Walking With Jesus

Bitter or Sweet?

“So I went to the angel and told him to give me the small scroll. ‘Yes, take it and eat it,‘ he said. ‘It will be sweet as honey in your mouth, but it will turn sour in your stomach!’ So I took the small scroll from the hand of the angel, and I ate it! It was sweet in my mouth, but when I swallowed it, it turned sour in my stomach.” (Revelation 10:9-10 NLT)

While we’re not privileged to know the contents of the small scroll John was asked to eat, we know that sin is very much like that. We dive into sin believing it’s the answer to our every desire, enjoying it thoroughly – for a season! Then it turns sour and distasteful as our life goes in directions, we never intended for it to go. But isn’t that exactly what so often awakens us to our need of a Savior?

Thomas Watson wrote: “Till sin be bitter, Christ will not be sweet.” On some levels sin is like sweets, we know they’re not good for us, but we love how they make us feel, at least in the short term. Even after receiving the gift of eternal life, learning about Jesus, becoming faithful in our attendance at church, and in the establishment of godly disciplines, temptation is never far from us.

What I’m learning in this season of my life is that nothing compares to Jesus. There’s nothing this world offers that is as attractive to me as Jesus and what He has for me. Even with several physical issues, my heart is fixed on Jesus. If you think about it, as we age our health declines and Satan tries in every way possible to distract us. Usually, we have no greater concerns than our health, but I’ve resolved to let the Lord allow what He will, in terms of medical issues, but my unflinching gaze is upon my Savior, trusting Him and remaining as focused as I possibly can on Him and His will for me.

Why is that so important? Largely, because if we allow ourselves to coast, we will typically coast towards laziness and idleness, which is a quick step to restlessness which too often leads us into bitterness. Diligence will enable us to find our “sweet spot” in closeness to Jesus, and the closer we are to the Lord the more bitter the thought of disappointing Him, thus, we learn to detest even the thought of sin.

Holiness isn’t perfection, but it does, or should, lead to greater Christlikeness. Why is that important? Because too often I’ve seen those who profess holiness, but their demeanor isn’t inviting. It’s like holiness is reserved for those special few who are close to the heart of God, and their goal is to rub it in our face because we’re not as close to God as they are. To me, that sounds more like Pharisaical behavior than Christlikeness.

One measure that the Scriptures make clear is that the closer we get to Jesus, and the more invested we become in His Kingdom, the more the devil will attack us and seek to distract us. Thomas Watson wrote: “It must not be expected that the devil will let those rest who are laboring to destroy his kingdom.” In some ways it’s an encouragement to me when the enemy is riding my case, when he’s haunting me with his ugly shadow.

To me, and I hope to you, there’s nothing sweeter than walking with Jesus, abiding in Him, and trusting His promises as His Spirit leads us in His ways. Similarly, there’s nothing more bitter than deliberately walking in a way that we know is not honoring the Lord, yet, struggling to get back on track.

If that’s you today, may I encourage you to get alone with the Lord, let Him speak love and life into your heart, assure you of His forgiveness and willingness to walk with you through whatever mess you’ve created for yourself. Allow His sweet presence to be your healing balm as He restores your soul and renews your spirit.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Can I Know for Sure?

“I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. And we are confident that He hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases Him. And since we know He hears us when we make our requests, we also know that He will give us what we ask for.” (1 John 5:13-15 NLT)

Here’s my disclaimer: I will not answer all your questions. The last few days we’ve been looking at the frailty of life, the certainty of death, and what that means to us as human beings. In yesterday’s post I tried to build a case for how we can know we’re going to heaven by comparing it to marriage. Realizing the weakness of many marriages today, I’m sure there were mixed feelings about that comparison.

So, today I’d like to look at the question: “Can I know for sure I’m going to heaven?” I realize this discussion can be convoluted by past issues in our lives, not the least of which are theological questions that surround this subject with which you may or may not have wrestled. Just know that I have wrestled with them for years, so I will share my views for what they’re worth. The short answer is absolutely we can know we’re going to heaven! Why else would John say that he was writing so that we may know; however, it can’t be based on a feeling or some past experience, it must be based on what the Bible says and a decision to yield your life and allegiance to Jesus without reservation.

Let’s say for sake of illustration, that at one point in your life you “accepted Jesus” or prayed the “sinner’s prayer.” You may have felt differently in that moment, but within a short time life got hectic and you didn’t give it much more consideration. Or perhaps you were baptized as an infant or young child, but you had no further instruction or conversations with anyone, so, while you were assured you were baptized, it has had no real bearing on your life.

