Apart From What?

When a soul sets their mind to follow Jesus, the moment they seek forgiveness for their sin, the Lord sets them apart. No longer are they eternal orphans, for they have been adopted into the Kingdom of God by their heavenly Father. This new child therefore, begins their awakening, and bit by bit, their old self will be cast off, revealing more of the image of God. A divine fire burning within them, they set off towards heavenly thrones, their journey of faith marked out before they were born.

The moment of salvation is sweet in my memory. Though life's circumstances around my surrender to the Lord were dim, the hope I found for something more in life, lifted me from the mire of a sinful life at set a path of light before me. Looking back I can still feel the sensation of my spiritual prison doors being flung open. Like Peter, I followed the Angel of the Lord from my dark and diseased cell into the light of Christ. Though chains still remained on my body, my spirit was free and for once in my life I felt the warmth of the Son.

While the memory of salvation is a treasure to me, I have become more and more aware of my sanctification. The process of refinement in the hands of God touches my soul in ways I can not express. Like a smitten child in awe of a real hero, I boast of my God's power and might, his love and kindness, his affection and great compassion. And God, lovingly boasts of me: his precious daughter whom he has set apart to be part of His eternal flame.

In pondering my new Christian heritage and the inheritance to come, my thoughts drifted to what I am "set apart" from. Believers are called away from "foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures...malice, envy, being hated and hating," (Titus 3:3NIV).

On the contrary, believers are called to: kindness, goodness, gentleness, love, mercy and devotion to what is excellent, profitable to all and purity, (Titus 3:3-8NIV). While purity is not something we will obtain this side of eternity, we are called to strive for it in all we do.

Oswald Chambers addresses the need for believers to seek purity in his devotional.
"I must cleanse myself from all filthiness in my flesh and my spirit until both are in harmony with the nature of God. Is the mind of my spirit in perfect agreement with the life of the Son of God in me, or am I mentally rebellious and defiant? Am I allowing the mind of Christ to be formed in me?"

Referring to Philippians 2:5, Chambers calls us to note the attitude of Christ Jesus; humble, obedient and desiring to serve others.

Therefore, if I am to be like Christ I too must be humble, obedient and a servant. For I have been set apart from the world which is full of people who are prideful, rebellious and self serving.

I find that it is easy to be set apart in some areas of my walk with Christ. In other areas I am weak. Though sanctification is a life long process, I must continually hold myself up to the Lord and seek new traces of his character in my own. I must search for evidence that Jesus is my Lord and my friend. And though it is important for me to see signs of Christ in my life, it is just as important for others to see Him too.

The term "set apart" suggests Christians will be notably different in character and behavior than other men and woman. If you can not find an area you are "different" than non-believers in your life...it's possible you have strayed from the fold. Do not be dismayed. Simply repent and set yourself apart once more. Allow your light to be rekindled that you may shine in the darkness. For just as moths are drawn to the flame, others are drawn to the light of Christ which shines through believers. Then, like Jesus, we will have opportunity to serve them.

May the Lord give us strength and courage to be bright lights in this world, as we seek to live righteously, in a world growing darker day by day.

Spring Cleaning

Looking around your house, it is easy to become dismayed. The endless amount of chores and needs of a home can oppress the most zealous of do it yourselfer's. Windows need to be washed, rugs need to be steamed, drapes need to be laundered, furniture vacuumed, fixtures dusted, cabinets wiped down, closets cleaned out and chimneys swept. The dust piles up as soon as your turn your back and the laundry mockingly spills over the edge of the basket onto the floor. Daily life can easily be consumed by the demands of a home.

Sometimes our spiritual house can feel like our dwellings. For as necessary as it is to manage our homes, so too we must put forth the effort to keep a well managed body. I confess, I am much better at tending the former over the latter. Yet, if I am to be consistent with my witness, I must apply God's principles to every part of my life. The daily chores necessary to keep a house kept up must also be applied to my body and spiritual walk. All must be met with resolve and commitment. The word "try" needs to be obliterated from our vocabulary. We must simply do.

Ohhhhh...I know this is hard for many of us! Still, we must...must...tend to our temples of flesh and spirits. Focusing on one day or one task at a time seems simple but necessary. Heeding the words of Jesus can help us tackle the mountain of chores:

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own," (Matthew 6:34NIV).

Chambers encourages the believer to "At least once a week examine yourself before God to see if your life is measuring up to the standard he has for you." While some of us are in need of spring cleaning--our homes and bodies--others are in need of cleaning up minds or hearts. Thoughts that muddy the walls of their mind or attitudes which create toxins in the body,need to be addressed. And though every chore will require us to roll up our sleeves and get dirty, the results will not only be fantastic, they will bring glory to God.

