His Eyes are Upon You

"For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him." (2 Chronicles 16:9)

Do you ever stop to think that God's eyes are upon you?

"But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love." (Psalm 33:18)

"The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry." (Psalm 34:15)

I don't know your situation or circumstances today, but what I do know is that God's eyes are upon you. You may be thinking that God doesn't see what you are going through or that He has turned a deaf ear to your prayers. However, if you know Him, He has not forgotten you.

I want you to take some time today and consider all that God has done to give you security in this life. Sure...this is a walk of faith, but God wants your faith to be anchored in something.

1) He has made you acceptable!

- Because of His grace you are righteous, holy, and blameless in His sight. Jesus' blood was enough to cleanse you from sin. God did a good job saving you and if that wasn't enough, He gives you the ability and power you need to follow after Him. He has taken the weight of carrying this thing on your own away from you.

2) He has given you His Word!

- God's Word is filled with precious promises to those who follow after Him. We also discover the nature and character of God as we read these pages. Whatever His Word says is TRUTH and you can hope in it, build your life upon it, and claim it as your own by faith. The Bible isn't given to you just to make you knowledgeable. You can trust in His Word.

3) He has placed His Spirit within you as a guarantee!

- Isn't that an awesome thought? If you ever get to a place where you doubt that the Lord is really with you, His Spirit will begin to testify in your spirit who you are and to whom you belong. Jesus told His disciples that He would not leave them without comfort. The Spirit of God is the Comforter in your life. Never underestimate this awesome gift!

4) God has also confirmed things through His creation!

- Jesus told us to look at the lilies of the field and the sparrows in the air. It is in the testimony of God's creation that we see God's care is available to us as well. "Are you not of more value than these?" The birds of the air have food, and the flowers in the field are well taken care of. How much more will God do for you?

The purpose of sharing all of these things isn't to expound on them individually but to give you encouragement. I want you to take note of some things that God has already done.
Be encouraged in the sacrifice of Jesus!
Be encouraged by the Word of God!
Be encouraged in the Holy Spirit!
Be encouraged by His creation!
Know that His eyes are upon you and that His ear is attentive. God wants nothing more than to show Himself strong in your life! You can trust Him. You can trust Him. You CAN trust Him!!!

A Sense of Belonging

Ever have the feeling of not fitting in? Looking for a sense of belonging?

I remember being in high school and never "feeling" that I fit in with any of the groups with which I was associated. I played sports but never really felt like a jock. I hung out with some of the kids that liked the same tastes in music but never felt like a "metal head." I was smart enough to do well in school but didn't belong with the smart crowd. I took a Creative Writing course but didn't want to be labeled with that group either. I was sure that I could fit in somewhere but my feelings said otherwise. As I look back on it...I think I had an identity crisis. It seems as though people labeled me as belonging to certain groups but I didn't (couldn't) see it.

Romans 8:15, "For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father.'" One of the greatest benefits of being a follower of Jesus Christ is that I know who I belong with. The Spirit that cries out within me rejoices in the fact that I am a child of God, a joint-heir with Jesus, and a citizen of the kingdom of God. I don't have to wonder who I fit in with because God has made me fit through Jesus Christ.

Identity - the distinguishing character or personality of an individual. This is how we typically define the word identity. It's all about who we are, what we look like, and how we behave. If I asked you to identify a person, you would being to tell me everything you have seen and know about the individual. If you go through airport security, you must have proof of identity. This is usually satisfied with a picture ID (driver's license or passport). What God has done in you through faith in Christ doesn't come with a picture ID but an inward proof of identity - His Spirit.

Have you ever wondered why God chose to operate this way? Don't you think that God could give each of us a spiritual birthmark that would be visible? I have no doubt that God is capable of it but this isn't how He chose to operate. God chose to place in us the same Spirit that was at work in the life of Jesus Christ. This is the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. It is the Spirit of adoption - the Spirit that cries out "Abba, Father." This Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we belong to Him and it also bears witness with the spirit of other believers. Is that cool or what?

What God has done is give you inward proof of who you are in Christ. You never have to worry about a birth certificate, picture ID, or green card. The proof of who you are is inside of you and He always bears witness. Your sense of belonging is firmly settled in the witness of God's Spirit within you. If you ever get to a place where you doubt what God has done, then you can ask Him to bear witness and He will. As you begin to confess what God's Word says about you, the inner testimony burns within. It may sound crazy but it really works.

