The Impossible

"We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face...we must do that which we think we cannot."
                                                             Eleanor Roosevelt




When David penned the 27th Psalm, he was not yet a king. He was not yet anointed. In fact, he was on the run for his life. King Saul was jealous of him and wanted him dead. King Saul was trying to hold onto his position of power and David posed a threat to that security. David was now in danger from violent men who lied about him and were doing their absolute best to apprehend and kill him. This was not a situation in which David ever would have anticipated for the mere reason of just following after God. And yet, this Psalm outlines how David was able to be strong and courageous and confident even in the midst of terrifying and dangerous circumstances. In fact, without God, they were utterly impossible.

The Bible says that David "was a man after God's own heart" (Acts 13:22) and this was said not because David was perfect, but because David would do the things that God wanted him to do. So, if God allowed David to be pursued by his enemies, then there must be great purpose in the chase. David would continually pursue God while he, himself, was being pursued. It was in this pursuit of God that David received everything he needed to be victorious.

Maybe I am the only one who does this, but it's always at this point that I think, "If God can stop this from happening in the first place, why doesn't He just do that?" If He did, however, the Bible would be a very short book. And, we would never have the insight and wisdom to live victorious lives on this earth. This Psalm, in fact, gives us the strategies to look fear in the face and determine that we will win. With God on our side, how can we possibly lose?

Since God is all about our relationships with Him, His incentive is to pull us in closer and help us to see attributes about Himself that we would never otherwise see. God pulled David in close enough to hear His own heartbeat so that then David could emulate the cacophony of His rhythmic beat. Regardless of anything this world could throw at Him, David knew that God was on his side and that God would deliver him from the wickedness that pursued.

Even as David pulled in closer to God, he still recognized and acknowledged the evil that abounded in his midst. He did not deny it, nor did he minimize it. He looked in faith to the danger around him and was confident because he had spent his private time with God and was assured that God would rescue and deliver him. He elevated God's words over his circumstances, emotions, and the enemy that taunted him. David could see beauty in the midst of so much that was ugly because he meditated on God's goodness and the ways that God had always been there for him.

While there is no special formula that we can apply to help us overcome our own fears (because then we wouldn't need God), there are things we can do to propel us forward in the right direction. In verse 3, David says "Though an army encamp around me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise against me, yet I will be confident." David could speak these words because he affirmed his faith in the One, True God. This doesn't mean that he never doubted again (verse 7); it just means that he was intentional in telling himself and others that he trusted in God. Often, reminders are necessary.

Throughout this Psalm, there were times that David did fear that he would fail. When he sought God's direction, God answered him in his heart and told him to "seek His face" (Psalm 24:6; 105:4).When we seek the face of God, we must also come face to face with anything in our lives that stands between us and God. If there is sin, repentance is required. If God is displeased with something, He is faithful to show us when we seek His face. Even a toddler knows when his parents are unhappy, and so will we if we seek the face of God in earnest.

There were also times that David was afraid of his future, but God taught him how to wait patiently for the timing of the Lord. This was a necessary lesson for David because this would not be the only time in David's life that he would be pursued by the enemy. Instead of praying for God to remove the untoward circumstances, David said, "I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord" (Psalm 27:13-14).

This means that David believed that he would once again witness God's goodness while he was still on this planet. And, that is also exactly what we must do when we are facing an impossible situation in our own lives. This perspective can be extremely challenging when we have been in a wilderness season for what seems like a long period of time. And yet, this is the place where we learn to exalt God's Word above all else. This is the place where we face the greatest fear in our hearts and we emerge victoriously. This is the place where we receive God's discipline and instruction and come through it with a greater level of humility than we had before. This is the place where we see the truth spiritually and learn the roles of all the other spiritual players in our lives. It is an unveiling of truth that cannot be experienced any other way.

When we really see things from God's perspective and begin to speak the things that God is saying, we begin to see more light. When we believe that God has purpose in every detail of our lives, we begin to relax more than we did before. When we start to trust God's processes in addition to believing His promises, we sleep more soundly. Finally, when we see the manifestation of God's power in the midst of our impossibilities, we rejoice and praise the One who called us into this difficult place. This is how we know that healing is already happening within our hearts.

And then we are called to share our stories and God's goodness and mercy and all the ways that He fed us with manna while we were traversing the wild terrain. God is glorified and we are renewed. Our personal story begins to make more sense and God then gives revelation and breathes life into it. Gratitude floods every fiber of our being because we know that we would not have survived our impossibility if it were not for the saving hand of our Almighty God.

