If I just look at the verses above from a simple viewpoint, I will get a simple understanding.  Big whoop...  God loves me and always will......  But how many Christians are running around defeated and broken down because the sins of the flesh have caused their own conscience to condemn them?  Therefore, they live fruitless lives.  I know that I have gone through periods in my life when a sin has taken hold of me and therefore I could not even think about acknowledging God.  The thing that I needed and craved most, I avoided.  I stayed away because I convinced myself of my own sin and shame.  I never once looked to God.  I reasoned within myself and leaned only on my own understanding.  What a waste of time!

Everything that you and I need, everything that our hearts long for is found within a relationship with Jesus Christ.  This may come across as narrow-minded or even way too simple; but it is the truth.  On one side we have life, death, angels, principalities, powers, this present age, our future, the expanse of the universe, and all created things.  On the other side we have Jesus Christ.  Jesus asks us to abandon everything else, including our worries, and submit to the Father, just like He did.  He asks us to follow His example.  And when we do that, He places Himself, in the person of the Holy Spirit, within us and then puts us back into the world.  Jesus doesn’t want to rob us of everything this world has to offer.  He wants us to become master over it so that we are not ruled by our passions or anything else.  He wants the love that lies within us, because He lies within us, to rule our lives.  That’s all.

Oh, how difficult we make things!  We convince ourselves through our imperfect logic that God could never really love us.  God is not condemning us, we condemn ourselves!  And then we place that condemnation on God!  Remember the woman caught in the act of adultery?  The religious folks of Jesus’ day brought her out in public, announced her sin before everyone and threw her at the feet of Jesus.  They wanted condemnation!  They longed for someone else to have guilt placed on them, because the weight of their own guilt was too heavy to bear.  Therefore, they threw it on this woman who was nothing more than a pawn in their game.  And what did Jesus say?  “You without sin cast the first stone.”  That got rid of everyone but Jesus and this woman that had captured His heart.  Then He asks the woman, “Where are your accusers?  Is there no one to condemn you?”  She replies, “There is no one Lord.”  You see, she say in the loving eyes of the Messiah that He was not condemning her either.”  She answered correctly.  But just so that she could hear it with her own ears and so that her mind could no longer hold her hostage to sin and shame, Jesus voices it. “Neither do I condemn you.  Go and sin no more.”

Does that make chills run up and down your spine like it does mine?  This is the picture of Christ.  She was guilty according to the Law.  She was supposed to be put to death.  And men lusted to have her put to death so that they did not have to think about their own evilness.  Yet Jesus says, there is nothing that can separate you from my love.  I forgive.  I do not condemn.  Look into to my eyes and see it for yourself!  I am full of love for you and nothing will ever change that!  What freedom that brings to a wearied soul!  What joy that brings to a withered heart!  This is the message for the Church to proclaim!  This is the hope for our day!  Bless the Lord children of God, for He is ALWAYS GOOD!

I really encourage you to read the entire chapter of Hebrews that I am talking about this morning, because sometimes it can be difficult to just read one verse and grab the entire context of the conversation.  That being said, I would like to share with you something that I heard from another pastor yesterday that truly blessed me.  It dealt with those within the faith that should be recognizing all that is going on within our world today.

You and I should not grow weary, tired, or fearful in these tumultuous times.  Things are moving more rapidly today than ever before.  Technology increases at rates unbelievable just fifty years ago.  This computer age that we live in has made many things possible that were once thought impossible.  And along with that goes the escalation of war, and all the things that are created by the lust of men.  This world is being shaken.  Financial collapse looms at many corners of the earth.  And the United States is one of those countries that has served a purpose and is being shaken as well.  God has blessed the United States, but as we continue to turn our backs on the God that has blessed us, we will experience more trial and tribulation.

While this may cause some to become riddled with worry and doubt, that should not be our testimony.  The only reason things are shaken is so that the eternal things which cannot be shaken may remain.  God shakes kingdoms and earthly glories of man so that all men will recognize who He is and repent of their evil ways.  This “shaking” that we see 24/7 in the news these days is a wake-up call from God Almighty to His Beautiful Bride.  We must “wake-up” and heed His voice.  I know that many are turning away from the Church.  But that should not quiet us down.  We have an opportunity in this present age to present the Gospel by using relevant and real examples.  But we must be firmly rooted in our faith to do so.  We must know our Word.  We must heed His voice.  I encourage you today to simply take an inventory of your life and see if you are fulfilling His purpose in your life....or are you simply living for your own pleasures?

My heart was stirred this past weekend as I watched the funeral services of Whitney Houston.  The early end to her life was tragic, but I thank God for the services that were held on her behalf.  I thank God because the major news stations covered thee services and the world had an opportunity to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to hear the hope of our salvation, and to see believers of all walks of life gather together and rejoice, even in the midst of trial and pain.  This opportunity did not go unnoticed, as I heard reporters stating that their faith had been renewed and they even encouraged us to love each other a little more and to place God as a priority in our lives.  Despite the mistakes that each of us make in life, our life can still serve as a testimony to the goodness, kindness and complete love of God!

Just like with all things good, there will be those that rise up and shout down something that is pure and true.  Unfortunately, many of those shouting will even be from within the Church.  Paul, in writing to his spiritual son Timothy, encouraged Timothy to make sure that the purpose of all instruction is so that others will be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a genuine faith.  It’s one thing to say that we love someone and it is something else to actually demonstrate acts of love towards another....but when we step into the realm of purity and genuineness, we have truly entered into a place of understanding.  Imagine Paul sitting somewhere alone, knowing that his life is coming to an end.  And he pens down the most important things for his young student to know.  He doesn’t write about law, doctrine or theology.  He writes about love from a pure heart.