Take some time on this Friday to thank God for His Spirit dwelling inside you. Thank Him that you never have to wonder if you truly belong to Him. Thank Him that this Spirit allows you to cry out Abba, Father. Thank Him that greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. Thank Him for bearing witness in you that you truly belong to Him. Then watch and see what the Spirit of God does inside of you. Flow in His empowerment to share this life with others. Enjoy His work in and through you.

You belong because Jesus made you acceptable by grace through faith. You belong!!! Cry out: "Abba, I belong to You!"

Does It Always Feel Like This?

Here's a question that was asked of me earlier this week from a guy who had just gotten saved a few days ago: "Neal, does it always feel like this?"

How would you answer that question? Most of us can remember the day we got saved. We remember the "joy of salvation", all of the emotions, and what felt like the weight of the world coming off of us; but do you still "feel" that way today?

"Well brother, we can't base everything on feelings!" Right...but God did create us as emotional beings. If we know that our sins are forgiven, that we have been born-again, and that the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells inside of us; shouldn't there be some emotion? Shouldn't we at least smile about it?

In his letter to the church at Rome, the Apostle Paul quoted the psalmist David: "Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose sin is no longer counted against them by the Lord." (Romans 4:7-8). AMEN!!!

Jesus spoke of a burden that is light, a fountain that springs up unto eternal life, rivers of living water that flow out of you, and an abundant life. These are just a few of the incredible benefits that accompany salvation. Jesus also said that whoever drinks from the water that He gives would never thirst again. Is that you?

Folks, we can discuss what takes place in our Christian walk that causes us to lose "the joy of salvation." Things like familiarity, the struggles of life, temptation & trials, etc. But I think that we tend to lose the joy when we put more on us rather than letting it all rest on God. As long as we continue to operate in the flesh, we will continually be brought into a state of lack, frustration, and emptiness. God wants you to enjoy this thing of salvation. He wants you to find rest and comfort in Him. He wants you to be a light to the world.

My answer to this young man was: "It can always feel like this. You just got to keep putting everything on Him." I can personally testify to the fact that God's grace will sustain you in life. His grace will give you divine ability to do what His Word says you can do. His grace in the key to continually enjoying your salvation. When David sinned, he cried out to God: "Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation." Maybe you should do the same. Repent of the things that cause a drain on your spiritual life (could be sin or a mindset). Confess who you are in Jesus until your heart lines up with it. Then walk in the joy of your salvation.

Why Worry?

Ever have one of THOSE days in the office? You know...the server is down and you can't access anything? Or maybe you have called customer service and they tell you that they are unable to get into your account because the server is down. We have some friends who have been without Internet for about two weeks because of a problem outside the home. It's during times like these that you want to pull your hair out (I would scream since I'm lacking the hair to pull).

I'm so glad that God isn't like a server. Our line of access to Him is always open. We are told in His Word to come boldly before Him that we may obtain mercy and find grace in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16). He's always available to His people, His ears are always open, and His eye is always upon us. It's good to know that God never gives us a busy signal or an error message.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God" (Philippians 4:6). God will never "hang you out to dry" but wants for us to be dependent upon Him for everything. Although He may not answer when we think He should answer - God is always on time.

I was just discussing this very thing with some friends of mine. They are looking for God's provision in a certain area. I simply encouraged them with the understanding that God's kingdom is fully equipped to handle any and all needs. They already know this and see their time of prayerfully waiting as a time of expectancy. Trust me when I say that this is the right approach.

Faith is never a cop-out. This is how God wants us to operate. "Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6). The avenue of pleasing God is paved in faith. This faith is a trust in the REALITY and REWARD of God. The writer of Hebrews says that we must believe that He "is" (the reality of God) and that He is a "rewarder" (the Reward) of those who diligently seek Him. Believing WORKS!

Everything we have in this life is by grace through faith: Our Salvation, Our Righteousness, Our Sufficiency, Our Ability, and Our Provision. God revealed Himself to Moses as "I AM" - this is an open ended promise. In essence God tells us that He is all that we need. I heard a quote the other day that illustrates the point that I want to share. "Most people know that Jesus is necessary but how many of us know that He is enough?"

