Wednesday, September 1: Declaration of Dependence

Our nation’s history involves a time when men laid it all on the line for the sake of religious freedom. Though our population continues to argue about that freedom, we never should lose sight of the fact that the United States began as a Christian nation. Our founding fathers were not fighting for the right to worship Satan, Allah or a host of other false gods. The religious freedom yearned for was to worship God deeper than the desires of the existing church, rather than less intensely. Yet as the nation grew, the men with that longing were replaced by their children and grandchildren, who had not known the same difficulties, and we know that God only has children, not grandchildren. Consequently, instead of relying on God to be their Provider, the ensuing generations relied on their own knowledge and hands for survival. God warned His people of exactly that:


11 “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, 12 lest—when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; 13 and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; 14 when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; 15 who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; 16 who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end— 17 then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’
Deuteronomy 8:11-17


Although most of us complain about the difficulties life has to offer, in truth, those difficulties are more of a conduit to God than our many blessings. In God’s blessings, the tendency for most of us might be an initial prayer of thanksgiving, yet the typical follow-up is the feeling that either we deserved the blessing or that we gave ourselves that blessing with our own intelligence, talents or hard work. Sometimes, I wonder if our definitions of blessing and curse are not reversed in many ways. For if hardship brings us to the Lord, isn’t that truly a blessing? And in the same manner, if earthly prosperity and gain carry us away from the Lord, aren’t those truly curses? It all depends upon your point of view, and along with that, the way you serve the Lord. If those monetary blessings are used entirely for your own earthly comfort, it can only lead you down a slippery slope away from the Lord. Our God gives and takes away according to His own plan, and if He gives to you, it is so that you will give back to Him by helping others.


Many Bible-believing pastors feel that we are either approaching or in the end times prophesied in God’s Word. Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 24 about difficulties that would occur just before the judgments of Revelation, and many of those difficulties seem very similar, though less intense. Each judgment will increase in intensity, just as a symphony approaches a mighty crescendo. How should we as believers view these challenges?

We, the people of God, in order to form a more perfect union with Him, make this declaration of dependence upon Him! He is our Provider, who will give us all we need. Often, He provides at the last moment to increase our faith. Our Lord blesses us more than we ever could ask. If the world seems to be getting difficult all around you, be thankful to God. He supplied every need for His chosen people in their exodus from Egypt to the Promised Land. Additionally, He supplied every need for our founding fathers, the Puritans and Pilgrims, walking in a covenant relationship with the Lord. In the same manner, He will supply the needs of His followers, for He is Jehovah-jireh, the Lord who provides. If you love Him, follow His commandments, and trust Him!


“How shall I pardon you for this?
Your children have forsaken Me
And sworn by those that are not gods.
When I had fed them to the full,
Then they committed adultery
And assembled themselves by troops in the harlots’ houses.
Jeremiah 5:7

Tuesday, August 31: Who is your neighbor?

Daily, Mr. Rogers serenaded the television audience with his personally-written theme song, “Won’t you be my neighbor?” Though Fred Rogers was a Presbyterian minister, he likely would not have topped my list of neighbors of choice. Yet we rarely get the opportunity to place our best friends on that list. Having endured neighbors who have loudly partied until the middle of the night, currently, one of my neighbors is my greatest challenge. In the last year, I cannot think of one action she has accomplished that has not been 100% self-serving. Yet God’s instructions to us as believers are simple to interpret:


So he answered and said, “’You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’”
Luke 10:27


These are the two commandments that Jesus highlighted in summation of the Old Testament Law. In Exodus, the first five commandments instruct us concerning a righteous relationship with God, while the last five commandments instruct us concerning that correct relationship with others. Notice that this love of God begins in the heart and ends in the mind, completing the circuit of who we are. Each part of us needs to love the Lord, not a small part of us! The sequential order of these instructions is not accidental, as until we have the right relationship with God, we cannot correctly restore relationships with others. Yet there are believers who put all of the emphasis on their relationship with the Lord, forgetting about the remainder of His commandment.


If God did not desire for us to demonstrate His love to the sinners on this earth, He would remove us as soon as we turned to Him! Yet that is not what occurs. Instead, He desires for us to love others in the same manner that He loves us. Interestingly, the verse in Luke does not tell us to love our neighbors if they deserve it, or if they are really sweet Christians. Instead, Jesus reminds us to love our neighbors in the same manner that we love ourselves!


With man’s most common sin being pride, love of self is not a rarity in our world. God wants us to have a sacrificial love for our neighbors. Would you put yourself in harm’s way to save your neighbor? Would I? It is natural to love those who love you, but the greater calling is to love those who do not love you! This applies inside the church as easily as it occurs outside of the church! Certainly, there are people who have personalities that push our buttons. As difficult as it may be to like them, we are called to love them! Once again, it is a matter of trust. If God chose them for His family, who are we to question His motive? Sometimes, we lose perspective by thinking they don’t deserve our love. Yet we don’t deserve God’s love, though He graciously chose to give it to us!

