Line Upon Line

Happy Leap Day!

Speaking of leaps...

I was 18 years old when Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, July 20, 1969. "The First Lunar Landing: As Told by the Astronauts," a transcript of the post-flight press conference, recalls the moment:

"And at 10:56 p.m., Armstrong, descending from Eagle's ladder and touching one foot to the Moon's surface, announced: 'That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.' "

When I stop and consider all of the amazing accomplishments made throughout the history of man, there is one that stands out to me as the greatest achievement ever -- that's when the man, Jesus, was nailed to a cross, took our sin upon himself, and died in that place for the whole human race.

That, my friend, was "one giant leap" that changed the world forever!

think on these things...

2 Corinthians 5:20,21 (NKJV)
Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Isaiah 53:10-12 (NLT)
But it was the Lord's good plan to crush him and fill him with grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have a multitude of children, many heirs. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord's plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of what he has experienced, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of one who is mighty and great, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among those who were sinners. He bore the sins of many and interceded for sinners.

leap: an abrupt or precipitous passage, shift, or transition: a leap from rags to riches.
-- The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. 2000

Psalm 33:20-22 (NKJV)
Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name. Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, Just as we hope in You.

think on these things...

1 Peter 1:6-9 (LVB)
So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though the going is rough for a while down here. These trials are only to test your faith, to see whether or not it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests gold and purifies it--and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold; so if your faith remains strong after being tried in the test tube of fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day of his return. You love him even though you have never seen him; though not seeing him, you trust him; and even now you are happy with the inexpressible joy that comes from heaven itself. And your further reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye." Antoine de Saint Exupery

"Many people preach and teach. Many take part in the music. Certain ones try to administer God's work. But if the power of God's Spirit does not have freedom to energize all they do, these workers might just as well stay home. Natural gifts are not enough in God's work. The mighty Spirit of God must have freedom to animate and quicken with His overtones of creativity and blessing." A. W. Tozer

think on these things...

Zechariah 4:6 (NKJV)
This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit," says the Lord of hosts.

"Trying to do the Lord's work in your own strength is the most confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work. But when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then the ministry of Jesus just flows out of you." Corrie ten Boom

"A single idea, passionately embraced by a few, has the potential to affect significant change." -- RG

think on these things...

Matthew 18:19,20 (NKJV)
"Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.''

John 15:7,8 (NKJV)
"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples."

"You have been approved!"

I like those words! How about you?

Have you ever applied for a credit card and been turned down? Have you ever been denied a loan? If so, you know the feeling that you feel when you've been rejected -- and that feeling doesn't feel very good.

General Motors loan division is called the "General Motors Acceptance Corporation." I was without a job for about a year and tried to get a loan for a car through GMAC. They didn't accept me. So I went to a "friendly hometown bank" and applied. I returned the next day to see if my loan had been approved, and the loan officer said, "I think we'll pass." You'd think we were playing poker or something! Then I called my mother to see if she would be able to loan me the money I needed. She did, that same day. I'm glad mom still finds me acceptable!

Isn't it good to know that God accepts you just the way you are -- good credit, bad credit, or no credit at all? He accepts you on the basis of faith in the redemptive work of His Son, Jesus Christ.

It doesn't matter what your station in life is, or whether you've got lots of money or none -- God says, "You are approved!"

Now, that is a good feeling!

think on these things...

Ephesians 1:2-6 (NKJV)
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved.

You may never know that JESUS is all you need, until JESUS is all you have.
Corrie Ten Boom

think on these things...

2 Samuel 22:31-33 (NKJV)
As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; he is a shield to all who trust in Him. For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? God is my strength and power, and He makes my way perfect.

"When circumstances seem impossible, when all signs of grace in you seem at their lowest ebb, when temptation is fiercest, when love and joy and hope seem well-nigh extinguished in your heart, then rest, without feeling and without emotion, in the Father's faithfulness." D. Tryon

One of the most important things in the believer's life is that they see themselves as God sees them. The fact is, those who are in Christ have been created in the image and likeness of God, Himself -- they have been made righteous, holy, and filled with wisdom and truth.