So for my friends, and anyone else who may be living in prayerful expectancy, I want you to know that He is enough. He can provide for every need, comfort every trouble, aid in every problem, and heal every disease. There is nothing that comes into our lives that causes God to wring His hands. There is no difficulty that takes God by surprise. He will never leave us nor forsake us.

His GRACE is sufficient!

The Necessity of Grace

During our 11:00am Worship/Celebration Service yesterday, God made His presence strong among us. We became so moved in worship that I didn't think we could add anything to what He was doing in the hearts of the people. God was drawing people unto Himself as we continued to give him glory.

Since I was unable to preach to the crowd at the 2nd service, I wanted to share some thoughts with you from the sermon: The Necessity of Grace. This message was the third in a Series called "Grace - The Change We Need!" In the picture above you can see that Romans 3:24 says, "being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus". This is what we need to understand about the grace of God in our lives. It is by grace - through faith - that we are saved. We are brought into a right standing relationship with God through the grace found in Jesus Christ. We cannot work for it, earn it by merit, or accomplish anything by our own effort. Grace is a free gift to all who will believe, and it is by believing that we are made righteous.

The Necessity of Grace is found in 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." Grace is necessary in the life of a believer because it is only by the grace of God that we can be different. What must be resolved in our lives is that we cannot change in our own ability. Only when we come to Jesus in faith does God activate His grace in our lives to make us new.

Grace is also necessary to make us righteous. In verse 21 of 2 Cor. 5, the Bible says that "For He made Him who know no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." Jesus became sin for us so that we could become righteous. This is where we have to abandon the achievement mentality and move into an agreement mentality. In other words, by faith you must agree with God that you are as righteous as Jesus! The need in your life is not that you become more righteous but that you begin to live out what God has placed inside of you. It's just like salvation: BY GRACE - THROUGH FAITH!

Last of all, I shared with the first service that grace is necessary to make us vessels of praise. 2 Corinthians 4:7, "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us." This is where we understand that the grace of God moves beyond salvation. It is the actual power at work in our lives so that we may live out what God has done on the inside. The Christian life is to be lived by the grace of God from start to finish. All I have to do is operate in faith. When I believe what God's Word says about my life, I agree with God, and then grace gives me the ability to walk in whatever God says is true about me. I know this concept may sound foreign to us because of our works mentality, but you are going to have to trust me.

Example:
Let's say that you are being tempted in a certain area of life. God's Word says that sin shall not have dominion over you because you are no longer under law but under grace (Rom. 6:14). This means that I am victorious over sin because of the grace of God. What I do next will determine whether or not I am victorious. I encourage you to agree with what God says about you in His Word: I am "more than a conqueror", "Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world", I am "the righteousness of God in Christ", and I am "Holy". The words in quotation marks come directly from God's Word and speak about your identity in Christ. When we confess these things by faith, our heart comes into agreement with God's Word. It is here that we find the ability to overcome any and every temptation that comes our way.

Here's the challenge: Am I going to continue to work out my own salvation in my own strength OR am I going to allow God's grace to give me the ability I need? One of these ways offers effortless change while the other one requires a lot of work. I choose GRACE! When I confess Jesus as Lord over EVERY area of my life, and by faith agree with what God has said about me, I am able to walk in victory. This is The Necessity of Grace.

Something Fresh

What an incredible week! I have been able to witness God do amazing things on so many levels. I was able to experience God in fresh ways with my son, friends & church members, and families within our community. I have literally watched as God answered prayers that I have prayed word for word.

I can honestly say that the events of this week have blown me away. It's hard to remember any other time in my life where I have witnessed God do what He is doing in and around me. It's exciting. It keeps me on the edge of my seat because I never know what God is going to do next.

Have you ever experienced anything like this? Has God moved upon your life in such a way that you see Him working everywhere? I'm not saying this is "the norm" for my life but it can be. It may not be the same thing every time but I truly believe that each of us should live with that expectancy. We should live as though God is going to show up in our lives or in the lives of those around us. This thing is REAL, POWERFUL, and utterly AMAZING!

