1 Pet. 4:7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.

1 Pet. 4:8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

1 Pet. 4:9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint.

1 Pet. 4:10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

1 Pet. 4:11 Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

When Peter announces that the end of all things is near he surely does not foresee the passing of two millenniums during this end-time period. However it’s fairly common to mistake Peter’s pronouncement as the issuing of a divine timetable. It’s typical to react to this verse with a kind of lock-the-doors-and-wait-it-out mentality. But Peter was referring to the fact that in the resurrection of Christ and subsequent outpouring of the Spirit, God had completed the release of all provisions man would ever need to come back into right relationship with Him. There was no more development to look for in bringing man back to God. Heaven had fully deployed its treasure in Jesus, and the next great event would be the end of sin’s reign with the full manifestation of Jesus’ kingdom on Earth.

Peter declared that Earth had entered its final period before full restoration. A state of grace now exists as man has been handed ALL that he needs to come into sonship with the Father. Think about it: the door is open, the Holy Spirit is here, the way has been paid and sin’s obstacles cleared. All excuses have become cancelled as the Father has unleashed every necessary bounty and benefit for the lost to be recovered. There has not been one significant operational addition made to earth from Heaven, since the resurrection of Jesus. Not one has been needed, for all things have been given in Christ!

Rom. 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

2 Pet. 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

Col. 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

You can’t name one necessity that the Father has not already given to the Earth, in His Son Jesus. God is no longer hidden, He’s revealed. His will is no longer a mystery, it’s clearly known. And all this, God has done without wiping out His opposition! God has presented Himself without eliminating His enemy, so that man might make a clear and distinct choice. In this period of grace the introduction Of God’s kingdom is not the integration of God’s kingdom with that of fallen man. The Earth is currently home to two incompatible kingdoms: that of Christ and the defeated kingdom of darkness.

Peter’s announcement compels Christians to understand all this and adjust to living victoriously against the opposition. Because we have entered this place in time, he encapsulates the simple elements for a victorious Christian and a successful church in his text:

Prayer

Fervent Love

Hospitality

Spiritual Gifts

Divine Utterance

And he places these ingredients into a very definite focus. The whole aim for the successful believer is to glorify Jesus Christ. God has put every necessity at our disposal to give what is due Him, to whom all glory belongs.

“…so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Heb. 12:1 Therefore, surrounded as we are by such a vast cloud of witnesses, let us fling aside every encumbrance and the sin that so readily entangles our feet. And let us run with patient endurance the race that lies before us,

Heb. 12:2 simply fixing our gaze upon Jesus, our Prince Leader in the faith, who will also award us the prize. He, for the sake of the joy which lay before Him, patiently endured the cross, looking with contempt upon its shame, and afterwards seated Himself— where He still sits—at the right hand of the throne of God.

Heb. 12:3 Therefore, if you would escape becoming weary and faint-hearted, compare your own sufferings with those of Him who endured such hostility directed against Him by sinners.

Heb. 12:4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted so as to endanger your lives;

Heb. 12:5 and you have quite forgotten the encouraging words which are addressed to you as sons, and which say, “My son, do not think lightly of the Lord’s discipline, and do not faint when He corrects you;

Heb. 12:6 for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines: and He scourges every son whom He acknowledges.”

Heb. 12:7 The sufferings that you are enduring are for your discipline. God is dealing with you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?

Heb. 12:8 And if you are left without discipline, of which every true son has had a share, that shows that you are illegitimate, and not true sons.

Heb. 12:9 Besides this, our earthly fathers used to discipline us and we treated them with respect, and shall we not be still more submissive to the Father of our spirits, and live?

Heb. 12:10 It is true that they disciplined us for a few years according as they thought fit; but He does it for our certain good, in order that we may become sharers in His own holy character.

Heb. 12:11 Now, at the time, discipline seems to be a matter not for joy, but for grief; yet it afterwards yields to those who have passed through its training a result full of peace—namely, righteousness.

Heb. 12:12 Therefore strengthen the drooping hands and paralyzed knees,

Heb. 12:13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put entirely out of joint

Heb. 12:14 but may rather be restored. Persistently strive for peace with all men, and for that growth in holiness apart from which no one will see the Lord. (Weymouth Translation)

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

So far we have looked at the fact that Christians in our culture live in the pursuit of happiness rather than holiness. But God makes clear in the text that He is more concerned for our holiness than our happiness, because true holiness leads to freedom from futility and fellowship with him. We have also looked at the fact that it’s our nature to avoid correction because it initially causes grief. Hence the warning from the text above is: “do not think lightly of the Lord’s discipline, and do not faint when He corrects you”. So today let’s consider the statement in verse 8, which says, ”And if you are left without discipline, of which every true son has had a share, that shows that you are illegitimate, and not true sons.”

There should be no mystery about why so many Christians secretly fight strong feelings of spiritual insecurity. When the pressure of trials bring their influence to bear, a great deal of our theology immediately disintegrates. We believe much more than we practice, and the sieve of daily life quickly separates what is true from what is real in our faith. We profess many things that we have never consistently proven. And I say this not to cast condemnation upon us, but because it leads to a very important revelation:

Theology can not give you the sense of legitimacy that only divine discipline can produce.

Heb. 12:8 …discipline, of which every true (legitimate) son has had a share…

Our theology must never emancipate us from the Savior. God’s correction always reminds us of how dependent upon Him we are. But even more important than that, is the fact that His correction literally brings us into the inheritance of our sonship.

Heb. 12:7 …God is dealing with you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?

Our sonship will always be IN Christ and never beside Christ, or even behind Christ. We are legitimate only IN Christ. The New Covenant is a blood covenant between God the Father and God the Son. We are adopted not adapted. Therefore His disciplinary dealing will ALWAYS have this one directional influence in it. And that is, that His reproofs will always correct our relationship to Jesus and not just punish us for breaking a moral code. The Old Testament Law dealt with our relationship to a codified righteousness, and as such it revealed the impossibility of man ever being saved by relationship to law. That’s why the New Covenant embodies righteousness in the man, Jesus Christ, Who is God the Son. Him, we can have a relationship with.The Old Testament punished law-breakers in the futile hope that they would keep it. In the New Testament God chastens sons so they will be what they are: sons, and not act illegitimately.

Our sense of legitimacy does not come from how much we know or how convincingly we speak. In fact, our legitimacy cannot be maintained at all by the accumulation of truth. For the reality of faith is that it’s actually God Who makes us Sons through our obedience to Him.

Phil. 2:13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Far too many Christians attempt to close the gap on their own sense of spiritual insecurity (illegitimacy) by learning something new. We tend to live from sermon to sermon, teaching to teaching. We think it, therefore we possess it. But the object of the New Testament isn’t truth. It’s Sonship. And our sense of legitimacy comes as we allow the Father to DEAL with us in the Truth. It’s the divine dealing we submit to, and not the knowledge we receive, that proves the legitimacy of our sonship. It is this very sense of legitimacy that forms the foundation for our daily operational faith, and that is why divine discipline is so necessary, because it frees us to believe what we believe in; to act on what we know; to live as Sons of God.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Heb. 12:1 Therefore, surrounded as we are by such a vast cloud of witnesses, let us fling aside every encumbrance and the sin that so readily entangles our feet. And let us run with patient endurance the race that lies before us,

Heb. 12:2 simply fixing our gaze upon Jesus, our Prince Leader in the faith, who will also award us the prize. He, for the sake of the joy which lay before Him, patiently endured the cross, looking with contempt upon its shame, and afterwards seated Himself– where He still sits–at the right hand of the throne of God.

Heb. 12:3 Therefore, if you would escape becoming weary and faint-hearted, compare your own sufferings with those of Him who endured such hostility directed against Him by sinners.

Heb. 12:4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted so as to endanger your lives;

Heb. 12:5 and you have quite forgotten the encouraging words which are addressed to you as sons, and which say, ”My son, do not think lightly of the Lord’s discipline, and do not faint when He corrects you;

Heb. 12:6 for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines: and He scourges every son whom He acknowledges.”

Heb. 12:7 The sufferings that you are enduring are for your discipline. God is dealing with you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?

Heb. 12:8 And if you are left without discipline, of which every true son has had a share, that shows that you are bastards, and not true sons.

Heb. 12:9 Besides this, our earthly fathers used to discipline us and we treated them with respect, and shall we not be still more submissive to the Father of our spirits, and live?

Heb. 12:10 It is true that they disciplined us for a few years according as they thought fit; but He does it for our certain good, in order that we may become sharers in His own holy character.

Heb. 12:11 Now, at the time, discipline seems to be a matter not for joy, but for grief; yet it afterwards yields to those who have passed through its training a result full of peace–namely, righteousness.

Heb. 12:12 Therefore strengthen the drooping hands and paralyzed knees,

Heb. 12:13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put entirely out of joint

Heb. 12:14 but may rather be restored. Persistently strive for peace with all men, and for that growth in holiness apart from which no one will see the Lord. (Weymouth Translation)

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

The warning from the text above is: “do not think lightly of the Lord’s discipline, and do not faint when He corrects you”. And the reason for this admonition is because in our quest to be happy we don’t see God’s correction as gratifying. We like to try and get past it as quickly as we can, because it’s not a “happy” experience. In fact, God’s correction brings grief. But it’s the kind of grief that’s good and warns you that something is wrong. If you ignore it or simply try to get past it as quickly as you can you’ll probably keep heading right into trouble.

I remember years ago reading about David’s sin with Bathsheba, and the mess he created through his lust, by getting her pregnant and having her husband killed. But once it was “over” he married her and probably figured he was back “on track with God”. And when I read how Nathan the Prophet came in and exposed David’s sin (after it seemed to be a thing of the past), it struck me how that you can never put behind you want God hasn’t “put away”. David thought he had gotten past it all. I’m certain that he was very sorry for what he had done, and I’m sure he had no allusions about it being wrong. Yet like many of us, he probably figured, “It’s past. I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll stick close to God for now on…etc, etc.” But sin has a terrible and dangerous influence upon us, as it dowses our soul with it’s highly flammable solution. All it takes is a close brush with the flames of temptation. So God had to step in and deliver David from what he could not see, nor free himself from. When Nathan revealed the sin David thought he had put behind him, David was shocked and dragged down into a most grievous experience of repentance. And when his time of repentance was thoroughly completed the Bible reports that, “And David said to Nathan, Great is my sin against the Lord. And Nathan said to David, The Lord has put away your sin; death will not come on you” (2 Sam. 12:13). It is so important to realize how utterly impossible it is to put away your own sin. You cannot put behind you what God has not put away. We NEED God’s reproof and correction, and if it weren’t “grievous” we wouldn’t pay much attention to it.

In the letters to the Corinthians Paul reproved the Church for certain sinful behavior. His letter of correction pierced them with painful reproof. But after they wrestled with the issue, and went to God for correction over it, the result was thorough and produced a revival in them.

2 Cor. 7:8 For though my letter gave you pain, I have no regret for it now, though I had before; for I see that the letter gave you pain, but only for a time.

2 Cor. 7:9 Now I am glad, not that you had sorrow, but that your sorrow was the cause of a change of heart; for yours was a holy sorrow so that you might undergo no loss by us in anything.

2 Cor. 7:10 For the sorrow which God gives is the cause of salvation through a change of heart, in which there is no reason for grief: but the sorrow of the world is a cause of death.

2 Cor. 7:11 For you see what care was produced in you by this very sorrow of yours before God, what clearing of yourselves, what wrath against sin, what fear, what desire, what serious purpose, what punishment. In everything you have made it clear that you are free from sin in this business.

It’s human nature to resist God’s correction because of the sorrow it causes, but it’s divine nature that calls us into the Refiner’s Fire, knowing that it’s the door to deliverance and true joy.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Heb. 12:1 Therefore, surrounded as we are by such a vast cloud of witnesses, let us fling aside every encumbrance and the sin that so readily entangles our feet. And let us run with patient endurance the race that lies before us,

Heb. 12:2 simply fixing our gaze upon Jesus, our Prince Leader in the faith, who will also award us the prize. He, for the sake of the joy which lay before Him, patiently endured the cross, looking with contempt upon its shame, and afterwards seated Himself— where He still sits—at the right hand of the throne of God.

Heb. 12:3 Therefore, if you would escape becoming weary and faint-hearted, compare your own sufferings with those of Him who endured such hostility directed against Him by sinners.

Heb. 12:4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted so as to endanger your lives;

Heb. 12:5 and you have quite forgotten the encouraging words which are addressed to you as sons, and which say, “My son, do not think lightly of the Lord’s discipline, and do not faint when He corrects you;

Heb. 12:6 for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines: and He scourges every son whom He acknowledges.”

Heb. 12:7 The sufferings that you are enduring are for your discipline. God is dealing with you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?

Heb. 12:8 And if you are left without discipline, of which every true son has had a share, that shows that you are bastards, and not true sons.

Heb. 12:9 Besides this, our earthly fathers used to discipline us and we treated them with respect, and shall we not be still more submissive to the Father of our spirits, and live?

Heb. 12:10 It is true that they disciplined us for a few years according as they thought fit; but He does it for our certain good, in order that we may become sharers in His own holy character.

Heb. 12:11 Now, at the time, discipline seems to be a matter not for joy, but for grief; yet it afterwards yields to those who have passed through its training a result full of peace—namely, righteousness.

Heb. 12:12 Therefore strengthen the drooping hands and paralysed knees,

Heb. 12:13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put entirely out of joint

Heb. 12:14 but may rather be restored. Persistently strive for peace with all men, and for that growth in holiness apart from which no one will see the Lord. (Weymouth Translation)

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

I am preparing to make one of my trips back into the jungles of the Niger River Delta. There I am bringing Jesus to people who have never heard the Gospel, and live a very remote and hard life. Their native culture and our “Christianized” society are sharply contrasted. Making the adjustment in my mind, in order to preach effectively there, I realize there is something fundamental to Jesus’ Gospel that we have forgotten here in America. And that is that God more concerned with our holiness than our happiness.

We are obsessed with the pursuit of happiness in post-modern culture. And it is a multi-billion dollar business; because the advertising industry knows that it can easily separate us from our money by convincing us that we are unhappy. Happiness depends on “happenings”. If we happen to get what we want, well then we’re happy…for a while anyway. However, the soul is not satisfied with happenings or happiness. Your soul seeks meaning, rest, revelation and purpose. None of which result from happenings: things going the way you want them to. The carnal desires of the flesh are always imposing themselves upon the soul. And the soul that isn’t disciplined in God will simply cave into the demands of the flesh. Isaiah the Prophet wrote:

Isa. 55:1 Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost.

Isa. 55:2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And delight yourself in abundance.

Isa. 55:3 Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen, that you may live;

The modern western church is steeped in the pursuit of happiness. Messages are tailored to appeal to the interests of every specific group. Preachers who use to write about the claims of Christ now write How-To best sellers. Yet the true need of our life is Holiness, not happiness. Holiness is the work of the Spirit of God, freeing us dependence upon carnal gratification. It’s the process of deliverance from distractions, addiction to entertainment the powers of selfishness. Holiness cuts away the thick fleshy bulk from our hearts and minds, allowing us to feel the love of God and see the worth of Jesus Christ.

Heb. 12:14 Persistently strive for…growth in holiness apart from which no one will see the Lord.

We see many styles of churches, thoughtful accommodations, impressive messages, talented productions, even spiritual “manifestations”. But we don’t see the Lord …really see the Lord. Christians would zealously follow Jesus if they saw Him, but instead, must be constantly coaxed into faithfulness.

People can be happy with things that take them away from God.

The pursuit of happiness has resulted from a misguided interpretation of the Gospel. The love of prosperity and the fear of losing it, has caused us to redefine the meaning of life and the purpose of ministry. And we have bought into some wrong assumptions. We believe that God wants us “happy”. But God wants us holy – knowing that holiness brings us into something that the pursuit of happiness can never deliver: fulfillment and the Joy of the Lord.

You can never be truly happy immersed in yourself. Our Heavenly Father loves us far too much to pour out His anointing upon us before we are redirected into the pursuit of holiness rather than happiness. He chastens us with conviction and reproves us till we respond to Him and begin to wholeheartedly seek His face. The pursuit of happiness (rooted as it is in our flesh) dulls our souls to God’s dealings. We become chronically unhappy, and can’t seem to find a satisfaction level. The pursuit of happiness becomes an increasing burden as we drag the weight of conviction along with us. But godly sorrow leads to repentance and awakens our hearts to higher joys and deeper purposes. Happiness without God is a cruel hoax, but the joy of the Lord works regardless of what is happening.

More tomorrow, so until then……

Stay On The Path

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

John 5:1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

John 5:2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

John 5:3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

John 5:4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

John 5:5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

John 5:6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

John 5:7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

John 5:8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

John 5:9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

(from the previous devotioanl, “Where There Is No Man”)

“It is the nature of sickness to be oppressive. In making us weak, it causes us to look to men for help. And when it drags us beyond the reach of men, affliction lays its seeds of hopelessness in our soul. But it is contrasted against the very backdrop of hopelessness, that Jesus’ presentation shines brightly.  Where there is “no man”, there is Jesus!”

“The attitude of Heaven had formed itself into Jesus. He clearly, and without conflict, spoke from His heart, from the mandate of His mission. “Will you be made whole?”

What is Jesus, if He is no bigger, no more powerful, no more willing, than our unbelief and doubts? Certainly we are confined by the limits of our faith. But Jesus has a will and ability that far exceeds our fear-formed theologies. Jesus said one thing:

Matt. 8:7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.

But then man has penned a million words of caution, restriction, exclusions and disclaimers. Well-meaning Christian teachers have surrounded these, and other such powerful claims of Jesus, with the quicksand of theological motes, all in an effort to protect God and people from disapointment and accusation. Most believers today no longer even expect God to heal, much less believe that He has already provided it in Christ. They are so conditioned by the words of men there’s no expectation towards God. Sadly, most suffering believers just gaze hopefully at the slim chance of an inexplicable stirring pool.

Let’s revisit the man at the Pool of Bethesda one last time. It’s probably the last time he himself will ever be there. He is stranded at this mysterious pool of limited healing opportunities. Not unlike our churches today. There’s the knowledge that people get occasionally healed, but one could hardly call it an expectation. The healings happen sure enough, but they are so unpredictable and arbitrary. It’s more like people get healed by accident rather than on purpose. I wonder if it’s easier on the Pastors and Teachers to have people mysteriously healed by the occassional stirring waters. That way, no one has to say anymore than, “Well, we can’t understand His ways, but God will choose, from time-to-time, to heal someone.” It’s easy then. There’s no responsibility to relate with Jesus and take Him at His Word. We can just leave healing in the realm of “providence” and “souvereignty”. Which is a fancy way of saying, “Don’t get your hopes up, because God hasn’t attached any promises to this pool.”

Well, that would be nice and tidy, except for one thing: you’ve got Jesus loose and roaming around the Temple. And there’s no controlling Him. Everytime He personally confronts the afflicted, He offers them healing and deliverance. How do you keep that under control?!! To show me the Jesus of exceptions, exclusions and disclaimers, you have to take me to the mountainous pile of man’s theological comentaries. But to take you to the Jesus of consistent Healing, all I have to do is take you to the Bible. We like to tell people that the Bible is for today. We tell them that Jesus’ words of salvation are potent and relavent today. But then we turn them away from His words of healing and the consistent pattern of His delivering power; claiming that those words were only relavent then. Yet there’s not one solid direction from the Master’s mouth, that authorizes us to discount His offer to heal the sick, or religate it to special people during a short period of time. How completely and utterly opposite of everything He said and did! What if we told people to forget about the Pool Of Bethesda and start dealing directly with Jesus? What if we told people to stop waiting for a “special anointing” and start seeking the common Savior. Do we have the courage to tell the truth about Jesus? The truth that He is Heaven’s “YES!” to our faith’s petition for help, healing and deliverance?

