Day by Day

[Soldier4Christ]

Peaceful Resolutions

    Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Phil.4:6-7).

Tired and torn, once again you find yourself standing at the crossroads. Not sure of what to do, you have prayed but don't really know if God has answered, or if you are really listening. You seek the advise of friends who tell you to "pray about it," or "give it to Jesus." And while you know that is exactly what you must do, you struggle as to know how to "let go and let God."
How can I ever really give something over to God and know that I have indeed left it in His hands? This is not an easy task, but it is one that gets easier in time. It's the difference between walking on an ice-covered lake and walking on a concrete sidewalk. The first time we entrust something to God, we may experience the "I'll take it from here" syndrome. We give something to God up until we begin to feel insecure about it and then we want to jump in and take over. Our trust in God at this point is like walking on the ice, unsure of what each step might bring.
After some time of taking step after trusting step, we begin to feel much more confident--much less fearful. We begin to see that there is really nothing to be afraid of at all--like walking on the concrete sidewalk. This is because the more we trust God the easier it becomes. But we have to take that first step of faith before we can ever experience the concreteness of His faithfulness.
If you are going to walk on ice it's nice to know how thick it is. That is to say that the way you will first learn to put your trust in God is by learning what you can about Him. Find some Christian brothers and sisters whom you would describe as someone who is experiencing the peace of God in their lives. Ask them to tell you about what God has done for them. This is a witness to you of God's faithfulness and it will help you take that step in knowing who you are placing your trust in. And certainly be reading your Bible and praying--asking God to help you trust Him the way you need to. In time you will notice that it gets easier to entrust every issue of your life into His capable hands.
Here is a way that may help to measure how much we are trusting Him. When we entrust something to God we do not hold our breath until the problem is resolved, and then breathe a sigh of relief. If we have truly entrusted something to God we should feel God's peace at the moment we trusted. We REST assured that God has it under control, and that He will make us aware of any word needing said or any thing needing done. So if we say we have given it to God yet breathe the sigh of relief only after things are resolved, then we did not completely trust. But if we can say we have given it to God and then feel the worry free peace from trusting Him, then we have really begun to learn how to walk on the ice (or water) as though it were a sidewalk.

    . . .for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day (2 Timothy 1:12).

[Soldier4Christ]

Finding Mercy

    May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day
    (1 Tim.1:18).

Jesus tells a story of a man who owed an incredible debt to his master. A day came when the master sent to the servant and required that he should pay what he owed or suffer the consequences. As the servant owed a great amount, he knew there was no way that he could pay his master, so he pleaded with his master to forgive him of his debt. The master took pity on the servant, and forgave him all that he owed and let him go his way. As the story continues, the servant went to a fellow servant who owed him a small amount of money and demanded that he pay. When his fellow servant could not pay him, he had him arrested and held until he could pay him what he owed. Word soon got back to the master who became very angry by what the servant had done, and he punished the wicked servant who had not forgiven even as he had been forgiven.

Consider the mercies of our Lord. Consider Christ who made intercession for us so that we might find grace in the eyes of God. Through the work of our Lord, our debts have been forgiven completely. But let us not forget that to whom much is given, much also is required. God expects no less from us but that we demonstrate the same forgiveness to those around us, and that we can allow that forgiveness to grow and be stretched to include all people--for all time. “But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Mt.6:15).
Through the course of discussions surrounding speculations and “what if’s,” many of us have considered certain scenarios as they might play out, and with that, our role within. Somewhere along the way we are sure to have been faced with a question as to how we think we might respond in a given situation or in regard to certain people. This is often in response to our taking a stand on a certain belief. For instance, I believe that God loves everyone equal, and that we are to do the same. The question put to me, therefore, was something like, “What about Charles Manson?” The reply to that is simply--”Yes, him too.” The next question is something like, “How can you?”
The mercy demonstrated by God in Christ is the same mercy that He desires to extend through us. It is the same love that the Father desires to see reflected in His children’s hearts. It is a love of intercession--a compassion for the lost--a desire to see all people come to experience God.
So what shall I do with the mercy I have received? The answer is to reflect that mercy and extend it to others. But not just my mercy, or the mercy in me, but to seek that God’s mercy is found by others who have not yet experienced His mercy. God wants to demonstrate His mercy to everyone, and it is His desire that His children will want to see the same, and by that mercy that we should make intercession for others. What is needed from us is that we would pray in faith that God will show mercy on people. That He will not allow hearts to remain hard, but that He will take steps to draw all people unto Himself.
As we pray we must remember that it is God’s will that none should perish, and therefore we must believe that He is ready to answer our cries for mercy for a lost and fallen world.

[Soldier4Christ]

Balancing Petitions

    Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God
    (Philippians 4:6).