Maybe you used to attend a church or religious organization and you believe you had a relationship with the Lord, but you’ve drifted away and you’re just not sure where you stand with God now. Maybe at one point He felt close and real, but you’re not so sure now. You don’t feel His presence like you once did, and on and on we could go.

As I said, these are my thoughts, so you may or may not agree. All I ask is that you compare what I say with what the Bible teaches and draw your own conclusions. Just one thing I ask, don’t push this off for another day, get it settled in your heart once and for all.

My life in Christ hasn’t been as easy or as consistent as I might have wished, but I’ve never doubted that the Lord was with me and for me. I’ve never intentionally sought to walk away from the Lord, but neither have I always walked as closely with Him as I should have. What’s my point? All of that doesn’t matter today.

What you did or didn’t do; what you did or didn’t believe; how you did or didn’t feel, what you thought, considered important, etc. – none of that matters in this moment. Where are you in your walk with God in this moment? Why does that matter? Because none of us can walk with God in the last moment, it’s gone, and none of us can walk with God in the next moment, it’s not here yet.

The only moment we’ve been given to have a relationship with God and in which to gain certainty that we’re going to heaven is in this moment. So, regardless of what you’ve been through, how inconsistent your walk has been or maybe the thought of walking with God has never crossed your mind until this moment, give Him your life right now, in the only moment you have to do that, then find someone you know who walks with the Lord Jesus and ask them to walk with you on your journey.

Get started by going to Ron Hutchcraft’s Bridge to God video and let him help you start your journey. If I can be of help, my email is walkingwithjesus09@gmail.com.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Will This Be the Day? (Part 2)

“I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:13 NLT)

Yesterday’s post addressed the fact that every one of us will one day die unless the Lord returns first. But even then, if we’re not hidden in the Lord and He in us, it will be too late. Death is no respecter of persons; infants die as well as those who have lived more than 100 years. Our age or state in life doesn’t matter, we’ll all one day stand before the Lord to give an account of our lives, but even then, it will be too late to be forgiven if that decision hasn’t already been made.

Is that harsh? No, it’s just reality. The Lord in His mercy, kindness, and grace allowed His only Son to come to earth, live a perfect life, then lay down His sinless, holy, body to die in our place, to pay the penalty for sin that we could never in eternity pay for ourselves.

We are given the privilege and opportunity to receive the gift of eternal life that only Jesus offers (John 14:6), but we must make that choice before we die, or He returns. That’s not harsh, it’s the free, unmerited gift that we’re offered, but there is a time limit on how long the offer will stand. It’s a decision we must make while we can. Once we close our eyes in death or the Lord returns, the clock has stopped for us.

The question was raised in yesterday’s post regarding how we can know for sure we are going to heaven, and I compared the answer to that question with how I know I’m married. And some may say: “But they’re not the same!” And you’d be right, they aren’t exactly the same, but they have some common characteristics.

They’re both relationships that have a specific beginning. Our walk with Jesus is no less moment by moment than my walk with my wife. She’s always on my mind even when we’re apart. Jesus is always on my mind and in my thoughts whether I’m engaged in something “religious” or not. He’s my Father, my friend, my confidant, my everything.

There is nothing that effects my life in any way that doesn’t concern my wife, and, likewise, there is nothing that concerns my life that doesn’t concern my Savior. I know I’m married, not simply because I said words and received a ring. I’m married because I made a commitment to my wife “until death do us part.” I’m going to heaven not simply because I said a prayer and attend weekly ceremonies in a building.

I’m going to heaven because the Spirit of God resides in me. We have a relationship that demands near moment-by-moment conversation. My “God time” isn’t simply the time I set aside to pray, read, and study God’s Word or write my thoughts in a blog. Every second of every day is my time with God. He has promised He will never leave me, and I have committed to Him that I will never leave Him – in my thoughts or actions, I will not knowingly shift my focus from my intent to walk faithfully as long as I live.

So, that brings me back to my original question: “Will this be the day?” And this question has at least two dimensions: First, will this be the day you die? None of us know that for sure. But the other piece is: if you don’t have full assurance that you’re going to heaven, decide right now to get that question settled. Click the highlighted link and watch a 2-3 minute video with Ron Hutchcraft.

Let’s look at one more piece of this question in tomorrow’s post.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Will This Be the Day?

