Lord Help Me I Cannot See

 I had an eye procedure on Thursday like I have had done hundreds of other times. Something was very different this time. I typically drive myself to these appointments and drive home. The hardest part is having my eyes dilated. On cloudy days, I wear shades and get back home safely. On sunny days I wear two pairs of shades and get back home safely as well. 

Something was different on Thursday. It was sunny, so I put on two pairs of shades. When I left the parking lot all seemed normal. A few blocks from the doctor's office things changed dramatically. My vision actually began to decrease. I could barely make out the on ramp onto I-30 and then could barely make out the lanes. The further I drove the more my vision decreased. By the time I got to the 820 loop over pass, I was in full panic mode and cried our in prayer, "Lord, help me I cannot see."

From memory I knew the 820 traffic would merge onto I-30 so there would not be a shoulder for a bit. I slowed to a snail's pace looking to get over to the shoulder as soon as possible. Praise God I did so. I pulled onto what appeared to be grass. I could tell the car was leaning to the right so I stopped. I spoke to my phone to call Brenda. Then I called my friend Eric Adcock. He did not answer so I left a voice mail asking him if he could come and get me. I knew that I couldn't drive home. I called some other people hoping someone was available to help. 

I could not even see my phone to answer a call when it came in. I sat there feeling the car shake as traffic zoomed by me. It was a very helpless feeling. I was not blind. Everything was cloudy and I could only see a few feet in front of me. I sat there unable to answer a call, send or read a text. I used my voice to make calls asking for help. 

Eventually Eric responded and brought another man named Mark Julian to get me. People celebrate Independence Day in the United States when we broke away from the tyranny of Britain's King. I celebrate April 28th as dependence day. God saved my life in a real sense. I had traffic all around me driving from downtown Ft. Worth to the edge of Aledo driving without a clear line of sight. I could barely make out the lane markers directly in front of me. Several times I drifted into the other lanes. People were driving 70 mph plus all around. I had to cross over three lanes of traffic to get to the shoulder. His hand guided me not only to the shoulder, but to keep from going into the steep ditch that I could not see. 

God taught me further dependence by having to ask for help. I consider myself a pretty independent person. Not on that day. I had to swallow pride and ask for help. I had to wait helplessly by the side of the road for close to an hour before help arrived. Instead of being bitter I was thankful. Thankful for God's hand of protection while I drove. Thankful for good friends who dropped everything and came to my rescue. 

I was relieved when Eric and Mark arrived. Thankful for their sacrifice of time. All of us need someone's help from time to time. Independent people do not like to ask for help. We think we can make it on our own. We justify that attitude by not wanting to inconvenience people. None of us wears capes and have super human powers. We all need help from time to time. I believe God designed it that way. We need community. Even the Beatles sang a song about needing someone to help. 

I chalk that whole experience up to a lesson learned. I will ask for help. I readily admit I cannot do life on my own. I need God's help and the help of other people around me. I am not independent, but just the opposite in being completely dependent.  My vision is much imporoved since Thursday. I still have a few lingering side effects, but nothing so severe as Thursday. 

Roaring Like a Lion

 The voice of the LORD roars according to [Amos 1:2]. Roar is defined as a full, deep, prolonged cry of a lion or another large beast. God often speaks in a still small voice like a whisper. There are other times when God roars like a lion to get His message across. 

I read in a book recently about a lady who visited a jungle wild game preserve. On their guide through the preserve they came up on some lions. One of them began to roar. She commented that the roar of lion in a zoo does not do justice compared to the roar of a lion in the wild. She said the sound shook her to her core. She felt it in her bones and described it as terrifying. 

The voice of God can be like that. Loud. Terrifying. Penetrating. Like when He calls people to repentance. That is the context of Amos. God is calling out His people to turn from their evil ways. His voice thundered through the prophets. His voice thundered through John the Baptist who called people to repentance as He prepared the way for Jesus. Through the ages God's voice roared through powerful preachers pointing people to the way of salvation like George Whitfield. It continued through the ages through the proclamations of Charles Spurgeon, D.L. Moody, Billy Sunday, and more recently through Billy Graham. God roared through these servants. 

There have been times when God wanted to get my attention He roared through His word like a lion. The message came through loud and clear. I could not deny it, ignore it, and dared not rebel against His commands. 

Lions are ferocious. They are also fearless. They are called the king of the jungle. Jesus is the Lion of Judah. Also fearless in His rule and reign. He has no equals. Nobody is above Him. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. [I Tim 6:15]. His name is exalted above every other name and one day all people will proclaim He is Lord. [Phil 2:9-11] 

When lions roar people pay attention. There is no mistaken who makes that sound. It is distinctly loud and authoritative. Today, it seems most people do not listen to the voice of the Lion of Judah. Pulpit expositors seem to preach in vain. Hard preaching prophets are ignored just like people did in Jeremiah's day. Mark it down. God is roaring. Just look up into the heavens. The prophet Joel prophesied God would speak in the heavens. [Joel 2:30-31] In recent days we had a blood moon. This will be followed soon by a solar eclipse and with all the planets aligning. God is roaring to get our attention to repent just like in Amos' day. The day of impending judgment is on the horizon. Are we listening? 

Tell Us About the Cross

 I read the story of the crucifixion this morning in chapel. [Matthew 27:21-54].  I did not speed read. I read slowly letting the words penetrate our minds and our hearts. The heaviness of the death of Jesus hung in the air. Normally the students are restless. Talkative. Not today. Today they were on the edge of their seats. It was quiet, silent, hushed, and still. The story of Jesus dying on the cruel old rugged cross held them captive. They were mesmerized by the story. 

I did not preach. I just read the story. I invited anyone who needed to trust Jesus as Savior to stay behind  so we could talk further. I watched as one student filed out after another. I sat on the front pew hoping someone would stay behind. Nobody did. The high schoolers are the last ones to exit chapel with the youngsters going first. When I saw the high schoolers leaving, I was about to get up and leave myself. 

I did not see the two little boys approach me from the left. When I asked what they needed one replied, "Can you tell us more about the cross?" We talked about sin, our inability to ever be good enough to earn eternal life in heaven. I discussed Jesus taking our punishment and mercifully giving us a full pardon when we ask Him for it. Both listened attentively. 

When I asked if they wanted to ask Jesus to save them, one was hesitant. I offered the option for him to wait until after school and talk to his parents. The other little boy wanted to do it right then. His boldness emboldened the first boy. Right there in the middle section on the front pew on March 26, 2024 Jesus rescued two little boys. When they finished praying, one of them was misty eyed. What a privilege to be there with them both. They are both in my P.E. class. What joyous elation. 

Their first act of obedience was to go to the Head of School and tell Mrs. Hall what Jesus just did for them. What a privilege to tell those little guys about Jesus and the cross. It is the same privilege I feel week after week at the detox ministry. It is the same thrill I get when standing behind the pulpit at Spring Creek to proclaim the good news. It is the same thrill when the good news is shared in the highways and byways. 

The angels truly rejoiced this morning according to [Luke 15:7] Jesus is in the saving business. He is still making people into new creatures. [II For 5:17] Still transforming. Still changing lives. It is greater than the thrill of being at a hospital to celebrate the birth of a baby. I have never experienced anything like it. Getting married was a great day. It pales in comparison. So does the birth of my four sons. No athletic accomplishment can compare. Seeing souls saved is in a class all by itself. It fires me up. 

