is and why Satan’s strategy is often so effective. Today I’d like for us to examine more closely, our own strategy to avoid the crippling effects of falling prey to the enemy’s deceptions.

Temptation can come in many forms, but universally it appeals to our own desires. For example, let’s say you’re going home from church. You’ve just listened to an amazing message on patience and humility, outlining how Jesus always put the needs of others ahead of His own. You’re humming along with the Christian music that is playing, you’re smiling, just having a great time of worship as you drive home. Then a couple of guys in a little sports car whiz around you shouting obscenities and flipping you off with the international sign of displeasure.

What moments before was an auditorium of praise has now become the cockpit of a fighter jet! The race is on! Why? What changed? You did! You allowed Satan to shift your focus from Jesus to something inside of you that hates to feel put down or out done. Suddenly your desire to praise God became a desire to get even, or worse. Where did God go? Nowhere! He’s still right where you left Him. You’re the one who left Him, He didn’t leave you.

What’s my point? Most often our “means of escape” from temptation isn’t a voice from heaven or a big red sign saying “STOP!” It’s a still, small, persistent voice within saying: “I know what you’re thinking and it’s a very bad idea! Think about what you’re about to do!”

The above scenario has happened to me numerous times and I’ve let it get the best of me and done careless and reckless things before I finally saw the futility of it all. But now, I rarely give it a second thought. By keeping my focus on the Lord and asking for his help to calm down, I avoid potentially dangerous scenarios.

One of my deepest regrets centers on a decision I made to stay when I should have left. God sent someone to tell me to walk away, but I didn’t listen. That one decision ultimately led to the demise of my marriage.

God is faithful to give us a way of escape. Sometimes that escape is to literally run. Leave as fast as you can the place of temptation. If you’re tempted to surf porn sites, get blocks on your device. If you’re an alcoholic, stay away from the liquor store and/or bars, but most importantly, stay away from those who tempt you to drink, or do whatever God has clearly instructed you not to do. With every addiction, there’s a trigger, and the only means of escape is intervention. By God certainly, but very often by others.

Please trust someone to walk with you through your “storm” of sobriety, whatever that may look like for you, and allow yourself to build a team of people who love Jesus and love you, who will walk with you through your healing journey. There are lots of things I’ve learned about temptation and how to overcome it, but the most important lesson I’ve learned is: you can’t walk faith’s journey alone!

You’ve got to have someone watching your back. It’s critical that you allow yourself to be open to others who are walking a similar path. Trust and accountability are the only roads to healing and wholeness. Put your full trust in Jesus, then allow Him to point you to one or two others who will be your lifelines to physical, spiritual, and emotional health.

Blessings, Ed 😊

God Is Able – To Make a Way Through Temptation!

“Since He Himself has gone through suffering and testing, He is able to help us when we are being tested.” (Hebrews 2:18 NLT)

Temptation to sin, to disregard what we know is right, is something every believer holds in common. The temptation may be different in its form, but everyone is tempted by something, even Jesus. As we begin, I’d like to make some general observations, then zero in on how God often works to help us escape temptations deadly grip.

First, temptation is not sin, but it very often leads to sin if we don’t allow the Holy Spirit to guide us away from it. Secondly, God NEVER tempts us to sin. He does TEST us, but the purpose of His testing is to make us better, not make us fall or fail. Thirdly, our own lustful, wrong desires are the seedbed of temptation. Fourthly, Satan cannot make you sin.

James writes: “Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.” (1:14-15) Desires always give us a choice.

The word most commonly used in the New Testament that is translated “tempt or temptation” means: “to try whether a thing can be done. To attempt, endeavor. To test for the purpose of ascertaining a person’s quality, or what they think, or how they will behave in a certain setting.”

Satan is a liar; in the sense he is incapable of saying anything that is truthful. But he aligns his lies with what we want to believe, either about ourselves, someone else, or something that is not in our best interests. God is unable to lie. He must tell the truth in every circumstance in order to be true to His holy and perfect nature. That’s the reason He will never tempt you to sin.

God is so committed to keeping us from sin that He ALWAYS gives us an out when we’re tempted. When Jesus was tempted, He defeated Satan’s efforts to feed Jesus’ own desires by quoting Scriptures that clearly evidenced the lies that Satan was seeking to use by twisting them to his own advantage.

That heightens our need to know, not only what the Bible says, but the truth it’s intending to convey through what it says. Satan will twist truth to make it say what it was never intended to say. He will appeal to our emotions, our desires, given by God, but will seek to have us fulfill those desires in ways that will not honor God.

