Things that are both inside as well as outside of our control, from a Biblical perspective

My very wise coach (Rudy Duran) hammered into my brain while in my 20’s and pursuing a career as a competitive professional golfer, to only pay attention to the things that were within my control. I didn’t realize it at the time what a Biblically sound & powerful principle this is in helping us to stay focused on Jesus … and no matter what, to remember that He will ALWAYS have us covered!

Here’s a response from Jesus to us when facing trials & suffering that are outside our control from John 16:33 when He said, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” It’s up to us through trying times to decide to trust in the reality that we can abide in Jesus due to the victory He’s already won.

Surrounding things that are within our control, take to heart what Proverbs 29:25 says whenever you’re fearful about anything: “The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in and puts his confidence in the Lord will be exalted and safe.” It all boils down to who we put our trust in … especially while going through incredibly difficult seasons.

I came to find out that this simple concept not only helped me to dramatically lower my scores on the course … but more importantly, it continues to help me maximize a close walk with my Lord and Savior while navigating all the daily issues as they come up.

What does the Bible mean when it says we’re to ‘Wait on the Lord?’

Perhaps you know a parent (or are one) who has an adult son or daughter who has walked away from their relationship with Jesus. Maybe your waiting to hear back from the doctor surrounding a diagnosis that could change everything in your life. It could be you’re facing a financial hardship that seems overwhelming, and you can’t see past the mountain of debt you’re dealing with.

The word Qavah in Hebrew means, “To wait with hope and expectation.” It’s the concept of tying our lives together with the Lord at all times and in every circumstance, and to be intertwined with Him.

Isaiah 40:31 is a perfect example of how we need to be trusting and relying on the 24/7, 365 presence of our Lord and Savior: “But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him]
Will gain new strength and renew their power;
They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles; They will run and not become weary, They will walk and not grow tired.”

If you find yourself so stressed, and so tired, and literally weary day after day due to any variety of trouble you or a loved one are facing, now is the time to lean heavily into your relationship with Jesus and trust that He’s completely aware of how to sustain you by providing you with the strength you need.

David is a great example of faith and courageous trust in God, based on his confident expectation that the Lord would save him in his times of difficult situations. This is what he said in Psalm 27:14, “Wait for and confidently expect the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for and confidently expect the Lord.”

May we have similar confident expectations that the Lord will be with us while we wait for our prodigal children to come back to Him! Or, as we’re waiting for the lab reports to help determine our next move surrounding our physical ailments. As well as to trust that He will in fact make a way through our financial crisis! May we truly recognize that He always knows what’s best for us, and that He’s promised to never leave us or forsake us!

Listening to God’s word, rather than trusting our feelings

If you think there may be some room for improvement surrounding your spiritual maturity, then you must choose obedience to God over your feelings.

A good Biblical definition of what it means to listen to God’s word, would be, “To hear and to pay attention to … and even more importantly, to respond to what we hear!” The concept of obedience may not be culturally popular these days, but it’s never become outdated from a Biblical frame-of-reference.

Here’s how Jesus puts it in Luke 9:23-24, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.

We’ve all been born with a sinful human nature. Jesus is telling us we need to set aside our selfish interests, and daily choose to follow Him. Fortunately, He’s provided us with a very detailed “Owners manual” in which we can all refer to. He’s also provided us with a supernatural personal guide to ensure we’re understanding His word accurately through the presence of the Holy Spirit.

The only condition to experience this transformed life that Jesus mentioned, is we actually have to follow what He’s laid out for us to do! He’s never going to force us to love Him and to follow His dictates … but I can guarantee, if you choose to take up your cross daily and follow Him, you’ll never regret it!

A ‘prescription’ for when someone says something hurtful to you, that is totally offensive … and you’re just not sure how to respond

A couple of decades ago, while facing some real life interpersonal struggles … a very wise friend said to me, “Jim, there are times when you’ll need to hide your responses in your heart, and give these hurtful circumstances over to the Lord in prayer.”

I’ve been so grateful since then for such Godly counsel! I’ve experienced far less regret, having a rock solid plan for dealing with the vast opportunities for when people have been mean, and when I chose to give it over to the Lord … rather than reacting in the moment badly myself.

The Apostle Paul says in Philippians 3:12-13, “I know how to get along and live humbly [in difficult times], and I also know how to enjoy abundance and live in prosperity. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret [of facing life], whether well-fed or going hungry, whether having an abundance or being in need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.]”

