A weekly teaching series designed to encourage, challenge, and better inform those seeking a relationship with the Lord, or those who want to simply just come and hear what the Lord is saying to His people
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the Faith.” –2 Timothy 4:7.
Throughout the life of a believer, there will be hardships, struggles and pain. As Christians, we are called to persevere—keep moving forward. As difficult as that may be at times, we must remember we fight and push on from a place of Victory—through Jesus Christ.
The battles we face, we do not face alone.
Our Lord promises “…never to leave us nor forsake us.”—Deuteronomy 31:6.
We are called to fight the good fight and run our race in the power of the Greatest, most victorious Warrior ever, Jesus! God’s plans for us through these battles, their purpose often, is to strengthen us and our faith.
Last year, I stepped out in faith and bought my first truck. As a truck driver, I wanted to be more independent and create greater financial freedom for my family. But my business has experienced more valleys than mountain tops over the past year. It has been quite a fight and a long, gruelling race. Yet the Lord has been my Rock, the One holding it together. My faith has been shaken and tested at times. And many times, I’ve wondered if I would make it. If I could keep fighting? If I can continue the race?
In James 1:2-4 He writes, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, and sisters. Whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
Through these trials and my various fights, I realized the Lord was doing a work in me.
God is stretching me and strengthening my resolve to keep the faith. To become more mature and complete, to serve Him better. So, today, I can testify because of my own perseverance, encouraging you to keep fighting and running your race. To tell you God is with you, He is for you, and He is doing mighty work in you in every season of your life.
My friends, be thankful on the mountain and in the valley. To God be the glory, Amen!
If you are reading this and have not given your life to Christ, beginning a genuine relationship with Him, then do it today while there is time. In Revelation 3:20, God’s Word says: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” God will never force His way into your heart. So, will you open the door and welcome Him in today? If so, pray this simple but Life-changing prayer with me: Jesus, I ask You to come into my heart and change me from the inside out. I repent of my sins; make me into who You created me to be. I believe You are the Son of God, who died for me and rose again in victory, defeating death. Have Your way, Lord, in Jesus name. Amen.
“…Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?” –Nehemiah 4:2
Rebuild? Move forward? How, Lord? My strength is gone. My thoughts are fractured and muddy. My heart is little more than rubble—pieces charred by this searing inferno of grief.
My mother is gone!
But You know that—You took her Home!
Yes, I know, in Your mercy, You answered my prayers—our prayers, that she might not suffer any longer, and I thank You for answering us, but if You will, answer me this as well:
What am I supposed to rebuild from this giant heap of pain? “Partner with Me,” You say. Give You my heart? Yes, that’s right! Rebuilding, reshaping, New Life, only You can do that. Only You breathe life into what’s dead—reviving it.
Only You know my end from my beginning.
But what can You build with charred rubble? “And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.” –Jeremiah 18:4.
These thoughts raced through my head as I read Nehemiah, Chapters Three and Four. I knew the Holy Spirit was telling me it was time to rebuild. After all, He was the One who had just spoken to my heart, nudging me to read His Words.
He said He would use all the broken pieces of the last season, things that appear defunct, to build a new foundation—start a new chapter, just as He did for those who have gone before me. Our Father is faithful like that. He doesn’t play favorites.
So what do you do when someone most dear to your heart is taken away?
When you feel feeble, raw, and exposed—at your most vulnerable?
When God takes back the very one He used to bring you into His world? To deliver you into the life He had mapped out for you from before the foundation of the world? When everything inside of you is silently screaming in pain so thick and exacting that breathing becomes a chore—as does everything else.
Like Job, you mourn, howl, question, sob, and then wait for God to rebuild: one trusting step at a time. “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” –Job 1:21.
You do the next thing.
In your own power? Not a chance. You have nothing left.
You rebuild by grabbing hold of God’s outstretched Hand so tightly that fusion happens, complete Oneness—absolute surrender. Then, from the bond forged between you, welded together by love and trust, you allow His Holy Spirit to lead, as is your privilege. You let Him place one of your feet in front of the other—in His good time, inching you closer and closer to your life’s purpose—reflecting the image and likeness of His Son, our Lord, Jesus. “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” –2 Corinthians 3:18.
You allow God to use the rubble of your broken heart. Seared and scared by grief so deeply rooted in your bones, it feels as if any attempt at removing it might cause your foundation to collapse. And collapse it must—because God is doing a new thing. “That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.” –Romans 8:28.
Hear me, please. I do not profess to understand how God accomplishes all of this—that’s far beyond my ability to comprehend. Neither can I say that it feels good as He’s working things together for my good, but what I can say with absolute confidence is this: I serve a Good, Good Father whom I do not need to understand in full to know that He loves me—loves all those called by His Holy name. “So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing.” –1 Corinthians 9:26.
I trust Jesus.
I choose to place the total weight of my faith, every sliver of my now-broken heart, into His Omniscient, Omnipotent, nail-pierced Hands.
My faith in my Father, more, His overwhelming love for me demands that of me.“Have you ever come on anything quite like this extravagant generosity of God, this deep, deep wisdom? It’s way over our heads. We’ll never figure it out. Is there anyone around who can explain God? Anyone smart enough to tell him what to do? Anyone who has done him such a huge favor that God has to ask his advice? Everything comes from him; Everything happens through him; Everything ends up in him. Always glory! Always praise! Yes!” –Romans 11:33-36.
When will this fog lift? I cannot say. Only God knows.
When will I see this new thing, the new version of myself Jesus is bringing forth, the beauty springing up from the ashy cinders of my heart? I don’t know. Soon. Whatever that means.
In the meantime, I will do the next thing while God rebuilds using whatever remains.
