Friday, July 29, 2016

"Exceeding Abundant"


"Exceeding Abundant"


   Recently, a mixup led to a package from UPS not being delivered properly to our address.  A UPS delivery man discovered the error, found the package, and rather than wait until the next day to bring it to us, delivered it on his way home from work (late in the evening, and using his own car).

   "Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say" (Philemon 1:21).

    I only had a moment with the delivery man, and do not know if he is a believer.  But he certainly acted like one in this matter.  Or more to the point, he acted like the Lord of believers.

   "Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding, abundantly above all that we ask our think, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world with end, Amen" (Ephesians 3:20).

    An abundance of generosity beyond measure characterizes the heart and hand of our Heavenly Father.  As the old hymn proclaims, "Out of His infinite riches in Jesus, He giveth and giveth and giveth again".  He also does more than we ask when we ask.  However, we may sometimes fail to perceive the lavish bestowal of grace due to the fact that we presently "walk by faith, not by sight" (II Corinthians 5:7).  Moreover, our Father gives according to the perfection of His wisdom and knowledge rather than our own.  The Israel who prayed and waited for her Messiah was blessed by the very Son of God, but "received Him not" because spiritual blindness and God's ways "past finding out" led to their rejection of the Lord Jesus (John 1:11; Romans 11:33).  They forgot their Lord's faithfulness and His generosity.  Thus, they failed to recognize His abundant fulfillment of promise and lavish bestowal of provision.

   We do well to encourage each other and affirm within our hearts the truth of God's "exceeding, abundantly above" kindness.  His very nature constitutes giving, to the degree that even the greatest sacrifice does not preclude His open heart and hand.  "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son" (John 3:16).  This is who He is, and what He does.  The self sacrificial generosity of the UPS man reminded me of such kindness in our Lord, causing the package he delivered to pale in comparison to the Light he reflected.  I desire to follow his example, and even more, to walk in the illumination of God's character, nature, and way of doing more.

"The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus."
(I Timothy 1:14)

Weekly Memory Verse
    Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
(Psalm 20:7)
   
   

Thursday, July 28, 2016

"Progress... Perfection


"Progress… Perfection"


   God finishes what He starts.

   "He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).

   Guided by His character, nature, and "eternal purpose in Christ Jesus", our Heavenly Father executes a work in progress regarding all things, but particularly concerning His trusting children in the Lord Jesus.  Scripture references only the human race as having been created in God's own image (Genesis 1:27).  We possess the capability for spiritual and moral likeness to Him beyond even the angels, notwithstanding their superiority in power (I Peter 1:12; II Peter 2:11).  Thus, we constitute a special undertaking of God's redemptive work, first in the new birth, and then in growing conformity to the Lord Jesus.  The process requires God's ongoing work of grace, and thus, His promised determination to execute the process "until the day of Jesus Christ". 

    Every born again believer will be like Christ in that day "when we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (I John 3:2).  Differences in authority and function will exist based upon our response to God in this life.  "And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities" (Matthew 19:17-19). However, in the character, nature, and way of all Christians, God will culminate His work in progress with a work in perfection.  "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father" (Matthew 13:43).  Eternity will glimmer with the host of the Blood-washed and Spirit-redeemed serving to reveal the glory of the Lord Jesus as He eternally dwells and walks in us by the Holy Spirit (II Corinthians 6:16).  Progress now, as executed by Christ Himself, "the author and finisher of our faith"  (Hebrews 12:2).  Perfection then, also by the Christ whose Light will shine all the more brightly because those in whom He so graciously dwells will be those for whom He so graciously died.  We do well to remember these truths of grace, rejoicing in the faithfulness of the One who always finishes what He starts.

"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
 Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it."
(I Thessalonians 5:23-24)
"The path of the just is as the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day."
(Proverbs 4:18)

Weekly Memory Verse
    Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
(Psalm 20:7)
   
   


Wednesday, July 27, 2016

"I AM... HE IS... YOU ARE"


"I AM… HE IS… YOU ARE"


   No simpler truth graces the pages of Scripture than the straightforward declaration that God is.

   "He that cometh to God must believe that He is" (Hebrews 11:6).

    Everything we know and believe about our Lord begins with the fact of His being and existence.  Just as all mathematics rests upon the foundation that one plus one equals two, so do believers stand upon the rock of God's "I AM".  Our new birth in Christ originates this truth in personal terms as the mental and emotional recognition that "HE IS" becomes personalized within the spirit of our hearts.  When we believe in the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit enters the innermost sanctum of our being, bringing with Him the living assurance of God's being as realized by His presence within us.  Upon this foundation, we then proceed to increasingly live our lives in the awareness whereby we frequently affirm to our Lord, "YOU ARE".

    Consider, for example, the blessings of life, all of which come from our Heavenly Father - "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above" (James 1:17).  When such goodness comes our way, the experience begins with the reception and enjoyment of the gift.  We breathe a breath of air, for example.  The experience constitutes the most basic of physical functions, but the truth of "I AM" graces the current we inhale.  Sometimes we still ourselves to contemplate that both the breath and our capacity to breathe proceeds from God, bearing witness that "HE IS".  We look gratefully to Heaven with the worshipful affirmation that "YOU ARE".  The simplest truth thus offers opportunity for profound remembrance and pious devotion.

