Your Story (Luke 8:39)

 

Our lives should be showing the great things that God is doing in them.  It isn't what we are now doing with our lives, but what he has done to us on the inside.

Religion can cause people to serve and even clean the inside of the cup, but God's hidden work can never be duplicated.  We can never fill the emptiness, but God can. We can never remove our shame, but God can blot it out.  The nets of fear and insecurity, which grip us can never be escaped, but God can deliver us from them.

The struggles that brought you to Christ are the very areas of your life upon which he has done his greatest work.  This is what your life must declare.

The maniac of Gadera was delivered.  The woman with the issue of blood was cleansed.  What's your story?

Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee.  Luke 8:39

 

Loving the God We Cannot See (1 Peter 1:8)

Love: a word used so freely today, but what does it mean?  True love is the desire that a person has to meet the needs of another without expecting to receive anything in return. With that, a great question arises. Can you love someone with whom you have never met face-to-face?

Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: (1 Peter 1:8)

The answer is simple. You can love someone that you have never seen, but only if you have had the opportunity to interact with them.

In the early 20th century, a man in America, named Charles, began to correspond with the young woman, named Minnie, who lived on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. Their many letters shared the events of their lives: their likes, dislikes, problems and struggles. The letters also contained hopes, dreams and passions. All the time as the letters were shared something began to happen. Each began to be concerned for the other and desired to be with them so that they may experience life together: to share, help, care and love.  They fell in love and one day, decided to marry. They never met face-to-face until the day that she came off of the ship on America's shore.  To them, it didn't matter what the other person looked like: they knew each other and recognized the beauty that each possessed within. Several decades later, I met them and marveled at their story of love.

We too can love someone that we have never met face-to-face. Through our interactions with the Lord, we can experience him in times of trials and testing. The words that he has recorded for us speak to our hearts and encourage us in the deepest of struggles. When sorrow comes, only his words bring comfort. When others have rejected and cast us out, his words of love and the promise to always be with us draw our hearts close to him. When nobody understands or cares, he does and he tells us to cast our cares on him. (1 Peter 5:7). When we are confused and searching for direction, he sheds light on our path to brighten the way. Each of these interactions bring us into a greater understanding of the person who saved us and through it all we begin to love him.

One day, we will embark off of the ship on eternities shore and will take part in the marriage between Jesus and his church. But until then, our hearts rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory all because we know and love this person that we have never seen.

Have Mercy (Psa 94:18)

When people interact together, it is only a matter of time before some type of conflict will wise.  When the interaction involves one person trying to instruct or mentor another, the chances of it occurring increase.

There is nothing more frustrating than trying to lead someone who continually struggles to either keep up or perform as expected.  So, what should our response be?

When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up. (Psalms 94:18)

As we strive to trust God and walk in his ways, how does he respond when we falter?  He doesn't attack or pound us down, but instead holds us up by his mercy.

When people are struggling, our response toward them should be the same.  We should respond with mercy.  There is a difference between struggling and refusing.  When people struggle, they are striving to accomplish or perform as expected, but yet still need support.  We love it when people show mercy towards us and especially when we receive it from God.  His dealings with us are a pattern or model for us to follow.

Patience is still a virtue.  So at work, be patient and show mercy.  As you raise your children, remember mercy.  Mercy is like a fertilizer.  When it is used correctly, it will enhance the growth of your relationships.  Without mercy, relationships can die.  If you want to make a great difference by helping people, you need to exercise mercy.

How Can I Love? (1 John 2:5)

We know Jesus said that men shall know we are disciples because we love one another.  The Apostle John writes that in us God's love can be perfected.  The question is, How do I get to the place where I can love like Jesus loves?

Many would set out to create a list of actions that should be performed that would be considered acts of love and when these actions are completed you will be loving that individual.  The list could be something like this.

