How you ever thought about what makes a person great?How you ever thought about what makes a person great?
Jesus said in Matthew 20:25-26 that great people in God’s Kingdom are the ones who serve. “But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not so among you, but whosoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant.” Servanthood is a significant sign of greatness according to God’s Word. Humble service makes men and women great in God’s eyes. In Psalm 18:35 we read another truth that makes you and me great. “Thou has given me the shield of Thy salvation, and Thy right hand upholds me; AND THY GENTLENESS MAKES ME GREAT.” Psalm 18:35 In his day, David was a great man. David had a heart for God, serving the Lord and God’s people all his life. Before he was anointed king over the nation of Israel, the shepherd boy David slew giant Goliath. King David was a mighty warrior and courageous leader who never lost a battle to Israel’s arch enemies the Philistines. King David exuded greatness among the Israeli people. Psalm 18, penned by David, is a song of praise for God’s deliverance from enemies. David extols God’s delivering power and exalts His name for rescuing him time and time again. Then, in verse 35, after saying that God has shielded David with His salvation and that God’s right hand upholds him, David declares “And Thy gentleness makes me great.” Sometimes God’s Word just reaches deep down into your spirit and grabs you! This phrase grabbed me and will not let me go. Do you see what I see? David said he was great because of God’s gentleness. God’s gentleness made David great. The mantle of greatness was David’s because of gentleness from God. Usually, when we think of great men and women, we think of awesome abilities, personal charisma, power and influence. God does indeed empower His people through the Holy Spirit to do mighty spiritual exploits in His name. But gentleness and greatness? David attributed his greatness to God’s gentleness. I am blessed with a son, daughter and four precious grandchildren. I remember with fondness and happiness the days when they were newborns and young children. I would spend as much time as possible with them. As babies, I hugged them up, gently cradling them close to my heart. A soft, caring, compassionate touch from grandpa (they call me Doodah now) always produced a smile on their angelic faces worth a trillion dollars for Doodah! As well as a huge smile in this old man’s heart. People of all ages, not just newborn babies, need to receive gentleness from Christians. We who know Christ possess the gentleness of God that works in our heart and makes us great servants. In Galatians 5:22-23, gentleness is listed as one of the nine fruit of the Spirit. Many believers strive to bear the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience…but what about gentleness and then of course, the last one on the list, self-control? Our brokenhearted, sin-sick, lost world lacks a gentle touch. Let’s face it: life without Christ is hard and cruelly harsh. The devil knows no gentleness. Roughness, toughness, harshness, and cruelty causes people to become hardened and bitter. As a crisis counselor, I see too many people who are emotionally and sometimes physically bruised, battered and beaten up by harsh words and hard-hearted actions from others. My friends and fellow Christians, where will hurting people receive a gentle touch unless God’s people who know God’s gentleness share His gentleness with them through serving them? Please be gentle with God’s gentleness. Be a great person in the lives of people you know, love and serve by being gentle. Be gentle with your words and deeds. Make gentleness, compassion, mercy and lovingkindness the marks of your witness, service and ministry to people. When tempted to be hard or harsh, do not be that way. Choose to be gentle. When someone has been harsh toward you, do not respond in kind. Return gentleness for their harshness. When you have opportunity to show a fellow human being the gentler side of life, show it. When you can soften the hard edge of someone’s situation, go ahead and do it. Something to think about: God has been gentle with us. Shouldn’t we who bear His name be gentle with people for whom Christ died and rose again so they could find forgiveness and live forever? Just a thought. Would it not be awesome if people would say of you and me: There goes a great person because they are a gentle servant of Jesus Christ? Who do you know that needs the gentleness of God through you today? “Blessed are the gentle, for they will inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5 “Come to Me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 A Word For Your Week: If you want to be great…be gentle. When was the last time you reflected on your past and then rejoiced in the Lord?
