Today is Good Friday and it reminds us of one of the most important events in the history of the world-----the sacrificial, atoning death of God, in the form of Jesus Christ, Immanuel, God With Us. Just a little under 2,000 years ago, "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21).
In that one verse, Paul explains the reason for Jesus' death on the cross and how exactly happened on the cross. In Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion of the Christ" the final scene where Jesus was beaten to an inch of his life by the Roman guards was hard to watch. Them nailing Him to the tree was painful but despite all of that, that didn't atone for one sin of one person.
The atonement didn't happen during the physical abuse from the guards or the people or Pilate. That was man's evil sinfulness on full display. No the actual vicarious, atoning sacrifice of Christ to God for our sin happened from noon to three on that historic day. Matthew, Mark and Luke record the time of the actual atonement because it was from noon to three that God punished Christ for our sins.
In those three hours, God turned away from His Son because at that time my sin and yours were placed upon Christ. I heard a preacher say it like this; "It was as if a great wall of God's wrath had been building ever since the first sin in the Garden. The only thing holding it back was the wall of God's grace and mercy but when Jesus was on the cross and there was placed upon Him all of the sins of all of His people from all eternity past, present and future, the thunderous roar of God's wrath came crashing down upon Christ, unleashing all of the fury and righteous judgment of God's holiness upon Him for three long hours.
Then when it was all over with, when the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom, signaling that the perfect sacrifice had completed His mission, Christ cried out to His Father, "It is finished. Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." Jesus died.
You see quite literally, Jesus was physically beaten by God for our sins. God's Holy demands that sin be dealt with and because we don't have the ability to pay for our sins, someone else had to step up and take our place.
All of the Old Testament symbols of sacrifice pointed to that one actual, historical event. While the beating of Christ by the guards was horrific, what God did to Christ on our behalf was so much worst we can't possible imagine.
Romans 5 states, "6For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."
Earlier I had written that represented one of the most important historical events in the history of the world. Well on Sunday we will celebrate the other....the Resurrection.
A long time ago a preacher got up and said:
It's Friday. Jesus is arrested in the garden where He was praying. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. The disciples are hiding and Peter's denying that he knows the Lord. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. Jesus is standing before the high priest of Israel, silent as a lamb before the slaughter. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. Jesus is beaten, mocked, and spit upon. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. Those Roman soldiers are flogging our Lord with a leather scourge that has bits of bones and glass and metal, tearing at his flesh. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. The Son of man stands firm as they press the crown of thorns down into his brow. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. See Him walking to Calvary, the blood dripping from His body. See the cross crashing down on His back as He stumbles beneath the load. It's Friday; but Sunday's a coming.
It's Friday. See those Roman soldiers driving the nails into the feet and hands of my Lord. Hear my Jesus cry, "Father, forgive them." It's Friday; but Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. Jesus is hanging on the cross, bloody and dying. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. The sky grows dark, the earth begins to tremble, and He who knew no sin became sin for us. Holy God who will not abide with sin pours out His wrath on that perfect sacrificial lamb who cries out, "My God, My God. Why hast thou forsaken me?" What a horrible cry. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. And at the moment of Jesus' death, the veil of the Temple that separates sinful man from Holy God was torn from the top to the bottom because Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. Jesus is hanging on the cross, heaven is weeping and hell is partying. But that's because it's Friday, and they don't know it, but Sunday's a coming.
To that I will just say; SOLA DEO GLORIA (to God only be the glory)
Friday, April 6, 2012
Thursday, April 5, 2012
I'm not a sinner, you are!
In Chapter 9 of Charles Colson's book "Loving God" he looks into an important issue by asking "Whatever Became of Sin?"
He goes into great detail about why the word "repentance" is hardly used anymore. The biblical word for repentance is "metanoia" from the two Greek words Meta which means "change" and noia which means "mind". Richard Trent, the Archbishop of Dublin said it means "that mighty change in the mind, heart and life, wrought by the spirit of God."
While few sermons call for people to repent anymore, the call to repent is all through out the Old and New Testament. The very first words our of Jesus' mouth when He started His earthly ministry was "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." (Matthew 4:17) as well as one his last words to His disciples in Luke 24 when He said " and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem." (verses 46-47).
Colson rights concludes that, "Repentance is an inescapable consequence of regeneration, an indispensable part of the conversion process that takes place under the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. But repentance is also a continuing state of mind. Without a continuing repentant attitude--a persistent desire to turn away from our own nature and seek God's nature--Christian growth is impossible. Loving God is impossible."
So it begs the question, if repentance is so important then why is it seldom preached and misunderstood.? Colson gives three reasons, which I agree with them all.
First he says, "The appeal of modern evangelism is not for repentance but for enlistment." Colson correctly states, "The Gospel must be the bad new of the conviction of sin before it can be the good news of redemption." Today's gospel presentation is watered down to the point that people who have no understanding of the call of Christ in their live and quite frankly don't have any desire too mistakenly believe they are true followers of Christ. It's Christianity without cost. German pastor during World War II, Dietrich Bonhoeffer called it "cheap grace" by stating "no contrition is required, still less any real desire to be delivered from sin...denial of the living word of God, in fact, a denial of the incarnation." In other words, a total lack of understanding what happen when the Holy Spirit changes a person's life at conversion.
Secondly, "often we are simply unwilling or unable to accept the reality of person sin and therefore to accept our need for repentance." As the title of this devotional states, "I'm not a sinner, you are!" It's easy to see Mickie Cohen's sin of murder and the like, but if we were to honestly look into the mirror, we to will see that our sin is equally offensive to a Holy God, after all, while most professors might grade on a curve, God doesn't. Sin is sin.
Lastly, Colson says "our culture has written sin our of existence." Sadly while this is true what is even more sad is it has almost been written out of the church. Don't preach on the sin of divorce because possibly half of your church has been divorce. Don't preach on the sin of homosexuality because that is hate speech and besides, that sin isn't any more sinful than gossiping. While that may be true, the consequences of homosexuality is far greater than gossiping and beside, we are not loving the homosexual when we don't lovingly and compassionately tell them the truth of their sinful life style.
So here is the question for each of us, have you repented of your sin? Have to had a change of mind? How do you know? Well the first way is to look back on your life and see if you now have a desire to love and serve God and when God convict you of you sinful ways do you try to deal with it or ignore it.
Ask God today to give you an attitude of repentance and then you will "taste and see that the Lord is good."
He goes into great detail about why the word "repentance" is hardly used anymore. The biblical word for repentance is "metanoia" from the two Greek words Meta which means "change" and noia which means "mind". Richard Trent, the Archbishop of Dublin said it means "that mighty change in the mind, heart and life, wrought by the spirit of God."
While few sermons call for people to repent anymore, the call to repent is all through out the Old and New Testament. The very first words our of Jesus' mouth when He started His earthly ministry was "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." (Matthew 4:17) as well as one his last words to His disciples in Luke 24 when He said " and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem." (verses 46-47).
Colson rights concludes that, "Repentance is an inescapable consequence of regeneration, an indispensable part of the conversion process that takes place under the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. But repentance is also a continuing state of mind. Without a continuing repentant attitude--a persistent desire to turn away from our own nature and seek God's nature--Christian growth is impossible. Loving God is impossible."
So it begs the question, if repentance is so important then why is it seldom preached and misunderstood.? Colson gives three reasons, which I agree with them all.
First he says, "The appeal of modern evangelism is not for repentance but for enlistment." Colson correctly states, "The Gospel must be the bad new of the conviction of sin before it can be the good news of redemption." Today's gospel presentation is watered down to the point that people who have no understanding of the call of Christ in their live and quite frankly don't have any desire too mistakenly believe they are true followers of Christ. It's Christianity without cost. German pastor during World War II, Dietrich Bonhoeffer called it "cheap grace" by stating "no contrition is required, still less any real desire to be delivered from sin...denial of the living word of God, in fact, a denial of the incarnation." In other words, a total lack of understanding what happen when the Holy Spirit changes a person's life at conversion.
Secondly, "often we are simply unwilling or unable to accept the reality of person sin and therefore to accept our need for repentance." As the title of this devotional states, "I'm not a sinner, you are!" It's easy to see Mickie Cohen's sin of murder and the like, but if we were to honestly look into the mirror, we to will see that our sin is equally offensive to a Holy God, after all, while most professors might grade on a curve, God doesn't. Sin is sin.
Lastly, Colson says "our culture has written sin our of existence." Sadly while this is true what is even more sad is it has almost been written out of the church. Don't preach on the sin of divorce because possibly half of your church has been divorce. Don't preach on the sin of homosexuality because that is hate speech and besides, that sin isn't any more sinful than gossiping. While that may be true, the consequences of homosexuality is far greater than gossiping and beside, we are not loving the homosexual when we don't lovingly and compassionately tell them the truth of their sinful life style.
So here is the question for each of us, have you repented of your sin? Have to had a change of mind? How do you know? Well the first way is to look back on your life and see if you now have a desire to love and serve God and when God convict you of you sinful ways do you try to deal with it or ignore it.
Ask God today to give you an attitude of repentance and then you will "taste and see that the Lord is good."
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Is it possible to live the Christian life on your own terms?
"We are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are sinners."
R.C. Sproul
The next section of Charles Colson's classic "Loving God" is called Sin and Repentance and starts off with a humorous chapter entitled "A Christian Gangster". No this isn't the place to insert you own joke, believe me there are plenty but it is a wonderful section that is often misunderstood in the life of those who call Christ their King.
Colson closes Chapter 7 with these hard hitting words, "We Christians are usually quick to say we want to "be like Jesus." but if we are honest about what those familiar Sunday School words really mean, we'll see they compel us to adopt His attitudes; and that means belief in, and submission to, the Scriptures. Instead, we find a thousand ways to resist their truth, to rationalize their calling on our lives. For deep inside we know that obedience to the Scripture without concern for consequences is penetrating and painful. It requires us to die to self and follow Christ. It demands that we recognize the sin in our lives and that we acknowledge and repent of that sin. Many prefer to turn off at this point, or think they can live the Christian life on their own terms---that is, without conversion in attitude and action that must follow the conversion of heart."
I can't tell you how many people, even within my own family, believe they can call themselves a Christian without regard to how they conduct their own life. Not ever searching for Holy Scriptures to see what they believe is true or not. Not ever considering what they watch or listen to honors God. Not even giving a glimpsing thought about the way they spend their money. Rarely, if ever, praying or reading the Bible. Never once considering sharing the gospel with their lost friends or neighbors. Absolutely thinking it not a big deal if they are not involved in a local Bible-believing Church, much less attending one on a regular basis.
Now before we go much further, allow me to add that DOING those things won't get you into heaven. Our salvation is fully depended upon the saving work of Christ on the cross but once the Holy Spirit changes you (Ephesians 2: 1-10) you life is changed and the evidence of that is a desire to love and serve God by doing at least those things. Only now you do them out of love and obedience to Christ and not our of hope of your good works will please God.
In chapter 8, Colson tells the story of a real life gangster named Mickey Cohen and his meeting with Billy Graham. Los Angeles in the 1940's and 50's was controlled by Myer Harris Cohen, known to his friends and enemies as Mickey.
In 1949 Cohen received a phone call from one of his employees, a man named Jim Vaus. Vaus called Cohen late one night and asked to meet with him. So Cohen invited Jim and his wife Alice to his home. Vaus then explained to the mobster that he had attended a Billy Graham Crusade in downtown LA and had become a Christian. Vaus said that because of his decision to follow Christ he was giving up his life of crime and he couldn't work for Cohen anymore.
When Vaus called some gangsters in St. Louis that he could no longer do work for them, a couple of men came to visit him. Vaus knew what they wanted, to either kill or cripple him, but he stood on his porch for 45 minutes and explained the life-changing experience he had with Christ. When he was done, the men turned and walked off, never to bother him again.
Because of Vaus' conversion and Graham's popularity, Cohen wanted to meet the young evangelist. So a meeting was made and along with 60 or so people Graham shared the gospel and then offered an invitation. They also gave out a copy of the Gospel of John and Mickey took one.
