Surprised by the Voice of Jesus

 It was an early morning. I was in my office by 3:15 a.m. I couldn't sleep so I decided to get up and try to be productive. I started my time with the Lord by reading [Heb 1:1-2]. I was especially struck by the phrase, In these last days (God) has spoken to us in His Son... [Heb 1:2] Verse one refers to God speaking in older times through prophets. He speaks through His Son in latter days. 

I cracked open my journal and asked Jesus to speak to me today. Did He ever. From that prayer I opened a devotion book titled When Faith is Forbidden. It a devotion put out by Voice of the Martyrs. The verse for today was [Is 6:8]. A verse I have memorized, highlighted, preached, and prayed over numerous times. I prayed over it again making myself available to be sent on mission for God. 

I next opened a devotion book written by several pastors from years gone by. I read one from a pastor written in the mid 1800s. I was pretty surprised when I noticed the scripture for the reading was [Is 6:8] God is asking who He can send. Isaiah responds with the famous response, "Here I am, send me." I could not believe in the span of just a few minutes Jesus spoke the same thing to me He spoke earlier. One more time I prayed making myself available to God and making sure I got the message loud and clear. 

After all of that I took out a book I've had for several years but never read. Two days ago, I felt impressed to find that book in my library and read it even though I am currently reading a biography on the life of W.A. Criswell. The book I felt impressed to read is titled J. Hudon Taylor God's Man in China. The book was written by Hudson Taylor's son Howard Taylor. Hudson Taylor felt a call to go to China when he was a young man and eventually took the gospel of Jesus to the interior of China which no missionary had ever done before. Other missionaries focused on ministry along the coastlands. 

I read about Taylor's conversion and desire to obey God. On the fourth page I couldn't believe my eyes when for the third time this morning in three different books I read [Is 6:8]. When God speaks it is important to listen. When Jesus repeats Himself three different times in such a brief span, I admit I was surprised by the voice of Jesus. I couldn't miss the message. 

Why should I be surprised? I had just asked Him to speak to me earlier that morning from [Heb 1:2]. He did what I asked. He did so in dramatic fashion so I could not miss or misunderstand what He communicated. To be blunt I was blown away. I have sensed God speaking to me on many occasions over the past several decades. I cannot recall a time when He did so as emphatically as He did this morning. Three different times through three different books but the same scripture. [Is 6:8] Then I heard the voice of the LORD say, "Who can I send? Who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I, send me." NASU 1995

I don't know what mission God is going to send me to do. I only know that I am supposed to be available. So along with Isaiah's response I replied to Jesus this morning, "Here I am, send me." 

Fueled Forward

 This morning I prayed something I do not ever recall praying previously. I prayed, "I turn to Your word. That is the only place I get words of life. Words that fuel me forward. Please speak for I am listening." 

It is the daily time with God in His word that fuels my energy, fuels faith to overcome trials, fuels perseverance not to give up during trials, and fuels hope that God is faithful working all things for my good. I need that fresh supply of fuel that comes from the scriptures. 

He fuels me to keep pressing ahead. He fuels me to keep praying, to keep laboring, and to keep believing for God's supernatural intervention in my circumstances. It is needed. We were hit with an unexpected trial that threw us for a loop today. We were surprised but God wasn't. He knew and knows. He is more than capable to fuel what is needed to press forward to pass this test. 

God is fueling people forward to just get through this Thanksgiving on the heals of death in the family and people still in the grip of grief. He is helping them moment by moment as others gather with joy and they remember. Memories abound of the one they loved who is forever gone never to sit at a Thanksgiving feast again. That is tough to wrap your heart and mind around. 

God fuels students forward to get through finals at the end of the semester. He fuels shift workers to get through their work schedules when their body is fatigued. He fuels people in their recovery from surgeries and diseases like cancer. He fuels people with faith when they get laid off like the lady we learned of today. In every season of life God's word has fuel to propel us forward. 

I am thankful for the feast coming. Not the traditional Thanksgiving meal enjoyed by millions tomorrow. I am thankful for the bountiful feast of His word that keeps nourishing me for the road ahead. It is a never ending source An inexhaustible supply of fuel for saints all over the world. May we enjoy it and the benefits we receive from it. 

Estranged

 We live in a world where relationships can be fractured. This might happen in a family, among friends, and even people of the faith in churches. When you are estranged, you are no longer close in relationship with another person. You are alienated from them. 

While that is certainly true in our earthly relationships, it is much truer in our relationship with God. Each of us started out estranged. Born in sin with a sin nature. It did not take long for each of us to give into our carnal nature which is hostile to God and wants to sin. Even as young children it did not take long before we exhibited our self-will and defiance against parental authority. That only increased as we aged. We were estranged from God. 

We needed help to get things right. We needed reconciliation. Someone to help mediate and to make amends for our trespasses. Enter Jesus onto center stage. By His death on the cross, [Heb 12:2-3] He forever claimed the right to commend us to the Father not based on our track record but on His. [Rom 5:8-9] His death on the cross forever satisfied the holiness of God. Jesus substituted in our place taking our punishment. He did this for estranged people of every generation, race, and nationality. 

I came to Jesus with nothing but a sinful past and meager faith to believe He loved me enough to forgive me. The night I heard the gospel message it was not just good news. It was the best news I had ever heard. [Rom 1:16] It is still the best news I have ever heard. The simple gospel message that Jesus died to make atonement for our sins. People who believe will be forgiven and saved. [Jn 3:16] We don't deserve it, but God deals with us in compassion. Jesus shows us mercy giving us what we could never earn. [Eph 2:8-9]

Jesus is constantly reconciling estranged sinners to God the Father making reconciliation. He is constantly commending us as recipients of amazing grace. He brings us into peace and harmony with God. What glad tidings that is for people everywhere. 

You may read this today and know you are estranged from God. Your list of sinful offenses is long and inexcusable. You know that you can never undo the wrongs you have done. The guilt and shame of those things hangs around your neck like an anvil. He offers the gift of salvation, forgiveness, and a whole new way of life if you believe. Believe He died on a cross to take on the punishment for the sins of humanity. Believe Jesus rose from the dead conquering death. Believe that if you call on the name of the Lord you will be saved. 

