Camp Meeting Devotion - Day Sixty

 Psalm 51:6 (NASB)

⁶  Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.

When a person is driving a vehicle, there is a spot where if a car is passing the car cannot be seen in the side mirrors. It is called a blind spot. The passing car is not visible to the driver in the other vehicle. In the same way, blind spots can happen to Christians. 

The blind spot for a Christian is when sin sneaks into a person's life and they may not be aware of it. Little things can creep into attitudes, actions, or even neglect to act. The Holy Spirit ruthlessly uncovers these sins when we sit before long enough to ask. He desires truth in the innermost part of our being. Not just the surface sins that we quickly remember. 

Blind spot sins may show up in little things that we may not even notice. A sour habitual attitude. The words we speak. The way we use time. An apathetic heart. There are numerous other things too long to be listed here. The real questions are do we have any of them, and if we do, what will we do about them? In the parts of our lives where nobody else is able to see but God alone, what is the truth? If we take the extra time to look closely, like a driver turning their head to see if there is a car in the blind spot, we need to look extra closely at any potential blind spot sins hidden. Let repentance begin today. 

• Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal if you have any blind spot sins?
• What is the truth in the hidden part of your lives?
• Take some time to earnestly repent of anything that snook into your life?

Camp Meeting Devotions - Day Fifty-Nine

 People are hurting. They are suffering. Can you feel their pain? Can you feel their hurt inside? We talk about the love of God a lot in the church, but how often do we ignore those who need that love the most. Sinners lurk in the shadows to commit their sins. Jesus said we are salt and light. Light dispels darkness. 

Sometimes hurting people try to find comfort in sin. It may work for a while. Offering temporary relief in the form of short-term pleasure. When the pleasure ends, the pain is still there. Often sin only makes things worse causing more pain like addiction, harsh consequences and condemnation. 

What good is light if it remains shut up in our cathedrals, but never gets out in the darkness. Believers are scared of the dark. Sinners love the dark. That is where they practice their evil deeds. They find security in the dark thinking no one can see what they are doing. Holy God sees. 

John 3:19-21 (NASB)
¹⁹  "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.
²⁰  "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
²¹  "But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God."

Sinners hate the light for fear of being exposed. Think of the light like a lighthouse. Shining through the black velvet of night, warning ships in the dark of the dangers around them. In that instance, the lighthouse is a source of comfort and safety. The lighthouse shines through stormy nights, tumultuous seas, and even to those on pleasure cruises who ignore the warning or take it for granted. 

Jesus invaded the darkness of planet earth to help hurting people. He sends His people into the darkest corners of the planet to shine light. His light. We are like His lighthouses pushing through the darkness and showing people the way to the Father. We are to light the path for hurting people to find deliverance, salvation, and wholeness in Jesus. We are to shine both warning and pointing people to a to safety. 

Sadly, some hide their light. Embarrassed they do not want to shine in the dark culture. Some refuse to leave the safety of their hold huddles. They still shine among others who are shining. They refuse to leave the huddle to shine in dark places. Others have plunged so deep into the muck and mire of sin their light is covered with the filth and no longer shines brightly. 

God wants us to shine like lighthouses. Piercing through the darkness. Warning people of the approaching danger and comforting those lost on the seas of life. We are to shine continually for passing wayfarers. Shine through the night to expose darkness and show hurting people the way home. Home for the hurting engulfed in darkness is safe harbor in Jesus. May we go and shine to guide as many as possible to that harbor. 

• Is your light shining or have you hidden it? 
• Are you scared of the dark or do you intentionally shine in the dark to help the hurting?
• What dark corner might God send you to shine for Him?
• Can you think of one hurting person engulfed in darkness for whom you could be a lighthouse? Commit to shine to lead them to safe harbor in Jesus. 

Camp Meeting Devotions - Day Fifty -Eight

II Cor 5:7] "for we walk by faith and not by sight."

I almost did not write a devotion today. My sight tells me these devotions do not matter. Nobody would miss them. I just did not feel like writing. I made a quick trip to Lubbock and back yesterday. I came home tired. Along with many heavy burdens, early mornings, intense focused prayer, and other pastoral duties, I was tired. I went to bed at 7:30 pm and did not wake up until about 4:30 this morning. I normally sleep five-six hours a night. Certainly not nine!

I did go sit in front of the computer. I asked God for inspiration. I looked at several passages, but nothing moved me to write. I sat there for over an hour. Eventually I dismissed the whole idea of writing a devotion today. I did not feel that they make a real lasting difference. 

When I came to the office this morning, I picked up a book on my desk about the life and ministry of Manley Beasely. I read that book back in 2009. I recently rediscovered it on one of my shelves and placed on the desk for future reading. Today was the day. Beasely was an old evangelist and faith walker. In the foreward of the book I read a quote by him. He said, "Believers must act like it is so, when it is not so, so it can be so." Conviction followed. 

By what my eyes see and what my ears hear, Spring Creek is not ready for revival. I am not even sure how many yearn for God to move here more powerfully. It burns in me night and day. I am often moved to tears thinking and praying about it. I cannot think of ever yearning for more of God than I have these past months. One of my prayers for the flock has been that the Father would increase their yearning for more of Him too. My eyes do not see it. I see empty altars week after week. 

Like a pregnant woman carrying her child, I have been carrying this revival in my spirit for over two years. In the past nine months it has intensified. Through travailing prayer a remnant is trying to give birth to a supernatural move of God. The labor pains are on us. At the time of this writing, we are only 32 days away from the first scheduled service. It does not feel like we are ready. That is what walking by sight tells me. Walking by faith paints a far different picture. 

By faith I write this devotion. By faith I choose to believe God for a move of His Spirit in this church beyond what any of us could imagine. By faith I choose to believe that even the hardest hearts will be softened in the presence of God. By faith I choose to believe that repentance will fall on this people and open the door for God to move miraculously among us. By faith I choose to believe this move of God will spread far beyond our walls and impact other churches in the county. By faith I choose to believe that God called us to do this and we are obeying His word. By faith I choose to believe that what I see by faith will become reality in the lives of this congregation and beyond. 

I choose faith and not sight today. I choose belief and not doubt. It does not matter how I feel. It matters what God wills to do. I believe that He wills to do something that we will remember and talk about for the rest of our days. I step out in faith to behold what God will do next. Do we believe?

• In what ways are you walking by faith?
• What do you really believe will happen in these revival meetings?
• Write down what you really believe? 
• Are you willing to act like revival is so, when it is not so, so that it can be so?

Camp Meeting Devotions - Day Fifty-Seven

 Ephesians 4:29-30 (NASB)

²⁹  Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.
³⁰  Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. What a lie. Words do hurt. Careless words. Angry words. Slanderous words. Abusive words. Accusative words. Judgmental words. Painful words. Unloving words. Unkind words. They all hurt. 

We are exhorted not to let any unwholesome words come out of our mouths. That means no rotten, worthless, bad words. Think about some of the words flying out there this passage would classify as unwholesome. Profanity. It is amazing how people can be disciplined in not using profanity in some instances and in others to lose control. Think of dirty jokes that are passed around the coffee shop or the office. Contemplate the slanderous speech that tears others down. Unwholesome talk abounds and sadly in the church as well. Church people can be critical, condemning, and careless with their words. 

What about on social media. Christian people love to rant on social media saying things through their posts they would never have the guts to say face to face with another person. How much damaged has been caused in this world just because of unwholesome words? Our words?

This grieves the Holy Spirit. When a child or teenagers is badgered and bullied by the unwholesome words of peers, the Holy Spirit is saddened. When tyrannical parents wound their children with abusive language, the Holy Spirit is made sorrowful. When critical church members bash other Christians, the Holy Spirit is heavy-hearted and distressed. How much damage is done in this world by unwholesome words?