1. Pray for them
2. Reach out to them
3. Communicate your concern through notes, cards or emails.
4. If possible, meet a need that they may have.
5. If necessary, share the gospel

The list is a good list, but in itself it is not love.  A person could complete each of these acts and still not love the person.  Have you ever said that you were sorry and you really weren't?  Did you ever state that you forgave someone, but in reality you really didn't?  The same can be true with the actions on this list.  You can do them and not really be loving.  So, what is the answer?  How can I love others?

But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. (1 John 2:5)

If we keep or guard God's word in our hearts, it will eventually create fruit from its seed.  It is the Word of God that perfects our love.  Love is a condition of the heart and not the completion of acts.  Keeping or guarding God's word in your heart is parallel to abiding in Christ.  When we abide in Christ, he lives through us.  When we abide in God's word, it lives through us.  It may live through us and lead us to perform the very acts listed above, but the difference between the two is the condition of the heart.

If you want to love, keep or guard God's word in your heart.  In fact, if you want to accomplish anything for God or to be anything he wants you to be, keep the word.  Guard it as a precious gem or as a "keep sake".  When you do, it will produce its fruit in your life.

The Test for: Do You Know God (1 John 2:3-4)

I remember speaking with a young man back in the early 90's.  He commented about me being religious to which I disagreed.  As I tried to explain the difference between being religious and being saved, I ended by asking him this question, "Do you know about God or do you know God personally?"  His reply was that he only knew about God.  A truthful answer which opened the door for me to present the gospel.  It was probably very easy for him to answer because his life was devoid of any religious activity and more than likely filled with sin.  But how difficult would it have been had he been very religious.  He could have convinced himself that he knew God based on biblical knowledge and the laundry list of do's and don'ts that he follows.  God knew this would happen to man.  So he presented a heart condition as the determining factor.  This litmus test of the heart would enable man to determine his right standing with God.

And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.  He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (1 John 2:3-4)

What do these verses mean?  More than likely we have heard it preached that if you know God you will keep or obey his commandments.  Sounds good.  So let's check.  He who has always obeyed God's commandments, please step forward and declare that you know God.  Hmmm, no response.  But wait a minuted, don't we all sin.  It must mean those who try their best at keeping God's commandments are the ones that know him.  However the scripture states that if we don't keep his commandments then the truth is not in us.  I guess that leaves all of us out.  Help!!!

The word keep can have many meanings one of which is "to guard (by keeping the eye upon), hold fast, or watch".  If this definition were put into the passage, it would state that those who know God will guard the commandments or live their lives with the heart's focus on God's commandments for the purpose of observing them.  I am first to admit that I sin daily, but with the same breath, I also guard the commandments in my heart for intent of observing them.  I may sin daily, but the truth is in me.

The former "keep" meaning to obey is impossible for me and every person on the planet, but to "keep" meaning to guard is attainable.  Stop trying to attain the sinless perfect life.  You will fail miserably in defeat.  Live the guarded heart life.  If you do, the sins will diminish and your relationship with God will be a heart based relationship instead of a performance based one.

Can you confidently say that you have obeyed God's commandments? I cannot, but I can with great confidence say that I have guarded the commandments in my heart.

What Is There to Declare? (1 John 1:1-3)

From the beginning of our salvation until now, we have heard the Lord and even seen him evident in our lives.  What is it that you have seen?  How many answered prayers have there been?  How many times has the Lord spoken to you through the scriptures.  On how many occasions has he guided you in your decisions?  Honestly speaking, we probably cannot number these occasions.  What I believe to be the best interactions with the Lord are when he encourages us.  He picks us up when we fall.  He mends our hearts when they become broken and encourages us as we live in this fallen world.  All of these instances are part of our fellowship with him and the fellowship continues as we lift our hearts to him and offer praise, thanksgiving and adoration.

As the apostles, we have a responsibility with this fellowship and that is to share it with others so that they too may fellowship with God.  We owe this responsibility to our brothers and sisters in Christ.  By doing so, we lead them from where they are in their fellowship and relationship with God to where we are.  It is the mature believer teaching the younger.

