Walking With Jesus

Do You Like What You See?

“’If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,’ Jesus replied. ‘But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.’” (John 10:41 NLT)

What draws you to another person? What do you look for in a prospective friend? If you’re looking for a spouse, what is it about that special someone you won’t live without? Whether we realize it or not, we all have, for lack of a better way to describe it, a mental “checklist” that we scan when we see or meet someone for the first time.

A phone conversation with my wife was our first contact with one another. She was an oncology nurse who was assigned to my son’s care when he was diagnosed with leukemia. That was nearly thirty years ago, but I still tell her that I loved her before we ever met. At first it wasn’t a physical attraction, but more of an emotional appreciation that I had for her. She gave me hope that my son would survive his illness.

The verse above is the closing verse of John chapter 9 that tells the story of a man born blind. After being healed the Pharisees badgered him for an explanation, which led to a verse that always makes me smile when I read it: “’I don’t know whether He is a sinner,’ the man replied. ‘But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!’” (John 9:25 NLT)

Jesus’ problem with the Pharisees was they were “blind” spiritually but claimed they could see. Unfortunately, that’s still a common problem. One of my greatest fears centers on the fact that I don’t know what I don’t know. That’s one of the reasons I love Jesus. He gives me hope. My “sight” may not be perfect now, but this one thing I know: “Once I was ‘blind,’ but now I see! Once I had no hope, but now I’m walking in newness of life I never knew existed before I met Jesus!”

When we first meet Jesus, similarly to how it is when we first meet anyone, we have no assurance that He is who He claims to be – God in human flesh! Savior of mankind! The only way to heaven!

When I first met my wife, I didn’t know what kind of nurse she was. I had no idea of her “credentials,” but I loved her anyway. Of course, had she proven over time she was the proverbial “quack” nurse, it might have changed my opinion of her.

But isn’t that the issue? She was the “real deal.” She was everything she claimed to be and more, just like Jesus. I’ve now been walking with my wife for nearly 30 years and the longer I’m with her, the more reasons she gives me to love her more. April 10, 1992 was our first date, and I was so nervous I couldn’t stop shaking. In my mind, she was (and is 😊) way out of my league.

That’s similar to the way I feel about Jesus. The more I get to know Him, the more assurance I have that He’s exactly who He claims to be. He’s never lied. He’s never made a promise He hasn’t kept. He’s walked with me on the mountain tops and in the deep, deep valleys. When earthly friends were walking away, Jesus was running in.

In John 9:35 Jesus asks the former blind man: “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” To which the man responded: “Who is He sir? I want to believe in Him.” Jesus said to the man who now could see: “You have seen Him…and He is speaking to you!” That’s when the man fell at Jesus’ feet and worshipped Him! In my mind’s eye I can see Jesus asking those questions with His winsome smile, and the former blind man answering Jesus: “Yes, Lord, I believe, and I love what I now see!”

Being blind enabled that man to have heightened awareness in the use of his other senses. Even though he hadn’t seen Jesus physically, I have no doubt he would have recognized His voice. And, like me and my wife, I’m confident He loved Jesus even before he “met” Him.

Have you met Him? He’s the “real deal!” He delivers far more than He promises, and His promises are awesome. Maybe you’ve walked in blindness long enough. Let Him heal your “blindness” and enable you to see things you’ve never seen before. I’ll guarantee you – you’ll like what you see!

Blessings, Ed 😊

Wanting to Be Strong for All the Wrong Reasons

“Now all glory to God, who is able to make your strong…” (Romans 16:25a NLT)

When I was a kid, I wanted to be strong. Strong to me meant being everything I wasn’t. I didn’t weigh 100 lbs. until I was in Junior High, and my little mom could beat me arm wrestling until I was in the eighth grade. Fighting was a common part of my life growing up. It seems I was constantly trying to prove myself, yet, ironically, I wasn’t even sure what that meant.

In Acts 1:8 the Bible says: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.” The word translated “able” in Romans 16 comes from the same root word that is translated “power” in Acts 1. There are several shades of meaning in these words, but when Jesus spoke of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and Paul spoke of God’s power manifesting itself in our lives, they were addressing specific reasons for our need for that power.

We don’t need the Holy Spirit to make us powerful for the sake of having strength, so we can say: “Hey, look at me! Check out how strong I am!” As in everything that God gives us, there’s purpose. Two things demand our attention.

