Walking With Jesus

Is Heaven a Real Place?

“Now Christ has gone to heaven.” (1 Peter 3:22a NLT)

In Revelation 21:3-4 John writes: “I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, ‘Look, God’s home is now among His people! He will live with them, and they will be His people. God Himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Jesus believes heaven is a real place.

My first mission’s trip was to an area near Lima, Peru. I cried most of the first day. Not only had I not seen living conditions like that, I’d never imagined they could exist. The average life expectancy of the people in the area where we were serving was about 40 years. The primary purpose of our trip was to help build an orphanage to house the children left behind, who roamed the streets seeking to survive.

What struck me was, you could literally see the difference between those who knew Jesus and those who didn’t. Their countenance seemed to glow with joy and reverence for the Lord. It wasn’t hard for them to imagine a place better when they died. A place where they would find comfort and security, being with their Savior and Friend forever.

In America, if you’re on government assistance, you’re in the top 1% of the wealthiest people in the world. It’s easy for some to believe this is as good as it will ever get. But that’s just not true!

The appeal of heaven for me is that “God Himself will be with them.” Because Jesus is there, that’s where I want to be. But think of the other benefits.

Our tears will be wiped away by the Lord. Notice it doesn’t say there won’t be tears. I can’t imagine seeing Jesus and not shedding tears of joy. Or crying when I’m reunited with loved ones who loved Jesus in this life, who have preceded me in death, never to be separated from them again.
No more death. Death in Scripture often refers to separation from God. But for those who are in Heaven, there will be no more separation from God or anyone else who knows and loves Jesus.
No more sorrow. This word can also be translated “mourning.” I think of godly parents whose babies were stillborn or died at a young age. They are waiting for you in heaven, never to be separated from you again. And I’m thinking of others who are grieving because you’ve been separated from loved ones who loved and served the Lord Jesus. One day sooner than you can imagine, you’ll be reunited – for all eternity!
No more crying. This has to do more with crying out, agonizing, clamoring due to the pressures of life. Circumstances about which you don’t know what to do or how to cope. Those will no longer be issues in heaven.
No more pain. This certainly includes physical pain, but this word also speaks to the agony of toiling for daily subsistence. Like the folks I met in Peru, whose annual income was $300-$400. Most of us in America can’t comprehend that kind of pain. But thanks to Jesus, in heaven, no one will.

Heaven IS a real place, and you don’t have to die to begin to enjoy the best part of heaven. His name is Jesus, and He gave His life in your place, so that you would not only have a place in Heaven with Him when you die, but you can enjoy walking with Him right now, while you’re alive on this earth. If you haven’t yet met Jesus, you may not understand what I’m talking about. Please click the link below to watch a brief video by Ron Hutchcraft, in order to give you a better understanding of what it means to know and love Jesus and how to begin a relationship with Him. https://hutchcraft.com/the-bridge-to-god

I’ve heard many people who don’t profess faith in Jesus, speaking in reference to death, say that they believe they will go to a better place when they die. On what is that based? Is it really true? We’ll explore that tomorrow.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Are You Ready for the Bridegroom?

“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.” (Matthew 25:1 NLT)

Like the other parables Jesus told, this is a fictional story designed to make one primary point, but from which other pertinent information can be gleaned. I will summarize the story that is recorded in Matthew 25:1-13, but it will be helpful if you read it yourself. It’s the story of ten bridesmaids who were invited to their friend’s wedding.

As was the custom in Jesus’ day, invitations were sent out, the wedding party chosen and all the details were set in place, but it was the father of the groom’s responsibility to actually choose the day and time of the wedding. It could occur anytime, but if you wanted to participate in the festivities, you had to be ready.

According to the story, five of the bridesmaids brought extra oil for their lamps, five did not. In verse 6 the Bible says: “At midnight they (the bridesmaids) were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’”

It’s safe to surmise that as the sun went down, the bridesmaids used their lamps to see while they waited, but after so long, they decided to turn off their lamps and go to sleep. Five of the bridesmaids anticipated the late arrival of the groom and brought extra oil, five did not.

