Walking With Jesus

Times of Darkness

“O Lord, why do You reject me? Why do you turn Your face from me?” (Psalm 88:14 NLT)

The above quote is a verse from a song written by Heman the Ezrahite thousands of years ago, yet, it captures the heart’s cry of millions in our world today, many who sincerely and genuinely know Jesus as Savior and Lord. But how can that be? Doesn’t salvation in Jesus deliver me from those times of isolation and aloneness?

The words of Dr. George Pardington encourage me when he writes: “Times of darkness come to a faithful and believing disciple who is walking obediently in the will of God. They come as seasons when he does not know what to do or which way to turn. His sky becomes overcast with clouds, and the clear light of heaven does not shine on his path, so that he feels as if he were groping his way through complete darkness. Dear believer, does this describe you? What should you do in times of darkness? Listen to God’s Word: ‘Let him…trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.”

While his words may fall on doubting or even deaf “ears,” his words are nonetheless true. But how can it be? Just because an answer is simple, doesn’t make it any less profound. What do you do when the engine on your car locks up and is useless? You pull it out and replace it or get a different car. Easy answer, not always so easy to do.

Following Jesus is simple on many levels, but it’s rarely easy. Self-denial and self-discipline aren’t traits that most human beings cherish or even desire, but they’re critical and essential if we’re going to live effective and fruitful lives to the honor and fame of our Savior. Times of darkness are hard, for anyone, but especially for someone who has placed their trust in Jesus.

We’re quick to assume He will guard and protect us from such tormenting times, but that’s not always the case. But why? Because the impurities of silver (Psalm 66:10) are burned away in the fire. If we never had emotionally trying times, we’d never be able to be rid of some of the selfish impurities that cling to our spirit.

Selfishness and ungodliness are not at their core emotional, they’re spiritual. The Lord will allow us to have times of emotional stress, but they may be caused by many factors. The point isn’t what causes our dark times, but what helps us in and through them? The Lord’s goal is always to refine, strengthen, improve, make better and more valuable, not destroy.

Trust allows us to see through the maze of distractions upon which the enemy would have us focus, to the core of what’s really happening. God only allows things to enter our lives if they make us better, never bitter. He wants to use them to equip us to be more, not less; be stronger, not weaker; more like Him, not more like ourselves.

The “fire” of the Cross led to the joy of the Resurrection; you can’t have one without the other. You can’t coast through life without ever experiencing pain, suffering, times of loneliness and despair and believe you’re being shaped into the image of God’s Son. I think of Paul’s words in Philippians 1:29: “For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for Him.”

Spending time with Jesus in the darkness enables us to shine more brightly the light of His holy life, that others may see Him more clearly.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Who’s on Display?

“For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.” (Romans 1:20 NLT)

More than any of God’s creation, man(kind) should give the clearest picture of who He is, yet, on many levels, we instead cloud His presence most. But why? We so quickly and easily mistake God’s glory for our own. We see our own “beauty,” revel in all of our capabilities, marvel at how our mind works, rejoice in all of our accomplishments, rarely, if ever, stopping to realize all of those things are “pictures” of our magnificent Creator.

None of those things are earned or deserved but are gifts from our benevolent Father who loves us and wants nothing but the best for us. When God poured Himself into the human form of His only Son, Jesus, His desire was to have Jesus give visibility to who God, the Father, is and what His plans for mankind are.

Jesus perfectly fulfilled His Father’s commands and painted for us a perfect picture of the beauty, majesty, glory, and magnificence of His heavenly Father. But what did we do? We crucified Him! We set Him aside, the only Son of God. God Himself poured into human flesh, but we couldn’t see it and we murdered Him.

Of course, death couldn’t hold Him, so, he bolted from the grave to give us a second chance, a second look at the face of God in human flesh. But why? What’s the lesson? What was/is He seeking to teach us? That He, the eternal, living God, not only dwelt in the human Jesus, He longs to live in and through us. But why?

To put His glory and majesty on display! To what end? The same end that He had in mind when He sent Jesus! So, the whole world would know Him, love Him, serve Him, find their hope, satisfaction, and true treasure in Him – just as Jesus did/does! But how?

By modeling the perfect example Jesus set for us when He indwelt human flesh. To allow God’s heart to beat in Him; to allow God’s thoughts, God’s desires, God’s plans, God’s will, to be carried out in absolute submission and in obedience to God’s perfect will. “But that’s impossible!” some may think. But it’s not!

