Tag Archives: faith

How Much Can We Take?

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There is a verse of Scripture that is quite often taken out of context and given an interpretation that is far removed from the intent of the writer, the Apostle Paul. It has caused much heartache and anxiety by many who have misunderstood the meaning of the verse. Read these words of Paul found in his correspondence with the Corinthians:

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

1 Corinthians 10:13, NKJV

Somehow, the entire meaning of this verse has been altered. The emphasis of the verse is on how we can victoriously face the temptation to commit sin. Paul says that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to bear. In other words, those temptations that are most persuasive, most powerful, most enticing to me – no matter how overwhelming they may seem to be at the moment of temptation – can be defeated if I act out of God’s strength and grace. I can say no to temptation!

Sadly, however, many change the emphasis of this verse away from the temptation to sin and place it on the belief that God will never allow His children to suffer more than we are able to withstand. Have you ever felt as if you had too much to bear? All sorts of things come our way in life: things that we feel will destroy us, that we cannot possibly overcome. And this verse is often used as an encouraging word from God that He will never give us more than we can bear.

But that is NOT what this verse is about. As a matter of fact, there are other verses of Scripture that make it clear that this verse cannot possibly have that meaning. For a clear example from the life of the man who wrote this verse, read the following excerpt from his second letter to the Corinthians.

For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us.

2 Corinthians 1:8-10

Paul asserts that he “despaired even of life” due to the extreme nature of his suffering. I would also encourage you to read his word of personal testimony found in Second Corinthians 11:22-33, in which he gives a list of his personal bouts with extreme suffering. It is obvious that God did indeed deliver him through all of these experiences, but please note that he was not delivered from them.

If we buy into the belief that Paul’s statement in the verse quoted at the beginning of this post means that God will protect His children from suffering, then we are opening ourselves up to question the goodness of God when He allows us to suffer. The Bible’s perspective on this is in stark contrast to that commonly held belief. We are taught in Scripture that we are to give God glory in the midst of our suffering. There are examples which teach this truth clearly.

Just a couple of examples will suffice to illustrate this point. First, in John 9 we have the story of a man who was born blind. The disciples ask Jesus whose sin caused this blindness – the man’s, or his parents. Jesus responded that the blindness was not the result of personal sin, but rather it was for the purpose of glorifying God. If we believe that God always provides an escape from suffering, then we have a huge problem with this story.

Another example is the Apostle Paul. In the passage I mentioned above – 2 Corinthians 11:22ff – Paul gives his readers insight into some of his struggles and suffering as he served the Lord. He, along with most of the other apostles, suffered greatly, and ultimately died as martyrs for their faith in Jesus Christ. Suffering was part of their experiences as Jesus’ servants.

Sometimes they were provided a means of escape, but ultimately, in the end, it resulted in their being executed for their faith in and faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus told His followers plainly that in this world we would have tribulation. There would be suffering in a plethora of ways. Disease and pestilence would be the common lot of humanity. The righteous suffer right along the unrighteous. And we are not promised that there will always be a way of escaping those episodes of suffering.

So how are we to respond when suffering becomes a personal experience? Simple: we are to glorify God in the midst of the suffering. We are to live our lives in such a way as to present the genuineness of our relationship with God. We are to let our lights shine before men so that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven. We are to allow God to use us in our suffering to bring glory to the Father.

That is no easy task, to be sure. But by His grace, and in His strength, we can continue to shine for Him even in the darkest hours of suffering, trouble, and tribulation. And back to the question posed in the title of this post, we can take as much as He allows us to bear. Not by our own strength, as Paul himself testifies that he despaired even of life itself. But he learned that by the grace of God he could bear up under whatever came his way in life.

Let’s make it our personal commitment to allow the circumstances of life, no matter how painful, to be avenues of ministry to others as they see the grace of God being worked out in our experiences. We will then learn, as did the Apostle Paul, that God’s grace is indeed sufficient in all things.

Until next time:

Blessings!

