Sonsofthesea.org

"Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men." Matthew 4:19

Tag: faith (Page 11 of 14)

A Promise In The Storm… Matthew 14:27

August 26, 2018 /

“But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!'”

“I am here!” A promise from God in the midst of your storm—your trial, is the only anchor that will surely keep you from going adrift…

My suitcases are packed. Boxes shipped, my ticket long purchased. I’m due to get on the plane Saturday night…

I had made peace with leaving my beloved Aina. Hawaii Nei, my other home. One need not be born in a place for it to be their home. Now, just days before I’m scheduled to leave for my return to the mainland hurricane Lane has hit our Island chain. Red, raging, swirling models of a “catastrophic category 5 hurricane” flashing on everything that can flash. Island wide tsunami warning sirens alerting us all that danger is on the way—is imminent;to say nothing of the obviousness of nature’s warnings. Its lashing, tree bending winds. Rain that’s causing once trickling streams to turn into raging Niagara’s overnight. Yup. This is happening live…

So, what do you do then when the unexpected storm hits you?

When every fear-filled voice you hear—your own included, is warning; “danger’s about to come and kick in your door!” This is no polite little storm. Well, first, you catch your breath. When an unexpected storm threatens your life it most certainly can take our breath away. It’s OK. Acknowledge the feelings—the fear of the unknown. Just don’t live there. Give yourself time to process what you’re facing.

If you try to get rid of fear and anger without knowing their meaning, they will grow stronger and return. –Deepak Chopra

But please, in the midst of your fear stop and pray. Even if all you can manage is; “God I’m afraid. I don’t know what to do with this. Help me please!” Those simple words invite God in. They connect you to the source of your strength. Yes, certainly you heed the advice, the professionals: you shop for food, close windows, seek shelter, yes you need to apply the wisdom God has given you. What you shouldn’t do, what isn’t wise, is to answer the door each time fear incessantly knocks on it with every gust of wind or downed branch. That is simply crazy making. It’s a thief…

Is it easy to tear your eyes away from the flashing screens, text alerts, and bending trees? Away from that doctor’s report, those divorce papers, or that grave stone? Away from the bottle of whatever that’s calling your name? No. No it’s not. For anyone that has ever been through such a storm—whether natural, physical, or emotional, you know exactly what I’m talking about…

For those that have not—pay attention. The storm is coming. I’m not being a naysayer. It’s just life. Storms are inevitable. They take courage to endure. They take faith because every now and again, a storm will hit with such unforeseen, unexpected intensity that the absolute best you can do is: do the stuff on the list and then surrender to the process.

Lean into the fact that you are not—are not, repeat, you are not in control. Prayerfully, you know the One who is.

The One who speaks to the storms—even the category Five storms that hit us unexpectantly. God alone telling them to be still. Notice I didn’t say He removes the storm—nor it’s often ravaging effects. He didn’t get to skip the ravaging effects of His storm, the Cross—so who are we, His followers, to think we should escape the effects of ours? Sometime the storm is exactly what we need in order that we arrive safely at our next destination. Oxymoron I know. But if you’ve known God for any length of time, you know what I’m saying is true. Sometimes the storms of life are God’s way of rerouting us. Now, does that mean He caused our storm? No. not necessarily. But maybe? Or maybe He simply allowed it to fulfill His plans—His purpose for our life. He most certainly knew it was coming. So, He put a plan in place that would benefit you, me, each of us—In the end. What I’m saying is: rather than removing the storms, He gives us the peace and the strength we need to walk through them. To not fold because of them. He walks through them with us—hand-in hand.

The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek. – Joseph Campbell

I had absolutely no intention of posting again until September 9th. Until I had reached the mainland and had a moment to walk through this transition, to acclimate a bit—get my footing. Once again, God had a different plan. I’m typing this as I’m watching palm trees bowing at the waist. While I listen to the music of the wind—a mighty rushing wind. His voice truly does rise above all others if we are listening. “Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track” –Proverbs 3:6.

I’ll keep this short. If you’re facing a storm today—whatever its size or intensity, please, listen for the voice of God in the midst of it. I promise you—I promise you, He’s right there with you. “The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still” –Exodus 14:14.

And, if you’ve not met this God that speaks to the storms—now is the time. Don’t go through one more storm on your own. Repent of your sins, say your sorry and mean it. Ask God to come into your life as Lord and Savior. Let God speak peace—not perfection, not your expected, desired outcome—but peace, into your storm. “Jesus stood up and gave a command to the wind and the water. He said, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind stopped, and the lake became calm’” –Mark 4:39.

Delayed does not mean denied! Trust God. I had my plan in place. But so, did God… “A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure” –Proverbs 16:9.

 

Three Crosses: The Conclusion. Matthew 6:33

August 12, 2018 /

 “But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.”

It has always been and will forever be, all about Jesus…

We preach Christ crucified. This is the focal point of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a picture of blood flowing from Christ’s veins as He hung on the cross. The message of shed blood is repugnant to many, and they turn from such a gory sight, feeling that their delicate sensibilities have been outraged. Many people will accept Christ’s character, but they reject His crucifixion. –Billy Graham

“It is finished.” The three most powerful Words ever spoken. In them the “amen” to every promise God ever made for those who believe in Him…

Those three Words were sitting inside Jesus’s mouth waiting to be released over a world He had yet to speak into existence. As He said, “Let there be light”, “It is finished” was holding its breath, back straight, ready—waiting its turn. As the Light of the world literally spoke light into existence—a way had been made too for that same Light to pierce the darkness of sin-stained hearts…

… “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” –John 19:30. The cross of Jesus Christ is elemental to the Christian faith. The cross unveils the character of God. The Cross is where God’s love for sinners and His perfect justice converge. It’s where Jesus said a visible yes to the will of God. “Yes, I’ll lay down my life for them Father.” “Yes, though it means leaving heaven to take on their every sin, I’ll go. Though it means wrapping up the Light of my glory, concealing it in flesh, though it means betrayal and heartbreak and hunger and pain, though it means rejection and ridicule, being momentarily forsaken by You, I’ll go. Though it meant that the One who knew no sin would take into Himself every sin that every person ever created had ever committed—past, present, and future, still, before any one of us had broken through our mother’s womb—drew our first breath in, He had already said yes, “I’ll die for her, for him, for all of them”.

If God had to send His only Son to the cross in order to pay for sin, than sin must be dark indeed in the sight of God.–Billy Graham

In the Cross we see two inseparable Truths:

The greatest proof of Love known to man was ordained before one living-soul stepped foot on the earth. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” “It is rare indeed for anyone to die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” And, besides this evidence of such great a love, we see evidence too of God’s intense hatred of sin. Both attributes are inextricably linked, foundational Truths standing side-by-side, indivisible. “The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them” (John 3:16; Romans 5:7-8; Ezekiel 18:20).