Our words are supposed to edify and give grace to people. Edifying someone means building others up. I saw it last night at the skate park. An older skater spends much of his time encouraging younger skaters each week. He cheers them on, claps for them when they try something new and succeed, and stands by their sides when they are attempting a new risky trick. When the youngsters fail, which they often do, this more seasoned skater speaks to them with grace. He does not tear them down. This guy is not even a Christian. How do I know? I talked to him about his salvation last night. He readily admitted he had not trusted Jesus. 

How could it be that a nonbeliever is more edifying and speaks with more grace than many of us pew sitters. How is the Holy Spirit grieved in our personal lives and our worship gatherings just because of the words we speak. Do our words tear down or do they build up? Do our words condemn or do they give grace to the hearers? It is time for all of us to do a little introspection. It is time for all of us to let the Holy Spirit reveal the truth of the words we speak. Are our words wholesome, edifying, and filled with grace?

• What is the Holy Spirit revealing about the words you speak?
• List examples of using your words to edify people.
• Can you recall any recent examples where your words tore someone down?
• Consider the unwholesome words you habitually speak. 
• How does the Holy Spirit feel about your manner of speaking?

Camp Meeting Devotions - Day Fifty-Six

 

Matthew 6:33 (NASB)
³³  "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Jesus tells us to seek His kingdom first. That means we are to inquire and crave Him, His rule and reign on planet earth. Not just seek it first.

To seek something first means to seek it chiefly, foremost, before anything else. This is a command the church of God fails in keeping. We seek pleasure before we seek God and His rule and reign. We seek love in human relationships over God and God's priorities. We rearrange our schedules to watch sporting events. Just take Super Bowl Sunday for instance. Some have actually suggested that should be added as a national holiday. Seriously? A football game a national holiday? Churches rearrange their schedules to accommodate Super Bowl activities.   

The cravings deep inside us lure in different directions. Do we really crave what God craves? He craves people to get saved. He craves His church to influence the culture He planted them in. He craves holiness among His people. He craves bold witnesses pervading the darkness. He craves His people to love Him most. 

Does any of that characterize you and the body of believers you gather with? We are far too easily amused with the passing pleasures of this world. Seeking first the kingdom of God is not a suggestion. It is a commandment. SEEK FIRST His kingdom and righteousness. All other pursuits are supposed to be secondary. 

• Take an honest assessment of what you crave. 
• Where does seeking God and His kingdom rank on your list of priorities?
• What do you seek first? Identify your chief and foremost pursuit. 
• Is a rearranging of priorities in order?

Camp Meeting Devotions - Day Fifty-Five

Babies are little miracles. When you hold a baby, you are holding the handiwork of God. Babies bring joy for most people and families. There is great anticipation before the baby arrives. There is celebration when those infant boys and girls are delivered. Without babies the population of the earth would have died off a long time ago. 

This morning I do not have babies on my mind. I have evangelism deep in my thoughts. The fact is that by most measures the church is not reproducing disciples as effectively as we used to do. Church attendance is down. Baptisms are way down. The average age of our congregations is getting older. We have disciples who are not making other disciples. 

We love to study the scriptures. Many enjoy worship. A good many do not mind service. When it comes to evangelism, it is nearly extinct. In a seminary class, a professor told his students that 90% of Christians have never witnessed about Jesus to anyone. He went on to explain that 95% have never led anyone to Christ. Let those statistics sink in. Where do we fall? Are guilty?

The gospel means good news. It seems like it is bad news with how few people share it. There are excuses. The same ones passed down from generation to generation. People fear being rejected. They fear not knowing enough. They fear offending people with whom they share about Jesus. The truth is we face the crisis of the two C's. We don't really CARE that people perish and go to hell. We are COWARDS. Fear paralyzes us. 

After Pentecost in Acts 2, the once cowardly disciples became bold. They fearlessly proclaimed salvation through Jesus to hostile crowds. They even suffered for doing so. They were threatened, beaten, imprisoned, and some even martyred. None of this deterred them. The whole book of Acts is one gospel presentation and one gospel sermon on top of another. These were usually followed with two responses. Many got saved. The apostles got persecuted by those who opposed their message.

 Romans 1:14-16 (NASB

¹⁴  I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.
¹⁵  So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
¹⁶  For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Notice what Paul wrote. "I am under obligation." "I am eager to preach the gospel." "I am not ashamed of the gospel." Do those things characterize disciples of Jesus today? Do we feel an obligation to tell others how to be saved? Are we eager to tell others the life transforming message of Jesus? Are we ashamed and embarrassed to tell others the gospel of Jesus? Our actions speak much louder than our words.

• Have you ever witnessed to anyone? If you have, how long has it been since you last did so?
• Have you ever led anyone to faith in Christ?
• What indications do you exhibit that you care people are perishing to eternal doom without Jesus?
• Do you need to repent of not caring and acting cowardly? Will you be a disciple who goes out intentionally trying to make other disciples?

First Stone

 City folks do not really know the fun of a good old fashioned rock fight. Yep, you read that right. A rock fight. Or at least a dirt dob fight. The rules are simple. You divide up into teams. You find some cover to hide behind. You gather your ammunition. Then you start chunking. The object is to hit the opponent while not getting hit. Many an hour has been passed in the country with a rock fight. Losers may feel it on the noggin for a while. 

People love to throw rocks. Especially into a body of water. Who hasn't thrown rocks in the water to make the biggest splash or just to watch the ripples. A right of passage in the country is learning how to skip rocks on the surface of the water. On a calm day, when smooth glass like waters prevail and with smooth stones, some people could skip that stone a country mile across the water. To see who can get the most skips is a badge of honor. I bet some of you are recalling some fond memories right about now. 

There is another kind of throwing rocks. It is throwing them in judgment of others. Like the story we read in John 8 about a woman caught in sin. You know the story well. The law gave permission for such a promiscuous woman to be stoned to death. By the way, the law also said the same punishment should have penalized the man for this same sin, but he was nowhere to be found. 

Self-righteous religious people are quick to want to chunk rocks at sinners. They are way too quick to take aim and let the rocks fly. Only Jesus had something else in mind that day. He chided that the ones ready to throw rocks could do so with a condition attached. The one without sin could throw the first stone. Awkward silence followed. The woman hunched over wincing waiting for the painful pelting of the rocks. She waited until she finally peeked to see what was happening. One by one the rocks fell to the ground that day. The rock slayers slithered away one by one under conviction of their own sinful shame. 

In recent days, there has been a lot of stone throwing among the people of God. People love to pounce when someone sins. They love to look down their pious noses in condemnation. It should not happen. None of us is perfect. None without guilt of some sort or other.  I know my own guilt. I should have received the first stone thrown at me years ago. God forgave me. So did others. Therefore, I cannot be the one to throw the first stone. The grace of God tempers stone throwing. So I echo the words of Jesus today. He who is without sin can go ahead and throw the first stone. Wait. What was that? Surely you heard it too. The thud. The thud of rocks falling to the ground and people gripped by grace humbly walking away. 

Pressure Valve

 The pressure mounts, increases, and builds. Just in the nick of time the pressure valve releases and the pressure escapes. Like on a steam engine. Or a hot water heater. The pressure builds and builds. It has to be released at some point. Picture an old steam engine locomotive. At some point the engine belches plumes of smoke to release the pinned-up pressure. 

Picture prayer as the release valve to all our built-up pressure. When we can't take it anymore, a little talk with Jesus does a world of good in our souls. We are able to release all that builds up inside us causing stress and anxiety. 

There is an old song I love dearly but have not heard in some time. It goes like this. Let us have a little talk with Jesus, and tell Him all about our troubles, He will answer by and by, He will hear our faintest cry, when you feel a little prayer wheel turning, and you feel a little fire is burning, a little talk with Jesus makes it right. Those little talks with Jesus are our pressure releases. We sure need them. There are no shortages of stressors in this life. Challenging circumstances circle around us like Indians on a warpath against pioneers who have circled the wagons in defense. 

Let me exhort all of us to do something. Slow down for a few minutes. Take the time to slow your breathing. Exhale the pressures of this life and inhale the presence of God. Exhale the pressures. Inhale the presence. Isn't that really the point of Philippians 4:6-7?

