Walking With Jesus

Don’t Wait!

“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.” (Hebrews 4:1 NLT)

Warnings are given throughout the Bible that emphasize at least two very important considerations. First, that God loves us and has done for us in and through Jesus, things that we could never in eternity ever do for ourselves. But secondly, what we stand to miss isn’t only what He’s done, but why He did it in the first place, and what’s available to us right now, in this specific point in time, that we dare not miss.

The gift of life that Jesus gives isn’t only about heaven, as important as that is, it’s about the quality of life that we can live RIGHT NOW by faith in Jesus’ completed work on our behalf. We read in the Old Testament, stories of the great men and women of God, many of whom are outlined for us in Hebrews 11. And we marvel at how God used the people of old, tempted to wonder why He doesn’t work like that today. But that’s the point – He DOES and IS working powerfully in and through ordinary men and women of God in extraordinary ways.

Today as I write it’s a Saturday morning. Tomorrow my wife and I are taking or meeting at church four of our neighbors. And I can almost see your yawns as you’re thinking: “Yeh, that’s about as exciting as Daniel in the lion’s den.” But wait! If God is allowing me and my wife to be involved in the life change of four people who were headed to hell, but now can be headed to heaven, you may not think that’s a big deal, but the angels in heaven are rejoicing, and so am I!

I’m pumped that God gave me and my wife the privilege of investing our lives in His eternal Kingdom by affecting the lives of four of our neighbors to see Him differently and learn to follow Him. We too often believe the exciting stuff that God wants to do has already been done, but that’s a lie. Today is the most exciting and challenging day EVER to be a child of God.

It takes just as much courage and dependence on the Lord to follow Him now as in any other period in history. There are at least two great truths in the verse above that point to the validity of why I believe that. William Barclay wrote: “A word, however great, is of no avail unless it becomes integrated into the person who hears it. There are many different kinds of hearing in this world. There is indifferent hearing, disinterested hearing, critical hearing, skeptical hearing, cynical hearing. The hearing that matters is the hearing that listens eagerly, believes and acts. The promises of God are not merely beautiful pieces of literature; they are promises on which a man is meant to stake his life and dominate his action.” (Barclay, W., ed. (1975). The letter to the Hebrews (p. 38). The Westminster John Knox Press.)

The fear of which the writer of the Hebrew letter refers in the verse above isn’t a paralyzing fear which makes us run away. It’s the motivation for us to put forth every ounce of energy we possess to invest ourselves in the pursuit of that to which we’ve been called as we pursue this grand invitation to something so great, so satisfying, so soul-fulfilling that we dare not miss this privileged opportunity!

It’s that to which I invite you today! Don’t postpone this opportunity to dive with all you’re worth into the gift of becoming a child of God; the proverbial gift that keeps on giving throughout eternity; the gift to be a very small part in seeing people who are walking away from God turn and run toward Him. This is the stuff of which a great life is made. Please join me!

Blessings, Ed 😊

What Is Backsliding? (Part 2)

“Laughter can conceal a heavy heart, but when the laughter ends, the grief remains.” (Proverbs 14:13 NLT)

Yesterday’s post ended with this sentence: “These are seasons of decision. Will I trust the Lord to draw me out of this mire of indifference and distance from Himself, or will He allow me to continue to drift from Him?”

Let’s begin today with a couple of observations: First, with some exceptions, God allows us to do whatever we want to do, for good or evil, but our drifting doesn’t change God’s heart toward us. His love isn’t less and He’s still closer to us than the air we breathe. We can’t push God away, it’s humanly impossible, but we can “distance” ourselves from Him through the determinations of our own heart.

Distance from the Lord is an act of the will, not a consideration of literal measurement. I distance myself from Him every time I choose my will over His; when I make decisions that exalt me over Him, when I focus the purposes of my heart and mind on evil over good. That’s the nature of being a human being. Salvation doesn’t draw us closer to the Lord, it cleanses our heart and mind to enable us to recognize He’s where He’s always been.

