Walking With Jesus

Surrounded by Suffering

“We sent him to strengthen you, to encourage you in your faith, and to keep you from being shaken by the troubles you were going through. But you know we are destined for such troubles.” (1 Thessalonians 3:2b-3 NLT)

We often get tripped up in our faith by the troubles and trials we face. But Jesus warned us when He said: “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NLT) The picture Jesus paints with the words “trials and sorrows,” is something that’s being pressed, like a lemon being squeezed.

The troubles of life can make us feel pressured and trapped by circumstances over which we have little or no control. The loss of a job, the sickness of a child, the death of a loved one, these and a thousand other things can push us to the limits of our faith.

A.W. Tozer wrote: “Problems patiently endured will work for our spiritual perfecting.” There’s a likelihood that we won’t mature in our faith if it’s never tested by trials and sorrows. There are things we learn about God and about ourselves in sickness and sorrow that we can learn in no other way.

Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels.com

When my son was 16, he was diagnosed with leukemia. The only person I’d ever known who had leukemia was a friend I had in eighth grade. He only lived about six months. Hearing those words flow from the mouth of my son’s doctor set my mind racing and what I was hearing was: “I’m pronouncing a death sentence over your son.” I didn’t know the great strides they’d made in cancer treatment. All I“knew” was I was going to lose my son.

My first response wasn’t to beg God for my son’s healing. My faith couldn’t stretch that far. Through the gut wrenching sobs I begged God to take his cancer and give it to me. But it doesn’t work that way, does it? The lessons the Lord wants to teach us, lessons about trust, and faith, and patience, and dependence, couldn’t be learned over night. I needed time, and, gratefully, the Lord gave it to me.

My son will be 47 in June and though the doctors said he would likely never father a child, he and his beautiful wife gave me Miss Hannah, my only grandchild, when he was 39. That period of his sickness taught me that God is faithful, that He can be trusted.

Even as I write these words, I know there are thousands of others who have lost children to cancer, and for other reasons. Why did God spare my son and not theirs? Does He love me more? Am I a better person? No, absolutely not! He loves everyone – sinner and saint – the same. And I’m a work in progress just like everyone else. Perhaps others are stronger than I was. I wish I could give you an answer.

My first funeral was for a young couple who lost a child at birth. I often wish I could have those moments back. I was of no value to that grieving couple. My concern was focused on me and “my” message, rather than on their deep need. I was in my early twenties and knew very little about grief, but if I had it to do over, and in subsequent funerals I finally learned, largely due to what the Lord taught me when my son was ill, that those are precious moments in which God can bring great healing if we’ll let Him.

Today, I would tell them, while I have no concrete reason why God allowed that horribly painful experience to happen in their lives, they now have a greater investment in heaven than ever before. Though their child won’t experience life here, they will live in the blissful presence of their heavenly Father until such a time when they can be reunited with their believing parents.

Whatever the reason, I have learned that God can be trusted and will heal and help us, not only to grow in our faith, but share the pain of others with the compassion and love we learned through times of trial in our own life. That’s why James wrote: “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” (James 1:2-4 NLT)

Blessings, Ed 😊

When Loves Shines Through

The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness; the darkness couldn’t put it out.” (John 1:5 The Message)

Whether you’re speaking literally or figuratively, darkness can be terrifying, especially if you’re in a place you’ve never been before.

When my wife of more than 20 years left me, it was as if the light in my heart went out. Prayers seemed to bounce off the ceiling. My emotions were tanked, and I felt like a zombie. I would attend church out of habit, yet I knew God was there. I remember leaving church one morning and the Pastor, a dear friend, asked how I was doing. He hugged me and held me while I sobbed. His were the arms of Jesus to me.

Having just started an all-commission paying job, I had no money, as in not one penny. Different ones at church would shake my hand and give me $10 or $20. They were a light in the darkness.