In 1951 Mickey went to jail and got out in 1955 and while he had lost most if not all his power, Vaus offered to help him and introduced him to a Christian layman named W.C. Jones to implored Cohen to give his life to Christ after explaining God's plan of salvation to him in detail.
Eventually Mickey prayed the sinner's prayer. Jones was sure that Mickey's prayer was genuine and soon word spread in the Christianity community that the gangster turned to the gospel. Jones knew that Mickey needed more instruction so they flew him to New York City to meet with Graham. Cohen was taken to an area reserved for special guest and it was there he heard the gospel once again.
After the service he went back to LA and called Jones and Vaus less often. He started hanging out with his underworld friends again. Jones heard this and went to him to counsel him but Cohen wanted nothing of it.
"Jones," Mickey said. "you never told me that I had to give up my career. You never told me that I had to give up my friends. There are Christian movie stars, Christian athletes, Christian businessmen. So what's the matter with being a Christian gangster? If I have to give up all that---if that's Christianity--count me out."
Cohen was echoing what million of professing Christians who, though unwilling to admit it, through their very lives pose the same question. "Not about being Christian gangsters, but about being Christianized versions of whatever they already are---and are determined to remain. And, like Mickey, we cannot love God--cannot obey Him--and remain what we are. There must be a change of actions and attitudes.
Loving God means striving to have all of our actions and attitudes resemble Christ. Ask God today to, as King David said in Psalms 139, " O LORD, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar." (Psalm 139:1-2 ESV) to the honor and praise of His Holy Name.
R.C. Sproul
The next section of Charles Colson's classic "Loving God" is called Sin and Repentance and starts off with a humorous chapter entitled "A Christian Gangster". No this isn't the place to insert you own joke, believe me there are plenty but it is a wonderful section that is often misunderstood in the life of those who call Christ their King.
Colson closes Chapter 7 with these hard hitting words, "We Christians are usually quick to say we want to "be like Jesus." but if we are honest about what those familiar Sunday School words really mean, we'll see they compel us to adopt His attitudes; and that means belief in, and submission to, the Scriptures. Instead, we find a thousand ways to resist their truth, to rationalize their calling on our lives. For deep inside we know that obedience to the Scripture without concern for consequences is penetrating and painful. It requires us to die to self and follow Christ. It demands that we recognize the sin in our lives and that we acknowledge and repent of that sin. Many prefer to turn off at this point, or think they can live the Christian life on their own terms---that is, without conversion in attitude and action that must follow the conversion of heart."
I can't tell you how many people, even within my own family, believe they can call themselves a Christian without regard to how they conduct their own life. Not ever searching for Holy Scriptures to see what they believe is true or not. Not ever considering what they watch or listen to honors God. Not even giving a glimpsing thought about the way they spend their money. Rarely, if ever, praying or reading the Bible. Never once considering sharing the gospel with their lost friends or neighbors. Absolutely thinking it not a big deal if they are not involved in a local Bible-believing Church, much less attending one on a regular basis.
Now before we go much further, allow me to add that DOING those things won't get you into heaven. Our salvation is fully depended upon the saving work of Christ on the cross but once the Holy Spirit changes you (Ephesians 2: 1-10) you life is changed and the evidence of that is a desire to love and serve God by doing at least those things. Only now you do them out of love and obedience to Christ and not our of hope of your good works will please God.
In chapter 8, Colson tells the story of a real life gangster named Mickey Cohen and his meeting with Billy Graham. Los Angeles in the 1940's and 50's was controlled by Myer Harris Cohen, known to his friends and enemies as Mickey.
In 1949 Cohen received a phone call from one of his employees, a man named Jim Vaus. Vaus called Cohen late one night and asked to meet with him. So Cohen invited Jim and his wife Alice to his home. Vaus then explained to the mobster that he had attended a Billy Graham Crusade in downtown LA and had become a Christian. Vaus said that because of his decision to follow Christ he was giving up his life of crime and he couldn't work for Cohen anymore.
When Vaus called some gangsters in St. Louis that he could no longer do work for them, a couple of men came to visit him. Vaus knew what they wanted, to either kill or cripple him, but he stood on his porch for 45 minutes and explained the life-changing experience he had with Christ. When he was done, the men turned and walked off, never to bother him again.
Because of Vaus' conversion and Graham's popularity, Cohen wanted to meet the young evangelist. So a meeting was made and along with 60 or so people Graham shared the gospel and then offered an invitation. They also gave out a copy of the Gospel of John and Mickey took one.
In 1951 Mickey went to jail and got out in 1955 and while he had lost most if not all his power, Vaus offered to help him and introduced him to a Christian layman named W.C. Jones to implored Cohen to give his life to Christ after explaining God's plan of salvation to him in detail.
Eventually Mickey prayed the sinner's prayer. Jones was sure that Mickey's prayer was genuine and soon word spread in the Christianity community that the gangster turned to the gospel. Jones knew that Mickey needed more instruction so they flew him to New York City to meet with Graham. Cohen was taken to an area reserved for special guest and it was there he heard the gospel once again.
After the service he went back to LA and called Jones and Vaus less often. He started hanging out with his underworld friends again. Jones heard this and went to him to counsel him but Cohen wanted nothing of it.
"Jones," Mickey said. "you never told me that I had to give up my career. You never told me that I had to give up my friends. There are Christian movie stars, Christian athletes, Christian businessmen. So what's the matter with being a Christian gangster? If I have to give up all that---if that's Christianity--count me out."
Cohen was echoing what million of professing Christians who, though unwilling to admit it, through their very lives pose the same question. "Not about being Christian gangsters, but about being Christianized versions of whatever they already are---and are determined to remain. And, like Mickey, we cannot love God--cannot obey Him--and remain what we are. There must be a change of actions and attitudes.
Loving God means striving to have all of our actions and attitudes resemble Christ. Ask God today to, as King David said in Psalms 139, " O LORD, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar." (Psalm 139:1-2 ESV) to the honor and praise of His Holy Name.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Watergate and the Resurrection
This week, we as Christians, celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. In Chapter 6 in Charles Colson's classic "Loving God", he takes a look at the conspiracy theory concerning the resurrection in the light of the famous Watergate cover up.
For those who are too young to remember, I was 12, Watergate is a hotel in Washington DC that, at the time, housed the Democratic National Committee (DNC) office. The president was Richard Nixon and he was running for re-election. Little did he know that he was about to win, at that time, in the biggest landslide in the history of the nation.
On a warm Saturday afternoon, June 17, 1972, Colson first heard about the break in of the DNC when he was called on the phone and asked about it. He didn't think much about it and in November Nixon was re-elected President. But the shadow of Watergate stilled loomed. In February, with the Vietnam War finally over, Colson went to the Oval Office and told President Nixon that "Whoever did order Watergate, let it out...let's get rid of it now. Take our losses." Now while Nixon didn't order the break in, he did something much, much worst. He ordered the cover up and the obstruction of the investigation.
On March 21 of 1973 Colson talks of the first serious discussion of criminal involvement. While he wasn't involved with it at this time because he was no longer working for President Nixon, Colson was recorded as saying he was worried about someone close to the president being charged with obstruction of justice. Then on April 9, John Dean, special counsel for the president met with the Watergate prosecutors and revealed the cover up.
Colson writes, "With the most powerful office in the world at stake, a small band of hand-picked loyalists, no more than ten of us, could not hold a conspiracy together for more than two weeks. Yet even the prospect of jeopardizing the President we'd worked so hard to elect, of losing the prestige, power and personal luxury of our office was not enough incentive to make this group of men contain a lie."
He continues, "As I reflect today, was the pressure really all that great; at that point there had certain to be keen embarrassment; at the worst, some might go to prison, though that possibility was by no means certain. But no one was in grave danger; no one's life was at stake. Yet after just a few weeks the natural human instinct for self-preservation was so overwhelming that the conspirators, one by one, deserted their leader, walked away from their cause, turned their back on their power, prestige and privilege."
What does their have to do with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ you might ask? Well Colson talks of the modern criticism of the historic truth of Christianity boiling down to three propositions: 1--the disciples were just mistaken; 2--the disciples knowingly perpetrated a myth or 3--the eleven disciples conceived of a Passover Plot--robbed the body out of the tomb and got rid of it and to their dying breaths maintained conspiratorial silence, even though most of them was eventually give up their own life for that seemingly lie.
Blaise Pascal, the brilliant mathematician, scientist, inventor and follower of Christ, observed that "man in his normal state will renounce his beliefs just as readily as Peter renounced Jesus before the Resurrection. But as the same Peter discovered after the Resurrection, there is a power beyond man that causes him to forsake all. It is the power of the God who revealed Himself in the person of Jesus Christ."
Have you experienced the power of Jesus' resurrection? Ask yourself this, are you willing to forsake all to follow Christ? If you are not sure please email me at dmccrosky@comcast.net and I will be glad to help you know, that you know, that you know.
For those who are too young to remember, I was 12, Watergate is a hotel in Washington DC that, at the time, housed the Democratic National Committee (DNC) office. The president was Richard Nixon and he was running for re-election. Little did he know that he was about to win, at that time, in the biggest landslide in the history of the nation.
On a warm Saturday afternoon, June 17, 1972, Colson first heard about the break in of the DNC when he was called on the phone and asked about it. He didn't think much about it and in November Nixon was re-elected President. But the shadow of Watergate stilled loomed. In February, with the Vietnam War finally over, Colson went to the Oval Office and told President Nixon that "Whoever did order Watergate, let it out...let's get rid of it now. Take our losses." Now while Nixon didn't order the break in, he did something much, much worst. He ordered the cover up and the obstruction of the investigation.
On March 21 of 1973 Colson talks of the first serious discussion of criminal involvement. While he wasn't involved with it at this time because he was no longer working for President Nixon, Colson was recorded as saying he was worried about someone close to the president being charged with obstruction of justice. Then on April 9, John Dean, special counsel for the president met with the Watergate prosecutors and revealed the cover up.
Colson writes, "With the most powerful office in the world at stake, a small band of hand-picked loyalists, no more than ten of us, could not hold a conspiracy together for more than two weeks. Yet even the prospect of jeopardizing the President we'd worked so hard to elect, of losing the prestige, power and personal luxury of our office was not enough incentive to make this group of men contain a lie."
He continues, "As I reflect today, was the pressure really all that great; at that point there had certain to be keen embarrassment; at the worst, some might go to prison, though that possibility was by no means certain. But no one was in grave danger; no one's life was at stake. Yet after just a few weeks the natural human instinct for self-preservation was so overwhelming that the conspirators, one by one, deserted their leader, walked away from their cause, turned their back on their power, prestige and privilege."
What does their have to do with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ you might ask? Well Colson talks of the modern criticism of the historic truth of Christianity boiling down to three propositions: 1--the disciples were just mistaken; 2--the disciples knowingly perpetrated a myth or 3--the eleven disciples conceived of a Passover Plot--robbed the body out of the tomb and got rid of it and to their dying breaths maintained conspiratorial silence, even though most of them was eventually give up their own life for that seemingly lie.
Blaise Pascal, the brilliant mathematician, scientist, inventor and follower of Christ, observed that "man in his normal state will renounce his beliefs just as readily as Peter renounced Jesus before the Resurrection. But as the same Peter discovered after the Resurrection, there is a power beyond man that causes him to forsake all. It is the power of the God who revealed Himself in the person of Jesus Christ."
Have you experienced the power of Jesus' resurrection? Ask yourself this, are you willing to forsake all to follow Christ? If you are not sure please email me at dmccrosky@comcast.net and I will be glad to help you know, that you know, that you know.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
The Conversion of Augustine demonstrates the power of God's Word
"We owe to Scripture the same reverence which we owe to God."
John Calvin
The above quote starts the section called "The Word of God" in Charles Colson's classic "Loving God". In Chapter Four, Colson tells the story of the conversion of one of the greatest Christian writers.....Aurelius Augustinus or better know as Augustine.
The story is fascinating. Augustine was the top scholar of his time in pretty much in topic or field. People would travel miles just to listen to him speak and for the majority of his life he had little to do with Christ or with Christianity.