Think about how you love the people that God has placed in your life- spouses, children, parents, family and friends.  Now think about how you communicate your love to them.  Do you have motivations behind the things that you do?  You see, pure love has no motivation.  It loves simply because it cannot help but to love.  Loving with a clear conscience means that there are no thoughts after the love has been demonstrated.  If we worry about whether others will receive our love, it is not pure.  If we worry about how they will receive our love, it is not pure.  Love from a clear conscience gives no thought to any question, it gives because it cannot help but to give.  And lastly, love from a genuine faith finds it’s source from God alone.  When one loves from a genuine faith, they do not have to build themselves up before they demonstrate it.  Love from a genuine faith wells up from within our spirit.  We cannot contain it nor can we manipulate it.  This is the love that each of us should have for one another and even others outside our family of faith.  This is the love that Christ imparts through the Holy Spirit to every believer.  All we have to do is get out of the way and let it flow.  May we all be a wellspring of God’s love as we walk through our days!

Paul, Silas and Timothy wrote to the Church in Thessalonica and this is how they started out the letter.  They greeted them in peace.  They thanked God for the Church and let the Church know that they were in these three men’s prayers.  And then they commended them on their work, labor and endurance.  This verse spoke out to me this morning.  And we might be tempted to think that it has no real bearing on our lives for today.  But that would be wrong.  These early churches and the men that founded them and guided them are the beginning roots of our faith.  As we all learn when we grow older, the beginning is a sweet place to remember because it held purity.

This morning, I want to talk about the work that faith produces.  We know that the Bible says that faith without deeds is dead (James 2:20).  I see people walking throughout their daily lives claiming to be a Christian, but where are their works?  The churches are full on Sunday mornings, but what happens to those individuals the rest of the week?  If there is anything that I have learned after this three year journey of writing these devotionals, it is that it is paramount to my success in Christian living for me to be in the Word daily.  The Word empowers.  The Word washes us clean.  And the Word reminds us all of what the most important things in life truly are.  So, could you present a plausible case to the judge concerning your faith?  There is nothing that will give your faith validity like your works.

I am not suggesting that we need to earn our way into heaven.  Salvation is a free gift.  But that salvation should change something within us.  And our lives should begin to look more like the life of Jesus.  His life was lived in order to please the Father.  I have learned many valuable lessons over the last few years.  But one of the most important lessons has been to keep on going even when life gets overwhelming.  Sure, there are days when I don’t write at all.  And there are days when I watch opportunities slip away from me.  But I am as convinced as I have ever been, that my faith must be producing something.  It is part of faith’s inherent qualities.  There’s no rulebook (Thank God!) that says I have to do x, y, and z in that order in order to live the Christian life.  I thank God, because man would inevitably turn those activities into the most important aspect of our relationship with God and demonstration of our faith.  However, we need (not must) be in the Word daily.  We need (not must) talk to God on a regular basis.  And we need (not must) to demonstrate our faith through our love and endurance with one another.

We have all heard this verse used plenty of times to describe various circumstances.  And many times, I have quoted this verse and used it to encourage me in faith.  When things aren’t quite going like I think they should, I would typically say that God is working  things out even though I wasn’t understanding how or why.  And truth be told, God is truly in control and is working things out for us on our behalf.  However, we have a part to play too.  We dance through our days with a partner.  We look to God to take the lead, but our responsibility is to know the dance so that we can stay in step with Him.  This harmony provides the beautiful graceful waltz that many Christians demonstrate.

Last night, I had one of those great “Word pictures” that the Lord gives me from time to time.  Imagine that you are standing next to a wall.  This wall is part of the interior structure of your house and you know it to be sturdy.  If you choose, you may lean on that wall with full confidence that it will support you.  You KNOW that your weight is not enough to cause the wall to topple over under the stress of it all.  You see, our understanding of construction, even f it is limited, gives us confidence in the strength of the wall.  We see it holding up the ceiling, so surely it will support what little stress I can place on it.  This is according to our understanding.

God wants us to lean on Him just as we would a wall.  In other words, share your burdens with Him so that we are not collapsing under the weight of it all.  In order to lean on God, I must have a basic understanding of who He is, what He has done, and what He is capable of handling.  We can’t trust God for the big stuff until we learn to trust Him with the little stuff.  God should be as real to us as any physical structure.  And when the Bible tells us to walk by faith and not by sight, this is what we should think of.  We lean on God in faith even though we can’t see Him.  Even though it is easier to trust what you already know (because you can see, touch, feel it), we are to trust God more.  How do we do that?  We have to get to the point where we understand Him as much as the physical world around us.  This takes a great deal of faith.  And it all starts with a little step.  Now is the time for us to begin to step out in faith.  Trust Him for what you are capable of trusting Him in.  For some, it may be daily provision.  For others, it may be miracles.  But if we never start leaning upon Him, we will never stop leaning on everything else.

Today, I am filled with hope.  I am full of faith.  Sometimes, things come your way when you least expect it.  And those things may be the fulfillment of your hopes and dreams, or they may just be the right word spoken in due season.  Well, last night I received a facebook message from a friend that included a youtube video of Tyler Perry.  Tyler Perry is a faith-filled guy that wrote the whole Madea series and has become a very successful filmmaker and playwright.  So after you read today’s devotional, take about five minutes to watch the video that I have linked to below.