At the sound of the announcement of the arrival of the groom, all the bridesmaids trimmed their lamps so they could go and greet him, but five of them didn’t bring extra oil, so their lamps were going out. With no time to waste, they asked the girls who’d brought extra oil if they would share, but were turned down and told to go and buy their own.

While the five were away trying to find more oil, the groom came, and the wedding party all went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was closed. When the five who’d gone for oil returned, they stood outside and shouted for someone to let them in, but the groom responded, “Believe me, I don’t know you!” (vs 12b)

So, what does this mean? But more importantly, what is this story’s relevance to me and you? The context of the story is shortly before Jesus’ betrayal, trial, torture and execution. The parable’s main point is: BE PREPARED! Jesus is speaking to His disciples and He’s telling them about what will happen to Him and about end times before His second coming.

There are those who want to “live it up,” in terms of the pleasures of this world, then at the last possible second, repent so they can go to heaven. From all outward appearances, all ten bridesmaids were ready. They were all dressed for the part, acted similarly, had desire to be included in the festivities and they all had their lamps, so what happened?

In the story, the oil represented preparedness. But for the believer, what is the critical, irreplaceable “oil” that must be present in EVERY Jesus follower’s life? What is the invisible, yet undeniable, presence that determines whether or not someone/anyone is prepared to meet the Lord? The Holy Spirit!

When someone opens their heart and life to the will of the Father of Heaven’s Armies, as “proof” of their new relationship with the Lord Jesus, they are given the Holy Spirit. Paul writes in Romans 8:16: “For His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.” (NLT) Without the Spirit’s verifying presence in our lives we can never enter God’s eternal home. We may look like a believer, on many levels we may act and speak like a believer, attend church, read our Bibles and even pray, but if the Holy Spirit doesn’t own our heart and life, we’re living a lie.

Satan is a liar who hates you and me; who’s whole point of existence is to deceive us by causing us to believe something, anything, except the truth that apart from Jesus we are nothing and can do nothing (John 15:5). If the “oil” in the lamp of your life is anything but God’s Holy Spirit (i.e. good works, religion, etc.), fall on your face and seek God’s forgiveness and the life-giving presence of His Spirit right now, before it’s eternally too late.

The truth is, no one, except the Father (God) of the Groom (Jesus) knows when that moment will come. But on the authority of Biblical Prophecy and the urging of the Holy Spirit in my life – He’s coming SOON!

Blessings, Ed 😊

(If I can answer questions or be of support, please let me know at walkingwithjesus09@gmail.com )

What Will Hell Be Like?

“The rich man also died and was buried, and his soul went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham with Lazarus at his side.” (Luke 16:22b-23 NLT)

Let me begin with this disclaimer – NO ONE knows with certainty what hell will be like, except Jesus. So, my observations in this article are based on His words and the illustration of hell that He gave in Luke 16:19-31.

In his book entitled Heaven, Randy Alcorn wrote: “The best of life on Earth is a glimpse of Heaven; the worst of life is a glimpse of Hell. For Christians, this present life is the closest they will come to Hell. For unbelievers, it is the closest they will come to Heaven.”

My goal isn’t to scare anyone or pretend I know more than I do. My purpose is to make some observations that many people, in the harried pace of this life, may never stop to consider. Please also note, like the other parables that Jesus used, this is a fictional story designed to portray a relevant truth.

We can’t assume because Jesus used a rich man and a beggar, that all rich people go to hell and all poor people go to heaven. That is an individual decision that each person, irrespective of material wealth or possessions, must make in this life. It’s a decision, essentially, as to whose will, will reign supreme in a person’s life? Theirs or God’s? We have to assume, from the context of Jesus’ words, the rich man chose his will and Lazarus chose God’s will.
For illustration purposes, in Jesus’ story, the rich man can see and communicate with Abraham in heaven. Based on the evidence revealed in the rest of Scripture, I don’t believe this will be the case, but Jesus uses it here to make a point.
The central purpose of the story to me, that illustrates the vivid torment of hell, is the rich man’s request of Abraham: “Father Abraham, have some pity … I am in anguish in these flames.” What was the source of his anguish? Was it simply the flames? I have no doubt he was in physical pain beyond description, but the source of his true torment is revealed in his next request. “Please, Father Abraham, at least send him (Lazarus) to my father’s home. For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don’t end up in this place of torment.”

