​A few years ago, a cyclone ravaged parts of Australia. The damage from the savage tornadic strength winds was catastrophic. Almost every material thing in the winds swirling path was blown away.
 
The media captured a picture of one cyclone victim who lost his home, but not his spirit. On the concrete slab where his house once stood, a hand scribbled sign hung in the home’s place. The sign read: BATTERED BUT NOT BEATEN!
 
Staring at that sign, my spirit shouted with a resounding yes, awesome, and amen!
 
What an attitude this beaten up but not defeated Aussie from the land down under displayed in the middle of incomprehensible adversity. Battered by merciless, cyclonic winds that destroyed his home, surely stunned and in shock, this guy was not beaten in his heart.  
 
Could you have written that sign over your homestead that was no longer standing? This is a serious question, isn’t it?
 
I believe Paul would have. How do I know? Because of our word for this week. Under constant opposition and persecution for his faith, Paul persevered under pressure, always advancing through adversity because though battered, he possessed a I will not be beaten attitude!
 
“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed II Corinthians 4:8-9
 
II Corinthians 11: 22-30 provides a detailed list of Paul’s personal battering as a representative of Jesus Christ. After reading of his sufferings for the sake of the Gospel, you will think again when you think you are having a bad day.
 
Paul, a man of courageous faith, was also realistic about spiritual warfare and the battles Christians face. His take on them was afflicted…but not crushed. Perplexed…but not despairing. Persecuted…but not forsaken. Struck down…but not destroyed.
 
Paul sounds like a man who had been battered but never beaten.
 
When you realize what Paul experienced and endured, you have to ask “How could Paul take such a battering/beating again and again and not be beaten?”
 
The answer lies in his relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
I Corinthians 4:10-11 reads “Always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.”
 
The life of Jesus in Paul kept him from being beaten by life’s beatings.
 
As a Christian, Paul’s life was not about Paul. It was about Christ in Paul. A resurrected Christ lived in Him and gave Paul strength to overcome any and everything that life hurled at him.
           
Fellow Christians, please hear me out today. Especially if you have been or are being battered by life’s contrary winds and are starting to feel beaten.
 
You may be feeling beaten up, battered, but in no way are you beaten! Ever.
 
Meditate upon Isaiah 53:1-6. In Christ you and I are not beaten or defeated.  Jesus was battered and took a beating so when we are battered we won’t be beaten. He paid for our sin so we wouldn’t have to.
 
Jesus was beaten up but not beaten down. God’s Son took and conquered everything Satan could throw at Him and prevailed. Why? To provide salvation for you and me.
 
Some Simple Suggestions For Beating A Battering
 
·      Stop trying to figure it out what is happening to you. Stand up against the battering. Stand tall. Be strong and courageous in Christ.
·      Remember the battle is the Lord’s. Battle the battering in Jesus’ mighty name. Beat back whatever is battering you with the faith in the One who carries the biggest stick!
·      Choose and refuse to cave in to pressure. Draw upon the Holy Spirit’s power. Keep pushing back in the name of Jesus. Do all you know to do.
·      Surround yourself with a couple of faithful friends who will stand on the wall of resistance with you. Rally together to push back the gates of hell.
·      Reject the devil’s lies and all negative self-talk. Be constantly vigilant so the enemy will not be able to wear you down.
·      Rejoice! Rejoice! Shout at the top or your lungs! And I mean shout! Give thanks to God for the victory that is yours in Christ!  
 
Do you feel like a battering ram is trying to destroy your spiritual house? Why not focus on life, resurrection life in Christ? Rise up in Christ’s resurrection power. In His Almighty name, overcome the battering you are experiencing. Whatever it takes, focus your faith on victorious life in Christ.
 
Jesus is alive and present in your life. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords cannot ever be beaten, nor can you as you stand firm in faith in Him.   
 
Battered but not beaten. That is who you and I are in Christ.
 
“You are from God little children and have overcome them; because greater is He (Jesus) who is in you than he (Satan) who is in the world.”                            I John 4:4
 
A Word For Your Week: In Christ we may be battered, but never beaten!  

​Have you ever been so discouraged about something that you found yourself losing heart over the situation?
 
Losing heart is not uncommon. To lose heart is to get to a place where we are discouraged to the point of being tempted to give up. To lose heart is to conclude: What’s the use? It doesn’t matter if I try anymore. Why work so hard for so little return? Why dream and hope when hopes are dashed and dreams are crashed? The more of ourselves that we put into something that goes wrong or doesn’t work out the way we had hoped it would, the easier it is to lose heart and the ickier we feel! 
 
 Life in this world is not for the faint of heart. If you confess to be a Christian, faint-hearted faith will not cut it in a faithless culture. It takes heart (and guts!) to stand fast as believers in Christ in an unbelieving world.
 
At times when I have found my heart losing some spiritual steam, the Holy Spirit lovingly leads me to II Corinthians 4. I encourage you to read the whole chapter. When you study and meditate upon these verses, you come away with one conclusion: though Paul had many reasons to lose heart, he didn’t!
 