Consider your needs. Consider your wants. Examine and weigh what is needed, against what is desired. With what is true contentment found? How much is enough? What motivates us to make a request of God? To answer these questions we best not leave it entirely up to ourselves or we will most certainly convince ourselves that our motives are noble and pure. And to look for the answers through the eyes of others may leave us in want, if they are like we are and give much advise with regard primarily to how it affects them or their interests. And though that may not even be the case, there is no question that the only one who sees us without bias and predisposition is God Himself. So as we consider our needs and wants and determine to come before God to make petition, we would be wise to first ask God to cut through our selfish motivations and teach us to truly ask according to His will.
"According to His will." Now that's a phrase that often carries a great deal of good intention, but all too often caries little effort. We ask, petition and pray and say, "Thy will be done," yet when it gets right down to it, little effort is expended in truly determining what is what and where to go. Sure, we want to know His way and follow it. But His question to us might be, "How badly do you desire to really know my will?" Do we desire His will and His way badly enough to fast and pray for one day? Or how about doing so until we receive and answer? Do we shun our desires seeking clarity of mind and heart so as not to be led astray by our personal passions? Are we willing to religiously come before God in prayer, and search the scriptures daily and diligently to see what God would say?
Acts 17:11 tells us about a people who wanted to know the truth. And because of their diligent search for the truth, their way was made clear to them. Of them the writer of Acts explains, "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." They would not settle for a truth that could not be substantiated by the witness of God's Word, and they would not settle for a truth that would fit their own preconceived notions of what the Word of God stated.
In identifying our needs and desires and taking them before God, we might do well to remember something, that though our faith be strong and our motives pure, God is still the one who has to OK the requests we make. He sees the big picture--we do not. And though something we ask may be in the purest motivation, we must remember that it is something that fits into God's plan not just for our lives personally, but also every life around us. Name it and claim it thinking does not make God do anything. And faith that can move mountains will not move God to act outside of His will. It is not by faith that God moves, but it is by our faith that we see Him move, and by the same faith that our prayers mature and soon line up with His will. Through all we are instructed to let our requests be made known unto God, and to pray believing--but lest we see God as a magical wish granter let's keep in mind that our requests are just that--and God weighs them all in balance with His good and perfect will.

[Soldier4Christ]

An Encouraging Word

    "Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds (Heb.10:24).

It is easier to tell than to train, to enforce than to encourage, to punish than to discipline. Much of what is said and done as it relates to someone other than self, can often be done in the most convenient, most uninvolving fashion. This could be due to carelessness, laziness or perhaps due to too tight of a time schedule. Whatever the case, the fast paced lives we live today seem to have all of us investing more time in our daily activities than in other people.
At home we are surrounded by the ones we love most. Yet, we can involve ourselves in so many activities outside of the home that we sometimes can go almost a full day without even talking to or seeing one or more of our family members. And often when we do manage to be around each other, we wind up in front of the TV or each doing "his own thing" which requires very little interaction with anyone else. We want to see our family grow and flourish, but our tactics are often to demand and expect, rather than to encourage and teach. How would God have us invest time in our families?
The church is a family as well. One which has many members who need encouragement, love and nurturing. This requires time and attention. But if the only contact between members occurs on Sunday, there is very little quality time that can be given to any other member. And if the only interaction takes place during services and planned activities, it's hard for anyone to really get close enough to someone else to encourage them. Even the pulpit, in some cases, has taken the less involved role with the members. It has become the platform from which the members are often told what they should be doing, or what they are doing wrong. Yet, in some cases there seems to be little said or done to instruct the members just how they are to do what they should, or how to avoid the wrong.
For some congregations, what is perhaps needed more is less preaching and more teaching, and one on one instruction, and love, and nurture. If you are told that, "You need to be witnessing," it is the responsibility of your leaders to tell you how to do it, and to show you if need be (and that in itself must also be done according to the Spirit and not human standards). If you are instructed, "You need to be giving," it would be beneficial that someone should first demonstrate proper giving on all levels--including time and attention (this too as led by the Spirit).
Each week, there are many Christians who hear what they "need" to be doing and haven't a clue where to start. They go out, and they try, and many fail. They are then discouraged and feel ashamed in their inability to accomplish their religious duty. Then they are back in church the next week to start the process all over again.
Those who are given the responsibility to lead realize that is not to be taken lightly. They should also consider that a well-rehearsed discourse and three points and a poem may often fall short of fulfilling their spiritual duty. If the message leaves the members realizing their need but not knowing what to do about it, then they leave as empty as they came. Only now they are burdened whereas they may not have been at first.
The responsibility that God has placed upon us all is to encourage and nurture--to edify and lift up. This will not leave a member empty and disheartened, but filled and prepared and with a sense of "I can do it!" How far will we go to encourage another? Is it worth our time? Of course. From a kind word to a one-on-one Bible study, there are many ways to encourage. Ask God to show you ways to teach and encourage others in Christ. Then make a list of what He tells you.

[Soldier4Christ]

On Becoming A Person

    I will praise thee; for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made: marvelous [are] thy works; and [that] my soul knoweth right well (Psalms 139:14).

