Archives for February 2017

Romans 7:15 – (NLT) “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate”.

Maybe you can relate to Paul. He’s writing to the Roman people and sharing with them the difficulty he’s having with sin.

See, he was raised under “The Covenant” or the “Law”. These were God’s rules handed to the Jewish people on Mose’s Stone Tablets. But after Jesus death and resurrection, where Paul witnessed Christ personally, he converted to Christianity and thus was now under the “New Covenant”.

If you’ve ever accepted Christ into your heart, the same applies to you. Our primary command is to “Love God and love other people”. But on an almost daily basis we struggle. Paul, like you and I, WANTS to do the right things but “sin” prevents it.

Know that the struggle is normal. We have an enemy and he’s working daily to destroy us. Accept that God has a plan for your life and his plan includes your ability to overcome sin. When you slide off track, ask God to forgive you and then start over. He’s faithful and just and will help you again today.

Ecclesiastes 2:17-18; 24-25 – “I hated life because the work that is done under the sun is grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind… A man can do nothing more than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him who can eat or find enjoyment?”

In daily interactions with others, you, like me meet people who see life as an endless cycle of work. We get up, work, go home, rest and start all over again.

Many of them, like the writer of the text above, hate their lives because they feel like they’re not getting anywhere. I’d encourage a step back and to look for ways you can find satisfaction in today’s assignment.

Work is one of the great mysteries of God because only he has the ability to see all of the tasks that need to be done AND the capability to send someone with the precise skills to get that work accomplished.

You were born to fill a unique space in the world and if you don’t show up – that job may never get done. Work while you can, enjoy what you’re doing, take satisfaction in it then when the day is done, eat, drink and find enjoyment in what you’ve accomplished.

Acts 4: 29b-30 – “Enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

If you’ve been around awhile, you’ve probably been exposed to all sorts of beliefs about prayer. Even non-believers have heard that “God hears your prayers” and “Whatever you ask for in my name will be given unto you”. Right?

Now it doesn’t mean that if you ask God for a new S-Class Mercedes sedan that you’ll wake up tomorrow with one in your driveway. Such prayers often lead to frustration and a feeling that prayer doesn’t work.

However, I can tell you first hand that if what you ask for is also his will for your life, it will happen. As a younger man, I was living a life that could not have been pleasing to God. My attitudes and habits cost me money, health and even friendships.

My family wanted little to nothing to do with me. I was on a dead end road and speeding rapidly toward the cliffs.

Then trouble came. I could see that if something didn’t change – I’d lose everything. Possibly even my life.

Jesus spoke to me and asked, “what do you want?” I said, humbly, in reply “I want to be free of this.” What I was asking for was not relief from the things I’d done – I wanted to be free of the behaviors and habits that caused those things.

It happened to be exactly what he, in his great love for me, wanted too. And just like that, I was healed. All who knew me then said: “It’s a miracle!” Indeed it was.

Without a lifetime of struggle, I was changed forever. More than 2 decades have passed since then and his healing remains to this day.

The only thing that was really required of me was to believe that by asking – I would receive. Did you know the same holds true for you? Ask and receive. Mostly, believe that what you ask for is yours.

If you don’t get it, pause and ask God for his will in the matter and ask that his will be done. And then watch as your miracle comes. Praise Him today and every day!

John 15: 1-2; 5 – “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

In summer of 2015, I was able to make the trip of a lifetime. I traveled from my home in Florida by car, to Seattle and back. Along the way, I stopped to visit a friend and his wife, who own a vineyard in Sonoma County, CA. Wine Country!

My friends own 10 acres of Zinfandel grapes. While I was there, the harvest was imminent and all over the area, on every neighboring farm, the fruit was coming off the vine.

The timing of harvest is well-planned because to make Sonoma wines, the sugar level in the grapes has to be just right. Once the fruit is picked, all growth stops.

The same is true of us. As Jesus says in the above passages, he is the vine. We are the branches that bear the fruit. If we are not attached to the vine, fruit cannot grow.

If, as a branch, we are just laying on the ground and not rooted into the vine, we quickly dry out and are not useful for anything other than for firewood.

The times I’ve encountered brothers and sisters who are struggling, this is often the issue. They’ve separated themselves from the vine that gives life. If you find yourself having a difficult time, check to see if you’re rooted to the vine that is Jesus.

He loves you and wants you to be fruitful, so go to him and ask for his divine help to get “plugged back in” to the vine of life. Then as the Father prunes you, the fruit in your life will return. Celebrate that it’s just that easy.

Mark 4: 33-34 – “Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything.”

If you think of yourself as a Christ follower, you’ve no-doubt heard the phrase “disciple” or “discipleship” as something worthy of pursuit.

Many if not most, do not understand what that term means. Our culture has tried to explain the idea as a series of tasks. A checklist of things to do. And a much longer list of things we’re not to do.

But not Jesus. He’s told us “my yoke is easy – my burden light.” He didn’t come to give you a list of things you must do to be his disciple. Still, most don’t understand or have not been told the truth of the matter.

Discipleship or being a disciple means hearing his voice. Spending time alone with him. Seeking his face and voice in private.

Jesus spoke to the people, but never without using a parable. However, when alone with his disciples, he explained everything. The only thing you have to do to get it is to make time to be alone with him.

Imagine dating someone and pursuing a love interest but never being alone with them. If you never spoke to them in private, do you think you’d ever be able to make that work? The answer is no. It would never work. And so it is with our walk with Christ.

He already loves you more than you can ever understand. If you’re not sure you know how to love him back, skip all the self-help books on how to have a relationship with him.  Instead, just make time to sit by yourself and invite him to come. Just the two of you.

From the beginning, God spoke to Moses. He spoke to Joshua. He spoke to Elijah. And since your birth, he’s been speaking to you. However, we often have so much noise in our lives that we can’t hear him. Or we never spend time in private with him.

If you desire to be one of his followers, start there. You’ll be glad you did.