Saved and Satisfied

They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said.”

John 4:42

“Look,” Race broke in on Gavin. “I appreciate what you’re saying, but I’m quite comfortable living the life I live.”

“But God has so much more for you!” Gavin reiterated.

“Got it.” Race answered brusquely. “And if that’s how you feel, you should find out what that means for you. But just because He’s laid this on your heart doesn’t mean it’s meant for me. Besides, you yourself admitted I’m saved and assured a place with Jesus in eternity.”

Gavin was conscious of one thing: Race was quite comfortable being saved and leaving it at that. “Okay, I get it. I guess I just hoped you’d hear what I was saying.”

“I do hear you, Gav. I just don’t share your sentiment and drive to save the world. It’s not my job. I believe God lays that on certain people’s hearts. And if you’re one of them, more power to you!”

Gavin was struck by the sincerity in Race’s words. Race truly believed what he’d just said. Realizing he wasn’t the one to convict Race of his ignorance he let the matter drop, finished tying the new fly, and threw the line into the ripples, trying to at least entice a nice fat trout.

†

For some Christians it’s enough that Jesus’ blood has provided salvation, a place with Him for eternity. The Samaritan woman understood there was so much more! Jesus had given her a new life and she wanted everyone she knew to experience this wonderful transformation!

Two-thousand years later, Jesus is still offering new life. He asks us, like the Samaritan woman, to pass along what we’ve been given. Our salvation, the knowledge that we are now under the blood of Christ, is but a starting point. If we stop there, we not only miss the best God has for us, but someone in our sphere of influence may miss a chance to find it for themselves. Jesus didn’t come and die in our place to make us comfortable. He came to set the world free from the devil. He wants to enlist us in that process.

Prayer

“Draw me into the deepest part of Your love, LORD. Teach me how to make a difference in Your Kingdom here and now. Amen.”

 

Conditioning

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear…

Romans 8:15

Lincoln and Kate weren’t too keen on fencing off their entire property but were at whit’s end as to how to deal with Max, their golden retriever. His lack of response to their commands―a total disregard for their authority would have been a better way to describe the situation―was unacceptable.

Frequently terrorizing the neighbor’s cat, Max hadn’t responded to obedience school or the one-on-one on-sight instruction by a professional trainer. The moment the trainer left Max would take off after the cat like he’d been shot from a cannon! At this point the Howards had spent several hundred dollars, to no avail, on behavior modifications. Then a friend told them about his invisible fence system. “Works like a charm!” they said.

So they had the system installed. It consisted of a heavy-gauge wire buried along the perimeter of the property which was connected to a low voltage electrical unit. Max, in turn, was fitted with a sensing collar. Any time he got within six inches of the underground wire he received a mild shock, telling him don’t come near here! Unpleasant, each shock taught Max to fear this invisible barrier. Eventually, he became conditioned to remain within the set boundaries.

†

Testing boundaries is human nature. From the time we are born until the day we die we seek to find our limitations.

Sin is one such boundary we experience. And usually its consequences cause us to keep our distance. However, many times we repeat our mistakes. When we do, Satan uses the event like a shock collar, telling us we’ve gone too far and are unforgivable and unworthy of redemption. He seeks to put us in bondage…because if we reach our full spiritual potential, he loses. With every mistake he whispers toxic lies, “God would never forgive you now. Even if He did, you’d just screw up again…why bother?” Satan is lying.

Paul says if we allow ourselves to be led by God’s Spirit He will change the condition of our heart from a spirit of fear to a Spirit of sonship. Don’t believe the lies, we are never beyond the reach of God.

Prayer

“Lead me by Your Spirit out of the enemy’s bondage, Lord. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

 

Spiritual Development

The testing of your faith develops perseverance.

James 1:2

Leaning down, inches from Evan’s face, Bruce, his personal trainer, demanded, “Give me two more reps! C’mon, you can do it! Fight the desire to quit!” Evan’s arms shook as he fought gravity, pushing the barbell up with his last ounce of strength.

Both reps completed, he wrestled the barbell back onto the rack above him, and collapsed in exhaustion.

“Good job, Ev,” Bruce exhorted. “I knew you could do it!”

“I wasn’t as sure as you,” Evan replied breathlessly, then admitted, “It took everything I had to get that second rep up. I’d have never made it a third time!”

“I remember hearing you say something similar not all that long ago,” Bruce teased.