Philippians 4:6-7 (NASB)
⁶  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
⁷  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Exhale the pressures. Be anxious for nothing. With prayer and supplication let your requests be made to known to God. Inhale His presence. Prayer is the pressure valve where we can release some steam. God offers peace in response. All of us could use a little more peace in our days. More peace in our sleep. Go ahead. Use prayer as a pressure valve to release whatever is building up inside you. Exhale the pressures. Inhale His presence.  

Clothed in Holiness

 God You are the Great I Am of grace,

Mercifully revealing Your holy face, 

Your compassions do not ever fail, 

Though Your children so very frail, 

We sin, offend, trespass, and defile, 

You love and forgive us all the while,  

Your holiness insulted in our sinning,

Repenting we need a new beginning, 

We need holiness like a spring shower, 

To fill us with new resurrection power, 

We need a hatred for all that offends, 

A love for all You offer that transcends, 

To let us walk Your highway of holiness, 

Faultless by the blood in righteousness, 

We are humbled by unending compassion, 

Clothed in holiness that's always in fashion. 

Camp Meeting Devotions - Day Fifty-Four

 Joel 2:15-17 (NASB)

¹⁵  Blow a trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly,
¹⁶  Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and the nursing infants. Let the bridegroom come out of his room And the bride out of her bridal chamber.
¹⁷  Let the priests, the LORD'S ministers, Weep between the porch and the altar, And let them say, "Spare Your people, O LORD, And do not make Your inheritance a reproach, A byword among the nations. Why should they among the peoples say, 'Where is their God?'"

Sin is offensive to God. He takes it very seriously. Much more seriously than His people do. Sin cost the Father the blood of His Son spilt as a propitiation for our sin. Sin is not to be taken lightly. Yet His people glibly dabble in vile behaviors and attitudes that repulse God immensely. 

This is true of individuals. It is also true for corporate bodies of people like churches and even nations. When is the last time you heard anyone gather people together for a Solemn Assembly? How many even know what a Solemn Assembly is? It is a public gathering for repentance. A time of dedication and purification before the Lord. 

Notice all the people who are to assemble. Assemble the elders, children, infants, bridegroom and the bride as well. What if students and adults gathered to repent of sin? What sins might be confessed? A longer list than we care to go into here. This rarely happens. The people of God gather to worship defiled, dirty, and diseased with the sickness of sin. People pack the pews to sing, listen, but seldom to repent. 

The priests and ministers should lead the way in weeping. They should mourn and lament their own spiritual condition as well as that of the congregations they lead as well as the nations where they reside. Preachers are dry eyed. Hearts soiled with the sins of self-promotion, greed, love of men's applause, and hypocrisy just to name a few. Where is brokenness over sin? Where is the lamenting in the house of God among the men of God?

I sinned on Thursday. I quickly repented. I confessed it and tried to move on. I could tell my fellowship with God was not the same. I lay on my face in the prayer room on Friday in teary eyed repentance and confession. I pleaded with God to not let my sin hinder His work in me or the church. I buried my nose in the carpet getting as low as I possibly could humbled in the presence of Holy God. My first words were, "O God, I am a sinner." The mourning continued from there. No excuses. No justification. Admission of guilt followed by weepy remorse and repentance. 

I long for God to do the same thing in the congregation. To break hearts. To let mourning surface over our sin. To bend the knees and the heart in His presence in confession. For an entire church to do that. For the county and country to do the same. Our sin hinders God from moving. Our guilt quenches and grieves the Spirit of God from doing His full cleansing work in our midst. How long before the people of God gather to mourn and repent getting clean before Him? I pray not much longer. 

• What recent sins have you committed? Do you have any habitual sins you return to over and over again?
• How do you feel about your sin really? How does God feel about it?
• When is the last time you genuinely repented? 
• Does your church need a Solemn Assembly? Does the nation?
• Mark down Wednesday May 25th at 6:30 p.m. when Spring Creek will gather for a Solemn Assembly. 

Camp Meeting Devotion - Day Fifty-Three

 Genesis 4:6-7 (NASB)

⁶  Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?
⁷  "If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it."

The singing group Queen released a popular song in my childhood titled, Another One Bites the Dust.  That sums up what we often see and hear about with Christians. They fall into sin. Some worse than others. One by one people are deceived, blinded to their own sinful desires, throw caution to the wind, quit resisting and plunge headfirst into the sewage of sin. They hurt themselves and others in the process. 

It seems hardly a week goes by that we are not confronted with sin in our lives or those around us. Sin spreads faster than a virus. Sin runs rampant in the streets, alleys, backwoods, Hollywood, the White House as well as your house and mine. Sin is everywhere. Crouching at the door ready to pounce. 

God warned Cain that sin was crouching at the door. I get the picture of a dangerous animal crouched down in hiding like a lion looking for his prey. Sin crouches ready to pounce on us. Any of us. If you are reading this, you have the potential to be caught in sin. We all do. Some of the most respected people in the church are involved in all sorts of secret sins nobody knows about but God. They hide it well. Others get caught. Prominent pastors and preachers are not immune. Nor worship pastors. Nor people in the choir, teachers, lawyers, politicians, students, and physicians. Nobody is immune. 

Satan uses the lure of sin to trap people. His desire, passionate longing, and lust is to bring the people of God down. He is doing a pretty good job. Many have fallen. People who started out strong in the faith. Somewhere along the way sin did more than crouch at the door. Sin pounced. Like a lion pouncing on a helpless antelope who cannot defend itself, so is a person when sin pounces who is not ready to resist. 

Temptations abound everywhere. Alcohol. Drugs. Illicit sex. Pornography. Adultery. Embezzling. Lying, deceiving, cheating, gossiping, slandering, compromising and the list could go on. Just because we are tempted does not mean we have to give in. Jesus was tempted in [Matthew 4:1-11]. He fought back quoting scripture. We are told in [I Cor 10:13] that God makes a way of escape when people are tempted to sin. We do not have to give in. 

God told Cain that he needed to master sin. Meaning he needed to exercise authority over it, gain control over it, and rule over it. The truth is many like sin. It is the path of least resistance. Sin often leads to temporary pleasure in some sense. How many hate sin like God hates it? How many ruthlessly uproot any root of sin that tries to lodge itself in our thoughts and actions. 

Read Hebrews 12:4.

Hebrews 12:4 (NASB)
⁴  You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;

We have not resisted to the point of shedding of blood as we oppose and fight against sin. It is a life and death fight. It is a matter of choices we make. Every single day, multiple times a day. Satan never takes days off. Neither can we in our fight to master sin. To resist and say no when sin pounces unexpectedly should be on the forefront of our minds daily.  Or we can choose to give in and let sin master us. That path leads to destruction. 

Unfortunately, Cain did not heed God's waring and murdered his brother out of jealousy. Sadly, some today do not heed God's warning either. They drift too close to sin and fall easy prey. Then comes the shame, sorrow, and judgmental stares of condemnation from those watching. The consequences of sinful choices can be devastating and humiliating. May we all heed God's exhortation to Cain. Sin is crouching at the door and we must master it. 

• Do you know some Christian who has recently fallen into sin? Was it you?
• Consider the ways Satan sets people up to be snared by sin. 
• Do you have any blind spots where you are drifting dangerously close to sin?
• In what ways will you master sin in your own life? What tools will you use?

Camp Meeting Devotions - Day Fifty-Two

 Jeremiah 32:17 (NASB)

¹⁷  'Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You,'

Everybody faces challenging circumstances from time to time. Difficulties that drain people's physical, emotional and mental resources. Sometimes these obstacles look impossible to deal with. The financial pressures mount. Health issues can take the wind out of our sails. Prodigals stray so far it appears they may never return. Rifts in relationships appear they will never be restored. There are no shortages of trials to overcome. 

