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  • Who Are You Living For?

    Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

    To ask the Apostle Paul what he was living for in this present world would bring about an immediate answer “I am living for Christ.”  He also knew that death was not an enemy but the entrance to heaven.  Thus, he could say to die is gain.

    What are you living for?  What goes in the blank when you state that “for you to live is _______________.”    Is it Christ?  Are you giving yourself to eternal things or temporal things?  Are you giving yourself to valuable, imperishable things or to worthless things?   

    One of the tremendous blessings of working at Liberty University and with Dr. Jerry Falwell was the opportunity to sometimes have lunch with him and learn from him. On one such occasion, Dr. Falwell wanted the convocation speaker for that day to have lunch with him and I was blessed to join.  As we ate the convocation speaker asked Dr. Falwell what drove him to get out of bed every day.   I loved the question and I leaned in to hear his answer.  Almost without a pause he said, “I only have one life to live and it soon will be past.  Only what is done for Christ will last.”  (He was quoting C. T. Studd) He then looked at both of us as we sat across from him and said, “I believe I am here to live for and serve Christ to my fullest abilities and make the biggest difference for Him. That is what gets me out of bed early every morning.”

    There was silence for the next minute or so as we both let what that man of God said sink into our hearts. All I could think was “For me to live is Christ!”

    I’m just asking, respectfully, again, what are you living for? Let me be more direct, who are you living for? Are you living for your savior? You can be living for yourself.  When you get to Philippians 2:21 you read Paul’s summation about a group of people as he says, “For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus.” Which are you?

    Did you get out of bed today to live for your savior or for yourself?
    Are you a Philippians 1:21 person or a Philippians 2:21 person?

    Continue Strong living for Christ,
    And remember to DATE The Word

  • A Remarkable Response

    Job 1:20 “Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped.” 

    The Book of Job opens with a description of a man who is doing life right.  Life is great with a wonderful family.  His health is good.  His work is productive and profitable.  He is known for being a God-fearing man.  For a person who has never read Job, the first 5 verses seem almost too good to be true as Job has it all.  And then comes verse 6 which starts with “now there was a day….”  For those of you who have read Job 1, you know what follows.  The man who had it all will lose it all and lose it all in a very short amount of time.  I encourage you to read Job 1 and 2.

    Job’s wonderful life becomes the worst life ever. 

    How will he react? What will be his response to pain, loss, and despair?  How will he handle the grief and suffering?  The biggest question will be how he will respond to God, whom he has been faithfully worshipping.  Will he worship God on his worst day?  

    The answer to the last question is Job 1;20.  It is one of the rawest verses in the Bible where we read of man being so transparent and real with what is happening to him.  The writer says Job worshipped God.  Yes, but that is at the end of the verse.   

    Notice first his response is to mourn, seen through the actions of tearing his robe and shaving his head.  There was lament.  Lamenting is so human.  His actions are symbolic of pouring out pain.  Job was hurting.  Job was grieving.   

    Moving slowly through Job 1:20 Job mourned. Job lamented.  And he worshipped! He fell to the ground and worshipped.  Satan was sure Job would not worship God if he lost everything precious to him.  Satan was sure Job only worshiped God because of what God did for him.

    On his worst day, Job worshiped.  God was still worthy of praise regardless of his earthly situation.  

    How do you respond when tragedy hits a very close family member?  How do you respond to financial ruin in a matter of hours?   Through the centuries Job has been the example of responding to God when you experience your worst day ever.  

    Now I must ask myself as well as you, the reader, how do I (you) respond to God when the worst has happened? Do we turn on God? Do we turn away from God? Or do we turn to God? 

    Do we go to war against God?  Or do we worship God? 

    May we learn and live like Job as we face life difficulties that come in all shapes and sizes!  May we learn from Job that our God is worthy of worship because of who He is.  

