Send Me

Are you willing to answer the call from God? Are you willing to be his messenger, to go where he has called you? Are you willing to speak of his truth and tell others the gospel of Jesus Christ? Will you show God’s love, grace, and mercy to others?

Willingness. We wrestle with it more than we realize. God has called each one of us into mission with him. We all know the great commission that Jesus gave us. But we have a mission from God that encompasses more than that.

God calls us to speak truth. However, the speak truth we need to be educated and knowledgeable of the truth. We all know the basic truth—Jesus is the Son of God, He died for our sins, He rose on the third day, and He ascended to heaven. But that is the milk that Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians 3 and the writer of Hebrews speaks of in chapter 5.

To understand deeper truths of God as taught by Jesus and the Apostles, we need to dig deeper into the meaning and context of Scripture. Far too often we speak half-truths from a lack of understanding. How do I know? I’ve done it myself.

Knowing the truth, we are to be willing to share it with others. Like Isaiah, we should say, “Here am I; send me!” God will use us to continue to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. He will use us to show his love, grace, and mercy to the people we meet and interact with. We can be the light in a dark world. 

I pray we all dig deeper into Scripture. I pray we seek to understand the original language meaning. I pray each one of us will seek to know the context in which Scripture was written so we can better understand the Scripture. Read Scripture. Answer the call of God. Be willing to go where God has called you. Share the gospel.

Isaiah 6:8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!”

Glimpse of God

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to see God? Have you wondered what he may look like? Have you thought what it might be like to be in the presence of the Creator of all things? Would you fall to your knees in fear? Would you look up with your eyes wide open and your mouth gaping open in awe?

Being in the presence of God would be an awe-inspiring experience. We almost certainly would fall to our knees, either in fear or in awe and possibly both. It is likely we won’t even be able to look at him due to the radiance of his being. It would be like looking directly into the sun.

I believe we often think of God in terms of friend, father, or even as a genie in a bottle. He is far more than either of those, even as he is often called Father and Jesus has said He is our friend. Those terms are used to give us a glimpse of who God is, but in no way fully encompass his majestic presence.

Isaiah got a fuller view of God, though I don’t believe he had a complete view. As Isaiah was in the temple, God appeared to him. But just the hem of God’s robe filled the entire temple. Keep in mind the temple was approximately, 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high. The glimpse that Isaiah had was overwhelming! So much so that Isaiah believed he would die.

The lesson we can take from this is we should be in awe of God far more than we are. We need to spend time thinking and meditating on the awesomeness of God. We need to use our imaginations to better comprehend how big God is, not just in size but in power. We should ask God to reveal to us, even if just a glimpse, his awesome presence.

I pray we all ponder the awesomeness of God. I pray we seek to better grasp the power of God. I pray each one of us will ask God to give us a glimpse of him so that we may be in awe of him. Meditate on God. Seek to see his awesomeness. Know he is all-powerful. Ask for a glimpse of God’s presence.

Isaiah 6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple.

Freedom of the Spirit

What comes to mind when you hear the word slavery? Do you think of someone owning someone else? Have you thought of it in a different way? Have you considered you may be a slave? Have you considered there may be something that is controlling you?

People have been enslaved for thousands of years, perhaps nearly from the beginning of time. We typically associate slavery to one person owning another, people being sold on a slave market. That is certainly one type of slavery. Yet, there are other types for us to think about.

The Apostle Paul talks about slavery of the spirit in today’s passage. It is not a physical slavery but our spirit being controlled by negative, or evil, forces. The negative thoughts of fear, anxiety, and even depression take over and control us. They are caused by outside forces. Some of those are further exacerbated by social media, peer pressure, or family disfunction. We must understand that all of these are due to evil in this world.

What can we do about these negative forces? Often, we look for a quick fix. We look to medical solutions. Those medical solutions can often treat the symptoms, but not the root cause. To truly rid ourselves of the negative forces we need to pray and turn our spirit over to God’s Holy Spirit. We need to remind ourselves of what Paul tells us—we have received a spirit of adoption into God’s holy family.