And, though we have His love and can also know His Love; to fully rest in its promises, we must first come to the Cross He stepped down across time and space to lay Himself upon. And we must answer His call of Love. We must first confess our guilt and ask forgiveness for it. We, like Peter, must answer this one question: “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), the Son of the living God” –Matthew 16:15-16.

In so doing, in answering this one life-changing question, what we’re professing is this:

Jesus I know, I admit, You are God. I know I deserve to be hanging there—not You. I know it should be my blood spilled and not yours. I’m the sinner, not You. I’m sorry, terribly sorry, I repent of my sins and I thank you that You’ve made a place at the foot of Your Cross for me to come and acknowledge openly that You are God and I am not, and that I need you. Thank you for taking my place Jesus. And thank you that I’m now able to serve you, to be with you eternally…

This final teaching on the Cross of Christ may make some a bit uncomfortable. I make no apologies for that. Truth can often makes us squirm a bit. And that’s okay. Rather, I boldly offer you the Truth His Cross offers the world—the Life it affords us all. Instead of offering an apology for the Cross, I’ll ask that you think of—conjure up, the most unimaginable, most vile, hate-filled, perverse, twisted sin you can scarcely image, have ever heard tell of.

Got it? Now, understand this: As much as God hates that sin, hates all sin—He loves us, the sinners, infinitely more…

That same Cross that offends so many, that shed Blood of Jesus Christ—the Sinless Son of God, the One who left heaven for you and me, took that unimaginable sin, no, more, He willingly died, to take upon Himself all the unimaginable sins. And, with them, every other sin ever committed—and to be committed, so that the ones who confess those sins and truly repent of them will not have to die for having committed them. He did that for us—died in our place that is. That is the power, the humility, the forgiveness, and the unfathomable pure Love of our final and greatest Cross. The Cross of Jesus Christ. Sit with that thought for a second…

This Jesus came and in His coming, is the incarnate New Covenant. Covering laws, we could not keep with His Blood, once for all, so that we might be afforded life eternal. “For if that first [covenant] had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second” –Hebrews 8:7.

All are welcomed at Jesus’ Cross. It doesn’t matter who you are, Jew or gentile, black, white, brown, tan or “other”. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done, or who you’ve done it with. It doesn’t matter who you identify as—not even that “scarcely unimaginable sin” you’d heard of earlier is any match for the Love God has for you. For the Power of Jesus’ shed Blood to scrub it so white, only you will ever know it was ever there. “And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” –1 John 4:10.

So, to recap: At our first cross, the Law, we saw God lay down an exacting, yet life-giving path that leads us towards the knowledge of who He is—of His standards. At our second Cross, we witnessed Jesus teaching us—transitioning us, readying us for a more intimate, a more “Parent-child” relationship with Himself. Teaching us the “how to’s” of presenting ourselves, our prayers and petitions, before Him. How to carry on a conversation with our Father. And here, now, at our third and final Cross—The Cross of Christ, we witness the price God our Father was willing to pay that we might be restored into relationship with Him. A relationship destroyed by sin. A relationship only the Cross of Christ; faith in Truth of His life, death, and resurrection could afford us… “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us” –2 Corinthians 5:21.

The cross of Christ is not only the basis of our peace and hope–but it is the means of our eternal salvation. The goal of the cross is not only a full and free pardon, but a changed life lived in fellowship with God. No wonder Paul said 2,000 years ago, “We preach Christ crucified.” The world needs this message today. This is the message of hope, peace, and brotherhood. This is what the world calls “foolishness” but what God has been pleased to call “wisdom.” What do you call it? –Billy Graham

Friend, if you haven’t yet come to His Cross, I implore you to come today. Christ died for you. Confess your sins to Him, ask Him into your life, and let your life truly begin anew… “Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life]” –2 Corinthians 5:17.

Stand-in Faith. Mark 2:3-12

June 10, 2018 /

 “Then they came, bringing to Him a paralyzed man, who was being carried by four men.  When they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Jesus; and when they had dug out an opening, they let down the mat on which the paralyzed man was lying.  When Jesus saw their [active] faith [springing from confidence in Him], He said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”  vs’s 3-5.

What might stand-in faith look like?

Along with the example of 4 faith-filled friends offered in our Scripture verses, we also see stand-in faith demonstrated in Queen Esther; Esther 8:3-5 and, in Father Abraham; Genesis 18:23-33. Yet most  certainly our greatest example of stand-in faith is witnessed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God’s only begotten Son. Unique in Being, fully God yet fully man.(John 1:1;1:14;3:16;1 John 4:9; Colossians 2:9;1 Corinthians 15:4-5; 1 Peter 1:20). The Scriptures tell us He willingly left Heaven—stepped across time and eternity, donned a human body, all that He might offer Himself as a stand-in.

The Sinless Substitute standing in for a sinful world; a world He foreknew would reject Him –Hebrews 2:5-18. His Perfect example now established, let’s turn our attention to everyday men created in his image. Let’s examine the 4 friends mentioned in today’s Scripture. Those no different from Esther, Abraham, and others whose faith God recognized.

We’re told only that their friend is paralyzed…

That’s why they’re carrying him to see Jesus. Had his paralysis been from birth, as it was with the beggar outside the Temple (Acts 3:2), or was it the result of an accident as with Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 4:4)? In this instance, Scripture doesn’t mention the how or why of it so it’s obviously not something we need to spend a lot of time thinking about. He was paralyzed—whatever the reason. Rather, let’s focus our attention on his 4 friends. After all, they are the ones Jesus chose to focus on.  It’s safe to believe that at some point God had laid it on the hearts of these 4 friends to get this one in need of healing in front of Jesus the only One they believed would heal their friend. It’s also fair to imagine, it’s implied even, that each of these 4 were men of faith.

They believed God…

Surely as young Jewish boys they had spent time in the Temple? It’s also reasonable to say that they’d been exposed to the telling of many of the familial stories concerning the coming of Messiah? And, it’s also possible they had witnessed Jesus healing others the last time He was there in Capernaum? Perhaps they, like so many, had heard all about this Jesus bringing Peter’s mother-in-law back from the edge of death (Matthew 8:14-15)? Perhaps all of this, combined with witnessing their friend—one they obviously cared greatly for, wasting away, motivated them into action? The truth is we don’t know for certain the whole of why they came. Scripture doesn’t always explain every detail to us. It may have been a perfect storm of faith. A simultaneous collision of all the above at play in their lives that caused them to lower their friend to the feet of Jesus.

What is certain is this: God moved on each of their hearts to get their friend in front of Jesus. And they obeyed…

Jesus let nothing stand in His way of leaving heaven and coming to earth that He might open the way that leads us back into right relationship with the Father—back into the loving arms of God (Matthew 27:51). And, when reading this account concerning our paralytic friend—it appears his friends too, wouldn’t allow anything to stand in the way of getting their friend in front of Jesus.

Let those who have ears hear…

They had fixed their eyes on Jesus. And, if it took ripping  the roof off to get their friend in front of Him, well, so-be-it! Off it would have to come!