“Therefore, since we have this ministry as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.”   II Corinthians 4:1
 
Paul’s declaration “We do not lose heart” (In verses 1 and 16) means come what may, as a redeemed, resurrected child of the living God, Paul chose not cave in to discouragement.
           
Paul’s resolve is strong and emphatic. In the midst of persecutions, afflictions, sufferings, setbacks, criticism, ridicule, loss, being misunderstood, misrepresented, slandered, unfairly treated, identifying with Jesus Christ and suffering for His sake, Paul’s personal conviction is clear: I cannot and will not lose heart because my heart is focused on Christ, not my circumstances. Paul’s heart is strong because his relationship with Jesus is secure.
 
Losing heart is a dangerous place to be. To lose heart borders on the edge of losing hope. To lose hope is stop living and start dying.
 
You and I can never afford to lose heart because Jesus paid the price to redeem our hearts! My life is not my own (I Corinthians 6:19-20).  It is owned by Jesus. He gave His life for mine. His holy heart was pierced and broken, His precious blood was spilled,
so Steve Roll’s heart could be healed and made whole. Thank you Father for your Son’s sacrifice for me!  
 
I must admit it takes some effort to not lose heart when you are losing heart! When feeling down, I have to kick myself in the spiritual britches, rebuke my negative attitude, and make this faith declaration with all the might I can muster: Steve Roll will not lose heart. My faith stands strong in the One who has my heart. .
 
So what do I need to do when tempted to lose heart? Paul reminds us in verse 16 that our outer man is decaying, but our inner man is being renewed each day. The key to not losing heart is staying spiritually renewed and refreshed in the Lord. Renewing our inner man is God’s insurance against losing heart. Keeping our heart renewed keeps losing heart at arm’s length. 
 
 Here are few thoughts that might encourage you if you are tempted to lose heart today.
 
·      NEVER LOSE HEART when facing defeat and you can’t retreat. Stay in the game and determine to win!
·      NEVER LOSE HEART when you are doing your best and things don’t seem to be working out. Keep pursuing what you believe is right.
·      NEVER LOSE HEART when the score isn’t in your favor. Keep swinging away at what you know is right, and the score will take care of itself.  
·      NEVER LOSE HEART when people around you are discouraged and throwing in the towel. Pick up that discarded towel and give life another whirl!
·      NEVER LOSE HEART when people you trust tear you down or let you down. Rise up with courage, be who God made you to be, and prove them wrong.
·      NEVER LOSE HEART when compromise is the politically correct thing to do. Hang on to your convictions and row courageously against the tide of those who have sold their souls.  
·      NEVER LOSE HEART when life has set you back. Stand firm in faith. Keep plugging away and turn your setback into a comeback.
·      NEVER LOSE HEART when dreams become nightmares. Stir up your spirit and dare to dream again!
·      NEVER LOSE HEART when the world seems to be winning. When Jesus rose from the dead, Satan’s world system lost forever!
 
Fellow Christian, never lose heart. Take heart. Your heart belongs to Jesus. Stay strong in the Lord and the power of His might.
 
“And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.”                                                                                                Galatians 6:9
 
A Word For Your Week: We never lose heart when our heart is in the right place.

​America: a morally declining culture due to compromising convictions.
On every corner of our great country you and I witness blind-sighted, deceived people who are falling away from long-held, cherished, traditional values, moral principles, biblical beliefs and codes of personal and corporate conduct that everyday Americans have held near and dear for over 200 years. As a people, the United States is in a sad state of affairs concerning convictions.  
Unfortunately, and I say this with deep concern and heavy sorrow in my heart, the spirit of compromise has invaded, infected and is immobilizing the church.
There are some “ministers”, “fellowships” and “professing Christians”, who are in grave danger of falling away from the faith or have already turned their back on the Savior due to compromising convictions.  Culturally, politically correct theology and practice is crippling the advance of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
In the name of tolerance, acceptance and inclusion, which have been enshrined as sacred watchwords in our wayward society, even Christian people have strayed from truth. The Truth. Jesus said what no other person has ever declared: “I am the way, the truth and the life; no man comes to the Father but through Me.” John 14:6.
Because Jesus is the only way to salvation and eternal life in heaven, why wouldn’t everyone want to turn to Him, not away from Him? How can it be that some would turn their back on the One who took stripes on His back to save them from sin, death, the grave and eternal damnation? Turning away from God’s Only Son is not a good thing to do.
The Bible addresses falling away from the faith. Believe it or not, especially in the “last days”, there will be many who deny the faith and turn away from Jesus.
“And at that time many will fall away and will deliver up one another and hate one another.” Matthew 24:10
“Make every effort to come to me soon; for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me…” Ii Timothy 4:9
“for the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a snare.” I Timothy 6:10
“For in the case of those who have been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance since they again crucify to themselves he Son of God, and put Him to open shame.” Hebrews 6:4-6.
Jesus, Paul and the Hebrews writer make it clear: under pressure, some will fall away by forsaking the Christian faith. Their fall from faith will be great.
Think about the day you and I live in. Do you know supposed Christians who no longer confess Christ, who have dropped out of church, who are silent about Jesus, who are acting like the world, who have forsaken the Lord Himself?
Sadly, there are people falling away from Jesus all around you and me.
Factors That Contribute To Falling Away From Faith In Christ