Some of you may be facing daily situations in which people are being unkind to you, or saying hurtful things for no apparent reason, or are trying to get under your skin knowing that you’re a faithful follower of Christ. My recommendation is to pay attention to what is within your control, and go to the Lord in prayer immediately! Give it to Him, as He can more than handle it. And see if in fact your peace will return to you as you’re not baited into responding in ways you know won’t be helpful.

Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always and delight in your faith; be unceasing and persistent in prayer; in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” You don’t have to let anyone or anything steal your joy!

Have you ever been asked why you pray?

A very close friend of mine who is not yet walking with Jesus, asked me the other day if I ever pray. From his current world view, he really doesn’t like that Christians pray selfishly for whatever they want as if God is some kind of cosmic genie who will grant their every wish.

I absolutely believe that God still works through miracles and physical healing today! I had a wonderful opportunity to share with my dear friend that hopefully got him thinking about the genie in the bottle concept that he’s so upset about, and why Biblical prayer should never be like that.

God answered the Apostle Paul’s plea for a very specific ailment that he was suffering from, with the following reply in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10, “Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Paul also said in 2 Thessalonians 3:16, “Now may the Lord of peace Himself grant you His peace at all times and in every way [that peace and spiritual well-being that comes to those who walk with Him, regardless of life’s circumstances]. The Lord be with you all.”

Don’t ever stop praying! Whatever you may be going through our dealing with, know that the creator of the universe cares about every aspect and every single detail of your request … and most importantly remember that He knows exactly what’s best for you!

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”

Even though Paul would have preferred at the time to be healed from whatever physical ailment he was suffering from … based on his response (which is a good reminder for all of us), he was able to experience peace because the Lord was with him throughout it all!

We are in reality made by God … as well as in fact made for God!

This might be somewhat of a scary thought, but what if someone was to give a completely objective analysis surrounding what they’ve observed after spending an entire week in our presence … regarding “What we live for, and what fulfills us?”

Even as professing Bible believing Christians, would there possibly be any ‘little gods’ they would see as our priorities … based upon how much time, our top interests, our energy, our emphasis to things or on certain people, our zeal for certain activities, our financial investments, etc., that is robbing us from the freedom we should be enjoying as committed Christ followers?

In Acts 17:23-25 Paul says, “Now as I was going along and carefully looking at your objects of worship, I came to an altar with this inscription: ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you already worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who created the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, because it is He who gives to all [people] life and breath and all things.”

I don’t think it would hurt any of us to take inventory of potential distractions from what God’s best is for our lives. Then, out of obedience to what we know from His Word, along with the 24/7 presence of the Holy Spirit to help guide us through making wise decisions each and every day … to see if in fact we’re living faithfully and gratefully to the One who has given each of us our very life & breath.

Is it true that God sometimes works in mysterious ways?

It be would be difficult to read the story of Joseph in the Bible and see how any of the ways in which he was so badly mistreated over about a 13-year time span, could have possibly been allowed by an all loving God.

Paul says in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

God actually used the trials Joseph endured to bring about much good … including saving the lives of his brothers who had hated him so much. Many years after they sold their younger brother into slavery because of their jealously towards him, Joseph said this to them in Genesis 50:20, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.”

So the answer is “Yes” that God sometimes works in very mysterious ways in our lives. Joseph’s example is a wonderful lesson for all of us, if we choose to recognize and trust that Jesus will in fact use each and every situation (especially the really hard stuff!) for our good.

God doesn’t call the qualified … He qualifies the called

I’m probably not alone when I admit to feeling inadequate at times, especially as it relates to specific ways the Lord prompts me to do something in which I don’t feel equipped to successfully do. I’ll even debate with Him by responding, “You certainly have to have many more qualified people who are wiser, more articulate, and much more prepared than me, who can better share Your love with the person You want me to talk to about what You’ve done in my life.”

The Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1:26-29, “Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.”

Earlier in the same chapter Paul says, “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18

The constant battle we as believers face, is the tendency to focus on fear of rejection or our own inadequacy to witness to those around us about our personal salvation experience. The Lord is more concerned about our faithfulness than He is about what we would consider successful outcomes.

Scripture is abundantly clear that God will equip us with His presence in every situation He puts us in. 1 John 4:4 says, “But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.”

