Stand Strong

Are you in a battle? Does it seem as though you have battles raging on multiple fronts? Are you wrestling with attacks coming from different sources? Would you consider the possibility all those attacks are coming from one source?

For most of us, our lives have been disrupted for many months. We feel as though we are being bombarded from all sides at once. Our defenses and coping mechanisms are being worn down. We may be getting close to the point of throwing in the towel.

This year has been especially tough. We have been quarantined, sick, living in fear, refusing to admit fear, doing our best to stand strong for our families, bombarded by political quarreling, and seen social injustice come to the forefront…again. All this on top of our normal lives that include working jobs, looking for work, paying bills, taking care of kids and grandkids, and sometimes simply trying to survive. Now, throw the upcoming holidays on top of it all!

We are growing weary and weak. We are feeling beat down. We are growing tired. We are fed up with fighting multiple battles on multiple fronts. We may even feel as though we want to curl up in the fetal position and cry. Yet, there is hope. There is really only one source fighting against us.

So, how can I say there is really only one source attacking us? We see it in Scripture. We are fighting against the powers of darkness—Satan’s evil forces. This may sound a little absurd. After all, we are not living in some science fiction movie. Yet, it is the truth. 

You see, all the evil in this world has one source. It is all generated by Satan and his demons. He works through people, just like God works through people. He works in the natural world, just like God works in the natural world. He continues to attack us to make us stumble, cause us to lose our faith.

To fight the source of all our battles we must pray. We must call on the most powerful source—the Creator of all that has been created. As we turn our whole hearts over to Him and we reach out for His help, we find that He provides us with the strength to stand. He takes up the battle for us. In fact, He has already won the war. So, turn your battles over to God. Allow Him to fight on your behalf.

I pray we all turn our battles over to God. I pray we ask Him to strengthen us. I pray each one of us will remember there is one source for strife and One source to eliminate our strife. Spend time in prayer. Ask God to strengthen you. Ask God to battle for you. Trust that God has already won the war.

Ephesians 6:12-13 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

Intimate Knowledge

How well do you know your best friend? How well to you know your spouse, children, or parents? How well do you think they know you? Do you want to know them well? Do you want them to know you well?

We know some people in our lives very well…or, at least we think we do. There are limitations to how well we can know someone else. Sometimes, we think we know someone well and we are surprised when we find out they have done something horrible. For the most part, these are rare occasions.

So, how well do you know God? Do you think you know Him well? We are told by the apostle John that we come to know God well when we obey His commands. Of course, that means the first thing we must do is hear and understand His commands. Once we understand them, we must decide to obey them. It is our choice.

Why is obeying His commands important to getting to know Him? As we obey His commands, we experience Him. As we do what He instructs us to do, we discover that He really does have our best interest at heart. Our experience reveals who God is to us.

Unfortunately, the opposite is also true. Meaning…if we say we know Him but don’t follow His commands, we are liar’s. I’m sure none of us want to be considered a liar. That puts us in a bit of quandary, doesn’t it? We must admit we don’t know God, or we must obey His commands.

Why would John say we are liar’s? Let’s think through it logically. First, when we state we know God in this context, we are not saying we know about God. We are stating we are intimate with God. That means we know His commands and we are willing to obey them. If we don’t obey them, we lied when we said we know Him.

We often find in Scripture some hard teachings, and this is one of them. We must remember that God is righteous. He is never wrong. He never allows evil or disobedience to come into His presence. Thankfully, we have an awesome Savior who makes us clean.

I pray we all follow the commands of God. I pray we decide to obey Jesus’ commands. I pray each of us will commit to knowing God and obeying Him each day. Know God intimately. Obey His commands. Know the truth. State the truth.

1 John 2:3-4 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.

Dig Deeper

Are you moving on? Are you moving on in maturity? Have you learned the elementary teachings and learning more complex instruction now? Are you learning to think logically and put the pieces together to gain a deeper understanding?

As we go through school, we begin with very basic teachings. We learn our alphabet before we start learning words. We learn a few basic words before learning to assemble sentences and read. Our vocabulary grows over the years as we continue to progress into a chosen profession.

In today’s world, we have a multitude of professions that seem to have their own language. As we become more experienced in a profession, we learn the language, often including acronyms that confuse those who don’t know them.

Sometimes, the differences in language used by people in some professions is very confusing to us. We overhear a business conversation and don’t understand anything that was said. If the business is customer facing, they often have employees who can translate the business language into common language.

As Christians, we can find ourselves in the same situation. Especially if we are new Christians. We can also find ourselves feeling confused when we don’t spend time studying and learning God’s Word. This often means spending time with someone who knows God’s Word to learn.