• You no longer stand in awe, reverence and fear of Almighty God. His sovereign holiness means little or nothing to you. It you think your Creator and Redeemer is just “the man upstairs”, or only “the good Lord”, or someone or something you turn to when in trouble, your faith is seriously shallow. Cultural Christianity is not biblical Christianity.
• A lukewarm heart. Revelation 3:14-22 declares God will spit out the lukewarm follower. A cold heart toward Jesus and the body of Christ is a spiritual red flag. Cold hearts and seared consciences are a sure sign of slipping faith.
• You are falling away if you believe there are many paths to God. Jesus said He is the only way. There is only one Cross and one resurrection from the dead. There aren’t multiple saviors. The world falsely hopes there are many highways to heaven. The Bible says there is only one.
• You may be falling away if you aren’t feeding and exercising your faith. If you aren’t reading your Bible, praying, attending church regularly, fellowshipping with fellow Christians, serving in the church and our culture, and when given opportunity to share your faith with others you don’t, be careful.  A fall is closer than you think. (Hebrews 10:25).
• Worldly behavior. When you are talking and acting like those who don’t believe in God, your faith will be eroded. What about what comes out of your mouth? Who do you spend time with? Who influences you most? Would those who know you best say you act like the unbelieving world? (I John 2:15-17).
• Compromising moral convictions. When worldly values supersede biblical truth and principles, a fall can be just around the corner. The world system, influenced and empowered by Satan, labors tirelessly to deceive you and me into believing that abortion is acceptable, sex outside of marriage is normal, homosexuality is natural, same sex marriage is approved by God, lying, cheating, stealing, and corruption is fine if you want to get ahead in a greed and power based society.

None of these “positions”, as well as many others, represent biblical values in the Word of God. If you believe like the world, you are slipping down a slippery slope of unbelief.  

• You are disappointed with a life situation and blame God for it. Romans 10:11 declares “Whoever believes in Him, Jesus, will not be disappointed.” Deal with disappointment by turning to Jesus, not away from Him. Overcome adversity with faith in the Lord.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, there is no compromise when it comes to Christ’s Cross. The empty tomb demands that you and I decide with all of our heart if Jesus is God’s Son or not.
Are you completely convinced about what you believe and why you believe it? Would you lay down your life for your Christian convictions? Will you stand up for Jesus everyday of your life?
I end this blog with powerfully simple words from a historical hymn of the church.
“I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back”. “Though none go with me, still I will follow. No turning back, no turning back.”
How about you? If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, have you settled it that there is no turning back ever? Under all circumstances, will you stand for the Lord and His Word, keep the faith and finish your course for Christ? (II Timothy 4:7-8). 
As for Steve Roll, I will never compromise my Christian convictions, character or conduct.
Take a moment right now to reaffirm your faith that Jesus is your life and you will never fall away from the faith.
A Word For Your Week: Never, never turn your back on the Lord Jesus Christ.

​In his classic devotional, My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers writes these words of insightful wisdom.
“Surrender is not the surrender of the external life, but of the will: when that is done all is done. There are very few crises in life; the great crisis is surrender of the will. God never crushes a man’s will into surrender; He never beseeches him. He waits until the man yields up his will to Him. That battle never needs to be refought.”
Chambers hit the proverbial nail on the head regarding surrender: surrender for Christians is yielding our will to God.
You and I wrestle and struggle to surrender our personal life, family, career, dreams, material possessions, relationships and ministry to God.
News bulletin: the Lord does not want that stuff. HE WANTS US. ALL OF US. When He has us, when we yield to His will, everything else falls into place.
Surrender sets you and me free from ourselves. Surrender is about deliverance, devotion and death. Deliverance from selfishness, the flesh, the devil and the world. Devotion and obedience to the Lordship of Christ. Death to me and abundant, eternal life in Him.
Surrendering my will to God’s will means doing His will His way.
Why wouldn’t you and I desire to yield and surrender our will to God? Romans 12:2 states that “the will of God is good, acceptable and perfect.” I know at times Steve’s will is not good, is unacceptable, and far from perfect. Why in the world would I want to hold on to my will when God’s will is everything I desire and need? Worth thinking about, huh?
Biblical surrender is a complete, unconditional surrender of our will to God’s will.
Matthew 26:36-46 records Jesus monumental spiritual battle in the Garden of Gethsemane. Facing the imminent, foreboding prospect of death on a cruel Roman cross, God’s only Son yielded His will to the Father’s will. Under intense, unrelenting pressure, sweating drops of blood, He said three times “Not My will, but Your will be done.”  
Jesus fully surrendered His life to fulfill the will of the Father that He would be the Savior of the world. He settled it that His death was not about His will but God’s will.
I have often tried during my five decades as a Christian to understand what Jesus did in the Garden. In order to withstand and overcome the tortuous death awaiting Him on Mount Calvary, Jesus died to self in the Garden before He died on the Cross.
Jesus’ mission in coming to earth was to do the will of the Father (John 17:1-5).
“Not My will, but Your will be done” was not about Jesus. It was about the Father. It was about salvation for you and me through Christ’s voluntary, sacrificial death for the forgiveness of our sins. He loved you and me enough to give up His rights to Himself.
So, what does Jesus’ surrender of His will have to do with you and me? Everything.
The Apostle Paul reminds us “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body.” I Corinthians 6:19-20.
The “price” Jesus paid for you and me was His priceless, precious life blood. Once again Jesus’ sacrifice was not about Him. It was about providing salvation for you and me. Jesus surrendered Himself to the Father and a cross so you and I could be saved from sin.
I believe God’s will for me is to surrender myself to Him and His will so I can work out the salvation that God has worked in me.
“So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only; but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13).
Chambers is right. The great crisis of life is surrender of our will. God waits until we yield our will to Him. When we do, everything else falls into place!
You and I have everything to gain when we surrender to God’s will and everything to lose when we choose not to.
Your will or God’s will? The choice is up to you.
Christian Hymn “I Surrender All.”
“All to Jesus, I surrender, Lord, I give myself to Thee.
Fill me with Thy love and power, Let Thy blessing fall on me.
I surrender all, I surrender all. All to Thee my blessed Savior, I surrender all.”
“I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.” Galatians 2:20
A Word For Your Week: Surrender to God’s will sets us free!