However, setting goals is crucial to succeeding. Once goals are in place, daily chores can be compiled to keep us on track. In time these chores will become a habit and soon new patterns of behavior will emerge. We know this...right? Yet, we can limit these principles to certain areas of our lives.

Chambers states; "I must learn to relate everything to the primary goal, maintaining it without interruption. My worth to God publicly is measured by what I really am in my private life."

Pondering this truth awakened something in me this morning. I discovered that I am more willing to do something for God than I am willing to do something for myself. When I look at caring for my home, body or spirit for the sake of myself or others I feel oppressed and tired. Discipline gives way to comfort or doubt.Yet, when I consider my efforts would bring glory to the Lord, I feel a surge of inspiration. Again and again, when I placed God next to the task the vision was lighter, brighter. Placing myself or ______ next to a chore, physically weighed on me.

Jesus knew the weight of the world in ways we will never have to comprehend. Therefore, He beckons us: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light," (Matthew 11:28-30NIV).

Jesus is not talking about resting your body, lives of leisure or becoming a couch potato. On the contrary, the Father is always at work. The yoke is an instrument used in labor: worn by the animal in service. The ox does not wear the yoke while grazing or resting in the pen. Therefore, Jesus is calling us into service with Him. The rest is for our souls not our bodies. When we come under His yoke, we will find the burden is light because Jesus is carrying the weight of the world. We simply attach ourselves to His side in service.

When we do this, the heavy burden of keeping up with needs in our lives, spiritual or physical become inspired and light when we tackle them at the Lord's side. In my own strength I struggle to pull the cart or plow the field. Yet, "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength," (Philippians 4:13NIV). Jesus is the key to victory. Victory of God's will not our will is guaranteed,for when yoked with Christ we are certain to go where He goes and Jesus does not fail.

This truth should indeed inspire us to become zealots in all areas of our lives. For when we are yoked with Jesus, our efforts will produce endless crops for the harvest. Will the season of service and sowing be easy? No. But this question of ease is what causes us to stumble. We fear the struggle, the pain and failure so we put off what must be done. Our focus needs to move from questioning what we will have to endure, to what will be accomplished through our service. For the gain in taking up the yoke of the Lord is immeasurable: the Lord's companionship and strength in service, success, glory to God, blessings and no doubt fruit are only some of the benefits.

Ultimately, when we approach everything as if we are doing it for the Lord, we will find not only a zeal to accomplish the work, a sense of peace will replace the dread once attached to the tasks of life. Imagine the joy that comes from bringing glory to God.

Oswald Chambers ends his devotional with this question worth pondering: "Is my primary goal in life to please Him and to be acceptable to Him, or is it something less, no matter how lofty it may sound?"

Brothers and sisters in Christ, it's time for some spring cleaning...and you know I'm not talking about dust bunnies!

An Eclipse of the Son

One of the most tragic realities in life, is that millions believe heaven is the final destination of every soul. The concept life is merely a detour to eternal bliss--and has no impact on our soul's final destination--is widely embraced. This pernicious lie has eclipsed Almighty God's just character and fuels the self-focused and self-loathing culture we live in. For life was not created in man to glorify himself.

Pondering why people who reject God in life want to go to heaven when they die, a thought occurred to me. They no more want God to be a part of eternity than they want Him to be part of life on earth. For these, heaven is not considered a means to finally look upon the divine face and dwell intimately with their Creator. Nor is it about becoming the perfection of who they were designed to be in order to worship and bring glory to God. No. Heaven is reduced to an eternal state of self satisfaction and peace: no loss, pain or toil for those heavenly saints, who deserve nothing less than an eternity of bliss. After all, they were good people...

Can you hear the hiss of the snake?

What man deserves is death and an eternity of hell. For the Bible teaches sin of slander or a little white lie is as severe as murder, adultery and theft in the eyes of God.

"There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus," (Romans 3:23-24NIV).

Jesus also teaches in the gospel, that sin is rooted in the heart and mind of man. Whether or not man has the intent to act upon their hearts sinful desire, they sin just the same by their poor attitudes of: hate, jealousy, lust or pride, as well in their deceit and hypocrisy.

Jesus said; "But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unlcean.' For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander," (Matthew 15:18-19NIV).

So the case against man regarding sin is warranted and just. God will rule against the sin in man when he stands beyond the threshold of death. There, the Righteous Judge, Jesus the Christ, will proclaim a person either saved through faith in the blood of the Lord, or confess them to be outside His circle of friends. The reality of God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, heaven and hell will no longer be over shadowed by man's self will. Eyes will be forced to behold the radiance of the Son: some to their great peril.

