True Freedom (Special Post)

2 Cor. 3:17 (CSB) - "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."

Today in America, we celebrate the anniversary of our freedom from the bondage to England. America is 241 years old today - Happy Birthday, America. However, our freedom was not free, it was paid for with a great price. Many of our Forefathers gave up everything to achieve this. Many people gave their life-blood to provide the freedom we now often take for granted. Over the years many more gave their all, their life-blood to maintain this freedom we enjoy. You might say that our freedom as Americans was "blood-bought."

In a much greater way, we need to remember today that Jesus Christ came, lived, died, rose again, ascended, and is coming again that we might enjoy the blessings of our spiritual freedom. In God's plan, through the shed blood of Jesus, we have been released from the bondage of sin. I other words, we have a true blood-bought freedom. 

Today, as you celebrate this special day, remember a deeper and greater freedom that was bought by blood for us. Enjoy the time with family and friends. Enjoy the food and festivities. Ooh and aah at the fireworks, parades, and concerts. But be sure to take time to celebrate the great release, restoration, and freedom achieved by the Blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Thank God I am Free! Not only in America, but that my body, soul, and spirit has been set free by the marvelous Grace that You provide. May I never take for granted either freedom that I am blessed with. Amen.

(Watch for the return of the regular blog in a short while).

First Day of Summer

Psalm 107:8 (CSB) - "Let them give thanks to the Lord for his faithful love and his wondrous works for all humanity."

I was pondering over this devotion for the first day of Summer, and I saw an article and the title was, "Summer Kind of Wonderful". I started thinking about that Bible verse that talks about God's "wonderful works", so I looked it up and realized it was in Psalm 107:8. Then I realized that the exact verse was repeated four times in that Psalm. (107:8, 15, 21, 31) Whenever God says something, it is important. When He says it four times we need to stop and really consider it. I do enjoy summer and began thinking of all the "Summer Kind of Wonderful" things that the Lord gives us. Let us think on some of these things today -

Start by Thinking About The Sun. Of course the first thing I think about in summer is the sun. I really missed the sunshine over the winter. It was cold and I wanted so much for the sun to shine. I think the sun is such a fascinating thing. Only God could have made it. It lights up the whole world and heats up the earth. It helps the crops grow. We can even use it as a power source. 

We can Consider The Fruits and Vegetables. Summer means lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Watermelon is my favorite summertime fruit. We recently had one and I always look forward to biting into that first delicious cold slice of it for the summer. I love getting fresh vegetables too. We have corn on the cob throughout the year but I don't know why it tastes so much better in the summertime. All those summer fruits and vegetables have so many things in them that benefit our health. They each have different vitamins that God made specifically for us for our nutrition.

And We Can’t Forget The Trees and Flowers. Another thing about summer is that everything is in full bloom. The trees are full and green. The flowers are in full bloom. Summer is just a beautiful time of year. The beauty of a green lawn (I love the smell of fresh mown grass), the contrasts of the various colorful flowers. Trees with green leaves, and the Crepe Myrtles in bloom. Such an array of color for our enjoyment. The Bible says in Genesis 1:11-12: “Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.” And you know what, I think it is good too.

I Love the Beauty of The Ocean, Ponds, Rivers, and Seas. My wife and I usually try to spend a little time on the beach every year. Watching and walking in the waves on the shore. As the water goes out, my wife loves to find the sea shells that the waves brought up before the next wave comes in. Sometimes we spend time along a river or a stream. The sound of the babbling water is so relaxing. You can't help but think of God and creation when you look at that water and all those creatures that you know it contains. The Bible records in Genesis 1:9-10 – “Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.” 

All of the verses that we quoted from Genesis 1 all end with the phrase, “And God saw that it was good.” What a great reminder as we look forward to Summer. God created it and it is good. Those verses in Psalm 107 say we should be praising God for His works and there's so many of them out there for us to enjoy. God does so many more works than those in just creation but I think it's good to focus on those things once in awhile, especially at the change of seasons. 

