GOD: OUR BURDEN BEARER

“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.”   Psalm 68:19-20

            David’s Psalm is one of encouragement and praise. He shares about the greatness of God to protect and bless His children.  David wants us to know that burden bearing is one of the characteristics of Almighty God.  We no longer need to carry them, for our God will bear them for us.  We simply need to give them over to Him; however, this isn’t always easy.  Sometimes we’ve carried them for so long that it’s difficult to put them down.  They’ve become a part of us.  As we learn to trust God more we will begin to let that which weighs us down go.

            God saves us.  What does He save us from?  Our sin and ourselves.  Until we recognize that we are sin-laden we will never truly be free.  Just as a drug addict or alcoholic must admit they have a problem to be cured, so we must admit our need of forgiveness for the sins we have committed. Once we admit that we are ready to receive the full forgiveness for each and every sin we’ve ever committed. If you’re reading this chances are you’ve already done that.  It never hurts to be reminded that we are a forgiven people as long as we have surrendered to the cleansing power of Christ’s blood.  We are then told in effect to “go and sin no more” (John 8:11).

          Our redemption, the act of being bought back from the slavery of sin, has allowed us to escape death.   Those who have been born twice shall only experience one death; that of their fleshly bodies.  We shall reside in heaven with the Lord for all eternity.  What a blessing that will be!  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

TRUSTING IN GOD

“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.  The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.”  2 Peter 3:8-9a

            While these verses actually refer to God’s patience with mankind regarding their salvation, I like to think it applies to all His promises throughout scripture.  Verse 8 clues us into His omnipresence.  He was and is and always will be.  He is neither under the constraint of time or space.  His timing is perfect and never late.

             In our finite and mortal state of existence we become panicky if things don’t transpire as we think they ought to.  We question God’s timing as if He doesn’t know what He’s doing, when we are the ones who are clueless.  Left to our own devices we make choices that are not the most beneficial for us.  Only God knows what is best for us.  Our faith and trust must lie in the fact that all things are in His absolute and complete control at all times.  It takes time for us to reach this point in our walk with God because faith is a progressive thing.  We start with a spark and as we experience life with God that spark grows into a flame which when fanned can become a raging inferno.  This particular fire is good for it represents a heart that is on fire for the Lord.  Each situation in life is an opportunity to express and stretch our trust in God.  He will keep His promises to us.  On that we can rely.  As I have continually said, there is no record in all of scripture of any failure on the part of God to do that which He has said He would do.  You either believe that or you don’t.  There’s really no in between ground.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

LOSING YOUR LIFE

“For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.”   Matthew 16:25-27

         Jesus is speaking very specifically about living for yourself and acquiring the things of this world.  If that’s your sole motivation in life than He is saying you will lose your life and your soul in exchange for things that will rot and turn to dust.  Just as Esau willingly gave up his birthright to his brother Jacob for a bowl of pottage*, so too, many give up their true calling as sons of God to pursue temporal endeavors.  They forfeit their very soul for monetary gain as if it could purchase their entrance into heaven.

         Our Lord is making a point by saying that he who surrenders himself to the will of God and lives for Him alone shall receive untold rewards which cannot be found on this earth.  Heavenly rewards do not involve money or fame or power or notoriety.  Heavenly rewards involve crowns of glory for what we’ve done for others in the name of the Lord and what we’ve done to further the kingdom of God on earth. 

         Having money, even lots of money, isn’t a sin.  How we acquire it and how we use it tell the story.  Do we acquire wealth honestly to provide for our families and others in need or do we acquire wealth to live in lavish comfort, forgetting about all else?

       And what of our soul?  The exchange rate is too lofty for us to achieve.  We cannot save ourselves.  Those who live according to the will of God for their lives will see heaven.  None of us is perfect and never will be this side of heaven and our Heavenly Father knows this.  He is patient with us and gives each of us ample opportunity to get this thing right.  Be ever mindful of where your focus must be – squarely on the Lord.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

*Genesis 25:19-34 (The story of Jacob & Esau.)