First, Jesus specifically said in Acts 1:8, that the reason we would need God’s power as His followers was to be His “witnesses.” That word can mean a “witness” as in a court of law, but it can also mean “martyr – those who after His example have proved the strength and genuineness of their faith in Christ by undergoing a violent death.” (Strong’s) There are many in the churches of America today who believe because they attend church, serve, give money, and use the right words, they’re okay with God. I sincerely hope they are. But the rubber will meet the road when their life is on the line.

Many wrongly believe that dying for Christ is for people in the Bible, but the reality is, more people are being martyred for their faith today than in any other period in history. And the truth is, it’s going to get a lot worse before it gets better. Why do you think so many people are going to deny Christ in the last days? Yes, of course, Satan will deceive a lot of people through miracles and impressive displays of his power. But many will fall prey to his tactics as a means of saving their lives, not realizing their futile attempts will end the same way – death – eternal separation from God!

Secondly, in the verse in Romans, the word translated “able” can mean: “to bear calamities and trials with fortitude and patience; to be strong in Christian virtue; to be able to excel in something or have power for something.” What does that mean? It means if you’re not being shaped by your strong faith in Jesus, the world will shape you into its own mold. It means the limitless power of the Holy Spirit has gifted you with abilities to become a beacon of strength and hope and light for those in your spheres of influence who are on the edge of being swept away into a Christ-less eternity.

People today, like in the days of Noah, are buying and selling; being married; partying; scratching and clawing their way up the proverbial ladder of success; doing what they’ve done as a matter of habit for what seems like endless years. But the day is soon coming when the only thing that will matter is – do you know Jesus. Is His life your life.

Too many people today want the strength of Christ to build their own kingdoms, but there’s only one Kingdom that will survive this world, and that is the Kingdom of God. If your efforts throughout your day aren’t investing in the Kingdom of God, you’re going to be sorely disappointed when the Lord comes and all you have to show for your life’s work is the meaningless trinkets of this world.

With all that’s going on in our world today, it’s no time to be on the proverbial fence of faith. Decide today to give everything you are to everything the Lord Jesus is for whatever amount of time you have left.

We must be about our Father’s Business. That’s the only reason God gives us His powerful Holy Spirit.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Who Gets the Chair?

“When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessings, he was filled with joy…” (Acts 11:23a NLT)

One of my favorite devotions that I read each day is by Ron Hutchcraft. It’s called A Word With You. In a recent article he told the story of Cindy, who attended a campus ministry he led some years ago. He said it took her a while before she gave her life to Christ, but afterwards she was on mission for the Lord.

She came to Ron’s house one day and wondered if he could give her an argument that would convince her older sister to become a believer in Jesus. But instead of an argument, Ron said to her: “Ask yourself this question, ‘What change could I ask Jesus to make in me that my big sister, Megan, would have to notice?'” She said, “I’ve got it!”

The key, in Cindy’s mind, to winning her sister to the Lord was to give up her rights to the big red chair that sat in front of the TV, because they always fought over who got to sit in it. So, she told Ron, “I gave God the chair.” God used Cindy’s sacrifice, and two years later Cindy’s older sister came to know Jesus. So, now Cindy’s question for Ron became: “Who gets the chair?”

The question for us now becomes – no, not “who gets the chair” 😊, but “What change could I ask Jesus to make in me that ___________ (and you fill in the name of someone you’re seeking to reach for Jesus) would have to notice?”

It’s ironic on some levels, but what came immediately to my mind when I thought of the people I most want to influence for Christ was: “stop being so persistent in always leading conversations to Jesus.” In my “zeal” for the Lord, am I turning people away from the One I most want to point them towards? And, honestly, it’s not always the words I use, but my “in your face” attitude when I’m speaking.

It’s like I have all the answers and they just need to listen, right? Not necessarily! A very high percentage of communication is nonverbal, like “who gets the chair?” So, what can I do? Whoa! Exactly! Not what can I “say,” but what can I “do?”

Shortly after I gave my life to the Lord, I began praying for my mom and dad. I was 15, so hugging my mom wasn’t very high on my priority list. But one day mom was doing the dishes and the Lord laid on my heart to put my arms around her waist and tell her I loved her. It was a little awkward at first, but I did what the Lord asked, and you’d have thought I handed her a big box full of money. It changed the trajectory of our relationship and not long after I saw my mom and dad kneel at an altar of prayer at our church and give their lives to Jesus.