Do you have a longing within you that has yet to be fulfilled?  I do.  It is hard to explain.  I even struggle to verbalize it to my wife who knows me so well.  I am happy in my daily life.  I feel the presence of God throughout my day.  I love the work I do to provide for my family.  I am happy with my relationship with my wife and children.  And I enjoy making people smile.  My life is good.  But deep within, I know that my life is not yet complete.  This goes beyond my expectation and hope in heaven.  This is hope and a knowledge of something bigger that is to happen in this life.  I don’t know when.  I don’t know how.  But I know that God has called me to something more.  I want to write more.  I want to speak to groups and encourage them in their daily walk.  These are the gifts that God has planted within me and I know (have complete faith) that it is not a matter of  “if”, but only a matter of “when”.

You may have similar dreams.  You may have completely different dreams.  But each of us should have a dream.  Each of us should long for something of value in our lives.  And for those of us that have many valuables, like a loving family and great friends, we may still long for more.  I truly long to change the world.  And when God chooses, I will have greater opportunities to do just that.  I am called to be an evangelist to the Church.  I don’t know when, but I know that the day will come that I have opportunities to speak before Christians of all denominations and encourage them to live an intentional life.  I will speak of the importance of unity within the Church across denominational lines.  And it will be God that has made it happen and nothing of my own will or power.  This I know and this I wait patiently for.  So, watch the video below if you need some encouragement.  Pass this message along to someone that needs the encouragement.  Either way, be a blessing and watch how God blesses you in return!

Tyler Perry’s message of hope:  http://youtu.be/CqkKa3bDb2o

Statistics say that approximately 1 billion cards are given out each and every year on Valentine’s Day.  So yesterday, there were about 1 billion declarations of love for other persons.  This causes me to wonder how many will begin this day by backing up those declarations.  For it is one thing to buy a gift, a card, or make plans for a romantic evening.  It is something entirely different for someone to demonstrate love.  That is what Jesus did for each one of us, and that is where we should focus our lives.  Live while loving...

So how do we love as John is proposing?  How do we love in deed and truth?  I don’t know about you, but there are some people that I may be able to put on a good show for; but I’m not sure that I could honestly love them with a pure heart.  Camp on this thought for a minute.  Think about the people in our lives that we have to ask for help from the Father in order to demonstrate love toward them.  And then imagine the lengths Christ went to in order that we may know that He loves us entirely.  And He never struggled to demonstrate His love.  It is part of who He is.  This understanding and the reality of my struggle with pure love keeps me dependent on God each and every day.

As I have said before, I don’t want to put on a show.  I want to live transparently.  I want others to see me for who I really am.  For when we live transparently, the Christ within us will be shown.  I am reminded of John the Baptist saying that I must decrease so that He can increase.  The only way that I will ever love purely is to continually allow the Father to mold and transform my heart.  And if I will but get out of His way and allow His work to be completed, I will experience a reality of love like I have never known.  I cannot allow past hurts, experiences or rejection to cause me to withhold myself from God.  For if I do, I will never love from a pure heart.  Therefore, I lay down my life and ask God to do a work within so that I can love as He loves- in deed and truth.  And my actions will back up my words.  This is the picture of true Christianity.

Well, the consumerism of America has undoubtedly reminded you that today is St. Valentine’s Day.  A day which was declared a holiday because of the martyrdom of a Catholic Priest in 269 AD.  This St. Valentine refused to stop preaching the Gospel and it led to his death by the Emperor of Rome.  But we now celebrate this day in a different manner.  We celebrate for love!  And love is perhaps the greatest gift that this world has ever known!

I want to take a different approach to today’s devotional.  I want to encourage the young of our country.  Along with the consumerism, America’s morals have greatly declined.  Don’t get me wrong, people have been having sex outside the realm of marriage for as long as people have been around.  But America’s culture has never made it so permissible as it is today.  What was once taboo has now become commonplace.  And our intelligence has gotten in the way of our hearts.  Divorce rate is as high in the Church as it is within the rest of the world because the Church is filled with those that do not honor love as they should.  And I want to challenge you to honor love.

King Solomon was known as the wisest man that ever lived.  And Solomon wrote many things concerning wisdom.  But this one work, the Song of Songs, or the Song of Solomon, he considered to be the best thing he had ever written.  And in this book, he writes of a love story between a man and a woman.  Some people of the church have removed the physical love story from this book and only teach it as a love story between Christ and the Church.  And while it does serve as  a beautiful illustration as how intimate each of us should be with our Creator, it is truly a love story at heart.  And the one thing that the woman, who is enraptured in her love for her husband, continues to speak over and over is the verse above- “I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, Do not stir up nor awaken love Until it pleases.”  

In other words, don’t sell yourselves short and not wait until marriage.  Save the most sacred gift that you can offer your one true love for the man that you marry.  This message is directed to the young women, but it goes without saying that the men should heed the same advice.  In essence, Solomon in his writing of wisdom and love, encourages us all to honor and cherish love.  We should not cheapen it by sharing our beds with any and everyone.  Regardless of what society says is permissible and acceptable, stand firm in your commitment to God and your future spouse.  Do not awaken your most sacred desires until you are committed to one another before God.