When you start seeing yourself as God sees you, the world will see this new creation, too!

think on these things...

2 Corinthians 5:16,17 (NKJV)
Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Ephesians 4:17-24 (NKJV)
This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to licentiousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in righteousness and true holiness.

"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." -- John 15:13 (NKJV)

Here's a great review written by Jon Walker, of Mel Gibson's soon to be released film, "The Passion of the Christ." It's worth your time to give it a read.

I also thought you might benefit from the following article posted on the Baptist Press News website. "The Passion" will certainly raise many questions and encourage conversations about the meaning of Christ's crucifixion. Here are some excellent points by Donald S. Whitney. Don is associate professor of spiritual formation at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

"10 Questions to Ask About 'The Passion'"
by Don Whitney

Judging by advance ticket sales and media attention, the upcoming movie by Mel Gibson, "The Passion of The Christ," already is one of the most popular and controversial films of our time. These questions will help in thinking through the movie or in discussing it with others.

1. Do you know why Jesus had to die?

When learning from The Passion of The Christ the facts about Jesus' suffering and crucifixion, it's essential to understand the reason for it. One of the most important of the many reasons given in the Bible why Jesus had to die was to receive the wrath of God in the place of others. "For all have sinned," God says in Romans 3:23. And because God is just and holy, He must punish those who have sinned. But because He also is loving, He was willing to send His Son -- Jesus -- to take the hammer blow of His wrath so that others might receive His mercy. When Jesus allowed Himself to be spiked onto that wooden cross, He was accepting God's curse so that sinners could receive God's blessings forever. As Galatians 3:13 puts it, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us -- for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.'"

2. Do you know who really killed Jesus?

There is no single, earthly source to blame for killing Jesus. The Jewish religious leaders hated Jesus, so they arrested Him and delivered Him to the Roman official, Pontius Pilate, for execution. Pilate could have released Jesus, but he, too, shares responsibility because he succumbed to the influence of yet a third party who contributed to the death of Jesus, the crowd in Jerusalem who kept shouting, "Crucify Him!" (Matthew 27:23). In the end, however, it was sinners like me and you who killed Jesus. "While we were yet sinners," the Apostle Paul tells us, "Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). No one can point a finger at any other person or group for the death of Jesus. Our sins were the reason Jesus had to be crucified.

3. Do you understand the role that God the Father played in the death of Jesus?

Ultimately, it was God the Father who killed His Son, Jesus. The Bible clearly says that Jesus was "delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2:23). Jesus did not die by mistake. Although our sins made Jesus' death necessary, God brought it to pass. So in God's sending Jesus to receive His wrath so others could receive eternal life, sinners are saved from God, by God.

4. Do you realize why Jesus' death was different from the death of everyone else in history?

The death of Jesus was unique because His life was unique. Since Jesus never sinned, He never had to die; He chose to die. And because Jesus never broke the law of God, He could die as a substitute for lawbreakers. As 2 Corinthians 5:21 explains, God the Father "made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

5. Do you know why Jesus cried from the cross, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46)?

When God in His justice laid the crushing guilt of sinners upon Jesus, God in His holiness then had to reject His own Son as a sinner. As Jesus was suspended between earth and heaven, the prophecy of Isaiah 53:10 was fulfilled: "But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief if He would render Himself as a guilt offering."

6. Do you know why Jesus' last words were, "It is finished" (John 19:30)?

Because of His love, God sent Jesus to be the propitiation -- the wrath-taker -- for the sins of people who did not yet love Him. "In this is love," 1 John 4:10 says, "not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." Once He had taken our guilt and God's punishment, Jesus triumphantly declared to His Father, "It is finished," and died.