What can we learn from this story?

Hell is a real place. A place of severe and eternal punishment with which nothing on this earth can compare, and from which, once there, there is no recourse.
The greatest torment won’t be physical, but emotional, intellectual and spiritual, realizing we had an opportunity on earth that we ignored. Compounded by the likelihood, that even in light of all the churches and all the internet, radio and TV programs that proclaim the good news of who Jesus is and what He accomplished on the Cross on our behalf, unless we and our loved ones personally repent and turn to Christ, seeking forgiveness of sin and a new life that can only be found in Him, we/they will share this rich man’s fate.
In this story, it’s glaringly obvious that there is no one else present with the rich man. No one with whom he can commiserate his torment; no one to give a word of comfort or encouragement; no one to share the burden of an eternity alone, without one single hint of the presence of God, thus no influence of love, compassion, caring or empathy. People often believe they will have lots of company in Hell, and they very likely will, but the implication of this story reveals an eternal aloneness that is literally unbearable.
In life on earth, the rich man was too distracted with his wealth and material possessions to be troubled with thoughts of God, but in hell ALL he can think about is his deep regret, not only that he didn’t put his trust in God when he had the chance, but his brothers are on the same path that he followed and he’s agonizing over their fate.

Dear friend, it’s not an accident that you’re reading these words. I often ask the Lord to give me the very words that will make an impact on the hearts and minds of the ones He already knows will be reading them.

If you can’t point to a specific time when you first yielded your life and allegiance to Jesus, you probably haven’t. We don’t become a believer by osmosis, simply by hanging around Jesus followers. This is a personal decision that only you can make. A decision that will determine the eternal destination of your soul and be reflected in every subsequent action and decision you make.

PLEASE don’t wait another minute! Click on the link below and watch a brief video by Ron Hutchcraft, then pour out your heart’s desire to become a follower of Jesus, connect with a local church and begin your walk to heaven, one step at a time. https://hutchcraft.com/the-bridge-to-god

Blessings, Ed 😊 (you can direct questions/concerns to me at walkingwithjesus09@gmail.com )

A Guide to More Effective Praying

“When you pray…” (Matthew 6:5a NLT)

Prayer can be a conflicting process for believers. Often our attitude towards prayer and praying is somewhere between obligation and responsibility. Rarely is it seen as the privilege and honor that it is. Praying can be accompanied by guilt, because we’re not sure what to say or even why we need to say it, or shame, because we just don’t see the need for prayer.

These same attitudes and feelings can also be experienced related to reading and studying the Bible, but that’s another Post.

When I was in high school, I met a girl. Now, mind you, I’m bordering on ancient, so when I tell you the only means of communicating remotely back then was a landline phone, some of you may gasp and say, “What is that?” Fortunately, our phone had a long cord, so I could lay on the floor of our bathroom and close the door so we could speak in private. We would talk for hours or until our parents said, “ENOUGH!” What did we talk about? Anything and everything. WHAT wasn’t the issue. WITH WHOM was the crux of the matter. It’s similar when we consider this whole issue of prayer.

Today, I’m going to give you a simple guide that can help you with the WHAT of prayer, but it will be useless unless and until you begin to understand the WITH WHOM. I loved to have long conversations with my girlfriend because I loved her (as much as I could understand love as a teen 😊). And today, after walking with Jesus for a very long time, I know with whom I’m speaking and my love for Him is growing nearly by the second. The more closely you walk with the Lord, the more your heart will beat with longing to speak with Him often – about EVERYTHING!

The acrostic I’ll be sharing today originated with the late Dr. R. C. Sproul and is available for you to check out more thoroughly at: https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/simple-acrostic-prayer It spells the word ACTS. Note that the order of the letters is important.