In Acts 3:19, Peter said, "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,". Isn't that what you want - something refreshing? The life that Jesus promised was one of abundance. Is that what you are experiencing? Can you say that you have "abundant life"? If not...why not? Is Jesus a liar? Was Jesus saying that just to make you feel good or do you think he meant it? Folks, I assure you that Jesus meant it! If you aren't experiencing "something fresh" from the Lord it's not His fault.

Take some time today to confess who you are in Jesus. Meditate what God's Word says to be TRUE in your life. Allow the Holy Spirit to minister those words to your heart. And watch to see what God does in you. You will be amazed at the time of refreshing that God will give. All you have to do is believe it by faith. By faith, agree with God, and enjoy the refreshment that God gives to your soul.

Pray you have a refreshing weekend!

Do you hear that?

Stillness...quiet...the sound of nothing. Many of us are so used to noise that we have forgotten how to enjoy silence. If you are like me, you HAVE to get away from the noise every now and then.

Yesterday was one of those days. I had experienced a busy day (much like everyone else) and had decided to grab a bite to eat. Once I finished my sandwich, I got in the vehicle and pulled into the corner of the parking lot and sat there alone with my thoughts. No music. No phone conversations. No noise. I reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a Bible and began to read. In that moment something happened - my whole day changed! In reality, I changed. The reason for this change is quite simple; I got still before God.

Folks, we have missed the all important understanding of how God works. We are trying to get God to invade our lives where we are rather than setting ourselves apart. Sure, God does speak to us even in the busy moments of life but it's real easy to miss his voice in the midst of the noise. Try this: Instead of driving down the road at 65 mph with the stereo blasting, asking God to speak to you; pull off somewhere and get still before Him. "Wait patiently..." the psalmist said. "Be still and know that I am God." We need the quiet times.

Our culture is a noisy culture. Every day it seems as though we introduce one more thing into our lives that creates greater distractions. My cell-phone allows me to talk, text, message, email, and access the Internet. I love the fact that I can respond but there are times that we have to walk away from the very thing that was created to give us convenience. "Please, step away from the cell-phone." Get away to God's convenience and allow Him to download some things into you. Find that quiet place and listen to what God has to say.

Who knows? You may have one of those moments like I had yesterday when everything changes in an instant. I hope you do!

Life's Lessons

Before I get into the "meat" of the blog, I want to share with you an update on my son. I told you yesterday that he chose to walk in faith and just before I finished the blog, I got that phone call with the statement: "I want you to take me to the church and pray over me." It seems as though my son injured the same foot in gym class. SAME FOOT! What did I do? I did what he asked me to do. I picked him up at school - took him to our church sanctuary - prayed over him. This time we had a different result. This time...NO PAIN! Completely gone! Two days in a row we watched God at work. Two days in a row, my son experienced the power of God. As I tucked him in last night, he gave me a hug but asked me to stay. He then proceeded to hug his mother and hugged me again saying, "Thank you for everything!"

Life's lessons. Too often we are so caught up in life that we miss what God is trying to teach us. Every situation in life gives us an opportunity to learn about His nature. One of the most basic lessons we have forgotten is the principle of "Sowing and Reaping."

Galatians 6:7-8, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life."

Why is this lesson so hard to learn? I have discovered people in life that constantly blame God for all the bad stuff that happens to them. If they have problems in marriage, it's God's fault. If there is a problem in their finances, then God didn't provide. I can list several examples and stories that I have heard but you get the point. We have forgotten that we reap what we sow. As long as I sow to the flesh I will reap corruption. If I sow to the Spirit I will reap life. PERIOD! End of story.

The reason that I have shared with you the story of the faith journey that my son and I have been on has nothing to do with boasting. God is the one who worked in us. The reason I share it with you is because I have been able to sow to the Spirit in his life. Regardless of what happens in his life from here on out, he has experienced the healing power of God. People may try to come against him with arguments but he has an experience. I told him yesterday that he needed to understand something: "On Monday, we went to the sanctuary based on my faith. I felt led to pray over you. Today, we go based on your faith. This is what you asked me to do." I told him this because I wanted him to learn a valuable lesson about faith. God, in His faithfulness, blessed my child's faith and gave him exactly what he had prayed - NO PAIN!

What a testimony! There was a little boy in the hall who saw Hayden hop out of the classroom only to see him walk back in about an hour and a half later. He asked the teacher about it: "What's going on? I watched him hop out but he walks back in!" I'm hoping that she will get the opportunity to share with that little boy about what happened.

