Walking With Jesus

God’s Platform for Perfection

“For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.” (Hebrews 11:40 NLT)

When I was in school my best subject was math. Perhaps that’s why my ears perked up when I heard this equation in a recent sermon by Pastor Robbie Symons (https://hopeoakville.ca/glory-story-robbie-symons/): “Jesus plus nothing equals EVERYTHING!” What does that mean?

We often have the mistaken belief, especially if we think we’re lacking something we deem valuable or important, that if we just had “THAT,” whatever “THAT” is, life would be perfect. “THAT” raise! “THAT” new job! “THAT” new car! “THAT” new house! “THAT” new relationship! “THAT” healing touch from God! “THAT” positive pregnancy test! “THAT” negative Covid test! However “THAT” translates in your life. But the truth is, it doesn’t work that way.

Material and/or physical things can never fill the void, the God-shaped vacuum, that can only be filled with a meaningful relationship with God through His Son, Jesus. You see, there’s another equation that’s equally important to learn: “Every material possession imaginable, even perfect health minus Jesus equals NOTHING of eternal value!

God’s platform for perfection isn’t material/physical, it’s spiritual. And in a very real sense, it has very little to do with you and me and everything to do with Jesus.

In the last verse of Hebrews 11 (see above), the writer is referring to all the people of faith about whom he wrote in chapter 11. And the perfection that they would not reach without us, had to do with the fact that none of them had experienced what we now have the privilege to experience in our lives: a deep, abiding relationship with the Jewish Messiah, who has become our Savior – Jesus!

God had promised the Jews that He would send a Messiah. But their expectation was for a literal earthly kingdom, with a king who would build an army to overthrow their enemies and give them peace and prosperity on this earth, which, in their minds, would be “perfection.” The irony is, that’s exactly what Jesus brought, but most of the Jews missed it because they were looking outward, not within.

God’s platform for perfection is our heart. And the perfection, at least initially, isn’t ours, but His. Because Jesus is perfect in the best sense of the term, He plus nothing from us, equals EVERYTHING we could ever dream or hope to receive.

In what is commonly referred to as The Lord’s Prayer (See Luke 11:2-4), Jesus instructed us to ask our Heavenly Father to: “Give us this day our daily bread.” (Luke 11:3 KJV). In our haste, we fly over that, believing Jesus’ intention was for God, our Father, to give us enough to eat for any given day. And that’s good that He does, but something about that troubles me. I believe we get the wrong idea that God is only interested in meeting our physical needs, when in reality, what He’s essentially wanting to supply is “EVERTHING WE NEED TO BE EVERYTHING HE DESIRES FOR US TO BE!” Not just literal food, but food for our soul, that will fill and empower us to be everything we can be, not only for ourselves, but for those with whom we’ll have contact on any given day. And THAT food only comes from God’s Word, the Bible.

We’ll not reach perfection until we receive our new bodies in heaven, but in the meantime, we’re to pursue being the best we can possibly be by laying our heart, mind, soul, and strength (physical body) on the altar of obedient surrender to the Holy Spirit every day. Loving Jesus supremely and trusting that He will accomplish His perfect purposes in and through us to His honor and fame.

My desire is: “Jesus plus me equals glory, honor, praise, adoration, and worship pointing to Jesus alone.”

Blessings, Ed 😊

When Jesus Stands!

“And he told them, ‘Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!’” (Acts 7:56 NLT)

The only time in Scripture where it’s mentioned that Jesus was standing at God’s right hand is when He stood at Stephen’s stoning. In every other reference He is seated. The word translated “standing” means “to stop, stand still, to stand immovable, stand firm.” The same word can be used in reference to the foundation of a building. What was so special about Stephen that Jesus rose to His feet?

Stephen’s name is mentioned only seven times in the Bible, but in those few verses we learn a lot about the kind of man he was. In the opening verses of Acts chapter 6 we see that as the Church grew, just like today, there were “people” issues. The believers were compelled to care for one another, so the leaders selected seven men who were “well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom.” Stephen was among those seven. Then in Acts 6:8 it says: “Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people.” But, as is often the case, no good deed is left unpunished, and Stephen is falsely accused, leading to his arrest and murder.