7. Do you see the relationship between Jesus' death and His resurrection?

The resurrection of Jesus vindicates all His claims. Anyone could claim, as Jesus did, to be the only way to God (John 14:6). But Jesus substantiated this and all His other claims by doing something no one else has ever done -- rising from the dead, never to die again. Moreover, by not leaving Jesus in the grave, God showed that He accepted His Son's death as a substitute for the death of others. The Bible is plain that the cross of Jesus, without the resurrection, would have meant, "your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins" (1 Corinthians 15:17). "But now Christ has been raised from the dead" (1 Corinthians 15:20), as proof that Jesus' death in the place of sinners satisfied the requirements of God's justice.

8. Do you realize what the death of Jesus can do for you that you cannot do for yourself?

First among many things is this: The death of Jesus can make you righteous in the sight of God. No amount of good that we do can atone for our sins or earn us a place in heaven. And if we die without receiving the benefit of Jesus' death, the wrath of God will fall on us forever. Conversely, the Bible speaks of those who have experienced the benefit of the cross as those who have "been justified by His blood," and declares that they "shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him" (Romans 5:9). To be "justified" means more than having all sins forgiven. It also means to be given credit for living the perfect life Jesus lived. Only a perfect life earns entrance into a perfect world with a perfect God. And only through the death of Jesus can we get the perfect life of Jesus that we need to enter heaven.

9. Do you understand the central message of this movie?

Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, was crucified as a substitute for sinners, and He rose from the dead to be King over everyone and everything forever.

10. Do you know the biblical response to the message of The Passion of The Christ?

It's summarized in one of the best-known and best-loved verses in the Bible: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

Many people will have deep, but merely temporary, emotional responses to The Passion of The Christ. May the Lord grant you to find in the greatest evil ever committed -- the death of Jesus -- the greatest, richest and most satisfying blessing ever offered -- God Himself.

think on these things...

"This is the mystery of the riches of divine grace for sinners; for by a wonderful exchange our sins are now not ours but Christ’s, and Christ’s righteousness is not Christ’s but ours." -- Martin Luther

A long, long time ago, when my wife Debbi, and I were dating, one night we went to a carnival near Flint, Michigan. We ventured into the House of Mirrors. While trying to make our way through the maze, a little kid came up, growled at me, bared his teeth, and started biting my leg. Now, I really wanted out of there -- and fast! Can you picture me desperately trying to find the exit, running into mirrors, with a kid attached to my leg? Now, that was fun!

Maybe you've been in a similar situation, when you wanted to get out of whatever you were in just as fast as you could, but couldn't find the way. Well, God's always got a way of escape -- just calm down, look up, and follow the light!

think on these things...

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV)
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

2 Timothy 4:17-18 (NKJV)
But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!

"It is in the deepest darkness of the starless midnight that men learn how to hold on to the hidden Hand most tightly and how that Hand holds them; that He sees where we do not, and knows the way He takes; and though the way be to us a roundabout way, it is the right way." -- Arthur Tappan (A .T.) Pierson

1 John 1:5-9 (NKJV)
This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

think on these things...

"We can be assured that each step deeper into the Lord's Presence will reveal areas in our hearts which need to be cleansed. Do not be afraid. When the Spirit shows you areas of sin, it is not to condemn you, but to cleanse you." -- Francis Frangipane

Yesterday, I posted a quote from Arthur Wallis' book, "The Radical Christian." Would you like to read a bit more?

Great, I thought you would!

"All too frequently, after the divine seed has germinated in a man's heart, after he has entered the kingdom by the narrow gate and begun to walk the straight path, the radicalizing process slows down and eventually is arrested. He begins to revert to his old way of thinking. After all, it is less demanding, and looking around it seems to him that most Christians have leveled off in a similar manner, and that of course eases his conscience. Ceasing to swim upstream, he starts to drift with the current or to swim just enough to stay where he is and so avoid the epithet 'backslider.' For all that, he is a backslider. He has ceased to be an asset to the kingdom of God and has become a liability.