I challenge you between now and Sunday to go back and read Matthew 27. Let the crucifixion become fresh again. We should never forget. That is why Jesus commanded us to repeatedly partake of the Lord's Supper in remembrance of Him. So we always reflect on His redemptive work on the cross. So we are continually reminded of His gift of grace. May we keep being reminded and keep telling people about the cross.                                                  

Everybody Needs a Miracle

 I saw that phrase on a book cover. It sounded good, but I contemplated it a little longer. Does everybody really need a miracle? I mused on it further.  Before I dive into this any deeper, I need to define what is meant by the word miracle. A miracle is something supernatural, extraordinary and highly improbable. By that definition, I ask the same question. Does everybody really need a miracle?

My answer is YES! There are people who face sickness and diseases. Some things doctors and medicine cannot fix. I talked to a lady today on the phone who told me about a degenerative condition she has. She reported the doctor told her the treatments were no longer working. There is nothing else medical technology can do. She needs a miracle. 

I visited another lady today who has been in and out of the hospital for the past several months. I was hoping to find her improving. She is not getting any better. She can barely eat. She is trying to hang on  until her next doctor appointment later this week. She declared several times she has been close to going to the emergency room. We prayed for a miracle. 

I deal with people facing impossible circumstances beyond their control and ability to fix. Take financial burdens and hardships for example. No matter how hard some people work they cannot seem to get ahead. One set back after another depletes the bank account. Loss of job. Unexpected home and car repairs. Increase in utility payments, insurance premiums and grocery items all require more money. Shoe string budgets snap under the pressure of it all. These people need a miracle. 

People face relational strains. Marriages on the rocks. Prodigal rebellious children. Estranged family members. Broken friendships. Infidelity. Betrayal. All lead to divisions, severed connections, sorrow and to a lack of forgiveness. Some wounds run so deep the probability of restoration is very low. They need a miracle. 

Others fell for the lie that sin would make life better. They got caught in a bear trap they cannot free themselves from. They are enslaved to a sin that is slowly killing them. All attempts to free themselves has been in vain. Will power is weakened. Hopelessness overshadows faith leading to despair. They wonder if they will ever be free. They need a miracle. 

People all around us need a miracle. Wait a minute though. That is not everybody. Some people are healthy. They do not need medical treatment. Some people have smooth sailing in life. They do not face any impossible situations. Others have plenty of financial provision. More than they need actually. These same people may enjoy relational harmony in their worlds. On the surface they do not need a miracle. 

That brings me to another group. The group that made me affirm that everyone needs a miracle. Ephesians 2:1 informs us that all of us were dead in trespasses and sins. Dead people can do nothing to help themselves. They are without life. Powerless. All of us were born as sons and daughters of disobedience. The sin nature takes over and we rebel against God. By nature we were children of wrath. We indulged in the desires of the flesh. None of us was right with God. Not a single person. We needed a miracle. 

In steps Jesus who lived perfectly without any sin. He willingly took our punishment for our transgressions by death on the cross. [Rom 5:8-9] It should have been us hanging there. It should have been our death. Perfection died for imperfection. The Master died for the servants. The King took the punishment for His subjects. The Creator got crucified for His creation. All of us needed a miracle. 

Through the substitutionary death of Jesus, He redeemed us. He paid our ransom for sin. He declared us righteous. [II Cor 5:21] He brought us from death to life. [Eph 2:5] By His grace we are saved. [Eph 2:8-9] All of that is a miracle and everybody needs that. We know not everyone will be saved. There is no hope of heaven apart from the miracle of salvation. Many hearts are hardened and will never embrace the death of Jesus on the cross. They too need a miracle. We all need the miracle of salvation. That is why I can confidently say that everybody needs a miracle. 

Alive

 I watch as things come alive, 

Dead things are now revived, 

The flowers in fullest bloom, 

We think of Jesus' empty tomb, 

The crucified suffering Savior, 

Alive for the world to savor, 

The blood stained thorny crown,

The cross could not keep Him down, 

Death powerless with icy grip, 

The dew death on His lip, 

He is risen yes indeed, 

Millions He as now freed, 

Our soon returning King, 

Who deserves our everything. 

Flagrant Harlotry

 We are living in troubling times. The whole world feels like a powder keg ready to explode. You would think Christians would distinguish themselves in this chaotic age. Sometimes it is hard to identify who the Christians are anymore. Hypocrisy abounds in the church. Many have left their first love. [Rev 2:4] How many truly keep the greatest and foremost commandment in [Matt 22:37-39] to love God most and to love other people. Some of the most unloving mean people I have ever met were church people. 

The prophet Hosea received a strong and strange message from God. God instructed Hosea to go marry a harlot. A prostitute. He was to have children of harlotry with her. Why? It was a symbol of what God's people were doing to Him. Because the unfaithfulness of God's people in committing harlotry against God. This is what God said, "For the land commits flagrant harlotry forsaking the LORD." [Hosea 1:2]

I have seen this played out over and over again. Christians forsake worship for the purpose of the idolatry of sports. They bow at the feet of ball like Israel bowed at the BAAL. Students are more addicted to video games than scripture and doing things that have eternal value. They will stay up all night playing Fort Night and sleep through Bible study. Pornography is not just a problem. It is pandemic both in and out of the church for men and women. It is destroying the moral fiber of our families. Ministers are not exempt. Believers talk just as foul as pagans. I have heard it with my own ears as people left the worship service. I don't think they even noticed what they said. I can only imagine what they say when they are not in the house of God. Christians commit adultery including people in the ministry. Sexual predators infiltrate Christian ranks to harm the unsuspecting. People rob God of tithes and offerings. Others go even further and actually embezzle money from the church offerings. Christians get entangled in addiction. Substance abuse happens among church people as well as pagans. I saw a video of woman recently stand before her church family and confess gossip and slander about another Christian lady. At least she had the guts to get up before her church to confess it and ask forgiveness. When is the last time you saw that done?

Flagrant harlotry hangs over the church like the bluebonnet plague hung over the land destroying lives. When is the last time you saw a large group of people on their knees before God in tearful repentance? I am betting it has been awhile. I have not seen it where I serve either. 

People devote themselves to the pursuit of profits, power, position, and pleasure. God gets what is left over and even lukewarmly at that. God wishes His people were burning hot for Him or cold. Not lukewarm. It makes Him sick to His stomach and want to vomit. [Rev 3:14-15] Parishioners pack the pews listening to sermons, but they are hearers and not doers. [James 1:22] Some church members fuss and fight for control destroying their witness. Jesus said the world would know we are His disciples when we loved one another. [John 13:35] 

I know I am in the minority. While many people are figuring out new ways to get a crowd, to soften the message, to become more relevant, and more practical in meeting people's needs, I wonder how many consider how God feels. How many truly please God with our programs and innovative ideas while forsaking holiness. Did the church compromise convictions to get a crowd? Did we water down the word of God? Did we turn a blind eye to sin and sanctification? Has the church rejected the hard truths in favor of the feel good passages? Do we avoid strong calls for repentance for the lost to be saved and for the saved to get right? Do we conveniently ignore blatant hypocrisy if the person is a good giver?