It’s just as possible for us as it was for Jesus if we’ll do what Jesus did. So, what did He do? He traded His will for God’s; He saturated His heart and mind with God’s Words; He focused on walking in harmony with the accomplishment of God’s purposes ahead of His own; ultimately, giving His life as a ransom for us so we might recognize the privilege we have to follow in His steps.

And some may respond: “That’s all well and good, but God hasn’t called me to be a martyr!” “Well, yeh, He kinda has.”

Jesus said, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow Me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake, you will save it.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer said when God calls a man, “He bids him come and die.”

I love what C.S. Lewis wrote: “Don’t shine so that others can see. Shine so that through you, others can see HIM.” Every day we live we’re putting someone’s life on display – ours or His. My goal and desire is to let the light of Jesus shine more brightly in and through my life with every breathe. How about you? Who’s life are you putting on display?

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Lord, I prayed for this child, and You have granted me what I asked of You

1 Samuel 1:27

*Today’s devotional by Sylvia Gunter is very near to my heart and a subject about which I care deeply. Let her powerful words guide you as you pray for the children in your life. Blessings, Ed

As the school year draws to a close, we trust that whether our children are graduating into a new chapter or simply moving up to a new grade, each step is part of God’s unfolding plan for their lives. As parents or grandparents, we hope that our children will walk in God’s wisdom, be rooted in His love, and be strengthened by His Spirit. Use these Scripture-based prayers as a guide to pray for your natural children or spiritual children that God has brought into your life.

Lord, what do You want for my children? Guide me by Your Spirit as I pray for my children according to Your will. I release them to You so that You can accomplish Your will for their lives. Work the life of Christ in them and give them Your best.

I pray that my children would:

1. Receive and love Jesus as their Savior. May they understand that You love them so much that You gave Your only Son for them, and when they believe in Him, they will have life forever with You. John 3:16

2. Commit their lives to make Jesus Lord and be filled with Your Spirit. May my children recognize that Jesus is the Name above all names and confess Him as Lord of all. I pray that they will trust Him with all their hearts, not lean on their own understanding, and acknowledge that He is Lord; thus, You will guide them in Your best way for them. May they be filled with Your Holy Spirit to the fullness of Christ. Philippians 2:9-11, Proverbs 3:5-6, Ephesians 5:18, 1:23, 4:13

3. Know the true and living God intimately and cherish and live in all Your names. I pray that my children will desire to know You intimately, Father. May they love You and apply Your names and truth to their needs. Daniel 11:32b, Philippians 3:10, Psalm 9:10

4. Learn to pray and praise. I pray that my children will learn to communicate with You, their loving Father. Put Your praise in their hearts and on their lips. Lead them to be entirely dependent on You for everything, so they talk with You about everything and give You the honor that You deserve. Mark 10:14-15, Matthew 21:16, Philippians 4:6

5. Know who they are in Christ. I pray that my children will know how precious they are to You. Teach them to base their identity and security in Christ. Give them Christ-centered confidence and worth. Give them Your mind about how You see them and how You feel about them. Help them to know who they are and what they have in Christ and what they can do through Him. Ephesians 1:4,7,11-14; Colossians 1 :27

6. Be protected from the evil one. Cause my children to know the power of the blood to defeat all the works of the evil one. John 17:15, 1 John 4:4

7. Receive the love of God the Father. I pray that my children will know Your Father-heart and have the assurance of Your great love. Let them know by experience how extravagantly and unconditionally You love them. Father them with Your holy love, so that they know that You are always working in their lives in love. 1 John 3:1

8. Love the Word of God. I pray that my children will treasure Your Word more than wealth. Teach them to base their lives on it as their standard of life. Give them understanding as they seek You in Your Word. Teach them to plead Your unbreakable promises and to defeat all the lies of the enemy with Your truth revealed in Your Word. Psalm 119:127-130,159-162

9. Learn to hate sin and love holiness, righteousness, and the fear of the Lord. I pray that You will write Your Word on the hearts of my children, so that they will choose to hate sin and love Your holiness. Work in their lives the holy fear of You. Help them to desire to please You in all they do. Create in them a pure heart. Make them wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. Move in them to dedicate their life to You as a living sacrifice. Psalm 119:9,11; 2 Timothy 2:22, Romans 16:19b, Proverbs 8:13