    Continue Strong worshiping Him,
    And remember to DATE the Word

  • Maintaining Control of Our Tongue and Temper

    James 1:19 “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.”

    The control of our tongue and our temper are two areas of our lives that seem to be more difficult to control than other areas.  Pastor James will challenge us by demanding that we maintain control of both. Just as the Book of Proverbs over and over addressed these two areas multiple times Pastor James will address these two areas multiple times.  

    Starting with the tongue he implores us to use our ears.  It has been said that “God gave us two ears and one mouth, so we ought to listen twice as much as we speak.” I think James would agree with that.  Being swift to hear means intentional listening.  In other words, less talking; more listening!
    Being swift to hear is being thoughtful.  So many of us are swift to speak. Drawing from Proverbs we are reminded not to be quick to answer! Proverbs 18:13 says, “If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.”  

    To control the tongue be swift to hear with the ear! Be thoughtful!

    Then we are to be slow to speak.  This is a call to be careful with our words. Remember that the tongue, though it is small (James 3:5), can spark a huge fire, bringing all kinds of destruction.  Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Are you being careful with what your little tongue says? Is your mind engaged before your mouth speaks?  

    Do you have a filter on your mouth?  For those who might need some help here, I suggest:
    Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.
    Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers
    Psalm 141:3 Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.

    Be slow to talk with your tongue!  Be careful!

    James now says, “Be slow to wrath.”  Like our tongue, our temper can get us in so much trouble.  Recall Proverbs 14:17 as it says, “A man of quick temper acts foolishly.”  Have you ever done something stupid because of losing your temper?   
    The self-control of our temper is crucial.  Proverbs 25:28 gives this picture to ponder: “Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls.”  We must rule our reaction!  We don’t want to lose the cow over spilled milk.  Enacting self-control of our reaction means doing the opposite of what you are feeling. Instead of getting mad, show mercy.   

    Be slow to explode with your temper!  Be merciful!

    Failure to maintain our tongue and our temper could be disastrous!

    Continue Strong under control,
    And remember to DATE the Word

  • Come and Be Cleansed by the Blood of the Lamb

    Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” says the LORD, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

    In Job the question comes “How then can a man be righteous before God? Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman?” (Job 25:4) Is there any hope at all for the sinful?  Is there anything that can wash away our sins, your sins, my sins – my horrible, ugly, offensive, filthy, wretched sins? Is there any help? Is there any way to ever be clean?  Is there any way of ever being pure and righteous in God’s sight?

    Years ago, I presented this question during a preaching service at a rescue mission in Dallas, TX. Sitting in the room that day was a young man who had kept his head down the entire message until I answered my questions with a resounding yes.  I said yes there is SOMEONE who can wash a filthy sinner clean. I told of how Jesus Christ shed His precious blood and died for all sinners. I then said God gives an invitation to come to Him, stating to my audience that day our verse, Isaiah 1:18.  AS he heard the words of Isaiah 1:18 that young man lifted his head for the first time during the entire service. He looked at me and softly spoke a question to me, asking if God would do that for him.  I said yes, sir. He would. I spoke directly to him that God would wash away his filthy, vile sins and make him a new person. And with that, he said I would like that. And I led him to the Lord. 

    The invitation of Isaiah 1:18 is extended to you and every sinner.  To the “righteous” (self-righteous) and the religious, to the rebellious and wicked, you are not too far gone. You have not done anything that God cannot wash clean with the blood of Jesus. Come to Him and have your sins washed away!  

    The hymn writer wrote: What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
    What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.  Oh! precious is the flow That makes me white as snow; No other fount I know, Nothing but the blood of Jesus

    Now comes the question from another hymn writer: Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?  Are you washed in the blood? In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb? Are your garments spotless, are they white as snow? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

    Answer the appeal and lay aside the garments that are stained with sin, and be washed in the blood of the Lamb!

    There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean, Oh, be washed in the blood of the Lamb!