Ask yourself this question today: What am I reaping in life? The answer will tell you where you have been sowing. SOW TO THE SPIRIT and you will always reap LIFE!

A God Experience with My Son

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up....You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." {Deut. 6:5-7,9}

I received a phone call yesterday informing me that my son was having problems walking. He had some type of foot injury and was asking for one of his parents. I gathered all of my things and picked him up to take him to the doctor. While on my way to the school, I thought about taking him by our church building first to pray over his foot. My decision was to pray and see if God would heal his foot instantly and he could return to school. If the healing did not take place, I would take him to the doctor and we would proceed.

When I met Hayden in the hall, immediately my faith was challenged. It was all he could do to put pressure on his left foot. I actually put him on my back and carried him to the truck informing him of what I intended to do. I said, "Do you believe that God can heal your foot?" He said, "Yes!" I then asked him "Why?" He answered, "Because God is all powerful." On the way to the PBC sanctuary we had a conversation about God and how He revealed Himself as "God - Our Healing" (Jehovah-Rophe). With worship music playing in the vehicle we sang "Let the light of Your face shine down upon us, and let us feel it."

When we got to building, we finished the song and proceeded to the altar. I asked our Youth Pastor to join us in praying for Hayden's healing. We put on some worship music, grabbed the anointing oil from the table, placed some on his foot and our hands, and prayed for God to touch him. When we finished praying, I asked Hayden to stand up, walk around, get on his tippy-toes, and even run. Here was my son who couldn't stand to put pressure on his foot when we walked into the building (carried him in) running around the sanctuary. I asked him if his foot hurt and he said that there was a little "twinge" of pain. Long story short, I asked him if he still wanted to go to the doctor or return to school. We decided to have lunch together and the decision would be made afterward.

While we were eating I asked him if he "felt" anything while we were praying. Here's what he said:
"I felt 'like' Presence."
Me: "What do you mean?"
Him: "While you were praying, I kept hearing 'You are healed. You are healed."
Me: "Did you 'feel' anything else?"
Him: "It felt like God was pulling knives out of the bottom of my foot and when you finished praying all the knives were gone."
Me: "So what do you want to do?"
Him: "I want to go back to school."

There may be some of you that would condemn my logic of thinking here, but I decided that if my son wants to walk in faith then I'm going to join him. What he heard and felt was God's confirmation in the heart of a child. He had to walk in faith especially since he was still feeling a "twinge" of pain but that is exactly what he wanted to do. When I took him to school, he told his teacher that he went to see the "Great Physician." My heart almost exploded. I came home and the Lord spoke to my heart and said, "Do you realize what you just taught your son?" I had taught him to trust God for everything - EVEN healing. Can you imagine a generation of young people who choose to walk in faith rather than what they see? Can you even conceive the thought of children who lay hands on one anther believing God for something great?

It's not wonder that Moses taught the children of Israel that they should teach the children and talk of God's commands constantly. We are to integrate his principles into everyday life and even write them upon the doorposts of our homes. In this way, we will carry faith in the ONE TRUE GOD to another generation.

I'm excited about the next phone call I get from the school when my son says, "Dad, I want you to take me to the 'church' to pray over me." It will be another opportunity to experience God with my son.

Inviting God into Your Environment

Psalm 33:1, Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful."

I have discovered that one of the greatest ways to invite God into your situation (or environment) is through praise and worship. God enjoys the praises of His people. When we stop all that we are doing and begin to focus upon Him - God shows up.

The command of the psalmist to the righteous was to rejoice in the Lord. I think it's important to look at this verse and ask what is he saying.

#1 - The Righteous

Over the last couple of weeks, I have shared with you that our righteousness is in Christ. When we are moved by faith in God to accept Jesus as the only means of salvation, we are also accepting Jesus as the only means for righteousness. This understanding is vital if you are going to truly rejoice in the Lord. We don't always feel righteous, look righteous, or even act righteous. However, God has declared us righteous. You cannot allow your rejoicing in the Lord to be determined by how you feel. When you understand that you are righteous based upon the finished work of Christ, then you can move into worship and praise rather easily. You don't have to "work it up." You don't have to pray about it. You simply move in faith - God has declared me righteous - and act upon it.