The next time you feel ‘paralyzed’ with doubt that you may not be the right person at just the right time to point someone to Jesus when He is prompting you to act … pray a quick prayer of gratitude for His presence, and then walk in His power, and in His wisdom, and in His strength, as you trust Him for the results!

Is Christ’s provision everlasting for all true believers?

In other words, can a Christian lose their salvation?

In John 5:24 Jesus says, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, the person who hears My word [the one who heeds My message], and believes and trusts in Him who sent Me, has (posses now) eternal life [that is, eternal life actually begins—the believer is transformed], and does not come into judgment and condemnation, but has passed [over] from death into life.”

Paul says in Romans 8:38-39, “For I am convinced [and continue to be convinced—beyond any doubt] that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present and threatening, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the [unlimited] love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Paul also said in 2 Corinthians 1:20-22, “For as many as are the promises of God, in Christ they are [all answered] “Yes.” So through Him we say our “Amen” to the glory of God. Now it is God who establishes and confirms us with you in Christ, and who has anointed us [empowering us with the gifts of the Spirit]; it is He who has also put His seal on us [that is, He has appropriated us and certified us as His] and has given us the [Holy] Spirit in our hearts as a pledge [like a security deposit to guarantee the fulfillment of His promise of eternal life].”

1 Peter 1:3-5 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant and boundless mercy has caused us to be born again [that is, to be reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] to an ever-living hope and confident assurance through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [born anew] into an inheritance which is imperishable [beyond the reach of change] and undefiled and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, who are being protected and shielded by the power of God through your faith for salvation that is ready to be revealed [for you] in the last time.”

I believe God’s love and His eternal provision is available to everyone! 1 Timothy 2:4 says, “God wants everyone to be saved and understand the truth.”

I’m so grateful that the Lord has provided us with His Word as a baseline for identifying truth! May we all continue to search the Scriptures, and let it be our guide in every area of our lives.

Is there a distinction between thinking something and believing something?

Just like putting the horse in front of the cart, I think (pun intended) thinking precedes believing. It may be more of a subtle distinction than a substantive difference, but it’s an interesting discussion to consider.

When I made a very conscious choice and believed by faith that Jesus was in reality God, who miraculously entered into this world as a human being, ultimately to die on a cross in order to pay for my sins which I could never atone for by my own efforts (no matter how ‘good’ a life I tried to live) … I most definitely thought about why I would make such a life altering decision.

Soon after graduation from high school, I became a Bible believing Christian. However, it wasn’t because I studied the Bible in search of evidence that Jesus was who He claimed to be. I actually saw first hand a life lived out daily completely and totally transformed! A Biblical definition of being transformed is, “A change of their very nature or a change at the heart of who they are.” All I knew at the time was my mom was changed in an instant, beyond my recognition, and I wanted what she had!

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].”

John 1:12 says, “But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the right to become children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name.”

1 Peter 1:22-23 says, “Since by your obedience to the truth you have purified yourselves for a sincere love of the believers, [see that you] love one another from the heart [always unselfishly seeking the best for one another], for you have been born again [that is, reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] not of seed which is perishable but [from that which is] imperishable and immortal, that is, through the living and everlasting word of God.”

Acts 2:36-39 says, “Therefore let all the house of Israel recognize beyond all doubt that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart [with remorse and anxiety], and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what are we to do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise [of the Holy Spirit] is for you and your children and for all who are far away [including the Gentiles], as many as the Lord our God calls to Himself.”

Just about every decision we make boils down to whatever our baseline is for identifying truth, before taking action. My baseline for what I believe is true is Jesus, and what the Bible teaches about Him.

Have you personally experienced a change of your very nature, or a change at the heart of who you are? If so, don’t hesitate to share your testimony anywhere and every where you go! If not, please reach out, as we would love to try and answer any questions you may have in order to get you thinking about what it could mean to be transformed through the sacrificial love of Christ.

Avoiding hell

Even though it’s a topic that most of us would prefer not to think about (including believers), if Jesus addressed the reality of hell so much in the Bible, shouldn’t we try to understand why?

The great news is, we all have been given the freedom to decide where we will live forever!

