Walking With Jesus

Life’s Most Frightening Storms

“Then Peter called to Him, ‘Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.’ ‘Yes, come,’ Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. ‘Save me, Lord!’ he shouted.” (Matthew 14:28-30 NLT)

These are some of the most fascinating and unbelievable words in the Bible to me. How does a man walk on the water? It’s impossible, right? But since I believe the God of the Bible can do the impossible, I believe this scenario happened just as it’s written – but it still baffles me. Why?

Consider the context. This is following the feeding of the 5,000 men and their families, a miracle of unparalleled effect on the disciples. How does anyone but God multiply enough food to feed, conservatively 20,000 people, from five loaves and two fish and still have 12 baskets full leftover? Can you begin to imagine how pumped they were as they made their way across the water?

Then the sudden storm, with “strong wind” and “heavy waves.” And then, perhaps as the lightning brightened their surroundings, they saw someone walking on the water. The Bible then says: “In their fear, they cried out, ‘It’s a ghost!’” But Jesus assured them it was Him, and that’s when Peter asked to come to Him on the water.

Think about that for a minute. Have you ever been in a rainstorm with the wind howling? It’s not easy to hear anything but the wind and rain. They had to have been shouting at the top of their lungs. And remember, the boat is still rocking, battered by the heavy waves when Peter is trying to get out of it. But he climbs over the side, gets his balance, and begins to walk toward Jesus.

Can you feel Peter’s heart pounding? Can you even begin to imagine what was racing through his mind? But as long as his eyes were locked on the eyes of His Savior, he made progress, but the second he got distracted down he went. The Bible says: “Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. ‘You have so little faith,’ Jesus said. ‘Why did you doubt Me?’”

How like us in the frightening storms we face in our lives. Physical, emotional, mental, financial, relational and spiritual problems rock us like we’re in a boat on a stormy sea, and we’re looking everywhere for Jesus. “God, where are You? Why are you letting this happen to me?” Seeming oblivious to His ever-present Spirit who resides in each of His blood-bought children.

To me the question is never “Where is Jesus?” The question to me is – “Where am I?” Am I being so distracted by the storms of life I’ve lost sight of Him? Am I so discouraged by “my” circumstances that I forget the Lord of “my” life? Did you catch Jesus’ question when He rescued Peter? “Why did you doubt Me?” What’s the clear implication?

Every storm is designed by God specifically for each of us to grow in our faith. For those just starting out on their faith journey it may be a minor “scrape” or “bruised knee.” But for those who have walked with the Lord a while we may hear words like: “It’s cancer!” or “I’m leaving you!” or “We’re foreclosing!” or “You’re fired!”

Two things to never let the storm cause you to lose sight of: Jesus is always close by, and He’ll always be reaching out to rescue you. Does that guarantee that bad things won’t happen to you? That He’ll prevent the storms of life from sinking you? Not necessarily. But it does guarantee that He won’t let you drown.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Praying For Children Moving Away From Home

“For the angel of the Lord is a guard; He surrounds and defends all who fear Him.” (Psalm 34:7)

*May this powerful devotional by Sylvia Gunter guide us as we seek to release our children and grandchildren to the watchful care of our Savior. Blessings, Ed (used with permission)

It is humorously said that God could not be everywhere, so He made mothers. From the earliest times when we sent the children off to Grandma’s, to camp, or to a night at a friend’s house, we have to admit a wrenching relinquishment of our watchful care into the hands of another. There comes a time when that young person has to be turned over completely to the care of God. And He is enough for our mother’s heart.

Pray this way:

Father, I come boldly to Your throne in Jesus’ name for mercy and grace. I worship You and thank You for (my child). In Your sovereign power and love, You loaned (our child) to us to enjoy for a season. I put into Your hands, where there is only safety. Thank You for Your direction in their life that has led them to this new place in Your purposes.

You are Lord of heaven and earth, King of kings, Most High God. You are the Commander of the armies of heaven, and You are by (my child’s) side. Your Word says that they have mighty angels accompanying them, fighting those who fight against them (Ps. 34:7, 35:5-6, 91:11-13). Thank You for protecting (my child) by appointing angels around them at all times to guard them in Your perfect peace, righteousness, and purposes. Your shield of victory and safety in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ defends them everywhere they go. Provide for them a place of invisibility and immunity to spiritual attack under the shelter of Your almighty wings.