2 Cor. 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

There was NEVER any sincere petitioner, who faced Jesus with a need for healing, that was ever turned away. Whether He went to them, or they came to Him, the result was ALWAYS the same. Always. Despite our modern theologies, I think there is a stronger case to be made, based soley on the evidence of scripture and the direct statements of Jesus Himself, that the sincere can not but get healed in the Presence of the Lord of Life!

Stay On The Path

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Faith & God's Promises // Add Comment »

John 5:1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

John 5:2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

John 5:3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

John 5:4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

John 5:5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

John 5:6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

John 5:7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

John 5:8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

John 5:9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

After 38 years of being entombed in his infirmity, this paralytic’s vision had narrowed down to the slim hope, that someone with enough pity, might carry him into the randomly stirring waters, ahead of the multitude. Hope had fled and left him as a victim; dependent upon man for a shot at a chance. Most people would call that “hopelessness”. You need to appreciate the dark closet of despair that Jesus stepped down into that day, at the Pool of Bethesda. Coming from the Heaven of Healing, Jesus presented the man with the offer of transformation. It was an easy offer for Jesus to make. The attitude of Heaven had formed itself into Jesus. He clearly, and without conflict, spoke from His heart, from the mandate of His mission. “Will you be made whole?”

But the afflicted man was not anywhere near the regions of Heaven, from which his visitor had come. His entire world had been shaped by cruel circumstance, into a dead stare at the waters that may as well have been miles away. And his answer to Jesus’ simple offer, revealed the only level on which he could possibly conceive of a way, “(But) I have no man…”. If only I had a man, someone who would take pity. But look, they’re all in the same boat I’m in.

Mark 10:27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

It is the nature of sickness to be oppressive. In making us weak, it causes us to look to men for help. And when it drags us beyond the reach of men, affliction lays its seeds of hopelessness in our soul. But it is contrasted against the very backdrop of hopelessness, that Jesus presentation shines brightly. Where there is “no man”, there is Jesus! And I think at times, until there is no man, then there is Jesus. Oh, how we dread drifting into “no man’s land”. How quickly is the light of hope snuffed and faith falls, when we’ve sailed beyond the shores of human help. Admittedly, it is frightening. But He who made the sea, and calms the waves, comes walking upon the water. The Light of the World, in the darkest night, upon the most unstable of conditions: here comes Jesus. What can hold Him back? What can keep Him from you? He whom death could not keep away, and the grave could not hold back from you. How will He not offer you the healing that has endured such a contest?! Sometimes we don’t see the Light of the world, until we’ve lost sight of the last man.

In the place of sympathetic sufferers,

There’s “no man” to carry you into the stirring waters.

It’s a place of confinement and sorrow for you,

This house of healing for others,

There stranded by the ‘pool of limited healing’,

And isolated by impossibility,

Comes the offer to take you where “no man’ can go,

From the lips of Jesus, “Will you be made whole?”

Stay On The Path

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Faith & God's Promises // Add Comment »

John 5:1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

John 5:2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

John 5:3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

John 5:4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

John 5:5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

John 5:6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

John 5:7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

John 5:8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

John 5:9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

If you went to Heaven today, do you think you would meet “Blind Bartimaeus”, “Simon The Leper”, or “The Woman With The Issue Of Blood”? Of course not. Not only has God removed their condition of sickness, but also it’s no longer their identity. They’re now “Simon the Whole” and “20/20 Bartimaeus”. But God saw him as “Simon The Whole” long before he became whole. While he was still a leper, God saw him as healed and whole.

Rom. 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

The eyes of God see with the perspective of His Will. Is God wrong to identify us according to His view of us, rather than labeling us by our temporary conditions? Conditions that linger may take on a sense of permanence in our minds, but they’re still temporary in the mind of Him whose will usurps them.

Mark 5:39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.

I doubt seriously that you would accuse Jesus of irresponsible thinking. Yet you might accuse someone who thought and spoke like Him of irresponsible thinking. Why is it OK for Jesus to speak from Heaven’s perspective, but wrong for us? Surely it’s not because He’s Jesus and we’re not. Because if you take that position then how in the world do you then turn around and explain that we are called to think, act and believe as He did?!

Mark 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

Mark 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

This mind-boggling statement from Jesus is surely limited to those “mountains” which God has said should be cast into the sea. And that certainly includes the personal example He demonstrated without exception, that of healing sickness. Concerning healing, He has set a solid precedent.

The man at the Pool of Bethesda had a deep-seated, lingering disorder. This was no momentary affliction. It was a “Boundary-Setting Illness”. When people have such afflictions, the infirmities define the boundaries of their lives. The infirm and crippled person may courageously expand their limitations, by playing guitar with their feet, painting with their mouth or playing sports in a wheelchair. But still there are boundaries which limit their abilities. However sickness may control your living, it should never define your life. Jesus healed Bartimaeus because the Bartimaeus God saw wasn’t blind. Jesus just put him into the condition God saw him in. And Bartimaeus BELIEVED He would do it! Can Jesus put you into the condition God sees you in?

When Jesus went in to heal Jairus’ daughter, she had died by the time He arrived, so they told Him it was too late, she’s dead. But Jesus didn’t see her as dead, and he said as much:

Mark 5:39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.

And look at the reaction He got from the mourners. It’s the same reaction we get today from Believers when confronted with the same faith:

Mark 5:40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.

Sometimes you have to just put out the doubters, and get Jesus in there alone with you.

Mark 5:41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.

Just like Lazarus, Jesus talked to this girl’s corpse as though she were alive. Because in the mind of Him, whose will counts the most, she was alive. He had said so! What has He said about you? Check His Word, not the mourners’ opinions, but God’s Word.

Mark 5:42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the ageof twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.

Of course they were astonished. They defined her as ‘dead’, while He defined her as ‘sleeping’. He defined Lazarus the same way:

John 11:11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friendLazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

And in the mind of Jesus, your condition is as temporary as sleep. He came to awaken you from your temporary condition. Sickness may control your living, but it should never define your life. It may describe ‘how you are’ for the moment, but it must never define ‘who you are’. Jesus communes with you on the basis of ‘who you are’, not on the basis of ‘how you are’. When Jesus visited the man at the Pool of Bethesda, his life had been completely controlled by his condition. And no doubt that in his thinking, his own identity was defined also by his illness. So Jesus approaches him with a most peculiar question:

John 5:6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

“Will you” be made whole? Not, ‘can you be’ made whole. ‘Can’ addresses the man’s ability, which of course, is overwhelmed by the condition. But Jesus engaged the man on the one level that his sickness could not control: his will. Of course the man didn’t possess the ability to make himself well. But now he was faced with Jesus, Who did have, not only the ability but also the will to heal him. Upon gazing into the compassionate eyes of the Son of God, the man lifted his own will from the paralyzing arms of sickness, and placed it into the Hands of Jesus. The sickness never had a chance!

Stay On The Path

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Faith & God's Promises // Add Comment »

John 5:1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

John 5:2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

John 5:3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

John 5:4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

John 5:5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

John 5:6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

John 5:7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

John 5:8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

John 5:9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

How great is the Lord’s goodness? How deep is your need? Perhaps the only way we ever know the measure of Jesus’ healing grace and delivering power is by the depth of the disability, from which He draws us.

This great story of Jesus’ visit to the Pool of Bethesda is like a perfect micro-drama, symbolizing our world today. In the middle of Jerusalem – a type of Christianity – there is this Pool where occasional healings occur. The conditions around these healings are like many today. There is an unpredictable “stirring at certain times”. And selective healings occur only for the first ones into the stirred waters. It’s completely arbitrary, without continuity, and contributes mystery to the subject of God and healing. In short, it’s too little and too inconsistent, to make a strong association between God and healing. Finally, sick and afflicted people, hoping to be fortunate enough to fall into the water when it stirs, surround the pool. There’s nothing in this picture that strengthens the seeker’s expectation that God would heal them.

In the crowd lies an unnamed man known only by the fact that he’s been there “trying to get healed” for nearly 38 years. The Pool of Bethesda was anything BUT a place of joy and hope. For most, like this man, it was the place of captivity, pain and disability. There is nothing quite like the misery of being afflicted when you’re seeking to be made whole. There are many believers who can’t stand the pain of seeking healing. It just makes it that much harder to resist caving into despair. Risking the hope of healing against the fear of giving up, becomes more than many are willing to bear. To them, it’s just easier to decide “God doesn’t want me whole”. When healing is a mysteriously ambiguous subject, where do you look for a clear line on hope? How can you have faith in a “stirring pool”? There’s no revelation of God in it, no message of promise to hold onto. That’s what healing is like for many believers today.

But Jesus walked right into this man’s place of captivity and disability and turned it into the very place of his testimony. We hate the affliction, until it becomes a testimony. Perhaps if we saw our afflictions as opportunities for God’s glory, our uncertainty would dissolve. If we looked at Jesus rather than some mysterious stirring, we would know our testimony was on the way!

Ex. 15:26 ….I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

Is. 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

1 Pet. 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

How long have you sat in the House Of God, waiting for that special stirring? God’s house has become a place of secret sorrow for you. But it is God’s will to turn your temple of secret sorrow into a cathedral of overflowing joy. Our testimony doesn’t begin when the answer arrives, but when the problem manifests. Our testimony begins in the depth of our despair, not on the plateau of our freedom. The valley is just the bottom of your mountain.

John 9:2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

John 9:3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

Jesus view of your affliction is the right one. He sees that it exists, not as some demented school of torture, designed to teach you appreciation. Nowhere in His Gospel did Jesus ever endorse such a cruel idea. But Jesus did put forth the idea that your affliction exists as an opportunity for God to show mercy. Did you know that God wants to be known for showing mercy? Did you know that he wants people to see Him as the One Who raises the dead, heals the sick, cleanses lepers, and delivers captives?

Matt. 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Matt. 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Luke 10:8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:

Luke 10:9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

Does Jesus not want us to believe that His Kingdom is a place of healing and restoration? Why preach that Jesus comes to deliver, to restore and heal, if we’re just going to leave everyone sick and dependent upon some unpredictable stirring? What in the world kind of testimony is that?! It makes it look as if Jesus speaks with His fingers crossed behind His back. We unleash our theologians on the chronically disappointed, with over-spiritualized explanations for why Jesus REALLY didn’t mean that they would “get healed physically”. In the end, we simply take the infirm and lay them back on the steps of the Pool Of Bethesda. Well, that may be where many of today’s teachers leave the sick, but thanks be to God, that’s not where the story ends. That’s just the place where Jesus goes to make a testimony.

Stay On The Path

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Faith & God's Promises // Add Comment »

John 5:1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

John 5:2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

John 5:3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

John 5:4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

John 5:5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

John 5:6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

John 5:7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

John 5:8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

John 5:9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

For the next several devotionals we will look at Jesus The Healer, through the story of His visit with the lame man at the Pool of Bethesda. The foundation for this devotional is found in the fact that it is in Jesus’ nature to heal. Healing flowed from the loving divine nature of the compassionate Jesus.

Matt. 14:14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Jesus LOVED to heal people. It was a joy, not a chore, for Him. Jesus did not heal people because it was some strategic plan of the Father to promote His ministry. This suggests that Jesus was simply following some public relations campaign, with cool detachment and indifference. And that the only reason God healed was to make a point of drawing attention to Jesus authenticity. While healing does show that Jesus is God, there is a higher, more God-like reason for Jesus’ healing ministry. And that is LOVE. Healing flows from the central force of God’s nature and cannot simply be discontinued anymore than God’s Love can be turned off. Consider from the standpoint of logic. If it was indeed, that God simply wanted healing to draw attention to Jesus, and give credibility to the fact that this was His Son, then WHAT was it about Jesus that the Father wanted people to believe? Surely, it was not only that He is God, but also more specifically, that He, as God, is loving, merciful, compassionate, and prepared with the answer of provision to have our burdens laid upon Him! In short, God wanted the world to know, not only that Jesus is God, but more importantly, just WHAT KIND OF GOD HE IS! LOVE shines and draws attention to itself. Not because it wants attention but because it’s giving attracts attention. God doesn’t “want attention”. God wants to give. And because he gives, He gets attention. That is the proper way to understand why God heals.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

The other motivation that provoked healing from Jesus was FAITH. In the Bible, healing was usually tied to faith on the part of the seeker. Healing is not a reward but rather a provision. Carefully watch Jesus healing people in the Gospels. You will notice that He is righting the defects caused by man’s fall. You see that in the mind of Jesus, people ought to be whole. Its God’s perfect intention…His perfect design.

Luke 13:16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?

Jesus, through His divine love, sees the world with a wonderfully simple clarity. Jesus never determined people’s qualification for healing on some complex code of religious legalities. Rather, He simply based their healing on His desire to make them whole and their will to believe He could. His Love and the Father’s perfect design had already determined what the will of God was on the matter. Now the sick and afflicted would determine their own receptivity by their willingness to believe it. Therefore God cannot arbitrarily turn off the virtue of healing in Jesus, anymore than He can decide to stop honoring faith.

Matt. 9:29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.

Matt. 9:22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

Mark 5:34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

Mark 10:52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.

Luke 8:48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

Luke 17:19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

The great danger in presenting Jesus the Healer, is making it an attachment; some ministry that can be disconnected from His utility belt of ministerial aides. Like a tool He picks up and puts down. Nothing could be more incorrect. Jesus didn’t “work healing” He IS healing! It flows from Him.

Mark 5:30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?

We have NEVER seen a Jesus that doesn’t heal. Just go try to find me one! Healing can no more be separated from Jesus than love and faith could be ignored by God. By taking healing and separating it from Jesus and making it into some arbitrary divine tool. We subject it to an endless complicated list of qualifiers that are impossible to determine. We keep it in the realm of mystery after Jesus went to such lengths to make it plain. By stripping healing from Jesus and treating it as a “Bible option” we then have to create a whole complex of theology in which to explain it. Are preachers trying to protect God from people’s opinions, because they’re afraid He won’t heal them? How shameful, to subject Jesus’ beautiful will to our fears.

Matt. 9:28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.

Let’s tell people exactly who Jesus is. Let’s stop dragging Him down to a “believable level” and instead, lift Him up for Who He is so he can inspire faith in those who look upon Him. Let’s get our own fears out of the way, because the religiously tamed and sensible Jesus that we’ve created isn’t exactly converting the multitudes.

Acts 3:6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

Stay On The Path.

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Faith & God's Promises // Add Comment »

Prov. 18:21 Death and life are in the power (hand) of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

The hand that receives the blessings of God is in your mouth. God’s Hand is in His mouth. Jesus, who is called “The Word of God”, is God’s hand of healing, salvation, help and blessing.

Words, and the mouths that form them, from the hearts that conceive them, hold the greatest powers of the Universe.

In Prov. 18:21, the translators used the word “power”, from the original ancient Hebrew word for “hand”; when describing the power of the tongue. From the Strong’s Concordance:

3027. yad, yawd; a primitive word; a hand (the open one – indicating power, means, direction, etc.)

A very simple and accurate paraphrase of the verse could read like this:

Prov. 18:21 Death and life are in the HAND of the tongue: and those who learn to use it will eat its fruit.

When God built the Universe He used His Hand – …the Hand in His mouth.

Heb. 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

God built with His Hand – …the Hand of His tongue. At 186,000 miles per second, light proceeded from the mouth of God, as He said, “Let there be light!”

So powerfully creative is the Hand of God in His mouth, that you never see in scripture, examples of Him speaking recklessly, or issuing meaningless words that He regrets saying. The reason is simple:

Heb. 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

God knows that His tongue is a hand. He knows every Word He speaks comes to pass. By the same token, we have been made in His image and likeness. In other words, we should act like Him and reflect His character. We’ve been designed by God to do so. And that’s why He says so much to us in His Word about our tongues. He knows that the hand in our mouth can build or tear down with greater force than the hands our arms support.

The words we speak form a hand that gives and receives. Think about it. Do you really want to give what your words declare? Do you really want to receive what your words state? What do you want to give? You must select words that are able to hand it out.

Prov. 10:21 The lips of the righteous feed many…

Words that form a hand are found in the heart. Whether loving, angry, joyous, judgmental, blessing or complaining, these words come from what we believe. When we speak from our beliefs we speak with the force of a hand.

Mark 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

It is with the hand in our mouth that we walk hand-in-hand with Jesus. Here is an amazing verse that makes this point so powerfully:

Heb. 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

The word, “Profession” is this word in the original Greek text:

3671. homologia, hom-ol-og-ee´-ah; from the same as 3670; acknowledgment:–con- (pro-)fession, professed.

In its simplest form, “profession” means to say the same thing as God. Jesus, as the great Apostle (Sent One) and High Priest of God, is the Hand of God joining with the hand of our mouth, when we say the same thing as God. That concept is powerful; because it transcends the limitations of education and social position, and places the great blessings of God before all men equally.  Anybody can now take hold of the endless mercy and powerful graces of the precious Lord Jesus.

Deut. 30:14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

Rom. 10:8 But what does it say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, in your mouth and in your heart”–that is, the word of faith which we are preaching.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Faith & God's Promises // Add Comment »

John 7:2 The time for the Jewish Festival of Booths was near.

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

John 8:1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

John 8:2 And early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them.

John 8:3 And the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the midst,

John 8:4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act.

John 8:5 “Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?”

John 8:6 And they were saying this, testing Him, in order that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground.

John 8:7 But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

John 8:8 And again He stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

John 8:9 And when they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the midst.

John 8:10 And straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?”

John 8:11 And she said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go your way. From now on sin no more.”

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

We have come to the climax of our study and finally, the confrontation between Jesus and the woman accused of adultery. As we’ve said all along‚, This story is about Jesus’ encounter with what people REALLY want, as opposed to what they say.

With the religious officials driven off under conviction or embarrassment, the woman is finally left alone to hear what Jesus has to say about her sin. Before you think that Jesus was some social revolutionary, fighting “The Man”, look carefully at His response. It should help you think again. Jesus came to forgive sin, not justify it, condone it or ignore it. One of the most challenging statements of the New Testament is found in 2 Corinthians 5:19, where Paul declares:

2 Cor. 5:19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

The Amplified Translation says:

2 Cor. 5:19 It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but canceling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor).

In this verse, God is telling us something that may be hard to take:

Jesus isn’t mad at the world. He’s come to soothe, not stone.

In fact, He has offered people amnesty for their sins. But that doesn’t mean that He ignores sin to do it. God cannot overlook sins that have not been submitted for forgiveness. And simply pretending there are justifications, extenuating circumstances, or that social trends have changed what defines sin, will never bring our sins into the light of Truth, so that they can be forgiven. A debtor can only benefit from a canceled debt once what was owed has been acknowledged. Look closely at what Jesus finally said to the woman:

John 8:11 ”…And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.”

Rather than saying “They wanted to stone you, but I forgive you, go in peace.”; He sends her away forgiven with a warning. He doesn’t say anything that might be construed as condoning her sins. Adultery is a very dangerous and life-destroying sin. A countless number of poor souls have been boiled away in the crucible of sexual sin. And one has only to look at the broken moral compass of today’s people to see why Jesus was careful not to give any impression that this lifestyle was taken lightly by Him. Lest we mistakenly fail to see that the chute to Hell is greased with sexual license.

Here’s the best practical advice for Christians who want to help their friends and acquaintances that are trapped in sexual sin:

#1 Make it your aim to help the person rather than attack the sin. You can’t do anything to make him or her a better person or the world a better place by attacking their sin.

#2 Don’t avoid the issue. Tell your friend the truth that sin is not just a moral boo-boo, but it’s destructive and hurtful. Nobody is ever set free by pretending that there’s nothing wrong with sin. Just don’t approach it as a religious infraction, but rather as damage to their soul and an obstacle to their relationship with God.

Finally, through this entire encounter we have seen that the characters involved wanted certain things that led them to behave the way they did. Our desires mold us. We are bound to fashion our lives according to what we want. You can tell what people really want with a good discerning look at what they do. Too often this does not line up with what they say. In the case of the woman who was being used as a political tool against Jesus, by the Jewish religious leaders, Jesus’ counsel to her was simple and brilliantly brief:

“Go. From now on sin no more.”