This verse is a great reminder of the power of God. He made the heavens and the earth. The word made has many meanings. He developed, established and produced both the heavens and the earth. By heavens it means the celestial bodies in the sky. Planets, stars, galaxies, and solar systems. If you ever wanted to be reminded how small you are just walk outside at night and look up. Look above. 

I recently read the story where President Theodore Roosevelt took a guest outside the White House just before going to bed. He told his guest to look up. They stared upward at the vast stars. Then Roosevelt commented, "Well, I guess now that we are reminded how small we are we can turn into bed." 

God did not grab His tool bag and gather a list of materials to create outer space. He imagined it all and then spoke it into existence. He did the same thing with created earth. Waterfalls. Whales. Daffodils. Dolphins. Dogs. Aardvarks. Ants. Antelopes. Hills. Hippos. Volcanoes. Vultures. Swamps. Sloths. Oceans. Octopus. His imagination defies understanding. He masterminded all of it. Plankton as well as Pandas. Grass as well as Guerillas. Trees as well as Tarantulas. All of it imagined in the Creator's mind and spoken into existence. He did not have to exert enormous energy to make all of this. None of it taxed His intellectual capacities or His strength. Take for instance rocks. God made limestone as well as granite. He made pebbles as well as boulders. Consider different bodies of water. He made streams, ponds, lakes, rivers, and oceans. None of this wearied God in the least. He stretched out His arm and not only created it all. He holds it all together. 

Now, if God can do that, is what you're enduring too difficult for Him? The word difficult in this passage is expansive in meaning. It means heavy, extraordinary, burdensome, grievous, or hard. Consider your circumstances. Is what you are up against too heavy for God to lift? Is your burden so extraordinary God is overwhelmed? Is your trial so hard God can't offer a solution? Is it so grievous that He can't comfort and make a way through it? 

We spend so much time gazing at our problems and just glancing at God. We need to do just the opposite. Glance at our difficulties and really gaze on the massive strength of God. We would do well to remember Heb 11:6.  

Hebrews 11:6 (NASB)

⁶  And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

Contemplate the truth in the middle of that verse. "...he who comes to God must believe that He is..." Believe that He is what? He is I Am. He is Creator. Provider. Healer. Sustainer. Teacher. King. Problem Solver. Mountain Mover. Burden Lifter. Heart Consoler. Wonderful Counselor. And so much more. We get battered by the waves of this life that can knock us off our feet. We struggle in the surf of sufferings to get our footing again. We get tossed in the tempest and forget the magnitude of God and His ability. He is a sure foundation no matter what we are facing. Look to Him. Find your foundation in Him. 

This would be a good day to stroll outside and look up. Day or night. Look around. Be reminded of the greatness of God. Because He created the heavens and the earth, He can handle anything that comes your way. Why not let go and let God handle it. His mind is not troubled by your troubles. His strength is not exhausted by your exhausting troubles. 

• Identify the greatest challenge you are currently facing?
• How are you handling it? With faith or fear? Anxiety or peace?
• Consider the extraordinary strength of God displayed in creation. 
• Apply the strength and wisdom of God to your challenge. What does your challenge look like to God? 

Camp Meeting Devotions - Day Fifty-One

 Philippians 2:14 (NASB)

¹⁴  Do all things without grumbling or disputing;

What is that makes you grumble? For me, it was my sons having a blow out on I-20 around 7:00 pm as they came home for the holiday weekend. We have spent thousands of dollars on car repairs lately. Not one single car we own has been spared. $500 here, $1,900 there, $150, $2,700. Tucker's car is in the shop as I write this. To hear the guys had a blow out was not great news. The fact that they were able to pull over safely was good news. They set about changing the tire. Soon we got another call. The car did not have all the tools necessary to take the damaged tired off. We bought the car used and never even thought about looking for those things. 

I got in the Yukon grumbling. Not at my sons. Just as the situation. Thankfully they were only eleven miles outside of town. It was still light outside when I arrived. The murmuring continued under my breath when we discovered the Yukon tire tool would not work on the lug nuts. I thought about that driving out there. Frustrating. 

We had to call for help. Embarrassing that three grown men did not have the necessary tools to change a tire. We all three set in the Yukon waiting. Tucker, who has always been the optimist,  commented, "Well Dad, you are getting to spend some quality time with your sons." We all laughed. He was right. 

What is it that causes you to grumble? What makes you complain? What types of things bring murmuring to your lips? I bet it is something. The economy. Rising grass prices. Escalating costs of groceries. Unruly kids whether yours or someone else's. The sermons at your church or the music. I am sure there is something. 

Why can't we see the sunny side of life even in the unpleasant circumstances. Tucker and Turner have amazed me. In high school Tucker tore his ACL in the same knee twice basically missing most of his high school athletic career. Turner tore his ACL in the same knee three times. Both were injured in their senior seasons. Turner joked with the doctor that he is a three-time all-star. 

Are we characterized by our negative attitudes and speech? Not only that, but do we want to dispute everything? To debate everyone. To constantly call everyone into question. Don't get me wrong. I love a good spirited debate. 

Several years ago I used gather with several people on Wednesday afternoons in the foyer to talk. Those talks ended up in debates. One of the men in those conversations loved to debate. He was a well educated teacher. I would challenge him on biblical views. I thought it was all in good fun. I found out later that he took offense at those conversations. Brenda gave me some great advice once, "Everybody does not need to know your opinion." So true. 

It does not honor God to always argue with people. Children with parents. Deacons with pastors. Employers with employees. Husbands with wives and wives with husbands. Neighbors with neighbors. Church members with church members. I am not saying there are not some things worth standing for. There are some things worth having difficult conversations about. 

Grumbling and disputing are not what we classify as big sins. We may not even think they are sins. May we prayerfully consider this short but powerful little verse and our response to it. 

• Think about the last time you grumbled about something. Is grumbling a habit for you?
• Do you argue with people extensively? What things are worth debating?
• Do the words that habitually come out of your mouth honor God? 

In the Grip of Grace

 I'm thankful to be in the grip of grace,

Poured out in every season and place, 

A grip held so tightly it does not let go, 

Even when I fail and don't deserve it so, 

A gritty grace when I triumph and I fail, 

A needy grace I've come to love so well, 

A grace that is greater than all of my sin, 

A grace needed time and time over again, 

A grace that grips holding on so secure, 

That helps me progressively to mature, 

When I fall and into the muck and mire, 

When instead of truth I am just a liar, 

When I say yes when I should've said no,

Still the grip of grace does not let me go, 

I'm humbled to be in the grip of grace, 

Through it alone I'll see Abba's face. 

Never Beyond

 Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of His grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God's grace. Every day should be a day of relating to God on the basis of His grace alone. - Jerry Bridges

Hardly a week goes by that I do not hear another tragic story of someone falling into sin. They err. People stumble. They fall headlong into the muck and mire of sin. These people hurt themselves and others with their choices. Even on those days God's grace has got us. [I Jn 1:9]

On our best days when we do everything right, we avoid sin and honor God in our choices, we depend on the grace of God to still cover us in righteousness based on grace and not our good works. [Eph 2:8-9] Our redemption is not a result of good works and behavior so that none of us can brag on ourselves. 

We are never beyond grace. Not on our worst days or our best days. We need grace all the time. God's grace is available to us on all occasions. When we blow it and also when we get it right. 

I read a story today that perfectly illustrates grace. A four year old grandson went to visit his grandfather. He loved his grandfather and the grandfather loved his grandson. The grandfather opened up his entire home to the grandson with the exception of some prized fossils he collected over the years. Those were off limits. 

The grandson could not resist sneaking in to take a look at those fossils when nobody was looking. The lure was too great to resist. He reached his tiny fingers to take hold of one to get a closer look. You know what happened. He dropped it and it shattered on the floor. 

When the grandfather heard the crash, he came into the room to investigate. The grandson trembled in fear and remorse. He quivered expecting the wrath of his grandfather. The little lad never expected what happened next. The grandfather strode over to the youngster and picked him up. He held him close to his chest and never said a word. He didn't have to. The hug said it all. I love you. I forgive you. I am not angry with you. I do not hold this against you. That action personified grace. 