Our challenge is to love those who despise us. Who is the greatest example of this behavior? Jesus! Reflect on that sinless Man, who endured the most humiliating and painful of deaths in punishment for the sins of man. Mocked and ridiculed, He remained lovingly concerned for them even unto death. “Father, forgive them. They know not what they do!” When a person is a slave to sin, he serves Satan blindly. Sin is not a choice, but a way of life to the unsaved. If your neighbor is a captive of the great deceiver, shower them with the abundant love of a Savior, who is the only One to save them from that bondage! That journey might begin with your sacrificial love!


43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
Matthew 5:43-46

Monday, August 30: What is your point of view?

In the early years of settlers coming to the shores of what would become America, many people died of starvation, or at the hands of the existing residents of the land, the Indians. Sadly, most of the men on the initial voyages to the new land were gentry. Consequently, none of the men were willing to work. Planting, building, clearing land…in their minds, these were tasks for a lower class of people. The only work they were willing to do involved digging for gold or searching for gems, minerals or ores that could add to their wealth. Not even starvation changed their minds about manual labor!


When the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, it was a different situation entirely. Even the motive of coming to this new land was opposite, focused on sharing Jesus Christ with people who never had heard His message. Prior to the voyage, this strong body of believers solidified its bonds to the Lord, as well as the bonds to one another. Their suffering on the three-month voyage was similar to those on previous expeditions, but how they handled that suffering was exemplary, with joy and thanksgiving. Upon arrival, everyone pitched into the effort of building a settlement and growing enough food for survival, trade and profit. All along the way, they looked to God for their provisions, and with their hearts right, He provided.


Additionally, God provided help from the Indians to teach the Pilgrims survival skills in this new land. After a few years, the Pilgrims began to see major improvements. With winter approaching, the Pilgrims were prepared, having enough corn to last until the next harvest. But God threw a wrench into their plans. A ship arrived without food, carrying an additional group of settlers. Instead of an abundance of food for the winter, the Pilgrims severely rationed their supplies. Yet with God in their focus, not one Pilgrim died of starvation that year. In the spring, the leaders decided to employ a new strategy. Instead of planting, tending and harvesting collectively, they told the people to select a plot of land and grow their own corn. People worked even harder to grow more than necessary. Yet again, something went wrong with their plans. A drought occurred on the land. None of the local Indians could remember a longer period without rain. Once again, the Christian leadership took it to the Lord, and upon reflection, decided that their motives had changed. Instead of asking the Lord for provision, the people had become more concerned with profit. It didn’t matter if Satan used gold bars or corn to trip up God’s people; it was the same issues of greed and pride. Collectively, the people gathered together and repented to the Lord. Not surprisingly, the Lord opened the skies with a gentle rain that saved all of the crops.


What does it mean to repent? It is a complete change in point of view. Instead of looking at the world and our own sins through our own eyes, when we repent, we look through God’s eyes. Sin is a cancer that separates us from God, and without a remedy, one sin would kill us. Yet repentance urges us to turn around and see that sin from a different perspective. Satan urges us to give in to sin, and when we sin, we are serving him. By doing that “about-face,” we face God. When we see our own sin through God’s perspective, it repulses us in the same manner that it repulses God. That change is a matter of the heart. Instead of saying, “Sorry for sinning, God,” and then continuing in the same manner, repentance alters our hearts to the point that we no longer desire to continue in that brokenness. Instead of pleasing Satan, we begin pleasing God.


8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:8-9


Confess is the Greek word homologeo in the passage above, meaning to “speak the same thing” or “to come in agreement with.” It is the same word used in the following passage, as well:


9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:9-10

This confession doesn’t involve going to a human intermediary. Instead, our High Priest is Jesus Christ. Yet even though we can confess with our mouths and in our hearts that He is Lord, sin remains a concern. As believers, we need to continue to repent of our sins. It is my belief that the moment we are saved, Jesus forgives us of all past, present and future sins, yet our part in that is the ongoing confession of those sins. This involves reflection upon our lives. Do you think God only punished His people for their sins in the past? He punishes us because He loves us. That punishment of drought caused the Pilgrims to reflect and find sin in their lives. In a similar way, we should be reflecting on the sin in our lives, and through confession, to change our points of view. Once we see our sin through the Lord’s eyes, He can draw us closer!


But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Hebrews 11:6


testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 20:21

Sunday, August 29: Are you sleeping?

While in a hotel in Lone Pine, CA, Tuesday night, I set the alarm on my cell phone for 7:30 a.m. When the alarm sounded, I arose, immediately noticing that it was still pitch dark outside. Looking closer at the clock, I discovered that it was 5:30 instead of 7:30. Somehow, I must have made a mistake when setting the alarm. Returning to bed, I thought that there are no mistakes with God, as it all is a part of His plan. Instead of sleeping more, I dressed and quietly crept outside. I drove the 10 miles toward Mt. Whitney, amazed at the beauty of the full moon hovering over the majestic peak. I quickly set up a tripod and camera to capture that magnificence, then minutes later, watched the rising sun illuminate the east face in its spectacular alpenglow. It was a special morning alone with the Lord, after a restful night and an unexpected awakening.