She NEEDED His command! From the non-condemning lips of the Heart of Real Love, came the words she desperately needed. It’s amazing how people’s lives slide sideways because there is no command from Love to do otherwise; no use of authority by compassion. Today’s anemic fake compassion simply ignores the sins that are destroying people’s lives, while offering powerless sympathies. And on the other extreme stand religious bureaucrats, driven by their own fears, to manipulate sinners with their sins, through condemnation. But in the brilliance of His sincerity, Jesus never entangled Himself in wasted psycho analysis of the woman’s life – why she did what she did; what was her emotional profile; what was her upbringing: etc, ad nauseum. But Jesus very simply counseled her to stop wanting and pursuing what is sinful. Because He knows that no one can be really helped until what they want, and where they look for it, changes.

So what is the message here, when Jesus stands before you, banishes the religious accusers from you and directs you away from your sins. Isn’t it clear that He has just offered you the power of freedom? Freedom to avoid manipulators? Freedom to choose a bondage-free life? Freedom to be a child of God?

John 8:34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.

John 8:35 ”The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever.

John 8:36 ”So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Portraits Of Jesus // Add Comment »

John 8:1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

John 8:2 And early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them.

John 8:3 And the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the midst,

John 8:4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act.

John 8:5 “Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?”

John 8:6 And they were saying this, testing Him, in order that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground.

John 8:7 But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

John 8:8 And again He stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

John 8:9 And when they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the midst.

John 8:10 And straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?”

John 8:11 And she said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go your way. From now on sin no more.”

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

As we have said all along, the real point of this confrontation between the Lord and the religious leaders is now coming to:

This story is about Jesus’ encounter with what people REALLY want, as opposed to what they say.

The religious bureaucrats came to Jesus seeking His judgment on the matter of this woman, taken in the act of adultery. But they abandoned their objective, once it was known that their motives had nothing to do with seeking righteous judgment. Yet Jesus Himself was not going to abandon the proper judgment of this case, even though they cared nothing for it. For He is God, and like light aggresses into darkness, so will He penetrate every case of judgment brought before Him. He is never simply neutral.

After challenging the woman’s accusers to let the guiltless cast the first stone, Jesus stooped back down and once again began writing in the dirt. After the leaders had all departed, the Bible tells that Jesus stood up and found Himself standing alone with the woman:

John 8:9 …and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the centerof the court.

Herein rests a beautiful insight. No individual or group has ever had the moral authority to stand in supervision over Jesus in the execution of judgment. The right is His alone. Thus the ‘gang of insincerity’ appropriately dispersed, leaving Pity and Misery alone to face each other. The gallery of petty legalists has stepped back with nothing to say, as Misery waits for Pity to speak. True humble-hearted Christians are expected to practice godly judgment, in dealing with corruption within their ranks in the Spirit of Christ. But the execution of judgment should never fall into the hands of people with ulterior motives. There can only be one true pure motive in approaching sin; and that motive pivots in perfect balanced in Jesus Christ, between the claims of righteousness and the heart of divine mercy. Some churches and Christians use sin and judgment to maintain power. Some are misguided, thinking they’re God’s bodyguards protecting Him from defiling influences. Still others have an honest zeal for righteousness but lack the wisdom and patience of mercy.

When Jesus stood to His feet He spoke to the woman in words that conveyed God’s true spirit of judgment:

John 8:10 When Jesus raised Himself up, He said to her, Woman, where are your accusers? Has no man condemned you?

Jesus doesn’t gloat or even bother to comment on the error of her accusers. His only concern is for ministering God’s grace and truth to her. In dealing with moral failures, that is where true judgment begins. Tomorrow we will see exactly how Jesus judged the ‘woman taken in adultery’.  So until then…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Our Identification In Christ, Outreach & Evangelism // Add Comment »

John 8:1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

John 8:2 And early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them.

John 8:3 And the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the midst,

John 8:4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act.

John 8:5 “Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?”

John 8:6 And they were saying this, testing Him, in order that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground.

John 8:7 But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

John 8:8 And again He stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

John 8:9 And when they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the midst.

John 8:10 And straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?”

John 8:11 And she said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go your way. From now on sin no more.”

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

By now it’s become evident that the real point of this confrontation between the Lord and the religious leaders is that:

This story is about Jesus’ encounter with what people REALLY want, as opposed to what they say.

The religious leaders have launched their nasty little plot to confront Jesus with the issue of whether or not the Law should be followed concerning the punishing of adulterers. But their plan backfired when Jesus basically said “Yes, it should be upheld, and the ones among you who are morally perfect enough to execute it may go ahead now and do so.” With their legalistic trap-question sprung, the gang of religious petty officials are now thrown on the defensive, having to face their own conviction. And the Bible says:

John 8:7 But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

John 8:8 Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.

John 8:9 When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court.

Stop and try to visualize the scene. Talk about ‘shock ‘n awe’. These hypocrites have just been hit with their greatest fear: Truth. Conviction is raining down upon their heads. And if their callous hearts won’t let them taste the pain of conviction, then they are being tortured with embarrassment. Whichever the case, the oldest are the first to realize their defeat, break ranks and return home. They drop their rocks and turn away. This realization that they’ve just been overturned by righteousness, steadily works its way through the gang until the youngest and last legalist has walked away.

“…they began to go out one by one…”

This is a very dramatic illustration of the fact that morality is not a ‘group benefit’, but rather a very personal and individual condition. True morality is installed; being stitched into our hearts by the needle and thread of conviction. You aren’t moral because you belong to some church or group that believes in a certain moral code. But as you allow your errors to be confronted by the convictions of His Truth, then real morality is assembled inside your heart. When real conviction of truth takes hold of you it’s always on a very personal level. You can be in the middle of a crowd during a happy event when suddenly, something is said that sends a revealing thrust right into the depth of your soul. Everyone around is seemingly oblivious to the anguish of your conviction. But you feel as naked and helpless as a newborn babe. These moments are among the most significant in life. They are the most critical crossroads we ever encounter. For at these junctions, we either turn up road directly into the conviction and press on to overcome. Or we turn down the side streets of self-justification and compromise.

Unfortunately, I fear that the men among these religious bigots probably went home to lick their wounds, seethed in anger, regrouped and helped form the gang that eventually drug Jesus before Pilate. It’s a terrible tragedy to harden one’s heart and react to God’s conviction out of embarrassment instead of humility. Especially when we see how He responds to a humbled heart. These men might had seen it if they had stayed around to watch Jesus interact with the woman left standing alone. We’ll look at her in the next steps. So until then…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

John 8:1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

John 8:2 And early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them.

John 8:3 And the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the midst,

John 8:4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act.

John 8:5 “Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?”

John 8:6 And they were saying this, testing Him, in order that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground.

John 8:7 But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

John 8:8 And again He stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

John 8:9 And when they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the midst.

John 8:10 And straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?”

John 8:11 And she said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go your way. From now on sin no more.”

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Let’s remember the key to this confrontation the Lord has with the religious leaders of His day, is that:

This story is about Jesus’ encounter with what people REALLY want, as opposed to what they say.

For the hypocritical leaders, the issue really wasn’t about Jesus’ opinions concerning the judgment of this particular sin. If they REALLY had been concerned about it they would have privately dismissed the issue and tried to help those involved get their lives together. And the reason they would have handled it that way is because when you’re genuinely concerned for others’ moral failures, your motivation is to help them, because you are aware of your own sinful weaknesses and the sorrows they bring.

Gal. 6:1 Brethren, IF any person is overtaken in misconduct or sin of any sort, you who are spiritual [who are responsive to and controlled by the Spirit] should set him right and restore and reinstate him, without any sense of superiority and with all gentleness, keeping an attentive eye on yourself, lest you should be tempted also.

Gal. 6:2 Bear (endure, carry) one another’s burdens and troublesome moral faults, and in this way fulfill and observe perfectly the law of Christ (the Messiah) and complete what is lacking [in your obedience to it].

Jesus Responds…

John 8:6 They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground.

By stooping down to write in the dirt, Jesus shows His complete disregard for their lack of moral character and authority in approaching Him with this question. This was the first message that needed to be sent by Him because this revealed the true lunacy of their position. By their hollow hearted lack of love, they were revealed to be completely inappropriate and disqualified to even deal with this issue. Think about it; God comes Himself to deal with our sins and He shows up with forgiveness and compassion, offering mercy and grace to help us. How can we think that someone with anything less in his or her heart will ever be sanctioned by God to deal with sin??? So Jesus first demonstrates His rejection of their authority. He shows His refusal to be goaded into acting as a civil magistrate, coerced into action by their legalism. But the confrontation cannot end there.

John 8:7 However, when they persisted with their question, He raised Himself up and said, Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.

John 8:8 Then He bent down and went on writing on the ground with His finger.

Finally, not wishing to appear indifferent, either to sin or to the plight of the woman, He stands and answers the crowd. His answer is stunning. It is the perfect answer from Heaven, for it revealsGod’s interest in this drama. Brilliantly, Jesus invites the accusers to go ahead and fulfill the Law of Moses, by letting the sinless people do the stoning. For only they would be in a position to condemn her. Now their evil anticipation has turned to horror, as Jesus rips the sheepskin off their ugly heads and exposes these vampires to the piercing light of truth.

Here now is great wisdom: Jesus lifts the entire context of the discussion from the judicial to the moral. Many who want to act in judgment lack the moral qualification to do so. Jesus shows the deeper sin of man in that he attempts to use legalities to maneuver his own positions, all the while lacking the moral high ground from which to act. This is why people today have such a bad taste in their mouths concerning our modern judicial system. It’s run by a bunch of morally bankrupt opportunists. Our “judicial system” has become a “legal system”. Individuals, churches, societies and whole nations, decline when their focus becomes one of rights and legalities, for which none are willing to pay the moral price to execute judgment in.

The key to the heart of God isn’t in offering to police His moral regulations. It’s in realizing through them, that you are broken yourself. It’s when you lean upon His mercy for help and treat others with the same grace.

Tomorrow we will look deeper into this tremendous encounter between the legalists, the Law-Giver and the guilty. Until then…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

John 8:1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

John 8:2 And early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them.

John 8:3 And the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the midst,

John 8:4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act.

John 8:5 “Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?”

John 8:6 And they were saying this, testing Him, in order that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground.

John 8:7 But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

John 8:8 And again He stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

John 8:9 And when they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the midst.

John 8:10 And straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?”

John 8:11 And she said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go your way. From now on sin no more.”

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

This story captures Jesus at His finest. He’s a true hero and a champion of righteousness. No one has ever come close. As we dissect this narrative bear this one key truth in mind:

This story is about Jesus’ encounter with what people REALLY want, as opposed to what they say.

In this encounter Jesus, Who is the very God against whom all sin is actually committed, beautifully peels away the pseudo concerns for righteousness, and shows a wonderful side of God’s true judgment. Let’s dive into the scene:

A gang of self-righteous church leaders have captured a woman in the act of adultery, and have drug her before Jesus. These men think it’s their job to police the society of violations against their moral code. THAT is the first error in this drama. God has never appointed anyone to police the moral lives of others.

Phil. 2:12 So then, my beloved…work out your salvation with fear and trembling;

Before we explore the deeper sinister plot behind this confrontation you need to have a couple historic facts:

1. Adultery was indeed a sin under the Law of Moses
2. It was punishable by stoning
3. The Jewish religious high council had never enforced this law

With that in mind, it’s apparent that they had no interest in punishing or executing this woman. Indeed, the way they caught her “in the act” is a bit suspicious. The truth here is that the religious leaders were in an evil quest to tighten their hold over the people, which they perceived as loosening, since Jesus had made His appearance. They were threatened by Him and sought a way to discredit Him publicly.

Here was the set up question: ”Now the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?”

The trap seemed foolproof and would work against Jesus whichever way He answered. If Jesus said, “No, don’t stone her”, then He would be discredited as a teacher, for failing to uphold the Law of Moses. If Jesus answered, “Yes, let’s stone her”, then they would have offered to stone her right on the spot, knowing that an independent execution was illegal under the prevailing Roman Law. Then the crime of insurrection would have been laid at Jesus’ feet, since He gave the order. He then would be discredited as a political renegade. They must have been salivating with anticipation.

The subject of sin and judgment is extremely powerful, for it not only deals with the very nature of our inner motives as well as outward behavior; but it also deals with the status of our standing with God. Whoever wields the influence of this great concept holds tremendous responsibility in his hands. Tragically manipulators abuse the issues of sin and judgment for their own advantage. The opinions concerning sin and judgment, by people who want to hold influence over others, should be held in the highest suspicion.

Tomorrow we’ll look deeper into this great encounter between the moral specialization attorneys and Jesus the Law-giver. Meanwhile…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Outreach & Evangelism // Add Comment »

Mal. 3:16 Then those who feared the Lord talked often one to another; and the Lord listened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who reverenced and worshipfully feared the Lord and who thought on His name.

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Mal. 3:16 Then those who feared the Lord talked often one to another; and the Lord listened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who reverenced and worshipfully feared the Lord and who thought on His name.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Jesus abides in bonds between friends in faith. He seeks out the fellowship of those who seek Him together. There is a divine affinity God shares with those who partner together in their faith. When you form a bond of shared faith with a spouse or close friend; one where your weaknesses, hopes and secret passions are handled with prayer and godly counsel; this becomes the fertile ground of your personal growth.This becomes the sanctuary of your spiritual life. The Lord Himself is drawn into these holy alliances, and they become the place of discipleship for sincere followers. Such relationships are built on the very virtues that attract God to us: honesty, accountability and dedication. People who form true friends in faith become strong people, free of worldly dependence because they share their dependence upon God with one another. They are less likely to fall under the trap of hypocrisy because they don’t carry around heavy dark burdens that they need to hide. They are less likely to be afflicted with insecurities and tormented by fears of others’ opinions, because they are engaged in relationship(s) that God Himself is active in. They know where they stand, good or bad, and there is always a path of hope before them.

These are people who truly care enough about their life with God to set aside their natural desire for anonymity in order to find confirmation in the trust of fellow pilgrims. If people will risk reproof to gain objectivity because of their mutual love for God, then this is the relationship that God will enter. This is where the believer truly develops as a Christian. The rugged individualist becomes that much more capable when he or she submits “self” to a common bond forged in the intimacy of Christ.

Such bonds grow far beyond common interests and stimulating conversation. In the spirit of true covenanting, these are friendships that have formed over time, on the bedrock of accountability. Like the old saying, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink”, so these are friendships that are chosen. Even marriages must choose to become friends in faith. God is drawn to the fellowship between friends in faith because of the deep level of human will and sincerity being exercised between them in pursuit of righteous. Paul and Silas, David and Jonathan, Peter, James and John, Mary and Elizabeth. Throughout the scripture we see a history of the power of God that is threaded through the eyes of friendships in faith.

The elements of a friend-in-faith relationship are simple:

• A partner(s)

• Absolute honesty

• Sincere desire for God

• Effort and time

• Love for Jesus

And these must prevail over the natural tendencies towards:

• Anonymity

• Procrastination

• Depression

• Self-centeredness

• Ego

Regardless how strong the common interest of hobbies that may bring them together, hunger for the Truth of God’’s Word will rule the relationship of true friends in faith. It is through such relationship that the Lord performs His will among men. If the reality of having Jesus as your Savior is dear to you, then being engaged in a fruitful friendship of faith will be fulfilling. Friendships in faith are the natural outgrowth of genuine appreciation for salvation. God is “mighty” in the midst of friends in faith.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Faith & God's Promises // Add Comment »

Mal. 3:16 Then those who feared the Lord talked often one to another; and the Lord listened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who reverenced and worshipfully feared the Lord and who thought on His name.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Notice in the text that those who feared the Lord, “talked often one to another, and the Lord listened”. To have God’’s ear is life’’s greatest asset. Some people have armies, some have wealth, some possess influence, and some are surrounded with advisors. But none of those things can produce blessing over your life. Only God Himself can bless you. And when you’re blessed, better than insurance, you’’re assured. The Lord is in the midst of two or more people that fellowship together around the things of God.

Zeph. 3:17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

We often say that God visits those who pray a lot, those who read the Bible and work in church ministry, have a humble heart or avoid sin. These all sound like good “holy reasons” for God to enter into dialogue with someone. But as good as these things are, they impress men more than they impress God. So what really impresses God? Well let’s considered what He has said Himself in His Word to us. Before we look at the Word just nurture this thought for a minute:

The fast track to blessing is to find out what God has said in His Word and DO IT…

Psa. 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity!

Psa. 133:2 It is like the precious oil upon the head…

Psa. 133:3 It is like the dew of Mt. Hermon, Coming down upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing — life forever.

Look at that! God has ordered a standing command to bless those who unite in their fellowship with Him. The unity he refers to isn’t the absence of bickering as much as it is the presence of faith-inspiring conversation.Jesus told the disciples – and by extension, He tells us – that He will personally be in the midst of two or more who form a consensus of faith on His Word.

Matt. 18:20 “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst.”

That doesn’t mean two or more simply gathering in a church that lifts up His name. It means that those gathering are bolstering their own faith, discussing the Word of God together. They are preaching one another up.This draws the proactive Presence of the Lord to YOUR life! Fellowship together isn’t eating at restaurants after church, going to movies or attending church picnics. It could be, depending on what you talk about together when gathering. But being gathered together in His name involves much more of a bond than simply a handshake and a shared church membership. It refers to developing a friendship based in discovering Christ together, working together in His Kingdom, and sharing a dedication to building up the faith of one another.

True Friends in Faith are attracted to the divine gifts in one another. Paul explained that in a true spiritual body of people, their unions would be forged by interlocking gifts of grace and service.

Eph. 4:16 For because of Him the whole body (the church, in all its various parts), closely joined and firmly knit together by the joints and ligaments with which it is supplied, when each part [with power adapted to its need] is working properly [in all its functions], grows to full maturity, building itself up in love.

People of like faith and gifting attract each other. A foot never knew it’s worth or purpose in God’’s plan until it met a leg. And then, just as Paul states in the above verse, the “joint supplies strength”. That means that Jesus is actively in the midst of that friendship, where love for Him is being shared, and He is pouring His blessings into it! Forming friendships that glorify God is the basic essential byproduct of the Gospel in your life. And as you give yourself to it the Lord blesses and increases you. I have never seen a sincere lover of Christ, who made it their aim to establish mutual spiritual friendships, ever fall or live a stagnant life. They are always progressing, always triumphing through their trials.

Psa. 84:7 They go from strength to strength [increasing in victorious power]; each of them appears before God in Zion.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Faith & God's Promises // Add Comment »

Mal. 3:16 Then those who feared the Lord talked often one to another; and the Lord listened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who reverenced and worshipfully feared the Lord and who thought on His name.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Do you have a “friend-in-faith”? Spiritual companionship is one of life’’s highest priorities. We are social creatures, needing affirmation and encouragement in the pursuit of life’‘s highest values. Doubt, depression and rebellion seem to need no encourager, as they apparently operate by default. But cultivating the true treasures of life requires the support of friends. God Himself saw that it was not good for man to dwell alone. And as long as the two partnered together in obedience to God, their efforts were blessed with exponential success. In a world that smothers our incentive for God, it’’s His plan that we have friends to encourage our faith. `

God listens in to the conversations between friends who share their faith in Him. He takes note, with the intent to preserve and bless them. God involves Himself with people who establish genuine fellowship partners with whom they share their spiritual insights, trials and questions.

Mal. 3:16 Then those who feared the Lord talked often one to another; and the Lord listened and heard it,

The power of spiritual agreement is always at work in them. It’’s very hard to defeat someone who has bound themselves in a spiritual friendship with others. The accountability they share creates an atmosphere of Light, making it near impossible for Satan to find a cover of darkness from under which to operate.

Eccl. 4:12 And though a man might prevail against him who is alone, two will withstand him. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Spiritual loners usually end up easily defeated because their fellowship with God is often too infrequent to stave off the assaults of the devil against them.