The Main Character

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If a biography was written about your life, who would be the main character in the story? The most logical answer to that question would be YOU, right? After all, a biography is the story of someone’s life. So, the main character would be the one who the story is about.

But for the believer in Jesus Christ, a biography of the individual’s life should be the story of His life lived through us. So just how would that look? What would it look like if your story was His story? Let’s think about that for a few minutes.

His life being lived through us would bear a resemblance to the portrait we have of Him in the Bible. Jesus was always obedient to His Father’s will, carrying out the purpose and plan that had been established from eternity past. The Bible states clearly that Jesus was the Lamb of God who would give His life for His sheep. He carried out that plan of His Father at great cost to Himself. It literally cost His life. He laid down His life for us.

Our lives should be lived in total surrender to Him, and with the desire to glorify Him in all we do. We should follow the pattern of the prayer He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane as He faced the ordeal of the cross. He prayed to His Father, “Not My will but Yours be done.” For our story to be His story we must have the same desire, that His will be done in and through us, so that others see Him in us.

Our choices should be based on what Jesus would choose. Sometimes that is extremely easy, as we turn to the Bible for guidance. For example, if we are ever tempted to take something that belongs to someone else, we should remember the Bible’s prohibition against stealing. If we are tempted to tell a lie, we should remember that we are to speak the truth in love. If we are tempted to commit adultery we should remember that we are to live in complete fidelity and faithfulness to our spouse. If we are tempted to dishonor our parents we are to remember that we are to always honor and respect them. If we are tempted to choose a lifestyle that is contrary to the Bible’s parameters for lifestyle choices then we are to submit to His teachings rather than our desires.

My life should be His life lived through me. This sounds easy, and in some respects it is, but in many ways it is extremely difficult. When the Bible’s teachings run counter to my personal preferences and desires, then it becomes more difficult to go the way God would have me go. We see this struggle in Jesus’ life as we once again give attention to that prayer He prayed in the garden: “Not my will but Yours be done.” In His humanity Jesus, realizing the awful pain He was about to experience, and, worst of all, the separation from the Father when the sin of the world came crashing down on Him, Jesus prayed for the cup to pass from Him. But His prayer concluded with His utmost desire: to fulfill the will of the Father.

For our story to be His story, we must make some hard, and sometimes even painful choices. Jesus taught us to pray that God’s kingdom would come, and His will would be done, on earth as it is in heaven. This can be personalized as we pray for His will to be done in MY life as it is in heaven.

Paul, in his letter to the Romans, gives us some much-needed insight into the matter. In chapters 6-8, he talks about the individual believer’s struggle with his old nature. It is like a spiritual tug-of-war that Paul describes as an intense battle between what I know what to do and what I want to do. The desires of the old nature sometimes overwhelm us, and it is in those times of struggle that Paul encourages us to “walk in the Spirit so that we do not fulfill the desires of the flesh.”

I will close by simply encouraging you to let your story be His story. Let His life shine through you. Let others see your good works so that glory will be brought to our Father in heaven.

Until next time:

Blessings!

Standing Alone

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Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.Ephesians 6:11-13

Perhaps you have been there – in that place where you felt as if you were all alone. There was no one by your side, no one giving support, no one offering words of encouragement, no one there to lend a supportive hand, a strong shoulder, or even a listening ear. It is a terribly lonely place to be. Not only lonely, but scary, intimidating, discouraging and stressful.

It’s that place where you are standing alone. It seems that you have been abandoned by everyone. Even those whom you thought of as being your very closest friends are nowhere to be found. In those moments when you needed them most, they had left you to fend for yourself.

It may have been in the workplace, when you were being tempted to do something that was a little less than ethical. Perhaps your employer was asking you to make some promises that you knew could not be kept, but the sale depended on promising a delivery date that you knew was impossible to meet. Perhaps it was in the classroom, during that exam that you were not prepared to take, and the A student sitting next to you had their answer sheet in clear view. It would be so easy to look, and copy, their answers. Or maybe it was at that social gathering at which everyone else was doing “it”, whatever the “it” happened to be. Even though you knew that to engage in such behavior would compromise your Biblical convictions, you also knew that to fit in with the crowd you would have to make some concessions. Or perhaps it was during that conversation you were engaged in at which some extremely controversial social issues were raised. You had strong convictions on the issues being discussed, but you felt the pressure to go along with the general consensus. even though it compromised your Biblical beliefs.