How does man live a self-willed life? Some live contrary to God's Spirit because they have a false concept of who God truly is. They misjudge His character. They focus on the love of God and therefore believe God's goodness will cause him to overlook unrighteous living. Other's play Russian roulette with God's grace. They know God's nature to grant forgiveness and they fool themselves into believing a life of disobedience and sin can be erased with continual trips to the confessional or delayed repentance. And there are those who give little or no thought to God, for they are simply too busy to bother with spiritual matters...until they are faced with peril, loss or their own death. Sadly, these perspectives are as prevalent in the pews as they are outside the Church.

Oswald Chambers refers to the apostle Paul's teaching on God's judgment to come. "Paul says that we must all, preachers and other people alike, "appear before the judgment seat of Christ." But if you will learn here and now to live under the scrutiny of Christ's pure light, your final judgment will bring you only delight in seeing the work God has done in you."

We are challenged as believers to live daily as if we were standing before this judgment seat. For only when we set our whole selves: body, mind and spirit, before the Lord, will we allow the light of His goodness to reveal our impurities. Only when our impurities are illuminated by Christ, can we be mindful of them. If left in the shadows, even believers can slip into a state of denial or complacency, where sin seems irrelevant or at the most nagging.

False security of salvation can develop in a believer's mind the idea their personal sin is no longer a threat. This is dangerous for as Paul claims..."we must all" be judged. While the believer will avoid eternal separation from God, there is still much to be lost through sin in our lives. The greatest of which is souls. For it is evident some of the world's negative view and dismissal of Jesus Christ is due to the lack of righteousness in the lives of Christians. Chambers states: "The deadliest attitude of the Pharisees that we exhibit today is not hypocrisy but that which comes from unconsciously living a lie."

Likewise, believers can ignore the convictions of the Holy Spirit about a matter in their lives or attitude, until they become numb to the Spirits prompting. Chambers warns the believer; "One of the penalties of sin is our acceptance of it. it is not only God who punishes for sin, but sin establishes itself in the sinner and takes its toll. No struggling or praying will enable you to stop doing certain things, and the penalty of sin is that you gradually get used to it, until you finally come to the place where you no longer even realize that it is sin."

While believers put off dealing with strongholds in their lives or simply settle into lives of Sunday worship and week long self-service, the world is watching. Understandably, many outside of salvation believe themselves worthy of heaven when they measure themselves up against some of God's children.

Therefore, as followers of Christ, we must rise to the personal battles with sin in our lives, that we may be honest witnesses to the transforming power of God. Only by this will the world see, life is different when lived with Jesus. Furthermore, we must place great importance on self examination. Ask ourselves the hard questions: am I harboring sinful attitudes, am I dishonoring my body in any way, am I ignoring the Spirit in some area of my life? We must pray for insight, wisdom, discernment and courage to overcome our areas of weakness. Most importantly we must take action to change our attitudes, thoughts and behaviors.

Turning our thoughts toward Jesus and away from ourselves is the goal. When the Church begins to live lives that are focused on heaven, others will note the difference between righteous living and living for self. When we give a glimpse of eternity through our behavior, worldly thoughts of heaven will be eclipsed by Jesus. For what is heaven without it's Glory?

Christians must "walk in the light 'as He is in the light...'" (1 John 1:7). In so doing we will "store up treasures in heaven." According to Gregg Prickett, a dear brother in Christ, these "treasures will be souls" we point to the Son!

Waves of Mercy

Today’s devotional is focused on following Jesus though we are dismayed. A message of perseverance for a follower feeling overwhelmed with the journey.

Sometimes no matter how much we know of Christ’s ministry or how long our experience of God’s grace and mercy has been, we can feel terribly far from the Lord’s side. The constant challenge to abide with Christ, since we dwell in a broken world, wears on the believer. Days spent striving to keep up with Jesus can feel daunting when one truly sees the Lord. His agility, perseverance and pace in the sand, contrasts our stiff limbs, fatigue and lagging scramble. Distance grows between our footprints and the Lord’s, as both awe and amazement wake us to a new perspective of our Savior. Oswald states it this way; “Jesus is far ahead of us and is beginning to seem different and unfamiliar.”

