A Puff of Smoke

James 4:
v. 13: Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit."
v. 14: You don't even know what tomorrow will bring -- what your life will be! For you are a bit of smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes.

If we really saw our lives as a bit of smoke that appears then vanishes quickly, how much importance would we place on it? How might it change our focus?

We don't know what tomorrow will bring. I heard a friend say yesterday, "Life can change in a second." Sometimes we think we have it all figured out then something unexpected happens and all our plans dramatically change. The people in Japan didn't know a 9.0 earthquake was going to hit, followed by a horrendous tsunami; I didn't know one beautiful autumn morning that I was going to break my kneecap causing me to put my life on hold and take a leave of absence from seminary; Aron Ralston didn't know a boulder was going to fall on his arm while rock climbing, trapping him for 127 hours only to be freed by him amputating his own arm.

We make our plans and hope they come to pass then God shows us He has other plans. This is not to say God causes bad things to happen to us but I do believe He allows them into our lives because He is going to use them to His glory. But James explains that we shouldn't stop planning but be willing to submit to God's will...

v. 15: Instead you should say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."

What can man do to me??

Hebrews 13
v. 3: Your life should be free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you." [Deuteronomy 31:6]
v. 4: Therefore, we may boldly say:

The Lord is my helper;

I will not be afraid.

What can man do to me?

Psalm 118:6

I love these verses. In the process of talking about being free from the love of money and being satisfied with what we have, Paul reminds us that God has said He will never leave us or foresake us. When he says, "...be satisfied with what you have..." he adds to the same sentence,  "...for He Himself..." What we have is God. When we have Him we have all we need, and Paul knew that. We are satisfied. Nothing in this world can compare to God and nothing in this world can fill our emptiness and needs like He can.

Paul goes on to quote Psalm 118:6..."What can man do to me?" Paul knew that if the Lord is with us, we have nothing to fear. In the perspective of this truth, he knw that the only things man can do to us are steal our earthly possessions, slander our name, take a loved one out of our life, inflict bodily harm or even physical death. But man can never destroy our souls or snatch us from the hand of God.

I know this sounds harsh but form the perspective of the Kingdom of Almighty God, everything we set our eyes on here on this earth is temporary...even our bodies...TEMPORARY. But eternity, that's where we want our focus. Paul had his focus there and anything man could do to him here really wasn't a threat. He was so in love with God.

"Don't fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; rather, fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."     -Jesus [Matthew 10:28]



No Longer Infants

Hebrews 4:
v. 12: For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of God's revelation. You need milk not solid food.
v. 13: Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness, because he is an infant.
v. 14: But solid food is for the mature - for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil


Chelsi Newborn


When my daughter Chelsi was an infant, she had  such a hard time taking formula. After just one ounce, BLAH!! Up it would come. This went on for quite awhile. We'd have to burp her every ounce and every time up it would come. I'm sure she was keeping some of it because she was satisfied and was growing. After awhile, formula wasn't enough. We slowly introduced solid food, starting with a tablespoon of runny, flavorless rice cereal.

6 months old

After awhile, we introduced veggie baby food. What a thrill to see her face light up with the taste of carrots, peas and sweet potatoes. "Mmmm!!" she'd hum as she ate each spoonful. Then it was time for the sweet tastes of applesauce and banana baby food. Eventually, we went from strained meat to pasta to solid foods.

It was a long process but today she is eating solid foods...some of which I'd never eat. 

What would have happened if I had not taken the time and effort to introduce new foods and just left her at the formula or runny, flavorless rice cereal stages?? Truthfully, she would have never developed and Child Protective Services would have taken her away from me. Why?? Because she would have died.

Our growth and development in our walk with God is no different. If after we accept Christ, we simply warm a pew every Sunday morning, we will never develop...or worse yet, we will die in our walk with God. We need to feed on God's word every day. We need to get to the point where it is not always spoon fed to us, but we hold the utensil and feed ourselves. We need to seek more and more intimacy with God so that we know His voice when He speaks to us. We need to be able to stand our ground when Satan launches an attack, by skillfully wielding the sword of the Spirit (the word of God) and having a listening ear to our Commander.

Don't remain an infant in your walk with God. There is so much flavor in a life devoted to Him.

PS Sorry Chels, I had to make a point.

Think About It...

Hebrews 2
v. 14: Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, He also shared in these, so that through His death He might destroy the one holding the power of death--that is the Devil--
v. 15: and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death.

v. 17: Therefore, He had to be like His brothers in every way, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
v. 18: For since He Himself was tested and has suffered, He is able to help those who are tested.

Wow!! Did you ever think about this?? Jesus came down from His throne where He was worshipped, honored, glorified...and took on humanness. For a time, He was even lower than the angels. He became one of us, only He was God. He did it to free us from the Devil and his power of death.

What's interesting about this passage is that He was "...in service to God..." Not in service to us, but God. This emphasizes the fact that God wants us...God wants us in relationship with Him as His children for all eternity. He truly loves us!!! We are the apple of His eye; the object of His affection; His precious treasure...You are the one He longs for!!

If you're going through a trial in your life, Jesus can help...He's been there.

Oh How He Loves Us!!



It's All About Him

Phillipians 1
v. 21: For me, living is Christ and dying is gain.
v. 22: Now, if I live on in the flesh, this means fruitful work for me; and I don't know which one I should choose.
v. 23: I am pressured by both. I have the desire to depart and be with Christ -- which is far better --
v. 24: But to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you.
v. 25: Since I am persuaded of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your advancement and joy in the faith,
v. 26: so that, because of me, your confidence may grow in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.