The pressure we face in certain situations can seem overwhelming at times. How are we to handle this type of pressure? What are we to do in these stressful situations? Are we to give in and go along, or are we to stand our ground?

The answer, according to the Bible, is straightforward – stand up for your convictions. Even if it means that we must stand alone. Granted, this can be a very uncomfortable place to be. What if our employer is placing a great deal of pressure on us to make that promise? What if my passing that exam is going to determine whether I am able to move to the next phase of my long-term educational goals? What if my standing for my Biblical convictions on those controversial issues cause me to lose some friends?

We can glean insight and instruction from the words of the Apostle Paul quoted at the beginning of this post. Note particularly the last words of the quote:

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.Ephesians 6:13. emphasis added

Stand! Stand strong; stand in the armor of God; stand on the clear teachings of Scripture; stand regardless of the cost. Stand! Always remember that the armor of God is available for your protection. It will enable you to engage in the battle – that spiritual warfare that rages all around us continuously. Our enemy, the devil, and his emissaries, are always at work, striving to tear down what God has built up. We must stand strong in the strength of the Lord in order to make an impact for Godliness in the midst of such godless activities as are so prevalent in our present cultural and societal state.

Let us stand boldly, fight courageously, use the armor of God wisely, as we contend for the faith that has been delivered to us through the Word of God.

Until next time:

Blessings!

He Gets Us – All of Us?

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Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

1 John 4:1-3, NKJV

They paid an estimated $20,000,000 to air two commercials during the Super Bowl. Their ads are professionally done, with an emphasis on appealing to our human emotions. Who doesn’t long to know that someone understands them? Who doesn’t relish a relationship with someone who genuinely cares about them? We all want to be loved, to be understood, to be accepted. We all want to have someone in our lives who gets us, who understands our struggles, and who loves us unconditionally.

But let’s not rush headlong to accept the appeal of the message. We applaud those who are striving to make much of Jesus, but we need to make certain that the Jesus being made much of is the Biblical Jesus. So, the question we need to ask concerns the identity of the Jesus being presented by the He Gets Us organization.

One of the most alarming things I have read concerning this organization is the emphasis they place on coming to Jesus on their own terms. I don’t want to read more into this statement than that which was intended, but this is a clear contradiction to the emphasis of Scripture which shows clearly that we must come to Jesus on His terms. Read carefully these words spoken by Jesus:

You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

Luke 16:14, NKJV

The Biblical Jesus spoke truth into the lives of the people of His day. He cast a huge net, inviting those who would accept Him and submit to His Lordship to become His disciples. This concept of “Lordship” is even seen clearly in what has come to be known as the Roman Road of Salvation. In Romans 10:9, Paul asserts, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Lordship is a vital, indispensable element in God’s plan of salvation. We are not invited to come to Jesus on our own terms, but rather on His.

Was the Biblical Jesus inclusive in His actions? One incident clearly teaches that He invited people to come to Him within the parameters of His established terms. A rich young ruler approached Jesus with a question about how to attain salvation. The story, found in Mark 10:17-27, tells of this young man coming to Jesus seeking information on how to have eternal life. Jesus first tells him to obey the laws of God, and He specifically mentioned those commandments that have to do with our relationship with others: do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and your mother. The young ruler then responded with the assertion that he had kept all these commandments from his youth.

So, Jesus then went straight to the heart of the matter. He knew that the young man’s riches had become his god, so Jesus instructs him to sell all that he has, give the money to the poor, and then follow Jesus. The young man turned and walked away. Why? Because He refused to meet Jesus on His terms. He wanted to continue to enjoy life on his terms while, at the same time, enjoying the benefits of eternal life in the kingdom of God. Jesus was showing the young ruler that he could not have it both ways. He must choose one or the other. It was not a both/and proposition, but rather an either/or decision.