10. Grow up into maturity in the Lord. I pray that my children will be built on the foundation of Jesus and grow in Your grace with a conscious sense of Your presence conforming them to be like You. May they be built up with Your wisdom, favor, truth, love, life, faith, strength, and thankfulness. Luke 2:52, Ephesians 4:15, Colossians 2:6-7

11. Glorify God in their bodies as Your temple. I pray that my children will honor You by keeping their bodies pure as the temple of Your Spirit. Teach them the great price You paid in the death of Jesus for their holiness. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Romans 12:1-2

12. Respect those in authority. I pray that my children will submit to the authorities You have placed over them for their good. Cause them to obey and not reserve for themselves the right to choose whether to obey, which You call rebellion. Give them a joyful, grateful heart as they submit to authority. Romans 13:1, Ephesians 6:1, 3:22-25

13. Have healthy, edifying, wise friendships. I pray that my children will develop friendships based on the drawing of Your Holy Spirit to righteous companions. Give them friends who are true, wholesome, and mutually encouraging. Give them wisdom in choosing relationships that will honor You. Psalm 119:63, John 15:13-14

14. Know the truth and renew their minds in God’s Word. I pray that my children will know Your truth in their hearts as well as their minds. May they base their life on Your truth instead of Satan’s lies, so that they will experience all the freedom that Jesus died to give them. I pray that they will daily renew their minds in Your Word and set their thoughts on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise. John 8:32, Romans 12:2, Philippians 4:8

15. Walk wisely in the ways and wisdom of God. I pray that my children will commit everything they do to You and trust You to show them the blessings of obedience. Teach them to put You first in everything. Let their actions reflect Your goodness, righteousness, truth, and wisdom. Day by day fulfill all Your will for them. Psalm 37:4- 6, Proverbs 3:5-6, Ephesians 5:8-10,15-17

16. Have the joy of the Lord. I pray that You alone will be my children’s joy. Fill them with Your joy, so they won’t pursue the world’s pleasures. Philippians 4:4, Nehemiah 8:10

17. Seek to please God, not self, and serve others. I pray that my children will desire to please You in their thoughts and actions and not be people-pleasers. May they have servant’s hearts and give to others like Jesus who did not seek to be served. Matthew 4:10b, Psalm 19:14, Mark 10:43-45

18. Learn who the enemy is and resist him victoriously. I pray that my children will humbly submit to You and resist the evil one, thereby defeating him. May they discern his tactics and not entertain his lies nor be entrapped by his snares. I pray that they will receive Your strength and resurrection power for every spiritual battle. 2 Corinthians 2:11, James 4:7, Ephesians 6:10

19. Maintain their first-love devotion to Jesus. I pray that Jesus will be the first love of my children. Give them a passion for Jesus. Cause them to love Him with all their heart, soul, strength, and mind. May they prize His affection above all else. Philippians 3:13-14, Luke 10:27

20. Find the godly life partner that God is preparing, a mate who will complement them in their obedient walk with the Lord. I pray that You will bring my children the life partner You have chosen for them. Develop the character of Jesus in them. May their walk together with You be a testimony that You made them for each other. Make them a mighty witness for You. Bless them with Your best. Proverbs 12:4, 31:10; Psalm 112:1-2

In Jesus’ name, amen.

May your children carry the lessons of this past year with gratitude and step forward with courage, trusting the One who holds their future in His hands.

*Taken from Prayer Portions by Sylvia Gunter

For archive of past devotionals: www.thefathersbusiness.com

Messy Manhood and Dynamite Dads

*This Father’s Day message from Ron Hutchcraft is just too good not to share. Blessings, Ed 😊

“Be a man.” Three words that have gotten a lot of guys in trouble. Too many of us have done too many dumb things to prove what a “man” we were. But it seems more confusing than ever to know what that even means. Being a man.

Is it changing diapers and watching Hallmark movies? Or increasing your bench press and wearing camos? Is it conquest or compassion? Tenderness or toughness? Is it hiding your feelings or feeling your feelings? “Toxic masculinity” at one pole, passive manhood at the other.

As we approach another Father’s Day, I’m not feeling a great urge to pontificate on manhood.

What I do have is an urge to remember my Dad. And the man who changed him.

When I was a kid, Dad was a machinist. By the time I was a teenager he’d become a plant manager – only a high school graduate. On his own time, he was a leader at church, even chairman of a couple nonprofit boards.

