Monthly Archives: November 2013

Robert Murray McCheyne, a 19^th Century minister in the Church of Scotland, once said, “If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me.” Did you know that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father making intercession for you right now?

Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.  (Romans 8:34)

McCheyne provided great insight into tremendous power in the life of the believer. Even though he could not hear the Lord praying in the room next to him, he knew that Jesus was indeed praying from His throne room in heaven. Regardless of what you might be facing today, you are facing it in the power of His prayer. Jesus is praying for you continually.

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”  (John 17:20-21)

In His earthly ministry, our Lord prayed fervently and specifically for His disciples who would be left behind to continue the ministry of the Gospel Jesus had initiated. But notice that His prayer is not only for them. It is for you and me and all those who would believe in the truths of the Gospel. Knowing that Jesus prayed for us then and is praying for us now is a source of great power for every believer.

What is there to fear with Jesus on the throne? As McCheyne said, distance makes no difference when it comes to the power of prayer from the throne room of grace.

Because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.  (Hebrews 7:24-25)

Jesus is praying for you in the middle of your trials, tests, and temptations. Jesus is praying for you in the middle of your storms, sufferings, and sorrows. His prayer is your power, regardless of what you are currently dealing with in this life. Jesus has already conquered every foe we will ever face. Even the last and most fearful enemy was defeated when Jesus became the death of death (2 Timothy 1:10).

So let us advance confidently in the direction our Lord is calling us to go. Our praying Prince has paved the way for us to walk by faith and not by sight, because we know He has walked the path before us and is walking it with us today. His prayer is our power, and that power is greater than any power we will ever encounter in both life and death.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day. How will you spend it? Some will spend the day with family and friends, enjoying food, fellowship, and perhaps some football. Others will spend it alone. But regardless of your plans this year, let me encourage you to spend the day marinating a bit in what it means to live a life of thanksgiving to the One who has “blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.  (Colossians 2:6-7)

The apostle Paul tells us that overflowing thankfulness is the mark of Gospel-soaked saints, regardless of the cost or circumstance. And Paul knew hardship and suffering for the sake of the Gospel! He was no “ivory tower” teacher, comfortably distant from the message he proclaimed. You probably know that Paul wrote most of the New Testament; did you know that he penned most of his inspired epistles from behind prison walls?

Regardless of the circumstances he faced, Paul was marked by overflowing thankfulness because He intimately knew the One to whom he was so thankful.

Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”  (Acts 9:1-6)

Here is the man who was transformed from Saul, persecutor of the Church, to Paul, a pastor in the Church. He who hated Christians became a helper of Christians. The murderer became a minister, and Paul engaged in that ministry until his very last breath. He did it in the face of incredible hardship and opposition, yet his heart always overflowed with thankfulness.

One of the keys to Paul’s consistent thanksgiving and praise was located in the fact that he never lost sight of who he was before Jesus showed up. He never forgot the change that the Lord Jesus Christ made in his heart that day on the road to Damascus—the black condition of his heart prior to his encounter with the risen Savior. Jesus breathed new life into him, and Paul who exulted, “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15.)

So, throughout this Thanksgiving weekend, let us pause and count our many blessings. Don’t bother to try to “name them one-by-one,” as the Bible song says, because there are far too many to number. We simply need to be “Living Thanksgiving,” living a life of heartfelt gratitude, sharing the love of Christ with everyone we encounter. Share the love of Christ by telling someone about the His amazing grace and incomprehensible love. Share that love, with both your lips and your life.

Who can you reach out to this Thanksgiving week and tell them how much they mean to you? Make that long overdue phone call. Share that past-due hug. Write that note of appreciation you have been meaning to write for as long as you can remember. God will be glorified, your soul (and the other person’s) will be enriched, and you will be living Thanksgiving!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

As we enter into Thanksgiving week, I would like to start it with a word of encouragement for those times when we are feeling a little less than thankful.

At first glance, you might think, “What kind of a Christian could feel ‘less than thankful?’ Are we not commanded to ‘Rejoice in the Lord always’ (Philippians 4:4)?” That’s true; we are even commanded to “Consider it pure joy” whenever we face trials of many kinds” (James 1:2). But please remember that a Christian is still a human being, and thus still a sinner. Even mature Christians may fall prey to feeling a little less than thankful during their struggles with ongoing sin and the various storms of life.