One of the arguments of the “He Gets Us” organization is that they are concerned about the decline of the Christian church in America. They are striving to stop this decline by being more inclusive (even though there is really no emphasis on joining a local church!). Their belief is that the church is in a state of decline mainly because of its emphasis on exclusion rather than inclusion. But their idea of inclusion is that all should be accepted into the family of God regardless of the terms clearly delineated in Scripture.

Does Jesus love? He IS love! Does Jesus care? Deeply! Was Jesus willing to die for the ungodly? That was HIs purpose. Does Jesus offer eternal life? Yes – to any and all who will come to Him on His terms. Does Jesus include those who would come to Him on their own terms, desiring to have the assurance of eternal life, while still living for themselves in this present life? The story of the rich young ruler shows that is not an option. Jesus said that we cannot serve two masters. We must choose.

And when we choose Jesus, it means that we are willing to repent of any sinful behaviors we have been practicing. Thieves – steal no more. Liars – quit lying and speak the truth. Adulterers – live a life of sexual purity, being committed to your spouse. Those who have embraced lifestyles contrary to the BIble’s clear teachings on marriage – turn from those sinful behaviors and live lives of purity and integrity based on God’s word.

Yes, Jesus gets us. He knows that we are all in the same spiritual boat. As Paul says, we are dead in trespasses and sins. But the Spirit of God quickens us [brings us to life], and instills in us the faith to believe, and extends to us the grace of salvation. Then, and only then, can we sincerely say that He gets me, because He has me. My total surrender to Him is the clear indication of being His child.

Until next time:

Blessings!

Are You Ready?

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For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Philippians 1:21, NKJV

If I were to ask you, “Are you ready?”, what would be the first thing to come to mind? Am I ready for what? you might think. If I did not specifically state exactly what it is I am asking about you perhaps would stand there in a bit of bewilderment, waiting for me to finish the question. Are you ready to go? Are you ready to eat? Are you ready for bed? Are you ready for work? Are you ready for class? I guess it would be a little difficult to answer the question without further information.

In the short verse quoted above, the apostle Paul speaks of two extremely important subjects for the disciple of Jesus Christ: life, and death. So, let’s take this statement and fill in the blank left at the end of my question. For Christians, we sometimes engage in conversation with others and assure them that we are ready to die. Death is not a dreaded enemy, but a welcomed guest. I don’t mean to suggest by this that we relish the idea of dying any time soon, but that we are ready to die and know what awaits us when we do pass through that valley of the shadow of death. We know to whom we belong, and we are assured of the fact that when we close our eyes in death, we will open them in the presence of the living God.

How do we have this assurance? What do we base our confidence in that gives us this settled state of confidence that we will end up in His presence when we die? It can’t be based on my own personal performance as a human being, can it? Certainly not! The Bible states categorically that there are none who are righteous. It further states that even our very best – our personal righteousness – is as filthy rags before holy God. We cannot justify ourselves with good works, or charitable deeds, or gifts to good causes, or church attendance, or service in the church. Jesus said that many would claim those as proof of their relationship with God, but they would hear the words, “Depart from me, I never knew you.”

No, nothing we could ever do would earn our entrance into the presence of God. Only what He has done for us in giving His Son, Jesus Christ, to be the propitiation for our sin. It is through His sacrificial death, by which He bore the penalty for our sin, that we are given entrance into the presence of God.

So, first and foremost, the question, “Are you ready?” has to do with your eternal well-being. Are you ready to die? Are you ready to meet the Lord on the basis of what He has done for you? If not, then please, do so before it is eternally too late.

But let’s give attention to the second topic broached in Paul’s statement: “For to me, to live is Christ.” From this statement, we might ask, “Are you ready to live?” You say you are ready to die, to meet the Lord, to stand before Him at the judgment seat of Christ. You testify that you have a relationship with Him and have an eternal home awaiting you. But are you ready to live for Him in the present? If so, what evidence is there in your life right now that would validate that claim? What are you doing that shows you are living for Him?