That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:3)

With these thoughts, we must ask ourselves a few questions.  Have I been having fellowship with the Lord?  We know that we have in the past, but in recent days has there been fellowship?  If you were to share a fellowship experience with someone, how far back would you need to reach?

Another question would be: have I shared my fellowship experiences with others?  Our lives are like plants bearing fruit and seed.  The fruit of the Spirit is what our lives should produce because of fellowship and the seed within the fruit comes from us sharing our fellowship experiences with others.

So, what should we do with this fellowship?  Share it at work.  Share it at home: even blog it on the media, but whatever you do, share it.  By doing so, others may begin to experience the wonderful relationship with God that he so longs to have with them.

An Ornament for God (Psalm 78:61)

At Christmas time, many people look forward to decorating their tree.  For some , it is a family gathering where decorative ornaments are placed by the hands of young and old.  Some families have retained ornaments that have been passed down from generation to generation.  Not only are they beautiful, but the memories that they carry are much more ornate than the item itself.

And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand.  (Psalms 78:61)

God has declared that we are his glory or as this word many times refers, his ornament.  He places you and me in the midst of a troubled world.  Our lives are intended to shimmer and shine of the love and reality of God, just as a ornament shimmers and shines on a tree.

Make it a point to understand your purpose in life and then shimmer and shine as a testimony for God.  You can only accomplish this by getting close to God.  As you walk closely to him, you will reflect him to all those around you.

To the End That... (Psalm 30:12)

Why did God allow David to face opposition?  Why didn't he, as trouble began to stir against David, stop it in its tracks.  The answer provided may seem simple, but it's understanding is anything but that.  God allowed the difficulty to occur so that he could lift up David and subsequently be praised and glorified.

To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. (Psalms 30:12)

God does not selfishly do this, for he is praised by angelic creations.  He does not need our praise, he is already praised continually. However in order for us to understand God and his greatness, we must experience him and his mighty works.  When we do, we "know him and the power of his resurrection" and comprehend the splendor of his greatness.  Without the trial or the dark nights, we cannot come closer to fully knowing God.

Each trial is intended to open our understanding and draw us closer to God.  It will only be in the resurrection when we can know him as we are known.  Until then, trials are essential for our growth, faith and the ability to know God better.

God Gives and Calls (2 Peter 1:3)

God gives and calls.  He gives us salvation's promise and calls us to believe.  He gives us commandments and calls us to obey.  However, he also gives us ability and a calling.

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: (2 Peter 1:3)

God has given us the whole of what we need for life along with its problems and loyally living for God.  He has called us to have a God glorifying testimony (glory) and an ability to face life and it's challenges (virtue).

The divine power that we need comes from knowing God: not knowing facts about him, but a knowledge that comes from interacting with him.  Your knowledge, which will be your enabling, comes form your experiences with God.  The more you experience him, the more strength you have and the less you experience, the less strength you have.

Start each day looking for God's hand and handiwork in your life. Make sure that you praise him for what you recognize and experience. Having this interaction is both pleasing to him and empowering for you.

Fruit With Patience (Luke 8:15)

Recently, I posted online a picture of a tomato plant from my garden.  Hanging from that plant in mid-June were a few golf ball sized tomatoes.  My caption, "Come on" were my words of anticipation for the delicious fruit to get here.  In order to get to this point, it took a great deal of time.  I first prepared the soil and planted the seeds in little cups.  Throughout April and early May, I nurtured the plants with water and exposure to the sun.  Around Mothers' day, they were planted in the ground followed by pruning, watering and weeding.  In all, it should take about 10 weeks before I will get the fruit that I desire.  Fruit just takes time.