A – ADORATION. As with the Lord’s prayer, it’s important to begin your prayer time by acknowledging with whom you’re speaking. God isn’t the “man upstairs,” He’s the Master Designer, Creator, Sustainer of all that is, both seen and unseen. He deserves our reverence, respect, and time. But more to the point, He’s our Heavenly Father who loves us and longs to spend time with us, not for His sake, but for ours.
C – CONFESSION. Confession literally means “to agree with God’s estimation of something.” What does that mean? It essentially means, if God’s Word says something is wrong, it’s not subject to debate. Confession is to acknowledge that you’ve sinned and, ask the Lord’s forgiveness. Sin, at its root, is not doing something God clearly says to do (i.e. love Him and others, etc.), or doing something He clearly says not to do (stealing, adultery, gossiping, etc.)
T – THANKSGIVING. Regardless of the season of life you are experiencing, there is ALWAYS something for which to be thankful. Remember, God is not concerned with our use of proper grammar or correct sentence structure, He’s interested in us getting to know Him better and sharing what’s on our heart. (i.e. “Father, thank you that even though I’m out of work right now, I’m grateful, that You may not always provide my wants, but you will provide all of my needs as long as I’m seeking to put you first in my life.” See Matthew 6:33).
S – SUPPLICATION. Think of this as sharing your needs, desires, and concerns. Philippians 4:6-7 says: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (NLT)

I’m sure this acrostic won’t answer all your questions, it may actually create more than it answers. It is simply a guide to help you as you’re learning to pray more effectively. A couple of things I have found helpful is to create and use a list of your requests/needs and record answers as they come. If you have specific questions or concerns regarding prayer, you can contact me at walkingwithjesus09@gmail.com

Blessings, Ed 😊

Following Jesus’ Model Prayer

“Pray like this…” (Matthew 6:9a NLT)

Yesterday we looked at what I think of as the “heartbeat of prayer.” Today I’d like us to look at more of the “mechanics of prayer.”

In Matthew 6:5-8 Jesus outlines some things we shouldn’t do when we pray. When prayer becomes an end in itself, it isn’t conversation with God, it’s merely babble for the sake of man. In verses 9-13 Jesus offers us what we might term a “model prayer.” A model is a replica or example of the real thing. His intention wasn’t for us to simply repeat His words and call it a day. He was offering this “model” as a guide to help us in learning to pray with purpose. So, what might that look like?

The outline I’m using today is not original with me. I’m actually using a guide which was distributed at Hope Church (Las Vegas) and is based on the Lord’s Prayer. For an excellent message specifically on the Lord’s Prayer, click the link and listen to Pastor Edward Paz, Lead Pastor of Prayer & Teaching Ministries at Hope Church lv: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqOeeLOJXdk

What grew out of that message is 5 R’s for praying in line with the Lord’s model prayer in Matthew 6.

RELATIONSHIP – “Our Father in heaven…”

“PERCEIVE yourself as a loved and cherished child of God.” Once you are born again into the family of God, God is your Father in ways you’ve never imagined possible. Regardless of what you’ve done or been, the blood of Jesus erases that from God’s memory. Our sin is cast into the sea of forgetfulness, never to be remembered against us again.

If you’re a parent, think of the first time your eyes beheld the glory of your first born. My “Widdy-Bit” will be 49 next month, but the memory of my first sight of her is burned indelibly into my brain. She was precious to me then, but even more precious to me now. How much greater is your Heavenly Father’s inexhaustible and immeasurable love for you.

REVERENCE – “Hallowed be Your Name…”

“PRAISE God for His character and attributes and thank Him for the blessings that flow from His character.” God is Holy in ways we can never be. He is Omnipresent (ever-present – in the sense He can see the day of our death as clearly as the day of our birth and every day in between); Omnipotent (All-powerful – NOTHING is impossible for God); Omniscient (All-Knowing) There is nothing that can be known that He doesn’t already know. These are just a few of His attributes for which we can offer Him praise, adoration and thanksgiving.

RESPONSE – “…Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

“POSTURE yourself in humility before God by surrendering your will and your ways to Him.” This has reference to far more than the literal posturing of your body. Many people kneel when praying, closing their eyes and bowing their head. But a “posture of humility before God” has more to do with our surrendered will that desires God’s will to be accomplished here on earth in and through our individual lives, as well as the lives of others in the Body of Christ worldwide.

