“Shouldering Your Cross”

“Anyone who does not (“persevere and” Amplified Bible) carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:27) What depth of God’s power rest in the depth of our understanding this simple word, ‘perseverance’ which means “to persist / continue in a state or undertaking in spite of counterinfluences, opposition or discouragement; the tenacious refusal to simply quit / give up." To arrive at the finish line of life’s journey, you MUST first be IN the race (be a genuine believer / follower), then you MUST finish the race / cross the finish line (Acts 20:24, 2 Timothy 4:7)! For the believer, this race has the divine requirement that we “carry (‘shoulder’ The Message) our cross” – this seems to imply that means "carrying (shouldering) one’s cross” involves carrying a 'burden.' One dictionary defines the English noun "cross" as "an affliction that tries one's virtue, steadfastness, or patience." God tells us that it is in this ‘furnace of affliction’ (Isaiah 48:10) where our faith is tested (i.e. fully revealed) – and a furnace is never a place one chooses to go for ease or comfort. We actually risk compromising God’s plan for our lives and sometimes the lives of others when avoid God’s furnace(s) by our seeking the path of least resistance (i.e. when we choose to be a ‘partially devoted follower’ rather than a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ). Carrying a cross (a God-given burden / assignment) in this life’s journey was never meant to be easy. Jesus carried the heaviest cross of all time for it was weighted down with all of our sins (past, present and future) – His was a cross that only HE could carry (1 John 2:2). No matter what size cross which God gives each of us to carry, know that we are to carry it in His strength and for His glory and honor which promises to serve as a witness for Him before a watching world (1 Chronicles 16:28-29). Chris Tiegreen writes in The One Year at HIS feet devotional that, “We are not allowed to fit God’s mission in and around our …(own) priorities. We may choose safety or Christ, but not both. We may pursue the American dream or the kingdom of God, but not both. We may ‘give up everything’ (Luke 14:33) or not give up (anything), but not both. Christ compels us to choose.” (pp. 82) A great quote from Jim Elliott, an evangelical Christian missionary to Ecuador who, along with four others, was brutally killed (martyred) while attempting to evangelize the Waodani people, helps us ‘see’ the heart of a servant who was fully committed / surrendered to ‘shouldering his cross and following Christ,’ “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." Matthew 16:26 states this truth similarly, “What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” (NLT) Today, take a few moments and examine the cross which He has assigned you to carry. Are you trying to carry it on your own strength, or on His strength? The choice in your response will reveal who you are following, SELF or the SAVIOR and who the world is seeing in your witness, YOU or CHRIST JESUS? …Selah!
Today's Spirit-led video is by CCM artists Clay Crosse, Bob Carlisle and BeBe Winans can be viewed by clicking on the on the song title, "I Will Follow Christ" - G3 for God's beautiful and spirit-filled gift of ministry thru Christian music!

“Going the Extra Mile…”

“And if anyone forces (‘compels,’ NKJV) you to go one mile, go with him two [miles].” (Matthew 5:41, Amplified Bible) In Jesus’ day, the Romans had a practice that they had learned from the Persians about 600 years earlier. This practice – called IMPRESSMENT - was to subjugate (to make submissive; bring under control) a people who had been conquered through war. If a Roman soldier saw a Jewish man or boy, he could command the man or boy to carry his backpack (~100 lbs) for a maximum of one Roman mile (1600 paces/steps). At that point the soldier would have to either carry it himself or recruit another person to take it to the next mile. Most Jews would not carry this burden one step further than the law required. This law caused tremendous resentment among the Jews toward the ruling Roman government! So from today’s text, we read the word “compel” which carries with it the idea of “a readiness & willingness to submit to inconvenience or unreasonable demands; urged forcefully; cause to do a task by much pressure.” Notice the wording that Jesus uses in this text - “anyone…” To you and I today this means, “if a neighbor” or a “co-worker” or a “church member” or “Uncle Sam” would compel us to do a certain thing (as long as it doesn’t cause you to deny/disobey your faith) then we should do twice as much (better than) they expect us to do. Honestly, that’s a TOUGH standard to follow at times! Yet we must understand what it is that Christ uses to “compel” us to go the second mile - the love of Christ! The Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:14a, “For Christ's love compels us …’ The Second Mile is a reflection of our thankfulness for the love of Christ in our lives - we are ‘compelled’ by the love of Christ to go the extra (second) mile for the kingdom of God of a grateful heart! A Christian web blogger once wrote, “The Extra (Second) Mile in our culture is "extra ordinary". It was the same in Jesus' day. Doing something unexpected for another is one way we can express God's incredible love for all men.” Mel Blackaby writes in his book, Going the Second Mile, “On the first mile, you can stand on your own. You’re doing what any good person would do. Your reward is the applause of people and the satisfaction of a job well done. You see what YOU can accomplish – but nothing more. The second mile looks much different … You demonstrate that you’re more than a good person; you’re a child of God. As a result, people see something different IN you – the love of God. For the God of love is now doing His work in you, and the world sees Him.. The difference is CLEAR - the world sees US on the first mile; they see CHRIST on the second mile.” (2006, pp.31) The essence of being a true Christian is to obediently follow Christ. The word ‘follow ’ indicates movement, a change, and/or a new direction in life. A stagnant life is the result of staying where you are - living in the first mile & refusing to go any further! But to truly follow Christ will always mean forward progress … it will require going the EXTRA (SECOND) MILE every day which He gifts to you! So how far are willing to go today for the Lord and for others? Are you hanging out in that first mile zone where much the crowds gather? Or are you willing to break ‘out of the pack’ and run that second mile for Christ and for others – a place where few others seem to want to run today? As for me and my family (Joshua 24:15), we’ve chosen to make our life journey a daily adventure into that second mile … if you’re willing, we’ll warmly greet you at the second mile marker! …Selah!
Today's Spirit-led video is by CCM artist Clay Crosse can be viewed by clicking on the on the song title, "He Walked a Mile" - G3 for God's beautiful and spirit-filled gift of ministry thru Christian music!