Our God is so good and so are His plans for us. Too often, we are far too limited in our understanding because His ways are so much higher than our ways. If today you find yourself facing an impossible situation, draw in close and seek the face of God. Hear the rhythm of His heartbeat and know that each beat beats for you. Affirm your faith in Him alone and breathe in deeply. Wait while your muscles relax and then rejoice and sing praises because He is the One who specializes in making possibilities out of the impossible!


"Ah, Sovereign Lord! It is You who have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for You!"
                                                               Jeremiah 32:17

The Highest Place

   "As God is exalted to the right place in our lives, a thousand problems are solved all at once."
                                                       A.W. Tozer



The highest place on this earth today is Mount Everest. It is named as the highest mountain because it has the "highest elevation above sea level". It can also be said that it has the highest altitude. At its' majestic peak, it stands at 29,035 feet above the level of the sea. It stands on the border of Nepal and China and countless people across the globe have made it their lives ambition to climb it. It’s beauty inspires awe, and the globe is captivated by it.

The Bible also talks to us about high places. The simple definition of a high place is a place of worship on an elevated piece of land. In the Old Testament, high places were used both for idol worship and for the worship of God. The first place of worship, that is later called a high place, is found in the book of Genesis. It says, Abram passed through the land to the locality of Shechem, to the oak or terebinth tree of Moreh. And the canaanites were there in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, 'I will give this land to your posterity.' So Abram built an altar there to the Lord, Who had appeared to him. From there he pulled up his tent pegs and departed to the mountain on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord" (Genesis 12:6-8).

Even though high places may seem archaic to us in our culture, I would propose to you that they still exist today. This past year (September 26-30), a reproduction of the Arch of Palmyra was on display in Washington D.C. The significance of this arch cannot be overstated. Until 2015, when it was destroyed by ISIS, this ancient arch stood in the entrance of the temple of Baal in Syria. Now a reproduction exists and is being transported to significant locations around the globe, touted as a "symbol of resilience and peace". Hardly. I believe that God allowed this arch into our nation as a sign for those of us who are paying attention. The biblical symbolism for this would be the acceleration of even more overt idol worship in our land.

Before you cast this out as being irrelevant in your own life, think about the unholy trinity that currently exists in America today. They are: perverted worship (worship of idols), perverted morality, and infant sacrifice (abortion). This is the same combination of problems that existed for Israel when Ahab and Jezebel were in power. Because the Israelites persisted in their sins, God allowed the Assyrians to destroy the northern kingdom and the Babylonians to destroy Jerusalem and the southern kingdom.

While our culture doesn't typically have little statues that we pray to, there are nevertheless a plethora of idols that run rampant through our land. An idol is defined as anything in our life that commands more attention or loyalty or dedication than the One, True God. Whether or not we acknowledge this, much of the church in America is as polytheistic (many gods) as an Hindu in India would be. Some of our untouchable idols are as follows: self, sports, Netflix, social media, pride,wealth, comfort, phone, security, fame, celebrities, appearances, children, accolades, food, alcohol, drugs, pornography, and the list goes on and on...

If we are polytheistic in our lives, we will be double-minded in our thinking. Our faith will gradually wane, little by little. This is why we are witnessing a "falling away" in our churches today. People run to and fro searching for the new "latest and greatest" and we forget the Giver of all good things. Even within our churches, we can find skewed priorities. Pride can run rampant and self-glorification can supersede the glory of God.

So, this begs the question, What is the highest place in your life? What occupies your thoughts, your time, your energy, your resources, your talent, and your heart? This question is applicable to everyone whether we are in full-time ministry or a lay person that claims to be a Christ follower. All of us must determine our answer both in spirit and in truth.

In the Old Testament, God commanded that every high place that was not dedicated to Him must be destroyed. The same is true today. In the New Testament, Paul told the church in Colossae  to "put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5). The true worship of God commands that we have no other gods besides Him (Exodus 20:3).

One of the titles of Jesus is the Word of God. John tells us that "in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). If our God dwells within His Word, which is the Bible, then it is The Word of God that should be elevated to the highest place. As our culture around us slips more and more down the slippery slope of moral relativism, our role as the standard bearers of His image and His Word becomes all the more important.

As we pray for our nation and its future, we must ask God to search our hearts and lives to see where polytheism may exist for us and for our loved ones. When the church is repentant, we will see revival. But, as long as other gods exist in the lives of God's children, our nation will continue its slide into utter moral depravity.