I have seen Jesus reconcile people all over the world. In Cuba, Canada, Honduras, California, New Mexico, Florida, Arizona, Louisianna, and all over Texas. He has saved estranged people in jail cells, prisons, mountain camps, college campuses, backwoods churches, grand cathedrals, in gymnasiums, and ball fields. If you find yourself estranged from God today, I invite you to call out to Jesus for salvation and reconciliation with God the Father. May this be the day of salvation. Please do not wait until it is too late. 

While God abounds in love, compassion, and mercy, He also can abound in righteous indignation, fury, seething anger, and wrath for those who refuse His lovingkindness. One way or the other everyone will face one side of God or the other. May you no longer live estranged. Call out to the Lord today for salvation before it is too late. 

The Captain of Our Souls

 Several years ago, when our boys were young, we went on vacation to Hot Springs, AR. One of the things we did was to ride on a paddlewheel boat. During that trip the captain of the boat offered an invitation to the children to come to the bridge and steer the ship. Taylor was about four years old at the time. We made our way to where the captain was busy letting boys and girls steer the ship for a few seconds. Taylor refused to go. I tried to coax him, but he was not having anything to do with the captain. We sadly walked away with my thinking Taylor missed out on a great opportunity to make a memory. 

I contemplated that event later that day. I related it to Jesus. In the same way, our Captain Jesus invites people to meet Him and get the opportunity of a lifetime. For various reasons millions of people do just what Taylor did. They reject the invitation and walk away. Every person in history who has decided this has regretted it. Some for all of eternity. Eternity is too long to be wrong!

I met Eric last week in a Bible study. There were only four of us. When I reached the end, I offered each person an opportunity to ask Jesus to save them. Eric prayed asking Jesus to forgive him and to rescue him. He had tears in his eyes when he looked up. Those tears remained as he hugged me before I left. 

Eric has a new Captain of his soul. A new Captain to chart the course of the rest of his life. A new Captain to navigate him away from danger. A Captain who knows the way. He has travelled this way before. Eric has a Captain who will not abandon ship when stormy seas come. He has a Captain who knows the way home. Eternal home. 

Those of us who met the Captain of our souls, Jesus, have found safe passage. He rescued us from the raging seas that nearly engulfed us. He threw out the life preserver of His redeeming grace and pulled us to safety. He warmed us in His love and offered a change of clothes of robes of righteousness instead of the rotten ruined clothing of our sinful pasts. What a Captain Jesus is. He is the Captain of our souls. 

Directed Steps

 The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps. [Prov 16:9] NASU 1995

Are you a planner? A person who lays out detailed plans? Do you like to organize your life in tight schedules to maximize your use of time? 

It is not wrong to be organized. Where we get into trouble is when in our minds, we plan thinking we know what is best. In this way we try to control our circumstances. Control the desired outcomes. Often this works precisely. There are other times when we get it totally wrong. When our plans fail and God steps in to direct our steps. 

God might shut repeated doors you leveraged to open. He might bring unforeseen financial setbacks directing you to trust Him and not your financial reserves. He might throw your carefully planned schedule out the window with unforeseen delays, distractions, and detours. 

I recall walking back to the field house from football practice as a freshman at Howard Payne University. Our senior starting quarterback strolled up next to me. He asked what plans I had for my life. I laid out my long-term future plans. I planned on working as a youth minister for a few years before stepping into the pastoral role. I planned on starting in a small church and eventually working my way up to a larger church. He laughed and said, " You have it all figured out." He then asked me about my Bible reading habits. I was reading through Proverbs at the time. 

I laugh now in hindsight. What a cocky young follower of Jesus I was. I had my plans. God threw my plans out the window over and over again the past 30 years. Life and ministry did not go the way I planned. God directed my steps. I did not even plan to go to Howard Payne University. I planned on going to Stephen F. Austin University which was less than 30 miles from my hometown. God had other plans. I planned on marrying a girl I dated in high school and the first couple of years in college for five years. God had other and better plans when that girl chose to go to a different college, and we broke up. God directed my steps to Brenda. I cannot imagine my life without Brenda who is my soul mate and best friend. 

In subsequent years, God directed our steps in faith to serve as a youth pastor, church planter, evangelist, and pastor. We have followed His leadership all over the state of Texas. Many times, we had our plans. Like the time I thought I was supposed to serve a church in Odessa, TX as pastor. I even interviewed wit that church. I thought it was a slam dunk open door. They chose to go with another candidate. The same thing happened at FBC Wink, TX. That door was shut. It was sometime later when God directed our steps to serve the FBC of Paradise, TX. 

Over the years God has laughed at my plans. He has opened and shut doors as He directed us to His plan. I have learned to let Him lead. He certainly knows better than I do about what is best. My plans and schedules are loose now. I know God can step in at any time and change everything. That is comforting and exciting. I never know when and where He will direct our next steps. It may not be easy, but it will be God's best if we are willing to step out in faith. 

At this stage of life, I no longer have a detailed long-range plan. It is more like living as Abraham did when God called him to leave his country and go to the place that God would show him. [Gen 12:1] Abraham trusted God to direct his steps day by day in faith. [Heb 11:8] It sure makes life a grand adventure. God does not always direct our steps to easy paths or pain free journeys. He does direct our steps purposely and can be trusted. So, Lord please keep directing our steps getting us where you want us to be and doing what you want us to do. 

I Used to Beat Him

 I read the story of a man on a mission trip who met an Ethiopian pastor named Haji. Haji was a former Muslim. He was radicalized even going to Saudi Arabia for specialized training in how to persecute Christians. He made it his mission to eradicate Christians and Christianity in the section of Ethiopia where he lived. 

All that changed when Haji met Jesus in a profound encounter like when Paul met Jesus on the Damascus Road. [Acts 9:1-8] Haji draped his arm over the shoulder of an evangelist who helped him come to faith in Jesus. Haji's testimony is sobering. Looking at the evangelist he said, "I used to beat him." No matter how severely Haji treated the evangelist, this man of God would not respond in hatred and would not quit proclaiming the good news of Jesus. It eventually won Haji over. 