There is a well known Humanistic Psychologist by the name of Carl Rogers. Much of his theory and practice of "Person Centered Therapy" is taught and widely used today. Rogers is a man who seems to have revolutionized the way counseling and therapy is done in our nation. And while Rogers' ideas contain important principles and excellent practices, it seems that somewhere in the mix he forgot God (intentional as it was).
As we think of what makes a person a person--or more close to home--what makes us who we are individually, there are many theories and philosophies as to how indeed we become "a person." Much of what is considered is wrapped up in the framework of experience and opportunity, explaining who we are in terms of what has made us rather than Who.
And while we expect that a man without God is a self-made man, we would not expect that one who is of God would be a self-made man as well. There is a sad but very real truth concerning the church today--it is full of self-made men and women, some more self-made than others. The point being that as we define who we are based upon what we have done, we see ourselves more in the light of our own works and accomplishments than in light of what God has done. We see ourselves in terms of our own abilities, self-effort, and personal choices. In short, we begin to ascribe a worth to ourselves that excludes God.
But we have heard that without God we can do nothing, and with God all things are possible, His grace is sufficient, our God shall supply all of our needs, He is our Rock, our Fortress, our Salvation. . . If becoming a person is limited to the sum total of our experiences, where does the work of God in our lives fit into that.
If we see ourselves based upon what we have accomplished, then we cannot see the potential of what God can do in and through each of us. We would continue going through our lives, doing the best we can. We would make choices for our future that we think would make us happy and then hope for the best, and hope God will bless. But God wanted us to see that there is much more than that. There is a greater joy in being a God-made person.
God is the Master builder. He knows the you who you are, and He knew what kind of life to design for you that would best fit the you who you are. He knows everything about you, and lets face it, He knows more than you about you. You don't trust a person who kind-a-sort-a knows how a car works to fix your car. Instead you trust it to someone who knows very well how the car works, what it needs, and how to fix it.
From the beginning of each of our lives, God begins to prepare us and develop us for what He has designed us to do. He knows what the finished you will look like. When we see what we can do and become awed by ourselves, we become very dangerous to our future. We may begin to weigh the limited number of facts we have and decide what we are to do with the "you" God is making us to be. Our trouble starts when we take the clay out of God's hands because it looks like a cup, and we start using it as a cup--not realizing He was making a vase.
We must let the vase become the vase. We can only do this by submitting to God and allowing Him to direct our paths--daily. We as Christians often attack the ideas of Humanistic Psychology that promote the making of self in this life and the becoming a person aside from God. Yet, when we who call God "Lord and Master" take the clay out of His hands and use it as we desire, then we fit in the mold of a godless ideology to raise the banner above our heads which proclaim, "I am a self-made man."

    Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed [it], Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? (Rom.9:20-21).

    Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what [shall be] on the morrow. For what [is] your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye [ought] to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that (James 4:13-15)

[Soldier4Christ]

Just A Closer Walk

    And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory (Mark 10:35-37).

Imagine yourself in heaven, seated at a banquet table. At the place of honor is Jesus. There are people to His left, and then His right, as far as the eye can see. You go to find your seat, marked by a place-card with your name on it. The Father has chosen where you will sit in regard to Jesus and has had that place reserved just for you. Where do you see yourself seated? Where would you like to see yourself seated?
In the world we live in today, there is a lot of emphasis put on our standing, our place or position. The higher the position, the greater the person. Power and prestige are the marks of success in our world today. How the people think of you and perhaps how easily your name rolls off their lips determines your worth as the world sees it. As for the corporate or political dinner gathering, the closer you are to the seat of the guest of honor, the more important you are in the eyes of your constituents, peers and leaders.
Jesus responded to Jame's and John's request by telling them that whoever wants to be the greatest should be the least, a servant unto the rest. In this way they would become more like their master. As Matthew 20:28 says, "Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."
This could be said then: "if I want to be close to Christ in Heaven, I must learn to walk close to Him on earth."
I think of heaven as a beautiful valley with a large number of houses. The one in the middle is the one where Jesus lives--the one where His radiance shines out from and lights the hillsides. I wonder where my house will be in reference to His. I would hope, as many, to live right next door. That would be incredible!

        The street was paved with golden brick,
        the sky was deepest blue.
        The trees were filled with fruit and leaves,
        the grass was fresh with dew.
        I walked and gazed as God displayed,
        a creation made for me,
        and saw my home of God's design,
        for my eternity.
        My house was not the biggest,
        nor the smallest on the block.
        But shared the view of chosen few,
        with foundations laid on rock.
        For what I had been given,
        I know that I was blessed.
        But what would God have made for me,
        if I'd only done my best.

How I live my life on this earth will directly effect my place in Heaven. If I want to have a place close to Him in the next life, I must seek to be close to Him in this one--living as He would live, making choices as He would make choices. But if I choose to live this life for me--walking the path of my choice, serving my wants over God's desires--how then shall I hope to be close to Jesus in His glory. If I live close to the Light of Christ on earth, I will one day find myself basking in the Light of His Glory. But if I live away from the Light then I will one day find myself on the outskirts--living in the outer darkness.
Keep in mind that the outer darkness is not a place to be desired. It is a place where there is a longing to be closer to Christ in heaven, and regret from not living closer to Him on earth. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. [Note: I say this about outer darkness in regard to my own speculations surrounding the outer darkness Jesus was referring to in the gospels (Mt.8:5-13; 22:1-14; 25:14-30).]
We cannot live this life like an astronaut on a tether. We cannot live a life here that sees how far we can get from God, yet still remain attached. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap (Galatians 6:7).
How close do you want to be to Christ in His Glory? Do you want it bad enough to live close to Him on earth?

    But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but [it shall be given to them] for whom it is prepared (Mark 10:38-40).

[Soldier4Christ]

Operation Saturation

    Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things (Philippians 4:.

