Walking With Jesus

Are You Counting Your Blessings?

“He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!” (Psalm 103:3-5 NLT)

Each morning as I prepare to eat my cheerios, I pause to look around at all the beauty that surrounds me because of the grace, mercy, and kindness of my heavenly Father. And I see not only the material blessings with which He has so freely provided, but my beautiful bride, my precious children and granddaughter, and the freedoms I enjoy in this country that I often take for granted.

Gratitude is a gift we too often leave unopened, but because of our negligence we soon become enmeshed in the small world of ourselves. Selfishness is not only the sin of the world “out there,” but of each of us who forget God’s abundant blessings to us.

When we focus on ourselves and our “little” needs, we lose the gift of seeing the much larger picture of all that God is doing, not only for us, but around us, in us, and through us. And even as I write I’m reminded of what it was like to have a child with cancer, to lose a loved one or pet, or to be penniless and out of work.

These and many other serious concerns are far from “little” to us, but when we limit our frame of reference to what’s happening to us or in us, we lose a valuable opportunity to realize life is not about us, thus, we forfeit the privilege of being grateful.

James reminds us in chapter 1:2: “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” To express gratitude is to express joy for being in a love relationship with the King of kings and Lord of lords. Donald Grey Barnhouse wrote: “The vast majority of mankind never gives a thought of gratitude towards God for all His care and blessings.” Gratitude and joy should be closely aligned in the heart of a Jesus follower.

It’s to remember our place in the heart of the Father and to joyfully sing praises to the only One who truly deserves it. If you struggle with gratitude or with having a joyful heart in times of affliction, gaze at the Cross and ponder its magnificence. The world will never know the full extent of what Jesus accomplished through His selfless sacrifice for the sin of all mankind.

We forget how valuable our little toe is until we jam it into a corner of the dresser, then there’s no part of our body to which we give more attention. Why should conflict and pain give rise to gratitude? Because they reveal things for which we should have been thankful all along but have been too preoccupied with other things to notice.

Counting our blessings is an intentional practice that will lead to unexpected, but much appreciated results. When we intentionally and consistently express gratitude to someone for a job well done, what happens? It not only makes them feel good in the moment, but it also gives them increased incentive to keep doing a great job. It illustrates very vividly that someone has taken notice of their good work.

But what happens if that gratitude is never expressed? It robs us of an opportunity to bless someone else, but it also robs us of the good feeling we have in thinking of someone other than ourselves. Blessings are abundant to the one whose spirit is tuned to see them, and the rewards for expressing gratitude for them are out of this world!

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Are You Pondering Your Path?

“Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.” (Proverbs 4:26-27 NLT)

Did you choose the path of your life or did your path choose you? Is the direction your life is heading going to lead to life or death? Sickness or health? Happiness or heartache? Is the path you’re following leading to a place of your choosing or is it simply the default end to an aimless life?

In Proverbs 5:6 Solomon wrote in reference to an immoral woman: “Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave. For she cares nothing about the path to life. She staggers down a crooked trail and doesn’t realize it.” The sad reality is these words can describe far more people than an immoral woman.

“A Difficult Road” “Used by permission, © Ray Majoran, GlimpseOfInfinity.com”

That could describe many in our families, workplaces, neighborhoods, schools, and places of recreation. Most people in the world today fall into this category – thoughtlessly following the path of least resistance because it seems right or feels right but is leading them to a Christless eternity. We choose the difficult path when we choose Jesus!

When Jesus walked earth’s pathways, He had intent in every step. Nothing was by accident, and nothing caught Him by surprise. His path was planned and followed with thoughtfulness from start to finish and as Jesus followers our paths should be followed with purpose-filled intent as well.

Why do we do the things we do? Don’t they deserve our best efforts? Shouldn’t they be thought out with purposeful consideration? Why are you getting up in the morning? To go to work? Why? And why there? Are you raising a family? Why? With what purposeful end? Are you retired? Why? With what end in mind? What do you believe will happen if we don’t think about these things?

