10, 9, 8, 7, 6...!

"But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13b-14)

The "big ball" is preparing to drop and 2011 is almost history, beloved, no matter where in the world you might be! Regardless of what you may have done or not done, said or not said, thought or not thought, this year is ending in a matter of hours. And by God's grace a brand new year is at the threshold of our lives.

As we each face the inevitability of another year's passing, another wall calendar stored away in that place where you put stuff you will never use again, how are we to feel? And even more important than how we feel, what are we to do? Note in the words of the Apostle Paul that the onset of a new year is a wonderful time to forget what lies behind. For all of us there are things in 2011 that need to be left there and not carried over to another year. Some good things, some bad things, maybe even some shameful things need to be let go from heart and mind. Whatever they are, though, it is time to deal with them and release them!

And why is it so important for us, as Paul put it, to be "forgetting what lies behind"? Because if we do not we cannot hope to be successful in "reaching forward to what lies ahead"! You see, that is the wonder of a brand new year, beloved. By the grace of God it holds challenges and opportunities for us that we need to meet head-on, to seize and make our own, to use for God's glory and for the advancement of His kingdom. And we cannot reach out and seize such opportunities if our hands are filled with what is left over from the past.

What will be accomplished, then, in 2012 if we are successful in forgetting what lies behind and in reaching forward to what lies ahead? We will be successful in "pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." In other words, we will grow spiritually and develop in Christian character. We will be instruments of God's grace in the lives of others. We will realize that glorious potential for which God saved us in Christ Jesus in the first place.

So let the "big ball" fall, beloved! Let the old year end and a new year begin. Reach out with both hands and a heart full of faith to whatever God may have for you in 2012. Live it with gusto for His glory and for your good! Happy New Year!

Ron

Christmas Greetings!

He has come!

Christmas is such a wonderful time of year for so many reasons: the gathering of family and friends, delicious meals together, the excitement and anticipation of giving and receiving gifts, and so much more! Still, for all that Christmas means to those who share in it, one reason stands out and beyond it all. Jesus has come! And because He has come, the Father's grace and mercy have been extended to us in love. We are invited to become part of His eternal family through faith in the One whom He has sent. Thus, the true meaning of Christmas is forever intertwined with the reality that He has come!

Is it not sad to you as it is to me that for so many people celebrating Christmas ends with the day itself? The tree is soon taken down, the decorations put away, and our thoughts turn to the new year and what it may hold for us. We do not look "ahead" with the same anticipation until once again the Christmas season rolls around the following year. Is that all, then, that Christmas is to us? Is there no ongoing anticipation of something good except that which takes place every December 25th? In answer to such pondering I would like to suggest to you that there is such a truth, such an event to which we should look with continuous anticipation and excitement.

He will come!

Just as He has come, so Scripture promises us that He will come again! The One whose coming we celebrate yearly is coming again in power and glory to rule and to reign over all men. For those who have put their trust in Him, He comes to take unto Himself. Thus, Christmas should never be just a seasonal event, but a celebration that goes on moment by moment and day by day in our hearts.

May the wonder of Christmas fill your hearts with joy this season and every moment of every day throughout the year. As you rejoice that He has come, may the prospect that He will come strengthen you with resolve to worship and serve Him faithfully. From our home to yours, then,

Merry Christmas!

When Is Christmas Not Christmas?

"He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name" (John 1:10-12)

I just came in a few moments ago from the living room, beloved, where I saw on the early morning news one of the saddest stories out of our nation's capital that I have ever seen. The "franking commission" of our federal government has decreed that no member of Congress is allowed to wish his or her constituents "Merry Christmas" by mail using the franking privilege of office to do so. It is now considered a federal endorsement of religion for our nation's leaders to say "Merry Christmas" through the mail! You will not be surprised to learn that the first draft of these devotional thoughts was the result of that bit of national news.

So that begs the question: "When is Christmas not Christmas?" And the obvious answer? Christmas is not Christmas whenever people in this land forget for whom Christmas has been established! Have you noticed that this beloved holiday season has never been called "Clause-mas"? "Tree-mas"? "Ho, ho, ho-mas"? "Elf-mas"? "Reindeer-mas"? There is a reason for that, beloved. It is called "Christmas" because it is all about the person of Jesus Christ! And when any government, even that of the greatest nation on the face of the earth, forgets that fact then Christmas ceases to be Christmas.

Note the tragedy that unfolds in the words of the Apostle John as you see them printed here. The first step that leads inevitably to Christmas no longer being Christmas is that of people not knowing Him. In recent years our leaders seem to have done all that they can to put the national finger to the national lips in one resounding "Shhh!" of silence each time that anyone wants to mention the name of Jesus Christ aloud! Those who seem most intent upon protecting our national conscience have only succeeded in steering this nation away from the very faith upon which it was founded more than two centuries ago. Collectively as a people and individually as citizens, the sad fact is that each new generation of Americans simply does not know about Jesus Christ, must less know Him personally.

And when men and women and boys and girls no longer know Him, the second step in this tragic turn of events comes into play - we do not receive Him. Where people may not speak of Him publicly for fear of offending someone else' belief structure, it will not be long before His name is no longer present. Yet that seems to be the goal of these disastrous national decisions that are being levied one by one upon us as a people. The intent seems to be to remove the name of Jesus Christ completely from the lips, minds, and hearts of the nation.

The good news is, however, that to whatever extent the name of Jesus is squashed and squelched, to some extent there will always be those faithful ones who will stand up valiantly and proclaim His name joyfully whether anyone listens or not. These are those who have received Him, as John went on to say, those who are part of the family of God through faith in this very same Jesus whose name is now largely forbidden in public circles. These are those whom no federal decree or court decision will ever be able to silence. These are those who will sing and proclaim loudly come what may - Joy to the world! The Lord is come! Let earth receive her King!

I don't know for how much longer the internet will be safe from such restrictions as occurred today in Washington, D.C., beloved, and that really does not matter to me. I want to extend to each one of you a very Merry Christmas in the name of Jesus Christ, the One concerning whom this season has any meaning at all. Let Christmas be Christmas and let every true believer rejoice that, indeed, the Lord has come!

Ron

Social Security?

"If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men" (Romans 12:18)

Social Security - now there's a term that brings different reactions from people who hear it! As one who is now myself benefiting from Social Security income, it has amazed me to hear of late this benefit described as an "entitlement" despite the fact that as one of its recipients I have paid into it for my entire working life! Just how does something for which one has prepaid become an "entitlement"? But that mystery, beloved, will have to remain a subject for another day and another venue.

What I would like to share with you in this edition of devotional thoughts concerns the real "social security." About this God's Word has much to say to us today! In his letter to the believers in Rome the Apostle Paul dealt with a variety of relational or "social" issues that need our focus today as Christians. In verses 14 through 18 note the "action" words associated with what we can rightly call true "social security." These are matters that make for the kind of social security that we need desperately in this world of sin, beloved!