The idea of backsliding has nothing to do with God’s attitude toward or awareness of us; it has everything to do with our attitude toward and awareness of Him. In my mind, as I understand, not just the Bible, but the heart of God, walking away from God is a decision that incrementally closes our heart and mind to God’s presence, thus, damaging and diminishing our life in Him and effectiveness for Him?

Does that mean we won’t go to heaven? I’m not the judge of that and, fortunately, no matter how strongly you believe you should be, neither are you. When someone walks away it’s easy to say: “Well, they must have never been saved.” But to me that’s a copout. Are you telling me I have the will and right to come to God, but not to walk away?

God makes the rules, we must abide by them. All I know is my hunger for God grows with every day I walk with Him. It’s literally impossible for me to conceive of someone who could have once sincerely and genuinely walked with God to walk away, but at the same time, I’ve experienced life altering events in my life: death of loved ones and close friends, divorce, deception, unimaginable suffering in people’s lives that have soured them to the thought of God. Their experiences have clouded and distorted their view of God.

Satan is a liar, deceiver, and a pro at taking negative and painful times in our lives and turning the blame onto God. There’s a part of me that understands why someone would walk away from God, but not if they really know who He is and what He’s done for them.

The bottom line for me is I don’t really know why people walk away and stay away from the Lord of heaven, but I know the Lord knows and it doesn’t change His love for them in any way. His love is just as strong and His grace just as available, but He won’t force us to love Him and live for Him. He will not force us to walk with Him against our will. At that point we’d cease to be His children and become His puppets.

The uncertainty of the future causes me to snuggle up even closer to Him, because not knowing what lies ahead for me only creates in me a greater desire to hold more tightly to the One who DOES know my future.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

What Is Backsliding?

“Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that He has promised. ‘For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. And My righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.’ But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.” (Hebrews 10:36-38 NLT)

To not recognize that a person who has professed faith in Christ can turn their back on God and walk away is naïve and blind to reality. The man who led me to Christ turned his back on God, his wife, his life as a believer and entered a life of sinful rebellion until his dying day. I recently had a lengthy conversation with a man who told me he’d followed the Lord for 30 years, but now professes to be an atheist.

The question in this whole issue of backsliding isn’t whether it happens, but in what ways is God’s view of a person who deliberately walks away from Him affected. Do they lose their salvation? Did they ever have salvation in the first place?

“Pray at all times” “Used by permission, © Ray Majoran, GlimpseOfInfinity.com”

Proverbs 14 compares different paths taken by different people in different contexts. Verse 14 says: “Backsliders get what they deserve; good people receive their reward.” At our core we’re all sinners saved by grace who choose each day whom we will follow. In my mind it’s literally impossible for me to understand how anyone who truly knows, loves, and is loved by the Lord could walk away from Him. But the question before us is – Can that happen? Of course it can and it does, but what are the implications?

The question with which I wrestle is: “What part does free will play in our relationship with God?” Do we walk into a relationship with the Lord Jesus as an act of our will, but at some point, lose our ability to follow our will to walk away? The story of the Prodigal son illustrates that the wayward one found his way home, but the “prodigal” who never left home didn’t. The Father allowed each son to make his own choices. What if the prodigal had chosen not to come home? What if the son who stayed home learned to rejoice in the gift of his father and the home they shared?

There are ample Scriptures to support those who believe once you’re born again you can’t lose your salvation, but there are also verses that suggest that there are those who believe people can and do lose their salvation. I have books in my library that support ad infinitum both views, but that isn’t the point of this post.

My point is in the life of virtually every believer I’ve ever met, including myself, we go through seasons, long and short, when we wonder what happened – to us, to others, to God, to the world. Our head swims and our souls ache with pain we can’t explain. Some agony of spirit is brought about by our own sin, some by the sin of those we love, but for me, those seasons have always brought me closer to the Lord, they haven’t pushed me away, they’ve caused me to see in myself greater need of and desire for my Savior, not the opposite.