We’ve all probably heard someone say, “If you were arrested and accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to prove that you are?” What do you have as supporting evidence for your claim to be a disciple of Jesus?

Each of us were born with certain natural abilities. Some are able to do amazing things in the field of athletics, others are naturally prone to working with numbers, still others are predisposed to in-depth study and research. Some are creative writers, others are artists of different kinds, and others are musically inclined. What are your natural abilities and talents? Are you using them to point people to Jesus? Or would you have to admit you use them in a self-serving way?

If you are indeed a believer in Jesus Christ, you have been given at least one spiritual gift that motivates you to act in certain ways. Some are gifted teachers, others are gifted to preach. There are those who have the gift of administration, and others who have the gift of hospitality. Some are motivated by their gift of mercy, and then others have the special gift of faith. Do you know what your gift is, and are you using it for the glory of the Lord?

You might profess to be ready to die and meet the Lord, but are you ready to live here, now, for His glory? Are you using your talents and your gifts in ways that honor Him, and that point other people to Him? Can you honestly say that, for you, to live is Christ and to die is gain?

Let’s make an all-out commitment to live, and ultimately die, for Him.

Until next time:

Blessings!

Who Are You Following? Part Two

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Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

1 John 2:18-19, NKJV

Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

Matthew 24:11-12, NKJV

In my last post, I wrote about the importance of having wise discernment in choosing the Bible teachers and preachers we will listen to and follow. There are many who would lead us astray through their erroneous interpretation of Scripture. The question is, why would they choose to deceive others? What is their motivation? What do they hope to see accomplished through their false handling of the Word of God?

I am not suggesting that what I am about to say is an all-inclusive, comprehensive answer to those questions. This is, indeed, a topic of enormous proportions and concern. But, for the sake of being as concise as possible, I would like to suggest two possible reasons why we see this happening at such an alarming rate.

First, consider with me the fact that some deceive because they are deceived. In my previous blog I focused my thoughts on the statement of Jesus that if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into the ditch. These are the ones that are blinded to the truth of Scripture. They are spiritually blind, so they cannot grasp the true meaning of the Bible’s teachings. The Apostle Paul tells us that the carnal mind cannot grasp the true meaning of Scripture because of the individual’s spiritual condition: they are spiritually dead.

Many, if not most, of those in Jesus’ day who were assigned the task of interpreting the Bible for the people were of this type: spiritually dead. Their interpretation of Scripture was based solely on the traditions of man, and not on the sincere truths propounded in the Bible. They may have been sincere in their desire to teach the people, but they were sincerely wrong in their teachings. They were deceiving others out of their own state of deceit.

Today, it seems that the words of Jesus quoted above (Matthew 24:11-12) are being fulfilled. Many false prophets are on the scene, deceiving many. Some of these we come across in our daily walk of life. They are common, ordinary people, just like us. We work with them, go to school with them, live next door to them. They are good people. They are the kind of people who would literally give you the shirt off their backs. But they have a faulty understanding of Scripture, and they embrace the spirit of lawlessness which is prevalent in the world today. Instead of standing on the sound doctrines as taught in the Bible they have chosen rather to base their understanding of Scripture on the shifting sands of cultural relativism. Social concerns such as abortion, human sexuality, biological necessity, basic human rights, political disparities, religious disparities, etc. etc. are interpreted by cultural beliefs and practices.

Most horrific and dangerous of all are their teachings on the basic tenets of the Bible. Take just one as an example: salvation. If we take the words of Jesus seriously, then we must understand that there is only one means of salvation: no one goes to heaven by any means other than Jesus. He is the way, the truth and the life. There is no other means of salvation, and no other way to gain entrance into heaven. So, again, it is imperative to choose with spiritual discernment who we will follow.

However, it is not only those that are deceived who deceive others, but there are those who deceive because of a desire to deceive others. Some of these may do what they do out of selfish ambition. Others may be motivated by a desire for personal recognition and respect. Still others may do it because of a sinister desire to lead others astray. But regardless of their motivation, they do what they do with their eyes wide open.