"The loss of true radicalism has leavened Christendom with unreality, hypocrisy, and compromise. The Christ of the Laodicean church thunders His warning at the close of this twentieth century just as he did at the close of the first: 'You're neither hot nor cold. Would to God you were one or the other. But this mixture of hot and cold, lukewarmness, makes me sick. Repent, before I vomit you out of my mouth.' This is a call to New Testament radicalism. 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"

It's true, if you're not moving forward, you're sliding backward.

think on these things...

Matthew 16:24-27 (NLT)
Then Jesus said to the disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life. And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul in the process? Is anything worth more than your soul? For I, the Son of Man, will come in the glory of my Father with his angels and will judge all people according to their deeds.

Proverbs 14:14 (NKJV)
The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, but a good man will be satisfied from above.

Five Little Fishes
Five little fishes swimming in a pond.
The first one said, "I'm tired," as he yawned.
The second one said, "Well, let's take a nap."
The third one said, "Put on your sleeping cap."
The fourth one said, "Wake up! Don't sleep!"
The fifth one said, "Let's swim where it's deep..."

Here's a challenging quote from Arthur Wallis' book, "The Radical Christian."

"In the secular world men recognize that the radical is an enthusiast for his cause. He is thorough, wholehearted. That's what they mean when they call him a fanatic. There is more than a pinch of truth in the assertion that "when you call a Christian a fanatic, you really mean that he loves Jesus more than you do!" Yes, of course the radical Christian is a fanatic -- in the way that Jesus and Paul were. And -- if one may be so bold -- in the way that all too many professing Christians are not, but ought to be. He [the radical fanatic] is not a special Christian. He simply qualifies for New Testament normality" (pg. 19,20).

Is it any wonder that the world is in the condition it's in, when you stop and consider the level of commitment by God's people to the cause of Christ?

think on these things...

2 Chronicles 16:9 (NLT)
The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.

"If there be anything that is capable of setting the soul in a large place it is absolute abandonment to God. It diffuses in the soul a peace that flows like a river and the righteousness which is as the waves of the sea." -- Francois Fenelon

Today, even amongst Christians, there can be found much of that spirit that wants to give as little as possible to the Lord, and yet to get as much as possible from Him. -- Watchman Nee

If you look up into His face and say, "Yes, Lord, whatever it costs," at that moment He'll flood your life with His presence and power. -- Alan Redpath

When I was an instructor at RHEMA Bible Training Center (1978-1981), one of the courses I taught was New Testament Survey. I had a student in my class, Andy LaRocca, who sat in the back of the room and drew cartoons of my lessons. Andy is extraordinarily talented!

Here's one of his comic creations from John's epistles. John is often referred to as the "Apostle of Love," since God's love is a major theme of his writings.



Get it?

Good. Now, go do it!

Happy Valentine's Day,

With LOVE, from me to you!

think on these things...

1 Corinthians 13 (NLT)
If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth but didn't LOVE others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I knew all the mysteries of the future and knew everything about everything, but didn't LOVE others, what good would I be? And if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, without LOVE I would be no good to anybody. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't LOVE others, I would be of no value whatsoever. LOVE is patient and kind. LOVE is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. LOVE does not demand its own way. LOVE is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. LOVE never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. LOVE will last forever, but prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will all disappear. Now we know only a little, and even the gift of prophecy reveals little! But when the end comes, these special gifts will all disappear. It's like this: When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child does. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now. There are three things that will endure -- faith, hope, and LOVE -- and the greatest of these is LOVE.

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

1 John 4:7-11 (NKJV)
Beloved, let us LOVE one another, for LOVE is of God; and everyone who LOVES is born of God and knows God. He who does not LOVE does not know God, for God is LOVE. In this the LOVE of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is LOVE, not that we LOVED God, but that He LOVED us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so LOVED us, we also ought to LOVE one another.

CBN Valentine's Day Special Feature

"There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful than that of a continual conversation with God. Those only can comprehend it who practice and experience it." -- Brother Lawrence

If your life is anything like mine, there are plenty of things to think about and do each day. Sometimes, it's easy for God to get crowded out. So, I have a suggestion to get your day off to a good start -- why not meet God every morning -- in the shower? What a great way to start the day! You can get all cleaned up on the inside and the outside at the same time, and be ready to face whatever the day may bring.