Oh he would list to others as they tried to convince him of the true nature of the gospel. His mother Monica would plea to him to give his life to Christ, almost to the point of him tuning her out when she spoke about God. Augustine was in love with wisdom but even as a lost person he rightly understood the demands of the Gospel.
"to follow Plato, one merely thinks like Plato. To follow Christ is something much more. You must put your whole life into it and leave behind whatever hinders you from following him. I don't know what it is exactly that enables a man to give himself to God---to commit himself to a life of sacrifice and faith. That's more than adopting a particular point of view, isn't it."
BINGO!!!!!!
God used Ambrose, the bishop of Milan, to break down the intellectual walls that Augustine put up. Then one day, Augustine heard an inner voice speaking to him. "Take up and read. Take up and read" was what he heard over and over again. The Bible was laying near him and it was opened to Romans 13: 13-14, "13Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof."
Colson writes, "Instantly, as if before a peaceful light streaming into his heart, dark shadows of doubt fled. The man of unconquerable will was conquered by words from a book he had once dismiised as mere fable lacking in clarity and grace of expression. Those words suddenly revealed that which he had so long vainly sought. Now he knew with assurance he had confronted truth. The very words, 'clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ,' had settled it; whatever it cost, he would give his life to Christ."
Hebrews 4:12 states, "12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." and Isaiah 55:11 says, "so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it."
If you are a follower of Christ, your life has been affected by the conversion of Augustine. For the next 44 years, Augustine published some of the most famous writings like his autobiographical Confessions and his masterpiece tome The City of God.
We have Augustine to thank for the classic defense of the authority of Scripture that has lasted the test of time.
While God used others to plant and water the seeds of the Gospel, it was the very Word of God found in the 13th Chapter of Romans that the Holy Spirit used to dramatically change his life and in turn influence us today.
So it begs the questions, if God's Word is so powerful, why don't we as followers of Christ, spend more time reading and memorizing it?
Good question. What say you?
John Calvin
The above quote starts the section called "The Word of God" in Charles Colson's classic "Loving God". In Chapter Four, Colson tells the story of the conversion of one of the greatest Christian writers.....Aurelius Augustinus or better know as Augustine.
The story is fascinating. Augustine was the top scholar of his time in pretty much in topic or field. People would travel miles just to listen to him speak and for the majority of his life he had little to do with Christ or with Christianity.
Oh he would list to others as they tried to convince him of the true nature of the gospel. His mother Monica would plea to him to give his life to Christ, almost to the point of him tuning her out when she spoke about God. Augustine was in love with wisdom but even as a lost person he rightly understood the demands of the Gospel.
"to follow Plato, one merely thinks like Plato. To follow Christ is something much more. You must put your whole life into it and leave behind whatever hinders you from following him. I don't know what it is exactly that enables a man to give himself to God---to commit himself to a life of sacrifice and faith. That's more than adopting a particular point of view, isn't it."
BINGO!!!!!!
God used Ambrose, the bishop of Milan, to break down the intellectual walls that Augustine put up. Then one day, Augustine heard an inner voice speaking to him. "Take up and read. Take up and read" was what he heard over and over again. The Bible was laying near him and it was opened to Romans 13: 13-14, "13Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof."
Colson writes, "Instantly, as if before a peaceful light streaming into his heart, dark shadows of doubt fled. The man of unconquerable will was conquered by words from a book he had once dismiised as mere fable lacking in clarity and grace of expression. Those words suddenly revealed that which he had so long vainly sought. Now he knew with assurance he had confronted truth. The very words, 'clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ,' had settled it; whatever it cost, he would give his life to Christ."
Hebrews 4:12 states, "12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." and Isaiah 55:11 says, "so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it."
If you are a follower of Christ, your life has been affected by the conversion of Augustine. For the next 44 years, Augustine published some of the most famous writings like his autobiographical Confessions and his masterpiece tome The City of God.
We have Augustine to thank for the classic defense of the authority of Scripture that has lasted the test of time.
While God used others to plant and water the seeds of the Gospel, it was the very Word of God found in the 13th Chapter of Romans that the Holy Spirit used to dramatically change his life and in turn influence us today.
So it begs the questions, if God's Word is so powerful, why don't we as followers of Christ, spend more time reading and memorizing it?
Good question. What say you?
Friday, March 30, 2012
What is the key to loving God?
For the majority of my Christian life I wondered inwardly how could I best love and serve God. When I was saved at 11, nothing in my life was ever the same again. As a Christian teenager I knew that I needed to be a witness for the gospel, mostly in the way I lived out my life so that my verbal witnessing may be of some value.
It wasn't until I read the third chapter of Charles Colson's book "Loving God" did I completely understand the key to the Christian life was found in one simple word.....obedience. I was in my third year of seminary when a friend of mind found me in the school's library. I was just looking around and he came up to me and said, "Have you ever read this book?" pointing to "Loving God". He went on to tell me it would be a Christian Classic in the truest sense of the word like JI Packer's "Knowing God". I bought it then and there and could not put it down.
In the third chapter Colson explains "that unquestioning acceptance of and obedience to Jesus' authority is the foundation of the Christian life. Everything else rests upon this."
He goes on to explain in the Kornfeld story, "God wants from His people is obedience, no matter what the circumstances, no matter how unknown the outcome.
It was always been this way. God calling His people to obedience and giving them at best a glimpse of the outcome of their effort.
"Most of the great figures of the Old Testament died without ever seeing the fulfillment of the promises they relied upon. The great colonial pastor Cotton Mather prayed for revival several hours each day for twenty years; the Great Awakening began the year he died. The British Empire finally abolished slavery as the Christian parliamentarian and abolitionist leader William Wilberforce lay on his deathbed, exhausted from his nearly fifty-year campaign against the practice of human bondage. Few were converted during Hudson Taylor's lifelong mission work in the Orient; but today million of Chinese embrace the faith he so patiently planted and tended."
While some might think this pattern is unfair, I agree with Colson when he states, "The very nature of the obedience He demands is that it be given without regard to circumstances or results."
I find it senseless that people shout to the top of their lungs how much they love Jesus but live a life contrary to His spoken word.
When a lawyer tried to trick Jesus by asking the question "which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Christ's response was "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." (Matthew 22: 34-40)
And how do we love the Lord? Jesus gives us the answer "If you love me you will obey what I command." (John 14:15).
As Colson writes, "And that leads us to just one place: the Holy Bible. to obey His commandments, we must know His commandments. that means we must know and obey the Scriptures, the key to loving God and the starting point for life's most exciting journey."
It wasn't until I read the third chapter of Charles Colson's book "Loving God" did I completely understand the key to the Christian life was found in one simple word.....obedience. I was in my third year of seminary when a friend of mind found me in the school's library. I was just looking around and he came up to me and said, "Have you ever read this book?" pointing to "Loving God". He went on to tell me it would be a Christian Classic in the truest sense of the word like JI Packer's "Knowing God". I bought it then and there and could not put it down.
In the third chapter Colson explains "that unquestioning acceptance of and obedience to Jesus' authority is the foundation of the Christian life. Everything else rests upon this."
He goes on to explain in the Kornfeld story, "God wants from His people is obedience, no matter what the circumstances, no matter how unknown the outcome.
It was always been this way. God calling His people to obedience and giving them at best a glimpse of the outcome of their effort.
"Most of the great figures of the Old Testament died without ever seeing the fulfillment of the promises they relied upon. The great colonial pastor Cotton Mather prayed for revival several hours each day for twenty years; the Great Awakening began the year he died. The British Empire finally abolished slavery as the Christian parliamentarian and abolitionist leader William Wilberforce lay on his deathbed, exhausted from his nearly fifty-year campaign against the practice of human bondage. Few were converted during Hudson Taylor's lifelong mission work in the Orient; but today million of Chinese embrace the faith he so patiently planted and tended."
While some might think this pattern is unfair, I agree with Colson when he states, "The very nature of the obedience He demands is that it be given without regard to circumstances or results."
I find it senseless that people shout to the top of their lungs how much they love Jesus but live a life contrary to His spoken word.
When a lawyer tried to trick Jesus by asking the question "which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Christ's response was "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." (Matthew 22: 34-40)
And how do we love the Lord? Jesus gives us the answer "If you love me you will obey what I command." (John 14:15).
As Colson writes, "And that leads us to just one place: the Holy Bible. to obey His commandments, we must know His commandments. that means we must know and obey the Scriptures, the key to loving God and the starting point for life's most exciting journey."
Thursday, March 29, 2012
The Power of the Gospel, Part 2
If I have said this once, I have said this a million times and I will continue to say it, "You never know whose life you are affecting for time and eternity for the Kingdom of God when you faithfully and obediently share the life-saving, life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ." Never is that more true than the story that Chuck Colson tells in Chapter 2 in Loving God.
Boris Nicholayevich Kornfeld is not a name that a lot of people in the Christian faith will know but that doesn't mean he didn't have a major impact on the Kingdom of God and it is a story of obedience and the tremendous power of the Gospel. You will be encouraged and challenaged after reading today's devotion.
Kornfeld was a medical doctor during Stalin's reign of terror in Russia in the 1950's. While it isn't know what crime he committed that sent him to the concentration camp in Ekibastuz, unbeknownst to this Jewish doctor, he was about to come face to face with the one true God.
Kornfeld had followed his parent's beliefs in Communism. Although Jewish in birth, Kornfeld was probably what was called "enlightened Jew" because he accepted the philosophy of rationalism and "cultivated a knowledge of the natural sciences."
Somehow Kornfeld found himself in a Russian gulag. A place known for its "brutality, the waste of lives, the trivialities called criminal charges made men like Kornfeld doubt the glories of the system of socialism...behind the wire prisoners had time to think." It was there that he became a Christian.
For a Russian Jew during that time period to become a Christian was rare because before the Russian Revolution, the Russian Orthodox Church's anti-Semitism made life unendurable for almost 200 years. Stalin demanded total loyalty to his government but Christians and Jewish people a like knew their loyalty belonged only to God.
So in the Russian prison, Kornfeld came in contact with a devout Christian who spoke of a Jewish Messiah "who had come to keep the promises the Lord had made to Israel. He pointed out that Jesus had spoken almost solely to Jewish people and proclaimed that He came to the Jews first. This man often recited aloud the Lord's Prayer, and Kornfeld heard in those simple words a strange ring of truth."
Colson goes on to tell the internal struggle that the Russian doctor had with his previous beliefs and this new message of hope and peace. Over time, his heart and his arguements were slowly being won over by the power of the gospel.
"He found himself almost unconsciously, repeating the words he had heard from his fellow prisoner. 'Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.' Having seen his own evil heart, he had to pray for cleansing. And he had to pray to a God who suffered, as he had: Jesus."
Suddenly Kornfeld was a new person. He stopped signing forms saying patients were healthy enough for solitary confinement because now he couldn't lie. While that was bad, Kornfeld did the unforgiveable; he turned in an orderly, who was stealing food from sick prisoners. In doing this, he knew his life was endanager but he had to be obedient to what he knew to do.
"Having accepted the possibility of death, Boris Kornfeld was now free to live. He signed no more papers or documents sending men to their deaths. He no longer turned his eyes from cruelty or shrugged his shoulders when he saw injustice. And soon he realized that the anger and hatred and violence in his own soul had vanished. He wondered whether there lived another man in Russia who knew such freedom."
Kornfeld desperately wanted to share his newfound faith of obedience and freedom with someone and he found it in a cancer patient. So he began to tell his story to the sickly patient. Told him of his conversion to Christ and "once the tale began to spill out, Kornfeld could not stop." Coming in and out of anesthesia, the patient missed the first part but knew he was listening to something very real and "knew he was listening to an incredible confession....he hung on the doctor's words until he feel alseep."
It was during the night that someone came up behind the doctor and hit him eight times with a plaster's mallet, killing him.
"The patient pondered the doctor's last, impassioned words. As a result, he, too, became a Christian. He survived that prison camp and went on to tell the world what he had learned there.
The patient's name was Alexander Solzhenitsyn."