But before he’s killed, he gives a clear accounting of God’s activity in the lives of the Jews, leading to the execution of Jesus, which infuriated the Jewish leaders, so much so, they dragged Stephen out of the city and stoned him. Yet, even as he was being stoned, with his last breath he shouted a prayer: “’Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!’ And with that, he died.” (vs 60) Hmm! Sounds a lot like Someone else’s prayer. (see Luke 23:34)

What can we learn from Stephen that will help us better understand how we should be living?

Foremost, Stephen was a man full of faith. The word “full” means: “thoroughly permeated with, complete, lacking nothing, perfect.” (Strong’s) And “faith” means: “belief with the predominant idea of trust or confidence in God and Jesus.” It means: “fidelity, faithfulness, the character of one who can be relied on.” (Strong’s) My prayer is that you and I can exhibit that kind of faith in and through our lives as we pursue others for Christ.
But the Bible also says He was full of the Holy Spirit. And you may be thinking,“Yes, of course, but isn’t every believer in Jesus filled with the Holy Spirit?” To which I would remind you to look above at the definition of “full,” then look in the mirror and YOU decide whether you are as full of the Holy Spirit as was Stephen. The point is fullness must translate into obedience and submission to God’s authority in and through our lives. That’s our goal as believers in Jesus. Yes, of course, we get all of the Spirit, but does the Spirit get all of us?
Through Stephen God was able to perform “great wonders and miracles.” God is doing “great wonders and miracles” throughout the world today, resulting in millions of people coming to the Lord. Why do you think God’s Spirit is restricted in manifesting His presence in miraculous ways here, in America? Could it be we’re more full of ourselves than of Jesus and His Spirit? God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, so the only thing limiting His activity in and through our lives is our lack of fullness, our focus on so many other things.
I thought it was interesting to learn that Stephen’s name means “crowned.” Perhaps that was what brought Jesus to His feet, so He could place the “crown of righteousness” on Stephen’s head, crowning his final act of faith in His Savior.

Two more things briefly. First, Paul, the writer of roughly 2/3rds of the New Testament was present at Stephen’s murder. God never wastes an opportunity to put people where He wants them, when He wants them there. I can’t help but believe that God used the revelation of Stephen to impact and multiply the effectiveness of Paul’s revelation of Jesus on the Damascus Road. Paul’s life became a replica of Stephen’s faith, power, and Holy Spirit fulness.

Then lastly, it’s important to recognize what Stephen’s death ushered in: “A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers EXCEPT THE APOSTLES were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria.” (Acts 8:1b NLT) The believers, not the leaders, led the spread of the Gospel across the regions, followed by the conversion of Paul and the spreading of God’s Kingdom throughout the then known world.

Please let the Spirit convict you, as He’s convicted me, with this truth. It wasn’t the Pastors and leaders of the Church who took it upon themselves to be instrumental in the spread of the Faith in the first century. And it’s not just the Pastors and leaders who are responsible to continue the spread of our faith in Jesus today. It’s mine and yours, if you profess to know Him. If you don’t yet know Him, you’re missing the adventure of a lifetime.

Of course, I have no idea if Jesus will stand when I die, but this much I do know with absolute certainty – I will stand for Him as long as this body of mine has breath!

Blessings, Ed 😊

What Really Scares You?

“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28 NLT)

When I was a boy, I had an inflatable clown that I used to punch, and it would bounce right back up. I kept it just inside my bedroom door. One night I ran up to my room, but before I had opportunity to turn on the light, I saw the shadow of my inflatable clown, and because of something I’d just watched on TV, I thought it was someone in my room. I don’t remember ever being more scared.

What scares you? Having searched the internet for things that most frighten people, I discovered the list is lengthy. Things like public speaking, heights, spiders, snakes, going to the dentist, being around people, violent storms and, of course, death. Often what we fear most is related to something we experienced as a child. It may not make any sense to someone else, but it’s very real to the one who has the fear.

While reading an article a few days ago, I came across a quote from Thomas Nagel, an atheist, who expressed his fear of being wrong. He said: “I speak from experience, being strongly subject to this fear myself: I want atheism to be true and am made uneasy by the fact that some of the most intelligent and well-informed people I know are religious believers.”

I read years ago about a time someone was speaking in defense of the Christian faith. Afterwards, a man came to the front of the auditorium and began to speak in defense of his atheism. Finally, the person asked him: “If I’m wrong in my beliefs, when I die, what will I have lost?” To which the man responded: “Since I don’t believe in an afterlife, I suppose you would lose nothing.”

They then asked him: “What if you’re wrong and I’m right?’ After a few moments of silence, the man said: “I guess I would have lost everything.”