“Idle Hearts lead to Idol Hearts”

“Warn those who are idle … (“Warn anyone who isn't living right” CEV) [1 Thessalonians 5:14] I have a saying when people ask me if I like my 2003 F-150 truck; I typically respond, “I love my truck, but the gas mileage is awful. I’ve figured out how to get it to coast downhill, now all I need to do is figure out how I can make it coast uphill!” Isn’t that true in our spiritual lives as well. We would have no problems if life was all downhill “i.e. gravity led!” But it isn’t …life has some pretty steep mountains to climb, and the spiritual transmission of our hearts must be engaged if we expect to make it up and over those mountains that stand between us and God’s promised land. Truth be told, no matter how hard you try, you can NEVER coast up a mountain (i.e. in neutral, “in idle mode”)! God’s Word in today’s text teaches us that we need to lovingly warn those who attempt to journey through life in neutral (“in idle”) …it will never work. You have to have your heart in gear to be able to climb the many mountains (trials, tests, challenges) which arise before us in the landscape of life. Yet so many today spend so much time trying to believe the enemy’s lie that you can get somewhere (‘journey by faith’) while your heart is “idle.” From Star Trek: The Next Generation series, Captain Jean Luke Picard famous command when it was time to warp from one place to another was “Engage!” And that is the same command God gives to every believer, “Engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth!” (John 4:23, The Message) Allow me the liberty to translate that – “Get your heart in gear (‘shift out of idle’) as you pursue after Jesus Christ (“Truth” John 14:6)!” That’s exactly what the Lord desires – that we pursue Him! 1 Peter 4:1 declares, “Pursue what God wants…” (TM) In Matthew 8:22, Jesus lovingly tells us, “Follow Me. Pursue Life! (John 14:6)” Deuteronomy 16:20 declares that we “pursue only what is right,” and 1 Timothy 6:11 explains in detail exactly what is ‘right’ - “Pursue a righteous (“godly” NLT) life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness (perseverance), courtesy." (TM) This righteous (godly) life cannot be pursued from hearts that are spiritually idle, for “idle” hearts are “idol” hearts that are in pursuit of anything other than Jesus Christ! Yep, you read that correctly – to pursue ANYTHING or ANYONE more than Christ is to be traveling the wrong way down life’s highway with idol hearts. In my “The One Year Worship the King” devotional this morning, Chris Tiegreen shared, “Be careful about what you (freely choose to) pursue … it will eventually define you!” Psalms 115:5 similarly tells us , “Those who make [idols] will be like them (i.e. will be defined by them), and so will all who trust in them.” So what are you pursuing today – if it is anything other than Jesus Christ, it is an idol … pure and simple! God tells us to pursue Him and Him alone! So shift your faith from “idle” to high gear in the spiritual quest toward becoming more like Christ every day … to do so promises to leave your “idols” sitting “idle” in the dust behind you! …Selah!
Today's Spirit-led video is by Worship & Praise artists Eden's Bridge (a Christian Celtic Worship & Praise Folk Band; spiritually 'ironic' this choice falls on St. Patrick's Day today!) and can be viewed by clicking on the on the song title, "Awesome God" (originally written by Rich Mullins) - G3 for God's beautiful and spirit-filled gift of ministry thru Christian music!

"Cold Love or Hot Hearts?"