Here is what Scripture says about such times:

He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me. (Psalm 50:23)

If we are honest we all must admit that there are indeed times when we just don’t feel as thankful as we should. Sometimes the storm winds seem to be blowing so hard that the smallest bit of thanksgiving feels like a great sacrifice, especially when we are dealing with loss:

• loss of a job
• loss of money
• loss of a home or car
• loss of health or health insurance
• loss of a friendship or relationship
• loss of a loved one
• loss of hope

To be sure, loss can make even the tiniest bit of thanksgiving feel joyless and dutiful; only those who are deeply rooted in the truths of the Gospel can “offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving,” as Scripture commands.

To offer thanksgiving as a sacrifice is a demonstration of trusting God’s perfect plan even when we cannot trace His hand. Only the truths of the Gospel can lift us above the waves of challenge and discouragement that roll over us from time to time and empower us to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving that honors God.

We must always keep the promise of Romans 8:28-29 in view: that all things—and that includes the things we don’t like—are working together for our good and God’s glory. Everything in the universe is being directed toward God’s great purpose of conforming us into the image of His Beloved Son.

Now, keep in mind that the Bible does not say “All things are good.” There is a lot of bad in this world; Scripture warns us that “The devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). But the Bible also promises that even those things that appear to have been delivered for our own destruction will prove to be for our benefit in the end.

Regardless of where this finds you as we begin this Thanksgiving week, remember that God is worthy of our praise and thanksgiving even when we don’t feel thankful! Our loving, heavenly Father delights in a heart that beats for the praise and the glory of His name . . . even during those times that praise is offered sacrificially through the storms of life.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

You’re probably familiar with the phrase “X marks the spot,” which means an “X” has been used to mark the exact spot of something—where to find something, put something, or where something happened. Well, today I have a word of great encouragement for you, offered by Mary, who “marks the spot” for all Christians to find.

[Martha] had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.  (Luke 10:39)

When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:32)

Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. (John 12:3)

Not just once, but three times Mary of Bethany marks the spot. She models perfectly the place where every Christian should be found: at the feet of Jesus.

Notice that Mary had three different experiences at the feet of Jesus . . .

1. She was taught by Him.

2. She was comforted by Him.

3. She worshipped Him.

That about covers it wouldn’t you say? To be sure, we cannot take the position of Mary at the actual feet of Jesus, but we can assume the posture this position represents: both in submission to and dependence on the Lord Jesus Christ. Mary submitted to Jesus as the Supreme teacher; Mary depended upon Jesus for comfort in crisis; Mary worshipped Jesus sacrificially as she poured out expensive perfume on His feet.

What a wonderful testimony Mary recorded at the feet of Jesus! What a wonderful testimony you and I would have if the same thing could be said about us. Bible study and church attendance is time spent at the feet of Jesus. Prayer is time spent at the feet of Jesus. Giving sacrificially of our time, talent, and treasure is time spent at the feet of Jesus. Serving others is time spent at the feet of Jesus. Sharing the Gospel with others is time spent at the feet of Jesus.

So . . . what is your primary posture? What would those closest to you say? Mary marked the spot that matters most: at the feet of Jesus. How well are you acquainted with it? What changes do you need to make to begin spending more time there? Remember, when you spend an hour, you have one less hour to spend. So spend it wisely! And there is no wiser investment of time than to invest it at the feet of Jesus.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Have you ever thought God was so busy that He simply did not have time to connect with you as you were going through a difficult time? Well, you are not alone; we have all felt like that from time to time! But I have a word of great comfort for you today—what I call “inspired irony,” taken from the encounter between Jesus and two men on the road to Emmaus.

Behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them. But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him. And He said to them, “What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?” And they stood still, looking sad. One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, “Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?” And He said to them, “What things?” And they said to Him, “The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see.” And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.  (Luke 24:13-27)

How ironic for these men to ask Omniscience, “Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?” And Jesus played right along with them for a while, responding innocently, “What things?”