Jesus claimed to be God in human form. He taught that His death on the Cross was the price He willingly paid for the penalty of sin for everyone who believes in Him and receives the gift of eternal life that only He can offer. His resurrection was God’s way of declaring the sacrifice Jesus made was acceptable, and to announce His victory over death and the grave. Then He ascended back to Heaven, leaving us the promise that one day He would return to gather His Bride, the Church, and forever we will reign with Him. These are the declarations He made to those who would place their trust in Him.

As you consider what you believe in light of what Jesus claimed, where do you find yourself? Honestly, I find it impossible to doubt Someone who has never broken a promise or failed to fulfill everything ever written in the Bible about Him with 100% accuracy. The only promise remaining is His return for His Bride, which is much closer than we realize.

Corrie ten Boom said: “If you look at the world, you will be distressed. If you look within, you will be depressed. If you look at God, you will be at rest.”

Where are you today, in terms of what you believe about Jesus? If you haven’t yet yielded your life and allegiance to Jesus, I only have one question: “What are you waiting for? And if you hold out any shred of hope in anything but Jesus: “What if you’re wrong?”

In a FaceBook post recently I read: “I would rather live my life believing in God and serving Him, and find out I was right, than not believe in Him and not serve Him, and find out I was wrong. Then it’s too late.” I don’t fear death, nor do I fear I’m wrong. My greatest fear is that someone I know and with whom I could have spoken about Jesus will die without Him.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Who Are the Children of God?

“This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike ‘What’s next, Papa?’” (Romans 8:15 The Message)

Being a child of God is not a reconstruction of an old life, it’s the transformation into a brand-new species of being, one that has never existed before (2 Corinthians 5:17). The picture painted is the emergence of the butterfly from its cocoon.

It’s the trading of the shackles of sin, enmeshed by the tentacles of wrong desires, for the freedom of a bird liberated from its cage, able to fly to heights heretofore unimagined.

To view being a child of God as one bound by rules, regulations and religious ceremony is to see an Eagle and think its a Sparrow. Being God’s child isn’t restrictive, it’s liberating; it doesn’t keep us from that which is desirable, it enables us to fly to the heights of our Father’s beauty and majesty, opening avenues of life and living that we never dreamed possible this side of heaven. We see with new, holy eyes, trained to see God’s fingerprints everywhere and in everything that touches our lives.

The fact that so many who profess faith in Jesus live well below their means, isn’t God’s fault, and it’s certainly not His will. And please don’t misunderstand, I’m not speaking of material, earth-focused things when I use the term “means.” I’m speaking of the liberation of our spirit that allows us to believe and to expect great things from God, our gracious Father.

My dad was a machinist by trade, but he would buy and sell used cars as a means of generating additional income. He had an eye for what a car could become. His motto was “pay attention to detail.” He told me, “To have a car gleaming and the interior sparkling, but to not clean the tires is like a man in a new suit who doesn’t polish his shoes.” My dad wasn’t well educated, but he was smart.

We’ve got to “pay attention to detail” as we walk as God’s son or daughter. What does that mean? It means if we look like, talk like, and live like the world, why would anyone desire our Savior? If the quality of our speech, work ethic, way we love our spouse and kids, and the habits of our lives don’t point people to Jesus, what will? If all we’re inviting others to do is come to Christ and be the same, of what eternal value is that?

For a person to claim to be a child of God but continue to live under the oppression of the evil one is a contradiction. I’m either free from the tyranny of sin or I’m not; I’m either liberated to walk closely with God or I’m not; I’m either focused on the things of God or I’m not. Yes, of course, there’s a period of “spiritual infancy” when we struggle to learn how to walk faithfully, but over time God will give us victory. There’s no room for habitual sin in the life of a child of God if we ever hope to be vessels through whom the Spirit can draw others to Him.

Verse 4 of John H. Sammis’ old hymn “Trust and Obey,” says: “But we never can prove the delights of His love until all on the altar we lay; for the favor He shows and the joy He bestows are for them who will trust and obey.”

If there’s no dependence upon our Father, realizing apart from Him we can do nothing; if there’s no desire to know Him more intimately, ever seeking to grow in our likeness of Him; if there’s no hunger for His Word (the Bible) and prayer (conversation with Him); if there’s no enthusiasm in loving and serving in and with His family, His Body, His Church; and if there’s no expectation that He’s going to use us in practical and even miraculous ways, what point is there in professing to be His child?