In Jesus’ name, I bind all works of the adversary that would try to claim ground as they move out into the world on their own. Protect their life from all allegiance or service to false gods, unclean spirits, or bondages of other people. Satan has no legal claim on this precious blood-bought child of God. All jurisdiction around their life is sealed by a hedge of the blood of the Lamb.

Lord Jesus, You have all authority in heaven and on earth, and on the basis of their position as a joint-heir with Christ, put the cross between them and all evil spirits that would try to invade, infiltrate, harass, or ensnare them. Lead them to refuse all works of the kingdom of darkness.

Bind them to the knowledge of the truth and righteousness that will not let them fall into the devil’s trap. His malicious intention is to take them captive to do his will. Preserve them unbound and unharmed by evil. I dedicate (my child) to please and serve You and do Your will in this new place. Jesus in us is greater than the spirit of the world.

Heavenly Father, thank You for a place for (my child) to live (work, go to school, etc). I claim it as a place of spiritual safety and protection. Cleanse their place (apartment, room, etc.) by the blood of the worthy Lamb of God. Clean out every evil spirit that wants to claim ground there. In Jesus’ holy name, I renounce all evil words and works and refer them to the cross of Jesus. Jesus has given us power over all the power of the enemy. The Lord has all authority there.

Establish the character of Jesus Christ in (my child). Make them sensitive to the Holy Spirit with quick conviction of sin and godly sorrow to repentance. Make (my child) strong in You and courageous, not having a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound, disciplined mind. May they know that they can do all things through You who gives them strength. Form in them integrity, great wisdom, and keen discernment. Call (my child) up higher to be a man or woman of God, mighty in Your spirit.

Set a watch over their heart and mouth by Your mighty power. By the same Spirit who inspired Daniel to purpose in his heart not to defile his body, send them peers and friends who will also not bow down to the gods of pleasure and defilements of this age. Strengthen them not to compromise with the world, the flesh, or the devil. Shield them from mockery and ridicule. Draw them to Yourself to trust You, serve You only, and set their life apart to You. May they not be people-pleasers, but seek to please You.

Lord, I pray all this on the basis of Your Word, which strongly promises, “I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand… Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, ‘Do not fear; I will help you’” (Isa. 41:9-13).

Your kingdom come, Your will be done, in (my child’s) life today as You purpose it in heaven. I plead Your mighty name above all names, Amen.

Excerpted from Prayer Essentials For Living In His Presence, Vol 2,. © Sylvia Gunter 2000. click here to learn more and order

An achieve of past devotinals is available on our website.

Are You Living Forgiven (Part 2)

“For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people.” (Titus 2:11 NLT)

From the outset, let’s be clear, Paul is not advocating the salvation of all people in the verse above, he’s saying the salvation Jesus earned for us on the Cross is available to all people. Then in the verses following Paul outlines some very practical advice for how to live like we really believe and understand we’re forgiven.

Listen to the Spirit as Paul writes: “And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures.” What’s the implication? Forgiven people repent! They turn from their old ways and, by God’s grace, learn new ways to live that honor and magnify Jesus in and through their behavior. What do “godless living and sinful pleasures” look like?

Usually, it entails thinking and acting in ways that elevate your good feelings but don’t advance the Kingdom of God. What does that mean? It means the first battle we face as a child of God is to learn to think differently. We don’t automatically default to “what we loved to do” like we did when we were lost. It means making the Bible a part of our new daily habits. It means learning to ask God for direction and beginning to take to heart what salvation and new life in Jesus means.

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It essentially means we have a new Owner and CEO of our life. We no longer give orders, we take them, and, over time, learn to follow them. Why is that important? Because the underlying issue with which we wrestle as a human being is “who do I trust?” As horrible as we once were at running our own life, we still are hesitant to turn over the reins of control even to God. We have to learn to trust Him!

Learning to live forgiven involves letting go of guilt, shame, and constantly living in a frenzy trying to figure out how to be good enough to please God. Lay it to rest! How can you do that? By understanding you have no goodness apart from Jesus. By realizing your sin debt has been paid and you’ve been set free to live a wholesome, pure, godly life to His honor and fame.