“My life is an example to many, because You have been my strength and protection. That is why I can never stop praising You; I declare Your glory all day long. And now, in my old age, don’t set me aside. Don’t abandon me when my strength is failing.” (Psalm 71:7-9 NLT)

These words of David stir in my heart as the frailty of life becomes ever more present to me with each passing day. The irony is that thoughts of our mortality should concern us when we’re young, but too often there are other pressing concerns forcing themselves to the forefront of our consciousness.

Why is that? Could it be the lie of Satan that “we have our whole life ahead of us?” Often that’s the case, but there are many factors that can change that “dream” in a heartbeat. I’m reminded of Edward Panosian’s words: “When a man knows he may breakfast on earth and take supper in heaven, temptations must lose much of their power.”

Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com

On average, about 180,000 people die on planet earth every day, most, without a saving knowledge of Jesus. “If they’d only known” is the resounding echo of my heart and mind when I hear of someone who dies without a relationship with Jesus. How do I know that detail about their life? Obviously, I don’t know in every case, but when someone I know breathes their last, I usually have a pretty good sense which direction they’re headed when they die.

It’s not as subjective as one might be tempted to think. John writes in 1 John 5:11-12: “And this is what God has testified; He has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.” It’s not pious thoughts, holding to religious standards, living a good life, trusting karma or perceiving the right “energy” that gets us to heaven, it’s Jesus – ONLY Jesus.

Jesus said in John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.” It’s so simple, yet we stumble over its simplicity. There are two dimensions to our relationship with Jesus – we receive Him, but He also receives us. Christ resides in us in the Person of His Holy Spirit, but we also reside in Him.

In 1 Corinthians 2:12 Paul writes: “And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.” The Spirit is our teacher, guide, informer, protector, in short, the fullness of God present in our lives. But Paul also writes in Colossians 3:3: “For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Jesus isn’t our proverbial “rabbit’s foot” that we hold onto “just in case.” He’s not our back-up plan in case what we’re doing doesn’t work out. He’s our all or nothing; He’s our Rock upon whom we stand; He’s our life without whom we would not exist or survive; He’s the One in whom we’ve placed all our hopes for an eternity with God in heaven.

Some may ask: “How can I know for sure I’m saved? That I’m in a right relationship with Jesus? That I am His and He is mine?” On some levels that’s like asking me if I’m married. I can lift my left hand and let you look at the ring on my finger that points to December 18, 1993, the day we exchanged vows. But more than that I can introduce you to my wife – she’s real, she’s alive, she remains the love of my life.

This is too rich to not pursue. Let’s look more closely at how we can know we’re saved in tomorrow’s post.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Where Lies Your Love?

“These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.” (Matthew 15:8-9 NLT)

We worship what we love! Yet far too often what we worship reflects a greater love for ourselves than for God. In Romans 12:1 Paul zeros in on what acceptable worship of God should look like. He writes: “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him.”

Do you find it odd that Paul would plead with us to give God our bodies? Our bodies are designed by the Lord to become His Temple, His dwelling place on earth. But beyond even that, our bodies house our mind and heart, the proverbial “control centers” of our lives. They can be compared with a cockpit on an airplane. For all intent and purpose, our bodies are powerless to act except as the mind directs them.

Think of an airplane at 40,000 feet going 600 mph with no one at the controls. Am I hearing “recipe for disaster?” Yet, that’s actually a very good illustration of our lives when Jesus isn’t guiding our heart and mind and governing the use of our body. Paul’s plea to give our bodies to the Lord is his effort to help us understand the vital relationship between our mind, heart, soul, and body.

When you want to pursue a wholesome and God-honoring thought, how do you do that? You can think about it for years without significant change, but once you decide to act on it, you have only one option – to involve your body. Your hands, your voice, your legs. It’s similar when we offer God our worship. We can read God’s Word all day long, but unless and until what we’re reading is set in motion by our mind, heart, and feet, very little if anything of eternal value happens.

Kevin DeYoung wrote: “There is a gap between our love for the gospel and our love for godliness. This must change.” We can know all the right words, but if our lifestyles, governed largely by the investment of our body, are “preaching” a different “gospel” we’re going to be very ineffective for the Lord. If we dress immodestly, use inappropriate language, are flirtatious, or in other ways violate the clear teachings of God’s Word, we cease to act in loving and God-honoring ways.

If Jesus is a means to a more effective way of exalting ourselves, we cheapen the Gospel and put a knife in the heart of God. We seek to honor what we love, so we manipulate the Gospel to point people to ourselves rather than to Jesus first, thus dishonoring Him with our lips and offering an unacceptable offering to the Lord.