It is time for the real church of Jesus Christ to arise and shine in the glory for which God has apportioned for us. It is time for God to be honored and elevated to His rightful position in our hearts and in our homes. It is time to shatter every idol and lie from the enemy that these idols will bring fulfillment to our lives. It is time to realize the seriousness of the hour in which we live. We must stand and we must speak out in love.

Pandora's box has been opened in our nation and the only way to overcome the evil and perversion that exists is for God's children to be passionate and serious about their relationship with Him. We can only overcome evil with good, and good can only come from God, Himself.

God must be exalted in our land again. His Word must be exalted above our feelings and circumstances and everything else. We must let go of the opinions of others and do what God has placed us on this earth to do. We must be the people that God has created us to be. We are here, at this time, with so much purpose. And, all those purposes will unify and be strong when God truly becomes the highest places in our hearts collectively.


"And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him on the mountain and said, 'Say to this house of Jacob and tell the Israelites:...therefore, if you will obey My voice in truth and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own peculiar possession and treasure from among and above all peoples; for all the earth is Mine" (Exodus 19:3,5).

Are You Convinced?

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
                                                                    Romans 8:38-39




Living in the south provides an interesting perspective of faith and eternity. Most people would state that they are believers and many people follow this up by regular church attendance and prayers before meals. The interesting aspect of this, though, is that most have been inoculated. That is, we have been given a small enough dose of Jesus that we think we are fine spiritually and that precludes us from having a full on relationship with Christ and becoming a true follower of Him alone.

Most are pretty sure that they have been saved and that, at the end of this life, they will be going to heaven. We mentally assent to accepting Christ as our Savior and try to live a good or decent life, believing all the while that we are okay spiritually. Some even think that by their good works or deeds that we will somehow gain access to heaven. The problem with this theory is that it does not line up scripturally with what God has told us about salvation. The truth is that salvation all begins and ends with God and His ability to keep us, and not about what we can do to somehow obtain or manage our own.

It is when we come to really know that Jesus is our Lord and Savior and we are brought into relationship with Him that begins the guarantee of our eternal security. Jude 24 states, "To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy." This means that true believers are "kept" by God and can be assured that they are going to heaven when we are yielded to Him and "keep ourselves in the love of God" (Jude 21).

Jesus says, I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My Hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all and no one can snatch them out of My Father's hands" (John 10:28-29). God has us in His hands. Jesus has us in His hands. Who in this world could ever remove us from them both?

Then, the Holy Spirit seals us. Ephesians tells us that believers are "sealed for the day of redemption" (Ephesians 4:30). John tells us that whoever believes in Jesus will have "eternal life" (John 3:15-16). If we are sealed and have eternal life then we do actually have eternal security, otherwise it could never be called eternal.

There are indicators of our salvation that the book of 1 John clearly delineates for us.  John tells us, "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life" (1 John 5:13). Paul reiterates this point when he says, "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you-- unless, of course, you fail the test?" (2 Corinthians 13:5).

In our sermon this week, Pastor Brady Cooper outlined the test of salvation. He asked 4 simple questions. They are as follows:
                                               1. Have you made a clear confession of faith?
                                               2. Are you growing in obedience?
                                               3. Are you growing in love for others?
                                               4. Are you aware of the Holy Spirit alive within you?

He went on to explain that a clear confession of faith encompasses accepting and acknowledging Jesus as Lord (1 John 2:23), confessing Jesus before men (Mathew 10:32), declaring with your mouth that "Jesus is Lord" and "believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead" (Romans 10:9), loving God the Father and Jesus who was born of Him (1 John 5:1), recognize that we are saved by grace through faith and that it is a gift of God and then doing the good works that God prepared for us to do (Ephesians 2:8-10). A saving faith is one that trusts Christ alone for our salvation. Brady said, "Grace is God's hand reaching down from heaven and faith is our hand reaching up to heaven."

Recognize that there is a difference between doubt and unbelief. There can be times when we doubt our salvation, but we have to remind ourselves of what God's Word says. Unbelief is when we do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God or we do not believe all that He has accomplished on our behalf. Doubt is transient whereas unbelief may not be.

Growing in obedience is essential to our spiritual growth. If we sin, we must keep a very short list with God and repent. This not only includes actions, but thoughts and attitudes as well. Intentional or willful sin is not the behavior of one who is in Christ. John says, "All who have this hope in Him purify themselves, just as He is pure. Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that He appeared so that He might take away our sins. And in Him is no sin. No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him" (1 John 3:3-6).

A change of heart will lead to a changed life. None of us are perfect and we will journey through a sanctification process, but it is God that empowers us to do so. Our good works are not a condition of our salvation; they are a consequence of it.