Jesus quoted this verse when He was tempted by Satan in the wilderness following His baptism.  When Jesus had nothing to lean on, He leaned on the Word of God.  I memorize scriptures not to give me some righteous feeling of superiority, but to provide me sustenance when I have nothing left to lean on.  You see, the Word never fails.  If you and I will dedicate ourselves to embracing God’s Word on a regular basis, we will be changed.  We may not see immediate results, but I assure you that seeds of sustenance have taken root and will deliver you through any and every thing that we must endure.

After the sermon I heard yesterday morning, my soul has been stirred concerning this verse.  It’s easy to think of the verse above and limit it to getting us through difficulties.  I have done that my entire life.  I trust in the Word most when I need God’s help through a situation.  But yesterday, I realized that God’s Word is not just there when I think I need it, He is speaking over me constantly.  It is the continued spoken words of God that gives me existence.  The book of Job says that God is always speaking.  We might not perceive it, but He is always speaking.  And that is what gives me life.  He speaks life over me.

We know that God will never leave or forsake us, for that is written.  But would it change  your outlook from day to day to know that God not only resides with you, but He also speaks to you continually?  I know that it changes my outlook.  If He is speaking, then I want to know what He is saying.  I want to perceive Him clearly so that I might live fully honoring to Him.  Ask God to give you eyes to see and ears to hear what He is saying.  Open your heart to the influence of the Holy Spirit so that you may begin to walk by faith and not by sight.  This is the calling of my journey.  And so each step I take this day will be in faith.  I might see where I am going, but I am asking God to reveal the real steps that I am taking.  I want to see the spiritual impact that my steps make each day.  To be honest, I feel a little like Peter moving out of the material boat and into the supernatural.  I have asked Jesus to bid me to come, and I believe He has said, “Come.”  Will you join me?

I have been determined to remain out of politics for some time now, especially concerning my view on spirituality and my view on government.  However, there comes a time when evil exists and grows because good men sit in silence and do nothing.  There are certain things that must be spoken about from our pulpits and shouted from our rooftops.  Furthermore, Obama has spoken eloquently at each of the National Prayer breakfasts, and I have enjoyed his declaration of faith.  But after making a strong declaration this past week and stating how he prays regularly concerning the direction of this nation, his move concerning Obamacare and abortion/contraception has baffled me.

This administration is now determined to get into our faith and state what is right and wrong.  I do believe that there is a moral rot within our nation.  I do not choose to blame the democrats or the republicans.  However, when leaders do not bring stability to a nation, we must speak out.  There has been a large decline within the faith of our nation.  However, around 50% still claim to be Christian and we are a nation founded on Judeo-Christian values.  The first amendment guarantees us separation of church and state, which means that there will not be a state led religion and the state will stay out of our faith.  So, the church has remained silent and not spoken out because they have valued their 501c3 status more than their ethical backbone.  No longer!

When the government decides to enter into my faith, I must stand firm and also be accountable before God of how I react.  My actions demonstrate my faith.  Therefore, I will stand against any attempt of the government to determine what any sect of Christianity will and will not do.  If you are uneducated on this, please educate yourself.  We cannot battle that which we do not understand.  Christians, this is what Rally The Troops is all about- uniting the Church according to Jesus’ prayer in John 17.  All denominations should feel strongly about this.  For more information on this issue, go to the following website:  http://www.becketfund.org/hhs/

This is the story of a begging blind man.  This man sat at the corner of a business area in town and begged each and every day for sustenance.  He needed help merely surviving.  There are some people who enjoy being left alone in a position of need, for they have lost hope in the goodness of standing on their own two feet.  For those individuals, we need to pray that the eyes of their heart may be opened so that they may see all that is possible for them.  They need a spiritual healing much more than a physical healing.  And then we have others that are in need, like this man.  His heart was right, but he needed a physical miracle in order to move into the fullness he desired.

You may say ask me how I can infer so much information from such a small passage.  Well, in the verses before,  we find out that this man was in Jericho and when the man heard the commotion passing around him, he asked others that could see about what was going on.  They told him that Jesus, who was from Nazareth, was passing by.   At that point, the man began to cry out with all his might, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  We know that Jesus’ ministry had a large affect on the towns that He entered.  And many times, forerunners would go before and say what Jesus had done in another town.  This brought out the crowds.  This man had undoubtedly heard the stories of what Jesus had done before.  And so he refused to keep quiet, despite others around him that felt he was disturbing them.  He cried out continually until Jesus stopped and had the beggar brought to Him.

What is the moral in this story?  How can this be applicable to us?  First, we can never let others stand in our way of our personal experience with Jesus.  No limitation is great enough.  No detriment in character, no sin, no anything is too great to keep us from God.  Second, we must know who Jesus is in order to receive what we need.  The blind beggar was told that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.  But he called out to Jesus, Son of David.  This is hugely important, because it shows that this man knew that Jesus was the Messiah.  He understood the genealogy of Jesus and David and was honoring  Jesus as King in his life.  Third, the man was healed because he had faith enough.  His faith caused him to act.  He heard, he believed, he cried out, and he received.  That is the faith that each of us need in our lives to overcome any obstacle.  Jesus is all we need.  And all we have to do is believe.  So what are you waiting for?  Go ahead, cry out!

In the end, all shall be revealed.  For some of us, glorious acts of kindness and goodness will be revealed and it shall honor us.  For others, desperate acts of sin and sickness will be revealed and our shame will be made evident.  This is not an easy thing for us to hear; however, it is biblical truth.  Therefore, it should be heard with consideration of how we live our days.