LOVING THE BRETHREN

“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself.  I am the Lord.”  Leviticus 19:18

            This is aimed at Christians as well as the Hebrews of the Old Testament.  The key words are “anyone among your people”.  In John 13:35 Jesus proclaims that the world will know we are His representatives on this earth by our love for one another.  We must forgive those things said and/or done to us by those of the brethren understanding that they too are from dust and to dust shall return just like we are.  If their actions persist there is a different course of action to take, but it never involves revenge or grudge holding.  You take the situation to another brother or sister or even to the pastor to act as a mediator. 

There are far too many breaches in the wall caused by those within the body of Christ.  My friends, this ought not to be.  For those who seek to serve God with sincere hearts this is an anomaly that mustn’t take place.  This departure from the norm that has been established by our Lord will break down the very fiber of our faith and cause us to be at each other’s throats over non-essential elements.  I believe it comes in part from a noncommittal attitude toward our walk with Christ.  If we all took our walk as seriously as I believe we are meant to, these breaches would be less frequent.  There will be no place for such behavior in heaven; therefore, we should be practicing godly behavior within the body during our stay on earth.

The Lord is mindful of all rifts and strife that exist in His church and is no doubt displeased with its existence.  Forgiveness is available, but it must be sought and accepted with the idea that the individual turn away from past behavior.  We serve a merciful and loving God.  Let us not trample His grace under foot with ill-conceived words and/or actions.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

OUR ALL SEEING, ALL KNOWING GOD

“‘Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?’ declares the Lord.  ‘Do not I fill heaven and earth?’ declares the Lord.”   Jeremiah 23:24

            An interesting and dangerous dynamic takes place when temptation comes knocking.  I know for I have encountered it more than once with unfavorable consequences being the result.  We start to focus on the temptation and not the Lord.  As if it had some uncontrollable pull on us we are drawn in.  We begin to think the Lord doesn’t see or wouldn’t care about one single indiscretion, but one leads to many as we slide down a slippery slope of our own making. 

All the while God is there.  He sends us warnings via the Holy Spirit, but we are deaf to them.  We are fixated on that which has caught our eye.  We must understand that there is nothing God doesn’t see or is unaware of.  He fills all the heavens and all the earth.  His spirit is in all places at the same time, which is the very definition of omnipresence.  We cannot hide ourselves and we cannot hide our indiscretions.

The good news is that not only is a way of escape provided for us (1 Corinthians 10:13) but forgiveness is available for the asking.  It is to be understood that once forgiveness is sought and received we are to have then learned the danger of such a temptation and take extra precautions to avoid it in the future. Draw close to God and live according to His decrees alone, for it is He and He alone that loves you unconditionally and has promised that you shall live with Him for all eternity.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

OUR CONSISTENT GOD

“But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.”  2 Thessalonians 3:3

         To be faithful is being worthy of trust.  It’s also being reliable and consistent.  This is our God; worthy of our undying devotion and trust for He is consistently reliable in all that He does.  There is no time when God shall fail any of His creation.  He is here to lead us through the maze we call life by the power of His Holy Spirit.  He will strengthen and protect you from the wiles of the evil one.  This is our God.

          We must understand that just as with Job, Satan must seek permission to harass us.  If this were not true then there would be something out of God’s control and that is impossible.  Satan is the one that attempts to lead us off the narrow path onto rabbit trails that either lead us nowhere or to our ultimate destruction.  This is why we must stick close to the Lord each day.  Read His word for our daily dose of encouragement, edification and direction.  God is faithful and consistently reliable.  Men will fail us, God never has, nor will He ever.

          If you are in need of supernatural strength to overcome an obstacle or guidance for the future, you can rely on our trustworthy God to lead, guide and support you through any situation.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

GOD’S NEVER ENDING LOVE

“Do you not know?  Have you not heard?  The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.  He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”  Isaiah 40:28-29

         Who can understand the ways of the Lord?  Who can fathom His great wisdom?  There is nowhere you cannot find His spirit.  There was, is and never shall be a time when He hasn’t existed.  The Psalms declare that He neither slumbers, nor sleeps (Psalm 121:2-4).  He doesn’t great weary as mortal man does, for He is an eternal spirit being who simply is. 