Growing in love for others is also part of our journey. We cannot be a follower of Christ and hate others (1 John 2:9-11), we love others because God first loves us (1 John 4:19), we pass from death to life because we love each other (1 John 3:14-15), and we are all one in Christ so there should be no prejudice or divisions (Galatians 3:28). The cross not only unites us to god, but it also unites us to others, especially for the mission of God.

Being aware of the Holy Spirit that lives inside of us is also very important.The Holy Spirit works in our hearts, convicts us of sin, counsels us, helps us, teaches us, guides us, gives us spiritual gifts, enables us to walk in the fruit of the Spirit, empowers us, gives glory to Jesus, and dwells with us.His role is vital in helping us keep God's commands (1 John 3:24) and in helping us know with certainty that we are in Christ (1 John 4:13).

So, the question is, did you pass the test? Are you convinced of your eternal security? If you die today, are you positive of your destination? If you have any doubts whatsoever, would you please pray the following prayer and then tell someone of your decision? There could be no better way to start 2019 then in knowing you definitely have eternal security. Jesus died so that we could know for sure!


Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your goodness, kindness, and mercy. I confess to you that I am a sinner in need of a Savior and Lord. Thank you for pursuing me and allowing me to have the security and assurance of my salvation. I believe that Jesus is Your Son, the Living Christ that died and was resurrected on the third day for my sins. I receive your generous gift of salvation and am ready to trust You both as my Lord and Savior. Thank you for taking my sins away and giving me the gift of eternal salvation. I recognize that I am not worthy, but acknowledge that you paid the price in full for all my sins. Please help me to start doing things Your way and fill me to overflowing with Your Holy Spirit. Help me to trust You, and love You, and to live my life for You. Help me to understand Your grace, and mercy, and love to its fullest. Seal me until your day of redemption and help me to continually grow in You. It is by the blood of Jesus and in His precious Name that I pray. Amen!

Who Do You See?

"And at the end of the eight days, when [the Baby] was to be circumcised, He was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. And when the time for their purification [the mother's purification and the Baby's dedication] came according to the Law of Moses, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord."
                                                           Luke 2:21-22




One Law and two witnesses were who Jesus met when He arrived as a babe in the temple in Jerusalem. Each of these meetings were very significant and also important to us today as followers of Christ. They lay a foundation for us in how we respond to the Living Christ and the beliefs in our hearts that correspond, as well. As we delve a little deeper, we must ask ourselves the question that when we gaze upon the Living Christ, who is it that we really see?

Mary and Joseph obeyed the Law of Moses when they had their baby circumcised. He was eight days old and His parents honored the sign and seal of the covenant that God had made with Abraham. They were proud to be among God's chosen people and they were glad to obey the laws that God had set before them. There is always a caveat when it comes to obeying the law, however, and that is that we can get so caught up in obeying the external, visible aspects of it that we sometimes forget that inwardly our hearts must be circumcised as well.

When Jesus was forty days old, again Mary and Joseph obeyed the Law by bringing Jesus to the temple for purification rites. Since He was their firstborn, they had to "redeem" Jesus (Exodus 13:1-12) by paying five shekels. This would suggest that they were too poor to bring a lamb as a sacrifice, but, then again, they carried the Lamb in their very arms. To redeem The Redeemer is very ironic since later He would redeem us with His very precious blood.

Jesus' relationship to the Law is of utmost importance to us because we are told that He was made under the Law (Galatians 4:4), He obeyed the Law perfectly (John 8:46), He bore the curse of the Law for us (Galatians 3:13), and He set us free from bondage (Galatians 5:1). However, Jesus also rejected the religious traditions of man and died for us because not one of us would ever be able to keep the Law perfectly. He removed this burden from man permanently and declares that "Whom the Son sets free is free indeed" (John 8:36).

Simeon is the next person who encounters Jesus. He was blessed to see the salvation of the Lord because he was led by the Spirit of God, taught by the Word of God, and obedient to the will of God. He had been waiting for the Messiah because God had told him that he would not die until he had seen Jesus (Luke 2:26). Simeon was faithful and eagerly awaiting the Messiah to come to earth.

When Simeon saw Jesus, immediately he joyfully began to praise God. He said, "Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared for all people. He is a Light to reveal God to the nations, and He is the glory of your people Israel" (Luke 2:29-32).

He then began to prophesy to Mary and Joseph and he said, "This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose Him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul" (Luke 2:34-35).

