His peace and power reign

The following is an excerpt from a daily devotional written by Dr. Charles Stanley:
"When the wind, which has been funneled through a narrow gorge, pushes out over the Sea of Galilee, the water becomes turbulent. Jesus and His disciples were caught in just such a dangerous storm while making their way to Gadara. Waves crashed over the deck of the wooden boat. The experienced seamen on board were certain that death was imminent.
"But Jesus was sleeping. He was resting quietly during a storm so frightening that the Greek word used to describe it is seismos — from the same root that gives us the phrase “seismic activity” for earthquakes. What kind of man is this who can sleep while the boat heaves and pitches? The answer is: the One who created the seas and knows how a storm brews and what energy causes a wave to stay in motion. That’s the kind of man: a divine Being cloaked in humanity, who rebuked the winds and sea so that they became perfectly calm.
"Scripture indicates that both the air and the water were instantly stilled. Such is the power of Jesus, the Creator and Lord over the universe. Taken together, all the Bible stories about Jesus reveal the “big picture” that He is the only man worthy of glory, honor, and praise (Dan. 7:13-14)."
And Jesus, the Good Shepherd, extends His arms to all. Acknowledge, repent for your sins, and He will break the chains of sin and death just as He calmed the seas. Die to self, and come ALIVE in Jesus!
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

With Jesus, without the wish list

I am thankful today for a sobering reminder from a brother regarding my relationship with Jesus. So many prayers that are little else but wish lists. So little time just calling Him into relationship, ever thankful for His saving grace and for His inexplicable desire to spend time with me.

Thank you, Shawn, for the following Facebook entry:

"I wonder what takes place in a man that changes his desires from attaining what it is that Jesus offers, to simply wanting Jesus?

"In Mark's gospel the crowds were so persistent to get the healing miracles that they would just as soon crush Him to death for the opportunity to touch Him. They didn't care to know Him. Their concern was with themselves. In one instance He couldn't even take a meal in.

"I cannot judge. For years this was me. But something happens. We hear Him teach us, His Spirit enters, and we are transformed.

This is the promise of the New Covenant, friends.
"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws into their minds,
and write them on their hearts,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor
and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’
for they shall all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.
For I will be merciful toward their iniquities,
and I will remember their sins no more.”
(Hebrews 8:10-12 ESV)"

No boast, except in the cross

He is risen!

'Crucified,' made free!

Paul declared: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave His life for me."
As a child of God, ego surrendered to His will, I give thanks that the "old man" died when He took on my sin so that I might be presented SPOTLESS to the Father.
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 1:1

Fruit of the righteous

A beautiful card created by our son Brian, the answer to our prayers that our daughter would be blessed with marriage to a godly man.

Show me a sign

God is good, all the time -- but sometimes He gives special treats to His children just for fun.

I had such an experience a morning or two ago on my commute to work. I was listening to a radio devotional when I heard a Scripture verse I immediately desired to memorize. At 55 mph I had no way to note book, chapter and verse, so I decided to make a mental note until I got to a place where I could write it down.

That's when God gave me a special "memory device." I happened to glance over to a giant electronic reader board on the side of the highway. There, in big, bold letters were the numbers "2:03," as in digital time. I had to laugh. The Scripture I was excited about was in 2 Peter 3. Needless to say, I had no problem recalling the citation when I arrived at work a few minutes later.

"The LORD is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9

The Father's desire is for ALL to come to repentance. Thank you, LORD, for your patience, and for your love!

Unbridled passion for the LORD

Several years ago I was privileged to come to know Dr. Ray Rempt as brother in Christ. Ray, whose faith and ministry roots date back to the Jesus Movement of the late Sixties, is a retired physicist who for several decades now has pursued a calling that ranges from writing books to speaking to audiences around the world.

In addition to his other Spirit-inspired "assignments," Ray writes a monthly letter to friends and supporters of his ministry. It is my pleasure to share with you the opening to his February letter, a greeting that clearly demonstrates the passion he shares out of his love for Jesus Christ:

"Greetings in the name of the One who demonstrates His awesome power in such a way that you know that it has to be the Almighty. He saves us to the uttermost, He cleanses until we are white as snow, He places His Spirit within us, and goes out of His way to arrange for this in the most thorough way by sending His Son to declare Him, demonstrate His power, and to give the ultimate sacrifice. Greetings in the name of that One!"