Here are the two options from a Biblical frame-of-reference for us to consider when we think of our own mortality:

For those who choose to reject Jesus and His sacrifice for their sins when He died on the cross for them, Revelation 20:14-15 says this will happen at the final judgment, “Then death and Hades [the realm of the dead] were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire [the eternal separation from God]. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was hurled into the lake of fire.”

For those who choose to accept Jesus and trust that He paid the price for all their sins on the cross and are now forgiven, Revelation 21:1-4 says, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

We’re all presented with a clear distinction surrounding where (and how) we will spend our future eternity. Depending upon where you may be in your ‘faith journey’ … what will you do about the following claim from Jesus in John 3:16-18?

“For God so loved and dearly prized the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge and condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. Whoever believes and has decided to trust in Him [as personal Savior and Lord] is not judged [for this one, there is no judgment, no rejection, no condemnation]; but the one who does not believe [and has decided to reject Him as personal Savior and Lord] is judged already, because he has not believed and trusted in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

As a Life Member of the PGA of America, I’ve made my fair share of risk versus reward decisions while competing in golf tournaments over the years … but there’s no comparison to what’s at stake when we consider where in fact we will spend all of eternity. My prayer is that you will put your faith and your trust fully and completely into Jesus in preparation for spending all of eternity with Him in heaven.

In case you don’t personally know a christian who you could ask why they believe they’ll be going to heaven after they die … please click on the link below to see and hear a real life testimony about someone very dear to me who has recently ‘relocated’ to heaven.

https://www.mightywind.org/storys

What happens to those who reject Jesus?

If the clear message of the Bible is true, the warning in the following passage (Luke 16:19-31) is a very graphic depiction of what will happen to those who choose to die in their sins without accepting Christ’s free gift of salvation:

Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury.

At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores.

As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores. “Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet. The rich man also died and was buried, and he went to the place of the dead.

There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side. “The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’

“But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish. And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.’

“Then the rich man said, ‘Please, Father Abraham, at least send him to my father’s home. For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don’t end up in this place of torment.’

“But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.’ “The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.’

“But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”

More on the reality of hell in the next post.

Faith in Christ and every day judgment calls continued …

What makes us think or believe (have faith even) that the chair we’re about to sit in will hold us up and keep us from crashing to the ground? Is it because we’ve taken the time to examine the structure of the chair to gain confidence that it’s sturdy enough to hold our weight? It’s more likely that the law of probability wins the day based on how many times in the past that we’ve successfully sat down in a chair without incident.

If it’s true that the history of Israel showed the reality of Jesus coming to this earth in the flesh (incarnate), along with Him fulfilling over 300 Old Testament prophecies … it’s beyond reasonable to trust our faith in Him to be our Lord and Savior!

If you’re still stuck on whether God actually exists, and if there really is an ‘intelligent designer’ responsible for creating everything, please consider the Teleological argument … which says:

- Things do not design themselves (think, a watch maker), as the law of science essentially means that an object reflects a purpose or a goal, which necessitates it having a designer.

Paul says in Romans 1:16-20, “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.”

I don’t pretend to know the entire context of your life and why you currently believe what you believe. But I would encourage you to search the Scriptures, let them be your guide as it relates to who Jesus is … and how you should sincerely consider responding by faith to His free offer to save your soul for all eternity.

How are every day judgment calls and faith in Jesus related?

The reality is that we all put our faith into something (or someone). Whether you believe that God exists or are a skeptic, we all will express a measure of faith in a variety of ways today, as well as every day of our life.

For example, how do I know with 100% certainty that when the light turns green in a very busy intersection, that it will be safe for me to enter and not get creamed by someone who perhaps misjudged the timing of the yellow light and ended up running a red light at full speed? We can’t possibly know every single detail surrounding the soundness and reliability of every driver on the road. Making dynamic (literal moment-by-moment) judgment calls while driving is very much a risk/reward proposition.

As we consider where we place our faith surrounding the question of whether Jesus came to this earth as God incarnate (in the flesh), we’ll have to make a judgment call despite what we don’t know … because of what we do know. Even without an absolute understanding (or proof) that we can know with 100% assurance that the God of the Bible is very much alive and desires a very personal relationship with each one of us, we would be well served to follow the evidence and act on what we do (or can) know.

Hebrews 11:6-7 says, “But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him. By faith Noah, being warned by God about events not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his family. By this [act of obedience] he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness which comes by faith.”