Flagrant hypocrisy flaunts itself among all denominations. Southern Baptist threw many stones at the Catholics before they found themselves in their own sex abuse scandals. The cry of the Old Testament prophet was to repent. Isn't that same cry needed today as much as ever. A prayerful plea to turn from sin and to turn back to God is hard to hear and much harder to live. Both are still needed. 

Have we forsaken our God like Israel did? Have we abandoned Him for other gods who are worthless? Do we give Him up for lesser pursuits? Do we disown Him in favor of fitting in with the rest of the crowd? God help us. We are a defiled and unfaithful bride. How long will God be mocked and we not reap what we have sown? [Gal 6:7-8] May God open our ears and hearts so that we repent before it is too late and we cross the point of no return like Israel did. God help us. 

Cursing God

 His story was not easy to listen to as he unloaded his heart. In a relatively brief period, several tragedies unfolded in this man's life. First, he recounted spending several hours on a lake looking for the body of his sister they presumed drowned after jet skiing. He did not find her, but someone else did. He questioned why God took her. He said, "I openly cursed God out loud and meant it." 

From the tormented look on his face and the anguish in his voice, I could tell he has remorse over that tragedy and his outburst against God, but at the same time He is still angry. Things got worse for him. 

Because of the decomposing of his sister's body she was cremated. They guy said his parents put her ashes in what looked like a wooden treasure chest. They lived in the country and never locked their doors. A burglar came in and stole his sister's ashes thinking there were valuables in the chest. That pain was nearly as deep has losing his sister in the first place. That poured more salt in the wound and further alienated this guy from God. 

He began to drink beer. According to him it was never to get drunk. He just called it a bad habit of drinking about one beer per hour. He never said how many consecutive hours he did that. It was a way to cope with the pain. To numb the sorrow. 

He even confessed to opening his home to a Bible study with his church. He said he cooked food for the group in the kitchen, but drank beer while doing so. He commented that he never talked in the Bible study even though drowning in his own emotional sorrows. He lost hope. Things would get even worse. 

After the theft of their daughter's ashes, this man's mom put a bullet in her head because she lost hope. Though still alive, her son has a bullet in his soul killing him emotionally and spiritually. He goes through life numb. Sleep walking, going through the motions of his job, distant, and also without hope just like his mom. 

As he talked, God gave me scripture after scripture to share to help him navigate his pain. He pushed back on some of those and I listened attentively. My heart hurt for this guy. He was drowning in his pain like his sister drowned in the lake. He would not admit it, but beer was a crutch that helped with the bitterness seemly. Even though he did not get drunk, he most certainly got a buzz that helped to dull the anguish of his broken heart. 

Our conversation lasted for nearly an hour. He was a complete stranger to me before we talked. He professed to being saved. He also professed being ticked off at God and few around his private world knew it. He resents a God who would allow so many tragedies to happen to his family. I have never heard a story like his. 

I am betting he is not the only one who has cursed God. Not the only one walking around engulfed in bitterness toward a God, sullen, angry, filled with accusations of God's wrongdoing. Questions surface. Why does God allow tragedy to happen? Is God punishing for offenses committed against His laws?  If God has all the power to protect and bless, explain the reasons He leaves people unprotected in harm's way and feels more like He curses than blesses at times? Not easy questions to answer. 

I spoke scripture. Repeatedly I kept pointing this guy back to the Bible. I finally settled on one of my all time favorite passages from the book of Psalms. Psalm 27:13-14. This is a passage of hope. A passage of courage to keep getting up and facing hard days. A passage of endurance to wait on and trust in God. Many people need to hang onto the truths in those verses. 

The gentleman I spoke with shocked me when our conversation ended. He walked up to me so I stuck my hand to shake his hand. He brushed right past the hand and came in for a hug. It caught me off guard. He just needed a listening sympathetic ear. He also needed someone to lovingly but firmly speak the truth of God's word with passages like Isaiah 55:8-9. 

God can handle it when people curse Him. It has happened countless times in the past. He knows it comes from broken hearts. Confused minds cloud judgment. God is patient and compassionate. 

It reminded me of a time I cursed God. Without warning things suddenly turned way south in a ministry after years of success. Sitting in my chair in the living room writhing in the anguish of shattered dreams and disillusioned faith, I reached out for my Bible. I did not reach out to find comfort in it. I threw it across the room against the wall and shouted to God, "If this is how you treat those who serve you I will never serve you again and want nothing to do with you." That Bible sat crumpled on the floor for three days as I sat and sulked. One day turned into two and then two into three. On the third day, I could not stand it any longer. I repented and retrieved my Bible. God taught me a valuable lesson. He reminded me that no matter how bad things got He settled His love for me when He died on the cross. I've never doubted His love since that day. 

Neither can you say God does not love you. He forever settled that on the cross. Just read Romans 5:8. For the rest of your days, no matter how bleak things look, God loves you. He proved it. Even when you get angry with Him and curse Him. I am so thankful that God forgave me back then. I am thankful for verses like Psalm 103:12 and I John 1:9 that speak about His forgiveness. I am thankful for passages like Psalm 27:13-14 that have pulled me out of some dark times. Better days came. Tears dried. Hope surfaced. Faith triumphed. I trust He will do the same for you.

Take the Step

 If a person lives a moderately active lifestyle and makes it to 80, that person will walk a little over 216 million steps. We celebrate steps. Families cheer a baby's first steps. We celebrate steps in sporting events. People even keep count of their steps on smart devices. A few years ago the craze was to try and walk 10,000 steps everyday. 

The topic on my mind has nothing to do with any of those steps. I am thinking about the next step of faith God will call you to take. Steps of faith look risky. There are no guarantees. A true step of faith originates with God. There is something He wants to do or wants done. Some purpose He has in mind. He communicates that to His followers. Many times what He communicates will look impossible, outlandish, and irrational. At that point a decision will be made. Choose to believe God and step out in obedience. Doubt and hesitate or withdraw. in disobedience. 

Do we take the step or do we retreat to our comfort zones? Many would counsel to retreat or to wait until the odds are more in your favor. They would advise to calculate the risk/reward ratio and only step out when convinced you have the greatest opportunity to succeed. I think we should listen to God carefully and when we are assured He is calling us to a certain assignment we should take the step of faith. 

Many remain on the edge of what God calls them to do. They get close, but refuse to step out waiting for God to move. He very well may be waiting for us to take the first step before He moves. Take the priests standing on the banks of the Jordan in the book of Joshua. When did God stop the flow of water so they could cross over into the promise land? It was after the priests took the step. They risked getting wet because they believed God called them to go possess the land. When they stepped, the water stopped flowing and the nation was able to cross over. Not before they stepped. The miracle happened after the step of faith.

That initial faith step can be hard. Fears may arise. Failure may flash before our eyes. Our pulse may quicken. A thousand thoughts of why that step may not be a good idea can bounce in our minds. We may not see any possible way to succeed in the assignment. God designed it that way. It forces us to depend on Him. That is the point. He wants us to depend on Him. He wants to display His power. He wants to be glorified when He does impossible things. It all starts with a step. An offering. A phone call. An interview. A move. A change of professions. Stepping into a new ministry. Taking a mission trip. 