Where can we obtain such learning? There are pastors, teachers, and theologians in our churches. Often, the preaching done on Sunday morning isn’t enough to educate us in the deeper understanding the writer of Hebrews encourages us to gain. The Sunday morning sermon, in most cases, is designed to present a basic understanding of God’s Word. In some cases, it may go a little beyond the basics.

So, what are we to do to gain a better understanding? We can participate in Bible studies. We can read theological books. We are to spend time in prayer, asking God for His understanding. We can jot down questions as we read and ask someone who is more learned to answer them. The bottom line is, we must take ownership of our own education, seeking to understand by using multiple methods.

I pray we all seek a deeper understanding of God’s Word. I pray we move beyond the elementary teachings. I pray each one of us will make the decision to move toward maturity in our knowledge of God. Seek understanding. Go deeper in God’s Word. Take ownership. Ask for help. Trust God to lead you.

Hebrews 6:1-2 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

Peace in the Heart

Are you looking for peace? Do you long for quiet and calm? Are you worn out and tired? Do you hope for things to get better?

I’m sure most of us are looking for peace. In our current chaotic environment, we long for a little peace, quiet, and calm. We are tired of hearing all the rhetoric. We are tired of hearing the arguing. We long to see some compromise, coming together, willingness to give a little on all fronts.

My question to myself and to you is, “Am I part of the problem?” As I ask that question of myself, I have to ask if I’m leaning on God. I know I need to look in the mirror and spend time in prayer. I need to ask God to lead me, even knock me on the head if needed to get my attention.

Perhaps you find you are much the same. Perhaps you are set in your ways, believe you know what is best, and need God to knock you on the head. Maybe you need to learn to be a little more understanding, a little more flexible, and less rigid in your own beliefs.

God will work in our lives when we are willing to listen to Him. He will give us the peace we long for. Our peace comes from His Son, Jesus Christ. If we believe Jesus is the Son of God and allow Him to rule our hearts, we find peace.

We have heard the peace He gives us is beyond understanding. What does that mean? It means we gain a peace that we don’t fully understand how nor where it came from. Yet, we feel it come into our lives unexpectedly.

Perhaps you have not felt the peace of Christ. If you have not, I invite you turn your hearts to Jesus, asking Him to come into your heart and give you the peace you long for. You just might be surprised to feel His peace at a time when you need it most.

The peace of Christ is an important part of our Christian lives. It reminds us of the power of God. It reminds us that we belong to an all-powerful God and He will provide for our needs. The peace of Christ will give us strength when we feel weak.

I pray we all feel the peace of Christ. I pray we turn our hearts over to Him. I pray we allow the peace of Christ to rule in our hearts and experience Him in our lives. Ask God to give you peace. Ask Jesus to rule your heart. Turn it all over to Him. Trust that God will provide. Allow the peace of Christ rule your heart.

Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Securely Saved

Do you know what you need to do to be saved? Are you sure you know? Have you been fooled by false teachings? Have you been led into a false sense of security? Do you want to be secure in your Savior?

We see many different names on the signs in front of churches, often called denominations. We hear about the beliefs of the different churches. We often hear of disagreements among them. Sometimes those disagreements become very public.

Unfortunately, our human brokenness causes separations and different interpretations of the Bible. Yet, if we agree on nothing else, we are to all agree that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. When we preach and teach Him as our Lord and Savior, we preach and teach truth.

There are many traditions and practices regarding being saved, being brought into the family of God. Some traditions go back hundreds and perhaps thousands of years. Are they based on truth or assumptions? Unfortunately, these traditions are often what separates us as the body of Christ. We allow traditions to divide us rather than uniting us in the Son.

The truth we need to know is that we are saved through God’s grace. We are saved when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We are saved when we accept Him into our hearts, and we allow Him to change our lives.

Far too many people are fooled into thinking this is a one-time event. They think they can say some magical words once and go about living their lives however they want. That is not what we see in Scripture. We see that our heart must be changed, which causes a change in how we live our lives. Our brokenness starts getting healed. Our actions change to look more like Jesus. Over time we start looking more and more like Jesus. That is how we know we are saved.

Don’t be fooled into thinking you only need to say you accept Jesus. Come to the truth. Realize you need to accept Him into your heart each and every day. God’s grace will cover all your faults, but only when your heart fully believes in Him.

I pray we all accept Jesus in our hearts. I pray we allow Him to take up residence in our hearts. I pray each of us will accept Jesus into our hearts every day. Know the truth. Accept Jesus into your heart. Allow Him to change you. Profess your faith. Be saved by God’s grace.