That little four year old grandson is now a forty year old father of three, pastor of a large church, and a bestselling author. He wrote that reaction by his grandfather showed him the power of grace. In the same way, God does that for His children all the time. He picks us up after our blunders and rebellious acts to forgive and restore us. The power of grace truly is amazing. Without it none of us would ever be able to relate to God. With it we are forever humbled that we have received what we do not deserve and can never earn. We are never beyond grace. 

Holiness in the House

 God demands holiness. [I Pet 1:15-16] He desires His people to live set apart from unbelievers. Set apart in our practices, attitudes, and secret actions. The house of God should be filled with holy people. The truth is that it is often filled with just as many hypocritical people as holy people. This ought not be. 

We need to examine ourselves often. Is our speech pleasing to God? Do we often fall into patterns of a critical tongue, gossip, slander, and divisive rhetoric? We ought not curse God and sing praises with the same mouth. The tongue is a restless evil and only God can tame it. 

We ought to be holy in our actions. Both public actions and private actions. We all have skeletons in the closet. We can do the right things publicly with the wrong motivations and not please God. We can hide in the shadows of the night to engage in secret behavior hidden from others, but fully visible before God. He wants our secret lives and our public lives to please Him. 

There does not seem to be a great deal of preaching on holiness these days. Holiness is a convicting topic. It addresses blind spots. It calls out hypocrisy. It brings sin to light. Spiritual pride will cause people to bow their necks and refuse to repent. They want to appear better off than they really are. God is opposed to prideful people. He gives grace to humble people. Which one are you? Does He resist you and what you want because of pride and cherishing sin more than holiness? 

Judgment must first begin in the house of God. Christians are really good at pointing fingers at the actions of the world. We are not near as quick to point fingers at our sin. There are plenty of specks in plenty of eyes in the house of God. Let us take those out first. That might take awhile for the people of God to come clean before Him. We need to spend more time repenting than pretending and trying to cover up our trespasses. It is time for holiness to be restored to the house of God. 

Camp Meeting Devotions - Day Fifty

 Matthew 17:1-4 (NASB)

¹  Six days later Jesus *took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and *led them up on a high mountain by themselves.
²  And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.
³  And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.
⁴  Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

God has blessed me with the privilege of preaching dozens of camps, retreats, rallies, and revivals. He has moved powerfully in many of those settings. Youth groups and churches have been deeply touched. The challenge has always been to translate those powerful works of God back into mainstream living. 

There really is no secret to camp. You get people away from negative influences. You seclude them in an environment where they will study the scriptures, worship, have fun, and most importantly meet with God. Students are saved. They repent and rededicate their lives. Some even feel called by God to go into the ministry. It happens every summer all across America. We call it a camp high. Or a mountain top experience. 

That is what Peter, James, and John experienced. They got to be a part of a God encounter they would never be able to fully explain to their peers. What they saw and experienced was beyond description, though we get a sneak peak in the Gospels.

 Jesus took these three up on a high mountain away from everyone else.  He removed them from distractions where He had their undivided attention. Those three unsuspecting disciples could not have imagined what they were going to see. Jesus was transfigured before them. 

The word transfigured means to transform, change, and to metamorphosize. We are told His face shone like the sun. Meaning His face beamed and radiated like blindly bright sun rays. They could not look upon the manifest glory of Jesus on display as He unzipped the outer shell of His humanity to let His divinity radiate before the small band of followers. His clothing shone white like lightening. The whole scene is hard to fully explain. Jesus shone so bright I am sure the disciples had to shield their eyes and bow on the ground. They got just a glimpse of what Moses experienced in Exodus 33 when he asked God to let him see His glory. God hid Moses in the cleft of the rock and passed by. Moses only got to see the backside of God's glory. His face radiated for a long time afterward noticed by the children of Israel. 

Both Moses and Elijah appeared on the top of that mountain. They talked with Jesus. The scriptures do not indicate that the disciples were privy to that conversation, but they saw these two Old Testament heavyweight stalwarts of the faith. Moses and Elijah both shared an uncommon communion with God. God used both of them in unusual ways to promote His glory. The disciples got to see them with their own eyes. 

Impulsive Peter was the first to open his mouth. He said it was good for them to be there. He was right. The moment was not lost on Peter. These three disciples were privileged to see something no others had seen. He knew it was special. He offered to build three tents for Jesus, Moses and Elijah to dwell in. Peter did not want to leave the top of that mountain. Can you blame him? He and his companions experienced something none of the rest of us have. He did not want to go back down to the mundane ordinary grind of life. He wanted to remain in that glorious God encounter. 

From time to time we all need those special God encounters. One of those places for me is the little two- bedroom prayer cabin I frequent in deep east Texas once a year. That is sacred soil. A place of numerous God encounters. A place where God has inspired and birthed numerous books. Getting to go there once or twice a year is a mountain top experience. 

It is interesting that Jesus did not stay on the mountain top. If you continue reading that chapter, as soon as they came down from the mountain, they met a father whose son was demon possessed. The other disciples were powerless to help. Jesus came down from the mountain to the gritty ministry of helping people. 

In some ways, true revival is a mountain top experience. Such seasons do not last forever. That is why when God chooses to bless a church, community or even a country with such an outpouring, it must not be taken for granted. Many have lived and prayed their whole lives and never seen God bring revival. When He chooses to move powerfully among His people, we must jump in with both feet and prayerfully soak it up like a sponge inviting others to experience God too. In time, those seasons of refreshing end. What then?

We are supposed to go back to work evangelizing, standing against the schemes of Satan, and seeking first the kingdom of God. We are to roll up our sleeves and get involved in the work of helping people. Jesus does not want us to live like monks and nuns secluded from people in our mountain retreats. Part of our purpose is to minister to hurting, broken, needy, sinful people. 

We should appreciate those special God encounters we enjoy at camps, conferences, revivals, and retreats. We must also be mindful that we are surrounded by tens of thousands of people who need God encounters too. We may visit the mountain tops, but ministry happens in the valley. May mountain top God encounters fuel us to effective ministry to those around us when we come back down. 

•  Recall a recent mountain top experience you enjoyed with God? What changes did God make in your life as a result? Did it last?
• Examine the current condition of your walk with God. Are you in need of a fresh encounter with Him?
• Pray for Jesus to reveal Himself to you in a new way today. 
• Get prepared to minister to people around you after your Jesus encounter. Trust that He will put the right people in your path who need a divine encounter. Commit to help them get connected with Jesus and trust Him for the results. 

Camp Meeting Devotions - Day Forty-Nine

 Brenda and I drove back from town last night after getting supper. The sun was setting, and I mused out loud how quickly the weekend passed. It was jam packed with activity. She reminded me I planned all that activity. We were up early and going strong from Thursday all the way through lunch Sunday after the worship service. We both were exhausted. It felt nice not to have the evening service that night. 

We were thrilled with all that God did. Hundreds of people showed up for outreach events and many new visitors worshiped with us Sunday morning. God saved two people in the service. It truly was a day of celebration. A full but exhausting weekend. I was in bed fast asleep a little after 9:00 pm last night. 

I got up early to sit at this computer to write the devotion for this morning. I had no inspiration. I flipped through my Bible to see if anything jumped out of me. Nothing. I sat staring at the blank screen praying for some insight. Nothing. Finally, I reached to my right and took hold of a new book I just started reading hoping something in those pages would spark my imagination. I wasn't surprised when it happened. I was surprised by the direction. 

By nature, I am a driven person. I love what God has called me to do. I go to bed frustrated nearly every day of my life that I did not accomplish more. There is always more praying to do, more study to do, more to write, more to read, more meetings to have, more appointments to keep, more pastoral visits to make, and more events to plan. Well, you get the idea. Always trying to do more. Often frustrated by not accomplishing more. 