Mal. 3:16 Then those who feared the Lord talked often one to another;

It’’s too easy to slide the truly valuable things onto the back burner when you go it alone in your walk with the Lord. No wonder the devil pushes so hard to legitimize the secular notion that spirituality is a highly private matter. Yes, and he wishes to keep it so “private” that the believer dies spiritually of neglect. But we will see as this devotional continues, that God resides in the midst of His people. He moves along the fellowship currents of friends in faith.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Faith & God's Promises // Add Comment »

Heb. 1:8 But of the Son he says, Your seat of power, O God, is forever and ever; and the rod of your kingdom is a rod of righteousness.

Heb. 1:9 You have been a lover of righteousness and a hater of evil; and so God, your God, has put the oil of joy on your head more than on the heads of those who are with you.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

(from yesterday’s edition)

“The opposite of love isn’t hate, but indifference.” - Ellie Wiesel (Holocaust Survivor)

Indifference to evil is not only the opposite of love but the indication that love is vacant. No true love can tolerate evil. No true love can abide neutral in the presence of evil and continue to call itself “love”. For love, by proper definition, springs from love for truth and righteousness. Love for God is the fountainhead of all true love. So hate for evil is the natural flip side to love for righteousness. The one who has no capacity to hate what is evil has no ability to love what is righteous.

The failure of our leaders to hate evil is one of the greatest corruptions of our modern culture. When men and women, with no ability to identify evil for what it is, head up our nations, sit as judges, write laws, teach our youth, lead our congregations and form our public policies, we have no defense against wickedness. When poor children are left under the guardianship of mothers with no internal revulsion for wicked men, they always become their helpless victims. It is the most grievous of all abuses, when the protected are sacrificed by stewards of authority who refuse to stand against wickedness. Judges who release child-molesting beasts upon society should serve in the jail cells with them when they re-offend. While self-distracted people whine and moan about gas prices, our society’s refusal to hate and react against evil is quickly depleting our most important energy resource. Hand-wringing collegiates run around foaming over destruction of the environment, but have no concern whatsoever over the erosion of our real context for survival: loving righteousness and hating evil.

The evil of Islamic fascism only succeeds because the stewards of free nations lack the orientation to see evil, the heart to hate it, and the will to defeat it. In America the Executive branch of Government is the only one with a will to fight this evil. The President (Bush) struggles in an uphill battle because he has to drag a reluctant and obstructive Congress and Judiciary behind him every step of the way. Why? Because they cannot bring themselves to see evil for what it is. “Sympathy For The Devil” may have to replace our National Anthem, as evil is being given a massive makeover by the combined forces of government, academia, the press and the entertainment industry. With the exception of the church (and that just barely), all the great centers of public influence are working in concert to smear lipstick on the evil pig and give it a facelift.

Treating rebellion against God as a virtue has long been the practice of public leaders. This was King Saul’s big problem. God had left him with instructions through the Prophet Samuel, to wipe out the Amalekites. But King Saul failed to discern the evil of the Amalekites and spared their king and livestock. When the Prophet Samuel arrived at the battle scene King Saul presented his compromise as some kind of elevated act of conscience. He excused his disobedience to God as an act of righteousness, just as many today do when they defy the claims of God by presenting their so-called morality as a higher love.

1 Sam. 15:22 And Samuel said, Has the Lord as much delight in offerings and burned offerings as in the doing of his orders? Truly, to do his pleasure is better than to make offerings, and to give ear to him than the fat of sheep.

1 Sam. 15:23 For to go against his orders is like the sin of those who make use of secret arts, and pride is like giving worship to images.Because you have put away from you the word of the Lord, he has put you from your place as king.

1 Sam. 15:24, 30 And Saul said to Samuel, Great is my sin: for I have gone against the orders of the Lord and against your words: because, fearing the people, I did what they said…but still, give me honor now before the heads of my people and before Israel, and come back with me so that I may give worship to the Lord your God.

No morality that fails to hate wickedness, has ever known righteousness.

No morality that fails to spit-out wickedness, has ever tasted righteousness.

But righteousness is not a collective political condition. You can’t get righteousness out of 100 hypocrites who agree to social reform. Jesus said that love for righteousness has to be practiced at home before it can be exported to the marketplace.

Luke 6:41 “And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

Luke 6:42 “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

Tolerating the works of wickedness, when they appear within the sphere of your own responsibility, is a sure sign that you’re not operating from a Love for Righteousness. This was the downfall of the kingdoms of Israel & Judah. Ultimately it wasn’t their failure to school or correct the ungodly nations around them, but the refusal to purge evil from their own midst, that brought the downfall of the Jewish kingdoms.Knowing the difference between true righteousness and evil obligates us to be stewards over our own responsibilities before trying to school others.

The downfall of the Jewish Pharisees was that they tolerated compromise with evil in their own lives while enforcing strict religious codes on others. This is why they were the only people that Jesus publicly denounced as hypocrites. While the Jewish leaders imposed the harshest sanctions against certain sinners, they shamelessly tolerated their own sins and those from whom they stood to gain political advantages. So their so-called love for righteousness was a front for their own tolerance for evil.

Tolerance of wickedness reveals the absence of righteousness.

So tolerance of wickedness IS wickedness.

“The opposite of love isn’t hate, but indifference.”  - Ellie Wiesel

Looking at history, we can see that the Hand of God had raised up many leaders because of their love of righteousness and hate for evil, but was later removed when they began to tolerate corruption. To be exalted by the Hand of God, with His anointing upon your head, one must share His virtues and reasonings. This is what was said of Jesus:

…therefore God, thy God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.

The world likes to use Jesus as an example of love to promote their agenda of false righteousness. They site His sayings about love, in attempt to use Him as an endorser of social tolerance for sexual sin and political pacifism. The wicked hate scrutiny and always try to divert the condemnation of righteous judgment by criticizing it as unloving. They use the symbols of righteousness to cover themselves. Every counterfeit endorses the genuine by their existence. It’s no small wonder that evil hides itself within the gutted shell of love. A love with no allegiance to God is a convenient cloak for every self-justification. So true love is known by it’s fruit – including hate for evil and the will to oppose it.

2 John 1:6 And this is love that we walk after his commandments.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Heb. 1:8 But of the Son he says, Your seat of power, O God, is forever and ever; and the rod of your kingdom is a rod of righteousness.

Heb. 1:9 You have been a lover of righteousness and a hater of evil; and so God, your God, has put the oil of joy on your head more than on the heads of those who are with you.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

“The opposite of love isn’t hate, but indifference.”

- Ellie Wiesel (Holocaust Survivor)

Indifference to evil is not only the opposite of love but the indication that love is vacant. No true love can tolerate evil. No true love can abide neutral in the presence of evil and continue to call itself “love”. For love, by proper definition, springs from love for truth and righteousness. Love for God is the fountainhead of all true love. So hate for evil is the natural flip side to love for righteousness. The one who has no capacity to hate what is evil has no ability to love what is righteous.

Edmund Burke is universally credited with the famous maxim:

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

Although no one has been able to nail down that exact quote in any of Burke’’s writings, the following quote is taken from Burke and amounts to the same point:

“When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.”

However stated, the message is universally true: Evil will, so good must! No sentiment, which presents itself as good, noble or lofty, while at the same time, refusing to see evil and hate it, can ever claim to be love. It is misguided philanthropy at best and heartless self-interest at worst.

The byproduct of prosperity is forgetfulness. Those who inherit the prosperity, which their forefathers fought evil forces to obtain, all too often act as though they themselves invented peace and are worthy of it. They look with contempt upon the battles fought against evil as they lift themselves up in erudite condescension.They see themselves as “too good” to hate evil. But they are, in reality, unworthy of the peace they have inherited and sure to lose it to the evil they ignore.

Jesus is exalted because He loves righteousness and hates evil.

Heb. 1:9 You have been a lover of righteousness and a hater of evil; and so God, your God, has put the oil of joy on your head more than on the heads of those who are with you.

But there are those today, who claim that their love has no room for hate. They say that because of love they have been elevated above hate and are free from it.They have become elevated above the ability to hate anything, and they see their position as being superior and an example of true love. In the name of tolerance and in an effort to respect everybody, they bind themselves into a paralyzing inability to act against evil.They have become so objective that they can’’t even stir themselves to be angry at it. But objectivity that fails to brace itself against the righteousness of God, and position itself upon the mount of His Word, is doomed to float weightless without a point.

2 Tim. 3:1-7 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self…holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these. For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

This false objectivity, this failure to love righteousness because it might conflict with someone else’s ideas and appear intolerant, is not love.It’’s indecision. It’’s immorality by default.

For love is not the absence of hate, because hate in itself is not sin. Some hate certainly is sin.

Titus 3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy,hateful, and hating one another.

Hating God is sin. Hating righteousness is sin. Hating those who love righteousness is sin. The humanistic repulsion against righteousness, and the natural tendency to rebel against it, that is a hate for righteousness, and that is sin.

1 John 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin….

So how can one say he loves others but by not hating evil he fails to love righteousness. By his “love and understanding” for evil he takes sides against God and His righteousness.

Luke 11:23 “He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters.”  —Jesus Christ

But Hate has its place too. Hate for evil is the appropriate response of love for righteousness. The two are inseparable.

So where do we apply this tension between love and hate? Do we attack the world like crusaders, righting the wrongs?

Some answers tomorrow, so until then……

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Heb. 1:8 But of the Son he says, Your seat of power, O God, is forever and ever; and the rod of your kingdom is a rod of righteousness.

Heb. 1:9 You have been a lover of righteousness and a hater of evil; and so God, your God, has put the oil of joy on your head more than on the heads of those who are with you.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

The focus on love, which is used today to shape public policy and form a morality for judging society’s behavior, is based in accommodating people’s idiosyncrasies and not in respect for God’s claims.  So love becomes defined and judged in terms of human desire rather than a God-centered morality. That’s why we find people advocating in the name of love, for such things as the rights of homosexuals to marry and chickens to avoid human consumption. And at the same time these advocates are usually demonstrating against displaying the 10 Commandments in public forums, and usually spouting something like, “You can’t legislate morality!” But the truth is that all legislation is nothing more than the ratifying of some morality into regulation. It’s total foolishness to say morality cannot be legislated because it is done everyday. The cry that we cannot legislate morality is really code for, “we don’t want God defining our morality or telling us how to love others.”

But loving others must begin with love for righteousness. That is what connects our love to God and to true virtue and makes it a helpful influence. It prevents our love from becoming “blind” and misguided. Guided by the love for righteousness, love for man will empower us to truly help people rather than hurt them or help them to continue hurting themselves, in the name of love.

Loving righteousness comes FIRST in the endorsement that Jesus receives in our text. It’s the fundamental motive, holding dear ALL of the virtues of God’s moral goodness.

Rom. 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loves another hath fulfilled the law.

Rom. 13:9 For this, Thou shall not commit adultery, Thou shall not kill, Thou shall not steal, Thou shall not bear false witness, Thou shall not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself.

Rom. 13:10 Love works no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Rom. 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation (hypocrisy, insincerity). Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

So we see that, guided by the true love that comes from God and His righteousness, we will do that thing which is good and helpful, and if nothing else, we will avoid doing what is evil and destructive.

Rightness and Righteousness…

But to love righteousness one must know and understand righteousness. Righteousness does not just know what is “right”. But righteousness begins with a right relationship with God – one that brings your motives into balance with His righteousness. Without a reverent heart and tender conscience towards God, our knowledge of righteousness can harden into legalistic correctness and turn us into moral bullies. So righteousness begins with a posture of humility before God, to safeguard our souls against hardening under a know-it-all attitude. But then knowing righteousness requires a great ability to weigh and balance all the pertinent truths so that the path of righteousness emerges. Knowing righteousness requires that we understand the guiding principles of God’s purposes. This provides direction, when trying to sort out the right principles to apply and right way to go.

For example, under the influence of misguided righteousness (so-called), we see the most outrageous absurdities being practiced today, in the name of political or social correctness. The imbalances that we are asked to accept are so obtuse that they actually become oppressive to the cause of true righteousness, and an impediment to true love. When love for the Truth (as defined by God) is taken off the table, arranging our guiding principles into some practical righteousness becomes impossible.

True love must first love the Truth if it’s to be of any use.

2 Th. 2:10 …because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

In explaining why people who have heard the truth end up under deception, Paul states that they failed to “love the truth”. People will be faithful to that for which they have their deepest affections. We are faithful to what we truly love. So for love to be grounded and ultimately helpful, it must first love the truth, for truth will keep our love righteous when simple affection, no matter how strong or sincere, can leave us vulnerable to error.

So love for righteousness is the foundation of true love. Jesus, Who in our text, was exalted because He loved righteousness, commands us to love by His own example:

John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

It is love for righteousness that will help us to keep from loving chickens more than people and allow us to love and treat our homosexual neighbors with God’s love, without being intimidated into agreeing to a warped definition of marriage in order to prove it.

Loving righteousness is far more than longing for its benefits or position (peace, prosperity, happiness, etc). But it’s looking deep into all its ways, discerning its virtues, and falling in love with its superior qualities. It’s having such a love for God’s carefully balanced arrangement of truth that you will look to Him for guidance in your love.

In short, you can’t love righteousness without knowing just what it is about righteousness that is attractive to you, and being convinced enough by it that you let it order your life and govern the way you love. It’s not love for being correct. And it’s not love for only one aspect of righteousness or just one side of truth. But love, true love, for righteousness, is really love for God, Who alone can show you how to love in a way that is good and righteous.

More tomorrow, so until then…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Heb. 1:8 But of the Son he says, Your seat of power, O God, is forever and ever; and the rod of your kingdom is a rod of righteousness.

Heb. 1:9 You have been a lover of righteousness and a hater of evil; and so God, your God, has put the oil of joy on your head more than on the heads of those who are with you.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

The morals of modern culture are possessed by an almost militant preoccupation with acceptance, as the arbiter of all goodness. Love is defined primarily as accepting others without making any value judgments about their behaviors. In modern culture, the highest expression of love is the ability to tolerate what we are naturally or traditionally apt to reject. In short, people take personal affirmation as love. And if you withhold approval you are withholding love.

As much as we need and crave approval and support, there is something we need even more, and that is direction. What good is a love that makes you feel good with an affirming pat on the back, as you march off in the wrong direction, but won’t encourage you to choose another path?

Love was once weighed in terms of righteousness. People who loved you helped you, with an eye on a higher purpose than simply making you feel good in the moment. Good parents often endured the fall from popularity with their children, for long durations, as they held their sons and daughters to standards of decency and respect. They endured the lack of reciprocated love from their children, in order to serve them with what they truly needed at the time. Love use to be essentially understood as a high affection, fueled and governed by righteousness.

But in most homes today the militant demands of those who must be accommodated are served by the weak needs of those who must be popular. This usually translates into children, or immature spouses, getting the others to do what they want them to, in exchange for the shallow satisfaction of fleeting popularity. I say, “fleeting” because the selfish are never satisfied, and must always be served.

But if God, as He reveals Himself and His character in the Bible, is to be considered as the Author and true measure of love, then let’s rouse ourselves out from under the intoxication of this cheap knockoff, under whose spell we’ve fallen, and awake to take hold, before all love is replaced by indulgence.

First let’s start with the fact that love is a command. It is not essentially a human emotion, but rather a command to follow a standard regardless of whether the human emotion is there or not.

1 John 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

John is referring to Jesus’ talk with them at the Last Supper…

John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

John 15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

Obviously the Lord is saying that love must be approached as an act that is doable.One can abide in God’s love by doing the things He is commanding. This means that God’s love will work in us, even when we don’t feel motivated by affections, if we will simply follow His commands, from our heart.

John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love…

The reason why the power of love will actually work in us as we act in love according to His prescribed commands is that God Himself is love. True love is the essential nature of God. To understand true love, as it is distinct from human selfishness, we must look at the virtues of God Himself. These qualities, these fruits of the Spirit, are the manifest values and acts of love, because they are the manifest values and acts of God.

1 Cor. 13:3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

1 Cor. 13:4 Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,

1 Cor. 13:5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,

1 Cor. 13:6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

1 Cor. 13:7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 Cor. 13:8 Love never fails;

Notice that love is not “giving to the poor”, or any other such act of social charity that people hold others hostage to in the name of love. Love MIGHT feed the poor.But feeding the poor is not what love IS. Love begins at much higher plane before it ever makes peanut butter and jelly for street people. It begins with the recognition that God is its author, along with a healthy reverence for His views.There are many people who know very little about God’s views, but they have an inner regard for Him and if they knew what His views were, they would matter to them; and God knows it of them. This is why some people who know a lot about God’s views very seldom walk in love, while some others, who may know little about His views, walk more often in love, because from their heart they regard what little they do know as a sacred command.

With our stewardship of love as a critical issue, the Day of Judgment should be very interesting, to say the least.  And lest we turn on one another in judgment, let’s remember that the command to love begins with loving God.

Matt. 22:37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

Matt. 22:38 “This is the great and foremost commandment.

God knows who loves Him.

If love is a command then there must be a right and wrong way to love. Tomorrow we’ll look into it, so until then…

Stay On The Path!

Nick Champlin

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Psa. 74:9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that know how long.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

From yesterday:

The Church of Acts came with “signs”. These were indicators that “God was in the house”.  These signs told the world who we were. In Psalm 74 the writer laments at being stripped of the signs that had indicated God’s presence with them. Without the presence of their signs, Israel was adrift in confusion and in peril of losing their identity.

These signs not only tell the world who we are, but they tell us Who we belong to. Since there is no scriptural evidence that God ever intended to change His Church, until He returns we should remain under our signs. If we don’t see these signs today we should cry out in prayer till our signs manifest once again.

And now continuing with our 16^th and final sign:

Growth -

This final sign of the early Church of Acts is not a ruler but a principle. Jesus describes the Church as a grapevine that produces fruit. Notice that in Jesus’ model of the Church HE IS A MEMBER!

John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

John 15:8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

Fruitfulness refers to increase, and the key to it involves your relationship with Jesus, the Vine. The members of the Church are to ALL see themselves with responsibility for increase. But running out and just trying to drag people into the church doesn’t fulfill that responsibility. The secret to fulfilling the command of God to Grow begins with the Church practicing right relationship to Jesus. First off, Jesus said:

John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

To understand what this means, and then to make sure it’s the defining motivation of all Church activity, is the beginning. The Bible actually tells us what the elements were that stimulated growth:

Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

Acts 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Daily fellowship, Unity, Joy, Praise, The Lord did the adding

Acts 5:12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people…

Acts 5:14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.

Many signs and wonders (miracles, healings)

Acts 6:7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

The Gospel was spread

Acts 16:5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

Faith was the foundation (not religion)

We get the picture of a Church:

• In love with Jesus,
• Understanding His preeminence,
• Yielded joyfully to His will,
• Not ashamed to give witness,
• Fellowshipping in Love,
• Flowing in the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit,
• Standing in Truth,
• Walking in Faith

Let’s consider that the entire array of the Signs of the Church – our signs – are the necessary components that God placed within us in order for Growth to take place. We should cry out just as the Psalmist did:

Psa. 74:9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that know how long.

And we should recognize that it’s abnormal to be separated from the supernatural elements of the Church. How do we truly embrace God, Who is Spirit, and there be no supernatural consequences? God never intended us to be an insulation, preventing His power from touching the world. But we are a conductor of His love and power, jolting the spiritually dead with the Life of Christ. Let’s throw the switch of fellowship with Jesus and get power flowing to Our Signs again!

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Our Identification In Christ // Add Comment »

Psa. 74:9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that know how long.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

From yesterday:

The Church of Acts came with “signs”. These were indicators that “God was in the house”. These signs told the world who we were. In Psalm 74 the writer laments at being stripped of the signs that had indicated God’s presence with them. Without the presence of their signs, Israel was adrift in confusion and in peril of losing their identity.

These signs not only tell the world who we are, but they tell us Who we belong to. Since there is no scriptural evidence that God ever intended to change His Church, until He returns we should remain under our signs. If we don’t see these signs today we should cry out in prayer till our signs manifest once again.