The Psalmist gives us an effective strategy to enable us to worship correctly, when he writes in Psalm 139:23-24: “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.”

If we want to quickly identify what we love, all we need to do is ask ourselves: “What do I think about most?” “What do I spend my time doing?” “On what do I spend my money?” If we love God, He will fill our minds, our hearts, our desires, our aspirations. We’ll give generously to further His eternal purposes, and we’ll devote our time reading and studying His Word, and serving in ways that exalt Jesus and help others to see Him more clearly.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

The Positive Purpose of Conflict

“For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh.” (Colossians 2:1 KJV)

In the verse above, the word translated “conflict” is the Greek word from which comes our English word “agony.” What Paul is describing is an agony of spirit which tugs at our heart and stretches our mind when we long to see God’s will and purposes carried out in each of our family members, friends, and others in our spheres of influence.

Typically, when we think of conflict we think of disagreements or negative encounters, but conflict can be a very useful tool in our relationships with others. Listen carefully to these words of Dr. Joe and Cindi Ferrini: “Ironically, as the two of us slowly learned to fight fair, we realized conflict actually moved us closer to healthiness. We’d had productive conversation. We understood a lot about ourselves, each other, our marriage, our expectations. And we learned to better serve each other for the long haul. Conflict was a fantastic instructor about listening well and not interrupting.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Or sticking to the topic when we want to bring everything up! Or never discussing divorce, so that working things out (and truly communicating) was our only option. Arguing also helped tame those highly-charged words (‘I’m furious!’) we can easily choose to prove a point. And allowing the other to talk first helped us communicate, ‘I’m listening. I want to understand.’ When we learn to maneuver through the little conflicts, it prepares us better for when the bigger ones pop up. (They will.) Conflict isn’t all bad. In fact, it could be one of your marriage’s best professors.

While these words are especially helpful in our marriages, unfortunately, marriage isn’t the only arena for conflict; however, the things we learn (hopefully) when conflict arises in our marriage and family, can also help us in other settings where we’re subject to disagreements and arguments (i.e. work, church, etc.).

When governed by the Spirit of God we can discipline ourselves to not lose control when confronted with someone with whom we have a disagreement. Ironically, it’s sometimes harder to do that with our spouse, kids, parents, siblings, and other family members than it is with someone we don’ know well. Somehow, we wrongly assume that it doesn’t matter as much because we “love” each other, but the fact is, it matters more in that environment.

My wife and I attended a Marriage Conference at our church recently and in one of the breakout sessions we were given some tools that hopefully will guide us in allowing the Lord to use the positive purposes of our conflicts to make our marriage better. As he began the session, Mark, the leader, said: “We’re attracted to the strengths of our partner, then we have to live with their weaknesses.” I thought: “My poor wife!” But it’s true, not only in marriage, but in other settings.

So, how do you navigate the differences we have with others with whom we want or must get along? Trying to change someone is futile, so Mark suggested three things: 1. Choose (it IS a choice) to focus on the positive that God made them to be, not simply on the things that anger or annoy you. 2. Celebrate your differences. Be thankful the Lord in His wisdom didn’t make any other person to be just like you. And 3. Honor one another – honor who the Lord made them to be.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Are You Stuck?

“’You will not succeed by your own strength or by your own power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD All-Powerful.” (Zechariah 4:6 NCV)

Our tendency, even as a believer, when we’re confronted with a major obstacle such as an illness, financial setback, relational or other type of problem is to ask the wrong question. Too often our question becomes: “Okay, how am I going to get through this? What am I going to do about this issue?”

When difficulties arise, we often get stuck because nothing we can come up with gives the answer we need, too often it only compounds the problem. Why is that? Largely because human understanding pales in comparison with the creativity and ingenuity of almighty God.

It took a long time for me to learn to turn immediately to the Lord, regardless of the proverbial “size” of the problem. Painting the ceiling, trimming a plant or tree, or dealing with the diagnosis that I have Alzheimer’s, all of them drove me to the feet of my Savior. Why? Because the scope of the problem isn’t the issue, dependence upon the Lord for every detail of my life is.

We get stuck when we depend on ourselves rather than the Lord, but that doesn’t mean we’re not involved in the process. My wife is a retired nurse and her “ex” is a Neurosurgeon who married another doctor who between them have decades of insight and wisdom. And you might say, “Wow, lucky you!” But don’t you see it has nothing to do with me, except that I’m God’s child.

There are no coincidences in God’s strategy. He put those resources in place before the beginning of time, not just for us, but for the hundreds, possibly thousands of people whose lives those two doctors have touched in their careers.