Sleep is a wonderful gift. That nightly slumber can rejuvenate the body, soul and spirit. Additionally, it is a perfect balance. Sleep too many hours and lethargy seems to mark each step throughout the day. Sleep too little and the day is equally difficult. Many people suffer from insomnia, having trouble falling asleep, trading that rejuvenation for worry and doubt. Safety while sleeping helps each of us to rest peacefully, without fear of robbery or assault.


2For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.
1 Thessalonians 5:2-7


As Christians, there is no fear of the Lord’s coming, for it is neither a surprise nor a curse. Yet to an unbelieving world, the return of Jesus will not be pleasant, as His wrath and judgment will be upon them. In this passage, Paul is not telling us that sleep is detrimental, but sleeping blindly is problematic. To sleep soberly is to be aware of potential dangers, all the while trusting God for His protective hand of guidance. Is a thief in the night a concern if you anticipate the thief’s arrival? Even while sleeping, we are to keep a watchful eye on attacks from many directions. While awaiting arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus awoke His disciples:


45 When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. 46 Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”
Luke 22:45-46


When you wake up in the middle of the night, do you think of it as a rude interruption to a peaceful night or as a call to prayer? When Elijah battled the 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah, when their “god” didn’t respond, Elijah called attention to the false god’s lack of power:


And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.”
1 Kings 18:27

We serve a God who never sleeps! He keeps a watchful eye upon each of His children, protecting us, guiding us and caring for us. He tucks us in and wakes us up when it is time. He loves us so much that He cannot take His eyes off of us! Many people believe in a God who is too busy to hear our prayers and consequently, too busy to answer those prayers. Yet our God is so powerful that He has time for us all! If He interrupts your sleep, He probably wants to talk! If you are His, you can rest assured that He will take care of you!


“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
Matthew 25:1-13

Saturday, August 28: The journey

Today, I drove back from Mt. Whitney with Tommy. Our group of climbers began with eight, but after a strenuous day hike on Wednesday, we were down to four. Thursday morning at 3:30, we began the 22-mile journey, and as we approached Trail Crest at 13,600 feet, could see the conditions deteriorating rapidly. Tommy was hurting with a cramp in his side and lagged a little way back, while Morgan, Rob and I approached the summit. Every seasoned climber that we passed cautioned us to turn back. We anxiously watched the darkening clouds to see which direction they were moving. Could we sneak up to the summit, take a quick photo and hurry down? While making the decision, we saw a bolt of lightning crash on the summit, less than a half mile away. Morgan asked if there was a place to hide for a couple hours, where we could let the storm pass. Unfortunately, that side of the mountain is completely exposed.


We turned around and began to descend rapidly. In less than a half mile, we met up with Tommy, who was continuing toward the summit at 14,000 feet. All four of us were mentally and physically able to go to the top, but that was not our destiny that day. Having been on the summit many times before, I hurt for the three who were disappointed to get that close without reaching the peak. For the first 5 miles down the mountain, hail pummeled us. It felt like we were being shot continuously with BB’s. Moving at different paces, all four of us arrived at the bottom alone and exhausted. Driving back to Laguna Beach today, Tommy and I conversed about the journey.


Tommy is living in a sober, recovery house with others on the same path. Having been controlled by substances until 90 days ago, he has been humbled and is now seeking the Lord. The trek up Mt. Whitney reminded him of his walk with Jesus, and his walk without those substances. He spoke of the physical difficulty of ascending the mountain. Though I had described how difficult it would be, the exhaustion of muscles coupled with the thinning air as we ascended, became an internal argument. “Stop now; it hurts too bad!” OR “You can do this, Tommy. Just put one foot in front of the other!” One was the voice of God, reminding Tommy that even though it was difficult, he shouldn’t quit. Tommy stopped looking at the summit, which was tantalizingly within view. Instead, he took one step at a time, seemingly alone. In rehabilitation, Tommy has been surrounded by other people with the same struggle. Sometimes, it is easier to move as a group, and that support can be very helpful. Yet because God made us all to be different, we don’t always move at the same pace. Tommy found that moving at his own pace was synonymous with his path to recovery. There would be times when he would need that individual strength, without the support of a group. What we sometimes forget, though, is that even when there are not people around us to encourage us, God is always there!

All of us as Christians are on that same path. It doesn’t matter if God has rescued us from substance abuse or other bondages common to man. Our journey is to God, with God and because of God. There are times when we get ahead of Him, travelling at our own pace, while the opposite also occurs, with us moving more slowly than He desires. Regardless, God brings us to the place He wants us to be, and there is no more peaceful feeling than doing it all in God’s perfect timing. When we look to Him, His hand will guide us.


1I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help?
2My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
3He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Psalm 121:1-3


Not reaching the summit reminded Tommy that his journey was not yet over. Many struggles remain in his path, and in ours, but with God guiding us, protecting us, and sometimes even carrying us, we will complete the journey with Him! There are mountains to climb, giants to slay and crosses to bear.