Now, a moment of honest reflection should cause us to admit that we have been in the very same place on our own road to Emmaus, convinced that our Lord is simply out of touch with what is currently going on in our lives. We seem to be hearing the very same words He spoke to these men (“What things?”) in the middle of the storm winds that are blowing in our lives:

• Miscommunication things in our marriage … “What things?”
• Prodigal things in our parenting … “What things?”
• Stressful things in our singleness … “What things?”
• Fruitless things in our finances … “What things?”

The list could fill several pages. We feel at times that every thing we are going through we are going through alone. Yet nothing could be further from the truth! God not only knows what things we are dealing with in life, He is right there with us . . . every step of the way, just as He was with the two on the road to Emmaus.

God has promised His children, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). The next time you think you are dealing with the tough things of life alone, remember who is walking alongside you. His name is Jesus, and He will never leave your side. You have His Word on it!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

It is important, especially in our current economy, to understand the difference between a good investment and a bad investment. In God’s economy, however, it’s more than important; it is the difference between life and death! The best possible investment in the world is the investment we make in expanding the cause of God’s kingdom in this world. The worst investment in the world is the investment we make in expanding the cause of our own little kingdom.

How have you been investing lately?

[Jesus] told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”‘ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself ?’ This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:16-21)

You know you are expanding the kingdom of the self when the accumulation of stuff seems functionally more life-giving than a growing relationship with your Savior. The man in this parable focused on expanding his own kingdom rather than the kingdom of God. He wanted bigger barns rather than a bigger heart . . . which, in the end, is the worst kind of investment we can make in this world.

So . . . is there anything you could identify right now that seems more life-giving than your relationship with Jesus? Where in your life are you investing your time, talent, and treasure to expand your kingdom—rather than expand the kingdom of God? The poorest man in the world with God is worth more than the richest man without Him.

Another sign that you are working to expand the kingdom of self is your focus to store up for yourself the stuff of this life: more money . . . newer clothes . . . a bigger house . . . a fancier car . . . a better body. In and of themselves none of these things is bad; they can actually be good gifts from a gracious God. But when good things become ultimate things they become bad things. We declare to a watching world what is most important to us simply by the evidence of what we desire most in this life.

What do you desire most in life?

Jesus’ parable challenges each of us to examine our heart to see exactly what it is beating for. Jesus wants us to be thinking beyond the stuff of this world and all that we are working to accumulate to expand the cause of our little kingdom. He wants us to see how everything we have been given is to be used for expanding the cause of His kingdom.

As I said before, good things become bad things when they become ultimate things. There is absolutely nothing wrong accumulating wealth. What is wrong is when we accumulate it without any concern for expanding God’s kingdom and helping others. Let us examine our hearts today and consider what matters most to us regarding the good things God has given to us. Are we simply satisfied with enriching ourselves, which is the worst investment in this world? Or are we enriching the lives of others? That difference makes all the difference in the world!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

If you have ever felt “used” by someone, you know first-hand the ugly, negative emotions that produces in us. We’ve all been on the receiving of this experience . . . and probably on the delivering end as well. The sin nature in all of us does everything in its power to satisfy its selfish desires and this may often be accomplished by using others.

However, there is One who wants to use you, and He brings with Him a sense of empowering freedom and joy that can only be experienced on the other side of being used.

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. (John 21:15-17)

You will remember that on the night Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot, Peter denied knowing Jesus three times, just as Jesus had predicted he would do. Peter was crushed under the weight of his denials and was filled with a godly sorrow for having turned his back on his Lord. Peter must have felt like he was completely disqualified for future service, having so wretchedly failed the Lord in His hour of greatest need. And Peter was the guy who condemned all of the other apostles who were gathered at the Last Supper!

Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: ” ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” (Matthew 26:31-35)

Can’t you picture Peter self-righteously thumping his chest as he declared that he would follow Jesus to the death? The apostles certainly had a reason to consider Peter as “useless” in serving the kingdom of God after such arrogance, which was followed by such a pathetic and self-protective response to a servant girl who questioned Peter’s involvement with Jesus.

But this was not the view Jesus took! Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?” And each time Peter responded with an emphatic “Yes.”

Why do you think Jesus asked him three times? Peter’s three confessions of his love paralleled his three denials. It was almost as if Jesus had handed Peter an eraser and invited him to wipe his craven denials, one by one, off the blackboard of his mind. Clearly, Jesus intended to leave no doubt in Peter’s mind—and in the minds of the other apostles—that Peter was not only still “usable” but that he would most surely be used by God.