On one occasion I went into the office of my apartment complex to give, yet another excuse for why my rent was going to be late. But this time was different, because I had no idea how I was going to pay. The young lady in the office smiled and said, “You don’t have to worry about it this month, you’re rent has been paid.” Two of my Christian brothers had paid my rent. More light to guide me back to Jesus.

Jesus said in John 8:12: “I am the light of the world. If you follow Me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

One of the meanings of darkness as it’s used in the Bible is: “darkness due to want of light.” Have you ever been there? It’s miraculous to me as I begin to understand how God will prompt people to do and be things for us when we can’t do or be those things for ourselves. And it’s equally amazing how He prompts us to be and do for others. To me, that’s the beauty of being a child of God, a member of His eternal family, the Church.

Pastor Rick Warren said in one of his recent Daily Hope devotionals: “Unity in your church—and in the larger body of Christ—will have the same effect: People will see your love for each other and your common purpose in the Gospel. They’ll want to know what makes the difference. Then you’ll have boldness to tell them about the One who unites you.”

When the light of Christ’s love shines forth, it breaks through the darkness, not only of the negative circumstances of fellow believers, but also gives light to those who are walking in the darkness of being without Jesus. The light of Jesus’ love for them can be demonstrated in our love for one another in the Body of Christ, creating a hunger in the hearts and lives of those who have yet to believe, pointing them to Jesus.

One of the many values of being a believer in Christ and being united with His family in a local church, is that I’m never alone. God hasn’t just given me friends, He’s given me “brothers” and “sisters” who are fellow believers, filled with the light of His love, mercy, kindness, goodness, and who stand ready to hold me up in my times of need.

As I’ve mentioned numbers of times, I never know who is reading these words. I only know that God gives the words to me for someone. So, if you’re reading these words and you’re feeling alone, distraught, like no one cares or understands, please know this: God knows, and He cares! He’s ready to connect you with someone who will walk with you, care for you, love you, and who will lift you to the Lord daily in prayer. Let God’s love and light shine through to you.

If you’ve not yet yielded your life and allegiance to Jesus, please click on this link and see what it means to know and love Jesus. https://hutchcraft.com/the-bridge-to-god

And, as always, if you would like to ask a question or request prayer, just click on my email, and leave me a message. It’s: walkingwithjesus09@gmail.com.

Blessings, Ed 😊

The Choice to Believe

“But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12 NLT)

At some point in our lives, we decide what we’ll believe. We, as human beings, are wired to be guided by some set of beliefs. Some of those beliefs include God, some do not. Some that do include God or a god, may or may not make a difference in the way a person lives, but they’re there to fall back on, in case of emergency. The bottom line is – we’re all believers in something. We all have faith in something.

Personally, I like simple and straightforward. Convoluted confuses me. There are essentially two avenues of belief: Theism, which includes God, a god, or gods. And Atheism, which is “against” or “without” God or a god. We can choose to follow some path we believe will lead us to the true and living God of the Bible; we can choose to follow a god to which we can subscribe through another religious belief system; or we can choose some god of our own making, created in our own image.

Over the years I’ve had conversations with people who have chosen to believe that there is no god, that God doesn’t exist, and they have no need of religion or systems of belief that include some form of a god. I believe they’re wrong and one day will regret their choice, but I wholly respect their right to hold their opinion. Both Theistic and Atheistic systems of belief require faith.

Used by permission, © Ray Majoran, GlimpseOfInfinity.com

The Atheist claims Theists can’t give “proof” of God’s existence. I contend that Atheists have a much more difficult task proving there isn’t a God than Theists have proving there is. Some Theists believe that God’s fingerprints are everywhere we look. The Bible says in Psalm 19:1-4: “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display His craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make Him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world.”“”

Nature speaks “loudly,” but the greatest “evidence” to me that God is alive and real, is when I see Him active and alive in another person, bearing the fruit of God’s presence in and through their lives. They may exist (I can’t “prove” they don’t 😊), but I’ve never met an atheist that didn’t have a chip on their shoulder, pressing me to “prove” my position as a Jesus follower. To me, it requires a whole lot more faith to be an atheist than to believe in Jesus.

