Walking With Jesus

God’s School of Faith

“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.” (Romans 5:1 NLT)

When you think about it, we start at ground zero in the faith department as a new believer in Christ. How do I know that? Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8: “God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.”

Our salvation isn’t dependent upon us, but on grace alone, by faith alone. But even the faith of which Paul speaks, when we first yield our lives to Christ, is not our own – “it is a gift from God.” Think of faith as the activation of belief. It’s as if the Holy Spirit “jump starts” whatever measure of belief we had as we came to Christ, then begins to build on that.

Couple that with Hebrews 11:6: “And it is impossible to please God without faith.” The Bible is clear that we must allow the Lord to grow our faith if we’re going to please God, but how? Jesus used parables that give us insight into how our faith grows. The story of the seed planted on different kinds of surfaces helps us to see that faith that isn’t given a healthy and open heart can get choked out before it has opportunity to grow at all. However, an open and submissive spirit can become very fruitful over time.

Jesus said very clearly in John 16:33 that in this world we will have troubles. These trials can take many shapes, but they all have at least two things in common: they create pressure in our hearts and minds, squeezing us, causing us distress, and, secondly, they are the greatest means through which our faith can grow. How so?

Like temptation, trials put us at a crossroad. The Lord working in and through us will either defeat Satan, overcome the temptation and help us grow, or we will yield to the temptation and experience a setback. The same is true with trials, but trials often come in relatively benign disguises. You get caught in traffic when you’re running late for an appointment. You see a gift on the table when you come home from work and realize it’s your anniversary. A loved one is in an accident or is diagnosed with an illness.

In any of these scenarios and a thousand more the issue isn’t the trial, trouble, or tribulation, it’s how we respond. Our faith grows through taking whatever it is immediately to the Lord; otherwise, it becomes “our” problem, which, as a believer, we were never equipped to handle alone.

Some of the toughest things with which we wrestle in our faith journey are chronic issues – physical, mental, emotional, financial, relational, even spiritual. On the one hand, the trial just doesn’t go away, it compounds and grows. Or, on the other hand, it develops over time and ends, but it doesn’t have the outcome we expected and for which we prayed.

How we learn to deal with the loss of a loved one, especially a child, takes grace beyond my comprehension. I’ve experienced a lot of loss in my lifetime, but one thing with which I wrestle is why my dad had to suffer so long. He had Parkinson’s Disease, and he slowly drifted, over years, from the loving, hard working man I’d so admired, to someone who didn’t recognize anyone and was dependent on someone else for even the slightest need. I have to conclude that his suffering wasn’t solely for him – i.e. for his faith to grow – but for mine.

Does anyone want to die that way? When I think of lingering in a vegetative state, I say to myself: “I don’t want to be a burden to anyone.” But is that the heart of the issue? Might it be, if we’re totally honest, “I don’t want anyone to be a burden to me?” God alone knows our heart, and God alone gives us trials to teach us faith in specific and personal ways.

The truth is, if we want to be like Jesus, which is our goal, we’re going to suffer at some point, and very likely, repeatedly as our lives draw closer to our faith finish line. How can faith most effectively be grown in those circumstances? In community! In literal families that are in it for the long haul, who, through thick and thin, stand by one another and do whatever it takes to get through the crisis together.

The same is true of our spiritual families. The family of God, our eternal family, is designed to create friendships that are as close or closer than our biological families. Families with whom we’d walk through fire and lay down our lives for their sake. I’ve found brothers and sisters in Christ like that. I pray you have also. That’s the only way to thrive in God’s School of faith.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Being Who God Designed You to Be

“That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.” (Colossians 1:29 NLT)

The ONLY thing that is preventing you from being everything that God designed and ordained you to be is YOU.

Once you commit to following Jesus without excuse or reservation, will it be easy? It will be the hardest thing you’ll ever do in your life. It will demand every bit of strength, creativity, and determination that you can muster. Will it be worth it? Words cannot describe how elated you will be when you kneel face down at the feet of your Creator at your journeys’ end!