Psalm 40:5 reminds us: “Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works

Which You have done…” and in Psalm 74:17 the writer reminds us, “You have set all the borders of the earth; You have made summer and winter.”

So, the question I will leave you with today is, “Will you be praising God for His wonderful works this summer?” 

Prayer: Father, I praise You for Your great Creation. I see that You have created so much for me to enjoy and lead me to worship You. May I spend time today in open praise and worship for the wonder and majesty of all Your works. Amen.

Four Things Every Man Needs

2 Timothy 1:2 (CSB) - "To Timothy, my dearly loved son. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

This is believed to be Paul’s last letter. Last word’s carry a significant importance. Shortly after writing this letter Paul was put to death by Nero (circa 66-67 AD.). Who is Timothy

His name means “Honoring God.” He is one of Paul's converts, a native of Lystra, he was converted at Lystra. Timothy's father was a heathen Greek. His mother was a Jewess, but he had not been circumcised in infancy, probably owing to objections made by his father. Timothy's mother was called Eunice, and his grandmother Lois. Timothy wa a co-worker with Paul, one that Paul held in very close concern.

With this being Father’s Day, I would like us to consider 4 things that every man needs as demonstrated in the introductory statements of Paul.

Every man needs someone to LOVE, LIFT, LEARN, and LABOR over him.

First - every man needs someone who loves him. Someone to show true devotion (2 Tim. 1: 2). Paul calls Timothy a beloved son. the word translated beloved,agapeto, means favorite, esteemed, one worthy of love. The word translated  son, tekno, means a child. The name transferred to that intimate and reciprocal relationship formed between men by the bonds of love, friendship, trust, just as between parents and children. Paul had taken this neophyte theologian under his wing. He found a close bond of care and concern had developed for him. Every man needs someone in their life who will bond and seek to be the mentor, the teacher, and the molder of their lives. Every man needs someone to love him.

Then, every man needs someone to lift him up. Someone to pray for him (2 Tim. 1: 3). It is a great encouragement when we are told that someone is praying for us. It gives us strength and courage. It gives us the ability to stay the course. It helps us when we feel like our prayers are weak. Every man needs someone to love him, and to lift him up. 

Every man also needs someone who learns all they can about him. Someone believes in him. Someone who knows us very well (2 Tim. 1: 5). When we struggle through events in our lives, we need someone who speaks and shows that they believe in us. Every man needs someone to love him, to lift him up, and to learn all they can about him. 

Finally, every man needs someone who labors over him. Someone who shows true encouragement (2 Tim. 1: 6). We all struggle and need someone to be a cheerleader for us. Every man needs someone to love him, to lift him up, to learn all they can about him, and to labor over him.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I am so thankful that You gave me my Dad. He truly was an example to me, and I saw in him someone who loved me, lifted me up, learned all he could about me, and labored over me. Thank You that Dad showed me how to call You Dad, to make You my Heavenly Father. This day as I think about him, I am so blessed to have two Dads in Heaven - You and him. Amen.

HOPE!

"Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you" (Psalm 84:12).

Psalm 84 is a reminder that even before Christ came, men and women longed to experience God's love and protection. We have no idea what the circumstances of this writer's life were like. However, we can know from reading his words that he was facing extreme difficulty and stress. Yet, he found hope and comfort in God's presence. He knew that there was a door standing before him—one of hope and not defeat.

God had a plan for his life, and the Lord has a plan for your life, too. You can pray with the psalmist: "Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty; listen to me, God of Jacob. . . . Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere" (Psalm 84:8, 10).

Jesus is your door of hope. When you enter His presence, you will discover true intimacy and peace.

Prayer: Father, I long to know Your love more deeply. Thank You for the comfort and rest that are only found in Your presence. Continue to shape me that I may be completely devoted to You. Help me to trust fully in You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Loving Others

"If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?" (Matthew 5:46).

