Lay It Down

And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” – John 6:35

There is a hole inside of all of us that we can’t fill.  It doesn’t matter how much money we have.  Things, success, fame – none of this satisfies.  If it did, the most perfect people on the planet would be the rich and successful.  This is obviously not true.  Their lives are often more out of control than everyone else’s. 

Jesus says He is the one that can fill that emptiness inside.  He, as the physical representation of God’s love, by presenting and providing a way for man to connect with God, gives man something that will never run out and that fulfills completely.  It is God Himself.

He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. – Matthew 10:39

In order to find this life, you have to be willing to lose what you believe is your life now.  How important is all that you know and think that you are?  Are you willing to allow God to influence you?  Are you willing to follow God’s prompting to make decisions differently?  To choose different actions?  Are you willing to have a different life, one based on God’s direction and not yours?

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.  You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.  No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. – John 15:13-15

Jesus called His disciples friends.  He calls those who believe in Him friends.  He laid His life down for everyone, not just His friends, but for everyone to have the opportunity to believe that He is the Son of God.  Is Jesus your friend?  Will you lay down your life for Him? 

Everyday we make a lot of decisions.  Are we willing to lay down our life, what we want in that decision, to follow what Jesus wants?  Do we love Jesus enough to lay down our life, our grasp on who we are and what we want, in order to put Him first?

Jesus can fill that hole in our life.  We must make a decision.  Love Jesus today and lay down your life for Him.

Lean Not on Your Understanding

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths. – Proverbs 3:5-6

Some missionary friends I’ve known for 10 years served in Haiti.  They have four kids and worked really hard.  I enjoyed visiting them when we took trips to Haiti and kept up with them when we weren’t there.  They adapted to Haitian life and worked to share the Gospel with the Haitians and support the local churches. 

One of their children developed stomach troubles and it got worse and worse.  They would come back to U.S. and see doctors and never could get an answer.  They visited the best clinics we have.  Still no resolution.  The child had such a limited diet that it become incredibly difficult to provide nutrition.  Her learning became slow and her focus very difficult.  My friends were distraught and praying constantly for their daughter.  After several years they believed they should come off the field.  Sadly, they left Haiti and returned to the U.S.

After nine or so months of being in the U.S. and while still pursuing medical care for their daughter, she began to mysteriously get better.  So much so that now she appears to have not a single thing wrong with her.  The last doctor visit was unable to find a single problem.  She is able to eat anything she wants to eat now.  Her focus and learning have all returned to normal.  The doctors have no explanation.  It’s nothing but a miracle.

If my friends leaned upon their own understanding, even of what they believed God wanted, they would and did reason that God wanted them in Haiti.  But God had called them home.  If they leaned on their own understanding they would reason that their daughter might not could be healed.  But God had a miracle in store. 

When you’re in your worst battle, in their situation, their daughter is really, really sick, they are having to abandon their work of the last decade, they don’t have jobs, a house, cars, a school, or a routine of living in the U.S., it is so very difficult to trust in the Lord and not lean upon our own understanding.  Faith is believing in what you don’t see, but know, and not in what you physically see and try to reason over.

Once the miracle comes, be sure to witness with praise and testimony to the greatness of God.  This is something my friends have certainly not been shy about.  They give glory to God and look forward to where He is going to direct their paths.

A Simple Faith Action: Control Yourself

¹⁴ What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? ¹⁷ Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. – James 2:14-17

My wife and I attended a visitation for our departed neighbor this weekend.  She was, at least as far as neighbors go, kind, thoughtful and friendly.  In the brochure at the visitation the following quote credited to the Dalai Lama was written, “Our prime purpose in this life is to help others.  And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.”  I found it interesting because I had never read it before, but had arrived at that wisdom in some of my most troubling times.  While struggling along in my most selfish times, it occurred to me that there shouldn’t be people whose lives are worse because I was born, if I have the ability to not make it that way.  Jesus said we are to love others, just as He has loved us (Jn 13:34).  If you are loving someone, truly loving them, you WILL put their needs ahead of yours.  In so doing you will help them and not hurt them.

James is clearly stating that there should be actions associated with Christians who claim to have faith.  He has a “for example” and refers to the poor.  That is a good example.  But, because we have slid so far from the simple and plain in our society I think it’d be a good idea if Christians focused on simply controlling their own actions to NOT hurt others and actually demonstrate they believe what they claim to believe.

Here a few "for examples" that I've witnessed.