Then it hit me today. The same reality God has brought to my attention numerous times in the past. Sometimes I need to slow down so He can work in me before He can work through me. I need to slow the pace to enjoy Him more instead of rushing ahead trying to do more. I need to rest in Him instead racing off in a flurry of activity. 

One of the activities that refreshes me is reading. I just do not give myself permission to do it much. I read in preparation for messages. I do not take time to read over prolonged periods of time to be renewed. I might read ten or fifteen minutes here or there. There is always so much more to do. Reading reenergizes me. Reading renews, refreshes, reinvigorates, and revives me. I used to make reading an integral part of my daily routine. I set goals to read a book a week throughout the year. Then, I got busy. Parenting. Pastoring. Planning. While I am surrounded by books, I lament that I do not make the time to read then like I want. 

Even when I went on personal prayer retreats, I busied myself with writing blogs or books.  I prayed on those retreats but used my time to write more than to read. This morning God's clear instruction for me was to slow down. 

Psalm 23:2-3 (NASB)
²  He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.
³  He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake.

Notice the word "makes" in verse two. He makes me lie down. He "leads" me beside quiet waters. He "restores" my soul. He "guides" me. All of these things indicate a slower pace of life. To take time to restore the soul. To cultivate the soul takes time. It means taking the foot off the accelerator. It means replenishing rather than emptying. 

I am betting I am not the only one. We live in hurried times. Always in a rush. Going from one activity to the next, from one appointment to another. We cannot cultivate the interior soul when we live so frantically. We fall into familiar routines that become ritual more than God encounters. We do not always take the time to reflect in introspect. Some of our souls are weary and withered. They need to lie down in green pastures, and to slowly stroll beside quiet waters to be restored. 

Restoring the soul is not a fast process. It is not like jump starting a dead battery on a car. You may get a quick start but the issue of the battery being weakened is not addressed. The next time the car is turned off it will need to be jumped off again. Take that battery and connect it to the trickle of a battery charger and the battery can be restored. It takes time. Restoring the soul takes time. 

Nobody is going to do this for us. We have to be the ones to take charge of our schedules. To say no more often to good things in order to say yes to the best things of time with God. Restored souls can become revived souls. Worn weary souls can get burned out. So fatigued that a person just goes through the motions of life. They become too numb to experience God privately or publicly. If any are in this place, let Ps 23:2-3 sink into that weary soul. Let God trickle charge you to full restoration. Then you will be useful in His hands. 

• Examine the recent pace of your life? Has it been draining on your soul or in balance?
• What activities replenish you? Have you recently taken time to engage in these?
• Describe the current condition of your soul? How is God leading you to cultivate your soul?

Camp Meeting Devotions - Day Forty-Eight

 Matthew 28:1-10 (NASB)

¹  Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave.
²  And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it.
³  And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.
⁴  The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men.
⁵  The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified.
⁶  "He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.
⁷  "Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you."
⁸  And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples.
⁹  And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.
¹⁰  Then Jesus *said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me."

Jesus no longer rests in a tomb. He sits on a throne next to His Father. The dew of death no longer rests on Jesus' brow. Resurrection power courses through His veins. Jesus is no longer clothed in a death shroud. He is clothed in white waiting to come get His blood bought bride. Jesus no longer suffers silently at the hands of executioners. He sits patiently waiting for the day when He will execute judgment on the earth with eyes of flaming fire and a sword of vengeance. Jesus is not dead. He is alive! He is risen! Resurrected!

Jesus appeared to many after His resurrection. 500 on one occasion. [I Cor 15:6] Even doubting Thomas saw, touched, and believed. [John 20:24-29] So do I. I hope so do you. We do not serve a dead, empty, vain religion. We serve an alive resurrected real Savior. Celebrate Him today. Worship Him today. Serve Him everyday!

• Prayerfully consider all the resurrected Jesus means to you today. 

Do It Again

 Lord we long for You to do it again, 

A continuous move that has no end, 

Where sinners are drawn to salvation, 

When followers worship with elation, 

When the saved fall to humbly repent, 

Where Your moves are heaven sent, 

The land is dry and the hearts weary, 

Things are looking dark and dreary, 

Sin crouches at the door to trip all, 

Another follower just tripped to fall, 

Your church is apathetically asleep,

Priests at the altar no longer weep,

Your people dry eyed don't mourn, 

Hypocrisy our scourge and scorn, 

I plead for You to come do it again, 

To turn this nation from all our sin, 

To usher in old days of revival past, 

And do it quickly - please do it fast.  

Camp Meeting Devotions - Day Forty-Seven

In 1950 a group of students fasted and prayed for God to move on the Asbury College campus in Wilmore, KY. The college had a long tradition of God moving powerfully among students and faculty dating all the way aback to 1905. They wanted to see God do it again. 

He did. For 118 straight hours the service did not end. It began as a routine chapel service one bitterly cold morning on February 23, 1950. The Spirit of God came in settling on faculty and students alike. Classes were canceled. For the next five straight days, students gathered in the auditorium to pray, confess sins, worship, and watch as God saved many of their classmates. People ate little and slept little during those days. The altars remained continuously crowded for those 118 hours. The services started on a Thursday morning at 9:00 a.m. They went on uninterrupted until the following Tuesday at 7:00 a.m. 118 straight hours. 

Word of the revival spread outside the campus. Townspeople flocked to Hughes Auditorium. No one had to advertise what God did. Newspaper reporters showed up and spread the story far and wide. It is reported it was the second leading story across the nation second only to a coal miner's strike. People reported being overwhelmed by the presence of God when they stepped into that auditorium. A local radio station approached the school leaders asking for permission to broadcast the services live over the airwaves. This was unsolicited by anyone from the college. 

Students started traveling and sharing the testimony of what God at Asbury. In just two short weeks over 5,000 people were converted in these meetings off the campus. 

After five days of the revival classes resumed. There were still anywhere from 1,000-1,500 who gathered nightly in the auditorium to keep meeting with God. In those services every foot of the altar was covered nightly with people seeking salvation or Christians repenting of sin. 

Such stories seem incredulous. Like they were made up. Eyewitnesses testified to the truth. This move of God was not fueled by emotionalism. There were tears of brokenness. There was no emotional exuberance to try and keep the move of God worked up. God started and sustained the work. 

The question before us today, can God do that again? Not that we are seeking the signs of revival. Can God move powerfully in a community again drawing people to Himself without great advertising campaigns? Is there even a hunger for God to move powerfully in our midst these days? A hunger to the point of extensive prayer and fasting? Our focus must not be on the accompanying results of revival. Our earnest attention must remain on seeking God to have His will and way in our midst. 

Matthew 6:10 (NASB)
¹⁰  'Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 

This is the point of revival. That what God wills be done will happen on earth just like it does in heaven. Holiness would increase. Worship would intensify. God would be magnified. His fame would spread. We should long to see God work powerfully to make little deposits of heaven in our homes, churches and communities. Not to ask for 118 hours of an uninterrupted service. It is not the signs we are after. We are after God to have His will done on earth. Let us not forget that focus in these days of preparation. 

• Describe the level of your hunger for God to move in and around you. 
• What is the status of your prayer life currently?
• What would God's will being done on earth as in heaven look like?
• Do you long for the signs of revival or for God more?

Camp Meeting Devotion - Day Forty-Six

 Duncan Campbell, the famous evangelist God used mightily in the Hebrides revival, went to visit a young teenage boy named Donald. Campbell found the lad in the barn on his knees with an open Bible before Him. His response to Campbell shows a level of mature communion with God rare for someone so young. Donald responded, "Excuse me a little, Mr. Campbell, I am having an audience with the King." He made the evangelist wait while he continued his time with the King of Kings. How many would have forsaken prayer for the purpose of meeting with a flesh and blood person. 

Duncan Campbell was a famously important man at that time. Everybody around the islands knew his name and the wonderful exploits God did through him. Young Donald had been wonderfully converted as part of those revivals. That young man had an unusual prayer life, especially for someone only fifteen years old. Keeping audience with His King was more preferrable than a face-to-face meeting with a man. Even a famous servant of God. 