Someone said it’s like deciding between paying our own sin debt by trying to be good enough or accepting the payment Jesus has already made on the Cross. The essence of what they said was: “Trying to earn our own salvation is like trying to drain the ocean one teaspoon at a time or accepting that the work has already been done by Jesus.”

The hymn writer said it well when she wrote: “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain – He washed it white as snow.” Because of who Jesus is and the forgiveness He has purchased on our behalf, we should be the most joy-filled, grateful, and God-focused people on the planet. As God’s children we should be enthusiastically applying every ounce of energy the Lord gives us to exalt and honor our Savior.

Living forgiven isn’t dependent upon who we are – how smart, talented, where we live, what we do for a living, how we grew up – none of that matters except to the extent we allow the Lord to use it to forge us into the person of God Jesus died to enable us to become. He’s done everything necessary to provide everything we need to be everything He desires us to be.

The biggest decision we have to make is who will we trust to rule our lives – Jesus or Satan. “Whoa,” you might say, “I’m not letting Satan rule me!” Here’s the truth – to not allow Jesus to rule, by default, leaves your heart open for Satan to move in. To say “No” to Jesus is to say “Yes” to the devil.

If you’re not certain you’ve opened your heart and life to Jesus, please click Ron Hutchcraft’s link and make certain today that Jesus is Lord of your life. Then you can begin to learn how to live forgiven.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Are You Living Forgiven?

“He replied, ‘You are permitted to understand the secret of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders, so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: “When they see what I do, they will learn nothing. When they hear what I say, they will not understand. Otherwise, they will turn to me and be forgiven.”’” (Mark 4:11-12 NLT)

To many, including me, the verses above have been among the most troubling in Scripture. They seem to imply that Jesus used parables to further confuse and prevent those who were unfamiliar with Biblical instruction from opening their hearts and lives to Him. In fact, Jesus used parables to simplify the truth and make it more understandable, so, why the apparent contradiction?

Suppose you meet someone who is middle-aged but has never darkened the doors of a church. He knows nothing about Christianity. The only time he’s heard the name of Jesus was someone swearing. So, being a good Christian, you say to him: “Hey, buddy, I’d like you to come to the Ekklesia on Sunday. We’re going to enjoy some koinonia, talk about the Parousia, and we might even share the Eucharist. What do you say?” How do you spell dumbfounded?

Why would anyone expect someone unfamiliar with these Christian terms to respond to an invitation like that? That’s exactly why Jesus used parables – to make things more simple to understand. The term “secret” in the verse above literally means “mystery.” To whom is something a mystery? To anyone who doesn’t know its meaning.

Jesus was a mystery to me until I responded to an invitation to attend church and began to listen to the Word of God explained in ways I could understand. As William Barclay put it: “This word mystery has in Greek a technical meaning; it does not mean something which is complicated and mysterious in our sense of the term. It means something which is quite unintelligible to the person who has not been initiated into its meaning, but is perfectly plain to the person who has been so initiated.”

And regarding these words of Isaiah 6:9-10 Barclay says: “If we read this, hearing not a tone of bitter exasperation, but a tone of regretful love, it will sound quite different. It will tell us not of a God who deliberately blinded men and hid his truth, but of men who were so dully uncomprehending that it seemed no use even for God to try to penetrate the iron curtain of their lazy incomprehension. God save us from hearing his truth like that!”

Unfortunately, when we profess forgiveness of sin and new life in Christ, yet, still live like the devil, ignoring the clear instruction of God’s Word and defying the life-transforming presence of His Holy Spirit in our hearts, we teach contradictions to those in our spheres of influence. We complicate the Gospel by speaking with our life “words” that contradict the words of our mouth and that violate the Scriptures by making Jesus to be someone He clearly is not.

The best way to influence those we most want to come to Christ is to live a consistent life of purity of heart, mind, soul, and strength. But how is that even possible? It’s not! That’s the point, but the Lord can live it out in and through us each day when we yield our life and allegiance to Him.

It’s the only way some stubborn, God-defiant, person can catch a glimpse of the reality of who Jesus is and what He’s capable of doing in the life of a very ordinary, very lost, very ignorant-of-Christ and His Church person like me and you before we came to the Lord.