Simeon appears to be speaking about how Israel will respond to Jesus. He sees that Jesus has come for the Gentiles, but he is prophesying about the Jews. He talks about how Jesus is a miracle sent to earth and will reveal Divine Truth to those who encounter Him. Jesus brings salvation and judgment, as he touches hearts and impacts mankind. To Mary, Simeon tells her that she will suffer and have sorrow as they walk in obedience to what God has called them to do.

Anna is the next person that met Jesus in the temple that day. Her name means "grace" and she has been waiting in the temple nonstop by fasting and prayers until she could see the Messiah. She walked up just as Simeon was praising God and she quickly joined in the song and celebration. How heaven must have celebrated as it received the praises of these two godly ones who had earnestly and passionately been waiting for Jesus.

Anna has the distinction of being a "prophetess", which meant that she had a special gift of interpreting and declaring the message of God. She knew that this was the long-awaited Messiah and she could not wait to tell others about the Good News! Immediately, she evangelized to others in the remnant, which began a wildfire of sharing the joy of Jesus' birth!

If we look at the three encounters that Jesus had in the temple that day, we see that the Law represents the past. Simeon represents the present because once he has received the good news he is ready to die. Anna represents the future. Her whole goal is to share the Good News and to make sure that others receive salvation.

Likewise, our journey of faith can primarily focus on either the past, the present, or the future. We can really know where we stand by listening to our own words. Do we talk about only the things God has done in the past, or when we accepted Christ as a child? Or, do we only talk about what God is doing today and how that affects us individually? Or, do we see the vision of God to evangelize and share the Good News with others, knowing that the Lord has promised that He will soon return? Depending on where you stand on this issue will determine who you see when you look at Jesus.

Our worldview can be one that focuses on the past, filled with religious traditions and focusing on the sin in the world. Or, our worldview can see that Jesus is alive and we rejoice and that is good enough for our lives. Or, we can see a hurting world that desperately needs Jesus and share the Gospel with those we encounter because we know that Jesus is returning soon. There is a world that existed before Jesus, a world that existed while Jesus was a baby and a Suffering Servant, and a world that eagerly awaits a Conquering King to return.

In the book of John, Jesus gave us seven "I Am" statements, which tells us how He describes Himself. He said,

"I Am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger." (John 6:35)

"I Am the light of the world." (John 8:12)

"I Am the door." (John 10:9)

"I Am the true vine." (John 15:1)

"I Am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep." (John 10:11)

"I Am the resurrection and the life." (John 11:25)

"I Am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)

Whatever need we may have in our lives today, Jesus is willing and ready to meet that need. If we need salvation, He is here. If we have a deep longing, He can fill it.  If we need a door to open, Jesus is the answer. If we need joy, or peace, or patience, or gentleness, or goodness, or faithfulness, or self-control, He's got that covered. If we feel lost or insecure, Jesus is right here to provide protection and security. If we feel dead inside or have something in our lives that looks dead, Jesus can resurrect it and bring it back to life. If we need direction, or truth or new life, Jesus brings all those things to us, as well. There is nothing on this earth that we lack that Jesus cannot bring to us and that is what He longs to do!

So, today, when you remember the birth and life of Christ and all that He has done for each of us, think about where you really are in this journey of life. Are you close to Jesus? Is He your Lord, and friend, and confidant? Do you rely on Him and trust Him and yearn for intimacy with the Lord? Is your life surrendered to His Lordship? When you look into His eyes, who is it that you really see?


                                           Have a Very, Merry Christmas!!!!!     


1. Wiersbe, Warren, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, NT, pub. by David C. Cook, 2007.                                                   

I Am Not Afraid Of The Dark

"In the darkest times of your life, your praise to God should be the loudest. Let the enemy know you are not afraid of the dark."
                                                        Toby Mac




Christmastime is known for being both a season of hope and a season of light. It is celebratory as God's children come together and remember the time that Jesus was born in this earth and took on flesh so that we could all be saved. Everything associated with Christmas, for believers, is beautiful and joyous and the time to reflect on the fact that God remembered us and gave us His plan of salvation and to then, in turn, remember those around us who may be less fortunate or do not yet know Jesus. When we reflect on Christmas, we think of God's goodness and gift to us all.

For some, however, the holidays can be sad or even distressing. This year, some will have to face Christmas for the first time without a loved one. For others, distance may obstruct getting together with family or loved ones. There are those that remember difficult Christmases in the past. And then there are those who are facing substantial challenges today that seem to rob them of hope or obscure the beauty of the season.