In each of our lives there are times and perhaps even seasons when we “backslide,” when we drift from God. Hardships, loss, the uncertainties of life, health, the world, drive us into shells that harden over time and make it increasingly more difficult to hear the voice of God. These are seasons of decision. Will I trust the Lord to draw me out of this mire of indifference and distance from Himself, or will He allow me to continue to drift from Him? Let’s not stop here but continue our “conversation” in tomorrow’s post.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

When We Pray for Healing

“Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.” (James 5:14-15 NLT)

Our body, mind, heart, and soul are inextricably interwoven in such a way that when one part of us is “sick,” it often affects other parts of our body. For example, if I’m hurting physically, it often affects my ability to work, not only with my body, but with my mind and vice versa. To be sick spiritually can also affect how we function physically, socially, intellectually, and in other areas. Why is this so? Basically, because that’s how God wired us.

Because of all those interactive parts of us, when we pray for “healing,” we’ve got to be careful how we pray. I believe God’s will for us is wholeness, not simply wellness. Our body can be completely well and function perfectly, but if our soul is sick, it can affect how we feel and function mentally, physically, relationally, and in other ways. Likewise, if we’re sick physically, it can affect us spiritually, mentally, etc.

Because of that we need to be careful how we pray when someone is “sick.” “Healing” that God has in mind may be quite different than what we have in mind when our body isn’t “well.” For example, if I have a family member or friend who is an alcoholic, drug addict, or has another type of addiction and they come to me and ask me to pray for their “healing,” how should I pray? In their mind, what needs to be healed? Deliverance from an addiction isn’t wholeness, it’s just one piece of the proverbial puzzle.

Often, because of the way an addiction can twist our thinking and negatively affect our body, it’s important that we do what Jesus did when people came to Him. He often asked them a question: “What would you have Me do for you?” He asked that of a blind man, obviously not assuming to know (even though He did, because He’s God) what the person had in mind.

Similarly, asking the question helps to clarify how we should pray. But even then, the person themselves may not understand what the Lord is seeking to accomplish in their life by allowing whatever “disease” they have. You may recall I mentioned in a previous post that I haven’t asked the Lord to heal my Alzheimer’s, which may cause some to wonder.

If I believe God’s will for me is my “wholeness” in Him, I can’t view my diagnosis in a vacuum. So, I’m asking the Lord to show me a few things to enable me to pray, not only in line with what I might want for myself, but more importantly in line with what God wants and intends for me. So, beginning with praise and worship of my Lord and Sustainer, I thank Him for allowing this diagnosis, not because I’m happy about the prospects of what it can mean for me and my family, but because I know He never allows anything to touch my life except He intends it for my good and His glory.

Many times, our illness, accident, mishap in whatever form it comes, has little or nothing to do directly with us, but it gives us an audience with a person(s) with whom we’d never have had an audience if it hadn’t happened. So, I’m seeking to be sensitive to people I’m meeting – doctors, nurses, support staff, but especially other patients who may really be struggling because they don’t yet know the Lord who is all knowing, all loving, all sustaining, and all able to give us everything we need to be everything He desires us to be. Maybe I’ll share more about this later, but hope this helps you, not only to know where I am in this season of my life, but how the things going on in your life are working, not only for your benefit, but for those in your spheres of influence.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Are You Secure in Your Beliefs?

“In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (Ephesians 6:16-18 NLT)

Have you ever had someone ask you a really tough question related to your belief in Jesus, and rather than admitting you didn’t have an answer, you became defensive and refused to continue the discussion. One of the positive things I’ve learned when someone asks me a question to which I don’t have an answer, is to admit I don’t know, but preserve the relationship by saying something like: “You’ve raised an interesting perspective on this (verse, subject, idea) I’d very much like to speak with you further about this, but would you give me a few days to do some research and study and I’ll get back with you?”