    Continue Strong knowing you are made clean as snow by the blood of Jesus,
    And remember to DATE The Word

  • Becoming Made More by Following Jesus

    Mark 1:17 “Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 

    Growing up I attended a church where the children would go to the front and sing one or two children’s songs. One of my favorites was “I Will Make You Fishers of Men.” Maybe some of you recall the little tune 
    “I will make you fishers of men, Fishers of men, fishers of men. 
    I will make you fishers of men, if you follow Me. 
    If you follow Me, If you follow Me, I will make you fishers of men, if you follow Me.”

    At some point growing up in that church, I would hear the Bible story that the song was based on. I heard how Jesus would make a simple yet oh so profound, request of some men with a very specific reason in mind. I would hear how these men responded and would leave what they were doing to go with Jesus and become His disciples.  With just a few words of follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men Jesus invited a variety of men to join Him and to have a new cause for their lives. 

    How do you react to those two words of follow me?  What questions arise as you process the invitation?  Surely the question of where? How long? What for? When? What is in it for me? goes through one’s mind.  Let’s be clear that to follow implies surrender of one’s rights and desires. In surrendering you are yielding your rights to another.  

    I do like to point out that as Jesus said, “Follow me.” He also said to them, “I will make you.”  Know that saying yes to following Jesus means He will be about making something of you for His glory.   Jesus’ invitation to those fishermen was to allow Him to make them become something greater than what they presently were doing.

    Jesus’ invitation to you is to allow Him to make you beomce something far greater with your life.  

    Their response to leave and follow changed their lives as Jesus did what He said He would do.  Your response to Him to Follow Him will change your life.

    Are you a follower of the Master? 

    Where He leads me, I will follow, Where He leads me I will follow,
    Where He leads me I will follow, I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way.

    Continue Strong in total surrender to following Jesus
    And remember to DATE the Word

  • The Refresher

    2 Timothy 1:16 “The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain;”

    There are nicknames like the Enforcer, the Terminator, executioner, or Mountain Man to express the toughness of a person.  We do not think of “Refresher” as a tough person but as the Apostle Paul is launching into his second letter to Timothy, he expresses his gratefulness for a man named Onesiphorus who made a huge difference in his life by REFRESHING him.  I am nicknaming Onesiphorus the refresher because he refreshed Paul as he was in prison and was not afraid or ashamed to be around the Apostle Paul.  

    What does it mean to be a refresher?  

    A look at the word “refreshed” in Greek reveals it has the idea to blow cool air.   Like when you skinned up your elbow and your mother blew on it.  It has the idea of coming into the house from the yard and feeling the cool air of the air conditioner.  The Latin word for refreshed is (are you ready) “refrigeravit.”   I think you are smart enough to see the English word refrigerator.  Have you ever come in on a hot day and stuck your head in the refrigerator and felt that cool air?  It was so refreshing.

    Onesiphorus came to Paul and was like a breath of cool air.  He was like a drink of cool water.  His ministry of refreshment revived Paul. 

    You can be like Onesiphorus and have a ministry of refreshing that can revive weary souls.  All around you are people on a journey and the journey is taxing – sometimes vexing.  The work is so hard they are ready to give up, yet you show up and through a variety of actions refresh their soul.  And let’s not minimize showing up.  Paul commended Onesiphorus in verse 17 for seeking him out.  The verse says, “But when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found me.”   Paul was refreshed by Onesiphorus showing up!

    You can refresh someone by speaking or sending notes of encouragement. To encourage is to put courage back in a person.  In I Thessalonians 5:14 we are to encourage the fainthearted.  Proverbs 12:25 says, “Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad.”  Proverbs 25:11 says, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”  You can say the right word at the right time and your words will be priceless. 

    You can refresh a person by reminding the discouraged soul who God is and what God has done in the past can help a person hold onto the promises of God.  In Deut. 7:17 Moses wrote, “If you should say in your heart, ‘These nations are greater than I; how can I dispossess them?’ — 18  “You shall not be afraid of them, but you shall remember well what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt:

    Think of ways to be like Onesiphorus and take action today refreshing someone. 

