Faith... a mantra...

My faith is stronger than my flesh...

My faith is stronger than my flesh...

My faith is stronger than my flesh...

Through our faith, we can accomplish our goals.  With our faith, we are more than what we once were.  In our faith, we are unstoppable and a force to be reckoned with.  Because of our faith, we are able to shout of salvation from the moutaintops.

My faith is stronger than my flesh...

My faith is stronger than my flesh...

My faith is stronger than my flesh...



Faith... in action...

"Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be brave and strong."

1 Corinthians 16:13

Stand firm.  That doesn't read to me like an idea... and it doesn't sound too much like a possible suggestion... and it's not quite the "hey maybe we should look into this," is it?  No.  It is a command.  And what allows us to stand firm in this command?  Faith.

To stand firm in our faith, we must know that it is something we can call upon in times of need.  We can, for lack of a better term, "conjure" our faith when necessary to strengthen and aid us.  Make no mistake, the faith we have is always present.  It does not appear and disappear like magic.  It is not a spell (even though I use the word "conjure").  It is there all the time.  But sometimes when we are scared or nervous or frightened, and we allow our flesh to take over (please notice that I speak truth in that it is something we ALLOW to happen) and worry to persist in the mind and the heart, we must remind ourselves of what we have to be strong in... what we have to stand firm in.  And it is in that sense only that I say we can bring up our faith to face our own flesh, as well as the sins that so powerfully assail us in this world.

A friend and I were chatting on facebook one night, and the topic of sin and whether or not we are easily able to turn away from it came up.  We both agreed that it is certainly not the easiest thing, and that we actually fail more times than succeed.  And I am embarrassed that I did not immediately respond with this verse from Paul.  Thankfully, my friend is far more well-versed than I, and probably was thinking it before me.

But for us, today, we must take time to focus on how we can better stand firm in our own faith.  Another friend of mine just asked this morning how to explain through apologetics certain aspects of our Christian faith.  My answer is, first, to stand firm in the faith.  Then we get to the rest.  But if those who would question us openly see us falter in our own faith, any answers that follow will be suspect.  We have to stand firm, and it is our faith that allows and emboldens us to do so. 

Take a moment when you have time today to think about how firmly you stand.  Are you ready to face the assaults that will come?  Are you aware and waiting for those assaults on you, your character, your faith, your church, etc.?  Prepare yourself, build up your readiness to answer, and honor the Lord in doing so!

God bless you all!!!

Faith... in song again...

"How high?  How wide?  No matter where I am, healing is in Your hands.  How deep?  How strong?  Now by Your grace I stand; healing is in your hands."

From the song, "Healing Is In Your Hands" by Christy Nockels

I know we're in faith, and this is discussing healing, but faith provides for amazing healing!  It is faith that propels us forward into the place where our spirit can heal.  And if our spirit heals through the faith we have, then we can move forward to share and spread that faith to others!

This song touches me every time I hear it, because of the elongated passages in the chorus, painting a choral picture that God is bigger than anything.  He is higher and wider and deeper and stronger in the universe than we can possibly imagine... because He is bigger than all of it, and He created all of it!  There is no depth or length or height to which He does not go and exceed, and if our faith is in Him (which it is) then it should parallel that distance as best it can.

Think for a moment, right now, about how powerfully large God is, and about how powerfully large our faith should be.  If something is needed to grow it and maybe evel heal it, then start with this truth and this song today.  If it is simply something you're not looking at, then look upon it for a moment.  I promise, to view your faith as monumentous and see it for how powerful it is, you will be beyond encouraged, and you will honor the Lord in sharing this experience!

God bless you all!!!

Faith... for each other...

"Show family affection to one another with brotherly love.  Outdo one another in showing honor."

Romans 12:10

I would never presume to ask that any one person put their faith into another person, as we are to have faith in God and His plan.  But in light of that faith that we have in God, we can certainly have faith FOR one another, which would allow us to seek only the best in each other.

This thought comes directly from an experience I had with a friend of mine last night, a man whom I've known since high school.  He and I sang together in high school, and I always envied his strong grounding in faith at such a young age.  But as I spoke with him last night about the changes in me since that era, he showed me this brotherly love, and displayed the best of what it means to have faith for another believer.  

Like him, there are many people within the churches I have been blessed to attend that have accepted me with open arms, having faith in God for me to grow as a Christian.  In fact, there are so many of them, it would be difficult for me to list them all... we'd literally be here all day if I tried.  But suffice it to say that these people pushed me, led me, encouraged me, rebuked me: they loved me, and they still do!  I count them all among my greatest blessings, along with my high school friend.

Take a moment today to think about who in your life has shown this kind of faith for you, and think about ways in which you can better display faith for someone else.  To start simply, focus on seeking the positive things on purpose.  Catch people doing things right, rather than assuming the worst from anyone you may or may not know.  And for those that have grown out of their childish ways, have faith that God has performed a work in them.  The encouragement this faith provides is more powerful than you can possibly know.  Show them and everyone you encounter that you have faith for them, and honor the Lord in this!

God bless you all!!!  

Faith... protecting us...

"In every situation take the shield of faith, and with it you will be able to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one."

Ephesians 6:16

Our faith, as we are learning, serves so many wonderful purposes.  And one of those that we have not yet touched on is how it protects us.  A dear friend of mine pointed this out to me the other day, and so I feel it appropriate to cover this topic today.

