Praise God Salvation Doesn't Fade Away like flowers!

 

Day 4

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  (1 Pet. 1:3-5 NAU)

October is Pastor Appreciation Month. I was looking at the flowers that were given to my wife on our kitchen table and realized this is November 7th. Those flowers were given to her almost 2 weeks ago. They still looked fresh and beautiful. 

I praise God that my eternal security and inheritance are not like these flowers. The flowers may still look good now, but in a few more days, we will have to throw them away because they will end up all over the table as they dry out and die. 

Peter encourages us that our “Living Hope” is Jesus; it will never wither or die. It is imperishable. It is undefiled. That means it cannot be corrupted, rusted, or diminished in any way. My salvation is secure in Jesus. 

Have you ever thought about this? Maybe your wonder and awe over your salvation has been tarnished or jaundiced by another Christian responding to you roughly or treating you in an unChrist-like manner. Maybe you have really grown apathetic to this great news because you have grown busy and distracted by work or health issues in your life. Maybe the past election or your current neighbor interaction has left you a bit frazzled.

Today is a great day to be encouraged and to praise God with me that God has not forgotten you; He has not grown jaundiced or tarnished with you over your behavior or decisions you have made. God is good all the time. He loves you and wants you to know how great He is. You are precious to Him, so much so that HE has put aside in heaven a place and your inheritance, just waiting for you to be with him so He can give it to you. That means He is longing to see you and spend eternity with you. Are you longing to see Him and spend eternity with Him?

Think about that and praise God with me today!

Boast only in the CROSS!

 Day 3

14 But far be it from me to have glory in anything, but only in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which this world has come to an end on the cross for me, and I for it. (Gal. 6:14 BBE)

14 But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Gal. 6:14 NAU)

I like the Bible in Basic English version of this verse. I shared yesterday why I praise God for this verse. It challenges me to praise God in two ways:

#1 - I need to praise God for saving me from my sin through the cross, something I could never purchase, earn, barter, negotiate, or be good enough to do on my own.

#2 - I need to praise God for crucifying me to the world. 

Yesterday I shared the explanation of point #2. Today I want to share my perspective on point #1. 

I have found myself too often gloating (glorying) in ME when I point out my salvation. This is what I once did: look at how bad I was; But now that I have asked Jesus to wash me with His special spiritual bleach, look at how good I am. 

I don’t want to cut myself any slack here because this is downright pride in my wicked heart trying to take credit for something I could never do. I’m robbing the glory Jesus only deserves.

However, I have also noticed lately, from some pulpits and other forums, a similar but more divisive boasting that drives my lost neighbors, friends, loved ones, and co-workers away. 

It is a political boasting, an intellectual boasting, a scientific boasting, an educational boasting. It really boils down to my arrogant feelings in that moment about what I perceive to be going on in someone else's life or meme. Listen, I’m not hammering anyone! I am looking fully in the mirror at myself. This type of boasting is so deceptive and passive-aggressive. It can be more divisive and wicked than outright, blatant arrogance and pride.

I praise God because, through this verse, HE gives me a clear boundary of what to talk about and how to keep my words honoring to HIM in all things. Boast only in the Cross. 

There is nothing more loving, there is nothing more gracious, there is nothing more merciful, there is nothing more righteous, there is nothing more humble, there is nothing more true, there is nothing more perfect, there is nothing more complete, there is nothing more worthy to talk about or to think about. 

8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. (Phil. 4:8 NAU)

I think we can measure our boasting when we look at our lives and people begin to say about us; they are always posting verses, they are always talking about Jesus, they are always encouraging folks to get to church, they are always sharing how Jesus saved them. 

I share this because God has given me the privilege to glorify HIM through my life and especially through my words, written and spoken. I have caused enough people to run away and hide and to say If that is what Jesus is all about, I don’t want any of it. I’ve been convicted a long time ago that I can influence others toward Jesus or influence them away. I praise God; He IS TEACHING me how to influence people toward Him. Boast only in the cross!

Praise God Jesus Cut My Stirrup!