I had this dream once that I was playing Nintendo and that I had to get Mario to make some incredibly difficult jumps. Each jump was onto a tall slender column, which if I missed it, Mario would plummet to the bottomless screen. But as difficult as it was, I knew it must be done, because each of the twelve columns represented each of the twelve tribes of Israel. And my efforts determined whether or not they would hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Keep in mind, I did say this was a dream.
I happened to have had that dream within a few short months after I had began to walk with God. I had been reading my Bible about three hours per day, and couldn't get enough. I desired to spend every spare minute in the Word. As a result, God's Word in me had begun to produce noticeable fruit in my life (Gal.5:22-23). I noticed I was becoming more patient, more loving, more joyful, and so on. I noticed that God was changing me from the inside out. And that the good work He had begun in me began to seep out every part of my being--even to the point of my dreams (odd as some of them were).
Perhaps all of us have heard the old, old saying, "You are what you eat." This idea is expressed in abundance throughout the Bible as it relates to our spiritual life. Proverbs 23:7 tells us that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Jesus emphasizes this repeatedly and perhaps no place more concentrated than in His sermon on the mount. We are instructed over and over that we are to guard our thoughts, to allow God to transform them and to make them after the likeness of God's own thinking. Not so we would be held under His thumb, but so we might be free to experience life to the fullest the way He designed us to. For as we line our thinking up with His, we gain the wisdom to make the best choices. We gain peace that passes our understanding and we gain joy that remains even in the midst of turbulent circumstances.
It's the difference between a diet of fruits and vegetables, and a diet of candy and pizza. The one will strengthen us while the other will weaken. The one will make us feel good physically, mentally and emotionally; while the other will make us feel sick. And while we may say that it is OK to do this or that in moderation, we often are aware that our choice may not be the healthiest.
Yet, as this is to illustrate the spirit, how much moderation is used? If we are to be completely honest, the average Christian lifestyle seems directed more to the choosing of healthy food in moderation, while that which is unhealthy has free reign. We are God's children, and just as any good parent seeks to control their child's appetite for candy, so God also seeks to control that in His children as well. And for the very same reason any of us do for our children--we simply know what is best for them.
What is it you want to become? Do you want to be someone that oozes the Love of Christ? If so, remember that what you fill yourself with is what is going to be seen. We can't have our Father's eyes when our eyes constantly lust for want of things or visual entertainment. We can't have our Father's demeanor if we consistently fill ourselves with things that are not of God. We cannot grow to be like Him if we do not eat our vegetables.
One last illustration: Have you ever eaten anything with very strong onion in it? It seems like the odor of that onion begins to seep out every pore and that you are lucky if you don't smell like an onion the rest of the day. It would seem as though your whole body is saturated with onion. We have a choice as to what we take into our spirit. And while the odor of the things of this world seem to stick to us like a stinky onion and drive people away, the fragrance of the things of God is a sweet savoring smell that will draw people near.

    But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things [which were sent] from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God (Philippians 4:18)

[Soldier4Christ]

Purging and Purification

    Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:2-4, NIV).

The Big Cover-up:
As we all well know, we have a tendency to keep hidden that which is in us that we hope know one will ever see. We expend a great deal of strength to conceal our flaws and failures (as we see them). We have a horrible day and suddenly we are faced with a "How are you today?" and we muster the strength to produce a smile and enthusiastically reply, "Oh fine, thank you."
We have become the quick-change artists who can don a smile to cover the frown, or add cheer to our voices to conceal a weary and troubled heart. All in hope that no one will see that anything is wrong. Otherwise, they may find out what is bothering us--or worse--they may not approve.
The Deception:
While we become experts in organizing our efforts to the donning of glimmering smiles with attitudes to match, we may begin to notice something. People around us seem to almost believe we really are fine. They have begun to respond to our casual dismissal of our problems with a casual, "Great!" only to move quickly on to something else to talk about.
So it seems our efforts have paid off. We have got just what we wanted--no one seems to notice we are hurting or struggling. In fact, we even begin to believe it ourselves. And so we bury the problems along with the causes and hope it will all go away. What we do not realize is that we are most likely the only person who is really deceived.
The Heat is On:
It is not healthy for us to bury what we don't want to see. It does not make it go away. Instead it lays beneath the surface--unattended--and soon begins to fester and rot.
Here is where God comes in. Our loving Father does not want to see us with problems buried and impurities unnoticed. He knows that if He would let us, we would just ignore the problem as long as we could--unto the point that it would be like a cancer that has spread throughout the entire body and has eaten up all of who we are. God will not let that happen to His children. Therefore, He takes action to remove the impurities we have tried so hard to pretend do not exist.
It is like the process of purifying gold. The gold is melted over a searing heat in order for the impurities to rise to the surface. At that point, the impurities are scooped off of the surface and disposed of.
God has to do something very much the same with us. Our lives are filled with impurities that would otherwise go unattended. God allows some circumstances in our lives to effectively turn up the heat. As the impurities surface, He helps us to deal with them in a manner that will free us a little more each time, from that which festers within.
What floats to the surface will often surprise us. We may say something like, "I thought I dealt with this already!" But the purifying process is a life-long process. It is a process that is administered by a gracious and loving Heavenly Father--not to torture, but to cleanse. He allows us time to heal and to grow from each past cleansing, while preparing us for future times of purging and purification. It is a necessary part of growing in Christ. It is a needed "shot in the arm" if we are to be free from the yuk within that would otherwise eat us like cancer.
The Joy is Available:
You may wonder how James could tell us to consider it joy to face suffering. It is because we can take confidence in knowing that with each cleansing time we face, we become a little stronger, a little more content and a little more ready to face what life may dish out.
A coffee pot, made of tempered glass can be boiled dry and taken straight from the burner to the sink and placed beneath a stream of cold water, and in so doing, it will not break. It is because the glass has been prepared to face the extreme and yet remain in tact.
God wants to preapare us for whatever extremes we might face. When one day it seems that everything is going our way and the next we face our worse day ever, God does not want us to shatter--but to remain in tact. Consider this joy--God loves you and wants you to maintain peace of mind in the storm, and contentment of heart in the midst of crisis, knowing that He has your best interest at heart.