Now it was Evans’ turn to smile as he thought back to the day he’d told Bruce, “I’ll never get past two hundred.” It had taken eighteen months…but he’d just pressed two-forty seven times! He remembered Bruce’s initial assertion, “If there’s no resistance, there’ll be no gain in strength or muscle-mass.”

Bruce certainly knew what he was talking about, because although he himself had had doubts, Bruce had been positive Evan would one day accomplish the goal reached today! “Building muscle comes in stages, Ev. You don’t just bench-press two-forty over night!”

†

In order for growth of any kind to take place there must be opposition present. Resistance builds strength…in our bodies… our minds…and our spirits. We develop spiritual muscle as we fight spiritual battles. The more we fight, the stronger we become!

Left in our spiritual infancy we are unable to stand up under life’s trials; we are of no use to ourselves or anyone else.

James understood that our spiritual strength can only be built by going through spiritual adversity. That very adversity causes us to grow stronger, to mature as children of God so that we might become a formidable opponent of our enemy! We are to embrace challenge, not grumble about the things God allows, and sends our way.

Prayer

“Help me maintain a positive perspective in my spiritual maturation, LORD. Give me the courage to push against the opposition so that I become the strong Christian You know I can become. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

 

Healed or Cured?

My grace is sufficient for you.

2 Corinthians 12:9

Braden’s back pain had turned into a constant fire. The burning had become so intense that he couldn’t sit at his computer or stand for more than five minutes at a time before needing to lie on an icepack to suppress the pain. With the knowledge that God could heal him if He chose to, yet receiving no appreciable healing in response to his constant prayers had him questioning his faith. Didn’t he believe enough? His pastor had told him that healing isn’t based on someone’s spiritual performance. “Am I not living right? What's wrong with me?”

Running into a friend who’d been injured several years ago, Braden asked, “How do you do it, Bill? How do you remain optimistic and light-hearted in the midst of your pain? Aren’t you angry because God hasn’t healed you?”

“No, Braden, I’m not.” Quentin said. “Jesus never promised to take away all my pain. Isaiah 53:5 says that by his stripes, some translations say wounds, I am healed. I’ve learned that healing doesn’t necessarily mean God restoring me to perfect physical health, although He certainly could if He chose to. His healing promise means He’ll provide the grace necessary for me to walk in righteousness in spite of my physical suffering. What you’re talking about is being cured. Even Paul dealt with suffering of a physical nature. Yet his spirit-man was in perfect health.”

†

Since mankind’s fall in Eden we’ve been under attack spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Following Jesus comes with only one guarantee: we are fire-proof! The gates of Hell shall not prevail against us! Matthew 16:18 KJV

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, set apart for the Gospel, was subjected to beatings, imprisonment, even the thorn in his side. He suffered until the day he died. So what makes us think we merit an idyllic life?

The Christian life is full of peril. Living for Christ can be more uncomfortable than dying for Him. But if we focus on Jesus, and our final reward, we’ll find healing that overshadows any cure we fail to receive.

Prayer

“This pain is unpleasant and I don’t like it, Lord. Teach me to walk humbly in grace, and to focus on You instead of my problems. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

 His Name Is Mr. Hall

Show proper respect to everyone.

1Peter 2:17

As Pastor Bob shared with me, I sensed the deep respect and affection for the man of whom he spoke. “Mr. Hall was special. And he’ll always be Mr. Hall to me, not Walter.” He smiled, “You know, he tried to get me to call him by his first name. I just never felt comfortable calling him Walter.”

As he continued, I felt a tangible connection with Mr. Hall. It was as if he were present in the room. The clarity and warmth of Pastor Bob’s memory ushered us into his high school band room... “Mr. Hall was one of four or five men who’ve had a huge influence in my life. He was my band and choir director…and a good, godly man. He loved nurturing the hearts and minds of his students.” He chuckled as he added, “I never found out until much later that he was also the choir director at his church. I guess I wasn’t looking for spirituality at seventeen. I just liked him.”

Pastor Bob spoke fondly of how Mr. Hall encouraged him to seek God’s will for his life, and to consider the ministry. “Somehow he saw my gifting long before I did! I still call him at least once a year to catch up and check on his health. And I thank God frequently for Mr. Hall’s inspiration and encouragement.”

†

As I drove home, I once again thanked God for Pastor Bob’s influence in my life. God had used Pastor Bob in that capacity many times throughout the course of our friendship.

His appreciation for Mr. Hall had given me something to consider—the lack of respect so prevalent in today’s society.

