Category Archives: General

And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day. (Genesis 1:5)

As it was in the beginning according to God’s created order, so it is within each one of His children: there is a divine divide between the light of day and the dark of night. Before Jesus granted us the gifts of repentance and faith, we lived in the darkness of night. Oh, we seemed to have life, and the watching world would have testified that we did, but Scripture makes it clear that we were “dead in our trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). The spiritual state of our hearts could not have been darker until that moment in time when Jesus spoke the light of life into our hearts. Just as Jesus called, “Lazarus, come forth” (John 11:43), and a man who had been in the tomb for four days got up and began to walk, Jesus Christ called your name, and suddenly your dead heart began to beat with new and eternal life.

But even after we have been saved, we must remember that both light and darkness still have their place in our lives until we cross the Jordan. When we read the accounts of the great saints in the Bible, we see both the light of day and the dark of night. King David, the man after God’s own heart, enjoyed the light of day as he closely followed the will of God. But at the time when kings went off to war, David stayed home, and he brought in the dark of night by his sinful relationship with Bathsheba. Peter witnessed the awesome light of the Transfiguration, but he also knew the despairing dark of night when he denied his Lord three times.

Do we not all enjoy the sunshine of good fortune and despair during the dark night of the soul? One simply will not exist without the other until Jesus returns for His second advent and puts all enemies under His feet. We may never experience this truth to the extreme that David and Peter did, but we all have our seasons of both light and darkness. During a time when we are enjoying a majestic mountaintop experience with our Lord, we must remember that we will be required to descend that mountain into a dark and lonely valley below. The divine divide we experience each morning and evening serves as an ever-present reminder that we too shall live our lives in both the light of God’s love and the darkness of His loving discipline.

Where does this word of encouragement find you today? Know this truth: if you are trudging through a season of dreary darkness, it will soon pass into the merciful morning light. And if you are currently enjoying the warmth of the bright noonday sun, know that this too shall pass.

We must not be surprised at the divine divide we experience in this life, for our Lord promised that “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). But don’t stop reading there! Jesus concluded with, “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” And one day soon, when Jesus calls us home or He returns from heaven, we will reside in the new heavens and the new earth where “There will be no more night” (Revelation 22:5). May that truth strengthen us all as we experience the divine divide on our way to the Celestial City.

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

Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.” (1 Kings 18:43)

If you’re a baseball fan, you probably remember sports announcer Chris Berman, who, when announcing a home run, often cried, “Back-Back-Back-Back-Back . . . GONE!” Well, the word of encouragement I have for you today doesn’t come from an American sportscaster, but rather from the prophet Elijah of the commonwealth of Israel.

The drought that Elijah predicted had run its prescribed course of three years. He had been ministered to by the widow of Zarephath and returned the blessing by raising her son from the dead. Then God directed Elijah to go and tell Ahab, the king of Israel, that rain was on the way. After Elijah confronted the priests of Baal on Mount Carmel, he sent his servant to the top of the mountain to look toward the sea and report whether or not rain was coming. Elijah sent his servant back . . . back—back—back—back—back—back seven times, refusing to give up on the promise of God. And, sure enough, the seventh time the servant came back with these words: “Behold, a little cloud like a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” (1 Kings 18:44 ESV).

Elijah’s perseverance in prayer is a model for all of us today. He knew what God had promised and He knew he could count on that promise, simply because of the One who had made the promise to him. Elijah’s faith is even more remarkable in light of the immediacy of the answered prayer he had just experienced, when he had shamed the priests of Baal and God sent fire from heaven, consuming the wood, the burnt offering, the twelve stones of the altar, and even the water that filled the trench (1 Kings 18:30-39). This time, however, instead of an instant answer to Elijah’s supplication, there was a long delay. Clearly, God’s immediate answer served a mighty purpose for all who were on Mount Carmel and witnessed His power, and it is just as clear that this delay served a mighty purpose in the heart of God’s great prophet Elijah.

If you’ve spent much time in Scripture, you know that the number seven represents God’s number for perfection. It is certainly no coincidence that Elijah sent his servant to look seven times. The message is clear. God answers every one of our prayers instantly; He may answer with “Yes,” “No,” or “Wait.” Elijah was to wait upon the Lord to deliver His promised blessing in His perfect timing. Elijah would be strengthened in his waiting, and he was not to grow weary, because God’s plan is absolutely perfect to accomplish its purposes.