How do Christians enter into business agreements and not honor them?  How does this action reflect upon the God they say they believe?  I’ve sat in the same church service with “Christians” who owed me over $20k for services performed in accordance with a written contract, and they purposely did not have a single intention of paying it.  How can that be?

How do Christians hurt others so purposely in relationships?  One of our friends is a divorce lawyer and the descriptions he gives of what Christians do to one another is alarming.  I’m not even talking about getting the divorce to start with, that’s a topic unto itself, but how can Christians who proclaim to have faith in God and be following Jesus be so purposely hurtful towards another person?  It certainly isn’t love no matter how they spin it or justify their actions.  A heard a pastor say in a sermon, “A person will do anything as wicked as hell itself to feed their own ego.”  When Christians become self-serving or believing they are self-deserving, they might be the most manipulative people on earth.  This is the most damaging and hurtful a person can be towards others.

How does a Christian have a Twitter and Instagram feed and never mention God or Jesus?  I do not understand how someone can claim to have God in their life, make Him first place, follow Jesus and not ever mention it to the world.  Yet I see it every single day.  Some have had these social platforms for many years and have never said a single word to praise God.  If I didn't know them outside of that social platform, I would have no clue they claimed to be a Christian.  Obviously they are ashamed or scared of the world.  Often they try to skirt the issue by saying “blessed”.  Yet, I see non-Christians say the same phrase.  At some point you have to either follow what you claim or just stop pretending.  Make a freaking decision.

There are many other examples, but these are just actions of controlling one’s personal behavior!  This doesn’t even involve actually sticking your hand out to help another person.  Societal Christians are so out of control that there needs to be a focus on just not hurting others and being willing to publicly declare that they believe in Jesus as the Son of the one true living God for salvation.  How can someone possibly perform an action to a faith to help others when their faith is so weak that they are unwilling to bridle their own actions?

Sending God Away

Matt Ayers, a missionary in Haiti, wrote this great post on March 15th. His blog is HERE.

There’s a strange story in the Old Testament about when the Philistines—the enemies of the Israelites—stole the Ark of the Covenant after a battle. After they stole the Ark—a wooden box that symbolized the presence of the God of Israel—they put it in the temple of Dagon, the patron deity of the Philistines.

The night that the Ark was in the temple, the statue of Dagon that was in the temple with the Ark fell on its face before the Ark. Because of the fall, the statue’s hands broke off. This is the author’s way of telling us two things: (1) no god is comparable to the God of Israel (symbolized in the prostrate posture of the statue), and (2) all other gods are powerless compared to Israel’s God (symbolized in the hands being broken off of the statue).

The Philistines didn’t like this. No shocker here. Some other strange things started happening too because of the Ark being in their presence. Illnesses started to break-out among the people. The Philistines ended up hating the Ark. They wanted rid of it, so they sent it back to Israel.

One of the clear lessons of the story is that God can fight His own battles. He doesn’t need human help. He does, however, give us the wonderful privilege and opportunity to work alongside of Him. He doesn’t need us though. God can defeat the Philistines all on His own. He doesn’t need Israel’s help.

There’s another lesson in the story that is not as easy to catch. I find it interesting that when the Philistines start to experience the wrath of God, they don’t repent and swear allegiance to Him. Once God starts to get into their business (after all, they brought Him there), they get upset and send Him away.

I wonder how many people there are out there just like this. People who think that they want God in their lives, but they end us sending Him away because they don’t like what He’s up to. When we invite God in, He gets in our business. He doesn’t just leave things the way they are. He topples our idols and wreaks havoc on our priorities. This is what God does when we bring Him into our homes. We have to think carefully before inviting God in. We have to ask, “Am I willing and ready to have God topple my statues?

Jesus says, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciples. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciples. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?…So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Lk. 14:25–28a; 33).

Don’t send God away once He gets in your business.

This is so common today.  Many who claim to be Christian, a follower of Christ, refuse to follow His words when they don't make them happy.  Even when confronted with their sin, they refuse to listen to the words of Christ because they want what they want.  So, they send God and their true friends away.  Invite God in and follow Him.  That is the only way to truth and an everlasting happiness.

Pennsylvania House - Persecution in America

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. – 1 Corinthians 1:18

Incoming freshman Pennsylvania Representative Stephanie Borowicz was invited to pray before the Pennsylvania House to start the legislative day.  Following her prayer, the agenda included a prayer by a Muslim cleric.  Each one said their prayer.  Mrs. Borowicz prayed in English.  The cleric prayed in Arabic.  Mrs. Borowicz quoted the Bible and used the name Jesus in her prayer.  The cleric quoted the Koran and used the name Allah in his prayer.