For those who don't know that name, let's just say that he was one of the greatest Christian apologist along the lines of CS Lewis. Look him up.
You see, when we are faithfully sharing the gospel of Jesus we are taking part in changing the world. Look for ways to actively share your faith. Who knows, the person you lead to Christ or help lead to Christ will be the next Christian leader.
Boris Nicholayevich Kornfeld is not a name that a lot of people in the Christian faith will know but that doesn't mean he didn't have a major impact on the Kingdom of God and it is a story of obedience and the tremendous power of the Gospel. You will be encouraged and challenaged after reading today's devotion.
Kornfeld was a medical doctor during Stalin's reign of terror in Russia in the 1950's. While it isn't know what crime he committed that sent him to the concentration camp in Ekibastuz, unbeknownst to this Jewish doctor, he was about to come face to face with the one true God.
Kornfeld had followed his parent's beliefs in Communism. Although Jewish in birth, Kornfeld was probably what was called "enlightened Jew" because he accepted the philosophy of rationalism and "cultivated a knowledge of the natural sciences."
Somehow Kornfeld found himself in a Russian gulag. A place known for its "brutality, the waste of lives, the trivialities called criminal charges made men like Kornfeld doubt the glories of the system of socialism...behind the wire prisoners had time to think." It was there that he became a Christian.
For a Russian Jew during that time period to become a Christian was rare because before the Russian Revolution, the Russian Orthodox Church's anti-Semitism made life unendurable for almost 200 years. Stalin demanded total loyalty to his government but Christians and Jewish people a like knew their loyalty belonged only to God.
So in the Russian prison, Kornfeld came in contact with a devout Christian who spoke of a Jewish Messiah "who had come to keep the promises the Lord had made to Israel. He pointed out that Jesus had spoken almost solely to Jewish people and proclaimed that He came to the Jews first. This man often recited aloud the Lord's Prayer, and Kornfeld heard in those simple words a strange ring of truth."
Colson goes on to tell the internal struggle that the Russian doctor had with his previous beliefs and this new message of hope and peace. Over time, his heart and his arguements were slowly being won over by the power of the gospel.
"He found himself almost unconsciously, repeating the words he had heard from his fellow prisoner. 'Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.' Having seen his own evil heart, he had to pray for cleansing. And he had to pray to a God who suffered, as he had: Jesus."
Suddenly Kornfeld was a new person. He stopped signing forms saying patients were healthy enough for solitary confinement because now he couldn't lie. While that was bad, Kornfeld did the unforgiveable; he turned in an orderly, who was stealing food from sick prisoners. In doing this, he knew his life was endanager but he had to be obedient to what he knew to do.
"Having accepted the possibility of death, Boris Kornfeld was now free to live. He signed no more papers or documents sending men to their deaths. He no longer turned his eyes from cruelty or shrugged his shoulders when he saw injustice. And soon he realized that the anger and hatred and violence in his own soul had vanished. He wondered whether there lived another man in Russia who knew such freedom."
Kornfeld desperately wanted to share his newfound faith of obedience and freedom with someone and he found it in a cancer patient. So he began to tell his story to the sickly patient. Told him of his conversion to Christ and "once the tale began to spill out, Kornfeld could not stop." Coming in and out of anesthesia, the patient missed the first part but knew he was listening to something very real and "knew he was listening to an incredible confession....he hung on the doctor's words until he feel alseep."
It was during the night that someone came up behind the doctor and hit him eight times with a plaster's mallet, killing him.
"The patient pondered the doctor's last, impassioned words. As a result, he, too, became a Christian. He survived that prison camp and went on to tell the world what he had learned there.
The patient's name was Alexander Solzhenitsyn."
For those who don't know that name, let's just say that he was one of the greatest Christian apologist along the lines of CS Lewis. Look him up.
You see, when we are faithfully sharing the gospel of Jesus we are taking part in changing the world. Look for ways to actively share your faith. Who knows, the person you lead to Christ or help lead to Christ will be the next Christian leader.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
The Power of the Gospel
In Chapter 1 of "Loving God", Colson tells the story of prisoners who come to Christ through Prison Fellowship, a ministry Colson started after he got out of federal prison. The reason I love this book so much is for the true stories that Colson tells about how God changed people's lives. In the first chapter we meet a person named Sam Casalvera, who "had been sentenced to life without parole. Sam was tough, his huge, muscled arms testifying to hours of weight lifting. His defiant gaze told me prison--even solitary confinement--had not broken his spirit."
That was his first meeting with Sam. Nine months later, on Easter, Colson went back to that Delaware prison he met a different Sam.
"Same rose, wearing the broadest grin I'd ever seen; it was obvious he was not the same rebellious convict I'd met in solitary nine months earlier. I didn't need to ask what had happened.
Sam cleared his throat and began reading:
I heard you were coming to worship once more
With souls who were floundering when you came before.
He hesitated, took a deep breath, and continued.
We had direction but needed a push
You made us a promise and also a wish.
Sam paused to take a wrinkled cloth from his pocket and dad his eyes,
Your promised was kept---Prison Fellowship you sent
Whatever I write can't tell you what it meant.
Some who attended made your wish come true
They gave their life to Jesus, as you did too."
Colson continues;
"Men and women in prison don't cry. It's a sign of weakness, and weakness can be dangerous in prison. But Same could not control his emotions. Tears flowed down his cheeks and his broad shoulders heaved.
I rose and walked to the front of the hall, put my arm around his shoulders, and took the paper from him. For a moment I thought I would dissolve along with Same, but somehow I was able to read the remaining lines of his poem."
That story never happens unless God had, in Colson's words, "only when I lost everything I thought made Chuck Colson a great guy had I found the true self God intended me to be and the true purpose of my life."
You see, Colson had bought the world's bill of goods of what makes life important and meaningful. Outwardly, he had it all. Plenty of money, political power and influence, fame. God took all that away and sent him to prison to see what his real purpose in life was and because of it, millions of prisoners have stopped being shackled by their spiritual chains and are new creations in Christ.
Colson's writes, "My greatest humiliation---being sent to prison--was the beginning of God's greatest use of my life."
He finishes Chapter 1 with these great words, "It is not what we do that matters, but what a sovereign God chooses to do through us. God doesn't want our success; He wants us. He doesn't demand our achievements; He demands our obedience. The kingdom of God is a kingdom of paradox, where through the ugly defeat of a cross, a holy God is utterly glorified. Victory comes through defeat; healing through brokenness; finding self through losing self."
And to that I say Amen and Amen.
That was his first meeting with Sam. Nine months later, on Easter, Colson went back to that Delaware prison he met a different Sam.
"Same rose, wearing the broadest grin I'd ever seen; it was obvious he was not the same rebellious convict I'd met in solitary nine months earlier. I didn't need to ask what had happened.
Sam cleared his throat and began reading:
I heard you were coming to worship once more
With souls who were floundering when you came before.
He hesitated, took a deep breath, and continued.
We had direction but needed a push
You made us a promise and also a wish.
Sam paused to take a wrinkled cloth from his pocket and dad his eyes,
Your promised was kept---Prison Fellowship you sent
Whatever I write can't tell you what it meant.
Some who attended made your wish come true
They gave their life to Jesus, as you did too."
Colson continues;
"Men and women in prison don't cry. It's a sign of weakness, and weakness can be dangerous in prison. But Same could not control his emotions. Tears flowed down his cheeks and his broad shoulders heaved.
I rose and walked to the front of the hall, put my arm around his shoulders, and took the paper from him. For a moment I thought I would dissolve along with Same, but somehow I was able to read the remaining lines of his poem."
That story never happens unless God had, in Colson's words, "only when I lost everything I thought made Chuck Colson a great guy had I found the true self God intended me to be and the true purpose of my life."
You see, Colson had bought the world's bill of goods of what makes life important and meaningful. Outwardly, he had it all. Plenty of money, political power and influence, fame. God took all that away and sent him to prison to see what his real purpose in life was and because of it, millions of prisoners have stopped being shackled by their spiritual chains and are new creations in Christ.
Colson's writes, "My greatest humiliation---being sent to prison--was the beginning of God's greatest use of my life."
He finishes Chapter 1 with these great words, "It is not what we do that matters, but what a sovereign God chooses to do through us. God doesn't want our success; He wants us. He doesn't demand our achievements; He demands our obedience. The kingdom of God is a kingdom of paradox, where through the ugly defeat of a cross, a holy God is utterly glorified. Victory comes through defeat; healing through brokenness; finding self through losing self."
And to that I say Amen and Amen.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Loving God
One of my favorite books and one that God has used to greatly influence me is Charles Colson's classic "Loving God". Written in 1987, "Loving God" is one of the five books I use when I want to personally disciple someone. The reason is because it is broken up into six sections which I feel are six key elements to a Christian life.
Colson, who has never written a bad book and I would highly recommend every single one of them, says the key to truly loving God falls within understanding these six areas: obedience, the Word of God, sin and repentance, the hunger for holiness, the holy nation and loving God.
Today's devotional and the next six we will look into and gain a better understanding on how to love God.
In the Preface and in the section called How It All Began: An Introduction, Colson goes over how God changed his life in the middle of the worst crisis in our nation's history; Watergate. A former Marine and a graduate from Brown University, an Ivy League School, Colson worked his way up the political ladder as a successful lawyer and political king maker in New England and DC area. When Richard Nixon was elected president in 1968, Colson was asked to work for the president and eventually became President Nixon's right hand man as Chief Counsel.
After Nixon's landslide election in 1972, Colson turned in his letter of resignation but agreed to stand on just a little while longer to help with the transition. What happened next to Colson was life changing.
Unknown to both Nixon and Colson, people who worked for the Reelection of President Nixon broke into the Democratic National Headquarters at the Watergate Hotel and were caught. Although Nixon didn't order the break in, he did cover it up once he knew and tried to obstruct justice which eventually led to his resignation in disgrace.
While Colson didn't cover it up and had nothing to do with the break in, Colson did admit to ordering the breaking into the office of Daniel Ellsberg's psychiatrist. Ellsberg copied a lot of classified papers from the Pentagon concerning the Vietnam War called the Pentagon Papers. Colson want to discredit him and ordered the breaking in of his psychiatrist office. For that crime he was sentenced to federal prison.
It was during all of this chaos in his life that God used a faithful laymen and a book to bring Colson to a life altering relationship to Jesus Christ. The man's name was Tom Phillips and the book "Mere Christianity" by CS Lewis.
After meeting with Phillips and Phillips giving him the book Colson writes: "But in his driveway that night, the dam burst. I could not drive the car; I was crying too hard (remember this is a former Marine and Nixon's Hatchet Man), calling out to God with the first honest prayer of my life. I sat there alone for a long time---but not alone at all.
From that day on, nothing about my life has been the same. It can never be again. I have given my life to Jesus Christ."
Today I would like for you to think about the day God saved you. While it may or may not have been the emotional experience that Charles Colson had, the end results will be the same, you life wasn't the same and it can never be again. Now your desires is to love God. The following devotionals will show you how to Love God.
Colson, who has never written a bad book and I would highly recommend every single one of them, says the key to truly loving God falls within understanding these six areas: obedience, the Word of God, sin and repentance, the hunger for holiness, the holy nation and loving God.
Today's devotional and the next six we will look into and gain a better understanding on how to love God.
In the Preface and in the section called How It All Began: An Introduction, Colson goes over how God changed his life in the middle of the worst crisis in our nation's history; Watergate. A former Marine and a graduate from Brown University, an Ivy League School, Colson worked his way up the political ladder as a successful lawyer and political king maker in New England and DC area. When Richard Nixon was elected president in 1968, Colson was asked to work for the president and eventually became President Nixon's right hand man as Chief Counsel.
After Nixon's landslide election in 1972, Colson turned in his letter of resignation but agreed to stand on just a little while longer to help with the transition. What happened next to Colson was life changing.
Unknown to both Nixon and Colson, people who worked for the Reelection of President Nixon broke into the Democratic National Headquarters at the Watergate Hotel and were caught. Although Nixon didn't order the break in, he did cover it up once he knew and tried to obstruct justice which eventually led to his resignation in disgrace.