And it did…

While Jesus was busy sharing God’s Word— 4 friends were busy hoisting their friend, mat and all, up onto the roof.  Get that image in your mind.  They hoisted a grown man tied to a cot up on to a roof. Jesus is preaching in the room below where, Scripture tells us a, “throng of people” are packed in—shoulder to shoulder. These 4 men approach the house with their friend in tow and realize— “this isn’t going work. These people won’t budge—no one will make room for us to get to Jesus!” Yet, they weren’t deterred. Why? The burning in their hearts wouldn’t allow for it. That very burning is what had prompted this entire journey of faith!

And then it hit them, “the roof, we’ll get him in through the roof!”

Have you ever been so moved by the leading of the Holy Spirit of God that, come what may, you were determined to do what you know He was leading you to do? Even if doing it meant doing something as unorthodox, as risky, as bold as taking the roof off a place ?

These 4 had been so moved…

While Jesus was sharing God’s Truth with this room full of people—these 4 were busy digging up the mud roof.

Shards of ceiling were falling on the crowd—on Jesus, yet, there is no rebuke mentioned. No one looks up and cries out, “have you guys lost your minds, stop it! Where trying to focus on what Jesus is saying! Nor does Scripture mention a rebuke of any kind coming from Jesus. Rather, we witness Jesus recognizing a reflection of Himself in these 4 friends. He recognizes a “reflection”, a type, of His own inextinguishable faith. Faith that says, “come what may, I’ll do it, I’ll make a way…”

And, in that second of recognition—a miracle occurred.

The one they had carried all these years—the one they had cared for and fed, helped provide for and shared with—Jesus now looked at and said, “you’re forgiven!”, and he was. He was now healed, made whole.

He was made new…

That’s what happens when we have an authentic encounter with Jesus. We are made new, washed clean—restored.

Whatever sin had held him to his mat, for however long it had had a grip on him—it was gone now; eternally forgiven. God had used the stand-in faith of his 4 faith-filled friends that He might deliver , restore, make new this one who couldn’t quite get there on His own…

If you’ve been praying for—interceding for, a friend or loved one, you should be excited right now! If Jesus honored their faith—surely, He will honor yours too! Just keep on taking that roof off!

God has asked each of us to be a stand-in. Jesus commissioned us all—all who believe on His name, to be stand-in’s. “He said to them, “Go throughout the whole world and preach the gospel to all people.” –Mark 16:15.

Friend, if you claim faith like one of today’s 4,  here’s my question to you: how far will you carry the one that isn’t quite able to get to Jesus without your help?

And, if you’ve not yet asked Jesus into your heart—to heal what may be “paralyzed” in your life, do it now. My faith has carried you this far, I’ve now laid you safely at Jesus’ feet—don’t let this opportunity pass you by.

Ask Jesus into your heart now…

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” Romans 10:9.

 

 

Worthy. John 14:1

March 18, 2018 /

 “Do not let your heart be troubled (afraid, cowardly). Believe [confidently] in God and trust in Him, [have faith, hold on to it, rely on it, keep going and] believe also in Me.” 

Worthy. None of us are. We each deserve death for our sins against God alone. Yet, because of the Precious Lamb of God, because of the One, the only One, who is and was and will forever be worthy, we who have been chosen by Him, washed in His shed Blood, are made worthy through Him…

We are witnesses to the shift in a conversation. A shift in the way we witness love—our understanding of it, our part in it, our own worth as a result of it…

Jesus has talked to His disciples about His impending death. But, during this conversation, one of these, Peter, proclaims that so great is his love, his belief in Jesus—that he’s ready to die for him! And that’s where Jesus tells Peter—bold Peter, certain Peter, that not only won’t he die for Him anywhere soon—he’s about to betray Him by denying he ever knew Him! In fact, Jesus gets so specific, He tells Peter that he’ll deny Him not once, or twice, but three times before the morning fully comes…

And then it happens. The pivot—the shift in the conversation…

As if Jesus had not just dropped these back to back “bombs”—these, game changing, life altering declarations, He tells everyone present to be calm—not to get all worked up about what He had just said. “Do not let your heart be troubled.” Are you kidding me right now! Don’t let your hearts be troubled after Jesus, tells them that He’s about to die after only three years of friendship? Really? They were just getting to know and deeply trust Him…

And what of Him being the Messiah?

Who would free them from Roman tyranny if He died?

And Why? Why was this happening? How could Jesus say something so contrary to the state of each of their “already fearful” hearts?

“Believe in God, believe also in Me.”  Jesus is trying to shift their focus from fear and fright—to a deeper faith in Him. Towards the work He knew He was about to do, and had already done, in them. He knew also that in just a moment the Holy Spirit would come to them turning their mourning, their fear and sadness, in to joy unspeakable! He’d turn their every question mark into a period. He’d expose them to Pure Truth.

Jesus knew His friends believed in Him, but He also knew that even believers have heart trouble at times. And this was one of those times. Yet, if they would only trust in Him just a little longer…

Our friends had each missed the shift—the opportunity to change the basic assumptions they had lived out as fact. They missed the peek into Truth—into what was truly real. Into the who, what and why of Jesus, the purpose for His coming—and going. They missed entirely how their worth was really His. How when God saw them—He saw Jesus and His finished redemptive work in their lives—and ours.They had each been called to follow Him. To leave all that they had known, were, for this new life He had for them, in Him…

They missed the clue Jesus had just given them into what was about to happen—to them all…

Jesus knew long before any of these had even thought to follow Him He had chosen them as the very vessels He would use to usher in His Church—the Way. Use them to bring about, to cause, an upheaval in the fixed, rigid, legalistic, idolatrous world system. The way in which some Jews, and the rest of the world, had come to view God, His Temple, and their relationship with Him.

And, Peter was about to become the leader of this new revolution!

It’s why he was, in part, created—chosen. Made worthy. Redeemed, again and again. Yes, this same Peter whom Jesus had just stated would thrice betray Him will end up being the great apostle God will use to build His Church.  If you’ve ever betrayed Jesus, you should be shouting for joy now! Not for your betrayal, but because If God forgave Peter and saw worth in him—He’ll  do the same for you too!

It is, was, and will forever be—all about Jesus. His work. His will. His choosing and love of us, first, that makes us worthy to boldly come before Him.

Where we see failure, frailty, ambiguity, God sees our worth…

Jesus alone modeled an untroubled heart amid what certainly appeared—to those gathered, to be a time of trouble. He alone knew Gods will not only for Himself—for why He had come at all, but also for each one gathered with Him and more—for you and me and for the whole of humanity. We are their harvest, the apostles. But we are Gods seed.

Jesus saw Peter as worthy—as a son, not as a betrayer. Perhaps that’s why He didn’t belabor the point with Peter concerning his betrayal after He had spoken of it? Jesus saw Peter as a finished product—complete and sinless in Himself; high and lifted-up—already seated with Him in Heaven, victorious. Through the very work He had talked to them about and would soon accomplish on His Cross—by His resurrection, the defeat of sin, death, and the grave, it was through this reality—by this Truth, that Peter, and each of these disciples was made worthy.