It's all about Christ Jesus. For Paul, to live on this earth was to live for Jesus and to advance others in the faith. That was his sole purpose for living. Dying, on the other hand, would be "far better" because he would actually be with the One he lived for...Jesus.

I am struck by this man. Paul, when his name was Saul, hated the followers of Christ. He persecuted them, tortured them and murdered them. He opposed Christ with the same passion he later followed Christ. He encountered Jesus. He experienced His power, His presence...Him. That one encounter changed him forever.Jesus was Who he lived for and Who he longed to die for.

Often I hear this passage taught as the dying referred to as dying to the flesh or to self. While I believe that to be an option as well, I think Paul is talking about actual physical death. Paul knew that when he died, he would go to be with the One he loved...Jesus. I'd be willing to bet that had Paul lived in this day and age of medical technology and advancement, he would have a DNR (do not  resuscitate) order on his medical chart, regardless of the situation. He saw nothing bad about dying. He wanted to go. This is not to say he was suicidal, hopeless or depressed; he just knew the world was not his home and he was just visiting. But, he knew he needed to be here not so he could gain status, money, things or "find himself"; but so he could minister to the followers of Christ in his care. He knew he needed to be there to support them in their walk with Christ. That was his call and he knew he had work to do.

Followers of Jesus Christ should see death as joy. Those of us who lose someone who is a follower of Christ, while of course grieving, should also celebrate for them. They are home!! While we are here, God has work for us to do that is not all about us...but all about our Savior and Lord, Jesus!! 

All Powers Be Duly Informed

Ephesians 4
v. 30: And don't grieve God's Holy Spirit, Who sealed you for the day of redemption.

We are sealed by God's Holy Spirit. When I think of that, I think of my Bachelor's degree that was sealed  by Florida Christian University; or my marriage certificate that was sealed by the State of Indiana. Those seals make those documents legal, legitimate, and authentic. Without the seal, they are just a piece of paper. Not legally binding, not legitimate and not authentic.

But then, when I think further about "seal", I think of being closed tight, unable to open, sealed shut. Beth Moore referred to this kind of seal when she suggested that a Christian, sealed by the Holy Spirit cannot be possessed by a demon. Oppressed? Yes. Possessed? No.

So, which is it??

I did a little research on seals in Ancient Rome, and I learned about a signet ring worn by men of authority and royalty. This ring had a design on it that was exclusive to that man. It was used to make an impression, or seal on not only documents but possessions as well. It was a seal to show authenticity or ownership.

Bible History Online says:

"The signet makes a deep impression in clay forming an official seal. The imprinted seal carries the full authority of the office it represents and no one dare question it. (emphasis mine) His design is well known, his symbol without any doubt authentic, his mark indelibly declares the full authority of royal ownership. There is the pain of death to those who validate it." (emphasis mine) *

Considering the fact that Paul wrote this in the time of Ancient Rome, it seems obvious this must have been the type of seal he was referring to a seal of royal ownership.

Bible History online continues:

"In scripture we find, somehow we are sealed. A metaphor which would ring powerfully to those under Roman rule. Yet God's sealing is never coercive. Never forced. A free will decision is made. An imprint is then formed within us. Our souls bear His mark, His letters, His image and all powers are duly informed, we belong to God." *

The seal of the Holy Spirit is on all of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Savior of our life; to those of us who have confessed and repented of our sins and have dropped to our knees in worship to Jesus as the Lord of our life. The Holy Spirit has impressed the seal of God's letter, God's image on our souls.

All powers are duly informed...

We Belong To God!!

* Bible History Online, http://www.bible-history.com/sketches/ancient/seals.html, 2010

Hope With God

Ephesians 2
v.1: And you were dead in your trespasses and sins
v.2: in which you previously walked according to this worldly age, according to the ruler of this atmospheric domain, the spirit now working in the disobedient.
v.12: At that time, you were without the Messiah, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, with no hope and without God in the world.

Can you imagine that?? "No hope and without God in the world". I think sometimes when we talk of being saved and Jesus' sacrifice, we hear it so often, we actually become numb to the magnitude of it. Jesus saved us...rescued us from being without God. Think about that!! What would it be like to live in this world without God?? There would be absolutely no hope here or for eternity. Can you imagine facing trials in your life without God?? Trials such as losing a loved one unexpectedly; suffering an accident that leaves you permanently disabled; being diagnosed with a terminal illness; facing the financial ruin of a company you built from scratch; or finding out your child is a drug addict. To face trials such as these without the hope of God in my life...I can't imagine.

Recently, I was going through a time when I had a lot on my plate. I had a full class schedule in seminary, was serving as an intern pastor at my church, dealing with some health issues, not to mention going through menopause. Emotionally, I was coming uncorked. I found myself unexpectedly weeping and becoming depressed to the point of debilitation. As I talked with my doctor about it, I told her that the worst thing was that I felt far away from God. I couldn't hear Him; I couldn't feel Him; and I felt like I had lost my Best Friend. (I emphasize felt because it only felt like it, but God was always there.) My doctor was surprised to hear me say this considering the fact that I was in seminary and serving at my church. But that's not God. That's not the one-on-one intimate relationship with Him. None the less, she encouraged me to make my God time a priority along with some meds. That night was the beginning of making my God time a bigger priority in my life. As soon as I did that, the hope, the connection and the peace with God came flooding back.

This example is only a feeling of no hope. I always had the hope of God with me. But, to not have that hope is a frightening thought. I wouldn't want to live without it. There's only one way to have that hope...faith in Jesus, the Messiah.

Ephesians 2
v.4: But God, who is abundant in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, 
v.5: made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. By grace you are saved!
v.8: For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift
v.9: Not from works, so that no one can boast.