Note first here the basic command to "be at peace" with everyone. The security of any society depends upon its members learning to get along, to live in peace with each other. Nations with nations, states with states, counties with counties, cities with cities, and communities with communities - it all comes down to what each one of us does to maintain peace with each other. Paul has already dealt with the how of this command in such exhortations as these:

Bless and do not curse (v. 14)
Rejoice with those who rejoice (v. 15)
Weep with those who weep (v. 15)
Be of the same mind toward one another (v. 16)
Do not be haughty in mind (v. 16)
Associate with the lowly (v. 16)
Do not be wise in your own estimation (v. 16)
Never pay back evil for evil (v. 17)
Respect what is right (v. 17)

All of these are part and parcel of what it takes for us to "be at peace with all men," beloved. This is the road to genuine social security as followers of Jesus Christ. Note, however, that Paul makes clear that it will not always be possible for us to accomplish such security - "if possible, so far as it depends on you." Not everyone will respond positively every time to your attempts to be at peace. That is simply a fact of life and should not discourage you nor cause you to quit. Take comfort in the reality that in each situation of life you have done all that you could to be at peace with those around you.

Social security is a wonderful gift, beloved, and I am not talking about the check that comes every month to those of us who are 62 years of age or older. I am speaking of that blessed sense of true peace that brings harmony and unity among brethren when we determine to live God's way. Enjoy your social security, beloved!

Ron

A Gentle Reminder

"Put your hope in the living God, who is the Saviour of all, and especially of those who believe. Teach these things" (1 Timothy 4:9-11)

I was reminded recently about something I had forgotten, beloved, namely that there is a reason for all that we do as Christians and likewise for all that we endure along the way. I was thinking back over the span of my life, specifically of the years of ministry as a preacher and teacher of God's Word, and seeking to evaluate to this point what had been and had not been accomplished. I happened to be standing where my gaze could fall upon a small memento that I was given as a gift along the way, a wooden paper weight upon which is mounted a small silver shepherd's crook below which appears the word "Pastor" along with the Scripture passage listed above. I am not even sure of the particular translation from which this reading comes. But all of a sudden, I realized that the Spirit of God had given to my heart one of His amazing "gentle reminders" of what is really important in life. I cannot describe for you the sense of reassurance that it spoke to my heart!

I believe with all my heart that God is constantly putting such "gentle reminders" in our pathway, beloved, each one intended to keep our thinking and living focused upon the road that He has set before us. As the Apostle Paul reminded the believers in Ephesus, we have before us a life of "good works" which God has "prepared beforehand" and in which He wants us to walk as His servants (Ephesians 2:10). These gentle reminders, then, are intended to keep our attention fixed upon that life of service and those specific acts of ministry for the sake of His kingdom. So we can and should put our hope in the living God, trusting Him to keep us each stayed upon the path that He has for us to walk!

Have you been watching for those "gentle reminders" that the Spirit of God places in your path, beloved? What a blessing they are to us as we continually battle the wiles of Satan and his attempts to draw our focus away from where it needs to be! By our words and our deeds we have been commissioned to teach these things to others so that they too may stay on track and themselves watch for God's "gentle reminders."

Watch for them, beloved! God loves you and cares about your service too much not to remind you from time to time of all that is truly important in life. May God bless you and encourage your hearts as He points out to you His "gentle reminders" of His love for you and His plan for your life!

Ron

Always Time for Thanksgiving!

"In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Thanksgiving! What a wonderful time of year, beloved! Even as I write these thoughts to share with you, family members have arrived at our home and others are en route. I've got my "Grandpa" sweatshirt on and I'm ready to romp with grandkids. I love Thanksgiving!

God loves thanksgiving as well. More specifically, God loves your thanksgiving and mine! In fact, so vital is our thankfulness to God that He has commanded us to be thankful. As the Apostle Paul wrote to the saints in Thessalonica, we are to give thanks "in everything." Not for everything but in everything. No matter what we face in life - good times, bad times, happy times, sad times - we are to be thankful in heart and give thanks to Him.

And the realm in which it is God's will for us to give thanks is "in Christ Jesus." Within the realm of who Christ is and what He has done we find ample reason to give thanks from a grateful heart. You see, beloved, we can truly be thankful in every situation of life, not necessarily for that moment or its circumstances, but for the reality that Jesus Christ is Lord of Lords and that everything happening in our world is moving steadily toward that ultimate moment when "every knee shall bow" and "every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord."

So as I anticipate the arrival in a couple of hours of more family members, I can be and actually am excited and so very thankful. Thankful for the blessings of life and family, thankful for the blessings of precious time spent together, and thankful most of all for the God who loves me and has redeemed me and who is in control of all that happens.

In everything give thanks. This is Thanksgiving and a glorious time of year it is! But how truly thankful are you, beloved, as you get ready to celebrate this precious holiday? The good news is that not only are we to give thanks "in everything" but because of who God is and what God has done for us we can truly be thankful in every situation of life and give Him the praise and honor and glory He so richly deserves. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! And by the way, let me just take this opportunity to tell you how thankful I am to God for each one of you who has blessed my life by taking the time each week to read these devotional thoughts. What an encouragement you all are and I praise God for you!

Ron

Spreading Your Deposit Around

"The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" (2 Timothy 2:2)

Having discovered in our previous time together what a wonderful blessing the truth of God's Word is to us, beloved, and how important it is for us to protect that wondrous "treasure" within our hearts, we turn now to consider a need that is beyond that of merely guarding what God has entrusted to us.

The Apostle Paul went on within this same portion of his letter to Timothy to exhort him to "entrust" the treasure of God's Word to others. The word "entrust" in the original language means to "put near" in the sense of committing something to someone as a sacred trust. Very simply, we are to take the "treasure" of God's Word and invest it in the lives of other people! We are to pass it on as we have so wondrously received it ourselves. The one common mistake that we too often make as Christians, beloved, is that we become "repositories" of truth, storing it away in our thoughts and memories. With our notes and our meditations we become libraries of divine truth.

But Paul here tells us that we are not merely to "archive" God's truth for use in our own lives. We are to deposit that truth in the lives of others. We are to become channels through which can flow the precious principles of daily living that are to energize our living as followers of Christ. In fact, the apostle told the saints in Ephesus that the literal growth of the body of Christ depends upon "what every joint supplies" (4:16).

One very important qualification is added to Paul's instructions, beloved. We are to seek out "faithful" saints with whom to place this sacred deposit of God's truth. The word "faithful" means those who have shown themselves to be reliable and dependable in living for Jesus Christ and His glory. I believe that what the apostle is talking about here is nothing less than a determined and concentrated effort on our part to be "disciplers" of new believers. We cannot be content to merely see others make a profession of faith but must do all that we can to train them in the truths of Christian living. We must not only, then, protect our own deposit but must pass that deposit to others who, as Paul goes on to say, may themselves "teach others also." It is the only way to insure the growth of believers in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are God's chosen "planters," the agents of His truth being invested in the lives of others. So pass it on, beloved, pass it on! The next generation is waiting!

Ron

Protecting Your Deposit

"Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you" (2 Timothy 1:14)

Anyone who has ever used the drive-through window at your local bank has seen the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) sticker on the glass assuring you that your "deposit" is fully protected and safe. No bank without such a financial back-up would likely have many depositors!

But did you know that many folks who so fastidiously guard their material wealth give little or no thought to that which Paul calls their "treasure" or literally their good deposit? For us as Christians our "good deposit" is the truth of God that is imparted to us through the faithful teaching and preaching of the Scriptures. Very simply, beloved, every Bible truth so shared is "deposited" by God within us through His Spirit who dwells within. Yet how carelessly many believers toss aside such a sacred deposit as they would an empty soda can or crumpled candy wrapper! Do you recall what your pastor or Bible study leader last spoke into your life?