As you stand at the end of your life are you filled with regret over all you could have or should have done? Why? Was it because you didn’t give it enough thought when you were younger? Is it too late to do anything about it?

Today I remembered with regret how I treated pets and people during my life. Obviously, there’s nothing I can do about that…or is there? If we don’t learn from our mistakes, what are we destined to do with them? Repeat them! But what if today, right now, in this exact moment we thoughtfully considered our next step – where is it leading? Why am I taking this step? Do I have any options? Will the next step I take lead me to a purposeful end?

If we don’t ponder the direction of the path we’re on, who will? If we’re not intentional about the logical end to which our path is leading, why not? And yes, of course, there are things over which we have no control, but there are many more over which we do have control. Your eternal destiny is completely in your control! It’s your decision, no one else’s.

Whether you get fired from your job, have an accident on your way to church, or drive through rain are likely not decisions you will make for yourself, but whether you buy a pet, eat ham for dinner, or go to hell ARE very much your decision.

Too often we give more thought to what ingredients go into a casserole than what steps we need to take to live a holy life. Please, for Christ’s sake, pay attention to where you’re going! Carefully ponder where the decisions you’re making today are leading you. Think before you speak to your spouse, your child, your neighbor, your boss, and every other person to whom you’ll speak today. Don’t carelessly change the course of your life over something stupid.

If you don’t ponder your path, who will?

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Do You Hate Your Sin?

“They kept demanding an answer, so He stood up again and said, ‘All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!’” (John 8:7 NLT)

We are very reluctant to face our own sin unless or until we have no choice. My sense is that to be in the presence of Jesus is to see yourself in a new way. The men who stood poised to end the life of a woman caught “in the act of adultery” were blinded to their own sin by their self-righteousness. To drag a woman they’d set up just to see how Jesus would react reveals their heart by revealing their motive. It’s much easier to overlook our own sin when we’re pointing out someone else’s.

These men had no clue how it all would play out, but my guess is they never dreamed how Jesus would point them back to their own sin. Rosario Butterfield wrote: “Love the sinner but hate the sin? Even better: Love the sinner but hate your own sin.”

Hating our own sin, as I understand it, isn’t self-condemnation or constantly beating ourselves up for all the ways we’ve violated our Savior or dishonored Him through our thoughts, attitudes, or actions. To me it’s more an issue of self-awareness. It’s recognizing that we’re all in the same boat and none of us is any better than another.

Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com

We’re all lost sheep who by God’s grace have been given the privilege of finding a new Shepherd. We did nothing to earn or deserve to be loved by God, but we reveal how much His love means to us by how we love others. When we hate the sins of others more than our own sin, it’s usually because their sin has negatively impacted our lives in some way.

When my wife left me for another man, while my heart was broken, it wasn’t the fault of the man into whose arms she found solace, it was my fault. My sin drove her away! My inability to love her like Jesus, pushed her away, and I had no one to blame but myself. There’s likely never been a time in my life when I most hated my sin.

If we ever hope to be effective in our walk with the Lord, we need to keep the spotlight on our own heart. The sins of others, while they may be different, aren’t any better or worse than our sin. Sin is sin and sin separates us from God and from one another. We should be the first to offer reconciliation when a brother or sister falls. We gain nothing by condemning or shunning them.

Sometime after our divorce, while I was attending a district church meeting, a young man who was part of a singing group who’d performed at a church I served, walked up to me and asked: “Where’s _______ (my former wife’s first name)?” I told him what I sensed he already knew when I said: “We’re no longer together.” He asked no questions, made no comment, but the expression on his face said it all as he turned and walked away.

Sometimes we act like someone’s sin is contagious, it’s as if when we embrace or forgive them, it’s going to have a negative effect on us. Aren’t you grateful that’s not how the Lord views our sin? One of the most telling scenes in all the Bible to me, in terms of the kind of Savior we love, is when He asked: “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” Then after she affirmed that none did, Jesus said to her these welcoming words: “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

I won’t know for sure until I get to heaven, but I believe this woman was the one who poured the expensive ointment on Jesus’ feet, dried them with her hair, and couldn’t stop kissing them. She’s my hero when it comes to expressing her love to Jesus. Nothing I’ve ever done comes close.