It is a sad fact of human behavior that most of us reflect upon our yesterdays with regret and remorse. Thoughts of the past usually generate bad press. Too often we look back wishing yesterday was different than it was. Instead of singing God’s praises for being with us in the past, we often sigh and even cry over yesterday. We decreed yesterday as bad news. But what about all the good news our yesterdays were made of? The Psalmist had a holy habit, and I believe a healthy habit, of reflecting upon yesterday WITH JOY! He habitually remembered God’s great works on His behalf and then rejoiced in God’s goodness to him. (Psalm 71:19, 66: 5-7,16, 105:1-7, 111:1-4, 126:1-3). “I remember the days of old, I meditate on all Thy doings; I muse (reflect and ponder) on the work of Thy hands.” Psalm 143:5 “Remember His wonders which He has done, His marvels, and the judgments He uttered by His mouth.” Psalm 105:5 Remembering and reflecting resulted in rejoicing for the Psalmist. What is your habit when reviewing the past? Is your reflection process holy and healthy like the Psalmist? Do you remember what you should remember with joy? As fickle people who struggle with remaining faithful to God, we tend to forget things we should not forget and remember things we should not remember. Psalm 78:11-12 declares of God’s people Israel “and they forgot His deeds, and His miracles that He had shown them. He wrought wonders before their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoar.” Like Israel, we forget God’s good deeds, miracles and wonderful works in our lives. We forget because we are forgetful. We forget because the devil does not want us to remember and rejoice. We forget because we are surrounded and influenced by a society of forgetters. We forget because we focus on our failures instead of our successes, our nightmares instead of our dreams, our strike outs instead of our hits and home runs, our defeats instead of our victories, our pains instead of our gains, our lack instead of our provision, and our tears instead of our cheers! I used to view my past with regret. But I have (and still am) learning to rejoice in yesterday. Why the shift in attitude? Because there are plenty of reasons why I should rejoice when I look back to yesterday.
Christians have every reason to rejoice when they look back to remember what God has done for them through Jesus Christ. My fellow Christian, remember and rejoice in all the life you have lived under the watchful, loving, merciful, gracious eye of Almighty God. Your heavenly Father has been Lord over the good, the bad, and yes, even the ugly in our lives. We should rejoice in our yesterdays because…
Set aside some time this week to reflect on the past. Write down all the wonderful things God has done for you. Then give Him thanks for every single one! REMEMBER AND REJOICE!!! “I shall remember the deeds of the Lord; surely I will remember Thy wonders of old. I will meditate on all Thy work and talk of Thy doings. Thy way, Oh God, is holy; What god is great like out God? Thou art the God who works wonders…” Psalm 77:11-14a A Word For Your Week: Give thanks today for God’s goodness to you yesterday. When you and I need something to happen, God often meets that need by surprising us in a way we did not expect.
The above is true. I personally like this truth! Isaiah 64:1-4 is a prayer request by Isaiah the prophet for God to be merciful to Israel and send help to deliver the nation from adversaries. “Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains may quake at Your presence. As fire kindles the brushwood, as fire causes water to boil, to make known Your name to Your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at Your presence. WHEN YOU DID AWESOME THINGS WE DID NOT EXPECT; You came down and the mountains quaked at Your presence. For from of old they have not heard or perceived by ear, neither has the eye seen a God besides You WHO ACTS ON THE BEHALF OF THE ONE WHO WAITS FOR HIM. You meet him who rejoices in doing righteousness, who remembers You in Your ways. “ Isaiah asked God to come down in dramatic fashion to deal with His enemies. The Almighty did. A fireworks show that was out of this world. Isaiah recognized that what God did was not what they expected, a surprise if you will in taking care of their adversaries. God blessed His people in a way they did not expect. The Bible from cover-to-cover reveals God doing things His people did not expect. A shepherd