Haji is now a pastor. Muslims hate him for turning to Jesus. They tried to burn his house down, but Haji was able to put the fires out. Heavy stones are thrown onto his grass roof leaving gaping holes and creating danger for his family when the stones fall through the roof. Haji once persecuted followers of Jesus and now he is the one persecuted. He accepts this joyfully. He is undeterred in his faith and resolved to show other Muslims the way, truth, and life found in Jesus. [Jn 14:6]

It is easy to judge people and write them off. Weekly I encounter such people at a substance abuse detox center. The language is vile. Most of the clients are tattooed all over and smoke. If they are not smoking outside, they are vaping inside.  Most have been rejected by churches. Many are written off as too far gone. I've encountered alcoholics, meth addicts, prescription pill addicts, homeless people, and even people on fentanyl. Some are Christians caught up in bondage. Some have never heard about Jesus and never held a Bible. It is refreshing to see God open their eyes and draw them to Himself. Nobody is too far gone that God cannot reach them. Jesus has saved numerous people over the last few years. 

The evangelist did not give up on Haji. He prayed, he witnessed, and he suffered at the hands of Haji bravely and joyfully. Now Haji lives on mission for the very Jesus he used to persecute. What a powerful testimony. One I hope we can learn from today. 

The Wilderness

 It was a costly decision. A fear-based decision instead of a faith based one. The popular opinion of the masses turned out to be dead wrong. Israel did not believe God to possess the promise land. You can read about that in Numbers 13-14. The decision cost them dearly. They were sentenced to wander in the wilderness until a whole generation died. They remained in the wilderness for 40 years. 

The wilderness is a barren, desolate, wasteland. Many people live in a spiritual wilderness because of disobedience. The wilderness is not a pleasant place to be. You may be in a wilderness as you read this. A spiritually dry, desolate, and desert place. You may be withering in your spirit in the wilderness. You may even have been there so long that you lost hope of ever getting out. It might have nothing to do with disobedience. God just might have things to teach you. 

There are lessons to be learned in the wilderness. Israel had to learn the lesson of trusting God by faith over and over again in those years of wandering. They were tested with lack of water, lack of food, lack of meat, and lack of protection from enemy forces. Israelites were not quick learners. They needed remedial courses in faith development. They had to be tested over and over again. 

If you find yourself in a wilderness, what lessons does God want you learn? You will be in the wilderness as long as it takes for you to learn. To embrace the things God wants to teach you and to build in you may expedite your time in the wilderness. The more you resist the longer your stay may be. 

Some of God's most amazing works can happen in the wilderness. God met Moses in a burning bush in the wilderness. God provided water at Mara. He provided mana in the desert. He brought water out of a rock. He sent in quail by the millions. He was Ebeneezer in a battle. God gave Elijah water and food through the door dash of raven's special delivery for years. 

We can become so fixated on getting out of the wilderness that we miss the mighty miraculous work of God in the wilderness. He might be doing things right underneath your nose that you do not even take notice. Quit looking at the misery of the wilderness and set your gaze firmly on Jehovah who is at work. [Jn 5:17] Sometimes He works in ways you do not easily see at first glance. Gaze deeper. Look longer. If you do God will reveal Himself. 

I have learned to thank God for the wilderness years. I have spent decades there. They were painfully confusing years. God proved Himself faithful. The wilderness of 2004-2005 was difficult. God taught me forever that He is our provider and not a church. He may use a church, but He is not limited to a church to meet our needs. The years of 2011-2017 were the most difficult years of my life. I lost hope and sank into a several years long depression I could not climb out. How I managed to preach and teach the word of God is a testimony of His unfailing faithfulness. Many times, I sat on the front row on a Sunday morning without the strength to preach. I buried my head in my hands pleading with God to help me. I dreaded the worship ending. I could not bring myself to preach those days. God did miracles week after week as I strode from my seat to the stage. I opened His word, and He made me come alive again to preach. Afterwards I sank right back into despair and fought it all week long scraping messages together. Then I fought the battle without faith, passion, or strength to preach on Sunday morning all over again. 

In those years people confessed to me that my preaching helped them through the hardest times in their lives. They did not know that I was preaching to myself. Out of my pain in the wilderness God helped others. 

I went through another wilderness in 2022-2023. I have rarely talked about what triggered it. I hit the bottom. My faith was tested and shattered. I am ashamed to admit during that wilderness I could barely pray at all. When I did, it was only mouthing words that I did not mean in my heart. I spent vast amounts of time in the prayer room at the church. I felt just as empty leaving as I felt entering. Even reading scripture did not help me out. I read through the scripture the most I had ever done before in that window of time. The darkness of the wilderness gripped me like a vice. 

It was a full year and a half before God let me exit the wilderness. It was a dark period. A lonely isolated period few knew about except Brenda and my closest of friends. Even some of those friends did not know because I did not share it. 

Going through the wilderness is part of our spiritual journey. One thing I have discovered is that just like we enter the wilderness, in God's due time, we also exit the wilderness. God does not waste wilderness experiences. There are lessons to be learned if we are teachable. What is God trying to teach you now in your wilderness season? The quicker you learn those lessons the faster He will lead you to the exit. 

Life is a Vapor

 Where did the time go. The man I see in the mirror defies the youthful playful person I feel inside. Wrinkles appear. The hair is thinning or already thinned. The remaining hair is greying. Muscles are weaker than they used to be. Former eagle eyes require glasses for vision improvement. Joints ache and make noises like the cereal Rice Krispies. Loss of balance makes me less sure footed than when in my prime. Strength is fading. I can only do a fraction of the things I used to could do. 

James wrote that life is a vapor. We just appear for a little while. [James 4:14] In our youth, we are in such a hurry to grow up. We played dress up in grown up clothes. Pretended to be firefighters, police officers, teachers, bakers, doctors, and a host of other professions. One day we realize that we are grown. We long for the simpler days of our youth. Then we enter the winter season of our lives. We remember the good old days. 