Bishop Ralph Cushman discovered the secret to enjoying God's presence throughout the day. He wrote,

I met God in the morning
when the day was at its best,
And His Presence came like sunrise,
Like a glory in my breast.

All day long the Presence lingered,
All day long He stayed with me,
And we sailed in perfect calmness
O'er a very troubled sea.

Other ships were blown and battered,
Other ships were sore distressed,
But the winds that seemed to drive them,
Brought to me a peace and rest.

Then I thought of other mornings,
With a keen remorse of mind,
When I too had loosed the moorings,
With the presence left behind.

So, I think I know the secret,
Learned from many a troubled way:
You must seek Him in the morning
If you want Him through the day!

Now, maybe you're a little shy about sharing your shower, but, hey, it's not like God hasn't seen you "au naturel." The writer of Hebrews said, "And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:13 NKJV).

So, tomorrow morning, when you turn that faucet on, turn your heart toward God and say, "Good morning, God!"

Hey, is that you I hear singing? You sound good!

think on these things...

Ephesians 25b-27 (NKJV)
...Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Titus 3:4,5 (NKJV)
But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.

Ezekiel 34:26
"I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing."

Recently, Sam Hinn, pastor of The Gathering Place, in Sanford, Florida, and brother of Benny Hinn, came and ministered at Life of Faith Fellowship Church, in Port Huron, Michigan. Sam had a message planned for the Monday night meeting, but as he began to minister, the Holy Spirit led him to speak some specific words to the local church congregation and leadership. This was Sam's first visit to the church, and he didn't know a whole lot about the ministry, but the words he spoke were extremely accurate and very encouraging.

After the meeting, I had an opportunity to meet Sam. I looked him in the eyes and said, "I need to have a few words with you." Well, he wasn't sure he wanted to hear what I had to say. I pointed my finger at his chest, and poking him, I said, "You are the right man, in the right place, at the right time, with the right message, and with the right heart to deliver that message. Thank you for your obedience!" I smiled, and he started breathing again.

There's nothing like being in the right place at the right time!

Back in the 80's, when I was ministering in Dublin, Georgia, I invited a pastor from one of the local churches to lunch, so we could spend some time together and get to know one another. After lunch, we went to my office at the church and engaged in a friendly theological discussion. It didn't take long to realize that about the only things we agreed on were that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, He became the sacrifice for our sin, and that to be saved, a person must believe on Jesus and receive Him by faith.

As we talked, one thing in particular stood out to me -- this pastor believed that God has called everyone to "go into all the world," but, that any place is as good as another, as long as we go "someplace." I believed that God desires to lead us by the Holy Spirit to a particular place at a particular time to do a particular thing. (Am I being too particular here?) 20 years later, I still believe we need to be where God wants us to be, when He wants us to be there, doing what He wants us to be doing.

There have been many times, I'm sure, that I have frustrated my family, friends, and co-workers, as I've waited to get a "sure word" from the Lord before I made a move. But I believe the price of moving outside of God's will is just too great a price to pay. I'd much rather be in His perfect will than any other place, thank you.

Someone once said to me, "I don't know what God wants me to do, so I'm just going to 'step out in faith.'" I told him, there's no way you can step out in faith unless you've received a word from God. You see, true faith is always based on the revealed word of God. It's foolish to make a move until you've received God's word. If you don't have His word, you can't move in faith -- no way, Jose'!

There will be times in life when we need to stop and wait for God's direction. There are just too many options -- too many roads we could choose to take. Face it, neither you nor I are smart enough to make those decisions on our own. I've seen many lives ruined and ministries destroyed because people weren't willing to stop and seek God concerning His will. Yes, I realize (I'm talking to the guys here), it's "against our nature" to stop and ask for directions -- we're supposed to have all the answers, right? But we need to admit that most of the time, we don't have a clue.