I am thinking about a lady named Christi. She was incredibly shy. When we began talking about taking our first mission trip in that church, she mentioned to me one night in passing that she had thought about going. She was reluctant. Her hesitation centered around her shyness. She did not see how God could possibly use her. I counseled her to pray through it and if God wanted her to go to take the step of faith. Her husband encouraged her to go. She said yes. She took the step. 

I wish you could have been there when I witnessed shy little Christi boldly sharing the gospel with a drunk named Walter on the streets. She pointed Walter to Jesus fearlessly. She was not shy in that moment because God was working through her. When she took the step God did the let her down. He empowered her to do what she never thought she would be able to do in a thousand years. After that initial trip, Christi was a fixture on future trips and even took a mission trip to Africa. She became a bold witness on the other side of taking a faith step. 

What is that step for you? I took one this morning. I stepped out toward the Jordan prepared to get my feet wet unless God intervenes. I am sure He will call me to do the same thing numerous more times. Take the step. Trust God with the first step and see what He does next. It might look a little scary, but God can be trusted. Take the step of obedience. It will lead to some exciting God moments. Just take the step. 

Teamwork

One of the great joys I experience each week is teaching P.E. classes. I do a great deal of research to come up with fresh innovative games other schools play. Today we played scoop it up. Let me explain the game. Players need a partner and two jump ropes. They each hold the handles in one hand while their partner holds the other handle. They do this with both ropes. Next, we spread a couple dozen of hula hoops on the floor. The object is for the partners to work together to scoop up the hula hoops in between the ropes without touching the hoop with their hands or with their feet. They had to deliver those hoops in the air to their designated cone. 

It requires a lot of skill, patience, and most importantly teamwork. Watching those elementary kids play certain personality traits began to show. Some were not team players. They tried to do it on their own and repeatedly failed. Some refused to listen to the advice of others. Others encouraged their team and gave helpful tips to be successful. Leaders began to exert their influence on their teammates. Some got frustrated and quit. Others were not as coordinated as the others, but they refused to quit. They kept trying until they were successful. Those were the kids who moved me the most. 

I am not sure who coined the phrase, "Teamwork makes the dreamwork." It is true. It works in family, business, church, and sports. It takes multiple people to accomplish certain tasks. God created us with different talents, abilities, and passions. He uniquely designed us to play a role in building His kingdom. All the parts of the team are important. Some might play a more visible role while others' roles are behind the scenes. All are necessary in a church, on a job, on a sports team and even helping out around the family. 

When people do not play their parts, different institutions suffer. Organizations do not function as efficiently. Other people have to pick up the slack. Sooner or later the organization bogs down. This results in a loss of effectiveness as well as inefficiency. We need one another. 

Jesus chose to leave His bride in the hands of 12 disciples. They in turn started churches and appointed elders in those churches. The Holy Spirit gifted people in those churches with supernatural enablings to do the work of ministry. When the church is healthy and each team member is playing their role, it is a beautiful thing to behold. I hope you are playing your part as I do the same where I am planted. 

Admittedly, sometimes working with people is hard. It would be easier to do it by yourself than to recruit and train others. God did not design us to work as Lone Rangers. Even he had Tonto. This means we must develop other workers, other team players, and learn to work together. This pleases God. This is the will of God. This is how dreams get accomplished. 

The Backbone of Faith

 Does your faith have backbone? Do you really trust God when the chips are down? When all hell is raging around you with demons screaming in your ears to doubt and give up on God, do you still believe anyway? When the odds are stacked against you, when the improbabilities and impossibilities cast menacing shadows, do you still pray for God to move your mountain?

I have discovered in my own life the ebb and flow of faith. Some days faith is strong and I believe God to do anything. On other days, my faith is weak and I can barely muster any prayer much less mountain moving prayer. Faith is not stagnant. It is growing or it atrophying. 

Faith grows when it is exercised, stretched, and forced into action. Faith atrophies when it is kept in our heads but not engaged in reality. I think many people have an intellectual faith but not an experiential faith. If you want faith with backbone, then you will have to believe God in some trying circumstances. Faith is forged in the fires of trials. 

If you read Hebrews 11, you will identify the trials behind those listed in that chapter. They did get put in that famous chapter because they coasted down easy street. They were put there to inspire us to have backbone faith in our circumstances. Each faced trials. Each stood up courageously and believed God for impossible things. 

We may read the Bible. Do we believe it? Do we live it? Do we pray it?

Take Mark 11:22-24. We love that passage about mountain moving prayer. We are exhorted in that verse to do several things. These are action steps we have to take on our part before God does His part. 

1. Have faith in God. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen according to Hebrews 11:1. It means you become convinced that God will come through. You believe. You trust. If we do not have faith we are not praying. We are wishing. Having faith fuels praying effectively. 
2. Speak to your mountain. Twice in this passage we are exhorted to say to our mountain. I am not sure many of us speak to our mountain. Especially speaking publicly about the things we are trusting God to do. A few months ago I walked outside our facilities to do a prayer walk. There were multiple things I prayed about. I actually spoke out loud to several of my mountains. I know that sounds strange. It is right in the text. Speaking out loud is part of believing. 
3. Does not doubt. You could substitute the words unbelief and faithless here as well. Just this morning I was convicted about going through the motions of prayer, but letting doubts filter into most of them. At the moment we entertain doubt it is sin. It is the sin of unbelief. It is our lack of faith and fear triumphing over what we believe about God's faithfulness. In essence, we communicate with our doubts that God is not worthy of our trust. 
4. Believes. Believe and faith are the same things. We all know that we have offered prayers we really did not believe that God was going to answer. Prayers for healing. Prayers for provision. Prayers for multiple things. What is the point of praying if we do not believe that God can. Wait a moment. Believing is more than believing that God can. True belief is believing that God will. It may not happen in our timing, but if we believe God is able and desires to answer our prayers, we are assured the answer will come in God's time. Now, if we are believing for things that God does not will for us, He is not obligated to answer. If we believe I Jn 5:14-15, we can pray with real confidence, true belief that God will answer. 

When we take these action steps, God is faithful to do His part. He will grant what we ask, if it is in accordance with His will. God will answer and we will receive. God will do His part. He is not unfaithful. His very nature is faithful. So if we are not receiving answers to many or most of our prayers, we cannot blame God. He is no less powerful than He has ever been. He not less willing to come to our aid. We must ask ourselves if we truly have faith and belief, do we speak to our mountains, and do we doubt? I am confident if we do our part, God will ALWAYS do His part. 

The Devastating Effects of Sin

 The devastating effects of sin are everywhere. You can see it in individuals, families, churches, communities, and around the country. Sin is no respecter of persons. Everyone struggles with sin. It is a curse. It destroys lives. Sin can take root in a person creating a stronghold that becomes very difficult to overcome. 

Our concern should be how to overcome sin in our lives and families. Temptation abounds. I talked to a man earlier today who told me that scantily clad women are all over social media causing men to lust and stumble. There was a time when you had to go intentionally looking for such. Now it is everywhere. Men must guard what they view. They may not be able to help catching a glimpse of a beautiful woman dressed provocatively. They can control whether they gawk or look away. They can rebuke lustful thoughts that creep into the mind. 