We should all see ourselves in the role of Peter. We deny our Lord every day when we seek to satisfy our selfish desires rather than serving our Lord. We deny Jesus in our marriages when they become a battle for control and self-satisfaction. We deny Jesus in our relationships when we look at people as obstacles to getting what we want, when we want it, and how we want it. We deny Jesus in our personal lives when our love for self supersedes our love for God and others. We deny Jesus when we are filled with envy, blame, and greed. There is simply no end to the ways we deny our Lord. Peter only denied Him three times! You and I are much, much worse.

Yet in all of our daily denials, Jesus is there, ready to receive us back into the fold of faithful and fruitful service, asking us, “Do you love me?” If not for that loving confrontation with Jesus, Peter would have lived a life shrouded in the darkness of denial. But the darkness was vanquished forever; Jesus let Peter know that God still had a plan to use him up and consume the rest of his life in doing the Lord’s work.

What was true for Peter then is true for you and me today. We are never disqualified for service, no matter how many denials we deliver up to our Lord. We need only remember the question Jesus asked Peter—“Do you love me?”—and know that if our hearts beat with an emphatic “Yes,” we can get back up and get back into being used by God to expand His kingdom in this world.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Today is Veterans Day. This past weekend at Cross Community Church, we honored our Veterans with a special tribute. It was a wonderful time to publicly say “Thank You!” to the brave men and women of our armed forces who served and sacrificed for the freedom we enjoy.

Yet a tribute in our three worship services, as wonderful as that was, and even a national holiday today, is hardly enough to declare just how thankful we ought to be for the unimaginable sacrifices all of our veterans have made.

Last week, during a meeting of the elders of The Cross, I was reminded by my brother elder and dear friend, Bill Griffin, of some history of Veterans Day. Bill explained that “The 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month of 1918…” was when an armistice (the temporary cessa

tion of battle) was declared between the Allied nations and Germany, ending World War I. The following year, November 11 was set aside as Armistice Day, making it a legal holiday. In the aftermath of World War II and the Korean War, Armistice Day became Veterans Day, a day honoring all veterans who served in all wars.

Here is a fact that few of us know, because we live in a culture that cares less and less for the things of God. On June 4, 1926, Congress passed a resolution that the recurring anniversary of November 11, 1918. should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer. That is what we all should do—not only on Veterans Day, but every day throughout the year. We ought to thank our God for the great gift of the countless brave men and women who served and sacrificed to secure our freedom.

As a pastor, I am frequently asked—especially near Veterans Day and Memorial Day observances—“Why does God allow so many wars?” The answer, of course, is found in the Bible’s account of Adam’s fall in the Garden of Eden, and it is rooted in a single word:

SIN! When Adam and Eve chose to do what they wanted to do rather than what God commanded them to do, sin entered this world and broke everything, including the image-bearers of God.

There is a day coming when no one will serve in any armed forces anywhere, because Jesus fought and won the ultimate battle against sin, Satan, and death itself. Hanging on the cross, Jesus took all the punishment for our sin and became the death of death. On the third day, He rose from the grave, proof positive that God the Father was fully pleased with Christ’s atoning work. And what Jesus began in His first coming, He will finish in His second; there will be no more tears, no more sorrow, no more wars, and no more death. The lion will lie down with the lamb, and the peace that passes all understanding will reign forever and ever.  It wasn’t long after that Cain, the firstborn of our first parents, killed his younger brother, Abel. From that moment on, the pages of Scripture and written history are filled with wars. And in this great nation, God blesses us by raising up men and women of courage and commitment who are willing to pay the ultimate price to ensure our freedom by serving in our armed forces.

But until that day, let us pause and thank our God for the great gift of our veterans. Let us salute all those who have served. Let us thank God for them and pray for them and their families. And let us never forget all those who have fought for our freedom—all paying some . . . and some paying all.

May God bless every veteran—not only on this day, but every day.

John Bunyan’s children’s version of Pilgrim’s Progress describes a “magic mirror” that shows the reflection of the one looking at it on one side, with all the blemishes, and on the other side is a picture of the crucified Christ. The imagery reminds us that when we look in the mirror we see ourselves for who we currently are, but when God looks in the same mirror He sees us as the likeness of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ.