As we continually remind ourselves, we can rely on medicine to treat the symptoms. Yet, our goal should be to rid ourselves of medicinal treatment over time, relying more on God. Please understand, this may take months or years to accomplish. It is through prayer and continual reminding of ourselves, or a loved one, that God has both adopted us and he is in control. As we increase our belief and faith in God, convincing ourselves we are his, we are set free from the forces of evil.

I pray we all know we have been given a spirit of adoption. I pray we know that God has given us his Spirit. I pray each one of us we have been set free by the gift of the Holy Spirit who lives within us. Know you belong to God. Know he is in control. Know that you have been set free.

Romans 8:15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption.

Living By the Spirit

What guiding principles do you live by? Are they principles you have been taught by your parents? Are they principles you learned from an organization, such as scouts, 4H, or FFA as you were growing up? Are they principles you learned in the military?

We all live by principles. Some principles are beneficial, others are not. Some principles are meant for a lifetime. Some are only meant to apply as long as we are in a specific profession or fulfilling a specific role. Principles guide our decisions and behaviors.

We can often identify where a person learned some principles. As a retired Marine, I can often spot other people who have been in the Marine Corps by how they carry themselves, their decision-making process, and their general behavior. The same is true for people who have been with scouts, 4H, or FFA for many years. They know what those organizations teach and can spot someone who has been in those organizations.

Can people identify us as Christians by our decisions and behaviors? Paul tells the church in Rome a very important principle. Living according to worldly values will lead to death, while living by the Spirit will lead to life. He is talking about eternal death and life. Implied within his statement is this: if we live by the Spirit, there is no need to fear.

Fear and anxiety rule far too many lives. Fear of not being accepted causes anxiety. Fear of losing our earthly life causes anxiety. Fear of pain causes anxiety. But living by the Spirit, we no longer have those fears. We live for God, trusting he is in control. It does not mean we will never worry, after all we are human. It does mean we will not live in a constant state of fear and anxiety. Living by the Spirit sets us free as Jesus originally intended.

I pray we all choose to leave fear and anxiety behind. I pray we choose to live by the Spirit. I pray each one of us demonstrate the principle of living free through the Holy Spirit. Live by the Spirit. Choose to live free. Show you are a Christian by your behavior. Make wise decisions.

Romans 8:12-13 So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Holy Splendor

We know we are to give glory to God. We have heard it many times. When we read the Psalms, we often see God receiving the glory. Today’s passage is no different. God is being given the glory. Yet, there is something different in today’s passage we do not often think about.

David tells the heavenly beings, or angels, to give God the glory. They are to tell of God’s glory and strength. They are to glorify his name, then worship him in holy splendor. Can you imagine the gall of David? He is telling the angels that they are to give God the glory and worship him.

Yet, the angels do worship God. Holy splendor is not about silver and gold nor opulent surroundings. It is all about giving everything to God. The angels see God’s glory. They are in awe of him. We might say that because of their closeness to God it is easier for them to give everything to him. Yet, we must remember that Satan was an angel who rebelled against God.

The angelic worshiping of God is an example for us. We, too, should give everything to God. That includes giving our entire heart, mind, body, and soul to worshiping him. Even though we cannot see him, we know of his glory through the events we read in the Bible and through experiences we have had with him or heard of experiences others have had.

We can worship God in holy splendor by raising our hands to him, singing loud, and praising him for all our blessings. We can thank him for the little things, such as simply having a change of clothing. God is pleased when we praise him and give him the glory. Not because he needs it. But because he sees that we recognize where our blessings come from.

I pray we all give God the glory he deserves. I pray we follow the example of the heavenly beings. I pray each one of us worship God in holy splendor, praising him with all that we are. Give God the glory. Praise God. Give thanks to God. Give him your heart, mind, body, and soul.

Psalm 29:1-2

Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,

ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 

Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name; 

worship the Lord in holy splendor.