Forgiveness leads to transformation of heart, mind, soul, and body, or it’s not from Jesus. If you’ve had your sins forgiven, please live like it. You’re the only Bible some people will ever read.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

When It Seems Nothing Is Happening (Part 2)

“So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. For we live by believing and not by seeing.” (2 Corinthians 5:6-7 NLT)

In our journey to become more like Jesus we traverse many treacherous and troubling landscapes. There are times we pray and almost before the words pass our lips, we feel assured of the answer. But there are other times we pray and pray and pray and it seems heaven is silent and we’re certain God must be about more important matters.

Child of God, may I assure you of this one thing – YOU ARE at the top of God’s agenda! God loves you as if you were His only child. Had you been the only person on earth who needed a Savior, Jesus would have died just for you. When He died you were on His mind and in heaven your name is written on the palm of His holy hand.

Photo by Syed Qaarif Andrabi on Pexels.com

To pray and not believe God is listening is like standing in the rain without any cover, believing somehow the rain is going to miss you. God hears, perceives every thought, every sigh. The Spirit is able to interpret even the deep longings of our heart and convey them accurately to the Father. The problem of silence from heaven is not an issue with God’s hearing, it’s an issue with our faith.

There are those who ask me why I pray, usually because of prayers I’ve made known to others who haven’t seen any apparent answer. And I’ve explained, “I don’t pray simply to get answers, I pray to connect with the heart of God, so that I might hear His voice and submit to His authority in my life.”

As surely as I live and breathe, I’m certain that some of the answers of the prayers I’m praying right now won’t be answered until I’m dead and gone. Does that mean nothing is happening now? I don’t believe that for one second. He’s always working!

We don’t pray to get God to work, we pray to align ourselves with His activity so we can join Him in that work. “Well, we know it’s His will to save people, why aren’t the people for whom I’m praying getting saved?” In my understanding of the Scriptures, our prayers don’t save anyone, even ourselves. Our prayers unleash the power of the Holy Spirit to stir in the hearts of those for whom we pray, but ultimately, salvation is between them and God.

That said, I firmly believe that God works powerfully to answer those prayers, so, if someone isn’t yet saved, as many for whom I pray every day aren’t, one of a couple things is happening: either they aren’t ready, or Satan has such a hold on their lives that they just can’t hear the Spirit’s voice.

I believe that’s especially true of those who are a part of religious or non-religious cults who hold beliefs that lead them either to not understand the truth of who Jesus is or they’re deliberately choosing to believe lies. Either way, Satan has erected strongholds in their hearts from which only the Holy Spirit can deliver them, but they must give Him access.

Jesus said of the young demon-possessed boy, when the disciples were unable to cast out the demon: “This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.” Regardless of what you may believe about prayer, it’s an act of faith. I don’t pray to get answers. I pray to get closer to God, and, if in the process, people are saved, healed, delivered, or in any other way blessed and helped, all praise goes to the only One who deserves glory, praise, honor, and credit.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

When It Seems Nothing Is Happening

“Then Jesus said to the disciples, ‘Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, “May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,” and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.’” (Mark 11:22-25 NLT)

Have you ever tried to bargain with God? “God, if You’ll do this, I’ll do that.” Though I was not a soldier, I’ve heard it said that there are no atheists in foxholes. Whether that’s true, I suspect there were a lot of those kinds of prayers that left the lips of frightened soldiers in the midst of battle.

Do you not understand, if you’re a believer in the living Christ, you’re in the midst of a major battle between the forces of good and evil, and Satan takes no prisoners? His mission is to “steal, kill, and destroy” your life, not only on earth, but throughout eternity. If you’re not walking with Jesus, you’re serving Satan. It may not look like it or even feel like it, but it’s nonetheless true. How do I know that?

Jesus said in Matthew 11:30: “Anyone who isn’t with Me opposes Me, and anyone who isn’t working with Me is actually working against Me.” What’s my point?

Prayer is a conversation. Sometimes we make requests of God and sometimes He makes requests of us. Prayer is a multi-dimensional process between an earth bound, fallen person, and an all-knowing, all-loving, all compassionate, all-powerful, and just God. Is it safe to say there are things that He knows and understands that escape us?