I can only speak to this from one place, and that is from personal experience.  I will make no claims as to having seen it all or knowing the journey of another in this sense, so please bear with me.  However, I think you'll be able to look back over your growth as a Christian, after hearing the way I see it, and be able to more clearly discern where your shield of faith has been of the most use.

Picture for me the old Roman guard, with their full-body shields that were made of iron and steel.  The thing was heavy, and it protected them from head to toe on one side, the side they used to push through the battle lines and to their objective.  This shield was, for all intents and purposes, impenetrable at the time.  It was the greatest piece of equipment that any foot soldier carried in battle on the front lines.  Now imagine if that shield were fully encompassing on both sides, as welll as the top and bottom, and just as impenetrable... but weighed nothing!

Our shield of faith is just that, friends.  It is an impregnable bubble that encompasses us, body and soul, and does not slow us down, but rather aides us in moving more quickly and safely through life.  We have no reason to fear with this shield around us, as it is the very power of God that engulfed us when we accepted Christ as Savior!  And it does stop those arrows from attacking us full force... if it didn't, we would have all given up by now.  

The arrows tell us we're not good enough and that we don't deserve to be blessed and that we have no expectation of joy, and they are all aflame with the hatred of the enemy.  But they are extinguished as they approach, and their lies become easily seen and read for what they are... LIES!  Some portion of it sticks on occasion, at least for me, but I believe this happens because I allow an opening for it.  I think my own humanity and arrogance trick me into opening my shield every now and again, and the arrow (at least it's not a flaming one) comes through and burdens me briefly.  I overcome, as we all do, but I have to remain vigilant to keep my focus sharp and my shield up at all times for this purpose.  (Hopefully I'm not the only one this happens to...)

Take a moment today to focus on the placement and strength of your shield of faith, and reflect on how it has helped to steer you and guide you... and protect you!  I would bet that if you look retrospectively at all the accomplishments you have made in life, you will find that there have been assaults against you, but you overcame each time!  And sometimes the shield is so strong that you don't even notice the assault, because it doesn't compare to the power surrounding you from God Himself.  Recognize this, give glory to Whom it belongs, and honor the Lord in doing so!

God bless you all!!!  

Faith... how big...

"For I assure you: If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move.  Nothing will be impossible for you."

Matthew 17:20b

Have you ever seen a mustard seed?  Have you ever held one in your hand?  They're not much bigger than a large grain of sand, but when they take root, the growth of that one tiny seed is unbelievable.  The mustard plant is HUGE!  It's quite the reversal, I tell ya...

The smallest things really do matter, as I'm certain you already know.  To illustrate, let me tell you what happened to me one day as a kid.  I had a skateboard (like all my friends did), and I decided that I wanted to go riding in the street one day.  It was an average act on an average day.  Literally, nothing special was going on.  However, I was suddenly stopped by something so powerful that my board literally just froze underneath me... I, however, did not stop moving.  I flew.  And, in my opinion, I did a pretty decent Superman impression.  I landed and scraped my forehead, hands and knees, and was bleeding from everywhere.  It was not fun.  And my childhood friends back on East Street would agree that the picture of that moment was not a pleasant one.

But the thing that stuck out to me is what I ran into that caused the major change.  I thought for certain I had hit a boulder or a pothole that I failed to see.  But it was a pebble.  Actually, a piece of broken gravel.  It was so small, and it literally made me laugh to think about how something so very tiny and insignificant could stop a 13 year-old child on a board with four wheels, moving pretty quickly on a slight downward slope (and I was no small child, mind you).  I laughed all the way home, limping with my board in hand.  Then my amazing mom took care of me, and all was better... one of many times throughout my life, to be sure.  If you've ever ridden a skateboard, the same has happened to you at least once, and it was probably just as shocking.

Let's put that into this context now, and think about how the world openly attempts to run over us all.  The world challenges everything that Christians believe, telling us that there are multiple ways to Heaven and that we should not put all our faith in one basket, as it were.  It is a big, monstrous machine that never stops rolling... until my mustard seed gets under its wheel.  And I am one of many people who will proudly stand for Christ and proclaim with all my might that I shall NOT be moved. 

Christ tells the disciples (and us, too) that we can move mountains with our faith.  I would love to think that He means we can literally have Everest dance, but I imagine the abstract and parable-esque meaning is that we can surmount obstacles of any size when we use the faith we have inside us.  For some people, like me, it is simply a matter of seeing what is there in order to make it grow.

Take a moment today to ask Jesus to show you your mustard seed.  For some folks, just seeing the small amount of faith that is there can spark growth and inspiration.  From that growth comes the mustard plant, and then the faith that we all seek becomes a real and awesome feeling that we can no longer ignore.  It literally takes over for us, guiding us and directing us... and correcting us when we know we're wrong.  Look at your mustard seed today, and honor the Lord by letting it flourish to the fullest!

God bless you all!!!

Faith... in song...

"It doesn't matter what you've heard, "impossible" is not a word... it's just a reason for someone not to try."

~ From the song "What Faith Can Do" by Kutless

A friend posted this portion of this song a few days back on facebook, and I was posting one of my thoughts on faith at the exact same time.  I was moved instantly, and had to immediately sketch out something from it... because she and the writers/performers of this wisdom are absolutely correct.

Faith, as we've discussed, is what gives us the ability to see things that we wish to become.  When we look ahead on the road in life, we see what we wish ourselves to be through eyes of faith.  That same faith then propels us to grow and chase the dream.