The only way to protect your deposit, beloved, is to take to heart the truths of the Scriptures and to live them out in your life. As Paul urged Timothy, "guard" them as the sacred deposit that they are! Hopefully in our next post we'll consider together what else we need to do with our "treasure." But for now, ask yourself how much of a treasure your life shows that you consider the truth of God's Word to be?

Ron

There Are Hearers and Then There are Doers!

"But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves" (James 1:22)

The truth bound up in this single yet powerful statement of the Apostle James is without a doubt the most foundational in any believer's daily walk! The issue at the heart of it all is whether we live as "hearers" or "doers." Take a moment, then, to consider ramifications of each choice.

Perhaps the first thing we ought to note is that there is nothing inherently wrong with being a "hearer" of God's Word. In fact, every "doer" today must first be a "hearer"! The problem does not arise until we encounter the little Greek word monon which means "exclusively" and is here translated "merely." To be a "hearer" is a good thing, but to be "merely" a hearer is not! As James has pointed out, to make the choice to be merely a hearer of God's Word is to "delude" yourself. The Greek verb paralogizomai is rich in meaning, beloved. It means literally "reason beside" in the sense of stepping outside of that which is reasonable and rational and coming to completely false conclusions. Today we might say such a person has "taken leave of his senses."

By contrast the true "doer" is the believer who takes action as a result of what he has heard in his heart from the Word of God as revealed by the Holy Spirit. One truth which James has made abundantly clear, beloved, is that God never intended for us to "hear" His Word and not respond to it. We ought always to be changed, always to be transformed, always to be set on new paths with renewed vigor. Otherwise, what is the point of even "hearing"?

James' description of the "doer's" look into the truth of the Word is graphic and prosaic. The word he uses in the original language means to "stoop down beside." The picture is that of one who stops and stoops to take a closer and longer look into something, much like one who stoops to gaze into a silent clear pool of water, noting his own reflection in that liquid mirror. He looks long and he looks intently, drinking in all that is being reflected back to him. He takes note of what he sees, takes note of areas where attention is needed, and completely analyzes his true condition. Then with that understanding clear, he rises to his feet and takes action in keeping with what he has been shown by the mirrored image.

There is simply no more basic or foundational need in the life of every Christian than this, beloved! If we fail as "hearers" to become "doers" of the Word, then we fail at the core of what makes us who we are. We fail the kingdom of God. We fail the Savior who shed His blood and bought us for Himself. We fail the plan and purpose of God for all mankind.

May I say to you today that in this we must not fail! To be satisfied to become a self-deceived hearer is simply not an option. We must become "doers" of the Word. We must take action in all that the Spirit of God shows us as we stoop to gaze intently into the mirror of God's truth. Are you a "doer"?

Ron

The Toughest 5 Words You'll Ever Say

"Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?' Then I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'" (Isaiah 6:8)

What was the most difficult thing you ever had to say to someone, beloved? For a lot of us it was two little words: "I'm sorry." For others perhaps the toughest words to get out are: "Will you marry me?" For still others, those in supervisory positions, it might be: "You're fired."

But for Isaiah the toughest words he ever spoke came about as the result of something he had just admitted about his own life. You see, when he first was given a vision of the glory of God filling the temple and the angels crying "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts!" his response was to acknowledge his own sinfulness and that of the people of Israel.

"Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts" (Isaiah 6:5)

It is tough enough for us to admit that we are sinners, beloved, and so very easy for us to forego any willingness to serve the Lord because of our utter unworthiness. What is so amazing and so very much indicative of the depth of God's grace is that of the very one who had just acknowledged his sinfulness before Him, God asked the question: "Whom shall I send? Who will go for Us?" How could holy God possibly want sinful people such as we are to represent Him in this lost world and carry His message to its people? Yet that is precisely what He does again and again!

So there you have it, beloved! And still for so many who have been touched by God's grace and who know the sweetness of forgiveness and of peace that passes all understanding, it is for some unknown reason yet a struggle to say as Isaiah said: "Here am I. Send me!"

So what are we missing here? There is yet in this passage one other declaration that makes all the difference for us. One of the seraphim in Isaiah's vision took a coal from the altar with tongs and said to him as he touched his lips with the hot coal:

"Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin is forgiven" (Isaiah 6:7)

Between our realization of our utter sinfulness and God's seeking for a messenger, beloved, stands His amazing grace, ever willing to take the coal from the altar of His holiness and purge us without and within. Cleansed, forgiven, restored, ready to serve and now those 5 tough words are made easy. In fact, they become the only possible natural response to God's grace in our lives!

HERE I AM, LORD! SEND ME! And He will, beloved, He will. He will send you to those in your life who need His love and mercy just as you do. And He will give you the opportunity and the courage to speak His love into their lives just as that love has been spoken into yours. All you have to do is be willing to go. "Here am I. Send me!" The toughest 5 words you can't help but speak!

Ron

Busted and Glad of It!

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise" (Psalm 51:17)

I have enjoyed just recently perhaps one of the most wonderful weeks of my life, beloved! Let me explain. This week we had the privilege of having our son, Jerry, with us from Virginia and also having him preach revival services at the church that I am privileged to serve as interim pastor. One evening my wife was able to leave her mom in someone else' care and be present for the service. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed watching her watch him as he stood in the pulpit and boldly proclaimed God's Word!

During one of those messages this week Jerry used an unusual word to describe the concept of being "contrite," admittedly not a word with which many Christians associate contrition. Speaking with the heart of a true youth pastor, he told us that to be contrite in spirit is to know that you are "busted" before God. His point was simply that until we can admit to ourselves and especially to God that we are truly spiritually bankrupt, genuine repentance cannot take place, not to mention any real ministry in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Did you know that Isaiah the prophet admitted himself to being spiritually "busted" in his own life? Oh, he didn't use that exact word, but he used a Hebrew word that means much the same thing. Listen to what he said of himself on the occasion of seeing the glory of God filling the temple:

"Then I said, 'Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts'" (Isaiah 6:5)

Not only did Isaiah, arguably Israel's greatest prophet, declare himself to be "busted," but he then declared that the whole nation of Israel was as well! And just why did he conclude that all of them were so spiritually bereft? Because he had seen the glory of Holy God and his own sinful reflection mirrored in that holiness.

But that's what being "busted" is all about, beloved. As long as we are looking anywhere else - at the pastor, at the next door neighbor, at the girl whose desk is across from ours - we will never come to really understand what it means to be "contrite" of spirit. Only when we take a long searching look at Holy God and see ourselves reflected in His glory will we say with Isaiah, "I am ruined!"

Believe it or not, being "busted" is a great place to be, beloved! Once you are there and know that you are there, you are in the one and only spot where the Holy Spirit of God can take what's left of you and make you into what He wants and needs for you to be - a true subject of God's kingdom and servant for the Lord Jesus Christ.

I don't know about you, then, but as for me I am truly "busted" and glad of it!

Ron

Spirit-prompted or Obligated?

"If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit" (Galatians 5:25)

Have you ever noticed how strong a force is our sense of "obligation," beloved? Just take a moment and think about how much you do each day just because you are under obligation to do so. Is obligation a bad thing? Not at all! We go to work each day because we are obligated to do so, we pay taxes because we are obligated to do so, we drive according to the laws of the road (well, most do!) once again because we are obligated to do so. So obligation is not in and of itself a bad motivation, is it?

But what role should obligation play in one's spiritual life? How much of what we do as Christians is merely out of a sense of obligation? Do you recall, for example, what the Apostle Paul wrote about our giving unto the Lord?

"Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7)

Paul made it clear that mere "compulsion" should not be a primary factor in what we give unto the Lord but rather that which we "purpose" in our hearts out of our love for and commitment to Jesus Christ. And that same apostle also made it clear what our motivation ought to be spiritually when it comes to daily living. Because we "live" by the Spirit - because of His regenerating work in our hearts - we ought also to "walk" or conduct our daily living by the Spirit. In other words, we do what we do and say what we say as a result of His inner prompting in our lives.

I recall hearing an illustration once of the difference between being Spirit-prompted in our living and merely feeling a sense of religious obligation. The speaker likened this contrast to operating an automobile. He said that living as a Christian out of a sense of obligation, no matter how well-intentioned, is like pushing a car from behind. From the front everything looks normal, but in reality the car will only continue to move forward as long as it is being pushed. The moment we stop pushing, the car stops moving. By contrast, to be Spirit-prompted in life is to start the engine, engage the transmission, press down the accelerator and steer the car as it runs under the power for which it was designed to operate. That is the Christian life, beloved! We were "designed to operate" by the power of the living God through the Holy Spirit who indwells us!

Obligation certainly has its place and every believer knows that we are certainly obligated to God for all that we are and have. But to be Spirit-prompted in our living is simply God's choice for us. Are you walking by the Spirit, beloved?

Ron

Weary in Well-Doing

"Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary" (Galatians 6:9)

Have you ever been just plain "bone-tired," beloved? I know that I have! You know the feeling: achy joints, sore muscles, a mind wearied by thinking your way through the events of the day. Those are days when nothing feels any better than to collapse into my recliner and kick back for a nap!

It is infinitely possible as well for us as Christians to become "weary in well doing" as the King James Version puts it. Here the term translated "weary" is the Greek word ekkakeo which means "turn out to be bad." The sense of the word here is that of becoming fainthearted or wanting to give up. I personally prefer the meaning given here by the New American Standard translation: "lose heart." Whatever your preference in translation, however, clearly this is a word with which every true believer has become intimately acquainted at one time or another!

The term "grow weary" is from the Greek word ekluo which means "loose out of" or "set free from" in the sense of just plain giving up. Both words, then, carry the idea of becoming weary in service and cashing in as a result. Unfortunately, sometimes the problem with us is not that of becoming weary in serving the Lord at all. As Dr. John MacArthur has said: "Sometimes, of course, the problem is not spiritual weariness but spiritual laziness, becoming weary from doing nothing rather than from 'doing good.'"

When we as Christians are faithful in serving the Lord, even when and especially on those occasions when we become weary in doing so, we have God's wonderful assurance that our efforts shall reap a divine harvest if only we won't give up. Now the timing may not be to our liking at all, as the term "in due time" reveals. "Due time" is always God's time, beloved, and we must never lose sight of that. When we determine to hold on and remain faithful, God determines that we shall reap His harvest.

Are you right now "weary in well-doing"? Then may I encourage you in the Lord to keep right on staying the course! Keep right on working, serving, and even sacrificing. God is not unaware of your service and He is fully aware of your circumstances. The goal is reachable and the harvest is guaranteed. Let us not lose heart! God bless you as you stay the course!

Ron

When You Are on the Mountaintop

"And Jesus was saying to them, 'Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power'" (Mark 9:1)

I will never forget the one and only occasion in which Bev and I while visiting our youngest daughter then living in Colorado Springs were able to drive all the way to the summit of Pike's Peak. Talk about thin air! Everyone was moving so slowly and breathing more heavily than normal.

As wonderful as that trip up Pike's Peak was, however, it could not compare at all to Peter and James and John's trip to the top of Mt. Hermon. There they had witnessed the glory of the risen Lord Jesus Christ and the sight they beheld had scared them beyond belief. It is in their wonderful experience, beloved, that we learn a valuable lesson about what our focus needs to be each time that God gives to us our own "mountaintop" experience. Note first that in Jesus' actual transfiguration before them, that lifting of the veil of eternity so that they could peek within, we see the need to always reaffirm the Master as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And that, of course, involves ever acknowledging that He is Lord of our personal lives.

As Peter and James and John looked on, Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus and began to discuss with Him His coming death, resurrection and ascension. On the mountaintop, then, beloved, we need always to reaffirm the message. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ, the story of His death, burial and resurrection that must be our priority here. And as those who acknowledge honestly His Lordship we ought always to be about His business.

As they came down from the mountain, they encountered a heartbroken father begging the disciples to cast a demon from his son. Right in front of them, then, right there "in the valley" they saw the need to reaffirm the mission. Mountaintop experiences are wonderful, beloved, encouraging and strengthening, but it will always be in the valley that we meet those for whom Christ died. And it will be in the valley where we serve Him best.

So mountaintop experiences are important, aren't they, beloved? At such moments we are invited by the Father Himself to reaffirm the Master, the message, and the mission. And armed again with a resolve that Satan can't crack, we descend to the valley to take on all that he can throw at us, wearing the armor of God and armed with the sword of the Spirit. We do so because, as the song says, "people need the Lord."

Ron

Room at the Cross

"But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Galatians 6:14)

Ira Stanphill is well-remembered as a traveling evangelist and musician of the 20th century who was privileged to write more than 500 gospel songs. In 1946 he was preaching in a revival meeting in Kansas City, Missouri, and as was his custom, asked the members of the congregation to submit suggested gospel themes or song titles. As they would present to him their favorite ideas, he would select from them and proceed to write a gospel song based on the suggested titles selected.

On that particular evening he was thumbing through the titles and came across the words "Room at the Cross for You." These words struck a chord in his heart and before the service was over, Stanphill had written the lyrics to the hymn that we know and love so well today.

The cross upon which Jesus died is a shelter in which we can hide;
And its grace so free is sufficient for me, and deep is its fountain as wide as the sea.
There's room at the cross for you, there's room at the cross for you;
Though millions have come, there's still room for one,
Yes, there's room at the cross for you.

Some time later a young man in great despair of life, intending that very evening to take his own life with a pistol he carried in his pocket, found himself walking near a church where a worship service was in progress. He heard the music director singing the words of Stanphill's great hymn, Room at the Cross, and was so gripped by the message that he made his way into the church. That night he found Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord and was gloriously saved. Later he studied for the gospel ministry and became an evangelist himself. It is said that a motion picture was eventually made of that man's life since the day when the words of the hymn, Room at the Cross, pointed him to Christ and delivered his life and his soul.

The Apostle Paul declared boldly that he could never boast in anything in this life except in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ and its redeeming power in his own life. He further declared that to him the world was nothing and that he had died to it as well. His one aim in life was to live for Jesus Christ and to let everyone know that there is still today "room at the cross" for any and all who will come to Jesus by faith.

May our lives as Christians today ever reflect that same wonderful message - "Though millions have come, there is still room for one. Yes, there's room at the cross for you"!

Ron

Buffeting My Body?

"But I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified" (1 Corinthians 9:27)

Just let the average Christian read the word "buffet" and instantly the taste buds perk up and the hunger pangs begin! We are notorious (especially we Baptists) for linking a meal to just about everything that we do! In fact, we would all have no problems whatsoever being obedient if God was actually challenging us here to "buffet" (buf-fay') our bodies in that respect.