Who is it in your life you most want to see come to the Lord? What change are you willing to make to help them see Jesus in you like never before? Certainly, live consistently in submission to the Lord’s authority in your life – in the way you speak, the way you dress, the way you devote time to private and corporate worship, and the way you serve the Lord through your local church and community.

But in your specific relationship with the ones you most want to see become Jesus followers, what change(s) can you make? Can you be more kind? More thoughtful? More proactive in serving them, not in obnoxious ways, but by being courteous, gracious, merciful, loving?

The words of Peter in 1 Peter 4:8 come to mind: “Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.” Love is designed more to be seen than heard, so let the light of your life shine on Jesus. Then let His Holy Presence working in and through you draw that one or those ones you most want to see come to the Lord. Let them have the “chair.” 😊

Blessings, Ed 😊

When a Lion’s Den Became a Petting Zoo

“So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions.” (Daniel 6:16a NLT)

During the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Jerusalem was defeated. It was in that context that Daniel was chosen to be among those trained for the royal service of their new King. Daniel excelled and over the years when King Darius became ruler, he placed Daniel over his entire empire. As often happens, there were those who became jealous of the king’s preferential treatment of Daniel and schemed to get him removed. As a result, the king issued a decree that anyone who prayed to anyone, divine or human, except to himself would be thrown into the lion’s den.

Obviously, Darius had no clue of the implications, but after learning that Daniel was praying to the God of heaven, he had no choice but to have him thrown to the lion’s. He sought every way to prevent it from happening, but when all efforts proved futile, the king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.”

There’s a song I heard on “The Message” recently called Crazy Love, by Casting Crowns, that has a line that refers to Daniel being in the lion’s den and God turning the lion’s den into a petting zoo. It caused me to think about how God turns what Satan intends for evil and harm into something good, positive, and helpful in our lives.

What are you facing? Does it feel like you’ve been thrown into the proverbial lion’s den? Are you frustrated, feeling helpless and hopeless as you focus on the surrounding circumstances? So many today feel crushed as they struggle “under the circumstances” of their lives, but God never intended for us to live with that pressure.

That’s why Jesus said in Matthew 11:29-30: “Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

In my mind’s eye I see Daniel, no longer a young man, stepping into the lion’s den without a care in the world. The worst thing with which he concerned himself was having to sleep on the ground instead of in his comfortable bed. The lions paid no attention to him and he, very likely, paid little or no attention to them. But in contrast, the king had Daniel’s accusers thrown into the same lion’s den and the Bible says: “before they even hit the floor of the den” the lion’s had torn them apart. What’s my point?

If you’ve placed your trust in Jesus and are seeking to live faithfully before Him, God will protect you and deliver you from those who are seeking to harm you. Why would He do that? Because God gains glory, honor, and fame through your submission and faithfulness to His holy authority in your life, regardless of the circumstances.

As a result of Daniel’s faithfulness to God, King Darius issued a decree throughout his kingdom that said: “I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God.” He wrote much more, but, hopefully, you get the point.

God is our everlasting Father, and He will allow nothing to touch your life as His child, except it passes through the filter of His permission. So, if you’re experiencing a trying time, be assured of at least these two things: First, God is with you and has allowed this difficult season in your life. And, secondly, He intends to use this circumstance for your good and His eternal glory. “But what if He lets me die?” you may be thinking.

Even if we’re killed for our love for Jesus, in my mind, that’s the best thing that can happen. How so? Because it leads to our eternal home with Jesus.

Therefore, walk in confidence that you are not alone, and nothing will come against you that you and your faithful Savior cannot handle together.

Blessings, Ed 😊

The Jesus I Love

“Then she knelt behind Him at His feet, weeping. Her tears fell on His feet, and she wiped them off with her hair.” (Luke 7:38a NLT)

This is among my favorite stories about Jesus. In verse 37 Luke says of this woman: “When a certain immoral woman from that city heard He was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume.” Jesus was eating at a Pharisee’s house. A very prim and proper religious person. I’m confident, given the context, that those eating with the Pharisee were very much like him.

The word Luke used that’s translated “immoral” can also be translated: “devoted to sin; pre-eminently sinful; especially wicked.” This is not the kind of person who would have received an invitation to this dinner.

Having this type of woman come to his house for any reason would have been an horrific disregard to protocol, violating every sensibility this Pharisee and his cronies had. But this wasn’t just any immoral woman. This woman was from their city. They knew her, most by reputation, but I suspect, some knew her from having had “business transactions” with her. I imagine there was some squirming going on when those men saw her come in.