These facts caused me to reflect on the state of the world right before Jesus actually was born. Centuries before Jesus was born, Isaiah looked at the world around him and wrote that the Messiah would come as a Light to a "people who have walked in darkness... and have dwelt in the land of intense darkness and the shadow of death" (Isaiah 9:2). He went on to say that the Israelites carried a burden and the weight of the rod of their oppressor. Some of the words Isaiah used to describe this time were abuse, curses, anguish, gloom, and contempt.

We can never fully appreciate the importance of Jesus coming as a bright Light unless we first understand the darkness of the world that Jesus shattered. The timing of His birth was perfect and the stage was set so that His radiance would be reflected all the more. In fact, by all appearances, it would have seemed that evil had won and that the hope of a true Messiah faded by the second.

The Bible tells us that there had been a 400 year famine from any words from God. The Lord went radio silent. This meant that spiritual darkness prevailed and that the people were desperate to hear from God. They were in mourning, so to speak, because they felt that God had left them.

Not only did they feel alone, but they also were enduring very difficult circumstances under the oppressive Roman rule. Roman guards marched through the streets just waiting on someone to arrest or brutalize. While they lived in their own city of Jerusalem, it was as if they were exiles in their own homes. They were owned by Caeser Augustus and their temple was built and owned by their enemy- Herod the Great. Political darkness reigned during this time.

The nation of Israel was divided. There were four groups in Israel that wanted to lead the people and tensions resulted and riots ensued. The Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and Zealots all sought to lead the Jewish people and because of this, there was darkness that spread throughout the religion of Judaism.

Financial hardship plagued Mary and Joseph and there wasn't even a place for them in the inn. An increase in taxes was being excised and a census was being taken to call them all into account. They were beholden to their debtors and their debtors had no mercy. There was a financial darkness that prevailed.

There was darkness surrounding the fact that Mary was a virgin. No one believed that she conceived Jesus in an unconventional way and there was tension and stress for them that could have even resulted in the stoning of Mary. There was a darkness that was found in following God.

Their journey for the census was dark and difficult. Mary and Joseph had to travel over 100 miles on foot from Nazareth to Bethlehem. They traversed weather and hills and waters. They travelled both by day and by night. They had to consider snakes and scorpions and other unscrupulous travelers along the way. There was darkness in their journey.

Mary was very pregnant, which would have caused concerns for her and the baby’s health. There were no doctors or roadside clinics and I wonder how they felt if she experienced any cramps or pains along the way? How inept must Joseph have felt to solely care for his wifes' medical needs? There was a physical darkness that they experienced.

Jesus was born in the middle of the night and in the middle of a dark stable. God did not choose the daylight hours for Jesus to be born. After all, it was because the world was dark that we needed Jesus to come in the first place. It was the darkness that beckoned His call to earth. There was a natural darkness that Joseph and Mary experienced.

After Jesus was born, both Satan and Herod tried to kill Him. There were hostile, angry forces that tried to prevail against Him, but God's power was too great. Nonetheless, Joseph and Mary felt the weight of supernatural darkness that completely wanted to destroy them all. How distressing would it be for brand new teenage parents to have to protect their baby from those who wanted Him dead? This was the supernatural darkness that Mary and Joseph faced.

I am sure that fear reared its ugly head to this young couple on more than one occasion. I am sure that the enemy did everything within his power to try to make them discouraged and abandon the destiny for which God had created them. I am sure that, at times, Mary and Joseph did not recognize the Light that was always with them.  And, what Satan did then he will also attempt to do today. When we choose to praise God in the midst of our own darknesses and focus on the brilliance of His Light and hope, we can utter the scariest words that hell will ever hear, "I am not afraid of the dark."


"the people living in darkness have seen a great Light; on those living in the shadow of death a Light has dawned."
                                                                 Matthew 4:16

Unconditional Gratitude

“We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is ‘good,’ because it is good, if ‘bad’ because it works in us patience, humility and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country.”
                                                                    C.S. Lewis




We have now entered into the week of Thanksgiving. This seems to be a holiday that gets less and less press. When you look at the decorations on display in the stores, it would seem that we move rapidly from halloween displays to Christmas decorations. Little fanfare, if any, is given to a day in which our country, historically, gave thanks to God collectively. Now, we zoom by it as quickly as we can so as to keep up our fast paced lifestyles and slowly move to forget all of the reasons why we should be grateful to our God, who has been so generous and gracious to us.

Anger and offense seem to rule the minds and emotions within our country that is severely divided and in opposition to one another. Much time is spent on focusing on the things we dislike, whether it relates to politics, morality, race, and anything in between. Somehow we have veered away from the things of God, especially when it comes to living in gratitude and keeping our eyes on what God is doing in our midst.