#2 - The Righteous are to Rejoice in the Lord

Rejoice means to "feel joyful" and "be delighted." Remember that I am sharing with you the idea of inviting God into your environment...your situation. My environment/situation may not move me to rejoice. In fact, if we act only upon our environment then I doubt that we will rejoice at all. But I'm not focusing on my environment or my feelings. I'm going to focus upon the fact that regardless of where I am or what I am going through, God has declared me righteous and I am going to "feel joyful" and "be delighted" in Him. Circumstances shouldn't be able to stop your praise when you know your identity in Christ. Listen to the words of the Apostle Paul after Jesus tells him that His grace is sufficient: "...Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ my rest upon me." (2 Cor. 12:9) What changed? Paul's situation didn't change. His circumstances didn't change. But His response changed! Rather than focusing on the situation, Paul focused on the Savior and took great delight in Him.

#3 Praise from the Upright is Beautiful

Since we are righteous in Christ, our praise is beautiful. Whenever we worship God our praise takes on a beauty of it's own. It is attractive to God. God never despises praise but is drawn to the one who gives it. Jesus told us that His Father is seeking those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. As you and I come into agreement with the Word of God (we are the righteousness of God in Christ), we can then worship Him through our spirit (that which has been redeemed) and it is beautiful. The greatest picture that I can paint for you is this: We now worship God just as Adam and Eve did before the fall. Because our righteousness is found in Christ, then our praise becomes an opportunity to bring glory to God. As we agree with God (truth) and worship Him as a new creation (spirit), He is attracted to what we bring.

Allow me to encourage you with this today: Stop waiting for your situation to change. Stop waiting for people around you to change. Go ahead and change your environment. Invite God into your situation. Place yourself in the presence of God by your praise. As you worship Him in spirit and truth, you will discover a whole new reality of life. Stop Waiting and Start Praising!!!

Fully Persuaded

Romans 8:38-39, "For I am PERSUADED that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

2 Timothy 1:12, "For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am PERSUADED that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day."

Hebrews 11:13, "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured (PERSUADED) of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."

No matter how you look at it, faith is more than just a trust or a belief. Faith, according to the word in the original language means to trust and to be persuaded to trust. Paul spoke of being persuaded about the love of God in Christ along with the faithfulness of God. In other areas he talked about moving people toward persuasion (2 Cor. 5:11 & Rom. 14:5). Are you fully persuaded?

Persuade in the English means to move by argument. What was the argument that persuaded Paul to believe that nothing would separate Him from the love of God? What was the argument that persuaded Abraham (Read Romans 4:21) to believe that what God had promised, He was able to perform? It is the argument of the grace of God!

When you and I come to an understanding of the grace of God, we can be fully persuaded as well. Grace has a powerful argument because grace is a powerful thing. Behind grace is the ability of God. Is there anything that God cannot accomplish? Is there a need in your life that cannot be met by the grace of God? Is there any sin too bad that the grace of God cannot cover? In every instance we should be fully persuaded to shout "NO!".

The argument of grace in our lives should give us the confidence in God to walk in His ways, live in His love, follow His calling, and enjoy His peace. The argument of grace moves beyond my reasoning into His capability. Areas of my life where I am unable, God is still able because my inability is never a hindrance to His ability.

I am fully persuaded...
- That my life can be better than it is today.
- That my faith can be stronger.
- That my righteousness is in Christ.
- That my sins are forgiven.
- That my future is secure.
- That my needs are met according to His riches in glory.
*And the list goes on and on.

What caused me to be persuaded in these areas? I become persuaded to truth and I walk in the truth of God's Word. I confess (come into agreement with) what God's Word says about my life. His Word is truth regardless of how I feel. As I move into agreement, something happens; my heart becomes convinced of God's Word. I am now fully persuaded.

Is there any area of life where you have a hard time believing God? Read what He has to say about it and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you into His truth. Be fully persuaded!

Labor Day Inspiration

Jesus offers rest to those who have labored under the heavy burden of religion. Who doesn't want to enter into rest?

Religion is difficult...even for those who are good at it. Religion requires a great deal of work. With all the sacrifice, traditions, and requirements; it's a wonder that more people haven't abandoned the idea of religion.

