As The Deer

How strongly do you seek God? Do you have a thirst for God that is difficult to quench? Do you feel parched when you miss a single day of reading Scripture? Are you constantly in communication with God?

All of us have a deep desire for something or someone. Our desire is on full display through our actions. Typically, anyone who is around us for very long can tell us what we are pursuing and can see when we are pulled in multiple directions, especially when they are negative ones. We often pursue multiple things simultaneously, which may make it confusing to determine our desire for a period of time. But when it comes right down to it, there is one desire above all others.

At issue in our modern environment is the sheer volume of options and distractions available to us. We can choose from hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of professions. We can be distracted by numerous hobbies and technologies. We are able to travel to a multitude of places to see man-made attractions or natural wonders.

We want to do many things, see many things, and pursue many things. We allow our wants to pull us in multiple directions at once, creating anxiety and frustration. Our desire is pushed down by popular wants our family and friends push toward us. We may even become fanatical about a few of those wants.

Yet what does our soul truly desire? Are we in touch with that deep-down desire? Do we recognize it? Far too often we do not. We squash the desire that our soul is harboring, smothering it with wants and distractions to the point that our soul’s desire is lying at the bottom of a hundred foot deep well.

Our soul desires to have a relationship with our Creator. It can only be satisfied by drinking from the endless well of life provided by Jesus Christ. Being in a close relationship with Him is our path to calm, peace, comfort, strength, courage, and all-around well-being.

I pray we all recognize the desire our soul has for God. I pray we seek Him each and every day. I pray each one of us will pursue a strong relationship with Jesus. I pray we communicate with Him in prayer all day, every day. Recognize your soul’s desire. Seek God every day. Continually communicate with God. Quench your thirst forever.

Psalm 42:1-2

As the deer pants for streams of water,

so my soul pants for you, my God.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

When can I go and meet with God?

Be a Good Steward

Are you taking care of yourself? Are you talking care of the things that have been put into your possession? Are you taking care of family members? Do you know that all you have, every member of your family, and everyone you see belongs to God?

We want to believe we own things. We want to believe we control our situation. We want to believe we can make our own way. Oh, we might get by with that for a while. If we are one in a million, we might even get by with that for our entire adult life, feeling pretty good about ourselves. However, in the end, we all will answer to God.

I’m not sure about you, but I don’t want to stand before God and feel ashamed that I didn’t take care of the blessings He so graciously gave me. My goal is to do the very best I can with what God has blessed me with. That means I must be in connection with God at all times and realize that He is the Almighty, not me.

We are told that when we humble ourselves before God, recognizing Him for who He truly is, He will lift us up (James 4:10). Everything we are given comes from God (James 1:17). Therefore, if we are going to truly follow Jesus, worshiping the Father, recognizing Him for who He is, we must be humble and grateful for the gifts He has given us. We can show our gratitude by taking care of those gifts.

As a parent, does it not upset you when you give a child a toy and they tear it up? How do you think God feels when we don’t take care of what He has given us? Since everything we have belongs to Him and is a gift from Him, shouldn’t we take care of all of it? Or, would you rather be a disappointment to God?

I pray we all come to the realization that all we have is God’s. I pray each one of us humble ourselves before God. I pray we take care of ourselves, our families, and our possessions. I pray we give thanks to God for all He has blessed us with. See God for who He really is. Thank God for His many blessings. Realize everything belongs to Him.

Job 42:1-6 Then Job replied to the Lord:

“I know that you can do all things;

no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’

Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,

things too wonderful for me to know.

You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak;

I will question you,

and you shall answer me.’

My ears had heard of you

but now my eyes have seen you.

Therefore I despise myself

and repent in dust and ashes.” 

Pray Continually

Do you pray? Do you pray a lot? Do you pray continually? Are you wondering how you can pray continually? Do you think it is impossible? Do you know that prayer is as much about attitude as it is about speaking or thinking?

We are often told we should pray. We are told we should pray often, perhaps multiple times per day. I don’t believe we should pray multiple times per day. I believe we should pray once per day that lasts for twenty-four hours. You may believe that is utterly impossible. It is if your idea of prayer is being on your knees.

I attended a men’s prayer breakfast several years ago in Quantico, VA. The speaker that day was a retired Colonel. He spoke on today’s verse and provided his understanding of what praying continually means. Depending on the translation you use, it may read as “pray without ceasing.”

He looked at this as keeping the communication line between us and God open, always being available. His analogy was the communications used by the military, especially when on an operation. You see, radios are set up across the various organizations and perhaps with each individual. There is always someone assigned to be at the radio listening for communications and ready to transmit communications from the commander. The radio operator is to keep the radio on the proper channel and replace batteries as needed.