    Times of trouble also beckon us into the light of "I AM… HE IS… YOU ARE".  Our Lord assures us in His Word that He is "a very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1).  However, challenge, difficulty, sorrow, and pain often tempt us to feel as if we are alone in our trial.  "I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the housetop" (Psalm 102:7).  By His Spirit, His Word, and His church, our Heavenly Father reminds us that we are not alone.  In fact, the "I AM" who is always near becomes "very present" in our troubles.  We thus remember that "HE IS".  "YOU ARE dear Father," we respond, perhaps through tears, but even more through the Holy Spirit's presence, enabling, and assuring of our hearts.  The simplest truth thus becomes the deliverance of our hearts from lonely despair unto living devotion.

    We build upon the foundation of God's being, believing many truths about Him, as proclaimed in Scripture.  All, however, rests upon the simplicity of our Lord's "I AM", eliciting our remembrance of "HE IS", and our personal response directed to Him, "YOU ARE".  We will journey far and forevermore in such faith, but never will any experience of God's faithfulness exclude this most basic, but most profound, of all realities.  "I AM… HE IS… YOU ARE".

"I am the Lord" (Exodus 6:2).
"He is the Lord" (I Chronicles 16:14).
"Thou art the Lord" (Nehemiah 9:7).

Weekly Memory Verse
    Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
(Psalm 20:7)
   
   

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

"Consider Him"


"Consider Him"


   Whenever we consider ourselves to be unfairly accused or treated, our spiritual enemies tempt us to intense self-focus, self-pity, and self-protection.  The temptation must be countered, and the Bible provides the sharpest of swords as our weapon of another and greater consideration.

    "Consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds… Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh… For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously (Hebrews 12:3; I Peter 3:18; 2:21-22).

    "Consider Him" - this is point of the spear whereby we do battle with the world, the devil, and the flesh as they tempt us to walk in vengeance rather than victory, pity rather than power, and self-centeredness rather than the glory of God.  We consider the Lord Jesus Christ, and thereby embrace the truth that the innocent One, when attacked, "endured… suffered… reviled not again… threatened not… committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously".  Our Savior focused upon His Father rather than His own hurt feelings or the temptation to respond in kind to those who maligned or hurt Him.  He made the choice to be "spiritually minded", wherein "life and peace" resides (Romans 8:6).  In the moment of His trials, the Lord Jesus truly lived and knew peace of the heart.  Moreover, the ultimate outcome resulted in a glory that could not have happened had our Lord responded carnally.  "God hath given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow… Before honor is humility" (Philippians 2:10; Proverbs 15:33).  

    The same path of challenge and opportunity awaits those in whom the Spirit of Christ now lives.  Like our Lord, two paths of consideration lie before us when others hurt us.  We can remain in the squalid, fetid swamp of considering how wronged and mistreated we are.  Death abides there, the death of our realized experience of God's peace, joy, and involved presence.  Or, we can "consider Him" and ascend unto the glory of a heart at peace, and of human faculties and sensibilities enabled to "be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:32).  This is life, the very life of God as revealed through the Holy Spirit's abiding presence whereby the Divine character, nature, and way leads us in peace, joy, and the realized presence of our Lord.  Two paths.  Two considerations.  One way of tranquility of heart and power of life.  The choice is ours, to dwell upon the wrongs of our offenders, or to "consider Him".  Yes, two paths, two considerations, one way

"Jesus saith unto Him, I am the way."
(John 14:6)
"Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savor."
(Ephesians 5:2)

Weekly Memory Verse
    Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
(Psalm 20:7)
   
   

Monday, July 25, 2016

"To Please God"


"To Please God"


   God is the most emotional being in existence.  He can be pleased and displeased, joyful or grieving, satisfied or angry (I Thessalonians 4:1; Genesis 38:10; Psalm 60:6; Genesis 6:6; Matthew 3:17; Exodus 4:14).

    Born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ do not serve a dispassionate Heavenly Father.  We rather know, trust, and love One who feels with an intensity far beyond any emotion we have ever experienced.  Scripture clearly teaches such truth, which we may know and believe in principle.  However, many believers find it counterintuitive to perceive God in such fashion, primarily because in our experience, emotions often lead us into trouble.  We all make poor decisions based on reactionary feeling rather than reasoned deliberation.  Many of our scars, both internal and external, resulted from paths chosen because they offered pleasant emotions, but then produced painful results.

   Such emotional, mental, and volitional discrepancy never happens in God.  This is the difference between His emotional nature and our own.  His feeling perfectly accords with His pristine character, nature, and being.  He never loses His temper, as it were, but rather always acts in temper with who and what He is.  Nor does His pleasure or grief flow in any direction other than the current of His righteous holiness.  Such truth provides an especially vivid illumination - and much cause for awed appreciation and praise - regarding the otherness of God in comparison to ourselves.  Indeed, try to imagine an emotional nature in ourselves that could feel far more intensely than we have ever felt, but which could never lead us to make an unwise decision.  It's hard to contemplate such a unity within ourselves because it does not yet exist.  Our spiritual and fleshly dispositions still struggle against one another, particularly regarding the will of God and the feelings of our humanity.  This will change in that day when "we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is" (I John 3:2).  But not yet.  For now, therefore, we wonder as we consider the perfect harmony of mind, emotion, and will that characterizes our glorious and indescribable Lord.