Notice that the faith of Elijah was rooted in expectant hope. He expected to hear about the coming rain every time he sent his servant to look for it; when he did not, Elijah sent him back again and again and again. Every report of “No rain” by the returning servant simply fueled Elijah’s faith to plead all the more. I am certain that, if the seventh time there was still the response of “No rain,” Elijah would have sent him back again.

What does your prayer life look like today? Do you have a firm grip on the promises of God, and do you refuse to let them go? Notice what was first seen by the servant: a little cloud, which was finally followed by a heavy rain. Have you looked closely at the results of your prayers?

What “little cloud” has God sent to encourage you to stay the course because the heavy rain is on the way? Go back—back—back—back—back—back—back, plead the precious blood of the Lamb, and trust God for His answer in His perfect time and in His gracious, loving way.

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

“I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” (Matthew 9:6)

We all have a tendency to mistake wants for needs. We frequently say, “I need this” or “that” when, in actuality, we don’t need it at all; we simply want it and we want it so badly that we put it in the category of “need.” With that being said—that thought should give us all a moment of pause today to check our “want” list—I’d like to encourage you by explaining the importance of understanding our greatest need and how it has already been met.

The greatest need every person has is forgiveness. Unless our sins are forgiven, we will spend eternity separated from the love of God in that terrible place where there is “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Luke 13:28). To die without Christ is to die in our sins . . . and to die does not mean that one simply “goes in the ground” and has no more consciousness, like a TV screen turned off and gone black, as many unbelievers imagine. Nor does it mean that one will be translated into some idyllic, vaguely defined “better place.” To die in your sins means to suffer dreadful, agonizing, and eternal separation from the presence of the living God.

But this will not be the case for those who know the truth of today’s verse and have, by grace through faith, received it as true and placed their trust in the Son of Man. Our Lord Jesus Christ has the authority and the power to forgive our sins—all of our sins. Jesus Christ was born to die in our place to pay the penalty for our sins, and He has the power to pardon us at this very moment, no matter what we have done. His wounds bear witness to that power and authority.

He who knew no sin became sin for all those who will trust in Him as Lord and Savior—penalty paid . . . atonement made . . . debt satisfied. God the Father put His supernatural stamp of approval on the cross work of His beloved Son by raising Him from the grave on the third day, just as the Scriptures had promised. To all those whom He has granted repentance from sin, He has also guaranteed remission of sin. The power of Christ’s passion is perpetual. Never will the fountain of forgiveness run dry. Christian, nothing—nothing past, present, or future—can ever or will ever separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39).

May this truth set us free from the gnawing guilt that keeps us from growing into the person God is calling us to be! To be sure, we should be filled with a godly sorrow when we sin and break the heart of God. But after we have brought our sin before the throne of grace, we are to remember that it has been nailed to the cross and washed clean by the blood of the Lamb.

Beloved, because your greatest need has been met, you should be experiencing the peace that passes all understanding every day. Do not let the evil one make you a prisoner to your past. We are to learn from the past, not live there. Because His mercies are new every morning, rise up this day and live as one who has been forgiven and will never be forsaken. Oh, the joy in knowing that our greatest need has been met and will be met each day by our Master!

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

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth.”  (Matthew 6:19)

One of the great blessings of being a true disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ is the gift of “divine disencumberment,” where God supernaturally shifts our focus away from earthly treasure to heavenly treasure. The same grace God showed in raising us from death to life is the same grace He displays in raising us above seeking after treasure on earth, “where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19).

Is divine disencumberment one of the marks of your life today? Before we were saved, by grace through faith, we sought after the stuff of this life. In our worldly-mindedness, we looked to satisfy the desires of the flesh through the attainment of any of “the Five P’s”—Power, Position, Prestige, Prosperity, and Pleasure. And make no mistake, the more we engaged in hot pursuit of any of these things, the more we became encumbered by the flesh and temporal satisfaction. The more we pursue the stuff of this life, the less we pursue our beloved Savior, and the result of this worldly pursuit is that we multiply the cares of this life.

The true disciple of Christ says NO to worldliness and YES to the Word. It’s not a matter of eliminating pursuit; it’s a matter of pursuing the right things. You see, our problem is not desire; our problem is desiring the wrong things. Our hearts should beat after “all things above,” pursuing the life God has called us to live. Throughout life, the disciple of Christ is being conformed into the image of our Lord Jesus. The more we are conformed into His image, the less we are encumbered with the stuff of this life.