REQUESTS – “Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

“PETITION God for both your physical needs and your relational (with God and others) needs.” Pastor Rick Warren wrote in a recent devotional: “There’s nothing you need that God can’t provide.” “Our daily bread” includes far more than food. God includes the grace He knows we’ll need to forgive and to be forgiven. Receive with gratitude the bountiful gifts God gives you, for most of which we don’t even think to ask Him.

READINESS – “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

“PREPARE yourself for the spiritual warfare that awaits you!” Yes, you can be assured you will be tempted; however, the source of that temptation will NEVER come from God (see James 1:13). Additionally, remember that, while God will never tempt you, neither will He ever leave you when you are being tempted. He will ALWAYS show you a way out (see 1 Corinthians 10:13), but it’s up to you to take it. One last note – temptation is not sin. Remember Jesus was tempted beyond anything we can imagine, yet never yielded and was without sin.

That’s a lot to chew on today. We’ll look at an acrostic tomorrow that has been a helpful tool for me when I pray.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Praying In Line With God’s Purposes

“Lord, teach us to pray…” (Luke 11:1a NLT)

This is the last “P” we’ll look at related to what “Seeking God’s Kingdom First” might look like (see last three Posts). We’ve looked at PURSUE knowing, loving, and serving the Lord Jesus with intentionality and consistency. PRIORITIZE your schedule to reflect the priority of His Kingdom, then yesterday we looked at establishing life-PATTERNS (habits) that will enable us to grow in our likeness of Jesus.

Today we’re looking at PRAYER as the primary means of making the other avenues possible. We can’t pursue God, prioritize our schedules, or effectively develop consistent and effective life-patterns without first getting direction and instruction from the Lord.

It’s always been interesting to me that the original Disciples of Jesus, at least according to what is recorded in Scripture, never asked Him to teach them to preach or perform miracles. Only to pray! There are more than fifty references to prayer in the Gospels alone, and the context of Luke 11:1 finds Jesus praying. It was when Jesus completed His prayer that one of the disciples asked Him, “Lord, teach us to pray…” (Luke 11:1a NLT)

Prayer, as I understand it, is not reciting certain words, in certain ways, but literally, humbling ourselves before God, and speaking with Him with open hands and heart. When I placed my trust in Jesus and yielded my life and allegiance to Him, I was 15. I don’t remember praying much before then, except the time I “borrowed” the car in a rainstorm and smashed in the passenger door on a post. My prayer was essentially begging God to not let my dad get too angry, and promising Him if He got me through it, I’d never drive again.

I didn’t understand at the time, but God did “get me through it,” it just didn’t turn out as I’d expected. My dad didn’t get angry, instead he was disappointed, which hurt more than if he’d disciplined me more harshly. So, my commitment to my dad and God, was that I would make every effort to drive responsibly and legally (😊) in the future.

What is prayer like for you? Once I began my walk with Jesus, I would put an empty chair in front of me and pretend Jesus was sitting in it. I’d just talk to Him like I talk with anyone else. I’d tell Him about my day (as if He didn’t already know, right!) and I’d listen to see if He’d speak to me. As I look back on those times, after having walked with Him for almost sixty years, those were good times, not because I heard His audible voice, but because He always enabled me to sense His presence.

Today, that’s the most important part of our relationship. Not the “feelings” of His presence, though His presence with me is very emotional at times, but the sometimes-profound “certainty” of His presence.

When God met with Moses in Exodus 33, God instructed Moses to “Go up to the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (Exodus 33:1 NLT), but God told Moses He wouldn’t go with the rescued Egyptian slaves, because they were “stubborn and rebellious.” God promised to send an angel to guide them, but Moses basically told the Lord, “You can count me out unless You go with us.” In Exodus 33:16, as Moses was “building his case” for God to go with them, he told the Lord, “For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth.”

Prayer confirms, that that is still true today. In my often moment by moment conversations with the Lord, He reminds me of things He’s said to me in His Word. But He will also give me “impressions,” for lack of a better word. He’ll let me know if I need to speak with someone, and about what. He’ll ask me to write them an email, or handwritten note, take them to lunch, send them a card – whatever is appropriate, based on my level of relationship with the person. He’s instructing me as I write these Posts.

Mine and God’s relationship isn’t Master to slave, although it well could be, it’s Friend to friend, but more importantly, it’s Father to son.