But her mind wasn’t on embarrassing or calling anyone out for their sin. The only sin on her mind was her own, and the only Person she had interest in seeing was the only Person in that room who would welcome her. The tables then were low, so to be seated meant to have your legs and feet behind you. Had this woman knelt behind any other person in that room, I have no doubt they’d have bolted. I very likely would have.

Can you even begin to imagine how hard it would have been for you or me to sit and be worshipped in that manner? How utterly inappropriate. Does the word “impossible” come to mind? Yet, Jesus saw what she was doing as an act of worship and applauded her for her courage.

Us religious types like to protect our reputations. We couldn’t be seen associating with anyone like her for any reason, certainly not to have her pour expensive perfume on our feet and wipe them with her hair. But the beauty of Jesus’ heart shown powerfully as He didn’t move a muscle. He made no excuse. He only defended her. That’s the Jesus I love. You want to know why?

Because that woman’s sin wasn’t any greater than mine, just different. Had Jesus pushed her away, it would have been me and you and every other sinner being pushed away with her.

He was the only One in that room who really knew her and knew why she was there. Yes, she came to worship the only One who could free her from her addiction to sin. But she also came to celebrate her declaration of independence from the shackles of slavery that once held her in her former profession.

The alabaster jar of perfume, we learn in another text, was worth about a year’s wage for the average person living then. Why would she have something like that in the first place? I don’t know with certainty, but I have a hunch she used it in her line of “work.” I believe for her to pour it on Jesus’ feet was a way for her to show that the only thing on earth that mattered to her in that moment was Jesus.

Again, I can’t give you a verse to prove it, but I’m thinking when I get to heaven, I’m going to meet this humble woman and she will confirm whether or not this was the case. But I won’t be surprised if this is the same woman we meet in John chapter 8 – the woman caught in “the very act of adultery.” Do you remember Jesus’ last words to her after He saved her from being stoned? “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.”

Kneeling behind Jesus, pouring perfume mixed with tears on His sacred feet, wiping them with her hair, was her way of saying more forcefully than any words: “I’m doing what You told me to do! I’m Yours now. Whatever You want is what I want. I don’t care what anyone thinks of me, I only care that You know what I think of You.”

That’s my prayer to the only One whose opinion matters, because He alone is the Jesus I love.

Blessings, Ed 😊

What We Can Learn from Peter’s Failure

“’No!’ Peter insisted. ‘Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny you!’” (Matthew 26:35a NLT)

Have you ever made a promise or a statement of conviction that at the time you had 100% confidence you would keep? But afterwards life happens and everything you thought you’d do or be flies out the window and you’re left in a puddle of disgust, anger, sadness, and shame, the likes of which you’d never imagined. Peter can relate.

Peter was very self-confident, outspoken, rash, bold, and a natural leader. But on the night of Jesus’ betrayal, circumstances got the best of him. At first, when Judas arrived “with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs” Peter did what Peter often did – he reacted! When the men with Judas grabbed Jesus, Peter pulled his sword and cut off the ear of the high priest’s slave.

He may have been trying to go after the high priest, who knows, but he ended up hurting the person who was very likely the least threat to Jesus or anyone else – rash! Just swinging at anything in his path. Then reality set in and Peter and all the other disciples tucked tail and ran for their lives. But once Peter realized no one was chasing him, he followed Jesus at a distance, which led him to the high priest’s courtyard. That became the scene of Peter’s denial that he ever knew Jesus, not once, but three times.

Jesus had told Peter that he would deny Him, but at that point it was incomprehensible to Peter that he would ever do such a thing. Have you ever done something you never dreamed you would do? I have, and it’s heartbreaking. Then the rooster crowed, and the Bible says: “Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: ‘Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know Me.’ And he went away, weeping bitterly.” (Matthew 26:75 NLT)

What would you have done in that circumstance? I would have wanted the earth to swallow me, never to be seen or heard from again. But it’s interesting that in Mark 16:7 the angel instructed the women to: “… go and tell His disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee.”

What’s remarkable to me is there’s no indication in Scripture that anyone had to hunt for Peter. He was found with the other disciples. What’s my point? As much as Peter was hurting; as ashamed and angry at himself as he was; as heartbroken and distraught as he must have been; when the chips were down, he returned to the men with whom he’d pledged his life for the previous three years as they’d followed Jesus together.

