But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Act 1:8

There’s an old Chinese proverb that says, “When we drink water to quench our thirst, tribute should be paid to the one who built the well.”  If that sounds refreshing and fair, then please take a look at Galatians 5:16-26. There you will find what God has to say about our most vital source for living this life.

Just as oxygen is vital to the success of one’s ability to breathe, submission to the Holy Spirit is a must for all Christians to exist as true witnesses to the truth. There are at least four vital reasons why we should entrust our lives to the Holy Spirit:

1. He helps us make the right decisions when we listen to His advice.
2. He gives us the power to live by God’s guidelines.
3. When we live by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, He develops godly qualities in us—the fruit of the Spirit—in our life to the effectual building of His Kingdom.
4. The Holy Spirit encourages us to seek God’s approval above the approval of other people.

In summary, the Holy Spirit enables Christians to live lives that are pleasing to God; something that is impossible to do on an independent basis. He makes believing, following, and discipling in the nature of God possible. Because of the Holy Spirit, our walk as His supernatural and eternal children develops into a joyful labor of love rather than some bewildering struggle or monotonous religious duty.

As we realize that our part in establishing that which endures forever comes solely through the impartation and workings of His Holy Spirit, we should stand resolutely hopeful.  Certainly, water and well builders have their place, but the person, position, presence and power of the Creator’s Holy Spirit is our difference maker; He’s all the Living Water and refreshment we will ever need.

Have a wonderful week!!

Romans 8:2-6; John 3:6-8; Luke 24:45-49; Micah 3:8-10

“But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 4:29).

Inspiration and real hope come to me when I think of the Biblical character David and how God referenced him as a man after His own heart.  Sure, David killed a lion and a bear, slew mighty Goliath, and reigned as the greatest of kings.  The part that brings encouragement and lively hope are not so much in his special feats, but in the things God chose to forgive and divine reasoning in His judgment of David.

All things being equal, an adulterer and a murderer don’t fit into a wholesome relationship that God would endorse or memorialize.  The fact that David had an affair with a married woman, Bathsheba, and subsequently masterminded a plot to have her husband Uriah killed in battle as part of a cover-up made him guilty of both crimes.  As you read the story of David, on a human level, serious consequences of these acts followed David all the days of his life.  But God….

In today’s message, we’d like to focus on the repentant response that David genuinely exhibited when the prophet Nathan confronted him about what he had done.  The light of God’s reality hit David in a dramatically resurrecting way, opposite of the stone he fatally flung at Goliath.  “Oh my God, I have sinned against You”, was David’s heart-felt conviction.  He had let down the One who had birthed him and developed him as the psalmist warrior.  His flesh had ruled and reigned in God’s place. For that his heart cried, not in simple remorse, but in shame and sorrow.

There are numerous scriptures that share the idea that God’s Kingdom is One of the heart.  Three favorites are found in proverbs:  As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. (23:7); Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life. (4:23); Trust in the Lord with all your heart and in all your ways acknowledge him, and He will direct your path (3:5-6).

Family and friends, none of us are David or ever will be.  What we can be, however, is a man or woman after God’s own heart.  The privilege of pursuing him and worshipping Him in Spirit and truth is ours and the choice we make in that regard is ours as well.  The Spiritual oasis available to us requires a thirsty and burning heart for fellowship with the Lord; the I AM who Created us, the One Who gives us a second chance, The Holy Spirit who lives, and the Awesome eternal rewarder.

Father in Heaven, in Jesus’ name, please clear the way for those writing or reading this article to be men or women after your heart— because for each of us, especially for such a time as this, there is no greater pursuit!  Amen.

1 Cor 10:31; Matt 6:33; Psalm 14:2; Acts 17:27-28; Heb 11:6

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”  Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matt 19:25-26

Some think the old Yankee phrase, “You can’t get theah from heah” (you can’t get there from here) originated in the state of Maine. It featured a visitor to the area asking a local man for directions to a location. After attempting to give guidance several times (each one different) and stopping part way as each got head-scratching in confusion or turned out wrong, the local man finally announced in a funny punch line way….”You can’t get theah from heah.”