Yet, the media and Democrats are attacking Mrs. Borowicz for her prayer.  The Pennsylvania governor, Democrat Tom Wolf, said he was “horrified” by Mrs. Borowicz’s prayer.  House Democrat Leader Frank Dermody said, “This morning on a very important day, on a day when we’re swearing in a new member, the first woman Muslim serving in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in history, there was a prayer that was not meant to inspire us.”  He said further in an interview with a television station that the prayer was “beneath the dignity of the House.”

All while in bold lettering inside the House is John 8:32 written, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

This story is reported at several news outlets such as Fox and Washington Post and others. 

When I described this story to my wife she quickly recognized and said this is “Jesusophobia”.  Taking the term from the commonly used Islamophobia description the media name call to any person who believes in Christianity.  This is religious persecution.  There is no other description.  I firmly believe that the mainstream media and the Democrat party wholeheartedly support the abolishment of all things Jesus. 

To further quote my wife, “this is all an attempt to emasculate the country”.  We, the parents of two boys, have consistently noticed the bias against all things male.  Especially white males.  The idea of any person being country, believing in Jesus, and comfortable with shooting guns for hunting or sport is being attacked in every way possible.  Such a person is deemed unfit for America.  To support that effort, any boldness exhibited by any Christian towards their conviction and belief is attacked in mass with as much force as possible.  People are ridiculed and condemned simply for having an unwavering belief. 

Kudos to Mrs. Borowicz for not backing down.  “I don’t apologize for it because that’s how I pray almost every day,” she said. “It doesn't matter who I'm standing in front of -- I'm standing for Jesus no matter what.”  “As Christians we don't pray differently based on who we're standing in front of,” she said. “So whether that would have been in front of a crowd at my church and Christians or before Muslims or before Hindus I stand for Jesus no matter what and no matter who I'm in front of.” 

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. – Romans 1:16

“It’s time for Christians and other people to start standing up and speaking out,” she said. “I think we've been silent for too long.”  In light of the constant persecution which I believe will only increase, believers will have no choice and they will stand out because they will not deny Him.  However, every “christian” is going to have to make a choice as to whether they really believe or not.  Persecution has a way of forcing a decision.  Just ask Peter.

Every Day

This quote by Pooh Bear is heart-warming.  It is also exactly how a loving God feels about every single one of His children.  He rests nearby ever waiting for you to "come to play".  To reach out to Him, to have conversation with Him, to be with Him.  Envision God saying every day, "It's always a sunny day when <insert your name> comes to play."  Any other illustration in your mind of how God's relationship with you is intended to be is incorrect.  

“Any day spent with you is my favorite day.” - Pooh

The Lord of all creation wants to spend time, conversation, and share His Spirit with you right now, today, this instant. Yes, even you and even me. He desires an intimate relationship with you, that the two of you will share together.  

How precious is your unfailing love, O God! - Psalm 36:7

You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you. - Psalm 86:5

Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever. - Psalm 136:26

Behold the manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God - 1 John 3:1

The Lord is waiting on you to call upon Him.  To reach out to His outstretched hand, to talk to Him, to join His Spirit.  He looks, listens, and longs for you today.

30 Years

I find myself curious about the first 30 years of the life of Jesus.  Most scholars believe that Jesus was around 30 when He started His ministry and after three short years it ended in His crucifixion.  The first four books of the New Testament mostly reflect on those last three years.  Apart from that, there is descriptions of His miraculous conception and birth, and there is a reference to an event when he was around 12 years of age. 

Overall, very little is known about the first 30.  What a wonderful book Mary could have written about this!  Or Joseph!  It puzzles the mind to understand why there is so little information, except to understand the time period and lack of tools and education.

I find it is important to realize a few other details about Jesus.  He was sinless.  He did not sin.  This means that He was exceptional in the presence of everyone else (sinners).  It seems like He would have stood out.  My experience is people either hate or love the person who is good and does what is right.  Therefore, I would expect that He was, by His very presence and action, a divisive person to His community and most probably, immediate family. 