But the Apostle Paul was definitely not talking about your favorite smorgasbord eatery! Rather he was letting the Corinthian believers know how important to him it was to "discipline" himself and to make sure that he controlled his physical body instead of allowing it to control him. The Greek verb hupopiazo means quite literally "strike under the eye" as in giving yourself what we used to call a good old-fashioned "shiner." Now Paul clearly wasn't referring to some strange form of self-flagellation but was instead speaking figuratively of his own system of spiritual discipline over his flesh and its desires.

One of the greatest problems which we seem to have as Christians today is the mastery of our flesh, beloved. And that brings me back to the thought of a "buffet" (as in food!) for an example. Eating at a buffet is the one area where you can be sure that all Christians will devoutly believe in "good stewardship"! How many times have I myself reasoned that I just had to have that second plateful of food so that I could justify the cost of the buffet! Sound familiar? I thought so! You see, in such cases we don't control our bodies but they control us. It is we who are the slaves and our desires that are the masters over us.

The Greek word doulagogeo means "bring into bondage" and is the picture of the victor leading the vanquished about in chains. Paul lets us know even today that as Christians we have only two options from which to choose. We can either be the slave or we can be the master. If we let our flesh dominate us, then we will become slaves to our flesh. But if, as Paul did, we are willing to "buffet" our body, to control ourselves spiritually, we will not find in the end that we have been "disqualified" from service.

Buffet my body? Absolutely! While the line for a clean plate at the local smorgy is a good place to start, beloved, we all need to discipline ourselves to think, talk, and act like Jesus. We need to "walk in the Spirit," as Paul told the Galatians, and then we will find that we will not fall prey to the desires of the flesh. Buffet anyone?

Ron

Putting a Stopwatch on God

"And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary" (Galatians 6:9)

Anyone who has ever spent time around thoroughbred race horses, beloved, no doubt knows how important a stopwatch is to the training of such animals. In fact, the term to "put a stopwatch on" a particular horse means to time his speed so as to see what kind of racing potential he may have. All of us have probably seen that all too familiar scene from any of a number of movies where the horse's trainer and owner stand on the side of the track as the horse races past, one of them clicking the button on the stopwatch as the horse crosses the finish line. Without "putting a stopwatch" on a race horse, the owner would never have any way of knowing just how capable or incapable a racer his horse might be.

While such a practice makes perfect sense when it comes to race horses, beloved, it makes no sense at all when we as Christians try to "put a stopwatch on God"! Yet that is what we do each time that we come to Him in prayer and in anticipation of certain answers or blessings and we become discouraged or disillusioned if He doesn't respond to us in short order. Note closely here the term "in due time" or "in due season" as the King James Version has it. The Greek word kairos is difficult to translate adequately into English. It is not connected to "time" in the sense of a certain day or hour, but rather to various opportunities that are given to us by God. And the word "due" focuses upon just that fact, that it is God Himself who determines when it is the right "time" for something to occur in our lives.

God is not a racehorse, beloved, and should not ever have us try to "put a stopwatch" on Him. Rather as His children and His servants we should be willing for that divinely appointed "due time" to come. We need to learn to trust God and keep serving Him faithfully. Paul here stated that we will always "reap" when the time is right as long as we don't grow weary of waiting and serving and give up. As we choose to trust Him and keep serving, we will discover again and again that while God is certainly not in a race, He is never late!

Ron

Why Does It Take a Hurricane?

"And the King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me'" (Matthew 25:40)

Hurricane Irene pounded our region for twelve hours, beloved, and I began to wonder if that storm was ever going to leave! Thankfully she is just a fading memory now and we can see blue skies with bright sunshine and people everywhere, cleaning up their own property as well as lending a helping hand to their neighbors. This past Sunday we could not hold regular worship services because so many people were still without power. I had the privilege of joining with other believers to help clean up the aftermath. As I stood there in the woods among the fallen limbs and toppled trees, my thought was one of great joy: "Here is the church being the church!" We are outside the four walls and we are serving others to the glory of God and for the sake of His kingdom. Go, church!

But my question here is simply this: "Why does it take a hurricane to get us outside those walls?" As gratified as I was on Sunday and am today, for it still continues, to see so many people doing so much good for the benefit of others, why does that seem to rise to a crescendo more in times of crisis than as a daily reality of life when 'routine' is the order of the day? Oh, I know that much genuine ministry goes on unseen by most of us on any given day. But why does it seem to rise to new heights at times like this? Should it not be this way every day for every true believer?

I love the words of Jesus in response to the question put to Him about when they saw Him a stranger and took Him in, or naked and clothed Him, or sick or in prison and visited Him. He told them very frankly that to the extent to which any of us minister to those around us in times of their need, we are actually ministering to Jesus Himself!

My heart's desire, and I hope yours as well, is to be an "everyday" servant. I don't want to wait until the next hurricane comes roaring up the eastern seaboard to kick it into gear and get busy helping others. I want to be that pro-active in the sunshine and fair weather as well. Being a Christian is about people, beloved. As I have related to you recently, 'people' is what we do! We share with them the love of God in the person of Jesus Christ and we prove that love by striving joyfully to meet their needs. We don't fit them into our busy schedules - we make them our schedules! Jesus said that for us to make sure that we "save" our lives, we must gladly "lose" them for His sake and the gospel's (Mark 8:35).

Why does it take a hurricane? Let's not wait for the next one!

Ron

The Discipline of a Joyful Life

"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

"The discipline of a joyful life" - somehow that sounds vaguely familiar, doesn't it? Oh, right, that's where we left off last week as we considered together the joy of a disciplined life (1 Timothy 4:7). Here the Apostle Paul speaks directly to the issue of, first of all, the uniqueness of Scripture, followed by a vivid description of the usefulness of Scripture as God's instrument of discipline within our lives.

First, the uniqueness of Scripture - the term "inspired" means literally God-breathed in the sense of that which comes from the heart of God Himself. That one statement alone sets the Scriptures in a category all by themselves, beloved! While it is true that many today claim that the Bible has no authority because "it was written by man," the fact is clearly that it was written by God!

And what of the usefulness of Scripture as Paul declares it here to have? First, he makes clear that the Word of God is "profitable." I really like the word useful to explain the meaning of ophelimos. You see, to be profitable or useful, the Scriptures must have a practicality that many do not like to acknowledge. In fact, too often today we are more willing to study it, even memorize it, than we are to apply it!

Second, the apostle declared that the Scriptures are useful for "teaching." Here Paul's thought is that of necessary knowledge without which we as followers of Jesus Christ will never achieve personal holiness of life. Very simply, the Word of God contains all that we will ever need to know in order to live for Christ in this present world.

Next, Paul wrote that the Word of God is profitable for "reproof." The focus of that word is upon the confrontation of error. What good is any pursuit of personal holiness, beloved, if we are never willing to have our errors pointed out to us so as to remedy them?

Then, the apostle said that the Scriptures are useful for "correction." Once any error in thought or practice is confronted, it must of necessity be corrected. Restoration to a right path is always to be every believer's goal, first for ourselves and then for one another. How sad that so many today seem eager to reveal the error but not to restore the errant!

Also, we discover in the apostle's words that the Word of God is profitable for "training in righteousness." It is the truth of God's Word itself alone that can cause us to walk righteously before God in sight of a sinful world. Nor are there any shortcuts to personal holiness, that goal being reachable only as we give ourselves completely to learning and living out the Word of God.