I’m glad Jesus loved her and forgave her, and when I meet her, I won’t be looking for her sin, I’ll be looking for one of the biggest smiles and most loving hearts in heaven.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Avenues of Doing God’s Work

“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” (Colossians 3:23 NLT)

On some levels it seemed odd to me that the only job I could find after my divorce was selling cars. And realizing that car salespersons ranked right up there with bank robbers and thugs, I determined that I would be as transparent and honest as I could be. Though I got off to a slow start, the Lord blessed my efforts and allowed me to win a contest that enabled me to take my then 16-year-old daughter to the Bahamas for a vacation. The dealership paid for my trip and gave me $500 spending money, which was a generous amount in those days.

It taught me that whatever I did vocationally, if it gave me opportunities to honor the Lord, it became an avenue of doing the Lord’s work. There were at least two avenues of influence the Lord gave me in the secular jobs I had. One was with my co-workers and the second was with my customers.

When the Lord is leading us, we can always exalt and honor Him when we develop a work ethic that is Christ centered. It became quickly apparent when my co-workers learned I’d been a Pastor that they were watching and scrutinizing my every move, but it also gave me opportunity to make friends quickly when they found out I wasn’t going to “preach” to them or criticize their every move.

The point is, wherever we work it can become a mission field when we allow the Lord Jesus to open our heart and eyes to see what He sees. Tim Keller wrote: “Our vocations are one avenue for doing God’s work in the world.” But the reality is, our vocations are only one of many avenues of opportunity to do God’s work.

Ministry is any place we are, knowing the Lord is already there. Everyplace we go we intersect God investing Himself in the hearts and lives of needy people. What constitutes a “needy” person? If they have a pulse they have needs. Every person needs Jesus and even those who profess faith in Him have weaknesses and frailties that prevent us from being all the Lord died to enable us to be.

Taking time on a break at work or even in the course of working with someone or some group of persons on a project gives us opportunity to let the light of Christ’s love and life shine through us. Are we helpful, cooperative, patient, supportive, have a positive attitude, and many other ways can exhibit the character of Christ without ever using His holy Name.

Treating people disrespectfully because they use foul language, are crude, or in many other ways upset our sensibilities is to cease to be Jesus in that environment. Do you dare believe Jesus never encountered irreverent, blasphemous, and difficult people? Yet, He never demeaned them or disrespected them because it wasn’t in His nature to act that way.

Every avenue of our lives is an avenue of doing God’s work – our home, family, neighbors, church, small groups, recreation, as well as work can all be significant avenues of potential “work” for the Lord. Love is one of the most significant ways we do ministry whatever scenario the Lord places us in. And sometimes the hardest place to love like Jesus is in our own homes.

It’s ironic that the people who know us best cut us the least slack, thus, are often the hardest to consistently love like Jesus loves. Perhaps that’s why He intentionally placed us in families. If we can learn to be authentic in our love for Jesus in our own families, I believe the other settings are the proverbial “pieces of cake.”

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Loving or Serving?

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let Me.” (Matthew 23:37 NLT)

In the later verses of Luke 10 we find Jesus visiting in the home of Mary and Martha. Martha is busying herself preparing a big meal for Jesus and His disciples, while Mary is enthralled by the gift of sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening to His words. Often, we wrongly assume that Martha was wrong, and Mary was right in that scenario, but loving Jesus isn’t an either-or situation.

Loving Jesus means serving Him but serving and loving go hand in hand. Ron Hutchcraft says in reference to this passage: “Jesus, of course, wasn’t condoning laziness. He was applauding the priority of loving Him over serving Him…of spending time with Him over doing things for Him. Yes, our love will result in serving and doing things for Him, but it has to be anchored in spending time with Him.”

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Our serving has to be bathed in our waiting and listening. That’s why daily reading and pondering God’s Word is so critical. We too often want to race to the service line for Jesus, but in so doing we leave Him sitting, waiting for us to prepare our heart, mind, and soul for that service.