I will worship, pray, and praise God’s precious Name; I’ll serve Him because these are the fruits of a new creation. Byproducts birthed in me by His Holy Spirit. Because He lived, died and rose again on the third day my old man has passed away; my new man knows only Jesus, His amazing grace and mercy-full love. “For I made the decision to know nothing [that is, to forego philosophical or theological discussions regarding inconsequential things and opinions while] among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified [and the meaning of His redemptive, substitutionary death and His resurrection].” –1 Corinthians 2:2.
Still, I’ll ask your forgiveness for any scrape or bruise I may cause as God’s Holy Spirit continues His work in me, repairing the charred rubble in this season of new beginnings, and I’ll turn to Jesus, in faith knowing, “As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength. You reach out your hand, and the power of your right hand saves me. The Lord will work out his plans for my life—for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me.” –Psalm 138:3;7-8.
Beloved of God, I know sharing the news of my mom’s passing with you is personal. But you’re family. You are my brothers and sisters in Christ. And so I trust because of this, you will pray for me and my family as we walk through this valley of the shadow of death—and we will. I, for one, have staked my life on this Truth.
And please say yes, you whom God is wooing, calling to Himself—to become His child—my new brother or sister. I need you; we, the Body of Christ, need you. We need what only you have to offer us all. “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.” –1 Corinthians 12:12;18-20.
“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.” –Romans 10:9-10.
On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” –John 7:37-38.
One of my many joys is camping with my family, which goes back to when I was growing up in New Hampshire, and my dad would take us camping in the White Mountains. Sometimes, the days were bright and sunny without a cloud in the sky. But then there were days when dark clouds would form in the distance and roll in on us. This meant it was about to rain, and we needed to take cover in our tents and wait for the storm to pass.
Waiting was never my strong suit when I was a kid, and I may struggle occasionally still as an adult. So, I would leave the tent with my sister and go out and play in the rain, jumping in puddles and getting all muddy, and my mom would tell my dad to get us back in the tent. But he would just let us run around and get wet and muddy. It was all about the experience and the memories we were making.
Why am I sharing this time with you? Because now I’m the dad. And I just took my family on a camping trip. And while I was there, the Lord shared a revelation.
I usually like to camp in a tent, but we decided to rent a little cabin on a hill this time. While camping, a huge rainstorm came over us, complete with winds. It stormed until the next day. When morning came, I walked out of the cabin and looked around. As we were on a hill, I could see some cranberry bogs about a mile away from the cabin. They were filled with the rain from the night before.
Cranberry bogs are made to grow cranberries; some bogs are designed to collect and hold water. When the time comes to harvest the cranberries, the farmer will open the channels and let loose the water from one bog to flood the other, making it easier to gather the cranberries.
As I looked out over the bog, the revelation came to me: “Imagine if there was no rain.” Imagine if water never touched the surrounding land. What if the ground was dry and barren, and nothing would grow? That is when I heard God speak this clearly in my Spirit, “What if My Spirit was never poured out on you?”
Can you think of a time when you did not have the Holy Spirit with you?
Throughout the Bible, we read of droughts and famines. In 2 Kings 17:1, we read where the prophet Elijah says: “….As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew or rain these years, except at my word.” Scripture tells us King Ahab was married to Jezebel, A very evil priestess of the Baals. The land was in sin, and the prophet Elijah declared God’s hand; His presence over this land would be removed. God was not worshiped and loved there. The land was dry and barren as a result of God’s judgement upon it; the wages of sin is death.
We can see in this what Jesus meant, beloved, “What if My Spirit was never poured out on you?”
This is the revelation the Holy Spirit shared concerning those who run to Jesus.
No longer are they dry and barren, but like that bog, they are full to overflowing with God’s Holy Spirit. Those who repent of their sins and declare that Jesus is Lord will no longer walk in the ways of the Baals but run to the only One that will give them eternal life. The only One who can bring them into right standing with the Father, the only One who died and rose again for the sins of all humanity. Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords!
At one point in our lives, we were all dry. We were living a life full of sin and fleshly desires. We were empty, cracked vessels, unable to hold or let anything Godly grow inside us. The water we drank could only quench our fleshly thirst. We were just like the woman at the well.
Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst, But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” –John 4:13-14:
Water helps things grow. When we sow a seed in the ground, we do not just plant it and leave. Seeds need to be watered as well.
And how do we water a spiritual seed? Through praise and worship, my dear friends. The Holy Spirit comes in power and will help you grow your relationship with God the Father. Knowing God’s Son, Jesus, is the only way for the Holy Spirit to live in you. “All things have been delivered to Me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” –Matthew 11:27
My dear brothers and sisters, If you have a relationship with Jesus, have repented of your sins and confessed Him as your Lord and Savior, then His Holy Spirit is living inside you.
Jesus is the Living Water who springs forth within you.
He is not still and stagnant. He is a Living, rushing, mighty river of Water bursting forth within you.
Think back to when the farmer opened the water channel to fill that bog I spoke of earlier. That water rushed throughout the bog, saturating it so the ripened fruit could be harvested. So, too, the Holy Spirit rushes in and helps harvest the fruit you will bear.
What fruit? The fruit of the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” –Galatians 5:22-23. A follower of Christ will display at least one, hopefully a few, of these fruits.
Do not worry if you still need to get all of them. Sometimes, it takes longer for some to grow than others. And if you feel you are not bearing fruit in your life, ask the Holy Spirit to help you. But remember as you do this that you are the branch, Jesus is the vine, and God the Father is the Vinedresser. So you may be pruned to see that fruit come forth. Pruning is a necessary process. It rids us of dead things that are stopping our growth. Pruning is painful, but its harvest will be beautiful.