We don’t need to understand everything relating to God, we just need to come to the place where we are willing to accept it as true.  Our belief should then turn to faith.  We must then allow our faith to become unfailing trust.  Only then can we begin to cultivate a personal relationship with Almighty God.

As I have said many times before, there is no failing in God as borne out in the fact that no record of a failure on His part is recorded in all of scripture.  He is forever and always Almighty God. His word declares that He is slow to anger and abounding in love and faithfulness*.  He cares for us with an undying love and extends endless patience and mercy toward us.  What a wonderful truth to tuck in our hearts.  When everyone else abandons us, God is there and He will always love us with a never ending love.  Walk with the King and be a blessing!

* Nehemiah 9:31, Exodus 34:6, Numbers 14:18, Psalm 86:5, Psalm 86:15, Joel 2:13.

REST & PEACE CAN BE YOURS

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”   Psalm 91:1

         The setting of this Psalm appears to be one of warfare.  Whoever draws near to God shall be protecting under His mighty wing.  No harm shall befall him who rests in the shallow of the Almighty and places their trust in Him and Him only.

         The same is true today.  There is nothing that can come against a child of God that cannot be overcome.  God alone is the One who can provide all that is needed to withstand the onslaught of doubt and fear that accompanies the many trials we encounter.  Finding rest and the peace that comes with it is a blessing unrivaled by the world, for this world and everything in it is temporal.  The things of God are eternal.

          This is why I continuously make a strong point of our having unwavering faith and trust in God.  The problems of this world fade from sight when compared to the glory and majesty that is found in simply His name.  The name of Jesus is the sweetest sound one could ever hear in this life.  The One that bears that name has saved us from our sins.  Jesus is God in human form.  There is no other name in heaven, on earth or under the earth by which men can find forgiveness.  Our rest is available any time we choose to acquire it.  Kneel before the Lord and find peace. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! 

WHAT IF GOD IS REAL … WHAT THEN?

“What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”  Mark 8:36

            There’s a whole lot of striving going on in the world today.  People seek for success and define it by the amount of money they have.  Trust me when I tell you anything you buy will one day either be thrown out, wear out or sold off. The ‘things’ of this world offer temporary satisfaction, nothing more.  God offers mankind eternity.  A person may never own an expensive car, have a mansion this side of heaven or spend their time with a fashion model, but neither will those ‘things’ offer lasting satisfaction, fulfillment and contentment.  

            As believers I think we need to do a better job of lovingly making the unsaved aware of their need for forgiveness.  Live out your faith and keep your talking to a minimum.  Show them Christ.

            Our sin contaminates us.  God has the cure.  One drop of Christ’s blood will wash away all our sin forever.  One drop.  Yet millions trade that one drop for ‘things’ every day.  And when we die, what then?  We can’t take any of our accumulated ‘stuff’ with us when we go.

          If you already have a personal relationship with God, you know what I’m saying is true.  If you are riding the fence, consider this:  what if God is real … what if Christ really did die on the cross to pay for your sin … what then?  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!!

THE DIFFERENCE MAKER

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, 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.”  Philippians 4:6-7

            It’s difficult to keep from being anxious when obstacles rise up all around us.  We take our focus off the obstacle remover and place it squarely on that which is making us anxious.  It’s real and it’s staring us right in the face.  It could be unemployment, a lack of finances, illness, chronic pain or a crumbling marriage.  At that point in time it seems like that’s the only thing we can see.  God is still there in the midst of it, but He becomes harder to see, blocked by temporal circumstances, like a lunar eclipse blocks out the sun.  We can refocus on God, the remover of obstacles, or we can stay fixated on our problem(s).  Paul tells us not to allow ourselves to be anxious.  No matter what we are facing, lift it up to God with thanksgiving.  Lay your requests at the feet of the difference maker.  Once you refocus on Him your anxiety will begin to melt away and a peace that the world knows nothing of will guard your heart and mind.