We no longer use title and surname while addressing our elders. We skip right over good manners and moral principle, elevating everyone to equal standing and privilege. It would seem that teaching good manners is no longer a prerequisite in the maturation process.

Calling an adult by their first name (someone over the age of twenty-one or married) was foreign to my generation. It should be to our children’s as well.

Today’s text is not a suggestion; it is God’s directive. One we should teach and live by.

Prayer

“May my words and actions reflect the honor and respect due my elders and those deserving of titles, Lord. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

Inspired by the future book, His Name Is Mr. Hall by: Pastor Bob Pelfrey

 

You Are Doubly Mine!

You were bought at a price.

1Corinthians 6:20

“This is gonna be great Dad! I can’t wait to see how it floats,” Timmy said, looking at the 1/32 scale sailboat he and his dad had spent over sixty hours building together. As they pulled in at the marina, Timmy jumped from the truck and raced toward the shoreline. With a gentle shove, he launched the boat on its maiden voyage. He watched as it slowly moved along the water's edge. Suddenly, the small sail caught a crosswind, and quickly began moving into deeper water. Timmy hadn’t figured on it getting far enough out that he couldn’t retrieve it with the grappling rope he’d made. Now it was not only out of reach, it was disappearing over the horizon!

“We have to go to the other side, Dad! C’mon, we need to hurry!” he cried.

“Hop in the car,” his father said. “We’ll see if we can find where it comes ashore,”

Hours of searching proved futile. Timmy was crushed.

Two days later, as Timmy was walking to school, he passed the local pawn shop. In the window of the shop sat his boat! Throwing open the door, Timmy ran to the counter, “That’s my boat!” he proclaimed, pointing to the window. “Please give it to me.”

“I’m sorry, young man,” the owner said. “I paid good money for that boat. I can’t just give it to you.” Timmy didn’t know what to do. “Tell you what I’ll do,” the man said. “I’ll sell it to you for exactly what I paid.”

“Deal!” Timmy agreed, and paid the man. As he walked out the door the man heard him say, “You’re doubly mine! I made you, and now I’ve bought you back!”

†

What a perfect picture of how God feels about us! Created in His image, with a love so deep, He couldn’t stand losing us. So when Adam and Eve changed His plans, He sent Jesus to purchase us back.

At a price that cost Him more than we can comprehend, a debt we could not pay on our own, His great love purchased our eternal freedom! Such great love proclaims, “I created you and I have bought you back! You are doubly Mine!”

Prayer

“Thank You, LORD, for making me doubly Yours! Amen.”

 

Surprise Visits

You must also be ready…

Luke 12:40

In all her eighty years she’d never had such an experience! She knew she wasn’t dreaming, but how could this be? The man in white looked real enough to touch, but he had appeared out of nowhere…and was standing inside the locked door of her home!

“Who are you?!” she finally managed.

“You know who I am.” he responded with a smile.

No…yo no!" (No…I do not!)” she said in her native Spanish.

The man pointed at her Bible and said, “You have read about me many times. You know who I am.”

Perplexed she said, “I do not know who you are! Why do you say I have read about you in La Biblia?”

“Because I am Gabriel! You have been reading about the proclamation the Father spoke through me to the Chosen One in Luke’s account of my Master’s birth!”*

She was about to faint when Gabriel said, “Fear not! For I have come to tell you we are waiting for you!” Gabriel’s smile widened as he produced a beautiful dress in the same manner as his appearing. The material was unlike anything she had ever seen. “This is for you. It is the gown you will wear when you meet the Master! I will see you soon!” He smiled, and was gone; no angel, no gown!

†

Heaven shows up when we least expect it…in ways we have trouble comprehending…in the most illogical places…and sometimes appearing out of nowhere. Today’s story is written as events were related by this Mexican great grandmother to a missionary from Ukraine.

For reasons known only to God, we are afforded glimpses of Heaven.

As she told the story, weeks after the event, the wonder and fear of the moment was still a tangible thing. And one look was all that was needed to know it was true.

Vigilance, expecting Jesus’ return or the appearance of Heavenly beings at any given moment, is the only way to assure ourselves of being ready for Heaven.

It’s easy to become spiritually drowsy and lose sight of God’s purpose in our lives. Jesus urges us to be prepared, so His appearance won’t take us unaware!

Prayer

“It’s hard to remain focused on You all the time, Lord Jesus. Awaken the Spirit within me whenever I get spiritually drowsy. Amen.”

* Luke 1:26-38