While Colson didn't cover it up and had nothing to do with the break in, Colson did admit to ordering the breaking into the office of Daniel Ellsberg's psychiatrist. Ellsberg copied a lot of classified papers from the Pentagon concerning the Vietnam War called the Pentagon Papers. Colson want to discredit him and ordered the breaking in of his psychiatrist office. For that crime he was sentenced to federal prison.
It was during all of this chaos in his life that God used a faithful laymen and a book to bring Colson to a life altering relationship to Jesus Christ. The man's name was Tom Phillips and the book "Mere Christianity" by CS Lewis.
After meeting with Phillips and Phillips giving him the book Colson writes: "But in his driveway that night, the dam burst. I could not drive the car; I was crying too hard (remember this is a former Marine and Nixon's Hatchet Man), calling out to God with the first honest prayer of my life. I sat there alone for a long time---but not alone at all.
From that day on, nothing about my life has been the same. It can never be again. I have given my life to Jesus Christ."
Today I would like for you to think about the day God saved you. While it may or may not have been the emotional experience that Charles Colson had, the end results will be the same, you life wasn't the same and it can never be again. Now your desires is to love God. The following devotionals will show you how to Love God.
Friday, March 23, 2012
The Whole Truth and Nothing but the Truth
When a person testify in court, he/she has to put their hand on the Bible and agree that what they are about to say is the truth. The bailliff will ask them, "I do solemnly and sincerely and truly declare and affirm that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. So help me God."
At Expressway Baptist Church we have been studying about spiritual warfare out of Ephesians 6. Paul is writing to a church and encouraging them to be ready to stand firm against the "wiles of the devil." The literal word for wiles in the Greek means schemes and one of the schemes Satan will use to make a believe ineffective is to make us doubt the truthfullness of God's Word.
When Satan wanted to tempt Eve the first thing he did was put a moment of doubt in her mind about the truthfulness of God's Word. In Genesis 3 we read Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”(Genesis 3:1 ESV) Did you see that? Did God actually say? Pretty slick uh? But that's how Satan does it.
His tricks hasn't changed. He is still trying to put question marks on God's Word because he knows better than anyone that "12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12.
When Jesus stood before Pilate they had this interesting exchange found in John 18. 37Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”
What is truth?
That is the question people all over the world is asking. What is truth? We live in a day were a lot, if not the majority of people don't be in truth. You have heard the phrase, "What is true for you may not be true for me." or "My truth may not be your truth." As if there isn't some objective way of measuring truth and there isn't in and of ourselves.
In John 17, Jesus gives His High Priestly Prayer to God and in it he says," 15I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.a 16They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17Sanctify themb in the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19And for their sake I consecrate myself,c that they also may be sanctifiedd in truth."
God's Word is truth. You can trust every bit of it. In the good times and bad. So start today to get to know God's Word because it is the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
At Expressway Baptist Church we have been studying about spiritual warfare out of Ephesians 6. Paul is writing to a church and encouraging them to be ready to stand firm against the "wiles of the devil." The literal word for wiles in the Greek means schemes and one of the schemes Satan will use to make a believe ineffective is to make us doubt the truthfullness of God's Word.
When Satan wanted to tempt Eve the first thing he did was put a moment of doubt in her mind about the truthfulness of God's Word. In Genesis 3 we read Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”(Genesis 3:1 ESV) Did you see that? Did God actually say? Pretty slick uh? But that's how Satan does it.
His tricks hasn't changed. He is still trying to put question marks on God's Word because he knows better than anyone that "12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12.
When Jesus stood before Pilate they had this interesting exchange found in John 18. 37Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”
What is truth?
That is the question people all over the world is asking. What is truth? We live in a day were a lot, if not the majority of people don't be in truth. You have heard the phrase, "What is true for you may not be true for me." or "My truth may not be your truth." As if there isn't some objective way of measuring truth and there isn't in and of ourselves.
In John 17, Jesus gives His High Priestly Prayer to God and in it he says," 15I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.a 16They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17Sanctify themb in the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19And for their sake I consecrate myself,c that they also may be sanctifiedd in truth."
God's Word is truth. You can trust every bit of it. In the good times and bad. So start today to get to know God's Word because it is the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Your Word is a lamp unto my feet
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (Psalm 119:105 ESV)
No matter how well I think I know my way around the house in the dark, every once in a while I will bump into something. That's why I need to turn on the light when I enter a room because I don't like bumping into things. It hurts.
In the longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119, King David for 176 verses talks about how much he loves God's Word. In fact, you can't possibly understand any of that great chapter until you come to the grips that King David is talking about the authority, usefulness, value and truthworthiness of Holy Scripture.
Just check this out:
5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast
in keeping your statutes!
9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
24 Your testimonies are my delight;
they are my counselors.
44 I will keep your law continually,
forever and ever,
97 Oh how I love your law!
It is my meditation all the day.
98 Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies,
for it is ever with me.
And that was a random sample. It goes on through verse 176 when he writes 176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant,
for I do not forget your commandments.
So let's see, King David, a man after God's own heart, writes 176 verses on how important God's Word is. So that should tell us something right there. Usually when I see a person, even a Christian, who's life is shipped wrecked by sin, it nornmally doesn't take too long to figure out had the person just followed God's Word, chances are their life would have been a whole lot easier. That's not to say that following God's Word places our path on a bed of roses. Actually quite the opposite.
The Christian life is one of hardships. What the Word of God does is help us through it and sometimes keeps us from making a bad situation even worst.
You want to have a successful life? Read and follow God's Word.
You want to have help going through hardships? Read and follow God's Word.
You want your hard life to make some sense? Read and follow God's Word.
No matter how well I think I know my way around the house in the dark, every once in a while I will bump into something. That's why I need to turn on the light when I enter a room because I don't like bumping into things. It hurts.
In the longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119, King David for 176 verses talks about how much he loves God's Word. In fact, you can't possibly understand any of that great chapter until you come to the grips that King David is talking about the authority, usefulness, value and truthworthiness of Holy Scripture.
Just check this out:
5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast
in keeping your statutes!
9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
24 Your testimonies are my delight;
they are my counselors.
44 I will keep your law continually,
forever and ever,
97 Oh how I love your law!
It is my meditation all the day.
98 Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies,
for it is ever with me.
And that was a random sample. It goes on through verse 176 when he writes 176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant,
for I do not forget your commandments.
So let's see, King David, a man after God's own heart, writes 176 verses on how important God's Word is. So that should tell us something right there. Usually when I see a person, even a Christian, who's life is shipped wrecked by sin, it nornmally doesn't take too long to figure out had the person just followed God's Word, chances are their life would have been a whole lot easier. That's not to say that following God's Word places our path on a bed of roses. Actually quite the opposite.
The Christian life is one of hardships. What the Word of God does is help us through it and sometimes keeps us from making a bad situation even worst.
You want to have a successful life? Read and follow God's Word.
You want to have help going through hardships? Read and follow God's Word.
You want your hard life to make some sense? Read and follow God's Word.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
The Bible, God's instruction book
I guess you could say I am a typical male. When I take something out of the box I rarely look at the instructions. I figure I can pretty much figure out how to put something together by myself or how to work something without reading the instructions. Most of the time when I do this, it has pretty horrible results. You would figured I would have learned by lesson by now but sadly I haven't. I still hate reading the instructions.
A lot of people are just like me. Not in the sense of not wanting to read the instructions from a particular product but when it comes from God's instruction book The Bible.
There are all sorts of stats and polls out there that talk of the general lack of Biblical knowledge inside the local Church. II Timothy 3:16 says, " All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." Paul told his young disciple Timothy that all scripture is from God and is profitable. That means it has value and worth.
Someone once told me that they have a hard time understanding the Bible. I told them I agree, even today there are a ton of things I don't understand about Holy Scripture. Here is the thing, I don't sweat the stuff I don't know, what I try to do is obey the things I do know and understand. I figured if I would just do that then God would be able to trust me with more of His truth. “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much."(Luke 16:10 ESV)
Just like an instruction book is given by the manufacture of that particular product for you to use since they built the product they would rightly know how to use it to it's fullest, so too is God's Word in your life.
Psalm 139:14 says that you are "fearfully and wonderfully made" by God. He knows what's best for you because He created you. It would be the height of cruelty if He didn't leave some type of instruction book for us to use so we can get through this life.
Well He did and it's call the Bible. Make read and studying the Bible a priority in your life and obey those things you know to do and see how much better you life will be.
A lot of people are just like me. Not in the sense of not wanting to read the instructions from a particular product but when it comes from God's instruction book The Bible.
There are all sorts of stats and polls out there that talk of the general lack of Biblical knowledge inside the local Church. II Timothy 3:16 says, " All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." Paul told his young disciple Timothy that all scripture is from God and is profitable. That means it has value and worth.
Someone once told me that they have a hard time understanding the Bible. I told them I agree, even today there are a ton of things I don't understand about Holy Scripture. Here is the thing, I don't sweat the stuff I don't know, what I try to do is obey the things I do know and understand. I figured if I would just do that then God would be able to trust me with more of His truth. “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much."(Luke 16:10 ESV)
Just like an instruction book is given by the manufacture of that particular product for you to use since they built the product they would rightly know how to use it to it's fullest, so too is God's Word in your life.
Psalm 139:14 says that you are "fearfully and wonderfully made" by God. He knows what's best for you because He created you. It would be the height of cruelty if He didn't leave some type of instruction book for us to use so we can get through this life.
Well He did and it's call the Bible. Make read and studying the Bible a priority in your life and obey those things you know to do and see how much better you life will be.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
The Living Word of God
Yesterday we saw that the Bible is unlike any other book ever written. That is because while God use man to physically write down the words, II Timothy 3:16 tells us that "All Scripture is inspired by God". Inspiration is a mystery because Scripture doesn't explain specifically how it occurred. The only glimpse we have is from 2 Peter: "Know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God" (1:20-21).
"Interpretation" speaks of origin. Scripture didn't originate on the human level but with the Holy Spirit, who "moved" upon the authors to write it (v. 21). "Moved" is the translation of a nautical term that describes the effects of wind upon a ship as it blows against its sails and moves it through the water. Similarly, the Spirit moved on the Biblical writers to produce the Word of God in the language of men.
The human authors of Scripture knew they were writing God's Word, and they did so with confidence and authority. Often they cited or alluded to one another as authoritative agents of divine revelation (e.g., 2 Peter 3:15-16).
On a personal level, inspiration guarantees that what Scripture says, God says. It's His counsel to you; so you can study and obey it with full assurance that it is true and will never lead you astray.
The content of the Bible is revelation. The process by which that content was written down is called inspiration. And it wasn't a high level of human activity, it wasn't even a high level of religious human activity. Men were in the process but it didn't originate with them and it didn't come from their desire and their will, they were used as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit and enabled to speak from God. They spoke divine words. God used them. It was their personality. It was their background, some of their insights, their experiences, their perceptions, but ever word was the word of God. That's the miracle of inspiration. Men...they were used...carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. That's what the Scripture says.
So, when you pick up your Bible, you're not reading the word of men, you're reading the Word of God that was written down by men who were moved along in the process by the power of the Holy Spirit. Not apart from their personalities and not apart from their experiences and not apart from their vocabulary and not apart from their heart passion and compulsion, but integrating all of that into the power of the Spirit of God and never compromising the truth that every word came from God...a great and glorious miracle, so vital.
You can rest assure that the Word of God contains the very Word of God and is totally truthworthy.
So this week as you are memorizing Hebrews 10:12, it is my prayer that you trust and follow His Holy Word.
"Interpretation" speaks of origin. Scripture didn't originate on the human level but with the Holy Spirit, who "moved" upon the authors to write it (v. 21). "Moved" is the translation of a nautical term that describes the effects of wind upon a ship as it blows against its sails and moves it through the water. Similarly, the Spirit moved on the Biblical writers to produce the Word of God in the language of men.
The human authors of Scripture knew they were writing God's Word, and they did so with confidence and authority. Often they cited or alluded to one another as authoritative agents of divine revelation (e.g., 2 Peter 3:15-16).