Loving others is one of the hardest things a Christian can do. Without the power of the Holy Spirit working in us, we will struggle to love the undesirable and to forgive those who have hurt us. Love for one another is a sign that we have been cleansed of our sins. It is a sign that we belong to God and are obeying God. Love is not merely a feeling, but an act of the will submitted to Christ.

James sums it up like this: "If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, 'Love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers" (James 2:8-9). It's easy to love those who love us—but loving the unlovable, loving the ungrateful, loving the undeserving, and loving with no expectations are acts of true, sincere Christian love. The world is full of the kind of love that takes and seldom gives. Our love ought not to be like that—it should be rich, full, and bountiful.

The one thing that makes the world sit up and take notice is seeing Christians love as Christ loved. But as long as we judge and criticize one another as the world does, we will have no impact on the world. As Chaplaincy volunteers we have the calling and privilege to minister love to a large variety of survivors we come in contact with. And, as we live our daily lives in our communities and churches - we can show forth the mark of a true Christian - love.

How is God calling you to love radically today? Is He asking you to pray for someone who has hurt you or to extend the hand of friendship to an unlikely person? Pray today that God will reveal a new opportunity for you to show His great kindness and mercy. When He shows it to you, obey!

Prayer: Lord, give me the courage to love and forgive as You do, even when it is inconvenient or uncomfortable. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Every Day is Memorial Day

1 Timothy 3:16 (CSV) - "And most certainly, the mystery of godliness is great: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory."

In April 1863, in Columbus, Mississippi, after decorating graves of her two sons who died representing their beloved southland, an elderly woman walked to two mounds of dirt at the corner of the cemetery to place memorial flowers there also. "What are you doing?" friends shouted, "Those are the graves of two union soldiers." Softly that compassionate mother said, "I know. I also know that somewhere in the North, a mother or a young wife mourns for them as we do for ours."

That loving deed set in motion our celebration which has become known as Memorial Day. We honor the war dead once a year, but their sacrifice is evident every single day of the year! 

Today, I do not want to diminish the sacrifice and service of those men and women who have served our nation so faithfully and so valiantly, but I want to talk about one great Soldier. This great Soldier stepped onto a harsh battlefield one day. He took up arms and entered the fight knowing that it would cost Him everything. This Soldier bravely entered that battlefield and won a great victory, but at a terrible price. This Great Soldier gave His life, not for a nation, but for all humanity. His was not a life given in vain, but the sacrifice of His life served to set free the captives of sin. 

For the child of God, Every Day Is Memorial Day. We need to remember the sacrifice of Heaven’s Greatest Soldier. Today, let us remember a man named Jesus and the sacrifice He made for us all.

Prayer: On this day we set aside to remember those who gave the most precious gift they had - their life - that we may have the freedoms we enjoy in this land today. Yet, as a believer, I am reminded of the One who gave it all for me, that I might live in freedom from sin, death, and Hell for all eternity. I give praise and thanks to my precious Savior - my Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

I kept hearing these same 6 words.......

Recently, I was a Chaplaincy Volunteer at the tornado damage in Eden, NC. We were able to minister to many folks who had been survivors of this storm in their lives. There were six words that we were hearing over and over. What were those six words? “I didn’t know what to do.” 

They came from an elderly woman who was homebound where a tree needed to be removed from her yard, as the other Chaplaincy volunteer and I talked with her, she concluded our visit with those six words. She couldn’t express her thanks enough for the chainsaw team sho came and removed the tree.

We spoke with a retired school Principal in a wheelchair who shared his story with us. He actually slept through the storm and when he opened his blinds in the morning and saw the trees down, he said those same words. With some tears in his eyes, he expressed his gratitude for the men who with chainsaws and skid-steers removed the numerous trees.

We spoke another time with a Viet-Nam vet who started his conversation with those six words. He told us that the crew who worked tirelessly to clean up the debris and downed trees in his yard were fantastic. He said that he went in after they left and, “even though it might not be a lot, it was all I could do. I left a donation on the NCBM website.”