Finally, Paul wrote that the Scriptures are useful in seeing us "adequately equipped" for the accomplishing of the plan and purpose which God has uniquely for each of us. The words "adequate" and "equipped" are from the same root and could easily be translated outfitted completely through having been made completely fit for every good work.

But unless we are willing to learn and apply the truths of Scripture, we will never be useful to God! The joy of Jesus Christ will never be ours unless we discipline ourselves through the application of Scripture.

Ron

The Joy of a Disciplined Life

"But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness" (1 Timothy 4:7)

"Discipline" was not a very comforting word when I was growing up, beloved! In fact, it reminded me of those times when I would have to sit down gingerly following one of Mom or Dad's visits to my room. No, discipline was definitely not a very comforting word!

Today the same word carries for me personally thoughts of those daily trips to the Y for a good workout on the treadmill. So clearly "discipline" has a variety of meanings and experiences in our lives. But the one kind of discipline that seems to be least understood and most neglected is that of self-discipline.

Here we find the Apostle Paul exhorting young Timothy to "discipline" himself for the purpose of attaining a life of personal godliness. It is interesting that this key word comes from the original Greek word gumnazo from which we derive our English words "gymnasium" and "gymnastics." The primary meaning is that of training oneself in a certain direction. And the context of the apostle's words makes it clear also that his focus was that of spiritual discipline. Very simply, we as Christians need to establish within our lives a system of consistent spiritual discipline.

And the direction which all such self-discipline is to take is that of "godliness." The Greek word eusebeia means quite literally "well-directed reverence." It does not, however, refer to one's inner holiness but rather his outward practice of that holiness. The whole picture for the believer, then, is that of personal devotion or devoutness. Thus, our "godliness" as believers will be visible for everyone who knows us to see!

So much more could be said here about our need for self-discipline, beloved, but let's leave that for another time. Instead, why not stop right now and ask yourself how "disciplined" your daily living as a Christian is? Are you working out spiritually through such "exercises" as the study of God's Word, meaningful prayer time with God, strong friendships with people of like-minded faith, serving others through your God-given spiritual gifts, and carrying within you a burden for the lost so that you do not miss a single opportunity to share the good news of Christ with anyone? If not, may I encourage you to start "working out" today? As Paul went on to tell Timothy, such living does not only "hold promise for the present life" but also "for the life to come" (v.8).

Ron

The Danger of Insignificance

"But I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified" (1 Corinthians 9:27)

Speaking on a strictly personal basis, beloved, I know of no danger so great for the servant of Jesus Christ than that of becoming spiritually insignificant! And if asked, I am convinced that many of my contemporaries would rank such a danger high on their list as well. The Apostle Paul spoke indirectly of his own desire to avoid such insignificance when he wrote to the saints in Corinth concerning his need to discipline his living so as not to become himself "disqualified" in the final analysis.

This same word in the original language of the New Testament means literally "without approval" in the sense of being unacceptable. As this statement of the apostle came to mind, beloved, all that I could think about was the danger of becoming spiritually insignificant because of an undisciplined life. And to add to the graphic image here presented by Paul, note the qualifying term which precedes it - "after I have preached (or proclaimed God's truth) to others." What more devastating event could occur, then, in a Christian's life than to herald the gospel, to minister to hurting hearts, to disciple other believers, and then to fail to maintain one's own spiritual significance because of a lack of self-control?

What was the apostle's solution to such a dreaded prospect? What specifically did he determine that he needed to do within his own life? Again the original language of Scripture is even more graphic than the one we have just considered. Here the word means "strike under the eye" in the literal sense of giving oneself a black eye or figuratively of subjecting oneself to a rigorous spiritual discipline so as to remain a true and faithful servant of Jesus Christ. And to succeed in that quest is the height of spiritual significance, beloved!

As I continued, then, with my own meditative thoughts concerning this awesome truth, I came to the conclusion that to be spiritually insignificant would be to have failed to stay the course and, thus, to have failed to make an impact upon the lives of those whom the Spirit of God caused to cross my path. So in that sense, I find that I join myself wholeheartedly to the desire of the Apostle Paul - heart to heart and soul to soul - to discipline myself vigorously so that my service will show in the end to have had spiritual significance. Just some personal thoughts I wanted to share with you. May the Spirit of God lead each of you to ever be spiritually significant! Insignificance is a danger to be avoided at all cost.

Ron

People Are What We Do

"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others" (Philippians 2:3-4)

Until I read my son's most recent blog post, beloved, I had no idea what the Spirit of God was leading me to write for my own blog this week. Just a short while ago I remembered that I had received an e-notice of his post and I took the time just a few moments ago to read it. Then I went back and read it again. One illustration that he used spoke a precious truth to my heart so powerfully that I want to share it with you. Ready? People are what we do! As Christians all that we do in following Jesus Christ is all about people. Do yourself a favor and visit Jerry's blog site and read his latest post carefully. I will try to remember to include his blog address at the end of this devotional.

In his blog post Jerry suggested that we visit a store that sells gold fish and other varieties of tropical fish. He said for us to go to the most crowded tank that we can find and try to single out one of the fish in that tank and keep our eye on it as it swims about. Then he added this wonderful challenge: turn around quickly one time and then try to reconnect with that same fish you had just been watching!

What is the point? The point to me is that we need to learn to make people our focus in life. Not church committee meetings. Not choir practice. Not programs. But people! Unfortunately, as we have all learned the hard way, our lives as Christians become so busy that we "lose sight" of the very people to whom we are supposed to be ministering the love of Jesus Christ (remember spinning around in front of the fish tank?). We get so tied up with schedules and agendas that we forget all about people!
The Apostle Paul must have faced the same problem with the church in his day because of what is recorded above that he wrote to the saints in Philippi - regard one another as more important than yourself. I dare you to try to carry out that command of God, beloved, without really focusing intimately upon people! Dare I say it again? People are what we do! Success in ministry can't be gauged by budget line items or packed pews or great choirs or (shut my mouth!) gifted preachers. It can only be gauged by the impact that we make on the lives of people one person at a time and one day at a time.

I really don't have a handy ending to this devotional, beloved, so let me wrap it up by once again reminding you even as I remind myself as one who stands regularly in a pulpit that people are what we do. So take a good look around you. Take a good look at your church. Then ask yourself this question: "What eternal differences are we making in the lives of people in our community?" Answer that question honestly and let the Holy Spirit do the rest.

By the way, Jerry's blog site address is jerrythinks.wordpress.com. I invite you to check it out and read the entire article. It will speak to your heart!

Ron

Can You See the Mulberries Moving?

"And it shall be, when you hear a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines" (1 Chronicles 14:15, NKJV)

Sounds in the tops of the mulberry trees - what a glorious picture of the presence and the power of God in the life of any man He may choose to lead, beloved! Do you know the story? If not, then let me tell you. If so, then it is worth hearing again.

David had just at long last been proclaimed king over all Israel. A great festival attended by everyone had taken place with worship and rejoicing that the nation had her rightful king upon the throne. Finally the nobles and commanders and all visitors returned to their homes and the land grew quiet. The Philistines had been watching from afar with growing paranoia and hostility. Seeing that the people were finally dispersed, they flooded into the land of Judah, filling the Valley of Rephaim with an army that was seemingly innumerable. David inquired of the Lord and was directed to assault them directly. David and the forces of Israel did so and won a great victory.