Romans 10:9-10 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

Be A Mary

Do you worry about many things? Do you strive to ensure everything is just so? Are you continually trying to please everyone? Do you often feel as though you have no help? Are you distracted by doing rather than being?

We are often distracted by doing. We listen to others, whether friends, family, or media and think we must do what is popular. Our lives are filled with lists of tasks. That’s not to say that all tasks should be ignored. It is to say that we often put unimportant tasks on our plates.

So, what is important? I venture to say most of us can list what is truly important, if we will simply slow down long enough to think about it. We will say that our relationship with God is important. We will say that spending eternity with Him is important. But we also likely throw in a “but” after we say that.

That single word tells the listener there is an exception to the importance. It says there are other things we feel as though we must attend to first. It says we have put those other tasks ahead of what we deem truly important and we have our own reasoning for doing so. This is what is meant by the saying, “Living like Martha.”

Don’t misunderstand. I know there are things we need to do in this life in order to live it. Yet, we often put far more tasks higher on our priority list than our relationship with God. Think not? Watching a television show is often a higher priority than reading our Bible. Eating is often more important than taking a minute to pray beforehand. Buying something we want is more important than contributing to the church.

We are being Martha’s rather than Mary’s. Who is Mary? She recognized who Jesus was and spent time at Jesus’ feet listening to His teaching and worshiping Him. Mary knew her relationship with Jesus was more important than dinner being served at a specific time. She had set her priority on Jesus.

Now, I don’t believe that God wants us to totally abandon the tasks on our list. I do believe He wants us to spend time with Him each day, growing closer to Him, and becoming more like His Son. God knows us. He knows when we make lame excuses for not spending time with Him. He knows when He is a priority to us and when He is discarded. Notice, Jesus says that Mary chose what was better and it would never be taken from her.

I pray we all spend time with God each day. I pray we grow closer to Him. I pray each one of us read God’s Word and pray each day of our lives, making Him our priority. Read your Bible. Spend time in prayer. Sing praises to God. Choose what is truly important. Experience the abundant life. Be a Mary.

Luke 10:41-42 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

The Ultimate Goal

Is there a goal you have been chasing for quite some time? Have you grown weary of pursuing it? Are you ready to give up on it? Are you sure you are pursuing the correct goal? Would you like to have the energy you need to pursue the correct goal for you?

We set many goals throughout our lives. Some goals are small and short-term. Some goals are much larger and long-term and can take years to accomplish. It is the long-term goal that we can grow weary of chasing.

As we chase long-term goals, especially those that take years to accomplish, we need encouragement to continue. Long-term pursuit requires persistence, discipline, and planning. We typically plan short-term goals that support the long-term goal in order to track our progress and make course corrections as needed along the way. The same is required in our Christian walk.

As we pursue becoming more like Jesus, we know it won’t happen overnight. Even those who may have an enlightened change suddenly must continue to work at continuing on that path. It requires work on our part, the same as if we made a conscious decision to pursue the change over time.

We see the apostle Paul telling the Philippians that he had not achieved his goal. He says he continues to pursue becoming like Jesus—a worthy goal. We should have the same goal as Paul. Our desire should be to become more like Jesus. We know it won’t come quickly and will require discipline.

What is a key component of our pursuit? Paul states we are to forget our past. It doesn’t mean we forget the lessons we learned, but we are not to focus on our past failures. Instead, we are to focus on the next step, the next day, the next week, and the future path as we continue our pursuit of walking the path God would have us walk.

Our goal is not only to be more like Jesus in this life, but it is a goal that God has called us to. That goal is to spend eternity with Jesus Christ. The pursuit of that goal includes being in awe of what He did for us, loving Him, and focusing our efforts as directed by Him.

I pray we all pursue eternity in heaven. I pray we focus on the future God has in mind for us. I pray each of us ask God for the persistence and discipline we need to continue our pursuit. Be in awe of God. Love God for who He is. Pursue being like Jesus. Ask God to help you. Trust He knows what is best for you.

Philippians 3:12-13 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Access to Riches

Are you jealous when others are rewarded? Do you envy the accomplishments of other people? Do you know that, if you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, you already have an inheritance beyond imagination? Do you celebrate that?

We see more jealousy in this world than we would like to see. People will react in some of the strangest ways out of jealousy. We see people who are envious of others taking action, sometimes falsely accusing others, to bring successful people down.

This world competes for wealth and notoriety as though it is the ultimate goal. Competition begins at a young age and continues throughout a person’s life. It takes on every form imaginable under the sun. And yet, we see more people suffering from depression than ever before. Is there a better way?

There is a better way. We have access to the riches of heaven through Jesus Christ. We can overcome this world through Him. Actually, we have already overcome this world, if we will only accept it.