A church south of Eden, Gethsemane Baptist, had a massive tree down. The Pastor said that he had received a bid for almost $10,000 to cut up the tree. Then he said these same six words. He was so appreciative that the crew came and cut up the tree, removed it off his van, and stacked the brush back in the woods behind the church – all for free.

Each of these, as well as several others, all felt the strain following the storm of how to relieve the situation. The trained volunteers of the NCBM Disaster Relief teams came in and made the situation a little better for many folks. God allowed us to move them from “I didn’t know what to do” to expressions of relief and joy. They were given a ray of hope in a very troublesome situation.

Prayer: Father, as You have given to each of us, may we be willing to reach out to those around us hurting and having needs. We praise You for Your watchcare over us. May we be used by You over and over to minister to those we come in contact with. Amen.

Seven Marks of a Great Mother

Matthew 15: 21-28 - "When Jesus left there, he withdrew to the area of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came and kept crying out, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely tormented by a demon.” Jesus did not say a word to her. His disciples approached him and urged him, “Send her away because she’s crying out after us.” He replied, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came, knelt before him, and said, “Lord, help me!” He answered, “It isn’t right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” “Yes, Lord,” she said, “yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus replied to her, “Woman, your faith is great. Let it be done for you as you want.” And from that moment her daughter was healed."

The first Mother’s Day was celebrated 100 years ago in West Virginia in 1912. 

A familiar mother’s day poem written in the early 1900’s is:

M is for the Many things she gave me,

O means only that she's growing Old.

T is for the Tears she shed to save me,

H is for her Heart of purest gold.

E is for her Eyes with love-light shining,

R means Right and Right she'll always be.

Put them all together, they spell MOTHER. 

A word that means the world to me.

God created families and gave mothers a unique place in that unit. They can love, give of themselves, cook, clean, wash clothes, put Band-Aids on scrapes … be the first one up in the morning or the last one down at night. They juggle a lot of things including raising children, working at jobs, managing a home, and sometimes finding time for themselves.

Today we are thinking about 7 Great Marks of a Mother as shown by this mother in Matthew 15.

1. MOTHERS OVERCOME ALL GREAT BARRIERS (VERSE 22)
2. MOTHERS ARE EMPOWERED BY GREAT LOVE 
3. MOTHERS ARE ARMED WITH GREAT DETERMINATION (VERSE 23, 24)
4. MOTHERS KNOW THE POWER OF GREAT PRAYER (VERSE 25)
5. MOTHERS ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR OWN GREAT SPIRITUAL NEED (VERSE 27)
6. MOTHERS TRIUMPH BECAUSE OF GREAT FAITH (VERSE 28)
7. MOTHERS DON’T NEED A NAME TO BE A GREAT MOTHERS

 I asked God, Lord why you did not even reveal the name of this great woman of faith. Isn’t it unfair for her? Then God spoke to my heart.... 

I did it so that whenever you are reading this story, you can put the name of your own mother on her behalf... 

Then God reminded me all the sacrifice of my own mother so that I become what I am today....

Mothers make up a crucial part of our lives. It is so important to give our love to these dedicated women in our lives and don’t take them for granted. 

1 John 3: 18 – “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”

Prayer: Father, today I stop and thank You for my mother. She has meant so much to me. She loved me, trained me, corrected me, and set the stage for what I would become. I also thank You for my wife - she is such a great mother to our three daughters and our four grandchildren. Without mothers, our world would be missing so much. Thank You for creating mothers. Amen.

The Call of a Prayer Warrior - Part 4

Ephesians 6:18 - "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—"

We have considered the command to be a Prayer Warrior, the conditioning of a Prayer Warrior, and to close out this study, let us ponder over the concentration of a Prayer Warrior.