On a personal level, inspiration guarantees that what Scripture says, God says. It's His counsel to you; so you can study and obey it with full assurance that it is true and will never lead you astray.
The content of the Bible is revelation. The process by which that content was written down is called inspiration. And it wasn't a high level of human activity, it wasn't even a high level of religious human activity. Men were in the process but it didn't originate with them and it didn't come from their desire and their will, they were used as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit and enabled to speak from God. They spoke divine words. God used them. It was their personality. It was their background, some of their insights, their experiences, their perceptions, but ever word was the word of God. That's the miracle of inspiration. Men...they were used...carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. That's what the Scripture says.
So, when you pick up your Bible, you're not reading the word of men, you're reading the Word of God that was written down by men who were moved along in the process by the power of the Holy Spirit. Not apart from their personalities and not apart from their experiences and not apart from their vocabulary and not apart from their heart passion and compulsion, but integrating all of that into the power of the Spirit of God and never compromising the truth that every word came from God...a great and glorious miracle, so vital.
You can rest assure that the Word of God contains the very Word of God and is totally truthworthy.
So this week as you are memorizing Hebrews 10:12, it is my prayer that you trust and follow His Holy Word.
The Bible: A Book like no other
A few months ago I preached on the uniqueness of scripture and I during that week of studying I ran across this. "The Bible was written over a 1,500 year time span by 40 different generations coming from radically different backgrounds and cultures. It was written from different places, at different times, in different languages bywriters on different continents, yet it contains an unmistakable thread of continuity throughout its pages." And what is that "unmistakable thread"? It's Jesus.
Check out these stats:
This is a book like no other. It is a living, breathing document. It has supernatural powers that can only be explained that it is not of this world.
I believe every single word of it and I believe it so much that I not only stake my eternal soul based on its truthfulness but those of my two precious daughters as taught them that only God's Word has the ability to make this life meaningful and that is through following Christ. The Bible is God's love letter to us.
This week join me as we study why the Bible is a Book like no other. Memorize Hebrews 10:12.
Check out these stats:
- Written over a 1,500-year span.
- Written over 40 generations.
- Written by over 40 authors from every walk of life including kings, peasants, philosophers, fishermen, poets, statesmen, scholars, etc.:
- Moses, a political leader, trained in the universities of Egypt
- Peter, a fisherman
- Amos, a herdsman
- Joshua, a military general
- Nehemiah, a cupbearer
- Daniel, a prime minister
- Luke, a doctor
- Solomon, a king
- Matthew, a tax collector
- Paul, a rabbi
- Written in different places:
- Moses in the wilderness
- Jeremiah in a dungeon
- Daniel on a hillside and in a palace
- Paul inside prison walls
- Luke while traveling
- John on the isle of Patmos
- Others in the rigors of a military campaign
- Written at different times:
- David in times of war
- Solomon in times of peace
- Written during different moods:
- Some writing from the heights of joy and others writing from the depths of sorrow and despair
- Written on three continents:
- Asia, Africa and Europe
- Written in three languages:
- Hebrew: Was the language of the Old Testament. In 2 Kings 18: 26-28 called the language of Judah.
In Isaiah 19:18 called “the language of Canaan.” - Aramaic: Was the “common language” of the Near East until the time of Alexander the Great (6th century B.C. - 4th century B.C.) 32/218
- Greek: New Testament language - was the international language at the time of Christ.
- Hebrew: Was the language of the Old Testament. In 2 Kings 18: 26-28 called the language of Judah.
This is a book like no other. It is a living, breathing document. It has supernatural powers that can only be explained that it is not of this world.
I believe every single word of it and I believe it so much that I not only stake my eternal soul based on its truthfulness but those of my two precious daughters as taught them that only God's Word has the ability to make this life meaningful and that is through following Christ. The Bible is God's love letter to us.
This week join me as we study why the Bible is a Book like no other. Memorize Hebrews 10:12.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Not conforming but transforming
Romans 12: 1-2 says, " I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
This past week we talked about what it is not to be in the world and of the world. Today I want to talk about how to be a transformer instead of a conformer.
As Christians we will be pulls into two different directions. The world and all of its schemes are plans will try to pull us toward them and then there is Christ. When I think of the word conform I then of a mould. A mould is use to make a certain shape. You fill the mould up with some kind of liquid substance and when it drys you take it out of the mould and it looks just like the shape of the mould.
That's what it means to be conformed and the Bible tells us not to me shaped by the world but by Christ. The way we do that is by protecting our mind and feeding our minds the things of God. Psalm 119: 11 says, "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you."
To know and do the will of God, to know the mind of Christ is to know His Word, the Bible. Next week we will talk about what the Bible is and what influence it should have over the believer but for today, begin reading and studying the Bible that you may be a transformer and not a conformer.
This past week we talked about what it is not to be in the world and of the world. Today I want to talk about how to be a transformer instead of a conformer.
As Christians we will be pulls into two different directions. The world and all of its schemes are plans will try to pull us toward them and then there is Christ. When I think of the word conform I then of a mould. A mould is use to make a certain shape. You fill the mould up with some kind of liquid substance and when it drys you take it out of the mould and it looks just like the shape of the mould.
That's what it means to be conformed and the Bible tells us not to me shaped by the world but by Christ. The way we do that is by protecting our mind and feeding our minds the things of God. Psalm 119: 11 says, "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you."
To know and do the will of God, to know the mind of Christ is to know His Word, the Bible. Next week we will talk about what the Bible is and what influence it should have over the believer but for today, begin reading and studying the Bible that you may be a transformer and not a conformer.
Friday, March 16, 2012
In the world but not of it
One of my favorite passages of scripture is found in John 17 and it is Jesus' High Priestly prayer for His disciples. There is an entire year's worth of devotionals that could easily be written from this prayer but for today's devotional I want to turn your attention briefly to verses 14-19 which reads, " I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth."
I highlighted the section I wanted you to think about for today. Jesus says His disciples "are not of the world". What does He mean by that? Well I belief it means that we live our lives by a different set of rules and standards. The "world" according to scripture usually means a set of values that usually runs directly oppose to those of Christ.
We as Christians should live according to a worldview that is Christ centered. His thoughts should be our thoughts. His actions should be our actions. His desires should be our desires. And what are those you may be thinking to your self? Easily put, Jesus lived to give honor and glory to God and according to Philippians 2: 8 it was by being obedient, even unto death.
The key to the Christian life is not the things we may or may not do. The key to the Christian life is found in one simple word....obedience. John 14:15 quotes Jesus as saying, "If you love me, obey my commands."
Loving Christ is loving His commands. As God to give you a deep desire to obey Him whatever the cost and you will be amazed how much God will reveal Himself to you in a mighty and deep way.
I highlighted the section I wanted you to think about for today. Jesus says His disciples "are not of the world". What does He mean by that? Well I belief it means that we live our lives by a different set of rules and standards. The "world" according to scripture usually means a set of values that usually runs directly oppose to those of Christ.
We as Christians should live according to a worldview that is Christ centered. His thoughts should be our thoughts. His actions should be our actions. His desires should be our desires. And what are those you may be thinking to your self? Easily put, Jesus lived to give honor and glory to God and according to Philippians 2: 8 it was by being obedient, even unto death.
The key to the Christian life is not the things we may or may not do. The key to the Christian life is found in one simple word....obedience. John 14:15 quotes Jesus as saying, "If you love me, obey my commands."
Loving Christ is loving His commands. As God to give you a deep desire to obey Him whatever the cost and you will be amazed how much God will reveal Himself to you in a mighty and deep way.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
We are not of this world....or at least we shouldn't be
I love Christian music. I love all types of Christian music, yes even rap. I actually love rap even though I can't do it. Much to the shame of my two wonderful daugthers, I have tried. It wasn't pretty. One of the most poplar Christian groups during the 80's was a group called Petra and they had a really good song called "Not of this World." Here are the opening lyrics:
We are Pilgrims in a strange land
We are so far from our homeland
With each passing day it seems so clear
This world will never want us here
We're not welcome in this world of wrong
We are foreigners who don't belong
We are strangers, we are aliens
We are not of this world
Here is a youtube.com video to the song: This version has a great two minute intro. I love it.
One of the Bible verses they use is I Peter 2:11 which says, "Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul."
One of the reasons that we as Christians may not be as effective of a witness that we should be is because we are too much of this world. The lost looks at us and can't tell the difference between our lives and theirs. Sadly our speech is often as vulgar as theirs. Our entertainment is often the same. The places we go and the music we listen too is often no different. Then we wonder why our witness is not more effective.
Not all movies, music, magazines and tv programs are off limits but a great many are so use the Philippians 4:8 approach when trying to decide what is God honoring and what isn't. Paul says, "
We are Pilgrims in a strange land
We are so far from our homeland
With each passing day it seems so clear
This world will never want us here
We're not welcome in this world of wrong
We are foreigners who don't belong
We are strangers, we are aliens
We are not of this world
Here is a youtube.com video to the song: This version has a great two minute intro. I love it.
One of the Bible verses they use is I Peter 2:11 which says, "Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul."
One of the reasons that we as Christians may not be as effective of a witness that we should be is because we are too much of this world. The lost looks at us and can't tell the difference between our lives and theirs. Sadly our speech is often as vulgar as theirs. Our entertainment is often the same. The places we go and the music we listen too is often no different. Then we wonder why our witness is not more effective.
Not all movies, music, magazines and tv programs are off limits but a great many are so use the Philippians 4:8 approach when trying to decide what is God honoring and what isn't. Paul says, "
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."
Remember we are in the world but not of it. Romans 12:2.
Remember we are in the world but not of it. Romans 12:2.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Heavenly desires vs earthly responsiblity
In the first chapter of Philippians, Paul tells the church, " For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again." (Philippians 1:21-26 ESV).
Paul knew what it meant to struggle as a stranger in a strange land. He told this church that he would rather die and be with Christ but he knew it would be better for them and the kingdom if he stayed on earth a little while longer.
I can't help but feel this is the attitude that all Christians should have, not just superstar Christians like Paul. You see, every single Christian is important to the Kingdom. Every single Christian needs to understand that for the local church to be completely effective in it's God appointed task, they must use their God-given talents and spiritual gifts.
Please know, that no matter what situation you might find your self in at this moment, you are important to God's purpose here on earth and while you might wish you were in God presence (which is a very good thing) the fact of the matter is this, He isn't done with you yet. He still has big plans for you so don't give up and never give in to Satan's lies.
You have value and worth to Him who loves you and gave Himself to you. So today, thank God for allow you to be found worthy of His work and see who you can influence for His honor and His glory as we both look forward to heaven but realize we have lots of work to do down here to the praise of His wonderful name.
Paul knew what it meant to struggle as a stranger in a strange land. He told this church that he would rather die and be with Christ but he knew it would be better for them and the kingdom if he stayed on earth a little while longer.
I can't help but feel this is the attitude that all Christians should have, not just superstar Christians like Paul. You see, every single Christian is important to the Kingdom. Every single Christian needs to understand that for the local church to be completely effective in it's God appointed task, they must use their God-given talents and spiritual gifts.
Please know, that no matter what situation you might find your self in at this moment, you are important to God's purpose here on earth and while you might wish you were in God presence (which is a very good thing) the fact of the matter is this, He isn't done with you yet. He still has big plans for you so don't give up and never give in to Satan's lies.
You have value and worth to Him who loves you and gave Himself to you. So today, thank God for allow you to be found worthy of His work and see who you can influence for His honor and His glory as we both look forward to heaven but realize we have lots of work to do down here to the praise of His wonderful name.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
This is not our home, praise God
There is a song called "Where I Belong" by a group called Building 429. Here are the lyrics:
Sometimes it feels like I'm watching from the outside
Sometimes it feels like I'm breathing but am I alive
I will keep searching for answers that aren't here to find
All I know is I'm not home yet
This is not where I belong
Take this world and give me Jesus
This is not where I belong
So when the walls come falling down on me
And when I'm lost in the current of a raging sea
I have this blessed assurance holding me.