​Fantasy is not reality.
Fantasy is what I imagine something to be. Fantasy is never grounded in reality. On the contrary, for most people, fantasy is an escape from reality. If I fantasize about something or someone, I excuse myself from dealing with the realities of my life.
Movies produced by unholy Hollywood and even by some religious filmmakers often depict God in ways that the Bible does not. Sadly, many people have fantasy faith…. faith that fantasizes about who we think God is and how He should act and treat us.
Fantasy faith is about formulas, rituals, religious practices and personal experiences that attempt to sway God to do our bidding
Fantasy faith is fickle at best, patently false at the worst.  It looks like this:  I believe in and trust God when things are going well, but I doubt and distrust God when things are not going so well.
Fantasy never delivers what it promises. Fantasy is a false view of life. Fantasy is fake. Fantasy is a lie.
Real Facts About Biblical And Fantasy Faith.

1. Faith in Jesus Christ can handle reality.
2. Fantasy faith is unstable. Unreliable. It comes and goes. Biblical faith is solid, stable and always believes that God is who He says He is and does what He says He will do.
3. Fantasy faith can cause people to make poor decisions with negative consequences.
4. Biblical y faith faces life with unshakable confidence that God is with us, for us and working on our behalf in all situations. 
5. Faith-based reality assures believes in Christ of victory over life’s changing circumstances.
6. Fantasy faith is a feeble “I hope so.” Biblical faith is a strong “I know so.”
7. Fantasy faith is based on the sinking sand of feelings. Biblical faith is based on the immovable bedrock of Jesus Christ.
8. Fantasy faith denies the facts of reality. Biblical faith meets life’s challenges head on with trust in the Lord.
9. Biblical faith produces peace and certainty. Fantasy faith produces anxiety and uncertainty.
10. Walking by faith (Biblical), not by sight (fantasy faith) is the only way to live successfully through the ups, downs and all arounds of life.    

Christian faith is not founded on feelings, fiction or fantasy.
Faith in the God of the Bible is not about a bargaining chip, a roll of the dice, a lottery ticket or what is “trending” in a wayward culture.  
Biblical faith is rooted and grounded on God’s faithfulness to His Word revealed in the Bible. Many people who I counsel express faith, but often their faith does not help them overcome the realities they are facing. They have a poor understanding about what Biblical faith looks like.   
Hebrews 12 records the Hall of Fame of Faith heroes. True stories of real people, living real life, facing real challenges and achieving real victories by trusting in the Lord. Each faith hero is introduced by the phrase “By faith…”
Meet Abraham and Sarah. Genesis 12-25, Romans 4:16-22 and Hebrews 11:8-11 record their faith journey. Read for yourself the realities they faced and how faith in God and obedience to His Word they fulfilled God’s will for their lives.
Cliff Note version. Abraham and Sarah were promised a son. Initially they laughed (you and I would have had a good laugh too) because they were very old, way past baby making years! Romans 4:19-22 states:
“As it is written “A father of many nations have I made you.” in the sight of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. In hope against hope, he believed in order that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which has been spoken “So shall your descendants be.”
And without becoming weak in faith, he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead, since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; yet with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what He had promised He was also able to perform. Therefore, also it was accounted to him as righteousness.”
Abraham and Sarah patiently and expectantly waited in faith for twenty years. Isaac was born. God’s promise was kept. Abraham and Sarah’s faith was strong, intact, giving glory to God in the process.
No fantasy faith for Abraham and Sarah. Just plain old, flat out, no holds barred, real, biblical faith that believed in God’s promise to them.  
My friend, is your faith based on fantasy or the Bible?
Biblical faith that is real faith that overcomes real challenges looks to a real life crucified, risen Savior and the power of the Holy Spirit to meet every need according to God’s promises.  
Fantasy or biblical faith, you choose.
“How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob; whose hope is in the Lord his God; who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them; WHO KEEPS FAITH FOREVER.’ Psalm 146:5-6
“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6
A Word For Your Week: Base your faith on the real, eternal truth found in the Bible.