But how do I know what God designed me to do? That’s easy. He created and designed us to have a love relationship with Him. He’s a loving, compassionate Father who loves each of His children as if they were His only child, but He formed us uniquely to fulfill a specific mission on this earth. Our mission is to love Him supremely, be loved by Him passionately, and to point as many people as possible to Him before it’s eternally too late.

Paul writes in Colossians 1:28: ”So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ.” This verse leads into the verse at the top of the page that describes Paul’s work to carry out his calling.

There’s nothing a person can ever do that comes close to the value of loving and living for Jesus. But just because it’s right and good, doesn’t mean it’s not going to be a struggle. According to commentator William Hendricksen, the literal Greek translation of Colossians 1:29 is: “By means of his energy energizing within me with power.” Dr. David Jeremiah writes in reference to that verse: “The Lord’s power is bottomless, boundless, and immeasurable.”

As a follower of Jesus, every contact we have with another person is going to do one of two things: draw them to Jesus or push them further away. How does that happen? Often without saying a word, our countenance shouts a message. The messages can range from – “You’re attractive and pleasant, so I’ll smile at you.” to “Your appearance disgusts me, so I’ll avoid you at all costs.”

Many times, our countenance has nothing to do with anyone but ourselves – our thoughts, the activities of the day, or we may just be tired and inattentive to others. The point is, we’re ALWAYS on mission for the Lord. We don’t have the luxury of pushing someone away from Jesus for any reason.

Meditate, contemplate, and prayerfully consider how God has wired you. What are your strengths as a person? Do you love being with people or prefer to be and/or work alone? Do you like being indoors or in nature? Whatever you discover, ask yourself: “Being the person God has made me and knowing He doesn’t make mistakes, what role is He asking me to fill in the Body of Christ that will maximize my effectiveness and fruitfulness for Christ’s honor and fame?”

The Holy Spirit will lead you. I’ve learned over the years that I write much more effectively than I speak. How ironic that the Lord called me to be a Pastor for more than thirty years. I’ve learned He has a very good sense of humor! The point is to be submissive to His authority in your life, look around you – literally. What do you see? For the bulk of your day, are you alone or with people? Do you communicate best in person or electronically? How do you best build friendships with others? Knowing your mission is to point people to Jesus, in what role do you see yourself serving at your local church? In the community? Personally, in your own neighborhood or circle of friends or acquaintances?

In whatever direction the Spirit leads you, create a plan. Speak with someone you trust about what you’re thinking. Let family and/or friends who know you well give you feedback and listen carefully to their insights. God has a mission for you to point others to Him and He will give you everything you need to be everything He’s asking you to be.

Buckle up. Get ready for the greatest adventure of your life – obeying Jesus and living courageously for Him!

Blessings, Ed 😊

What Blinds You to Jesus?

“We had hoped…” (Luke 24:21a NLT)

Have circumstances in your life been so chaotic or your heartache so severe that you’ve missed God’s presence when He showed up?

Luke records the story of two of Jesus’ followers who were walking home, to the village of Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. As they walked, they were discussing the things that had happened in Jerusalem over the course of the previous three days. How Jesus had been betrayed, then murdered because of the Jewish priests and religious leaders, then rose from the dead.

As they discussed these things, the Bible says that Jesus suddenly began to walk with them. Jesus asked them what they were talking about, and with a very sad countenance, one of them whose name was Cleopas, began to tell Jesus all the things that had happened regarding Jesus’ death. It was in that context that he said: “We had hoped He was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel.”

Here they were, in the presence of God, but they didn’t recognize Him. Why? Was it because of their sadness? Perhaps, but as they recounted what had happened over the previous three days, they ended with these words: “Then some women from our group of His followers were at His tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. They said His body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, His body was gone, just as the women had said.”

Whoa! Wait a minute. Then why are you so sad? It’s not sadness that’s blinding you, it’s lack of faith! It’s unbelief! It was at that point Jesus began to tell them what the Scriptures had predicted hundreds of years before the actual event, finally bringing them to a point of recognizing who He was.