As are each of us called by His name and into the family of God…

Jesus continues telling His friends that shortly, it may seem that He’s left them—He never will. But, He must go before them to prepare all that He has predestined for them all from the moment it entered Him to bring them forth, give them life and a purpose, a calling. He reminds them—instills in them, that He is the only way in which anyone can be re-united with God. He tells them plainly that in seeing Him, they have in fact—seen God. And, if they can’t yet get their heads around that fact for its own sake, believe it because of all His works—the signs, wonders, and miracles He had done.

This is the second time our friends have heard Jesus claiming this same Truth.

It was wintertime in Jerusalem, the time of Hanukkah. Jesus and these same friends were walking around the Temple near Solomon’s colonnade when a high-spirited crowd broaches Him with a very pointed question. Read John 10:22-42 to hear their whole conversation…

But to get back to the conversation Jesus is having with His friends—lets once again listen in…

Jesus affirms each of them as worthy in Him—by Him, through Him, as He tells them that these very same miracles He has done they too will do—and even greater things than these! He reiterates that He’s going back to the Father and, in that moment a mystery is exposed to them—yet another shift occurs. Jesus makes plain that because He’s going back to God they will now be able to have access to the same power of God Jesus Himself had. All they must do is ask the Father anything in His name and, so long as it’s the Fathers will, it will be done for them as it was for Jesus. Because of His choice of them—they have been made worthy of heaven—of relationship with God. Of sonship.

And, Jesus will use them each to change the world for heaven’s sake!

One cannot meet God and remain unchanged. Christ in them caused such a love for Himself to swell up on the inside, they joyfully, willingly, obeyed His commands. Just as He lovingly, willingly obeyed the Father’s. Christ in us—a true encounter with Christ, will always cause disruption to our norm.  Will always bring about both a letting go—and a letting in. Love makes us want to be—stretch to become, the very best version of ourselves. Love causes us to surrender to itself. And, it is in that surrender that our worth is found. We are worthy because He chose us as His own.

The question is—do you believe it?

Have you found your worth in the Living God—Jesus Christ? If you don’t know Him, haven’t yet met Him, invited Him, and all He offers you, into your life, do it today. While there’s still time. Why continue living feeling like your unworthy when God has so much more planned for your life? Christ died to show you just how worthy He thought you were. Don’t pass that by. Call out to the One who holds your worth, my worth, in the palm of His nail pierced hand…

“Do not let your heart be troubled (afraid, cowardly). Believe [confidently] in God and trust in Him, [have faith, hold on to it, rely on it, keep going and] believe also in Me.” 

Sound Familiar? Matthew 14:30

February 25, 2018 /

 “But when he saw the wind, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, Lord, save me.”

What greater words could any man ever utter! How blessed a plea! Three simple words that sum up our hearts cry when we acknowledge—are face to face with, the limits of our mortal coil…

“Lord, save me!”

Only a moment ago Peter was boldly—confidently, asking Jesus to bid him come to Him on the water—so that he too could walk upon the waves. Now, moments later, Peter is being swallowed up by this very same raging sea!

What was sure and solid beneath him a second ago—is now threatening to consume him! Yet, before Peter realizes that he is dealing with the engulfing effects doubt can have on a soul—he’s able to cry out to the only One he knows can help him—save him, Jesus…

When Jesus bid Peter come He was promising him he could in fact, do what he sought to do—walk on water. And, for one faith-filled moment Peter did just that. He defied the law of nature through the power of the One who both created and controls nature! When we doubt the promises given us by God—when we start to pick-and-choose what we’ll believe, once we allow doubt in—our faith is damaged, weakened, and, will inevitably fail us as it did Peter. And, we will find ourselves being swallowed up by waves of doubt as well…

Have you ever been in this same state with Jesus?

One minute your chest is bursting with bold confidence that you truly can do all things through Christ in you. Then, just for a second you take your eyes off Him, and before you know what hit you—wham! You too are being swallowed up by doubt! Taken under by lack of faith…

You’re in need of saving—yet again!

As a Christian, it’s not difficult for me to imagine the confusion, shame and guilt Peter might have felt after Jesus restored him safely back into the boat. His sense of, what just happened to me? I was just walking on that water; how did I end up under it? I don’t understand…!

Have you ever tasted the bitter bile of doubt? Have you been left to swallow the awful after-taste lack of faith leaves in your mouth? Has shame ever covered you as completely—as uncomfortably, as Peter’s wet clothes covered and clung to him?

If you’re cringing right now—you get it. You’ve been where Peter was.

I have too…

But, what caused Peter to take his eyes off Jesus? It’s not like the storm wasn’t there all along. What happened to cause Peter to look away?

Jesus answers this question for us in the following verse: It was doubt…

The conditions surrounding Peter hadn’t changed. Jesus hadn’t suddenly disappeared. Scripture never mentions anything about a creäture of sorts coming up out of the water to attack Peter.

It was doubt. Plain and simple. “Immediately Jesus extended His hand and caught him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”  (vs.31)

In Hebrews 11:6 Scripture informs us: “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

Jesus had bid Peter to come.

He had Jesus’ Word that he could walk on the water if he so chose to. The same power that allowed Jesus to walk on water was available to Peter too. “Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner” –John 5:19. So why Jesus and not Peter?

Aside from Jesus being God in the flesh, Jesus had unwavering, immovable trust in His Father. Peter wasn’t there yet…

The Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16 that, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”

Therefore,  in this instance, I posit for your consideration that —God was enacting all the above—in tandem, within Peter. Building in him faith, trust, steadfastness through, despite, his weakness —in what appeared at that moment as a failure? For the divine purpose of what was yet to come.

Scripture appears to bear this out. After Peter’s brush with death, we see him running away from—denying Jesus, multiple times… (Luke 22:54-62). Once again, Peter’s fears and doubts have taken him under. Left him filled with deep shame, an awareness that he too has betrayed and abandoned his friend—Judas wasn’t  the only one to betray Jesus. And so we see Peter doing what we are guilty of doing ourselves. Peter gives up and returns to what he knows… (John 21:3). Sound familiar? Have you done that as well? Are you there now perhaps? Defeated, shamed, hands and head hung low in disgrace and self-disappointment? If so take heart, there’s forgiveness and restoration waiting for you just as it was for Peter….

We’re now back in a boat with Peter and several of the apostles. It’s nearing the shore after a night of unsuccessful fishing. At the shore, a figure they do not recognize—once again, is standing. He bids them to cast their empty nets over the right-hand side of the boat. They do, and in an instant, their nets are teeming with fish!