Years ago I read a description of a preacher that has haunted me my entire Christian life. This is not a direct, word-for-word quote, but the gist of the description was as follows:

When he is in the pulpit, he preaches with such eloquence, I think that he should never come down. But when he is down from the pulpit, he lives with such carelessness and sinfulness that he should never go up.

Perhaps you know of someone who fits this description. Are you willingly, knowingly, submitting yourself to their teachings? Are you, by your acceptance of their teachings, giving your consent to what they are propounding? If you should, for example, hear your preacher say that Jesus is not the only means of salvation, but that there are many roads that lead to heaven, would you still follow them? If you heard a preacher say that abortion is a viable option for birth control, would you continue to listen to them?

There are many who know what the Bible teaches, but still choose to embrace their interpretations of Scripture by the traditions of man, and the ever-changing climate of cultural relativism.

Many false prophets and teachers are in the world today. Let’s be very careful as we choose those to whom we will give our attention.

Until next time:

Blessings!

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made!

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I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.

Psalm 139:14, NKJV

Personal check-up: When you look in the mirror, are you pleased with the reflection looking back at you, or are you disappointed and dissatisfied with the reflection? How do you like your looks? How do you like your talents? How do you like your abilities? Would you like to look different? Would you like to be able to do some of the things that you see others doing? Are you pleased with the skills you have, and the things you can do? Just how well do you like yourself?

The verse quoted above asserts that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. At the moment of conception, the DNA map of my life was instantly set. My map determined my color of eyes, my color of hair, my body build, my sex, my likes and dislikes, my talents and skills, my gifts, my personality, and on and on. In essence, my entire being was mapped out at that precise moment.

And the psalmist states that it was a result of being fearfully and wonderfully made by the Maker of all – God. And God does not make mistakes, nor does He make junk. He created you to be you – a unique human being made in His image.

But if you’re like most humans, there are probably some things about yourself that you would change if you had the ability to do so. Now, granted, some things are changeable. Hair color can be changed. Eye color, with the help of colored contacts, can be changed. Appearance can be changed in other ways by gaining or losing weight, shaving your head, growing a beard, etc. There are things we can do to change our appearance.

And then, there are things we can do to learn new skills. Some skills and abilities seem to come naturally and tend to bring a great sense of satisfaction in life because we are doing the things that we were designed to do. But, we can learn skills that enable us to do things that we were not necessarily designed to do – they were not part of our original map. We can do those things, again, because we are fearfully and wonderfully made with the ability to learn and grow and develop.

So, what’s the point? If we can change some things about ourselves, and if we can change our appearance, and if we can learn new skills, then why is it significant that we understand and grasp the concept of being fearfully and wonderfully made? Simple: to grasp this important fact enables us to look in that mirror and appreciate what we see. It helps us to be more appreciative for who we are and what we can do, realizing that this is a direct result of our DNA map that was given to us at the very moment we were conceived in our mother’s womb. Fearfully and wonderfully made!

Let me close with a personal reflection. I have always battled insecurity and a lack of confidence. I have also always disliked my appearance and some features of my physical anatomy. I have often stood looking in the mirror, wishing that I could change some of those things that I dislike about myself. This has been a lifelong struggle for me. But when I take time to stop and remind myself that I am who I am, and I can do the things I do, because of the handiwork of God Himself, it heightens my appreciation for the fact that I am, truly, fearfully and wonderfully made. This should cause me to rejoice in the person I am. My life is a gift from God. Now, what I do with it is my gift to Him.

Let’s be quick to thank Him for this unbelievable gift, and show our appreciation by giving our life back to Him.

Until next time:

Blessings!

Are You Successful?

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This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Joshua 1:8, NKJV

Success: When you take a glance back over your life, would you describe it at this point in time as successful? If so, what are the criteria you are using to make that assessment? What, exactly, is success, and what, exactly, are the determining factors which define clearly the distinction between success and failure?

Some might suggest that success is determined by how much money you have stored away. Others might say that success is determined by the house you live in, or the community in which you live, or the car you drive, or the clothes you wear, or any of a multitude of other outward factors that would cause you, or others, to view yourself as being a success.