Servants are what we are, but servants listen to their Master’s instructions. David in Psalm 119:72 said: “Your instructions are more valuable to me than millions in gold and silver.” Serving without listening voids the value of our service. We must learn to read God’s Word as if we were listening to those words coming from the mouth of our Savior.

In the verses from Matthew at the top of the page Jesus is grieving over the city that won’t listen to Him, but the tragedy is that His tears are often shed because those of us who claim His holy name leave Him waiting, ignoring His invitations, and crippling our ability to serve well in the process.

Kevin DeYoung wrote: “We are not saved just by sitting in pews. We are not saints just by showing up on Sunday morning.” We want to believe that because we “sacrifice” our time to attend worship, that’s the sum of our “Christian” commitment. Christ revealed on a Cross His commitment to us. Do you think squeezing into a comfortable chair for an hour on Sunday morning is going to satisfy our commitment to Him?

F. B. Meyer wrote: “Lord, I cannot hope to sit on your right or your left in your kingdom, but permit me to sit at your feet and hear your Word.” That’s a prayer you and I should pray every morning and throughout our day. As with God the Father we want to get too chummy with Jesus, forgetting He’s our Lord, not our sidekick.

Yes, of course He laughs and cries with us, but that doesn’t give us the right to take His sacrifice on our behalf lightly or casually. We – YOU and I – deserved to be on that Cross, not the sinless Son of God. Thinking of how much we owe Him and all that we leave undone because of our busyness should bring us to our knees in shame and disgust with ourselves.

Worship cannot and must not be a Sunday morning “sacrifice” we make to appease God, rather a moment-by-moment practice regardless of whatever else is going on in our lives. If we leave Jesus at the door of our work, home, or times of recreation, we haven’t yet learned that He’s Lord of all or He’s not Lord at all!

Loving or serving? They’re one and the same or should be!

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

What Saves Us?

“If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.” (Mark 8:35 NLT)

Are you saved? There are only three definitive answers to this question: yes, no, or I don’t know. Why is it so important to know with certainty that you are saved? What does it mean to be saved? And, to the point of this article, what saves you?

Jesus’ words above speak to the circumstantial evidence that you are or are not saved. How so? What does “hang on to your life” look like? It essentially means to do what seems best to you without regard to what God or His Word instructs you to do. Hanging on to your life means to let go of God or to not hang on to Him.

It’s like a drowning person hanging on to a scrap of wood that’s keeping them afloat, but destined to lead them to their death, or letting go of the piece of wood and grabbing the life preserver that’s being extended to them from the lifeboat. As strange and unbelievable as it seems, there are billions of people who are hanging on to their life with all that is within them, not realizing that to do so is an eternal death sentence.

It’s vitally important to seek God by giving up ownership of our own life; otherwise, we give ourselves to our own fate, which is an eternity without hope. To be saved basically means to yield our will to God’s will in every avenue of our being. It’s to allow the Holy Spirit to take control of our life and guide us to our eternal shore. But how does that happen? How can I know that I’m saved and headed to heaven?

R.C. Sproul wrote: “No one is saved by a mere profession of faith. One must possess faith.” How can you tell the difference between the two? Millions of people have made “professions of faith.” Thousands of people have gone forward in Billy Graham crusades or in many other types of religious settings. For the most part I believe they’re sincerely seeking a change of heart and/or life, but a very high percentage of those who make professions don’t follow through to actually allow the Lord to have leadership in their lives.

Many blame their past for the person they’ve become and now believe it’s too late for them to change. And it may well be, but that’s not our call. Crawford Loritts wrote: “Your past may explain you but it doesn’t excuse you.” There are those who blame God for all they’ve had to experience in their lives, believing they’ve already suffered enough for their sins and God owes them a free pass to heaven. Unfortunately, that’s not how it works.

John Blanchard said: “Faith that goes no further than the head can never bring peace to the heart.” We can believe we are worthy of salvation or that we’d never in a million years ever be worthy, but both misunderstand and/or misread what the Bible says about salvation. Salvation is a free, unmerited gift of God, not based on anything we’ve done or ever could do to deserve it.