And now continuing with our 15^th sign:

Praise -

This is the supernatural sign of response, from a grateful church to the victorious Savior. These are sentiments of love and appreciation, lifted in musical strains, shouts and declarations. Praise stands high above all other forms of music and expression, as the currents upon which God’s Presence travels. Praise, in musical form, is distinguished from other music by its content of Truth, selfless expression, and acknowledgement of God’s glory. There is a direct connection between Praise and being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Eph. 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Eph. 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

The idea is not that God gets pleasure from a cool groove, snappy tune or clever lyrics. But true Praise is full of the human will, humbling itself in the expression of Truth and gratitude before Almighty God. True Praise is never about boasting in man or wallowing in the self-pity of flesh. It’s always about exalting Jesus, the divine remedy for a sin-cursed world.

Col. 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

The Christians of Acts considered Praise as a part of their teaching. Today’s lifeless teaching of intellectual and theological facts has fallen so far from the place of Spirit-filled and Praise enhanced teaching. We could say that the early believers weren’t learning about God as much as they were experiencing Him. Intellectualism is what you’re left with when the Praise fades away.

Acts 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

Acts 16:26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every oneís bands were loosed.

Here is but one Bible example of the Holy Spirit working powerfully to confirm the words of Praise, uttered boldly from the circumstances of a trial. Praise is a powerful sign!

Here are a few scriptures siting the God’s involvement with Praise:

Psa. 33:1 Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.

“Comely” in Hebrew means To be at home. The Psalmist sees Praise as building a suitable house for God and the believer to meet in.

Psa. 34:3 O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.

“magnify” in Hebrew means To twist together, make large. The Psalmist sees Praise as blending us together with God and making us large.

Psa. 48:1 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised…

“greatly” in Hebrew refers to a poker that turns coals to make a vehement fire. The Psalmist sees Praise stirring the fire of God in our hearts.

These aren’t references to simple human passions or zeal, but rather show the ignition of divine glory and power in the life of those who live on the Praises of God.

Do we see this sign of Praise today?

One more sign to go…so…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Faith & God's Promises // Add Comment »

Psa. 74:9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that know how long.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

From yesterday:

The Church of Acts came with “signs”. These were indicators that “God was in the house”. These signs told the world who we were. In Psalm 74 the writer laments at being stripped of the signs that had indicated God’s presence with them. Without the presence of their signs, Israel was adrift in confusion and in peril of losing their identity.

These signs not only tell the world who we are, but they tell us Who we belong to. Since there is no scriptural evidence that God ever intended to change His Church, until He returns we should remain under our signs. If we don’t see these signs today we should cry out in prayer till our signs manifest once again.

And now continuing with our 13^th sign:

Liberality -

This was a great sign of the newly born Church of the risen Christ. Instantly, the other-worldly grace, filling their hearts with the treasures of Heaven, raised these new believers to a place of new priorities. The common Love of Jesus that filled them bound them in a oneness that transcended any social order.

Acts 2:44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

Acts 2:45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

This Liberality was certainly not obligatory or an imposed socialism. It was a willingness to share that was spawned by the supernatural influence of the Holy Spirit. The scripture itself explains it as, ”great grace was upon them all”. The “grace” meaning “gift”, tells us that they were so filled with the gifts of God that they were eager to help one another.

Acts 4:32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

Acts 4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

Acts 4:34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,

Acts 4:35 And laid them down at the apostlesí feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

This liberality was shared among the believers. It was not a welfare crusade for the poor. It was a demonstration of the Blood Covenant bond that made them one with each other. This oneness did not extend to the world. This was a demonstration of the oneness of the Body Of Christ. No denominational barriers had yet been erected.

1 Cor. 12:25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

In recognizing Jesus in the other members of the Body of Christ, we immediately find an altar of sacrifice.

Gal. 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Do we see this sign of Liberality today?

Daily Fellowship -

The 14^th sign of the New Testament Church, found in Acts, is that they fellowshipped together daily. In today’s modern church, people would go crazy if they had to be together more than once or twice a week. No body could endure that much religion! But in the Church of Acts there was no religion; no obligation; no mind-numbing rituals. These early Christians were living a daily unfolding adventure. The Church wasn’t a place it was a person. They didn’t attend church they worked and worshipped together daily, as the church.

Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

The early Christians didn’t fellowship together once every 7 days only. Though they did observe a weekly worship gathering, which quickly became the first day of the week (Sunday), these believers became a close knit community, knit together in the common love of the Lord that flowed among them. They were heavenly ambassadors, a family of faith, an elite corps of witnesses. They fellowshiped daily because each one had a share in their great commission. Without a personal zeal and love for Jesus guiding each individual’s heart, this sign of daily fellowship would be impossible. In fact, many a Christian have found in their lifetime, the absolute necessity of daily fellowship, as a support for spiritual lives. God has set the entire existence of man to move incrementally in 24 hr installments. If a man can manage a day well, he can manage a life. Consider what the Bible says:

Psa. 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.

Matt. 6:11 …Give us this day our daily bread.

Matt. 6:34 …Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Eph. 4:26 …let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Life is meant to be maintained DAILY. If we are to live in the Kingdom of God, our walk with the Lord must be a daily walk. Trials and troubles are daily. Energy is depleted daily. Accounts must be zero’d out and balanced daily. Daily fellowship with our partners in faith, helps to keep us sharp, encouraged and on target. Daily Christian fellowship keeps us from drifting into the faith diffusing fog of the world. Satan cannot defeat the church whose fellowship is renewed daily.

Do we see this sign of Daily Fellowship today?

More signs tomorrow, so…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Our Identification In Christ // 1 Comment »

Psa. 74:9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that know how long.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

From yesterday:

The Church of Acts came with “signs”. These were indicators that “God was in the house”. These signs told the world who we were. In Psalm 74 the writer laments at being stripped of the signs that had indicated God’s presence with them. Without the presence of their signs, Israel was adrift in confusion and in peril of losing their identity.

These signs not only tell the world who we are, but they tell us Who we belong to. Since there is no scriptural evidence that God ever intended to change His Church, until He returns we should remain under our signs. If we don’t see these signs today we should cry out in prayer till our signs manifest once again.

And now continuing with our 11^th sign

Fear Of The Lord -

The Church of Acts so wonderfully exemplified the Fear of the Lord. In reading the early chapters in Acts, a couple of characteristics stand out prominently in contrast to the “religious” churches of today. One is that they simply took God seriously.

Acts 9:31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

Consider how simple a definition of the fear of the Lord, that is: to simply take God seriously. If you fear the Lord you won’t ignore His claims or be indifferent to His call. Through the fear of the Lord they were able to “walk” with God. He wasn’t pushed off into the distance and thought of only in abstract terms. The very real and immediate relationship the early Christians had with Jesus is a powerful sign of the Church, and it’s made possible through the fear of the Lord.

The other characteristic of the Church Acts that exemplifies the fear of the Lord is that they simply found it impossible to dismiss the will of God. The Psalmist said:

Psa. 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments…

When you take God seriously you will know God seriously, and then it’s easy to do His will because you’re acting out of wisdom and not religious tyranny. Choice reigns in the heart of those that fear the Lord. There is no bit in their mouths, because the fear of the Lord has place wisdom in their hearts. The fear of the Lord is not the least bit oppressive, heavy or burdensome. Religion is a heavy yoke but the fear of the Lord is joyously clean.

Psa. 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean (pure), enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

Unity -

The 12^th sign of the Church of Acts is Unity. Unity was immediately manifested on the Day of Pentecost.

Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness andsingleness of heart

It came from the inside out and not from the outside in. It wasn’t the result of agreements forged by a council. It had nothing whatsoever to do with a social or political agenda. The unity that’s a sign of the church belonging to the resurrected Christ, is the condition of hearts all surrendered in common agreement that Jesus is Life and serving Him is living.

Acts 5:12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomonís porch.

Acts 5:13 And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.

Acts 5:14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)

Acts 5:15 Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid themon beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.

Anyone who thinks the unity that’s a sign of Christianity is some sociological script for tolerance, is outside looking in, and not seeing. This sign of Unity was a common motive they all shared. Everyone of them, regardless of their personalities, idiosyncrasies, or other diversities, had one over-arching motive, and that was to glorify Jesus Christ no matter what change it called for in them. They were all moldable in the Hands of the unchanging Master. This Unity begins with being in unity with the Lord Jesus, His mission and the Holy Spirit. Any unity that isn’t surrendered to the will of God is an alliance of rebellion. Unity by itself has no special virtue. But the purpose to which that unity owes its existence sifts discerningly before God. The Church is not a club it’s a Bride. We are not social workers, we’re servants of God. The sign of unity comes on the wings of the Holy Spirit, not the demands of a leader. This unity isn’t manufactured it’s pre-existent in the Holy Spirit. You either join it or you don’t

Eph. 4:3 Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

And the only hope that we will see each other there, when our faith is completed, is that we’ll all stay in the Unity of the Holy SpiritÖthe sign of the Church.

Eph. 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ

More signs to come tomorrow…so till then…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Our Identification In Christ // Add Comment »

Psa. 74:9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that know how long.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

From yesterday:

The Church of Acts came with “signs”. These were indicators that “God was in the house”. These signs told the world who we were. In Psalm 74 the writer laments at being stripped of the signs that had indicated God’s presence with them. Without the presence of their signs, Israel was adrift in confusion and in peril of losing their identity.

These signs not only tell the world who we are, but they tell us Who we belong to. Since there is no scriptural evidence that God ever intended to change His Church, until He returns we should remain under our signs. If we don’t see these signs today we should cry out in prayer till our signs manifest once again.

And now continuing with our 10^th sign:

Persecution -

Jesus had promised that persecution would follow the church. It was inevitable that the more filled with the Spirit of God, and the bolder they were in Christ’s mission, the more the disciples would be persecuted.

John 15:19 ”If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.”

John 3:19 ”This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.

John 3:20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.”

Jesus spelled it out like simple arithmetic. If you manifest the Light of God’s truth it will cause two very distinct reactions. The first is that the humble will come to the Light and be saved. The second is that the proud will hate and eventually fight against the Light. The Light of Christ eventually becomes the arch enemy of everyone who clings to their evil ways. His Light, His Gospel becomes the only real enemy of darkness, and the people of darkness will persecute the people of Light. No matter how they all try to maintain a congenial tolerance, the very nature of darkness will force the people in its grasp to persecute the bearers of Light. No tolerance can ever be permanent. Jesus said that, “the world would love its own (and)…everyone who does evil hates the Light.”

2 Tim. 3:12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

The world uses Christians like social seasoning to make their immorality palatable. They like to hide behind their tolerance of religion as some kind of example of spiritual virtue. But the truth is – and Jesus warned of it – that the minute the Church doesn’t stay in lock-step with the political agendas of society, all that tolerance isn’t worth a bucket of spit. Through their social, intellectual and physical persecutions of Christians, the world shows itself for the dark hypocrites they are. Jerusalem’s citizens were inspired and amused at first, by the miracles and joy of the first Christians. But then when Stephen and others began telling the Truth about why Jesus died and the need of everyone to repent, the party came to an abrupt halt.

Acts 8:1 Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him (Stephen) to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

This is typical of today’s secular culture. They love to showcase their fondness for the inner-city Gospel choirs. But watch the ugly comments and persecution arise the minute that choir stops singing and starts preaching about forgiveness from “sin” and Jesus being the only way; rather than “God loves everybody, and let’s all just get along”. Then that same choir is a subverted band of “haters”. Watch all the fake “Reverends” come out of the wood work to condemn the non-progressive hate-speech. The true bearers of Light will ALWAYS eventually become black-listed as “enemies of tolerance”. But true “Tolerance” demonstrates itself in the grace of God every time Christians are harassed.

Mark 4:17 and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away.

Persecution is ALWAYS aimed at the Word of the God. The quickest way to get persecution off your tail is to back off your public stand on God’s Word and testimony of Jesus. No one will be persecuted for being a Methodist, Episcopalian, Pentecostal, Catholic or Evangelical as long as they are willing to disassociate their religious affiliation from the Word of God.

Matt. 10:16 ”Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.

Matt. 10:17 But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues…”

Matt. 10:18 and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.

Matt. 10:19 But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say.

Matt. 10:20 For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

True persecution isn’t suffering for your wrong doing or foolish behavior. That’s called punishment and consequences. But true persecution is suffering in innocence for the guiltless testimony of Jesus Christ, and His Gospel. There is a wonderful dynamic involved in true persecution. The Gospel attracts the persecution. The Word of God is actually attacked in an effort to censor it. But if faithful Christians will learn to navigate the treacherous waters of persecution “wisely” – not becoming wasted targets for foolish reasons; the Holy Spirit will place us before people to whom He wants us to give the Gospel. The Gospel cannot shine in the shadowy halls of compromise and accommodation. But if we are willing to be faithful, we will be humble Lights of God’s glory contrasted against the true violent nature of sin and secularism. Only then, can many of the trapped souls of the truly intolerant and hateful, see the Light of Freedom and come to salvation. Be faithful, be humble, preach the Word of Jesus’ Gospel, and let it take you where it will!

Do we see the sign of Persecution today?

More signs tomorrow…so till then…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Our Identification In Christ // Add Comment »

Psa. 74:9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that know how long.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

From yesterday:

The Church of Acts came with “signs”. These were indicators that “God was in the house”. These signs told the world who we were. In Psalm 74 the writer laments at being stripped of the signs that had indicated God’s presence with them. Without the presence of their signs, Israel was adrift in confusion and in peril of losing their identity.

These signs not only tell the world who we are, but they tell us Who we belong to. Since there is no scriptural evidence that God ever intended to change His Church, until He returns we should remain under our signs. If we don’t see these signs today we should cry out in prayer till our signs manifest once again.

And now continuing with our 8^th sign:

Preaching -

As suddenly as the Holy Ghost fell, preaching came forth. And it wasn’t just the Apostles doing the preaching.

Acts 8:4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

Acts 8:5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.

Preaching is what happens when a Christian gets so full of the Holy Spirit that the glory of Jesus can’t be contained. Preaching doesn’t come from talent nor is it learned in school. It is an effect of the Holy Spirit upon a follower of Jesus who is willing to fulfill the great commission. Paul called it “Utterance”, and prayed to be endued with it.

Eph. 6:19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

Col. 4:3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:

Preaching is not an art, it’s an anointing. Preaching pierces the darkness-clad hearts of unbelievers, and presents salvation to lost souls.

1 Cor. 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preachingto save them that believe.

Rom. 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Rom. 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

While increasing numbers of young Christians seek ministry positions as musicians, entertainers, counselors, administrators and computer technicians, the call to preach is being almost completely ignored. Knowing that without preaching, few people will ever come to Jesus; it’s a sad marvel that there are so few Christians praying for the unction to preach.

Because sinners, without the grace of God upon their hearts, recoil in offense at the preaching of the Gospel, many Christians today have abandoned it. They are ashamed to preach, too proud, and overly concerned with their popularity among the unsaved. Preaching doesn’t fit today’s pop culture standards of social etiquette. But this is a culture that is crucifying Jesus to this day. And sprinkled among them are souls ready to hear and receive the Word of the Gospel. We must have Christians who are dead enough to the demands of the world, and alive enough to the burning love of God, to go into His harvest and throw out the lifeline of Truth.

Acts 9:18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

Acts 9:20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

There is a difference between skilled pulpiteers and powerful preachers. The power of preaching comes from conviction of the Truth and the anointing to speak it. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is the qualifier for preaching. Early believers weren’t sent away to Bible School or Seminary to learn how to preach. They began preaching the Good News immediately after receiving it! You don’t need a formal education in order to simply tell people what Jesus has done for you, or to give the plain Gospel. There is a truly spiritual element in genuine preaching. Man thinks with his head and decides with his heart. And preaching cuts to the heart.

Do you see the sign of Preaching today?

Prophecy -

Prophecy is NOT preaching. Preaching is when men declare the Gospel to the lost. Prophecy is the Holy Spirit speaking to the church, through men. It is a divine source of edification when the Holy Spirit speaks to the Church. God is here, taking an active role in leading us. He is guiding us; publicly confirming and encouraging us in our gatherings.

Acts 13:1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

The entire focus of Jesus Gospel was the orientation of God resident IN His people. Not just occasionally coming upon them. Not just visiting them. Not just occasionally reviving them. But LIVING IN them. Prophecy occurs when a believer, brimming with the Holy Spirit, is moved by the lord to speak forth a word from God. This isn’t a word from men about God; but a word from God for men.

Acts 19:6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

Whether it was a Prophet, with a ministry-office in the Church, just like an Apostle, Evangelist, Pastor and teacher; or a Christian who simply prophesied…

Acts 21:9 And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.

Acts 21:10 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.

Acts 21:11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paulís girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

The scripture encourages all Spirit-filled Christians to seek the Lord to be used in the simple Gift of Prophecy.

1 Cor. 14:1 Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

1 Cor. 14:39 Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues.

Through the sign of Prophecy, Jesus intimately continues to speak directly to His followers; imparting edification, exhortation and comfort. So many have abandoned this gift, leaving the churches swallowed up and drowning in the words of men. But Christians today desperately need the Word of the Lord flowing among them. A Word from on High, to distinguish them in a sea of words. A Word of dynamic divine Life that will release the holy fire of God’s presence upon the believers. One of the strong indicators of life in the church is Christians zealously seeking God to be used by the Holy Spirit to bless the church with Prophesying.

1 Cor. 14:5 Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying.

Do you see the sign of Prophesying today?

More signs tomorrow…so…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Our Identification In Christ // Add Comment »

Psa. 74:9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that know how long.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

From yesterday:

The Church of Acts came with “signs”. These were indicators that “God was in the house”. These signs told the world who we were. In Psalm 74 the writer laments at being stripped of the signs that had indicated God’s presence with them. Without the presence of their signs, Israel was adrift in confusion and in peril of losing their identity.

These signs not only tell the world who we are, but they tell us Who we belong to. Since there is no scriptural evidence that God ever intended to change His Church, until He returns we should remain under our signs. If we don’t see these signs today we should cry out in prayer till our signs manifest once again.

And now continuing with our 6^th sign:

Miracles…

The freshness of Jesus’ in their hearts made fertile ground for miracles. Never blame God for the lack of miracles. His Word compels us to keep Him fresh in our churches and His promises, believed in our hearts. Miracles aren’t mystical and never come as a result of arbitrary providence. They always occur in connection with God’s people exercising faith and obeying Him in a mission. The Church of Acts was full of them. And they weren’t limited to the Apostles, either.

Peter, short on change, gives the lame man begging at the Temple door, what HE had.

Acts 3:6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

Acts 3:7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

Acts 3:8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

Man! Think about it. What do you have? Just Jesus? That’s all Peter had. Only he knew he was anointed to give what he had….just like you are! When you pray for people, give them something.

Miracles were flowing from plain ole church helpers and Deacons.

Acts 6:8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

For those who think miracles are the special insignia of spiritual Field Marshalls, think again. Stephen’s secret is available to YOU!

“And Stephen, full of faith and power”

Philip went to the hated Samaritans with the good news that Jesus had risen for THEM. There he found out that he was an Evangelist. He didn’t go because he was an Evangelist; he went because he loved God. And he found out that Jesus’ was with him continuing His ministry of healing, deliverance and salvation as Philip preached.

Acts 8:6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

Acts 8:7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.

Acts 8:8 And there was great joy in that city.

Miracles don’t have recipes, but they sure do occur in certain environments. Look! See the hearts and lives of the Christians of Acts.

Do you see the sign of Miracles today?

Laying On Of Hands…

The 7^th sign on my list is not just religious symbolism, but the practice of imparting the Holy Spirit’s anointing. Through this impartation, by laying on of hands, healings, deliverance, Baptism in the Holy Spirit and ministry-gift impartations were given.

1 Tim. 4:14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

Acts 19:6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

Yes, God could have certainly chosen to impart these things without the agency of man. Perhaps it may have avoided the problems with human pride that have arisen, if He had. But that would have bypassed His entire purpose, which is to demonstrate His partnership WITH us.