We are to be in the same posture or attitude when it comes to prayer. To pray continually means to talk to God often throughout the day. It also means being available for Him to talk to us, listening for His quiet voice for guidance. Much like our military could not effectively carry out missions without good communications, we cannot walk through life in a manner pleasing to God without constantly communicating with Him.

I can attest to this being a difficult concept to grasp and implement initially. However, as we continue to work at it, it becomes second nature. We can train ourselves to constantly be listening for God’s Spirit to talk to us and we can always reach to God as we come across decision points, obstacles, and reasons to give thanks.

Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:18 to pray for all kinds of things. By doing so, we include God in our lives in a much deeper way. We start living our lives in accordance with God’s will. We make God happy when we reach out to Him.

I pray we all decide to pray continually. I pray we decide to make an effort to listen for God speaking to us. I pray we decide to make God happy. I pray each of us will keep the line of communication open with God. Pray at all times. Pray for everything. Listen for God. Make God happy.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 pray continually

Renewing Your Mind

Are you looking for a fresh start? Are you looking for renewal? Do you long for self-improvement? Are you truly seeking renewal or only wishing upon a star? Do you know there is a means of renewal available to you?

People struggle through a multitude of issues during their lives. We all have a choice with every struggle. We can give up. We can gut our way through it. We can lean on the guidance and power of God to help us through it. The worldly person will only look at the first two options. The vast majority will choose option number two. They will rely on their own creativity, strength, and abilities.

Unfortunately, that sets them up for more struggles and draws them another step away from God. No, God likely won’t reach down and completely remove the obstacle in front of us. What He will do is provide us with the strength, courage, knowledge, wisdom, and ability to get through or go around the obstacle. He will also provide us with the peace, calm, and comfort that we are following His will.

How can we go about accessing all this from God? We must renew our minds. We renew our minds by reading and studying God’s Word (2 Timothy 3:16). We renew our minds through constant prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17). We continually communicate with God, which is a two-way street, meaning we must listen as well as talk. Listening includes listening to other Christians, participating in worship, participating in Bible studies, reading Christian authors, and much more.

God has provided wonderful teaching for us to learn from. If you truly want a black and white picture of Jesus, read the book of John. If you want to know how to live a Christian life, read the book of Ephesians. Paul lays it all out for us in this wonderful book. No, it won’t tell you if you are to accept a specific job or not. It will tell you how you are to rely on God for all things and how you are to interact with God’s people. It will tell you how you are to clothe yourself for the battle you face in this world.

Folks, if we really, honestly, and truly want to be better people, people of God, we must renew our minds through God’s Word. We need to educate ourselves, pray that God reveal what He wants us to learn, and trust that He will provide the renewal. Otherwise, we simply condemn ourselves to continued misery. There is no magic pill.

I pray each of us will choose to renew our minds through God’s Word. I pray we all decide to spend time with God in prayer every day and all day. I pray we choose to allow God to transform us into the person He wants us to be. Choose God. Choose renewal. Spend time in God’s Word. Spend time in prayer. Trust God with your mind. Trust God with your heart. Trust God with your life.

Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Why Are You Complaining?

Do you complain a lot? Do you look for reasons to complain? Has it become so second nature that you don’t even realize how much you complain? Do you know that complaining can be the same as indicting God?

Our culture is full of complainers. Based on my experience, the vast majority of people in our nation complain multiple times per day. Think not? Stop and reflect on every statement you make throughout just one day and keep track of your complaints. Why do we complain so much?

We complain about so many things, all of them temporary (2 Corinthians 4:18). Your house—temporary. Your car—temporary. Your clothes—temporary. Your job—temporary. You time on this earth—temporary. Everything we see and experience is temporary. Though all of it is temporary, they are all blessings from God, given to us so that we may live abundantly in His care (John 10:10).

When we complain about what we have (or don’t have), we are indicting God, stating He is not providing for us as He should. Think not? Take a look at the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16) and see if the workers were not complaining about the vineyard owner. Folks, we are the workers and God is the vineyard owner! If we complain about what we have, what He has blessed us with, we are complaining about God, indicting Him in the court of opinion.

Perhaps you think stating we are indicting God is a bit strong. That only proves the point that we are not looking at everything we have as a blessing from God. We’ve forgotten that He is the One who blessed us with talent, skills, jobs, creativity, the ability to think, the ability to learn, everything! Our own self-centeredness, thinking highly of ourselves, our failure to recognize God for who He is, causes us to indict Him.

How do we rectify the situation? We humble ourselves before God and He will lift us up (1 Peter 5:6). We are to give thanks to God at all times for everything (Ephesians 5:15-20). Being humble of heart and thankful at all times will help us eliminate our senseless complaining. It will help us stop indicting God.