“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
John 15:5


28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30

Friday, August 27: Fatigue

Today, I am tired, having climbed a mountain yesterday. The process was so repetitious for 22 miles that even when sleeping, my body seemed to continue on the journey. Part of the human condition is having bodies that need rest. Most of us tend to find our balance more on the side of tired than of rested. If that negative balance continues for long enough, we cross the line from fatigue to exhaustion. That feeling of absolute fatigue may begin with physical signs, but the root is typically much deeper than physical strain.

“Our fatigue is often caused not by work, but by worry, frustration and resentment.” ---Dale Carnegie

Carnegie’s statement carries a ring of truth, for when faced with difficult decisions, many times, it affects our sleep. Have you ever found your mind racing when it should be dreaming of eating banana splits when you still had hair on your head? Oh, I guess that is just my dream!


6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7


God’s promise to us on this matter is a conditional one. If we don’t worry, but instead, hand the issues over to Him to resolve and trust that He will, then He will fill us with a peace that is beyond what others could understand in the middle of that turmoil. It comes down to a matter of trust. When we worry, we are calling God a liar, as He already has promised many times that He will not let us down in any way. He never will leave us or forsake us. He always will work out all things together for the benefit of those whom He has chosen. He cannot lie for it is against His nature. Trust Him!


Worry causes a snowball effect in our sleep pattern. Miss one night of rest, and grumpiness affects actions throughout the day and other relationships, which will add to the worry in your life. That gives the worrywart more issues to worry about!

“Fatigue makes cowards of us all.” ---Vince Lombardi

But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31

Remember, God will handle your issues in His time! That’s what it means to wait on Him! Somehow, in the heat of the battle, we can lose sight of the fact that not only is God’s answer the perfect one, but His timing is perfect, as well. When we are able to hand the issue over to the Lord, our strength will be renewed. That is because we then, are operating under His power, rather than our own. Instead of carrying the burdens of the world upon our narrow shoulders, we run unfettered. Unfortunately, it sounds easier than it is, due to our sinful nature. For most of us, it becomes a process. First, we understand what it says in God’s Word, so our brain grasps the concept. Yet sometimes we have to endure some fatigue and maybe even some exhaustion before that message travels the 18-inches between our heads and our hearts. Once we accept in our hearts that God is as always, in control, the burden is lifted.


And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Hebrews 3:18

Thursday, August 26: Endurance

Today, I am guiding a group up Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous United States at 14,505 feet. In the last 15 years, I have climbed that mountain over 20 times, in snow and ice, the heat of summer, darkness of night and brightness of day. We are taking the Mt. Whitney trail from the Whitney Portal, which is one of many routes to the summit. Though some of the trails involve more mountain climbing and scrambling, our route is the most gradual, the least direct and more of a long slog, eleven miles to the summit and eleven miles down again. Our climbing party has varying levels of experience, age and fitness, but we have decided to do this as a group by moving at the level of the slowest hiker. With the trek beginning at 3:30 a.m., we hope to be off the mountain by sunset, when we will rest our aching muscles in the hotel Jacuzzi. In our journey, we will be more like the tortoise than the hare in Aesop’s Fable, focusing on endurance, rather than speed.


One of the greatest requirements of the Christian walk is endurance. While many who come to the Lord hope for ease and prosperity in their new lives, that is not God’s promise. Instead, He promises that He never will leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Jesus also promises that we will continue to suffer!


These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33


The walk of a Christian is similar to climbing a mountain. Each difficult step up that mountain carries us closer to the Lord, though we have no idea what it will look like when we get to the top. We do know that God will be there, and that is enough reason to climb! Additionally, we can look back and see the view of where we came from. When we look down the mountain, the journey doesn’t appear to be as steep or painful as it did when we were climbing that section, but we remember the journey. There are times when we might slip or even fall, yet God will pick us up, help us to dust the world off and get back on the journey again. One of the keys is not to quit, as nothing worth having is easy!

As Jesus reminded us, we all have mountains to face in our lives. He certainly did when He walked on this earth, and a servant is not greater than his Master. (John 15:20). If you feel like your mountain is insurmountable, know that God already has promised that anything He puts into your path you can handle (1 Corinthians 10:13), not alone, but with Him in control of your life. Are you walking with Him in your trials, or walking alone? He wants to help shoulder the burden, if you will only let Him!


13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14

Wednesday, August 25: Training

Championship athletes may be born with God-given abilities of speed, power and agility, but without proper training, those abilities are useless. To perform like a champion involves much repetition and muscle memory, fine tuning those same muscles. Additionally, without endurance, all but the shortest races will end with failure.

“Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” – Aristotle

While these fundamentals directly apply to physical conditioning, they are also analogous to spiritual conditioning. Imagine a lengthy race that not only has many spectators lining the course, but additionally, an army of naysayers trying to trip you up and wipe you out of the race. Satan and his demonic host have spent all of man’s history plotting against and deceiving God’s saints. His goal is to ruin your testimony for the Lord.


24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27


According to Paul, we are to run with certainty. That certainly is the knowledge of God’s Word. In the Bible, we are given many promises, and as God is incapable of breaking a promise, we can be certain that what He has promised will come to fruition. He has promised that any temptation in our paths is one we can handle, and along with that He will give us a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). He has promised that He never will leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He has promised that the work that He began in us, He will complete (Philippians 1:6). It sounds like much of the race has to do with God’s power in our lives.