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

While I’m troubled by those who professed allegiance to Jesus, yet due to their unbelief were unable to recognize Him two thousand years ago, what bothers me more is when I see those same things in myself and others in the Body of Christ today. There are times in my life and yours when the weight of the circumstances of our lives crushes our spirit and blinds us to the presence of our Savior. And the irony is, the reason behind our failure to see Jesus is the same as the two men on the road to Emmaus – unbelief! What do I mean?

The opening words of Luke 24:21 tell the story of lack of faith or unbelief in the hearts of the two men: “We had hoped!” Might they have been able to recognize Jesus if their heart’s cry had been: “But we’re still hopeful!” or “Even though we have unanswered questions, our belief He’s alive is still strong!”

Sometimes the reality is, the trials of life don’t destroy our faith, they reveal our lack of faith. You can’t draw on that which you don’t possess. Our trust in God must extend beyond the borders of our own achievements. We may read the Bible regularly, pray with the fervor of Elijah, attend every meeting the church offers, teach classes, and even share our faith with others, yet not have faith to recognize Jesus when He shows up in a crisis. Or worse, Jesus won’t recognize us when we show up at the entrance to heaven.

“How can that be?” you may ask. Jesus said in Matthew 7:21: “Not everyone who calls out to Me, ‘Lord! Lord! Will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of My Father in heaven will enter.” Obviously, the issue isn’t only what we do, it’s why we do it.

Could it be the two on the road to Emmaus were more “fans,” than followers? Perhaps they, like many today, got so caught up in the work of the Lord, they forgot the Lord of the work. We can get so focused on what we’re doing, we lose focus on why we’re doing it. Until, over time, it becomes more about us and less and less about Jesus.

In 1 Corinthians 11, in the context of The Lord’s Supper, Paul urges us to examine ourselves. Lack of faith can easily blur our vision of Jesus, so much so, we may miss Him when we most need Him.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Where Were You On 9/11?

“You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.” (Matthew 24:44 NLT)

On September 11, 2001, all I remember is frantically trying to reach my daughter who lived in New York City, then being glued to the TV with a sense of unbelief once I knew she was safe. “How could this be happening?”

It’s almost surreal to think about it now, but I was visiting my daughter on September 10^th. We had dined in a restaurant near the top of one of the Towers. We were sitting by a window, and I remember how small the people looked walking below. I was getting dizzy as the building swayed back and forth.

Later, as I stood on her tiny balcony, looking around, I asked her: “Honey, where is the Statue of Liberty?” and she responded: “It’s just over there, but you can’t see it because of the Towers.” It would literally have been unbelievable if someone had told me: “If you’ll just wait until tomorrow, the Towers will be a heap of rubble, sending nearly 3,000 people to their death.”

Stories have been told by family members, describing the kinds of mornings some killed in the attacks had had. Most were much the same as every other morning, yet I doubt that any of them suspected that it would be their last day on planet earth? Would they have done anything differently had they known?

Casting Crowns sings a beautiful song entitled “Scars in Heaven.” The words of the first verse say: “If I’d only known the last time would be the last time, I would have put off all the things I had to do. I would have stayed a little longer, held on a little tighter. Now what I’d give for one more day with you.” (you can click the link below to listen to this song)

The truth is, none of us know when that day will be. All we can do is ask the Lord to enable us to be sensitive to those we love on every occasion. We can’t let pettiness or pride keep us from saying or doing whatever we can to make sure those we love the most know it! It doesn’t matter your age, none of us know the day or time of Jesus’ arrival, whether He’s coming for everyone, or just for me or you. Next time you leave, give hugs and kisses. “Stay a little longer. Hold on a little tighter.”

Have you had an argument with someone who is dear? Make it right without delay. Call them! Let them know how much they mean to you. The tragedy is, often we fail to tell our husband or wife; mom or dad; dear friend or relative, how much we love them because of some petty disagreement we had over nothing. Even if they were clearly at fault, tell them it doesn’t matter. Clear the air. Don’t risk going into eternity without them knowing how much they mean to you.