    Continue Strong as a refresher,
    And remember to DATE the Word

  • Sin Brings Death of Life

    James 1:15 “Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”

    Did you see the use of the word “birth” twice in the verse? When you say yes to a temptation you give birth to sin. However, you need to know your baby will have a baby!  Sin gives birth to death.   The word for “birth” used here a second time in James 1:15 is not the same as the first.  The first one speaks of natural birth.  The word used now for birth speaks of the birth of a monster.  The monster is death. 

    So here is the lesson: When you say yes to a temptation you bring death to life in your life! Sin brings forth death. While the enticement reveals the pleasure of sin, the pleasure of sin lasts only for a season, and then sin is going to bring to life death in your life.  

    May this knowledge, the true knowledge of the results of yielding to a temptation help us to be more adamant in saying NO to temptation. The joy of that newborn baby (sin) will quickly bring a monster into your life, bringing pain and heartache. 

    As we Date the Word on January 15 (1/15), we have a few other verses to address the issue of temptation and sin that, along with James 1:15, should motivate us to resist temptations.  

    First is 1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.”
    Christ did not just come to save sinners so they could keep living as they were living and then go to heaven. He came to save sinners so they can live holy lives here. 
    Notice the call to live holy from 1 Peter 1:15 as it says, “But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,”  To live holy lives Proverbs 1:15 reminds us to “not walk in the way of sinners, Keep your foot from their path”

    Know that facts about yielding to temptations as the pleasure of sin will soon bring the pain of sin. 

    Continue Strong living holy,
    And remember to DATE the Word

  • The Priority of Prayer

    Acts 1:14 “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.”

    The book of Acts begins with the conclusion of the visible ministry of the risen Savior, Jesus Christ.  Luke will introduce his 2nd letter by letting his friend Theophilus know he will be telling what happens after Jesus Christ ascended.  He then writes about the ascension and how Jesus tells His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Promise of the Father, the Holy Spirit, and that they were to be witnesses first in Jerusalem, then in Judea, then in Samaria, and then to the utmost parts of the world. (Acts 1:8) 

    Right after Jesus ascends to heaven, His disciples return, as instructed, to Jerusalem to wait.  Acts 1:13 says that they went back to the upper room.  Acts 1:14 reveals that not only were the disciples there but also some women, especially Mary, the mother of Jesus and His brothers were there. 

    As we look closer at Acts 1:14, Luke tells us more than the place and the people in the Upper Room; he tells us how, in unity (one accord), they prayed.  Don’t read this too quickly.  Let this settle in your heart.  The first action we read of the disciples after Jesus ascends to heaven is to pray.   Assuming they were in the same UPPER ROOM the last night Jesus had with the disciples they may have been flooded with memories of Jesus telling them to pray.  For instance, in John 14:12 Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.  13 “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”  Now, whether or not they were in the same room or not, they are praying.  Prayer was the top priority.

    Let us consider our priority to pray.  I repeat that the first action of the disciples after the ascension was to gather together to pray.  It would not be the last.  A reading of the Book of Acts finds one prayer meeting after another.  Here are a few examples to prove my point.
    Acts 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
    Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
    Acts 6:4 “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
    Acts 6:6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.
    Acts 12:5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.
    Acts 13:3 Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent [them] away.
    Acts 14:23 So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

    Jesus told His disciples, and I believe He told us, that we would do greater works than He did because He went to His Father.  He then said ASK.  My take is He said to ask what you need to do the greater works!

    The question then is are we asking?  Are we praying?  What is the priority of prayer for your life and ministry and work and service for the Lord?  Is your life being marked with “and when you prayed?”

    Prayer is not a waste of time.  It is the first work that allows for your work for God to work!