A disturbing read is to find Jesus going and calling disciples to follow Him as He starts His ministry.  That’s an odd sentence isn’t it?  But considering that He was sinless and a kind just person with wisdom, shouldn’t He have drawn people to Him as a result?  Let’s be truthful, this is the commonly accepted evangelism method used by the majority of Christian churches today.  If we’ll just be the “right” kind of person exhibiting Godly character traits, then people will be drawn to us and when they are we can tell them the good news. 

Yet, Jesus lived 30 years in a community and did not sin!  How are we possibly going to live as the “right” kind of person exhibiting godly character traits and be more than He was?  That is insanity.  We know nothing of who Jesus influenced before His ministry, but we know a lot about who He influenced once His ministry started.  He lived in a community for three decades and we know not of a single person who was healed or who grew closer to God for it.

I’m not sure there is an accurate estimation of how many people Billy Graham influenced / persuaded / compelled to come to Christ.  He spoke at crusades all over the world with stadiums full of people night-after-night.  Would we even know who Billy Graham was if he has simply resolved to just be a good person and trying to influence people to come to Christ by exhibiting Godly character alone?  Of course we wouldn’t.

Would we even know who Jesus is if He had simply stayed in His home community and continued a sinless life exhibiting complete and perfect Godly character?  I don’t think so. 

The simple fact is this: they witnessed to who God is and testified about God’s greatness to anyone who would listen.  They preached and taught salvation and how people can be redeemed through God’s gift and their repentance.  The undying hope is that everyone would hear the gospel message and choose to believe in Jesus as the Son of God and accept His free gift of salvation.

Jesus had to tell people who He is and who God is.  It caused controversy, confrontation, and His death.  People have to hear the gospel message; they have to be confronted with it.  They do not seek it on their own.

Are you a silent witness today, hoping that maybe someday someone will ask you a question about Jesus?  Be aware, you will likely die before that happens.  Be bold and speak out the gospel message.  Do not be ashamed to stand in front of the whole world and speak confidently that there is one true living God and His son is Jesus.  Through Him and Him alone is there salvation.  Refuse to cower in the corner. 

Now is the time for the church to believe again!  Now is the time for the gospel message to be proclaimed without apology!  Now is the time for believers to refuse to be ashamed for following the Words of their Savior!  Now is the time for people to repent and turn away from their sins!

Do You Have Love?

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. ² And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³ And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. – 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NKJV)

What a minute, let’s break that down.  If we are able to speak incredibly well to the world and even to the angels in heaven, it is empty and worthless?  What if we can prophesy about the future and have wisdom and knowledge of mysteries in this world?  What if we are so strong in our faith that we can move a mountain?  What if we sacrifice everything we can offer that we are able to give?

Verse 1 is about the heart.  Jesus taught us that “those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man” (Mt 15:18).  I’ve never heard an angel speak, but I have heard marvelous eloquence from men, and I must assume that angels speak so much more so powerful and with authority.  Yet, if we do not speak from a heart that has the love of God in it, it is worthless.  Our speech is corrupt and not worthy to be heard.  The term “sounding brass, or a tinkling or clanging cymbal” means emptiness and confusion, even unpleasantness.  The message of the gospel must rule in our hearts.

Verse 2 is about the mind.  Knowledge alone is not enough.  Maybe we’ve memorized every word in the Bible.  It is not enough.  Understanding alone is not enough.  Soloman writes in Ecclesiastes 1:16-17, “I communed with my heart, saying, “Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has understood great wisdom and knowledge.”  And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind.”  God’s love and gospel message has to be added to the knowledge and to the understanding. 

Verse 3 is about the will.  Will you follow the commands of God?  Are you going to do what He says?  If you do it must be done with the love of God and His gospel message or it is of no value.

Let’s look at it this way.  We’re going to write down a string of zeros.  Eloquence = 0; Prophecy = 0; Knowledge = 0; Understanding = 0; Faith = 0; Sacrifice = 0; Martyrdom = 0.  That’s seven 0’s: 0,000,000.  Put them all together and you get zero.  But, if you put a ‘1’ at the front, then every zero now has a value, it amounts to something: 10,000,000.  Love is the thing that has to be added to every gift, otherwise they are worthless.

The song, The Proof Of Your Love, sung by “for King & Country” is a great song describing these verses.  I also like the interpretation as give by The Message Bible:

If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love. (1 Corinthians 13:1-7, The Message)

All that we say and do must be done with the love of God that is the gospel message.  

If we speak, it should be from the foundation of the gospel message.  

If we have knowledge and understanding, it should be from the foundation of the gospel message.  