Our family had planned a Thanksgiving gathering at my oldest sister’s house many years ago. My dad had already passed. Mom was all we had left. I called her to make sure she was coming, but there was hesitancy. I told her I’d come to pick her up (about a four-hour drive), but she insisted I not come. With the clarity of hindsight, I now know I should have gone anyway, but I didn’t. That was the last time we spoke. We’re not sure when, but she must have literally dropped dead. Her heart gave out as she was apparently reaching for something in her medicine cabinet.

Some reading these words have put off coming to Jesus. You’ve made excuses for years, thinking you have lots of time. That’s a lie Satan loves for us to believe. Tens of thousands of people go into eternity everyday, very likely thinking the same thing. This moment is the only time in which you can decide about anything. We’re not promised another second. That’s why Jesus urged us to be ready. He said He would come “when least expected.”

There’s nothing – NOTHING! – more important than knowing Jesus and knowing you’re going to heaven when you die. John wrote in 1 John 5:13: “I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.” Please! Please! Don’t wait another second. Yield you life and allegiance to Jesus, then go make things right with anyone with whom you have an issue of any kind. Life it too short. Love is too precious. Eternity is too long!

click link to listen to “Scars in Heaven” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiJUE9Eii0Q)

Blessings, Ed 😊

So, How Are Things Going?

“So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!” (Hebrews 10:35 NLT)

In yesterday’s post I asked if it was time to call an “audible.” Essentially, what I was asking was, “Is it time to consider another option,” not simply for your life as a whole, but each element of your life.

We are complicated beings. We have many roles as a follower of Jesus. You may be a parent, grandparent, child, sibling, spouse, employee, employer, friend, brother or sister in Christ, neighbor, and on and on. And what often happens is, we become pulled in so many directions, we end up doing poorly in the areas in which we desire to do our best. What is most important to you?

In my life my highest goal and aspiration is to be an obedient and fruitful child of God. I want to please God above all others. Yet, the Lord has helped me to understand that in being the best I can be for Him, I need to love those in my spheres of influence as I love Him. Why is that so vital? Because my life is not my own. I’ve been bought at the high price of the shed blood of my Savior. (1 Corinthians 6:20) Everything I/we do has the potential of influencing someone else either positively or negatively for Jesus.

So, how are things going? When I ask someone about their life in Christ – their daily disciplines, loving well, sharing their faith, etc., often I hear some version of: “But I’m so busy!” Jackie Hill Perry wrote: “Our busy schedules aren’t keeping us from prayer, our hearts are.” That puts us back to my question at the beginning: “What is most important to you?”

When I was first in ministry, especially in the small churches I served, the pastor was the “go-to” person for virtually everything that happened in the church. It wasn’t right, and I eventually learned to make some vital changes, but, unfortunately, that’s the way it was in the beginning. If someone was in the hospital, the pastor went to see them. If someone had a crisis, they called the pastor. If there was a meeting, the pastor was expected to be there. PLUS, I had a Sunday morning and Sunday night service to prepare for, as well as a Wednesday night gathering. Yeh, I know, “Boo-hoo!” for me. The point is, I was busy. So, I understand busyness.

Vance Pitman, our Senior Pastor at the church of which my wife and I are now members, wrote a book entitled “The Stressless Life.” It’s a great book and a very interesting study that I highly recommend. In his book he asks a very pointed question: “Does your schedule include time with Jesus, or is it ordered around time with Jesus.?” Think of Mary and Martha (John 10).

The point is every person has 24 hours a day. We can make time with God a priority and allow Him to order our lives from there or keep a frantic pace trying to juggle all the proverbial “balls” ourselves. Your marriage, work, health, relationships, recreation, hobbies, rest – everything in your life can be ordered around your time with God, if you’ll put Him first and ask for His help.