There’s no shame in not knowing (or forgetting 😊), but it is a shame to lose touch with the person who’s asking. Often, they don’t even believe or know for sure that what they’re saying is true or reliable, but if you shut them down without an answer, they have to assume it’s right.

Our security needs to grow out of what we can verify is true. I know the Bible is true, that God is alive and loves me, that my salvation is secure in a risen Savior, not because of my research alone, but because I have conversations with my risen Savior every day. “But that’s just your opinion” someone may say, and, in fact, it is. But it’s an opinion based on thousands of hours of research, not only by me, but by those whose words I read who are a lot smarter than me.

One of my convictions is, I don’t negate the results of someone’s study who is smarter than me, regardless of their point of view. If I don’t agree with them, I want to prove them wrong, not simply dismiss what they say without really knowing if it’s true or not. That’s how I want someone to treat my words: “prove me wrong!” I sometimes say to someone who is a skeptic.

Understand, however, that there comes a point in a person’s life they have pushed God away for so long their lies begin to sound to them like truth and we’ll never convince them otherwise. Even God’s Spirit can no longer break through the barriers they’ve erected in their heart and mind.

Sam Allberry wrote: “A sign of the security of your beliefs is that you welcome hard questions and scrutiny; a sign of their insecurity is when you shut down and censor discussion.” For me, personally, I tend to dismiss someone’s quick and pat responses. Rather than give something I’m saying a thoughtful response, they dismiss it as below them or treat it as elementary and not worthy of consideration.

There are too many brilliant scholars who have done collectively thousands of hours of Biblical research and drawn conclusions based, not only on research and scholarship, but personal life experience, for me to dismiss what they say and/or have experienced as a person of God. Having followed the Lord for more than six decades I declare with Job: “I know my Redeemer lives, and He will stand upon the earth at last.” (Psalm 19:25)

Sometimes it just boils down to what hill you’re willing to die on. I’m convinced in my own heart and mind that Jesus is exactly who He claimed to be, did exactly what the Bible says He did, and is coming again to bring home His Church exactly as He promised to do! Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Broken Promises, Broken Lives

“The Lord isn’t really being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.” (2 Peter 3:9 NLT)

Have you ever made a promise you didn’t keep? There aren’t many things that make us feel worse. Aren’t you glad that God NEVER breaks a promise He makes to us in His Word?

David Jeremiah wrote in his Turning Point devotional (Living in Confidence 03-08-23): “A psychologist in Melbourne, Australia, told ABC Everyday that ‘keeping promises is an incredibly important aspect of maintaining a healthy and secure relationship—and that applies to all forms of relationships whether it be romantic, intimate, professional, or parental. Broken promises can lead to trust rupturing, which can very quickly fracture a relationship.’”

Trust is inextricably linked to honesty, especially as it relates to keeping our word. Melvyn Douglas is credited with saying: “Your word is your bond,” which is critical for a Jesus follower. If people can’t trust what we say, our witness for Christ is virtually null and void. And it stands to reason that if people can’t believe what we say, we’re going to have a hard time convincing them that we’ll follow through and do what we need to do (what we’ve said we would do) in carrying out the demands of a job or any other kind of responsibility.

What if you had a friend at church with whom you’ve had a few casual conversations, some centering on your dearly loved dog. So, when you go out of town for a week and that person volunteers to watch your dog, you think it’s going to be great. But when you get back from your trip the person with whom you entrusted the care of your pup tells you he only showed up three times the whole week, “but the dog seemed fine to me.”

Unlike us God always, without exception, does what He says He will do. Sheila Walsh wrote: “God does not change, nor do the glories of His person and the salvation He engineered for us. God’s promises are as dependable as He is. A big part of being conformed to the likeness of Jesus is learning to say what we mean and mean what we say.

How can we expect someone to believe the claims of Christ we share with them when they can’t believe our life? Broken or empty promises are a key ingredient in a broken and empty life. In order to have a great, reliable friend, we have to be a great, reliable friend; otherwise, we’re going to spend a lot of time alone.