The last few days, I’ve been thinking about the porn industry.  Last night, I saw a youtube video that was remembering all the people from that industry that had died in the last thirty years or so.  It was deeply saddening to see how many had died of suicide and overdoses.  In the “Hollywood” lifestyle, it seems from the outside to be only glitz and glamour.  And even those women within the industry seem so empowered and free.  But that is not the truth in their hearts.  And we must be bold enough to face the truth of the epidemic of lust that faces America and her churches.

So many men and women live lives addicted to pornography.  Within that realm of fantasy and sexual pleasures, exists a longing to be accepted and a lack of personal fulfillment.  But its’ allurement still traps so many people.  We must stay on the right path and reject the temporary satisfaction that lust and pornography offers.  We must know that all will be revealed one day and I don’t want to answer for such sin.  And I don’t want the seeds of selfishness and perversion planted within the soil of my soul.  For if they take root, then they will choke out the good things that God has planted.

My heart has literally ached over the last few days when I have considered the twisted thoughts that the women and men who are caught up in pornography experience.  I watched a movie the other day with my wife in which a young girl, who was tender and naive, was taken advantage of by a teacher that she had a crush on.  This young woman was trying to figure out who she was.  And a beautiful opportunity to nurture her in the absence of her father became an opportunity to satisfy carnal desires for this teacher.  How many angels have been tormented by the lust of men?  How many lives changed?  And yet, of we will but return to God, we can be freed from sickness and perversion.  We can walk in freedom and truly sin no more.  This is the message from a God that loves us and wants to see our lives filled with beauty and goodness.  Be free from sin, don’t justify it.  Be whole again by denying it.  Turn to the Father and look to the Son, and the Holy Spirit will descend upon.....you.  And you shall be free when you see the light and warmth of His embrace.  Welcome Him in.

God not only knows the number of stars in the sky, but He actually calls them by name.  And He doesn’t call them by our names, He has named them according to His good pleasure.  The thought of that amazes me.  An infinitely wise God, who has named each and every celestial body, also knows my name.  And not only hat, but upon my reception into Heaven, He will rename me according to His promise.  And that name will be something only known by me and God.  It will be the utmost experience of intimacy and love.  Is that not glorious?

For me, part of the glory of such thoughts is that I also have the remainder of my life to continue to develop this relationship I have with the Almighty.  He is not too busy for my needs, nor is He too distant to hear my wounded heart.  And if not one of the stars are missing, then neither is anything that He knows affects my heart so much.  My family was blessed with a dog back at the end of last summer.  She was a stray, so we opened up our doors and have been diligent to try and give her a good life.  She has become part of my family and we each love her dearly.  Last night, she came up missing.  Not sure when she got out of the house, but she has not returned home as of yet.  My kids are distraught.  My heart is saddened.  And yet, I have confidence in my God.  If neither of the stars are missing, then neither is this family pet that has brought much love and laughter into my home.  And so I continue on in prayer, asking the Lord to lead Parker back home.

I struggle when I think about how many children go missing in this world.  This current circumstance has really opened my eyes to the devastation that so many families have experienced.  And so I turn to the Word, and I gather hope.  I ask God to reunite these children with their families.  I ask God, who alone knows where everything is, to bring unity to any and all that have lost something so dear to them.  And then I get to thinking about how God must feel about His children that have gone astray.  Even though they are not missing before God, they are still not in relationship with Him.  And so I begin to pray for the backslidden Christian that no longer meets with their Father.  No matter the trial, we must never give up hope; for it is one of the great things that remain....you know faith, hope and love.  Never give up hope.  Never forget that Abba God loves you passionately and seeks nothing more than to bless you with His empowerment and intimacy.

This day, I am another year older, perhaps a little wiser, and still as joyful as ever.  I used to wish for fancy things when my birthday came around.  I used to want for more stuff.  Now, I have a lot of stuff and I find myself actually wanting less.  Those things that I do want, I want to simplify my life.  I want to carry less around on a daily basis.  I want to walk with hands open and free so that they are available to help whoever whenever.

Perhaps my biggest wish is that I do not look like a senseless horse to my Lord and God.  I have no idea what tomorrow holds, but I know that I do not want to be led with constraints into tomorrow because of my ignorance and stubbornness.  If I will remain confident in God and His covenantal continuous honoring of His Word, then I shall find prosperity in ways that I have never dreamed.  I will walk in the wise council of the Lord.

Why should I chose anything less?  All too often, I feel like a young Saul of Tarsus who has continually kicked against the goads.  It’s not that I don’t love God, it’s just that my natural intellect has resisted the leading of God into uncharted and unknown territories.  I can no longer fight that fight, for I wearied and tired.  So this day, I surrender not only my heart and mind to the Lord and Savior of my life, Jesus Christ; but I also surrender my will to Him.  I trust Him to lead me in the best pathway for my life.  I no longer want to do what I feel needs to be done just so that I can say I have given it my all.  Conversely, I want to lay it all down so that He can take the reins of my life and lead me in whatever direction He chooses.  I trust Him enough....

Do you ever get those phone calls where someone beats around the bush and carries on small talk when you know there is something much bigger that they want to ask or discuss?  I imagine that God gets those from us all the time.  I know I’ve done it.  You know, where I thank Him for everything I can think of before I get to my requests (as if He is more likely to answer my requests based on my effort of piety)!  Most of us are probably guilty of doing this when in reality, God already knows our needs before we ask from Him (Matthew 6:8).

