Walking With Jesus

Feeling Overwhelmed?

“Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.” (James 3:1-2 NLT)

It’s amazing how many lives are ruined by saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. How many inappropriate relationships are started either online or in person by responding positively to an invitation we should clearly delete, avoid, or reject? The course of countless husbands’ and wives’ lives are changed forever because of falling prey to invitations that led to tragic results.

Thinking “no one will ever know,” quickly becomes, “how could I have ever done that?” While the event may last only a brief time, the consequences hang on, sometimes, for a lifetime. Of course, God will forgive quickly and completely, but our spouse’s and others’ forgiveness may not come so quickly, causing us heartache and pain for many years.

These types of circumstances can be overwhelming, leaving us lost, lonely, and feeling forgotten. Francis Chan’s words help us when he writes: “Don’t get overwhelmed by how much time you have already wasted, and don’t dwell too long on past mistakes. Just take the next step. And keep the end in view.”

In my own life it’s taken a long time to begin to allow the Spirt to shift my thinking from condemnation to forgiveness, from punishment to promise, and from despair to hope and expectation. When we fail it seems on some levels our life, at least the life we’d hoped for, has ended. The future is gray at best and filled with pain and heartache. How can ANYTHING EVER BE THE SAME? And the truth is, it won’t be, but in some ways it can actually be better.

Part of the healing process begins when we realize that time doesn’t heal, Jesus does. Time can pass without any significant changes for years, but finding forgiveness from the Lord and allowing Him to begin the healing process speeds up the process exponentially.

The woman at the well (John 4) was caught in a spiral of debilitating defeat until she met Jesus in an unexpected place, in an unexpected way. Overwhelmed would have put it mildly when trying to describe the deep hole she’d dug with her life. She saw no way out and certainly no happy ending. Yet, Jesus set her on a new course that changed everything for her and can change everything for you.

Perhaps you profess faith in Christ, but your faith has left you empty, spent, and in great need of a touch from God. The woman at the well had faith in God, but it paled in comparison to what Jesus was offering – a new, revitalized, energized, and refreshing life of hope.

Will you allow the living “water” of the Holy Spirit to fill, empower, and enable you to begin again to walk in newness of life you’ve never imagined. It’s a faith adventure that begins the moment you say “yes” to the Lord. Open your heart to Jesus and invite Him to reign and rule in your life, opening opportunity for you to experience a new beginning, free from the shackles of past mistakes and regrets.

Build a new life with the Lord that will give you revitalized faith, not only in Him, but in yourself. The Lord is not finished with you, just as He wasn’t finished with me and millions more like us, He wants to take you by the hand and walk with you every step of the way. Go to The Bridge to God by clicking the link and let Ron Hutchcraft walk you through how to begin your new journey of hope and new life in Jesus.

Please don’t ignore this opportunity for a new, fresh start.

Blessings, Ed 😊

God the Father

“For at just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. He alone can never die, and He lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach Him. No human eye has ever seen, nor ever will. All honor and power to Him forever! Amen.” (1 Timothy 6:15-16 NLT)

It’s interesting to me that while God is clearly referred to as Father only 11 times in the Old Testament, He’s mentioned hundreds of times in the New Testament, mostly from the mouth of Jesus. We want to think of God as our heavenly Father, which He certainly is, but He’s not “warm and fuzzy” like a human father.

Trying to wrap your arms around God is a little bit like trying to wrap your arms around the sun. His brilliance is beyond the ability of a human to approach or even look upon Him. Even in Revelation, which speaks of things to come in heaven, God the Father is only referred to a few times and only in the context of His being the Father of Jesus.

So, are we to assume, like so many unbelievers do, that God is distant, uncaring, uninvolved? Only if we don’t understand who Jesus is and Who He came to us to reveal. Sinclair B. Ferguson wrote: “God the Father is absolutely, completely, and totally to us what he reveals himself to be to us in Christ.” Through the lips of Jesus in John 3:16 we get a glimpse of God our Father when Jesus said: “For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”

In heaven God’s presence will encompass us and Jesus will continue to be our eternal Light, just as they are on earth. Does this mean we can no longer think of God as personal, caring, invested in our well being as His children? Of course we can, He’s all of those things and a thousand more, all illustrated and confirmed in the Person and work of Jesus His eternal Son.