When it comes to the Christian Faith, the theme and central character is Jesus. He’s the thread that holds it all together. Notice in the verse at the beginning of this post: “But to all who believed Him…” “…and accepted Him,” “…He gave the right to become children of God.” Christianity isn’t simply a system of beliefs about God, it’s a pattern of life and living based on the Person of Jesus, who was and is, God! God poured Himself into human flesh, lived a perfect life, which then qualified Him to become the perfect sacrifice for sin, our Savior.

But it’s not simply giving intellectual assent or agreeing with certain beliefs. It’s not even affirming that He lived, died, and rose again. It’s about taking Him at His word and trusting He “is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6 NLT)

To believe Jesus, requires an act of the will. It’s to make the choice to place our trust in, not only what He said and taught, but in who He is – God in human form. To accept Jesus means “to receive that which when taken is not let go, to seize, to lay hold of, apprehend.” (Strong’s) That’s when we become a child of God. That’s when life becomes of value, not simply to us, but to those whose lives the Lord can now touch and draw to Himself, through us.

Blessings, Ed 😊

The Fear of Believing

“’Joseph, son of David,’ the angel said, ‘do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife.’” (Matthew 1:20a NLT)

Fear is a very real and present danger when it comes to understanding and carrying out God’s will. It has many implications and can often be confusing and disturbing. But if we’re patient and open to the truth, God will make it clear what our response should be.

Bob Goff wrote: “Be patient when it gets weird. The angel explained things to Joseph after he talked to Mary, not before.”

You may have responded a lot differently than me, but I’m afraid if my fiancée had come to me and told me she was pregnant when we hadn’t had sex, then added: “But it’s okay. It’s God’s baby!” I’m thinking I wouldn’t have wanted to “break the engagement quietly” like Joseph. A virgin birth had never happened before or since, yet Joseph believed the angel and his faith and faithfulness still touch our lives for good today.

It’s interesting to me that the first thing the angel said to Joseph, after addressing him by name, is: “do not be afraid…” It seems more likely he’d say: “Now look, Joseph, I know your heart is breaking! I know you’re angry! I know you’re confused, but…” Obviously, the angel knew Joseph better than Joseph knew himself, which, of course, is true of us as well. But what was Joseph afraid of?

Very likely the same things that kept many of us from faith initially – fear of rejection from our friends/family, fear of appearing weak, fear of what changes would come to our lives, and many other reasons. But the other side of that is, what ultimately changed Joseph’s mind, and ours to move forward in faith?

Being visited by an angel would certainly be a big factor, but if you read the surrounding verses, nowhere does the angel command Joseph to do anything. All he did was outline the facts: Mary’s pregnant by the Holy Spirit, she will have a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. All the angel did was fill in some blanks, he didn’t answer all of Joseph’s questions or address all of his fears. Neither does God answer all of ours.

The Bible says that “Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man…” (vs 19) The word translated “good” in this verse can mean: “one whose way of thinking, feeling, and acting is wholly conformed to the will of God.” It was no accident that God chose Joseph or Mary. God had insight and understanding, not only of Joseph’s good heart, but his strong love for Mary. At the end of the day, I believe Joseph made the decision to protect Mary by guarding their relationship and becoming her husband, not out of obligation or even obedience. I believe he became her husband because of love. Love for God and love for Mary.

Love dispels fear, regardless of its origin. Love heals, restores, fulfills, completes, magnifies joys and helps us deal appropriately with sorrows. Like love, faith is a choice. Our choices are often influenced and shaped by our environment (i.e. our family of origin, life’s experiences, education, etc), but ultimately how we understand and respond to life is a choice we make, the consequences of which we must suffer.

Sometimes “weird” things happen in our lives. Very likely not as dramatic as what Mary and Joseph had to deal with, but nonetheless, things we would not have chosen for ourselves. Yet God, in His love equips us to deal with them and learn things from them that ultimately make us better, if we don’t allow them to make us bitter.

Blessings, Ed 😊

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 😊