God simply wants us to be real with Him.  He is a loving God.  He is a patient God.  And He will not withhold the things we need because we are not as obedient as we should be.  God simply wants us to be honest with Him and ourselves.  We don’t have to go through religious observances simply so that we look more holy.  We don’t need to put up a front so that everyone will think that we have it all figured out.  We just need to be honest before God and man and let Him know what we need.

We should live a little more like Peter.  After He stepped out onto the water and His faith diminished  in Matthew 14:28, He called out in simplicity, “Save me!”  I don’t know that it gets any more heartfelt than that.  And we need to be a little less like Peter.  I say this because we can also see where He asserted a level of piety that God had not placed on him.  He wanted to stop the Lord from the calling of His crucifixion (Matthew 16:23)!  And what does Jesus say?  “Get behind me Satan!”  In one instance, Peter is real with God and tells Him just what He needs.  In the other, Peter tries to retain control over a situation.  So what do you do?  What do I do?  Am I real with God?  We must get to where we have the understanding of just how big God is.  He already knows, and because of that, we can be real and honest with God at all times without fear or reprehension.  This is what God asks of us.  After all, we are not fooling anyone, especially God!

I write this devotionals this morning with a special event in mind.  My oldest child turns 15 years old today.  And I don’t know why it is, but this birthday seems different.  It seems as if fourteen was the crowning birthday of childhood and this day seems to initiate the race into adulthood.  Her focus has changed and I realize that she is beginning her journey of searching for truth that we all end up walking.  And so, I write today with this in mind.

By reading the verse above, I am reminded that God looks upon us and hopes to see but one thing- that we are seeking Him.  As men, we think arrogantly, like we should have it all figured out and that there is no limit to our intellect and understanding.  We are foolish to think that we have all the answers, whether we are 15 or 55.  But the one thing that we must always do is seek wisdom from our Father above.  As long as we are searching for truth by addressing the unchanging Father who defines truth, we are just where we should be.

Instead of showering my child with gifts that will turn into rust and dust, I will focus my attention on this day to shifting my relationship with her.  I will always be her Dad and rules will always have to be followed.  But instead of instructing from a “Because I told you so” place, I want to begin to relate to her differently.  More than anything, I want her to seek God.  Therefore, I will give her opportunities to seek Him for herself.  She may drink when she wants to or she may not drink at all, but I will continually lead her beside the river of truth.  Then each experience will be her own.  I believe this is but one of my duties as a loving Father.  After all, is this not what God has done for me time and time again?  Blessings to each of you, and drink deeply!

I have heard many pastors, teachers, and evangelists recently saying that God has lifted His blessing off of America and He will indeed forsake us because of our sins against Him.  I tell you confidently that this is not true.  We do not live in a God forsaken land.  In fact, there is no God forsaken land anywhere within this world.  There are places where the light is very dim and so love within that area is very cold; but God’s mercies are new every morning.  He has not forsaken any living creature, except one....His Son Jesus.

No living being has any concept of what it means to be forsaken by God.  We may, at times, feel deserted.  We may not feel the presence of God or the comfort of the Holy Spirit.  But we may always have the confidence that God will never abandon us.  No matter how dark the situation is that you may face, God is near.  No matter how many others desert you and abandon you, God is near.  Nothing can separate us from the love of God and that love is only experienced while in His Presence.  He does not love us from afar.  He loves you and I intimately from within.  This we can have confidence in.  And this is what Jesus lost in that hour on the cross so that He might bear the weight of the sins of the world.

Jesus took on what no man wants so that He could provide something that all men need.  A sacrifice that offers forgiveness.  What Jesus did on the cross during that ninth hour is a true picture of what awaits all that do not accept God’s forgiveness.  If we do not accept salvation in this life, we will experience a complete void of all things good in the next.  We have no understanding of how dark this really is.  This gives us understanding of Jesus’ struggle in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Jesus was willing to endure any affliction.  He was willing to accept any tortuous circumstance.  Jesus did not take offense at their stripping Him, or of their mocking.  The only thing that Jesus dreaded and asked for escape from was separation from the Father.  Yet, He patently endured at the request of the Father so that all may be reunited with Him in heaven.

So now I ask you today, “What is so difficult within your life that you cannot praise God?”  Now is not the time for blame, frustration, worry or fear.  Now is the time for forgiveness and love.  And if we choose to accept and then walk in forgiveness and love, all the rest of those things (blame, frustration, fear, worry, etc.) shall be cast far away from you.  And make no mistake, the choice is yours.  We each choose which burdens we shall carry.  I choose to lay mine down and walk in the freedom that Jesus provides, for this is a wonderfully light load that I’m carrying!

Rules are so easy to get caught up in.  When we follow a set of rules we feel accomplished.  We feel successful.  And so it was natural for man to take the instructions of God as a rulebook on how to live their lives.  The Israelites had different sects of believers that followed certain rules more rigidly than others.  They became divided into different factions.  And as a mandate, they followed the rules they promoted in order to demonstrate their devotion to God and piety before man.  And then Jesus showed up.

The different sects and factions of the Jewish faith is no different than our modern day division of denominationalism.  I am not against denominations.  However, when one proclaims their denomination before their personal relationship with Jesus Christ, something is awry.  When Jesus scolded the Saducees and Pharisees, it was because they paid more attention to their rules and line of thinking than they did the relationship that God wanted with their heart.  God is not nearly concerned with our interpretation of Scripture as we think.  He wants our hearts.  He will provide understanding as we mature.  But many modern day believers will shout this line of thinking down.  They call me a heretic because I preach love and not doctrine.