And it should not be lost on anyone that the words from this line are true: the use of the word "impossible" in any given circumstance, whether in relational disagreements or personal achievements or growth or understanding or reconciliation or whatever, really is a form of cowardice that says to the audience, "I don't want to or don't care to try (whatever it is)."  Nothing is impossible when God is present... NOTHING!  All relationships can be restored, all problems can be solved, all disagreements can be put to rest, all mountains can be climbed and all valleys can be passed through.  There is nothing in the universe that God cannot accomplish, if we will allow Him to work in us.  And the only one I can work on is me... no one else.  I, for one, am willing to have Him work in me as much as is necessary so that I will, as we sang this morning, "love as He loves" no matter who it is that needs it.

Nothing at all is impossible with God in the picture.  Take time today to focus for a moment, quietly, and move back to the place where God is in your picture.  (Please acknowledge that if He is not currently in focus there, it was not Him that changed the lens settings, but you... He is, always was and always will be there and ready to do what He does best.)  Bring your focus back to where it should be, on an accountability to Him and to His Word, and honor the Lord as you eliminate the word "impossible" from your vocabulary, thanks to your blessed faith in God!

God bless you all!!! 

Faith... continued...

"We live by faith, not by sight."

2 Corinthinans 5:7

I will attempt to be brief today, but I can make no promises to that effect.  Consider yourself warned.  (Kidding, of course.)

We're getting into deep thoughts about faith, and about how faith exists and governs and flows through everything we do, say and everything we are.  And these words from Paul are but further proof that our faith is not just a decision we make.  It is, in fact, a way of life.

Faith is a part of me.  It is who I am.  And, as a fellow Christian, it is a part of who you are, as well.  This thing within us, our faith, is the guide-rope along our balance beam of life.  This faith that is in and around us is what forces our turns and twists along the road that we all travel. 

And even as my wife's choice of TV program says, we must "have a little faith" as we move forward.  They are discussing grief, and dealing with loss, but the statement is still a sound and relevant one.

And think about how bad things can be when you only look through your physical eyes.  The things we see are always skewed by our failures and our missteps and our short-comings.  But we have a better set of eyes to look through... and they come from within us!  

Take time today to focus on how your life has been turned by your faith; how you have "somehow" known when you needed to readjust your course.  And please, please, please realize that this is your faith, your Christianity, your very soul speaking to you and guiding you and aiding you in making decisions.  Relax a little, and let your faith help you to make decisions, and honor the Lord in this!

God bless you all!!! 

Friday's Proverb...

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding"

Proverbs 3:5

QBQ - How strong is my trust in God for His plans for my life?  Do I have enough faith to just follow Him?

Trust and faith are synonymous for how we should respond to the Lord, friends.  Take time today to focus on your reasonable and right response to Him, and honor the Lord by extending the very best of your faith!

May He bless you!!!

Faith... defined...

"Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen."

Hebrews 11:1

Yesterday we discussed how faith is a central component of our beliefs, and how it is faith that allows us to perform our works with the right spirit and heart attitude.  It is faith that brings us to the understanding of how to perform the works we eventually all come to perform, whether overt or covert.  But today, I want to take some time to discuss what faith is.

A friend of mine once read this entire chapter of Hebrews to our Sunday School class, highlighting the word "faith" each time he said it.  It was quite a powerful example of how important faith is, and I am thankful to this day for his recitation in that manner.  Better, though, is how God used my friend to show us the power and capability of faith in the life of a believer, both in that lesson and through his life to this day.

Think on this chapter today in your quiet time.  I know I usually only highlight a single verse, but this seems important today to read this whole passage and see what God can do through a person of faith.  Then take a look in the mirror and ask yourself if your faith is ready to be used by God for amazing things.  He doesn't do "average," you know?  So read it and reflect.

Also, we need to look into the fact that seeing is not believing... believing is seeing!  I, like you, have faith in the God who has everything in His hands, knows it all, has power to control it all, created it all.  I cannot see Him, per se, but I know He's there.  I don't need to look upon Him (no matter how much I may want to), because I KNOW He is present.  And the only assurance I have is from my faith, which grows ever stronger as I pursue my walk with Him. 

Focus today, and do what you can to strengthen your faith and enhance your ability to show it.  Don't think so much about becoming a Noah or a Moses, performing miracles and great feats by your faith, but rather pray to show honor and glory to the One who deserves our all... including and especially our faith!

God bless you all!!!

Faith...

"In the same way faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead by itself."

James 2:17

We're moving into what will probably be one of the larger topics in this study, and I'm taking no issue with starting with this particular Scripture.  So many people confuse this and miss the point of it, and it needs to be covered up front.  With this as a backdrop for all the rest of the similar passages to follow, we should be able to have a very heightened understanding.

We are saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8) and it is nothing we can ever earn.  It is grace that has done it, and our works, no matter how good or great or amazing or awesome will never get us to the place of "deserving" salvation.  No one on earth is good enough.  No group of people combined are good enough.  The whole of humanity, even if all doing one right thing at the same time, still could not possibly hope to attain this status.  We are simply not capable.  Yes, that includes you... just as it does me.