[Soldier4Christ]

Freedom (Part 1)

    If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed (John 8:36).

I have heard that an elephant can be chained by a flimsy piece of rope, and that a rat exposed to multiple electric shocks will in time do nothing to flee from the place where it knows the shock will come from.
It is said that you can chain an elephant so that the animal cannot break free. That is not so surprising. But what may seem surprising is that in time, you could replace the chain with a flimsy rope which the elephant could break easily. Yet, when the elephant feels the slightest resistance from reaching the end of the rope, it will not even try to break free.
The laboratory rat that is repeatedly exposed to a shock will in time just lay down and take it. It will not try to run away even if the way to escape has now been made available.
In both situations, the animals demonstrated what is called learned helplessness. They tried to resist uncomfortable situations at first, yet as time went on, they gave up even trying to change their unpleasant situation. They had once tried to force their boundaries, but their experience taught them that there was no point--and so they gave up their fight for freedom--and eventually gave up their freedom without a fight.
The Bible tells us that Jesus came to set us free. Paul writes, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery" (Gal.5:1). In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus encourages, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and by burden is light."
Jesus did not free us so that we could remain helplessly bound to the chains of our past. What once held us as chains, no longer has power over us. If we are still enslaved it is due to our learned helplessness and no longer the chains, since Christ has broken the chains and set us free. It is not because we are bound, but because we do not truly believe that we are free. Yet, Christ has said that you have been set free and "God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?" (Num.23:19).
The skeletons in our closets and the sins of our past have a way of popping up in our minds to remind us of our failures. If we allow, Satan will use them to cause us to feel deep regret, and to become disheartened by our shame. We will become unable to serve God because we think, "Who am I to be used by God. Just look at me." We become helpless to move forward in our Christian walk because we have believed the lies of the devil who holds us captive with a flimsy rope.
When you trusted Christ that what He did was sufficient to cleanse you of your sins, you were given a clean record. What you have done you have done, but you do not have to let it haunt you--it has been forgiven, and God does not want it to have control over you any longer. He has broken the chains of your past sins, so that you may freely live for Him in the present.

    For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members [as] instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members [as] instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace (Rom.6:10-14).

[Soldier4Christ]

Freedom (Part 2)

    If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed (John 8:36).

Jesus not only sets us free from our sinful past but free from the legalism which can quickly imprison us in our present (see Paul's epistles, specifically Gal.5). Though the best intentions are involved, we often take new Christians into the fold of the church and begin heaping on them the burdens of religious works. We tell them they must do this or that because they are now a Christian, and that they cannot do this or the other for the same reason. If they are lucky, they won't buckle under the weight--and if they are luckier, they won't have their joy stolen like many do who try to accomplish the impossible.
Someone once said, "You cannot live the Christian life. It is impossible." Think of an area of weakness in your life and how hard it is for you to deal with it. A lot of Christians have difficulty witnessing. They are told that it is their spiritual duty and they feel this is right, but somehow it seems to be a never ending struggle which leaves most Christians feeling like a failure. Here's the Good News! You don't have to be anxious about serving God. You don't have to be anxious about righteous acts, and religious do's and don'ts. In fact, we are instructed, "Do not be anxious for anything, but in everything. by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Phil.4:6-7).
In John 15:5 Jesus states, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." The fruit that we bear is the evidence of Christ dwelling within, in whatever form that evidence takes. Our duty is simply to remain in Christ. If we do this, He does not say we might bear fruit but He promises that we WILL bear fruit. And not only that--but much fruit.
What kinds of fruits should we expect to produce? Is that strictly talking about witnessing and bringing lost people to Christ? If that were the case, why be interested in transforming our lives and our thoughts? The fruits are far greater that what we do, it is the evidence of who we are--or better yet, who is within us. As we spend a lot of time with someone we begin to take on some of that person's characteristics. In a sense we are bearing witness that we have been with that person. The same goes for our walk with Christ--as we are with Him, we become more like Him. Our characteristics and mannerisms are transformed, and through this we bear witness that we have been with Him.
Do you want to experience freedom? Remain in Christ. Be with Him, walk with Him, talk with Him, pray and read His Word. Get as close as you can possibly get to Him and you will notice that He will start to rub off on you. As a result, He will begin to rub off on others through you. Who He is will overflow out from your life and into the lives of those around you. This is a free and natural process of bearing fruit. The fruit does not force itself to grow or force itself to release seeds at the appointed time--it is all a natural occurrence. This is the process that is required to bear "fruit that lasts" (Jn.15:16).
Don't worry about witnessing or other religious works. Instead, walk with God--remain in Christ. You will find that it is only natural to share your faith and to serve out of love. We must stop putting the cart before the horse--religious acts do not bring us closer to God, but being closer to God brings His desired works out from us. Naturally.
As we chain ourselves to religious laws, we confine ourselves to the boundaries of what we should do; but as we remain in Christ as the branch in the vine, we are free to experience whatever it is Christ would choose to do through us.
Jesus has come to set us free from the chains of our past disobedience (when we did not know God), and free from the chains of our present obedience to religion. Our allegiance is not to a religion, a denomination, a creed or a doctrine. Instead, our allegiance is to God. And as we remain in Christ, we will maintain the standard God sets for us--and we will experience the freedom in a holy life of obedience to our Lord.

    Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, [art] in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me (Jn.17:20-21).

    Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me(John 15:4).

    The answer in not in more religious works, but in more abiding in Christ.
    Jesus said this in regard to those who are His disciples:
    They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world (Jn.17:16).

[Soldier4Christ]

Stretching For the Truth

    Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (Jn.8:32).

I remember as a boy how I use to love to climb trees. The bigger the tree, the greater the challenge and the more thrilling it was to climb. I remember how I would climb as high as I possibly could, often getting up to what would seem to be very flimsy branches. I can remember how the limbs would sway and the breeze would blow through my hair. I felt like I was in my own little world--it was a feeling of freedom, a feeling of becoming part of the tree as it moved with the gentle brush of the wind.
I now have a son who likes to do the very same thing. Though when he does, I stand below him on solid ground looking up and thinking that he needs to come down a little bit. I look at him high up in the tree and fear for his safety and get nervous for him--while he remains completely unafraid. It seems I quickly forget how much I enjoyed the same thing as a child.
I see God's Truth like a Great Tree to be climbed. It is a massive and challenging tree that stretches into the sky. Each and every branch represents another part of God's person, and the higher I climb and the more I stretch, the more I become one with Him--holding tightly to Him--moving with Him as He moves.
As a child in Christ, as a new Christian, we may find that we like heights. We cannot wait to get back up the tree of God's truth each and every day. We climb and climb, hoping to discover something new about His person. With each stretch toward another branch we cling more fervently to Him. The higher up we move, the more dependent we become upon Him to support us. It is a feeling of freedom.
But as we get bigger the heights appear too high, and the risk appears too dangerous. Fear begins to replace freedom and we find ourselves standing on the ground, looking up and perhaps wondering what has made us afraid to climb the tree the way we did once upon a time. And when we do get up the courage to climb, we cannot seem to bring ourselves to go as high as we once did. We stop short of limbs we had once traversed, and we see no hope of ever stretching beyond the place we have already been.
We, therefore, settle for the familiar. We climb to a point that feels comfortable, a point that we can settle with because it fits our logic, our preconceived ideas or our religious doctrines. We then live our lives never searching out the depths of who God is, but settle for the pleasant familiar and miss out on so much that He has to offer.
To speak plainly; there are many things that God has yet to show us. There are many ways to love Him, many ways to minister to others and many ways to live out our Christian life that we have yet to begin to discover. We rob ourselves of true freedom by learning one way to love, minister and live--then settling within the comfortable familiar, reluctant to stretch any further.
We do not learn to walk with a walker in our infancy and then use one the rest of our lives. In the same way, God does not teach us ways to walk in our Christian infancy that we are to cling to throughout our Christian lives (see Heb.6:1-3). He wants us to move beyond what is familiar and trust Him that he won't let us fall out of the tree.
God's truth is limitless. When we stop stretching beyond some part of the comfortable truth, we begin to put our trust in that truth, understanding or doctrine (these are the branches we rest on), and we begin to withdraw our trust from Him. God did not give us doctrine so that we could walk in it, but doctrine is a spiritual walker to help us to learn to walk in Him. It is not something to settle with, but something to help us move beyond ourselves as we learn to abandon everything we have ever known--and trust completely in our Lord.
Where do you want to be? Do you want to be the one who enjoys the freedom that comes from being stretched by God's truth? Or do you want to be the one standing on the ground looking up--wishing that those who are in the heights would come down a little bit so that you feel more comfortable?

    Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so (Heb.6:1-3).

[Soldier4Christ]

Fruits and Fruitcakes

    Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them (Matthew 7:20).

What do you think of when you think of fruit cakes? Does Christmas come to mind? More than likely. Yet the story behind the fruitcake is quite interesting. It seems that at wartime, fruitcakes were one of the best things to send through the mail to the service men overseas. The cakes seemed to travel very well, as I'm sure many could attest to. When I think of fruitcakes I also think of humorous stories of the fruitcake that would get passed around from person to person--from one Christmas to the next. What strikes me about this is that this is one resilient food product that seems to last forever.
In John 15:16, Jesus instructs us to bear "fruit that will last." Perhaps the illustration of the fruitcake can help. We are not only to be interested in witnessing, serving, loving and giving. . . in such a way as to satisfy the moment, but in such a way that the effects are long lasting--the proverbial fruitcake of spiritual fruits.
Living in a fast paced world as we do, we are driven to do things expediently, getting the most out of the fleeting moments. While this looks good on paper, this kind of thinking alone will seldom produce lasting results. Unfortunately, our business mindedness seems to have crept over into the way we live our lives for Christ. We try to press our time with God into 5 minute morning quiet times, hoping this will get us through the rest of the day. Or we try to tell others about our life in Christ with a two-minute "hit-and-run" testimony, and hope the seeds we toss over our shoulders will someday take root.
Bearing fruit that lasts takes time. It takes time to put into us the things that are of God so that the fruits of God are evident in our lives. It takes time invested in someone who is lost, so that once the person becomes a Christian they will walk in the ways of Christ for a lifetime--not just a day.
We all know that if you plant 5000 fruit trees but do not water or fertilize or care for them in anyway shape or form, you will be lucky if you get a basket of fruit from the lot. Without what they need to live, most will die, and most of the rest will lose their ability to produce fruit at all. Yet, if you have one tree--and you care for it, and nurture it, and give it what it needs to live--it will produce more fruit than the great number of weak trees. Of the 5000 and the one, which is truly the greater work?
Many righteous works may appear the same on the outside, but the ones that are the good fruit will have lasting effects. They will be the ones that change and impact lives. They will be the fruits that bear witness of the work of God rather than man. And they will be the fruits that are remembered far beyond the righteous work, because they were sown out of love rather than Christian duty.
I have heard evangelists say that if we really care about a lost soul going to hell, then we would tell them about Jesus. But I have also heard that if you give a man a fish, he will eat for a day; but if you teach a man to fish, he will fish for a lifetime. If we really care, we will not only tell them about Jesus, but we will show them Jesus. And we will not only show them the Jesus who will rescue them from hell in eternity, but we will show them the Jesus who will bring them an abundance of life today.
The streets of America are teaming with those who claim to be Christians but show no evidence of Christ in them. We need to see that the answer is not in making more Christian converts, but more Christians who produce fruits that show the evidence of Christ at work in their lives. They will in turn produce lasting fruit, and the seeds of that fruit will yield a plentiful harvest because it is the good seed.
Quality work is lasting work--there is no such thing as the "minute-rice-Christian."