How does that translate for us? In His Sermon on the Mount Jesus let us know that WE ARE the light of the world! We are the bearers of His eternal light as surely as the Sun shines with the brightness of our Heavenly Father. God’s presence is as real as the air we breathe, and His love is as strong as the nails that held His Only Son to the Cross on our behalf.

In reality we don’t yet have the capacity to even begin to comprehend who God is or what He has planned for those who love and serve Him. We gain insight in the teachings of Jesus and through His words in the Revelation, but our crowded, clouded minds must strain to even grasp a brief glimpse. All I know with certainty is that God is real, He’s alive, evidenced by His creation, certainly, but through His eternal Son who lives in each of His redeemed persons in and through the ministry of His Holy Spirit.

So, the question remains, is God your heavenly Father? Has Jesus become your eternal Savior? Are you longing for a joy-filled union with the Lord Jesus upon His Second Coming to claim His Bride, His Church? Or are you dreading that day, uncertain of where you stand with God, or worse, very certain you’re not ready to meet Him.

Please click this link The Bridge to God and let Ron Hutchcraft walk with you through how to know for sure that you’re ready to meet the Lord and to go to heaven when you die.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Who Can You Trust?

“Jesus gave His life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.” (Galatians 1:4-5 NLT)

As a rule, trust is not something we take for granted but must be earned through life’s experiences. We learn to trust someone’s work ethic because they’ve proven themselves trustworthy over time. We entrust our secrets to people we’ve come to believe will not share them with others.

The Lord Jesus has proven He is trustworthy, not only through His sinless life, but through His sacrificial death He died in our place. Our sin, our determination to manage and run our own lives, has earned us a death penalty we couldn’t have ever paid, not even in eternity. That’s what Hell is, our eternal effort to pay the penalty for our own sin.

We tend in this life to ignore the gravity of our sin, choosing rather to believe it’s not a big deal. Yet, in God’s eyes, it’s an enormous violation of His holiness. Our sin is what cost His only Son, Jesus, His life, so He’s certainly not going to ignore our ongoing violations of His directive for us to repent and be saved from our sin.

It’s ironic on many levels that most people don’t even think of how they live as “sinful” and in violation of God’s laws. They’re just living like every other person on earth. And to confront them with the truth of God’s Word that we’re sinners bound for hell is an afront to their intellect, in their mind, an archaic pronouncement unworthy of their attention.

Why won’t they listen? Largely, I’m convinced, because they don’t trust the words of their messenger. That’s why establishing friendship with someone before sharing our faith is often a reasonable plan. However, there are dangers involved. You must know your faith is strong enough to withstand their intellectual and often seeming very reasonable arguments against our faith.

Trust is earned over time, so developing friendships can give ample time for not only the person’s position on things to change, but our own. The most convincing argument in my mind is not only who Jesus is, but what He did in our place. Tim Keller wrote: “A God who substitutes himself for us and suffers so that we may go free is a God you can trust.”

Too often people are reluctant to place their faith in Christ and receive forgiveness of their sin because they don’t realize the gravity of their sin-debt. Most people view themselves as a “good” person, undeserving of the harsh judgment of an “angry God,” never realizing that anger isn’t His motive, but love.

Only a loving, compassionate, and caring heavenly Father would allow His only perfect, sinless Son to substitute His life for sinful, undeserving, and belligerent human beings who have rebelled against God and all that is truly good. Anyone who understands who God is and what He did must come to terms with the price He’s paid for our redemption.

Trust is a very small price to pay in return for all that God has done to make it possible for us to miss hell and go to heaven. We can argue all day long about every theological, moral, social, or humanitarian reason hell shouldn’t exist, but God designed it for a very specific reason and has given us a very clear means of missing it if we’ll only allow His Spirit to open our hearts and minds and give us the gumption to receive the gift of eternal life He’s offering. If only we’ll trust Him.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Grace in the Ruins

“He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3 NLT)

Many of us have had losses caused by divorce, death, and disappointments of many kinds that have left our hearts and lives in shambles. The ruins left in the wake of tragedies can leave us reeling, often wondering where God is and if we’ll ever be able to survive our great loss.

Sometimes, depending on our part in the process, we may feel such guilt, shame, and an overwhelming sense of responsibility that it seems God could never forgive us, that we’ve somehow pushed beyond the limits of His grace. That’s very much how I felt after my divorce. Perhaps it’s how you feel right now because of some tragedy in your life.