At that moment it is John who recognizes that it’s Jesus, risen from the dead, standing on shore. He tells Peter as much. And, once again we hear of Peter jumping out of a boat to be where Jesus is. After Jesus feeds Peter and the others with natural food He takes Peter aside and asks him three questions He knew the answer to…

Three simple, gentle, restorative questions that release Peter from the shame, guilt, and anguish of betraying his friend and his Lord…

Friend, if you too have jumped out of the boat, chasing after the One you love—and then failed Him due to lack of faith, doubt, a drug relapse, divorce, imprisonment, alcoholism, pride, and rebellion—take heart…

Hear the Words Jesus spoke to one just like yourself; and make them your own. Allow them to wash over you taking away—removing eternally, your shame, guilt, pain, and, betrayal’s ugly blight.

You too have a divine purpose to fulfill!

If you are a child of God, speak your name, in place of Peter’s,as you read this Scripture. “So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to __________Simon Peter, “_____________Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these [others do—with total commitment and devotion]?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend].” Jesus said to him, “Feed My lambs.” –John 21:15

The Living Word of God restored Peter…

It restores all men who say yes when called. And He will restore you also.

Will you jump out of the boat one last time? Will you trust Him afresh, sin stained as you are? Will you join Him for a meal that will forever alter the direction of your life? He’s standing right here at the shore of your heart bidding you to come, eat what He has already prepared for you while you were away…

And, if you don’t yet know Him, Jesus is asking to come into your heart—right now, He’s already done everything for you too, He prepared the way for you to come to Him through the work He did on His Cross.

Please say yes to His invitation friend…

“Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me. To the one who is victorious, I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” Revelation 3:19-21.

The Dynamic Duo. John 6: 68-69

January 14, 2018 /

 Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You [alone] have the words of eternal life [you are our only hope]. We have believed and confidently trusted, and [even more] we have come to know [by personal observation and experience] that You are the Holy One of God [the Christ, the Son of the living God].”

They, unlike all those who’d walked away, had faith in this man, this Jesus. They believed Him when He told them that He was their long-awaited Messiah—even though some of His claims were extraordinary. His Flesh as bread to eat? His Blood, wine to drink? The power to grant eternal life! Ascending into the clouds of heaven from where He came? Yes! They believed. —John 6:1–71

But what is faith? And where did their faith—their ability to believe where others couldn’t, come from?

First, faith: In the New Testament the English word faith is used to translate the Greek word pistis. The New Strong’s Expanded Dictionary of Bible Word says, “Pistis is used of belief with the predominate idea of trust (or confidence) whether in God or in Christ, springing from faith in the same. ‘Faith’ means trust, confidence, assurance, and belief”

Hebrews 11: 1 says it this way: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

We get a clue about why some of these had faith others didn’t possess in verse 70.

Election… God had chosen them to believe in His Son—and, for so much more.

They would be the collective womb through which His Church would be birthed and flourish. Each possessing his own unique gifting’s and contributions. Jesus said as much about these 12 a few verses back after chiding some other disciples concerning their grumbling—their speculating, over His lineage. “Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve…?

So, their faith was a gift then—an undeserved, unearned, non-repayable gift from God? Yes. Yes, it was. As all faith is.

But what of this ‘election’?

Listen to how John MacArthur, Bible scholar and Author defines this term: “…the doctrine of election simply means that God, uninfluenced and before creation, predetermined certain people to be saved.

And in Scripture, The Apostle Paul speaks of election this way in 2 Thessalonians 2:13: “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.” (Emphasis my own)

Just as an unborn child cannot choose to give itself life, and a dead man cannot will himself to get up and live once again, neither can we as sinful man, dead in our sins, choose to have faith—outside of the Sovereign will of God… “Therefore He says, Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine (make day dawn) upon you and give you light.”  Ephesians 5:14.

Scripture abounds with references of election, those chosen by God: (Matt. 22:14; 24:22, 24, 31; Luke 18:7; Acts 9:15; 11:18; Rom. 8:29, 30, 33; Eph. 1:4, 5, 11; Col. 3:12; 2 Tim. 2:10; Titus 1:1; 2 Pet. 1:10. See, also, Luke 10:21-22; John 6:37, 44, 65; 10:26; 15:16; 17:2, 6, 9; Acts 5:31; 13:48; Rom. 9:11, 15, 16; 18 11:5, 7, 28; 1 Cor. 1:27, 28, 30; Gal. 1:15; 2 Thes. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:1-2; 2:8, 9; Rev. 5:9; 7:10-12).

Which leads me to introduce you to our second Superhero, Knowledge. In our Scripture verse Peter states that not only did He and the others have faith, but they also possessed knowledge of Jesus. Certainly, being Jewish and growing up hearing God’s Word taught in the Temple and spoken of at home, they’d be familiar with the Torah. They’d have been aware of hearing tell of the Scriptures that foretold of Messiah. We see evidence of that knowledge when Andrew, a fisherman, calls his brother Peter, beckoning Him to come and follow the man he believes is the Messiah. “He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah!” (which is translated Christ). Yet, I believe, and Scripture lends to this fact, that Peter was referring not only to his knowledge of Scripture, more, to experiential knowledge in this instance. He and the others had lived with, ministered, ate, slept, talked, and, listened to every Word that Jesus spoke…

To say nothing of being present as He performed His many miracles.

Strong’s Greek Concordance defines this type of knowledge in the following way: functional (“working”) knowledge gleaned from first-hand (personal) experience, connecting theory to application; “application-knowledge,” gained in (by) a direct relationship.

Connecting theory to application. Said differently, the marriage of faith to knowledge (experiential). Their faith was solidified—reinforced, by what they knew of the Man. Their experiencing Him.

As it is with all who share in this faith…

It was this gnosis enlivened by the Ruach Breath of the Holy Spirit that enabled these ill-informed, unschooled, common men to write the beloved Word of God—The Holy Scriptures, those coveted Words each that feeds, comforts, teaches, corrects, and sustains all believers. “But it is the spirit in a person, the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding.” —Job 32:8

This dynamic duo of faith and knowledge lived so deeply within them that from its very roots grew a love so strong—a bond so indestructible, that even when faced with deprivation, beatings, and death—often a cruel and violent death, each of Jesus’s Apostles, save John, faced their violent end having firm faith that when their end was met here, their eyes would open to see His glorious face yet again!

And they did… Even John, who died at a ripe old age exiled on Isle of Pathos.

If faith and knowledge of the Living God could create in an unlearned, but believing few, a force that brought about a world change—a change in how life and living are still defined; just think of what could happen in your life, church, family, ministry, marriage, community, corner of the globe—if you, like our brothers before us, joined forces with the dynamic duo of faith and knowledge!

If you invited the Holy Spirit to do all within you that aligned with God’s perfect will for your life…

But to extend this invitation to the Holy Spirit—you first must know Him—have a relationship with Him. So, won’t you do that know—ask Him into you, please? He’s waiting. He wants to introduce you to the dynamic duo of faith and knowledge of Him. More, He wants to spend every minute of your life loving you, and blessing you, and, teaching you. “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear [to hear] them now.  But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth [full and complete truth]. For He will not speak on His own initiative, but He will speak whatever He hears [from the Father—the message regarding the Son], and He will disclose to you what is to come [in the future]” John 16:12-13.