As we end here, know that if Christ is in you, you are an overcomer. “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” –1 John 4:4.
If you are a child of God, Christ in you is a river of everlasting Life. The Potter Himself has changed you. The Fountain of Living Water has filled you with Himself.
And if He has not filled you, will you allow Jesus to bring you to a place of overflowing joy today, knowing that if you do, your name will be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? Jesus says in Matthew 7:28, “Come to Me, all you who labor and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Declare today, “I choose You, Lord Jesus, and come fill me with You, Living Water!” Amen.
“Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,“This is the way, walk in it.” Whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.” –Isaiah 30:21.
The last teaching God gave me is still registering in my spirit, and if you have not read it, the teaching’s title is “Will You Follow Me?” I believe Jesus is speaking that so clearly to the body of Christ in this season. Hearing the words “Follow Me” still excites me as I pray it does you. My pastor read from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 during a time of edifying the church this past Sunday, and he touched on the timing of God and how all things work in His time.
There are seasons of life God places us to grow, prune, strengthen, and give us rest. To me, the Word the pastor shared was confirming. Be at peace, dear brothers and sisters, and walk in what God has specifically given you.
Because sometimes, in our walk with the Lord, we can get sidetracked by everyday life. The hustle and bustle of work and family can take us to a place where we lose sight. We can lose our focus on Jesus and try to follow Him in our own strength and time, And what comes as a result of trying to follow in our own strength can be a raging sea of doubt, anxiety, and disappointment.
You can say,” Oh, this would never happen to me. I would never walk it out on my own. Jesus is always my first and for most.” To that, I pray a season of doubt never overtakes you. As for me, I have fallen short; I will fall flat on my face if I rely on myself. I need Jesus to be my guiding light. I need Jesus in the hard times, I need Him in the good times, I need Him in my family, in my marriage, with my children, I need Jesus!
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” –Romans 3:23-24.
I want us to remember when the disciples were out on the sea of Galilee after feeding the five thousand. In Matthew 14:22-24 the disciples of Jesus are rowing to the other side, but a massive storm comes upon them. The waves are crashing, the wind is blowing, and fear and chaos surround them. They cannot see the other side but see something or someone approaching them in the distance. “Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” and they cried in fear.” –Matthew 14:25-26.
As part 2 of “Walk It Out On The Sea of Doubt” states, fear can take so much from you. It is a thief of joy and of peace in you. It can cause you to do things you would never usually do. It distorts your vision to see clearly both physically and spiritually. But know this: fear is not your portion in life.
Fear is a weapon your enemy uses as a distraction to stop you from reaching the other side. He will not only use fear but, with it, the lying voice of condemnation to tell you God is not for you, that He has left you in this mess you created. Know now that voice is not God’s. God comes for you in the middle of your mess or the middle of the storm. “But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” –Matthew 14:27.
Notice when Jesus spoke to them.
It was immediately after they saw Him. God does not waste time in leaving you in doubt of whether it is Him or not. We are His sheep, and we hear the voice of the One who calls us. Jesus is that Shepard that will come for you in the middle of the storm you are going through. He knew where His disciples would be and precisely where you are now dearly beloved. Jesus says, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” Though fear may have gripped you, Jesus sets you free from what holds you captive.
“And Peter answered Him and said,“Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.” –Matthew 14:28-29.
I may give Peter more credit than he deserves, but he does something unique here!
Yes, he walks on the water, but he says to the Lord, “If it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” Is Peter testing God here? Peter knows the voice of his Lord, and he knows if that is Him, then nothing will go wrong. But stepping out onto the water will take a giant leap of faith if it’s not.
Peter places all of his faith in Jesus and then waits for Jesus’ next command. “Command me to come to You on the water.”
Tell me to step out in faith, step out with my family, ask me to start this ministry, and speak to that person about You. Just tell me what to do, Lord. You know Jesus spoke to you. You know it was His Word. You know it is Him saying, “Come, follow Me”. So, what stops you from jumping out of the boat you’re in?
Whose voice will you listen to?
You can almost hear the voices of the other disciples yelling at Peter. And their voices are no different than those you are hearing now. “Are you crazy!”, “This will never work!”, “Mark my words, Peter, you are going to drown!” You have heard these words before, these voices of doubt. But you have also heard God say, “Follow Me.” “But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” and immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.” –Matthew 14:30-32
When Peter took his eyes off Jesus, he started sinking. He became so focused on what was going on around him that he forgot all about what had gotten him out of the boat in the first place: his faith, entrusted entirely to Jesus. When Peter put his complete faith in Jesus, he was able to walk on the water. When Jesus told him to come, Peter could jump out of that boat. Scripture does not say Peter was hesitant about stepping out onto the water, only that he stepped out once Jesus bid him to come.
We cannot be hearers of the Word of God only. We must be doers, pliable enough to go when it is time to go.
At times, you will fall short. We all will. When you call on Jesus during those raging storms, He will immediately stretch out His hand and catch you. Will may get a rebuke as Peter did, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” But when you fix your eyes on Jesus again and allow Him to guide your steps, you will get to walk on that water again. Scripture says that they got into the boat. The boat did not come to them. They walked to it together. Hallelujah!
I pray this teaching blessed you because I know it truly blessed me.
So to anyone who feels like they are in the storm alone, I encourage you to focus instead on the One that brings calm to every storm. Jesus can and will be that Savior you have been searching for. He will deliver you. Cry out to Him and proclaim Him Lord of your life this day! Then watch as His outstretched hand saves you. Amen. “…May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high!” –Psalm 20:1.
“Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” –John 11: 38-44.
