“The Changing Of A Desperate Man!”

Due to the long hours of my summer work schedule I have trouble finding time to write. Therefore I will post one of my first “Watchman Chronicles” that I wrote way back in 2003.

I have just finished reading a book by Mark Cahill called "The One Thing You Can't Do In Heaven." (If you have ever struggled with sharing your faith in Jesus, this book will both challenge and help equip you to share Christ more comfortably with every one you come into contact with, friends and strangers alike.) Having my heart freshly stirred and eyes newly opened to a lost and dying world, who is in desperate need the Savior‘s love, a world of souls that will slip into eternity without the answer, unless "we" care enough to share Christ’s love with them. My family and I were in the mall in Rapid City looking for a dress for our teenage daughter, when we saw a scrungy looking man who appeared to be homeless sitting on a bench, wrapped in a dirty blanket. I felt God tug at my heart to go talk to him, share Christ’s love with him, or minister to him in some way. I resisted and didn't do it. I told God, "I don't know what to say to a total stranger. God surely you know I have trouble talking to people I know. I'm just not ready to do that yet."

I passed this man several more times that afternoon as we made our way around the mall. Each time I would feel the Spirit leading me to visit with him, and each time I would push it away, and go about my business. Late that afternoon as we were preparing to leave, I had purchased a large cinnamon roll from a vender for our family to share on the long ride home. As I was headed through the mall toward the car, I felt God impress me again. “Give your roll to that homeless man.” I began to argue with God about giving "my" roll to a strange man. The argument continued as I approached the bench where the homeless man had been sitting. A ting of relief hit me when I realized that the bench where he had been sitting was now empty. My eyes scanned up and down the mall. Then I spotted him in the distance, slowly making his way toward the exit. “Should I run and catch up with him…? I had probably lost my opportunity to talk with him but I could at least give him my roll as an expression of God‘s love.” My feet didn’t move as I stood watching him round the corner and go out the exit door.

For days I couldn’t get the image of that moment out of my mind. I could see myself standing there watching as this man walked out the mall door and fell directly into eternity without Christ. I had done nothing to help him, show him Christ’s love, or share the gospel with him. According to Matthew 25:35-40, I had seen Jesus and let Him walk away without ministering to Him. I prayed for forgiveness for not obeying the Spirits leading. I kept thinking that what if God had brought this man to the mall that day so I could share Jesus love with him and I had failed? My fear had kept me from obedience, and had kept this man form an encounter with the love of the Almighty. What if he steps into eternity without Jesus, when maybe I could have been the last person to share Jesus love and grace with him?

As the days have passed since that encounter, I have resolved to be more bold and obedient to the Spirits leading. God has used the memory of that experience and lost opportunity to change me. I have become more aware of the hurting souls I encounter each day, be it a stranger, a store clerk, or a teenager I see at the ball game. I have definitely been changed for the better. Then one day it dawned on me, “God hadn’t sent me to the mall that day to change a homeless man! God had sent a homeless man to the mall that day, to change ME!”

“I AM”

My daughter wrote an “I Am” poem for an assignment for her summer college class. I thought hers was amazing. She found it a fun and enlightening exercise, and encouraged others to try it as well, and so I did. Like most guys I suppose, I am not much for self exploration and certainly not big on letting others see into my soul, but I have always known that God called me to write “The Watchman Chronicles” more for my benefit than for yours. With that in mind and at God’s prompting, I will reluctantly share with you my “I Am” poem, in hopes that it will encourage you to do some self exploration of your own. To write your own “I Am” poem, just take the first two words from each line and fill in your own ending. It can be just for fun, or you can make it into a spiritual exercise. If you choose the latter, say a prayer as you begin each line that God will help you find the truth of what is buried in your soul, not just who you “think” you are, or who you “think” you should be.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I Am

I Am a quiet, even tempered, passive servant in the flesh, but I am a king and warrior and a rebel in my Spirit!

I Wonder what my life would look like if I fully knew and did Gods will?

I Hear God’s heart weeping over the broken and over my apathy to them.

I See a world full of lost, lonely, and hurting people desperately searching for the answer to their pain.

I Want to be like Jesus, but as Todd Agnew sings, “I'm no sure what that means?”