“Why Peter?” Matthew 16:15-17

November 19, 2017 /

 “He said to them, But who do you [yourselves] say that I am?  Simon Peter replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Then Jesus answered him, Blessed (happy, fortunate, and [a]to be envied) are you, Simon Bar-Jonah. For flesh and blood [men] have not revealed this to you, but My Father Who is in heaven.”

So why is it that Jesus called Peter out of the boat? Why not Andrew, John, or James? If it were to demonstrate to them all the truth of His divinity, then certainly His walking on the water, according to both Johns and Marks Gospel accounts, accomplished that. Each writer clearly states that, all of those in the boat fell down and acknowledged that He was the Son of God.

So why Peter?

Why did Jesus call Him—solely, to step out of the boat and walk on a raging, life-threatening, sea?

I posit, and the Scriptures certainly backs up, that it was apparently groundwork for what was yet to come…

For a Peter who ran, God came. For a loud mouth, God came. For one who was so rash he reached for a sword as his answer, God came. For a leader who tucked-tailed, God came. For a beloved friend who denied Him, not once or twice, but thrice, God came. For what God saw inside the heart of Peter, and not what we see, God came. And, through Peter’s life, the Holy Spirit reveals what can happen to a man when God comes…

Think of it. Walking on water—stepping out on a sea as solid as dry land, for however briefly, is something one would never forget. And, even if the memory of it dimmed with time—as the most powerful of our memories do, one word, one poke at the embers of that experience and it would rage white-hot once again!

The foundation for doing the seemingly impossible—the sheer miraculous, had been laid—through this one-act of obedience, of great faith. Great humility would be laid in Peter also, suffusing with this faith—but only after his unfathomable betrayal. And these would come together and congeal with his fierce loyalty. An allegiance that was born both from revelation knowledge—gnosis, and from directly tasting the fruit of that revelation—of what Jesus offered, however baffling at times—repeatedly.

Knowing it would never be found—that Truth, in anyone or anything else. Ever…

And, that one experience, mixed with this humility and this knowledge—this gnosis, would be so seared into Peter’s being, his faith, that even the denial of its Author—as astonishing and heart-rending as it was, could not erase what he knew to be Truth. We see evidence of that on a sandy shore during breakfast—John 21:15-17.

It was to Peter that Jesus said if he’d but give Him the rest of His life, He would make him into a ‘fisher of men’, one who would change the world—Mark 1:17. It was Peter to whom God revealed that Jesus was the Messiah—the Son of God, the rock—the Truth, on which His Church would be built when asked, “Who do you say that I am?”– Matthew 16:13-20 And, too, it was Peter, who, after the visitation of the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room, addressed the crowd gathered in Jerusalem for Passover, each in his own language—and about 3000 were saved and baptized—Acts 2:41. And Peter who first brought the Word of God to the gentiles when Cornelius and his entire household accepted Jesus as Lord and were baptized—Acts 10. Peter, who is recognized as the Apostolic leader of the early Church whose counsel Paul, and Barnabas sought about how the gentiles should be taught to practice the way and their rights as followers—Acts 15.

And in the end, it was Peter who was crucified upside down. Not worthy, according to his own words, to taste death as His Lord did.

Yet throughout the Gospels we see evidence too, of the dichotomy present in Peter. His bold profession’s and pitiful shortcomings. His humanity.

The very same Peter who denied Him and ran, God chose to be the pillar of the early Church

Yet it is this bold, impetuous, ill-tempered, sometime weak-as-water, unwavering martyr that God used—to help carry the Gospel forward and perpetuate the Truth of Who Jesus is, and the Life He offers—that is still producing fruit to this day.

Back to my original question. Why Peter? There were at least 10 others that loved Jesus as Peter did. Who had given up everything and followed as Peter had. Left homes, families, husbands, wives, and children—gave of their time and resources until they had given it all. Up to their very lives…

What was it that Jesus saw inside of Peter? Surely, he wasn’t perfect.

I believe the Word shows us that it was both the measure of faith, as well as the fierce loyalty that God had placed in Peter—Romans 12:6, along with a deep and abiding humility, that set him apart for the task which God had called him—John 21:15-17. Though he didn’t always understand Jesus—or His teachings, Peter recognized the Truth in them. Simple man that he was, Peter knew, that only Jesus had these Words of Life—these teachings, and that outside of them there was nothing—John 6:68. Not that the other’s lacked faith or loyalty, they didn’t. But God knew what He had created Peter for—what would be asked of him—required, and exactly what it would take to see Peter through—to accomplish what He had destined Peter for. And through him, his Church on earth. And it would take walk-on-water faith, and an abiding, in-the-face-of-all-adversity, stalwart loyalty, mixed with a knee-bending humility, to partner in perpetuating God’s eternal Truth…

Jesus Christ is the way, and the Truth, and the Life—John 14:6

What has God placed exclusively within you, Peter?

More, will you  be faithful, humble, and, loyal to what He has given you also—for such a time as this—and, for those who you alone were created to influence?

“Residue” 2 Corinthians 12: 7-10

September 3, 2017 /

  “…but He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness.” Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me.”

I was in that place between waking and still half-asleep—I had a foot in each world. And that’s when God spoke to me about ‘residue. The stuff He’s allowed—to cling to us, to me…

We, those who have accepted Christ as our Savior love Him. And, we believe, by faith, that we have been—are, saved, by His redemptive work done for us all on the Cross. Through the shedding of His Precious Blood He paid our sin debt. And through the power of His Resurrection we, in faith believe, that we’ve been given a new life in Him. A fresh hope—a new beginning…

So why then do so many still feel anything but fresh—new, cleansed? It’s called residue. And If you struggle with it, you’re in good company. The Apostle Paul—the Apostle’s Apostle, the man responsible for writing, scholar’s say, over 2/3’s of the New Testament, felt like he had residue too. Though saved, and on fire for Christ—even though he was spreading the good news of the Gospel, and evangelizing the gentile nations, Paul struggled with what he called a ‘thorn in his flesh’. In fact, on three separate occasions he went to God and prayed that this thing, this thorn—this residue, carried over into his new life in Christ, be removed from him. God’s answer. No—nope, it needs to stay…

But why? Why didn’t God remove this thorn—this thing that Paul saw as a hindrance—this residue left clinging to him from a life spent steeped in the importance of his station, his position as a Pharisee. (Acts 22:20;23:6;26:10-11). Paul had been steeped in pride. Prior to meeting His Lord—before he had tasted the transforming love of God—Paul, it seems, may have had a bit of an ego. Maybe, like so many of us, he suffered from the inability to see himself—his true motives and actions, for what they really were. A pride issue.

Webster’s defines residue as follows: a usually small amount of something that remains after a process has been completed or a thing has been removed; something that remains after a part is taken, separated, or designated or after the completion of a process.