Recently I was asked to write a paragraph about my dad for a broadcasters’ magazine. He was strong in his convictions and honest. Mischievously funny. Hardworking. Always fair. Always there. But as I sat at my keyboard, staring at the wall for the words, one word just kept coming to mind.

“Tenderhearted.” For all my dad’s obvious strengths as a leader, I remember the man who wasn’t afraid of tears. When he was moved, you knew it. He was moved by a son’s adolescent accomplishments… when he became a grandpa… when he saw people hurt.

Most of all, he was deeply moved when he thought about my baby brother who died suddenly at six months. And he really teared up when he thought about the man he used to be and the God who changed him.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Messy Manhood and Dynamite Dads.”

My dad thought of himself as very average. His priorities were anything but average. You can read it on his tombstone.

With all the titles he had in his life, on his grave it simply says, “John Hutchcraft. Husband. Father.” And after all is said and done, that’s his legacy. Others could be foreman or chairman or boss. Only he could be our husband and father.

So with all the craziness about manhood, this Father’s Day I’ll go with the one who defined the word Dad for a boy named Ronnie. He was strong but sensitive. Fighting for what is right, but still a peacemaker. Neither toxic nor timid. Achieving but putting people first.

But most of all, I think about the Man who changed my Dad into the man I’ve been describing. For when my brother died, my Dad was totally lost. His broken heart led him to an old rugged cross. Where Jesus died to pay for every sin John Hutchcraft ever did. John Hutchcraft gave up driving that day – his life, that is. And Jesus took the wheel. And made him the man I remember, I love, and I miss.

Our word for today from the Word of God makes me think of my dad. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Jesus. Tough enough to single handedly drive crooks out of the temple, but tender enough that children clamored to sit on his lap. Strong enough that men would leave everything to follow Him. Yet caring enough to elevate women in a world that crushed their dreams. The Savior who has made many a man what he could never have been without Him. I’m one of them.

When a man experiences Jesus forgiving… His unconditional love… His power to change – he now has nothing to prove. Nothing to hide. And nothing to lose. He is free to lead. And free to love.

My friend, if you want to begin a relationship with Him (which I hope you do!), go to our website. There’s more there about how you can belong to Him. The website is ANewStory.com.

So I’m very blessed this Father’s Day. I think I know all I need to know about being a man. From the one I call Dad. And, most of all, from the One I call Savior.

Who Can You Trust?

“Look at the obvious facts. Those who say they belong to Christ must recognize that we belong to Christ as much as they do. I may seem to be boasting too much about the authority given to us by the Lord. But our authority builds you up, it doesn’t tear you down. So I will not be ashamed of using my authority.” (2 Corinthians 10:7-8 NLT)

Trust is a very sacred and, at times, fragile thing. To take years to earn someone’s trust, only to throw it away in a single, thoughtless act, isn’t only sad, it’s an agonizing event. In the above verses Paul is reasoning with the Corinthians to stop simply following their heart, their feelings, but to also engage their mind.

“Look at the obvious facts” is a plea that appeals to our mind. Too often we want to deal with life’s issues with our emotions, but by so doing we dismiss a most critical piece of our spiritual process – our mind. Remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 22:37 when He said: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.”

Why is that so important? Our mind is the control center of our being. It’s like the cockpit of an airplane. What happens in the mind controls the destiny of the body and soul. Our mind is the seedbed of our understanding, which is the basis upon which decisions are made and out of which the flow of our life depends.

When we allow our emotions to override our mind, our intellect, our reasoning, we make critical mistakes in our judgment. We place too much emphasis on things that don’t matter and tend to overlook things that should carry much more weight. There were those who wanted to influence the Corinthian church to follow their leadership, not because they loved them or wanted to serve them, but for what they could get out of them. For selfish gain.

That’s what Satan does in our lives. He plays on our emotions in order to get a foot hold in our life, not because he cares about us, but in order to draw our attention away from following the Lord Jesus. He knows the Lord only has our good in mind, but Satan tries to frame it in such a way that we doubt and question the Lord’s motives.

“Why does the Lord want to rule my life? It’s MY life, what right does He have to take it over?” And the irony is, that’s the devil’s strategy, not God’s. The Lord never makes any attempt to control anything in our lives without our express permission and invitation. God will never force us against our will to respond to Him in any way.