          What about the times God chooses to have us go through a certain situation rather than remove it.  That happens more times than not, I’m afraid, but He has reasons for this.  It’s to challenge our faith and cause spiritual growth.  Will we shrivel and die or rise up and stand tall.  All the while the Lord is there with us and in us to guide, provide and sustain us.  Even in the midst of the most ferocious storms life has to offer He is there with us to take us through it.  Being all places at the same time He is with us and waiting for us on the other side of our problem.  Therefore, we truly have no reason to be anxious about anything.  When you do become unsettled, focus on the difference maker and not that which stands in your way.  One word from Him and your whole scenery can change.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

HAVING A POSITIVE IMPACT

“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” Philippians 1:27a

         Paul’s letter to the Christians in Philippi is said to be his most personal, taking on a pastoral quality.  Philippi was the first Christian mission in Europe and considered to be the launching point for Western Christianity.  Paul’s deep affection for them is seen in that he addresses no difficulties or doctrinal issues, but rather reminds them of key theological points; such as, faith, righteousness, Christ’s Second Coming, Christian perfection and the Cross, to name a few.  He instructs his readers to live a life that is worthy of the price paid for their freedom.

          This is an interesting point for Christians to ponder today.  Is our life worthy of the gospel of Christ?  Are we truly God’s ambassadors on this earth or are we living for ourselves?  I’ve walked with the Lord for over 35 years and I can honestly say my commitment still fluctuates ever so slightly.  I love the Lord with all my heart, yet allow myself to become lazy when it comes to doing the Lord’s work at times. I resemble Paul when he declares in Romans 7:15-20 that he does that which he knows he shouldn’t do and doesn’t do that which he knows he should do.  Christ has saved us from our sins and from ourselves.  As we strive to be more like Him in all we think, say and do, we must fight off the tendency to sit down and become absorbed by our surroundings.  Always remember that we were bought with a price.  Without Christ’s death we would have been lost forever in our sinful state.  Conduct yourself as a true representative of the living Christ and have a positive impact on your world.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

BURDEN FREE AND SAVED

“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.  Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.”  Psalm 68:19-20

         Within this Davidic Psalm lies two very important truths.  The first is that the Lord is our burden bearer.  We carry our burdens around like a knapsack on our back as if we were required to do so; however, God has declared that He bears our burdens each day.  Give them over to Him and carry them no further.  The second truth is that we shall escape death because we serve a God who saves.  Christ death on a bloody, savage cross purchased eternal life for those who would believe and receive it.  Therefore, those who have been forgiven of their sin have been born twice but shall only die once. 

         There is bad news for those who turn their backs on such a precious gift.  They have been born once, but shall die twice; once in the natural and a second time in the spiritual, lost for all eternity, separated from God.  Just because they don’t believe that to be true doesn’t negate it as a future reality.

        Those who have a personal relationship with the creator of the universe shall live forever with Him some day.  Our burdens shall be gone, never to return.  That is just one simple reason why the gospel is called “Good News”.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

THE EAST FROM THE WEST

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.  He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”  Psalm 103:8-12

         In the song East to West the chorus goes like this:  “Jesus, can you tell me how far the east is from the west … one scarred hand to the other.”  That’s really the crux of it, isn’t it?  Everything we believe as Christians centers around the person of Jesus Christ.  David, who has experienced the forgiveness of God numerous times in his life, knows all too well of His compassion, grace and abounding love.  David was a man of God who slipped up a time or two and paid for his sin dearly, but he also found unrelenting love and forgiveness when it was sought. 

          Something we must understand today is that while God is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8), we still have to ask for His forgiveness.  It isn’t arbitrarily given to any and all who exist on earth. However, forgiveness is available to anyone who seeks it.  It’s very much like the gift that is offered yet never received.  It isn’t ours until we say, “may I have it” and then receive it.  If that weren’t true then all we’d have to do in simply believe in God’s existence and do nothing else, for the blanket of His forgiveness would be cast over us all.

          Forgiveness is supposed to cause a radical, life altering change in us.  We are supposed to make a 180-degree turn away from our past life and surrender our will over to the Lordship of Christ.  Only then can we begin to fully grasp the depth of love that removes our sin so far from us and never remembers it against us again.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

* East to West is a song by Christian band Casting Crowns, off their 3^rd studio album titled The Altar and the Door. The album was released on August 28, 2007 on Beach Street Records and Reunion Records.