When God has conditioned and trained us to be mighty in prayer, whom do we pray for? God does not take us through the training to pray for ourselves. He trains us to pray for the needs of the Kingdom. God tells us in Eph. 6:18-19 where to focus our efforts as Prayer Warriors. We need to pray for the strength to fight the battle. We need to pray for the "saints," or believers, who fight alongside us. Too often in the church, we forget that we are in the battle together - we are not to be fighting each other. Paul prayed for the believers to gain spiritual wisdom (Eph. 1:15-21; 3:14-21). We also need to be praying for the sinners we fight for - the boldness to share the gospel. As we see, we pray for strength, saints, and sinners.

But, be aware, the more that we proceed in building the kingdom, the more opposition we will face. The more we do for God, the more we will find those who will oppose it. (And sadly, the opposition does not always come from outside the church).

Today, as you ponder and muse over these last couple of days challenge, will you step up and be a Prayer Warrior? Would you be an Aaron and Hur? We need to stoke the furnace of Prayer in this nation more than ever before. 

"Nothing of eternal significance has ever been accomplished outside of prayer."

Prayer: Father, I am willing to take a stand. I am willing to be used by You. Call me. Train me. Equip me. Use me. Amen. 

The Call of a Prayer Warrior - Part 3

Ephesians 6:18 - "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—" (emphasis mine)

We can see this in the physical world around us. When a young person goes into the military, they just don't hand them a weapon and place them on the front line. They send them through Boot Camp. They receive the training that they need to be able to do what they are sent to do. When a person goes into the Medical field, they are trained and go through an internship to be sure they are prepared for treating others. When a person goes into the field of education, they take courses in their field, they student-teach and thus become qualified to teach others.

So, God also qualifies those whom He calls. So, what does Paul mean by "in the Spirit?" Well, first a person must have a salvation experience with Christ (Eph. 1:13-14). One must have heard the truth, trusted in Christ, and thus are sealed by the Holy Spirit. Then, we must not harbor sin, or have any unconfessed sin (Eph. 4:25-30). John Bunyan is credited with saying -"Prayer will make a man cease from sin, but sin will make a man cease from prayer."

In Ephesians 4, there is a list of sins that we are to remove, these grieve the Holy Spirit. Included in the list is lying, anger, thievery, worthless words (gossip, criticism, mean spirited talk) as well as others. We can't be in sin and in the Spirit at the same time. We can't pray and hate at the same time. We mus be yielded to God's Spirit (Eph. 5:15-16). And in turn, we will be filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18). When we are this focused in our spiritual walk, then we will be ready to be a Prayer Warrior.

Prayer: Spirit of the Living God, as I meditate upon the truth from this passage, may You drive it deep into my being. Light the fire in my soul to be involved in the Kingdom Building Business of being a Prayer Warrior. Amen.

The Call of a Prayer Warrior - Part 2

Ephesians 6:18 - "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—" (emphasis mine)

Paul is giving us the command to be a Prayer Warrior. He is calling us to constantly live in a present state of prayer. Not the past, not the future, but right now at this moment. No believer, no church, no community, no nation on earth can ever rise above their prayer life.

The seriousness of praying like a warrior is highlighted by the "all's" in this passage. Always. All prayer. All perseverance. It is a call for a totality of prayer - in the believer and in the church. Paul speaks of prayer using two different Greek words in this verse. Proseuche (prayer) is a general term for prayer or the place of prayer. Deesis (supplication) carries the meaning of entreaty or want. In all forms of prayer, we should seek to be on the battlefront, to be warriors well equipped to do battle with the enemy forces. God desires for us to pray daily (I always tell my churches, two things to do every day - Read your Bible and Pray). God promises that when we truly seek Him, we can see great and mighty answers (Jeremiah 33:3).

Consider surrendering to God to be one of His Prayer Warriors. But, you say, I am not sure that I am to be a Prayer Warrior. I don't know if I am equipped to do this? Remember this - God doesn't call the qualified. He qualifies the called. And, whom He calls, He equips. So, in our study together tomorrow, we will consider the conditioning of a Prayer Warrior.

Prayer: Father, give me ears to hear Your call upon my life. Prayer, place deep inside of my soul the call, the desire, the urgency to be one of Your Prayer Warriors. Amen.