That’s why He stands at the door and knocks (Revelation 3:20), He doesn’t try to force His way into our life, but patiently waits for us to recognize our need and invite Him to heal and help us by assuming command of our life. If I’m learning to fly and I see a major storm coming, am I going to demand control of the plane, or seek assistance from a more seasoned pilot?

Paul was pointing the Corinthians to the facts that he had a legitimate record of service with and to the Corinthian people and with no ulterior motives. That’s what the Holy Spirit is asking of us today. Trust Him to do what only He can do in, through, and on our behalf. And if we doubt, simply look at His spotless track record. He’s NEVER failed, and He NEVER will.

We can trust Him without reservation!

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Born Into Family

“When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” (Ephesians 3:14-21 NLT)

What’s Paul talking about here? He’s speaking about God’s Church, the Family of God. Allow me today to make some observations based on this powerful passage. First, when the impact of who we become in Christ finally grips us, we’ll literally never be the same. What does that mean?

Regardless of our background, whether we’re an only child, one of a dozen or more siblings, abandoned at birth or given up for adoption, you are created by a heavenly Father who loves you, wants you, and invites you to become a part of His eternal family. But how? By the miracle of spiritual rebirth. Okay, but how? By opening your heart to receive God’s love by asking for forgiveness of your sins and inviting the Holy Spirit (God) to live in and through you.

Why is that important? When you do that, several things automatically happen. First, as Paul says above, God’s “glorious, unlimited resources” are released into your life to “empower you with inner strength through His Spirit.” What does that mean? It means you no longer have to rely on your own resources to govern your life. It means you can entrust the decisions you make from day to day into the capable hands of a loving Father who knows you best and loves you most. It means you can face each day knowing you’re not alone.

It also means that because you’ve invited the Lord of Creation to live in you, you can trust Him. Why is that good news? Because Satan’s plan is to steal, kill, and destroy – steal your heart, kill your will to live a life of meaning and purpose, and to destroy your soul for all eternity. No thinking human being wants that, that’s why the alternative to trust God is so inviting.

Because when we become a follower of Jesus we’re born into a loving Family – the Family of God – the Lord doesn’t leave us to our own to find our own way. He gives us genuinely loving, caring, and supportive brothers and sisters to not only give us guidance, teach us, and walk with us, but to model for us what it means to be a child of God. And yes, I’m not naïve, Satan is able and very willing to disguise himself in “sheep’s clothing,” with the express intent to do harm to and dishearten a true child of God.

That’s why trusting in the Lord will lead to putting down deep roots into God’s love that will keep you strong. The Spirit within you will give you discernment so you can recognize a phony and stay away from them. He’ll give you the power to understand “how long, how high, and how deep His love is. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”

Shane Pruitt encourages us with his words: “When God saved you, He saved you into a family.” That’s the beauty, power, majesty, and privilege we have when we’re born of the Spirit into God’s family.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

A Loving Holiness

“When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.” (Romans 6:20-22 NLT)

Too often in our rush to live life as we please, we conveniently overlook our obligation, responsibility, and privilege of living a holy life. As born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ we’re not called to continue to walk in sin, but to live a life set apart for the holy use of our new Master.

The crux of the matter is lordship – who’s in charge of MY life? Therein lies the problem. As long as we consider the life we live as ours we’re prone to misunderstanding in regard to who’s really in charge. Paul clarifies this issue in Galatians 2:20 when he writes: “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.”

What does this mean in practical terms. We must live each second of each day with an awareness that we are not our own, to live as we please, but to live as the Lord pleases, not out of obligation, but as privileged and blood-bought children of the King of kings and Lord of lords. God’s holiness must shine out through us in ways that make people hunger for Him. But how?

Yes, of course, the Spirit separates us from personal desire to habitually sin, but that’s not to say we will never have a wrong thought, desire, attitude, or action. What it does mean is that God’s will is our priority, not our will. How so? God is love and His Spirit only operates in and out of the context of love. His will is that we not only love Him with our whole heart, mind, soul, and body, but love others as ourselves. Why is that so vital?

Greg Forster gives us a clue when he writes: “We can and must love the world with a holy love and convict the world with a loving holiness.” How will anyone be convicted of sin if they don’t understand what the alternative is? If they never meet or have contact with someone who sees life through a different lens, how will they have anything with which to compare their life?

If sin is all someone knows – doing things their way, following the dictates of their own desires, and submitting only to the authority of Satan in their life, how will they ever know that there’s a Savior who died for them and is capable and willing to deliver them from the trauma and tragedy of life without Him unless someone who knows and loves Him demonstrates His love in their relationship with them?