I Am a quiet, even tempered, passive servant in the flesh, but I am a king and warrior and a rebel in my Spirit!

I Pretend because that is what people want, rather than the truth.

I Feel lost, lonely, and insignificant sometimes, and what I desire and have to say aren’t important.

I Touch God when I love His children.

I Worry my faith won’t work and that it won’t be strong enough, “in the day of trouble.”

I Cry for young people whose lives are being destroyed by Satan’s deceptions.

I Am a quiet, even tempered, passive servant in the flesh, but I am a king and warrior and a rebel in my Spirit!

I Understand that the Bible is God’s infallible Word and will, and that everything it says is true, even when I don’t comprehend it.

I Say what God teaches me, in order to encourage others in their walk with God.

I Dream of a day when my will for me will be fully the same as God’s will for me.

I Try too hard and think too much.

I Hope my life will make a positive difference for the Kingdom of God.

I Am a quiet, even tempered, passive servant in the flesh, but I am a king and warrior and a rebel in my Spirit!

“Grace To The Humble”

“God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” James 4:6

As Christians it is easy to pass right over a scripture like this, for we seldom think of ourselves as being proud. When we think of someone being proud, we think of some loud mouth rap singer or star athlete spouting off about how they are the greatest. Or possibly some atheistic politician or scientist who think they have the answer to our problems, and that anyone who believes that God has the solutions to life’s difficulties is archaic and weak minded. However when one considers the seriousness of the above verse it is worthy of some further personal scrutiny.

What does it mean to have God resist the proud? According to Webster resist means to “strive against,” or “have success in opposing something.” I don’t know about you but I don’t need God opposing or striving against me. Life can be tough enough with just Satan resisting me, and God on my side; I certainly don’t want to be in a position to have God resisting me as well.

The other side of the coin is this. While God is busy resisting the proud he “gives grace to the humble.” Grace is defined as “unmerited or unearned favor.” Who doesn’t want and need God’s favor, especially in a world full of evil, chaos, death, and disease?

The determination of whether I am proud or humble cannot simply be based upon what I think or feel to be true. For whether I receive God’s favor, or meet God’s resistance is at stake. By necessity I must use God’s Word to determine God’s mind as to what “He” considers to be pride and humility.

As I searched the scripture concerning this issue, I discovered some interesting things. Whenever God refers to the proud it is always in the context of someone who does not believe or obey his words. An example would be Pharaoh in Ex. 10:3 where God says to him, “how long will you refuse to humble thyself before me? Let my people go that they might serve me.” For Pharaoh to humble himself and put away his pride would mandate that he submit to God’s will and do what God Word demanded of him. Deuteronomy chapter 8 likewise teaches us that humility has to do with keeping Gods commands, but it also shows us another interesting picture of what God’s view of humility really consists of. God says he fed the Israelites in the wilderness with manna and gave them water from the rock in order to humble them. “who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; who fed thee in the wilderness with manna…that he might humble thee.” Duet. 8:15-16 At first the question perplexed me as to how God providing for all the needs of the Israelites was a way of humbling them? How was giving them food, water, and clothes that didn’t wear out supposed to make them humble? I just didn’t get it. However after much prayer, meditation and some wisdom from my wife, the answer was a new revelation to me of what God’s view of humility really looks like. God humbled the Israelites by making them completely dependant upon Him. Without God’s daily provision of food and water they would have quickly perished in the harshness of the wilderness. Thus we see that the second definition of humbleness is to be completely dependant upon God. Trusting God as ones only source, ones only answer.

We see these same two definitions of humility in the text surrounding our key verse. “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God..” James 4:6-7

“God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Casting all your cares upon him; for he careth for you.” James 5:5-7

To be humble therefore is to submit to God and his will, obeying his word; and then casting all our cares upon him, trusting and depending on him as our only need, source, and answer. To be fully humble in this manner would necessitate that we go to God for his wisdom and direction for every decision and in every situation that we find ourselves on a daily or even a hourly basis, then trusting and resting in his loving sovereignty to work things out for our good.