To be sure, God knows and sees our every misstep and mistake . . . our shortcomings and sin. But before the foundation of the world He chose to see us as already perfected in Christ. He sees us as what we will one day be: perfectly conformed to the image and likeness of Jesus.

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.  (Romans 8:29)

All Christians are currently living in the tension between the “already” and the “not yet” of our salvation. In the eyes of God, we are “already” perfected and conformed to the likeness of Jesus; but you and I know by way of daily experience we are “not yet” perfect. In fact, we are quite a long way from perfection!

Knowing that God chooses to see you as He sees His beloved Son is the key to finding the proper motive and motivation for pursuing a life of obedience and holiness. While we see our own sin daily, our God chooses to see only His Son in us.

This Gospel truth also frees us from trying to work our way into God’s favor. We already have all of God’s favor. We cannot earn any more of it, regardless of what we do. We are totally loved and completely forgiven. When God thundered from heaven His pleasure in His Beloved Son (Matthew 3:17), He was saying the same thing about us, because He sees us clothed only in the righteousness of Jesus.

With that understood, it is important to distinguish between getting God’s favor and experiencing God’s favor. Although we cannot make God love us any more or cause Him to love us any less, we do diminish our experience of God’s love when we break fellowship with Him. When we turn away from God in our sin, we also turn away from our communion with God. He does not turn away from us, but we, when we seek to satisfy our sinful desires, turn away from Him and experience less than God’s best for our lives. When God feels far away we can be certain of one thing: we moved, not God!

What should shine brightly before our eyes of faith is the biblical truth that the image of Christ in us—not our sin—is what our heavenly Father chooses to see when He looks upon us. That is the truth that should set us free to be all that God is calling us to be. The human heart knows no more powerful motive to keep marching forward through life than to know that God sees us and loves us as He sees and loves His Beloved Son.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Satan was defeated by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, but he is still busily engaged in a relentless battle against the saints of God. He no longer reigns in the lives of God’s people, but he certainly remains, and he is bitterly determined to inflict as much damage on us as he can before we ascend to heaven. To be sure, Satan cannot take us out of the hand of our Lord, but he can harass us along the way to our eternal rest.

 . . . in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. (2 Corinthians 2:11)

Satan has many destructive schemes; here are just two of them that, from my experience as a pastor, seem to be at the top of his list.

1. Shifting our focus away from Christ and toward our circumstances

Satan will do everything he can to cause us to take our eyes off of Jesus and put them on our surrounding circumstances . . . often leading to serious consequences.

“Come,” [Jesus] said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:29-30)

Everything was going just great for Peter. He had the faith to get out of the boat and actually walk on the top of the water! I don’t read anywhere about any other disciples joining him in doing the seemingly impossible. Peter was right in the middle of victory . . . until Satan got him to shift his focus away from his Savior and onto the storm winds. Once Peter shifted his focus away from Jesus, his courageous faith turned into cowardly fear.

Can you think of a time something like this happened to you—when you became a victim of circumstance rather than a victor in Christ? I can assure you that it was simply a matter of focus.

2. Causing us to question the goodness of our God

Satan will do everything he can to cause us to question the goodness of God. This strategy goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. Satan attacked Eve by getting her to question God’s goodness. He got her to think about the possibility that God was withholding some good from her that would make her life better.

“For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5)

In the perfect paradise God created for Adam and Eve, Satan convinced Eve to question God’s goodness by getting her to focus on the one prohibition God had given rather than His abundant provision. And Satan is still doing that to us today. He loves to get us to question the goodness of our God, and he will throw every lie he can think of at us until he gets something to stick.

It is only by being aware of the attack strategies of Satan that we can “armor up” against them. The more we prepare ourselves for his attacks by marinating in the stories of his attacks recorded in sacred Scripture, the better prepared we are to live in a state of readiness to repel every attack that he sends our way.

And when we fail—when we take our eyes off Jesus and focus on our circumstances—we can expect Satan to launch his “God-is-angry-with-you” fiery dart at us. At these times, you can repel that attack by simply remembering that God poured out all His anger on His beloved Son as He hung on crossbeams paying the penalty for our sins . . . all our sins! That is why there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1). Far from being angry with us when we mess up, God loves us and forgives us.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!