For example, sex. Sex is God’s invention. He made it pleasurable for one man and one woman to enjoy in the context of a lifelong commitment to one another in marriage. Yet, mankind has distorted and defiled God’s perfect plan for intimacy within the safe boundaries of marriage, in ways that not only break the heart of God, but can damage and destroy our bodies, minds, and souls.

Hebrews 2:18 points to Jesus’ own temptation as a point of reference so we can be assured that Jesus understands what we’re going through, but more importantly, can help us overcome and/or escape its devilish claws. But how?

Since temptation draws on our own desires, God enables us, through the powerful work of the Holy Spirit within us, to change and sanctify our desires. What does that mean? It means we learn, over time, to desire God and what He wants for us, more than the sinful things we want for ourselves. The longer we walk with the Lord, the more clearly we are able to identify the “escapes” He provides for us.

We’ll look at this more closely tomorrow.

Blessings, Ed 😊

God Is Able – To Make You Stand!

“Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:11 NLT)

When I was in college, like most college students, I always needed money. A friend of mine asked me to take his shift at a soft-drink warehouse, as a night watchman. “How hard could it be?” I thought to myself as I said “yes!” He told me: “Just walk around and keep an eye on things.”

For the first few hours I did fine. But then, it got more and more difficult to keep my eyes open. I figured if I could just stay on my feet, I could stay awake. That was the only time in my life, before or since, that I actually slept standing up. Paul writes in Romans 13:11 regarding our need to “Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.”

When you think about it, it’s interesting the numbers of times in the Bible and in life, we’re urged by God to wake up or stay awake, to stand up or stand strong. Why is that so important?

My family moved about the time I was beginning seventh grade. In an earlier article I mentioned how skinny I was when I was in junior high school. Kids would tell me if I stood sideways and stuck out my tongue I’d look like a zipper. I can laugh now, but it wasn’t very funny then. I didn’t know anyone the first day of school and, apparently, it was obvious. I became the immediate target of a bully and his crew.

They taunted me, following me through the hallways, but especially in gym class. I was able to evade them for a couple of weeks, but finally I decided I was tired of running. There are times it takes courage just to take a stand.

Jackie, the bully, got right up in my face and began to outline all the things he was going to do to me, much to the delight of his crew. And as he reared back his arm and made a fist, I said to him: “Just one thing. You’d better know what you’re doing.” I was paralyzed with fear, but I wasn’t a stranger to fighting, so I figured I’d just see where it went.

His fist came like a flash of lightening but stopped abruptly just as it got to my chin. Jackie smiled, released his fist, and put out his hand to shake mine. We became friends that day. Satan is a bully, but if you stand strong and call his bluff, he has no choice but to back down.

The word most used in the New Testament that’s translated “stand,” has several nuances of meaning. For example, it can mean: “to cause or make to stand; to make firm, fix, establish; to be kept intact; to establish a thing, cause it to stand; or continue safe and sound, stand unharmed; to stand ready, or prepared; to be of a steadfast mind.” (Strong’s) Why would I bore you with all those meanings? Because not all our attacks from Satan are the same.

Unfortunately, Satan knows our weaknesses, and he’ll do all within his power to take advantage of them. The good news is, Jesus also knows our weaknesses, and He’ll stand with us and/or give us power to stand firm in the face of Satan’s attack. How so?

Each of us have vulnerabilities. Each of us have areas of weakness, that when attacked cause us to fear, worry, crumble emotionally, doubt, outwardly attack or inwardly retreat. With what end? Typically, if Satan has his evil way, we’ll become useless to ourselves, but more importantly, to God and to others.

That’s when it’s critical to allow the Holy Spirit to empower and enable us to do what in and of ourselves, we’re unable to do. What’s that? To stand firm! To trust and rely on the strength of God, not depending on ourselves. All you have to do is: “Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.”

Blessings, Ed 😊

God Is Able – To Do Whatever He Promises!

“He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises.” (Romans 4:21 NLT)

Are you fully convinced that God is able to do what He’s promised to do in your life as He did in Abraham’s life?

It’s not uncommon for a parent to hear their child say in varying contexts: “I can’t!” And, depending on what it is, they may be exactly right. For example, ask a small child to do a “pull up” or solve a math problem or write an essay and their answer will likely be “I can’t!” But the truth is, as their parent, we’d never expect them to be able to do those things on their own when they haven’t learned how to do them. So, we can step in and help.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Even as a child of God there are circumstances that overwhelm and discourage us to the point of saying even to God: “I can’t!” But unlike an earthly parent, God has no limitations, so when we’re willing to admit we’re not able to do something, God steps up and says: “I can!”

Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 1:20: “For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding ‘Yes!’ And through Christ, our ‘Amen’ (which means ‘Yes’) ascends to God for His glory.”

What has the Lord promised to do in and through us? Whatever it is, He is able! Paul wrote in Ephesians 3:20: “Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”

Think about some of the things God asks of us. He desires a relationship with us, so He asks us to come to Him. He asks us, as His children, to love Him and others; to worship only Him; to obey Him; to serve Him by serving others; to be holy as He is holy; to live lives that are set apart for His sacred service. There are others, but let’s start with these.

None of the above things can be accomplished effectively in and of our own strength. In Philippians 1:6 Paul wrote: “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” Jesus told us in John 15:5 that without Him we can do nothing, but when we remain in Him, we have no limitations. That’s why Jesus gave us His Holy Spirit – to empower and enable us to do and be everything He desires for us to do and be.

That’s how we bring glory to the Father. Jesus asks us to remain in Him, but how do we do that? By obeying His commandments. He asks us to bear much fruit, but how? By allowing His Holy presence to fill us and change us from the inside out. Whatever He asks of us, He provides whatever we need to fulfill it, but we must remain in Him. What does that mean?

If you’re married, what does it mean to remain in that relationship? It essentially means to continue to do whatever is required of you to keep the marriage vibrant, alive, healthy, fulfilling. If you’re employed, what does it mean to remain in that job? Do your job! Continue to do what you were hired to do to the best of your ability.

In the verse at the top of the page, Abraham, often referred to as the father of our faith, was completely confident that God would do exactly what He promised Abraham He would do. What did He promise Abraham? That He would make him the father of many nations. Okay, no big deal, right? Until you realize that Abraham was an old man, and his wife was well beyond the years she could bear a child.

God promised him that his offspring would have their own land and become their own nation. So, when God told him to go to the land He’s going to give him, Abraham didn’t blink, he just started packing.

We want to complicate things by demanding all the answers before we move. That’s not faith, that’s sight. And as God’s children we don’t walk by sight. We walk by faith. That’s when God works in our lives in miraculous ways.

Let’s believe, not only that God is able to keep His promises, but that He desires to give us far more than we could possibly imagine – not of the trinkets of this world, but of the abundance of the Treasure of Himself!

Blessings, Ed 😊

When You Reach the End of Yourself

“The commander of the Lord’s army replied, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.’ And Joshua did as he was told.” (Joshua 5:15 NLT)

Joshua was the man God chose to lead the children of Israel into their promised land after the death of Moses. There were two predominant themes that the Lord used in Joshua’s life to prepare him for his new role: “Be strong and courageous!” and “Do not be afraid or discouraged.”

His leadership began with the miraculous parting of the Jordan river, enabling the Israelites to walk into the promised land across a dry riverbed. A pretty good start. Everyone’s “pumped” as they begin the conquest of their new homeland.

Then the plot thickens a bit because the first city they come to is Jericho. Jericho is a walled city with massive gates, and most of the “army of Israel” has never been in battle, let alone faced a walled city. Add to that the presence of a man with a sword in his hand standing in Joshua’s path.

The man describes himself as “the commander of the Lord’s army.” Hmm. That’s the name the Lord uses for Himself in other parts of Scripture. So, Joshua rightly falls face down in reverence and declares his allegiance. Then He asks: “What do you want your servant to do?”

That’s the perfect place to be when we reach the end of ourselves – at the feet of Jesus, declaring our allegiance to Him and asking for His instructions.

Sometimes we’re tempted, even as Jesus followers, to believe when we get to the end of ourselves – in terms of resources, energy, understanding, strength, courage, even faith – that there’s no hope. No place to turn for help. Yet, that’s exactly the position God desires us to reach; otherwise, we’ll tend to take credit when things work out. It’s most often at the end of our strength that Jesus is able to shine most brightly through our weakness.

The Apostle Paul asked the Lord on three occasions to heal a chronic physical issue with which he suffered, but each time the Lord said: “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) There are times God will work in a person’s strength, like with David or Samson of the Old Testament. But it’s much too easy for us to take credit ourselves for what God is doing, unless we understand just how weak and powerless we are.