“Used by permission, © Ray Majoran, GlimpseOfInfinity.com” “Grace in the Ruins”

As you know, I’ve come to love, respect, admire, and deeply appreciate Ray Majoran and his insightful prayers and beautiful photography. His words today bring comfort when he prays: “Lord, You are near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18), and You do not turn away from places that have fallen apart. When parts of our lives resemble ruins — when plans fail, relationships strain, hopes collapse, or the weight of the world feels too heavy — You remain present. Thank You that Your compassion is not dependent on our strength. You meet us in the places we would rather avoid, and You draw near where our endurance runs out (Isaiah 57:15).

By the power of Your Word and Spirit, teach us to trust that You heal what we cannot repair. Some wounds are too deep for our efforts, too tangled for our wisdom, or too old for us to untie, yet nothing is too broken for Your hands. In seasons of stillness, when You quiet our pace and slow our steps, help us to see what You are revealing. Remind us that Your grace reaches deeper than the ruins themselves, bringing beauty where something has ended and hope where disappointment has settled (Isaiah 61:3).

Father, thank You that Your purposes do not collapse when our plans do; the ruins are not the end of the story. Even when our familiar paths give way, You remain faithful, opening up our eyes to things we could not see before (Isaiah 43:19). Strengthen our confidence in Your character, not in our circumstances. Teach us to wait on You with humility and trust, believing that what You rebuild is better than what we lost (Isaiah 58:12), and that Your faithfulness will outlast every season we face.”

The Lord met me in the deepest, darkest point of my life, reassuring me that while in my mind I’d lost everything, I hadn’t lost Him, and He was all I needed! He’s all you need, my friend, in this season of great pain. He will comfort, strengthen, and sustain you in ways you won’t understand, but grow to appreciate.

The Lord’s love can’t be contained with words, ideas, or emotions, but must be liberated to allow Him to do what only He can do in, through, and on our behalf. If you’ve never opened your heart to the Lord Jesus, now would be a great time to do that. Just go to Ron Hutchcraft’s The Bridge to God, and let him walk you through how you can know your sins are forgiven and your life is on track with God.

The grace of God is incomprehensible on an intellectual level, but when we open our heart and life to Jesus, He gives us insight that enables us to allow our heart to heal and our life to blossom in ways we never dared dream possible. Please let Him love you through the ruins of your life.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

We Always Have a Choice

“His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands.” (Luke 1:51-53 NLT)

These words of Mary’s “Song of Praise” upon hearing the Lord had chosen her to be the mother of the “Son of the Most High,” encourage and inspire me. Mary was essentially a peasant girl. She had no credentials anyone but God would value (and maybe Joseph 😊). If anyone could have played the “I’m not worthy” card, she could have, but she kept her focus on the Lord, saw her opportunity through His eyes and valued the privilege He was giving her. We’re all richer because of her choice.

What can we learn from Mary’s choice that can enrich our lives in Christ and help us to be more valuable in His holy Kingdom? Three things come to mind. First, don’t think too highly of ourselves. Yes, of course, the choice the Lord gave Mary placed very high value on her, but her response was sensible, yet very humble.

Had that been many of us today, not that the Lord would have chosen a man, but we’d try to weasel out of such a major responsibility, not because we wouldn’t be flattered that the Lord had asked, but the price for us would have been considered far too high. Typically, rather than value what God can do through us, we count the cost of what we will have to go through to get there.

The Lord asks us to stand up for something that flows against the grain of popular opinion, but rather than risk the ridicule, we bow out. “Mention Jesus to my friends? They’d laugh me out of town!” Where’s the focus there? Not on Jesus!

Secondly, we must keep our focus on the Lord. Mary had a lot of reasons to turn the angel down, but she kept her heart and mind, not on what her decision would cost her, but on how it would exalt and honor the Lord. The Lord always gives us a choice to choose humility, but when we can’t get our thoughts off ourselves, we too often miss the will of God. God chooses those who leave the choice to Him.

When challenged with a decision that will potentially cost us time, money, energy, prestige, or position, where are our thoughts centered? As a rule, on us! But what if we could look beyond what seems to be the apparent results as we view them, to what the Lord sees. Listen to Mary’s words as she declared: “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For He took notice of His lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed.” What might it mean to us to think like that?

That relates to the third thing the Lord showed me: We must allow the Lord to channel His thoughts through ours. Call me crazy, but Mary didn’t come up with those beautiful thoughts on her own. The Spirit of God had anointed her mind and heart to enable her to see things she would otherwise have missed. This isn’t by any means taking anything away from Mary, it’s actually commending her for allowing the Lord to speak to and through her.