boy slays a giant…A few fish and loaves of bread feed thousands…An uncrossable sea parts to save God’s people and drown an enemy army…A dead brother is raised from the grave…A lame man walks… Blind men see…A godly man is saved from hungry lions…Three boys escape from a fiery furnace…A demon is cast out from a tormented man. An Ark spares a righteous family and humanity. A crucified Savior rises from the dead. On, and on, and on…UNEXPECTED BLESSINGS! Miracle after miracle after miracle. God has done things and still does things His people do not expect! So, what about you and me? Does the Lord do things for us that we did not expect? Surprise us? You bet He does!!!! God the Father loves to surprise His sons and daughters. He specializes in surprising us with things we did not expect. Makes life fun for Him and us! When you need something from the Lord according to His promises in the Word, do not worry, do not be anxious, do not doubt, do not be fearful. Instead trust Him to deliver what you need according to His will, His way and in His time. Wait on Him to do His thing. Leave room for a surprise that will knock your spiritual socks off! Without question many of the blessings the Lord has given me were unexpected….and received with great joy! Expect the unexpected in a good way. As a father and grandfather, I get a tremendous kick out of surprising my offspring with blessings they had no idea were coming. The surprised, happy look on their faces warms the heart of this graying old gentleman. A Few Thoughts About Expectation
Take a few moments today. Think about things God has done for you that surprised you. Make a list. Relive each item. Reflect on how it blessed you. Pray over each unexpected thing God did, thanking and praising His name. What are you expecting the Lord to do for you according to His Word? How are you expecting Him to surprise you from time to time? Are you open to a surprise blessing? EXPECTED OR UNEXPECTED God is always working in our lives to glorify Himself, strengthen our faith and build us up for the next round of life!!! Are you ready for His next surprise in your faith walk? “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works within us. To Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations for ever and ever. Amen. “ Ephesians 3:20-21 A Word For Your Week: Expecting the unexpected is an exciting way to walk with God. Years ago a gentleman called me to make a counseling appointment. When we met, I could see that he was very troubled about something. “Pastor, is it possible to have peace in our hearts? Every turn I take seems troublesome, creating turmoil in my heart. I am upset all the time. I just want to have some peace. Is that possible?”
I responded by saying “Sir, do you love God’s Word?” While he looked at me with a puzzled expression, I turned to our verse for this week. Those who love Thy law have great peace; and nothing causes them to stumble.” Psalms 119:165 I told him that people who love God’s Word experience great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble. We had an in-depth discussion about how we can experience and enjoy God’s peace daily. After praying together, he left less troubled and more hopeful that life can turn around when we turn to God’s Word and receive His peace. Peace is important in our lives. Peace is pivotal to healthy and productive living. The more I mature (that means the older I get!) the more I value peace. Peace in my mind and heart. David endured some very peaceless periods in his life. He was stalked by King Saul, shamed and haunted by his sin with Bathsheba, he warred continually with the Phillistines, was disrespected and driven away by some of his children. No wonder David wrote about “great peace” and how to have it. The verse starts with “Those.” Who are those anyway? “Those” are the people who “love Thy Law.” People who love God’s Word and live their lives according to it experience two tremendous blessings in their personal lives. First, they have GREAT PEACE. Not just peace, but GREAT peace! The peace they experience is the peace of God that comes from the God of peace (Philippians 4:5-9). Great peace is peace that is greater than our problems. When life is hard to understand and makes little sense, the peace of God that passes all understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6) floods our hearts and garrison’s our minds. Great peace is greater than the troubles of life because God is great.