In the Old Testament, the Israelites had the same problem. When things were going well and they received the many blessings that God was giving them, they tended to honor Him more and give Him thanks. However, when things were more difficult and challenging, they mumbled and grumbled and hardened their hearts towards God. Their blind eyes refused to see the good that God was giving to them, even in the midst of challenging circumstances. Their gratitude was conditional, which was definitely a recipe for disaster for them and their descendants.

So, how is it even possible to live with unconditional gratitude in the midst of a world that is hate-filled and full of rage? My first suggestion to this question is to quiet the noise. I think the older generations in our country had it right when they tuned in once a night to watch Walter Cronkite. They got the information they needed without having to listen to all the bickering and vitriol. It is next to impossible to stay focused on the things that God is saying and doing when we are continually barraged with negative commentary. We have to be intentional with what we look at and listen to and that we learn to pray effectively and quiet the noise. (Disclaimer: I live in a family of news junkies, myself included).

The next thing we have to do is to look to the Word of God. I put together a THANKSGIVING acronym to help with this:
     
  T- "This is the day the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24)
  H-"His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations." (Psalm 100:5)
  A-"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which you were called. And be thankful." 
                                                                                                                                           (Col 3:15)
  N-"Now thanks be to God, who gives us victory through our Lord, Jesus." (1 Corinthians 15:57)
  K-"Know the plans I have for you...plans to prosper you and not harm you." (Jeremiah 29:11)
  S-"Soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy Name. Bless the Lord..."  (103:1-2)
  G-"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever." (Psalm 107:1)
  I-"In every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude." (Acts 24:3)
  V-Verily, verily I say unto you that he who believes on Me has everlasting life." (John 6:47)
  I-"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)
  N-"Now I give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;I will recount all of your wonderful deeds."
                                                                                                                                          (Psalm 9:1)
  G-"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down His life for friends." (John 15:13)

Next, we must be willing to honestly assess our hearts when challenges come. Do we pull in closer to Christ or do we recoil in pain? Do we genuinely trust in God's sovereignty or do we prefer to try to micro-manage things to some degree? Do we demand answers to our "why" questions or do we declare like Jesus, "Not my will, but thy will be done?" (Luke 22:42)? Do we face our challenges or resort to avoidant behavior, like sleeping, or addictions, or mind numbing activities? Do we worry and fret or speak to our souls to trust in God, like David did? All of these are good indicators of our natural tendencies that need to be overcome with supernatural strength.

When Paul was persecuted, he wrote "Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him" (2 Corinthians 2:14). When David was in despair, he cried out to God and then wrote, "Praise be to the Lord for He has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song" (Psalm 28:6-7).

The Bible tells us that one of the distinguishing factors between the children of God and the rest of the world is thanksgiving. In one of the letters that Paul wrote to Timothy, Paul explains that in the last days the wicked people would be "ungrateful" (2 Timothy 3:2). Peter explains to us that when we give thanks in the midst of all kinds of trials that our faith will "be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed" (1 Peter 1:6-7).

Ultimately, we don't get to choose the circumstances and people that come and go in our lives. But, we do get to choose whether or not we will be grateful. And, we must always remember that, as believers, we have much to be grateful for. God is most definitely worthy of our praise and thanksgiving and eternity with Christ is the ultimate joy set before us. In the interim, every precious memory and joy and gift is hand-picked and given to us by our Heavenly Father who absolutely adores us. When we focus on these things, it is possible to live our lives with unconditional gratitude!

                ALL BLESSINGS TO YOU AND YOURS THIS THANKSGIVING!

                                                                  
                                                              

Genuine Faith

"Faith is the silver thread upon which the pearls of the graces are to be hung. Break that, and you have broken the string-- the pearls lie scattered on the ground."
                                                           Charles H. Spurgeon




The culture in which we live promotes much in the way that is false and disingenuous. It astounds me that when we turn on the news today it has very little to do with the truth. Instead, every story we watch or article that we read is either advancing an agenda or propping up a lie that has been proven to be untrue. It has now become easy to predict what will be said just by virtue of what station you listen to or news source that you read. Truth is irrelevant and the prevailing mantra today is that the ends justify the means.

Unfortunately, our culture has also had its impact within the church. Oftentimes, we promote the talented (in a worldly sense) and support those with a business acumen instead of  handling things within the church in a biblical manner. We follow and support the "superstars" in Christianity instead of valuing our elders who have walked with Jesus throughout the duration of their lives. In good times and in bad times. In both victory and defeat. These are the ones who carry the graces of the faith with both dignity and honor.