Acts 8:17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

Acts 8:18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostlesí hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

God fearlessly risks applying His authority through the vulnerable vessels of mankind, because he is confident of the influence of His love upon us. He knows we will rise to faithfulness in Him. So then, God will have it no other way, but to let the world see His ministry applied through the laying on of OUR hands. It’s all about God working with us. If this sign is merely used in symbolic ways, then we must cry out to God for the return of His Substance; because the Holy Spirit is here now to fill OUR hearts and hands.

Do you see this sign of Laying On Of Hands today?

More signs tomorrow…so…

Stay On THE PATH!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Our Identification In Christ // Add Comment »

Psa. 74:9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that know how long.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

From yesterday:

The Church of Acts came with “signs”. These were indicators that “God was in the house”. These signs told the world who we were. In Psalm 74 the writer laments at being stripped of the signs that had indicated God’s presence with them. Without the presence of their signs, Israel was adrift in confusion and in peril of losing their identity.

These signs not only tell the world who we are, but they tell us Who we belong to. Since there is no scriptural evidence that God ever intended to change His Church, until He returns we should remain under our signs. If we don’t see these signs today we should cry out in prayer till our signs manifest once again.

And now continuing with our 4^th sign:

Tongues -

One of the great manifestations that God had taken residence in His people was the advent of the Gift of Tongues.

Mark 16:17 ”These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;

1 Cor. 14:22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.

This strange yet divinely ingenious gift of the Holy Spirit serves 2 purposes:

The first is the edification of the individual believer in his own prayer life:

1 Cor. 14:4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself.

Jude 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.

The second is the that, coupled with the Gift of Interpretation Of Tongues, the two together produce Prophecy.

1 Cor. 14:5 Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying.

Though this sign has been neglected in many churches, it is one of the most valuable of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, because through its edifying affect, it aids the manifestation of the other Gifts. And because of it, this Sign is greatly resisted by the devil. There is absolutely no solid scriptural evidence that Tongues has passed away from its use in the Church.

Do you see the sign of Tongues today?

Angels -

The Bible is clear that to seek or worship angels is wrong. But throughout the Book of Acts, angels routinely visited the Lord’s followers in times of trouble, to bring deliverance and encouragement.

Acts 5:18 They laid hands on the apostles and put them in a public jail.

Acts 5:19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the gates of the prison, and taking them out he said,

Acts 5:20 ”Go, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life.”

Phillip, an Evangelist, was visited by an angel directing him to go down to Gaza, where he met a high Ethiopian official and led him to Jesus.

Acts 8:26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, “Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.)

Acts 8:27 So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship

As Paul’s ship was about to be swamped by a storm he was visited by an angel and reassured with a message for him and the entire crew.

Acts 27:23-25 For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, saying, Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you. Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told.

These manifestations were angelic interventions for the purpose of either bringing deliverance to God’s people, or specific direction from God, that had extraordinary results.  These were not the flaky unprovable claims made by deceivers who use their made-up stories to gain influence over spiritually vulnerable people.  In every New Testament case of angelic visitation substantial fruit for the glory of Christ’s Kingdom quickly resulted.  And validating individual reputations never seemed to be the purpose or result.  Nonetheless, it is undeniable that angels were very active in the ministry of the early Christians.  Do we see the sign of Angels today?

It is evident that the NT Church was filled with the supernatural signs of God’s active presence among them. These signs did not occur in lieu of the written scripture, which was in the making. The purpose of the two are entirely different. The written Word provides doctrine, reproof and instruction:

2 Tim. 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

But the purpose of the signs of the church are to signal the world, with their supernatural testimony, that God is resident in His people. The church without her signs is a poor house with nothing but religion to offer. Consequently the Church of Acts was a gold mine of spiritual power and fruit, just brimming with the “burning-bush” presence of God.  And the Holy Spirit is still in the world today, on order and readyto fill every servant surrendered to Jesus’ purpose.

Acts 5:32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

More signs tomorrow.  So until then…

Stay On The Path

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Our Identification In Christ // Add Comment »

Psa. 74:9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that know how long.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

The Church of Acts came with “signs”. These were indicators that “God was in the house”. These signs told the world who we were. In Psalm 74 the writer laments at being stripped of the signs that had indicated God’s presence with them. Without the presence of their signs, Israel was adrift in confusion and in peril of losing their identity.

These signs not only tell the world who we are, but they tell us Who we belong to. Since there is no scriptural evidence that God ever intended to change His Church, until He returns we should remain under our signs. If we don’t see these signs today we should cry out in prayer till our signs manifest once again.

The Filling Of The Holy Spirit -

The first sign of the New Testament Church was (and is) being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

The Church began with the filling of the Holy Spirit; and began the Age of the Vessel and the Indwelling God. Even when persecution arose against them, the scripture says:

Acts 13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

Jesus’ response to His crucifixion was to fill His followers with the Holy Spirit! It was the first and foremost sign of the church.

Do you see the sign of being filled with the Holy Spirit today?

Joy -

The sign of Joy transcended the world drained of happiness. The Joy that Jesus had promised arrived with Pentecost. A joy that is unconquerable powered by the miraculous resurrection of Jesus. He was alive! And He was leading His people as tens of thousands streamed from the darkness into His Light-Washed Path.

John 16:20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

John 16:21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.

John 16:22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

When Philip took the Gospel down to the hated city of Samaria joy broke out in the whole town.

Acts 8:8 And there was great joy in that city.

Do you see the sign of Joy today?

Boldness -

The sign of boldness, as the mighty Hand of God, lifted men and women far above the limits of their own courage. Boldness put the steadfast purpose of Jesus fearlessly into the hearts of His followers. Boldness quenched the heart pounding of humble disciples, as they stepped far out on the high wire of God’s calling.

When Peter and John were hauled before the same court, that only days before, had Jesus crucified, boldness was all over them:

Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

Under the influence of Boldness, God has sent souls on fire around the world. Television and technology can never speak as deeply into the life of the one bound in darkness, as the witness of a Christian in the Hands of Boldness!

Do you see the sign of Boldness today?

There’s more tomorrow, so…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Our Identification In Christ // Add Comment »

Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal. 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

We become godly by living as a true worshipper of Jesus, allowing the Holy Spirit to flow through our lives. Not by honing “godly qualities” or developing righteousness. Putting our heart-felt efforts and prayer into relationship with Jesus, rather than the development of spirituality is what really gets us there. We’ve said it for so long as a cliche’, “It’s relationship with Jesus, not religion that God wants.” Since the Fruit of the Spirit is the moral attributes OF Jesus, and not like Jesus, then we can not grow this fruit, we must steward this fruit.

John 15:4  Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.

Our walk with Jesus, that thing that should be the greatest source of happiness in our life, becomes our deepest frustration when we strive to make ourselves holy. All the Fruits of the Spirit should be approached with a joyous excitement, by thinking, “Wow, look at all I have access to!”. But what ought to be a source of joy becomes a trap of condemnation, when we say instead, “Wow, look at all I have to DO!”.

Paul warned about the terrible trap of self-righteousness. We often think of this as the sin of proud people. But often, it’s the occupational hazard of conscientious Christians who simply try too hard.

Rom. 10:2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.

Rom. 10:3 For not knowing about God‚’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.

This is too true of many sincere believers. They know that God requires righteousness, but they don’t understand that He has given it to us through relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ. So they can’t relax in faith, and they try to please God by becoming righteous and developing the Fruit of the Spirit. But the Fruit manifests in us as self-reliance gives way to Christ-reliance and the Holy Spirit is able to empower us with the strength of Jesus’ moral excellence. So the Fruit of the Spirit is the result of nurturing our relationship with Jesus, and not the by-product of engineering our walk with God.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Our Identification In Christ // Add Comment »

Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal. 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

(quoted from yesterday’s devotional)

Jesus didn’t just leave us the example of Kindness, He left us the Spirit of Kindness. That’s why it’s called a Fruit of the Spirit. And it’s the cruelty of religion, under which people toil to attain moral perfection from human corruption. Like making a silk purse from a sow’s ear. But what joyous freedom when the truth sets you free to realize that the Spirit is at work in you to induce Jesus’ moral forces in your heart, to bolster your own weak virtues. You’ll always be a better steward of the Fruit than a grower of the Fruit.

Christians must get a hold of this concept: Trials do not develop the Fruit of the Spirit within us. The Fruit of the Spirit is already matured in Christ. Trials merely bring us to our knees where we both realize and remember. We realize that from within ourselves there is no moral excellence that can perform God’s righteousness. You have to start there. And then we remember in the moment of the trial, that God loves us, and our sufficiency is from Him. In short, the love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, which sustained Him through His earthly trial, are resident in us. These are all the moral attributes of His Love towards us.

As we let him love us by humbling ourselves in truth and worshipping Him in prayer, His character arises with our weakness upon His shoulders. It’s His love, His joy, His peace, His patience, His kindness, goodness and faithfulness, His gentleness and self-control that go to work in us. Nowhere in scripture are we told that God expects us to grow these fruits or develop these qualities. Does He expect us to manifest them? Yes! But by yielding to them as good stewards of our relationship with Him; not by cultivating them. He has furnished us with all the moral excellence of Christ in the Spirit He has given us.

2 Cor. 3:5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God,

2 Cor. 3:6 who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Look again at 2 Cor. 3:6. Our adequacy does not come as a result of doing our best to follow the letter of the Word (commendable as that motive may be). But we don’t begin to achieve adequacy until we allow the Holy Spirit to flow in us with the Life of Christ. Moral perfection and excellence are already realities in the Holy Spirit. God is simply looking for yielded sons and daughters through which He might display them to the glory of His Son.

The Fruit of the Spirit doesn’t even arise as a result of denying self in the fires of trial. It’s not death but Life from which the Fruit springs. It’s the Life of the Spirit that we yield to, which carries the Fruit into manifestation. The only thing our trials do is bring us to a point where we finally break from insisting on doing it all ourselves.

Trials simply serve as an opportunity to peel our white-knuckled grip from the controls so we can take God’s Hand.

We give into the Lord through repentance over self-works and accept His grace by allowing the Spirit to work. What utter joy and relief to finally come to the point of this realization. This is the insiders’ secret to Christianity!

2 Cor. 12:9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

More to come tomorrow, so until then…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Our Identification In Christ // Add Comment »

Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal. 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Look at that list of enviable qualities and understand correctly what you are considering. These are manifestations of the Jesus’ character, not human virtues. The Bible clearly states that…

Isa. 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

The Fruit of the Spirit are not manners to develop but forces of grace to use. And in using these divinely imparted graces we may conform under their influence, but we’ll never achieve them apart. For these fruits are not achievements but stewardships. They flow from the Presence of God as the very forces of Christ’s life. They are ridden, not developed. From the very heart of the scripture comes the principle of God’s Spirit, issuing forth the forces of Life, as divine currents, flowing through the lives of faithful worshippers:

John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

John 7:39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive…

John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springingup into everlasting life.

Prov. 4:23 Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.

Wise and happy is the Christian who learns that Love is not a level of performance but a gift from the Father – one that is given to be used. Love will fill the heart of a recipient, empowering him to act under it’s influence. Joy is not human happiness – dependent as it is on happenings. But it’s the indelible and irrepressible state of God’s confidence. When you learn to receive it from God you can have it even when you’re unhappy.

Isa. 51:11 Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

It doesn’t sound like they cheered themselves up, but Joy was upon them.

Many believers think that the Fruit of the Spirit is developed under the pressure of trials. You hear many Christians saying that God has them in the vice of trials, or the furnace of affliction, or breaking them in the valley in order to develop the Fruit of the Spirit in them, or the character of Christ. But if all this impressive death-to-self produces the Fruit of the Spirit then maybe these pure and noble qualities do exist in the filthy righteousness of man after all. And maybe all we need is a sufficient crushing until we’re ready to give into our “good side”. Maybe the arduous religion of death and legalism is what we really needed all along. For those who think this way, here’s Paul’s comment:

Gal. 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Paul taught that we are able to successfully endure the violent cycles of life, yet remain consistently governed by the Fruit of the Spirit, THROUGH the power of Christ, not for the approval of Christ.

Phil. 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

Phil. 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Jesus didn’t just leave us the example of Kindness, He left us the Spirit of Kindness. That’s why it’s called a Fruit of the Spirit. And it’s the cruelty of religion under which people toil to attain moral perfection from human corruption. Like making a silk purse from a sow’s ear. But what joyous freedom when the truth sets you free to realize that the Spirit is at work in you to induce Jesus’ moral forces in your heart, to bolster your own weak virtues. You’ll always be a better steward of the Fruit than a grower of the Fruit.

Tomorrow we’ll learn a little more, so until then…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Our Identification In Christ // Add Comment »

Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal. 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

The fruit of the Spirit is the characteristic of Christ manifest in us as we yield to the Spirit’s influence. The fruit of the Spirit is NOT our human virtues, sufficiently honed, until they resemble the character of Christ. The fruit of the Spirit isn’t so much the development of human character as it is the stewardship of God’s character. You don’t become more patient as much as you yield to patience. James writes (Amplified Bible translation):

James 1:3 Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.

James 1:4 But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play anddo a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.

The idea here is that Patience is a virtue of Christ that is ready to operate in the life of the sincere Christian. It is there as a fruit of the Spirit – a manifestation of divine character, on tap in the believer’s life. The reference is not so much to any virtue of patience native to the believer, but rather to the indwelling quality of the Holy Spirit. The admonition isn’t to be patient as much as it is to allow the Spirit’s patience to rise in you during a time of trial. This principle is true of all the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. They are all forces of the life of Christ, residing in you, and not just goals for your own virtues to attain.

It is so easy to misunderstand the scriptures that talk to us about being Christ-like. So many Christians have the misguided impression that the way godly character develops in a follower of Christ is by struggling under the pressure of trials to develop our own character until it resembles the images of Christ’s character, which the Holy Spirit illuminates for us. But not only is that wrong, it leads to religious futility and bondage. Hear what Paul cries in Romans:

Rom. 7:18 For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot perform it. [I have the intention and urge to do what is right, but no power to carry it out.]

Paul then goes on into Rom. 8 and explains that his freedom came as he allowed Christ in Him to provide the goodness of character, as he walked after the power of the Holy Spirit. The idea being that the Holy Spirit enters the life of a believer, bringing with Him the full influence of Jesus’ character, and ready to provide us with the fruit of His character as we yield to Him.

Paul struggled through great trials trying to be Christ-like and develop the fruit of the Spirit. But he couldn’t do it, and was driven to frustration trying. Unfortunately, at this point many Christians give up, feeling they are failures, or worse yet, that God has failed them. But Paul went on to realize that the Holy Spirit had already brought the qualities of Christ into his life, and all he needed to do was learn to yield to them. What a great concept. We get to display Christ’s character, as our own, without having to make our own virtues – rotten as they are – produce perfection.

Years ago as a Pastor, I was moved when a woman in our congregation stood up in church and exclaimed that she was weary of being so unhappy in her walk, and realized that she had been trying too hard to please God. She went on to say that surely the Lord had a resting-place in Himself where she could be what He wanted from her. My wife herself also experienced those struggles, being frustrated between the expectation of godly character and the failure of human virtue. Until she realized that trials were not designed to force our flawed character to become Christ-like, but rather to bring us to dependency upon the Holy Spirit. For He is ready to release the power of His character in us when we yield to Him.

She was so right. The fruit of the Spirit isn’t what we become so much as it is what we possess. Tomorrow we’ll look at the how-to portion of this simple, but great truth. Until then…

Stay On The Path!

Nick Champlin

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Our Identification In Christ // Add Comment »

Deut. 8:18 “But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

Eph. 5:3 But immorality (sexual vice) and all impurity [of lustful, rich, wasteful living] or greediness must not even be named among you, as is fitting andproper among saints (God’s consecrated people).

1 Tim. 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all evils; it is through this cravingthat some have been led astray and have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves through with many acute [mental] pangs.

Materialism – – A tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important that spiritual values. – Oxford American Dictionary

Prosperity – 1: an economic state of growth with rising profits and full employment 2: the condition of prospering; having good fortune [syn: successfulness]

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

At the center of distinguishing Materialism from Biblical Prosperity lies this simple divine formula:

Matt. 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

Matt. 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

Matt. 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also

Your treasure is the thing you value most. You can tell what your treasure is because it’s the thing that will ultimately determine your decisions. You will always choose in favor of your treasure because it’s the thing that holds your heart. When you stand at a crossroads you’ll decide in favor of your treasure and give up something else instead. When other things are your treasure you’ll disobey and disregard the Lord, no matter how much you love Him, because your heart rests in those other things. But when the Lord is your treasure you’ll let go of anything else, if necessary, no matter how much you love it, if it interferes with your heart’s pursuit of Him.

Matt. 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

We always declare that Jesus is Lord, but that isn’t the issue, is it? The real issue is whether He is your Treasure. Because the Kingdom of God upon Earth depends upon whether He is treasured in our hearts. No Treasure, –no Kingdom. Know Treasure, know Kingdom. Once Jesus became the true Treasure of the man’’s heart he gladly unloaded other things in order to possess it. At that point the man becomes an actual piece of living real estate in the Kingdom of God –- one of Heaven’’s mobile Embassies in the world.  Jesus doesn’t really possess our heart until we make him our Treasure. Then we become biblically prosperous – we flourish, rooted in our newly purchased field, bought with the proceeds of our surrendered former treasures.

Psa. 92:12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

Psa. 92:13 Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.

The Lord never said you couldn’t have both, Him and “other things” at the same time. He said you couldn’t handle 2 treasures at the same time. If you make the world, and its monetary system, your treasure it’s all you’’ll have, because the world can’t buy you salvation. But if you make the Lord your Treasure He’’ll add other things to you, for your enjoyment, because He knows you are truly devoted to His Kingdom above all else.  And you’’ll serve your First Love with the prosperity He adds to you.

Matt. 6:24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise and be against the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions, or whatever is trusted in).

Materialism is trying to feed the big hole in your empty heart with the things of the world. You’’ll die hungry.  But prosperity is enjoying your relationship with Jesus and sharing its proceeds with the world.

Jesus said that God should have your heart. He should be your chief treasure, above all things, for then Heaven will have another presence upon the earth. It’’ll be in you because you are uncorrupted by the love of materialism.  And when you’’re free of materialism then you are qualified to feed the Lord’’s lambs.

John 21:15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Faith & God's Promises // Add Comment »

Deut. 8:18 “But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

Eph. 5:3 But immorality (sexual vice) and all impurity [of lustful, rich, wasteful living] or greediness must not even be named among you, as is fitting and proper among saints (God’s consecrated people).

1 Tim. 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have been led astray and have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves through with many acute [mental] pangs.

Materialism –-  A tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important that spiritual values. – Oxford American Dictionary

Prosperity – 1: an economic state of growth with rising profits and full employment, and 2: the condition of prospering; having good fortune [syn: successfulness]

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Both Lust and Desire spring from Want.  Both words describe a passion, whether passive or aggressive. If there is a distinction between the two it is a moral or spiritual one.  And their source, as well as the object of their passion distinguishes them.  In other words what you desire and why you desire it can determine if you are lusting or simply desiring.

It’’s in a Biblical context the distinctions between Lust and Desire become clearer.  Biblically, Lust is associated with passionate desires for what is considered evil:

1 Cor. 10:6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lustafter evil things…

Lust is associated with desire for things banned by the Word of God:

Rom. 7:7 …Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Lust is associated with desires that emanate from physical cravings which have no concern for moral limitations, and will most certainly place the person under sin, who gives into their demands:

Gal. 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

James 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

James 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

The power of Lust is the power of the world that exists in a state of rebellion against God:

2 Pet. 1:4 …having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

1 John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

So to summarize, Lust is the craving for things without regard for relationship with God or His Laws. In this sense one may lust for certain things that are natural appetites, even essential human needs. But in their desire for these things they bypass any obligation to God or consideration that He may have a prohibition, provision or purpose that addresses this desire.

Simple Desire on the other hand is very much a critical element in our relationship with God. He built desire into us. Desire is often the voice of our purpose crying for guidance and fulfillment. Here are some verses that show the function and necessity of Desire in the life of a Believer:

Desire motivates people to seek the things of God.  Without Desire God’s people would stagnate and fail to take their ordained place in God’s purpose for us:

1 Pet. 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

Prov. 18:1 Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh andintermeddleth with all wisdom.