What saves us is faith in God’s completed work through Christ on the Cross. Salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone. Our salvation was purchased by Jesus’ blood. Satan will seek with everything within him to rob you of salvation, but the simple truth is – whosoever will may come! Oswald Chambers wrote: “Never let the sense of past failure defeat your next step.”

Regardless of who you are or what you’ve done, place your trust in the risen Lord Jesus, by repenting and confessing your need of Him, then let Him fill you with His Spirit and walk with you each step. Salvation isn’t a one step process. It has past, present, and future implications. I have been saved, I am being saved, and one day, praise God, I will be forever saved.

So, the only question that remains is: Have you been saved?

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

A Time to Grieve

“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven…A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4 NLT)

Rick Warren wrote: “There is this myth that Christians should be always smiling, always happy, always cheerful. But the Bible says, ‘There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens . . . a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance’ (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4 NIV). Sometimes the only appropriate, logical response to life is grief. The Bible says you should grieve over your losses, including your disappointments, your sin, the suffering in the world, and your friends who are spiritually lost. God doesn’t expect you to be happy all the time. In fact, he wants you to be intentional in your grief.”

Life demands balance, thus, it’s helpful that in every season of our lives we seek closeness with the Lord. Why is that so vital? Because the Lord is all-knowing, all-compassionate, all-loving. He will provide exactly what we need when we need it. And that’s critically important because without His intervention we’ll tend to get stuck in any given season.

This portrait by A. Banwell was given to me as a gift by a very dear friend, following Lola’s passing in 2018.

Yes, of course, there are things that happen to us that we’ll never “get over,” but by God’s grace and with His help, we can move beyond. God’s plan is for us, not to forget, but to invest! How so? I’ve had dogs most of my adult life, but they’re not simply pets, they’re family. So, when my dog dies its heart wrenching. I can’t just turn off my pain and move on. It takes time to grieve. But by God’s grace I can share what I learned in my pain with someone else.

A friend at church, in the last few months, lost his daughter and his dog. And please don’t misunderstand. There’s no comparison between losing a child and a pet, but both have a significant place in our heart and demand significant time from which to heal.

Pastor Rick continues: “You need to grieve that hurt. Why? Because if you don’t grieve, you get stuck emotionally, and you spend the rest of your life reacting to something that happened a long time ago and taking it out on the people around you. It’s unhealthy!

David talked about this in Psalm 32:3: ‘When I kept things to myself, I felt weak deep inside me. I moaned all day long’ (NCV). The bad things that happen to you are not your choice. But grief is a choice! You’ve got to let yourself mourn losses so that you can move forward to emotional and spiritual health.”

Two things that have helped me in times of grief. First, I cut myself some slack and let the Lord lead me through my season of pain in a healthy way. How so? By God’s grace I sought to share my pain with those who gave me permission to share. I found that talking about my lost loved one or pet, softened death’s blow and on some levels, lessoned my heartache.

Does that mean I quickly forgot? Even as I write these words, I’m fighting back the tears that surface as I think of the losses in my life. Grief is an important and necessary season, but, gratefully, it, too, shall pass.

The second very helpful piece of grief to me is finding someone who is suffering to comfort. No one understands grief like someone who is grieving. There are times all someone needs is someone to care enough to sit with them. Grief sharing is a very helpful ministry when we understand that it often doesn’t need words.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

The Pain of the Empty Seat

“As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation – a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth.” 2 Thessalonians 2:13 NLT)

What constitutes salvation? What does it take on our part to respond appropriately and effectively to Jesus’ invitation to follow Him? According to Paul in the verse above there are two critical ingredients. First, it’s a salvation that comes through the Spirit, which results in our holiness, and second, it’s a salvation that must be accompanied by belief in the truth.

Because God is a gentleman, He will never force His will on us. He extends an invitation from the Spirit, which we will either receive or reject. That’s our part. The cleansing, purifying, sanctifying of our heart, mind, and soul is a work only the Spirit can accomplish. We are helpless to cleanse ourselves of our sin.