“What sign will signal your return and the end of the world? … You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:3b,9b-12 NLT) Ministering recently to an seasoned sister in the Lord (an elderly lady), she shared, “Pastor David, why don’t people truly care anymore. Nobody seems to want to love others like they used too … people once stopped by and just spent time together … they seemed to enjoy just being with each other … people just seem to love LESS today than ever before in my lifetime ... I just want a friend to love me as I want to love them ... why don’t people want to love others like they use too?” My heart sank as she opened her heart and in honestly shared her life’s greatest disappointment – the longing of loving friends (i.e. she's lonely). She continued to share how friend after friend had come into her life over the years and then left for many different reasons. Her testimony was filled with disappointments and betrayals by many who claimed to live in the love of Christ, but their actions were often far from loving. Now I am not saying in any way that this lady does not have her faults, as we all have them (Romans 3:23). Yet Colossians 3:13 declares, “Make allowance for each other’s faults…” That does not mean excuse them away nor does it mean to ignore them, but it means to show God’s grace just as He has shown His grace to you and me. Yet today, many are freely choosing NOT to demonstrate His grace toward others as His Word commands (Hebrews 12:15). Today, I believe more than ever we are seeing the prophetic words of Christ in reference to the “signs of the Last Days” cited in our text come to fruition in many ways, but especially in the area of love - “the love of many (“most” NIV)” is seemingly growing colder with the passage of time. So many today are so caught up in their own world – in their own reality – that they often are oblivious to that fact that they are allowing the enemy to isolate themselves from the very ones whom God has lovingly placed into their lives to love them and to be loved by them. I believe there are several contributing factors for the “love meter” to be spiritually waning today. First, I believe more folks are daily neglecting spiritual disciplines that are vital toward keeping our love fires stoked such as simple time spent with God, meditating on the Word, prayer, fellowship with others, ministry service, etc. Secondly, more folks are allowing the increasing frequency of life trials and tribulations to push them AWAY from God rather than TOWARD Him. When we go through something challenging (i.e. health issue, divorce, loss of job, mistreatment/betrayal by others, death of a loved one, financial challenges, etc.), we can either allow that difficulty to drive us to greater dependence on God or we can take up an offense toward God and move away. The former will lead to spiritual growth and increase our love for Christ and others, the latter will lead to stagnation and will snuff out the fire of our love like water poured onto a blazing campfire. Third, busyness in life is consuming more and more of His people. Here is what may well be the greatest area of vulnerability to Christians in America – getting so busy with life and demands that we simply neglect our relationship with God and others. Our relationship with God and others takes TIME together – we cannot grow closer in any relationship by proxy – that’s why He tells us not to forsake spending TIME with the family of God! (Hebrews 10:25) Fourth, the sins of the flesh and desire for pleasure are rampant today. So much of what people are focusing on today is pleasure and we spend a great deal of time, effort and money on what gives us pleasure. This can lead to a very self oriented life which will cause one’s heart to grow cold toward the Lord and others. Finally, more and more people are purposefully insulating themselves from the risk of hurt, pain and disappointments by others because of what may have happened in their past (i.e. they are allowing their past to govern their future). Many don’t want deep, close relationships primarily because that would demand two things of which many (dare I say ‘most’) care NOT to give: COMMITMENT and ACCOUNTABILITY! Thus, we are left to swim the sea of faith often alone … yet God has from the beginning of time designed into us a need for companionship … a need to be loved and to love others. Jesus tells us in John 15:12, “Love each other as I have loved you.” It is His love in you and through you that serves as the very foundation of your Christian witness as being a true disciple. John 13:35 declares, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples.” So when the love of many (‘most’) grows cold, know it has been preceded by love of the Lord growing cold through neglect and disobedience. Today, ask His Spirit to check out how hot or how cold your love truly is for Christ and for one another. He told us in 1 John 4:7, “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” A watching world waits to see how REAL your love is for Christ by how REAL your love is for THEM! …Selah!
Today's Spirit-led video is by CCM artists MercyMe and can be viewed by clicking on the on the song title, "In the Blink of an Eye" - G3 for God's beautiful and spirit-filled gift of ministry thru Christian music!

“Neither Hot Nor Cold, but LUKEWARM!”