Donald had a far more important meeting to keep than meeting with the famed evangelist. Donald drew near to God daily. He communed at a level foreign to most. God used this young man who devoted himself to prayer and having audience with his King. One night during a service it is reported that Donald stood up, clapped his hands together and said one word, "Father." People melted into tears as the presence of God invaded the place where they gathered.

Another time after a rather dull service and the crowds dismissed without any great move of God, Donald remained behind praying. The pastor and Campbell were about to leave when Donald urgently called them saying, "The Spirit is brooding over us and about to breakthrough." The older men joined Donald in prayer. They were interrupted later with a knock on the door. The congregation who had gone home all came back hours later from all over the village to worship. God broke through in that service wonderfully even at the lateness of the hour. 

Luke 18:1-8 (NASB)
¹  Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart,
²  saying, "In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man.
³  "There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, 'Give me legal protection from my opponent.'
⁴  "For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, 'Even though I do not fear God nor respect man,
⁵  yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.'"
⁶  And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge *said;
⁷  now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?
⁸  "I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"

How easy it is to lose heart when the prayers are not answered as quickly as we had hoped nor in the manner we expected. Our challenge is to keep praying at all times. Not to lose heart. You could also say not to lose courage and faith. 

Think of young Donald telling two seasoned servants of God to pray with him for the Spirit of God was about to break through. The older men had already given up for the night. Donald sat in tune with the Spirit of God at a different level than the two of them. He persevered in prayer without losing heart. 

The Holy Spirit is brooding all around us. Ready to sweep in saving the lost, convicting the saved to repent, and revive His churches. Are we having audience with the King so as to be aware of these things? Do we sense the brooding of the Spirit of God in our lives and families? Hunker down with Him. Days of refreshing may be closer than we think. Now is the time to persevere in prayer. 

• Describe what you think keeping audience with the King means.
• Have you ever had such an experience with King Jesus?
• Do you prefer to keep company with God than the company of other people?
• Do you think the Spirit of God is brooding over your life, church, and community ready to break through? If so, what do you think holds Him back? 

Camp Meeting Devotions - Day Forty-five

 Romans 8:26-27 (NASB)

²⁶  In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
²⁷  and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

The Holy Spirit plays a vital role for Christians. One of those roles is to help us in our praying. He comes to our aid in our weakness. The word weakness means impotence, feeble, and strengthless. Have you been there? Are you there now? Where faith is feeble. Where intercessions are impotent. Where supplications are strengthless. We do not know how to pray like we should. Let that sink in. With all our focus on prayer we still do not know how to pray like we should. That is why we need the Holy Spirit to empower our praying and to lead us how to pray and what to pray. 

The Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. That means He appeals to God on our behalf with sighs and mourning that are deeper prayer than any words could ever form. Some burdens are so heavy, some sorrows so deep, and some pains so excruciating words will not suffice. Deep agonizing groans are offered for help by the Spirit of God. 

Back in 2001 I was in a full-time evangelism ministry. My office was an old abandoned prayer room at my home church in Lufkin, TX. One night after ministering to a group of teenagers, we watched a video about the rampant increase of sin in America. I had to get up and leave to go to my office to pray. The burden weighed so heavily on me I could barely form words through the streams of tears pouring down my face. The burden was so oppressive it became hard to breathe. I prayed a prayer I have regretted for twenty-one years. I asked God to lift the burden because I did not feel I could take it. He answered that prayer and I never felt that way again. 

That is until yesterday afternoon. I received news so horrific and horrendous about heinous sin that I left the office and went to the prayer room. The tears flowed and the words would not come. Only deep groans like a person in pain. The pain was spiritual more than physical. I pleaded with God to keep the burden on me. Not to lessen the weight on my weary soul. I mourned. I grieved over the destruction sin is causing. I felt a tad bit of the pain God must feel. I also felt angry at Satan who causes so much devastation. 

When I could not pray words, the Holy Spirit prayed in my weakness and interpreted those groans. He helped when my feeble faith fumbled for words. He formed a deeper prayer of mourning than I could have come up with on my own. It started with God sharing His broken heart. With deep spiritual pains for a county and country spiraling out of control down the slippery slope of sin. God grieves over this stiff necked and stubborn country. What is even more sad, is how many once faithful followers of Jesus are enticed to fall away and cause pain for themselves and many others. It is gut wrenching. 

You may feel feeble today in your praying. Be encouraged the Holy Spirit helps you. You may be so heavy laden you cannot form words to pray. The Holy Spirit intercedes for you. He understands groaning petitions. 

• What is it that really burdens your heart these days?
• In what ways does the Holy Spirit help you pray when you are weak?
• Do you have a groaning prayer to offer much deeper than words?
• Take comfort that the Holy Spirit knows how to pray according to the will of God for you.

Camp Meeting Devotions - Day Forty-Four

 

Luke 9:61-62 (NASB)
⁶¹  Another also said, "I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home."
⁶²  But Jesus said to him, "No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

It is exciting to see new believers on fire for Jesus when they start following Him. They love to worship, study, learn, grow, and talk to others about the Lord. They are enthusiastic. Zealous. They do not always know the right religious protocols. They do love Jesus and they desire to follow Him. 

Some start well, but do not finish well. They get lured back into the old life. They get blindsided with trials and turn to old behaviors to help cope. Some cannot handle the cost of this new way of life. Family and friends put pressure on them to compromise. It is easy to look back at all the things that are supposed to be left behind. 

The disciple in the passage for today said, "I will follow You Lord, but first permit me..." His request seemed reasonable. He just wanted to say goodbye to his family. Jesus demands our love and loyalty even above our families. Many use their families as excuses why they do not wholeheartedly follow Jesus. They hide behind the wishes of parents, the safety of children, and spouses. 

Jesus' words seem extremely harsh. Insensitive and unreasonable even. We are called to honor our mother and father. [Ex 20:12] Saying goodbye to them before following Jesus does not seem unreasonable. It is the reluctance to focus forward that is the issue. Jesus calls us to follow Him. The mission He calls us to requires true devotion and total attention. When we continually look over our shoulder at what we left behind, we cannot be focused on what lies ahead. Jesus is not against families. He just will not allow family to be an excuse for not following Him. He calls people to be all in. 

When I learned to drive, I had a little accident in our neighborhood. I got so distracted on something behind me I kept looking in the rearview mirror. I did not notice the curve in front of me. When I looked up I jumped the curb taking out shrubs in someone's front yard and narrowly missed a telephone pole. I learned a valuable lesson that day. Focus must be forward. 

Following Jesus is costly. He demands our everything. It often requires sacrifice. The cost of discipleship is commitment. Allegiance to the Master. Unwavering faith to follow wherever He leads. The truth is many Christians idolize their families. There can only be one King seated on the throne of our hearts. Jesus will not share that throne with anyone or anything. Not even family. 

We are challenged to put our hands to the plow and to plow straight furrows. To keep our eyes, attention, and feet focused forward on the task at hand. It does not mean we love our families less. It means we are to love Jesus more. Even more than our families. 

• Are you ever tempted to look back at the old life before you were saved? Does the old life ever lure you to return to a life of sin? If so, how do you handle this?
• What does putting your hand to the plow of following Jesus mean?
• Has following Jesus cost you anything? Has the reward been worth the sacrifice?
• Do you idolize your family, meaning to love them more than the Lord? Do you use family as an excuse for not following Jesus wholeheartedly? Pray about what Jesus demands of you. 

Camp Meeting Devotions - Day Forty-Three

 2 Timothy 4:10 (NASB)

¹⁰  for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. 

The Bible does not say a great deal about Demas. We know he was a companion of Paul on some of his journeys. We also know he abandoned Paul. The only motivation given for his forsaking the mission work is that he loved the present world. 

Following Jesus is not easy. Jesus paid a price for our redemption. It stands to reason that there would be a price for us following Him. Paul understood this price. He endured persecution in many towns where he preached the gospel facing fierce opposition. More than once angry mobs tried to kill him. Once they almost succeeded. 