But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. (Luke 8:15)

It also takes time to produce the fruit of God.  It is easy to make fruit that shows on the outside and you can do it in no time at all, but it might not really be fruit.  Change your clothes, change your hair, you can even change your words and the places your feet may take you.  However, true fruit takes time and first begins on the inside of the believer and like any fruit bearing plant, it will take time to grow.  It begins with a seed of truth from God's word.  If we yield to it, it will begin to grow.  Each day, we will need to keep or guard this truth in our hearts.  As we do, the early signs of fruit will begin to show: much like my small green tomatoes.  Over time, the truth will become a habit that we have put on.  If you continue the process, you will grow and your fruit will yield 30, 60 and even 100 fold. (Mark 4:8)

Two Steps To Being Happy (Psalm 119:1-2)

Everybody is in some way pursuing the same goal: they want to be happy.  Many mistakenly think that money will bring happiness.  So they strive for as much wealth as possible and come up empty.  Others seek happiness in positions of power or by acquiring desired possessions, but again the results are short lived and disappointing.  Still others turn to the vices of sin such as alcohol, drugs, and the various forms of promiscuous sex resulting with the same disappointment.  If these are not the way to happiness, how can a person be happy?

True happiness, the kind that swells up into your heart and brings the satisfaction in life that you are looking for, comes from two practices.  Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. (Psalms 119:1-2)

A person will experience happiness that comes from God when they do not allow themselves to be defiled by the world around them.  As they engage in life, these individuals battle to keep their acts aligned with God's law and resist following the wrong examples set by the world.  The second practice, which produces happiness, is to keep God's word in your heart and to seek him with it.   The word keep carries the idea of guarding or watching over something.  If we guard the testimonies of The Lord in our hearts, it will enable us to seek him with our whole heart.  This keeping and seeking brings the happiness that each person desires.  We were created by God and because of that our happiness is dependent upon that relationship with him.  

If you drift from this relationship, you drift from happiness.  If you depart from following God's laws and become defiled by the world, you lose happiness.  Happiness can be obtained by the rich, poor, all nationalities, all age groups and intellects.  God wants everybody to have it and everyone can by following two steps: stay true to God's laws while resisting being defiled by the philosophy of the world and guard God's testimonies in your heart.

Testify of Your Relationship (I John 1:3)

Christianity is not a code of beliefs, but a relationship with a person.  The greatest experience that a person can have is this relationship with God.  All other experiences will fade with time, but a relationship with God grows and never becomes old.  

When we share our faith, we should not speak of the actions that we are to perform or the things from which we should abstain, but instead speak of the wonder of God and the person of his son, Jesus.  We should not strive to conform people's actions to line up to a standard of holiness, but instead strive to get them to desire a relationship with the person whose name is above all names.

That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:3)

Maybe the reason we fail at successfully sharing our faith is because we have failed in our relationship with God.  We cannot speak of how wonderful God is unless we experience his wonder.  If we draw nigh to God, we will again experience him and when we experience him we will have something for which to testify.  The closer our relationship is with God, the greater our testimony will be.

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Who Doesn't Want Joy? (1 Thessalonians 1:5-6)

The world thinks the believer is nuts.  Our faith does not make sense to them and our standard of living makes even less sense.  Why we cannot engage in some of their most desirable activities is beyond their understanding.  So then, why do we try to win or convince them for Christ with our holiness.  They don't want holiness and never will.  Holy living to them is a prison without bars.  I have yet to meet a person who wanted to come to Christ because they saw how consistently and holy a believer lived.

What brings people to Christ is when they recognize that he can meet their deepest needs.  Jesus offered the woman at the well a spring of living water flowing from within her soul.  Sounds pretty good to me.  The Philippian jailor saw the joy of Paul and Silas and most likely wanted the same.  I came to Christ partly due to the testimony of guy with whom I smoked cigarettes in the men's room in high school. I was so stunned by him coming to Christ and thought that maybe he found what I was so desperately looking for.