The cycle of life comes and goes. We are only here for a little while. The average age of death for most Americans is 76. I don't know where you are on that scale. I am way past the halfway point. We are exhorted to number our days so that we can present wise hearts to God. [Ps 90:12] To live life to the fullest in our service and love of God while we can. 

My study of Ecclesiastes has convinced me that the essence of living is not about how much money we make or what we accomplish in our careers. What matters in the end can be summed up in the last two verses of the book found in [Eccl 12:13-14] Fear God. Keep His commands. The rest is vanity like chasing the wind. 

It is true that life is a vapor appearing for a little while and then vanishing. Our days on this planet need to count for something. Solomon thinks it is to fear, respect, and revere God. It is also to obey Him keeping His commands. A life spent doing those things is not a wasted life. It might not even be a prolonged life. It will be full life. A satisfying life. A purposeful life. A God besotted life. May we strive for that in our short stay on this planet. 

The Scapula

 The surgeon places the patient in a sterile environment. He makes sure the patient is put under asleep. Then he takes the scapula in hand and makes an incision. He cuts not to harm or with ill malice. He slices to ultimately bring healing. To remove an infected area. To repair a broken or ruptured area. His skilled hands inflict pain to bring about eventual healing. 

If physicians can do this does God ever do it? Does He ever inflict pain for ultimate good. Look at Joseph's story in Genesis. Enslaved and imprisoned later on false accusations. It did not seem like the pain made any sense. Until Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's dreams and was exalted to the second highest office in the land of Egypt. Then it all made sense. God worked good out of that situation to save Israel in years of famine. 

Israel spent four centuries enslaved in Egypt. They cried out for deliverance. Generation after generation were denied. It appeared God was not listening and that He was absent. Don't interpret God's silence as absence. God was working all the while. Building the great nation of millions of people promised to Abraham centuries before there was even one. 

Sometimes the ways of God hurt. Sometimes He takes the scapula making incisions in our circumstances that painfully confusing. He is working to bring about His purposes, our ultimate good, and to promote His own glory. 

Many times, I have doubted God in the pain. Each time when I trusted Him long enough, He worked everything for my good just like He said He would. [Rom 8:28] His skilled hands are sculpting me as a potter to make me more useful in His hands. He applies pressure and conforms me to His desire. This is painful but beneficial. I don't like the scapula or the Potter's wheel. I have learned that I need them. He is wise and His hands are skilled. I trust Him to do what is best and necessary to accomplish His purposes even if it hurts initially. Bring on the scapula if it will make me more useful in His hands. 

Search and Rescue

 Feb 18, 1952 was no ordinary day off the coast of New England. A Nor'easter blew in causing boisterous angry sea conditions. The SS Pendleton, a tanker ship, got into trouble. A search plane discovered that the ship had cut into two halves. The pounding surf made it impossible to get a rescue boat to them. 

Back at the Chatham Lifeboat Station four men volunteered to risk their lives attempting to save the surviving crew members. Taking a small CG36500 boat Captain Bernard Webber and this three men crew battled tidal wave conditions to reach the distressed ship. Against all odds Webber navigated the small boat to the sinking ship. The only way to rescue the sailors was to pull up next to the ship and for the men to climb down rope ladders. It was suicide for sure. Webber timed each swell to pull up next to the ship and get a few men off each time. Out of the 33 surviving crew members of the Pendleton they only lost the cook who fell in the sea and drowned. 32 men were saved that day. 

They made a movie about that daring rescue. It is a thrilling adventure ride. One of the greatest rescue missions in the U.S. Coast Guard history. All four of those brave men who went out that day were awarded the highest honors. 

Truth be told that rescue mission pales in comparison to the rescue mission of the Lord Jesus Christ coming to planet Earth to die on a cross to rescue people from their sins. It is the greatest news in a world filled with bad news. Jesus rescued us when we were completely helpless. [Rom 5:8] He rescued and delivered us. [Col 1:13-14] He redeemed us. His sacrificial death atoned for our transgressions. It was a lavish gift of grace. [Eph 1:7-8]

Jesus saved me 41 years ago. I am just as humbled, grateful, and unworthy today as I was that October evening back in 1983. He rescued me like a lifeguard rescues a drowning man. I was drowning in my sin. I could not free myself. My life was headed in the gutter. Jesus paid my ransom to set me free. He deserves my allegiance, love, devotion, and lifelong service. 

The greatest search and rescue mission in history was Jesus dying on a cross so that people like us could be saved from the impending wrath of God. He bravely took on the sin of the world as our propitiation and our advocate. [I Jn 2:1-2] What a glorious thought that brings joyous bliss that our sins have been washed away and we are forgiven. Jesus pardoned us. May we spend our days searching and rescuing others by telling them this great news. 

Send Me

 I received an invitation to preach to a football team before their game where I used to coach. I had not been back on that campus in about a year. I rejoiced to see men I used to coach with and students I coached who are all grown up now. God inspired a challenging word for me to share with those TCA Eagles. God opened the door and I responded with send me. 

The message was a word about worship over complaining. It was a word about dealing with adversity with the proper perspective. Praising in the good times and bad times as well. It was also a word about calling out hypocrisy and challenging those athletes to consecrate themselves before taking the field last night. 

I don't know how the game turned out. That is not the most important thing. The most important thing is that 98% of those young men responded to the challenge and remained in the room we met in praying for a long time before they each left one by one. I could see conviction on faces. I also saw the sincerity of some of those guys fervently seeking God. Repentance happened. That is a bigger win than what happened on the game field. 

My time on the campus was very short. There were several people I wanted to see. Former colleagues and students whom I bonded with. I did not have that much time. The team had a pregame meal to get to and I had a pressing appointment right afterwards. It was a privilege and a honor to go back on that campus to share God's word. 

We never know where ministry will take us. It has taken me to foreign countries and to back wood churches some so tiny there were only five pews deep on each side. God has called me to preach multiple funerals for people I did not even know including one three-month-old baby. I have preached camps, rallies, retreats, and revival meetings. Several times I taught God's word to a congregation of one including last Sunday at our substance abuse detox ministry. On a few occasions God sent me to preach to over 1,000 people. I've preached on mountain sides, lakeshores, under pavilions, around campfires, in hayfields, near ocean front beaches, and in beautiful churches. Yesterday God allowed me to teach to a room full of athletes. I have a Bible and am willing to travel to places where God opens the door. 