“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like LUKEWARM WATER, neither hot nor cold, I will spit (“spew”/ “vomit”) you out of My Mouth!” (Revelation 3:15-16, NLT) That stomach churning cry, “Mom … Dad …” was bellowed from our son, Aaron Joseph, this morning followed by the sound that makes this Dad particularly crumble – “the tossing of one’s cookies!” I am the ‘Medic Man’ when it comes to skint knees, busted lips, splinters, high fevers and numerous other ailments – but when ‘cookie tossing’ time arrives, I tend to 'buckle' and gladly yield complete medical authority over to our children’s wonderful mom, Traci, lest I join in on this medical Olympic-like sport! (Update – AJ now seems fine and is actually more joyful /sweet when he is sick than when he is well – go figure!) Through this mornings' rough beginnings, the Lord took me to today’s text. Jesus is speaking to the believers of His Church in Laodicea – a city which was very prosperous (they had a large banking industry, a thriving wool business (manufactured black wool fabric - “the rage” all throughout Roman Empire) and a state of the art medical school where they developed medicines (salves) for treating eye disorders. Sadly, because of their great wealth & affluence, the Laodiceans, to include the Church of Laodicea, had – over time – simply become self-sufficient (“prideful”) in their own ways / abilities! They felt they had no need of anything from anyone...they believed all was fine! But it wasn’t - Laodicea had a major WATER problem – they lacked an adequate water supply (no natural springs were located near the city)! They had to tap into their affluence to build a massive aqueduct and “pipe in” water from its neighbors. For hot water, they collected it from the hot springs of Heiropolis (~11 miles away) – known for its hot, mineral-rich medicinal waters. For cold water, the collected it from Colossae (~6 miles) known for its cool, pure refreshing waters. Because of the distance of travel, by the time the hot and cold waters arrived at Laodicea, they were neither; rather, they were both “lukewarm” at best! Traditionally, many have denoted the “hot and cold” references in this text to refer to Christians’ “spiritual temperature,” that of being either “on fire for the Lord” or “having nothing to do with Christ,” respectively. This interpretation is perhaps not the most accurate for it fails to fully capture the true intent of what Christ was saying to the Laodicean church – that of the “barrenness of their Kingdom works.” (v.15) The Laodicean church was doing much “work,” but it’s work showed no spiritual fruit as it was devoid of the power of God (they had ‘man-made accomplishments’ - not God-produced miracles)! They had no refreshing work (“cold water imagery”) for the spiritually weary / thirsty. Recall the words of Jesus who declared, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.“ (John 7:37b-38) They also had no spiritual healing (“hot water imagery” for the sin sick who needed healing). Instead, God tells them that they were “lukewarm.” Recall that “lukewarm water” was an ancient medical practice that was used to get people to “vomit, throw up, toss their cookies.” The “lukewarm waters” of Laodicea were simply undrinkable lest one would become violently sick. Although the "lukewarm waters" had general uses, the PRIMARY use of water which is to sustain life (be consumed) was lost in the aqueduct journey enroute to the city. This physical condition (problem) represented the spiritual condition (malady) of their hearts. The Laodicean believers had fallen into a sinful state whereby they didn’t take a stand for anything – “neither hot nor cold” (v. 16) – their spiritual indifference had led them into spiritual idleness – leaving them evangelistically neutral!” Likened to its water problem - the church in Laodicea had become spiritually lukewarm (i.e. middle-of-the-road believers, doctrinally moderate, “spiritual fence riders”) and this was deemed by God to be so distasteful & repugnant that He said He would “spew them out of (His) mouth” (i.e. this disgusted God and made Him figuratively sick)! Over 2,000 years later, many suffer from the same spiritual malady that the Laodicean believers had contracted – “Lukewarm-itis!” Many today sit evangelistically neutral because of unaddressed apathy / complacency roots that have been allowed to grow in the ‘plumbing pipes’ of their hearts. These sinful roots have choked off the refreshing flow of the Holy Spirit into and through their lives, leaving them to become spiritually lukewarm (ineffective / distasteful) to the will and heart of God. How is the flow of His “living waters” (John 4:13-14 & 7:38) in and through your heart today? If there are any sinful roots impeding that flow, then humbly call on Christ to “roto-root” them out through the spiritual process of confession, cleansing and restoration so that the “times of refreshing (Acts 3:19), ‘living waters'" will again flow in and through your life and out into the lives of others around you. The parched souls of many across His lands await His healing and refreshing touch made possible through the obedience of His people / His Church! …Selah!
Today's Spirit-led video is by CCM artist/Worship-Praise Leader Chris Tomlin and can be viewed by clicking on the on the song title, "God of this City" - G3 for God's beautiful and spirit-filled gift of ministry thru Christian music!

“Praying for a Special ‘Angel’”

“Those who wait for (“on” NKJV) the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired.” (Isaiah 40:31, Amplified Bible) As I begin this new day, my thoughts are far from this computer desk this morning. They are about 25 miles from my home with a precious little ‘angel’ – “Angel Thompson” who is undergoing emergency surgery as I type this morning’s WOTD after being diagnosed less than 36 hours ago with a brain tumor. AFTER my first FB posting requesting prayer for ‘Angel’ yesterday, we learned that this little 5-year old girl is a bright young student in one of our church member’s kindergarten classes at a local Christian school. Since learning of this situation yesterday afternoon, my heart has been filled with various emotions as I have been reminded afresh of ~18 years ago when we first learned the shocking news of Traci’s cancer and stood at the dawn of a new journey that would forever change our hearts and our lives. In times like these along life’s journey, we can only ‘wait on the Lord & hope in Him’ for the situation now facing Angel and her parents is totally in the Lord’s loving, sovereign hands. But God is always at work … in fact, speaking with Angel’s teacher late last night (she and her husband have been dear family friends of our family for many, many years), she shared with me how she believed the Lord had somewhat prepared her heart during our service last Sunday morning. In the current series I am preaching, Sunday’s message began a 2-part message on “Perseverance.” As a part of preparing our hearts for His Word, we had invited a young lady who has been on a long journey herself with cancer. The teacher shared that she strongly felt the Lord wanted her to hear this special testimony before going out with the small kids which she was teaching that morning. Being obedient to the Lord’s prompting, she asked her husband to take the kids while she listened to the special guest share her personal testimony with cancer. She said it was amazing to now look back and see how God prompted her to hear that testimony which He would use in the present situation with ‘Angel.’ I too am amazed to watch God work in all this situation and truly believe that Angel’s testimony – her courage and precious faith – is already being used by Him to touch many hearts/lives for Christ. Angel’s teacher shared that the school had called a special prayer assembly yesterday and all the kids and teachers assembled in the gym – she shared it was awesome to see little kids on their knees before the Lord praying for their friend and fellow classmate. You see, God is already at work in this. Romans 8:28 declares, “We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love Him. They are the people he called, because that was His plan.” (NCV) In Jeremiah 29:11 (our family’s life verse), God tells us through His prophet, “‘I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you HOPE and a FUTURE.’” So today I invite you to enjoin hearts in prayer for this precious ‘Angel’ who is under the watchful eye of our Heavenly Father throughout this new journey she and her family are facing – pray fervently for His divine strength, peace and loving trust for her mom and dad along with other family and friends as they walk with our Lord through this most difficult season, heart to heart, hand in hand. James 5:16 declares, “… Pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” (NLT) …Selah!