 Day 2

“14 But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”(Gal. 6:14 NAU)

I praise God for this verse. It challenges me to praise God in two ways:

#1 - I need to praise God for saving me from my sin through the cross, something I could never purchase, earn, barter, negotiate, or be good enough to do on my own.

#2 - I need to praise God for crucifying me to the world. 

The first one is relatively understandable, and I will write more about that on another day. The second one is a bit stickier to understand, and why would I praise God for crucifying me to the world?

Let me explain so that you can praise God for this with me. 

Imagine you're driving at breakneck speed down a road when someone stops you to warn you the bridge is out. You turn your car around and are no longer going to plummet over the chasm and die. That is salvation from our sin when we respond to the message of the gospel. This is praising God for saving you; boasting only in the cross. Now imagine you are riding a horse, and something spooks the horse and knocks you out of the saddle, but your foot gets caught in the stirrup, and you are being dragged till someone stops the runaway horse and cuts your foot from the stirrup. This is praising God because I have been crucified to the world. This is me growing in God’s grace and compassion as the Holy Spirit matures me to live to honor and love Jesus. If Jesus had not cut my foot from the runaway horse of this world, even as a Christian, I would still struggle with the issues and sin of this world. Praise God for crucifying me to this world.

Paul was writing to the Galatian church. He was reminding believers in JESUS that they were developing attitudes toward other Christians and toward those who were lost in sin that were not pleasing to Our Father in heaven. Attitudes of disgust that they would commit such a sin because they were Christians. An attitude of pride: look at those poor wretches; they haven’t got a clue how to live.

 Paul explains this best in Romans 6; 

“ 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

 (Rom. 6:10-11 NAU)

Literally, what Paul shares in Romans 6:10+11 is what Paul was reiterating to the Galatian believers in 6:14. Christ died for our sin and crucified us with HIM on that cross, so we are dead to the control and rule of sin forever. The attitudes the Galatians were developing were completely out of line for people who were dead to sin in this world. They instead should be developing attitudes of grace and love, compassion for those who were struggling with sin in this world. 

I am not always this compassionate, and I have not always seen people through Jesus' eyes. I do, however, praise God that HE alone crucified me to this world and its sinful deeds and attitudes. That today, even when I find my pride or lack of compassion toward someone who is struggling with sin inappropriate, I stand in JESUS finished work of GRACE for me. 

Where do you praise God for crucifying you to this world today? Share and praise God with me.

A Good Word Makes Our Hearts Glad

 Day 1

25 Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, But a good word makes it glad. (Prov. 12:25 NAU)

Have you ever been so worried and preoccupied that you didn’t pay attention to the clothes you were putting on? Praise God you were fully garbed, but you really never paid attention to what you were actually wearing. Now, you would not do this normally, but once you realize how you are dressed and it is way too late to go home and change, you must now finish your day the way you are, and it multiplies your anxiety. 

How good do you feel when someone close to you says something encouraging to you like, “That is a bold outfit; if anyone can pull it off, you can, and it looks good on you.” Or maybe, " That is a great sweater. I like how it really makes your eyes pop.” 

You know that these people understand, and they are just trying to comfort and encourage you. More importantly, how often do we ourselves look in the mirror and tear ourselves down before we even finish brushing our teeth?

This morning I want to praise God for the truth of His Word from Proverbs 12:25. “ 25 Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, But a good word makes it glad.” (Prov. 12:25 NAU)

There is so much we hear and tell ourselves that just makes our anxiety and worry meters spike but one word of praise or encouragement incredibly resets all our anxieties. 

I praise God that He thinks I am worth dying for: 

18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. (1 Pet. 1:18-19 NAU)

I praise God that He made me a part of His family:

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, (Jn. 1:12 NAU)

I praise God that He loves me:

38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,

 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 8:38-39 NAU)

Today, praise God and share this praise and encouragement with someone else. It only takes one to reset our anxiety meters. Reset yours and someone else's today. 