You may be wondering – “But you haven’t said anything about how to pray!” Yes, and no. Prayer isn’t simply the speaking of words, it’s the attitude, and often, the singular focus, of your heart before your Sovereign Creator. It’s the soul’s pausing at the well of God’s love, for a deep and much needed refreshing. It’s our spirit connecting with the Spirit of God in ways that human words can never explain or express. It’s basking in the presence of His holiness, seeking cleansing and infilling that will not only satisfy every dimension of our being, but remind us, we’re most effective FOR God, when we’re most dependent UPON God.

That’s prayer at its richest and most rewarding, but you’re right, so we’ll look at prayer from some other angles over the next few days.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Following Healthy Life-Patterns

“But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” (Matthew 7:14 NLT)

If you’re serious about following the narrow road that leads to an eternity with Jesus, you’ll PURSUE Him with intentionality, you’ll PRIORITIZE your schedule to make time to grow in your understanding of who He is and what He desires for you, and you’ll develop healthy life-PATTERNS, that when followed will lead you closer to Jesus. What might that look like?

God has purpose in everything He does. He’s following a “blueprint” that He established before the beginning of time that takes into account the lives of everyone who has lived, is living, or who will ever live. It only makes sense to me that we, as His children, should follow His Word, the Bible, in establishing life-patterns (habits) that would guide us on our faith journey of becoming more like Jesus.

Romans 8:29a says: “For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like His Son” (NLT) In Philippians 3 Paul writes about the priceless value of knowing Christ. He essentially walks us through the pattern of his life and in verse 17 says: “Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.” (NLT)

With no claim to this being an exhaustive list, based on Paul’s writings, let me suggest the following:

As Jesus followers, we are citizens of heaven and should reflect that status in and through the way we conduct ourselves here on earth. How so? In what we allow our eyes to see, our ears to hear and our mouths to speak. Is what we’re watching on the internet, our phones, TV, or from whatever source, going to build our faith and our dependence upon God or tear it down? Is what we listen to, whether in personal conversation or otherwise, edifying and honoring to our Savior? Is what we speak, the whole truth, shared in love and humility? Does it build up or tear down? Does it exalt Jesus or demean His life in you and/or in others?
Godly habits lead to godly character. Paul told Timothy: “Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me – a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 1:13 NLT) How do YOU best learn? Whatever way works best for you, find ways to learn what the Bible teaches, for yourself, not just learning someone else’s ideas about the Bible. Allow the Holy Spirit to teach you, not only facts about the Bible, but promises and truths that will enable you to build a strong, vibrant faith. At Hope Church we are blessed to have great men of God who study well and teach well, but you can’t be dependent on the words of a human being alone, even a godly Pastor. YOU MUST allow the Holy Spirit to bear witness with your spirit that what you’re hearing is the truth, then dig into that truth and let it become your own. A Study Bible with a Concordance and notes can go a long way in helping you learn basic truths. The highlighted link below will lead you to a very unique study Bible that I highly recommend. Dr. Gene Getz has compiled more than 1500 teachings, that by scanning QR Codes throughout the Bible, can become teaching sessions on whatever device you’re using. Dr. Getz is someone in whom I have great confidence: https://bibleprinciples.org/the-life-essentials-study-bible/
The nearer you grow to Jesus, the more Christ-honoring fruit your life will bear. Jesus said: Yes, I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who remain in me and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5 NLT) Paul reminds us in Galatians 5:22 (NLT: But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” The Holy Spirit is the Author of this fruit, not me or you. The greater the measure of submission to the Holy Spirit’s activity in your life, the greater the measure of fruit He will bear in and through you. Grow in your dependence upon God and He will reward you with godly character and a winsome, wholesome witness for Him.
One last thought. Jesus said: “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Do the ways you spend your money reflect where your “heart” is? Absolutely! Did you notice Jesus didn’t say: “Wherever your heart is, there your treasure will also be?” What’s the implication? Your heart follows the money, which illuminates what your heart believes to be your “treasure.” If you’re not as close to Jesus as you want to be, look at your checkbook or credit card statements. Where your money goes, so goes your heart.

There’s one more “P” I’d like to share with you tomorrow. Thank you for reading these articles.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Is Seeking God’s Kingdom Your Top Priority?