Today's Spirit-led video is by CCM artist Chris Tomlin and is dedicated to "Angel" and her family this moring as a prayer offering before the Lord - I pray that the Lord will use it to touch hearts and motivate believers everywhere to enjoin hearts with this family in their new journey of faith. It and can be viewed by clicking on the on the song title, "Everlasting God (Strength Will Rise)" - G3 for God's beautiful and spirit-filled gift of ministry thru Christian music!

“Wanted: FAITH for the Journey Ahead“

“Without FAITH it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that he exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6) As a Christian, we are called to walk in genuine intimacy and full surrender to God – an insurmountable task lest we do so through genuine FAITH in Christ! I love to read Christian books which both challenge and sharpen the sword of my Spirit (Proverbs 27:17), and the one I am presently reading is entitled “Crazy Love” written by Pastor Francis Chan. In one of the recent chapters I was reading, Pastor Chan shared that one of his Bible College professors one day challenged his entire class with this thought: “What are you doing RIGHT NOW that requires (true) FAITH?” He shared that this simple question pierced his heart deeply because he “could not think of nothing in my life that required faith…and when (he) looked around, (he) realized that (he)was surrounded by people who lived the same was as (he) did” – that was living on his own strength (i.e. without FAITH)! That is a sobering spiritual observation for any of us to come too. But it takes honesty and truth of heart to reach that conclusion. Pastor Chan continued, “Life is COMFORTABLE when you separate yourself from people who are different than you…yet God doesn’t call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn’t come through.” (Crazy Love, pp. 124) I believe that is why so many churches today often struggle with Biblical unity and fail to fully demonstrate God’s unconditional love to one another – people simply have the sinful tendency to gravitate toward those who are ‘just like them’ and avoid those who may seem ‘different’ – different because these people are more apt to challenge you to stay true toward your walk with Christ, different because these people seek to hold both you and themselves accountable to the Word of God and different because these folks are spiritually restless to ‘stay in the box’ because they truly yearn to journey ‘outside the box’ where only true faith can sustain them…it a land of Great Spiritual Adventure that has real risks, dangers, and many battles to face, but which holds the reward of pleasing the One who invited us to this journey called Life. For most believers, it is easier to hang out with the ‘crowd’ – the majority who prefer to stay right where they are – in the Comfort Zone just as Pastor Chan describes. From the first pages of Genesis through the last page of Revelation, God records the life stories of men and women who truly desired to live by FAITH … to break out of the crowds ... these were not folks who were perfect, but were genuine believers which longed for the journey that would only unfold as they obediently walked with God (e.g. Noah, Genesis 6:9)! Perhaps today more than ever, God is truly waiting to see whose hearts are sincerely resolved on pleasing Him and Him alone (not the majority in the crowds, rather the audience of ONE) – and the Word says that this can only take place when we seek to live for God through the journey of FAITH! Spend a few moments today with the Lord – ask Him is He ‘pleased’ with your life journey of faith with Him so far? Ask Him are there areas that you need to make adjustments (i.e. corrections to get back on the right path / life trail)? Then do what we so often miss doing when it comes to our prayer time … LISTEN to what He tells to you (“Listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying…” Psalms 88:15, NLT), and then simply do exactly what He says to do (James 1:22)! That's what a true journey of FAITH is all about! …Selah!

Today's Spirit-led video is by CCM artists 4HIM and can be viewed by clicking on the on the song title, "A Man You Would Write About" - G3 for God's beautiful and spirit-filled gift of ministry thru Christian music!