But how? Kindness is a good start! Thoughtfulness, helpfulness without criticism, cooperation, care, exhibiting the joy of Jesus even when you’re under stress or living in difficult circumstances. By having a positive attitude without taking credit for it yourself.

We must do our work as unto the Lord, without flaunting our spiritual “pedigree.” No one should have to explain that we’re a Jesus follower, it should be evident in the way we do our job. How so? With the joy of Jesus, efficiently, effectively, honestly, and without complaint. In my understanding, that’s among the most meaningful and effective ways to allow the Holy Spirit to illustrate His loving holiness in and through our life.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

God’s Plan

“Let the whole world fear the Lord, and let everyone stand in awe of Him. For when He spoke, the world began! It appeared at His command. The Lord frustrates the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes. But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever; His intentions can never be shaken.” (Psalm 33:8-11 NLT)

The longer I live the more foolish it seems to me that anyone would ever try to plan anything without first consulting the Lord. There’s nothing He doesn’t see or know; nothing that escapes the realm of His understanding. He can see every implication of every scenario, so why wouldn’t we want His input into our every decision?

God’s plan is that we would give all of us to all of Him and be guided by His Spirit in every decision we make. Why else would He give us His Spirit? His Spirit abides with us to instruct, inform, enable, guide, and empower, but for what reason? Surely not simply to enhance and glorify ourselves! The Spirit’s job is to form us into a mini-Jesus whose sole aim and purpose is to reveal to the world that Jesus is Lord. But how?

“Used by permission, © Ray Majoran, GlimpseOfInfinity.com” The Beauty of Eternal Truth

Through His presence being lived out in and through us. We are not our own, we’ve been bought with a price, not so we can function in our own strength, but His. E.M. Bounds made it clear when he wrote: “All God’s plans have the mark of the cross on them, and all His plans have death to self in them.”

We can never carry out the plans of God in the energy of the flesh. If the Spirit isn’t leading, guiding, directing, orchestrating, and getting the credit, we’re wasting our energy and efforts. There is no glory to God in self-accomplishment. If we can do it on our own, God is not in it. How do I know that? Because Jesus said: “For apart from Me you can do nothing.”

Why do we strive and stew in our own considerations without first consulting the Spirit’s heart? Yes, of course, He stirs our spirit and speaks, but only to draw us to Himself, not to set us on a course to abandon Him. Our life is in the Spirit, not in the flesh. Spiritual answers aren’t derived from the energy of the flesh and will never lead to a God-honoring outcome.

Just as the Lord “frustrates the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes,” He will outwit us in our efforts to do things in the energy of our own ingenuity. When our credit is our goal, God is never honored; yet, when His honor is our goal, our plans can flourish, and His Name is exalted.

Are we so blind we can’t see our need for His ever-present strength and enabling? Can we not see that our initiative must always grow out of our sensitivity to His Spirit’s leading; and always be guided by His capable directives? Without His voice we have nothing to say and without His hands we have nothing to do.

We are His. We are the products of His hands, His breathe, His initiative, His loving design and desire and His Spirit’s infilling that enables us to know Him, love Him, seek Him, submit to His authority, and exercise our will in conformity with His holy and perfect will. What a gift He has given us to know Him and to walk with Him.

May we never take that holy plan for granted or forsake it to do our own will.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Are You Listening?

“God’s promise of entering His rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. For this good news – that God has prepared this rest – has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. For only we who believe can enter His rest.” (Hebrews 4:1-3a NLT)

Aren’t you grateful that God’s Word is rich with meaning and packed with practical guidance in how to see Him more clearly, follow Him more nearly, and love Him more dearly! The above verses beg our attention as they grab us by the shoulders and shout to us: “ARE YOU LISTENING?”

We tend to take so much for granted as believers in Jesus. We too often wrongly assume that our relationship with the Lord demands less attention and effort than any other meaningful and close relationship we have, when in fact it demands more. It’s as if we hear the words, but their meaning, power, and application escape us.

The words in the verse above: “they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God.,” speak of those who heard the words, but didn’t make the connection to their faith. It’s like many who sit under the teaching of godly men and women who share truth and give sound wisdom, but only those who are listening with more than their ears will hear it.