Pete Scazzero wrote: “Jesus was not up all night preparing a sermon. He was up all night communing with the Father. Out of that came a sermon.” What does that mean? It essentially means that if we put spending time with Jesus first, He’ll enable us to do the other things we have to do, better and more efficiently. What I’m suggesting is that if you’ll make God the number one priority in your schedule, He will enable you to order your life differently, and enable you to be more fruitful for Him.

We are so tyrannized by the urgent, we miss the important. Stop robbing yourself of the richness that life in Christ is intended to be and start seeking first His Kingdom and His righteousness and let Jesus add everything else you NEED (not want). Life was never designed by God to be a frantic pursuit of the material, but a meaningful and personal friendship with the Lover of our Soul, resulting in peace, contentment and fruitfulness in everything He leads us into.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Is It Time to Call An Audible?

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:2 NLT)

Earl Nightingale said: “A rut is a grave with the ends kicked out.” Sometimes that’s a picture of our lives, doing the same things over and over and over again, with no hope of change and nothing to look forward to but death. But thank God, that’s not the way He designed us to live, and He has a plan to pull us out of our rut. Having walked with the Lord for many years, I’ve seen firsthand how He’s engineered circumstances in my life and the lives of many others, to move us in directions we never dreamed possible.

Is it time for a change in your life?

Though I’m not a sports fan, I do occasionally watch a game. There’s an expression used in some sports scenarios where the coach will call “an audible.” It essentially means that rather than run the play prescribed for a given situation, the coach will instead, on the spur of the moment, substitute another play. It’s done to confuse the defense and/or as a last effort to win the game.

There are times in our lives when it becomes necessary to “call an audible.” A time to try something new, different, perhaps unprecedented, something we’ve never done before that seems impossible, but holds the potential of moving us in a fresh, new direction. If you don’t know Jesus, that’s what He wants to do for you today.

Transformation, as used in the above verse, doesn’t necessarily have reference to our outward circumstances, but to the way we think. By God’s grace and with the help of His powerful Spirit living within us, WE can be different, WE can call the proverbial “audible” in our life, even if our outward circumstances never change.

There are lifestyles people today are following that are leading them straight to the grave. By their own or another’s decisions, they are on a proverbial “treadmill” existence, reliving the same day over and over again. STOP!

Even as I type that bold word, STOP, the Lord is reminding me that many who would love to stop, literally can’t. Either because they’re being forced to live the way they are, or because they’ve become so entrenched in the rut of their life, they’ve lost all perspective and hope of ever changing.

Many of the old Negro Spirituals grew out of the circumstances of slavery. A college choir I heard when I was in high school sang a song that said: “Soon I will be over with the troubles of this world…going home to be with God!” And the chorus said: “I’m going to meet my Jesus! I’m going to meet my Jesus! I’m going to meet my Jesus! I’m going home to be with God!”

Am I suggesting that people who are enslaved, literally by those who are evil, or figuratively by lifestyles they’ve chosen for themselves, should just sing a simple song and all would be well? Of course not. What I am saying is knowing Jesus is liberating to our soul. Regardless of our present circumstances, we can realize this earth is not our home. Whether we’re living with much or little, our present life is temporary and has no comparison with the liberating joy of being in heaven with Jesus.

Even if changing your outward circumstances is out of your control, take control of your mind and give yourself to Jesus. Even if you’re being forced to act in ways that are very ungodly, you are precious in God’s sight and loved with an everlasting love. You may be trapped in a lifestyle you would never have chosen for yourself, but there is freedom in Jesus that will liberate your soul and spirit and enable you to have hope in a life to come. A world awaits you that will be perfect in every way. A world that you can cherish and enjoy, but perhaps much more important, a world in which you will be cherished, loved, and liberated to be all God created and intended for you to be . . . for all eternity!

God is with you, even in your misery, and will one day deliver you into His loving, protective arms forever. Just say “yes” to Jesus. Trust Him and leave the rest to Him.