What do we most often do? Isolate! Retreat! Hide! I believe there’s a very valuable lesson for us here. My hunch is that most of the time when tragedy strikes and we become pools of emotional jello, the reason we isolate is because we haven’t developed strong enough relationships with anyone to trust them enough with what we’re going through.

Peter sought healing with those who knew him best and loved him most. He went to his “small group!” Do you have a person or persons you can turn to in a time of crisis? If the most important person in your life dies, who will you turn to? I pray you have someone that immediately comes to mind, but if not, consider this.

Be certain your relationship with Jesus is secure and current. Hopefully, you’re not looking back to your baptism or a prayer you spoke thirty years ago and holding onto hope that what happened then is good enough for today. It very likely is not. Unless your relationship with Jesus is daily and vital, spend time with Him right now and make sure He’s your “very present help in your time of trouble.” (Hebrews 4:16)

Then, if you haven’t already, find a small group of men/women with whom you can grow and learn to trust with your life – literally. People who will be “closer than a brother/sister.” People to whom you can turn in the best of times and the worst of times. People who come immediately to mind when tragedy or crisis strikes.

Peter, with all his faults, became Jesus’ “go-to” guy after the Resurrection. And there’s no record that Peter ever denied the Lord again. In fact, when he was martyred for his faith in Christ, he wanted to be crucified upside down because he didn’t feel worthy to be crucified in the same way as his Master, Jesus.

We really do need each other.

Blessings, Ed 😊

What’s the Anchor of Your Soul?

“This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.” (Hebrews 6:19 NLT)

My wife and I were given the privilege and opportunity to go on a few cruises. To me, one of the fascinating things about the ships on which we traveled were the anchors. As a passenger, I didn’t see the anchors, except the chains on which the anchors were connected, but I learned that anchors are generally between 10 and 20 feet long and weigh between 10 and 20 tons.

The purpose of an anchor is primarily to hold the ship in place once it’s docked, but another use, at least in Bible times, is seen in Acts 27:17 where the anchor was used as a means of slowing the ship in a severe storm. But how does an anchor illustrate truth that’s meaningful to us today?

The context of Hebrews 6 is hope in the promises of God. The opening verses of chapter 6 refer to the need of each believer to grow beyond “the basic teachings about Christ,” and learn to trust in God’s promises, holding fast to the confidence that He will always do what He says. The writer uses Abraham as an example of one to whom God not only made a promise but swore an oath that Abraham’s descendants would be “beyond number.” So, what does that mean for us?

There are at least two things that are critical for us to learn from these verses. First, our hope in the trustworthiness of God’s promise is as an anchor for our soul. What does that mean? In much the same way as Noah and his family took refuge in the Ark, we who have placed our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ have now taken refuge in Him for the salvation of our souls, and for the fulfillment of His purposes in and through us in this life.

God has repeatedly kept His promises recorded throughout the Bible and they have now become verification of God’s unchangeable nature, and therefore, evidence that when He makes a promise, He keeps it. The promise upon which our soul is anchored is that God made a way for us to experience eternal life, not just after we die, but from the moment we begin our walk with Jesus. Our hope is securely anchored in Jesus and His completed work on our behalf on the Cross.

The second critical lesson we must learn is, as with Abraham, we must patiently wait until the timing of His promise for us is fulfilled. The reality is, God’s promise of eternal life in Christ could be fulfilled today, but it may not be. God alone knows the day and hour. What did Abraham do in the interim? He remained faithful by holding on to the trustworthiness of God’s promise. That’s what we must do, but how?

God’s Word, the Bible, is filled with His promises to which we can cling. For example, His promise to be faithful; to never leave or forsake us; to always provide for us in any area of need we may have. We can count on God’s presence to be with us, as long as we put Him first in our life and decisions (Matthew 6:33). To believe we can depend on God and not anchor our hearts and minds in His Word is like thinking we can cross the ocean in a life raft. The odds aren’t good.

Every morning I renew my strength, both in prayer and in reading God’s Word. Throughout the day we need to maintain a conversation with our Father as He walks with us through every detail of every decision. When difficulties arise, as they surely will, we trust the Lord to guide us through the storm, holding tightly to His hand.

If you’re trusting in anything but the completed work of Christ on the Cross for your eternal life, you’re going to be sorely disappointed the second you open your eyes after you’ve passed from this life to the next.