Still others might think of success in terms of the job you have, or the status you have attained on the job. Then there are those who might think of success as being determined by the number of diplomas/degrees you have displayed prominently on the walls of your office.

The list of definitive factors one might use in determining personal success is veritably endless. What are the factors you use to determine your own level of success? Do any of the ones I have mentioned resonate with you, or would you add others to your list? How do you go about determining your own level of success or failure?

The Bible offers only one definitive, determining factor. Read again the verse quoted at the beginning of this post. For a believer in Jesus Christ who is striving to live his/her life for the Lord, the foundational principle upon which we should determine success or failure is how we live. Our lives should be lived by meditating on the Word of God day and night, and by living true to the principles, precepts, statutes, and directives we find in that Word.

All of those outward factors mentioned earlier in this post are simply man-made factors which have nothing to do with true, Biblical success. So I will pose my original question again: Do you view yourself as being successful at this point in your life? Are you meditating on the Word of God daily? Are you striving to live by the teachings of that Word? When you look at yourself in the mirror of God’s Word do you see the reflection of someone who is striving to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ? Do you apply the teachings of His Word to your daily life? Do others see the reality of a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ in your demeanor, your actions, your attitude, or do they see one who professes to be a follower of Jesus Christ, but whose life bears no testimony to that profession?

True success is based on that one factor, and that alone. We should weigh our personal level of success on the scales of commitment to the Bible’s assessment, and not any man-made factors which can change with the shifting of the winds of life. A steady diet of God’s Word, and the commitment to never deviate from the teachings of that Word, will give the only sure assessment of our success.

Our world today desperately needs to see that kind of commitment. Will you commit yourself to being a success in God’s eyes, or will you live your life seeking success as determined by others?

Until next time:

Blessings

Guest Blogger – Luke Stewart

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Luke Stewart, Mesquite, TX

The following was written by my grandson, Luke Stewart. God has truly gifted him with the ability to put his thoughts into words. He is an exceptionally committed young Christian whose writings convey a deep understanding of some of the complexities of his Christian faith. I asked his permission to print this post on my blog page so that others could be blessed and encouraged by his words of wisdom. I trust that you will enjoy reading his words as much as I do.

One evening, as I was praying, I asked God if He would heal someone that I knew of a condition that they have had for some years now. This was nothing that I had never prayed about before. But, as I was praying, my prayer started to change. I prayed that God’s will be done. God’s will—God’s plan—is better than our plan.

A woman once told me that, when she is praying for someone who is sick or injured, she doesn’t simply pray that they be healed, but she prays that God’s will be done because it is better to be sick under God’s will than to be healthy outside of His will. Man, that is so good. It reminds me of one of my favorite verses in the entire Bible:

For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 1 Peter 3:17

God’s plan is the ultimate authority that we should be submitting to. And we have seen in God’s Word that, sometimes, poor health conditions are under the will of the Father.

Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.” John 9:1-3

Amen. The disciples are assuming that, in one way or another, the man’s blindness is a result of sin (whether the blind man’s or his parents), and sin is, obviously, something that goes against God—something that is outside His plan. But, Jesus told them that this was not the case. In fact, the man’s blindness was a part of God’s plan, “that the works of God should be revealed in him.” God did not create sickness, weakness, or blindness, but He can still use those things for His good—for the ultimate good. If you are familiar with the passage, you know that the man was healed of his blindness by the Lord Jesus Christ, so you might accidentally come to the conclusion that we only have sicknesses and infirmities for the purpose of being healed by God. But that is not what Jesus said. Look back at exactly what Jesus said was the purpose of the man’s blindness:

“. . . that the works of God should be revealed in him.”

No where in that verse does Jesus mention healing! Of course, the man being healed of his blindness was a huge revelation of God’s work, but let us not diminish God’s power to say that the only way He may be glorified in our trials and tribulations is by taking those things away from us. God can be glorified in anything. God is capable of anything.