The lesson the stranger learned is the same one we all must endure to be rescued when we’ve lost our way.  In similar application, we can’t get to a balanced budget by spending more money than we earn or expect to arrive in Paris from New York on a bicycle. In order to get on the right path, we must first recognize we’re amiss, rethink our plans and efforts, and move to a more direct starting point to reach our goal.

In a more significant way, the Bible story of the night-time encounter between a religious leader named Nicodemus and Jesus helps us to confront one of the most common questions people, especially young children, ask about the ultimate direction….How do we get into heaven or the Kingdom of God?

Nicodemus acknowledges that Jesus, the Rabbi, was the teacher from God.  From all that Jesus did, Nicodemus was fully persuaded that the miracles He performed were supernatural.  In their conversation Jesus tells Nicodemus that the only way for him to get to the Kingdom of Heaven from here was to be born from above or born again in the Spirit.

The only head scratching in this meeting was on the part of Nicodemus as he opened himself to understand the direction of the One he willingly trusted. We invite you to read the scripture (John 3:1-16) yourself to confirm the words of Jesus.

If you are already heaven-bound with the Spiritual fool-proof direction of Christ, then praise the Lord!!  If not, we encourage you to play the part of Nicodemus as you read the above passages and ask the Spirit of God yourself.  After all, He’s the only One who knows for sure how to get there from here.

John 14:6; Rom 10:9-10; Heb 7:25; Rev. 22:17

For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?  Mark 8:36

Some time ago, I listened to an audio from a series called “Advanced Sales Techniques.” One of the principle points the sales presenter made triggered a lasting impression that I would like to share with you.

Here’s the principle point presented: “The more expensive or costly the product or project, the more attention, diligence, competence and follow up is required and the greater the consequences should the deal fall through.” The sale of a pen set may be significant, but purchasing a unique time share, specialized Cesna Jet, or paradise island in the Pacific Ocean gets progressively more expensive, affects far more people, and inherently becomes more challenging. Pen sets can be had fairly easily; higher ranged products are not so readily available and carry the potential to produce great frustration and consequence in the buyer should the deal fail.

No doubt some of us would find a failed attempt to obtain a paradise island in the Pacific disappointing, discouraging or even devastating. The world, however, wouldn’t come to an end. Now consider a more profound scenario. What happens when we die? Where do we go? What destination is in store for us? Instead of choosing pen sets, airplanes, or a paradise island, the choice now falls between the products of “nothing,” “hell,” or “heaven.” If life after death is a non-topic, then this message is moot. Choosing to be separated from the One who created us and to be forever demonically tormented in hell, as the Bible describes, is literally insane.  If, however, we believe Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins with His life, the promise of God in His Word is that we are assured the inheritance of the costliest of products–everlasting life in heaven.

What product can you think of that is greater than eternal life?  Not only that…It’s free!  Rather than ultimate frustration and untold consequences in the failure of our choice, I encourage each of us to choose to believe in Him and His glory in the Paradise of Heaven. That my friend, is a Message of Hope!!

Rom 10: 9-10; John 3:16; Acts 2:21; Acts 4:12

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 1 John 4:4

Gravity is a truth no longer debated. Whether an apple really fell out of a tree and landed on Sir Isaac Newton’s head to spur revelation regarding the subject is the funny and debatable part. We also know that to overcome gravity, a greater force (called power, thrust, and lift) must be in play. The next time we see an airplane flying above, we can be certain of that greater force being in effect. As we take off on our separate journeys this week, let’s look to being confident in flying high…. in spite of what daunting forces might be in place to weigh us down.