   Presently, the most important Divine emotion we can consider involves our Christ-enabled capacity to please God.  "We beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more" (I Thessalonians 4:1).  The Heart that has known so much grief through humanity, including ourselves, can experience great pleasure as the Spirit of the Lord Jesus reveals His character, nature, and way in us.  This includes our emotions.  Despite the possibility that our feelings may still lead us astray, they can also serve as a component of pleasing God.  Indeed, it is a pleasurable truth to ponder that we can bring delight to our Lord's heart.  This constitutes an emotion that aligns with who we are in Christ, and who Christ is in us.  Doubtless this pleases our Heavenly Father who delights in His Son, including His Son as revealed in us.  Therefore, we fall before the God whose entire being exists in the holiness and harmony of perfect unity of character, nature, way, and yes, emotion.  And we rejoice that He works in us to reveal the same unity, a process now that will ultimately culminate in perfection.  This day involves such Divine action on our behalf, and such human opportunity to bring pleasure to the Heart so worthy to be blessed and pleased and joyous.

"The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that hope in His mercy."
(Psalm 147:11).

Weekly Memory Verse
    Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
(Psalm 20:7)
   
   

Friday, July 22, 2016

"Stand, Walk, Run"


"Stand, Walk, Run"


     Past failures, a present sense of weakness, and fear regarding the future tempt born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ to disregard the abundant provision for life promised in Scripture.  

    First, consider just a few of the Biblical affirmations that assure us of God's enabling through the Spirit of Christ.

    "Of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption" (I Corinthians 1:30).
    "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:2).
    "Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us" (Ephesians 3:20).
    "His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature" (II Peter 1:3-4).
    "All things are yours… and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's" (I Corinthians 3:21; 23).
    "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3).
    "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13).
    "God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (II Timothy 1:7).
    
    The Biblical affirmations of such grace could go on and on if space permitted.  Believers exist as super-charged vessels of faith and faithfulness, as energized through the indwelling Spirit of the Christ who overcame all things.  No excuse for sin or failure ever sufffices for anyone so graced with the presence of the living God.  We can indeed "do all things through Christ", and our expectation should be of our Lord leading and guiding us to trust and to obey.  "My expectation is from Him" (Psalm 62:5).

    Such truth notwithstanding, the fact of the matter is that we do not always walk in the light of reality and the resident power of the Holy Spirit.  "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us" (I John 1:8).  Faith and faithfulness, despite their overwhelming potential in God's trusting children in Christ, do not just happen.  We must respond, and the question arises, "How do we live in accordance with the truth of Christ, and of our being in Him?"  Again, many Biblical answers present themselves, but one particular aspect of God's enabling comes to the fore.  The answer addresses the matters mentioned at the outset of this essay, namely, past failure, present weakness, and fear of the future.

    "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand" (Romans 5:1-2).

    The justified believer, blessed by peace with God through faith in Christ, also has access to our Lord's grace for the life to which our He calls us.  We "stand" in this grace, thereby making possible our God-enabled capacity to "walk in the Spirit" and "run with patience the race that is set before us" (Galatians 5:16; Hebrews 12:1).  The potential for overcoming resides in the power of Christ's indwelling.  We  trust and submit ourselves to the Lord in order to "have access by faith into this grace".  We must increasingly know this truth because we can be sure that our spiritual enemies are well aware of "the power that worketh in us".   They cannot steal such enabling, but through discouragement and distraction, they tempt us to disregard God's grace for overcoming the challenges of life.  Again, previous failures, present trepidation, and portents of future peril tempt us to disbelieve the truth of our Lord's abundant enabling.  Like the Israelites of old, believers can view themselves as grasshoppers in the presence of giants (Numbers 13:33).  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Dwelling within our born again spirits is One so infinitely vast that Solomon declared, "The heaven of  heavens cannot contain Thee!" (I Kings 8:27).  Moreover, our Lord promises to not merely dwell in us, but to walk in us (II Corinthians 6:16).  Every challenge pales in comparison to the God by whom we stand, and through whom we walk and even run as we " look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2).

    "Access by faith."  What will we believe about our lives, ourselves, and most importantly, our Lord?  Who will we believe?  How we answer these questions, first in the doctrinal sense, and then in practical everyday matters of life, determines whether we walk and run in the grace of God, or rather ignore "the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus" (II Timothy 1:1).  Much is at stake, both for ourselves, and for those with whom we live our lives.  Indeed, we stand by faith, we stand in grace.  May we also walk and run thereby and therein.

"If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."
(Galatians 5:25)
"Run, that ye may obtain."
(I Corinthians 9:24)

Weekly Memory Verse
    "In the world ye shall have tribulation.  But be of good cheer.  I have overcome the world."
(John 16:33)
   




















    
    
    
    








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Thursday, July 21, 2016

"The Competition of Life"


"The Competition of Life"


     Major League baseball pitcher Nolan Ryan played 27 seasons, in which he pitched 7 no hitters, struck out 5,714 batters, and was elected to the baseball Hall of Fame in 1999.  One of his pitches was recorded at 108.1 mph, the fastest measured throw of any projectile ever tossed by a human being.  Ryan's career lasted twice as long as the average major league pitcher, while placing more stain on his arm than most because of the speed at which he threw the baseball.  He remained relatively injury free, however, until 1993 when his last pitch damaged a ligament in his elbow and ended his storied career.