God designed Christianity in such a way that the church would impact the the world and the cultures in which it exists. Somehow, we have lost the power and effect of the church in our nation to such an extent that violence and lies and perversions become the discussions of the day. We need both an awakening and a resurgence of the true power of Christ within our midst.

Almost 300 years ago, Jonathan Edwards wrote a sermon entitled, "All the graces of Christianity Connected". In this sermon, he taught about how faith and love and hope and humility and trust and fear of God were inextricably linked together. He went on to say that not only are they linked together, but they also are dependent upon one another. He said that "where one is wanting, all are wanting".

Charles Spurgeon expounded on this idea by stating that faith was the thread that supported all the pearls of the graces. If our faith is broken, all the other pearls are scattered to the ground. He was referring to a genuine faith, a faith that is not proud or boastful. Instead, it is a faith that is humble and patient and reliant on the mercies of our generous Lord.

Genuine faith is never centered on man. Not on his gifts, or talents, or accomplishments. Genuine faith is always centered on God and on His love for us, followed by our reciprocal love based on who He is and what He has done for us. This love is first vertical with our Creator and then horizontal to our fellow man.

Paul wrote to Timothy that "all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a genuine faith" (1 Timothy 1:5). This was written at a time when the people were saturated with false teachings that Paul referred to as "fables and endless genealogies"1 These teachings did not produce love, purity, clear consciences, and genuine faith. Instead, they caused hypocrisies, legalism, and all sorts of other problems.

The same is true today. Not only are teachings corroborating the "me" generation that prevails in our culture, but we are also saturated both with words and songs that promote false teachings within the church. Instead of concisely presenting the Gospel, which is "Good News" that is God-honoring, often what we hear is focused on man and ways that he can be favored and blessed and avoid all the difficulties in life. What this produces is discouragement and disillusionment because it is all based on false doctrine.

It is time for the church to look at what we are promoting and what we are producing. And that begins with each one of us individually. We know that our society is producing demigods, but what is it that the church is producing? The last time I checked, the statistics within the church of divorce and pornography and other maladies are no different than they are within the general population.

How can this be? Do all the people who attend church and confess to be a Christian have a real and genuine faith? Do we see our own struggles with pride, and selfishness, and being judgmental, and a lack of the graces of the faith? Or do we soldier on, promoting and producing the same ole stuff that has lost its saltiness and light?

Now is the moment for repentance and truly seeking the face of God. Now is the time to inquire about the things that we need to shift to fully become aligned with the ways and purposes of God. Now is the time to discard all that is not pure and genuine and producing good fruit.

There is a possibility that even in this next week, the trajectory of our country could take an unimaginable turn for the worst. I truly pray that this does not happen and that God will hear and answer the cries of His people. But we are definitely dangling on an unknown precipice that none of us wants to traverse.

We have to wake up. We have to warn others. We have to keep a short account with God when it comes to our sins. Above all, we have to make sure that we have a faith that is genuine, a heart that is pure, and a clean conscience.


Prayer- Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you that you have blessed us with a nation that was founded with the intent of life, liberty, and justice for all. You have blessed us as a nation like no other nation is blessed. Forgive us for all the ways that we have taken these blessings for granted and all the ways we have used them for selfish purposes. Forgive us for kicking you out of our courtrooms and school rooms and public discourse. Forgive us for taking the good gifts you have given to us and used them for destructive purposes. Forgive us for persecuting those who love you and honoring those who do not. Forgive us for the times that we have not been genuine in our own faith, and we have placed our personal desires above the desires and purposes of Your Heart. Forgive us for any other idols that we have allowed in our lives or placed before You.  Forgive me for...

Your Word promises us that if Your children, called by Your Name, will humble themselves and seek Your Face, that you will hear from heaven,  forgive our sins,  and heal our land. Oh Sovereign Lord, that is the cry of our hearts. We need Your intervention and Your healing and Your presence. Please be a bright Light within our nation once again and cause yet another Great Awakening within our land.

Please allow Your will to be done in these mid-term elections and cause our laws and lawmakers to once again honor and glorify You. We understand that this is not about politics; rather it is a spiritual battle for the future heart and soul of our country. You are the Life-Giver, and we ask You to once again breathe life into this nation that has turned its' back on You.

We love You, Lord, and pray all these things in Jesus' Mighty Name.





             ** PLEASE BE IN PRAYER FOR OUR MID-TERM ELECTIONS**
                                         **DON"T FORGET TO VOTE**


1. Wiersbe Bible Commentary:New Testament, pub. by David C. Cook, 2007.