“Your Heart – His Home“ Pt 3

“All who love Me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love Me will not obey Me.” (John 14:23-24, NLT) The last section on our 3-day tour of Christ’s home (Your heart) begins with the “Bedroom.” The bedroom in the home of a Christian husband and wife is to serve as the room where the deepest levels of intimacy is expressed just as God has created it to be in His design of a covenant marriage. Similarly, this spiritual room in our hearts is to be the most personal room for it is here that we develop the deepest intimacy with Christ. The Biblical blueprint for this room’s purpose reads: “I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon. Come, let's drink deep of love till morning; let's enjoy ourselves with love.” (Proverbs 7:17-18) God invites us to spend intimate time with Him … He already knows everything about us (remember, He created us!), but we need to spend intimate time getting to know Him as our Creator God! Like in the homes of Christian families, the divine purpose of this room truly needs to be guarded – this is not to be like others rooms in our home – this is to be a room that is sanctified (set apart) for the special purpose resting and developing our spiritual union (relationship) with Christ. Next we move with the Lord down the hallway of our hearts to find the “Hall Closet.” This is the room where we stuff (hide) much of our junk when company comes / drops by “unannounced” sometimes. The Biblical blueprint for this room’s purpose reads: “For (God) will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives.” (1 Corinthians 4:5) Often times, this room is the smallest room in the home, but it can become so filled with “stuff / junk” that we have try to find other places like the “Basement” for extra storage. God has graciously given us a beautiful way to clean out the “unneeded stuff / junk” (i.e. SIN) that so easily accumulates in the “hall closet(s) / basements” of our heart – we find it in 1 John 1:9 which reads, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” This takes a daily commitment to keeping His home (Our Hearts) clean – a commitment we need to persevere (to persist) to obediently do just as Psalms 51:10 reminds us, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me.” (Amplified Bible) Near the hall closet is the “Bathroom.” Similar to the bathrooms in our home, this room should be ‘daily’ used to get rid of the ‘waste’ful things of this world that tend to creep into our hearts / lives over time. The Biblical blueprint for this room’s purpose reads: “And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live…Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.” (Ephesians 4:30-31, NLT) The last room of our tour is a room where we often store special memories of our past – the “Attic.” It is here that every once in awhile we may break away from the ‘routines’ of our busy culture/world and just sit and reflect upon special memories of yesteryear – family, friends, life events and how our faith in Christ has sustained us throughout our life journey. The Biblical blueprint for this room’s purpose reads: “Good friend, don't forget all I've taught you; take to heart my commands. They'll help you live a long, long time, a long life lived full and well.” (Proverbs 3:1, The Message) So that completes our special 3-day tour of Christ’s home – Your heart … the address where the Holy Word tells us where Christ lives. But know this – He only moves in when we invite Him too – He never forces His way in or demands to come in. In fact, the Word says that He is the Guest who “stand(s) at the door (of our hearts) and knocks. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat (commune / live) with Him, and He with Me.” (Revelation 3:20) The Apostle Paul shares that when YOU open the door to receive Him in, then “Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him (by faith).” (Ephesians 3:17, NLT) The Amplified Bible states this passage this way: “Christ through your faith [actually] dwells (settles down, moves in, abides, make His permanent home) in your hearts!” What a beautiful word picture of a spiritual truth – as genuine Christians who have received Christ as Savior and Lord, our hearts are now Christ’s home! Take a moment and look around the home of your heart … have you sincerely invited Christ to live in your HOME (your HEART)? – “To as many as did receive and welcome Him (into their hearts), He gave the authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God!” (John 1:12, Amplified Bible) …Selah!
Today's Spirit-led video is by CCM artists Hillsong and can be viewed by clicking on the on the same song title as Pts 1 & 2 of this mini-series, "My heart, Your home" - G3 for His gift of ministry thru Christian music!

“Your Heart – His Home“ Pt 2

“All who love Me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and We will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love Me will not obey Me.” (John 14:23-24, NLT) Today we continue this special tour of Christ’s home – your heart – as we move into the “Living Room.” This is the room where the intimacy of our Christian relationship is experienced with one another (i.e. our family, friends and house guests). This room is to be the place where we share in both our common and our unique experiences from our life journey with Christ. Here we are encouraged by our relationship with the Lord and in turn “encourage one another” (Hebrews 10:25). In the Living Room, we see the deep, sweet fellowship develop through time spent together, made possible through the shared connection of His Holy Spirit (‘koinonia’ – “fellowship, sharing in common, communion”). The Biblical blueprint for this room’s purpose reads: “They broke bread in their homes and ate together (in fellowship) with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.” (Acts 2:46-47) Next we move with the Lord into the “Recreation Room.” The word ‘recreation’ means “rest / refreshment of one's mind or body after work.” The Biblical blueprint for this room’s purpose reads: “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) God knows that we all need “true rest” in Him – it is so important that He actually set aside one day of every week to be a “day of complete rest dedicated to the Lord” (Exodus 20:10, 4th Commandment). In today’s time-driven, schedule-filled culture, this room in our heart is often neglected and is rarely used for the original purpose for which God lovingly designed it for – the restoration of our mind, body, soul & spirit. The last room on our tour today is the “Kitchen.” This is the room for which we are carefully prepared, like special holiday meals, for His chosen service for His kingdom. The Biblical blueprint for this room’s purpose reads: “God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.” (1 Peter 4:10, NLT) The kitchen is a room of service – and just as we all have different palates (tastes / appetites), we all are given different spiritual gifts for use in our kingdom service to others. Like our tastes for various foods may change over our lifetime, so too can our spiritual gifts change under God’s leading for different seasons of life that we journey through. Understand that spiritual gifts are not ‘an object to be receive,’ but a personal “manifestation of the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:6-11) through each of us which were created unique in Christ. This room sees a lot of hard work in preparation for a special service(s) for our Lord. In this room we find the ‘oven of life’ – a “furnace of affliction” (Isaiah 48:10) for which we spend time that has been sovereignly set by God. This is where the heat (trials, tribulations & testing) is increased so that the impurities (sin) in our life can be ‘baked out’ of us so that we can be made ready to serve. It is a place that few ever enjoy, but all who will yield to the divine working will find that the final product of our character / witness will more closely reflect that of our Creator. One final note about this particular kitchen - there are no microwaves (no shortcuts) allowed! We must persevere through our seasons in God’s oven for His Word reminds us, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial (‘doesn’t quit when the flames / oven of life gets very hot’), because when he has stood the test (‘endured through the time of divine baking’), he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.” (James 1:12) So today, ask the Lord to help you spend some time examining the Living Room, the Recreation Room and the Kitchen of your spiritual heart. Be responsively obedient to any changes (redecorating suggestions) which He directs you to make to any / all of these three areas which we have addressed today. And then be eager to complete this special tour through the rest of His home – your heart – next week! … Selah!
Today's Spirit-led video is by CCM artists Hillsong and can be viewed by clicking on the on the same song title as Pt 1 of this mini-series, "My heart, Your home" - G3 for His gift of ministry thru Christian music!