I pray we all humble ourselves before our mighty God. I pray we turn our hearts to thankfulness each and every day. I pray we stop indicting God with our complaints. I pray we decide to live the abundant life in the manner in which Jesus intended it. Stop accusing God of not blessing you. Be humble before God. Be thankful to God for all you have. No longer compare your blessings to someone else’s. Trust God to bless you with what you need.

Philippians 2:14-15 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”

Rote Behavior

So, let me ask, how are things going for you? Do you feel like it’s Ground Hog Day; same story, different day? Do you feel as though you are in and endless circle of wake up, go to work, eat, go to bed? Do you want to put new life into your life?

It is human nature to get into habits. Those habits oftentimes become ruts. Let’s be honest here a moment. Those ruts we are in are self-made. We did something some time ago, liked it, continued it, and it became a habit, which became a rut. We get rather bored in those ruts and we can get depressed in them as well.

Let’s walk through a normal day for most folks. We get up when our alarm goes off at 5:00 or 6:00 in the morning. We get a shower, a cup of coffee, and a bite of breakfast just in the nick of time to head out the door for work. We go to work, and it seems as though we’re doing the same tasks we did yesterday, and, in fact, we might be. We get off work at 4:00 or 5:00 in the afternoon and head home. Perhaps we make supper or our spouse does or we get take out. Once supper is over, we quickly clean up and sit down to watch some TV. Next thing we know it’s time to go to bed. And the cycle will repeat tomorrow. Sound familiar?

We may be able to point some differences to the above scenario, but by and large it’s probably what the majority experience. We wonder why it’s the same ole thing every day. We look to find a better way, a more exciting way. We want to change our life so we don’t feel like we are just sleepwalking through it.

May I make a suggestion? Turn off the TV. Pick up a book. Go for a walk. Have a real conversation with your spouse and children. Perhaps you read a short passage from the Bible and ask what it means to your family. Might I suggest you spend time in prayer with the entire family. Ask each person what should be prayed for. You might even have each person say a prayer for those things that are important to them. Don’t make the prayer about all the “right stuff” we think we should pray about. Pray about what is really going on in your lives and what’s important at the moment. Make it real and honest.

Folks, we need to recognize we all have been blessed by Almighty God. We need to lift our hands, our hearts, and our minds to Him. When we decide to focus on Him, our ruts, habits, and false righteousness disappears. We are once again free from those chains.

I pray we all focus on God to get out of our ruts. I pray we purposely step out of our habits to focus on God’s blessings. I pray we allow God to change our hearts and minds so we can experience the wonder of each new day. Step out in faith. Change your focus. Allow the Holy Spirit to take over. Get out of your rut. Live an abundant life.

James 1:16-18 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Legacy

How do you want to be remembered? What do you want your legacy to be? Have you given it much thought? Have you worked out a plan to make that legacy real? Are you working on being the person you want to be remembered as?

With the passing of Ravi Zacharias a couple days ago, I’ve been thinking about my own legacy. Not that I haven’t in the past, but I reevaluated myself. I, once again, asked myself how I wanted to be remembered. I asked myself what I wanted my legacy to be. I asked myself if I was working toward that legacy or simply muddling through life.

The most important thing we can do, other than loving God and loving our neighbor, is to put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20), if we want a legacy of positive impact. You see, Satan is attacking us each and every day and without the full armor of God, we are defenseless, being herded down a path of destruction.

The next thing we need to do is work at whatever we do as if it is for God (Colossians 3:23). When we pursue the work God has set before us out of love for Him, we will succeed in ways we never thought possible. Of course, this means setting aside our own desires for the desires of God.

One thing for all of us to remember each and every day, we are not guaranteed tomorrow. Another thing to remember is it takes years to build a legacy. Considering both of these truths, we must begin working on our legacy at the earliest possible time with intentionality. Being intentional, keeping our future legacy in mind every day, is key to the pursuit of it.

Find someone you look up to, someone who follows God with a strong faith, someone who does the very best they can each day, to be your example. Choose someone you know and can talk to, not someone far off. Then begin to ask questions, ask them to be a mentor, follow their direction, and get your legacy started.

I don’t know about you, but I want to be remembered for someone who followed Jesus and brought others into the kingdom. Bringing others into the kingdom may be a lofty goal for some, but each one of us can do it with God’s guidance and help. There is no greater legacy to leave than one of positive impact on others, including bringing them to Christ.

I pray we all take time to seriously consider what we want our legacy to be. I pray we decide how we want to be remembered today. I pray each one of us will lay out a plan and begin pursuing a positive legacy now. Be intentional. Be positive. Seek God’s guidance. Pursue your legacy each day.

1 Thessalonians 1:3 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Tribute to Ravi

Though I don’t personally know Ravi Zacharias, I have listened to him on the radio and via podcast many, many times. He absolutely preached the truth. He was an amazing expositor and wonderful at explaining the gospel in a way that the common person could understand. A shining example for anyone who preaches today.