Gossips can submit to the Spirit of God in self control about what they talk about. They can hold secrets shared by other people in the strictest confidence. They can be so submitted to God and His word that they use their tongues for good and not evil. The same with telling lies, slander, or talking profanely. The tongue is a restless evil. God has the power to tame the tongue. To give us gentle answers instead of harsh ones that stir up anger. 

People do not have to give into the temptation of substance abuse. With God's help they can resist the temptation and choose the way of escape God provides for them according to [I Cor 10:13]. Galatians exhorts people to walk by the Spirit and not carry out the desires of the flesh. [Gal 5:17] We can resist the devil and he must flee. [James 4:7]

The devil is a liar. He deceives, tempts, entices and entraps. He tantalizes us with temptations. He never tells us the devastating consequences of sin afterward. How sin will destroy us. How sin will take us further than we ever wanted to go and cost us more than we ever wanted to pay. 

Yesterday, one of the most devout people we have met at the detox center relapsed and returned. His story is an all too familiar one. He got out and was doing well for over a month. Then one day he saw a bottle of pills. Instead of praying for the power to resist he gave into temptation. It nearly cost him his life. He had to be revived. One yes to a temporary high nearly became fatal. 

I watched as a new client was being walked into the detox center yesterday. She was so strung out she did not know where she was. She had to be helped to walk. It was her lifeless eyes that gripped me. Her eyes had not hope in them. No signs of joyous vibrancy. She will have a long road of recovery. Maybe she will meet Jesus there and find His abundant life [Jn 10:10] that no drug can ever give her. 

One flirt can lead to a fling. The fling can lead to adultery. Adultery can lead to murder, divorce, loss of home, friends, and reputation. In the heat of the moment, the devil never tells the full story. He only gets people to fixate on the temporary pleasure of giving in. Resisting is harder than relenting. Standing firm is harder than giving in. Saying no to temptation is much more difficult than yes to gratify the flesh. 

I am not sure how seriously the church takes sin these days. It is more than a weakness. It much deeper than a character flaw. Sin is rebellion against God. It is offensive to His holiness. He calls us to holiness like Him. [I Pet 1:15-16] 

Are we serious about resisting sin? I mean dead earnest serious. Are we tired of what it does to people we love, what it does in our own lives, and what sin has done to this nation? When we get serious about it, repent, turn from our wicked ways, pray for God's help, seek God's face, He could come sweep across this world as He has done multiple times in the past. [II Chronograph 7:14] History records the after effects of people turning from sin back to God. We need that again, but I wonder if we really want it. I question whether down deep we really want God or if we crave our sin more. Choosing sin will bring about devastation in our lives and those around us. I hope we will choose God. 

People Need the Lord

 The lostness of people overwhelmed me today. I could see it in their eyes. Hear it in their speech. See it in their circumstances. Hopelessness abounds. Despair is evident. Lost people blindly trying to find their way out of destructive lifestyles. Professional people looking down their pious noses. Sullen defiant people resisting authority. People trapped in a cyclical cyclone of life. One bad decision on top of another. Helpless and hopeless. 

The weight of the lostness hit me hard today. I saw so called professional people dressed sleazily and proactively. Shallow minded people caught up in the temporary while ignoring matters of eternity. Professional people dropping F bombs out in the public sector like it did not matter. 

People need the Lord. They may not admit it. They may not even want Him. They still need the Lord. The weight of lostness settled on me today heavily like a ton of bricks. I thought to myself, "What difference am I really making? There are so many. So few embrace Jesus." It is true that the road is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction and narrow is the way that leads to eternal life and few find it. [Matt 7:13-14] Translation: there are many more lost people walking this planet than those whom Jesus has saved. 

Does the church even care? We say we do. We proclaim Jesus is the only way to salvation based on [Jn 14:6] and His proclamation that He is the way, truth, and the life and no one gets to the Father except through Him. Followers of Jesus say there is no other way for a person to be saved except through the gift of God's grace and certainly not through good works so that nobody can boast. [Eph 2:8-9] Yet, the lips of the worshipers remain tightly shut about the good news of Jesus to a world of sinners who need to make a change. Very few go and tell. Many in the church have adopted come and hear attitude. 

Only those who need Jesus the most often do not come to the church. They have no interest in our gimmicks, programs, and outreach activities. I don't think the majority of people in the church really care that people are one heartbeat away from hell. If actions speak louder than words, the actions of the majority of people in the church reinforce what I said earlier. Most people in the church do not care about the lostness of those around them. 

I witnessed to a waitress recently who when asked how her day was going said, "I wish I had a sixty ounce beer." When I told her about the love of Jesus and His death on the cross so she could forgiven, she changed her tune and talked about a very popular metroplex church she attends because she finds it motivational. She never indicated her having met Jesus as Savior. 

I can tell you about Mary Ann who spent years strung out on meth and was homeless. She sat in tears when we explained the gospel to her at our drug rehab ministry called One Way. She trusted Jesus and was set free. She has remained in contact with me. When I received her last letter, she had not relapsed though tempted to do so all day every day. Jesus is making a difference for her. 

I can tell you about a suicidal young man who hated the church because of judgmental people. He met some Christians and experienced love. Eventually he began to attend worship and Bible studies from time to time. One night after a study, he stayed behind and talked about some of his problems. We shared the gospel of Jesus with him. He got saved that night and recently testified that he has been off his depression medications for a month now. 

I can tell you about a troubled teenager who was convicted in Bible study recently and asked Jesus to save her. She will be baptized on Resurrection Sunday. 

I can also tell you about a mother of three who met Jesus as Savior months ago. She told me recently when she goes to work she often quotes, "Not today Satan!" She is light among people living in darkness. 

There is also the young boy I met in my office who told me he asked Jesus to save him this past week because of his sins. We talked for several minutes with his dad. This young man knew of his sin and His need for Jesus to forgive him. He is another one heaven rejoiced over recently. [Luke 15:7] 

You may not hear all the stories, but Jesus does transform lives. He still forgives sinners. He still rescues people from the snatches of Satan. He still brings people into His marvelous light out of darkness. He has compassion for those scattered, harassed, and helpless sheep. [Matt 9:36] 

There is still more work to be done. More good news to share. More love to give. More compassion to show. More prayers to pray. More souls to win all because people need the Lord. 

Abandoned

 Are we living abandoned? That was the subject of an Oswald Chambers' devotion I read this morning. Before we can answer that question we might need to define the word abandoned. It means to be uninhibited, reckless, unrestrained, and unbridled. Do those things define the way we live for God? Totally abandoned. Refusing to be inhibited by the religious rules and fears of others. Rejecting safety, security, and comfort in favor of running toward risk recklessly when God calls us to do so. Do we live unrestrained by the religious apathy suffocating the life out of the church? Do we live unbridled following hard after God in a dead sprint? 

God wants us to live abandoned to Him. Not holding back. It is the way Jesus called His disciples to live when He told them to deny themselves, take up their crosses and to follow Him. [Matt 16:24] It is the way Paul lived when he said he did not count his life dear to himself but he wanted to finish his course of the ministry God called him to do testifying about Jesus. [Acts 20:24]. 