We tend to believe that having a relationship with Jesus is a “spiritual decision,” which of course it is, but it’s so very much more than that. We can take anything to the Lord, not because we’re imbeciles, but because He cares enough to be invested in every detail of our lives. So much so, even the hairs of our head are numbered (see Matthew 10:30).

Should we be concerned about our future? Of course! Am I concerned about what my future could look like? Yes, of course, but I also know that my future is in the Lord’s capable hands, and while my mind may fade to the point I don’t recognize anyone or even know who I am, my spirit will rest in knowing my Savior will never forget who I am.

It’s seasons like this that cause me to rejoice that I am not alone, nor will I ever be. I love the hymn whose second verse says: “When darkness veils His lovely face, I rest on His unchanging grace; In every high and stormy gale, My anchor holds within the veil. On Christ the solid Rock I stand; All other ground is sinking sand” (The Solid Rock).

Dear friend, please yield your life and allegiance to Jesus. Don’t waste time or energy blaming God for something He didn’t do. He didn’t give me Alzheimer’s and He hasn’t put you in the scenario in which you find yourself today. Allow Him to change your life, get you unstuck, and fill you with hope and wholeness you’ll find in no other way. Put your full trust in Him and rejoice in the fact that nothing you will ever face in this life can compare to an eternity of bliss with the only One who loves you enough to die for you.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

What Is Jesus Saying to You from the Cross?

“When Jesus saw His mother standing there beside the disciple He loved, He said to her, ‘Dear woman, here is your son.’ And He said to this disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from then on this disciple took her into his home.” (John 19:26-27 NLT)

Have you ever wondered why John was the only one of the remaining original 12 disciples that died of natural causes? Might John’s willingness to care for Jesus’ mom had something to do with that?

Whether it did or not, the fact is Jesus spoke directly to His mother and to John from the Cross. He also spoke to the man on the cross next to Him, but jwhat I’d like for us to consider today is this: What is Jesus saying to you and me from the Cross?

Ron Hutchcraft wrote: “The spikes pounded into the hands that shaped the universe. The ‘God, why have You forsaken Me?’ cry of God’s one and only Son. My heart’s screaming, ‘Why?’ The Bible answers in our word for today from the Word of God in Galatians 2:20. ‘The Son of God loved me and gave Himself for me.’

Did you get that? For me – that’s what levels me. Jesus chose to go through that hell for me. And hell it was, because the Bible says, ‘He personally carried our sins in His own body on the cross’ (1 Peter 2:24) – the pain, the guilt, the eternal separation from God for all the sinning of my life. Jesus took my hell so I could go to His heaven.

Yes, my heart has been to His cross. I went there with my sin and I left forgiven. I went there dirty and I came away clean. I went there without Him in my life and I left there with the promise I’ll never be without Him again. Because I got what He died for when those two words captured my heart. ‘For me.’ He did this for me.”

What about you? What is the Savior speaking to you from His Cross? Are you burdened by the weight of your sin? Is conviction of your sin eating you from the inside out? Are you tired of trying to be the lord of your own life? Listen as the Lord speaks your name when He says: “Come to Me, ________ (your name) all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

Are you tired of being empty, a shell trying to fill yourself with the trinkets of this world? John Blanchard wrote: “We will never crave to be filled until we are convinced that we are empty.” Hear the words of the Savior as He speaks to you: “I hung on the Cross to pay the penalty for your sins. You were on My mind when life drained from My body. I gave My life in your place so you could miss hell and come to heaven to be with Me. Please don’t wait another second. Let me fill and empower you to live a life you never dreamed possible! All you need to do is see that what I did on that Cross was for you!”

If you’ve not yet yielded your life and allegiance to Jesus, please don’t wait another second. As you look at the Cross, I pray as you see what He did there you’ll be able to understand and say in your own heart: “For ME!”

If you’re not sure how to give your life to the Lord please click the highlighted link and go to Ron Hutchcraft’s Bridge illustration.

Blessings, Ed 😊

What’s Motivating Your Change?

“He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like His own, using the same power with which He will bring everything under His control.” (Philippians 3:21 NLT)

Repentance literally means: “a change of mind, as it appears to one who repents, of a purpose he has formed or of something he has done.” (Strong’s) Nothing of substance changes in our thoughts, attitudes, or actions unless and until we change the way we think about whatever it is. For example, let’s say I’m living with my girlfriend out of wedlock. All my friends are doing it so what’s the big deal.