I tell you that Jesus is about the heart.  In the situation surrounding the verse above, Jesus and His disciples were hungry while walking and ministering on a Sunday.  So they stopped by a grainfield and began to eat of God’s glorious provision.  The Pharisees saw the situation and pronounced guilt over Jesus and His followers.  For they had “broken” the law.  Jesus reminds them that their favored King David had also partaken of God’s provision when it was against the written law.  Furthermore, He convicts the heart of the religious with the Word of God by affirming that God desires mercy and not sacrifice.  This sharp sword from Hosea 6:6 slashed the vanity of religiousness.  So how does this apply to our lives on a daily basis?

All to often, we major on the minors.  We focus our efforts on a set of rules instead of allowing God to do the more difficult work of transforming our hearts.  When we follow the rules better than anybody else, we elevate ourselves above others and begin to believe that we have it figured out better than others.  However, if we remain submitted to God on a daily basis, we realize that as we mature n our faith, our dependence on God grows.  We realize that living by a rulebook is never a substitute for having a real, intimate and personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  This is our goal.  This and nothing else.

So many do not understand the beautiful statement that Jesus is saying here.  We understand the statement He made right before this: “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”  Okay, so Jesus is beckoning me to come to Him, for in Him, I shall find true rest.  In Christ, I will find the peace that passes all understanding.  In other words, with Christ, I can find a peace that man can neither define nor produce.  It is found only in Christ.

But why does Jesus ask for us to take His yoke?  Many are already thinking that they cannot carry any more than they already are.  They need relief, and isn’t that what Jesus told us to come to Him for?  Why the does He want to add more to our plates?  He doesn’t.  He simply wants to share the load with us.  A yoke is a device that harnesses a pair of oxen so that they will walk together and in time.  Jesus’ yoke is relationship.  He promises us that if we will but walk with Him, and in time with His steps, then He will share the load.

When two animals are bound together, they learn from one another.  Jesus asks us to learn from Him.  Think of some old movie where you see a couple of prisoners escaping from captivity while they are still bound together.  They have to have compete cooperation with each other.  They have to get their timing together.  Otherwise, the relationship is doomed for frustration.  I think that the reason that many Christians are frustrated and not feeling the peace that they are longing for is because they never slow down and get their timing right with Jesus.  A commitment to Christ demands a change in our processes.  Jesus rarely moved as fast as everyone wanted and He almost never stayed as long as anyone wanted.  He did this not to annoy people but because He was in tune with His Father’s voice.  And His Father’s voice led Him each and every day.  When we yoke ourselves together with Christ, we walk and move at a different pace.  We don’t move at the command of man, but at the voice and guidance of the Father.  And there, we will always find peace.

I have been praying through and struggling against a heart that has been determined to grow cold.  Sometimes I don’t even know the why’s or how’s of my heart’s own determination to turn the coldness on.  But this morning, the lights came on and the heat came in!  And this is what the Lord showed me....

Forgiveness is nothing more than love in action.  At its essence, forgiveness is love.  But it goes beyond the theoretical picture of love and forms it into the idea that “I love you more than I love myself.”  It was forgiveness that first called me to salvation.  I had to voice the request, but truth be told, my sins were forgiven while Jesus still hung from the cross.  In His words, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”, Jesus finished the work that had to be done in my own heart.  And what has come from that moment is not a continuation of His work, but an awakening within myself of the fullness of His work.

Forgiveness is the plow that digs deep into the hardened soil of our hearts.  If you have a hardened heart toward someone else, you must step to the work of forgiveness.  Put the love of Christ into action within your heart.  The verse above from Colossians tells us that we were made alive while we were still dead after being forgiven.  Forgiveness is a necessity for all our hearts.  When we do not forgive, we will not be forgiven.  That is why the coldness sets in.  That s why the feelings of indifference become so real.  We must allow God’s fullness to break through our own toughness and pride.  And learning to forgive others definitely puts us on the same journey that Jesus walked.  So give in this morning and give it all up!

 Yesterday morning, the pastor of a little church with big dreams in Fairview, TN spoke these words and they rang loudly within my spirit: “One of these days, all we will have is all we’ve given away.”  What are we working for?  Are we working for more stuff?  Do I spend my time trying to get the bigger house, nicer car, designer jeans and all the rest?  Or am I sowing seeds in the fertile soil of heaven where nothing can destroy the beautiful fields awaiting me?

Jesus was clear concerning the message that He directed to man’s heart.  I’m not asking you to take a vow of poverty or to relinquish all your earthly possessions.  But I am asking you to consider the gravity of these words.  There is a serious lesson that is to be learned from the verses above.  And you either get it or you don’t.  Unfortunately, many haven’t seen the light as of yet, or at the most it is a dim sunrise on the horizon of their minds.  But what about you?  These words should serve as either a strong reminder of where our interests lie, or as a wake-up call for our souls.