​When I woke up this morning the following scripture from the Bible was the first thought on my mind.
“And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”  
I started my day with the truth that Jesus is Lord.
Sadly, and to our detriment, human hero worship has gone crazy in our culture.  
Men and women are propped up and falsely promoted as the “messiahs” that have come to save us. Sorry folks. None of our gifted athletes, movie and music celebrities, media personalities, “educated” elitists, prominent scientists, political figures, business barons or popular ministry leaders voluntarily died on a cross and rose from the dead to save us from our sins. In addition to you and me, all the above need the Messiah the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul writes in Philippians 2:8-10 about the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
“And being found in appearance as a man, He (Jesus) humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore, also God highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow., of those who are in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”
Paul made some astounding statements about Jesus.

1. God highly exalted Him because He voluntarily died on a cross for our sins.
2. God declared Jesus’ name above every name that would ever be named. His name is the name!
3. At the name of Jesus every knee of every created creature will bow before Him.
4. Every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

Note: Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. Every means every created creature, every human created in God’s image. Every includes you and me.
Jesus, and Jesus alone, is worthy of our worship (bended knee and confession of His Lordship) because He voluntarily sacrificed Himself on the Cross and rose from the dead to save us from sin, death and the grave. Eternal life is His gift to all who believe in His Lordship. Jesus has promised to come back to take everyone who calls Him Lord to heaven. 

• Jesus is Lord because of His great love for you and me.  

Living in our day where humans have failed miserably to lead people according to the truth, wisdom and moral principles revealed in God’s Word, maybe we should look to God, humble ourselves and confess that His Son Jesus Christ is Lord!
If Jesus is Lord of our life………

• You and I will sincerely and wholeheartedly receive Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior.
• You and I will joyfully surrender every area of our life to Him.  
• You and I will live for His honor and glory, not ours or other persons.
• You and I will obey the Word of God in the Bible. Jesus said “If you love Me, obey Me.” (John 15:10).
• You and I will not fear what any person can do to us. No man or woman can usurp the Lordship of Christ. Who could ever knock Jesus off His heavenly throne?
• You and I will walk by faith in peace and confidence in our Lord and Savior.
• You and I will look forward with great expectation and anticipation for Christ’s return.
• You and I will share the Good News that Jesus is Lord with people who are spiritually lost.

Someone has said “If Jesus is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all.”
Is there any area of your life where Jesus is not Lord? Anything you have withheld from Him   that you refuse to let go control of and release it to Jesus? Would those who know you best say that Jesus is indeed Lord of your life?
Now or later, you will bow your knee and confess with your tongue that Jesus is Lord. I believe it is better to do it now than wait for a day when judgment comes and Jesus might say “I never knew you. Depart from My presence.” (Matthew 7:23).  
One of my all-time favorite worship choruses goes like this.
“He is Lord, He is Lord, He has risen from the dead and He is Lord.
Every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”
“And on His (Jesus’) robe and on His thigh He has a name written “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” Revelation 19:16
A Word For Your Week: JESUS IS LORD. Is He your Lord and Savior?

​Imagine with me for a moment.
 
You are near the end of your earthly life and have been taken to stand before the President of the United States. Your lifelong enemies have ridiculed your faith in Jesus Christ, slandered your good name, and labored relentlessly and ruthlessly to ruin your reputation. You have been brought before the most powerful person in the country to defend your belief and behavior as a Christian.
 
What would you do? How would you handle yourself? What would you say? What would the news media report about you on their bottom of the hour breaking news alert?
 
Something to think about, huh? While we are thinking, our word for this week reveals to us what the Apostle Paul did when he was dragged in chains before the Roman King Agrippa to give account of his Christian faith.
 
“And so, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place; that the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He should be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”  Acts 26:22-23
 
Paul stood tall, testifying boldly about his personal belief in the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
Read his whole testimony in Acts 26. What stands out to me is that Paul not only stood before King Agrippa, but he stood up to him. He stood boldly and unashamedly as a courageous, confident Christian who almost persuaded Agrippa to become a believer in Christ (Acts 26:26-29).
 
Note Paul says that “to small and great” he gave witness of his faith in Christ. No matter if the crowd was large or small; the person(s) important or unimportant according to the world, Paul stood up and spoke boldly about Jesus.
 
Under immense personal pressure from Jewish religious zealots and powerful Roman governing authorities, Paul could have shrunk back in silence. He could have compromised his convictions. Or he could have denied his faith. He did none of these things. On the contrary, Paul stood up boldly for what he believed in when it was neither popular nor personally profitable to do so.
 
Where did Paul get his boldness? Our verse says he stood boldly with God’s help. Look what he writes in II Timothy 4:16-18.
 
“At my first defense, no one supported (stood) with me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. BUT THE LORD STOOD WITH ME AND STRENGTHENED ME; in order that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear, and I was delivered out of the lion’s mouth. The Lord will deliver me from every evil deed and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
           
Don’t you love what Paul says? His words get my spiritual motor running! Though no man stood with Paul, God did. The Lord supported, strengthened and delivered Paul from men because Paul stood boldly for God before men.
 