    Continue Strong with prayer as a priority.
    And remember to DATE the Word

  • Alert and Ready for Action

    1 Peter 1:13 “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

    Having been blessed to have this new life in Christ provided by Christ (1 {Peter 1:2-12) Peter challenges the Christian to live.  We are to gird up the loins like a runner getting ready to run a race. Think of Hebrews 12:2 which tells us, “To run the race that is set before us.” The ESV uses the word prepare instead of gird.  We are to prepare our minds with the added idea of being ready to take action. Our reading, studying God’s Word, praying, and worshiping prepare our minds so that we can then live out the wonderful Christian life we have received.  

    Believers are to be living like Christ and living for Christ! We live differently and we live to make a difference!! 

    To live our lives to the fullest we will need to make good decisions regarding what we do.  We will need to be sober-minded.  This speaks of being clear-minded as well as alert. Peter uses this word later in his letter as he reminds us about our adversary the Devil.  1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober-minded; (think clearly and be alert); be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”   As believers, we must be diligent in guarding our hearts and minds.  We can never lower our defenses.  Hear and heed the call to be sober minded, to be ALERT!

    As we are living an action-oriented life serving the Lord with our alert system fully on we look ahead to our glorious future.  Dr. W. A. Criswell liked to say, “LOOK UP, BROTHER – LOOK UP!”  Look ahead, brother, look ahead.  When we consider what is to come – that glorious day when we shall see our Savior face to face – what a day that will be!!  The best is yet to come for the believer!  Oh, what hope we have!!  LOOK AHEAD!  

    Ready! Set! Go! And keep going until you are gone!

    Continue Strong running the race that is set before you!
    And remember to DATE the Word

  • Difficult Interruptions as Divine Appointments

    Philippians 1:12 “But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel,”

    The question of why bad things happen to good people is a question that has been asked for centuries. You may be asking that at this very moment.  In the first century, the Philippian church members wanted to know why a good man like the Apostle Paul, who was faithfully serving the Lord, would find himself arrested and in a Roman jail. Knowing his friends at Philippi were concerned about him and that his present situation or circumstances did not seem to have a purpose, Paul addresses their concerns in Philippians 1:12.   His answer to them just might be an answer for you.

    In his answer, Paul said that the things that have happened, the difficult, rough, unsettling, unpleasant, hard things that have happened to him, happened so that there would be the opportunity to share Christ.  He saw his present situation opening closed doors to share the gospel.  Being in chains seemed like a closed door but he saw it as offered him the opportunity to proclaim the claims of Christ!  Being in chains and chained to Roman soldiers of the highest order allowed him to share Christ and many got saved. In Philippians 1:13, he writes that it has become evident to the whole palace guard and to all the rest that his chains are in Christ. As well, he would end his letter by sending greetings from members of Caesar’s household.  Philippians 4:22 says, “All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar’s household.”  

    To the question of “What is happening?” Paul would say, “Sharing Jesus is what is happening!”

    Now for an answer to the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Paul tells us that the bad, horrible circumstances just might be happening for the furtherance of the gospel. The idea of “furtherance” is clearing or opening a path.  

    We need to see our circumstances, even our difficult circumstances as a way in which God is clearing a path to communicate Christ!

    Are you staying alert with your trials that they just may be divine appointments to share your testimony?  Are you staying alert with unfavorable circumstances that may quickly turn into a favorable moment to have a conversation about Christ? Are you staying alert to see your various situations as opportunities to share the gospel? 

    I am praying you will have a Philippians 1:12 testimony where the things that happen to you, the good, the bad, and the awful things, will turn out for the furtherance of the gospel!  So be watching and be alert to God clearing paths for you to communicate the gospel.  

    New contacts through new circumstances can become new converts!

    Turn trials into a testimony and your rough circumstances will become rejoicing celebrations!

    Continue Strong alert to divine appointments for sharing the gospel,
    And remember to DATE the Word