Young or old. Large crowds or small. For compensation or for free does not matter. I am called. I accept God's invitations to share His word. That is part of that follow Jesus mentality. If He keeps sending the invitations, like Isaiah I will keep praying, "Here am I send me." [Is 6:8]

Tip Toeing at the Gate

 Picture a mansion surrounded by a rod iron fence and protected by huge gates. Many people may drive by and observe the mansion behind the fence, but will never get close. Much less will they ever have the privilege to be invited inside the mansion. It can only be viewed from a distance. 

Now suppose the owner of the mansion invites some for a visit. There is no rhyme or reason for the invitation. It is a good will gesture by the owner. Totally unmerited and undeserved, but it is an open invitation to come visit. Appointed times and dates are arranged. 

On the day of the official visit people show up outside the gate waiting for it to be opened. At the exact appointed hour the automated gates slowly creak and grind open. Instead of rushing up the long driveway to the mansion people just stand at the gate. They tip toe back and forth, but do not cross the gate and make their way to the mansion. 

The owner waits eagerly for the visitors to arrive. He peaks out the windows wondering why the delay. He is bewildered that his guests are tip toeing outside the gate, but they are reluctant to come inside. He waits longer, but still nothing changes. 

Eventually the owner sends one of his staff to go to the people and to personally bring them inside. He ushers them through the gate, down the driveway, and through the front door. He makes the formal introduction of the owner to the guests and they are brought to a banquet table. 

This little parable is to illustrate what many followers of God do. They are invited into the presence of God into His throne room. Instead of coming close to the Father, many tip toe outside the gate. They are reluctant to come close for various reasons. Past sins. Current lack of commitment. Present doubts and confusion about circumstances. All of these and more keep us from coming close to God. 

These people do not want to abandon God. They hang around the gate. They are reluctant to come through and enter the court of God. What does God do? He sends Jesus to personally usher us into the presence of His Father. He eagerly makes the introduction and excitedly shows us to our seats so we can interact and get to know Father God. 

Some will spend their whole lives tip toeing outside the gate. They never accept the invitation to come closer. They will always approach God from a distance. It is sad how few accept the invitation to come closer to God. It is sad that many will never get past the religious obligations to grow closer and enter into endless delight of knowing God. 

May we not tip toe outside the gate. May we all accept God's call for us to enter boldly into His throne of grace to obtain and find help in our time of need. [Heb 4:16] He sits waiting to embrace us, to reveal Himself, and to give us the fullness of joy in Him that we all desire. [Ps 16:11] So enter His courts with praise and walk through His gates with thanksgiving. [Ps 100:4]

Consecrated

 To consecrate ourselves means to fully dedicate, to purge, to cleanse, and to prepare ourselves to be set apart for God. Consecration does not get much play time in our worship and study of the scriptures these days. Compromise is more common than consecration. 

God is looking for consecrated people to serve Him. He uses consecrated people and does powerful things through consecrated people. Look in Christian circles. Do you see consecration? Do you see it in the church? What about in para-church ministries? Do you see it in Christian education. I have been in all those arenas. I have rubbed shoulders with people in each of those institutions. I can tell you that consecration is rare. Hypocrisy abounds. Lukewarm living infiltrates leadership.  

Do we want to be consecrated? It costs something. A price more costly than many of us may be willing to pay. It will require sacrifice, deep commitment, and criticism when we refuse to compromise to go along with the crowd. 

Could it be one of the reasons we do not see God doing more is that God is waiting for a consecrated people to commit to Him. Sitting here I can say I want to be consecrated. In this moment that is the honest desire of my heart. What about when consecration is costly. Like getting up earlier for more prayer. Like staying up later when I am dogged tired. Like being inconvenienced by an assignment from the Master. Like saying no to things that others say yes to including my family. Like spending more time shut up alone with Him to be empowered for service instead of glad handing the crowds in superficial conversations. DO I REALLY WANT TO BE CONSECRATED? DO YOU? 

In Joshua 3:5 God spoke to the people through Johsua commanding them to consecrate themselves. If they did that God assured them, He would do wonders among them. The word wonders means great, difficult, and miraculous things. Our countries are crying out for God to do miraculous things in our midst. To not only change lives but to also transform an entire culture like He did in the First and Second Great Awakenings. Like He did in the Great Wales Revival. Like He did in the Saskatoon Revival that swept over the entire city and filtered through the province. 

O God, please make us willing to be consecrated. Help us to dedicate ourselves fully to You and to Your mission. Help us be willing to surrender our lives at Your feet in sweet surrender. To set ourselves apart in Your service. Please make us useful vessels for Your purposes. Let us joyfully and willingly accept any assignment whether big or small. Then we trust You to do wonders among us. Something miraculous so that You alone get the glory. In the mighty name of Jesus amen. 

The Angels Rejoiced

 Last night was chaotic even more so than on a normal Wednesday night around here. We scheduled Nerf Night for our Creek Kids and Creek Student Ministries. Nerf darts and balls were whizzing all over the gym. Before I got to watch those festivities, I taught our adults. I teach adults first and then go teach our students. 

Let's just say that some took Nerf Night to the next level. They brought in high powered weaponry with ample ammunition. Those Nerf darts and balls filled the air. Participants ducked behind tables turned over sideways to provide barriers of protection. Some adopted the hunker and wait mentality while others took a more offensive approach. People laughed. They ran for cover. Some were ambushed and forced to retreat being overpowered. This is an annual event for Spring Creek. We had multiple visitors last night. 

Because Nerf Night took longer than expected, I knew our Bible study time would have to be shortened for our students. I planned to present the gospel and offer an invitation for people to get saved. I told those students they were in two groups. One group lost in their sins. The other group saved because of the sacrifice of Jesus and asking for His redemption. It was noisy. The students were jazzed up because of Nerf Night. It took a bit to get them focused. 

When we got into the heart of the message, they were attentive. All in. I did not employ high pressured tactics at the end. I told the students if they wanted to talk to me afterward, I would stick around. They all sprinted for the exit. All except one young man. He lingered and asked, "Can I talk to you?" 