Divine disencumberment is a grace that grows in the heart that beats for nothing smaller than Jesus. The true disciple is one who seeks first the kingdom of heaven because he or she knows that everything else will follow. God has promised to meet all our needs in the glorious riches of His precious Son, our beloved Savior. We need only to “keep the main thing the main thing,” inviting Jesus to take His rightful place in our lives: on the throne of our hearts. Divine disencumberment free’s us from a life filled with empty pursuits and fills us with the promise that “The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, without painful toil for it” (Proverbs 10:22).

What treasures have you been storing up for yourself lately? What does the confession of your life say to those who know you best? Remember, we are all hunting some kind of treasure. The key is to hunt after the treasures that are holy; when you do, divine disencumberment will follow you wherever you go.

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

It is said of these people, “They kiss calf-idols!” (Hosea 13:2)

The people of God had indulged in willful rebellion; they had left their first love and chased after smaller gods that promised life, but delivered only death. This is always true when we chase after anything smaller than Jesus. Oh, our idol may look like life and it may even feel like life, but in the end, it cannot deliver on its promise and brings with it only disappointment, destruction, and death.

Let this serve as a word of warning this day: Kiss not the calf, for it cannot satisfy the longing of your heart. Instead, bow the knee and kiss the Christ, for He will meet you in your deepest place of need.

The problem with speaking this message into today’s church culture is that we tend to picture the golden calf that the Israelites fashioned and began to worship when Moses stayed too long on the mountain of God. We reason that these were a primitive people who bowed down to a golden statue of a calf, and we assume that we are far too educated and sophisticated to do such an outlandish thing. But this is a grave mistake. I readily acknowledge that very few people in today’s high-tech society would ever bow down before a statue of a calf, but I will also assert that far too many of us worship idols like a job, a relationship, success, wealth, a hobby, social status, or physical beauty. Perhaps you can add a few items to this list? We are consumed by a continual greed for “more,” which Paul identified as “idolatry” in Colossians 3:5.

It’s important to note that most of the things on this list of idols are not bad things. Things like a job, a family, or physical health are good things. The sin occurs when these, and countless other good things, become ultimate things in our lives. Then they become bad things, idols that enslave us and become life-altering, causing us to do things we ought not do, often hurting ourselves and our loved ones along the way. Make no mistake, we all “kiss calf-idols” from time to time. Sometimes they are clearly bad for us—idols like greed and immorality—but more often than not they could be good for us; and the greater the good, the greater our expectation of having our deepest needs met by it. We must remember the truth that good things become bad things when they become ultimate things.

So . . . have you kissed a calf lately? Have you sought after something smaller than God to give to you what only God can give? Remember, we all come from the womb with a God-sized void in our hearts. Only when we fill that void with God will we find the happiness, satisfaction, and joy that we so deeply desire. Kiss not the calf! Instead, like the woman who anointed our Lord with expensive ointment, kiss the feet of Jesus Christ and your internal void will be filled to overflowing.

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

You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God. (2 Corinthians 3:3)

The apostle Paul says we are letters of our Lord Jesus Christ, not written with ink but with the Holy Spirit. So, the question we all must answer is this: What does our letter say to those who are reading us? It has been rightly observed that the life of the Christian will be the only Bible many people ever read. How does it make you feel to know that you are one of the Lord’s letters? It feels like a weighty responsibility to me!

Here is something we all must remember as disciples of Jesus: as soon as the watching world hears our profession of faith, they begin to watch more closely to see if our walk matches our talk. The way we live out our faith paints a clear picture for the unbeliever of the kind of God we love and serve. The way we live out our faith will either attract people to Christ or repel them. There is no middle ground.

So . . . how attractive have you been making God in your words and your deeds lately?

The key to being the most effective letter of the Lord is to prayerfully make the truths of the Gospel manifest in your life. Jesus is our model because He was the living perfection of the Word of God. He lived out the truths of the Gospel perfectly; yet in His perfection as the Lord’s Letter to mankind, some were attracted and some were repelled . . . some received and some rejected . . . some walked with Him and some walked away. Therefore, our focus must not be on the reception we receive when others read us; rather, we must constantly examine the message being declared by our own letter and be sure that it is true to the Gospel.

Here is one of the simplest ways to evaluate the content of our own letter: It should be written in the shape of a cross. The first thing people should read must be written vertically—how we love the Lord our God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength (Mark 12:30). The next thing people should read must be written horizontally—how we love others . . . all others. We can’t merely love the lovable; we are to love all others as we remember the love that was poured out for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). When people read the message of God’s love in us as the Lord’s letter, they read the most important message they will ever read.