By contrast to become proud is to forget God and what he commands and to instead follow and depend upon our own beliefs, abilities and desires. “Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees….Then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” Duet. 8:11/14 NIV

We often have this idea that to be humble is to be this weak spined, self-loathing doormat of a person who spends their days with their head low in self-reproach as they repent continually for their sin and unworthiness. This is not humility at all. In fact the opposite is actually true. If we have been born again by faith in the blood of Jesus, and yet see ourselves in such a worthless, and useless manner we are actually walking in pride, and not humility. For the scripture teaches that if we have been washed in the blood of Jesus, we are beloved children of the most high God. (Luke 6:35) We have been made righteous and holy, and are kings and priests that will reign upon the earth. (2 Cor. 5:21 / Rev.5:10) So for us to believe something contrary to this is to say that whom “we” think and believe we are, supersedes whom God says and thinks we are, and that, my friend, is pride in its fullest degree. Being humble is not about seeing ourselves as a lowly slave who must bow and cower before a harsh master, but instead seeing ourselves as God sees us; as sons and daughters of the King of the universe who are loved with an everlasting love (Jer 31:3) and have been given power and authority over the enemy and all his works upon the earth. (Matt 10:1,8 / Luke 10:19) Man may see you as arrogant for having such an exalted view of yourself, but God will see you as humble for believing who “He” says you are.

So what is the grace or unmerited favor that the Word says the humble (those who believe and do what God says, and are depending completely upon God as their only need) will receive? Deuteronomy 8:7-9 says it this way, “The Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills: A land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey; A land in which you shall eat food without shortage and lack nothing in it; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper.” In other words Gods desire is to bring us into a place within his kingdom where there is nothing missing and nothing broken in any area of our lives. Jesus said it this way, “I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance, to the full, till it overflows.” John 10:10 Amp

Let us strive to put away pride and seek genuine Godly humility for, “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

“A Crumb Is All You Need”

In Matthew 14 the Bible tell us that once while Jesus was traveling near Tyre and Sidon a Canaanite woman came to Him crying and saying, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon possession.” (vs. 22) Jesus seemingly ignores her and gives her no answer. She apparently was not put off at all by His lack of interest in her, for the disciples then come to Jesus saying, “Send her away, for she keeps crying after us.” (vs. 23) It is unclear to me for sure, but based upon Jesus response to them, the disciples may have wanted Jesus to help this woman just in order to get her to go away; but at any rate they were obviously getting annoyed by her loud and persistent cries. Jesus response to their request was, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (vs. 24) In desperation the woman presses past the disciples disapproval and resistance, then falls at Jesus feet worshiping him, and cries the simplest of all prayers, “Lord, help me.” To this humble request Jesus replies, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” (vs. 25)

You would think that after such an answer the woman would have gotten discouraged at the least and most likely offended. She could have said to herself in an angry tone, “Did He just call me a dog?!! Who does he think he is! Just because I’m not a Jew does that make me unworthy of his time and attention?” At this point she very well may have stomped off while muttering something unrepeatable under her breath. But no, Jesus answer to her didn’t dissuade here in the least. “Yes Lord, she said, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” (vs.27)

This response is very revealing, for it tell us much about this woman’s heart and faith. She obviously understood that Jesus was the Messiah, and must have had revelation of His love and mercy. For although she understood that she was not worthy of the Messiah‘s time or attention, she claimed Him as her master, thus like the family dog, was bold enough to expect at least some crumbs. The woman’s answer to Jesus was essentially this, “No, I’m not worthy to take what belongs to the chosen ones, but your power, authority, love and mercy are all so abundant and great, that just one little crumb of your power; just one tiny drop of the leftover glory that might spill out after meeting the children’s needs, is all that is necessary to take care of my problem.” This response was so bold and faith filled that it moved the Messiah’s heart. Her trust in who Jesus is and in His amazing power and grace kept her seeking Him when others would have simply given up. Because of her persistence and faith she received the miracle she needed.

I don’t know what problems or difficulties you are facing today, but you don’t need all of Gods power and glory to meet that need. When it comes from the Masters’ table “a crumb is all you need.” But as children of the most high we don’t need to wait like a dog, for a crumb to fall, for all that the Father has is at our disposal. “My son, the father said, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.” Luke 15:31 Be like the Canaanite woman and press into Jesus, cry out to Him, don’t let the disapproving glares or words of the disciples keep you from worshiping at his feet. And when it feels as though Jesus is ignoring you and isn’t answering your cries, don’t give up, seek Him all the more persistently. His heart will be moved as he sees your faith and you will receive the wholeness you desire.