A man can be bold when he knows God is standing by his side.
 
I believe bold belief produces bold behavior. If ever there was a time for Christians to be bold about their belief, it is now.
 
Our sad, sin-sick, spiritually, morally lost world needs to hear good news from bold believers who trust Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Courageous Christians need to heed God’s call to stand against the high tide of unbelief washing over our culture, country and world. Falsehood, deception, and outright lies run rampant and unchallenged in the daily chatter of our fellow countrymen. Satan has pulled out all the stops in his bold, bullying tactics to steal the souls of men and women.
 
 Christian boldness is the need of this critical hour in history.
 
But barriers to boldness keep too many Christians from standing up for Christ in our society. Some of these barriers include:
           

• Fear of going against the grain
• Fear of being labeled politically incorrect 
• Unwilling to suffer adverse consequences
• Desire for man’s approval over God’s approval
• Try to avoid Satan’s attack against bold believers
• Ignorance of what we believe and why we believe it
• Complacency and apathy in the body of Christ
• Silent faith is the religiously correct position

 
The enemy of our souls and his evil forces are bold, so why aren’t God’s people as bold, if not bolder? I John 4:4 declares “Greater is He (Jesus Christ) that is in us, than he (Satan) who is in the world.”  If the greater One is in us, shouldn’t we be the boldest?
 
Boldness begins and ends with our relationship with God. 
 
Boldness comes from closeness to the Savior who was bold on our behalf when He suffered for us on the Cross and rose again from the dead. When we know Him, we can show Him to the world.
 
Christian faith isn’t for pansies. It’s for courageous men and women who are willing, out of love and devotion to God, to put everything on the line to stand up for their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
           
Fellow believer in Christ, I urge you and encourage you with all the passion in my heart: believe boldly, behave boldly. Pray for boldness. Pray for opportunities to be bold. And prepare to be bold when opportunities come.
 
Don’t two-step with your faith. Stand up boldly. Be counted for Christ. Someone you know needs to hear about Jesus from you, a bold believer.  
 
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and to the Greek.”                               Romans 1:16
 
“Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me His prisoner; but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God.”   II Timothy 2:8
 
“And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with BOLDNESS.”                                                                                                    Acts 4:31
 
A Word For Your Week: Be bold about what you believe.
 

You and I live in a noisy world.
Noise. Noise. And more noise.
Hyped up infomercials and commercials scream at us. Agenda driven news bulletins upset us. Governmental mandates infuriate us.  Work environments test our patience. Family issues stress us. Financial pressures worry us. An immoral society concerns us.
“Noise” from the world has a way of pushing, pressuring and stressing you and me to react negatively instead of responding positively to life.
Honestly, many people, including some Christians, are so noise driven they would not know how to enjoy and savor a few moments of peace, quiet, serenity and contentment.
God’s remedy: compose and quiet our soul.
Simply put composure is a calmness or repose, especially of mind, bearing or appearance, self-possession. (Webster). To be composed means to handle life in a peaceful, self-assured, confident manner that is in control of responses to stress, pressure, adversity and opposition. 
The writer of Psalm 131 has the solution for life’s “noise” that disturbs and disrupts peace.
“O Lord my heart is not proud; nor my eyes haughty; nor do I involve myself in great matters, or in things too difficult for me.
Surely, I have composed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child rests against his mother, my soul is like a weaned child within me. Oh Israel, hope in the Lord from this time and forever.”
The Psalmist reminds the Lord that his heart is in the right place. The writer’s heart is not involved in and upset by things that, if you will, are above his pay grade!
His response to “noise” and chaos: Surely, I will compose and quiet my soul.
He chooses to compose and quiet himself when others are engaging in controversy and difficult matters they cannot resolve. He minds his own business with a composed and quiet soul.
The image of a weaned child resting quietly against his mother is a wonderful picture of how our soul should be when life’s noise overwhelms us.
As with the Psalmist, it is up to me, no one or anything else, if my soul is composed and quiet or not.
When I think of a composed, quiet soul, I think of the Lord Jesus Christ.
If anyone in history could have lost His composure, blown his “cool. it was God’s Son. From the moment He began His ministry, Jesus was rejected. Large crowds that initially followed Him, thinned when He told them what it would cost to follow Him. He was mocked, ridiculed, and falsely accused of blasphemy by the self-righteous, pompous religious hypocrites. He was denied by Peter, betrayed by Judas’ kiss on His cheek.
False witnesses spoke against Him before Pilate. Hate-filled crowds maliciously and mercilessly   screamed “Crucify Him! Crucify Him.” Cruel, brutal Roman soldiers drove iron spikes through His flesh. The Father turned away from Jesus when Jesus became sin for us.
Oh Lord Jesus, for three years You composed and quieted your soul when everything in your humanity must have wanted to cry out foul ball. This is not right what you are saying about Me and doing to Me.
Though misguided, evil men who listened to the noise of Satan and an unbelieving world lost their composure and killed God’s only Son, Jesus willingly went to the cross and declared before He died “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do.”
Under unbelievable, tremendous pressure In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus remained composed and quiet in His soul when he declared “Not my will, but Yours be done.”
Composed. Quiet. Lord, help me to live my life that way amid the “noise“of this lost world.
How to Compose and Quiet Your Soul