I intended this week’s teaching to come out of the first chapter of Colossians and be titled “Doing your part.” But as you can see, that is not the case. Holy Spirit always has the final say here. When I picked up my Bible and read the account of Jesus’s resurrection of Lazarus within the margin, I read a long-ago notation I’d noted. It reads: “Jesus will handle the resurrection. You do your part.”
I don’t believe in coincidences. The fact was not lost on me that the exact words I’d intended to use to title this teaching were now staring back at me.
God was trying to get my attention. And He had it now.
“Doing your part” has been an ongoing theme of late. So It made me wonder if you’re also not hearing some rendition of these exact words in your Spirit.
I ask because my experience has been that the Word I receive from the Lord is first meant to minister to me, then flow outward to you. And so I pray that we submit our will, our wants, what may appear ‘right’—sound, to us, to the will and calling of Jesus—putting to death all internal chatter that clamors for answers to the why’s. Allowing God’s Word to mirror our true reflection back to us.
In so doing, may the exhale of our breath genuinely be, “Thy will be done.” Whether we understand God’s will—or not.
As I read today’s Scripture, several points stood out:
First was the opening sentence. It informs us that Jesus was deeply moved—but why? What had touched Him so that Scripture lets us know straightaway that Jesus was moved? I believe in answering this properly; we must go back a bit.
At the beginning of this same chapter, Jesus informs His disciples that Lazarus has died.
Yet, at first, His disciples don’t understand that Lazarus is physically dead because Jesus says Lazarus has fallen asleep.’ Naturally, their minds think of ordinary sleep–rest. This oxymoron is one of many instances found in Scripture. Knowing their confusion, Jesus spells it out for them. He emphatically states that Lazarus is dead. He tells them it’s good that He wasn’t there to intervene.
Jesus was about to perform a miracle in the lives of so many through this one act of obedience.
Yet Jesus commiserated with Mary and Martha’s friends and neighbors’ pain and outpouring of grief. Was this partly because, acting out of obedience to the Father, Jesus had to stay put and not go to Lazarus? Is this why in part, Jesus was so deeply moved? Because He could not intervene, not touch, and heal His friend as He had so many others? Jesus trusted His Father surely. And although Jesus is fully God, He was also fully human and felt the genuine pain we experience in such moments. “For we do not have a Great High Priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses…” –Hebrews 4:14.
Yet all of this—His pain and theirs, did not stop Jesus from obeying the Father’s will.
There was a greater good that was about to come of this. Jesus knew obedience to the will of the Father was more important than His or their feelings—obedience is always paramount. “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” –John 15:10.
The second point that struck me was the barrier blocking Jesus’ entrance into the place He was sent to bring about the miracle He’d been sent to perform. Remember, Jesus tells us: “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” –John 5:30.
Scripture points out Jesus’s saying, “Take away the stone.” Why?
Could it be that in addition to its natural use, attention is brought to this stone to illustrate that we place proverbial stones across our hearts, denying God unfettered access? Denying Jesus access to give us the same healing and restoration of life and life to the full that we see Him give Lazarus?
Friends, if we belong to Jesus, we have been chosen to partner with God. Our part—my part, your part—is to choose to listen to Jesus’ voice and allow whatever stone impeding His entrance into our dead places to be rolled away—so that fullness of life might come forth.
Jesus tells those present to roll the stone out of His way. (notice the stone can be moved!)
Martha’s response? To tell Jesus no—don’t do that. What are you thinking? He’s been dead for days, and it stinks in there!
Sounds reasonable, right? After all, isn’t that what we do when we hide ‘our flesh’ in places we think no one can see? When we choose to keep our tomb, those—shameful or painful—even prideful parts of ourselves sealed off—safe from view.
After all, Jesus couldn’t possibly love us if He sees all that, right?
Wrong!
Jesus knows that to have True Life; we must let Him into our stinking—rotten fleshly places. We must agree to have any stone moved away that might deny Him full access—to every yucky—stinking part of us! Why? Because the Truth is this: whatever Jesus does to us—in us, through us, is not just for us.
“Lazarus, come out!” And He did. And we will, too—all those called by His name must leave our dead things behind.
We, still wrapped in our grave clothes—still carrying the scent of things long since dead within us—are just waiting, as Lazarus was, to be released into the Fullness of Life. “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” Jesus will always have the final Word.
Though salvation is a free gift from God, one based not on our good works that any of us might foolishly think we could earn such a gift, we do have a part to play in working out our salvation. Paul clarifies this in Phil.2:12. “So then, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling.”
Plainly put: We must do our part, must agree—desire, want, our stone be rolled away.
Do you, friend? I pray you do. Won’t you ask Jesus to roll away everything blocking you from asking Him to come into your heart? To be your Lord and Savior, He’ll roll away anything standing between you and Him if you genuinely want it gone. Jesus says it this way: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” –Revelation 3:20
“The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.” Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”–Acts 8:29-30.
In “The Knowledge of The Holy,” A.W. Tozer said this concerning the Christian: “What comes to our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” So, let me ask you, beloved believer—when you think about God, does your being obedient to Him, His Word, Commandments, to the leading of God’s Holy Spirit—spring to the forefront of your mind?
Regarding obedience to God, would you agree that we, the modern-day Church, have lost our sense of urgency in obeying God? Some measure of reverent awe that accompanies the knowledge that a holy, righteous, perfect God deigns to speak to us at all?
Has the “yes, Lord” posture of our hearts been exchanged for, “Well, maybe, God didn’t really mean right now,” when we know He did?
Has our readiness to do whatever, whenever God says, “Move, now,” been usurped by the little g god of self? Have we forgotten the importance of obedience? And the possible danger to ourselves and others when we aren’t obedient?
Not in Philip’s case, certainly not in Father Abraham’s, nor with any of the twelve Apostles. In each instance, God called, and they obeyed.