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Amen. I hope you realize how powerful this passage is. It is not always in God’s will for us to be relieved of those things that burden us in this world. It is in His will that we would put our faith in Him, trusting that, one day, all of those things will forever perish and we will live a new, burden-free, everlasting life with our Father. That is a promise, and that promise will be fulfilled in due time. But this life that we are in right now isn’t about that. It’s not about receiving that. It’s about acknowledging it and proclaiming it and worshipping the God who gave it to us. It’s about glorifying God. And sometimes God will be glorified in healing us and removing our infirmities. Sometimes, He has other plans. But we must remember that those plans are always good. Those plans are always better than our plans. In Jesus’ name.

Luke Stewart, December 2023

Thank you, Luke, for allowing me to share your words. And thanks to all my readers who will read and be encouraged through this message. Please take this message to heart, store it in the recesses of your mind so that the truths of Luke’s message will continue to bring encouragement in the future.

Until next time:

Blessings!

Passing a New Way

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There shall be a space between you and it [the Ark of the Covenant], about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.

Joshua 3:4, NKJV, emphasis added

This passage of Scripture amazes me every time I read it. The scene is the banks of the Jordan river. The characters of the story are Joshua and the masses of Israel. They have just spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness of Sinai. Moses, their leader for all those 40 years, is now dead. Joshua has been commissioned to be Moses’ successor, and his first major assignment is to lead the masses across the Jordan, which, by the way, is at flood stage.

So what does Joshua instruct the people to do? Stay back! Keep the Ark in clear sight, and don’t do anything until you see what the priests carrying the Ark do. In essence, wait for God’s guidance. Wait for God to show the way. Wait for clear direction from God. Don’t act presumptuously.

Earlier in the book of Joshua, God had given Joshua the following instructions:

This book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Joshua 1:8, NKJV

Joshua was instructed to stay in the Word of God – to meditate in it day and night. It would result in Joshua and the people experiencing prosperity and success. Their source of instruction, which would lead to their experiencing God’s best, would be found in God’s Word.

As we move into a new year, we are passing a way that we have never been before. We are like the Israelites preparing to go across the Jordan into the promised land, having no idea what awaited them there. They would soon discover that in passing this new way they would encounter blessing and prosperity, but they would also encounter hardship and adversity. Enemies were on the other side of the river. Obstacles of varying degrees of difficulty would be their lot. They were facing uncertainty on every hand.

So how were they to know what to do? They were to keep their eyes on the Ark, which represented the very presence of God. As we pass from 2023 into 2024, in this present cultural climate of discarding the teachings of Scripture and embracing the shifting sands of cultural relativism, we need to constantly remind ourselves that we need, we MUST, keep our eyes on the Word of God. It is only then that we will have the necessary instructions in how to face the uncertainties that lie ahead, and to maneuver through the morass of the current liberal fight against the truths of Scripture.

Joshua and the Israelites were about to enter a land where the people worshiped other gods. They were not to embrace the teachings of those religious systems, nor were they to try to synchronize the worship of God with the worship of those false gods. So how are they to know the difference? They were to keep their eyes on the teachings of God. They were to meditate in His Word day and night. Then they would experience the manifold blessings of God.

And, one final word, we must remember that success and prosperity from the Biblical standpoint is not about good health and financial prosperity. It is about submitting ourselves to the will of the Father, and accepting whatever comes our way as His plan for us. He will lead us, just as He did the Israelites as they crossed the Jordan into the promised land. It would be a land flowing with milk and honey, but it would also be a land filled with obstacles that stood in the way of attaining those blessings. All of it was part of God’s plan.

As we prepare to enter 2024, as we prepare to pass a way we have never been before, let’s keep God’s word, and a desire for God’s will, ever before us. And let us embrace every eventuality in the coming year as opportunities to bear witness to His glory. Let’s let our light shine before others so that God might receive the glory. And let us seek His will above and beyond all else. It is then that we will prosper and have good success. I pray that each of us will experience His grace, His goodness, and His endurance for the adventures and the challenges that lie ahead in this new year.

Until next time:

Blessings!