Still again the Philistines came into the Valley of Rephaim in great numbers. Once again David inquired of the Lord, refusing to act upon the basis of his previous victory. Good thinking! This time God directed him to come around behind the armies of the Philistines and to camp against them where the mulberry trees grew. Then God gave to David an unusual directive, as our focal verse of Scripture reveals. He was to wait until he could hear the sounds of an army moving through the leaves at the tops of the mulberry trees, then he was to attack them from behind. Again, David obeyed God implicitly and again God routed the Philistines before him.

I have heard it said and have read from any of a number of theologians and writers that possibly the "sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees" could easily have been the hosts of heaven leading the way for David to the victory which he inevitably realized. Whether that understanding is literally true, what a glorious picture it is nonetheless of how God goes before us in every situation that we face! In a beautifully poetic way, God said to David, "Wait until you see Me move, then you move and follow Me!"

How often today do we find ourselves on the wrong path simply because we did not think to wait for the leaves in the tops of the mulberry trees to move, beloved? Are you facing a set of circumstances right now in which you need the clear leading of God in your life? Then, do what David did. Wait for the evidence of God's moving and then follow Him wherever He may lead! For us today as Christians, that moving of the leaves comes to us as we study His Word and follow His leading there. Are the mulberry leaves moving yet in your life? Are you moving forward in obedience to God's will?

Ron

How Does God 'Taste'?

"O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!" (Psalm 34:8)

"Have a blessed day!" How many times has someone said that to you, beloved? Or how about the ever popular "God bless you!"? The issue of being "blessed" is certainly one with which we seem to be fascinated today, judging by our choice of expressions anyway.

You will forgive me, I am sure, if I share thoughts with you in this devotion which are a bit more personal, a bit closer to home than usual. There is absolutely no doubt about it - I am a blessed man! I have the most wonderful wife that any man could ever be so "blessed" as to have. She is a treasure to me and, as the writer in the book of Proverbs says: "Her worth is far above jewels" (31:10). So in that one sense alone I have been privileged to "taste and see that the Lord is good"!

Then there are my three wonderful kids. Kids? I'm not sure they would appreciate me calling them that since they are 42, 40, and 37 respectively. But make no mistake about it, beloved, our two daughters and our son are the best! They are wonderful parents in their own right and I love the way that they love their mother and how much they respect her and look up to her. Nor could I possibly forget to say how blessed I am with the "in-law" kids that marriage has brought to me. Our two sons-in-law and our daughter-in-law are simply the best! All of that is another "taste" of God's goodness that just keeps bringing me back for more!

And have I shown you pictures of my grandchildren yet? No? Then you've just got to see them! Those 4 girls and 5 guys fairly make their Pop's vest buttons burst with pride. When I think about them, I am afraid that I am guilty of getting that famous "Jello pudding grin" you've been seeing on the commercials. How good God has been in blessing me with each one of them!

Another "taste" of God's goodness comes in the form of my extended family, both by blood and by marriage. Too many to possibly name here, they know who they are and know how much I love them and appreciate them.

One very special "taste" of God's goodness has been for many years and still is today the blessed privilege of being able to share His Word with believers as a pastor and preacher of the gospel. Very simply, I have been blessed to have the best "job" in the world! I cannot even begin to count the blessings that have accrued to me because of this one taste of God's goodness. Some of the most wonderful friends whose love I enjoy now have been my stalwart companions in the vineyard of God's kingdom. I cherish every one of them and praise God for them.

On and on my list of ways that the "taste" of God's goodness in my life is delicious could go, beloved. But let me simply bring this to a close by saying that the most glorious proof of God's goodness is without a doubt the blessing of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I could 'rare' back and shout whenever I think of how His love and mercy have washed over me again and again! O to be sure, God is good! So how does God "taste" to you, beloved? I hope that you can say with me that He tastes "good"!

Ron

Where Is Jesus Going?

"And seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night, He came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them" (Mark 6:48)

One of the most overlooked facts about that night on the Sea of Galilee when Jesus came to His disciples walking on the water in the midst of a storm concerns the reality of where He was headed when He found them floundering in the midst of the storm! Clearly, as John Mark has recorded, Jesus was not headed for their boat but for the opposite shore. You may recall that where Jesus was going was where He had sent them the evening before following the feeding of the 5,000:

"And immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the multitude away" (v. 45)

So Jesus was not heading toward their boat when He appeared on the horizon that night, but rather toward the same destination which He had given to His disciples! Surprisingly perhaps, He was not on the surface of the sea that night to once again bail them out of trouble, but rather to reach His intended objective.

It is so in our lives as Christians today, beloved, a truth that many of us still have to learn. Jesus does not "trail along" after us in life, stepping in to help whenever we mess up. He is rather on a mission of His own and that mission He has plainly outlined for us to understand:

"Jesus said to them, 'My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work'" (John 4:34)

Just because Jesus did end up getting into the boat with His disciples early that morning, beloved, does not mean that He is following us around so that He may "rubber-stamp" whatever it is that we want to do in life. He only got into the boat because Peter had called out to Him and asked to join Him out on the water. Otherwise, as Mark makes clear, He would have kept right on going.

It is vital, then, for us to answer for ourselves this question - "Where is Jesus going?" It is not He who is desirous of joining us in what we are doing. It is we who need to find out where He is going and join Him in that! Just as He said to the disciples of John when they asked where He was going - "Come and see" (John 1:39) -so today He invites you and me to join Him in what He is doing for the Father's kingdom! Where is Jesus going? Find out and join Him!

Ron

Higher Ground!

"If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:1-3)

In 1898 businessman and leisure-time lyricist Johnson Oatman, Jr. wrote words that were later set to music, one of some 3,000 songs written by him. This one became a favorite of the church of Jesus Christ. Oatman, himself a licensed Methodist Episcopal preacher of the gospel, expressed beautifully in his lyrics his own desire for a higher plane of fellowship with God than he had at the time of this writing. His words illustrate wonderfully for us the exhortation by the Apostle Paul written to the believers in the church of Colossae:

I'm pressing on the upward way,
New heights I'm gaining every day;
Still praying as I onward bound,
"Lord, plant my feet on higher ground"

"Lord, lift me up and let me stand
By faith on heaven's table-land,
A higher plane than I have found:
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground"

The "higher plane" about which Oatman wrote, beloved, the apostle here describes as "things above." The Greek word ano refers specifically to a different plane than the one upon which believers commonly live. The clear contrast is between the kingdom of this earth and the kingdom of heaven!

Furthermore, the command to "keep on seeking" is a translation of the Greek verb zeteo which speaks of pursuing a thing passionately, even of coveting it above all else. Paul's focus cannot possibly be misunderstood. He was talking about each believer living on this plane of existence seeking as the focal point of his thoughts and actions daily a different plane - the kingdom of heaven. And the reason given is simply that as followers of Jesus Christ we have "died" to this world through our identification by faith with Him in His death, burial and resurrection. We have awakened spiritually to a new realm, to a "higher plane," as Oatman so describes it.

And what of those who profess faith in Christ yet who are content to focus only on this sphere? In his letter to the believers in the city of Philippi, this same apostle wrote these somber words:

"For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things" (Philippians 3:18-19)

"Who set their minds on earthly things" - do you see Paul's contrast, beloved? That is precisely what Oatman meant when he through his prayerful lyrics petitioned God to plant his feet on higher ground! Where is your own personal focus today? Are you seeking the interests of the kingdom of heaven above all else? Do your feet itch to walk the shores of higher ground? My hope is that all of us will be able to say with hearts of passion, just as Johnson Oatman, Jr. did - "Lord, plant my feet on higher ground"!