“Listening” here implies pondering, considering, thinking through the implications of what’s being said, then making application to their life in ways that enable them to live out those implications. For example, recently our church offered a series of classes called “Spring Studies.” The three avenues of opportunity included: “How to Study the Bible,” “How to Share the Gospel,” and “How the Gospel does what religion cannot.”

My choice was “How to Study the Bible.” If you know me you may wonder, as my wife did, “Why that one?’ And my answer is simple, “If I can glean one insight or idea that can enable me to be a better student of God’s Word, it will be worth it.” Day one and God gave me an insight that helped me to see Him more clearly.

The Pastor leading our group said: “Everything Jesus desires to do through you, He will accomplish out of the overflow of His relationship with you.” BOOM! The light came on. Why? Because I heard something with my ears that resonated with my spirit. That made sense to me, and it helped me to see more clearly that I need to allow everything I’m reading, hearing, studying, thinking, and experiencing be a means of enabling me to deepen my relationship with my Savior.

Nothing happens in our life except it passes through the filter of God’s permission, so, it stands to reason if God allows it, He has intention, a reason; thus, a purpose for it’s use in our life. Of course, it can be a practical reason. We may be preparing to leave for an extended period and a pipe breaks. “Horrible timing!” is our first thought. But what if it had broken an hour after we’d left?

What is God saying to you today? He speaks EVERY DAY! But if we’re not listening we can easily miss it. Read His Word with your spirit, not just your eyes and/or ears. Let your spirit resonate with His voice, responding to His voice with more than affirmation, but with a desire for application.

He’s always speaking, are you listening? Please, for your sake and for the sake of those you’re seeking to influence for Him, please listen…carefully!

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Who Can You Trust?

“Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, He will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes. Your own ears will hear Him. Right behind you a voice will say, ‘This is the way you should go, whether to the right or to the left.” (Isaiah 30:20-21 NLT)

The Prophet Isaiah was painting a picture of how things would one day be for the children of Israel, a day that came when Jesus was born on earth, but also a day on which every born-again child of God will see with their own eyes and hear with their own ears the God of heaven.

In the meantime, as I mentioned in yesterday’s post, many voices will invade our heart and mind, seeking prominence in our thoughts and consideration. How do we discern which is God’s? How do we make wise decisions, decisions that will please and honor the Lord?

Tim Keller challenges us when he writes: “Often what seem to be our deepest desires are just our loudest.” What’s he talking about? We have an uncanny way of allowing the enemy of our soul to play tricks with our mind. Satan will plant ideas in our mind that are confusing because he makes them seem legitimate and in line with what we think we want.

For example, let’s say you’ve always wanted to travel the world. You’ve dreamed of visiting tropical islands or hiking through the mountain ranges of other lands. You love the outdoors and would rather sleep in a tent in the rain than stay in a motel. One day you read an ad and someone is looking for someone to do what you’ve only dreamed about doing your whole life.

You’re sure it’s a message from the Lord, so, you tell your wife and expect her to jump with joy, but she looks at you like you’re crazy. You’re shouting: “It’s exactly what I’ve wanted to do my whole life! Aren’t you happy for me?” But she looks at you very seriously and says: “You’re 42 years old. You have me and three kids still at home. I don’t work and we have enough money in savings to last us about six months. Our monthly expenses are more than what they’re offering for a starting salary and you have more than 20 years on your current job. Go lay down. You’re get over this!”

Who do you trust? Your “gut?” Or your wife? Do we understand that our “gut” lies to us? Satan can make an adulterous affair seem very enticing, very “needed,” but it’s not. It’s a trap! A net from which we can’t easily escape, with ramifications we can’t even imagine. Drugs and alcohol seem harmless enjoyment, until they’re not. When they destroy our health, mentally and physically, they’re very difficult, if not impossible to overcome.

We wrongly believe the first kiss, the first drink, the first high will send us to places we think we want to go, until we realize it’s a one-way door that can’t be reopened without a lot of heartache and agony of soul and body. What we feel sometimes contradicts what we know in our heart, especially if we’re a Jesus follower.

Please don’t allow Satan to masquerade as an angel of light and lie you into believing what the Bible says is wrong is really okay. It’s not. It never has been and never will be. Allow the clear instruction of the Scriptures to be your voice of conscience in leading you on the paths of righteousness. Determine by the grace of God you’re going to walk in faithful submission to the Lord’s directives.

You can ALWAYS TRUST HIM!

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