Can that be one of the reasons it seems He’s not working when He really is? Could it be that our own fallibility and inability to fully comprehend who we are may be a factor in our lack of understanding who He is? But the reality is, I believe every prayer we pray is heard and taken to heart by God.

Jesus could speak the words in Mark 11 with full confidence because He knew beyond any shadow of doubt that if He’d asked the Lord to move a literal mountain into a literal sea, it would have happened, just as surely as when He said: “Lazarus, come out!” and Lazarus walked out of his tomb. And you may be thinking, “Sure, God the Father will always respond to Jesus. He’s His perfect, sinless Son.”

Yes, of course He will. But have you forgotten about Elijah and the prophets of Baal, when Elijah called out to God to send fire from heaven to burn up his offering? So, yes, absolutely God hears and answers prayer. And I can hear a thousand questions arise: “Then why didn’t He ___________ when I prayed?” Each of us have lifted prayers to the Lord and nothing happened, at least nothing we could humanly discern.

Can it be the work God is performing isn’t always FOR us, but WITHIN us? What’s God’s ultimate goal for each of His children? To be conformed to the likeness of His Son! In 2 Corinthians 4:4 Paul speaks of Satan, the god of this world, blinding unbelievers to the message that Jesus was and is the exact likeness of God.

Then in Romans 8:29 Paul explains that God’s plan for us is that we be conformed to the likeness of Jesus. So? So, that takes a lifetime, but will still not be accomplished until we get in His presence in heaven. So? So, there are things that God doesn’t immediately give answers to, in order to build our faith and enable us to become more like Christ.

This is too rich to stop now, so, let’s pick this up in tomorrow’s post.

Blessings, Ed 😊

What Happens When We Pray?

“Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may Your name be kept holy. May Your Kingdom come soon. May Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6:9-13 NLT)

Have you ever asked yourself: “Why should I pray, nothing ever happens. I can’t see any evidence that He even hears me.” There are prayers that I’ve lifted to the Father for more than thirty years that haven’t yet been answered. Do I get discouraged? Yes. Am I tempted to stop praying? Never! Why not, you may wonder.

Louie Giglio gives us insight into why we should never give up praying when he wrote: “If only we knew what was happening when we pray, we would never cease to pray.”

One of the reasons prayer frustrates us is because, too often, our attitude as we approach prayer is wrong. We see prayer like a teenager asking his/her dad to have the keys to the car to go cruising. No specific reason other than to drive around with friends and see what they can get into. Our requests are too vague.

It would be different if that same teen came to mom or dad and said: “May I please borrow the car for a few hours? I have to go to the library and study for an exam I have tomorrow.” Or, “The Prom is coming up and I’d like to ask someone, but I’d like to make sure it’s okay if I use the car on that night.” Specific requests with specific expectations.

That’s one kind of prayer, but that doesn’t encompass our whole reason for praying. Notice in the verses above Jesus “modeled’ how we should pray. The focus of all our prayers is to worship and honor our heavenly Father. Our desire through everything we do, say, or think, should be to exalt the Lord and submit to His authority in and over our lives.

There is a sense in which we come to God as a slave comes to their master. Yes, of course, God is our Father, but Jesus painted a clear picture, not only through His words, but His sinless life, that His whole purpose in being in a human body was to honor and exalt His Father in heaven. When we lose sight of to Whom we’re praying, it’s a very short step to lose sight of why we pray.

Answers are not the primary purpose of prayer! If all I needed from prayer were answers, why begin in worship? Why recognize God as our Provider? Why declare our allegiance to His holy Kingdom? Why seek Him for forgiveness and depend on Him for the resource of strength to help us forgive others? Why pledge our dependence upon Him to enable us to avoid temptation and not give in to the lies of the evil one?

Of course, He invites us to ask Him for anything, but it’s always in the context of His will and purpose, not only for His Kingdom, but for our individual lives. We shouldn’t always and only ask God for answers any more than answers would be the only thing for which we’d engage another person in conversation. What kind of relationship would we have with our spouse if the only conversations we had were making requests or demands?