“Your Heart – His Home“ Pt 1

“All who love Me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and We will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love Me will not obey Me.” (John 14:23-24, NLT) Do you ever stop to think about your “House Guests?” – folks that you invite into your home, and those that come without an invitation as well. How do they find your home – is it a peaceful place of beauty and order, or is it a place of stress and disorder? Over the next few devotions, under the Holy Spirit’s leading, let’s look at (examine closely) the home where Christ is to reside (live) in those who claim to have received Him as Savior and Lord of their lives – that dwelling place / home is our hearts! His Word affirms this place of residence (His address) in our lives, “And God has given us His Spirit as proof that we live in Him and He in us… All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God ... God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect.” (excerpted from 1 John 4:13-17, NLT) The Apostle Paul also writes that “Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him.” (Ephesians 3:17, NLT) Like with any home, our spiritual heart has various areas, “different rooms,” which serve to make Christ’s home more pleasant and inviting for Him to live and to both work within and through our lives. So let’s take a journey the next few days through God’s home (“our hearts”) and see if any ‘house cleaning’ might be necessary. The place where most people enter their home is through the front door. This is the place where Jesus Christ enters – not through a side door nor a back door but through the main (front) door of our hearts. The beautiful thing about Jesus Christ is that He leaves the decision to have Him as an eternal house guest in our hearts/lives (through salvation) solely up to us (“a free-will, loving decision,” Acts 2:21, Romans 10:13 ). He arrives at the front door to each of our hearts at a time of His divine choosing and He loving knocks and announces, “Here I am! I stand at the (front) door (to your heart / life) and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in…” (Revelation 3:20) Christ doesn’t arrive like Mr. T from the “A-team” (for some of you younger readers, you may need to Google that classic TV series) – knocking the door down and forcing His way into our lives. He arrives and awaits you to freely receive Him as a welcome guest. Once invited in, Christ will walk with you through every single room in your home (heart) and show you His design (His divine purpose) for each room … He is an awesome INTERIOR DECORATOR of the heart! The first room He asks you to lead Him to is your “Study Room.” This is to be the room set off from the main living area where you spend daily quiet time with Him reflecting upon His Word, learning His truths and growing in your understanding of His Will for your life. The Biblical blueprint for this room’s purpose reads: “Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15, Amplified Bible) The next room you lead Him to is the “Dining Room.” This is to be the room set aside for feeding / nourishment which is so vitally needed. Like physical meals, we need a daily diet consisting of God’s manna (Deuteronomy 8:3) The Biblical blueprint for this room’s purpose reads: “Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this (heavenly) nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.” (1 Peter 2:2-3, NLT) The dining room is a place not only from where you are daily fed, but it is also a place from which you can help feed others from the abundance which He always bestows upon our life plate (John 1:16). Okay, let’s stop the tour for today right here. Today, ask the Lord to help you spend some time examining the front door, the Study Room and the Dining Room of your spiritual heart. Be responsively obedient to any changes He leads you to make to any / all of these three areas we have addressed today. And then be eager to continue this special tour through the rest of His home – your heart – tomorrow! … Selah!
Today's Spirit-led video is by CCM artists Hillsong and can be viewed by clicking on the on the song title, "My heart, Your home" - G3 for His gift of ministry thru Christian music!

“Domesticated Disciples or Adventurous Followers?“

“God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of His Son and our Master, Jesus.” (1 Corinthians 1:7, The Message) What does it mean to be on an 'adventure with God?' The word ‘adventure’ is defined as “an undertaking usually involving danger and unknown risks; an exciting / remarkable experience.” Synonyms for ‘adventure’ included "quest , venture, mission, expedition and exploration.” The ultimate adventure in this life is living courageously…selflessly… in full surrender to the divine cause of Jesus Christ … following His steps – day by day on this Journey called LIFE – this is what it truly meant by the term ‘spiritual adventure’ in today’s text. We have to realize that a call to a life of spiritual adventure is not new for followers of Jesus Christ - “Adventure” was the first disciples’ daily itinerary! Listen to Jesus’ instruction to the first disciples, “Take nothing for your journey… Don’t take a walking stick, a traveler’s bag, food, money, or even a change of clothes” (Luke 9:3, NLT) Wow … no iPod Touch or laptop computers (Brother Gene, you and I would have been in trouble!), no DayTimer, no scheduled appointments, no detailed road maps, no traditions to hold onto (because a walk with Christ was a brand new way of life!), no church business meetings nor Robert’s Rule of Order – only the call to walk (journey) in the Messiah’s footsteps. That’s why the term ‘disciple’ was used – it means “a learner, a student under the teaching a Master.” But for many Christians today, something seems to be foreign to this First Century model of Christianity – things often seem backwards when you look at the 21st Century Church and the First Century Church. Many practice today what I call “Inverted Christianity” – that is the concept of believers inviting the Spirit to “follow us” instead of our “following Him!” … it is when we want Him to “serve our purposes” instead of our “serving His purposes!” … it is asking Him to bless our plans / our journeys instead of our blessing His through our obedient walk with Him! When our personal relationship with God is anything less than adventurous; when it is less risky and more comfortable then perhaps we’ve settled for something far less than the journey God has planned for us – perhaps we have become mere participants in Inverted Christianity, or maybe put another way, we’ve become domesticated disciples! Pastor Mark Batterson in his book Wild Goose Chase (2008), addresses this domesticating process that is prevalent in the hearts of many believers today, “I wonder if churches do to people what zoos do to animals ...Too often we take people out of their natural habitat and try to tame (domesticate) them (all) in the name of Christ.” More & more of today’s preachers preach a pseudogospel that removes the risk …removes the danger …removes the struggles …removes the pain and removes the unknowns! And what we end up with is … Caged Christians (i.e. tamed / domesticated believers) who choose to live in various cages that NEVER satisfy our soul! But this was never meant to be God’s plan – not for the First Century Church and neither for His 21st Century Church. We as genuine believers have a standing invitation to be on “spiritual adventure” with the Savior of the World every single day … we are to start each new day that He gives us with a heart filled with spiritual expectancy for where God will lead us and who God will bring across our lifepath. There is a famous Spanish saying that we all need to commit to our hearts …“Otro día, otra aventura!” which means “Another day, Another adventure!” We were never called to travel in the spiritual adventure alone – for God shares with us “the life of His Son and our Master, Jesus” and like-minded believers (fellow sojourners; Philippians 2:1-3) which He calls His Church. Listen to the words of 1 Kings 18:21 which sums up God’s call to this spiritual adventure - “If the Lord is God, (then) follow Him!” OK, let’s saddle up for a Great Adventure ...together!
Today's Spirit-led video is by CCM artist Steven Curtis Chapman and can be viewed by clicking on the on the song title, "The Great Adventure" - G3 for God's beautiful and spirit-filled gift of ministry thru Christian music!