Living abandoned means willingly following Jesus anywhere to do anything at anytime. Some might say that is an unrealistic way to live. Others might say it is reckless. A few might even call it foolish. I call it biblical. Just go ahead and read your Bible. Read [Gen 12:1] [Ex 3:1-12] [Ex 14:1-16] [I Samuel 17:1-50] [II Sam 23:8-11] [I Kings 18:20-40] [Is 6:8] [Matt 16:24] [Matt 28:19-20]  [Mark 1:17] [Mark 16:15]  [Luke 9:23] [Acts 16:9-10]. Don't just sick over those verses. I challenge you to stop reading this and open your Bible to read each of those passages. That looks like abandoned living to me. It appears reckless. Uninhibited. Unrestrained. 

That is supposed to be normal Christianity. Not this watered down, play it safe, never risk, disobeying steps of faith, and refusal to lay our lives down in sweet surrender to the Savior who redeemed us. 

I see abandonment to God splashed all over the pages of the Bible. Sadly, I do not see it often enough in my own life or among Jesus followers. We make our excuses. We use our families. We point to fiscal responsibility to provide for our families, we plant deep roots geographically refusing to be available and to live yielded to God's leadership. None of them hold water. We cannot justify living for Jesus any other way but abandoned.

To live abandoned will cost us. It might cost us financially. It might cost us living in close proximity to our families. It might cost us our reputations. For a select few, living abandoned may even cost our lives. Is the risk of living abandoned worth the reward? YES AND A THOUSAND TIMES YES! One moment with Jesus in eternity will make any suffering, any sacrifice, any service pale in comparison to what awaits us on the other side. ETERNAL LIFE. LIFE EVERLASTING. That is why Paul could write, "For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain." [Phil 1:21] If we live, we do so for Jesus abandoned to Him and His will. If we die, we benefit for all of eternity. 

Living abandoned personally means my life is not my own. Jesus bought me with a price and I am His. He can do with me whatever He pleases. He can let me serve Him all my days in obscurity and die with hardly anyone noticing. He can call me to give any sacrifice financially or possession. He can lead me to uproot and give a  new assignments anytime He chooses. I do not get to call the shots. I do not get the luxury of playing it safe until retirement. I do not have a say. My life is His. Sweetly surrendered. Abandoned. Though none go with me I still will follow. The world behind me and the cross before me. No turning back. No turning back.  

Stand Firm

 Sin is destroying families, the church, and this nation. Sin runs rampant in the streets and underneath the steeples. Velvet mouthed preachers refuse to preach against it. Lukewarm pew sitters refuse to listen to hard truth preferring to have their ears tickled. 

One by one Satan takes aim on his targets and takes another one down. Preachers, youth ministers, worship pastors, principals, coaches, teachers, business people, housewives, doctors, and the list could go on are all vulnerable. All easily susceptible to temptation. 

In the Southern Baptist Convention alone a list of over 700 sex offenders was kept secret by top convention leadership. Many on the list were still serving in ministry positions. The scandal scathed the convention who had thrown many stones at priests in the Catholic church. He who is without sin throw the first stone. [Jn 8:7]

We are producing lukewarm, hypocritical, weak, and failing people in the church. Many have fallen to sin and brought shame on Jesus and His bride. The effects of sin are devastating. Sin does not just affect the sinner. It impacts a far broader scope than just the offender. 

What does the church do? Shames. Scorns. Judges. Ostracizes. I wonder what all the rock chunkers are hiding in their own personal lives. We are willing to scrutinize sin in others while turning a blind eye to our own sin. As long as we shine the spotlight on others sins we can divert attention from our own transgressions. 

I take sin seriously. I have seen several of my heroes fall. Beloved pastors and authors. Chrisitan musical artists. Worship leaders. Youth pastors. Deacons. Sins like drug addiction, sexual abuse, fraud, greed, and adultery are far too common. We are desensitized to it. It happens so frequently that we barely even take notice anymore. 

Not me. I see it. I grieve over it. Sometimes I get nauseated over sins in my own life as well as the lives of others. After three decades as a pastor nothing surprises me anymore. I know anyone is capable of sinning and shaming Jesus and His church. I know far more than I ever wanted to know over the years. There are many secrets I will take to my grave. Confessions of sin that were gut wrenching to hear from repentant people. 

It is time to take sin seriously. Truthfully it is past time. It is time to take a stand. To stand firm against the constant assault on children, teens, and adults. How? Many will justify that our churches are doing enough. Sermons are preached. Bible studies are offered. I am telling you it is not enough. If it were, we would not see so many fall. We need to do more to stand firm. 

I often hear a word thrown around casually in church circles. It is the word accountability. Who really holds you accountable to live right? Parents. Siblings. Friends. Church members. 

I got a call from a 72 year old friend I had not talked to in years this week. He is everything that I am not. He has a doctorate. He has served in large churches, is well connected, is a great leader, and diplomatic. The fact that our paths crossed two decades ago is amazing. We both had a common friend. That friend initiated the three of us meet weekly for an accountability group. Trust had to be earned. Overtime no sin was off limits. We asked each other hard questions week after week. We wept together. Prayed together. Consoled and counseled one another. We also confessed sins to one another. I knew weekly that on Wednesday mornings I would meet with these two friends, and they would stare me in the eye and ask me if I had lustful thoughts, if I had put myself in a compromising situation with another woman, if I had sinned in other ways like not being diligent in my devotions, and if I had lied about my answers to those questions. Sometimes those meetings got heated. Sometimes we came with our pity parties. That was not tolerated very often. I still remember a day when one of us was whining and another said emphatically, "In light of the cross so what? Compared to what Jesus suffered so what about what you are suffering?" That was a sobering moment. 

In time each of us moved to different ministries. One lives in Richardson, TX. Another lives in Hammond, LA. I am in Weatherford. I have not experienced anything like that since 2009. I need it. I crave that closeness with people you can bare your soul to without fear of condemnation.  I still talk to others on the phone, but it is not the same as sitting in the same room with them. I need people who will tell me the hard things that I don't always want to hear. I think we all do. 

That is one practical way for the church to stand firm. To truly connect with other people who really know you. In many churches we do not know one another. We do not know the condition of other people's souls. We know about people. On rare occasions do we really know people. Who makes sure you are standing firm in resisting sin? I know God does. Who else? Who do you really let inside your protective wall to keep up your image? Who can you really talk to about your struggle with sin? Pride goes before a fall and a haughty spirit before destruction. Take heed lest you fall. God is opposed to the proud. 

Because so many refuse to be held accountable, I am convinced the church does not take sin that seriously. I can show you verses in the Bible very few people practice. There is a reason. We want to keep up the charade. Pretend we are better than we really are. While we do this, another one falls. 

James 5:16 (NASB)
¹⁶  Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

 Ephesians 6:13 (NASB)

¹³  Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 

Holy Spirit Led

 We say we believe in a triune God. The Father. The Son. The Holy Spirit. The Father gets a lot of attention. So does Jesus the Son. The Holy Spirit is often ignored and disobeyed. Many people are unfamiliar with the Holy Spirit. They have not been taught about Him. 