Situational challenges and our thought life can be gravitational too. As we all know, stuff, sometimes terrible stuff, happens! It’s also fascinating to learn of research that suggests well over 90% of our thoughts are self – directed and about the same percentage of the words we use are of a negative nature. Life is tough enough, and we have a tendency to apply an additional dose of our own gravity in what we think and say during our daily business. Here are a couple of examples of simple conversations we may have with ourselves or with someone else: What a beautiful day! “Yea, but it’ll probably rain tomorrow” or….” It’s about time”, or…. What’s so beautiful about it?” Up for a moment, and then down we go!

What great truth can we rely upon to pilot our lives this week? Is there a truth that will provide the continual power, thrust, and lift no matter how many apples fall, challenges come, selfish thoughts arise, or what negative spins we intend to use in our own vocabulary? Here’s a fact. We can choose to believe there is an ultimate hopefulness or there isn’t. If I may be transparent for a second… For me to overcome my own challenges and stinking thinking —– I believe in the One who said He is truth and His name is Jesus Christ.

You may have a positive thought or object of your own that will help you gain altitude this week, but may I remind us of John 14:6. Jesus said,” I am the way, the TRUTH and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.” Subsequently, there’s the conversation between Magistrate Pontius Pilate and Jesus that took place just prior to His crucifixion. Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?”. Jesus remained silent to the relative question. He didn’t have to speak because absolute TRUTH speaks for itself.

May Almighty God relate to us in a way that inspires us to respond in kind. May His love fill our tanks this week with His values, His desires, and His attitude–the kind that blends eternal encouragement with what we’re to face today and this week ahead as mere mortals. With the right wings, we can fly! Let’s prepare our hearts for takeoff and be sure if we do it in spiritual relationship with the Ultimate Pilot, we’ll stay up no matter what.

1 John 5:4-5; Rom 8:37; Psalm 3:3; John 1:5; Phil 4:13

This then is the message which we have heard from Him and declare unto you: that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5

Thomas Edison, one of the most famous inventors, conducted thousands of experiments before his first light bulb ever lit up.  At one critical point, his entire lab burned down causing him to start all over again.

There are many obvious qualities of Thomas Edison’s character displayed during the process of his notable invention.  Persistence, focus, genius, time management, and his attitude in overcoming failure would only be a start.  There’s an additional aspect to the Edison story that I believe can inspire us this week to operate with a greater measure of victory.  Consider this….

Thomas Edison was never called or expected to create light.  Light was already on the scene.  When God said, “Let there be light”, He didn’t call Mr. Edison for his input or the CEO of General Electric for that matter.  Light just manifested in obedience to the Creator’s command!!  What Mr. Edison did was use his wonderful and God-given talents, gifts, and abilities to fashion a tool (light bulb) to help others see physically.  His accomplishment in helping others see is what made him so famous.

None of us can create light.  Thanks to Mr. Edison, we no longer need to invent a light bulb either.   What we can do this week, however, is recognize the wonderful talents, gifts and abilities within us and plug in to the amazing truth that we ourselves are God’s invention; designed and spiritually powered from on high to shed his love, life, and light in the darkened places of others.

So, enjoy your own experimenting this week.  Remember, even if your lab burns down—GO forward and expect God’s love and life in you to light the way!

2 Peter 1:19; Psalms 119:105; John 8:12; James 1:17; 1 John 1:7

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.  1 Cor 15: 22 

The word “pawn” has a Latin origin that means pledge.  People who use a pawn shop bring in items they choose to pawn or pledge as collateral.  The pawnbroker loans the pawner an amount for the item for some agreed time period.  That amount, plus interest is due to the pawnbroker for the item to be redeemed or bought back.  The broker and the person pawning the item agree to a contract and that determines the release of the item.

There was no such thing as a pawn shop or concept of redemption in the minds of the original couple, Adam and Eve.  They walked in the cool of the day in an intimate and glorious relationship with God, the Loving One who created them. After their choice to fall to disobedience of evil, however, they were forced to exit from the comforts of the Garden of Eden.  A great debt called sin was established by them; one they or their offspring could never pay.  Concurrently, in a spiritual way, Satan experienced a profound success.  As a result, he welcomed the souls of Adam and Eve and everyone to follow into the inventory of his eternal pawn shop.