I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of being average, just getting by, simply living a safe, but ineffective and fruitless life. I want the light of Jesus to shine brightly in and through me as long as I have breath. Then I want to hit the proverbial ground running when I get to heaven, joining my brothers and sisters in praising and serving our Heavenly Father throughout all eternity, for no other reason than He’s our Dad, He loves us, and we love Him. That’s just what children of God do!

Blessings, Ed 😊

The Power of One!

“I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments.” (Daniel 3:15a NLT)

If you had to choose one thing that has had the most impact on your life, for good or ill, what would it be?

Think of the power of one lie. You knew the second it left your mouth it was a BIG mistake. Or that one kiss that changed your life forever. Or that one date, when you thought all hope was lost. Or that one job, when you feared it didn’t exist. Or that one relationship that changed the trajectory of your whole life. Or that one word that so resonated in your heart and mind. Or that one last chance that, like Daniel, could mean the end of your life either literally or figuratively. Or that one person who came into your life at just the right time.

There have been many ways my life has been impacted over the years, but without question the most significant “one” in my life is the moment I made the decision to yield my life and allegiance to Jesus. He’s changed my life in ways I never dreamed possible.

Early in my ministry I came across a quote that said: “Leaders are readers!” That has stuck with me, so I always have books that I’m reading or perusing. I came across this thought in Larry Crabb’s book Connecting. He wrote: “…the gospel of Christ connects us to God, to ourselves, and to others; it places something alive and wonderful in our forgiven hearts that bridges the gap of separateness and joins us in life-bearing union. We now have something to give that has the power to change the entire course of someone else’s existence.”

Have you ever paused long enough to consider what picture Paul was painting in Colossians 1:27 when he said: “For God wanted them (us) to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret (mystery): Christ lives in you. This gives assurance of sharing His glory.” “Riches” as it’s used here can mean literal wealth, but more importantly points to the fulness, the abundance, the enrichment that is given us when Jesus is our Lord and Master.

So, what do we do with our abundance of “wealth?” The very next verse spells it out: “So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us.”

C.T. Studd, the British Missionary wrote: “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.” The most important Person to ever step foot on planet earth is Jesus, God’s one and only Son. It only takes one moment for Him to speak life into a person’s heart who is open and willing to allow it. That one moment can set us on a course to heaven that, by God’s grace, will, one step at a time, intersect our lives with thousands of people, one person at a time.

The theme of our lives, as Jesus-followers, should be the heart cry of Private Desmond Doss (Hacksaw Ridge), who as a conscientious objector, refused to carry a weapon, but saved more than seventy men who had been wounded, from certain death. After he lowered each soldier by rope down to safety, with his hands bleeding and raw, he would pray, “Give me one more, Lord, give me one more.”

Is that the cry of your heart? That’s what motivates me to write these posts. I pray everyday for you who read these words, that if you know Jesus, you will tell someone about Him. But if you don’t yet know Him, please don’t wait one more second. Heaven is wonderful and I can’t wait to see what it’s like. But the real Treasure is knowing and loving Jesus. If you miss Him, you’ve missed everything. Please don’t miss this opportunity to meet Him. We never know when it will be the last one.

Blessings, Ed 😊

When Fear Is Good

“’Don’t be afraid,’ Moses answered them, ‘for God has come in this way to test you, and so that your fear of Him will keep you from sinning.’” (Exodus 20:20 NLT)

Hundreds of times throughout the Bible we’re told to “fear not” or “don’t be afraid,” yet isn’t fear healthy on some levels?

When I was in sixth grade my friend asked me to set off firecrackers with him. A young boy’s delight, right? But these weren’t just the little “pop” type firecrackers, they were “blockbusters” and “cherry bombs,” the kind that deserved extra caution. Things went well for a while, then we found one without a fuse. “Set it aside and move on” would have been the wise action to take, but being the budding scholars that we were, we decided to see if we could set it off without a fuse. Dumb idea.

It went off in my right hand (I still have scars to prove it). After the initial shock, all I could think about was getting home to my dad. He would know what to do. We were two scared little boys.

Fear generally drives us in one of two directions, either inward or outward. We try to stuff it because we’re afraid of what others would think of us, or we seek help from those we love and/or trust. Fear can be a very good thing when it compels you to seek your heavenly Father.