Listen to the conversation, as Paul recounts it, between himself and Jesus concerning his, ‘thorn’… “Because of the surpassing greatness and extraordinary nature of the revelations [which I received from God], for this reason, to keep me from thinking of myself as important, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan, to torment and harass me—to keep me from exalting myself” (2 Corinthians 12: 7)!

So, wait! Is God saying that He is allowing this thorn—this residue, to say with Paul? Yes. Emphatically, yes—and more, for Paul’s own good!

So how do we, as everyday Christians, deal with that? If God allowed Paul to endure his thorn—his past residue, what about us and ours? How do we deal? After all, he was

Or could he? Handle his thorn that is? Paul! Certainly, he could handle—endure, anything that came into—was permitted into his life; anything that was allowed to remain, cling, or live within him! He’s Paul. The champion, the pinnacle of Christendom! The one who has arrived at the destination that we, as striving Christians, stretch to reach—that great place of complete surrender to the call and will of God on our lives. That place of dying to self and living for the glory of Christ alone…

Had he really arrived at complete surrender? Is that even possible while we are living in these suits of fallible—weak flesh? And why did God allow this man who He hand-picked—had literally knocked from a horse to get to, get the attention of, why did he, do I, or you—do all Christians, have to endure our thorns? That stuck-on residue of our repulsive fleshly selves, that thing that both sickens and shames us when it rears its revolting head.  That relentless reminder of our fragility—our shame, our dependence. That thing that just popped up in your head…

The answer to the above question: “Is complete surrender possible?”, is yes, it’s absolutely possible. But only when we humble ourselves before God, fully acknowledging our weaknesses and dependence on Him.

Let’s listen to more of what Paul has to teach us about the possible ‘why’ of our residue—the why of our thorns, those things that are allowed to cling to us: “Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me; but He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness” (vs’s 8-9).

And there it is…

The answer to our why. The, ‘why do I still?’ ‘How come this hasn’t left me?’ The,’ I’ve prayed and prayed and still—I struggle with: fear, depression, anger, pride, lust…, you fill in the blank, ________.

If we believe that God’s Word—His Word being a part of Himself, is infallible—It cannot lie. And I do, and It can’t because He can’t (Numbers 23:19). Then we are left with the fact that God not only allowed Paul’s thorn to remain—but that in remaining—in being the residue left as God extracted the best from Paul, this thorn—this weakness, this, ‘thing’, whether physical or behavioral, was deliberately left clinging to Paul by an Omniscient God for Paul’s betterment—for his own good! And, more importantly, it speaks to the goodness of God, and the power of His amazing grace and mercy, demonstrated in and through our lives…

Our residue, our thorns, those weaknesses in us, they are the stages on which God’s power and grace are most visibly demonstrated!

Is it possible that thing we see in our lives as a hindrance to our relationship with God is—has been left there intentionally, by God’s divine design, for a season—a period? That our residue serves a greater purpose then we—through our limited scope, with our finite, imperfect, understanding can recognize or understand? Clearly, the answer is yes. It is possible. If God allowed Paul’s thorn, his residue, to cling to him, to bring out the best in Him—God’s perfect plan and purpose for Paul’s life, then perhaps, just perhaps, the same is true for you—for me, for all those struggling with their residue…

But please don’t get it twisted! I’m not advocating, in no way encouraging, that we use our weaknesses— nor allow them to become, a license to sin…

Rather I’m saying that if our purpose as His children, is to bring glory to the Father in all that we do —in all that we are, and it is. Then we, like Paul, must learn, through the power of The Holy Spirit, to count even our residue as a blessing so that Christ may be glorified in and through it. Let’s close our time together today listening to the Apostle Paul explain to us how we too—through the acceptance of our weaknesses—our residue, may draw ever closer to God. May it/they embolden us to cling unremittingly to Him as we learn to trust more deeply, relying fully on His mercy—and His never-ending grace.  “Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me. So I am well pleased with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, and with difficulties, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak [in human strength], then I am strong [truly able, truly powerful, truly drawing from God’s strength]” (vs’s. 9-10).

I urge you today, if you’ve not asked Jesus to come into your life, to be your Lord and Savior, ask Him to come now. What are you waiting for? Today is the acceptable day, now is the acceptable time(Heb. 3:15)! You’ll never have it together enough—if that’s what you’re waiting for, it will never happen! Ask Him now, while it’s still today.

He’s just waiting for you…

“Half-hearted” Numbers 32:11-12

August 27, 2017 /

 “None of the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I promised to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not followed Me completely, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have followed the Lord completely.”

The Word of God tells us: “Abraham believed God and righteousness was given him as a free gift” (Gen. 15:6).

More often than not, the only proofs that God gives us concerning His promises He’s made us will be found, are found, in His Word. God is not like man, He can’t lie. It is impossible for God to not fulfill a promise He’s made to us. So, knowing that—believing that Truth, I can guarantee you that if God has told you He will bring something about in your life—He will do it. His Word confirms this, listen: “For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay” (Habakkuk 2:3). And the very next verse says this: “Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith.…

I want to talk with you today about the giants in the land and the faith, the belief,  necessary to overcome them…

Because there are giants—spiritual giants, in each of our backyards. Giants of fear, lying giants, giants of insecurity, of disbelief, of procrastination, apathy and depression, to name but a few. They’re there, in part, to draw us closer to God. So that we can, as we partner with God, relying on His strength, overcome those looming giants in our lives. Giants that, if not overcome, will most certainly rob us from—obtaining, operating in, the full potential and promise that God has planned for our lives. From walking in the full blessing of our divine purpose.

And yes, whether you accept Jesus or not—if you’re reading this, you have a purpose…

So, why does God allow these giants? Simply stated, that we may be—built up, strengthened, grow, our faith muscles. But, that can be accomplished only when we believe that God is who He says He is—and will do, accomplish, in, and through us, all that He’s said He will do. Though unchanging in His character, He’s still speaking and revealing Himself to us today. The question is, are we still listening?

Only Joshua and Caleb, two men out of the multitude of Israelite’s that were led out of Egypt—out of slavery, were granted access by God to enter the promised land of Canaan. These same two men had been sent by Moses to go on a fact-finding maneuver. They, along with other men, were sent to scope out this new promised land and report back if it were possible for the Israelite’s’ to overtake it. It was Joshua and Caleb alone who would report back that they—as a people, could in fact, overcome the giants in this new promised land (Numbers 13:1-31).

God always knows what’s coming down the road. It may surprise us, but it most certainly does not surprise God! And, if He’s sent us—sent you, if He’s allowed us, to be sent down any ‘giant possessed’ road He may, in part, have done—be doing so, as an opportunity, a chance given us, to overcome our giants and to build our faith muscles in preparation for what is yet to come…

Friends, we are surely living in the last days. Any moment Jesus may return for His children, His Word tells us that none of us knows the day or the hour. We know—trust, have faith, in the fact that He is coming back for us because He said He would. But In the meantime—while we wait in hope, we must be diligent in walking out the mission—the commission, He gave us before He left this world. To bring the Good News of who He is to the whole world. “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15).