Many years ago I read A.T. Pierson's book, "George Mueller of Bristol." George Mueller was an extraordinary man of faith, who ministered to the orphans of Bristol, England. Thinking back on his life, Mueller said,

"I never remember, in all my Christian course, a period now (in March 1895) of sixty-nine years and four months, that I ever SINCERELY and PATIENTLY sought to know the will of God by the teaching of the Holy Ghost, through the instrumentality of the word of God, but I have been ALWAYS directed rightly. But if honesty of heart and uprightness before God were lacking, or if I did not patiently wait upon God for instruction, or if I preferred the counsel of my fellow men to the declarations of the word of the living God, I made great mistakes."

I wonder how many lives have been spiritually shipwrecked for lack of waiting for God's instruction and direction.

It's important that you know you're where God wants you to be, doing what He wants you to do. The only way I have been able to endure certain situations in my life and ministry, is because I knew God called me to that place -- and I know that if God has called me, His grace will sustain me.

The enemy of your faith will come with questions, trying to get you to doubt who you are, and what God has called you to do. "If you're a child of God..." If you were really called..." But, if you know, that you know, that you know that God has called you, chosen you, and sent you on a particular mission, you can have confidence that you will succeed -- you've got God's word on it!

think on these things...

Acts 16:6-10 (NKJV)
Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us.'' Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Colossians 1:9,10 (NLT)
So we have continued praying for you ever since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you a complete understanding of what he wants to do in your lives, and we ask him to make you wise with spiritual wisdom. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and you will continually do good, kind things for others. All the while, you will learn to know God better and better.

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." -- Sir Winston Churchill

think on these things...

Matthew 20:25-28 (NKJV)
But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.''

Acts 20:35 (NKJV)
And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

"No matter how little you have, you can always give some of it away." -- Catherine Marshall

"Continue seeking him with seriousness. Unless he wanted you, you would not be wanting Him." -- C.S. Lewis, from "Letters of C.S. Lewis"

think on these things...

James 4:8 (LVB)
And when you draw close to God, God will draw close to you.

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

"[Prayer] closet communion needs time for the revelation of God's presence. It is vain to say, ' have too much work to do to find time.' You must find time or forfeit blessing. God knows how to save for you the time you sacredly keep for communion with Him." -- A. T. Pierson

"Greetings! Your name has been selected..."

Wow! It's fun to win stuff, right? I won the lottery once -- the Selective Service System lottery. I was awarded a two year, all-expense-paid opportunity to see the world with the United States Army. That was back during the days of the Vietnam War.

The lottery drawing was held December 1, 1969, at Selective Service National Headquarters in Washington, D.C.. Radio microphones and television cameras captured the event, as 366 blue plastic capsules containing birth dates were placed in a large glass container and then drawn out by hand. The capsule containing my birthday, September 8th, was the 184th to be drawn.

The following year, I received a letter ordering me to report for active military service. On the appointed day, I appeared at the office of our local draft board in Flint, Michigan. I was loaded onto a bus with 40 or 50 other guys, and we were transported to Fort Wayne, in Detroit. The fort was constructed from 1844-1847 to protect the United States against a possible attack from Canada (seems to have worked so far). It was named for a Revolutionary War hero, General 'Mad Anthony' Wayne. Although decommissioned in 1964, the old fort was reopened to serve as an induction and processing center for Vietnam era draftees.

Our busload of young men from the Flint area joined hundreds of "lucky lottery winners" from other Michigan cities. We were taken to a room, told to strip off our clothes, and form a line. Then we were herded from one station to another, where we were questioned, measured, weighed, examined, prodded, and poked to make sure we were fit to fight.

"Hurry up! Move it along!"

Those commands kept the line of humanity moving quickly from room to room through that cold, gray, soon-to-be-condemned building. When we arrived at each examination station, however, we stood and waited...and waited...and waited...and waited some more. One of the more enlightened members of our group advised us that we might as well get used to "hurry up and wait" -- it's part of the military way of life, he said.