Exodus 20 begins with God giving the children of Israel the 10 Commandments. It’s a terrifying experience for them. Thunder and lightning, smoke billowing from the mountain, and loud blasts from the ram’s horn. They were so frightened they told Moses: “You speak to us, and we will listen. But don’t let God speak directly to us or we will die!” That’s the context of the verse above where Moses tells them not to be afraid because God is just sending them a warning to stop sinning.

If I could have known then what I now know about the consequences of the sin I treated so casually when I was young, I believe I could have been much more fruitful for the Lord in my life. In a similar way that two boys learned a hard lesson about mishandling fireworks, and the Israelites learned to fear God, can we now learn to fear sin and let it drive us to our Heavenly Father? Running to Him with our temptations and fears before they become sin, can save us a lot of heartache, disappointment, guilt, and shame.

Fear can be a foreboding foe. It can paint for us a picture of what’s to come or be a signpost of what we must avoid. Henry Ford was right when he said: “If you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right!”

My wife and I watched a movie recently where the central character made an interesting observation. He said our minds are like magnets that draw to us what our thoughts create. Another character in the movie was very negative, always assuming the worst. He said to her: “Why don’t you begin to think about what you want, rather than always thinking about what you don’t want?” Good advice.

Rather than allowing our fears to create for us a negative result, why not allow the Lord to give us a renewed mind that enables us to see God’s awesome power moving us in a new direction, with a positive, God-ordained outcome?

Jeremiah, the prophet, recorded God’s words when He said: “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’” When your fear drives you to the arms of Jesus, it can be the best thing that ever happened to you.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Who Are You Playing For?

“And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is My dearly loved Son, who brings Me great joy.’” (Matthew 3:17 NLT)

In a recent devotional, Ron Hutchcraft told the story of a young man who was performing his first concert as a pianist. The auditorium was filled with an expectant audience, and at the end they all rose to their feet in exuberant applause. Backstage the young man’s manager was praising his magnificent performance, urging him to return to the stage for an encore, but he refused. Unable to understand his hesitation, his manager tried to explain, “But they’re all on their feet. You have to go back out and play another selection.” To which the young man responded, “They’re not all on their feet,” as he pulled back the curtain.

There in the balcony above the crowd was an old white-haired man still seated. “Who is he? Why does he matter so much to you?” To which the young man replied, “He’s, my teacher.”

For whom are you performing the “concert” of your life? Who is the one person or group of persons from whom you’re seeking approval or “applause?” Often, it’s from a parent (living or dead), a spouse or close friend. Sometimes it’s from a boss, co-workers, or clients. Or might it be your friends at church?

Whomever it is, if it’s not Jesus you’re wasting your time, talent, and energy. Why would I say that? Because ultimately, He’s the only one who’s opinion matters.

While researching a recent blog, it occurred to me that a decision I’d made many years ago was clearly wrong. I realize there’s nothing I can do to turn back time. There are no “do-overs” in life, yet it became crystal clear that if I was making that decision today, I would have chosen a different response.

You see, that one decision could have changed the trajectory of my whole life. Then it occurred to me, how many other decisions you and I make every day, often without thought, have the power to change the direction of our lives? It’s true that we can’t go back and make changes to the decisions we have made, but we certainly can take the time and make the effort to make good decisions today, in this moment.

John Stonestreet, of the Colson Center, often says: “Ideas matter. Ideas have consequences. Bad ideas have victims.” What are decisions but the culmination of ideas. How often are we the victim of our own bad ideas?

As a result of what went through my mind and heart from the realization of the very wrong decision I made years ago, I could have gone in a lot of directions, from ignoring it, to obsessing over it. What compounded my anguish was reviewing the consequences that I have suffered because of it, foremost among them being, I realized the reason I made the wrong decision in the first place was because I made it without consulting the only One whose opinion really matters. I didn’t pray. I didn’t ask the Lord what He thought I should do. I made the decision based on external evidence and emotion – AND I KNEW BETTER!

How about you? Are you living with the consequences of earlier decisions? I believe the reality is – we all are to one extent or another. Yet, rather than letting them cloud our judgment and ruin the rest of our lives, let’s rejoice that we have a Savior who redeems the wrong decisions we have made. As we lay them at His feet He gives us insight and wisdom to make good decisions now and moving forward. As a result, we can live and “play” for the only One whose opinion matters. We can hear His comforting voice, in much the same way as He spoke when His Son was baptized: “I forgive you. I am with you and for you. I am proud of you, and I will lead you in the ways I have ordained for you to go. I will bless you with fruitfulness for My names sake.”