There isn’t anything whatsoever that can cause a person to stumble who loves God’s Word. God’s great peace will keep offense at bay because God’s Word produces peace. This verse has meant a lot to me over the years. It is so easy to stumble. We are so easily offended. Why? It is because we focus on life instead of God’s law. We are robbed of inner peace because we do not take a stand to stand on God’s Word when life tumbles around us. Life outside of God’s Word cannot produce peace. Loving God and His Word will always produce peace. Great peace. When I guard my peace with God’s Word, I live in a stumble free zone. I love having God’s peace in my heart. In all honesty, the best moments in my life come when I am walking in His “great peace.” I am working on growing up in some areas of my life. One is not to be offended by what life brings to my plate. Another is not to stumble over things that God’s Word says I have victory over. This verse says that nothing causes us to stumble. Nothing includes Satan’s spiritual attacks, people who offend or disappoint me, adverse circumstances that toss me a curve ball, challenging situations that are out of my control, setbacks that delay my dreams, or any of the stuff that life is made up that tries to throw me for a loop as I seek to fulfill God’s will for my life. I have found that I experience great peace and I do not stumble when I love God’s Word and walk by faith and obedience to that Word everyday. How about you my friend? Do you crave God’s peace? Do you love His Word? Do you live your life according to His law and promises? Is life a series of stumbling blocks to you? Or is your life stumble-proof in Christ? Those (that is you and me!) who love God’s law will have God’s peace and will be stumble free! Hallelujah! “The steadfast of mind Thou wilt keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in Thee.” Isaiah 26:3 “Peace I leave with you; My Peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let be fearful.’’ John 14:27 A Word For Your Week: Lasting peace comes from loving and living God’s law. How many professing Christians do you know who are totally sold out to Christ?
By sold out I mean born-again believers whose belief and behavior are so real they are one hundred percent on board for the Lord, following the Lord fully with all their hearts. Caleb was sold out to God. His rock-solid commitment to God stirs our hearts and challenges our lives. “Nevertheless, my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt with fear; but I followed the Lord my God fully.” Joshua 14:8 For the background on this week’s word, study thoroughly Numbers 13:25-14:10 and Joshua 14:6-14. At forty years of age, Caleb and Joshua went up to recon the Promised Land. Ten other “spies” accompanied them. The land was everything God said it would be. Spacious. Fruitful. Productive. Developed. Ready for occupation by God’s chosen people. Reporting back to Moses, the ten spies gave a bad report based on fear. Caleb and Joshua gave a good report based on faith. Despite the negative majority report, Joshua and Caleb exhorted the people to go up and take the land God was giving them. The two positive men of God told the people to not fear, but to have faith in God who had prepared the way for them. Now was the time to rise up, overcome fear, exercise faith and occupy the land of promise. Sadly, the people followed the ten negative spies, rejecting Joshua and Caleb’s call to go forward. God severely judged Israel’s disobedience. The ten spies died on the spot. All the doubters and pouters over twenty years of age wandered in the wilderness until they all died off. Forty-five years later, Caleb shows up again in Scripture. Under Joshua’s courageous leadership, Israel has conquered most of Canaan. Eighty-five years young, Caleb reminds Joshua that Moses promised him a piece of the Promised Land. “ Caleb declares that he is as strong now as he was four decades ago. He is a warrior, ready and willing to take out the Anakim (gigantic people!). Caleb’s request “give me the hill country,” the one with the big guys hanging out there, was based on God’s promise to give it to him. And so it was. The Anakim wished they had never seen this sold-out servant of the Living God in their neighborhood! Caleb’s spiritual legacy is that “he fully followed the Lord.” Three times in Joshua 14 (verses 8, 9, 14) Caleb is commended for his wholehearted commitment to God. For eighty-five years and counting Caleb held nothing back. His faith and devotion to the Lord never wavered. Caleb could have joined the unbelieving, fearful holdout crowd. He could have thrown in the faith towel waiting in the wilderness for forty years while all the doubters died off. As an elder, he could have held out at age eighty-five and asked for a rocking chair. Not Caleb. Caleb is the kind of guy that I would charge hell with a water pistol! Sold out or hold out. Which one are you? The perilous times we live in (see II Timothy 3:1-12) will eat the lunch of half-hearted Christians. The devil and our unbelieving world enjoy chowing down on those who holdout on serving Jesus Christ wholeheartedly. Jesus sold out for us. When Jesus hung on the Cross, He was sold out on salvation for you and me. No hint of hold out from Him. Jesus gave it all. God’s Only Son spilled His life-blood to cover and cleanse our sin. Jesus followed fully God’s will for His life. So how can we even consider holding out on Him? How is it that many professing Christians cannot be counted on when push comes to shove? I want to ask you what I am asking myself. Are you sold out to Jesus? Do you follow Him fully? Completely. Wholeheartedly. Without reservation or hesitation. Or are you a hold-out? Holding back some part of your heart. Hanging out in the fearful crowd of mediocre Christians who move no mountains for God? Being sold out for Christ means something like this.