This verse does NOT advocate a works-based system for salvation.  Rather, it states that the works we do BECAUSE of our salvation will PROVE our intense faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Having faith is great... it is a central component to Christianity.  But you must DO something WITH your faith.  This could range from praying to preaching to writing to teaching to singing to leading to simply studying and staying true to yourself... but you cannot simply say "I have faith" and not prove it to the One in Whom you have it.  Please understand, I am NOT inciting that you bear proof for any person on earth... but God must know that you believe for real, and that means you must believe and then prove it for Him, and Him alone.

Take time today to think about how you are doing works that prove your faith.  How do you show your faithfulness through your actions and deeds?  Please know that it won't save you to do the works... but it will certainly feel better than you can imagine to do the works for the right reasons, knowing that your fruit will show through them!

God bless you all!!!

Goodness... forever...

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

Psalm 23:6

For those of you close to me, you know that I wrote an extensive work on this particular Psalm.  And it culminates with this verse, just as this portion of our study does.  There is no better way to complete this set of thoughts on goodness than with this verse.

His goodness is all we can talk about, because we have none apart from Him.  And it will be His goodness that follows us and chases us all the days of our lives.  And because it chases us so fervently, we must be forced to ask ourselves another introspective question.  Why are we running from it?

Frankly, I don't think we can help it.  We see something and think it is too good to be true or it must have a catch or there must be something wrong with our sight if it looks that good, and so we run away from it... but it chases  after us.  And it does so because He loves us.  Oh, how He loves us.  He loves us so very powerfully and so very deeply, all from the place of His goodness. 

Stop running, friend... let it catch you today and every day, and realize that God has nothing but the best in store for all of us.  Be enveloped by His goodness, share that truth with all you encounter, and honor the Lord in this!

God bless you all!!!

Sunday's thought...

Father's Day has come upon us all, once again, and the memories of those we have lost are fresh in the minds of all who no longer have a man to call "dad."  Those men, throughout time, have helped to shape us into the people we are, even from across great distances of time and space, and their memories are worth preserving and honoring.  It is for those fathers who have passed away that I ask that we all take a moment today to thank God for placing these men in our lives, regardless of the capacity they fulfilled or how long they were around.  Something was learned, and we need to ensure it is not forgotten.

And for the fathers still here, like myself, I would ask that we remember that this day is intended to honor us... but already have the greatest honor we could ever have asked for, in that we have the ability to be called "dad."  There is no sound sweeter than to hear my children speak to me and call me whatever form of the name they choose in that moment, be it dad or daddy or dada.  I know that every father who reads this will agree with me on that point, and we need to never lose sight of just how awesome a responsibility it is to have these children that God has blessed us with.  I admonish the fathers today, myself included, to pray for a better walk and ability to be an amazing dad to our children.

And for us all, I ask that we all take a moment to realize that without The Father, none of us would be here.  So amid the celebration of your own dad today, please take time to give thanks for the Father of all creation, God the Father.  He began everything, including all of our families... and He deserves our respect, admiration, love, reverential awe and worship.

God bless you all!!!

Goodness... the finer point of it...

"But you, Sovereign LORD, help me for your name’s sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me."

Psalm 109:21

When was the last time you were delivered from a trial of any kind?  Can you recall how it felt to be within that trial, regardless of whether or not you believe you deserved to go through it?  (By the way, if you went through it, you did deserve it.)  Better still, can you recall the feeling of elation that existed when you were delivered from it?  I'm about to deflate that a little for you, so please prepare yourself.

God didn't save you from that or deliver you through it because of anything you did.  It has nothing to do with you at all.  It has to do with how good He is, and nothing else.  He saves and delivers and vindicates and exalts ONLY to further the goodness of His name, and we need to grasp that as truth and accept it completely.  Because, in reality, we are not worth saving, by His standards... it is only through Christ that we are worthy to call upon Him and commune with Him.

The people in the Book of Ezekiel were told many times by their watchman that God would spare a remnant, but it was not for their sake.  It was for the sake of the good name of God, and that it not be besmirched in any way that He would forever keep His covenant to Abraham.  The people did NOT deserve it, but a few were spared each and every time disaster struck.  The chosen people remained on Earth because God said they would, not because they had any right or claim to be there.

Take a moment today to reflect introspectively about the trials you have faced and are facing now.  Look closely to see if you can pin-point the Hand of God lifting you from it or pushing you through it, and realize that you will be delivered in some form from it... but it will only be because you are covered by the Blood, and it has nothing to do with you.  It is literally all about God and His goodness. 

God bless you all!!!

Goodness...

"What shall I return to the LORD for all his goodness to me?"

Psalm 116:12

Moving forward, we come to the next portion of the study in goodness.  And my goodness, there is a lot on goodness in the Bible!  You wanna guess why?  I'll give you a hint: it's because God is full of GOODNESS!!!

Many people make the common mistake of believing that we are "good people who occasionally do bad things."  However, as my Senior Pastor pointed out so accurately, we are actually and factually "bad people who occasionally do good things."  Only God is good.  Only God can be good.  We are not capable of sustaining that, and we need to come to grips with that truth.

So what shall we return to the Lord, as the verse above asks?  We know that we are not good, but can sometimes muster a good thing, and we know that our works did not, will not and can not save us.  But just because we cannot be saved by good works does not mean we should ignore the opportunity to do them.  Let me be crystal clear: we are saved through GRACE, and GRACE ALONE, and nothing we can ever do will put us to the status of "deserving" His favor or patience or grace or love... salvation is a gift.  But we should not squander it.  Therefore, we should aim to do MORE good things, and do them to prove our faith.  James says that "faith without works is dead," and this is so true.  We have to show people through our works what our faith speaks into our hearts.  Our works PROVE our faith and salvation, not the other way around.