So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.  (1 Thessalonians 1:7)

Paul writes to the Philippian believers and praises them for their testimony for Christ and their effectiveness at influencing those around them and regions beyond.  How did they affect them?  It was by their joy.  The Bible tells us that the Philippians received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost (1 Thessalonians 1:6).  The believers had joy and the rest of the world wanted it.

Should we live holy?  Of course we should, The Lord commanded us to be holy (1 Peter 1:15-16).  But we must recognize that in order for us to be an effective light in the world, we must shine of the goodness that God is doing in our lives.  Anything less will be a failure.

The Banner Of Truth (Psalm 60:4)

In the midst of a great trial, God has provided you a banner or an opportunity to raise up his standard.  The standard you can raise is truth.  For the world who either rejects truth or will not read God's word, there is still a standard of truth displayed.  That standard is your testimony of faith in the trial.

Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah. (Psalms 60:4)

Strength to raise or hold up the standard does not come from determination or dedication, but from times of fellowship with The Lord.  As we draw nigh to God, he draws nigh to us and with that he brings his supply of grace.  It is by God's grace that we have the strength of faith to raise the standard before the world.

Sin robs us.  It robs us of joy and also strength.  Each time we fall to sin, we are weakened in our walk.  As we become weak, so does our faith.  It is because of weakened faith that we waiver in holding up a standard of truth for others to see.  That is why we must daily turn to God for forgiveness so that he may again establish our feet on the rock.

Holding up the banner is not a fanatical action, which says, "Look at me, I have a lot of faith!"  Instead, the banner is automatically raised in your life as you look to God for deliverance.  The scoffers will mock and scorn, but as you remain steadfast in faith to God, he will exalt you and your banner for all the world to see.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7)

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Fathers Passing Their Faith To Their Children (Psalm 44:1-2)

Fathers have a the grave responsibility of leading their family and teaching their children about The Lord their God.  Most men focus their teaching on behaviors the children should and should not do.  This is very important information to convey to children, but the best results expected would be weak Christianity with the worst being a form of godliness without a true relationship with The Lord.  What fathers should teach their children is the personal relationship he has with God and how they can have the same.  The Psalmist records a wonderful example of this.

We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old. How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out. (Psalms 44:1-2)

You, as a father, would be best to share with your children the trials that you experienced and how The Lord has either delivered you from or through them.  This enable children to see your heart and how The Lord has strengthen and affected you.  Wisdom on the amount of details and types of trials to share should be utilized, but as your children become teenagers, they would greatly benefit from knowing and understanding how you face and deal with fears.  Them seeing the burden you carry and the faith that you demonstrate in God will have a greater impact on them than the rules and standards you teach.  The latter is important for protection from sin, but the former establishes strength in a relationship with God which provides strength for victory living.  If you had to choose between the two, transferring a faith relationship would be better.  It would be better because a relationship with God will develop a heart for God and a hate for evil.  The Lord can easily direct a tender heart more easily than he can a self righteous cold heart.  Was not this the problem with the Pharisees?  Ask yourself, do you want to create a rule keeper with no heart for The Lord or a person with a heart for God who allows Him to develop guidelines for their lives?  The choice is simple.

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The Testimony Of Prayer (Part 2)

How long did Zacharias pray?  The scriptures do not say.  He may have began praying when his wife was still of child bearing age, but as time went on his prayers became a little more earnest.  How often do you think he became discouraged?  How many times did he want to just give up and accept the fact that he would be fatherless?  But instead of giving up, he continued to prayer.

What he did not know was that when his prayer would be answered, his testimony would shine like a spotlight.  However in order for his light to shine, God would need him to wait for answered prayer.  Had his wife had a child at 40 years of age, people would have said, "Great!" and the brightness of his testimony would be dim.  At 50 years of age, his light of testimony for answered prayer would have been even greater, but if she was 60 years old, those around her would have been stunned by his shinning testimony.  The brightest light of testimony in prayer will take time.  The longer we are willing to wait, the more glory God will get in the eyes of those who witness our answered prayer.  The question is are we willing to wait on God? 