Sold out Christian’s hearts are on fire for the Lord. Hold-out Christian’s hearts are cold toward the Lord. I do not know about you, but I like being around people who are sold out for something. I really like being around Christians who are sold out for Someone, the Lord Jesus Christ. When push comes to shove in this sin-sick, lost world, are you sold out for the Lord Jesus Christ? Would people observing your life say that you follow the Lord fully? That you serve God with every fiber of your being? Maybe it is time to evaluate and shore up your commitment to Christ. Sold out or hold out is your decision that will determine your destiny. Be assured that, like Caleb, God blesses those whose hearts fully belong to Him. “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.” II Chronicles 16:9 “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.” II Timothy 4:6-7 A Word For Your Week: If you say you have faith, follow the Lord fully! Have you ever heard yourself thinking things like this: Someday I will get that done. Someday I will clean out the garage. Someday I will spend more time with my family. Someday I will serve at my local church. Someday my dream will come true.
SOMEDAY, SOMEDAY, SOMEDAY! Someday is out there somewhere. Procrastinators love someday. Practitioners of procrastination enjoy putting off until tomorrow what they should be doing today. Someone said “Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.” The problem with keeping up with yesterday is that important things do not get done today. Someday is often the enemy of success because it robs us of what we should be doing today. What is someday anyway? Where is it? Which day in the future is someday? Someday usually ends up being no day. The truth is: Someday never comes because someday is today. Today’s “To Do” lists are to be done today, not tomorrow. In God’s Kingdom, someday is always today. There is no procrastination in God’s redemptive plan. Our verse for the week is plain: SALVATION IS TODAY. Not tomorrow, or someday, but TODAY. “For He says, ‘At the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the day of salvation I helped you;’ behold, now is the acceptable time, behold now is the day of salvation.” II Corinthians 6:2 Paul tells us that God listens to us and helps in “the day of salvation” which is today. The gift called today comes from the hands of a good, gracious and generous God. I am so thankful that He is there each day to meet our needs. One day at a time. The word the Word uses is “now.” And “now” means now! “Now” is today, not tomorrow. Ever since Jesus died on the Cross and rose from the dead, TODAY is the day of salvation. Redemption is finished. God’s restoring work is complete. His great love for us has been manifested in His Son. Salvation through faith in Jesus Christ is ours for the asking. Today is the day of salvation. Someday has arrived. Now, today, is the acceptable time to accept Jesus. Now is the time to be born-again and live for the Lord Jesus Christ. When it comes to salvation, the Lord exhorts man to never put off until tomorrow what can happen today. People who have been stirred in their soul by the love God and put off receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior are taking a significant risk. Someday may be too late when salvation is TODAY! Reader, have you received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior or are you putting Him off for another day? Abundant life in Christ (John 10:10) is to be lived TODAY. Today is the day where “we walk by faith and not by sight” (II Corinthians 5:7). Today, not someday, is the acceptable and appropriate time to do what God has called us to do. We are not to put off until someday what the Lord has put on today’s agenda for us. Satan loves someday. Someday can be an easy excuse for doing nothing today. Someday can turn into a long string of somedays. Before we know it, someday is no day and we lose. The devil rejoices when God’s people live for someday instead of today. Think about it. If you do not do this day what God intended you to do, today’s opportunity could be lost forever. That is a loss none of us can afford. What do you need to do today that you keep putting off until someday? NOW is God’s time for you and me. TODAY is the day to go and grow forward in our faith walk with Jesus. Do today what you would do someday. Then when someday comes the task is already done! At the end of today, make this day a “did that, done that, I have the T-shirt Day.” Decide to turn from someday and someway to today and His way. ASSIGNMENT: Take one simple task that you are putting off for someday and accomplish it TODAY. That’s right, do it today. Do whatever you need to do to cross this item off your to do list. You will be glad you did! (And so will others affected by this task!). By the way, how is your garage looking??? “This is the day that the Lord has made; therefore, I will be glad and rejoice in it.” Psalm 118:24 “You choose this day who you will serve...” Joshua 24:15a A Word For Your Week: Do today what you would like to do someday. Life is one long series of stuff.