1/9/2020

I'm sitting in the dark at our church building. It's at 6:35 A.M. No one is here and we had what was supposed to be an Alberta Clipper snowstorm last night. Those are the types that just fly by dusting the ground to about 2 inches nothing major. However, this storm did fly by but it dumped about 4-6 inches depending on where you live. We have pretty much a full moon. I mean I'm sitting in the dark. Not because I have to, because we didn't pay an electricity bill, not because I'm sick and can't get out of bed to turn a light on, Not because I don't know where the switches are to turn the light on. I'm sitting in the dark because it is the moment before dawn when the magic happens. That full moon is glistening off all the snow. The cool crisp air fills my lungs and gives it just a bit of a tingle to make you know you are alive. The coffee is brewing and that deep full aroma is wafting over to me making my mouth water and my desire for that first hot sip almost unbearable. I'm sitting in the dark writing and thinking and waiting..........

I'm waiting for God.

I'm waiting for men.

That sip of coffee did not disappoint.

Waiting for my joy to be refilled.

When is the first time prayer is used in the Bible?

I bet you probably can't answer that. Some of you may even begin to search the concordances in the back of your Bibles or one that you have on a shelf.

I would say the Number one reason most people can't answer that is that they are looking for the first time the actual word “Pray”, “Prayer”, “Prayed”, “Praying”, is used in scripture. The Number two reason most folks are unsure how to answer that question is that they are looking through RELIGIOUS lenses. They are thinking when was the first time someone bowed their head, knelt down and recited a prayer like:

“now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.

If I should live for other days, I pray the Lord to guide my ways.

Father, unto thee I pray, Thou has guarded me all the day,

Safe I am when in Thy sight, Safely let me sleep tonight.

Bless my friends, the whole world bless;

Help me to learn helpfulness;

Keep me ever in thy sight, So to all, I Say, Good Night.

Amen

` A Children's Bedtime Prayer~ Henry Johnstone¹

The first time we are introduced to prayer in scripture it is found in Genesis 3:8-10.

⁸ They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. ⁹ Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?" ¹⁰ He said, "I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself." (Gen 3:8-10 NAU)

This isn't prayer you may be saying to yourself right now. This doesn't mention someone getting on their knees and reciting any ritualistic words and closing their eyes or anything of that nature. You're right. It doesn't. That is what makes prayer so unique and powerful and amazing. Prayer is simply talking to God like any other conversation you have had with anyone else on Earth. This passage represents the first recorded conversation between Adam and Eve and God. I am sure there were other conversations they had had, but this is the first one recorded for us to begin to understand how we should communicate to God.

Don't make prayer hard, or scary. It's simply talking to the loving God who created you, saved you, and empowers you. Why not start a conversation right now?

1https://www.beliefnet.com/prayers/other/bedtime/a-childs-bedtime-prayer.aspx

Good morning loved ones,
I haven't written for awhile for a couple of reasons:

#1 - When your taking classes for your Master's degree you don't have a lot of free time to write that isn't consumed by assigned papers.

#2 - I have been feeling a bit frustrated at the Fat Lazy Cat Syndrome of disciples of Jesus in general.

Let me define the FLCS - this is when as a disciple of Jesus I slowly but deliberately allow my life to become the standard by which I judge everything spiritual. It slowly but surely develops into I'm tired, I'm offended, I'm too busy, I'm not interested. I'm ...you fill in the blank. It proceeds to " I just need to take care of me, my family, my interests, My....again you fill in the blank. Then it slowly begins to find sympathetic ears and little groups form and slowly conversations of subtle criticism form, not overtly but in the form of " well if I were going to do it I would, or I've heard a lot of people say that.... or, "We really should do this or that but I'm not sure I can help". There is more subtle wall building and distancing in these disciples lives till the fire of a life saved by grace fueled by the throne of heaven itself, and encouraged by the Almighty King of Kings, Jesus, Himself slowly peters down to a flickering flame on a match head struggling not to go out by a gentle breeze and starving for more fuel that that found on the head of a match. This then reveals a disciple that in most forms looks like a Fat Lazy Cat that has found its contentment in lying in the window looking for its pleasure selfishly only when it pleases and enjoying the fact that its food + water dish is never empty and when they get good and ready they will meander over and paw around in the food and eat what they want but they are in no hurry because they know it will always be there. Hence, my Fat Lazy Cat Syndrome found in disciples of Jesus.