Decide today to give more goodness back to the Lord, and do so in whatever capacity you are able.  Some will give money, some will give time, some will ramble endlessly hoping that someone will hear (or read) their thoughts... but give something good to those around you, even if only a kind smile.  Share the goodness that has been imparted to you, and do so for the Lord and for Him alone.

God bless you all!!!

Friday's Proverb...

"Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart."

Proverbs 3:3

QBQ - Is my kindness written deep in my heart?  Does it show from the inside out, as it should?

As we've read all week, our kindness should shine for all to see.  We should wrap ourselves in it, keep it prevalent and visible for all, and never, EVER lose sight of the fact that we show kindness because kindness was shown to us when we did not deserve it.  Stand up for that today!

May He bless you!!!

Kindness... in closing...

"The Lord is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness."

Psalm 145:17

We will close on this in the same place we started, with God's amazing kindness.  It says He is "filled" with it, and that everything He does is "righteous."  This, in case you didn't already know, is absolutely correct!

And as followers, we should attempt to follow this, just as we should with everything we have looked into thus far.  Wouldn't it be great to do everything you already will do, and know that it was the right and righteous thing to do, and you did it with kindness?  How much better would you sleep at night knowing you were kind, and not mean or rude or short or any of the other words we use to describe a lack of patient kindness?

I struggle HEAVILY in this area, as my family and friends would attest (if they were being completely honest and not sparing my feelings).  I am quick to respond, usually with a less-than-positive sounding tone.  It is not meant to be unkind, and not intended that way at all, but it "seems" that way to some.  I fight it at home; I fight it at work; I fight it at church; it is my single greatest personality flaw.  And it is one of the key reasons I started this study; I desire to better this in me, and I know that I can, by the strength and grace of God. 

Closing this portion is difficult, as I really enjoy reading about how kind God has been to me.  And then I further enjoy the exercise of putting that same kindness on display for others.  So I will ask that not just today, but from now on, we all keep kindness as a close companion.  Turn to the softer response in all situations, and show God's kindness in you and through you to all you encounter, and honor the Lord in doing so!

God bless you all!!!

Kindness... what not to do...

"As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it."

2 Corinthians 6:1

Have you ever given someone a gift that they just adored?  They had an absolute fit over it, because it was the perfect thing, exactly what they wanted, precisely what they needed.  You could not possibly have done better with this gift for this person on this occasion.  Ever been there?  Better yet, have you ever received that gift?  (Trick question, kids... don't answer that one, because you know you have, as a Christian.)

But have you ever given a gift that was not "all the rage" for the recipient?  The average response, the slow thanks, the confused look upon the face of the person opening it and the silence all add up to the truth that this gift is not what they either expected or wanted... or perhaps they don't realize that they need it.  And so it gets ignored, and your feelings on this matter, in this moment are quite strong.  It's a tad embarrassing, honestly.

We have been given a gift of kindness that we did not deserve.  And I know that I do my fair share and then some of squandering that gift at times, as I show my humanity to others in my reactions and responses.  Do you?  Let's all take a moment today and purposefully not ignore the gift that we have been given.  Make a concerted effort to show kindness today, and honor the Lord in doing so!

God bless you all!!!

Kindness... some more...

"Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience."

Colossians 3:12 (Emphasis added)

If this doesn't say it all, then I don't know what will.  We've covered God's kindness to us, and it is vast.  But now we must look to the kindness we need to show to each other, and this verse, I believe, is the best way to discuss that point.

Paul tells the church at Colossae that they must "clothe" themselves in this and other traits.  They literally need to put it on, like a coat, and have it visible and present for all to see.  Equally important is the fact that they must have it wrapped around themselves, ensuring their own emotions and instant reactions and humanity don't hinder the spreading of the Word and the Way.

Think about that for a second: we're always fighting the urges of the flesh.  So cover your flesh, all of it, with kindness and don't let your flesh show to others.  If your flesh cannot get loose to cause the problems, then your problems just might seem a little less frightening.  (I just love the way Paul uses metaphors!)

Take a moment today to reflect on how you can cover your flesh with a cloak of kindness.  Cover up and respond first with the kindness that you show to others.  Some things are still going to agitate the flesh, for certain... but how we respond to those things, and whether we show and use that kindness cloak will determine our effectiveness as witnesses!  Show what you know, and honor the Lord in doing so!

God bless you all!!!

Kindness... continued...

"For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins."

Romans 3:23-24

I'm going to be brief again today, because I think that the verse says all that is needed for this point.  Although we should take special note that this particular verse does not say that only a few have fallen short, or that there are some who are not in need of His kindness... it says ALL, which does include you and me. 

Good news side of that, though, is that God is kind.  It says that He gave us "undeserved kindness" by sending Christ to us.  Put simply, this means that we are saved by grace, not works, and there is nothing we could ever do to earn the kindness that has been shown to us by the Father.  And that includes works we do alone and works we come together to perform as a group... we cannot now and never will be able to attain the level of "deserving" His kindness and mercy and love.  Period.

So, as we are to model this kindness to show Christ to others and show the fruit of the Spirit alive in us, I'll ask again today that you find someone who needs kindness, and show it to them.  Please notice, I didn't say someone who "deserves" it, I said someone who "needs" it: that is what happened for us through Christ, not the other way around.  And in showing this kindness, bring honor to the Lord today!