Blessings, Ed 😊

What A Beautiful Name!

“Therefore, God elevated Him to the place of highest honor and gave Him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11 NLT)

Ben Fielding and Brooke Ligertwood wrote the words and music for the song “What a Beautiful Name.” I’ve put the link at the end of this post, so you can listen to it. The song chronicles who Jesus, the Word, was in the beginning, why He came to earth, what He accomplished through His death and how He now reigns with God in power, glory, and majesty.

I love the words in the song that say: “Death could not hold You; The Veil tore before You; You silence the boast of sin and grave; The heavens are roaring the praise of Your glory; For You are raised to life again; You have no rival; You have no equal; Now and forever God You reign; Yours is the Kingdom; Yours is the glory; Yours is the Name above all names.” Wow! What anointed and joy-filled words!

Will you worship with me for a few moments as we lift up the name of Jesus? As we think about and rejoice in all He is and what a powerful, loving, compassionate Savior He is.

The powerful name “Jesus” was the name the angel instructed Joseph, who was engaged to Mary, to name the Baby she was carrying. Why that name? Because it summarized His mission on earth: “for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21) If you love Jesus, can you even begin to think of where your life would be without that powerful name? Helpless and hopeless to find a cure for the deadly disease of sin that ravaged your life. Doesn’t it bring joy and delight to your heart just to whisper His holy name?

And as you run your race of faith, how pointless it would be without that powerful name to declare victory over Satan, sin, and death. What point would there be if this life is all there was? Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 15:19: “And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.” Why? Because this life is war! This world is the battlefield on which we fight against the forces of evil that are alive and active in the world. The war extends even to our hearts and minds as we seek His strength to win each day’s battles. To struggle every day without the hope of heaven would be utter futility.

Jesus has no rival! He has no equal! At the name of Jesus demons flee, raging storms grow still, disease takes flight, families are healed, addictions cease, peace reigns, and death holds no fear! Hope in the name above every name fills us with courage to pray boldly, live generously, and fight the enemy of our soul relentlessly! Why? Because this world is not our home. We’re strangers and pilgrims passing through this life on our way home to Jesus!

Sometimes, especially in worship, I so long to be with Jesus. I so long to leave this world behind and see Jesus face to face. Yet, there is a part of me that wants to stay here as long as possible. As long as there’s one more soul who hasn’t yet heard His wonderful name. As long as there’s one more loved one who has yet to yield their life and allegiance to Jesus. As long as there’s one more neighbor who walks in darkness. As long as there’s one more young man who needs a mentor. As long as there’s one more prayer of praise, adoration, honor, and thanksgiving to be raised to my Father in that powerful, wonderful, majestic, holy, and beautiful Name, the Name above all names, I want to stay right here, loving and serving Jesus.

Whatever may be standing against you, declare victory in the powerful, wonderful, beautiful name of Jesus. He IS your victory! Seek Him! Love Him! Serve Him! Worship Him!

Hallelujah! What a beautiful Name! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQWFzMvCfLE

Blessings, Ed 😊

Why Do We Have Communion and Baptism?

“This is My body, which is given for you. Do this to remember Me.” (Luke 22:19b NLT)

Today’s post began as a letter to an inmate who was wrestling with why Jesus would introduce Communion (The Lord’s Supper) and Baptism. He seemed to think Jesus’ whole point was to do away with the law and its many rules and regulations. Shouldn’t the emphasis be on grace and not ritual? With some revision, this is my response.

One of the primary reasons Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper (Communion) is so that we never forget the price that was paid for our redemption (see yesterday’s post). As human beings we’re so prone to forget things that are important. That’s why we exchange wedding rings when we get married, get birth certificates, titles for cars, deeds for homes, and so forth. These serve as reminders of important milestones in our lives. Communion and Baptism give us points of reference, something we can always look to for affirmation that the faith we have is real and is anchored in something tangible (The sacrifice of Jesus’ life and the shedding of His priceless blood).

Communion reminds us that apart from Jesus we’re nothing. Every time we participate, we’re reminded of the price that God was willing to pay for our forgiveness and new life in Jesus. It’s easy for us, as we grow in the Lord, to forget how far we’ve come, and to begin to take credit for things we learn, and habits we’re able to put behind us, by God’s grace alone. We can get arrogant when we see others who aren’t as far along as we are, and rather than extend a helping hand, we can become critical of their lack of progress.