Being a companion of Paul on those journeys could not have been easy. Paul writes about this in II Cor 24-28. They were often in danger. Danger from the Jews who wanted Paul stopped. Danger from the Gentiles who saw Paul as a threat to profitable pagan religions. They were constantly on the move. Often without proper shelter. So shivering in the cold at night and the grumblings of hunger pangs made sleep nearly impossible. Paul and his companions, including Demas on some of those journeys, did not enjoy a life of comfort or ease. They endured hardships. They saw God moved powerfully. They also suffered for the Savior. 

Paul was so driven that he pressed through these hardships. Paul summed up his whole life mission in Acts 20:24. He lived to preach the gospel and see others saved. No matter what danger he had to face. The same cannot be said of Demas. 

He loved the present world. He loved the comforts, pleasures, and safety of the world which lured him away from the hardships of serving with Paul. Working with Paul must have felt like a sure death sentence. Paul did not care about his own safety. Surely he had little concern about the safety of those who followed him. Who knows how long Demas entertained leaving Paul. 

One day he did it. He followed through and walked away from Paul. That means he fell away, departed, let go, and left. He would not be the last. At one point Paul wrote, all have deserted me and no one stood with him. There are many who are falling away these days. Pastors. Worship pastors. Teachers. Evangelists. Apologists. Deacons. Husbands and wives. Students. These let go of their relationship with Jesus surrendering to a life of unbridled hedonism. They forsake Jesus in lieu of the passing pleasures of this world. 

Our adversary the Devil is there to tempt, deceive, entice, and ensnare once faithful followers of Jesus to fall away. He picks them off like ducks on a pond. He starts with a thought in the mind. A thought to give into temptation to surrender to sin. The thought takes root and becomes a dwelling thought which hatches into a plan. The plan to fall away is carefully considered until the day of departure arrives. Throwing caution to the wind, just like Adam and Eve when they ate the forbidden fruit, people choose to desert Jesus and His church. 

Love of this present world has been the undoing of many who were once on fire for the Lord. In moments of weakness, they let their guard down and departed the faith. They left the God they loved because the adornments of the world enticed them more. These shimmering shining allurements turn out to be a bear trap. Painfully clamped down unsuspectingly and prodigals are trapped. They are unable to free themselves. The life of comfort and easy promised by Lucifer proves to be a lie. Needless pain and problems are created because people fall away from the Lord. 

All are susceptible. Life's journeys are filled with the land mines of temptation and demonic traps. The way of Jesus is often hard. Trying. Filled with tests. Faced with multiple mountains. God did not put a falling away heart in us. He gives us endurance. He instills us with grit to grind through the tough seasons. 

The choice is presented, will we be like Paul or follow the example of Demas? One path seems easier and better. Does it lead to a bear trap? One path appears hard and dangerous. Does it lead to eternal life?

• Have you entertained thoughts lately of falling away from Jesus? If so, have you gone so far as to make a plan of action?
• Plead with God to open your eyes to the tricks of the Devil.
• Choose today to believe God and follow Him wherever He leads.

Camp Meeting Devotions - Day Forty-Two

1 Peter 5:7 (NASB)
⁷  casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

There are nearly eight billion on this planet. All with their unique circumstances. Each with their own burdens, worries and concerns. Out of those people this morning do not miss this truth. God cares for you. He is concerned with you and whatever is going on in your life. 

What are you anxious about today? What keeps you up at night? What troubles you these days? We all have something. Something that weighs heavy on our minds and hearts. Something that is so heavy we cannot bear the load alone. 

The admonition is to cast all our anxieties on God. To cast those means to expel them and send them away. Like a troubled student who disrupts class over and over again with outbursts of anger, fighting, and disrupting class can be expelled from attending. In the same way, we need to expel our anxieties as unwanted and unwelcomed intruders into our lives. Those anxieties that disturb and disrupt must be sent away. 

How often do we do just the opposite? Instead of casting them away we dwell on them keeping them at the forefront of our thoughts. These worries worm their way into our musings night and day. This causes stress which causes ulcers, sleepless nights and despair. The exhortation is to cast all our anxieties on Him. Each one. The whole of them. 

Our Lord Jesus compassionately cares about each one of us. He is not distantly concerned from afar and unable to do anything to help. He is up close. He offers comfort, strength, wisdom, relief, forgiveness, provision, and refuge to His children. Out of all the people in the world, He has not forgotten about us. He is aware of our troubles and cares deeply. 

How long will we allow anxiety to hold us hostage? Isn't today a good day to send away whatever worries us. Let this be the day we expel heavy burdens from the classroom of our minds so we can be free. Once those worrisome concerns are expelled, we must not open the door and let them back in. They must be sent away to Him, our God and the great principal of the universe. Then we can live, sleep, work, and serve Him in peace. 

• What troubles you today? How is this impacting your life?
• Identify what needs to be expelled from your thoughts?
• Do you feel like God cares for you? What evidence do you have of this?
• Read Ps 55:22 and pray through the truth of that verse. 

 

Bound in Chains

 I am bound and shackled in chains, 

Which to the world seems so insane, 

Renouncing rights to live my own way, 

A slave to Christ to serve Him every day,

They fail to understand what exactly binds, 

Why I chose leaving the old living behind, 

It was the love of Jesus shed on the cross, 

My eternal gain meant His temporal loss, 

A selfless act of love that has compelled, 

The carnal life unwanted ruthlessly expelled, 

His love so deep, it's so inexpressibly divine, 

Now reigning supreme on this throne enshrined, 

Of my heart as His possessed temple of praise, 

Bound in these voluntary chains for all my days.

Camp Meeting Devotions - Day Forty-One

 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NASB)

¹⁴  For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died;
¹⁵  and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. 

Most people will probably not hear many sermons on the topic for today. It most likely will not make other devotional material. It all starts with the love of Jesus. That is popular enough. We often hear about the love of Jesus, sing about His love, and thank Him for that love. How deeply does the love Jesus shows us impact the way we really live?

In the passage today, Paul writes that the love of Jesus controls us. The word control can better be translated to seize, grip, to hold in custody. Let this sink in. In our response to the love of Jessus, we are to voluntarily put ourselves into God's custody surrendering our rights and freedoms to be in charge of how we live, serving Him for the rest of our days as His bondservant. We are to willfully surrender our lives to Him. We are the servant, and He is the Master. 

Paul saw himself as a bondservant. He identified himself that way in [Romans 1:1], [Phil 1:1], and [Titus 1:1]. Just exactly what is a bondservant? It is a person who voluntarily puts themselves in shackles as a subservient slave to a master. In our case that Master is Jesus. We do it in response to His love. Mark this next point carefully. Jesus does not enslave us. We are not forced into servitude. We are free to walk away at any time we choose.  It is our choice to become bondservants. 

We choose the path of bondage because of the love Jesus lavished on us. First, there is His death on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin. Let this thought sink in, Perfection dying for imperfection, the Creator dying for His creation, the Potter dying for the clay, and the Savior dying for the sinner. It does not make sense. Many things about true love do not make sense. Love inspires sacrifice and selfless service. That is what Jesus did for us. Why would we think that such a demonstration of love would not also motivate us to sacrifice and selflessly serve Him in return. 

Jesus also continually expresses His love through devotions, answers to prayer, the thrilling ways He works in our lives, and the fact that He prays for us. 

The more we understand the depth and breadth of the love of Jesus, the more willing we will be to follow Him and serve Him like a prisoner in shackles. Only we will voluntarily choose to live like a bondslave. The chains that hold us will be the bond between His love for us and our love for Him. When is the last time we were challenged to this? This type of thinking does not often make it into the most popular preaching or top selling books. It is biblical. 

• Spend some time reflecting on the depth of the love Jesus demonstrated toward you. 
• We cannot pay Him back or earn that love or salvation. In what ways can you express our gratitude?
• Express your thoughts about living as a voluntary bondservant to Jesus.