As you struggle in your trial, continue praying and yield to God.  Ask for his strength and let him know that you will trust his will and yield to his plan.  He will provide the strength that you need and in his time will answer your prayer.  The testimony of what he has done in your life will shine like the sun, but we must wait.  Waiting is never easy, but if we can understand why God requires us to wait, the waiting becomes more bearable.  This is not the only reason why God delays in answering prayer, but hopefully it will enable you to endure through the night.

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He Saw Their Faith (Mark 2:5)

This miracle focuses more on faith than some other events.  Faith is important in every aspect of our lives, but in this account it becomes the focus more so because of the audience and the events taking place.  In reading this story, I get stuck on these words about Jesus.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.  (Mark 2:5)

Faith is not merely believing that God can work things out, but that God is the only solution.  Because of this, we must have the attitude to do whatever it takes to gain access to him so that his miraculous work can be performed.  For these men, the crowd and building needed to be overcome in order for access be made to Jesus.  For us and the trials that we face, the obstacles may be drastically different.  Nonetheless, we must overcome obstacles to our faith so that our faith may be seen and the petitions of it may be experienced.

Did you ever wonder why Jesus, who knew that these men were bringing a crippled person to him for healing, did not meet and teach in a different location so that they could more easily access him?  I guess the answer to that may be that he wanted others to see their faith and recognize the results that their faith brought. 

Many years ago while working in the steel mill, I was sitting in the shop waiting for an assignment.  The men were talking around the table and the term "born again Christian" came up.  At that time I did not know Christ and everybody around me knew that my life was as vile as they come.  I asked, "What's a born again Christian?"  I was told that it is a person who gives all of his money to the church.  Well, I was taken back and thought that I would have gotten a better answer than that.  I wrote it off that they didn't really know what they were talking about.  Needless to say, less than a year later I would become a Christian.  My transformed life would be on display for all who knew me before.  Just as the lost sat in the house, saw Jesus recognize people's faith and then perform a miracle, the lost men in the shop saw the same.  They didn't like it, but they couldn't get away from it.  They may have despised Jesus, but they could not explain away what he had done in my life.

Several years later, I sat and talked with a man who was my foreman at that previous time.  In conversation he remarked that back at that time, I was basically worthless as a worker, but had somehow turned into a good one."  

Remember, Jesus sees your faith and he wants others to see it too.  When this happens, he gets lifted up before men.  Jesus said, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." (John 12:32).  So, live a life for God and allow all to see your faith.

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Your Past Does Not Determine Your Future (Matthew 1:5)

Your past does not determine your future.  Your past may strongly influence you as you decide your future, but it cannot determine it.  As you read the genealogies of Jesus in Matthew chapter one, you will come across Boaz.  This is the same Boaz that redeemed and married Ruth.  His family background was as bad as it could be.  Boaz's mother was the harlot that hid the Israelite spies in Jericho.  Can you imagine what life was like for Boaz as a young boy: the names that he was called and the shame he endured as he faced peers and the self righteous society?

In spite of it all, Boaz became somebody great and so did his mother.  Both are listed in the genealogies and are responsible for passing on their heritage to the Messiah.  Their lives are prime examples of what God and his grace can do.

We must remember that our past does not determine our future either.  Our families' good testimony cannot make us successful and it's failures cannot hold us back from success.  Even the failures in our past cannot hinder us from experiencing success.  Maybe you have made some very poor decisions and now your life's testimony is anything but desirable.  Remember, God's grace was given to buy you out of sin and to empower you for victory over it.  Your past cannot be changed, but God's grace can change your future.

As you face the shame of your past, remember the following.

1. Your past is in the past.  

And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11)

2. What you were does not determine what you are or what you will be. 

In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. (Ephesians 1:11-12)

3. God's power changes lives and reputations

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, (Ephesians 3:20)