My dad was working on something at the house when I asked him if he’d like to go see a particular movie that was playing at the theatre not far from our house. He told me he’d like that, but he needed to finish up what he was doing. So, he gave me money for admission and told me to go ahead and “start walking and by the time you get there I’ll be able to meet you.” I was maybe 8-10 years old, but all these years later I still remember the disappointment I felt when he didn’t come.

It was so unlike my dad, and I’m sure he had a good reason for not coming, but it didn’t make me feel any better. Not keeping our word not only hurts us, it hurts them – their credibility; their witness, if they’re a believer; and their value as a friend and, especially, as a family member. We tend to not forget when someone hurts us, and it takes a long time (if ever) to regain someone’s trust.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

What Happens When We Die?

“For we live by believing and not by seeing. Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:7-8 NLT)

According to Karl Albrecht Ph.D. the greatest fear we all share is death, but knowing Jesus can eliminate that fear and turn it, in some respects, into a longing, should help us see death in a whole new light. My sense is what we fear about death is the “unknown,” but if the curtain is raised and we’re given insight and understanding as to what to expect, what is there to fear, as long as we know Jesus intimately and personally?

For me, my concern isn’t death, but dying. I’ve watched many loved ones, friends, and others waste away, unaware they were even still alive. I’ve often heard said and even thought myself, why doesn’t the Lord just take them home? Life is precious and if the Lord allows someone to remain alive their life has a purpose. But how?

Especially if relationships have been strained and there hasn’t been a “meeting of the minds” over whatever has kept them apart, the one(s) left behind can wrestle with letting their loved one go, hoping and praying it will enable them to make amends or at least come to terms themselves, before death robs them of the opportunity.

At other times we suffer with guilt for not being the person we’d hoped to have been for the one who is dying, now realizing it’s too late. Time is no respecter of persons, so death can attack anyone at any time, regardless of age. It behooves us to set aside our personal hurts and make amends with anyone with whom we have an issue now, while there’s time.

According to Scripture when we die as a believer in Jesus, we will see as we’ve been seen, or, in other words, no one will have to explain anything to us. Everything, including the truth about our own lives, will become crystal clear. That’s why no one will make excuses for their sin, we’ll see clearly why we’re going to heaven or hell. That’s why there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth,” (Luke 13:28) as we agonize our fate in view of our current knowledge that we refused to see while living.

As believers we’ll be united with Christ or, if not a believer, separated from Him for all eternity. After death there will be no more chances to repent or make things right with the Lord. That’s why it’s just crazy to put off giving our lives to Jesus. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Once we leave this body, we’ll either be filled with peace and a deep sense of relief or filled with fear and a deep sense of guilt and regret. There’s nothing of which I have more certainty than that the Bible is true, Jesus is exactly who He claimed to be, and I have an eternal home in heaven with the Lord and with my loved ones who knew Jesus and have preceded me in death.

The beauty of knowing Jesus is that you don’t have to have a high IQ, but you do need to be smart enough to recognize that you can’t save yourself from your own sin. Satan and his devilish emissaries all have certainty also, not that they’ll go to heaven, but that they’ll be cast into the lake of fire for all eternity. I’m not the sharpest pencil in the box, but – hmmm, let’s see, heaven and all it’s bliss, peace, and eternal joy or agony, misery, loneliness, isolation, and eternal damnation.

I’m no rocket scientist, but that’s a no-brainer to me.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Person or Project?

“Then Jesus demanded, ‘What is your name?’” (Mark 5:9a NLT)

How many people do you have in your spheres of influence who are lost; who are in need of Jesus’ friendship and Lordship? Is it comforting to you that Jesus knows their name(s)? Actually, He knows more about them than you know about yourself. And do you want to know the kicker? He loves them more than they could ever imagine!