I just heard a collective sigh of agreement from my readers. Good stuff. Not so good stuff. Bad stuff. Even awful stuff. Unwelcome stuff. Unwanted stuff. Undesirable stuff. Surprising stuff. Stuff is never ending. Stuff has a way of invading our space and interfering with our lives on a regular basis. Positive stuff is a blessing. Negative stuff is more like a curse! Today I want to focus on negative stuff and how to deal with it. Stuff can be physical/natural, emotional, mental, relational, financial and spiritual. Cars break down. Appliances bite the dust. Kids need braces. Storms knock out power. Inflation eats away at your income. Stock markets tank. A spouse wants a divorce. You get a pink slip from your job. A negative medical report from your physician. An accident sends you to the hospital. Sudden death of a loved one. Satan attacks your faith. You struggle with doubt and unbelief. Stuff, stuff, stuff! Just when you think you get a handle on stuff, more and more stuff shows up at your doorstep (I am not talking about Amazon Prime!). Let’s be honest: negative stuff has a way of creeping into our life. In the past when negative stuff hit the fan, Steve Roll panicked. I got upset. Wanted to pull my hair out, run away and hide, or kick a cat if I had one! Negative stuff had its way with me far too often, upending the apple cart of my life. Frustration, worry, anxiety, fear and “what now?’ knocked on the door of my mind. I have learned (and continue to do so) that my past reactions were non-productive. Negativity only complicated and prolonged the situation. With the Lord’s help from His Word and wise advice from trusted friends, I have slowly but surely managed negative stuff much better. My wife is happy about that! The Apostle Paul dealt with negative stuff on a regular basis. Read II Corinthians 11:22-33. If you think you are having a difficult day, think again after you read Paul’s stuff list. Amazingly, Paul had a good attitude toward life’s stuff. II Corinthians 12:7-10 records Paul’s request for God to remove a “thorn in the flesh” He was experiencing. God spoke to Paul about grace. Paul responded with a tremendous attitude that helped him deal with and overcome negative stuff. “And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ will dwell in me. Therefore, I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” As Paul faithfully proclaimed the goodness of Jesus Christ, it was one thing after another. Stuff, stuff, stuff plagued his ministry. But he was victorious because of the grace of God. Paul’s take on negative stuff: content with difficulties for Christ’s sake. Because when I am weak, by the grace of God I am strong. I am not Paul. Neither are you. But I am a Christian, belonging to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a fact: negative stuff is our traveling companion through our faith journey. The important fact: you and I overcome stuff through Jesus’ presence, promises and power. Hallelujah!!! So, what should you and I do about negative stuff? Managing Stuff Successfully
“Casting all your cares (stuff) on Jesus, because He cares for you.” I Peter 5:7 A Word For Your Week: Hand your “stuff” over to Jesus. Every day provides new opportunities for you and me to continue our Christian journey.
Our word for this week focuses on Abraham and his faith journey. “Now the Lord said to Abram, go forth from your country, from your relatives and from your house to the land which I will show you. I will make you a great nation and I will bless you. I will make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and the one who curses you I will curse. In you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” And Abram went forth as the Lord had spoken to him….” Genesis 12:1-4a “And Abram journeyed on…….” Genesis 12:9 The phrase “journeyed on” catches my attention. Grabs my spirit. Abram, who we know as Abraham, was called by God to leave his family and home to travel to Canaan. God promised He would bless Abraham. Abraham would be a blessing to the nations of the earth. Immediately, without questions or doubts, Abraham obeyed and kept on obeying the Lord. I see four significant things about Abraham’s response to God’s call.