[Soldier4Christ]

A Great Cloud Of Witnesses

    Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us (Heb.12:1).

I have read this passage many times, and heard it read from and preached on in church. It is one that paints vivid imagery of people surrounding us in great number, in the likeness of a cloud. I use to read this and envision a huge stadium filled with the saints who had gone on before, faithful men and women who believed and obeyed God in this life. I would see them, now seated in the stands, watching us as we "run with perseverance the race marked out for us." I once thought that they witnessed what we were doing in our efforts for the Kingdom of God, cheering us on to finish well.
More recently, I read this passage and the words of one of my college professors came back to me, "What is therefore there for?" Hebrews 12:1 begins with the word "Therefore." I had been taught in a Bible study methods class that any time we come across a word like, "but," "and," "for," and "therefore," that this should prompt us to look back at what came before this passage to see what the passage being read from was adding to the previous one.
As I looked back, I saw in Hebrews 11 a long list of faithful followers of God. This chapter is sometimes referred to the "faith hall of fame" of the Bible. It is a list of people who believed and trusted God, and who experienced God's faithfulness to them in ways that are described within the chapter.
As I began to determine the purpose of the word "therefore," the meaning became more clear. These people were not sitting in the stands of some great stadium, watching me and cheering me on to do well. These people were not a great cloud surrounding us to witness what we have done and are doing. These people were the witnesses to God's faithfulness. They were witness of what God had done, and what God was doing. Hebrews 11 contains just a sample list of people who witnessed what God can and will do in the lives of His children. They were a testimony to the rest of us that "what he (God) had promised, he was able also to perform (Romans 4:21).
I do not believe this list was made to let us know that we are being encouraged by the saints who have gone before us. Instead, I believe it is a list to encourage us to place our faith fully in our God. Example after example is provided by the writer, in effort to demonstrate that God is faithful, and to show us what God is capable of doing through the lives of those who will simply believe Him.
Hebrews 11 is to be an encouragement to us all. The God who was faithful to them is the same God we serve today. He is as faithful to His children as He ever was. He does protect. He does provide. He does watch over you and He does care for you. But it is necessary to entrust Him to do so. It is necessary to let go of the control of your life into the capable hands of your Heavenly Father. Do you have some trouble with that--read the "faith hall of fame" (Heb.11).
Reading Hebrews 11 may not be enough for many of us. After all, that was then and this is now. Perhaps what we could stand to see is a list of people who are alive right now who are witnesses to God's faithfulness. If that's what you need, ask God. He will provide you examples you need to encourage you because He is still active in the lives of His children today, just as He was in the past.
Our responsibility may be seen as two-fold. First, if we are struggling in our Christian walk, feeling that we are weak and unable to experience God's work in our lives, we should then seek out those who can witness to us about God's faithfulness in the lives of His children. On the other hand, if we have experienced God's faithfulness as we walk with Him, we need to help our brothers and sisters with a word of encouragement--telling them about the faithfulness of God, bearing testimony to them of how our God is able to do for us even as He has done in the past--in the lives of His saints, in the lives of His followers, in the lives of His children--and in your life today.
A testimony of God's faithfulness may be all that is needed to help another child of God be loosed from the chains of the cares of this age.

    I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation (Psalms 40:10).

[Soldier4Christ]

Trusting Means Everything

    Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord. . .But the Egyptians are men and not God; their horses are flesh and not spirit (Isaiah 31:1-3).