When it hits a believer that they do not truly know their Savior as intimately as thought, a sense of dismay may wash over them. “We don’t recognize even one characteristic of His life, and we don’t know how to begin to follow Him. “ Oswald encourages followers to hold fast through the “darkness of dismay,” though part of their spirit feels unattached to the Lord. This is a scary stretch of shore to tread. For what one believed to be a sizable rock of familiarity and understanding, is reduced to a grain of sand. The idea of who Jesus is expands beyond our comprehension and a holy fear of the Almighty grips us.

“What is man that you are mindful of him?” (Psalm 7:4NIV).

Our efforts to live according to God’s principles can feel like we’re building castles in the sand: a day’s efforts, washed away by the tide of sin. No matter how we toil, sin comes again and again like waves. Yet, God intends there to be a message of grace and mercy in every rolling foam tipped swell. Though the tide has highs and lows, the waves are held back by the hand of God.

“Even the wind and the waves obey Him,” (Matthew 8:27NIV).

When Christian’s exercise discipline to stay the path--though Jesus becomes a greater mystery and the goal of life seems lost at sea--they will learn more about the Lord’s ways. On the other side of dismay they will draw nearer to God and find an “inexpressibly wonderful joy” in following the Master.

Love Me...Surrender

How can you know if you are completely surrendered to God? According to Oswald we will know by our response to the Lord's call on our life. "Where does Jesus Christ figure in when we have a concern about our natural relationships? Most of us will desert him with this excuse--"Yes, Lord, I heard you call me, but my family needs me and I have my own interest. I just can't go any further"

Insight into this perspective is found in Luke 9:57-62. Jesus is speaking with would be disciples, had they not been pulled from the ministry by competing relationships. They were drawn to Jesus, however, they were not surrendered to him. The first was put off by lack of comforts, the second man wanted to put off the ministry until his father died and the third was concerned with settling matters with his family before joining the cause.

Jesus' response to each man's excuse can be applied to us today. Some are not willing to let go of physical comforts in order to serve God. Others will not surrender today and put ministry thoughts off saying: when I'm older, after I'm married, when the kids are grown, or when I am retired. Finally, many will be anchored in their life because of obligation and responsibility to family.

To man these seem reasonable concerns which need to be handled wisely. Jesus however, said: "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God," (Luke 9:62NIV).

How can we know if we are totally surrendered to God? We won't offer an excuse to put off the call to ministry on our lives. This is hard to swallow. How many of us are willing to TRUST God with everything we hold dear and hope for?

Oswald says, "True surrender will always go beyond natural devotion. If we will only give up, God will surrender Himself to embrace all those around us and will meet their needs, which were created by our surrender."

If I am called to the mission field, the shoes I fill, the needs I meet in the lives of others, will be met by God in my absence. Wow! This reality denies me a single excuse. I can no longer claim..."I must do this for my family" or "who will take care of that?" God will provide where there is need. Therefore, the issue comes back to me. With every excuse abated, it comes down to my willingness to surrender my all for God.

The disciples were called just as we are. Though many took after the Lord in the beginning, the numbers soon dwindled to twelve. These twelve were totally surrendered to the call on their life. Though they had lessons to learn along the way, we can not ignore that they indeed surrendered what they had and followed Jesus.

The agony of our excuses will cause us to think God's call unreasonable, unfair and simply too great a cost. Yet, these thoughts are not prompted by the Spirit within the children of God. No. These are the fruit of the flesh. For when we consider the surrender of our LORD Jesus, who put off His glory to minister to our need of redemption, we should be compelled by thankfulness to surrender our all. But there is more than redemption for Believers. For when we embrace Jesus Christ, we are given access to "something infinitely greater than" ourselves. We step beyond the curtain into the Most Holy place and behold Almighty God. For God will not ask more of us than He gave himself. Though our spirits will prompt us to follow, our flesh will condemn us to stay. We must overcome our flesh so that "in our surrender,we must give ourselves to God in the same way He gave himself to us--totally, unconditionally, and without reservation.

Oh Lord, help us! Give us courage to surrender our all to you. Provide us visions to inspire our service and strength to endure the call. May we truly give our utmost for your highest will, purpose and glory.

A Heavenly Vision

When David was young, Samuel anointed him to be King. However years would pass before David wore the crown. The vision David had of sitting on the thrown was vulnerable to his faith. For had David lost hope or faith in the promise of God, he could have walked away or rejected the plan of God.

Oswald states, "If we lose "the heavenly vision" God has give us, we alone are responsible--not God. We lose the vision because of our own lack of spiritual growth. If we do not apply our beliefs about God to the issues of everyday life, the vision God has given us will never be fulfilled."