Blessings, Ed 😊

A Long Obedience

“As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.” (2 Timothy 4:6-7 NLT)

John Stonestreet wrote in a recent edition of BreakPoint: “There’s something unusual and inspiring about a life lived faithfully to the very end. It’s what we want for ourselves but so rarely see. Of course, really the only way to end well is to live well. This is what has been called ‘a long obedience.’”

That’s what I want, and I suspect, you want as well. But what might “a long obedience” look like for us?

Every obedient life has at least three things in common. A starting point, a conscientious and intentional path to follow, and a faithful conclusion. It’s impossible to end well if you don’t at some point determine to start well. What does that mean?

It’s not unusual when I’m asking someone about their faith journey to have them say something like: “Well, I’ve followed Jesus my whole life. I grew up attending church. I went to a Christian school, etc.” And when I hear that it frightens me a bit. How so? Growing up in a Christian environment, having godly parents, going to a Christ-centered church and/or attending a Christian School, doesn’t always equate with walking faithfully with Jesus. Living in a Christian environment and holding all the right beliefs isn’t what makes us right with God. I can work in my garage my whole life, but never become an automobile.

We don’t become a believer by osmosis. We become a believer by an act of our will. Loving, serving, and following Jesus is a decision we make at the beginning of our relationship, and it builds as we continually reaffirm our commitment and desire to walk faithfully in that relationship every second of our journey. There’s no coasting or resting on our proverbial “laurels.” Because I served faithfully when I was younger, doesn’t give me the right or option to sit back and do nothing as I age.

Paul told his young protégé, Timothy: “As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God.” The expression “poured out” is used in reference to someone who suffers a violent death, and their blood is poured out for the Lord. It’s a picture of a life lived purposefully and intentionally for Jesus to the very end. Paul understood the time of his death was imminent, and as he reflects on his life, he uses two analogies that should help us better understand how we should live.

He speaks of having fought the good fight. The term he uses here is the word from which comes our word “agony.” And the picture he paints is the stadium or arena where the participants would fight to the death. It reminds us of two very important things we should consider as we live our lives. First, we have an audience.

Hebrews 12 speaks of the great cloud of witnesses to our fight of faith. Additionally, there are those in our spheres of influence who are watching our lives, some of whom are not yet Jesus followers. But our most important witness is our Father who cheers us on as we battle the forces of evil for His honor and fame. The second thing is, our life’s battle is to the death. As long as our bodies have life, we have purpose.

The second analogy Paul uses is a race. He said: “I have finished the race.” Other translations use the term “I have finished the course.” Life isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. And the picture here is one who has given their all. They cross the finish line and collapse. They’re spent, exhausted, with nothing left to give. And the resounding echo in Paul’s mind is: “I have remained faithful.”

Do you know how to remain faithful for a lifetime? One breath, one battle, one obstacle, one decision, one temptation, one defeat, one prayer, one victory at a time. The only moment we have in which to remain faithful is this moment. Use it wisely. Love without reservation. Live as though whatever you’re doing is the last thing you’ll ever do before falling into the arms of Jesus as you cross your finish line. That’s a long obedience.

Blessings, Ed 😊

When You Can’t See What God Is Doing

“the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam, which is near Zarethan.” (Joshua 3:16a NLT)

The children of Israel had received affirmation from God that it was time to begin the conquest of their Promised Land. There was just one problem – the Jordan River. Most of the people who were then living hadn’t personally seen the crossing of the Sea as on dry land when God delivered their ancestors from Egypt. And the plot thickened because God instructed the priests whose responsibility it was to carry the Ark of the Covenant to lead the way. All they had to do was take a few steps into the river and God would do the rest.

That’s all well and good, but it was harvest season and the banks of the Jordan we’re overflowing. To step into that raging river would be a very precarious step, demanding courage, and lots of faith. Add to their dilemma, the place the Lord chose to begin backing up the flow of the river was “a great distance away…” Obviously, to guess how long it took for the riverbed to dry is conjecture, but it would be safe to say it took a while.