The rest that comes from Jesus is a true ceasing from all your labors. This rest is the grace of God in our lives. Only through the grace of God can we be who we are "supposed to be" and accomplish all the things we are "supposed to accomplish." It is the grace of God that declares me righteous in Christ! It is the grace of God that has completely saved me from sin! It is the grace of God that brings rest.

This labor day I want you to enjoy the rest that God offers through faith in Jesus Christ.
Admit to God that you cannot be righteous in your own effort.
Believe that Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection from the dead is enough to save you from sin and make you righteous.
Confess that Jesus is Lord in every area of your life. Only through confession can we come into agreement with what God declares to be true.

If you will do this, then you can enter into the rest that Jesus promises.

Just a Thought...

Acts 21:8, "On the next day we who were Paul's companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him."

Philip the evangelist was originally Philip the deacon...or at least that is the way we would term him today. Originally chosen as one of the seven men who would care for the daily distribution among the saints in Acts 6. These were men of good reputation, fully of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. As you continue to read the book of Acts you will discover that it doesn't take Philip long to progress as a follower of Jesus Christ.

Stephen was another one of those men that was chosen to serve the community of believers. He was also the first person recorded as performing signs and wonders that wasn't listed as an apostle. Although there isn't any biblical record about the other 5, we find that Stephen and Philip we used greatly in the kingdom of God. Stephen became a martyr for the faith while Philip went on to be an evangelist. Both men brought great glory to God.

I'm talking about Philip today because he is a great example of what can happen when we allow the grace of God to have its perfect work in us. Philip could have been content to "serve tables" as the apostles considered it but his faith was one of progression. Don't get me wrong, it's O.K. to serve in a particular area for a number of years as long as God isn't calling you to do something greater. Far too many of us can become content to serve in our little niche - never reaching for more of God's ability. But this isn't the case in Philip's life.

Another interesting aspect of Philip's life is that he had 4 virgin daughters who prophesied. Luke, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, felt that was something we needed to hear. We needed to know that Philip the evangelist was one of the seven and that he had 4 prophesying daughters. Why do you think God in His wisdom wanted to convey this information to us? I believe it's because God wanted us to see the enablement of grace in Philip and his family.

Here's what you need to know: As you allow the grace of God to flow into your life it will affect your family. This is especially important for the men - the spiritual leaders of the home. The Christian family needs men of grace (men of God's ability) who can be equipped and further equip their children.

When you think of an evangelist, what picture enters your mind? I wouldn't be surprised if you have the same picture as the rest of the world. Does the guy in your picture have on a blue leisure suit? A bad comb-over? Is he a larger that life figure with a booming voice and sweat pouring off of him? I was once told that I didn't "look" like a preacher. Although I'm not sure how to take it, I did say "Thanks!" The point I'm wanting to make is that we have in Acts 21 of an evangelist with a family. Here's a man with a home and four daughters. Philip was a man who experienced the grace of God in his own life and his own home.

Next Saturday, PBC will be holding our 3rd annual Ironman Conference. This is an opportunity to equip men in our church and community. The conference will start at 10am - break for lunch - and finish around 3pm. You never know...the next "Philip" may be one of those men who comes to be equipped and then equips their family to serve God as well.

Pray that you have a blessed weekend.

The Form Without the Power

2 Timothy 3:5, "having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!"

Paul tells Timothy that perilous times will come. "Men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God." Then he says, "having a form of godliness..." What?

I must say that the last words surprise me. How can we possibly have a form of godliness with all that other junk going on? Here's what I believe: It's all about the form. You can work up a form of godliness by living by the rules. You can establish a form by appearing to obey the "letter of the law". In our flesh (our ability) we can create a form of godliness. However, anytime we do this, we deny the power of God in our lives.

The grace (ability) of God in our lives disregards the form and goes straight to the source. True and genuine godliness is received from God rather than created by us. You can have a form of godliness while living an ungodly life. The emphasis that Paul is driving home is the denial of God's power in the lives of these individuals. They have denied the ability of a risen Savior, an indwelling Holy Spirit, and the ability of grace. They may look and act the part but they are not plugged into the power source.