• When tempted to blow your stack, don’t. When life heats up, do not lose your cool. Compose yourself. Turn your soul’s thermostat down when life’s temperature rises.
• Keep your wits about you when someone ruffles your emotional feathers. Choose to not be rattled, shaken and say or do something stupid!
• Ask the Holy Spirit to quiet your soul when you want to scream and make a scene.
• Guard your peace when the world attempts to disrupt your peace in Christ.
• Remember how Jesus, surrounded by “noise,” composed and quieted Himself.
• Be accountable to a Christian confidant who will help you compose yourself when necessary.
• Make it a habit to compose yourself and quiet your soul every day through prayer, study and mediation of God’s Word in the Bible. The Word produces peace.
• Composed, cool heads will prevail in the end. “Noise” does not have to win.
• Thank the Lord for “the peace of God that passes all understanding.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

A composed person will manage life much more effectively and successfully than one who is upset.
How about your soul? Composed and quiet amid the noise?
“In quietness and confidence will be your strength.” Isaiah 30:15
“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10
A Word For Your Week: Soul composure and quietness is our friend.
​

​The first installment of the Star Wars saga (1976) hit the big screen when my wife Jo Ann and I were living as a young married couple in San Diego, California.
 
Along with what seemed like everyone else on the planet, we purchased tickets to our local theater to view what would become an epic, blockbuster movie. Endlessly long, winding lines of hyped-up, crazed science fiction fans encircled the cinema, excitedly anticipating an intergalactic journey into a galaxy far, far, away.
 
Munching on buttered popcorn…..glued to our seats…intently following the story line…. Princess Leia popped up in a hologram. Young Luke Skywalker stumbled upon the hologram embedded in the affable, loveable robotic R2D2. Cruelly detained by Darth Vader and the evil Empire, the imprisoned princess pleaded for help for herself and her people.
 
The princess’s impassioned plea was this: “Obi Wan Kenobi…you are our only hope.” Skywalker hadn’t heard of Obi Wan Kenobi. But the princess had.
 
Desperate for deliverance from those serving the dark side of the Force, Princess Leia looked to a legendary, battle tested, wise Jedi Knight who knew the good side of the Force. Obi Wan, she hoped, would help deliver her people from the oppressive tyranny of their enemies.
 
Obi Wan indeed helped save the day. Stars Wars junkies and groupies celebrated wildly with Luke, Princess Leia, Han Solo, R2D2, C3PO, Chewbacca and the rest of the Rebellion forces.    
 
Light speed back to the future.  
 
Today in 2021 many people feel hopeless, helpless and powerless.
 
Evil seems to be triumphing over good. Americans and people around the world are desperately searching to find hope in someone or something. I am sorry to say Obi Wan Kenobi is not available as our only hope in 2021!  Obi Wan Kenobi is a fictional hero in a futuristic, fantasy story of good triumphing over evil.
 
So where should you and I look for hope?
 
You and I are being bombarded with scripted, orchestrated hype about the word hope. Hope peddlers have popped up on every corner of our lives. 
 
Carefully crafted, intentionally slanted, biased messages of pleas for hope and help inundate the media outlets. Almost everywhere you turn, someone is saying something about hope. Hope lobbyists lie in wait to capture unsuspecting, vulnerable victims. Hope in this charismatic personality, this or that politician or political party, this business plan, this philosophy, this religion, this bailout, this handout…whoever or whatever someone thinks you should hope in is passionately pandered and peddled to the public.  
 
Truth is, hope in any of the above is false hope. The false hope of the world can leave you feeling discouraged, depressed and despairing.
 
Another truth: People can cope when they have hope. True hope. Hope that is indeed hope.
 
Good news! You and I are not hopeless, helpless or powerless. Hopelessness does not have the last word. Through faith in Jesus Christ, you and I have hope, help and power. Evil does not have to carry the day. Good triumphs over evil.
 
So, who should you and I look for to save the day? Where should we be putting our hope, turning to for help and receiving power to overcome life? During these desperate, difficult days, who or what is our only hope? 
 
Wading through the wasteland of false hope, I submit to you OUR ONLY HOPE is the person of Jesus Christ. Paul declares in Colossians 1:27 “To whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
 
Looking for hope? Paul nails hope for us. “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Glory, spending eternity in heaven with God is the goal of life. Jesus living in us with the promise of heaven is the only true hope in life.
 
 Glory has nothing to do whatsoever with financial prosperity, national security, political correctness, balanced budgets, ethnic equality, diversity, tolerance or anything else that depends on man to pull off meeting his needs.
 
In our verse, the mystery Paul speaks of is no longer a mystery. The curtain has been pulled back. Jesus has been revealed, to both Jews and Gentiles, as the Messiah, the Savior of the world. He, and He alone, is our hope of salvation. (John 14:6, Acts 4:8-12, romans 6:23, John 1:12, Revelation 3:20).
 