I could become very discouraged and disgruntled about this. To be honest, as a Pastor in New Hampshire one of the greatest mission fields of our modern world, I have, and even thought; "why bother keep trying nobody cares not even my leaders? Why work so hard why why why?"

Let me tell you why I can't stop and why every disciple of Jesus needs to stop today and reevaluate how they are following after Jesus.

14 Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God,
15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."
16 As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen.
17 And Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men."
18 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.
19 Going on a little farther, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets.
20 Immediately He called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went away to follow Him. (Mar 1:14-20 NAU)

The number 1 reason I can't stop is that Jesus has called me. When Jesus called me He transformed me. My life was worthless and and wasted time. I had a list of excuses about plans that were never fulfilled and dreams that disappeared in to the vastness of each night. Each morning I rose to what should have been, what I hadn't done, Where I could have gone. I was so frustrated with what I, I, I had done with my life that when Jesus transformed me I CANT EVER GO BACK! I have met the purpose, the power, the presence, the passion, and my perspective for the rest of my life for eternity and I want more of Jesus. He has given me such an insatiable thirst for Him and His service and greatness that for me to go back the FLCS I would die. I don't want to die, I have life now and more abundantly than I have ever had it before. If you are offended by my comments because you think I am speaking about you as a FLC then GOOD! Maybe just maybe this will be the wake up call you need to get off the couch, outside your door, out of your yard and LIVE. Remember I never mentioned anyone's names so maybe this is the Holy Spirit's conviction that what I said is true of you.

Reason number 2 I can't Stop - When Jesus transformed me He gave me love for people I never had. A FAT LAZY CAT has love only for them-self and their own pleasures. A love like Jesus is so great, so huge my heart and life can't contain it all it MUST be given away to those who need it. The more I give away the more I know God loves me and the more I know other people love me. What I find Ironic is that Fat Lazy Cats complain about feeling unloved, unwanted, ill treated, but their the ones that never leave their window seats, their homes, their lives to love anyone but themselves. What is more truth is that the more I love myself the more I find I feel unloved. Crazy how Jesus designed love the more we give it away and invest in other people the more we experience and feel and know we are loved.

Reason #3 I can't stop - Jesus gave a command in these verses. He said follow me and I will make you fishers of men. He didn't say hey if you would like to come to church once a month or when its convenient we can go fishing for already disinterested full sel-fish in a 5 gallon tank that never gets changed. NO - following Jesus is an adventure that demands perseverance, courage, stamina, strength, passion, and creativity. Every single day is like being on Safari in the Kilimanjaro or fishing the Amazon River for piranha. No two days are ever alike and not day ever goes by with out seeing the hand of Almighty God my savior Jesus Christ moving in and through me in such powerful ways to touch other peoples lives so they they too can experience what real life is truly like the way God the Father created it to be.

NO - you can have your FLCSyndrome. I would rather lay my head on my pillow each and every night completely exhausted because I served the Lord with my whole heart than to ever lay it down weary because of a wasted day again. Don't think that I get to do this just because I am a pastor and get paid to do this. No, I haven't always been a pastor, this adventure started for me when I was 18, I've been an EMT, a Mental Health Worker in the state hospital on emergency admissions units and child psychiatric units, I've worked at SEARS selling tools, I've worked at A+B lumber as a yard worker, sales associate in the showroom, and even as the Paint guy, I have not always been a pastor but since I met Jesus like these disciples did I've never had a boring day. I've had some tough days to be a disciple is a call that transforms us from Fat Lazy Cats to passionate fully devoted followers of Christ who never give up, never go back, and never stop loving this adventure of Grace we are on.

I hope I have encouraged some, offended others, and possibly pushed more to one of those two positions, because if you are not moving at all you are actually going backwards.

God Bless you folks I really do love you or I wouldn't have shared this.

Pastor G