“Set your heart first on His Kingdom and His goodness…” (Matthew 6:33a – Phillips)

In yesterday’s Post we looked at what it means to “Seek” God’s Kingdom, by earnestly and consistently PURSUING God through thorough and persistent study and investigation. Desiring Him above all else, in a similar way as you would desire someone with whom you were interested in having a long-term relationship.

Today we’re going to look at what it means to seek God’s Kingdom FIRST, by making our relationship with Jesus our top PRIORITY. According to The Merriam-Webster Dictionary, priority means “taking precedence logically or in importance.” How might our life look if we allowed our relationship with Jesus to take “precedence logically or in importance?”

Someone rightly observed that they could tell in a moment the priority Jesus took in a person’s life by looking at their calendar and their checkbook. What does that mean? It simply means, how you spend your time, and your money reflects what you value the most.

There are 96 15-minute segments in each day. If you gave the Lord only 1 of those, or 15 minutes per day, that would be the equivalent of just over 1% of your day. Yet, how many professing believers commit even a measly 15 minutes a day to read/study the Bible and pray? What’s my point? If Jesus is the priority we desire Him to be, why doesn’t He hold a more prominent place in the activities of our day?

We’re living in the most wicked and perverse period of time in human existence. We need Jesus every second of every day. May I challenge you to make Jesus a higher priority in your time by making Him a higher priority in your thoughts?

As a new believer I would put Bible verses I wanted to memorize on a 3 X 5 card. On one side I would write the verse, then put the reference on the other side. At any one time I would have about 10-12 cards that I would carry with me. Like many who are reading this, I worked two jobs for many years and time was of the essence. So, when I went to the restroom (I know 😊) I would either read my Bible and/or go over my memory cards. On breaks at work or at a stop light, whenever I could grab an extra minute, I sought to fill my mind with words about God.

Someone said, “What you think about, comes about.” I believe if I can fill my mind with what is true and relevant to my life as a believer; what can help to mold my thoughts so the Holy Spirit can train me to think about Jesus and His Word, over time I/we can actually begin to think like Him, which will, in ever increasing measure, allow us to begin to “look” like Him in and through the way we live.

God is ever-present. He’s with us in every second. The issue in making Him a priority then becomes, are we with Him? “Yeh, but I have to work!” “I have small kids!” “I don’t like to read!” Listen, my friend, excuses are like armpits. We’ve all got ‘em, and they all stink!

Commit today to give minimally 15-30 minutes a day to read/study your Bible. Begin to train your mind to think God’s thoughts by committing minimally 1-2 verses a week to memory. Make Church attendance a MUST and if at all possible, find a Small Group – a Men’s/Women’s Group if you’re single, a Couple’s Group if you’re married. You simply cannot make Jesus a priority in your heart if He’s not a priority in your thoughts and on your calendar.

I’ll speak more to this point tomorrow.

Blessings, Ed😊

Seeking FIRST God’s Kingdom

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else…” (Matthew 6:33a NLT)

In 2 Chronicles 34:3 (NLT) the Bible says: “During the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, Josiah began to seek the God of his ancestor David.”

Josiah was only eight years old when he became King of Judah, so in his eighth year as king he was still only sixteen. That’s when he began to do an earnest and extensive investigation of the God of his ancestor David. “Seek” in this context means “to ask for, require, demand.” This wasn’t a casual glance at the past, it was a serious digging into how king David followed God. It means “to practice, study, follow, seek with application, care and care for.”

Jesus used a similar word in Matthew 6:33 (NLT): “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.” What does it mean to “Seek the Kingdom of God?”

In the Amplified Translation it says: “But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His Kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and all these things taken together will be given you besides.”

Photo by Matthias Groeneveld on Pexels.com

Have you ever lost something that, to you, was really valuable? How did you feel? How earnestly did you “seek” to find it? Did it suddenly move to the top of your priority list? Strong’s Concordance defines “seek” as: “(seek) by thinking, meditating, reasoning, to enquire into, to crave, demand something from someone.” So, what can we conclude?

Over the next few days, we’ll look more closely at what Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:33 mean for us. We’ll do that by looking at four “P’s.”