As Jesus states in His parable of the lost son, the one who stayed home has everything the Father has. So long as we hold on to Jesus, stay with the Father, we have everything at our disposal. We are heirs to the kingdom.

We often think of that as being sometime in the future. Yet, we have access to it right now. Unfortunately, we often become more like the son who took off to do things his own way, rather than staying with the Father in His kingdom. Therefore, we lose access, or forget we have access, to the riches of the Father.

We can access the riches of God’s kingdom through prayer. Our faith in Him grants us the opportunity through prayer to ask God for anything we need. He is our ultimate source of wealth—wealth beyond our imagination.

I pray we all access the riches of heaven through prayer. I pray we reach out to God in faith for what we need. I pray each one of us will trade our jealousy toward others for the wealth we already have. Leave jealousy behind. Do not envy others. Access the riches of heaven. Know that you are in the kingdom of God. Trust God. Trust your Savior.

Luke 15:31-32 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Joy of Repentance

Do you sometimes wish you were celebrated by others? Would you like to have someone rejoice over something you did? Do you want others to recognize a decision you made? Do you know there is a decision you can make that will cause angels to rejoice?

We see people in this world seeking their “five minutes of fame.” They will do almost anything to get it, including some outlandish things. For some people, it is a simple matter of seeking attention. They are starving for attention.

Others are looking for long-term recognition. They are striving to be in the spotlight on a regular basis. They long to be in a position of power. They want others to coo over them, tell them how wonderful they are, tell them their decisions are great and wise.

When we decide to be part of God’s family, when we repent, the angels in heaven rejoice. Not only that, but I’ve seen many people cry happy tears when they attend someone’s baptism. It is a very moving and wonderful event.

Unfortunately, many of us leave it at that. We forget that we can continue to feel those wondrous feelings as we serve God. We think it is a one-time thing. Yet, Jesus doesn’t say the angels only celebrate once. Could it be they celebrate each time we repent?

Think about this for just a moment. Repenting includes not simply confessing our sin, but also turning away from it. Now, isn’t that something to celebrate? If our sin is treating God’s children horribly and repent, I believe the angels celebrate. First, there is one of us who is now treating God’s children well. Second, there are children of God who are no longer being treated badly. Isn’t that something to celebrate? One more win for God.

I’m sure all of us can think of many different sins in our lives. It may be something as minor as telling a half-truth or as egregious as assault. A sin is a sin and each one of them cost Jesus the pain and suffering on the cross. Our sin forced God to send His Son as our perfect sacrifice. Each sin is giving in to Satan. Repenting of on our part is a battle won for God over Satan and a win for us, even though the war has already been won.

I pray we all make a decision to turn to God. I pray we repent of our sin, turning away from it. I pray each one of us experience the joy of leaving sin behind and remember the angels in heaven rejoice when we do. Turn from your sin. Rejoice with angels. Know that angels are rejoicing over you. Experience the joy of repentance.

Luke 15:10 “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Intercessor

Are there times when you wish someone would intervene on your behalf? Do you wish someone would defend you? Would it be nice if someone would speak what you won’t speak for yourself? Do you know there is someone who does just that?

Many times, we are in situations where we are accused of something and feel defenseless. Perhaps we are guilty and perhaps we are not. In either case, we want someone who will defend us. Our desire is to have someone stand up for us.

There are also times when we would like to speak up and yet we are afraid to do so. We feel we will be laughed at, ridiculed, or ostracized. In those times, we wish there was someone to stand by our side and give us courage to speak out.

We have someone available to us that is always there who will strengthen us when we feel weak. He will help us defend ourselves or give us courage to admit our guilt. He will speak on our behalf when we don’t know what to say.

God’s Holy Spirit is that someone. Since He is also God, He knows how speak in words that God understands. As a gift from the Son, who was also human, the Holy Spirit knows how to interpret our human emotions, desires, failings, misunderstandings, and confusion.

The Holy Spirit is our Intercessor, Defender, Interpreter, Helper, and Advisor. He speaks both to us and for us. He speaks both for God and to God. He is our immediate access to God. He knows us from the inside out. He knows more about us than we know ourselves.

It is when we rely on Him that we make progress toward becoming more like the Son, Jesus. When we confess we don’t know and ask for help, the Holy Spirit relays our message to the Father and guides us along the way. Isn’t it comforting to know you have a Helper?

I pray we all come to rely on the Holy Spirit. I pray we confess our shortcomings to Him and listen for His guidance. I pray each of us grow to rely on the Holy Spirit. You have an Intercessor. He is always with you. Trust Him to be your Defender. Trust the guidance He provides.

Romans 8:26-27 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to prayfor, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.