At seventy-five years young, Abraham journeyed on with God! Wow! How old or young are you? Are you journeying on with God no matter what your age or stage of life? Are you being who God has called you to be and doing what He has called you to do? One of Satan’s chief strategies is to stop you and me from journeying with Jesus. Our adversary the devil would love for you and me to quit on our faith. To give in to adverse circumstances. To give up and throw in the towel of belief during tough times. The evil one would enjoy nothing more than to sit in his corner office in Hell’s headquarters and mock you and me because we chose to not journey on. Let’s be honest. Sometimes our journey is downright rough. Our purpose and mission appear thwarted at every turn. Roadblocks and detour signs pop up at the most inconvenient times. We can feel like Elijah when the angel of the Lord said “Arise and eat for the journey is too great for you.” (I Kings 19:7). The prophet was weary of his journey. It had become too much. He was refreshed, restored and renewed in the Lord. Then God told Elijah to journey on! Get off this mountain of despair and continue to represent Me to Israel. Three things can hinder us from journeying on with Jesus. 1. Looking back to the past can prevent us from journeying on. Rear-view Christianity does not propel us down the road of life the Lord has laid out for us. 2. Fearing the future can paralyze us from moving forward. Faith trusts God for the future He has in store for us. You and I can journey on with confident faith because Jesus goes before us. 3. The pressure and weight of today’s tough times can tempt us to stop journeying and pull alongside the road of doubt, unbelief and despair. My word to you and myself is: Do not do any of the above. JOURNEY ON! Jesus is ahead of you, with you, and for you. Like faithful Abraham, we need to worship God all along our journey. If we would worship more and worry less, who knows what the Lord might be able to do in our lives. What has God called you to do? Are you continuing to do what He has purposed for you? No matter what, like Abraham, journey on with faith. Obey God’s will and call on your life. Do not allow anyone or anything to hinder or halt your journey. Charge forward and journey onward every single day you have breath. It has been well said that “the joy is in the journey.” With the Lord Jesus Christ journeying with us, nothing could be truer! My friend, journey on with joy! Journey on with confidence! Journey on with hope. Journey on with steadfast, immovable faith. Journey on with expectancy of a fantastic future! Journey on to inspire others to journey on in their faith walk! Keep on keeping on. Enjoy the journey you are on. Let me say it again. JOURNEY ON! “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead. I press on toward the goal of the prize of the upward cal of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 A Word for Your Week: Journey on with Jesus today. A professing Christian who sat under my ministry said to me “Pastor Roll my life is so boring. I am stuck in the same old rut. My life is not going anywhere. What is wrong with me and my faith?”