My sense is God’s choice grew out of many hours He’d already spent with Mary over her lifetime. She was familiar with God’s voice, perhaps giving her insight into understanding the angel’s message was indeed from Him. If the Lord is going to channel His thoughts through ours, we must spend time with Him! Which is, of course, a choice we must make.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

The Dust of His Feet

“The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet.” (Nahum 1:3 ESV)

When I read a verse like the one above it occurs to me that we tend to be far too casual in referring to our Almighty Father. More and more we’re seeing in our world today evidences of His great power in the storms and tremendous displays of His authority through cataclysmic events.

In the Bible’s account of the life of Noah we learn that while he was building the Ark he was declaring the warning of God’s impending judgment, but to no obvious avail until the rain began falling. We take so lightly His warnings until it seems, it’s too late. How many thousands of people die every day who have heard over and over the declarations of God’s coming judgment?

“The Dust of His Feet” “Used by permission, © Ray Majoran, GlimpseOfInfinity.com”

Every day we hear of accidents and incidents of violence and terrorism all over the world taking people’s lives without warning. Can it be we’ve grossly underestimated the power and authority of our God? Can it be our view of ourselves is much too great? Our insistence on holding fast to our own opinions is costing us the wellbeing of our eternal soul? Imagine the power, size and might of our Holy God who considers the vastness of the clouds as “the dust of His feet.”

My first flight took me through the dense clouds and as we broke through into the bright sunlight, all I could see in any direction were huge, puffy clouds. Our minds aren’t capable of imagining the size of our God, yet, we casually refer to Him as “the man upstairs,” and in other ways demean Him and seek to bring Him down to our level.

Ray Majoran’s words encourage me when he prays: “Teach us to trust You when we cannot see clearly. When the clouds stay longer than we expect, remind us that You are still working. When our hearts feel restless, steady us with the truth that You are present, even in the storm (Psalm 46:10).

By the power of Your Spirit, help us to pay attention to Your quiet work — the help that comes at the right time and the grace that meets us in the middle of confusion. You are the same God in the calm and in the storm. Let the clouds that pass before us remind us that even the dust of Your feet declares Your glory (Habakkuk 3:3-4).”

Doesn’t it seem unbelievable that an awesome, enormous, all-powerful God would even take notice of us? That must have crossed the Psalmist’s mind as he wrote in Psalm 8:3-4 NLT: “When I look at the night sky and see the work of Your fingers – the moon and the stars You set in place – what are mere mortals that You should think about them, human beings that You should care for them?”

May we join with Paul in Romans 12:3 as he cautions us to be honest in our evaluation of ourselves, “measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.” We can only begin to see the vastness of our Heavenly Father as we see Him with our eye of faith. The more clearly He comes into view, the more clearly we’ll see ourselves in comparison.

Only as we see the Lord as He is can we help our loved ones, friends, and those in our spheres of influence see how great He is and how lost they are.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Personality

“Jesus knew what they were thinking, so He asked them, ‘Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? Is it easier to say “Your sins are forgiven,” or “Stand up and walk”? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.’ Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!’ And the man jumped up and went home! Fear swept through the crowd as they saw this happen. And they praised God for sending a man with such great authority.” (Matthew 9:4-8 NLT)

There are so many verses that display Jesus’ strong personality, but this one grabbed my attention because it showed His strong compassion while also revealing His ability to withstand opposition with strong conviction.

A common definition of “personality” is “the combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual’s distinctive character.” Elsewhere I read: “A personality trait describes how a person tends to think, feel, and behave on an ongoing basis. Personality traits are characteristic of enduring behavioral and emotional patterns, rather than isolated occurrences.

Photo by Odonata Wellnesscenter on Pexels.com

For example, anyone can occasionally have a bad day and make a snappy remark. When this happens in isolation, it doesn’t reflect a personality trait. However, when someone’s typical behavior is to snap at people rather than communicating politely, then ‘irritable’ is likely one of their personality traits.”

While there are hundreds of different personality trait examples that describe a person, psychologists often list five main personality traits, called the Big Five. They include: conscientiousness – the degree to which a person prefers to plan ahead rather than being spontaneous, agreeableness – how strongly a person tends to be kind, sympathetic, and helpful to others, neuroticism – the extent to which someone is inclined to worry or be temperamental, openness – the extent to which a person has an appreciation for a variety of experiences, extroversion – the extent to which a person tends to prefer being sociable, outgoing, and talkative. The combination of these traits can determine whether you are introverted or extroverted, open to new experiences or fearful of the unknown, agreeable or temperamental, and more.