PURSUE

It intrigues me the way Detectives research all avenues of information related to whatever crime they’re seeking to solve. They leave no stone unturned in their efforts to identify and arrest the person who has committed a crime. In a similar way, we should investigate and use every available tool to research what Jesus means when He says to SEEK His Kingdom.

Realizing we’re not pursuing an ethereal idea, but a Person – “HIS Kingdom and HIS righteousness,” – heightens the urgency to make a serious pursuit of who Jesus is and what it means to follow Him. Perhaps an example would help.

When I first met my wife, I pursued her passionately! She was all I could think about. I wanted to spend every waking moment with her. I loved everything about her (still do 😊). The first several dates I literally couldn’t stop shaking. It was embarrassing, but I simply couldn’t stop. Why? Because she was wayyyyyy out of my league. I was amazed that she would speak to me, let alone go on a date with me. Now, after nearly thirty years of being together, she’s even more amazing than I’d originally believed.

What if, when we got married, I’d said to her, this woman I loved with my whole being: “Listen, honey, this is how it’s going to be. I’ll come by once a week for an hour, maybe an hour and a half. We can talk occasionally during the week, but if something really important comes up, you’ll be my first call.” How long do you think the marriage would last? Yet, don’t we too often tend to “seek” God like that?

We’ll pick this up in tomorrow’s Post.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Living Like Jesus Matters

“In this new life…Christ is all that matters…” (Colossians 3:11 NLT)

The title of one of the books I’m currently reading is Person of Interest, Why Jesus Still Matters in a World that Rejects the Bible. It’s written by J. Warner Wallace “America’s foremost cold case Detective.”

In Warner’s words: “God didn’t matter to me because I didn’t think He existed, and the Bible didn’t matter to me because I didn’t think it reported anything true.” What changed his mind? He reluctantly attended church with his wife and some friends and heard a Pastor speak about Jesus as though He mattered. That set him on a course to investigate “the claims of the Gospels using every tool I possessed as a detective.” His investigation led him to a saving knowledge of Jesus.

It caused me to search my own heart and ask myself: “Am I living like Jesus matters? In my encounters with neighbors, people at the grocery, how I drive, in my home, in my relationship with my kids, am I living like Jesus matters?” It’s a scary thought to realize how closely people watch our lives.

When I was pastoring a small church in Kentucky, I went door to door in my neighborhood to meet my neighbors and to invite them to church. One man who lived right behind the church said: “I’ve noticed there have been more cars in the parking lot lately.” Just a seeming small observation, but it caused me to wonder – how many more neighbors are “watching” us and what conclusions are they drawing from what they see?

Do you understand that if you claim to know Jesus, people are watching you? They want to know if this Jesus of the Bible is real and if He is, how can they get to know Him? You may want to ask yourself some of the questions I’ve been asking myself.

Is the quality of my loving and living consistent regardless of where I am or who I’m with?
Am I hesitant to bring up Jesus for fear the person with whom I’m speaking has seen me doing or saying something I shouldn’t have been doing or saying?
Can the people closest to me – my wife, kids, people with whom I work, serve or worship, my neighbors – attest to my consistent walk with Jesus?
Is my heart in tune with my conviction that Jesus is ALL THAT MATTERS?

Paul wrote in Colossians 3:11: In this new life (as a believer in Jesus), it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile (non-Jew), circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and He lives in all of us (as believers in Him).” (NLT)

In the busy, hurried pace of our lives, Jesus matters! When our kids are off the wall and our spouse comes home upset, Jesus matters! When the money runs out and there’s still a lot of month left, Jesus matters! When the doctor’s report isn’t what you expected, Jesus matters! When you get let go from your job, Jesus matters! When your “walk” isn’t matching your “talk,” Jesus matters! When you have all that money can buy, yet you still feel empty, Jesus matters! When your heart aches for the souls of your family and friends, Jesus matters! When you stand before the Judge of all the earth, at the end of your life, Jesus is ALL that will matter!

Jesus said in Matthew 6:33: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.” If Jesus truly is all that matters to you, then His Kingdom has to be paramount in your life. We’ll begin to look at what that means tomorrow.

Blessings, Ed 😊