The Word of God declares that hope in Christ is a living hope (read I Peter 1:3-9), an eternal hope, and abiding hope, a hope that doesn’t fade away, and a hope that will never disappoint. I don’t know about you, but that is the hope I want in my life.
 
Jesus is our only hope because hope is only found in Him. There is no hope in anyone else. 
 
The Force be with you, or God be with you? Are you hoping in some Obi Wan Kenobi, or in the risen Son of the Living God, the Lord Jesus Christ?
 
Feeling hopeless? Please don’t. Instead, take heart. Be encouraged. Focus your faith on the hope you have in Jesus Christ.
 
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In his great mercy, He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” I Peter 1:3  
 
“And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”                                      Romans 5:5
 
“Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the Lord.” Psalm 31:24
 
A Word For Your Week: Place your hope in the One who is our only hope.

Unanswered questions can be challenging and often troubling.
Why? What? When? Why now? How come? What is up with this? How long? What next? How can good come out of this situation? God, what are You doing about this?
Questions. Questions. Questions. It is so human and natural for you and me, even as Christians, to seek answers to issues and situations that are beyond our control, incomprehensible and have upset life’s apple cart. The truth is, you and I do not like question marks!
Sudden serious illness, premature death of a loved one, life-altering tragedies, broken relationships, severe financial reversals, unsolicited negative surprises, crippling setbacks and unexpected turns of events leave us scratching our heads, wondering what has happened and seeking God for answers we so desperately desire.
The bad news is life is full of questions. The good news is God promises to help us navigate through our tumultuous sea of heart-breaking, gut-wrenching, mind-boggling, life-altering unanswered questions to find peace amid the emotional storm.
As a pastor for over four decades, I have been called upon repeatedly by fellow believers who are in shock, hurting, suffering, wondering and asking the question “Why Pastor?”
My initial response is to love them with the love of Christ and honestly respond “I don’t know.”  I weep with those who weep, comfort those who need comforted and assure them that the Lord is with them though they do not understand what is happening.
It is a bewildering, unsettling fact that there are some questions you and I have that will never be answered this side of heaven. No answer. That is hard for me because my inquiring mind wants to know. I want to “fix” things. It is frustrating to not be able to fix the “whys?” of life.
Too often I have implored God to provide the answer that I think He should have to my question. Not knowing is perplexing at best, discouraging at worst.
I have been asked by brothers and sisters in Christ if God will answer the questions we have had here when we get to heaven. My reply:  I am not sure our questions about life here will be relevant in eternity. There will be no need for answers in glory because there will be no questions. Heaven is a death, accident, tragedy, illness, suffering, crying, grieving, pain and earth memory free zone!
There are things you and I do not get to fix on earth. Over time, through much concerted and concentrated effort I have learned to “fix my eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2.} the author and finisher of our faith.”
Faith in the Lord is the answer to the questions in my life.
Biblical faith is believing God that He knows what He is doing and I can trust Him for His good, acceptable and perfect will to be done. It is not always easy, but it is imperative for you and me to trust God for what we do not understand.
It is not a sin or wrong to ask God questions.
You and I are not alone. Throughout the entire Bible men and women had questions. Some were answered, some were not. Search the Word. Study the accounts of people like you and me who resolved the dilemma of not knowing when they wanted to know by standing in unshakable, immovable faith.
Jesus had a question as He hung dying on the Cross at Calvary.
Suffering like you and I cannot possibly imagine, the Son of God cried out to heaven “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me.” (Matthew 27:46). Never throughout eternity had the Son questioned His Father. Jesus willfully and willingly came to earth to fulfill the Father’s will to be Savior of humanity. (Matthew 26:36-46).
Forsaken. Rejected. Abandoned. Alone in His agony. Why Father? Imagine the pain the Father felt as He turned His back on His only Son because Jesus became sin for us. A holy God could not behold sin. Instead, sin was judged in the death of His sinless Son. That is how much God loves you and me.
Jesus cried out “Why?”  Heaven was eerily silent. No answer to Jesus’ desperate question. Jesus descended to hell for three days then rose triumphantly from the tomb in victory over sin, death and the grave! The world had a Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord!
Jesus was separated from the Father for a brief time to secure salvation for you and me. His question was answered ultimately when He rose from the dead and ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. Jesus trusted His question to the Father.
If Jesus could trust the Father with a “why?” so can you and I with His help.
Do you have unanswered questions?
Seek the Lord when seeking answers to questions that seem to be unanswerable. The ultimate answer for all questions is to receive peace from the presence of Jesus.
 My friend, when a question troubles you, surrender your question. Release your faith. Let go of your questions to the One who loves you and does have the answers.
Then receive peace from God that passes understanding, comfort through the Holy Spirit that soothes the questioning mind and encouragement and contentment from the Lord Jesus.
Never allow a question mark to cause you to doubt your faith.
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed to us belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the works of the law.” Deuteronomy 29:29
 “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and do not lean on your own understanding; acknowledge Him in all of your ways (including questions, my insert) and He will make your path straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6
A Word For Your Week: Trust God with your questions.