Why does any of this matter? It matters because, as C. S. Lewis noted: “It is when I turn to Christ, when I give up myself to His personality, that I first begin to have a real personality of my own.” If we try to mask our wrong attitudes and actions, believing “that’s just my personality! It’s just the way I am!” while at the same time seeking to exhibit the character and personality of Jesus, there’s going to be a problem.

Jesus’ personality always revealed the heart of the Father, as must ours. It doesn’t matter if I’m extroverted or introverted, I’m still commanded to walk in obedience to the Lord’s directives. It doesn’t matter if I’m a leader or a follower, we’re still commanded to submit to the Lord’s authority and follow Him. It doesn’t matter if I like someone else’s personality or lifestyle, if the Lord asks me to reach out to them in love, that’s what I’ll do.

Granted, sometimes our personalities clash, even as believers, but our goal is to work together, submitting to one another in His honor and recognizing that we don’t necessarily have to like each other to love each other and to work together to the glory of our Savior.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

How Are You Different?

“I am writing to you who are God’s children because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.” (1 John 2:12 NLT)

Our lives should be lived differently after our sins have been forgiven. The main difference should be our allegiance to Jesus should drastically alter our view of sin and its negative effects on our life. But our view of others, lost and found, should also be affected.

When we’re unrepentant and uncaring about how we live, our sin isn’t an apparent concern to us. But once we begin to realize how negatively our sin affects our outcomes in many areas of our life, we become more sensitive to the Spirit’s promptings as He convicts and convinces us of our need of forgiveness.

Then, once we yield our life and allegiance to Jesus, He transforms us, changing our eternal outcome, filling us with His Holy Spirit, and setting our life on a whole new course. While we’ve been cleansed, transformed, and initially prepared for this new adventure of life in Christ, the Holy Spirit must work with us, informing, teaching, and training us to live in a manner that’s consistent with the new life we’ve been given by grace.

It takes time and effort to allow the Spirit to guide us through this process, but if indeed the Spirit has come into our life, there WILL be evidence that He’s living in us. J. C. Ryle reminds us: “Where there is no holy living, there’s no Holy Spirit.” Granted, the Lord doesn’t expect us to become a mature believer overnight, but there should be some immediate evidence of the Spirit’s presence living in us.

For example, our attitude toward God, the Bible, prayer, worship, the Church, God’s people, and those who are still lost should begin to immediately change. How so? We should immediately align ourselves with a Christ-centered church that embraces new believers and has a plan to help them get connected and to grow in Christ.

A plan to grow must include guidance in how to pray, read God’s Word, how to form godly habits, how to avoid habitual sin with which you may be wrestling, even how to witness to others of your newfound faith. Andy Mineo helps us when he writes: “You live different when you know you’ve been forgiven.” That’s why it makes so much sense to get aligned with a Christ-centered, Bible believing/teaching church as soon as possible.

The internet makes it easier to check out what churches believe and teach, and often gives you access to teachings, schedules of services, what they offer, etc., but personal relationships with other believers with whom you may attend church can also be a good starting point. The Spirit will guide you as you investigate which church you should choose to become your church home.

The point is faithful attendance at a solid, Bible-based church is crucial in our development as a believer in Christ. It’s not the whole answer but can be a critical part in our walk with the Lord. How we’re different in our attitudes, actions, and other areas of our life can be much easier to activate and maintain when we’re walking closely with like-minded believers.

Ultimately, our goal is to have the same attitudes that Jesus exhibited, but we can’t learn those without spending quality time with Him and those who are seeking to walk closely with Him.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Before the Outcome is Known

“Each time He said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT)

While we can debate Paul’s “weakness,” my sense is it had to do with his eyes and caused him issues throughout his ministry. But regardless of what it was, Paul, like so many of us, wrongly believed he could accomplish God’s will so much more effectively if he was healed of his affliction. Like Paul, many of us believe we could carry out God’s will so much better if everything in our life was perfect – perfect health, perfect finances, perfect circumstances. But Paul ultimately wisely discerned that God can work best through our less-than-optimal circumstances better than if everything was perfect.

We want to foresee the outcomes of our life, figure everything out, then tell God what to do about them, as if we know better than He does, seeming to forget He sees the beginning from the end more clearly than we see our present circumstances. Our complete trust needs to be in Him and His ability to guide, empower, and use us regardless of our outward circumstances.