Through Desire God leads His people to reach forward and endeavor to attain purposes He would have them fulfill. The significant purposes of God are reserved for those who would, through their desire, be willing to endure any process to enter into them.  God wants us to cultivate our Desire for His purposes to point that they are our passions.  Thus God meets us at the point of our Desire.This is a VERY important point because it dispels the false notion that God simply bestows His will upon us solely based upon slavish attachment to a mechanical timetable.

Heb. 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

1 Cor. 14:1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

1 Tim. 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

Even prayer is regulated by Desire. Effective praying is far more dependent upon Desire than it is upon scriptural correctness.

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Desire that is focused upon God does not corrupt our character in pursuit of its fulfillment. People who come to God with their desires are willing to conform to His dealings.  But Lust draws people off the path of righteousness in its pursuit.  In other words, people who ignore God in pursuit of their desires, and simply turn to the world for gratification, open themselves to having their character polluted. Many believers have allowed themselves to become corrupted because they became tired of having to filter their desires through the “will of God”. The primary distinction between Lust and Desire is the God-factor, –looking to Him for approval and provision.  The Christian with godly desires wants the will of God above all. The Christian who is yielding to Lust doesn’t want God to have the opportunity to interfere with their desires.  The truth is that Lust always leads to sorrow and emptiness and (godly) Desire results in fulfillment. The Lord is not cheap nor is He afraid that His love and goodness are so weak that they are incapable of holding a believer who is being blessed by Him. In short, the Lord knows the hearts of true believers will not be corrupted if He grants then the desires of their hearts, because He Himself is their chief love.

Prov. 10:22 It is the blessing of the LORD that makes rich, and He adds no sorrow to it.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Faith & God's Promises // Add Comment »

Deut. 8:18 “But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

Eph. 5:3 But immorality (sexual vice) and all impurity [of lustful, rich, wasteful living] or greediness must not even be named among you, as is fitting andproper among saints (God’s consecrated people).

1 Tim. 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all evils; it is through this cravingthat some have been led astray and have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves through with many acute [mental] pangs.

Materialism – A tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important that spiritual values. – Oxford American Dictionary

Prosperity – 1) An economic state of growth with rising profits and full employment.  2) The condition of prospering; having good fortune [syn: successfulness]

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

True Biblical Prosperity is quite different from the world’s view, which is measured by accumulation of wealth. But Biblical Prosperity is an effect of our relationship with God. That doesn’t mean that if you have a good relationship with the Lord you’ll accumulate wealth, as though God is simply a means to riches.

1 Tim. 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

1 Tim. 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

So godliness is not measured by money, but good relationship with God is itself, the source of Prosperity. And contentment doesn’t mean being happy with lack, but being happy with Jesus, because Jesus will take care of those who depend upon Him with their faith.

Consider that Peter was exercising prosperity when he went to Jesus for the tax money that was due. And Jesus told him to go fishing for the fish that would have a gold coin in its mouth and that would cover the tax bill for both of them. Likewise when the disciple presented Jesus with a young boy’s lunch, from which Jesus fed thousands and ended up with a greater abundance left over.These are examples of true prosperity, which focuses on dependency upon Jesus and His care for us. He is so willing to help us when we ask in faith, without fear of rejection, and let Him provide for us. The key is not to think that you are in lack just because you don’t have immediate resources. If you have Jesus and know your covenant you’re never poor. But the worldly concept of prosperity is rooted in fear of lack and dependence upon money in hand. This is the essence of materialism.

Materialism places its value, not upon relationship with Christ but in possession of money and the things it can acquire. When Christians confuse Prosperity with Materialism they get caught up in status symbols. If faith (confidence that God is willing to bless when asked) is the evidence of Biblical Prosperity, then status symbols are the evidence of Materialism. Those trapped in materialism experience anxiety until they can possess the symbols of wealth. The evidence of materialism can be seen when Christians feel pressure to dress, drive or dwell as “prosperous” as others. There’’s a difference between a Christian who can wear a nice outfit with humble appreciation, but feel no less prosperous without it; and the Christian who is insecure and unhappy without the clothing.Some young people would rather die than show up in something less than the latest style. That might be chalked up to immaturity, but many adults have never grown out of it. That’’s Materialism and can be manifest in any dependence upon “things” for one’’s sense of wellbeing. It’’s idolatry in its essence, because those who suffer with it can’t achieve satisfaction through their relationship with Christ. It’’s surprising that there’s not a greater outcry against Materialism from our pulpits today. Could it be that today’’s church has largely become corrupted by the tyranny of fashion and status symbols?

1 Pet. 3:3 Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses;

1 Pet. 3:4 but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.

True Biblical prosperity can wear fashionable clothes, drive new cars, and live in a nice house,… or NOT.  It’s heart isn’t in those things; but in the Gospel of Christ, for which it longs to invest the benefits of its prosperity. Materialism, on the other hand, is preoccupied with physical things, as comforting symbols of its wellbeing; and is often frightened of the claims of discipleship, dreading the thought of “living by faith”. The truly prosperous Christian loves living by faith, even though they have to pray for everything, they love the faithfulness of God, and long to share it with others.

Psa. 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Who knows the Lord so intimately that he or she considers their wealth to be the fellowship and faith they share with Jesus; and it can’t be corrupted with the blessings He bestows upon them? It should be you.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Faith & God's Promises // Add Comment »

Deut. 8:18 “But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

Eph. 5:3 But immorality (sexual vice) and all impurity [of lustful, rich, wasteful living] or greediness must not even be named among you, as is fitting andproper among saints (God’s consecrated people).

1 Tim. 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all evils; it is through this cravingthat some have been led astray and have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves through with many acute [mental] pangs.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

The ability to maintain a godly balance between efforts to prosper and avoiding the carnal lust-for-money, that drives many TV Prosperity Preachers; requires a proper understanding of the difference between Biblical Prosperity and Materialism.  Unfortunately this topic has been burned out, like a lightening rod that’s been hit once too often.  Most conscientious people are fed up TV Preachers’ preoccupation with getting wealth. It’s nauseating to combine the precious message of the Gospel with tactics for accumulating riches.  Clear-thinking Christians see the immediate contradiction in goals. But what may not be so apparent is the difference between Prosperity and Materialism.  Let’s begin by defining the two.

Materialism – A tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important that spiritual values. – – Oxford American Dictionary

Prosperity - 1: an economic state of growth with rising profits and full employment, and 2: the condition of prospering; having good fortune [syn: successfulness]

It is immediately obvious that Materialism is anti-Christian. But Prosperity is simply the state of doing well. And “doing well” certainly falls within the parameters of God’s stated blessings:

3 John 1:2 Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.

If Prosperity is “doing well” then Soul Prosperity is really the key here.  John is simply restating the simple formula of Jesus:

Matt. 6:33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

So the key is understanding that Prosperity is not to be what we “seek first (foremost)” but what is “added to” us.  True Biblical Prosperity begins with understanding that God is the Author of life and all it’s blessings: we are prosperous if we know that and have a relationship with Him. Our faith and trust in Jesus makes us rich because by them we know that God wishes to provide bountifully for us. We are rich in faith if we know that He lovingly wishes to care for us, that we can rest in that trust, and truly dispel all fears that He will abandon us in poverty.

Seeking first the Kingdom has another connotation as well.  It refers to making the business of His Kingdom, our highest chief interest. So not only do those who seek first the Kingdom of God, truly trust Jesus for their blessings, but the business of His Kingdom and its Gospel, is their greatest interest. They are people who’s greatest passions are to see the Kingdom of God spread upon the Earth. This is what makes a “prosperous soul” – ”…I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.” The foundation of true Biblical Prosperity is the very opposite of Materialism.  It’s knowing the worth of Jesus Christ and living for the purposes of His Gospel. And thus, to the life of that prosperous soul, the Lord contributes the “added” prosperity.

Remember, Prosperity is basically, “doing well”. The secular definition was, “an economic state of growth with rising profits and full employment”. It could be argued that Mother Theresa was prosperous. She did experience rising profits and full employment. But what she chose to do with her fruits causes many people to fail to see her prosperity. This is where Prosperity is confused with Materialism.  Mother Theresa folded her prosperity into the place of her treasure rather than into the status symbols of materialism.

Tomorrow we’ll look at the deception of materialism.  Until then…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Faith & God's Promises // Add Comment »

Psa. 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion.

Psa. 137:2 Upon the willows in the midst of it We hung our harps.

Psa. 137:3 For there our captors demanded of us songs, And our tormentors mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”

Psa. 137:4 How can we sing the LORD’s song In a foreign land?

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Introduction…

We regularly need tune-ups.  Just like our cars, we have consumable parts and fluids that need realigning, replacing, refilling and topping off. When we push on too far beyond our regular service intervals, we show it and feel it.  And because we run rough when we’re rundown, it’’s easy to mistake needing a tune-up for being broken down and backslidden.

In our text, from Psalm 137, God’s people in the Old Testament, the Israelites, had been taken captive and carried away hundreds of miles from their homeland, into Babylon.  In that place their captors expected them to praise God and joyfully perform their faith, just as they had when they were happily living free at home.  But they couldn’t seem to come up with the ‘spirit’ to carry on normally as they had when they were full of joy.  They felt deeply separated from the joy and Presence of God, depressed and incapable when the Babylonians wanted to hear some of their worship.  This is exactly how it feels for Christians when they go too long without a spiritual tune-up.  They feel removed from God’’s Presence, joyless, depressed and incapable of worship.

So in the next few installments of The Light Washed Path I will be sharing the basic steps in performing a spiritual tune-up:

A. Reading The Gauges

B.    Running A Diagnostic Scan

C. Performing The Tune-Up

Now part six

Performing The Tune-Up

First we read our gauges and found the symptoms that determined it was time for a spiritual tune-up.  Then we ran an 11-point Diagnostic Scan of the vital activities of your spiritual life and found out exactly where our deficiencies were.  So now that we know where the problems are manifesting it’s time to perform the Tune-Up.

There are 4 basic points at which any Christian can improve the quality of his or her own spiritual life.  These 4 areas lay within our power to control. God will not simply bless us with spiritual effectiveness and edification if we ignore these 4 points of personal maintenance.  Here they are:

Paying attention To The Word…

It’s not enough to pay attention to sermons or read a few Bible verses.  The Word of God doesn’t really empower our spiritual life until we really pay attention to it on a day-to-day basis, and apply it to our circumstances.

Prov. 4:20-22 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; Keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their whole body.

If we will not treat God’’s Word as though it were on the same level as the words of men; if we will set aside our own will and views in order to allow God’’s Word to frame our views of life and govern our behavior; then His Words will fill us with divine energy to experience the very blessings they promise.

1 Th. 2:13 And for this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received from us the word of God’s message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.

Prayer & Intercession…

Like the human body, prayer is the oxygen that mixes with the elements of our blood to keep life in it.

Lev. 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood:

If a car isn’t getting the right amount of air injected into its fuel, combustion won’t take place and the car won’’t run.  In the same way, if we are prayer starved our life becomes weak and powerless.  You can have all the knowledge of God’’s Word but without the continuous flow of prayer your life has no breath.  Prayer brings the power of God’’s Presence to life in His Words that lie within our hearts and minds.

James 5:16 The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]. (Amplified Bible)

Praise God Continuously…

The world always loves to trot out a church choir for the Grammy’s or similar music award shows.  They like getting that little “touch of Gospel”. But that doesn’t mean they have any interest in praising God. Likewise, some Christians say, “Praise God”, but never DO IT.  Cars don’t have a perpetual energy cell – they need to be regularly filled with fuel.  Our bodies can’t live off of one meal. And no Christian can experience a spiritual life simply by getting saved.  We are designed to fill ourselves, and not to just passively wait around till God fills us.  Praising God is the way we fill ourselves with the Spirit He has poured out.

Eph. 5:18-19 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but (you) be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;

How are you filled?  By praising from your heart to the Lord! Knowing that we can fill ourselves with the presence of God, why would you ever stop praising Him? Living a life of praise is how we carry the fire of God in our lives, so that others can behold Him in us.  There can be no tune-up without restoring the praise of God to our heart and lips.

Psa. 34:1-2 I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.

Be A Witness…

If you never left your house there would be no reason to keep your car tuned up.  And Jesus sent the power of the Holy Spirit to those who are witnesses of His life and grace.

Acts 1:8 but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

The power TO BE a witness comes from the Holy Spirit.  And the decision to be a witness, and receive that power, comes from you. Being a witness is more than just talking about Jesus occasionally.  It’’s really living the tuned-up life.  It’’s when you maintain yourself in Christ to the extent that others see Him in you.  When you determine to display Jesus’ life God adds the power of His Spirit to you to accomplish the task. One of the best ways to stay well tuned and avoid breaking down, is to determine to be of witness for Jesus Christ.

There are at least a dozen ways your life can begin to deteriorate once you let yourself go down hill spiritually. But with diligence on your part, in relatively few areas, you will live a spiritually powerful and effective life for Christ.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Psa. 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept.

Psa. 137:2 Upon the willows in the midst of it We hung our harps.

Psa. 137:3 For there our captors demanded of us songs, And our tormentors mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”

Psa. 137:4 How can we sing the LORD’s song In a foreign land?

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Introduction…

We regularly need tune-ups. Just like our cars, we have consumable parts and fluids that need realigning, replacing, refilling and topping off.  When we push on too far beyond our regular service intervals, we show it and feel it.  And because we run rough when we’re rundown, it’’s easy to mistake needing a tune-up for being broken down and backslidden.

In our text, from Psalm 137, God’s people in the Old Testament, the Israelites, had been taken captive and carried away hundreds of miles from their homeland, into Babylon. In that place their captors expected them to praise God and joyfully perform their faith, just as they had when they were happily living free at home.  But they couldn’t seem to come up with the ‘spirit’ to carry on normally as they had when they were full of joy.  They felt deeply separated from the joy and Presence of God, depressed and incapable when the Babylonians wanted to hear some of their worship. This is exactly how it feels for Christians when they go too long without a spiritual tune-up. They feel removed from God’’s Presence, joyless, depressed and incapable of worship.

So in the next few installments of The Light Washed Path I will be sharing the basic steps in performing a spiritual tune-up:

A. Reading The Gauges

B. Running A Diagnostic Scan

C. Performing The Tune-Up

Now part five…

Running A Diagnostic Scan

Once we’ve read our gauges and found the symptoms that determine it’s time for a spiritual tune-up, we need to run a scan of our system find out exactly where our deficiencies lie.  These are the vital activities of your spiritual life.  Often these activities run undetected in the background of our life, but they maintain very essential functions.  And we don’t realize they have run down until we notice that the function they serve is seizing up.

We are going through the list and we left off with number 9 yesterday.

10.  Get God’s Business Done First

If your car didn’t run reliably and constantly broke down, you wouldn’t avoid getting a tune-up just because it had a great stereo and speakers.  Nor would you be satisfied to just let it park in front of your house, and go out to sit in it occasionally and listen to music. You’’d get that thing tuned-up because a nice stereo in a good running car is an additional bonus.  But in a poor running car it’’s a waste.  In the same way, when our lives aren’t ‘running well for God’ – when we’re not putting the things of His Kingdom first – then all the other ‘cool things’ in our life are almost meaningless. God doesn’t mind adding things to our lives when we live for His Kingdom and purposes.

Matt. 6:33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.

But you know it’s time for a spiritual tune-up when you keep putting off the things that God wants done in your life, and busy yourself instead with pursuing all the other things. It’’s the same as fixing up a car that doesn’t run, with all kinds of interior renovations, fancy wheels and custom paint jobs. What’’s the use?

James 4:13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow, we shall go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.”

James 4:14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.

James 4:15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that.”

The Lord knows the needs and desires of the heart of he who lives for God’s Kingdom, and He will add those things to his fruitful life.

11.  Don’t Let A Spirit Of Heaviness To Stop You

The final diagnostic scan deals with discerning a general condition of sluggishness. When you step on the accelerator of your car you can tell when it’s not responding like it should.  The problem might be in the electrical system or the fuel system, but whatever it is, its affect upon the performance of the car is dangerous.  A sluggish, non-responsive car, unable to quickly get out of the way of danger, is a hazard to its passengers and those with whom it shares the road.

Isa. 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To…grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.

In the same way, Christians who allow a spirit of heaviness and depression to remain on them, become non-responsive to God.  Absorbed in their own feelings, they become sluggish and dangerously prone to wrecks.  Too many Christians simply ignore their need for a spiritual tune-up, after becoming sluggish under a spirit of heaviness.  They often lapse into apathy, park themselves along the roadside somewhere and just become spiritually inactive, withdrawing from church, Bible study, prayer and fellowship.  They usually become convinced that they are seriously damaged and permanently broken; when in fact, they simply need a thorough tune-up.  And like a master mechanic, the Lord Jesus is zealously eager to tune-up the depressed Christian and deliver him from heaviness.  In fact, the Christian who is well tuned and functions with joy, is a testament and a glory to God.  This kind of healthy, well-running condition isn’t the result of being a high-end Christian or a special model.  All Christians are born-again in Christ – He’s the only model there is. It’s simply the result of staying finely tuned-up in Him.

Tomorrow we’ll learn how to perform the Tune-Up. Until then……

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Psa. 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept.

Psa. 137:2 Upon the willows in the midst of it We hung our harps.

Psa. 137:3 For there our captors demanded of us songs, And our tormentors mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”

Psa. 137:4 How can we sing the LORD’s song In a foreign land?

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Introduction…

We regularly need tune-ups.  Just like our cars, we have consumable parts and fluids that need realigning, replacing, refilling and topping off.  When we push on too far beyond our regular service intervals, we show it and feel it.  And because we run rough when we’re rundown, it’’s easy to mistake needing a tune-up for being broken down and backslidden.

In our text, from Psalm 137, God’’s people in the Old Testament, the Israelites, had been taken captive and carried away hundreds of miles from their homeland, into Babylon.  In that place their captors expected them to praise God and joyfully perform their faith, just as they had when they were happily living free at home.  But they couldn’t seem to come up with the ‘spirit’ to carry on normally as they had when they were full of joy.  They felt deeply separated from the joy and Presence of God, depressed and incapable when the Babylonians wanted to hear some of their worship.  This is exactly how it feels for Christians when they go too long without a spiritual tune-up.  They feel removed from God’’s Presence, joyless, depressed and incapable of worship.

So in the next few installments of The Light-Washed Path I will be sharing the basic steps in performing a spiritual tune-up:

A. Reading The Gauges

B.    Running A Diagnostic Scan

C. Performing The Tune-Up

Now part four…

Running A Diagnostic Scan…

Once we’ve read our gauges and found the symptoms that determine it’’s time for a spiritual tune-up, we need to run a scan of our system find out exactly where our deficiencies lie. These are the vital activities of your spiritual life. Often these activities run undetected in the background of our life, but they maintain very essential functions. And we don’t realize they have run down until we notice that the function they serve is seizing up.

We are going through the list and we left off with number 7 yesterday.

8.  Don’t Promise Your Flesh Anything

When we begin to make deals with our “flesh” – that part of our physical anatomy that houses carnal desires – it’’s a sure indication that we are degrading spiritually and need to pull in for a tune-up. It works like this: You are probably in the middle of an episode in your life that has involved spiritual sacrifice and victory. You have a certain amount of spiritual edification built up and confidence in your walk with the Lord. In short there is a sense that you can “afford” a little detour into carnal indulgence. But the idea that there exists enough spiritual fortitude or moral clout to afford and endure a little carnality is a terrible deception. There is a very good reason why the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write:

Rom. 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.

The expenditure you make on the lust of your flesh is never spiritually affordable. Because it pollutes your spirit and introduces a cycle of “bad seed” that just keeps demanding and increasing.

Gal. 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.

Gal. 6:8 For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life.