“Opportunity Managers“

“Be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise (‘Live purposefully,’ Amplified Bible). Make the most of every opportunity (‘redeem the time,’ NKJV) in these evil days (‘make every minute count,’ CEV).” (Ephesians 5:15-16, NLT) In today’s text, “redeem the time” means to “buy up every opportunity” or “to seize (capture) the moment.” So many today are wasting the precious gift of time which God has given them … allowing the unlimited potential packaged within every divine moment to simply slip away from them … like a fallen leaf floats away in a rushing brook, guided only by the currents of the water (influence of those around them) and the obstacles (impediments) in the brook (circumstances of life). The Apostle Paul told us that to waste this precious gift of time is foolish – what every Christian needs to do is to “live wisely …and make the most of every opportunity.” (Colossians 4:5, NLT) The word translated “opportunity” in Colossians 4:5 comes from the Greek word kairos and it refers to a serendipitous (unforeseen / unanticipated /unexpected) window of opportunity) We as His people need to learn how to be ‘NOW’ people for God has lovingly prepared “divine moments” in every day for every one of us to claim / to seize for Him! Many folks today are allowing their lives to be governed/controlled by circumstances, opinions and life events to the point that they are allowing these divine moments (‘divinus momentos’) to pass by them without capturing the divine potential that each moment holds within it. American writer/poet Carl Sanburg once wrote, "Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you." In Ephesians 5:15-16, it is interesting to note that ‘time’ in its original Greek origin is not ‘chronos’ which is clock time (hours / minutes / seconds), but is the Greek word ‘kairos’ – just like in Colossians 4:5 - which means the ‘right or opportune moment.’ Thus every believer is charged to be ‘opportunity managers’ – not just ‘time managers!’ We often seem to want to wait on “just the right moment / the right opportunity” to come, when in reality we may actually be standing in that right moment ... right now! Pastor Erwin Raphael McManus echoes this truth as he writes, “Moments are as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sands in the sea, and any of them could prove to be your most significant divine moments. Within those moments, a handful will become the defining moments in your life. However mundane a moment may appear, the miraculous may wait to be unwrapped within it…what you do with this moment affects every moment. This is your moment (NOW!) … and this moment you’re in right now waits to be seized!” (Chasing the Daylight, pp. 9-10) On a much similar note, 2 Timothy 4:2 declares, “Keep your sense of urgency [stand by, be at hand and ready, <‘be prepared,’ NLT>], whether the opportunity seems to be favorable or unfavorable. [Whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether it is welcome or unwelcome]…” (Amplified Bible) As God’s people who are in the continual process of becoming more like Christ, we need to heed the device shared with Timothy here and be prepared to seize any divine opportunity within any moment which may unfold. Pastor Erwin Raphael McManus again shares, “Seizing divine moments is not (just) about opportunity; at the core it is about ‘essence.’ It’s about the kind (quality) of life you live as a result of the person you are becoming … The challenges you are willing to face will rise in proportion to the character you are willing to (let God) develop (in you). With the depth of godly character comes an intensity of godly passion. It is in this process of (spiritual) transformation that we find the fuel to engage with confidence the (divine) opportunities placed before us.” (2002, pp. 47) So let us seize every divine moment which the Lord so graciously gives us by living purposefully for Him … starting today … starting RIGHT NOW! …Selah!
Today's Spirit-led video is a POWERFUL Christian short film produced by HopePark Church in Nashville, Tennessee and it can be viewed by clicking on the title, "Seizing Divine Moments." It is amazing to hear the affirmation of God's truth shared in today's devotion and echoed through this short film which I discovered AFTER writing this WOTD - G3!