No consideration or interest in who they are or what’s going on in their lives, just barging through the door and barking out: “Is dinner ready yet?” Or “Why isn’t the dryer fixed yet?” Our heavenly Father is far more than our spiritual “genie,” and to only go to Him with requests, even good, God-centered requests, is to ignore our need of Him as our Father and Friend.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Life’s Best Advice

“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20 NLT)

If you can’t see yourself in the life of the prodigal son in Luke 15, you haven’t experienced forgiveness of sin and new life in Jesus. This is one of the most emotionally moving stories Jesus ever told, because it paints a picture of our Father God that was very foreign to the way the Jews saw Him.

This is the only time in Scripture where God runs. He sees the prodigal, not by accident, but because every day He’s been on his porch looking onto the horizon, expecting the return of his runaway son. Can you see Him? Do you feel His heart leap as He finally sees His son come into view? Instinctively, without thought, His feet begin to move, not in a slow methodical pace, but as quickly as they can in the direction of His wayward son.

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His is not the attitude of an angry parent. He’s not running to meet the boy to scold or correct him. His goal is to say with His actions what His words could never convey – “I love you! I’ve missed you! I’m so happy you’re home!”

The text explains the boy’s repentant attitude, his desire for forgiveness, but not restoration. He’s not coming home as a son, but a servant, a slave. He expects, if anything, a lecture filled with “I told you so’s!” But he’s completely taken aback when he sees his Father running out to meet him.

A warm welcome and loving embrace wasn’t even on his radar, yet, here he is, in the arms of His Father, wanting to beg for forgiveness that’s already been given. He’s not just home, he’s alive again. It’s as if he’s finally been awakened from a horrible nightmare.

Of all the scenarios that crowded his thoughts as he made his way home, none came close to what he’s experiencing in this moment. How could it be? Not just any robe, the finest robe! A ring, signaling, not servanthood, but sonship! And sandals for his filthy, bare feet, conveying acceptance, a sense of belonging only extended to sons, not slaves.

Perhaps Bob Goff captured the intensity and majesty of those moments when he wrote: “The best advice I’ve been given when I’d failed was a hug.”

Can you even begin to imagine how badly that young man smelled? How filthy dirty his clothes were? How scruffy and madded his hair and beard? He had no expectation that his Father would come close to him, let alone wrap His arms around him and kiss him!

Now put yourself in that young man’s new sandals and finest robe! Take a long, slow look at that beautiful ring on your finger! Take a deep breath and bask in the wonder of this moment! Your journey has ended. You’re in the arms of your Father. You’ve found your way home!

If you’re finding that too hard to believe for yourself, because you believe you’ve wandered too far, you’ve sinned too much, you can’t even imagine a happy ending to all the chaos and turmoil you’ve caused – please think again! Why? Because it’s not about you, it’s about Him! Always was! Always will be!

Our heavenly Father doesn’t forgive us on our merit. It’s NEVER because of anything we’ve done to deserve His forgiveness. It’s always and only based on the merit of our Savior, God’s Son, the Lord Jesus who gave His life so we could find ours. Fall into His holy arms and allow Him to invite you home!

If you’re not sure how to do that, click on Ron Hutchcraft’s Bridge to God link! Just know you’re not coming home to get advice, you’re coming home to receive a new, undeserved life!

Welcome home, my friend! Welcome home!

Blessings, Ed 😊

Assessing Life’s Scars

“From now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus.” (Galatians 6:17 NLT)

As you read the verse above, what jumps out? For me the two words that drew my attention most forcefully were: “these things.” I immediately wondered what “things” he no longer wanted to be troubled by?

If you read the verses written before the one above you quickly learn that there were those in Paul’s day, as there are today, who didn’t believe the Cross of Christ was enough. There must be the Cross plus something else. In the early church, comprised of so many former Jews, they were tormented by those who believed in order to become a true believer in Jesus, they had to be circumcised.

Paul’s solution was to focus on the Cross and the completed work that Jesus alone accomplished on our behalf. Equipped and motivated by the Holy Spirit, once cleansed of our sins by the precious blood of Jesus’ sacrifice, we’re filled with His Spirit and the resultant transformation, confirmed by the Holy Spirit, is all the evidence we need to verify the authenticity of our devotion to Jesus.

What does any of this have to do with assessing our life’s scars? Maybe nothing. Maybe a lot! What makes the difference? Who or what is the motivating force behind the decisions you make that give direction to your life? For the Apostle Paul, the Cross was the preeminent consideration in every decision he made.