By the Spirit’s indwelling presence, He teaches us how to avoid and be protected from Satan’s attacks, but, here again, it’s a joint process. The Spirit who lives within will equip and enable us to defend ourselves, but we must put on God’s armor in order to be prepared for battle.

When I think of salvation and sanctification I envision a railroad track – two parallel tracks upon which the “train” of our faith travels. And the engine of that train is belief in the truth of who God is and what He has given us in His holy Word – embodied in Jesus and recorded in the Bible.

Salvation is all God, but sanctification, the Work of His Holy Spirit working in and through us, is a joint venture. We can’t live effectively and fruitfully without the Spirit, but the Spirit won’t do the work in and through us without our permission and cooperation. We grow as we work cooperatively with the Spirit, submitting ourselves in humble dependence upon the Spirit’s strength, knowledge, and direction.

But what does any of this have to do with “The Pain of the Empty Seat?” John MacArthur wrote: “Some pastors feel the pain of the empty seat. If they take discipleship and sanctification seriously they’ll feel the weight of the occupied one.” Many, likely most, churches have not recovered from the Covid-19 setback in attendance.

Many churches closed, but when they reopened only a fraction of their previous attendance was regained. That speaks loudly about at least two things: first, the parishioners obviously didn’t see value in what they were receiving, at least not enough to return. But the second glaring issue is the immaturity of the believers themselves. When so-called “Jesus followers” are attending simply for what they can get out of it, their faith is likely an inch deep and a mile wide.

Churches and Pastors are responsible to offer Biblical instruction and a framework in which believers can learn how to build their lives on the rock of dependence upon Christ and a foundation of positive Christian disciplines. If it’s offered and I don’t avail myself of it, shame on me. I will feel the pain of the empty seat. But if I have desire to learn and to grow and the church body doesn’t have the framework whereby they can help me do those things, shame on them. They will feel the pain of the empty seat.

As we grow in Christ the Lord gives us discernment that enables us to seek out what the Lord makes clear to us, we need. As a believer I’m responsible to follow a pattern of Spirit-directed habits or disciplines that will keep me focused on Jesus through daily reading, studying, and seeking to apply Biblical instruction. If the church I attend isn’t offering opportunities to hear the Word in preaching, applying the Word in service opportunities, and growth potential through small groups, I either need to have a discussion with the leadership and/or find another church. I don’t just quit attending. That’s spiritual suicide.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

The Precious Link

“And the man of God had said, ‘You will see it happen with your own eyes, but you won’t be able to eat any of it!’ And so it was, for the people trampled him to death at the gate!” (2 Kings 7:19b-20 NLT)

What is it that ties you to the people you love? To your spouse, children, grandchildren, and others in your family that you’ve grown to love and cherish over the years? What is that precious link that you’d die to preserve? We often refer to it as love, but is that all it is?

In 2 Kings 6 King Ben-hadad of Aram has gathered his entire army to besiege Samaria, which resulted in a great famine. It was so severe people were literally killing and eating their children. The king of Israel was furious and decided it was God’s fault, so, he sent a messenger to bring him the Prophet Elisha because he was God’s representative.

2 Kings7 tells the story of the messenger’s arrival and Elisha’s prophecy that the very next day God would intervene, and the famine would end. The verse above is what Elisha told him. And it all happened as Elisha said it would. What is the relevance for us?

In my mind and heart, I believe every person who walks closely with God carries a burden of unanswered prayer; a concern that only God can provide, but to date hasn’t. It may be a lost loved one, a healing, or provision of some kind for which you feel you are in desperate need. What is it that is sustaining you? What is that precious link to God that keeps you holding on?

Elisha painted a clear picture for the king’s messenger, but because of his unbelief, though he saw God’s answer with his own eyes, he was killed before he could enjoy it. On some levels doubt and unbelief are some of Satan’s most effective weapons in keeping us from embracing the truth. God clearly tells us that He will never leave or forsake us, but too often we trust our feelings more than God’s Word, so we faulter and miss what God has promised.