My response was that this person’s perception of faith was incorrect. Biblical faith is not boring. How can faith fueled by Christ’s resurrection power be boring? Biblical faith is dynamic and progressive. Never static or stagnant. Christians are to live their lives in forward motion, always moving toward the fulfillment of God’s will. In our verse for this week, Jesus ordered His followers to head for the other side of the lake. And immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat, and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the multitude away.” Matthew 14:22 The Lord watched the disciples board the boat and leave the dock. Then He sent the multitudes away and went up to a mountain to pray. Why did the Lord send His guys ahead of Him to the other side? Why didn’t He have them stay at His side? What was so important about “the other side” anyway? The other side was the next destination in their journey of faith and ministry. Life and ministry on this side had been completed for now. It was time to move forward to “the other side.” As the boat sailed toward the other side, and Jesus prayed, a storm rose to test the disciple’s faith. Smack dab in the middle of the “contrary winds”, the Lord headed toward the other side. The rest of the story is about faith in the storm as we travel forward in life. (Study Matthew 14: 22-27). As I study the Bible, I believe “the other side” represents the next step in our faith walk. Faith always moves ahead to “the other side.” Sadly, my “bored” Christian brother had no concept of “the other side.” He stayed miserably and unproductively stuck on this side. It is reassuring to know that while we head to the other side, Jesus intercedes for us (Romans 8:34). He prays for us while we step out in faith and obedience. God’s ultimate destination for His people is the other side of life. Heaven is the final port of call for believers in Christ. But until we triumphantly sail into glory, we are to be heading for the other side everyday. Think about it: Today is the other side of yesterday. Tomorrow will be the other side of today. Today is the day God has made for us to move forward with confident faith toward the other side. We should be moving constantly from this side to the other side. Reaching the other side will not be obstacle free. Obstacles will obscure our view of the other side. Faith will be tested. Trials will tempt us to turn back to the safe shore we just left. On our journey through life with Jesus, the sun will not always shine. Skies will darken. Booming thunderclaps and lightning streaks will illuminate the nightscape. Contrary winds will blow. Waves will crash and threaten to sink our ships. Fear will invade our souls, intrude upon and invade our peace. Despite all obstacles and opposition, you and I must keep walking by faith to the other side. We must keep the other shore in sight. Not the shore we came from but the one we are moving towards. Our future is always on the other side of now. Every Christian faces challenges that confront them with a choice: to stall and stay where they are, reverse their course or move forward full speed ahead to the other side. Observations About Sailing To The Other Side.
Our finest hours occur when tested by difficulty, we move forward in faith to reach the other side where Jesus has gone ahead and is waiting for us. My Christian friend whose life is boring needs to start heading for the other side by faith and meet Jesus there. Do you have the other side in view? Are you heading for it by faith? Jesus is waiting for you there! “But one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 “In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” II Timothy 4:8 A Word For Your Week: Keep walking by faith to the other side. I recently celebrated my 71st birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!!
Last year on my seventieth birthday my seven-year-old grandson Evan, grinning, with a hint of mischief on his face, announced to me “Doodah (my grandkids pet name for me) you are old.” I guess age is indeed in the eye of the beholder. I am certain he would quip that I am really ancient now! In addition to birthday greetings from family and friends, the Lord gave me a thought and a scripture. Thought: Seventy-one and not done! Young Evan is going to observe me get older and older. Scripture: Psalm 90:12 “Teach us to number (count) our days, that we may present to God a heart of wisdom.” Seriously reflecting on my first seven decades of life, I am wondering and pondering on how “wise” I am. When the calendar of my days comes to an end and my earthly journey is complete, will the Lord receive from Steve a heart of wisdom? Someone wise said “Count your days and make your days count.” Excellent advice. The Psalmist asked God to “teach” us to “number our days” so that we may present to our Maker a wise heart. Count our days. One day at a time. Every day. You and I need to learn to count our days because too often we error in thinking that some days do not matter. In God’s eyes, everyday matters. Every single day is a gift from the Lord that we are to rejoice in (See Psalm 118:24). So, what is wisdom? Wisdom is looking at and doing life God’s way. James 3:17 describes God’s wisdom. “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering and without hypocrisy.” What would life be like if you and I lived our daily lives with wisdom from above? I desire to present to God a wise heart according to His wisdom. Seven Steps To Secure A Heart of Wisdom
Outstanding words of a wise, loving father to his son.
Wisdom is the pathway for fulfilling God’s will for our lives. My friend, I encourage you to take some quiet time before the Lord. Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart. Will He find a “wise heart” and a sincere desire to become even wiser in the days ahead? Make today and everyday count because you choose to walk in God’s wisdom. That’s what this “71 AND NOT DONE” Doodah is going to do! “Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.’ Revelation 7:12 “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore, be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove.” Matthew 10:16 A Word For Your Week: Ask the Lord for a wise heart every day. |
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