Do you see the great privilege it is to be the Lord’s letter? God has chosen to write His message of perfect love on imperfect parchment paper and set it before the watching world for everyone to read. Remember, because His mercies are new every morning, so is our opportunity to write a new letter of love for the glory of our Lord. What will the Spirit of the living God write through you today so that others read of the love and forgiveness of God?

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

I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19)

When was the last time you gave deep thought to just how loved you truly are by your Savior? Even if you were to spend every waking moment marinating in and meditating on this truth, you would not begin to plumb the depths of how much He loves you. That is why Paul prayed that God would give the Ephesians the power to “grasp” at how vast that love is. May this truth comfort you and inspire you to rise above the waves of challenge you may be facing today!

Charles Spurgeon pondered on this amazing love in his Morning and Evening devotional –

Where shall language be found which shall describe His matchless, His unparalleled love towards the children of men? It is so vast and boundless that, as the swallow but skimmeth the water, and diveth not into its depths, so all descriptive words but touch the surface, while depths immeasurable lie beneath.

The apostle Paul tells us in our verse today that the love of Christ for us surpasses knowledge. Our finite minds simply cannot understand infinite love; what we do understand of it would not fill a teaspoon to overflowing when compared to the vast ocean of love that God in Christ had for us before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4-5). When there was only the Triune God in existence, in the eternity that existed before God said, “Let there be light,” there was His love for us that surpasses knowledge. That love created us in His own image. The divine heart that beat with that unfathomable love never skipped a beat when we rebelled; rather, it pursued rebels on the run. Who can truly understand that kind of love?

The love that surpasses knowledge sought us, caught us, and bought us with the precious blood of Christ, shed on our behalf as He hung on Calvary’s cruel cross. What agony Jesus underwent to have us as His own! He was betrayed, denied, falsely accused, beaten, scourged, and felt a crown of thorns jammed into His brow and nine-inch spikes driven through His hands and feet. And as if that wasn’t enough pain to endure for His beloved, He knew the inconceivable anguish of supernatural separation from His Father, who would not even look upon His Son because He had become sin for us and endured the wrath of God . . . so that you and I will never have to.

If there should come a time when you just might begin to discern the depths of divine love that has been poured out upon us, notice the last portion of the verse: “That you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” If it is impossible to fully fathom what it means to be the undeserving object of the love of God, how much more is it incomprehensible to know what it means to be filled with all the fullness of God?

Beloved, know this: when knowledge is surpassed, it is simply best to receive it, to rest in its truth, and let it fill your heart to overflowing.

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

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for you are with me. (Psalm 23:4)

Far too many people today, even some in the church, wrongly believe that circumstance makes the person. They would tell you that you become what you are because of the circumstances you encounter throughout life. But James Allen, author of As a Man Thinketh, brilliantly corrected this misunderstanding: “Circumstance does not make the man . . . it reveals him.”

Make no mistake, our verse of encouragement today tells us how independent the Christian is from outward circumstances. This is because of one simple truth: Jesus is with us!

• Jesus was with Moses walking through the Red Sea.
• Jesus was with Elijah on Mount Carmel facing the prophets of Baal.
• Jesus was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace.
• Jesus was with Daniel in the lions’ den.
• Jesus was with Stephen being stoned.
• Jesus was with Paul in prison.
• Jesus was with John in exile on the island of Patmos.

And Jesus is with you – regardless of where this finds you today!

If the storm winds are blowing, we can be calm because the One who calmed the storm is with us. If the seas are stormy and it looks like our boat is about to capsize, we can be at peace because the One who said “Peace, be still” is with us. Darkness may be all around you, but fear not! The Light of the World has promised to guide you and protect you and to ultimately get you safely to the other side. If you find yourself lying on a bed of sickness, fear not. Your sickbed becomes a throne of grace because Jesus is with you in your sickness. If you are facing financial difficulties and poverty is banging at your door, fear not. Jesus has promised to give you more in your less than the rich will ever have in their abundance. Even death itself cannot disrupt the peace of the disciple because Jesus became the death of death, and to cross the Jordan with Him is to enter the place marked Glorious Gain!

Regardless of the circumstances you are facing today, fear not! The power of the Holy Spirit that dwells within has given you the power to make you independent of all of them. Darkness becomes light. Loss becomes gain. And death becomes life, because Jesus is with us and has promised never to leave us no matter what.