Enter God’s Kingdom

Are you willing to listen to and obey authority? Will you listen the person who has the authority over all? Will you obey the commands given the ultimate authority? Or will you reject or discard those commands? Have you obeyed? Are you convincing others to obey?

We, sometimes, take issue with those in authority. There are times when we may rightly do so. As humans, our authority is limited, even those who are in the highest positions of authority. As humans we are fallible and make mistakes or bad judgments.

Despite human failures, we are called to obey human authorities. In fact, the Apostle Paul tells the church in Rome to not only obey authorities, but whoever rebels against authority is rebelling against God (Romans 13:1-2). Why? He states that God has instituted that authority.

As the ultimate authority, Jesus stated we are to be born of water and Spirit or we cannot enter the kingdom of God. So, will we obey Him? Our human nature is to rebel. We think we know best. Especially within our American culture, we want to be in control. That means only doing what we want to do and obeying only what we believe is right.

Jesus, God incarnate, gave very few commands. Even His statement that we are to be born of water and Spirit is not a command. It is a principle, an if, then, else statement. If we want to enter the kingdom of God, we will be born of water and Spirit. Otherwise, will not enter the kingdom of God.

We have a choice to make. Yet, the choice cannot be flippant nor half-hearted. God sees into our hearts, and he knows our real motives. If someone is being baptized as a “just in case” insurance policy, it results in nothing more than the person getting wet. God is a forgiving God, but he also is a just God who expects obedience. May each of us choose wisely.

I pray we all recognize Jesus as our ultimate authority. I pray we seek follow God’s commands and principles. I pray each one of us will choose to commit to Jesus with our hearts. Know Jesus is the ultimate authority. Follow God’s commands. Follow God’s principles. Enter into God’s kingdom.

John 3:5-6 Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

Leave Secrecy Behind

Have you ever had a secret relationship? Have you had a friend you didn’t want others to know about? Was that person a good friend? Were you afraid to let your parents know they were your friend? Were you afraid of letting your other friends know they were a friend?

We may have a secret at some point in our lives. Perhaps the person is someone we truly like, but we don’t think our parents or other friends will approve or they will be surprised by it. We may feel as though we will be embarrassed if they find out. So, we keep it a secret.

Nicodemus has a secret he wanted to keep that way. He had a fascination with Jesus. Though Nicodemus was a Pharisee, part of the Jewish religious leadership, he found Jesus’ teachings interesting. He wanted to hear more from Jesus. But because he was a Pharisee, he kept his fascination a secret.

Once, when he sought out Jesus, he went to Him at night—under the cover of darkness. He could move in the shadows to get to where Jesus was and limit the possibility of being seen. It would have been a big risk to go during the day, but he reduced the risk of being caught by going at night. He had questions he needed answered by Jesus.

Do we do the same with Jesus? Do we sneak around to meet up with Him? Perhaps we read our Bible when sitting alone but put it away when our friends are coming over. Maybe we go to church on Sunday morning but don’t tell our friends we do so. We continue to meet with Jesus so long as we don’t have to bring our relationship to the light.

We do not have to continue to sneak around to meet with Jesus. He will meet us anywhere we want to meet with Him. Yet, He much prefers meeting us in the light. He wants us to share Him with others. We can only do that by letting them know we have a relationship with Him. So, step out of the secrecy and into the light. Let others know you have a relationship with Jesus.

I pray we all share our relationship with Jesus. I pray we let our friends know we meet with Jesus regularly. I pray each one of us will step out of secrecy and into the light with Jesus. Leave secrecy behind. Step into the light. Share Jesus with others. Let others know you have a relationship with Jesus.

John 3:1-2 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.”

Filled with the Spirit

What does it mean to you to be filled with the Holy Spirit? Do you think of it as a mysterious overwhelming feeling? Do you believe it is a divine gift from God? Or do you not think about it all because you do not believe you understand it?

When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are given the Holy Spirit. He comes to live within us. God’s Spirit is joined with our spirit. It is a mystery to us as to how this happens, though we know from Jesus’ promise it does happen.