In Mark 10 we read the story of blind Bartimaeus. In the Gospel of Mark this is the only person Jesus heals where we learn the person’s name. In Mark 5 the name “Legion” is given by the demon who spoke when Jesus asked the demon to identify himself, but we don’t know the man’s given name. In each case the person was identified only by the disease or problem from which they were being delivered.

Photo by Chevanon Photography on Pexels.com

Aren’t you glad the Lord calls you by name? When we pray, we don’t have to say: “Hey, Lord, this is me, Ed, do You have a few minutes we can chat?” He knows each of us by name and He’s never too busy to speak with us. I believe there’s a lesson there for us. When you pray for your lost loved ones and friends, do you use their name? I suspect you do, but why is that so important?

Primarily because it makes it more personal for us. If we simply pray: “Lord, please draw my family to you.” And someone in our family is saved, it may or may not have had anything to do with our general prayer. Obviously, if I’m praying for neighbors I’ve not yet met, I can’t use their names, but I ask the Lord to save, heal, guide – whatever their need, by name if I possibly can.

Jim Daly, President of Focus on the Family, in an article entitled Accepting My True Identity in Christ (03-08-23) wrote: “What Ken and Floy also offered Rosaria — to her surprise — was unconditional love and respect. They treated Rosaria not as a project, but as their friend. They spent time with her. They invested in her. They ‘neighbored’ with her and extended grace to her by valuing her as a person instead of as a potential convert out of lesbianism.”

People who don’t yet know Jesus are much more likely to listen to a friend than a stranger. One of the best ways to reach someone for the Lord is to befriend them. Loneliness is rampant in our world today, so people are open to someone who genuinely cares for them; however, if someone senses they’re your “project” they’ll run fast in the opposite direction. So, what’s the answer?

One of the strongest witnesses to people with whom you work is a good work ethic. Do your job well, but don’t brag about what a great worker you are, let others do that for you. Create an environment where you’re known to be approachable, someone a co-worker can come to with a problem, then over time see if they’d like to grab coffee after work. This should go without saying, but using good judgment means woman to woman and man to man. Many “emotional affairs” begin at work and can lead places that are not helpful if you’re married and not honoring to the Lord.

Your attitude, language, demeanor, how you treat others, over time will set you apart as someone who can be trusted if a friend from work needs someone with whom they can share a problem or need. And, yes, of course, doing a great job is your priority, so you can’t be setting in the break room shooting the breeze all day, but that’s just one of many environments where you need to be sensitive to the Lord’s leading.

Whomever you’re seeking to reach for the Lord, they have to feel like you’re interested in them, not just in getting another notch on your spiritual “gun belt.”

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

How Smart Is God?

“Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder: ‘Praise the Lord! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to Him.’” (Revelation 19:6-7a NLT)

There are approximately 7,000 known languages spoken in our world today. How many can you speak? Powell Alexander Janulus, a Canadian polyglot, holds the Guinness World record for fluency in 42 languages. Another candidate for the record is Ziad Fazah, who claims to speak and read 58 languages, though the exact number isn’t clear. Do you know how many languages God speaks? All of them! He can even read our thoughts – before we have them!

Photo by Charlie Solorzano on Pexels.com

The world’s top chess players typically think 3-5 moves ahead, though in some instances they can think as many as 10 ahead. David Jeremiah wrote in his Turning Point article Checkmate on 03-09-23: “The Lord can see a trillion moves ahead—really, an infinite number. He knows what will happen down the chain of events every time a president is elected, a king is crowned, a leader is assassinated, or a war is started. Every single event—large and small—is simply moving this world closer to His preordained prophetic conclusion.

Sometimes we can’t imagine why God has placed someone in a position of power, but He uses unlikely people to accomplish His will. Just look at the biblical characters of Nebuchadnezzar, Ahasuerus, and Herod. They were chess pieces in the hands of the Master of history. Don’t panic with the times. Rather, stand amazed at God’s providential omnipotence.”