    I share this with you to introduce the thought of how much Nolan Ryan loved throwing a baseball.  He couldn't wait to be on the mound for competition with hitters who hoped to make contact with Ryan's fastball, but who very often returned to the bench having failed to hit the ball (some hitters indicated that they never even saw many of Ryan's throws!).  Ryan knew the gift he possessed, and thus loved to compete.  In similar fashion, but of far greater significance, born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ must "fight the good fight of faith" with the greatest sense of confidence and expectation regarding the gifts our Lord gives for godly living in a fallen world (I Timothy 6:12).

   "His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature" (II Peter 1:3-4).

    "Many adversaries" await us as we seek to honor, trust, obey, and communicate the Lord Jesus Christ to our particular spheres of influence (I Corinthians 16:9).  As the old saying goes, however, God plus one constitutes a majority.  "Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world" (I John 4:4).  Passage upon passage in both Old Testament and New proclaim the God-enabled capacity for the Lord's people to not only survive the attacks foisted upon us by our enemies, but to thrive in the very midst of them - "In all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him that lived us" (Romans 8:37).  Church history records the triumph of the risen Christ as manifested in His people, confirming His abundant promise of enabling our own personal victories in the challenges of life.  

    In such blessed light, we must bear the attitude of confidence, anticipating the competition of life with zeal and enthusiasm.  Just as Nolan Ryan could not wait to get to the mound, so must we look forward to the challenges our Heavenly Father determines and allows to come our way.  "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee" (Isaiah 60:1).  "How many unfortunate hitters will I strike out today?" thought Ryan as he prepared to pitch.  "How will the Lord reveal His glory, presence, power, and involvement in the competition of this day?" thinks the trusting, submitted believer.  This sensibility of faith must grace our attitude and anticipation, and we will not find our Lord to disappoint our expectation…

"For by Thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall!"
(II Samuel 22:30)

Weekly Memory Verse
    "In the world ye shall have tribulation.  But be of good cheer.  I have overcome the world."
(John 16:33)
   


Wednesday, July 20, 2016

“Joy Or Grief”


"Joy Or Grief"


     One of the saddest moments of our family's lives occurred in 2001, two weeks after our son Noah left for Marine Corps recruit training at Parris Island, S.C. 

    Noah departed Mobile for Parris Island on a warm Sunday morning in late May.  Family and friends gathered together to bid Noah farewell and safe passage.  It seems like yesterday, and we can still feel the emotions of saying goodbye to Noah as he and his fellow recruits drove away.  When we returned home, the letter writing began.  Frances wrote Noah every day of his three month challenge at Parris Island.  I wrote 3-4 letters a week, and as soon as the Post Office opened on the Monday morning after Noah's departure, Frances and I were there to drop off our first missives.  We wanted him to receive them as soon as possible in the hope that letters from home would help Noah deal with the great challenges he faced.

    We didn't hear from Noah for two weeks, despite sending him at least 20 letters during that time.  Thinking this might be normal during the first period of training, we waited anxiously, checking the mail each day as soon as it arrived in the hope of hearing from our son.  It seemed like forever, until one day the mailman came just as we were leaving to visit a friend who lived quite a distance from us. A letter from Noah was in the stack!  Frances eagerly opened the envelope as we drove away, and we gratefully anticipated reading our son's first words from Parris Island.  The sad moment to which I refer in my introduction, however, greeted us with shock and dismay.  I do not recall Noah's exact words, but Frances read something like this:

    "Dear Dad and Mom,

      I'm doing ok, and hope you are.  And I wonder why I haven't heard from you since I got here.  The other recruits are getting mail every day from their families, but I haven't received anything."

    We discovered later that a glitch in the address we had for Noah kept him from receiving his mail during the first few weeks.  Our letters reached Parris Island, but didn't make it to his squad.  Thus, for the first two weeks of one of the most difficult periods in Noah's life, he felt cut off from his family.  As Frances read this, we both broke down and cried (I can't recall if I pulled the car over to the side of the road, but I must have).  It literally tore our hearts from our chests to know how Noah must have felt.  It also bewildered us because we had been so consistent in writing to Noah.  How could such a thing have happened?!  And how must Noah feel?  It still hurts to think about that time, and "one of the saddest moments of our lives" definitely applies to the moment of receiving, opening, and reading that first shocking letter from Parris Island.

    Several days later, we received another letter from Noah.  "Mom, Dad, the mail thing is fixed!  They brought me a huge stack of letters from you!"  We shed more tears, these of joy, and of the knowledge that our son had received our communications.  For the next two and a half months, no further problems occurred, and our correspondence with Noah during those times remains a cherished memory in all our hearts (and in our keepsakes.  Frances has all of Noah's letters from those days, and he has all of ours).  

   I share this with you because this episode of a breach in communication with Noah always causes me to ponder how our Heavenly Father must feel when we wander from communing with Him.  He loves our fellowship to the degree He gave His beloved Son to a terrible cross in order to make communication with Him possible.  Moreover, His Word declares that "the prayer of the upright is His delight" (Proverbs 15:8).  How it must pain His heart when no letters come, as it were.  And how it should pain our hearts when we realize that, unlike the mail glitch I reference regarding Noah, we actually haven't contacted our Father.  He loves us so dearly, our voices are sweet to Him, and He made and redeemed our hearts for loving and prayerful fellowship.  King David understood this, and surely spoke for us all when he wrote, "He shall hear my voice" (Song of Solomon 2:14; Psalm 55:17).