A biblical definition of faith goes well beyond mere belief. Many people say they believe that God exists, yet for those of us who choose to look to Jesus as our baseline for what’s true, our faith is more in line with putting complete trust in His promises clearly laid out in Scripture.

Habakkuk 2:4 says, “Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by faithfulness to God.”

Consider for a moment the cosmological evidence:
- Whatever begins to exist must have a cause for its existence.

- The universe began to exist.

- Therefore, the universe must have a cause for its existence.

- The attributes of the cause of the universe (being timeless, existing outside of space) are the attributes of God.

- Therefore, the cause of the universe must be God.

Let’s continue this whole fascinating faith & judgment call question in the next post.

Finding purpose & meaning

No doubt there have been hundreds of ‘How To’ books written over the years. When considering specific ‘life questions,’ like our purpose & meaning, we would be best served if we diligently search the ultimate ‘owner’s manual’ … provided by the very Author of life Himself, in this all time best seller, the Bible! Otherwise known as, Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.

Concerning the choice to continue to live for the ways of the world, in comparison to going all in for Jesus, the Apostle Paul says this in Philippians 3:6-11, “I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!”

1 Peter 2:21-25 says, “For [as a believer] you have been called for this purpose, since Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you may follow in His footsteps. He committed no sin, nor was deceit ever found in His mouth. While being reviled and insulted, He did not revile or insult in return; while suffering, He made no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges fairly. He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross [willingly offering Himself on it, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; for by His wounds you [who believe] have been healed. For you were continually wandering like sheep, but now you have come back to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.”

I sincerely hope you can imagine what it’s like to experience 24/7 harmonious companionship (becoming one with Christ), as well as having Him literally always watching over the very essence of your being (as the Guardian of our souls)!

When God originally created man, our purpose was to glorify Him in everything we do … to enjoy His fellowship … be in good relationships with those around us … to be faithful in our work, and have dominion over all the earth. Unfortunately, when we fell into sin, that close communion and fellowship with God was broken. Only by restoring and redeeming that intimate fellowship with God, through faith in Jesus, can purpose and meaning in our lives be rediscovered.

What did Jesus mean when He said we can’t serve two masters?

During His sermon on the mount, Jesus said this in Matthew 6:19-21, “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”

A few verses later in Matthew 6:24 Jesus says, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].”

It really boils down to two choices that we all have to make. Either we live our lives for the Lord with an eternal perspective … or, we live in pursuit of all this world has to offer like; power, money, selfish pleasures, comfort, or whatever else we think will ultimately make us happy.

If your baseline for identifying truth is Jesus, and everything the Bible teaches us about Him … then you have a clear mandate for how you go about every aspect of your daily life. For those who reject Jesus’ offer of paying the price for your sins and being forgiven … I strongly encourage you to reconsider your baseline for how you identify what’s true, and ask the Lord to reveal Himself to you.

Matthew 19:16-30 says, “Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”

Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.”

“Which ones?” the man asked.”

And Jesus replied: “‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’

“I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?”

Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?”

Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life.

But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.”

There is always a risk/reward component to every decision we make, and the reward of an eternity with Jesus in a perfect place forever seems to be worth the risk of surrendering ownership of your life to Jesus here and now, and start enjoying that harmonious companionship with Him that will never ever end!!

Does the Bible address God’s purpose for all the difficult tests & trials we all face throughout our lifetime?

The book of James is for the practical person, and perhaps that’s one of the reasons it’s one of my favorite books in the Bible.

James 1:2-3 says, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.”

The subjects that the book of James covers are issues that we all face daily, if not hourly. And the main point of all the questions James raises is that a true and a sincere saving faith, needs to result in changed behavior. The words translated “test” in the Bible (both the Old Testament & the New) means “to prove by trial.” Therefore, when God tests His children, His purpose is to prove that our faith is real.

Not all testing and trials are demonic, but even for those that are, we would be wise to recognize and take to heart in what 1 John 4:2-5 says, “This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.”

The reality that the testing of our faith can come in small ways and daily irritations, but also they may be severe afflictions as well as from attacks from Satan, like Job faced. Yet, may we all be encouraged by his response when he said in Job 1:21-23, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.”

Whenever we’re tempted to be mad, or frustrated, or simply just can’t understand why God is allowing (you fill-in the blanks) in our lives … we should learn from Job’s response and consider the very long list of ways he was tested.