"He performs the extreme of all that shows love, and opens His arms as wide as possible in the hope that we will come to Him and learn of Him, become saved, and like sheep, go in and out. Yes, I say, greetings in that glorious and all sufficient name!"

To learn more about Ray, his books and his ministry, visit http://www.rayrempt.com/ 

Tozer: Self-sins and the Holy Spirit

A recent coffee shop visit with two brothers in Christ yielded this "bonus" on top of good conversation. One of the men shared this passage with me from a Bible that offers devotionals from A.W. Tozer. Do I truly live my life "under authority?"

"Before a man can be filled with the Spirit he must be sure he wants to be. And let this be taken seriously. Many Christians want to be filled, but their desire is a vague romantic kind of thing hardly worthy to be called desire. They have almost no knowledge of what it will cost them to realize it.

"Let us imagine that we are talking to an inquirer, some eager young Christian, let us say, who has sought us out to learn about the Spirit-filled life. As gently as possible, considering the pointed nature of the questions, we would probe his soul somewhat as follows:

"Are you sure you want to be filled with a Spirit who, though He is like Jesus in His gentleness and love, will nevertheless demand to be Lord of your life? Are you willing to let your personality be taken over by another, even if that other be the Spirit of God Himself? If the Spirit takes charge of your life He will expect unquestioning obedience in everything. He will not tolerate in you the self-sins even though they are permitted and excused by most Christians.

"By the self-sins I mean self-love, self-pity, self-seeking, self-confidence, self-righteousness, self-aggrandizement, self-defense. You will find the Spirit to be in sharp opposition to the easy ways of the world and of the mixed multitude within the precincts of religion.

"He will reserve the right to test you, to discipline you, to chasten you for your soul’s sake. He may strip you of those borderline pleasures which other Christians enjoy but which are to you a source of refined evil. Through it all He will enfold you in a love so vast, so mighty, so all-embracing, so wondrous that your very losses seem like gains and your small pains like pleasures. Yet the flesh will whimper under His yoke and cry out against it as a burden too great to bear. And you will be permitted to enjoy the solemn privilege of suffering to 'fill up in (your) flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s  afflictions' in your flesh for His body’s sake, which is the Church (Colossians 1:24). Now, with the conditions before you, do you still want to be filled with the Holy Spirit?"

A.W. Tozer “God’s Pursuit of Man”

Promises you can't keep

The evidence was there even when I was a boy, but it wasn’t until I became a father that I really had to come to grips with the fact that I need to be careful about my promises to those I love.

As a teen and twenty-something, the songs of the day delivered emotional messages with alluring promises.

Simon and Garfunkel sang: “When you’re weary, feeling small, when tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all; I’m on your side. When times get rough, and friends just can’t be found, like a bridge over troubled water, I will lay me down.”

“Carole King and James Taylor sang: “You just call out my name, and you know wherever I am, I’ll come running. All you have to do is call and I’ll be there.”

Bill Withers sang: “Lean on me when you’re not strong.”

Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 sang: “I’ll be there, I’ll be there. Just call my name, I’ll be there.”

Make no mistake. It is God's desire that friends and family can and should be sources of encouragement and assistance. Parents absolutely should pledge to their children they will do everything in their power to guard and protect them.

But the reality is we cannot make absolute promises in terms of our physical presence (“I’ll always be there for you”), or our capacity to make life neat and clean (“There is no challenge we can’t defeat together.”).

From childhood illnesses to traumas at school, from emotional blows to physical separation from home, we learn that our limitations are real.

God the Father, however, suffers NO limitations in terms of intimacy with His children – and the power to “be there” at any time, under any circumstances. Those who have “died to self” and accepted the gift of God’s grace through His Son Jesus Christ have a blessed assurance that no one other than the Creator can offer.

Most popular songs, past and present, ring hollow for me today. Instead, I prefer to share my personal testimony of God’s love and grace. And Spirit-inspired verses like those that follow:

Psalm 23:4: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I fear no evil, for You are with me.”

Matthew 28:19-20: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations … teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Deuteronomy 31:8: “The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

These are “lyrics” for the ages. Truths you can depend on without fail! Trust and obey. Our Father, Who desperately desires a personal relationship with each of us, will NEVER fail or forsake us!