When I asked what he wanted to talk about he wasted no time telling me he was a sinner and wanted to be forgiven. He did not know what he needed to do. We went through the Roman Road of Romans 3:23, 3:10-13, 6:23, and 5:8. He was ready. We bowed in prayer asking Jesus to save him and he repented of his sins. When we looked up the angels were rejoicing. [Luke 15:7] Jesus saved him! Hallelujah!

It was all worth it. Setting up the table barriers. Studying for the message. Planning and hyping Nerf Night. Trying to quieten a room of hyperactive students. Dodging Nerf projectiles everywhere. All worth it so that God could transfer another soul from the kingdom of darkness to His kingdom of light. Hell lost another one and Heaven gained a new citizen. I imagine the angels are still exuberant. I am still amazed at the power of the gospel to lead people to Jesus for salvation. I rejoice with those angels.  

Abounding Hope

 Now may the God of hope fill you with joy and peace in believing so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. [Rom 15:13] NASU

God has many titles. Add to that list that He is the God of hope. In this crazy upside-down world, He is still not a god of hope. He is THE GOD OF HOPE. Hope is the expectation of good. The anticipation of something pleasurable. Like a dealer passing out cards in a card game of spades, God deals out hope to people who need it. Even in the most horrific circumstances God still gives hope. He makes us full of hope. 

Maybe that hope is eternal life. Maybe things never get easier or much better here. For the Christian we always have the hope of Heaven. That is especially true for Jesus followers in persecuted countries. Those believers may experience physical torture, incarceration, and even death. How do they maintain hope in such horrendous circumstances. They think of the afterlife. They remind themselves that their momentary afflictions and sufferings cannot compare to what awaits in eternity. So, they press on in hope. 

God wants to fill people with joy and peace. Joy is gladness and cheerfulness that defies circumstances. I have seen people in heart wrenching grief still choose joy. Peace is a tranquil state of the soul and mind. Again, it doesn't matter what the circumstances are. God can still give us the peace that surpasses all understanding that guards our hearts and minds. [Phil 4:7]. 

In some ways this seems to defy logic. How can it be expected that people who are in hot messes just be filled with joy and peace, but to actually abound in joy. That means that they overflow and superabundant gladness. That is not natural. In fact, it is supernatural. Most of our attitudes are dictated by our current circumstances. When things are good our attitudes are good in return. On the other hand, when things go south our attitudes can sour as well. 

Let me remind you that Paul is writing [Romans 15:13] in adverse circumstances. Much of Paul's ministry was one of persecution, imprisonments, and constant travel getting run out of more than one town. Yet he could still find joy, peace, and hope in the Lord. His circumstances were certainly not pleasurable. The Lord was and he found delight and gladness in Jesus. An abounding joy. Excessive delight. Abounding hope. 

I have seen this with my own eyes on many occasions. I have seen people living with chronic disease abounding in joy and hope. It was not logical. It did not compute rationally for a person to live in constant pain and still abound in joy and hope when expectations were that the next day would be just as painful as the current day. I have also read about such people. These people abounded in hope. 

I have stood next to bedsides with deceased loved ones and heard abounding hope flow from grieving lips like water flows in a stream. I have watched people face financial ruin and still overflow in hope for the future. I have seen aging pastors lose spouse and children left to muddle through their last days alone still abound in the hope of the Lord. 

This defies logic. It is not the natural order of things. When people suffer the natural thing to do is to downgrade into despair and sink into sullenness. The Holy Spirit supernaturally empowers abounding hope. That is why the person who has tried with all their might to succeed, and they keep losing do not give up. They abound in hope. They get up and dust themselves off with resolve and try again. That is why the servant of the Lord who keeps getting denied in prayer with delayed answers keeps abounding in hope that the answer will come eventually. They keep asking, seeking, and knocking. [Matt 7:7-8] The Holy Spirit produces and sustains this abounding hope. 

That is how we should approach the day. Abounding with hope. Hope that God is faithfully working His will all over the world. Hope that God knows the future and sees everything we will go through. Hope that He will strengthen us to get through the tough times. Hope that we are one day closer to the rapture of the saints. May the Spirit of God produce abounding and enduring hope in all of us until we finally get home to heaven. 

I Don't Know

 I came across two men yesterday working. I did not have a long interaction with them, but long enough to ask them where they would spend eternity. One of the guys quietly distanced himself from the conversation. The second man started to say something that sounded good, but he stopped. He honestly said, "I don't know." 

They were busy. I knew I had seconds with them and not minutes. In hurried fashion I told them about Jesus and that He was the only way to spend eternity in Heaven. Maybe that brief conversation will resonate with them. Hopefully it sparked a conversation after we parted. Perhaps God rewound that conversation in their minds all through the night and into this morning. 

It is incredulous to me that people consider all sorts of things about their lives without taking into count death and the afterlife. Yesterday there was a funeral across the street in the cemetery where I live. Another reminder that life is brief, but eternity is long. Too long to get it wrong. 

I appreciate the fact that one of those men was honest. I could see him thinking. He knew the way he lived. He knew enough to respect God and not lie. He obviously did not know enough to commit to Jesus as a follower. Following Jesus means changing our lifestyles. Some love sin more than considering the consequences of those sins. It is a dangerous game of Russian Roulette. 

I have contemplated Colossians 1:14-15 this week in preparation for the message Sunday. Those verses start a section describing the incomparable Christ. Our Lord Jesus has rescued us. Have we forgotten from where and what He rescued us from? He paid our ransom so we could be free from our being held hostage by sin and Satan. What a great deliverance He purchased for us. It cost Him dearly. A brutal bloody death on a cross. That cross is no longer a sign of execution but one of liberation for millions of believers. The cross is a symbol of hope. A symbol of victory. 

Because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross, our lives are His bought with His blood. We are crucified to the world and the world to us. Our boast is no longer in our accomplishments but in what Jesus accomplished for us on that cross. Galatians 6:14

I don't know. I don't know why anyone would not immediately respond to the offer of salvation except that the god of this age has blinded them. Blinded them to the abundant life we have in Jesus. I don't know why people are not interested. Why churches are not overflowing with people. I don't know why those who need the message of the cross the most are the most reluctant to come hear it. I don't know why Christians who know the truth refuse to share it with those put in our paths if even for a few seconds. 