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

You will be my witnesses. (Acts 1:8)

One of the many dictionary definitions of a “calling card” comes under the heading of a visiting card—a card that one uses as an introduction when visiting a home or a business. The primary difference between a common calling card and a “cosmic calling card” is this: where the common calling card introduces oneself, the cosmic calling card introduces one’s Savior. Every Christian is a cosmic calling card sent by God to introduce Christ. Everything about us—both our talk and our walk—should point to the One we serve. Let’s take a look.

Witness with Our Talk

Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians instructs as how to witness with our talk: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29). When you read that verse in context, you’ll see that Paul was warning us that we can grieve the Holy Spirit by the way we communicate with others. If we are going to be a witness for Jesus as His cosmic calling cards, our language must represent and reflect the One we are speaking for. When we open our mouths to speak, we should be building others up, not tearing them down. In the process, we will be putting the Gospel on display, because what we say will be a benefit to those who we speak to.

Witness with Our Walk

“As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). A walk without works shouts to the watching world that our faith is dead. The works in no way save us, but they are evidence that we are actually saved. As the Reformers often said, “We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is not alone.”

I’ve shared here before how Dr. D. James Kennedy would say, “When you are saved, God changes your wanter!” When we place our trust in Jesus Christ, we begin to desire more of the things of God and less of the stuff of this world. We live for the purpose of God by the power of God. Our desires—our “wanter”—have changed because our destiny has changed.

How well are you witnessing for your Lord with both your talk and your walk? What kind of cosmic-calling-card Christian are you? Are you living your life for the glory of God and the good of others? What changes do you need to make? If you don’t make those changes, what will it cost you? The next time you encounter someone, remember that you are a cosmic calling card for Christ; let your talk and your walk clearly communicate the kind and gracious God you serve.

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

Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. (John 6:15)

God the Father sent God the Son to be King of His people. The people knew from the Old Testament prophecies that this was God’s ultimate goal, to send a Messiah who would “defend the afflicted among the people and . . . crush the oppressor” (Psalm 72:4). So what could be wrong with the people wanting to assist the Almighty in the process by making Jesus king immediately? The problem lay in the way the people wanted to do it and the reasons they had for doing it. They wanted to make Jesus king by force for their temporal and earthly good, which stood in direct opposition to the plan and purpose of the Father.

Of course, behind the people stood Satan himself. When Satan failed in his wilderness temptations of Jesus, he was not finished with his bitter rebellion against the Son of God; Scripture tells us that Satan merely left Jesus “until an opportune time” (Luke 4:13). Surely this was one of those opportune times that Lucifer had been waiting for. The adversary stirred the hearts and minds of the people to rebel against God’s purpose and plan for the Messiah. Just as the serpent seduced Adam and Eve into believing that they could be like God, here he caused the crowd to clamor for the king they wanted—the king who would reestablish the throne of David in Jerusalem, crush the hated Roman oppressor, and restore Israel to her former glory.

The enemy undoubtedly hoped that Jesus would be tempted to be crowned king without having to endure the cruel cross. The people of Israel were ready to rise up against Rome and hand the King of kings the throne of David. Satan hoped that Jesus would see this as an opportunity for instant gratification and the accomplishment of God’s ultimate goal. Satan had slyly placed God’s goal for His beloved Son within tantalizing reach . . . but not according to God’s perfect plan to accomplish that goal.

Never forget that Jesus the Christ was fully God and fully man. And as a man, Jesus had an ego that could have fallen prey to the praise of men and the appeal of popularity, just like any of us. But our Lord always recognized the “snake in the grass,” who would do anything and everything to derail the divine destiny of the Chosen One. Jesus knew when the accomplishment of God’s goal would not be good.

Notice one final thing, and may this truth strengthen you to resist the devil whenever he comes calling to entice you to accomplish any good goal God would have for you in a way that is not in line with God’s plan and purpose for accomplishing it.

Jesus withdrew again to a mountain by Himself.

Jesus’ continual communion with His Father kept Him on track. By staying in perpetual prayer, Jesus was strengthened to stay the course and follow the will of His Father, even when that will would lead to the most dreadful death known to man at that time: a Roman cross. The prayer life of our Lord was the key that unlocked the door leading to a resolve that refused to accomplish any goal God had for Him in any way that detoured from His Father’s perfect plan.

How is it with you? Have you been prayerfully seeking to accomplish God’s goals for your life in His way? Recall our Lord’s prayer to His Father in the midst of His anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane:

Not as I will, but as You will. (Matt 26:39)

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