Wherever our treasure is, there our heart will be also.  We chase after the longings of the heart.  If we long to be popular, we will seek opportunities to stand out before others.  If we long to be rich, we will look for opportunities to work hard or find the shortest route to make a quick buck.  But if we long for more God, more heaven, more vision and spiritual substance, we must begin investing ourselves into the Word and one another’s lives.  The greatest investment is that which changes another man’s soul.  Whether it be your child, spouse, neighbor or a complete stranger; there is no greater investment that we can make than our love.  And I encourage you to sow wildly.  Cast the seeds of love all around you and see where the Lord allows them to take root.  By doing this, you will ensure yourself a clean heart here and an everlasting investment that will pay eternal rewards!

Last night, I watched the movie Courageous to see if the hype I had heard from my friends was in fact reality or not.  And I realized that it is indeed a very good movie.  It actually made me laugh out loud (which rarely happens).  I recommend watching the movie because it will plant desire within each of you to be a more grounded and deeper rooted Christian.  But I am not a movie critic, so onto the devotional....

It takes courage to live out our faith each and every day.  Enemies surround us throughout our daily movements.  And when the sun sets on this day, the greatest determining factor is not how powerful or numerous our enemies are, but how much faith we grasped and how much courage we accepted when it was our time to stand.  Be strong and of good courage.  That is a commandment from God to the man that chooses faith over circumstance.  Do not be afraid nor dismayed.  That goes hand in hand with strength and courage, for one leaves no room for the other.  They are polar opposites that cannot co-exist in the same proximity.

I will stand firm with strength and courage.  I am willing to be accountable before others as I battle the struggles that seek to strangle me.  When all is said and done, none of us will regret the lack of any possession.  We will, however, regret the lost opportunities to invest ourselves more into God and others.  And that is what we must do.  We must be willing.  That is all the Lord requires- that we are willing and that we take Him at His Word.  If we do this, we will not only affect our own lives for the good, but we will also affect all those that cross our path, for our God will be with us and they shall see His gloried Presence all about us.  This is the faith-filled walk.  This is our calling.

America is in a unique place these days.  The political climate has seemed to change the discussions that take place around us.  Four years ago, we were inundated with the idea of hope and change from the democratic party and Barak Obama.  These days, the republicans have adopted the same ideology and consistently speak of the changes that need to take place within society.  While I also believe that there are some significant things that need to change within the cultural norm, we should never just change things for the sake of change.

You have heard it said, “If it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it.”  I think that many people get distracted and/or bored within their lives and so they think that change will bring them joy and fulfillment.  They endure the daily routine with frustration and resentment.  They feel certain that change will bring them to the place they need.  We see the same thing happen within our churches.  Service types change to meet the cultural changes.  While I understand and agree with some changes, I think it is most important that we stay on point.  In other words, let’s keep the main thing the main thing.  Stop majoring on minors.

If you as an individual, or your church as a corporate body, is experiencing frustration and a lack of fulfillment, perhaps you should approach God concerning your purpose.  Just as Paul learned contentment in all circumstances, we also should be happy while enduring any circumstance of life.  If we remain true to our calling in Christ, we will see God use us no matter where we are located.  Instead of grasping for more change, we should complete the work that the Father has given to each of us.  We all have a unique purpose according to God’s Word.  And He alone knows the plans He has for us.  Our goal should be less concerned with change and more focused on heeding and fulfilling our original purpose.  Do you even know your purpose in Christ?  Are you fulfilling it?  If I have learned anything over the last few years with all of the trials and circumstances which frustrate my flesh, it is that life is little about comfort and more about purpose.  And if we are willing to fulfill our calling, the comfort will come.  The Holy Spirit will rest upon you and I just as He did at the baptism of Christ.  And the Father too shall be well pleased.

In these days of rousing applause during Presidential speeches and fiery debates on the side of the Republicans, I can’t help but to think about the contrast and similarities between politics and religion.  Both devices have been used to further one’s personal agenda.  Both have divided people since the beginning of time.  And both have the potential of changing individual’s lives forever.  I am thankful to be both a Christian and an American.

But I am thankful foremost about being a Christian.  When we choose Christ, we chose a new life.  We no longer define ourselves by the standards of man, but only standards set by God.  I wonder what state our nation would be in if people were as passionate about their relationship with Christ as they are their political ideology.  Jesus was clear in the verses above.  Being a Christian does not alienate us from society or our personal responsibility to honorably live in society.  However, our ideals should be set higher than a political affiliation.  Unfortunately, much of the Church has followed the rules of political debates where even our closest allies become our enemies.  It is time for a change in America.  Heck, it’s time for a change in me!

I realized that one of my greatest mistakes over the last few years is that I have had an incredible vision for what the Lord has directed me.  However, I have not developed and formulated the plan to accomplish anything.  After hearing our President speak, I realized that he once again returned to his pre-presidential ideals of uniting the country and declaring that the divisiveness within our nation must come to an end.  This was all he could espouse because he has failed to put the policies in place to get us started on the proper path.  You see, for the past few years, I have been proposing for great change within the Church and using every tool available to me to influence a personal change within individuals.  And while I have the majority of the plan in my head, I have done very little to develop the details to bring a lasting change to pass.

It’s not that I have a monopoly on God’s plan for anyone’s life.  But I do have a purpose and a calling for my own life.  And the real test for any and all of us is whether we simply preach the truth or we actually live it.  And living it is about maturing in my faith and furthering my walk with Christ each and every day.  Do I have a greater grasp on my purpose today than I did two years ago?  Am I more resolute in the truth that I continue to hold onto with all my might?  Does my determination and walk equal my passion?  If not, then the change that is needed most is within my own heart and mind.  And that is where I must focus.  Otherwise, it’s just a great looking meal with no real flavor.