If we sacrifice anything or give of ourselves, it should be from the foundation of the gospel message.

This compels us to ask a very important real question.

   -     How does someone “have love”? 

You receive the gift of God, who is love, into your heart.  You believe His gospel message with your mind.  You are willing to follow His commands with your will. 

Ask yourself:

1. Is God the focus of intent of your heart?  Does He come out in your speech?
2. Is God the focus of your learning and understanding of the mysteries of this world?  Do you look for Him everywhere in the world?
3. Is God the focus of what you do?  Are you following Him?

Ask your church:

1. Are we sharing the love that God and Jesus shared?
2. Are we sharing the message that Jesus shared?
3. Are we doing everything as someone that has love?

What Is Love?

⁷ Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹ In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. ¹⁰ In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. ¹¹ Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. – 1 John 4:7-11

1 John 4: 8 tells us that the person who does not love does not know God.  This is a serious charge.  It becomes imperative then that we know what love is. 

Did Jesus love everyone?  I’m not sure I know anyone who would answer “no” to that question.  Yet, He didn’t treat everyone the way we believe someone who loved them would treat them.  When He ran the money changers out of the church, was that “love” as we would define it?  When we think of His description in Revelation, riding a white horse with His sword drawn and robe dipped in blood, leading the armies of heaven against the enemy, is that “love” as we imagine it?  How about when He called the leaders of the church “serpents” and “brood of vipers” (Mt 12:34, 23:33)?  He was essentially calling them devils.  He also called them sons of their father, Satan (Jn 8:44).  Is this name calling “love” as we would describe it? 

Shouldn’t Jesus had just been a nice kind person who “loved” them?  And if He would just love them correctly, they would see that He was God and come to Him?  I mean, this is our evangelism style today isn’t it?    

We think of exhibiting love to be cuddly, teddy bears, and people that just make us feel good about anything we do, encouraging us to just be happy.  Yet, that’s not the Jesus I read about.  That’s not the love He shared.  If He had done that, we wouldn’t even know His name today.  He certainly wouldn’t have been purposely humiliated, falsely accused, and murdered on a cross.

   -     So, what was the love that Jesus shared?

If we are told in 1 Jn 4:8 that “anyone who does not love does not know God”, then we need to know how to love if we claim to be a follower of God, a Christian!  This is damn important!

Verses 9 and 10 answers this question along with John 3:16-17. 

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.  In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. – 1 John 4:9-10

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. – John 3:16-17

   -     How did God show His love to mankind? 

He gave Jesus.  Not just to be born and live alongside mankind and impart wisdom and miracles.  This aspect is not even mentioned as a reason.  He gave Jesus for the sole purpose of being a substitute for our sins so that God can have fellowship with any person who wants to have fellowship with Him. 

Again, let us ask ourselves then:

   -     What was the love that Jesus shared?

It was and is the gospel message, the good news:

Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” – Mark 1:14-15

The gospel message is the message of forgiveness for sin through the atoning work of Jesus Christ.  You can have your sins forgiven and be saved from the hell in your heart by believing upon Jesus as the Son of God having come to save you, so you can be reconciled with a just and holy God.

The love that Jesus shared is the same one that God shared.  Jesus gave Himself as a sacrifice.  There is one God and He came here to us and made a way for us to have fellowship with Him, if we will only believe that He is the only God and His Son Jesus is the only way.  He is the Lord, the One true Living God.  We simply are not.

Going back to 1 Jn 4:9, “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.”  We are taught that the way the love of God is “manifest” in us is that Jesus came into the world and we can live “through Him”.  That is, God’s love is exhibited in us through Jesus.  How do you live “through” someone?  You would have to be with them to live through them.  Or, they would have to be with you.  We are taught that when we believe upon Jesus as the Son of God and as having lived, died, and resurrected as the “propitiation for our sins” (v 11) we receive the Spirit of God.  And, in such, we are able to live through Him since He is then dwelling with us intimately. 

Okay, let’s walk this back.

   -     If God is love and the love He gives is Jesus, and

   -     If Jesus is the gift of God’s love and the love He gives is Himself, then

   -     What should our message be?  And what is the love we should give?

It should Jesus!  It must be the gospel!

If you want to truly love someone, give them Jesus.  If there is anything important in your message to others that you must say, it should be the gospel message.

Is Everything Going to be All Right?

Is everything going to be all right?