   The glitch of old leads to present glory in our hearts and minds.  The mail problem was solved, and the recollection of the sadness we felt now reminds us of the precious nature of communication with our loved ones, including and especially God.  Scripture teaches that we possess the capacity to both please and grieve Him.  Certainly we long to avoid the latter and accomplish the former.  So very much was sacrificed to make fellowship with our Father possible.  And so very much of joy or grief hinges upon our response to the amazing wonder of our Lord's delight in our prayers.

"The Lord taketh pleasure in His people."
(Psalm 149:4)
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!"
(Matthew 23:37)

Weekly Memory Verse
    "In the world ye shall have tribulation.  But be of good cheer.  I have overcome the world."
(John 16:33)
   

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

"CrossBounce"


"CrossBounce"


     Frances and I are charter members of the NCBA (the National CrossBounce Association).  Truth be told, we are the only members of this august sports league.

    Oh, you haven't heard of CrossBounce?  Well, neither has anyone else.  Until now.  CrossBounce is a team competition Frances and I developed that involves bouncing a lacrosse ball to each other while doing our long walks.  We actually originated the game several years ago using a children's rubber ball.  Not long ago, however, we found a lacrosse ball during one of our pedestrian journeys.  We didn't know what it was - nobody in the Deep South knows anything about lacrosse - but the ball bounced well and we replaced our original equipment with the better caroming rubber sphere.  The rules of the game simply involve bouncing the ball to each other as we walk.  We must catch the ball on the first bounce and then bounce it back to our teammate.  The current NCBA world record is 2,000 tosses and catches without a drop, set yesterday during an eight mile trek.  We'll seek to extend that today when we walk, and yes I know you're deeply impressed. :):):)

    I share this with you to raise the matter of competition, that is, spiritual competition.  The New Testament actually speaks of such a thing.  Before addressing this, however, the point must be made that our salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ does not involve competition in any manner.  God's grace as received by faith constitutes the freest gift ever given, as purchased by the highest cost ever remitted.  "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us… Ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (Titus 3:5; I Peter 1:18-19).  Any notion of works regarding salvation cancels consideration and discussion before we even begin.  We rather  go forth with a Gospel message that proclaims, "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price" (Isaiah 55:1). 

    Interestingly, however, the Apostle Paul does raise the issue of competition regarding the lives of those who have freely received God's grace in the Lord Jesus.

    "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" (I Corinthians 9:24-27).

    Note that Paul spiritually runs a race.  He views himself as a competitor who diligently seeks an incorruptible crown, and who is willing to make the sacrifices necessary to obtain his goal.  He keeps his body under subjection, as does any athlete who trains in order to compete.  Again, note that the Apostle does not allude in this case to the free gift of his salvation, but rather to the subsequent life to be lived amid much spiritual opposition.  Paul primarily refers to a matter of attitude and perspective.  He desires to be guided by an internal intensity of devotion to God very much akin to the sensibilities of competition.  This readies the heart and mind for the sacrifices necessary to run and win "the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:1-2).  Certainly we do well to join our brother of old, sharing his intensity and awareness that honoring the Lord Jesus involves making the sacrifices required to run for Him.

    Our little game, CrossBounce, makes me think of such things.  Hopefully, the consideration will also lead to response, as enabled by the Holy Spirit.  Our Heavenly Father calls us to view ourselves as engaged in a life, His life, that involves much commitment, devotion, and the willingness to forego some things for the obtaining of greater things. His Son provides the example, His Spirit the empowering, and His Word the guide whereby we "lay aside every weight" in order to run more surely and more successfully for the glory of the Lord Jesus (Hebrews 12:1).

"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.  They shall mount up with wings as eagles.  They shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint."
(Isaiah 55:5)

Weekly Memory Verse
    "In the world ye shall have tribulation.  But be of good cheer.  I have overcome the world."
(John 16:33)
   

Monday, July 18, 2016

"A Feast Awaits"


"A Feast Awaits"


     The Lord declared to Israel that Canaan was a land "flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:8).  He promised them this blessed place, and when they sent spies to scout out the land, God's chosen earthly people discovered the truth of His Word - "We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey" (Numbers 13:27).

    Alas, however, they also found the children of Anak there, people who appeared to be giants in the sight of the men sent to spy out Canaan.  The land of promise appeared to be the land of peril "that eateth up the inhabitants thereof" (Numbers 13:32).  Rather than consuming the Lord's bounty, God's chosen people drew back from entering the promised land in fear of being consumed.

    "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies" (Psalm 23:5).

    Where unbelief sees monsters, faith sees a meal.  Every believer who long walks with the Lord discovers this to be true.  The challenges, difficulties, and apparent perils of life all provide our most blessed experience of the Lord Jesus Christ as we trust and submit to Him when trouble looms before us.  God is present with us always.  He is "a very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1; emphasis added).  His milk and honey await us as we realize that the giants which seem to hinder actually signal to us that a feast awaits us.  Indeed, Israel should have asked themselves the question, "How did the children of Anak become so large?"  "Milk and honey" was the answer, Israel's milk and honey, as promised by God.  They should have seen the giants themselves as confirmation of their Lord's perfect faithfulness and abundant provision that awaited.  "We are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end" (Hebrews 3:14).