Today, we’ll examine examples of their obedience—and its fruit.
We’ll look back for a moment, that we might use what we find there to propel us forward. My hope? What you’ll read will prompt you to ask this all-important question regarding obedience to God of yourself.
Let’s start with Father Abraham…
God called Abram, a pagan, to follow Him on an extraordinary, lifelong faith journey away from kin and everything familiar. “Joshua said to the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Long ago your ancestors, including Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River, and they worshiped other gods. But I took your ancestor Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him into the land of Canaan. I gave him many descendants through his son Isaac.” –Joshua 24:2-3.
Father Abraham’s faith walk was so sincere and steadfast, so steeped in holy reverence to God, that today, many are still experiencing the overflow of his unswerving obedience. “And if you belong to Christ [if you are in Him], then you are Abraham’s descendants, and [spiritual] heirs according to [God’s] promise.” –Galatians 3:29.
Thank you, Father Abraham, for leaving us a legacy of faithful, Godly obedience we might follow. A lasting, multigenerational model. “What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” –Romans 4:1-3.
And in Jesus’ Apostles, we see this exact “leave-it-all-behind” obedience.
Peter and Andrew left what they knew and loved to follow Jesus. “Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee. He saw two brothers. They were Simon (his other name was Peter) and Andrew, his brother. They were putting a net into the sea for they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Follow Me. I will make you fish for men!” At once they left their nets and followed Him.” –Matthew 4:18-20. So did James and John. “…They were sitting in a boat with their father, mending their nets. Jesus called them. At once they left the boat and their father and followed Jesus.” –Matthew 4:21-22.
Likewise, with Philip and Nathanael. You can read of their obedience in John 1:43-51. And of Matthew, the tax collector turned Apostle’s obedience. “As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.” –Matthew 9:9.
The Bible doesn’t give us much information on where the Lord found Thomas, Simon, and Jude, aka—Thaddues, James, son-of-Alphaeus, or the rest of His Apostles. According to Scripture, all we know for sure is they were obedient to the call of Jesus on their lives until they were martyred or, as with John, died. All of them, that is, except Judas, the son of perdition. He betrayed the Lord and then hung himself. “And our brothers defeated him by the blood of the Lamb’s death and by the truth they preached. They did not love their lives so much that they were afraid of death.” –Revelation 12:11.
And then there’s Philip. We find him in Samaria, where he’d been about the Lord’s work preaching the Gospel, healing the sick and casting out demons. “Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah. Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did. Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed.” –Acts 8:5-8.
Acts Eight tells us that an angel of the Lord told Philip to leave Samaria and head down a desert road. He obeyed immediately and met “the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia.” –Acts 8:27. The eunuch’s chariot had broken down. So, there he sat, reading aloud from a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
Again, the Holy Spirit told Philip what to do, and Philip obeyed. “The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.” Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.” –Acts 8: 29-31
I wonder what the eunuch may have missed out on had Philip not obeyed.
Verse thirty-five makes it clear he may have missed out on knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior. Maybe the eunuch would have missed out on being baptized as well. And, looking beyond this Divine dessert assignment, who might the eunuch have told of his extraordinary encounter with Philip and God? What seeds may never have been planted had Philip not obeyed the Holy Spirit and ran to the eunuch’s side—sharing the Good News of Jesus with Him?
Will you be obedient, beloved believer, knowing that God desires your obedience over anything you could ever offer Him? Sacrifice for Him?
In closing, beloved, let me ask you again—when you think about God, does your obedience to Him, His Word, Commandments, and the leading of God’s Holy Spirit spring to the forefront of your mind? Or has your obedience been exchanged for a little g god who desires comfort over character?
That same god who whispers, “Well, maybe, God didn’t really mean right now.” Jesus replied, “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.” –John 14:23.
And you, new friend. Perhaps you’re saying, what about me? I want to be obedient, but I don’t Jesus or this Holy Spirit you mentioned earlier.
To you, I say this: Let today be the first in a life-long series of steps of obedience by saying yes to Jesus, asking Him into your life as Lord, repenting of your sins and acknowledging that you need Jesus. If you obey that tugging on your heart, Jesus promises you will be born again today!
As for what happens after that, remain obedient, get connected to a solid Bible-believing Church, read your Bible daily, and do your absolute best to love God and His people. Jesus will do the rest. Only He can! “I know, God, that mere mortals can’t run their own lives, That men and women don’t have what it takes to take charge of life.” –Jeremiah 10:23.
As the title implies, doubt can be like a raging sea.
Thoughts can suddenly blow through our minds; waves of fear can crash and swell within them. And like all storms, our thoughts can be dark and foreboding, but God! Oh, hallelujah! Only God can calm those thoughts, those sudden, stormy waves, and winds. Only God can make the sea of our minds like glass, perfectly still. With just a Word from His mouth: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” – John 14:27
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen”. -Ephesians 3:20-21.
That, my dear friends, what our God can do and does, it’s straight from the Word.
No man can make up the workings of God. The Spirit testifies in each of us that God is who He says He is. Jesus came to give life and make it more abundant. Jesus came to give us peace, His peace. We need to cling to and pray for His peace daily—this “peace that surpasses all understanding.” The world does not understand this peace because it cannot. The kind of peace the world offers is a failed promise of peace, inconsistent, temporary. Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
In order to be conformed to something, you must be connected to, faithful, to whatever or whomever you are placing your faith in. If we put our faith in the world, we will reap what the world offers, the fruits of the flesh. You’ll draw your nourishment from the world if it is your source, your vine. And you’ll get its byproduct, an exact replica of what you’ve been drawing from. The world can only produce its own kind.
Instead of what this world has to offer, Jesus wants to be the Vine you draw from daily. He wants to be your Source.