God did His part. He took a blind man and gave him vision. He took a dead man and gave him life. He took a lame man and gave him powerful legs. Those are the spiritual conditions of each of us without God. Do you think that people in wheelchairs see others running, and yearn to run beside them? I know they do! God gave us legs to run the race, and we should run it for His glory. We already have received the Prize and it is God’s Son in our lives! If we finish the race strongly, we will receive a crown, yet that crown belongs to Jesus, and at the Bema Seat, we will cast the crown at His feet.


So what are we responsible for? Keeping the faith and finishing strongly. The repetition necessary in our lives involves Bible study, fellowship and prayer. Yet God has a ministry for each of us and we are to serve Him and serve others in that ministry. Don’t get confused by the world’s philosophy that bigger is better. One person is enough to make a successful ministry if that is God’s will. There are plenty of ministries with thousands of followers who are being misled. How many people were still following Jesus when He was on the cross?


Commit yourself to holiness. God would not keep us here unless He had people for us to love. Most of the time, those people will be the down-trodden, the ones the world might call unlovable. Don’t forget…God put people in your life to love you!


Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2

Tuesday, August 24: Recharging your batteries

Life is a series of victories and defeats, peaks and valleys, joy and sadness. Interestingly, the line of delineation between each of those apparent opposites reveals that each are closely related. In defeat, there is always victory. Each valley contains a peak to that valley. In the lowest degree of sadness, there is a joy that you have survived and can go no lower.

“Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you are climbing it.” – Anonymous

Certainly, we all desire the “mountaintop” experience with God, yet sometimes, we forget what that period at the pinnacle entails. Moses spent two consecutive, 40-day periods of fasting alone with God on Mount Sinai. It was a time of powerful and memorable fellowship with the Lord, but during the second period, Moses was pouring out His soul to the Lord to save and not destroy the children of Israel, who had fallen into almost immediate idolatry when Moses journeyed up the mountain to receive the Law. More specifically, Moses ached for the life of his brother Aaron, who had fashioned the golden calf.


18 And I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and forty nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all your sin which you committed in doing wickedly in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger. 19 For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure with which the LORD was angry with you, to destroy you. But the LORD listened to me at that time also. 20 And the LORD was very angry with Aaron and would have destroyed him; so I prayed for Aaron also at the same time. 21 Then I took your sin, the calf which you had made, and burned it with fire and crushed it and ground it very small, until it was as fine as dust; and I threw its dust into the brook that descended from the mountain.
Deuteronomy 9:18-21


Moses prayed for Aaron also. We know that God listened to Moses at other times, as well, and it sounds as though Moses prayed for the people first, and his own family second. How many in our Christian leadership feel that way about those God has entrusted them with? How many are willing to give up food and water for even a day? What this passage reveals is that our prayer should be to never give up on anyone! It doesn’t matter what we have done, or how we have sinned against God. Each of us has our secret closet filled with awful sins, and only God knows the sins behind that door. Fortunately for us, if we repent, God casts those sins deep into the ocean, and He never dredges them up again. Sadly, we sometimes have trouble letting go of the sins that God has forgiven. Instead, we should be more concerned with allowing God to break our hearts because of our sin, for without that effect upon our hearts, the same sin will continue!

“Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find that you have crossed the mountain.” – Anonymous

Each journey is a series of highs and lows. We have moments of high energy and moments when we cannot envision taking another step. But as long as we are walking with the Lord, He recharges our batteries, preparing us for another journey, and another battle. Interestingly, unless you have some distance from the mountain, you can’t even see it! That “alone time” with the Lord on top of the mountain is something to treasure, but as He remains with us throughout every step and every battle, the valleys and ascents are just as special. Be content wherever the Lord has you, for the place He desires for you to be is definitely a special place!


5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5


Now godliness with contentment
is great gain.
1 Timothy 6:6

Monday, August 23: Are you being deceived?

Paraphrasing another saying, American author Carolyn Wells said, “Actions lie louder than words.” Certainly, lying is a part of our condition and our culture. We tell our children all about Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy, knowing that down the road, they will discover the truth, and then will pass on the lie when they have children. We think of that as a harmless lie, sometimes referred to as a white lie. On the surface, some lies do appear to be harmless, but in actuality, all lies cause harm. Though God tells us in His commandments that lying is a sin, we all find ourselves trapped in perpetuating many of the lies in our lives.


When Satan was cast out of heaven, before Adam and Eve had children, he had become the great deceiver, spinning his tales to serve his own purposes. By taking a small part of the truth that God had spoken to Adam, Satan twisted the words to confuse Eve. Yet Eve would not have taken the advice of the slimy serpent without her own problematic desire to “be like God.” Satan appealed to her pride in his plan to trip her up. That should not be a surprise to any of us, as he continues to use that ruse with each of us. Yet we know that Jesus not only speaks truth, but is the truth!


Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
John 14:6


The great deceiver operates against the truth of Jesus. We cannot be deceived unless we are led away from the truth unknowingly, otherwise it would be a choice rather than deception. Logic reveals that there is no one being deceived who believes they are being deceived. All of us are subject to deception, but as Christians, our protection remains as long as we are relying on the power of God, rather than operating under our own prideful power supply. Once again, the same issue that tripped up Satan makes us stumble. If we have desires for power, notoriety, or money –- basically, the trappings of the world – then we also have the potential to be fooled. Satan preys on human weakness, and he has spent all of man’s history practicing his craft. Though the old adage says that “practice makes perfect,” Satan never will be perfect, though he certainly is powerful. Yet, God, who dwells in us, is much greater than any of the beings He created!


There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.
Proverbs 14:12


There are few people who choose the wrong path, knowing that it leads to destruction. But when we put emphasis on our own intelligence, rather than relying on God’s omniscience, we have entered the wide gate.


13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Matthew 7:13-14


When Jesus was teaching His disciples about the latter days, referring to the end times, he warned of false christs and false prophets, members of Satan’s army.


For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
Matthew 24:24

Is it possible to deceive the elect? When Jesus walked the earth as a man, He performed miracles. In the form of the antichrist, Satan will attempt to copy the miracles of Jesus. Those miracles will cause many to follow, yet the elect should know His Word, and His prophetic warning of not allowing those signs and wonders to amaze and deceive them. The word “elect” in the Bible refers to two separate groups, the children of Israel and the church. When Jesus is speaking to His disciples, the context of the verses seems to relate to the Jews. Yet it is apparent from the verse that God will not allow His followers to be deceived at this time.


Don’t let your actions and your life lead others astray. We can be seed planters or seed waterers, but our greatest calling is to love others by speaking truth. Jesus is the truth that will set us free! Without knowing Jesus, you are being deceived! Yet even as Christians, we can lose sight of what God wants us to do, by choosing to do what “seems right.” One key is not to allow the praises of men to become spiritual barometers in our lives. Measure yourself against God’s Word, not public or private opinion or approval!


It is not good to eat much honey;
So to seek one’s own glory is not glory.
Proverbs 25:27

Sunday, August 22: The glory of God in nature

One of the comments we make to workaholics is, “Stop and smell the roses.” At a glance, everyone notices the physical beauty of the rose, though many different varieties of God’s majestic flower have aromas that are more surprising than even the physical beauty. We can’t appreciate that aspect without getting up close and personal with the rose, which takes time, energy and proximity. God has intricately woven His creative hand through everything upon the earth, and with my annual journey to Mt. Whitney at hand, I am once again looking forward to getting away from shopping centers and Starbucks!


For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
Romans 1:20-22


We can see God in nature! And yes, we can even smell God in nature. Consider the flowers, to paraphrase what Jesus said. Every single flower has its own perfume! How amazing that just as humans have different fingerprints, flowers each have their own smell. God’s handiwork is so amazing that it is obvious how awkward and clumsy man’s creative hand is in comparison. Part of the Mt. Whitney trail is through a lush forest. On Thursday, we will pass through that area in the dark. Just as a blind man’s senses of smell and hearing are heightened, it is wonderful to smell the forest when walking through in darkness of night!

"Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 "If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?
Luke 12:27-28


Taking the time to smell the roses also can apply to the rest of God’s creations. Do we take the time to get up close and personal with the people God has dropped into our lives? There are no coincidences, as God has a purpose and a plan for each of us. Consequently, He places people in our paths for a reason. It doesn’t matter if they are Christians or atheists, God has a design behind it all. Sometimes, we have a tendency to portray joyfulness while at church, when in reality, there are some real difficulties facing us. On a similar note, rather than just smile at a church acquaintance, take the time to discover where they are hurting. Sometimes a simple hug can do wonders, but most of the time, your impact on their lives will take time, energy and proximity. Smell the roses, and don’t forget, we are going to a city where the roses never fade!

1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork.
2 Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
Psalm 19:1-2

Saturday, August 21: A servant to all!

In our culture, the words “slave” and “servant” carry negative connotations. Especially in the history of the United States, slavery reminds us of a time when our ancestors uprooted families from African nations and sold them to do manual labor for others without pay. Other nations were involved in the slave trade, too. One of the best depictions of that time is the movie, “Amazing Grace,” which celebrates the life of William Wilberforce, a transformed Christian and member of Parliament who devoted his life to ending slavery in England. Additionally, the movie touches on the life of John Newton, a former slave trader who wrote the words to our best known hymn, using his painful past to understand God’s love and forgiveness. It is difficult to imagine how painful it must have been to be living freely, working and supporting a family, only to be kidnapped, taken across the world, and forced to work for others…or die.