Some assurances God has given me in this season of my life is that no matter what comes, He is with me. His promises are true. I can trust Him. I am His and He is mine. Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Blessings, Ed 😊

Keeping Short Accounts with People and with God

“…settle your differences quickly.” (Matthew 5:25a NLT)

There is a principle that I learned early in my walk with God that has proven helpful across the years. The principle is to keep short accounts with people and with God. What does that mean? It means if you’re having an issue with someone, don’t wait for them to come to you, go to them and get it worked out. The same applies in our walk with the Lord.

Of course, with the Lord, the problem’s going to be with us, so we need to go to Him and confess our need for forgiveness, understanding, guidance, support, or whatever we need to get through whatever is going on in our lives that’s pulling us away from Him.

In terms of Scripture, there are several, but the ones that come immediately to mind are in Matthew 5. First, in verses 23-24 Jesus says: “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.”

For our purposes, this might be when you’re at church enjoying corporate worship, or praying at home, it can be anywhere. But the point is – whenever the Lord lays it on your heart that someone has something against you or, you have something against someone else, go and be reconciled.

Then in verse 25 it talks about if you’re being sued and on your way to court, Jesus said: “settle your differences quickly.” Why is that so important? There are numerous very practical reasons, but the biggest reason for those of us who are Jesus followers is that it interferes with our relationship with God. Issues with another person or entity (i.e. bank, landlord, government, etc.) weighs on our mind and heart and distracts us from our focus on communicating with and/or serving the Lord.

Paul reminds us in Romans 12:18 that we should: “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.” The implication here is that we may not be at fault, or we can’t make another person live at peace with us, but inasmuch as our heart is clear before the Lord and we’ve done all we can to live at peace with the other person, that’s all God expects. The point is, we’ve got to keep a clear channel open between us and God, and conflict with another person interferes with that.

But we’re also to keep short accounts with God. How so? The issue in our relationship with God isn’t always and only sin. It can be neglect, indifference, laziness, in short, anything that gets ahead of God in terms of our heart priorities, which can, and often does, lead to sin. Whatever it is, go quickly to the Lord and ask for His help in making things right.

What’s the bottom line? Love. Our constant goal is to love God supremely and others as we love ourselves. Keeping short accounts with people and with God moves us in the direction of fulfilling the law of love in and through our lives.

Whether we like it or not, as Jesus followers we are to be salt and light in this world. To what end? To create a positive “taste” of Jesus in the hearts and minds of those who don’t yet know Him. And to be a beacon of light to show them the way to our Savior.

Blessings, Ed 😊

What Does It Mean to Die to Sin?

“Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?” (Romans 6:2 NLT)

Sin is a multi-faceted, multi-dimensional issue that can easily be misunderstood and/or misrepresented. On some levels it’s very straightforward, but the plot thickens because God alone knows our heart and can know with certainty whether we’ve sinned or not, given the circumstances.

In my mind, as I understand Scripture, we don’t unintentionally or accidentally sin. In the Old Testament there were sins of ignorance or sins of which a person may not even be aware. For example, a person may not know that their shadow passed over the corpse of an animal. So, there were sacrifices that were made to cover all the sin bases.

When Jesus died on the Cross to pay the penalty for our sin, He made it possible for anyone willing to place their trust in Him to have their sin account emptied, wiped clean. Because of Jesus, we stand before God the Father in the robes of Christ’s righteousness, not in the rags of our sinfulness and shame.

Yet, the Bible often warns that sin continues to be an issue for believers. Paul asks the question in Romans 6:1: “Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of His wonderful grace?” Then answers in verse 2: “Of course not!” Peter quotes from Isaiah 53, reminding us that: “He (Jesus) personally carried our sins in His body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right.” (1 Peter 2:24) John also addresses this theme in 1 John 3:6: “Anyone who continues to live in Him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know Him or understand who He is.” What’s my point?

Sin is anything we do that violates God’s law, by doing something He says not to do, or not doing something He clearly says to do. Jesus summarized the Law with two commands: Love God and love others. This obviously can go in a lot of directions, so let me try to pull back the proverbial reigns and make some observations that, hopefully, will be helpful.

Being dead to anything implies being separated from it. Death in a spiritual sense means being separated from God and we know that sin separates us from God. Therefore sin = death! Anyone who goes into eternity without having a relationship with Jesus is going to die in their sin and be eternally separated from Him.