Joshua was a warrior at heart, but he was humble. He’s a perfect example of meekness – power that is harnessed and kept under control. He recognized the Lord and took his rightful place at His feet. It’s ironic in some ways that Joshua was the leader of millions yet recognized his need of God’s rule and leadership in His life. The most effective leader understands where he fits in the chain of command.

There was no way, humanly speaking, that Israel’s army could have taken Jericho without God’s intervention. And the miracle began long before the walls of Jericho fell. God’s plan was for Joshua and his fighting men to march around the city once a day for six days, being led by seven priests walking ahead of the Ark, each of them carrying a ram’s horn. On the seventh day they were to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns. Then as the priests gave one long blast on the rams’ horns, all the soldiers were to shout as loud as they could, and that’s when the walls would collapse, and they could just run right into the town.

The best place to be when times are hard, we’re frightened, we don’t know which way to turn, or what to do, is to fall face down in reverence and honor of the Lord of heaven’s army. He’s a master strategist and knows exactly what you need to do. But remember, it may not look like anything you could have imagined, but, if followed, will lead to a victory you would never experience without Him.

Blessings, Ed 😊

The Unifying Power of Prayer

“They all met together and were constantly united in prayer…” (Acts 1:14a NLT)

Unity on some level isn’t difficult to achieve. People unite under all kinds of banners, from politics to sports; from workout plans to diets; from rights to wrongs. But, ironically, the Church really struggles to get some measure of unity.

Why do you think there are so many churches in any given city? And many of them are of the same group! Churches often split, “believers” go from one fellowship and find or start another one, often not based on Biblical protocol or doctrinal differences, but based on personal preference.

Church fellowships have parted ways because they didn’t like the color of the new carpet, their beloved paneling got painted over, or they didn’t get re-elected to “their” position on the board. Why? Because we want what we want, when we want it, and we’ll leave if we don’t get our way. God’s will is too often forced to take a back seat to our will.

It often takes a tragedy or a literal move of God to get the people of God to unite under a banner of His choosing. After Jesus was resurrected and ascended back to heaven, the small band of Christ followers were frightened. The Romans had killed Jesus, their “Leader,” what will stop them from coming after them?

So, they all huddled together on the day of Pentecost, but when the Holy Spirit was given, they were filled and empowered and sent out to share the good news about Jesus with Jews from every nation. That unprecedented day resulted in the growth of the Church from 120 to over 3,000 in one day. The rapid expansion of their group led to the formation of a community of believers that focused on “the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42 NLT)

Prayer to those new believers wasn’t an obligation, it was a divine privilege. And when they prayed, God showed up in powerful and profound ways. People were healed and saved every day. The believers still struggled and, over time, began to suffer persecution, but their faith remained strong, and they kept their course.

What’s so different today? In many parts of the world, not so much. But in America and in other affluent societies, we lack unity largely because we lack devotion to the Biblical focus of unity – Jesus! Believers who understand their lives are dependent upon faithfulness to God, are grounded in the gospel message of the Bible and in believing prayer.

Prayer isn’t begging God for a raise, a new car or house, or to help my child get into the best school. Their united efforts in prayer are for God to show up in power; to fill and empower them, not to do their own will, but God’s; not to fill their pockets, but their hearts with compassion and purpose, to enable them to please Him, not themselves.

Unity in prayer must be based on the truth of the Gospel, motivated by hearts filled with love of God and desire to see their loved ones, co-workers, classmates, neighbors, friends, and whomever else the Lord brings into their spheres of influence, come to a saving knowledge of Jesus before it’s eternally too late. Powerful prayer is led by the Holy Spirit, empowered by the Holy Spirit, enabled by the Holy Spirit, and dependent upon the Holy Spirit.

Submission to God’s Spirit puts us in a position of usefulness where our greatest concern isn’t what other people think, but only what God thinks. When all that motivates our actions is obedience to the leadership of God’s Spirit, the Church will multiply exponentially, our love for one another in the Body of Christ will be strengthened, those without Christ will be saved, the angels will celebrate, and the God of Creation will be honored, glorified, and exalted.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Contentment

“Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.” (1 Timothy 6:6 NLT)

My first mission’s trip was to an area near Lima, Peru. Nothing would have prepared me for what I saw. I cried much of the first day. The average life expectancy there was about 40 years. Children were running the streets begging, stealing, doing what they could to survive.

We were there to help build an orphanage for some of them, but it was a Band-Aid on a cancer. Yet, amid poverty I’d never imagined, there was a joy and contentment among those who knew the Lord.