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Heb. 4:16

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jer. 29:13

“Terrorist of Love!”

I love my country and am very interested in what is going on politically in the USA, however I purposely avoid talking about political issues in this blog. This is due to the fact that I believe true change will never come through a political process but only through the power of Gods Word and through the person of Jesus Christ. Voicing a political view is void of power, but Gods Word is “profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, and for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action.) 2 Tim. 3:16 Amp. Therefore I prefer writing about spiritual issues using God‘s Word to infuse life and power into it, however I feel a recent news release is worthy of my attention.

Last week the new head of Homeland Security issued a report that stated that “I” am considered by our government to be a threat as a possible terrorist and should be watched because of my stance against abortion. (According to this report besides pro-lifers, those concerned about immigration, gun control, and recently discharged veterans are all possible terrorists). If the worldview that leads to such thinking weren’t so serious it would be completely laughable. No mention in this report of Muslim extremist groups doing military training within the U.S. borders, but be sure to watch grandma who donates part of her social security check to “Right to Life.” Hello!!!

At first I was quite upset by this report, but as I began to look at it through the lens of Gods Word, I began to see it in new light. This is just a minor form of the persecution that Jesus said would come to all who follow after Him. “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” John 15:18 Jesus is the author of life and so it stands to reason that those of us who stand with Him for life, in opposition to the pro-abortion culture of death, would be opposed and “feared.” But why do they fear us? I doubt they understand it, and certainly wouldn’t admit it if they did, but God puts a fear into the hearts of those who oppose His ways and His people. It was true for the Israelites about to enter into the promise land and I believe it is also true for us today.

“There shall no man be able to stand before you; the Lord your God shall lay the fear and dread of you upon all the land that you shall tread, as He has said to you. Deut. 11:25 Amp

"Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will fear you." Deut. 28:10 NIV

No one would fear someone unless they recognized that they have power; and as born again followers of Jesus Christ, indeed we can and do have power! For Jesus said, “But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,” Acts 1:8a Amp He also said, “Behold I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.“ Luke 10:19 We need not fear those who would oppose us, but stand firm knowing that God will fight for us. For as we just read, if we stand firm in faith, “no man will be able to stand before us” and “we will have power over all our enemies and nothing they do will (in the end) harm us.”

In order to get their worldview redirected, what the officials at Homeland Security need is a good dose of the fear of the Lord. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Pm. 111:10 Instead of fearing Pro-Lifers, what Homeland Security should fear is the creator of the universe who will not stand by forever and watch as millions of His most innocent and dearly loved children are being slaughtered each year with the governments full support and encouragement. God loves every one of these children and had a plan and a purpose for each life. But God’s love is not just for the children of abortion, for the women that have these abortions are as much victims of abortion as the babies themselves; for many are wounded and scared for life. It is not enough to just be against abortion without offering the women who are caught in these difficult situations the love and support that Jesus Himself would give if He were physically present upon the earth. We are His hand and His feet and need to use them to offer loving support for the alternatives to abortion, and the emotional and spiritual healing needed for those suffering the painful aftermath.

If loving and standing up for the unborn children who are helpless and have no voice of their own; and if caring about and for the women who are wounded by abortion, makes me a terrorist, than you can call me a terrorist of love. For love is what God has called me to do, and that indeed is what I will do!

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.” Pro. 31:8 NIV

“Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God” - “If God so loved us, we ought also to love one another” 1 John 4:7a, 11

“The Great Exchange!”

When my son was in grammar school, like many kids he loved to play baseball. His dream was to grow up and play professional ball on the same team as Ken Griffey Jr. When he wasn’t playing baseball he collected baseball cards. So as you might imagine his goal was to collect every Ken Griffey Jr. card ever made. Although he loved receiving cards of other great players, he would use them to make a trade to get the Griffey cards he desired. If he got a Mark McGwire or a Sammy Sosa, he would trade it for a Griffey. Though the monetary value of the cards may have been similar, an exchange was made in order to receive a card of greater value to him. As adults we do the same thing on a daily basis, we exchange our money for goods or services that are of value to us. We exchange one thing of value for another thing of value.