9.  Cancel All Plans To Sin

Another indicator that we need a spiritual tune-up is when we begin to actually make plans to sin and can’t seem to find the spiritual determination to back down.  Planning to sin creates momentum and sets our flesh in motion.  Before we even sin our flesh rises in power and becomes hard to resist.  At this point the fear of the Lord is necessary to get yourself to pull over for a pit stop tune-up.  Recognizing what sin will cost you should provide the incentive to guard your fellowship with God against its collapsing affect.

Psa. 66:18 If I regard wickedness in my heart, The Lord will not hear;

The key is to never plan to take your flesh on any field trips to Lust World. What you feed grows.  What you starve dies.

Tomorrow we’ll finish the last 2 points in our Diagnostic Scan. And then we can perform the Tune-Up.  Until then……

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Psa. 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept, When we remembered Zion.

Psa. 137:2 Upon the willows in the midst of it We hung our harps.

Psa. 137:3 For there our captors demanded of us songs, And our tormentors mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”

Psa. 137:4 How can we sing the LORD’s song In a foreign land?

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Introduction…

We regularly need tune-ups. Just like our cars, we have consumable parts and fluids that need realigning, replacing, refilling and topping off. When we push on too far beyond our regular service intervals, we show it and feel it.And because we run rough when we’re rundown, it’s easy to mistake needing a tune-up for being broken down and backslidden.

In our text, from Psalm 137, God’s people in the Old Testament, the Israelites, had been taken captive and carried away hundreds of miles from their homeland, into Babylon. In that place their captors expected them to praise God and joyfully perform their faith, just as they had when they were happily living free at home. But they couldn’t seem to come up with the ‘spirit’ to carry on normally as they had when they were full of joy. They felt deeply separated from the joy and Presence of God, depressed and incapable when the Babylonians wanted to hear some of their worship. This is exactly how it feels for Christians when they go too long without a spiritual tune-up.They feel removed from God’’s Presence, joyless, depressed and incapable of worship.

So in the next few installments of The Light Washed Path I will be sharing the basic steps in performing a spiritual tune-up:

A. Reading The Gauges

B. Running A Diagnostic Scan

C. Performing The Tune-Up

Now part three…

Running A Diagnostic Scan…

Once we’ve read our gauges and found the symptoms that determine it’s time for a spiritual tune-up, we need to run a scan of our system find out exactly where our deficiencies lie. These are the vital activities of your spiritual life. Often these activities run undetected in the background of our life, but they maintain very essential functions. And we don’t realize they have run down until we notice that the function they serve is seizing up.

We are going through the list of Diagnostic Scans and we left off with number 4 yesterday.

5. Keep God As Your Primary Desire

When we set our desire on anything, the force to pursue it and the power to enjoy it comes from within us. But when we set our affection upon God, and pursue Him, there is another force that couples with our efforts, and joins with our own passion. That force is the Spirit of God. He is not like the inanimate objects we usually pursue, with which we must furnish the pleasure we derive from them. But He infuses us with His Presence and joy. He is enthusiastically drawing our desire with His own; adding strength to our resolve, when we bypass other contenders to have His attention alone.

Heb. 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Heb. 11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

Heb. 11:15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

Heb. 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

6. Avoid Lusts Of The Flesh

There’’s an old nasty trick for destroying someone’’s automobile engine. You simply pour sugar into the gas tank. That’’ll just about ruin an engine. In the same way, when we allow ourselves to participate in sinfully feeding the lusts of our flesh, we quickly bring the progress of our spiritual life to a breakdown. Then you need a complete overhaul to recover. Peter plainly warns that involvement with flesh-oriented lusts will introduce spiritual conflict to your soul. These carnal worldly influences of sin are alien to the heavenly nature of your spirit. So inner conflict will immediately breakout when they are brought together. And you can’t move forward when you’’re fighting for your spiritual survival.

1 Pet. 2:11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul.

7. Make Your Flesh Serve Your Goal

You know it’s time for a tune-up and service when getting from point A to point B usually results in some kind of repair bill on your car. A car that won’’t provide reliable transportation without demanding special attention is more of a headache than it’s worth. It’’s the same with our bodies, along with their fleshy cravings and desires. They can get out of hand and in the way of your spiritual progress in life. Your body is supposed to provide reliable transportation for your soul. Getting your soul to its goals in life is it’s primary function, along with housing the Holy Spirit. But your flesh will try to dictate its own agenda for your mind, if you let it. So you must enforce a strict policy of authority over your body to maintain order. You must make your body serve the goals that God has laid within you. If you don’t, then it will impose its own lazy, time wasting, self-indulgent influences upon your soul and corrupt you. But Paul said that he kept his body under control so that he wouldn’t get off track in life. How many times have we seen Christian leaders have to hang their heads in shame because after preaching to others, and often making significant sacrifices to be qualified to do so, they were defeated from within by allowing their flesh to indulge its lusts. Then all their credibility and hard work is lost, often on a few fleeting worthless pleasures. So make your flesh serve it’s usefulness and don’t let it lead you or it will ruin your life.

1 Cor. 9:27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Tomorrow we’ll finish the last 3 points in our Diagnostic Scan. Then we can perform the Tune-Up. Until then……

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Psa. 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion.

Psa. 137:2 Upon the willows in the midst of it We hung our harps.

Psa. 137:3 For there our captors demanded of us songs, And our tormentors mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”

Psa. 137:4 How can we sing the LORD’s song In a foreign land?

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Introduction……

We regularly need tune-ups. Just like our cars, we have consumable parts and fluids that need realigning, replacing, refilling and topping off. When we push on too far beyond our regular service intervals, we show it and feel it.And because we run rough when we’re rundown, it’s easy to mistake needing a tune-up for being broken down and backslidden.

In our text, from Psalm 137, God’’s people in the Old Testament, the Israelites, had been taken captive and carried away hundreds of miles from their homeland, into Babylon. In that place their captors expected them to praise God and joyfully perform their faith, just as they had when they were happily living free at home. But they couldn’t seem to come up with the ‘spirit’ to carry on normally as they had when they were full of joy. They felt deeply separated from the joy and Presence of God, depressed and incapable when the Babylonians wanted to hear some of their worship. This is exactly how it feels for Christians when they go too long without a spiritual tune-up.They feel removed from God’’s Presence, joyless, depressed and incapable of worship.

So in the next few installments of The Light-Washed Path I will be sharing the basic steps in performing a spiritual tune-up:

A. Reading The Gauges

B. Running A Diagnostic Scan

C. Performing The Tune-Up

Now part two……

Running A Diagnostic Scan…

Once we’ve read our gauges and found the symptoms that determine it’’s time for a spiritual tune-up, we need to run a scan of our system find out exactly where our deficiencies lie. These are the vital activities of your spiritual life. Often these activities run undetected in the background of our life, but they maintain very essential functions. And we don’t realize they have run down until we notice that the function they serve is seizing up. Let’’s scan through the list:

1. Run Your Life To Gain Souls

It’’s so easy to get off track in life and become bogged down in things that won’t matter in the end. Jesus said that living to be a light for God to others is the prime focus of every Christian. There certainly are other activities and interests that we pursue, but to stay spiritually healthy we must keep to our primary focus, because that is where the refreshing of the Holy Spirit meets us.

1 Cor. 9:19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more.

2. Don’t Run Without Desire

Running your life without the motivation of desire and passion is like running your car without oil. Eventually you’ll burn up your engine. The oil of desire keeps all moving parts lubricated and prevents friction from causing them to overheat. When we let our desire for God run low our walk with Christ goes from the wonderful flow of joy to the grind of religion. Desire is what fuels faith and helps it keep its focus.

Psa. 27:4 One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, And to meditate in His temple.

Desire is what allows us to press toward our “mark”.

Phil. 3:14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Phil. 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;

3. Put Down The Weights

Just like our car engines accumulate ‘junk’ and need to be flushed, so does our life. Satan isn’t the great hindrance to spiritual progress; our own distractions are. So just like the runner who must eliminate all excessive weight, so also a healthy Christian will regularly make the adjustments to lay aside the ‘junk’.

Heb. 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

4. You Set The Limits

Desire will set your goals but you determine your limits. Each Christian must set the parameters of his or her disciplines. The more we lose sight of our goals in Christ the more we will allow ‘permissible’ activities to claim our time and attention.

1 Cor. 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

1 Cor. 6:13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.

Tomorrow we’ll continue to run our Diagnostic Scan. Remember, before we can perform the Tune-Up we have to locate the problems. Until then……

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Psa. 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion.

Psa. 137:2 Upon the willows in the midst of it We hung our harps.

Psa. 137:3 For there our captors demanded of us songs, And our tormentors mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”

Psa. 137:4 How can we sing the LORD’s song In a foreign land?

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

We regularly need tune-ups.  Just like our cars, we have consumable parts and fluids that need realigning, replacing, refilling and topping off. When we push on too far beyond our regular service intervals, we show it and feel it. And because we run rough when we’re rundown, it’’s easy to mistake needing a tune-up for being broken down and backslidden.

In our text, from Psalm 137, God’’s people in the Old Testament, the Israelites, had been taken captive and carried away hundreds of miles from their homeland, into Babylon. In that place their captors expected them to praise God and joyfully perform their faith, just as they had when they were happily living free at home. But they couldn’t seem to come up with the ‘spirit’ to carry on normally as they had when they were full of joy. They felt deeply separated from the joy and Presence of God, depressed and incapable when the Babylonians wanted to hear some of their worship. This is exactly how it feels for Christians when they go too long without a spiritual tune-up. They feel removed from God’’s Presence, joyless, depressed and incapable of worship.

So in the next few installments of The Light Washed Path I will be sharing the basic steps in performing a spiritual tune-up:

A. Reading The Gauges

B. Running A Diagnostic Scan

C. Performing The Tune-Up

Reading The Gauges…

We must begin by properly reading our gauges. Too often we simply ignore the signs and indicators and keep pushing while our spiritual energy degrades. There are 3 main indications of spiritual emptiness that the children of Israel experienced in Babylon:

1. Grief Over Emptiness

It says, “We sat down and wept when they remembered Zion”. This was a clear indication that they felt removed from the place where they had experienced freedom and fullness. It’’s always a mistake to ignore the sense of spiritual emptiness and press on through in our own strength. This is why Isaiah wrote:

Isa. 40:29 He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power.

Isa. 40:30 Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly,

Isa. 40:31 Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.

We often become grieved when we can’’t seem to make things work out the way we want them to. But the wise Christian will learn to become grieved instead, over his lack of spiritual presence, and realize he needs to make a pit stop in the service area of prayer.

2. Lack Of Praise

The Israelites then said, “Upon the willows in the midst of it we hung our harps.” They quit praising God. That is a huge indication that one is running on empty.  Sometimes people are so use to not praising God that it doesn’t seem out of place to them until they get around people who are praising God. The key is to properly read your ‘praise gauge’. It shouldn’t be the presence of others praising God that makes you feel awkward, but the lack of your own praising God that feels foreign to you.  So put a gauge on your praise because it’’s an indicator of how you’’re running.

Psa. 34:1 I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Psa. 34:2 My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear it and rejoice.

Psa. 34:3 O magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.

3. Bondage

The Israelites then recognized that their captivity was interfering with their ability to worship. They were no longer free, but in bondage. They said, “How can we sing the Lord’’s song in a foreign land?” There is a strong relationship between living in the place of bondage and having the freedom to worship. Basically, the two won’t mix. When you have allowed yourself to run so low that Satan traps you in some bondage, your natural freedom to worship God is lost. At that point some Christians ignore the strangeness that their bondage produces in them, and simply press through church services, quenching their convicting pains. But the Israelites couldn’t ignore the gauges, and singled out their captivity as the source of their spiritual inability. We Christians must learn to do the same, and not simply tolerate the paralyzing conditions of bondage when we fall into them. Painful as they are, they indicate that we are desperately overdue for a spiritual tune-up.

Tomorrow we’ll talk about how to Run A Diagnostic Scan.  Until then……

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Heb. 11:24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;

Heb. 11:25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin;

Heb. 11:26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.

Heb. 11:27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for heendured, as seeing Him who is unseen.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

We are guided by what we see.  The inner vision of a person’’s life determines their self-control.  That vision can come from something they see with their physical eyes, or it can come from seeing a principle, an ideal or a dream.  A person with no self-control either has no vision or has stopped looking to the one they had.  But the person with a vision will possess self-control to the extent that they keep their eye on their vision.  Your vision will discipline you.  With a great focus upon your vision you will practice great discipline in your journey.  Every worthwhile vision involves a great journey and demands strong self-discipline.  If you lack self-control then you’re not following your vision.

For Moses, it took immense self-control to shed all the familiar comforts and privileges of life in Pharaoh’’s Court, in order to launch himself into God’’s path.  Though he had no idea of what the future would hold for him, he was so convinced that God was leading him that he burned all the bridges back to Egypt, behind him, before obtaining any assurances of his future.  Moses saw something out on the horizon.  His eyes were locked onto something that gave his feet the power to step away from Pharaoh’s Court.

Heb. 11:25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin;

Heb. 11:26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.

Most of us are paralyzed where we are.  There might be things that we believe should be different, but we can’t muster the personal discipline to change them.  Dissatisfaction with the status quo has never produced enough power to change it.  That’’s why whining, complaining and hand wringing is obnoxious.  Those who whine never demonstrate the self-control necessary to arise and produce a breakthrough.  They’re nonproductive.  Just seeing the problem is never enough to bring improvement.  Moses’’ vision had to take him all the way to God, – to the answer, before he saw something powerful enough to motivate him to produce a change.

When Moses left Egypt the first time, his eye of faith had seen a distant vision, and it was enough to move him to forsake his old life.  But the vision wasn’’t clear enough for him to deliver the Hebrews.  Moses ran away from Egypt, leaving the Hebrews behind.  But after many years his eyes encountered another vision in the burning bush, clear and explicit: ““Go, and deliver my people.  I am with you!”” On the strength of that vision, filling his eyes, not looking back at Pharaoh’’s chariots, Moses left Egypt the second time with millions of Hebrew slaves in tow.  He kept his cool, didn’t freak out when everyone around him did, because he knew God was going before him.

Heb. 11:27 By faith he left Egypt (this time w/ the slaves), not fearing the wrath of the king (who was chasing him); for he endured, as seeingHim who is unseen.

Is there something stirring in your heart, something God is showing you that needs to be done?  Is the Holy Spirit setting Christ before your eyes (as He did with Moses), drawing your heart towards a purpose?  Then go to Him!  Take strength from His vision -– strength to endure whatever the path may require.  This is the origin of self-control.  The only time that controlling self results in any eternal benefit is when it’’s controlled for the will of God.  Whether it’’s serving your family, your community or delivering a people, it takes the power of self-control, derived from a vision, to make a difference.

Heb. 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Heb. 12:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Heb. 11:24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;

Heb. 11:25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin;

Heb. 11:26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.

Heb. 11:27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for heendured, as seeing Him who is unseen.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Moses “chose rather” than enjoying the benefits of Pharaoh’’s court, to endure the hardships of the Hebrews, in order to seek out his path in God.

In order to choose you must refuse.

Now there’’s a universal law, which people could use to eliminate a lot of misery from their life.

Here’’s another universal law that cannot be circumvented:

Everything in life is on some path. Nothing stands alone.

Life is not Ala Carte. There is simply no way that you can go skipping through life, selecting things that attract you, without taking the paths that they are on.  Everything is on some path, with the things that lead up to it and the things that follow it.  And the world is full of little maxims that alert us to this law.  Like, “If you lay down with dogs, you get up with fleas.”  Nobody wants fleas.  But if you select the dog you have to deal with the fleas too.  Jesus put it like this:

Matt. 6:24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise and be against the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions, or whatever is trusted in).

You cannot walk two paths.  Foolishly, every new generation thinks they can beat that principle.  Girls think they can take that ‘bad boy’ in High School, with the smoldering good looks, and infamous popularity, and not end up with misery, disease, poverty or abused, a few years down the road.  That boy came with a path.  And when she picked him she took the whole path thinking she could change it.

The young man, immersed in hormonal glory and fixated on the moment, thinks he can pluck that girl on a Friday night, and then put her back before school the next Monday.  He thinks he’’s just choosing a night-of-passion.  He doesn’t see the assumptions and expectations that will follow.  He doesn’t think he’’s choosing a baby, a family law attorney, and a family feud and grief for years to come.  But he took the path thinking he could just choose the goodies.

When I was a young man I thought I could just choose to hang out with the “bad boys” on a Saturday night –- no big deal.  I wasn’t choosing to be a criminal.  I wasn’t choosing jail or ‘Big Bubba’ for a new roommate.  But that Saturday night crowd comes on a path.  And when you join them you jump on their path, and inherit everything down the line.

This principle is true of every other decision in life: friends, fun, money, marriage, divorce, etc, etc.  And some paths are very possessive.  Until you surrender to the Lord you’’ll never get off them.  Heaven and Hell are destinations at the end of two paths. If you don’t want what’’s at the end of the road you’re on, then don’t take the path…or anything on it.

Prov. 2:11 Discretion will guard you, Understanding will watch over you,

Prov. 2:12 To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things;

Prov. 2:13 From those who leave the paths of uprightness, To walk in the ways of darkness;

Prov. 2:14 Who delight in doing evil, And rejoice in the perversity of evil;

Prov. 2:15 Whose paths are crooked, And who are devious in their ways;

Prov. 2:16 To deliver you from the strange woman, From the adulteress who flatters with her words;

Prov. 2:17 That leaves the companion of her youth, And forgets the covenant of her God;

Prov. 2:18 For her house sinks down to death, And her tracks lead to the dead;

Prov. 2:19 None who go to her return again, Nor do they reach the paths of life.

Prov. 2:20 So you will walk in the way of good men, And keep to the paths of the righteous.

Many people have asked, “”What’s wrong with __________?”  When we isolate a thing from the environment of its path, it may be hard to see why it’s sinful or dangerous to our soul.  But real life isn’’t an academic exercise, where everything can be viewed in abstract terms.  Everything comes with a path and to understand the worth or the danger of it one must look down the road to the end.    So……

Stay On THE PATH!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »

Heb. 11:24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;

Heb. 11:25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin;

Heb. 11:26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.

Heb. 11:27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for heendured, as seeing Him who is unseen.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Self-Control is to your soul what your immune system is to your body.  The defensive perimeter around your heart and mind is manned by the ability to control yourself.  God designed you so that you could take charge of your life and guide it successfully under His leadership.  He would be your God and you would be His people -– not puppets. This meant that you would use all the faculties He put within you; and they would work properly as you followed Him with your affection and obedience.

Isa. 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Isa. 1:19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

Isa. 1:20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

The idea here is that God asks for our cooperation and in turn He blesses our obedience to His leadership.  In order for that to happen your ability to control yourself is in your hands and you must take hold of it.  When you do He will supply the courage and strength to prevail over temptations and mercy to forgive errors.  God told Cain that he would have to exercise self-control over his own anger.

Gen. 4:7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin crouches at your door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.

The scripture portrays the person who does not control himself as a city without a defensive perimeter wall:

Prov. 25:28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

In our culture today we are encouraged to be as the senior Solomon who set out to expand his wisdom by sampling all that life had to offer.  But Solomon sadly discovered, from that foolish pursuit, that he had ruined his ability to protect himself from corruption, by exposing himself to life without any self-control.  His ultimate sad revelation was that everything in life, except for serving God, was utter vanity and worthless.  And this was not just an academic lesson.  Solomon’’s life had become overrun with corruptions that he could no longer control.  He was a servant of God who became an invaded, conquered, and occupied man.

We are driven to God for help through our need to control ourselves.  When we try to protect our souls from temptation and damage we find that, in our broken sinful state, we are overwhelmed and need His help.  When God sends His help He doesn’t take over your will but gives you His wisdom – the Bible and Holy Spirit to teach you, – and His Presence to empower and comfort you.  But ultimately He is strengthening your ability to practice self-control.  In other words, He enables you to protect yourself with His help:

Psa. 119:114 Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.

Eph. 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

The Lord puts into our hands the ability to keep ourselves in His keeping!

Isa. 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is kept on you: because he trusts in you.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Challenge, Conviction & Encouragement // Add Comment »