Jesus speaks about the Holy Spirit in great detail in John 14 and John 16. The Holy Spirit is characterized as the Helper, the Spirit of truth, convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He guides in truth. 

The question before us today is if we are led by the Holy Spirit in our day to day lives? In the book of Acts, we read multiple narratives about the Holy Spirit leading, speaking, forbidding, and leading people to salvation. He was active in the affairs of the early church. People were empowered by the Holy Spirit to witness, pray, praise in difficulties, and even to suffer. The early church was alive with the activity of God through the Spirit. The religious people hated the miraculous results those early believers experienced. 

Is it any different today? The deceased evangelist Vance Havner used to say, "People showed up for worship at 11:00 sharp and leave at 12:00 dull. Religious activities fill up many worship gatherings. There are the usual songs, prayers, offerings, and talks. Does the Holy Spirit breathe life into these activities? Are leaders of worship gatherings open to the Holy Spirit's leadership. What about the people in the pews? Do we live with a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit's promptings?

I firmly believe the Holy Spirit is often grieved and quenched in worship from week to week. People prefer to go through the motions of dull religions rituals than to open themselves to the free moving of the Holy Spirit. They refuse to relinquish control over their programs. The power of God is seldom on display in such services. People are fine with such gatherings. 

It is not much different in our personal lives. People trudge through their days without the adventure of the Holy Spirit working in and through them. Boring days stack on top of one another. Few people notice the absence of the Holy Spirt working. It seems to so seldom happen for us that we get used to it. We quit expecting Holy Ghost moves such as awakenings. We settle for second best. We are satisfied with less than God's best. 

We are missing out on so much when we are not led by the Holy Spirit. We miss out on the miraculous moves of God in our personal lives as well as in our churches. If we all surrendered ourselves to the Holy Spirit moving, we would come alive, life would see God move. Walk in the Spirit and surre

Where Do You Draw the Line

 Sin is ugly business. Over the past 30 years of pastoral ministry, I have dealt with sin in my personal life as well as the lives of many church members. Sin destroys. There is no sugar coating the devastating effects of sin on families, churches, and society. Here is the sobering truth. We are all guilty. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. [Rom 3:23]

The question is not if people sin. They do. All of us do. We are all guilty. No matter how religious we may try to appear before others, no matter how pious we may act, no matter how we may fool everyone around us, each of us is plagued with the same human condition. We were born sinners. Our sin nature opposes the work of Jesus in us. Sinners sin. Even born again Christians sin. None of us is perfect. There is no room for any of us boast before God. All of us have been saved by grace. [Eph 2:8-9] Therefore, our only boasting is in the love, grace, and forgiveness of God. 

Where do you draw the line of grace? How much sin before you say too much? The drunk driver who crashes a car into an unsuspecting family killing others is a horrible crime as well as a sin. What if that driver truly repents and turns to Jesus for salvation? Does your theology of grace extend that far? What about for a murderer? If that person acknowledges the error of his or her way in repentance and cries out for salvation, can that person expect to receive gracious pardon from the Lord? Where do you draw the line of grace? What about the adulterer? The person who breaks his or her marital covenant is guilty before God. If this person repents, can they experience the gracious salvation and forgiveness of God? Does your theology of grace extend that far? Where do you draw the line?

Let me be the first to say that God can graciously forgive people for heinous sins. That does not mean that there are not consequences for those sins. The drunk driver who kills someone will face the judicial system as well as the murderer. The adulterer may lose his or her family over sexual indiscretions. 

We may say we believe in salvation by grace, but do we think some sins go too far? Do we harbor the dark secret that we do not believe some people deserve salvation or a clean start. 

King David is a much beloved Bible character. He was an adulterer and a murderer. Psalm 51 is his brokenhearted confession of sin. Only those who have been broken before the Lord over their sin can truly relate to David's heart. 

Psalm 51:1-19 (NASB)
¹

 Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.
²  Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity And cleanse me from my sin.
³  For I know my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me.
⁴  Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge.
⁵  Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.
⁶  Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.
⁷  Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
⁸  Make me to hear joy and gladness, Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.
⁹  Hide Your face from my sins And blot out all my iniquities.
¹⁰  Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹  Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
¹²  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit.
¹³  Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You.
¹⁴  Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation; Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.
¹⁵  O Lord, open my lips, That my mouth may declare Your praise.
¹⁶  For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering.
¹⁷  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
¹⁸  By Your favor do good to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem.
¹⁹  Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, In burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar.

One of the last things communicated by God about David was that David was a man after God's own heart. God restored David. David repented and God lavished him with grace. That did not mean that David did not suffer the consequences of his grievous sin. Those consequences dogged David for the rest of his life. 

Do people deserve God's forgiveness? Do any of us? NO! It is easy to condemn other sinners while wanting to excuse our transgressions. It is easy to narrow our gaze at other's failures while turning a blind eye to our own offenses against God. None of us deserves forgiveness. None of us can stand before God and boast in our flawless character. 

Abraham was a liar. Moses was a murderer. David was both a murderer and adulterer. Jonah rebelled against God's commands. Peter denied knowing Jesus. The other disciples were cowards. Paul was a terrorist murderer. God forgave each of them and restored them to His purposes. Do we extend the same grace and forgiveness to ourselves and others. Sometimes the hardest person to forgive is ourselves. At other times we find it impossible to forgive those who have wronged us. 

That is why I ask the question, where do we draw the line? At what point do we refuse to forgive or even believe in a God who can forgive others for heinous sins. We qualify certain sins as bigger and more unforgiveable that other sins. The only unforgiveable sin listed in the Bible is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Anything other than that is forgivable. 

Admittedly that is hard to digest sometimes. We want justice and rightly so for people who harm others. Justice may be carried out on earth, while grace may be extended in the courts of heaven. The Bible has much to say about forgiveness. 

Psalm 103:1-3 (NASB)
¹ Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holname.

²  Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits;
³  Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases;

Psalm 103:11-12 (NASB)
¹¹  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.
¹²  As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Ephesians 1:6-8 (NASB)
⁶  to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
⁷  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
⁸  which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight

 1 John 1:8-9 (NASB)

⁸  If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

⁹  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

These are just a sampling.  There is so much more. Do we draw the lines of forgiveness and grace at the same places where God draws the lines? In our hurt when people sin against us, we want vengeance. We harbor bitterness. I know because I have been there many times. In those times some verses haunted me. I hated them. I tried in every way to justify my attitude and actions against those verses. In the end, I chose to ignore them. Until God brought me face to face with them and my sin. At that point He graciously brought me to repentance. 

Matthew 18:21-22 (NASB)
²¹  Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"
²²  Jesus *said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

1 John 4:20-21 (NASB)
²⁰  If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.
²¹  And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.

I hated members in my own family for wrongs committed against me. Sexual abuse, theft, physical abuse, deceit, and other things done to me in my childhood that I could not get past. I tripped over my unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, and vengeance. When I read those passages after I got saved, I disliked them and tried to ignore them. Eventually God's conviction won. I had to extend grace to those who did not deserve it. I had to forgive people who were wrong. Uncles, cousins, siblings, parents, and even grandparents. I had to learn that God draws the lines of grace much differently than I do. I am thankful His grace has extended to cover my sins. I am thankful His grace extends far enough to cover you too.  Where do we draw the line of grace?