As you may well be aware of, Israel's past is filled with wars and conflict. In the middle of their struggles they often forgot that they needed to trust God to help them to overcome their dire circumstances. Instead, they placed their trust in horses and chariots, a strong army or a good king to lead them to victory. They sometimes chose to place their trust in a strong ally. They chose to place their trust in what they could physically see rather than in God. It was often not until they were completely out of options that they turned to God for help--not until they came to the end of themselves before they could see Him.
Imagine yourself in such a land. One ripped by war from decade to decade, having only brief periods of peace. If you found yourself in the midst of battle, alone and surrounded by hundreds of enemy soldiers, what would you choose to do? Do you see yourself transforming into Rambo, defeating the enemy and saving the day? Very exciting but highly unlikely. Do you see yourself fighting to your very last breath? Or maybe you see yourself stopping and dropping to your knees to pray for God to deliver you.
King David knew what it was like to be in the midst of battle, and he knew victory much of the time. Yet, David knew where to place his trust first, last and always. In Psalms 20:7, David states, "Some [trust] in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God."
Now imagine the battle somewhat differently. You are in the midst of battle and the battle is nearing the end. You and your army surround the last three or four men that remain of the all but wiped out enemy army. What do you choose to do? Can you picture yourself dropping to your knees to call on God for help? If not, why not
The God who will protect us from the hundreds, or even the thousands, is the same God who will protect us from the one. His faithfulness is not conditional based upon our circumstances, and neither is our faith in Him to be conditional. Trusting God does not mean that we do all we can do within and of ourselves, and then--after we have exhausted our resources--and only then, do we turn to Him for help. It is far more difficult to entrust something to someone that we ourselves are capable of handling, than to entrust to them what we cannot.
Maybe what you are facing in your life is something you feel you have under control. You feel full well that you can handle it and have no doubts of your own efforts and abilities. Yet, in order to see that God's will is met within everything we must learn to trust Him with everything. The BIG things are easy to entrust to Him because there is absolutely nothing we can do about them. But it is the little things that Satan will use to beset us because those are the things we handle many times without even a word to God, or even a prayerful thought. And what we end up doing is building more trust in our abilities, decisions and experience--trusting ourselves with all the little things that make up the greater portion of our lives. In turn, we trust the greater portion of our lives to ourselves--trusting less and less to God.
Just as a parent knows better than the child what is best for the child, God knows what is best for His children. The majority of your life is best entrusted to the One who knows what is best for you. Don't be fooled into thinking that God will handle the big things while you take care of the rest. It is often the little things that bring us down.

    Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).

[Soldier4Christ]

If Only Angels

    For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would (Gal.5:17).

A young man walks grimly down a cold dark street. He lifts his arm to place his hand upon his head, and cradles his forehead in his palm. Confused and disheartened, he looks skyward and cries out, "I can't go on like this. . . Please--help me!" He falls to his knees in the quiet abandoned street to hear nothing at all but the sound of his sobs bouncing off the shadow painted walls of the lifeless buildings surrounding him. Staring down at the ground, his eyes lose focus as his thoughts begin to wander. "Why are you frightened?" a voice from behind questions. The young man turns, and with excitement mixed with fear he asks, "Are you an angel?" "Yes," the glowing figure of a man replies, "God has sent me to bring you a message. . ."

Heavenly messengers robed in light. They come in the name of the most High bringing news of God's plans, ministering to the needs of one of God's chosen, or preparing a place, time or situation for the forthcoming work of God. And while we experience their comings and goings throughout the scriptures, many of us are left with questions, "Why not now?" "Why not today?" "Why don't angels appear to people today?" And, "Why not to me?"
We all experience times of life that are troublesome, times in which we feel confused and disheartened. We desperately want to get our lives back to a more pleasant, more comfortable state, and we desperately want to know what we need to do to end times of difficulty. We may find ourselves crying out to God, and indeed we should seek His guidance as His children. After all, He is the one who has the answers we so dearly need to hear. That is when we sometimes finally say it--we say it and perhaps even put it to God in the form of a request--"If only angels could come and tell me what to do. . . If only God would tell me what to do so I can hear it. . .If only He would give me some kind of sign. . ." "If only angels. . ."
Yet, God in His wisdom chooses not to comply to such requests. That is, unless it is in line with His will to do so. If He did comply with every request for angels, seeing angels would soon become commonplace and eventually we would even begin to doubt what would be said through them. For even though we would receive the message clearly we would still find ways to confuse the issue if our hidden intent is to cower in the shadows of self-pity. Or perhaps we would simply become numb to the audible words of God after hearing them over and over.
Even if we were to gladly receive everything God would say to us, what might be the result. How does God, who is a Spirit, teach us to walk by faith, no longer by sight if He continuously caters to our wants for physical affirmations? We cannot learn to walk in the spirit if we are led only by what we see with our physical eyes or hear with our physical ears or touch with our physical hands. We cannot learn to trust in the spirit if we cannot grow beyond putting our trust in what is tangible. Therefore, if we only trust what is seen, heard and felt in the flesh, how shall we learn to trust God in the spirit?
If we were only creatures of flesh this would not be a problem. We have been learning through our physical senses from day one. Yet, there is a nature to each of us that is not of the flesh, but spirit. That is the part of us that needs to learn how to walk, see and hear that which is in the spirit.
But God is a loving Heavenly Father who wants to see His children grow so that they can face the challenges of life in spirit and in truth. This way He teaches us to hear Him when the rest of the world is confused by what they hear from politicians, religious leaders and media. He teaches us to see Him when the rest of the world is blinded by self-ambition, self-promotion and self-absorption. He teaches us to walk in the spirit, when the rest of the world stumbles over the cares and concerns of this life. He does not want us to seek that which is the easier way, but He longs to teach us how to walk confidently when the way is hard.

    For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded [is] death; but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace. Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subjec to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. . .For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God (from Romans chapter .