His gift of salvation, His Spirit, will produce lasting fruit that will sustain you in times of trouble. When those waves of doubt crash into you, you can find the strength in Jesus, you never thought you had. The Helper, God’s Holy Spirit, can and desires to dwell within you. My pastor always says, “Transformation starts from the inside, then makes its way outward.” A person our Lord saves will be transformed from the inside, and all the world will see the fruit of their salvation.
Do you believe that today?
Do you believe that God can bring peace to your mind, healing to your body, and above all, salvation to those who cry out for the forgiveness of their sins?
Jesus can, and He will! He is coming back, friends, brothers, and sisters! It’s only a matter of time—I cling to this truth by faith, believing. Now there are moments, my dear friends, that I will have doubt wash over me. Does it make me a non-believer? Of course not! I am human, and there will be those moments when I fall short in faith. But God will prove Himself faithful when I am lacking. So, if my lack of faith is my thorn in the flesh, I will remember and cling to these words spoken to the apostle Paul:
And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” –2 Corinthians 12:9.
A thorn in our flesh could be several things, whether it be fear, doubt, anxiety, depression, an actual sickness, as Scholars suggest it was with the Apostle Paul or a divorce; whatever it may be, a thorn in your side will make you feel weak, causing you to lose focus and fall. But in those moments especially, remember, hold tight to what Jesus said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for May strength is made perfect in weakness.”
When you posture yourself in surrender to God, He will take over in whatever situation you may be going through. Submission is about our heart of worship and willingness to lay it all down at His feet; when you are tired, worship. When you cannot take another step, worship; when you have lost your job, worship, whatever the enemy is throwing at you, cast your ALL cares and worries on Jesus, and just worship the Lord!
Praise is one of the greatest weapons we have when we are facing trouble. God’s unmerited favor will get you through life’s storms and trials—God’s favor found in knowing His Son, Jesus, will see you through!
Child of God, you have the favor of the Father living inside you! What can this world do to you? Lift your eyes to heaven and know that God is for you.
He has not left you. The apostle Paul writes, “What shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” -Romans 8:31
I genuinely feel that someone reading this is about to receive their breakthrough.
Doubt is not your portion, dear friend. The keys have been handed to you. Jesus has taken them back from the enemy and now holds all the authority. Move, in the authority you’ve been given, in Jesus’ name!
Friend, if you don’t know Him as Lord, Jesus is waiting for you to take that step and reach out by faith, grab hold of His gift of salvation by repenting your sins and asking Jesus to be Lord of your life. I pray that the Holy Spirit has spoken to you through His inspired teaching and that you will walk out what He’s asking you to do, my friend. Amen
“I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, who shall never hold their peace day nor night.” Ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence.” –Isaiah 62:6.
A restless Saviour calls upon his people to be restless, and to make the Lord himself restless – to give him no rest till his chosen city is in full splendour, his chosen church complete and glorious. –Charles Spurgeon.
Reflectors are not a light source; they contain no light of their own. Instead, they catch and release light already present, reflecting it outwardly. So, the job of the reflector is singular and simple: to consistently reflect light in the darkness. Thus, in many instances, their presence alone helps to avert potential bodily harm or even death.
Think of their job this way: You’re driving down a poorly lit side street at night, and the only thing standing between your hitting and possibly killing the pedestrian or cyclist on the side of the road with your car is your headlights catching the reflectors on their bicycle or safety vest. Just in the nick of time, you’re able to swerve—crisis averted. At that moment, you’d more fully appreciate and understand the importance of a reflector.
You, dear Christian brother, or sister, are that reflector.
You are called to catch the love of Christ: His mercy, humility, kindness, and generosity, reflecting it outwardly into a dark and dying world. By faithfully staying in your proverbial lane, pedestrian as that may feel or seem at times, God will use you to pierce the darkness surrounding that one who may have otherwise been hurt or killed.“Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.” –Jude 1:22-23.
In this world’s thick, ever-increasing, thick darkness, God has chosen you, beloved, to first catch and then reflect the Light of His presence to everyone you meet. “Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” –John 12:44-46.
As with the Prophets of old, those who carry the Light of Christ within are called to pray without ceasing—to intercede, then intercede some more. To be a faithful and true witness of God’s Love, Truth, Mercy, and Righteousness that is in Christ Jesus. To faithfully share the Truth of the Gospel while standing in line at the grocery store, sitting in the doctor’s office, the airport, whenever and wherever the opportunity affords. They are to consider others—and their needs, above our own—hard, I know.
In and of ourselves, even the saintliest of us does not possess the ability to live wholly selflessly. And, though Christ lives in us, a mystery too great to grasp, our sinful flesh perpetually prohibits us from fully living and loving as Jesus did—commands us to.
The Apostle Paul knew and grappled with this ugly Truth. His conclusion?
Only by God residing in us, empowering us to do what we, in and of ourselves, never could, is even having the desire to love selflessly possible. Even then, our very best attempt at such love is flawed, anemic, and flaccid. Why? There are two natures at war within us. Christ, alive in us, our Spirit man, our true self wars against our carnal flesh, the body and soul we possess still, while we await the day when we will fully be as Christ is.
“For I do not understand my own actions [I am baffled and bewildered by them]. I do not practice what I want to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate [and yielding to my human nature, my worldliness—my sinful capacity]. Now if I habitually do what I do not want to do, [that means] I agree with the Law, confessing that it is good (morally excellent). So now [if that is the case, then] it is no longer I who do it [the disobedient thing which I despise], but the sin [nature] which lives in me. For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh [my human nature, my worldliness—my sinful capacity]. For the willingness [to do good] is present in me, but the doing of good is not. For the good that I want to do, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want to do, I am no longer the one doing it [that is, it is not me that acts], but the sin [nature] which lives in me.” –Romans 7:15-20.