I am doing my best to do that today through sharing with you what the Holy Spirit has put on my heart…

And that is that God has so much for you—for His people. He intended you to walk in the fullness of all that He has for you, now—in this world. That by so doing, and through faith in Him—in His Word, you might bless others with what He has entrusted to you. Yet, to walk in the fullness of your destiny, you must overcome your giants. You must, like Joshua and Caleb, believe that you can—because God has said that you can defeat any enemy, any giant, that rises up against you. Not because of any strength or talent you possess in and of yourself; but because you believe in –have unwavering faith in, the all-sufficient power of The Blood of Jesus…

His last words on the Cross were, “It is finished” (Mark 16:15).

That means, in part, that He has given you all that you need to overcome—if you know Him, have a relationship with Him—are His child. His Spirit within you will give you the strength, courage, and, the measure of faith you need, to conquer any and every giant that will fight you for the right to stay in your promised land. In your ministry, your marriage, your business, in your God-given dreams, and, visions, anywhere, and everywhere. That’s a promise God made to Joshua and it stands for you as well, listen: “I have given you every place on which the sole of your foot treads, just as I promised to Moses” (Joshua 1:3)

The choice is yours and the outcome is clearly before you. Today’s Scripture is a witness—either for, or against us.  It’s our warning not to be halfhearted in our faith—as the Israelite’s’ were. Wanting all that God had for them; but only half- believing that God would do what He said He would do to ensure they’d have it. Rather, we must believe fully—wholeheartedly, as Joshua and Caleb did. So that we too may enter in to all that God has for us, and be a blessing to all those He’s attached to us—for such a time as this. Pray—be wise in your choosing. Your future—and all those tied to it, are depending on your choices. I know the giants can be daunting, especially if they’ve been allowed to remain in your land for a while. Yet allow me, please—to encourage you by sharing the very Words the Lord spoke to Joshua: “No man will [be able to] stand before you [to oppose you] as long as you live. Just as I was [present] with Moses, so will I be with you; I will not fail you or abandon you. Be strong and confident and courageous, for you will give this people as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers (ancestors) to give them” (Joshua 1:5-6).

But you must make a choice. Will you stand with God, will you allow Him to defeat those enemies—those giants? Giants of addictions, those hurts and habits that have robbed you of His best for you? Will you  stand with God against that giant of sexual or physical abuse that’s been allowed to keep abusing you because it’s been allowed to live—for twenty, thirty, forty, or more years, unchallenged, in your land? That giant of abortion that’s left you so guilt ridden and filled with shame that you dread intimacy—connection. Jesus is asking you today—now, to believe that you can, in His strength, take the land He has for you.

And if you don’t know Jesus as your Lord and Savior—it’s not too late. He wants to help you defeat your giants too. Please, won’t you ask Him into your heart today? Remember friend, none of us are promised tomorrow. And alone—we’ll never conquer our giants. Don’t believe me, jut take a look at what’s still living in your land. Jesus is waiting for you to ask Him to help defeat your giants…

 

“A Way”… Proverbs 14:12

July 30, 2017 /

 “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.”

How do you react, what do you do, when your miracle, your Word from God—comes to you seemingly—too late? When it offers you—no tah-dah  moment? No sharp intake of astounded breath—rather it offers, brings along with it—a heavy, still, disappointing silence. It leaves you staring off, befuddled, clueless—that’s it? Really?

You know that look. Certainly, you’ve witnessed it.  it’s disappointment—unfulfilled expectation. Instead of going left, it went right—way right! How do you handle disappointment and its emotional fallout?

We all have expectations—all of us. Even the most spiritual. Try as we might to live minus our faulty human ideals—our faultier still ungrounded expectations, we have them—we do. We even expect things from Jesus. And, to a certain extent, we’re right to. We, as His children, should expect things. Things like a certain measure of faith, His protection and provision, His presence, and the fulfillment of every promise He has ever made—to name but a few.

But here’s the catch—they’ll come His way, and, in His timing. Not ours.

Adding to this—don’t allow, you mustn’t allow, foolish expectations—self-serving expectations, to lead you down the wrong path. Proverbs 14:12 makes that abundantly clear, listen: “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.”  Don’t allow presupposition to pervade your relationship with Jesus—a wrong move—bad! It will cause you, most assuredly, to fall—headlong, into sin. And, following quickly behind that sin—comes sins cronies—heartache and disaster.

By allowing for a—He’s my buddy, He’s got this for me—irreverent way of thinking to creep in, exist, between the two of you—you and Jesus that is  you open the door for a mighty hard fall! Think of the leaven of the Pharisees here—a little of it in your relationship with Jesus can—will eventually, kill it.

Judas Iscariot is just such an example of what happens to us when we go, head-long, our own way.  Judas had a definite, ‘my buddy’ mindset. From perhaps the outset of his relationship with Jesus he allowed seeds of irreverence and a lust for the things of this world to grow within. He had Jesus all figured out. He, Jesus, had come to do Judas’s will, Judas’s way. Jesus would raise up an army to demolish the tyrannical, brutal, socially unjust, Roman reign over Israel. Jesus, according to Judas, was going to restore home rule, order, and power. And then Judas would get a hefty slice of that pie. Finally, order restored, surely then he’d have  real power and a secure place all for himself. His expectations weren’t only wrong and unwise—they were sin-filled.

His greed, arrogance, and lust for the riches of this world robbed Him of the True prize that was ever before him. Ever with him. Jesus.

He traded the eternal for the temporal. Jesus in exchange for a few pieces of silver…

Watch out for your faulty expectations…

There’s a saying that goes, Things are not always as they appear. When we focus on what we see, the tangible—rather than using our eyes of faith, looking out for the potential, the possible— we will always—always, be left disappointed by what we see. Just ask Judas. Seldom does anything end-up lining up exactly the way we’ve expected it to. See that’s the thing about this faith we possess—we’re called to walk by it—not by what we see…

Walking by sight is the way of Judas—not Jesus.  Steady your focus on The Giver and not His gifts. All we need do is read Judas’ outcome to learn what happens when we allow ourselves to be overcome by the lusts of our flesh. By what seems right. It’s okay to want things but there’s a line that when crossed it will blind us from being able to distinguish The Way from any way; from our own way…

Our Scripture bears repeating here:  “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.”

Don’t follow Judas into a fate of certain death, spiritually certainly, perhaps physically also. Ask The Holy Spirit to search you out. To bring to mind anything in you that may be headed in the wrong direction. Fueled by the wrong desires, the wrong motives. And, when He does, repent, on the spot, and course correct. We serve a loving Father who patiently awaits our coming to Him to ask for His help to do it His way. To surrender our temporal for His eternal.

There is only one right way and it’s not the way of Judas…

 

« Older posts Newer posts »

© 2026 Sonsofthesea.org

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