Every decision was weighed considering its bearing on how it would reflect on the sacrifice made on that Cross. Would Jesus be magnified, and His sacrifice honored, or would it detract from the glory of the pain and suffering of our Savior?

Recently I saw a quote attributed to Jessica Allen that said: “Most of the scars on people’s hearts weren’t left by their enemies. They were left by the people who claimed to love them the most.” Who betrayed Jesus? One of His original twelve disciples, the men in whom He invested the most time, effort, energy, and sacrifice. How like today!

As you assess the scars on your heart, who put them there? There’s a sense in which we’re nearly immune to the wounds of those we don’t love. It’s those closest who have the power to inflict wounds that cut the deepest, the effects of which hurt the most and last the longest. In each of our lives there are those who have hurt us most deeply, not necessarily with their words alone, but with their actions.

Actions that shouted: “You’re not good enough!” “Your love wasn’t strong enough!” “Your efforts fell far short of my expectations!” Each leaving scars that would never completely heal. Dan DeWitt made an interesting observation when he wrote: “They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”

Remember the chant we learned as kids: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but your words will never hurt me.” That may sound good to a child hurt by another’s words, it’s just not true. When we’re called names, ridiculed, embarrassed, or harassed by the words of others, it can hurt deeply and leave scars that affect the ways in which we’re able to process life.

Being a Jesus follower leads to healing and wholeness we can find in no other way. Jesus never lies, never criticizes, or belittles us. He always comforts, builds up, encourages us to trust Him and bring to Him the pains and heartaches we’ve endured. I wish I could say it doesn’t matter what names you’ve been called or the hurtful words that have belittled and scarred you, because I know in my own heart that it does matter – it matters to Him!

As you assess your scars, make sure you take them to the Cross.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Is Your Life Father-Filtered?

“’All right, you may test him,’ the Lord said to Satan.” (Job 1:12a NLT)

Do you realize that everything that touches your life, both good and bad, passes through the filter of God’s permission? Why would God allow something bad to enter your life? Remember Job, according to God’s Word: “…was blameless – a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil.”

Is that an accurate appraisal of your life or mine? Hopefully, that’s our aspiration and we’re doing the best we know to do, but I can’t boldly declare I have lived as well as Job did. Yet, notice what God allowed in his life: The Sabeans stole all of Jobs animals and killed all but one of his farmhands; “The fire of God” burned up his sheep and killed all but one of his shepherds; a band of Chaldean’s stole all of his camels and killed all but one of his servants; and the house his seven sons and three daughters were in collapsed, killing them all.

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Yet, after experiencing all this loss, Job’s response was to worship the Lord and offer Him praise. But his misery was only beginning. Then he was afflicted with “terrible boils from head to foot,” at which point his loving wife suggested he “curse God and die.” And Job’s response? “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?”

Is it fair to say we likely wouldn’t have responded like Job? I’m quite confident that wouldn’t have been my response, as much as I might wish it would have been. But why not? Has God changed? Is His power to comfort and console been lessoned over the centuries?

Granted, there are people all over the world who are suffering atrocious hardships, many believers in Jesus, but why? On some levels my pity isn’t for them, but for me and the millions like me who profess faith and trust in the living God of the Bible, but we’re cushioned from the misery of the rest of the world. Is that a blessing or a curse?

Yes, of course, I’m grateful for God’s protection and kindness, but is He allowing us to be spoiled? Is He allowing us to be weak and dependent upon our many creature comforts? Will we fold like a paper napkin when the inevitable days of tribulation come upon us? It’s incomprehensible for me to ponder all the ways Job was tested, yet never failed.

To consider the loss of one of my children is unthinkable. I can’t process the pain with which I would be wracked. So, does that mean my faith in God is shallow? Is that an indicator of the weakness of my trust in God? I pray not! What I do know is, while I would wish it on no couple, my divorce, as painful and heart rending as it was, taught me lessons I could have learned in no other way, lessons that have helped me to become the God-dependent man I am today.

So, what’s the point? Knowing nothing touches our life except it passes through the filter of our heavenly Father’s permission, how do we respond when good things happen? And bad things? James writes in chapter 1:2-4: “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

My sense is that God never allows anything to enter our life except it enables us to see Him and ourselves more clearly, ideally leading to greater intimacy with and dependence upon Him.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