Photo by Haydan As-soendawy on Pexels.com

In my mind’s eye I see that mass of humanity, likely covering miles, waiting to cross the river, but being unable to even see it, let alone have a clue as to how long it would be before they were able to cross it. I can almost hear some of the conversations: “Isn’t it exciting we’re going to begin taking possession of our Promised Land today?” To which a brother responds: “Sure I’m excited! But how long is it going to take? We’ve been waiting days, and then the officers tell us to prepare to move out, but no one’s moving. What’s going on?”

Have you ever prayed about something you believed strongly God was leading you to do? He’s given you clear instructions and promised He’d be with you every step, but the proverbial pieces aren’t fitting together. Time passes and it seems you’re just spinning your wheels?

That’s how I felt about starting this Blog. It was a dream, then a vision, then God finally put me in the right place at the right time to meet the right person to make my dream a reality. It literally took years. But while I didn’t realize it, God was preparing the way and working in me to make sure I was prepared when the “riverbed was dry.”

How about you? What has God laid on your heart to do? What step of faith is He leading you to take, but the timing just doesn’t seem right? Perhaps it’s time to put your toes in the water. Nothing happened for the Israelites until the priests put their feet in the water. Then that only began the process, it didn’t immediately dry the riverbed.

Faith isn’t about making demands of God to carry out our will, it’s patiently waiting, trusting His clock to keep perfect time, then alerting us that it’s time to move. Remember “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” (Hebrews 11:1 NLT) If we could see every move God was making, it wouldn’t be faith, it would be sight.

Paul reminds us: “For we live by believing and not by seeing.” (2 Corinthians 5:7 NLT) The Psalmist reinforces that by telling us: “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” (Psalm 119:105 NLT) God doesn’t give us a flood light to light the whole path, but a lamp to show us the next step.

He didn’t command the priests to carry the Ark of the Covenant to the middle of the river until the bed was dry, but that wouldn’t have happened had they not taken the first few steps. What steps is the Lord leading you to take toward the vision or dream that He has given you? Perhaps He’s already started holding the proverbial river back, but it’s so far away you can’t see it. Trust Him and take that next step.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Life Without a Legacy

“I am leaving you with a gift…” (John 14:27a NLT)

Every life leaves a legacy. It’s never a question of “if,” it’s only a question of “what kind.”

A legacy is “something that has come from an ancestor or predecessor or the past.” (Webster) Our goal as a Jesus follower is to leave “tracks” that will lead our loved ones and those in our spheres of influence to Jesus, long after our life on earth has ended.

Your life is leaving a legacy. What will it be? What will future generations remember most about you?

Just a few hours before His betrayal and brutal murder, Jesus said to His disciples: “I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart.” Think about that for a moment. Because Jesus was God in human flesh, He had all knowledge. He knew exactly what the next hours held. Every sneer and mocking word. Every drop of spit dripping from His holy face. Every slap, punch, kick, and penetrating pain of the thorns on His head and the nails in his hands and feet. He knew of the impending agony of fighting through the pain to gasp for one more gulp of air as He hung suspended between heaven and earth on the cross. But He also knew of the horribly disturbing anguish He would suffer in the garden, alone.

Yet in these last moments with His closest earthly friends, the thing He most valued, and knew those He was leaving behind would most need, was peace of mind and heart. Have you ever stopped to really think about how valuable a gift that is?

In the pressures of life that we experience moment by moment on planet earth, when we dare be honest with ourselves, what is that for which we most long? I can’t speak for you, but for me it’s peace of mind and heart. I want to know that what I’m exhausting myself to attain in this life is worth the fight. I long for assurance that the values to which I’m striving to hold fast and the banner of holiness I’m seeking to fly high with my life, are not only the things that will most honor my Savior but will most positively influence those to whom my life matters.

The millions of words that I’ve written and spoken over the course of my life have little or no value, compared to the message of the impactful impressions of my life. It’s not just what we think or even what we say, it’s how does our living align with those words? Are we living in line with the will and ways of God? And how did the right things we sought to accomplish convey the desire of our heart for the ones who knew us best and loved us most to know and love Jesus?