Our carnal man is self-serving. Hence, why we must die daily to this flesh that wants what it wants when it wants it, and instead, pick up our cross, following Christ’s example of Loving our neighbor as we love ourselves. “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests] and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me].” –Matthew 16:24.
Reflectors warn the world, one soul at a time, of the danger of walking in darkness, of the coming judgment that will soon visit this world and all who reject Jesus and His free gift of salvation.
We demonstrate God’s love, mercy, and great desire that not one person perish.
We share our testimony—making clear that it was in a pit of filth, despair, and depression, in a church pew or the throws of addiction, where Christ may have found us. And how, because of His great love, grace and mercy, Jesus stepped in and pulled us out of that pit, shining His Light into our darkness, on our addictions, saving us from sin and death’s grip on us. Then He stood us firmly and safely in His Kingdom of Light instead. “This is how the love of God is revealed to us: God has sent his only Son into the world so that we can live through him. This is love: it is not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son as the sacrifice that deals with our sins.” –1 John 4:9-10.
And so, fellow reflectors, we must, have been commanded—to bring the Light of God’s Love, a Light we have been freely given, into this “poorly lit side street” of a world. One that is losing hope and faith in ever finding such a Love. “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.” –Matthew 10:8.
Dear friend, if you’ve never experienced such Love or felt sought after, protected, or cared for, I encourage you to consider this God’s way of ensuring you are Loved and sought after, that Jesus wants to care for you, if you’ll let Him. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” –John 3:16.
Won’t you ask Jesus to come into your heart, confess your sins, and begin to reflect His love into the world?
“He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen, Even so, come Lord Jesus!—Revelation 22:20.
I was awakened to the above words early this morning, and what a wake-up call it is, my dear friends. My response to this Truth was precisely what the Apostle John had said after our Lord spoke this promise to him. I, too, found myself uttering these exact words with the most sincere amen. Knowing soon, they will come to pass. I do not know the hour, but soon our Lord Jesus is coming.
So, to my dear brothers and sisters who are taking the time to read this teaching, rest assured that soon and very soon, Jesus is coming back. Rest in the assurance that God finishes what He has started. He has finished the work of the Cross by paying our sin debt in full. We are washed clean by the Blood of Jesus of our past, present, and future sins. God is faithful to forgive us when we come to Him in repentance. Jesus said, “It is finished,” and His work, the finished work of the Cross, was done. As believers, what more assurance do we need to believe that Jesus never has and will never forget that promise? By faith, I know Jesus will come again!
As Christians, our lifestyle must be one of faith and obedience; of taking that first step of faith, the next, and then a third; until we walk in a way that is not common to what the world perceives as normal.
When all hell has broken loose, and people are searching for answers, be assured that God is still in control.
He is the one that controls the wind and the waves. Nothing is too difficult for our God! Jeremiah 32:17 confirms this. “‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.”
One of my favorite Scriptures is found in Matthew 14:22-33. It is a Scripture that has helped me during those times of doubt and not knowing which way to turn. After feeding the five thousand, which I highly recommend reading Matthew 14:13-21, Jesus tells the disciples to get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side while He sent the multitudes away. And after sending them away, Jesus went up to a mountain to pray. “Now the evening came, and He was alone there.” –Matthew 14:22-23
The disciples did not question why Jesus was not coming with them. They just got in the boat and did what they were told.
Now think about that for a moment. When God asks us to do something, are we often obedient to do the first thing he asks of us? Or do our little minds start racing and asking, “Why, Lord? Or, “You want me to do what, Jesus?!”
Brothers and sisters, how will we make it to that second step if we get stuck on the first step—our being obedient?
Next is the word “immediately”—a strong word to put in there. There is an urgency attached to it. Some reason why Jesus is telling them to go at that very moment. Are we sensitive to the urgency in God’s promptings or Word? When He says, “Move’ or ‘Go now’?
God has a purpose in it. He wants to show you or bring you to what is next.
In verse 24, we read that the waves in the middle of the sea were tossing the boat the disciples were in. For the wind was contrary, and all hell was breaking loose. Do you think they had any doubts at that point? Scripture does not say anything to the contrary, but by human standards, I am sure they did. Now let’s be honest here. We all have had our doubts, my dear friends.
If you haven’t experienced one yet, live long enough, and you will.
We are frail, sinful humans, not perfect by any means. And yet, when we walk in obedience and do what God asks us to do, we will experience God stilling the waves of doubt and the negative thoughts blowing around us. How can we be sure? In verse 23, Jesus told His disciples to go before Him to the other side. That assures us we will get to the other side of our storm. WE ARE GOING TO MAKE IT!
Numbers 23:19 assures us, “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and will not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”
And in Hebrews 6:13: “For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself.”
Going back to Jesus and His disciples verses 25-26 tell us this: “Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled saying, “it is a ghost!’ and they cried out for fear.”
So, in verse 24, we hear nothing about fear until they get into the middle of the sea. It is here where fear starts to grip them. There is nothing in sight due to the low visibility of the storm. Equally, fear can blind you and distort your vision. Example: The disciples saw Jesus and yelled, “It is a ghost!” they were so gripped with fear that they could not see it was Jesus. Yet it is so reassuring that God will make His presence known even in the middle of such chaos. For some of us, our issue, at one time or another, will be our need to see Jesus through the eyes of faith and not by what we see in front of us.
Hebrews 11:1 says about faith: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
And in Romans 8:24-25 we read: “For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.”
Many of us have asked, “How will I get through this?”