We criticize God for not sharing with us what our future will look like, then get angry when it doesn’t turn out like we wanted. My sense is that if we knew even what the next few hours hold for us, it likely would terrify and paralyze us. God is kind in not sharing much with us. But on occasion He will break the seal on future knowledge, like He did with John when He guided him through the writing of the Revelation.

So much of what we’re experiencing right now is shown to us through the prophetic writings of not only John, but Paul, the Gospel writers as well as the Old Testament Prophets. It’s enough for me to know that whatever the future holds I’m glad I’m holding the hand of the One who holds the future. He has promised His presence with us through it all and He’s preparing a place for us when it’s our time to leave this earth.

It’s helpful, at least for me, to not know exactly when that will be; otherwise, I may be tempted to slack off and not be as diligent as I pray, write, serve, and seek to reach the lost in my family and spheres of influence. I want to die with my proverbial “boots” on, earnestly seeking to honor the Lord in every detail of my life. I often pray I can wear out for the Lord, not burn out from chasing the glitter and glamor of this world.

Do you know why I believe the Bible and that God is exactly as described therein? Largely because it makes sense to me. The proverbial “pieces” fit; the puzzle of life, as complicated as it can be, when completed will show a perfect picture of our Savior, proving to every human who has ever lived that He is Lord of all and deserves the adoration, praise, and worship that He will one day soon receive.

If you’re smart, you’ll give your life to Him today while there’s still time.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Why He Came Such a Long Way

“When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem. Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.” (Luke 2:15-16 NLT)

Have you ever thought about what went through Jesus’ mind as an infant? Was He fully aware of all He was experiencing, or did He just go through the same process that we did? Did it bother Him at all to realize He was dependent upon the very human beings He had created? Did He have a grasp at that young age what He was to become and the price He would have to pay for our redemption?

When I think of the price Jesus was willing to pay – not only on the Cross, but by bearing the burden of living life on earth as a mere mortal – it boggles my mind. No one but God could have made a choice like that. No one but a loving, generous, and kind heavenly Father could have conceived of such a simple, yet profoundly effective plan.

The next time you entertain the thought of how much you’ve given up being a Jesus follower, pause a moment to ponder what your salvation cost the Lord Jesus. And if for any reason you still can’t grasp it, think of living a few zillion years in heaven, then having to come to earth for 33 years. We have no means of even beginning to understand all the Lord gave up becoming a man, but He did it, not for any benefit to Himself, but for each of us who has come to our senses and given our life to Him.

Sin is a formidable foe to us, one we never in eternity could have overcome on our own. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 8:9: “You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that by His poverty He could make you rich.” John Piper wrote: “The salvation we savor for ourselves and send to others is a ministry of God’s mercy to the poor, which includes all of us. We owe our lives to God’s commitment to missions and mercy. He came a long way to help us, and His help includes every kind of help we need.”

In some ways it seems staggering to me to realize how selfish I am, especially in light of the selflessness of my Savior. I want things MY way, whether it’s food or the route to the grocery. I want to take life easy and get by with doing as little as I can, until I read God’s Word and I’m arrested by God’s Spirit. The words of Jesus from Matthew 16:24 challenge me: “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow Me.”

Jesus’ suffering and sacrifice, in the words of John Piper, are “the purchase and path of our salvation.” Peter puts it this way in chapter 2:21: “For God called you to do good even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in His steps.”

It doesn’t make sense to me that Jesus would agree to come to earth, live a perfect, sinless life, suffer torture and an agonizing death on a cross to give us something for free that cost Him everything. But that’s exactly what He did. It’s called grace – a free, undeserved, unmerited favor. But in reality, if we’re serious and we “hear” what Jesus says should be our response, we won’t do “nothing.” Of course, there’s nothing we can do to earn or deserve His free gift to us, but there’s plenty He expects us to do as an expression of our appreciation.

What’s that? Let His life and death serve as a model for how we love and live our life.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