God bless you all!!!

Kindness... from God...

"He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding."

Ephesians 1:7-8

I have attempted to be patient with this next passage, and have found peace in doing so.  Now it is with joy that I can share the depth of the love God has for us in His unyielding kindness.  (You like the throwbacks to the previous fruits there?  All ties together, folks... don't forget that.)

As we move into kindness for our next portion of this study, we should first look at how God is kind to us.  There won't be a ton of extrapolation on this, as it is certainly not necessary when you read things like this passage from Ephesians.  The verse describes Him as being "so rich" in kindness.  Not just rich, but "so rich" in this attribute He shows to us.  His wealth of kindness, to put it another way, overflows onto and into us all (and please understand, when I say all I mean ALL) without ceasing or diminishing... He's that kind.

And given His level of patience, as we discussed in the last portion of that fruit, we are blessed that His patience and kindness work together.  I know plenty of people who are patient, but not kind.  They wait and wait and wait, and when their turn comes to speak or act, malice and vengance is all they portray.  They are not kind.  But God is.

Take a moment today to think about one person you could show more kindness to.  Contact that one person and share a kind word.  And, as we studied in the first part of this conglomerate, be certain you share this kind word with ABSOLUTELY NO EXPECTATIONS AT ALL.  Do it because it's the kind thing to do, look for nothing in return, and honor the Lord in this!

God bless you all!!!

Patience... at peace...

"The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance."

2 Peter 3:9

Yeah... we've been busy talking about how we should be patient, and I tried twice to close this portion of the study but couldn't, and it has to do with the fact that I had not yet discussed how God is patient.  He is patient with us... all of us. 

Have you ever thought about that?  Imagine if one of your friends or family acted towards you the way we all DO (tough to admit, but deep down we all know it's the truth) act towards God a lot of the time.  How would that make you feel?  I'm not gathering a warm and fuzzy vibe over here, and I'm betting the same is true for you.  But God loves us through it, over and over and over and over and over again.  He is patient with us.

We (humanity) were created by Him, for Him, and we turned our back on a simple instruction, and yet His patience held.  We made Him so furious that He washed the planet clean of most, but for the future a faithful few were spared, and His patience held.  We longed and yearned for the Messiah, crying out that God had abandoned us... and we sought idols and false gods, distorting the Law, and His patience held.  We begged for prophets, then cast them out, one by one, as we did not like what they had to say, and His patience held.  We murdered, we coveted, we stole, we lied, we cheated, we openly turned our back on Him to try and make it our own way, and His patience held.  We found His Son, learned from Him, and then crucified Him to keep our status quo, and His patience held.  We heard and saw the resurrected Christ, received the Spirit and converted thousands, but still tried to hide sin in our hearts, and His patience held.  We formed new nations and new governments, all the while patting ourselves on the back for our genius and ingenuity, while only some gave credit to God where it belongs, and His patience held.  We broke vows and promises and covenants and traditions and patterns of faith to assuage our "modern society," and His patience held.  We, the human race in total, are wretched, fickle, faulty, filthy, failed things, and if any one of us were actually in charge, we would call forth another flood and spare no one... except, of course, our own person... but we are not in charge, and His patience still holds.  I'm gonna repeat that last part for you: WE ARE NOT IN CHARGE, AND HIS PATIENCE STILL HOLDS!

Take a moment today to think about how patient God has been with you.  If you are like me, you will probably work your way to tears as you think of all the times you have wronged the One who does no wrong.  It will humble you, as it does me, to realize that we really are less than not capable of even hoping to be beneath unworthy of seeking even the smallest momentary glimpse of His shadow... yet His patience was such that He came back to save us and free us and wash us clean through the death of His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.  So be patient today, more than you have ever been, and honor the Lord in this!

God bless you all!!!

Patience... still...

"May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience, with joy..."

Colossians 1:11

I find it personally humorous that I have been unable to post until now today, due to some network issues at my home.  It forced me to have patience with this thought.  And I'm quite glad.

Because in all the round and round we've done on patience and what it means, we have failed to discuss what it brings.  And this segment of a statement from Paul tells us clearly, this practice of patience brings forth strength and power from God himself.

So as I attempt to come to the real close of patience (seriously), I would ask that you all focus on what patience and the increase of it has brought you.  If you feel stonger, recognize that this is a blessing from God, and honor the Lord in using that strength to further His kingdom!

God bless you all!!!

Patience... yet again...

"He must increase, but I must decrease."

John 3:30

Another part of the journey of patience is reminding myself of my place.  I wear a bracelet from the organization "I Am Second" to aid in this practice.  He does, and must continue to come first... always.

The Word tells us so many stories of those who put God and Jesus first, and what outcomes they had.  All of them are amazing, which is why their stories were passed down to us through the centuries, but the thing that is not mentioned is the time leading up to the great story part.  There was patience involved, and the sowing of that patience and focus and dedication allowed for the reaping of greater fruit.  Moses, David, Nehemiah, Ezekiel, Paul, Timothy... Jesus... they all had patience.  We must endeavor to have it, too.

Take a minute today to put yourself in place behind Christ.  Let Him go before you in all things.  Pray before jumping into something.  Focus your heart and mind where they should be.  Dig deep for the patience you need to show true Christ-like calm in all situations, and honor the Lord in this!