When God sent Jesus to earth, in a fleshly body, where he was crucified on a cross, then died and rose again, an exchange was also made. But unlike trading a McGwire for a Griffey, this exchange was not a fair or equal trade in any way. For in this exchange mankind received only benefits, giving nothing of value, while Jesus took all the harm. In this great exchange orchestrated by Gods’ extravagant love and grace, Jesus was made our sin and we were made Jesus’ righteousness. In other words, our sin was exchanged for God’s righteousness.

“For he (God) hath made him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 2 Cor. 5:21

Because Jesus was made sin, and “the wages of sin is death,” (Romans 6:23) Jesus had to then pay the penalty for sin. Thus He was beaten, ridiculed, then nailed to a cross where He died, and descended into hell for 3 days; all to pay for sin that you and I had committed. When He rose from the dead on the third day, He had not only overcome sin on our behalf, but also had overcome death for us. So not only was our sin traded for Jesus’ righteousness, but also our death penalty was traded for His eternal life. The following is just a partial list of what was transferred in this great exchange.

He took our sin. We received His righteousness.

He took our death. We received His life

He took our hell. We received His heaven.

He took our shame. We received His authority.

He took our weakness. We received His power.

He took our sorrow. We received His joy.

Wow! What a deal, what an exchange; you will never make that kind of a trade on Wall Street, or any where else for that matter. Because of His great love for us, Jesus gave up the glory, majesty, and power of heaven and became lowly and poor to make available to us the power, authority, and riches of His kingdom.

“For you know the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” 2 Cor. 8:9

There is one thing however that God did received from this great exchange, God now has a family. God is holy and just, and therefore cannot have fellowship with sin and darkness; because of man’s sin, our relationship with God was severed. Through the exchange that Jesus made on our behalf, fellowship between God and man has once again been restored. We can now become His children. He no longer has to love us from a distance but can have intimate relationship with us through Jesus Christ. God has done all that is necessary to take sin and death out of the way, making a relationship between He and us both possible and available. The outcome of this relationship is now however dependent upon us; but just like trading a McGwire card for a Griffey card, the exchange cannot take place until both parties agree to it. In order to receive the benefits of this great exchange, we must by faith believe that the blood of Jesus has paid our sin debt and then accept it in trade for His righteousness. There are no unwilling participants in the family of God. You too can participant in this great exchange, the question is, have you?

“But God demonstrated his own love for us in this; while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 NIV

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

“Expecting Favor!”

How would you like to find favor awaiting you everyday and in every circumstance you find yourself? You walk into work and your boss comes hurrying over to you with a smile on his face and announces, “I have decided that I am giving you a 25% pay raise and an extra week vacation.” Then when you go out for lunch you find the restaurant packed to the hilt but the moment you arrive the waitress motions for you to come forward past all the other waiting guests as she ushers you to the best table in the establishment. Your food comes in record-breaking time and then as you prepare to pay you are told that an anonymous guest has already paid for your meal. After your lunch you make a quick stop at Wal Mart to pick up a couple things. As you pull into the parking lot a space opens up right at the front door. Once you have picked up your items you see that the check out lines are long and slow, but as soon as you step in line, the store manager quickly summons an employee to open a new register just for you. Everywhere you go you are met with preferential treatment and all your needs are over abundantly cared for. Living a life filled with favor would be an extraordinary thing, yet God’s Word tells of a supernatural favor that is possible for those who trust not in the arm of flesh but solely in Gods grace.

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound in every good work.” 2 Cor. 9:8

The above verse is one of those scriptures that we often read but don’t really grasp the magnitude of what God is actually communicating to us. The word grace means unmerited favor, and Webster says abound is “to overflow” or “be in great plenty.” So for God to make all grace abound toward you is to have your life overflow with unearned favor. Look at the adjectives used in this verse. “All grace abound toward you; that you, always having all sufficiency in all things.” Not only can God make all favor overflow to you, but so much so that in all things and at all times we will have all we need. This verse is not just talking about physical things, but “all sufficiency in all things” would certainly include the physical. All means all; body, soul and spirit - physical, emotional, and spiritual. The Amplified Bible says it this way “And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and what ever you need be self-sufficient (possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation.)”