Then I have an encounter with Jesus. I give Him my heart, mind, soul, and body. Suddenly what I’ve been doing becomes repulsive to me. Why? Because the Holy Spirit will not abide in a heart that desires sin more than holiness. So, He convicts us of our sin, but it’s up to us to make the change. All change begins in our mind – how we think about it, and our thoughts motivate us to allow the Lord to change our heart that leads to a change in our behavior.

Lonnie Free wrote: “A change of behavior only glorifies God if it is motivated by a change of heart.” Some have the attitude that they can “fake it ‘til they make it,” but that never works for a believer in Jesus. We may fool ourselves, our friends, and the people at church, but we’ll never succeed at fooling our Savior.

One thing we can easily get confused, especially as a new believer, is what our role as a believer really is. Should we just be the best us as we seek to build our kingdom on earth, or should we forsake all notions of doing anything for ourselves and focus only on building God’s Kingdom?

Matthew 6:33 records the words of our Savior when He said: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.” In this season of my life all I want is what God wants for me. I’ve learned to trust His judgment, because in every detail of my life He knows me better than I know myself. He knows better what I need than I know myself.

As I contemplate those words, I must consider what I’m writing. Am I saying that in God’s estimation what I need at this point in my life is to have Alzheimer’s? If I understand Scripture, nothing touches my life or yours, if you’re a believer, except it passes through the filter of God’s permission, and He allows nothing except He intends it to be used for our good and His glory.

So, yes, I have to believe the Lord knows exactly what He’s doing, so, while I would never in a million years choose a debilitating disorder of the mind and body for myself, I’m perfectly willing to trust that the Lord knows best. This one thing I know – I exist to do His bidding, so, if this disease will give me a platform to share my Savior with someone that I might never know otherwise, it will have been worth it all. If there’s one person who will be in heaven because of what I’m going to go through, so be it!

Francis Schaeffer wrote: “We are not building God’s kingdom. He is building his kingdom, and we are praying for the privilege of being involved.“ So, here’s the bottom line: If anything but our love and devotion to Jesus is motivating any change in us, it’s a waste of time, energy, and resources. Why? Because if it doesn’t advance the Kingdom of God it’s of no value to us or our Savior.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Pray for America

“Then if my people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT)

An American believer was visiting China and he found a small Christian bookstore tucked away on an upper floor of an old building. As he perused their books he also found a section of miscellaneous things including a refrigerator magnet that said: “Pray for America.”

Ron Hutchcraft wrote: “If you’re an American Christian, you probably think of China as a place we need to pray for – and it is. But in China, apparently, they think they need to pray for us, and indeed they do. Their faith is passionate there; ours is often so casual, so powerless. What for Chinese believers is a passion is for too many of us a profession, a bunch of religious activities or a religious business.

We have so much, and yet in terms of spiritual power and passion, some think we seem to have so little. They have so little and yet, in many ways, they have so much. I’m glad and I’m humbled that they’re praying for us.”

In this election year we’re so prone to believe if we elect the right people our nation will get back on track, but it’s not the politicians who will get our once great land back on track. It’s you and me who love Jesus and are willing to humble ourselves before God and pray, not just “say prayers,” but let our heart ache for our need of God to do what only He can do – in, and on our behalf.

America wasn’t great because of our buildings, businesses, and bustling cities, it was great because we were once dependent upon a great God. We can blame everyone else for prayer and God’s Word, being taken not only out of our schools, but out of our hearts, but we have no one to blame but ourselves. As Americans we no longer have a backbone or the courage to stand for what is right.

We elect politicians whom we believe will make things better for us, give us better healthcare, or secure for us better wages. Our favorite radio station is still WIIFM – “What’s In It For Me!” Until we stop looking out for “me” and start looking out for “US,” it’s only going to get worse. And by “us” I’m not thinking only of our fellow Americans, but our fellow Jesus followers.

Nothing will ever change for the better without prayer, followed by courageous living based not on how we feel about ourselves or anything else, but solely dependent upon a move of God to change us from the inside out. Our nation doesn’t have a chance to be anything but what it is until the Church takes a stand for what is good and right.

Until we’re ready to humble ourselves, pray, seek the face of Almighty God, and turn from our wicked ways, there will be no restoration of our land. Restoration of “lands” follows restoration of God’s people. We can’t have one without the other.

So, where will it begin? First, in my heart and yours, in my family and yours, in my church and yours. Please, we must pray for an unprecedented move of God, for nothing of significance will ever happen without the Lord.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