God bless you all!!!

Patience... again...

"I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

Philippians 1:6

Okay, I know I said I was "closing" yesterday, but I realized last night that in my haste (irony, right!) I forgot to mention a few things.  This one, in particular, is important to say and important to hear... for me, at least.

We must remain patient for the fulfillment of what we are to become.  So many people, myself DEFINITELY included, have this "I wanna be the best thing I'll ever be right now immediately" mentality.  But we miss the point that each step on our journey betters us, because it is God who has laid this path in front of us.  The work begun in us is one that will be carried out, for sure, but we must endeavor to see where we are growing and improving.

The Amplified version says that this work will be brought "to a flourishing finish," and I really dig that translation.  A flourishing finish... like with jazz hands and fireworks and a long power chord with dissonance that resolves at the last moment in a massive fermata!  But we have to actually get there first.  You don't get to that chord and hear it with all its power unless you hear the whole song before it.  Without the progression, it is meaningless.

Take a moment today to reflect on where you are right now.  Look back to see what brought you here, and examine where the Hand of God caused a turn to bring you to this point.  Then know that He will continue, and that you must be patient to allow it to happen.  He said He will do it... so He will.  Believe that, and honor the Lord in this!

God bless you all!!!

Patience... in closing...

"But he who stands firm to the end will be saved."

Matthew 24:13

Patience is so difficult a thing, as we've said, given our world and the freedoms (or trappings) of modern technology.  Everything on earth... well, everything in America, at least... is always all about bigger, better, faster, more, More, MORE!!! 

Let's change that thought process, just for today.  Lets' take a moment, right now, wherever you are and whatever you're doing, to slow down.  Slow down and think of nothing at all.  Slow down to the pace of a crawl, mentally, and focus on nothing for just a few moments.  You will find it quite freeing, I believe.

And after you've done that, realize that we have all we "need" as supplied by God.  Everything else is a "want," and purely of the flesh.  But we are cared for and provided for, just as Jesus said we would be. 

So be patient.  Going faster only increases your propensity to miss warning signs and oncoming traffic.  So be patient.  Speeding gets you a ticket.  So be patient.  Not thinking things through brings more headache, heartache and grief than anything else.  So be patient. 

Encourage your own patience today by encouraging the patience of another.  Stand firm, all the way to the end, and honor the Lord in doing so!

God bless you all!!!

Patience... further...

"You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near."

James 5:8

As we continue to examine patience (and oddly I am feeling like rushing through it in my flesh, but in my spirit I know I need to take heed of the whole process), we have to realize that words like the ones above from James are speaking to us, even today.

And even though we cannot know when the Lord will return, I would not want to be one of those left standing who wasn't ready... so I have to remain vigilant, and be prepared for it to happen at any given moment.  But I must also remember to remain patient, and not overly anxious for the Lord's return, as that creates another problem altogether. 

If one cannot control the anticipation, they may begin to grow overly excitable about things in the world, and they may begin to place deadlines on things and tell people that the end is near... like people have been saying since Jesus' time.  And none of them have been correct.  Not one.  Out of countelss trillions who have been born and have died before us, including those today who claim the world's end is right around the corner, not one has been right so far: betting odds are bad on those folks, I think.  So why would anyone continue trying to make God work on a human schedule?  Patience.

Take time today (because it's Sunday) to think about one aspect of your worship that could use more patience.  Do you rush through prayer?  Do you long for the chorus of a song, ignoring the words in the verse?  Do you wish for only the contemporary songs and ignore the hymns?  Do you pray for the sermon to get to the end point so you can get a donut or some more coffee?  Be patient within your own worship today, and honor the Lord through this!

God bless you all!!!

Sunday's thought...

"He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake."

Psalm 23:3b

I had someone ask me if it was me who writes these posts on the blog today, and I was shocked when I answered him.  I said that it is me who strikes the keys of the keyboard, yes... but it is God who pulls the strings of my heart to do so. 

For those of you who, like me, are fanatic musicians and play mutiple instruments, think of it this way: He is the musician, and I am the instrument.  Through me, He makes things happen.  But an instrument cannot play itself... it requires masterful hands to move people through the music.

Focus in prayer today on how you are used as an instrument for God's kingdom.  Some write, some sing, some preach, some teach, some serve and some lead... and some lead by serving, which is especially powerful!  But whatever it is that makes you an instrument for the Musician, honor Him by being ready to be used for what you were born for to the fullest extent of His power!

God bless you all!!!

Patience... Who rewards it...

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful."

Hebrews 10:23

If we look back a few days to the characteristics of God, we see that He knows all, sees all, is always present and has all power to do whatever is needed.  And therefore, if He promises us anything at all, it WILL be done.  The thing we need to grasp, though, is that it will happen on His timeline... not ours.

And so patience becomes a NEED in our walk, just as it is in everything.  We have to grow into the understanding that things all happen in sequence, and that we are not now, nor will we ever be, privy to that sequence of events or the timeline surrounding it.  It is not our place to know; it is our place to worship.

The best examples I can think of come from the Old Testament, starting with Moses.  After fleeing Egypt, Moses tended sheep on a hillside for forty years... FORTY YEARS... before he returned to free the people enslaved by the Pharaoh.  He waited, fulfilling his purpose at the present (not lingering in the past or wandering to the future), and then when he was ready (as deemed so by God), he went to accomplish amazing feats that we know about today!  And the second example would come from Ezekiel, in which God tells the prophet that He will keep His covenant and spare a remnant... but it has nothing to do with the people or anything they did.  They don't deserve it at all.  It is because He cannot have His Name questioned, or His faithfulness doubted.  He saves them for His name's sake... because He promised He would do it.