It basically boils down to where our heart is. Who owns our heart? Love is the motivation for good behavior. Indifference or hate moves us away from love, and results in behavior that violates our love for Jesus and dishonors His holy name. I believe the weight of Scripture and my personal experience leads me to believe that while it takes time to allow the Holy Spirit to give us victory over sin or, in other words, put sin to death in us, we should be moving in that direction. Am I saying that I’m sin free? No, but I am saying I’m a lot closer than I was 50+ years ago when I started my journey.

If I’m wrestling with the same sin patterns now that I struggled with five years ago, something’s wrong. We commonly hear the word “sin” in the Bible interpreted as “to miss the mark,” but it can also be translated as “to err or to be mistaken; to miss or wander from the path of uprightness and honor.” Jesus didn’t die so we could continue to live in sin under the banner of grace.

If our lives aren’t continually moving in the direction of loving God and loving others, we need to do a heart check. The Holy Spirit of the Bible delivers from sin, overpowers evil, gives victory over addictions in whatever form they come. Yes, of course, you may stumble, but to expect we’re going to sin continually and as a matter of habit is to misunderstand the message of the Bible.

If our focus is on Jesus and we’re walking closely with Him, our mind isn’t on ways to be separated from Him, they’re going to be on ways to honor, serve, adore, and draw closer to Him.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

The Imitation of Spirituality

“How can your empty cliches comfort me? All your explanations are lies!” (Job 21:34 NLT)

Have you ever met someone who had an air of spirituality that you soon realized was a mile wide and an inch deep? Job, in the above verse, quickly found that the “counsel” of his “friends” was clearly not helping, it was actually causing him more stress and anguish. Their attempts at pious or spiritually empowered answers to Job’s questions were like the proverbial “leech” sucking Job’s life out of him.

It took me a while, but I eventually learned that truly pious, godly people have a few things in common. Their spirituality is inviting, warm, caring, loving, and real, and it is marked by genuine humility, it’s never artificial. Others have what C. H. Spurgeon characterized as “imitation spirituality.” What’s that? It’s an effort on the part of those who are either trying to “fake it ‘til they make it,” or they’re simply counterfeits seeking to fool others into believing something about themselves that isn’t true. Which, in this case is, they’re not Jesus followers, but they want people to think they are.

Why would anyone do that? Why would anyone ever seek to be something or someone they’re not? It’s called a “scam.” It’s a person who is a “con-artist,” someone who is pretending to be something they’re not for personal gain. What would a person hope to gain through imitating someone who is “spiritual?”

Genuine believers tend to be accepting, willing to help, generous, and sometimes a bit gullible. So, if someone thinks they can take advantage of someone’s gullibility or kindness, either for financial gain or sometimes simply for higher standing within the church community, they’ll use others for their own benefit. I’ve seen churches divided and destroyed by people pretending to be something they’re not. I’ve also seen people make their living by preying on churches and good-hearted people.

I pastored a small congregation that was in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic community. And while I loved the diversity, I learned that not everyone there was coming to the church for spiritual purposes. Many came only for what the church/church people could do for them.

There was a very good and kind young man who worked hard to find housing and jobs for the many homeless people who would come to us. He would be so hopeful when he was able to place someone in a job and/or find them housing, only to learn that as soon as they had some money, they used it to fund their habit, not their housing. It took it’s toll on this young man and, I must say, on me.

Why would I even write an article like this? Because, unfortunately, there are “wolves in sheep’s clothing” the enemy uses to attack and, if possible, destroy a believer’s weak faith in Jesus. They even tear churches apart and seek in every way possible to cripple or hurt the mission of churches in which they can get a foothold. Satan is no respecter of persons, and he doesn’t discriminate when it comes to lives he can destroy.

One way I’ve learned to recognize these people is to watch them when they “win.” What does that mean? When what they’re promoting or advocating gains attention or acceptance. C. H. Spurgeon said: “In the midst of our triumphs, let us cry to God for humility.” Which is a godly person’s response.

The people who are closest to the Lord won’t gloat or seek to draw attention to themselves. They won’t be the ones seeking to point praise to themselves, rather they will be the ones pointing to Jesus and seeking to advance His holy purposes, giving Him all the credit for the good that is happening in the church or in their personal lives.

Just be cautious and use good judgment. Seek the wisdom of God in discerning a person’s motives if there’s even a hint of impropriety. The Holy Spirit will guide you and guard your heart and enable you to make right judgments. Trust Him.

Blessings, Ed 😊