The Intercessor

 He knows how to pray. What I mean is he can pray with authority like no one else I have ever heard. He has this uncanny ability to connect those prayers with what God plans and wants to do. He secures answers frequently. He is also a tenacious intercessor. He does not give up easily until the answer comes. His supplications secure answers. We could all learn a few things from the intercessor. 

Who is this mystery master of prayer? He is a bestselling author. Not a one hit wonder. He is perennially a bestselling author. His works are timeless. Classics. They ought to be read by all people.

He is also generous with his time. Willing to add more people to his ever-expanding prayer list. He does not seek attention. He prefers not to be the center of attention. He does his prayer work behind the scenes out of the public eye. His intercessions are both fervent and indefatigable. Tirelessly he makes intercessions both night and day. 

Praying is not his only job. He teaches. He comforts people in difficult times. He fearlessly points out sin in others urging them to repent. He often has a peaceful presence when he shows up in the room. People are less anxious when he prays for them. They are strengthened when he prays. 

You can read about the intercessor in [Romans 8:26-27]. The Holy Spirit is our intercessor. One who stands in the gap between us and God. He knows how to pray according to the will of God. He knows the mind of God and the need of those he prays for. I'm thankful to have an intercessor who can interpret my groans when the pain is too deep that I can't put it into words. He prays perfectly. I hope you find comfort in that truth today. 

Great is His Faithfulness

 It was a tough week. Turner had a minor accident at college hitting another vehicle in the parking lot. Tanner's car broke down and his puppy chewed his phone destroying it. The tires on my Yukon are beginning to split and need replaced. We did what we always do. We prayed and asked God to help. 

We had a deadline for God to come do something mighty for us, or we were going to have to dip into what little retirement money we have to meet the needs. Saturday came and went with no answer. On Sunday night I was handed an envelope after the evening service. It contained a $20 bill for pastor appreciation month from a visitor. Earlier in the week I received a $100 gift from that man's sister who is a member of Spring Creek. That $120 gift was not enough to meet the thousands of dollars of need. Don't despise small beginnings. 

Our best guess is we needed about $3,500 for all of it. At the end of Sunday night, I prepared myself to dip into our retirement money the next day to meet the need. I am not sure when I received the text that changed everything this morning. It was early after I prayed. The text informed me of a $3,600 direct answer to prayer. Let me tell you rest of the story. 

We were told a long time ago that we could expect this provision on a certain date. The date came and went. In fact, six months passed, and we did not receive it. We accepted this fact and prayed. We determined that we would not remind the gift sender about the financial promise. We trusted God who knows our needs. We believed God would do it another way.

That is when God stepped in at 11:59. Turns out the gift giver suddenly remembered about the promised gift on Sunday night. Something or SOMEONE jarred the memory. Brenda and I believe God penetrated that person's thoughts causing the reminder. The text assured me that the check would be in hand today. Some might consider that a miracle, but Brenda and I certainly do. 

I know some will say we were just being stubbornly proud not to remind the gift giver about the check. Brenda and I committed to God a long time ago that we would communicate our needs to Him trusting God to provide. He has done that for over three decades. He did it at 11:59 again. If that person had waited to text me until after lunch, I would have already taken that money from our retirement account. God knew. He waited just to show me again how faithful He is and how wavering my faith can be. 

God did it again. He intervened in our circumstances to meet a need we could not foresee and did not have money in hand to meet for ourselves. He knew the deadline and waited to the last minute just for dramatic effect. He could have let us rob our retirement. I was prepared to do it though I felt very uneasy about it. I knew I could take matters into my own hands. That did not seem like faith. Why? Because I did not trust God to come through. I nearly took matters into my own hands because I doubted God would be faithful like He has been in the past. Shame on me. A foolish mindset on my part. 

One more time God has given me this platform to testify about another answer to prayer. I don't know if they make any difference. My hope is that it encourages some soul in a difficult spot just like Brenda and I were in. We have testimonies galore of God doing similar things over the past 30 years. I take no credit. It is God choosing to work in powerful ways in our lives. I know what He keeps doing for my family He can also do for any reading this around the world. I bow my knee and say, "Great is His faithfulness." 

Tug Of War

 You know about tug of war. You have two teams grab both ends of a long rope. The game is started with each side trying to tug the other team across a barrier. Loads of fun have been had with this old competition. That is not what is on my mind today. I am thinking of a much more serious tug of war that happens in the soul. 

Christians live with the constant tug of war of two natures. They are waging war for supremacy. The flesh opposes the Spirit of God within us. Each fighting for control. The flesh is hostile toward God and the things of God. This is the sinful carnal nature. The Holy Spirit is fighting just as hard to lead us to honor and please God. Which one wins?

Let me illustrate. Say we have two dogs of equal breeding, size and temperament. One dog you faithfully feed every day. The second dog you only feed once every three days. This routine is repeated for several weeks. Say those two dogs turn on each other and get into a fight. Which dog do you suppose will win? The stronger dog will be the one that has been properly nourished. 

The same is true in us. If I constantly feed the flesh, give into carnal desires, and let that nature rule supremely I will lose more spiritual battles than I win. If on the other hand, I pray, study the scriptures, and seek to live surrendered to the Holy Spirit I will most likely win most of my spiritual battles. 

It is a constant tug of war in the soul. The nature you give the most attention will most likely be the nature that wins the day. Paul exhorts us in [Galatians 5:16] to walk by the Spirit. I interpret this to mean that we are to live in submissive surrender to the Holy Spirit. To put it another way, we are to live yielded to the Holy Spirit. Suppose two cars approach an intersection and one has a yield sign and the other does not. The car with the yield sign surrenders the right of way to the other car. In yielding to the Holy Spirit, we give Him the right of way in our lives. When we do this, we will not carry out the desires of the flesh. Even though the flesh is in opposition with the Holy Spirit within us, the Holy Spirit is the more dominant force when we walk by His power. 