Just as an actual pawnbroker must be paid the agreed amount for the pawner to redeem or get back the pledged item, someone must pay the price. The Bible says that God, the Creator and Loving One back in the Garden of Eden, so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him would have everlasting life.  The redeemer is Jesus Christ and the blood He shed for our sin is the only key that fulfills the contract and opens the door for all who are located in the pawn shop of sin.  Because Jesus already paid the price, all we must do is believe, receive His forgiveness, and walk out in hopeful liberty.

So family and friends, as the fog of this world attempts to blind our perception of the direction we must go, neither Jesus (the Truth Himself), nor those who have embraced Him, will stand by unconcerned.  Instead, we will share this pawn brokering concept of what God has done for us with others.  Jesus is not only God’s Son, our hero, and sunshine we need to see through the fog during these challenging times; He is our Creator, our accessible eternal value, our One and Only redeemer, and the true and ultimate lover of our souls!

Romans 5:8-12; Heb 10:39

Study to show yourself approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Tim 2:15

A word is a word, is a word… Or is it?  If I share the word “arithmetic,” for example, the math-bent folks are more likely to lean forward and pay attention while some of the rest of us may want to count ceiling tiles or even worse—run in a panic.  The personal perception of the word and what we do with it becomes more critical sometimes than the word itself.  In today’s message, may we lead our forward leaners, tile counters, and potential panic attackers to a common answer of encouraging correction; a place where we all can benefit.

Please bear with me through a brief, painless, and surface introduction.  One of the unique functions of arithmetic is in multiplication.  For example, if we multiply 1 x 2 it equals 2.  If, however, we multiply -1 x 2 it equals -2.  So any positive number multiplied by a positive number produces a positive answer.  Any positive number multiplied by a negative number produces a negative answer.  Whew!!  In faith, I believe none of us got lost.  Now let’s graduate together to an even better result…

On a more critical and practical level, this process applied to our thinking can be devastating no matter how you regard the word “arithmetic.”  There are times when we behave in a decent pattern (say 100 times) and we make a mistake or blatantly sin one time.  The spiritual arithmetic or religious spirit in us leaps in counterfeit joy with the claim that everything about us is therefore negative (100 x-1).  As a result, we can get depressed, shrivel up in guilt and self-condemnation, or go down in defeat.  But God!!  A. W. Tozer said, “No matter how we may argue, true holiness and spiritual power are not qualities that can be once received and thereafter forgotten, as one might wind a clock or take a vitamin pill. Every advance in the spiritual life must be made against the determined resistance of the world, the flesh, and the devil!”  We must remember, we may be morally negative on occasion, but we are never a negative as far as our loving Creator is concerned.

Our God is a forgiving God.  By His grace and mercy, no matter what knucklehead things we may do, if we honestly repent of our negative behavior, He will put the eraser of forgiveness to our miscalculated act. (1 John 1:9).  He comes to bring abundant life, not to steal, kill or destroy us.  (John 10:10).  Our eternal Father says there is no condemnation to those who walk after Him in Spirit and not in our flesh.  In Him, we are free from sin and the ultimate negative—separation from Him or death (Rom 8:1-2).

So family and friends, criticism only finds fault.  Encouraging correction multiplies hopeful change.  Whether you are an arithmetic whizz or not, welcome to its Spiritual counterpart; one with a positive answer, no matter how negative we may be or have been.  No matter how you look at it, He is not merely a word. He is The Word who goes by the awesome name of Jesus Christ!

John 1:1-14; Jer 29:11; Rom 15:13; Prov 3:12

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Prov 3:5-6

The Book of Ephesians is so rich!  Every time I read any of the chapters, new insights abound.  In today’s message, we’ll take a quick look at this book from a coach’s perspective and discover a formula for a successful individual or team performance.