    This is hard truth for our flesh, which like the ten unbelieving spies, desires comfort, pleasure, and ease.  Conversely, this is holy truth for our spirit, wherein dwells the same Spirit that energized Caleb and Joshua.  "Monsters!" cries our flesh.  "We will be eaten!"  "Milk and honey" speaks the Spirit of God.  "A feast awaits - in the presence of your enemies".  We do well to remember always that our salvation came to us by way of a cross that led to resurrection.  The giants that seemed to consume the Lord Jesus at Calvary actually served to usher Him unto glory and "a Name which is above every name" (Philippians 2:9).  In our present lives, the same path lies  before us.  God's promises await us in the presence of our enemies.  The land where we will feast appears to be the land that will feast upon us.  From minor irritations to seeming destruction, our Heavenly Father offers us the most vivid revelation of His faithfulness by leading us to see difficulties as the very confirmation of His promises…

"In the world ye shall have tribulation.  But be of good cheer.  I have overcome the world."
(John 16:33)
"This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."
(I John 5:4)

Weekly Memory Verse
    "In the world ye shall have tribulation.  But be of good cheer.  I have overcome the world."
(John 16:33)
   

Friday, July 15, 2016

"There? Or Not?"


"There? Or Not?"


     Many features of God's grace characterize those who "have passed from death to life" by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ (I John 3:14).  Our sins are forgiven, eternity with God in Heaven is assured, we become the spiritual children of our Heavenly Father, and we begin to truly live as God defines life.  All of these graces and many more bless the trusting sons and daughters of God in Christ.  However, the bottom line of what it means to be Christian simply involves the presence or absence of our Lord.  Does the Spirit of Christ dwell in us, or not?

   "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27).

    God made human hearts to be the dwellingplace of His Son, as revealed in us by the indwelling Holy Spirit.  "Ye are also builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit" (Ephesians 2:22).  Christ either lives in us, or He doesn't.  How that question is answered determines whether or not we have received the Lord's saving grace.  "Know ye not that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates (not meeting the test)?" (II Corinthians 13:5).  The experience and outworking of this "hope of glory" involves much, and requires a lifetime and eternity for our full response to "so great salvation" (Hebrews 12:2).  Again, however, the fact of the matter is starkly simple.  Is He there?  Or not?  Does He dwell in our spirits?  Or are they lifelessly empty of the only Presence that fulfills our reason for being?

   Discovery and understanding of this defining truth goes far in assuring our hearts if we have believed.  "The Spirit of God beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God" (Romans 8:16).  Deep within the inner sanctum of every truly born again heart dwells not only the Spirit of Christ, but also the knowledge thereof.  We simply know.  We know He is there.  We cannot fully explain the blessed wonder, and we are and will always be amazed by such grace.  But we know.  Satan may challenge, our flesh may be tempted with uncertainty, others may doubt, and we will not always live in accordance with the fact of Christ's presence.  But if we have truly believed, He is there, and we know.  "Jesus Christ is in you...The Spirit of God beareth witness."  Yes, the defining feature of God's good grace is simply God's good Son.  His living presence determines whether we are genuinely Christian, or not.  Paring down to this essence of truth helps us both in the experience thereof, and in our communication of the Gospel to others.  There?  Or not?

"I will dwell in them and walk in them."
(II Corinthians 6:16)

Weekly Memory Verse
   Now unto God and our Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
(Philippians 4:20)



Thursday, July 14, 2016

"I Wrote It"


"I Wrote It"


     A new scrub tech in Frances's Labor & Delivery unit at the hospital recently mentioned some training material she found helpful regarding certain procedures in caring for patients.  "Would you like a copy of it?" she asked Frances, obviously enthused with the information.  

    Sometimes life grants to us a classic moment that allows us savor things the Lord led and enabled us to do.  This was one of those for Frances.  "I wrote it" she responded to the nurse.  Indeed, Frances has written quite a bit of such professional material through the years, including a procedural manual published by a previous hospital for which she worked.  So, she greatly enjoyed the moment that any writer would appreciate when affirmed for the devotion, time, and effort it takes to pen words on paper (or in these days, to type words onto screens).

   I wonder if God feels this way when some portion of His Word thrills our hearts.  I'm sure He does, and we do well to frequently communicate to Him our deep appreciation for so great a gift as the Scriptures.  As the prophet declared, "Thy words were found and I did eat them. And Thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart!" (Jeremiah 15:16).  Nothing is more thrilling than seeing the precepts and the lines of the Bible fit together to form the revelation of Christ.  Such moments so obviously bear witness of the Holy Spirit's inspiration of God's Word that we can almost hear Him say, "I wrote it!"  He did, or rather the Spirit of God inspired the writings of the prophets and apostles to bless us with the Bible that fills and fulfills us with Truth.

    It has been said that Christ is the Bible personified, and the Bible is Christ in print.  The living Word and the written Word unite to reveal God and His truth.  "In Thy light shall we see light" (Psalm 36:9).  Thus, we read with an expectant heart, and rejoice with a grateful heart when we find our anticipation fulfilled.  We also make sure to tell the Lord of our discovery, not to inform Him, but to thank Him.  Certainly He doesn't need a copy of His Word.  He is the Word incarnate.  We nevertheless do well to express our enthusiasm and bless the heart of the God who so loved us that He gave us His Son, and also His Word to proclaim so great a gift.