We had a Maundy Thursday service at the church compound where we stayed. We sang songs in Spanish that I recognized but struggled to sing because I only knew them in English. But the joy that the small group exuded changed me. As I washed the feet of a young man it was as if I was washing the feet of Jesus. I wasn’t able to grasp it then, but I’ve come to understand that what was different wasn’t their view of the world, it was their view of God.

Joni Eareckson Tada, who dove into shallow water when she was 17, breaking her neck and confining her to a wheelchair for the rest of her life, wrote a book entitled When God Weeps. She writes: “We want what we do not have. We have what we do not want. And we are unhappy. A story about noble Africans who suffer joyfully is inspiring, but God – we convince ourselves – wouldn’t want to cramp our style as He might with poor people in Ghana. Our God exists to make our lives happy, more meaningful, and trouble-free. Our God deals differently with us.” (pg. 19) I highly recommend you read her book or any others you can find by her.

Unlike many with similar circumstances, she has devoted her life to helping through JAF Ministries (Joni and Friends). But that was after much soul-searching and anguish; begging God for healing and wrestling with why He didn’t.

Suffering can be a volatile subject. In America we’ve come to see God more as our servant than our Savior; our expectation is that God should serve our needs rather than we serve His; we tend to see suffering as punishment for disobedience rather than privilege that is born out of intimacy with God.

The truth is, life on planet earth after the fall of man in the Garden, is far from perfect. The things with which we are forced to deal as humans that break our hearts, cripple our bodies, and challenge our spirits, didn’t exist in God’s original plan. How we view God in suffering, on some levels, is like looking at ourselves in a mirror.

Suffering enables us to see God in ways we could never have seen Him in any other way. But it also reveals our heart and soul, magnifying what’s really behind our professed love of God. If the overriding cry of our soul is “Why?” we’ve missed the point. But if it’s “How?” we’re finding our way to the heart of God.

“Lord, why did you allow this? Why haven’t You healed me?” These are the cries of the heart bent on having God serve our needs, not His. “How,” on the other hand, is to mine the gems of wisdom, courage, and contentment that only the heart of God can reveal. “Lord, loving Father, while I don’t understand what Your purpose is in my suffering, please help me to understand how you want to use it, and me, to Your honor and fame. Help me to so rely on You in my current circumstances, that I can share Your life and love with others as my faith deepens and my love for You grows in ways it never has before. To You be all glory, honor, and praise, now and forevermore.”

That is the pathway to contentment. When nothing but deepening our love for and dependence upon our Heavenly Father is our heart’s will and desire, we will find contentment in our lives like we never imagined possible.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Are You a Door or a Window?

“Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through Me will be saved.” (John 10:9a NLT)

As I pondered what the Lord is seeking to say, in relation to the purposes of doors and windows, it occurred to me that some doors are glass, thus the view of whatever is on the other side isn’t blocked. And, on the other hand, windows very often have coverings that alter or eliminate the view of what’s on the other side of them. So, what does this have to do with anything spiritual. Actually, quite a lot.

Think of the people with whom you have contact each day. Family members, friends, co-workers, classmates, servers in the coffee shop, in the aisles of the grocery, the list is virtually endless. And the tragedy is, we pay little or no attention to most of them, most of the time. . . unless!

What if we asked the Lord to open the windows of our minds to see what He sees? What if we took to heart the words of Jesus in John 10:9 above to mean He is the only “door” into salvation and eternal life? And what if, as a result of those considerations, we would see ourselves as a “window” and/or “door” through which all of those people we pass each day could catch a glimpse of Jesus?

For purposes of this article, let’s make a few distinctions between doors and windows. I desire this to be as simple as possible, so as we consider which one we may lean towards, think of a window as one through which a clearer view of something is seen. But a door is an entry way to experience what is seen.

For example. we have a water feature in our backyard. I enjoy standing at the sliding glass door and just looking at the water as it cascades across the rocks. But I’d much rather open the door and listen to the soothing melody of the water splashing over the rocks and into the pond beneath.

Perhaps you’ve seen photos and films of the Grand Canyon, but if you’ve been there, you know nothing compares to sitting on a huge boulder, feeling the wind in your face, watching the birds soar across the endless sky, hearing their songs, and watching the sun set over the edge of that massive expanse. To me, life in Christ is like the Grand Canyon. It’s impossible to explain to someone who’s never seen the Canyon, what it’s like.