All I know is I'm not home yet
This is not where I belong
Find More lyrics at www.sweetslyrics.com
Take this world and give me Jesus
This is not where I belong
When the earth shakes I wanna be found in You
When the lights fade I wanna be found in You
All I know is I'm not home yet
This is not where I belong
Take this world and give me Jesus
This is not where I belong
All I know is I'm not home yet
This is not where I belong
Take this world and give me Jesus
This is not where I belong
Where I belong, where I belong
Where I belong, where I belong
It is a wonderful song with a great encouraging message, one that Paul is talking about in Philippians 3:20 when he writes, "But our citizenship is in heaven – and we also await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ" We as Christians truly strangers in a strange land. This week of devotional I want to go over the Heavenly Dilemma for us a Christians and that is longing to be with Christ but finishing well while here on earth.
Life, especially for those who earnestly try to live for Christ every day, is tough and I want to encourage you to hang in there. You are not alone.
So this morning, thank God for all the rich blessings He has given you and just know if you are going through a trial, know that this isn't our home, we are just passing through.
Sometimes it feels like I'm watching from the outside
Sometimes it feels like I'm breathing but am I alive
I will keep searching for answers that aren't here to find
All I know is I'm not home yet
This is not where I belong
Take this world and give me Jesus
This is not where I belong
So when the walls come falling down on me
And when I'm lost in the current of a raging sea
I have this blessed assurance holding me.
All I know is I'm not home yet
This is not where I belong
Find More lyrics at www.sweetslyrics.com
Take this world and give me Jesus
This is not where I belong
When the earth shakes I wanna be found in You
When the lights fade I wanna be found in You
All I know is I'm not home yet
This is not where I belong
Take this world and give me Jesus
This is not where I belong
All I know is I'm not home yet
This is not where I belong
Take this world and give me Jesus
This is not where I belong
Where I belong, where I belong
Where I belong, where I belong
It is a wonderful song with a great encouraging message, one that Paul is talking about in Philippians 3:20 when he writes, "But our citizenship is in heaven – and we also await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ" We as Christians truly strangers in a strange land. This week of devotional I want to go over the Heavenly Dilemma for us a Christians and that is longing to be with Christ but finishing well while here on earth.
Life, especially for those who earnestly try to live for Christ every day, is tough and I want to encourage you to hang in there. You are not alone.
So this morning, thank God for all the rich blessings He has given you and just know if you are going through a trial, know that this isn't our home, we are just passing through.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Words do hurt
Psalm 19:14 is one of my favorite verses in all of scripture and it is one that I try to say every morning when I wake up. King David says in this Psalm "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer."
How much more effective would we be as followers of Christ if we applied this Psalm to our everday life. There has been many times in my life where I didn't let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heat be acceptable in the sight of God.
I have challenge my church to memorize this Palm and ask God to make it real to them so that they wouldn't just have head knowledge but heart knowledge. Proverbs 23: 7 says "so as a man thinks in his hear, so is he."
Remember the childhood saying, "Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me." Well words and names do hurt and they hurt deeply.
So starting today, memorize Psalm 19:14 and ask the sovereign Lord of the universe to make it real to you by applying it to your ever day life.
How much more effective would we be as followers of Christ if we applied this Psalm to our everday life. There has been many times in my life where I didn't let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heat be acceptable in the sight of God.
I have challenge my church to memorize this Palm and ask God to make it real to them so that they wouldn't just have head knowledge but heart knowledge. Proverbs 23: 7 says "so as a man thinks in his hear, so is he."
Remember the childhood saying, "Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me." Well words and names do hurt and they hurt deeply.
So starting today, memorize Psalm 19:14 and ask the sovereign Lord of the universe to make it real to you by applying it to your ever day life.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Nothing new under the sun, Part 3: Finishing the race well
In 2 Timothy 4:7 the Apostle Paul wrote to his young disciple these encouraging words, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." This is the burning desire of my heart and it has been for sometime.
In the last two devotionals I have tried my best to show you that when you live out your faith and invest your life in others, you never know whose life you are affecting for the gospel inadvertently. God used everyday people to bring me to Christ and to mature me in my faith.
After graduating from West Memphis High School in 1979, I enrolled at what was then called Memphis State University as a newspaper journalism major because I had already had two years of sports writing experience at my local paper and I figured by the time I got out of school I could pretty much have my pick of sports writing jobs but God had different plans.
Once on campus I got involved at the Baptist Student Union, a Southern Baptist ministry for college students. I believe it is called Baptist Campus Ministries now (I love being Southern Baptist but for some reason the leadership loves to change the name of their various organizations). It was there I was able to use my gifts and build relationships with great Christian people, which I hold and cherish to this very day. It was the summer of 1981 that I was selected by the Home Mission Board as a summer missionary to Michigan. It was there I felt God called me to the ministry. Initially I thought it was foreign missions but I eventually learned it was being a pastor/teacher. At the start of my senior year my entire world changed for the better. It was then I met my eventual wife, Kathy. I fell for her almost the moment I saw her. Initially I was attracted to her because of her outward beauty but I grew to love her passionately because of her spiritual beauty.
Within the year I asked her to marry me and thankfully for me she, for some reason, said yes. I went off to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worthy for two years while she was completing her degree in the University of Memphis. I transferred back to Memphis and got married August 15, 1987 and completed my Masters of Divinity at Mid-American Baptist Theological Seminary.
Then from June of 1990 to May of 1997 I tried to pastor four different churches and while they all grew I was asked to leave each one for different reasons. None were moral reasons or theological reasons, thankfully. After the last heart breaking church I just didn't have it in me anymore to be a pastor. I had two little girls and I didn't want them to grow up hating the church just because some people were mean to their daddy.
During those almost eight years of trying to be a faithful pastor, notice I didn't say perfect pastor, and without going into detail, I got beaten up pretty bad and I beat myself up even worst. I feel sorry for the wonderful people at Central Baptist Church in Jonesboro, AR who had to deal with a very spiritually beaten up me after I left the pastorate. I pray I did more good than bad but now looking back I was pretty damaged. I just didn't know it.
While those four pastorates ended badly, I knew that to be a follow of Jesus means being faithful to His call and that means, if nothing else, being faith inside the local church.
Ephesian 5 talks of the church as being His bride and I knew that despite what I went through if I was going to be a good minister and model to my wife and two girls I had to be faithful to Christ in His local church and that is what I tried to do. Sometimes I was successful and sometimes not so much.
In the next 14 years I was a regular church member, at Central Baptist in Jonesboro and then Bellevue Baptist in Memphis, it was my primary desire to lead the family that God gave me on how to be a faithful Christian inside the local church. Not to quit just because someone did or said something. So many times I have heard people say that they don't go to church anymore because of the actions of someone else.
One of the things I have taught anyone who would listen is this: To love Christ with all your heart, soul and might means NEVER allowing your circumstances dictate your obedience to Christ. What that means is no matter what any body else in the world is doing around you, that doesn't give us to excuse not to be obedient to the One who loved us and gave Himself to us. NEVER.
Whenever I tell people some of the stories of what happened to me in some of those four church the usual response is "Man if that happened to me I wouldn't ever join or go to another church ever." I would be lying if I said it didn't cross my mind sometimes but Hebrews 10: 24-25 says, "and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near." So I would just tell people to be faithful to Christ at least means be faithful in His local church because it is His Bride and it is through the local church that Christ primarily uses to honor and glory God through the fellowship, worship and witness of His followers.
The object lesson for today is finish well in your Christian life. Don't let circumstances dictate your obedience to Christ. If you have been hurt by other Christians in the church or by pastors or ministers, I completely understand and hurt with and for you but don't allow Satan to gain a strangle hold in this area of your life. You are more than conquerors in Christ (Romans 8:37).
At the end of our life we will all meet God to give an answer for our life. The key is do we want to meet with the Sovereign Lord of the Universe with some lame excuse why we weren't faithful to Him or do we at least want to say like Paul, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."
Never let circumstances dictate your obedience. Finish strong.
In the last two devotionals I have tried my best to show you that when you live out your faith and invest your life in others, you never know whose life you are affecting for the gospel inadvertently. God used everyday people to bring me to Christ and to mature me in my faith.
After graduating from West Memphis High School in 1979, I enrolled at what was then called Memphis State University as a newspaper journalism major because I had already had two years of sports writing experience at my local paper and I figured by the time I got out of school I could pretty much have my pick of sports writing jobs but God had different plans.
Once on campus I got involved at the Baptist Student Union, a Southern Baptist ministry for college students. I believe it is called Baptist Campus Ministries now (I love being Southern Baptist but for some reason the leadership loves to change the name of their various organizations). It was there I was able to use my gifts and build relationships with great Christian people, which I hold and cherish to this very day. It was the summer of 1981 that I was selected by the Home Mission Board as a summer missionary to Michigan. It was there I felt God called me to the ministry. Initially I thought it was foreign missions but I eventually learned it was being a pastor/teacher. At the start of my senior year my entire world changed for the better. It was then I met my eventual wife, Kathy. I fell for her almost the moment I saw her. Initially I was attracted to her because of her outward beauty but I grew to love her passionately because of her spiritual beauty.
Within the year I asked her to marry me and thankfully for me she, for some reason, said yes. I went off to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worthy for two years while she was completing her degree in the University of Memphis. I transferred back to Memphis and got married August 15, 1987 and completed my Masters of Divinity at Mid-American Baptist Theological Seminary.
Then from June of 1990 to May of 1997 I tried to pastor four different churches and while they all grew I was asked to leave each one for different reasons. None were moral reasons or theological reasons, thankfully. After the last heart breaking church I just didn't have it in me anymore to be a pastor. I had two little girls and I didn't want them to grow up hating the church just because some people were mean to their daddy.
During those almost eight years of trying to be a faithful pastor, notice I didn't say perfect pastor, and without going into detail, I got beaten up pretty bad and I beat myself up even worst. I feel sorry for the wonderful people at Central Baptist Church in Jonesboro, AR who had to deal with a very spiritually beaten up me after I left the pastorate. I pray I did more good than bad but now looking back I was pretty damaged. I just didn't know it.
While those four pastorates ended badly, I knew that to be a follow of Jesus means being faithful to His call and that means, if nothing else, being faith inside the local church.
Ephesian 5 talks of the church as being His bride and I knew that despite what I went through if I was going to be a good minister and model to my wife and two girls I had to be faithful to Christ in His local church and that is what I tried to do. Sometimes I was successful and sometimes not so much.
In the next 14 years I was a regular church member, at Central Baptist in Jonesboro and then Bellevue Baptist in Memphis, it was my primary desire to lead the family that God gave me on how to be a faithful Christian inside the local church. Not to quit just because someone did or said something. So many times I have heard people say that they don't go to church anymore because of the actions of someone else.
One of the things I have taught anyone who would listen is this: To love Christ with all your heart, soul and might means NEVER allowing your circumstances dictate your obedience to Christ. What that means is no matter what any body else in the world is doing around you, that doesn't give us to excuse not to be obedient to the One who loved us and gave Himself to us. NEVER.
Whenever I tell people some of the stories of what happened to me in some of those four church the usual response is "Man if that happened to me I wouldn't ever join or go to another church ever." I would be lying if I said it didn't cross my mind sometimes but Hebrews 10: 24-25 says, "and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near." So I would just tell people to be faithful to Christ at least means be faithful in His local church because it is His Bride and it is through the local church that Christ primarily uses to honor and glory God through the fellowship, worship and witness of His followers.
The object lesson for today is finish well in your Christian life. Don't let circumstances dictate your obedience to Christ. If you have been hurt by other Christians in the church or by pastors or ministers, I completely understand and hurt with and for you but don't allow Satan to gain a strangle hold in this area of your life. You are more than conquerors in Christ (Romans 8:37).
At the end of our life we will all meet God to give an answer for our life. The key is do we want to meet with the Sovereign Lord of the Universe with some lame excuse why we weren't faithful to Him or do we at least want to say like Paul, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."
Never let circumstances dictate your obedience. Finish strong.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
There is nothing new under the sun, Part 2: Investing your life in others
Yesterday I wrote about how God used a man named Harold Lee to start the process by which I would come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. All Harold did was be obedient to what God would have him to do in a local church and from that God used it to bring me to Christ.