"I rejoice at Thy Word, as one that findeth great spoil!"
(Psalm 119:162)

Weekly Memory Verse
   Now unto God and our Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
(Philippians 4:20)




Wednesday, July 13, 2016

“Who Will We Worship?”


"Who Will We Worship?"


     We all must have a god, either the living and true One, or a false version of human, worldly, and devilish origin.

    "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen" (Romans 1:22-25).

    Worship is innate in human hearts.  We all affix ourselves to something outside ourselves that guides, influences, and controls us.  We may not realize that we do so, and we may think we control our own lives.  Nothing could be further from the truth, however, because whatever outside ourselves motivates our attitudes and actions rules us rather than our ruling it.  "Thou shalt worship the Lord, and Him only shalt thou serve… Jesus answered them and said, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin" (Matthew 4:10; John 8:34).

    Who will we worship?  The living and true God?  Or idols?  The question involves life and death, truth and reality, good and evil, joy and sorrow, peace and turmoil, mercy and judgment.  Again, no possibility exists that we will not worship, that we will not allow ourselves to be governed by someone or something outside ourselves.  We will worship.  Thus, we must consider this spiritual reality as the most important matter of our lives, first by being born again through faith in the Son of the living and true God.  "We are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh" (Philippians 3:3).  We then seek to live in the reality of our freely given salvation that makes possible freely given capacity to worship the true God.  "God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying Abba Father" (Galatians 4:6).   Even as believers, we may or may not rightly worship.  However, the power of Christ dwells within us to enable the potential of a life lived in loving devotion to the only object of worship that enlivens us in the light of reality.  "Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God" (Isaiah 44:6).  All other gods are not really gods.  They might as well be, however, to those who worship that which destroys rather than delivers.  Yes, we all must have a god to whom we bow, and who subsequently guides, controls, and leads us to either life or death.

"For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD made the heavens."
(I Chronicles 16:26)
"The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth."
(John 4:23)

Weekly Memory Verse
   Now unto God and our Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
(Philippians 4:20)



Tuesday, July 12, 2016

"Immortals"


"Immortals"


     God exists as an eternal being who entered into time for the purpose of ushering temporal human beings into eternity.

    "We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal" (II Corinthians 4:18).

    Walking in the Spirit requires that we view life and reality in a different manner than we are naturally disposed to do.  The passage of moments dominates the realm of our original physical birth.  The clock commands our earthly lifetime, requiring that we orient our doings and our schedules to its never-ceasing progression from then until now, and from now until later.  "Time marches on" as the saying goes.  We do not always consciously think of this temporal master, but it always abides with us, making its demands and forcing its effects upon us.  Nevertheless, God calls His trusting children in Christ to perceive our existence in terms beyond the clock.  We still live our lives in time's realm, and we must order our present lives accordingly.  As those who are "not in the flesh, but in the Spirit", however, we view God, ourselves, others, and life in terms beyond the mere passage of moments (Romans 8:9).  We make choices to fix our gaze upon eternal things that are not seen, believing that the "from everlasting to everlasting" Lord Jesus Christ entered into and embraced time for the purpose of injecting the glories of forever into our hearts and lives.  "This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent" (John 17:3).

   In practical terms, this simply means that we live our present lives in the remembrance and affirmation that another and greater realm transcends the natural.  We realize that every human being will exist eternally, either in the joyous life of Christ, or the sorrowful death of Christlessness.  Indeed, time is not the primary reality of any person despite our present experience in this lesser realm.  We are all immortals, again either happily or unhappily.  Our relationship to the eternal Lord who entered the temporal determines our experience of the greater realm.  Moreover, His trusting children greatly influence others as we live our lives in the light of eternity.  The Gospel beckons the slaves of the tyrannical clock to become the sons and daughters of the timeless Christ.   Our attitudes, demeanor, words, and actions go far in impacting our particular sphere of influence.  As we make our choices to "look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen", we lead others to the One who makes such a perspective of peace possible.  Indeed, time may march on, but the risen Christ of eternity enables us to rise above the dusty paths of the temporal and to soar beyond, leading others with us.

"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord."
(Psalm 106:48).
"Thou wilt show me the path of life: in Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore."
(Psalm 16:11)

Weekly Memory Verse
   Now unto God and our Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
(Philippians 4:20)



Monday, July 11, 2016

"It's Me Again"


(Friends: our family currently rejoices in the newest addition, Ewan Quan Davis, our grandson.  This has led me to the gratefully recall the innumerable moments we've had with our grandson Jackson and granddaughter Emma, soon to be 10 and 9.  Here's one of those moments, a devotional I wrote in 2010.)


"It's Me Again"


     After an overnight visit recently, I called our grandchildren Jackson (3) and Emma (2) to tell them we had enjoyed their time with us.  Emma's not yet much of a phone person (give her time!), but Jackson is quite the little conversationalist. We had a nice discussion, and then he let me know he needed to go (important 3 year old matters to address, no doubt). "Bye, Granddaddy Bye, Jackson."

   About 5 minutes after hanging up, my phone rang. "It's me again" said the little voice on the other end of the line. Jackson had thought of something else to tell me, and it thrilled my heart that he called again. We talked for another minute or two, told each other "I love you," and I hung up knowing that God had blessed me in a most special way. "It's me again."  There was just something about those words, and then it hit me.