Do not abandon ship when your flesh and impulses lead you, making it feel like there is no way out. Remember that God is for you! Remember why Jesus came; you have purpose. There is a reason why you are reading this right now. I do not know who this is for, but I believe someone is about to give up their walk as I write this. You have been praying and waiting for the answer, but it has not happened yet. You have repeatedly heard the same thing, “Be still and know I am God.”
Know that our Lord does not turn a deaf ear towards His children. Jesus is the mediator between us and the Father. Please, do not give up, my friend; you are so close to the other side! Philippians 1:6 promises you this: “I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
“Pilate said to Him, Then You are a King? Jesus answered, You say it! [You speak correctly!] For I am a King. [Certainly I am a King!] This is why I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the Truth. Everyone who is of the Truth [who is a friend of the Truth, who belongs to the Truth] hears and listens to My voice. “ –John 18:37.
In a world where everyone’s truth is the truth, it should not take us by surprise that not even Jesus’ declaration of His being the Truth would escape questioning, as horrifying as that is for those of us who call Jesus Lord. The unremitting, centuries-old scrutiny of Jesus—the doubtfulness and disparity regarding the Truth concerning The Son of God, of His God’s inerrant Word, is nothing new; today’s scripture verse makes this plain. Solomon was right: “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” –Ecclesiastes 1:9.
Since Christ entered this world, men have done their best to defame Jesus’ Holy name, His person and purpose, to deny His very existence. They’ve tried and failed to “bring Him down to size.” To make Jesus ordinary, pass Him off as some nice guy who once walked the earth like many other nice guys before and after Him. Countless people questioned Jesus’ legitimacy in days past, and many still question it today: Who is this Jesus, really? They’ve heard and seen evidence of who God is, yet they refuse to believe.
Still, Christ’s response to such questioning and doubt remains unremitting: “All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”
So then, it seems the question each man must settle in his heart is that exact question Pilate once posed to Christ: “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. –John 18:38.
Why? Because their eternal soul is inextricably tied to how they answer this very straightforward question.
Did you catch what Jesus made clear to Pilate—to anyone with ears to hear?
He plainly stated that not only is He alone the Truth, equally, one reason He was born into this world was to testify, proclaim, and profess Truth. And if you receive Truth when it’s spoken, putting it into practice as a doer and not a hearer only, if, like Elizabeth, your belly leaps when Truth is near you, you have likely recognized your Master’s voice. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” –John 10:27.
If so, I pray you will remain faithful to the Truth, hunger and thirst for more and more of Jesus. I pray that you will follow God’s leading and guiding all the days of your life, living pure and holy lives before Him. “If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you. I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t have eyes to see him, doesn’t know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you!” John 14:15.
Because friends, there is no such thing as your or my truth—only The Truth. So then, how or if we receive said Truth—receive Jesus, will determine how we live our lives now and where we will spend eternity. Jesus has made Himself crystal clear: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” –John 14:6.
In a world where we’re told the truth is anything we say it is, where we play little g god over our lives, acting out and being whoever or whatever we say we are or choose to be. In a world where mere men—creation, not Creator- dare alter God’s original work, I am so grateful that Christ is still our Due North.
Every man needs that fixed point on his moral compass by which his life is governed—aligned… “So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them.” –Genesis 1:27.
And so I thank Jesus for keeping all those who believe in Him in our right minds—the mind of Christ, for safeguarding us from falling for the lies of the prince of this world. Lies that tell us if it feels right for you, then it is right for you; lies that would have anyone who heeds their treachery build their house on sand—the shifting sands of opinions, trends, and ever-changing feelings. “But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” –Matthew 7:26-27.
God’s Holy Spirit is the only fixed point on life’s compass by which everything must align or realign if it has gone off course. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. –John 14:6.
Everything else you’ve been told, taught, believed, heard on the news or in the court of public opinion is a lie. Yet, to believe this, you must be delivered from the strongholds in your life.
Because behind every stronghold, there is a lie. But behind freedom in Christ, there is Truth. –Pastor Lino Braga, Highland City Church.
And Truth says, if I am a child of God, I am:
“A new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” –2 Corinthians 5:17.
“I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me.” –Philippians 4:13.
“In all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us].” –Romans 8:37.
“I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child.” –Ephesians 1:3-8.
“I am complete in Christ, lacking nothing.” –Colossians 2:9-10.
“In Him and through faith in Him we may enter God’s presence with boldness and confidence.” –Epehians 3:12.
Soap and water are great for cleansing yourself, but not if they’re not used! –Pastor Lino Braga.
Sadly, No true and lasting change can be born in you. None of the above Truths will mean anything in your life; they’ll have no effect—if you choose not to believe. Perhaps strongholds have held your thinking captive for most of your life, blocking the Truth of God’s Word—His promises, from penetrating it. Friend, only a life in Christ Jesus—a relationship with Him, His Holy Spirit alive in you, offers you the sure hope and promise of such freedom and knowledge. “Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” –John 8:34-36.
It is not enough to hear the Truth—you must grab hold of it for yourself. Clinging, white-knuckled to it, like a drowning man to a life ring! Why? Because Truth is Who God’s Living Word is—Truth is Jesus Christ. “In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself.” –John 1:1.
And only through a relationship with Jesus, by placing the full weight of your trust in Him, can any man be restored to a right relationship with Father God. And this is Truth, believe it or not.
So please, don’t let one more day pass you by without knowing Jesus personally or inviting Him into your heart. Just talk to God, ask Him in, and He’ll come and begin a new work in your life. “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. God is a Faithful God, He will never start something and not finish it.” –Philippians 1:6.
We are a team of Christian Authors and Teachers dedicated to sharing the Innerant Word of God with those hungry to receive Biblical Truth. Follow us as we follow Christ at Sonsofthesea.org
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
You must be logged in to post a comment.