God uses the most unlikely characters in 2 Kings 7 to fulfill His plan – four lepers! Often, He’ll use unconventional means to deliver His answer to us, and we’re so prone to miss it unless we’re attentive to His voice. One of the most valuable lessons the Lord has taught me, I nearly missed because it came to me, not through a friend, but a critic.

Who is it in your life whom God may be trying to use to speak a message to you, but you’re reluctant because of the source? When the lepers came to announce that the Aramean army had deserted their camp, the king of Israel was suspect. He believed it was a ploy of the enemy to get the Israelites out of their walled city.

How often do we miss the Lord’s instruction because we have to prove it before we believe it? Why is it so difficult for us to take God at His Word? The most precious link between us and God is faith, most often verified through trust. I have faith that my wife loves me, but there are times I’m not quick to trust her judgment when it comes to food.

She loves to eat a lot of things I don’t love. My rule of thumb is: “If it doesn’t pass the ‘nose test,’ it doesn’t’ get in my mouth!” If my nose rebels at its smell, I don’t eat it! But lately I’ve been more open to trust my wife when she brings a spoon of something she’s cooking and says, “Try this. See what you think.” Remember what the Psalmist said in 34:8: “Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him.”

We must not allow our precious faith link to God to be broken because of our personal preferences, doubts, and fears.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

When It Comes Time to Die

“Jesus continued, ‘You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not. That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I Am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.’” (John 8:23-24 NLT)

It may not be a common practice today, but when my kids were small, and I was “financially challenged,” especially around birthdays or Christmas, I would use the option some stores offered, to lay things away. That essentially meant I didn’t have to pay all at once, I could pay a little at a time and I wouldn’t be charged any interest or penalties.

In Hebrews 9:27-28 it says: “And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again , not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for Him.” The word translated “destined” means: “to be laid away, reserved.”

Most people don’t realize or care to think about the fact that they have a reservation with God. He is awaiting their arrival at death’s door. It’s inescapable, but He has arranged for us to have a “layaway plan.” His name is Jesus and He will hold our lives in His care until the day He will personally deliver us to His Father in heaven – without any penalty!

How can that be? How is it possible to avoid judgment? Actually, it’s not. Our sin debt demanded payment in full, a debt we couldn’t possibly have paid, but Jesus designed a “layaway plan” whereby He would lay down His sinless life in our place. Then when we admitted our inability to pay our own sin debt and believed that what He did on the Cross was for us, we could be forgiven our debt and set free of its eternal consequences.

“But that’s too good to be true!” some will no doubt think. And I would have to agree, it absolutely is! But the fact is, it is 100% true. How do I know? Because the One who made it possible is 100% reliable. He has never, ever lied. In fact, He’s God in human flesh, so, it’s impossible for Him to lie.

So, that leaves only one thing of which we need to be certain: have we settled our sin “account” with Jesus? “How do I do that?” In much the same way as I would lay away toys or clothes for my kids, you must open an account. For literal purchases here on earth we need money. Money is the currency of earth, but in heaven you don’t need money, you need faith.

Faith is the currency of heaven, so, by faith you go to the Lord Jesus and say: “Lord Jesus I have sinned against You. I’ve incurred a sin-debt that I could never in eternity ever pay. So, I’m putting my faith, my trust, in You, Lord Jesus, and I believe what You did on the Cross You did for me. I confess my sin and am asking You to forgive me, cleanse me of my sin, and fill me with Yourself that I may walk in obedience to Your directives for my life. I trust Your Holy Spirit to guide and guard me as I learn to walk faithfully with and for You. Thank You, Lord, for hearing my prayer, for forgiving me and giving me new life in You.”

Missionary and martyr Jim Elliot wrote: “When the time comes to die, make sure that all you have to do is die!” Honestly, I can’t pretend to know all he meant by that, but of this one thing I’m certain. Whatever baggage we’re carrying will be left behind when we die. Just make certain you’re not leaving someone else in charge of the apologies that need to be made, the debts that need to be paid, monetarily and otherwise. As it relies on you, clear your heart and mind of everything that needs to be said and done on earth before you close your eyes in death.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