I have very little of material value to leave anyone. What I pray I leave is a legacy of love. I pray the message of my life shouts to those who have walked most closely with me: “I loved Jesus and whatever good was reflected in and through my life was His light and life. Because of His love in me, I sought to love you well. I know I failed often and I regret the times I hurt you. But now, my heart and mind are at peace, and I pray His peace will fill and envelope every avenue of your being. Trust Him. Love Him. Serve Him. Allow Him to flow in and through you. Don’t let anything hold you back from giving your all to His honor and fame.”

There is no life without a legacy. The only issue is, will the legacy that’s left honor Jesus or someone or something else. The choice is ours.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Mountains Without Valleys

“After His baptism, as Jesus came out of the water, the heavens were opened and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on Him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is My dearly loved Son, who brings Me great joy.’” (Matthew 3:16-17 NLT)

Remember a time you felt really close to God? Maybe it was at youth camp when you were a teenager, or when you went forward after an inspiring time of worship. Perhaps after a spiritual retreat when you devoted an extended period just to read and study God’s Word and pray. These are often referred to as “Mountain top experiences.” Times you feel emotionally charged by God’s presence, like you can conquer any enemy or withstand any attack.

Is it safe to say Jesus’ baptism was a “Mountain top experience” for Him? Maybe this happens to you all the time, but I’ve never seen the heavens opened or had the Spirit descend on me like a dove or hear God say from heaven how much He loves me. But please understand, God has made it abundantly clear to me that I’m cherished and loved by Him, just not that demonstratively.

Notice what the next verse, Matthew 4:1, says: “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” For the next forty days Jesus went without food, and the Bible says: “During that time the devil came…” (vs 3). What’s my point? Often, after a spiritual “high,” it’s followed closely by an emotional low and/or a very trying season.

We are emotional beings. We can have highs and lows with some degree of frequency that may not be directly related to our walk with God. But the valleys we experience that effect our spiritual development have some commonalities. There is purpose in everything the Lord allows to touch our lives, but the peaks and valleys in our walk with the Lord typically have a specific reason. They often come just prior to the launching of a new chapter of our life in Christ.

For example, Jesus’ temptation was critical on several levels. It came just before the beginning of His earthly ministry, right after His baptism. Often that’s when Satan attacks us the hardest. Why? Because if he can derail us before we get our momentum as a believer, it’s going to be much harder for us to regain our balance and get back on track.

There was a young man I worked with when I was selling cars, shortly after my divorce. I’d prayed for him and talked to him with some frequency about his need of Jesus. God was obviously working, so when I invited him and his girlfriend to go with me to a Billy Graham crusade, they agreed, and when the invitation was given, they both went forward. I was elated and later, as we spoke of what happened at the crusade, I invited him to church with me the next Sunday, but shortly after the crusade he became evasive and wouldn’t have a conversation with me regarding what happened. Unfortunately, that’s not unusual.

Had Jesus failed to stand up to Satan and not remained steadfast in His determination to stay pure and focused on His mission for His Father, we would still be lost without hope. Gratefully, our temptations don’t carry the same impact as Jesus’, but whether we stand strong when tempted or give in can have a critical effect on how the Lord is able to use us, and how fruitful we can be for Him moving forward.

Life is filled with tests of all kinds. Some result in elation and joy, but others can lead us down very long and sorrowful pathways. So be very mindful of Satanic attacks after spiritual breakthroughs or highs. Expect tempting circumstances to arise and be extra prayerful as you seek the Lord for what might come next in your walk with Him. As with Jesus’ temptations, sometimes ours are leading to a season of unprecedented victory and usefulness.

That’s another reason daily disciplines are so vital. Reading and studying God’s Word, and ample time to lift your needs and the needs of others to the Lord in prayer are valuable tools in protecting us from Satan’s attacks. Peaks and valleys are unavoidable but falling prey to Satan’s tricks is avoidable. When we overcome his temptations and resist his attacks, we move ever closer to the Lord and increase our fruitfulness for Him.

Blessings, Ed 😊