You must have faith to know this.  Faith can’t be stationary.  You can’t stop growing your faith when you are young because you know you believe.  The truth is, when you get older, you need more faith.  The stakes for everything are higher.  There is more to lose and no time to recover from a terrible mistake.  You are responsible for so much more, so every decision affects a lot more people.  Fear works so very hard to seep into every crack.  Only a faith that grows steadily will help you be able to sail confidently through those trials and temptations.

Is my faith growing today?  Do I have a faith journal to remind myself of the many, many times God has directly and purposefully answered prayers? 

Am I confident in God’s provision, come what may?  Sure, I am aware that bad things could and do happen to people with faith.  In fact, my faith may be why those things could happen to me.  No one wants to go through bad things, but that is fear.

So, is everything going to be all right?  Today?  Tomorrow?  Is it?  Do you or I have rest in our souls that everything is going to be all right because God lives today and forever and He has a place for us?

Until this faith is assured deep in our hearts and settled as a part of our soul, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to find and live with hope, joy, and peace.

This great, old church hymn sums it up nicely.

It is Well With my Soul

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

1. Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
   It is well, it is well with my soul.
   
   
   Refrain:
   It is well with my soul,
   It is well, it is well with my soul.
   
   
   Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
   Let this blest assurance control,
   That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
   And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
   
   
   My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!—
   My sin, not in part but the whole,
   Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
   Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
   
   
   For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
   If Jordan above me shall roll,
   No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
   Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
   
   
   But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
   The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
   Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
   Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!
   
   
   And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
   The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
   The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
   Even so, it is well with my soul.

Criminal Record vs Bad Credit Score

In a recent economic article entitled, Get Your Act Together, by Jared Dillian, he comments:

“There are two types of people with bad credit. People who are genuinely dirtbags who don’t pay back loans, and people who are just slobs. If you have a bad credit score, it is because you are a dirtbag or a slob. Generally speaking. …

“A credit score is a measure of your character. I’ll go further. A credit score says more about your character than, in many cases, a criminal record. A criminal record is a snapshot of your behavior at a brief moment in time. Sometimes good people break laws now and then.

“But a credit score isn’t a snapshot of your behavior at a moment in time. It establishes a pattern of behavior over years and years. There is a lot of data that goes into a credit score.

“I would rather date someone with a criminal record than a bad credit score.”

Now, I’m sure that statement has some qualifications based on what the criminal record actually was.  I doubt he would rather date an ax-murderer than a financial slob.

However, his point is incredibly valid.  In relationships, it is easier to be friends with someone who has failed and sincerely repented than be friends with someone who has a sloppy character and constantly has small failures but doesn’t get a handle on it. 

This comparison strikes so directly at the class conscious better-than-you church going Christian.  For me, that person so often compares directly to the financial slob described above.  They are full of what they consider small sins and they have no intention of pursuing a purer sanctification because what they do is so much better than others.  My experience is that this person is quick to complain when something isn’t done their way (or the way its always been done) and there personal witness is very weak.  So weak that I’ve often wanted to ask “Is that it?  You’ve been a Christian for decades and that’s all you’ve got?”  God should not seem a small thing when a Christian provides a testimony.

Then there is the sinner who did a most awful sin, became completely broken at the foot of Jesus, repented and has a changed character because of it.  This person carries a powerful witness and testimony.  They know Jesus can change a person and are willing, even eager, to share their story hoping that it will stop someone who may be on the wrongful path they took or lead someone to repentance.  They know they are a sinner like everyone else and can’t be pretentious.

Which one would you want to have as a friend?  Which Christian are you?

The Lord is My Need

Is the Lord your need?  Is the Lord all you need for fulfillment, purpose, and life?

²² Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
²³ They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
²⁴ “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!” – Lamentations 3:22-24

Is your only hope in God because He alone fills your soul?  Are you satisfied with God and nothing else?  Do you have hope for today?  It is found in the Lord when He is your fulfillment.

The Lord is my Shepard, I shall not want. – Psalms 23:1

Where does your heart lie?  In the cares of this world or satisfied in communion with the one true living God?

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
And whose hope is the Lord. – Jeremiah 17:7

Do you want to live a blessed life?  Let go of yourself and stop being your own god!  Sacrifice all that you hold onto for security and embrace the Savior who reaches for you.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. – James 4:8

Deliberately move to the God who created you, mercifully saves you, and never stops loving you. 

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.  – Jeremiah 29:13

There are no wrong steps in moving closer to God. 

Is God your need?