Jesus requested the Father send the Holy Spirit to be our advocate, guide, counselor, comforter, supporter, interceder, encourager, and helper. The Holy Spirit is always with us. Since the Holy Spirit is God, just as the Son and the Father is God, we can better understand Jesus’ statement that He would be with us always, to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

The Holy Spirit is God inside us. Since the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one, what one of them knows the other one knows. The Trinity is identified as three persons as one God. We may not fully understand this concept, but we can understand they are one hundred percent in sync.

When the Holy Spirit was poured out on the apostles, they began to speak in other languages, and they began to have a far deeper understanding of God and his kingdom. They suddenly understood what Jesus was teaching them and began teaching others.

I pray we all know the Holy Spirit lives within us. I pray we understand that the Holy Spirit is one with the Father and the Son. I pray each one of us feels the presence of the Holy Spirit within us each and every day. The Holy Spirit is in you. Know that God is one. Feel the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

Be Enlightened

Have you ever been amazed, totally astounded by something you couldn’t believe you had just seen it with your own eyes? Do you remember that feeling of amazement? How did you react? Were you overfilled with joy? Were you scared to death? Were you frozen in place?

Though it is not common, we can be so amazed that we are frozen, scared, and joyous all at the same time. On those rare occasions, we see something we will never forget. Those are often life-changing events. Things are just not quite the same after seeing something that amazing.

That is what happened on the day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit came down from heaven and poured out over the disciples. There was the sound of a violent wind. It appeared as though tongues of fire hovered above each disciples’ head. Then they spoke in languages they had not previously known.

Those who saw it and heard it were amazed. They knew the disciples were from the region of Galilee. They also knew the disciples were not well-educated people. They were common people—fishermen, tax collectors, housewives, and day laborers. They were poor, living from day-to-day, often only eating based on what they earned that day.

We, too, can be amazed when we think about that day. We can sit in awe at the movement of the Holy Spirit. We can and should realize that we have been given the same Holy Spirit. The same Holy Spirit who enlightened the disciples on Pentecost can also enlighten us. Our part is to open ourselves up to him and allow him to work in and through us. Rather than try to explain it away with science, revel in the mystery of God.

I pray we all are amazed at what happened on Pentecost. I pray we welcome the Holy Spirit into our lives. I pray each one of us will be enlightened by the Holy Spirit as he works within us. Be amazed. Stand in awe. Accept the Holy Spirit. Allow the Holy Spirit to work in your life. Be enlightened.

Acts 2:12 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”

Promised Testifier

Have you had a promise made to you that seemed to be good to be true, but it was true? Have you waited a needed helper and he showed up at the exact time you needed him? Have you needed a key witness and the witness showed up? Do you know God does that?

When a wonderful promise comes true it can change the entire trajectory of our lives. It can be the difference between slugging along on a path that leads to nowhere and rising above all the muck and mire. Those kinds of promises don’t happen every day…or do they?

We all need help. Often, we need help more often than we are willing to admit. We have help available to us in the Holy Spirit. Just like Jesus goes by many names, so does the Holy Spirit. He is called Advocate, Comforter, Helper, Counselor, Guide, Interceder, Supporter, Encourager, and Testifier.

Notice that Jesus says the Holy Spirit will testify on His behalf. This means the Holy Spirit is Jesus’ voice to us today. But he doesn’t yell, he whispers to us. He interprets the Scriptures for us, giving us deeper insights into God’s Word and his plan. He is especially guiding to be more like Jesus by revealing to us who Jesus is.

This is a promise Jesus made that we can believe in. If we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we know He has fulfilled His promise. We have the Holy Spirit living inside us. We have God living inside us. If we will just listen to his guidance and follow it, we will live the abundant life Jesus promised us as well.

I pray we all trust in Jesus’ promises. I pray we listen for the whispers of the Holy Spirit. I pray each one of us live the abundant life Jesus has promised us. Trust Jesus’ promises. Know the Holy Spirit by his many names. Listen for the Holy Spirit to speak to you. Follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Live the abundant life.

John 15:26 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf.”