Communion reminds us that the precious, priceless blood of Jesus, while of incalculable worth, was a price Jesus was willing to pay to purchase the privilege for us to be God’s child. It’s not a worthless ritual, it’s a much needed reminder to me and every Christ-follower, to hold on tightly to the only lifeline we have to God and any hope of eternal life. It reminds us that we’re all sinners saved by grace, and we need each other. That’s one of the many reasons we receive Communion together, as one Body.

Similarly, Baptism by immersion is an outward, visible symbol of an inward and invisible transaction that occurred between us and God the moment we received Jesus as our Savior and began our walk of faith with Him. In Romans 6 Paul paints for us a picture. He speaks of the fact that spiritually, we died to sin when we invited Jesus to become the Lord of our life. We traded our sin for His righteousness, were cleansed of our sin, and we’re raised to new life in Christ alone.

When we’re lowered into the water, by faith it becomes a watery grave, giving visibility to what happened in us through the power of God’s Spirit. We die to self, then are raised from the water to give visibility to our determination to live a new life in Christ. It’s a public and visible illustration of a private and invisible transaction that took place between us and Jesus the moment our new birth began.

Ideally, we should be baptized when we first receive Christ, to enable us to give witness to friends and loved ones that have known the kind of life we once lived, and to give us support and encouragement as we learn to walk in new ways by faith in Jesus.

I hope that’s helpful. If anything isn’t clear or you have other questions or things about which I can pray for you, please let me know. You can reach me at: walkingwithjesus09@gmail.com.

Below is a link to a song by Hillsong that was recommended by a dear friend, and one I found very worshipful. Just click the link to listen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDtT3UMHYBg (Hillsong “Remembrance”)

Blessings, Ed 😊

What Does Redeemed/Redemption Mean?

“For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors.” (1 Peter 1:18a NLT)

When I was in high school, I worked in a stamp redemption center. What’s that you may wonder? Years ago, it was common when you made a purchase, to receive stamps. They had catalogs and each item had an equivalent number of stamps you’d need to redeem (trade for) the item of your choosing. The stamps themselves were of little or no value. What was of value was the item you received when you redeemed or traded them in.

That’s essentially the picture Peter is painting in the verse above. Because of the effects of sin on our lives, we were worthless, since we had no value that could be accounted for righteousness in the sight of God. The Bible says in Isaiah 64:6: “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags.”

It grieves God’s heart to see what we do to ourselves and to each other and it hurts Him to see how we ignore and mistreat the glorious masterpiece we were created to become. Yet, in much the same way that people would see things they desired in the stamp catalog, God sees value in each of us. He knew there was no possible way we could ever be good enough to deserve the life He had in mind for us to live. So, what was the answer?

The only possibility was for His perfect, sinless Son to take our place. That’s the price Peter refers to in the rest of verse 18, into verse 19: “And the ransom He paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.”

The Greek word translated “precious” literally means “of inestimable value.” The value is so great it’s incapable of being computed. The value of global real estate in 2020 was $326.5 trillion. That’s the equivalent of less than a penny compared to one drop of our Savior’s blood. Yet that’s how much God was willing to pay to free us from the stranglehold sin had on us.

We sail through life in much the same way as the son in Jesus’ story of the prodigal son in Luke 15. We discern no need of the Father and all we can think about is being free of Him, His rules and restrictions. We think we get what we want, and our intention is to never return home. But when our resources run out, as they always do, then all that fills our mind is thoughts of home. One of the most telling phrases in the Bible to me is found in Luke 15:17: “When he finally came to his senses…”

Sin robs us of our senses, but by the grace of God, when we come to our senses, we can finally see that the price God was willing to pay for us has nothing to do with us. We’re just a worthless “stamp.” It has everything to do with Him. He is the One from which our worth is derived. He is the One that gives our life value, meaning and significance.

Jesus said it well in John 5:5-6: “Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in Me is thrown away like a useless branch.” Pride keeps my focus on me. Humility helps me see who I am in light of the price that was paid for my redemption. Without Jesus I’m a useless branch, but when I abide in Him nothing is impossible.

When I ponder where I was before I met Jesus and where I am now in my walk with Him, my heart is filled and rejoices in what God was willing to do on my behalf. Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Blessings, Ed 😊