Starving for the Word

 I talked with a retired pastor friend of mine at great length yesterday. It did not take long before he brought up one of his favorite subjects. Preachers not preaching the whole word of God. We both have noticed over the years how preaching in many churches has changed. Pop psychology messages have replaced preaching the word of God. As one pastor put it, "Preaching is group therapy at our church." My friend then said, "People are starving for the word of God. Starving." 

How can this be? Multiple churches abound. We have more access to the Bible than we ever have with multiple translations not only available with hard copies, but also in the palm of our hand on cell phones and tablets. It is broadcast over the airways. How can people be starving for God's word in the United States. 

The prophet Amos prophesied of such a day. 

Amos 8:11-12 (NASB)
¹¹  "Behold, days are coming," declares the Lord GOD, "When I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, But rather for hearing the words of the LORD.
¹²  "People will stagger from sea to sea And from the north even to the east; They will go to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, But they will not find it.

We are living in such a day. Preachers proclaim the love of God without also preaching the judgment of God. Doctrine is cast aside in favor of practical self help messages. Feel good sermons abound while sermons on themes like repentance and holiness of living are neglected. Salvation messages are soft pedaled with the plea that Jesus will enhance your life. There is no call to come to Jesus and die to self in favor of living the crucified life. 

This past Sunday I preached a hard hitting message about spiritual warfare. A senior adult man met me at the door afterward. He has been visiting with us for some weeks. He stated, "I have visited churches all over Parker County and have not heard a hard message like that in any of them." He further explained how much he wanted to hear all of God's word even the hard parts. His comment saddened me. It did not surprise me. 

These are the times we are living in today. People starving to be fed the whole counsel of truth and yet only getting a portion of it. It is like only eating dessert at every meal and not getting meat and vegetables also. There is a famine in the land. 

The first time I read Amos' prophesy was in college in a Chuck Swindoll book. He taught about the age of great preaching of the past with Charles Spurgeon, Joseph Parker, Jonathan Edwards, A.W. Tozer, and Alexander McClaren just to name a few. People lined up to hear those men expound the Bible. They wanted the meat of the word. Those congregations did not and would not stand for fluff. 

In many churches that has changed today. Preachers bought into seeker sensitive, purpose driven, seeker friendly, and away from expository preaching. We are producing impotent church members who do not follow the Lord fully. Shame on us preachers. Shame on every one of us if we do not preach all the Bible. Shame on us if we preach to tickle the ears and not to change lives. Shame on us if we shy away from certain texts because they might offend. Shame on us and God help us when we stand at the judgment seat of Christ. We will occur a stricter judgment than others. 

In this crazy world, people are starving for truth. The whole worship experiences these days are centered around the music when centuries ago it was centered around the word of God.  People are moved emotionally by music, but they are not often challenged to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Jesus. Not in every church. Thank God this kind of challenge still happens in some. I hope it happens where you gather. If not, shame on you for settling for less than all of God's word. Quit settling for milk when the meat of the word of God is what you need. 

God Hates This

 We here so much about God's love these days and rightly so. We just do not always hear about those things He hates. Just as much as God is loving, gracious, compassionate and forgiving, He is also just, righteous, holy, and a God capable of hate. 

You do not have to look much further than Proverbs 6 to find a list of things God hates. 

Proverbs 6:16-19 (NASB)
¹⁶  There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
¹⁷  Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood,
¹⁸  A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil,
¹⁹  A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers.

The word hates means to detest and to turn against. These are things God opposes. 

The first is haughty eyes. I think this refers to prideful people. Pride is an ugly sin. So ugly God says He opposes the proud in [James 4:6]. Proud people exalt themselves. They think they are sufficient in and of themselves with no need for help from God or anyone else. They are independent. Above the laws of God.  God opposes all of that. He gives grace to the humble. 

God also hates a lying tongue. This means to deceive and talk slanderously. When the truth is not spoken, or the truth is embellished. It happens quite frequently in Christian circles. We are told not to be truth tellers all throughout the scripture. God required the lives of Annanias and his wife for telling a lie in Acts 5. Jesus followers should be known for speaking the truth and not deceiving people. 

A few years ago Brenda and I sold our home. We had major foundation problems. We disclosed this truth up front instead of trying to hide it like happened to us when we bought the home in the first place. It meant taking a huge hit on the sales price. We had to tell the truth. 

God also hates murder. People who take another person's life for no apparent reason. A drive by shooting. Mass shootings at schools, malls, and churches. These scenes are all too familiar to us. We see them often in the headlines. 

There is another kind of murder. The murder that comes from abortion. I have been sickened to my stomach watching a certain political ad where the politician states supporting abortion while in the same ad showing his two sons and promoting family. On one hand he is advocating for the murder of innocent children in the womb while also wanting to appear that he values life. Freedom of choice is just an excuse to kill. It is still murder. 

God hates hearts that devise wicked plans. I cannot help but think about people like Bill Gates, George Soros, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Klaus Swab. Even the Pope. Wicked men devising wicked plans to destroy people. Hitler did the same. So did Stalin. These people sit around devising evil agendas to control, manipulate, and perpetrate wickedness over the masses. They will be held accountable in eternity. 

Likewise, God detests feet that run rapidly to evil. People who prefer to flock to sin rather than holiness. They prefer depraved and defiled lifestyles than purity and holiness. Such people run to drugs. Drugs are destroying this country. I spend my Sunday afternoons in a detox center teaching the Bible. The clients there are not always down and outers, low lives, and gutter dwellers. There are respectable people, well dressed, well educated, and we groomed who are caught in the vice of addiction too. Drugs destroy families. It weakens the workforce. It is prevalent in the church pews on Sunday mornings. It happens among the rich as well as the poor. 

In addition, there is the rapid run toward sexual addictions. Pornography. Immorality. Fornication. Adultery. Sex sales and people know how to market it. Pornography is as available as a cell phone. Anyone can find it and many do. One look, one glance, one tap or click and Satan has them. Then it becomes a life living in the shadows. A life of unbridled lust. None of this pleases God. 

God also hates a false witness. To put that another way is to give a deceptive report or testimony. This happens all the time when people repeat and spread gossip. Self righteous hypocrites can do this just as well as pagans can. They do not always corroborate the facts. They repeat what they hear even if what they hear is exaggerated and or filled with half truths. 

The last thing God includes on this list of things He hates is to spread strife among brothers. I have seen it among Christian people more than I have seen among unbelievers. People like to build camps of people who side with them. They divide and conquer. They work the phones, social media, and any and every angle to get people to side with them. Division occurs. Relationships are broken. Reconciliation is forsaken. Biblical principles in [Matthew 18: 15-17] are neglected conveniently. Those who stir up strife have an agenda. It does not matter how much harm and destruction they leave in their wake. They are self centered. They are not peacemakers. They are certainly not grace people. They are the ones who split churches. They are bitter, unforgiving, resentful, people hell bent on getting their way. God detests such actions. 

We celebrate the love of God. Do we also celebrate the hatred of God? Both are biblical. May we not be counted among those engaging in actions God hates. If we are guilty, repentance is in order. God can and will forgive according to [I Jn 1:9].