Once a person is transformed by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, that's not the end of the story but only the beginning. The same is true in my life because once I was saved God sent countless people into my life to make sure I would grow in my Christian faith and that is the object lesson in today's devotional.
I was 11 on the Sunday morning in October of 1971 when God radically changed my life. At that time no one else in my family went to church very often, if at all. Harold Lee would keep picking me up for church, along with a bus load of other children.
When I went into the seventh grade I joined the Tabernacle Baptist Church youth department. Now Tabernacle was a growing independent, fundamentalist church. While I am no longer an independent/fundamentalist in theology but rather a theological conservative, I am very thankful for the men and women from that church who invested time in me and taught me the truth's of God word.
At the start of my ninth grade year, that church disbanded and I needed another place to go so I started to attend the First Baptist Church in West Memphis. It was there, while I didn't know it at the time, that God would bring people into my life that God would use to mold me and mature me in my faith.
While the pastor, Dr. Thomas Hinson, was a tremendous influence on me by the way he carried himself and his faithful preaching of the Word, God mostly used laymen and women to build up my faith. These are men and women who will never get their names put up in lights or go on to write Christian best sellers but their impact on me was real and meaningful even if they weren't doing it intentionally.
There were a group of men who just invested time in a bunch of high school kids by allowing us to play basketball with them every Sunday. The way they treated one another and showed Christ love and sportsmanship went a long way to show me and my friends what it was to me a true Christian man. I don't ever remember winning any of those games but I won spiritually just by being around them.
Then there was Mrs. Margaret Ginn. She never showed me how to witness. She never taught me a Bible Study lesson. The thing she and a couple of ladies from that church did was accept me into their homes unconditionally because they knew my home life was pretty rough. Mrs. Margaret and her husband JD weren't prosperous finanically but what they were was deeply rich in Christian grace, faith and most importantly to me, hospitality. Their quiet witness to me can't be over stated. They saw a teenage boy whose parents didn't go to church and were dealing with serious issues of their own and they often accepted me into their home as one of their own. Their home was a city of refuge for me. I serious doubt that they even know today how much of an influence they had on me. They were simply living out their Christian faith. I call it everyday obedience.
Then there was a godly man by the name of Steve Smith. At the time Steve was a hard-working laymen who worked in the youth group even though he didn't have any children of that age. By the time I was a junior there was a program called the Paul and Timothy discipleship and for whatever reason Steve volunteered to be my Paul. The time he spent with me going over scripture and teaching me the Bible are lessons I still to this day cherish.
None of those people, and there were a lot more, had any clue that one day I would become a pastor and be able to travel all over the world sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ in Russia, Mexico and Austrailia. Nor pastor now five churches, hopefully being faithful in season and out of season teaching the precious truths of God's Holy inerrant Word. You see, every single life that I have touched with the Gospel, they have had a hand in it also because I couldn't have been the person I am without them.
All of these wonderful people were just living out their Christ faith in everyday obedience. There was absolutely nothing in me that any of these people could see and say, "That Daniel McCrosky he is going somewhere. He is going to be a giant in the Christian faith. I am going to invest time in him so one day when he makes it big in the Christian world he will mention my name and I too will be famous." No what they saw was a kid who loved Christ and wanted to be faithful and they showed me how, either directly or indirectly.
I want to encourage you to purposely invest your life in someone. Jesus called it discipleship. In fact Matthew 28: 16-20 is called the Great Commission and it can be summerize in two words, make disciples. It has been my intention to make disciples where ever God has placed me, whether I was a pastor or a laymen.
You want to impact the world? Be a disciple maker.
Once a person is transformed by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, that's not the end of the story but only the beginning. The same is true in my life because once I was saved God sent countless people into my life to make sure I would grow in my Christian faith and that is the object lesson in today's devotional.
I was 11 on the Sunday morning in October of 1971 when God radically changed my life. At that time no one else in my family went to church very often, if at all. Harold Lee would keep picking me up for church, along with a bus load of other children.
When I went into the seventh grade I joined the Tabernacle Baptist Church youth department. Now Tabernacle was a growing independent, fundamentalist church. While I am no longer an independent/fundamentalist in theology but rather a theological conservative, I am very thankful for the men and women from that church who invested time in me and taught me the truth's of God word.
At the start of my ninth grade year, that church disbanded and I needed another place to go so I started to attend the First Baptist Church in West Memphis. It was there, while I didn't know it at the time, that God would bring people into my life that God would use to mold me and mature me in my faith.
While the pastor, Dr. Thomas Hinson, was a tremendous influence on me by the way he carried himself and his faithful preaching of the Word, God mostly used laymen and women to build up my faith. These are men and women who will never get their names put up in lights or go on to write Christian best sellers but their impact on me was real and meaningful even if they weren't doing it intentionally.
There were a group of men who just invested time in a bunch of high school kids by allowing us to play basketball with them every Sunday. The way they treated one another and showed Christ love and sportsmanship went a long way to show me and my friends what it was to me a true Christian man. I don't ever remember winning any of those games but I won spiritually just by being around them.
Then there was Mrs. Margaret Ginn. She never showed me how to witness. She never taught me a Bible Study lesson. The thing she and a couple of ladies from that church did was accept me into their homes unconditionally because they knew my home life was pretty rough. Mrs. Margaret and her husband JD weren't prosperous finanically but what they were was deeply rich in Christian grace, faith and most importantly to me, hospitality. Their quiet witness to me can't be over stated. They saw a teenage boy whose parents didn't go to church and were dealing with serious issues of their own and they often accepted me into their home as one of their own. Their home was a city of refuge for me. I serious doubt that they even know today how much of an influence they had on me. They were simply living out their Christian faith. I call it everyday obedience.
Then there was a godly man by the name of Steve Smith. At the time Steve was a hard-working laymen who worked in the youth group even though he didn't have any children of that age. By the time I was a junior there was a program called the Paul and Timothy discipleship and for whatever reason Steve volunteered to be my Paul. The time he spent with me going over scripture and teaching me the Bible are lessons I still to this day cherish.
None of those people, and there were a lot more, had any clue that one day I would become a pastor and be able to travel all over the world sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ in Russia, Mexico and Austrailia. Nor pastor now five churches, hopefully being faithful in season and out of season teaching the precious truths of God's Holy inerrant Word. You see, every single life that I have touched with the Gospel, they have had a hand in it also because I couldn't have been the person I am without them.
All of these wonderful people were just living out their Christ faith in everyday obedience. There was absolutely nothing in me that any of these people could see and say, "That Daniel McCrosky he is going somewhere. He is going to be a giant in the Christian faith. I am going to invest time in him so one day when he makes it big in the Christian world he will mention my name and I too will be famous." No what they saw was a kid who loved Christ and wanted to be faithful and they showed me how, either directly or indirectly.
I want to encourage you to purposely invest your life in someone. Jesus called it discipleship. In fact Matthew 28: 16-20 is called the Great Commission and it can be summerize in two words, make disciples. It has been my intention to make disciples where ever God has placed me, whether I was a pastor or a laymen.
You want to impact the world? Be a disciple maker.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
There is nothing new under the sun, Part 1
That quote is from Ecclesiastes 1:9 and King Solomon very well could have been speaking about this new devotional blog by this bi-voicational pastor. Well if there isn't anything new under the sun then that should beg the question, "Why do it?"
Well I am writing this mainly for the wonderful people whom God has given me to shepherd at Expressway Baptist Church. Obviously it is for anybody who would like a word from God in their life. Please feel free to to a comment after each devotional.
The goal of these daily writings is to deepen the walk of those whom Christ has saved and maybe bring those who are lost to a saving knowledge of Him. My plan is to write every day. Monday through Saturday will be devotionals and on Sunday I will be giving a overview of my sermon that day.
For today I thought it would be appropriate to give a brief testimony of who I was before Christ, how I came to know Christ and my walk with Christ since He saved. me.
When I think of all the people God sent my way to bring me to Himself I just shake my head and am amazed. Not raised in a Christian home in the sense that my father would take us to church but God sent many people in my life to make sure that I would come to a saving knowledge of Him.
The first was a man by the name of Harold Lee. God used this humble person to get me to start going to church when we moved back to West Memphis. One Saturday in 1970 me and my brothers were playing football in the front yard. My big brother David was my idol. He was big and strong and five years older than me and took it upon himself to look after us (us being my older sister Debbie and younger brother Jay, and myself). To this very day David is the smartest and most driven person I have ever met. Now a retired Naval officer, a highly decorated at that. He is still someone I admire very much.
David would play football with Jay and me and one Saturday morning a big white church bus came bounding down the road and stopped to talk to the three boys about coming to church. Harold Lee jumped out and said, "Hey guys would yall like to come to church and ride on this bus tomorrow?" We looked up and probably said in one accord, "No!" Not to be denided he immedicately responded back with, "Those who ride my bus gets ice cream on the way home." Now you have to understand, someone saying that now sounds creepy but back then it was innocent and besides what I didn't know is my step mother had attended the Tabernacle Baptist Church some time back.
Well once I heard ice cream being given away I asked my parents if I could go and they said they didn't care so off I went and within a year later my life would never be the same again because in October of 1971 God saved me, not for righteous things that I have done but because of His mercy." (Titus 3:5) Amazing grace indeed.
Here is the point for today's devotional. Romans 10:15 says in part, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” ESV.
As Christians we are to lovingly, prayerfully and tearfully share Christ to a lost and dying world but you never know whose lives you will change for time and eternity when you do the simplest thing and invite them to church.
If you aren't in the habit of inviting people to church, start today and who knows, God might just use your simple obedience to change a person's life forever.
Pretty cool, uh?
Well I am writing this mainly for the wonderful people whom God has given me to shepherd at Expressway Baptist Church. Obviously it is for anybody who would like a word from God in their life. Please feel free to to a comment after each devotional.
The goal of these daily writings is to deepen the walk of those whom Christ has saved and maybe bring those who are lost to a saving knowledge of Him. My plan is to write every day. Monday through Saturday will be devotionals and on Sunday I will be giving a overview of my sermon that day.
For today I thought it would be appropriate to give a brief testimony of who I was before Christ, how I came to know Christ and my walk with Christ since He saved. me.
When I think of all the people God sent my way to bring me to Himself I just shake my head and am amazed. Not raised in a Christian home in the sense that my father would take us to church but God sent many people in my life to make sure that I would come to a saving knowledge of Him.
The first was a man by the name of Harold Lee. God used this humble person to get me to start going to church when we moved back to West Memphis. One Saturday in 1970 me and my brothers were playing football in the front yard. My big brother David was my idol. He was big and strong and five years older than me and took it upon himself to look after us (us being my older sister Debbie and younger brother Jay, and myself). To this very day David is the smartest and most driven person I have ever met. Now a retired Naval officer, a highly decorated at that. He is still someone I admire very much.
David would play football with Jay and me and one Saturday morning a big white church bus came bounding down the road and stopped to talk to the three boys about coming to church. Harold Lee jumped out and said, "Hey guys would yall like to come to church and ride on this bus tomorrow?" We looked up and probably said in one accord, "No!" Not to be denided he immedicately responded back with, "Those who ride my bus gets ice cream on the way home." Now you have to understand, someone saying that now sounds creepy but back then it was innocent and besides what I didn't know is my step mother had attended the Tabernacle Baptist Church some time back.
Well once I heard ice cream being given away I asked my parents if I could go and they said they didn't care so off I went and within a year later my life would never be the same again because in October of 1971 God saved me, not for righteous things that I have done but because of His mercy." (Titus 3:5) Amazing grace indeed.
Here is the point for today's devotional. Romans 10:15 says in part, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” ESV.
As Christians we are to lovingly, prayerfully and tearfully share Christ to a lost and dying world but you never know whose lives you will change for time and eternity when you do the simplest thing and invite them to church.
If you aren't in the habit of inviting people to church, start today and who knows, God might just use your simple obedience to change a person's life forever.
Pretty cool, uh?
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