There is a difference between a slave and a servant. A servant is paid for his work, while a slave is not, but is purchased from someone else. As negative as the word “servant” is, the Bible refers to Paul, Peter, James, Jude and Epaphras as bondservants of Jesus Christ. “Bondservant” is duolos in Greek. In the Old Testament, a servant would work for six years, and then be set free. Yet if the servant wanted to remain, he would place his ear against a wooden door, have his ear pierced by an awl and would stay with the master by choice. The earring placed through the servant’s ear was a sign that he belonged to the master forever (Exodus 21:1-6). As Christians, we are no different from the other bondservants mentioned in the Bible. We have chosen to remain with our Master forever, and certainly, we are paid handsomely! We have been given eternal life! What would cause a servant to desire to remain with the master? Certainly, they would have to think they were well taken care of, but they would really have to love the master! Let’s look at another servant in the Bible:


12 So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
John 13:12-17

When Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, He performed a task that only the lowest in class would attempt. Knowing that, Peter told the Lord that he would not allow Him to serve in that manner. Yet Jesus told Peter without Peter allowing that to happen, He would have no part of Peter. That changed Peter’s mind very quickly! Peter always seemed to be the one who said what he thought. We can see that as courage or brashness, but it had to be uncomfortable to have Jesus, who was God on earth, washing the dirtiest part of the disciples’ bodies. Envision how nasty their feet would be, wearing sandals and walking around on the unpaved roads. Yet that is exactly the lesson the Lord wanted them, and us, to learn.


For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.
Luke 22:27


A servant is not concerned with his own needs, but a good master will take care of those needs. Jesus served His disciples and us, knowing that the Father would take care of His needs. In turn, Jesus calls us to serve others. That is the kind of love that will speak loudest to a broken world. If we are busy serving others, God will certainly take care of our needs! Be careful that you don’t serve to be seen! Each of us knows a special friend with a servant’s heart, who is always working behind the scenes. The Bible tells us not to even let our left hand know what our right hand is doing! Are you a servant to all? Jesus was! If God can lower Himself, we certainly can!


33 Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. 35 And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”
Mark 9:33-35

Friday, August 20: Love God in everything!

Purity is the state of being undiluted, or unmixed with extraneous materials. Additionally, purity in a spiritual sense has to do with freedom from sin or guilt, combining with the sexual aspect of chastity. Certainly, we never will be free from sin while on this earth, yet with the forgiveness of God, we are free from guilt. As Christians, we are brides of Christ, and He desires all of our love! That sounds like a level of requirement that we simply cannot uphold, yet that is not God’s point of view. Because an omniscient God created us, He comprehends every false desire in the minds and hearts of His sheep. Instead of condemnation, God’s desire for us is that through the journey, we will learn to trust Him more, to follow Him more and most importantly, to love Him more.


3 We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. 4 But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, 5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; 6 by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, 7 by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 8 by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
2 Corinthians 6:3-10


The list above does not paint the Christian life as a simple walk in the park. Instead, the words spoken by Paul point to a higher calling in the midst of turmoil. There is no great difficulty in loving those who love you, but when we treat our enemies with love, it demonstrates that our hearts are operating under a higher power, the power of the Holy Spirit. If we cannot love others, we cannot love God. Sometimes as believers, we have the audacity to judge where unbelievers are walking, especially in regard to their sinful ways and lives. Yet the ugliness that we perceive in their lives is truly, ugliness in our own lives. God created them just as He created us. Instead of judging them, we are called to love them, as that love may be the shining light in their world of darkness, pointing them just as it did us to a God who loves!

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
1 Corinthians 13:1


One of the greatest challenges as believers is to keep that love of God at the forefront of your minds and hearts. Sometimes, the Lord will reveal locked doors, protecting areas of our lives that we are holding onto, unwilling to give Him the key. Those areas may be different in each of our lives. Examples would be the desire for more money, more status or more accolades from men. Are your business ethics identical to your ethics at church? God doesn’t want parts of us. He doesn’t even desire to have most of us. Instead, God desires all of us! Whether we want to give Him the key or not, He is going to open that door! That is the Christian journey summed up in a nutshell.


He must increase, but I must decrease.
John 3:30


John the Baptist’s statement speaks volumes. As we grow in the Lord, we should become more like God. Our Lord does not accomplish that transformation by turning a light switch, though if He desired, He could. Yet He wants us to desire more of Him in our lives.


12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Philippians 2:12-13

“That all things are possible to him who believes, that they are less difficult to him who hopes, they are more easy to him who loves, and still more easy to him who perseveres in the practice of these three virtues.”  --Brother Lawrence, from “The Practice of the Presence of God”

Believing is more than thought; it is belief in action, also called faith. Hope is the desire to be with Jesus, along with the expectation of obtaining that desire, with joy being the companion of both the desire and expectation. Yet those will pass away, for when we see Jesus face-to-face, faith and hope will no longer be necessary. Love, though, will remain for all of eternity! By loving others now, we also love God. We can love Him through every aspect of our lives, not just Bible study, fellowship and prayer. Are there moments of your life when God departs from you? No, as He has set up His tabernacle in your soul, never to depart. As He will never leave you, how can you leave Him? Worship the Lord in every part of your life, and let your love for others (and for Him) be at the forefront!

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
1 Corinthians 13:4-10

Thursday, August 19: What is your excuse?