Ron

What Is That in Your Hand?

"And the Lord said to him, 'What is that in your hand?' And he said, 'A staff.' Then He said, 'Throw it on the ground.' So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it" (Exodus 4:2-3)

I was busy preparing a message this week for this coming Sunday morning's service of worship, beloved, when the Spirit of God brought back to mind such a wonderful truth about our service unto the Lord as Christians that I just had to share it with you! That truth simply is that God loves to start with what is at hand or, as in Moses' case, "in your hand." Moses was being commissioned by God to confront Pharaoh and to lead the Hebrew people out of bondage in Egypt and to a glorious land of promise known then as Canaan. In his fear and doubt, Moses questioned God's choice of him as that leader, so God chose to show him to what extent He would be with him. He asked Moses what was in his hand and Moses replied that it was just his shepherd's staff. When he cast it down at God's command, however, it became a serpent on the ground. That staff became to Moses "the rod of God" and was the instrument he held out over the Red Sea and saw the waters part miraculously and the whole nation cross to safety on dry ground.

The prophet Elisha asked of a widow lady the same question when she came to him in dire need of help and in imminent danger of seeing her sons sold into debtor's slavery to pay her debts. Elisha asked her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?' (2 Kings 4:2). In other words, beloved, he asked her what was at hand! She replied by telling him that all that was left in the house was a single jar of oil. The prophet had her borrow as many jars from her neighbors as she could procure, then to start to pour from that single jar of oil into the empty jars. As long as she had even one empty jar remaining, the oil continued to flow miraculously. As soon as the final jar was filled, however, the oil stopped flowing. Elisha then told her to go and sell the oil and pay off her debt and then provide for herself and for her sons with the rest.

And in the Gospel narrative of John Mark, our current Sunday morning course of study, Jesus and His disciples were confronted with a massive need as well. While trying to grab a few moments of rest and repose on the grassy slopes of Bethsaida east of the Sea of Galilee, they were confronted with a great multitude of people seeking Jesus' teaching and His healing touch. When sundown came and the disciples questioned how the people were to find food for supper, Jesus replied by saying to them, "You give them something to eat!" (Mark 6:37). Astounded at such a thought, they told Him that they could not possibly feed that many people themselves. Jesus' response to them was to tell them, "How many loaves do you have? Go look!" Andrew came back with a small boy and his tiny lunch of five barley crackers and two sardines. You know the rest of the story, don't you? Jesus blessed the lunch and promptly began to distribute it among the people as His disciples passed it out. Not only were all of those thousands fed but the disciples then gathered up twelve baskets of fragments not distributed.

It seems quite clear, beloved, that God wants to always start with what is at hand! And what is in your hand right now? What is available to you as a starting point for the miraculous? Today I would say to you that you are that starting point! God is not nearly as interested in your "ability" as in your "availability." If you make yourself available to Him, He is certainly capable of providing the ability! In each case in Scripture that we have noted, a common truth is present: When those involved presented what was available to God, the miraculous happened! Whether it was a shepherd's staff or a jar of oil or a small boy's lunch, the ordinary became the extraordinary when God chose to use it. How available is your life to the hand of God today?

Ron

Considering Jesus

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart" (Hebrews 12:1-3)

"Well, consider that!" is a well-worn cliche from many years ago, beloved. To "consider" anything means to fix your focus upon it, to give it your undivided attention, to make it the focal point of your thoughts and even actions.

We come this week to the fourth and final key command in the verses above, imperatives from God through the writer of the book of Hebrews. We have already discovered together three such commands - strip down for the race, run the race with endurance, and fix our attention upon the finish line. In conclusion, we are told to "consider" Jesus. The word "consider" in Greek is analogizomai and means "reckon upon" or "add up" as in calculating a thing and drawing an inescapable conclusion.

The reason for us to "consider" Jesus, beloved, as the author has revealed to us, concerns what He bore on our behalf. We should consider the "hostility" He put up with from the religious leaders of His day and from the disbelief of people who would not accept Him as Messiah. He even had to put up with the timidity and flip-flopping faith of His own disciples! Yet He endured it all and gained the victory for us over sin and death and hell. Because He endured what He did, we have been enabled to endure as well.

And what is it that we are enabled to do today as a result of all that He bore? We have been given the ability first of all to refuse to grow weary in our service as disciples of Christ. The Greek verb kamno means literally "tire" or "faint" in the sense of giving up before crossing the finish line. Because of His example that is ever before us, we can finish our course just as He finished His!

Then we can and must also refuse to lose heart. The Greek phrase here means literally "become faint in your soul." It is the believer's resolve, then, that is at stake and we have been empowered through Christ to refuse to give up and just quit the race. Remember that great cloud of witnesses that this writer mentioned in the first verse? Consider just a few examples for a moment:

The patriarchs - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob
The prophets - Moses, Elijah, Samuel, Daniel
The apostles - Peter, James, John, Paul
The martyrs - Stephen, Polycarp, Jim Elliott
The preachers - Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Spurgeon, Adrian Rogers
The missionaries - William Carey, Hudson Taylor, Amy Carmichael, Bertha Smith

We may not be running our own race of personal holiness before their eyes, beloved, but their testimony is certainly ever before us! Great servants such as these were faithful in their time and now have passed the baton down to us. What will the next generation of servants say about our running of the race? Consider that!

Ron

Focusing on the Finish Line

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart" (Hebrews 12:1-3)

Anyone who knows anything at all about running, especially sprinting, knows that you must set your gaze upon the finish line and make it the object of your determined attention. As a baseball player who is attempting to stretch a single into a double is exhorted to set his focus upon the base into which he is going, so the runner is urged to watch the finish line! For a runner to look at those who are running around him is to lose not only his concentration but his pace in running. Those who do so will invariably slow down whether running a base path or a track in a race.

The Greek verb here translated "fixing our eyes" means literally look away toward intently in the sense of fixing one's focus upon some distant object. Do you recall Jesus' words to Simon Peter when he questioned the Lord about what John's future was to be?

"Jesus said to him, 'If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!'" (John 21:22)

Very simply, Peter wanted to know how John was to run his race and Jesus responded by telling Peter not to watch John's race but rather to run his own! We are too easily distracted in our race for personal holiness, beloved, when we start looking to see what someone nearby may be doing or not doing. How we need to learn to run our own race in life!

Standing at the finish line, in the sense of this passage, is the Lord Jesus Christ. It is He who must become the object of our desire, the ultimate reason for which we run the race. The reality of life for each of us, beloved, is that our race will end either when He calls us home or when He returns in glory for His bride, the Church. But until either of these events is accomplished, we must keep our eyes on the finish line and not allow anything to deter us in our running.

And what of the example that Jesus Himself established for us to follow? The fact that the writer here says that He "endured the cross, despising the shame" is another way of saying that Jesus has run His own race and has run it successfully. Motivated by "the joy set before Him" - the satisfaction of redeeming you and me - Jesus bore it all, crossed His own finish line and became our Redeemer. Now He patiently and lovingly encourages you and me to run our own race with faithfulness and to keep our eyes upon Him.

Is your gaze on the finish line, beloved? If not, let me urge you to "look away" to Jesus! He's all the motivation that we need to finish our course and to keep the faith!

Ron