Take a closer look at this list. If we are plugged into the source of power (the Spirit of God) and being equipped by the grace of God then we will not be unloving. To be unloving would result in us denying the grace of God in our lives. If God is truly at work in us we will not be unforgiving. To be unforgiving would mean that we are actually denying the forgiveness that has been offered to us through Christ. People that are walking in the power and ability of God are not slanderers, they are not haughty, and they actually live in direct contradiction to the list that Paul made concerning those who have a form of godliness.

Paul says "turn away"!

You should turn away from those who deny the grace (ability) of God. You should turn away from those who deny the power (Spirit) of God. You should have nothing to do with a form of godliness that denies the source of godliness. Instead, you should fellowship with those who have found their ability in grace, their power in the Spirit of God, and their praise in the One who redeemed them. Surround yourself with the people of grace and turn away from those who operate in the flesh.

I believe there is a coming revival for those who learn to operate in the grace of God. I think that God is teaching us what faith righteousness is all about. With that being said, the ones who will fight this move of God are those who seek to establish their own righteousness. In their form of godliness we will see the pride, arrogance, and lack of ability. Paul said their folly will be manifest to all. They will always be learning but never coming to the knowledge of truth. Why? Because in their form they are always resisting the truth of God.

The great need of the church in these times is learning how to rest in the grace of God. This happens when we learn to fully receive His grace.

Capturing Hearts Through Worship

One of the Hebrew words for praise is hallal. Hallal means to be clamorously foolish before the Lord. In 2 Samuel 6:21-22 we read about David's worship before the Lord as the ark was entering Jerusalem. Speaking to his wife David said, "I will celebrate before the LORD. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes." As far as David was concerned, there was no such thing as "foolish" worship.

As my kids were preparing for school this morning, the TV was on Teen Nick. The rule in our house is that the TV doesn't come on unless the kids are fully prepared to walk out the door. In other words, breakfast has to be eaten, backpacks have to be ready, kids are fully dressed, and teeth are brushed. While I don't mind some of the early morning shows on Teen Nick, there are some videos that are played in between shows that normally cause me to turn the channel. Today we had one of those mornings. I don't know the song or the artist that was being played but the lyrics upset me. Teen programming...playing a song that says something about "going all the way tonight" with "no regrets." Is this what we want our teens singing?

Maybe you are facing the same dilemma that I face in the home. I'm raising a 10 yr. old boy and a 12 (almost 13) yr. old girl. While they normally listen to Christian music - much of it their choice - there are times we have to decide if certain secular musicians or songs are acceptable. Because my children are young, there may even be a struggle over listening to the right kind of music. We didn't struggle in our decision this morning. We just turned the channel. Period! No discussion. But what has dominated my thinking is the idea of capturing the hearts of our children for the Lord.

Modern secular music has the sound our kids want to hear, the style that our kids want to have, and all the publicity. I understand this because I am a huge fan of music. There was a time in my life when I could tell you everything you wanted to know about the most popular bands and songs. My kids have this same appreciation and thankfully they have a much stronger moral filter than I had in those days. However, even with a solid foundation and good convictions my children can still be drawn away in this area of music. How can we possibly compete?

Music is often associated with events in our life. There are certain songs that cause memories to flood my mind. What if our children learn to associate Christian music with true and genuine worship? I love the idea that when my kids hear certain songs that they see their mom or dad worshiping God with all their heart. During praise and worship at PBC, we sing a song that says "The whole is filled with your glory..." Our bass player has told me that she cannot play that song without hearing me shout. There is just something about the song and the thought that is conveyed that causes me to "hallal" - be clamorously foolish. When we sing "Days of Elijah" I find myself (at times) jumping up and down singing to the top of my lungs "There's no god like Jehovah!" Some people may think that is foolish or undignified but I'm willing to become even more undignified than this.

I want every parent in the room to pay attention to what I am saying. If we cannot allow ourselves to truly worship God through praise and worship - our kids will follow. But if we don't mind becoming clamorously foolish for the glory of God then our kids won't mind either. We need to understand that worship not only captures the heart of God but it captures the hearts of our children as well. The only way we can hope to see them drawn to music that is edifying is when they see that this music is more than music.

This is actually the problem we face in many churches. Worship becomes more about the style of music rather than the Source of life. Our kids will face the same problem. Is it going to be a choice about style or substance? Are they going to listen to what simply appeals to their ears or something that reminds them of a time that they (or their parents) were swept away by the glory of God?

I'm ready to be clamorously foolish before God!