Hurry up and wait -- that seems to characterize much of the Christian life, too. As we follow the Lord, there are times when God puts us on hold (don't you just hate being put on hold?). The fact that God makes us wait should come as no surprise -- especially when you stop and consider the lives of Abraham, Moses, Joseph, and Paul. There is precedent here.

Trouble is, we live in a world that doesn't want to wait for anything. We want it all, and we want it now (or yesterday). But that's not the way things work in the Kingdom of God. There are some things God works in us -- and out of us -- only as we wait on Him. It's a tough lesson, but a necessary one to learn, if we're going to become the people God has called us to be.

By the way, after thoroughly checking me out, Uncle Sam decided he wouldn't be needing me after all. I, and a couple other guys, got back on the bus and headed home. I guess God had other plans.

think on these things...

Psalm 27:14 (NKJV)
Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!

Psalm 62:1,2 (NLT)
I wait quietly before God, for my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken.

"God often causes delays in our lives that we cannot understand. Sometimes it seems our obedience is not getting rewarded. Jesus said He learned obedience through the things He suffered (see Heb. 5:8). Imagine that - Jesus having to learn obedience. What does that say for you and me? Sometimes God's delays are simply because He wants more glory in the situation, more recognition, more Christ-likeness in you and me through greater patience and obedience." Os Hillman

"I will charge my soul to believe and wait for Him, and will follow His providence, and not go before it, nor stay behind it." Samuel Rutherford

A good name is better than precious ointment... -- Ecclesiastes 7:1 (NKJV)

Do you remember singing the Gaither worship chorus, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, there's just something about that name"? (If you do, you've been around a while!) It's true, there is "something" about the name of Jesus. The name of the Lord is a powerful force in heaven and earth. God has made salvation, healing, deliverance, protection, and more available to those who believe on His name.

God's name is good because His Word is good. He is a God of Truth, and He is faithful to keep His Word. In Jeremiah, the Lord says He "watches over His Word to perform it." If God's made a promise, you can be sure He will make good on it!

There was a day when people gave their word and offered a handshake to make agreements -- a man's word was his bond. These days, transactions require lengthy legal documents, witnesses, seals, and filings. We are advised (and rightfully so) to "get it in writing."

Why so? Because many are not true to their word.

As God's children, we need to keep our word, promises, pledges, and agreements. There may be times when we fail to fulfill a commitment that we've made. But, in such cases, we need to do everything in our power to make it right. Remember, if your word's no good, your name's no good either.

think on these things...

Psalm 138:2 (NLT)
I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name, For Your lovingkindness and Your truth, For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.

Psalm 34:12-15
Do any of you want to live a life that is long and good? Then watch your tongue! Keep your lips from telling lies! Turn away from evil and do good. Work hard at living in peace with others. The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help.

The world won’t trust God if they view His people as unreliable. You should be an example of honesty and integrity, reliability and dependability. Remember, the world is watching to see how we represent the Father. Begin today to take responsibility for your words and actions. Purpose to keep any commitment you schedule and to fulfill any promise you make. Before long, you’ll be known as a person whose word is his bond!
— Creflo A. Dollar

"Trust in yourself and you are doomed to disappointment.... but trust in GOD, and you are never to be confounded in time or eternity." Dwight L. Moody

think on these things...

Psalm 20:7 (NLT)
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.

Galatians 3:2-7 (NKJV)
Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by keeping the law? Of course not, for the Holy Spirit came upon you only after you believed the message you heard about Christ. Have you lost your senses? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? You have suffered so much for the Good News. Surely it was not in vain, was it? Are you now going to just throw it all away? I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law of Moses? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ. In the same way, "Abraham believed God, so God declared him righteous because of his faith." The real children of Abraham, then, are all those who put their faith in God.

Romans 10:17 (NKJV)
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

"There are many things that are essential to arriving at true peace of mind, and one of the most important is faith, which cannot be acquired without prayer." John Wooden