We read on in Galatians about behaviors associated with the flesh and behaviors associated with the Spirit in [Gal 5:19-23]. Which set of behaviors most characterizes your life? That will give a clear indication of which nature is winning the tug of war in your soul.  

Hope Against Hope

 Hope is very fragile. Liken it to an elusive feather floating in the breeze. Just about the time you think you have hold of it a waft of wind blows it out of reach. Or at least hope can feel that way. Once you get a handle on it, something happens causing hope to slip between your fingers. 

The optimist lives with hope. They see the glass half-filled instead of half emptied. They look on the bright side of life. They see the silver lining in the clouds. The pessimist on the other hand, takes a much dimmer approach to life. They see the glass half emptied. They fixate on the dark side of life. They miss the silver lining in the clouds. The pessimist has a hard time with hope. Even when things are going well, they sit waiting for the next bad thing to happen. 

What about for Christians? We are supposed to be people of faith. [II Cor 5:7] We are to live by faith and not sight. Part of that living by faith is living with the hope that God will come through. We invite God to intervene in our circumstances. We make supplication for His strong help in various degrees. We are exhorted that without faith it is impossible to please God. [Heb 11:6] We are supposed to be people with hope. 

Let's define hope as confident expectation. We pray about things with the confident expectation that God hears us and that He involves Himself in the solution to our problems. That sounds great in theory. Sooner or later, we will face something big requiring God to help. We pray. We expect Him to answer. We wait in hope. Time ticks and God doesn't answer the way we want Him to do. We pray again and wait longer. Hope that once burned brightly now begins to slowly fade. If the answered prayer is delayed further hope begins to flicker. If we wait too long hope can extinguish. 

That is what makes the story of [Romans 4:18-21] all the more powerful. We have a guy praying in faith with hope. The prayer was not answered right away. In fact, it was not answered for decades. One of the amazing things is the man praying did not lose hope. The passage informs us that he maintained hope against hope. 

The man in the story is Abraham praying for a son. A promised son. He waited well over two decades for God to answer that prayer. That is a long time to wait in hope. Abraham believed God when his circumstances dictated doubt. Abraham and Sarah were aging. Sarah had never been able to conceive. The only hope they had was a promise from God. The promise went much deeper than for a son. It included a future nation. With each passing delay that promise may have seemed more elusive. 

When delays happen the natural thing to do is to grow weaker in our faith. Delays do not make us grow stronger very often except for the mature in faith. Strong people of faith and prayer can contemplate their circumstances. They take stock of the difficulties and on occasion even the impossibilities. They are not fazed by the things. They see them as an opportunity for God to do something amazing. This gives them hope against hope. 

Hope for mature believers is rooted in two things. The promises of God and His faithfulness to keep those promises. God promised Abraham he would be the father of a great nation. That did not seem it was ever going to happen when Sarah could not even conceive of the first son. On top of that, she was past the age of childbearing at 90. God's delays do not mean He does not care. His timing is perfect. He orchestrates things very often to look impossible so that He can get the maximum glory when He comes through. 

Do we believe what God says, or do we believe what our eyes see? This is a question we will face numerous times in our life journey. Do we waver in unbelief or stay rooted in God's word trusting Him to help at the proper time? To do that we must grow strong in faith. 

If we want to grow strong in faith, we have to get used to God exercising faith through trials, challenges, and even impossible obstacles placed before us. Each of those is designed to force us to exercise more faith resulting in stronger faith. Faith is defined for us in [Heb 11:1]. It is assurance and confidence. It is believing God for things to exist before they actually exist. It seeing the unseen and asking God to make it happen. How is that possible. Because with hope against hope we are assured by the promises of God. What God says He does. He keeps His promises. For that reason, we can hope against hope no matter what we face or how long the answer is delayed.

This Is Not Heaven

 On a phone conversation a man reminded me of something his father told him. His dad said, "Son, remember this is not heaven. We are going to have trials on this earth." His dad suffered with Parkinson's disease. His dad was right. We all have troubles in this life. 

I am sure you have your own trials. They come in various shapes and sizes. Some of them knock us to our knees with severe blows like cancer, Alzheimer's, the economy, and relational troubles. You barely get through one trial and soon after the next one hits. This is common to the human condition. Sin, suffering, and sorrow are all part of the curse from original sin. It seems like it is only getting worse. 

Beware of putting your hope in vain things. Like a presidential election. No candidate is a savior. That title is reserved exclusively for the Lord Jesus Christ the Savior or the world. Financial security is chasing shadows. So is trying to secure material things. Nothing on this earth will ever produce the long sought after contentment we long for. No matter our stage in life, trials will still come. Our hope is not in an easier stress free path. Our hope is in God alone no matter what we face. 

This world is not Heaven. It is a sin infested polluted planet of depraved and defiled people who oppose God by and large. Trials come for everyone. The just and the unjust. The righteous and the wicked all face challenges and setbacks. The closest this earth was ever to Heaven was back in Eden. Since the bite of the forbidden fruit, it has been a downhill slide. 

We would do well to remember that life will be filled with trials. I am not suggesting there will not be days of triumph mixed in as well. The fact remains, none of us is going to live a trouble-free existence. What we can do is walk keeping our eyes on Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith. [Heb 12:2] We can rest assured that He will strengthen us, grant us peace, and help us persevere through those trials. 

One day we will kiss these earthly shells and this earthly life goodbye. Believers in Jesus will shed mortality in exchange for immorality. One day we will get home to Heaven. No more pain or death there. No more sorrows. Every tear will be wiped away. [Rev 21:3-4] It will be endless rejoicing and delight in God's presence. Worship will be wonderful. Authentic. Endless worship for all eternity to the Father and to the Lamb of God slain and resurrected. [Rev 4:1-11]

We only get to Heaven through repentance and faith in the substitutionary atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. [I Jn 2:1-2] It is by His grace and through the shedding of His blood we are saved. [Eph 2:8-9] For those who have believed Heaven awaits. What a day of rejoicing that will be when we get there. There might be some tough sledding between now and then. Let us run our race with endurance until we cross the finish line. [Heb 12:1]