“At Every Turn Give Thanks” “Used by permission, © Ray Majoran, GlimpseOfInfinity.com”

I love how Ray Majoran describes it in his prayer: “Lord our Shepherd and Guide, every turn of the road reminds us that life unfolds under Your steady hand. Through each and every season, You remain faithful; Your mercy never leaves us.

We confess how easily our hearts forget. When the road grows narrow or steep, we complain instead of trust. When the view is wide and the colors bright, we often credit ourselves rather than thanking You. Yet You call us to gratitude not because everything is easy, but because You are near in all things.

Lord, thank You that Your will for us is not hidden; it is found plainly in Your Word. And in Your Word, you tell us to give thanks through every circumstance, trusting that Your grace is sufficient and Your wisdom sure (2 Corinthians 12:9). Shape us to be men and women who give thanks before the outcome is known.

By the power of Your Spirit, teach us to see Your fingerprints in both the smooth pavement and the sharp turns. Let gratitude become our compass, guiding us through seasons of abundance and of waiting. And when the journey ends, may our lives echo with the refrain of thanksgiving that began long before we reached home (Colossians 3:17).”

May we with gratitude and thanksgiving offer ourselves to the Lord for His service without reservation or complaint, not demanding to know every detail at the outset, but trusting with gratitude for the privilege of being chosen, warts and all. We rarely, if ever, know the outcome of anything to which the Lord calls us, but what we can know with certainty is that He is with us every step and the outcome is in His capable hands.

One thing that occurs to me is that we tend to want recognition and reward for our service, but often God’s plan is that our work for Him be done in secret and the reward be kept between us. In my mind, that’s part of the outcome. The only One I’m hoping to please is the Lord, so, I’m fine with no one but the Lord knowing how I do in my ventures for Him. Obedience is my department, outcomes are the Lord’s. I’m willing to trust Him to gain glory through the outcomes in any manner He would see fit. How about you?

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Where Do We Draw the Line?

“In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.” (Titus 2:6-8 NLT)

Paul’s instruction to young Titus implored him to “Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.” Why is that so vital? Because the most effective way to confirm the truth of the Gospel is to live a holy life. Words are empty and meaningless except they be confirmed by the truth of a life of integrity and purity.

Why is that such an issue in the modern church? Because in too many instances we’re reflecting the character of the world rather than the character of Christ. How is this most prominently displayed? In our leadership! If those who lead our churches aren’t men and women of integrity, how will those under their leadership gain a proper perspective on what’s right and wrong, not only in leading, but in living.

Photo by Download a pic Donate a buck! ^ on Pexels.com

Mark Mcintyre suggests that those who are leaders should ask themselves some questions: First, Am I forthcoming about how and why the decisions I make are made? Secondly, Do I apply pressure to those who have a different opinion to agree with me? And, thirdly, Do I listen and seek to learn from their perspective? His conclusion was, “If one or more of the leaders is using ungodly means to implement his vision, I struggle to see how the church could be healthy. The end never justifies the means.”

How do we respond if we’re a leader? Ask the questions but also ask the Lord to do a personal inventory of our life. Follow the Psalmist’s instructions in Psalm 139:23: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

Ed Stetzer was right when he wrote: “God does not direct us to use ungodly means to accomplish Godly ends.” And while we can sometimes point to our leaders for promoting ungodly means, we are still responsible to the Lord if we follow them. So, what do we do if we suspect or know that some of the leaders in our church are involved in measures that are unpleasing to the Lord and clearly unbiblical.

Jesus outlines a workable plan in Matthew 18:15-17. Go to the person yourself. Express your concern(s) and see how they respond. If they’re genuinely repentant and see your point and actually make an effort to change their approach, you’ve won a brother and avoided a conflict. If that doesn’t work, take one or two people with you who understand the problem and agree the person should be confronted. Again, if they listen, problem solved, but if they don’t and it’s an issue that effects the whole church, take it to the leadership – the Pastor, Elders, Deacons, Official Board – however the government of your church is structured.

But what if it is a leader or the Pastor? Use the same process, but if none of them work, seek a higher authority – state or even national boards who oversee your denomination or church group. We cannot draw the proverbial line on our involvement unless and until we’ve done everything the Lord leads us to do to resolve what He has shown us is reflecting the world, not the church, from a clear Biblical perspective.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