Why would God direct such supernatural favor toward us? The Word makes it clear that it is so that we will have all we need to fulfill the purpose that God has given us to do. “that ye…may abound in every good work.” Favor always comes with an assignment. God’s favor is poured out upon us not for our own selfish consumption, but so that we will be fully equipped to accomplish Gods purposes upon the earth, and that we might display His glory and goodness.

Now I realize that this verse does not “promise” that all grace will always abound in our lives. It says that God is “able to make all grace abound toward you.” Just as grace for salvation of the lost soul is available to all, yet only a few accept this gift; in like manner, I believe that there is much more grace and favor available to us than most of us ever experience. While we certainly can’t earn our salvation, which comes by grace, our part in salvation is to believe what God’s Word says and receive by faith what Christ has made available to us. Likewise to receive the grace talked about in this verse, we must first believe that God desires to pour favor out upon us, and than have a willing and humble heart ready to receive it. I suspect that there are two main reasons we don’t experience much of this available favor.

1. We don’t “really” believe what the Word is promising, nor have confidence in the Fathers love concerning us.

2. God knows our hearts and sees that we would spend this favor upon our own lusts, thus drawing our hearts away from Him, rather than in accomplishing “every good work” and bringing praise and glory to His Name.

So how do we prepare ourselves to receive God’s favor? A good place to start would be by diligently seeking the Lord with all that we are and surrendering ourselves to His will. Our will must become the Fathers will. Secondly, we must begin to speak faith filled words. I am not talking about a name it and claim it gig. I am talking about speaking what the Word says; believing and claiming for ourselves what the scriptures say is God’s will, and what the scripture says is available to us and through us as kings and priests of the Most High God. As Dr. Kenneth Hagen once said, “Faith begins where the will of God is known.” For years I often believed and spoke a bad report over myself. I figured that if I was in a hurry to get somewhere, I would have a flat tire; or when I receive a little extra money, something would break down that would consume more than the little extra that I had gained. And guess what? My faith worked perfectly, for what I believed and spoke usually did come to pass. I am learning to no longer do that, but instead to always speak and expect favor. God’s Word is filled with promises of who we are in Christ, and what the cross has accomplished for us. Let’s choose to allow them to renew our minds, fill our hearts, and flow continually from our lips. .

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” Eph. 3:20

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also: and greater works than these he will do: because I go to the Father.” John 14:12 NAS

“You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock…Your baskets and your kneading troughs will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out. The lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but will flee from you in seven. The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouses of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many but borrow from none. The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I gave you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never the bottom.” Deut. 28:3-7, 12-13 NIV

“Divine Assignments!”

There is something about human nature that makes us all think that everyone we know should like us; we want everyone to see our worth and find value in our words, thoughts, and talents. We soon come to see however that no matter how much we may want this or attempt to get everyone to value us, this is just not how life plays out in our everyday world. Some people for whatever reason just don’t like us, or find us to be a problem; others just don’t care about us much one way or another. However to a select few, we are a gift, a prize, someone who adds value and worth to their life.

I have come to see recently that not everyone sees our value because our purpose and our calling is not to them. Those to whom we are called will see our value, those to whom we are not called, will not. The honeybee buzzing around your yard is an annoyance to your dog, but to the flowers in your garden, he is a gift. Those to whom you are called will be blessed by you, they will enjoy visiting and being with you, they will receive something of value form you, they will be better for having spent time with you, or doing business with you. You will make a positive difference in the lives of those to whom you are assigned.

I use to feel guilty because as a youth leader there were some kids I just didn’t care for much, and other kids that I loved deeply and my heart just yearned to help and somehow make a positive difference in there lives. I was functioning under a belief that I should love and treat all people the same, but that is ridiculous. While Christ does teach me to love everyone, I am certainly not called to love or treat the woman down the street the same as I love and treat my wife. Nor is my wife called to cook breakfast for the neighbors’ husband. I now believe that those, to whom our hearts are drawn, are part of our divine assignment. The special love and bond we have for them was placed there by God himself. They are the ones to whom we are called, the ones that we are appointed to bless.