My prayers go out to his family and friends. This is especially difficult during this time of social distancing. I ask all of you to lift them up in prayer for comfort and strength as they continue to run the multiple ministries Ravi started during his lifetime.

Though his obituary is a little long, it is well worth reading. It is a wonderful demonstration of how someone can transformed from an adolescent at the point of giving to being a stalwart servant of God for decades. God certainly had a wonderful plan for Ravi and he was a willing soul.

https://www.rzim.org/read/rzim-updates/ravi-zacharias-obituary

Free Lunch

Do you have the mentality of earning your keep? Do you believe there is no such thing as a “free lunch?” Do you strive to earn everything you need and want? Do you believe you have earned your way? Do you believe there is something that is free?

I, for one, have always operated on the belief that if I need something or want something, I must earn it. I have always believed in the mantra that there is no such thing as a “free lunch.” In fact, I’ve taught that to others and insisted on it, regardless of what the sign in the window says. Yet, I was wrong.

You see, there is something that’s absolutely free. The only cost is a choice we must make. That choice doesn’t cost us money. It won’t cost us our freedom. It only takes a few seconds of our time. God sent His Son to save us simply because of His awesome mercy toward us.

We often want to put many rules in place for ourselves in the church. We add traditions to our worship services. We put all kinds of decorative artifacts in our buildings. Yet the most profound worship ever recorded was done on a hill side in the middle of God’s creation, not in a building.

When we ask people to come to Jesus Christ, to accept Him as their Lord and Savior, we ask questions. Depending on the specific setting, there may be several questions asked. Do we really need all those questions? Perhaps a single question is required, “Do you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior?” That’s the only question God is asking. Why do we need to ask more?

I believe we need to be extremely cautious with additions to God’s requirements. We are told in Scripture that these types of additions were one contributor to Jesus admonishing the Pharisees. When we look at what Jesus asked of His disciples while walking this earth, His simple requirement was to believe Him and accept Him. When we do that, we love, we learn, we desire to be like Him, we continue to grow in our understanding of God, and we accept the Holy Spirit into our being in order to change us.

It is God’s great mercy that provides us with salvation. It is He who did all the work to save us. We have nothing to brag about, nothing to point to our own righteousness (for we have none apart from Jesus), not one single thing that can earn our way into heaven. Every bit of it is a gift from God.

I pray we all recognize God’s merciful gift of salvation. I pray we give thanks to God for providing the gift of salvation. I pray each one of us humbles ourselves before God as a sinner who accepts His free gift. Recognize God’s mercy and love. See clearly that He gave you a free gift. Give thanks to Him who provides. Accept His gift.

Titus 3:4-5 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.

Children of Light

Are you afraid of the dark? Do often feel like you are wandering around the dark? Do you wonder what is just around the corner? Are you doing anything to get out of the dark and into the light? Are you willing to step into the light?

Many people wonder about aimlessly as if they are in the dark. They have no direction, no ambition, no desire to move forward in a positive way. Even some of us who have experienced the light may revert back to the comfort of our previous darkness. Yet none of us need to live in the dark. There is light and we can be in it.

The darkness we often live in is an internal darkness. We live in the darkness of our own minds. If we are not in the dark, we may be in a fog, which is also hard to see through. We allow ourselves to be overtaken by the fog and darkness. Ultimately, we have a choice to step out of the darkness and into the light.

In order to walk in the light, we must allow God’s Word to be our guide. His Word is as practical today as it was thousands of years ago. You see, we are still human, just as all our predecessors were human. We still struggle with the same struggles they did. Oh, we may have more technology and gadgets and distractions than they had, but the root struggles are the same. As stated in Ecclesiastes 1:9, “there is nothing new under the sun.”

We are to walk in the light, clear headed, and acting as children of the light. We are to be sober minded people who bring thought and wisdom to the group. We are to see things for what they truly are and not follow blindly a false teaching. We are to be fully awake and aware.

Okay, that’s easy to say, but how do we do that? First, we should investigate the situation, news report, and teaching. We likely won’t get to the bottom of everything. After all, we are human. Yet we can stop passing along information that we cannot verify ourselves. We can look at the situation from multiple angles to understand why someone took a specific action. We can be the calm person who knows that God is in control.

I pray we all decide to be children of light. I pray we act and behave as children of light. I pray each of us will make the conscious decision to stop spreading falsities and half-truths. I pray we decide to spread the truth, especially the truth of Jesus Christ. Stop living in the dark. Decide to walk in the light. Be a child of light that reflects God’s light into the world. Be of sober mind.

1 Thessalonians 5:4-6 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.