The first chapter declares that we are privileged to become part of the body of Christ, His church, or “team.” In a similar way, a person agrees to take advantage of resources already prepared to become a golfer, archer, or play as a participant in a team sport.

The second chapter talks about being united in the body of Christ. In a similar way, a successful individual or team performer must be united in purpose. Double mindedness or division among the ranks is a sure way of draining energy and spoiling the vital focus to prevail as a winner.

The third chapter declares that the purpose of our being part of Christ’s body and to be united in our connection is to glorify God.  The worldly parallel would be for the individual or team (heavyweight fighter, Yankees, Patriots, etc.) to be hailed as boxing’s, baseball’s, or football’s best and be glorified as #1.

The fourth chapter speaks of preparation necessary to do the work of the ministry.  This is the first mention of personal responsibility and accountability in becoming Christ-like. In a secular sense, these would be the prerequisites of what it really takes to become a functioning champion of the sporting activity in question.

The fifth chapter focuses on relationships and the guidelines for those to prosper.  Inner family truths are outlined as for marriages, parenting, and business associations.  In the athletic and world system, people skills and their varying dimensions are always part of the critical journey.

The sixth chapter talks about armoring up or putting on the uniform, as would a bowler or a basketball player appropriately dressing for their event.  In the sacred sense, we are to put on Christ to be an overcomer.  The helmet of salvation, boots of peace, a shield of faith, belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, and the sword of the Spirit make up the uniform.  Prayer follows and is mentioned as most vital.  This is where the power comes in that by faith the plays are directed by the Coach Above who knows everything.

The significant difference between God’s formula for victory and man’s gleaning of it for secular purposes is in the critical substance and destiny.  One is for a goal, a good shot, a trophy, or bragging rights for the here and now.  The One that matters is to hear God say, “Well Done My Good and Faithful Servant”; that’s the one that plays on forever!

Book of Ephesians

When we think of gifts, most of us think of giving or receiving one. Rarely do we think of ourselves as the gift to give. A focus on one of the many names for the One who created us may help in this regard.

The divine descriptive, Adonai, means owner of my life, the One who gives gifts and equips. In Him, I am not my own because I have been bought with a price, the blood of the Lamb! My spirit, soul, and body belong to Him and I love and serve Him as a supernatural result.

This position and condition of relationship with our Creator opens a special package of His potential goodness that can be unleashed for the benefit of those around us; many in need and longing to receive. The question then becomes – How will we do that? The answer is simple, but certainly not ready made or easy.

Acknowledging God as our divine heredity and life source is step one. A personal assessment identifying our unique gifts and talents is step two. Step three is to encourage ourselves, as God leads, to appropriately share our gifts with others. For example, ….

 — the high school math whiz who can tutor maybe one or two struggling  kids in the neighborhood.

— the “Vinny Laser Vision” who can shoot free throws and give some shooting tips to the kids playing on the neighborhood basketball court.

— the handy Andy willing to tackle neighborhood jobs for fees he can pledge to the Salvation Army.

— the painter or sculptor or ceramicist can offer classes in their studios to those who want some know how to discover their own inner artistry.

— the believer doesn’t have to be a theologian to recite scripture to people wanting to hear the language of extraordinary truth.

Get the idea? God is generous with his gifts. He creates athletes, carpenters, plumbers, tool and dye makers, auto mechanics, watchmakers, sailors, singers, seamstresses, tailors, singers, dancers, orators, actors, ballerinas. He created you and me and He gave us unique talents or traits. They can be converted not just for making a livelihood but for making a better world, a better city, a better community.

Let’s take time and look within, discover our gift(s) and put it or them into action for others to receive. In the process, we just might discover something of inestimable value we didn’t realize we possessed. It may bring us closer to our neighbors, to ourselves, and to the awesome God who created us. It may transform us into being an even better gift to give!

James 1:17; Ps 68:18; Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 12:4; Eph 4:8; Rom 12:1-2; John 10:10;

Heb 11:6