We all certainly need to work on areas of spiritual immaturity within us, for things like having a negative spirit or being full of pride will certainly effect how people relate to us and how much influence we will have in their lives. However for us to spend too much of our time trying to make someone like us, who doesn’t appreciate our value and gifts can be a major waste of our time and anointing. For even Jesus counseled his disciples before sending them out by saying, “whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.” (Matt.10:14) So when someone doesn’t like you or see your value, don’t worry about it, just shake it off, and refocus your concentration toward those to whom you were sent. When you are walking in your assignment, your giftings will find their greatest effectiveness, and your seed will produce the greatest harvest. “But other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop, a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Matt.13:8

God made you for a specific purpose, and he chose you for that purpose before the foundation of the world. (Eph. 1:4 / Jer. 1:5) The things and people you love most, and to which your heart is drawn, are clues to who and what your calling and assignment is. Your passion, your anger, the enemies you are willing to fight, the people you are willing to fight for, are all clues to your assignment. When you find the environment you are meant to be in, your genius will emerge. In the chicken yard the eagle is just another bird, and in fact may lag behind the crowd, but put him in the sky above the mountains and his magnificence and grace will be displayed for all to see. You will find fulfillment and purpose when you are walking in your divine assignment. So don’t waste your gifts buzzing around the dogs ears when there is a meadow full of flowers just over the hill longing to be touched and blessed by you.

“For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.” Jer. 29:11 AMP

“Pardoned”

The above cartoon would probably be more humorous to me if it weren’t so true. I spent many years of my life (after being born again) burdened down with the guilt and shame of sin that had already been pardoned by the blood of Jesus. I had been set free but lived as a captive in a constant state of unrest, trying to live up to the requirements of Gods law. A law that if we are going to live by them, contains not only the ten commandments but were added to by Jesus who said that hate is murder and lust is adultery. A law that judges not only our actions but also the “thoughts and intent of the heart.” (Heb 4:12) As difficult as living without lying, cursing or coveting is, how could anyone possibly live holy under a law that judges by our thought life as well. For the moment we repent from one foul thought, another unholy thought may surface. I was taught that when any such sin occurred in my life I had fallen from grace. Because of this improper understanding of grace, I must have been resaved several hundred times per year. Living with this kind theology makes one very sin conscious, which leaves you with three choices,

1. Repent constantly (which leaves little time to enjoy any of Gods goodness.)

2. Rationalize and categorize sin (try to convince oneself that what you do is not sin)

3. Live under constant guilt, condemnation, and fear of hell.

I lived doing a combination of all three of these things. You would think being very sin conscious would keep you living as good and holy as possible, but the reason that isn’t necessarily so, is that if one sin is going to send me to hell anyway, then committing five, ten, or one hundred doesn’t make much difference. Jesus didn’t die just to have us continue to live in fear with the weight of sin and hell precariously hanging over our heads like a 10-ton block dangling from an old frayed rope.

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Gal 5:1

I thank God daily that He revealed to me the truth of his grace, that salvation is a free gift that I don’t have to earn to receive, or earn to keep. That Jesus paid for my sin debt and died my death so I can be free from sin and live unto Him. “Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Rom. 6:11 “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness, by whose stripes ye were healed.” 1 Peter 2:24

I ask the question earlier how can we possibly live up to God’s standard of perfection in both thought and deed? The answer is that we can’t; but how blessed we are that the law’s requirements were fulfilled in Jesus. The purpose of the law was never to make us righteous, but only to expose our sin and drive us to Christ. “I had not known sin but by the law.” Rom.7:7 “The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ.” Gal 3:24 “That every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God…by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Rom. 3:19-20 Just as a mirror can never clean the dirt from our face, only reveal it; the law can never make or keep us righteous and holy, only expose our sinful condition. God’s standards of perfection are beyond my reach, but praise His Holy Name, He is the “Perfect One” on whom my sin was laid. No longer do I have to stay in the prison of guilt and shame for by the blood of Jesus my debt has been paid and I have been pardoned and set free! Halleluiah!