And, similarly, it’s impossible to convey what having my sin forgiven, my heart set free, my spirit filled, my life given hope and purpose and meaning like I never imagined possible. How can I convey what it’s like to be alone, but not be lonely; grieving, but not in despair; enjoying life to it’s fullest, without the latest gadget, most expensive car, jewelry, house, or other possessions? How is it possible to share that Jesus is my life? That apart from Him I’m nothing and can do nothing? That I desire Him more than life itself?

The truth is, I can’t. And neither can you. BUT! We can give glimpses. We can be a window through whom Jesus can be viewed, if ever so slightly, as He loves, as He forgives, as He shows mercy, kindness, goodness, patience, and self-control through us. And, as opportunities arise, perhaps He will use us to be a door through which we can invite someone into a relationship with Him.

Whether we realize it or not, whether we even like it or not, if we know and love Jesus, we’re all windows of opportunity for others to catch a glimpse of Him. We must be more intentional about how we pray, how we live and love, and how sensitive to God and to others we are. So when the Lord prompts us to be a “door” of invitation through whom someone can walk into a new life in Jesus, we’re ready for Him to take over and do what only He can do in and through us to His honor and fame.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Are You Amazed?

“From His abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.” (John 1:16 NLT)

What amazes you? “Amaze” is a word we use often, yet I’m not sure we understand what it means. According to Merriam-Webster it means: “to overwhelm with wonder; astound; astonish, surprise.”

Philip Yancey’s book entitled What’s So Amazing About Grace? asks a question that deserves an answer. If anything should amaze us, it’s God’s grace. Why is that? To realize that God became a human being in the form of an infant is amazing, astounding, something that is filled with wonder and surprise. But the fact He traded His life for ours on the Cross is beyond amazing!

God delights in amazing us, sharing Himself with us in unexpected and underserved ways; at times and in places that we would never expect.

For those of us who have walked with the Lord for a while, it can become more difficult to be surprised or amazed at almost anything God does. We read in the Bible how Jesus healed blindness, sickness, even leprosy; He raised the dead; and walked on water; He quieted storms and cast out legions of demons all at the command of His voice.

Yet, when we get a cold or flu or worse, what’s our first course of action? “Well, let’s see if we have anything for that in the medicine cabinet?” Or “Honey, do you have the doctor’s number handy?” We become so familiar with the Jesus of the Bible, we forget or ignore the fact that He’s also the Jesus of our salvation and His Holy Spirit resides in us who believe. What’s that supposed to mean?

Hebrews 13:8 reminds us that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Then the writer adds in verse 9: “Your strength comes from God’s grace…” Since Jesus is the same, He’s still able and willing to do today what He did “yesterday” in Bible times. But please don’t hear what I’m not saying. Am I suggesting, as some do, that we should rely totally on God’s grace and kindness and mercy to heal us of every physical ailment? Not necessarily. But what I am suggesting is to BEGIN by asking Him what we should do. Prayer should be our first course of action, not our last resort. Medicine and Medical staff can be, and often are, God’s agents, but they can never take His place.

How often I’ve heard some form of: “Well, I’ve tried everything I know to do, could you please pray for me. Maybe God can do something.” You think? What a slap in God’s face when we think like that. What an insult to the Creator, Ruler, and Sustainer of all that is, including us. Perhaps the reason we find it hard to be amazed by God’s grace is because we’re too focused on other things; alternative avenues of serving ourselves and meeting our own needs.

Every morning as I begin my walk with the pups, I’m amazed at the beauty of my surroundings. The blueness of the sky, the formations of the clouds, the privilege of being healthy enough to walk my dogs. My dad was an invalid when he was my age. It is my goal to never take God’s amazing grace for granted. God doesn’t need me, but I sure need Him. He designed me and you to be objects of His loving kindness. His grace not only saved me, but it is also the context in which I live my life. God’s grace sustains me.

That’s a wonder-filled reality. If you want a clear definition of “sustain,” think of holding a glass in your hand, palm up. Then, as fast as you can, pull your hand out from under the glass. What will happen? It will crash to the floor. Guess what? You’re the glass, without Jesus and His amazing grace.

If God would choose, as He one day will, to pull His mighty hand out from under us, we’d crash as well. Please humble yourself before the Lord in recognition that God is God, and you are not. Willfully confess that apart from Him you are nothing and you can literally do nothing. Honor Him with the recognition that He IS your life and without Him you would be lost.

Allow yourself to admit that everything you are, everything you have or ever hope to have, is by God’s amazing grace! A love gift from your Heavenly Father.

Are you amazed! Check out this music video: Are you AMAZED? – YouTube

Blessings, Ed 😊