Whatever the source of your testing is right now, it is to your benefit to undergo the trials that God allows with a sincere attitude that He ultimately knows what’s best, even if you can’t see or understand why it’s happening to you.

May we all be encouraged by what Paul says in Romans 8:27-28, “And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

Our response to everything is everything!

As follower’s of Christ we’re all still subject to living in this world as it is under the curse of sin. However, we’ve been called and equipped by the Lord to live moment-by-moment exhibiting a completely different attitude than unbelievers have. Those who have yet to say “Yes” to Jesus have no hope for anything beyond what this world has to offer.

When we choose to grumble, or complain, or have an attitude of negativity, we’re refusing to see our circumstances from God’s perspective. And consequently, we are reacting the same way unbelievers do. Why would anyone who may be on their own faith journey even reach out to us and inquire about why we’ve put our faith in Christ … if they see us constantly complaining or responding in anger to something we’re not pleased about?

Paul says in Philippians 2:13-15, “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.”

Paul also encourages us in Ephesians 4:30-33, “And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”

To be completely honest, I struggle with this pretty much every time I get behind the wheel in the car. If I don’t pray and ask the Lord to help my default attitude of becoming overtly frustrated when other drivers around me don’t drive their cars safely and responsibly … then I can easily become negative and agitated, rather than being kind and forgiving to everyone.

Jesus says in Matthew 5:13-15, “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.”

A brief study of the Holy Spirit

There’s actually a term, Pneumatology that means “The study of the Holy Spirit.” I think it’s really important to understand what the Bible says about who the Holy Spirit is, in order to help break through the confusion that many believer’s have surrounding His role. The Holy Spirit described in the Bible is identified as fully God!

Also, it’s clear that the Scriptures identify the Holy Spirit as a person who has been present with the Father and the Son since before time began. Genesis 1:2 says, “The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”

2 Peter 1:20-21 says, “But understand this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of or comes from one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” It’s super helpful to understand that the Biblical reality is that the Holy Spirit moved the prophets of God with the words of God!

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have [received as a gift] from God, and that you are not your own? You were bought with a price [you were actually purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and made His own]. So then, honor and glorify God with your body.”

Unfortunately, there’s a lot of confusion surrounding what it means to be ‘born again.’ Jesus says in John 3:5-7, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot [ever] enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be surprised that I have told you, ‘You must be born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified].” According to Jesus, in order to go to heaven after we die, we must be born of the Spirit!

Jesus told His disciples that the Holy Spirit, the Helper, was different from Himself. In John 14:25-26 He says, “I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” I don’t know about you, but I’m over-the-top thrilled, and so very grateful that God the Father provided me with the Spirit of Truth!

Wherever you may find yourself currently in your faith journey, may these words from Jesus in John 16:7-15 just before His crucifixion, encourage you to lean heavily into Him, as you recognize you’re never ever alone if you’ve been born again … “But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged. There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.”

Can we really know that we’re actually hearing from God?

That’s a fair question! Let’s consider the ways God chooses to communicate with us, to see if we can bring some clarity on this very important issue.

God uses the Bible to directly communicate with us … along with His Holy Spirit after we’ve been saved by repenting and putting our trust in Jesus … as well as using wise counsel through other people (pastor, friend, spouse, or mentor, etc). Proverbs 12:15 says, “The way of the fool [who rejects God’s wisdom] is right in his own eyes, but the wise listen to advice.”

Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:14-18, “But as for you, continue in the things that you have learned and of which you are convinced [holding tightly to the truths], knowing from whom you learned them, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus [surrendering your entire self to Him and having absolute confidence in His wisdom, power and goodness]. All Scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for instruction, for conviction, for correction, for training in righteousness;  God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.”

We know that God will always be faithful in doing His part in this very personal relationship that we have with Him! The bigger question is, ‘will we do our part in searching the Scriptures, and literally allowing His inspired and inerrant Word to lead and guide in our daily lives?’ Effective communication is a two-way street, and if we’ve neglected studying the Bible in order to hear from Him directly, all we have to do is open it up and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s truth to us. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Also, if we neglect going to the Lord in prayer, and find ourselves too busy, or too distracted by the many temptations of the world around us … then we shouldn’t be surprised if we’re not confidently hearing from Him directly.

James 1:5-7 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.”