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath set me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:1-2

“Pain, Our Pathway To Life!”

I have never wanted too much out of life. I have never had lofty dreams or extravagant expectations. I just want the basic good things in life, moderate provision, healthy body, and to be surrounded by family and friends. I just want life’s problems to leave me alone so I can live a happy little life void of pain, sorrow and all other such annoying distractions. Like most people I suppose, when life throws some unfortunate circumstance at me that threatens to upset my happy little world, I pray that God will quickly come and correct the situation, so I can just go on about my “happy little business.” However if God doesn’t show up to answer my prayers in a timely manner or to my expectations I sometimes get a little upset or disillusioned. Why does God allow this pain to come into my life and disrupt my happy little world? After all doesn’t the Word says that He loves me and that He will answer when I call upon His name? I’m doing my best to serve Him and am trusting in Jesus shed blood and in His grace? So what’s the deal?

The thing is, God has shown me that this is such an unbelievably arrogant way to think and live, and the horrendous thing about this mind set is that I am treating God as if He were “my” assistant. As if it were His job to make sure I live the happy little life I so desire. A life filled with my will being done on earth rather than God’s. How did I come to think God should make sure I live the happy little life I want? Why do I spend so much of my time seeking life and fulfillment in all the “gifts” that God provides instead of seeking life in God Himself?

The book of Job tells of a time when Satan appeared before God and God begins to brag to Satan about his servant Job. To which Satan replies, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has?” (Job1:9-10) Even Satan sees and understands that there is physical benefits to serving God, and that God delights in pouring His love and favor upon those who love and fear Him. But while it’s true that those who trust in God do reap the benefits of God’s favor and protective hedge, to treat God as if He were my assistant, who’s purpose is to fulfill my desires, or keep me happy according to my will is certainly blasphemous. I was created to be God’s assistant in building His kingdom, created with the purpose and privilege of allowing Him to use me to fulfill His desire and to do His will, not the other way around.

In his book Walking with God, John Eldredge makes this revealing statement, “We see God as a means to an end rather than the end itself. God as the assistant to our life verses God AS our life.” “Jesus AS my life!” O how my soul leaps at the prospect of it. It sounds so simple, I certainly mentally assent to that concept, and I so want Jesus as my life! I certainly want and seek for Him to be my only desire, my only source of joy, my only source of life. Certainly now and then in times of worship I do get short glimpses of that reality. But in the day to day, and minute by minute existence that I live in, I find myself constantly being drawn back into seeking for life (fulfillment & satisfaction) in the “gifts” rather than in the “Giver.” Seeking for life among the things I see rather than in Jesus who created those things. I do this even though I know that seeking for life among these fleeting and decaying pleasures of the earth realm will in the end, always leave me disappointed and empty.

I personally don’t believe that God brings disease, death, or other such trials upon us just to teach us things, but the Word does teach that He uses them to our advantage. “All things work together for good to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) God has been revealing to me that I have been wasting my pain. What I mean is this, if I truly want to live with Jesus AS my life, I need to begin to embrace the pains and troubles of life. For pain can be my tutor on my path to wholeness. Pain and trials will expose to me the lie that life can be found in “things” and “pleasures.” Pain is also the very things that God will use to uncover my sin, my brokenness, and my fears, that only Jesus’ love and grace can heal. The very thing I avoid the most and ask God to quickly take away, can be my biggest ally. The very thing that feels as though it is killing me, is the very thing God desires to use to bring me life. That is if I will allow it to. A trial is an opportunity for God to perfect me, and an opportunity for me to see God work. It is an opportunity for Jesus to become my life, for I will not find healing until I discover (or admit) what is broken or missing within me.

“I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).” John 10:10 Amp. Jesus AS my Life! That is what the Word promises, but life doesn’t come without cost. After all in order to bring us life, it cost Jesus his life. Our healing came at the price of His scourging and beating. “and with His stripes we are healed.” (Isa. 53:5) So don’t waste your pain! It is far too valuable. In the hands of Jesus it will set you free.

So watch out pain, you will no longer bring us death, for we will pay attention to what you reveal in us and allow Jesus to use you to be our pathway to life and freedom.

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Cor. 4:16-18