Look deep today and think about how you can be more "unswerving," as the Word says.  Decide on one aspect that you can improve upon, and focus only on that today.  Pray for the strength to share it when the time is right and the Spirit moves, and honor the Lord in doing so!

God bless you all!!!

Patience...

"We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised."

Hebrews 6:12

Patience is next in our list of the fruit of the Spirit, and it is possibly the most elusive of all.  Given our extremely mobile and well-connected society, and how much smaller the world has become for all of us, we all expect things to move at our pace.  But, much like with events in the world of recent times, we are not in control of the time clock: God is.

And in the game of life, we have no way of knowing whether this is the first or last quarter, so why stress over whether we are playing forward or point guard?  The place I am in right now is PRECISELY where I am supposed to be, just as it is for you.  So have patience (I say mostly to myself) and know that the best is still yet to come.

Side note: placing earthly, temporal deadlines on Heavenly, eternal concepts is equal to blasphemy.  It is telling God that your idea of when-where-how is better than His.  He knows; we don't; nothing further to discuss on that point.

And ponder on that thought for a moment... things do get better when we calm down and relax and stay patient and focused and faithful.  When we keep our cool, remember Who is in control of all things (ALL THINGS), and remember that we are saved, justified, blessed and covered by the blood of the Lamb, things seem to be less difficult.  Giants grow smaller.  Thunder seems quieter.  Nothing is quite so scary any more.  But it takes patience to see it through.  It takes patience to calm down.  It takes patience to be rational.

Take a moment this evening to ponder on what one thing you could be more patient in.  Whether it is your job, your relationships, your chores, your homework or whatever the case may be, decide on one thing that you will slow down and focus on.  And then DO IT!  And as you patiently approach this topic or task with a fresh perspective, remember that you do this, like everything, to bring glory to God the Father!

God bless you all!!!

Friday's Proverb...

"A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones."

Proverbs 14:30

QBQ - How can I ensure my peace outshines everything else?  Does my envy keep me from my peace?

The majority of my problems are all caused by the same culprit: me.  I get in my own way all the time, and I really wish I could figure out how not to.  But if I start to focus on the peace that we have been learning about, and I look for that peace specifically, I may see the higher road! 

Take time today to focus on your own inner peace, let it muzzle the envy you have, and honor the Lord in doing so.

May He bless you!!!

Peace... in closing...

"Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Romans 5:1

We are justified.  I will say that again for you: we are justified.  And this justification, as Paul tells us, comes not through the simple ramblings of our own insignificant thoughts and wishes, but rather from our Heavenly Father and our Savior.  And we have peace with God.

Since we are all born sinners, and God hates sin and cannot look upon it, to have peace with God is a pretty awesome thing, don't you think?  Jesus washes us clean, allows us that peace with the Father, and justifies our very existence as children of God. 

And here comes the tricky part that all saved Christians must understand and never, ever forget... if Jesus justified you once, it never has to be done again.  If you ask for it to be done again, you ask Christ to climb back on the cross, because apparently the first time wasn't enough.  Assuming that you or anyone else is not competely justified, and therefore at peace with the Father for all eternity, is the same as questioning the power of the Almighty.  Don't be that believer... please.

Take a moment today to reflect on the peace that Christ has given to us, and the price of that peace that He willingly paid for all mankind.  And yes, that does include YOU, and all you've done and all you will do in the future.  Honor His sacrifice by accepting that peace into yourself completely, and living it out for all those around you to see.  Show the most powerful witness you ever could, by being the expectation... not the exception.

God bless you all!!!

Peace... the salutation...

"Grace to you, and peace from our Lord Jesus Christ."

Paul... a bunch of places

I don't mean to make light of such powerful words, so please do not think there is any hint of disrespect to the man Paul or to his customary greeting and salutation... but he honestly used it at the top and bottom of every letter he wrote.

And given who Paul was and who he became, it is especially powerful that he would understand so very deeply that peace needs to be offered at the beginning and end of everything. And it should be this way because before us (meaning, before creation), there was only God. I imagine that was a pretty peaceful time. And after us, when we arrive in Heaven to worship the Creator for all eternity, and all pain and strife are gone... that will be fairly peaceful, as well, I would assume. So Paul starts and ends in godly fashion, and we should pay careful attention to do the same.

For those of you who know me personally and exchange emails with me frequently, you know that I close my own messages by praying "grace and peace to you and yours" to whomever I am sending. I do this as a personal reminder that I need to shed grace and pray peace on all people... ALL PEOPLE... that I encounter. We all should have a level of focus and dedication, mirroring Paul, to the positive encouragement and uplifting of others through peace.

Take a moment today and think about how you can "increase the peace," as it were, in your own outlook on life. The only person you can control is you, and you should, as Ghandi said, "be the change you wish to see in the world." So be that today! Shed peace on someone... on everyone you meet today. Do it in spirit, in action or in speech, and do it with the grace that IS afforded to you in all circumstances as a saved Christian. The feeling you get will blow you away!

And, as always, grace and peace to you and yours, brothers and sisters.

God bless you all!!!