Many years ago, when I was a freshman at the United States Air Force Academy, we only were allowed five responses during the entire year when “conversing” with upper classmen. They were “Yes, sir,” “No, sir,” “Sir, may I ask a question,” “Sir, may I make a statement,” and the final response, which was required anytime anyone asked a why question, “No excuse, sir!” The system was designed to break the individual mentality, and have every cadet think with a focus on the group. Each of us who endured that first year would remember it as senseless and demoralizing, but certainly, the goal of getting a group to act collectively as one was met for the most part.


One of the greatest lessons had to do with making excuses. In the military, if you messed up, there was no excuse. No matter how much explaining was accomplished by the culprit, the situation only seemed to get worse. As Christians, an excuse is even more ludicrous, for instead of giving that excuse to a superior ranking official of varying intelligence, we are giving that excuse to our omniscient Creator. God isn’t fooled for a moment. Instead, He knows much more about the situation than anyone directly involved. In any disagreement, there are always three points of view: ours, theirs and God’s. Which one of those do you think is the only correct one? In the Gospel of John, when Jesus heals a paralytic man, the man is filled with excuses:


After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. 5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”
7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”
8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.
John 5:1-9


In his short statement, the paralytic man offered three excuses: “I have no man to put me into the pool,” “the water is stirred up,” and “another steps down before me.” Each of those excuses sounds similar to the ones we make. His first excuse echoes when we say there is no one around to help us. This points to a reliance on other men rather than a reliance on God. His second excuse sounds like when we erroneously believe that conditions are not right for a miracle, pointing to a dependence on circumstances, rather than depending upon the Lord. Lastly, his third excuse sounded similar to us saying that others always get in our way. This points to us blaming others rather than trusting God.


Even when we make excuses, that doesn’t mean that God won’t continue to use us. Instead of looking at the life of a paralytic sinner, we can look into the life of a man selected by God to lead His chosen people, Moses. When the Lord called him to lead the children of Israel, Moses made seven excuses to God, with the last two being identical. It appears he was running out of excuses, but still the Lord used him mightily. Here are those excuses:

1. But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt.” (Exodus 3:11)
2. Then Moses said to God, “Indeed when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?” (Exodus 3:13)
3. Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’” (Exodus 4:1)
4. Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” (Exodus 4:10)
5. But he said, “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.” (Exodus 4:13)
6. And Moses spoke before the Lord, saying, “The children of Israel have not heeded me. How then shall Pharaoh heed me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?” (Exodus 6:12)
7. But Moses said before the Lord, “Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh heed me?” (Exodus 6:30)

Are you making excuses to God? Frequently in the lives of believers, those excuses have to do with sins we are not willing to walk away from. Additionally, we also have a tendency to make excuses involving ministry opportunities, just as Moses did. If God asks why we did something without Him or against Him, our answer should be a resounding, “No excuse, Sir!” Yet even with our failures and excuses, He continues to love us. But He certainly desires our willingness!

And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come.
Matthew 22:1-3

Wednesday, August 18: Do you know His voice?

When someone calls my dog Whitney, she listens pretty well, for a puppy in training. But if I am there, she always looks to me before responding. Additionally, when Whitney is misbehaving, if she hears me say, “No,” she responds immediately, while that quick response never occurs when it is a stranger’s voice. Dogs have an acute sense of smell, but their sense of hearing is also phenomenal. Even when I whisper, my dog knows my voice, and she should, for we spend so much time together. She goes to work with me, rides shotgun in the truck, sleeps in my bed, and other than the night after she was spayed, has been with me every day since I brought her home when she was 8-weeks-old.


That is a great analogy to our relationship with the Lord. Depending on the amount of time we spend with Him, we should know His voice. Quality time with Him is through Bible study, prayer and fellowship. It could include time spent in church or time spent completely alone.


1 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 "But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 "And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 "Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers." 6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.
John 10:1-6


The Holy Spirit is the doorkeeper and Jesus is the door. Do you know His voice? That is one of the most important questions that each of us has to answer. We don’t become a sheep by believing; we believe by becoming a sheep. Are you confused yet? If you believe in Jesus Christ, it is because He chose you as a sheep from the foundations of the earth. He called Lazarus by name, Zaccheus by name, Mary Magdalene by name at the tomb… and we all will hear Him call us by name, too, if we are true believers!

The voice of our Lord could crumble rocks into tiny bits, but is the voice of a peaceful river, restoring our souls. Though His voice could send every enemy sprawling, it is the voice of sweet forgiveness when we repent of our sin and turn toward Him. His voice can be still and small, but we can hear that whisper loudly, deep in our souls, as if He is speaking with the world’s largest megaphone. Lazarus was dead and still could hear the voice of his Lord:


43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”
John 11:42-44


If you desire to hear His voice, you will hear His voice, for the Lord has promised that anyone who seeks Him, will find Him. But without the desire to hear His voice above all others, there is no point in listening. Voices of the world will conflict God’s voice of reason, and the world’s voice will focus on your pride, accomplishments, financial goals, etc. God’s voice will focus on following His Word, edifying others with His love, and drawing nearer to Him. He who has an ear should hear what the Spirit is saying!


And you said: ‘Surely the LORD our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire. We have seen this day that God speaks with man; yet he still lives.
Deuteronomy 5:24