David in the wilderness tending sheep had much time to ponder the hand of God: the power and the might of the Almighty. This certainly played into his faith which slayed the lion and the bear. Likewise, it was these successes in the wilderness that boosted his faith in the power of God's hand, when he charged after Goliath the giant Philistine. The vision of God was clear in his mind and he served the vision with passion and devotion.

Years later, David would remain obedient to the vision God had given him, though King Saul--filled with jealous rage--sought to destroy him. How many times did David choose to hold onto the vision when all seemed lost under the terror of Saul's hatred? The Lord's servant chose at least once per day to exercise faith in God. For day by day David had to make choices to remain in God's favor and grace: to stay upon the path that would lead to the throne. Unlike Saul, who lost hold of the Lord's vision for his life, David kept his heart and his plans before God and his steps were blessed.

How long must we wait for the vision God has given to us? Only heaven knows. However, when we consider the faithfulness of God and the good He surely has in store for us, we find the strength to hold on one more day.

Yet, holding on is not enough for the vision to come into fruition. We hold responsibility in bringing about the vision. Daily efforts are necessary. Whether they be limited to prayer covering alone, or a series of tasks, our commitment is of great importance. And while, "we cannot bring the vision to fulfillment through our own efforts," we must live moment by moment serving the call, so the vision may be fulfilled. For some this may require a to do list. For others it may require waiting for the Lord to move.

Just as David had to face the threats of: the lion, bear, his brothers, Goliath, Saul and later his own son, we too will face forces which desire to destroy us. These storms are allowed in order that our faith be strengthened: that we become resolved in our service to the vision. For when we fight in the power of God, we will succeed according to God's perfect will. Like David we will find the blessings and favor of our Lord. Oswald points us to the words in John 15:8 "if you allow God to plant you, you will 'bear much fruit.'"

Holding onto the vision of God for our life is not for the weak or fearful. We must be strong and courageous, ready to fight, obedient and steadfast. The vision God has for you is glorious and worthy of our sacrifice! If you feel you are lacking in these areas, PRAY for God to build them in your life! Do not allow the enemy to turn your head or cloud your vision with doubt and fear. Pray the devil away and see how the Lord will grant you might to succeed.

Borrowing the lyrics from the music group, Mercy Me:
Hold fast, Help is on the way, Hold fast, He's come to save the day, What I've learned in my life, One thing stronger than my strife, Is His grasp, So hold fast."

Hold fast to the vision! God does not tarry! In due time you will bring great glory to our King!

Behold A New Creation

Being an example of God's message is the challenge for every heaven bound child. For through we live in and among those of the world we are purposed to be a messenger of the gospel. We are to speak it, sing it, live it unashamed. Believers do this through the power and teaching of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus told his disciples: "The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life," (John 6:63). The Lord was proclaiming the Holy Spirit would be at work through the Word of God. Through the Spirit's work, eternal life would be produced in the spirit of those called to Christ. Therefore those who accepted the teachings of Jesus were those who believed in the power of the Spirit to produce eternal life in them.

Believing in the transforming power of the Spirit is essential to being a messenger of the gospel. For only through belief will the process of sanctification occur in our lives, to produce a testimony. Our life--the way we choose to live moment by moment--becomes the message we will share with others.

Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of Jerusalem because they preached a message they did not live. They claimed to be children of God and yet their actions proved them to be otherwise. Since they were absolutely convinced their "preconceived notions" were truth, they closed their minds and rejected the teachings of Jesus. Though generations had passed, the Israelites still covered their ears--as they did at Sinai--to the voice of God. Therefore, Jesus proclaimed them lovers of lies.

"If God were you Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own: but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies," (John 8:42-44).

There were many who turned from following Jesus because of his teachings. They were unable to believe in the power of the Holy Spirit to produce in them the good work of the LORD. They could not believe the truth because they favored the life attached to the devil and his lies. They were not interested in teachings that spoke of submission, surrender, and sacrifice. Their hearts were hard and filled with pride, therefore, resistant to conviction and repentance.

The Lord knows the hearts that are hard and those which are tender. Those inclined to choose to believe and receive the Truth of Christ, God calls into relationship. Once a relationship is established the journey of transformation begins. Oswald points out; "Before God's message can liberate other people, His liberation must first be real in you." So we are indeed called to be messengers of transformation, renewal and restoration. Unless believers "allow God to have complete liberty" in their lives, they will have little or no message to share.

Claiming to believe in the power of God is a weak message. Proclaiming the power of Christ, which has transformed your life, is compelling. Let us be mighty believers in the Truth so our message will have an impact on those inclined to believe as well. For just as Jesus was sent to be a witness to the glory of God in the flesh...we too are called to be living testimonies.