    "The prayer of the upright is His delight" (Proverbs 15:8).

   The believer's life involves a continual saga of "It's me again, Lord".  Doubtless, God's delights more in our response to Him than I experienced with Jackson.  I am convinced  that we do not consider enough the joy our Heavenly Father finds in our communion with Him. We tend to focus on what prayer does for us rather than on what it does in Him. Since God is a being without need, and perfectly fulfilled in His triune Personhood, we may think that we bring little to the table of our relationship with Him.  As the Psalmist wondered, "What is man, that Thou art mindful of him?" (Psalm 8:4).

   Nothing could be further from the truth. God gave His Son to a cross of shame, agony, forsakenness, and death in order to secure a place in our hearts, and prayers from us that literally delight His heart. Hearing "It's me again" from my grandson formed a blessed memory that will be with me always. Hearing "It's me again, Lord" from His trusting children in Christ forms an even greater blessing in the heart of the Father who would say to all of us in this moment and forevermore...

"O My dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice."
(Song of Solomon 2:14)
"The Lord taketh pleasure in His people."
(Psalm 149:4) 

Weekly Memory Verse
   Now unto God and our Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
(Philippians 4:20)



Friday, July 8, 2016

"Consequences"


"Consequences"


     I recently watched a documentary in which an atheist debated a Buddhist.  The former believed in no afterlife; the latter believed in many.  Both disbelieved the Biblical truth that the one earthly lifetime given to every human being bears eternal consequence.  "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this, the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).

   The hear and now determines the then and there.  Moreover, the issue is clear cut and uncompromising: "What think ye of Christ?  Whose son is He?" (Matthew 22:42).  How our hearts answer these questions determines the course of the present life, and of the next.  The reason for such a "narrow way which leadeth unto life" lies in the simple truth that human beings exist to know God and His Son, as revealed by the Holy Spirit - "This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent… To live is Christ… He is thy life" (Matthew 7:14; John 17:3; Philippians 1:21; Deuteronomy 30:20).  All things bear witness to this Truth of all truths. Therefore, only the willful blindness of human hearts prevents recognition that the Spirit of God, the Word of God, the church of God, and the creation of God continually communicate that how respond to the person, name, and work of the Lord Jesus paves the path of life for the believer, and sadly, the path of death for those who reject the One who declared, "I am… the life" (John 14:6).

    A strong awareness of consequence leads to a strong determination to consecrate ourselves to life, truth, and reality - to Christ.  What we believe and what we don't believe matters.  What we do, and what we don't do matters.  Who we know, and Who we don't know matters.  We will live on after this present lifetime.  We will not return to earth in different forms of reincarnation.  How we live today affects tomorrow and forever.  This very moment influences the next.  These things are true, solemnly, unchangeably, and universally true.  And most importantly, our answer to the questions, "What think ye of Christ? Whose son is He?" pervades all.  Consequences, consequences of, about, and through the Lord Jesus Christ determine the course of this moment, this day, this lifetime, this forever.

"If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins."
(John 8:24)
"Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."
(Galatians 6:7)

Weekly Memory Verse
   "Give me understanding, and I shall keep Thy law."
 (Psalm 119:34).


Thursday, July 7, 2016

“Deep In My Heart”


"Deep In My Heart"


     I try, as I am sure you do, to regularly let it overwhelm my heart and boggle my mind.

    "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; that they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me. And the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and Thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me" (John 17:20-23).

   God loves the human race so dearly that He is not content to simply dwell with us.  He rather desires to dwell within us, so much so that His beloved Son first prayed to make  such "hope of glory" possible, and then suffered, died, and rose again to make the gift actual in those who receive the grace of the Savior's atonement and the Holy Spirit's indwelling (Colossians 1:27).  All who believe become "the habitation of God through the Spirit" because, again, our Heavenly Father loves our hearts so dearly that He would not merely live on the doorstep of our being.  "I will dwell in them and walk in them" (II Corinthians 6:16).  This is a love of which the Apostle Paul so rightly declared that it "passeth knowledge" (Ephesians 3:19).  Thus, it is absolutely proper to seek overwhelmed hearts and boggled minds, trusting that to be staggered, startled, and stupefied accomplishes much in the matter of growth in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus.  

   Long ago, King Solomon could not fathom the presence of God in an earthly temple.  "The heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee!  How much less this house that I have builded?!" (I Kings 8:27).  What would the King have thought had he known that the temple of stone presaged the temple of God's Spirit dwelling in human hearts?  "Ye are the temple of the living God" (II Corinthians 6:16).  Indeed, not content to merely dwell with us, our Heavenly Father made a way by His Son and His Spirit to dwell within us in a love beyond all our capacity to understand.


You are deep in My heart.
You would have to journey far
to find the place of My grace,
of "hid with Christ in God". 
For you are deep in My heart.

You are deep in My heart.
So deep that we never could be apart.
I in you, forevermore,
My glory to know and to explore,
for you are deep in My heart.

You are deep in My heart,
the thought such joy imparts,
for you are more dear to Me 
than the life I gave to set you free,
Oh you are deep in My heart
Deep in My heart.


"The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us."
(Romans 5:5)

Weekly Memory Verse
   "Give me understanding, and I shall keep Thy law."
 (Psalm 119:34).