The Wise Men Traveled from Afar and Your Walk of Faith will Take a While

It’s Monday and the special day is nearly upon us. Not much time left to get things done. So much preparation and then the day gets here before you know it. Our pastor was talking about the wise men who came to see the baby Jesus. We see the entire nativity story as one day’s events. But the story actually was spread out over a while. The fact that the wise men came “from afar” lets us know that they had to travel a distance to get there.  It may have taken days or even weeks to arrive. Even if they traveled on camels it would take a while.  They had to find shelter along the way, they had to avoid enemies and dangerous places.  They had to plan the trip and hope for good weather and might have even encountered sandstorms or worse.

Everything worthwhile takes planning and takes a while. Not many great things are done in a hurry or with haste. Our walk of faith is like the trip of the wise men. We are born again of incorruptible seed. But we must grow into Christ-likeness. We learn the Word, we go through things, we become overcomers and we grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord.  Experience teaches us that Christ is all we need. Time teaches us that God is faithful. Study teaches us what the Word says, but the trip we take in the flesh seals the facts for us. We walk out our walk of faith and it takes a while. To become wise men and women of God will take our entire life.

God knows your hearts’ desires. He knows that you want things to be just right. He also knows that you want to hurry things along, including your faith.  It often seems, doesn’t it, that just as you feel you have arrived at the pinnacle of your faith walk, another mountain comes upon the scene and you must make it over. You want to “arrive” just as the wise men did. You want to sit at Jesus’ feet and let the world go by. But it takes time to live this life. It’s a trip worth taking, if you remember that your arrival, your final destiny, is to be with Jesus in heaven forever. Until then, this is a learning experience that takes time and effort and planning. There will be mistakes along the way and perils and troubles and trials. There will be times when the devil will work against you. Other times your flesh will try to reign supreme. And there’s always other people who disappoint, discourage, disagree and pronounce untruths on your life. Friends walk away, loved ones quit loving and life gets rough. Hard times will make you want to turn back, but God is with you, guiding, protecting, interceding and caring for you all the way.

Oh beloved, rejoice in this most blessed season while there is time. You are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to be all He wants you to be, to go where He wants you to go and to be a living, visible sign that God has a plan for everyone’s life. You may feel unworthy, unprepared and undone much of the time along the way. But each and every mountain you face or valley you make it through is preparation for becoming more like Christ.  The Holy Spirit is guiding you, even in the hard times, for you have a destination just as the wise men all those years ago. Your destination is to live in heaven with Jesus forever. This is no demotion, this is your promotion.  So enjoy the trip, take plenty of the Word with you, along with peace, comfort, joy, abiding faith and enduring love.

Just as those wise men needed their travel needs to be met, you will need the whole council of God’s Word to make it, but beloved you are going to make it, because God loves you and He’s for you.  Because God’s plan for your life is surrounded and filled with His love and His care, you are an overcomer who will arrive at every checkpoint of faith, growing into His image on every turn. Keep traveling, keep walking and keep looking to Jesus, who is the author and finisher of your faith.

1 John 4:17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face Him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

Colossians 3:10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like Him.

John 16:33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

Philippians 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.

2 Peter 1:3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

You CAN Walk in FREEDOM!

We watched a rerun of King Kong the other day. The newest version really shows the gorilla as a fierce creature much more realistic than the 1930’s version. His fierceness was overshadowed only by his strength.  Yet for all his strength, he was finally subdued by his enemies. The captors penned him down with enough ropes and strong medicine to knock him out. Their elaborate plan to capture him finally worked, even though he fought them, even though he was stronger, fiercer and bigger.

The word says that the believer is strong and invincible in the face of trials and troubles. We are referred to as more than conquerors and overcomers by the Blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimonies. We are instructed to walk in freedom and be valiant warriors for God.     

Yet the enemy of our soul has an elaborate plan to capture us. Regardless of the promise of spiritual strength to overcome we will fall if we’re not careful. The enemy, our would-be captor, has a cunningly devised plan.  This plan is clever, artful, and ingenious and he has worked hard inventing, developing and formulating the plan.   

Unlike King Kong, who was finally captured, we do not have to succumb to the tactics of the enemy. He’s crafty but we have the Holy Spirit residing in us. This gives us great advantage in the fights of our lives, our hearts, our minds.  As we daily surrender ourselves to God, and declare our dependence on Him alone, we are able to overcome whatever is thrown at us.

While the enemy doesn’t cause every problem in our lives, he certainly wants to take credit for it and use it to his advantage.  If we are angry and we let that anger rule our lives we are submitting to a rope across our back. If we are discouraged and we don’t allow God to replace it with His courage we’ll find another rope has been slung across us.  I would dare say that fear is probably three ropes – fear will tie you down all by itself. Fear of man, fear of failure, fear of the future – none of these are meant to live in our minds, yet without God’s touch we all have fear. The list of ropes goes on and on: disappointment, tragedy, trials, turmoil, sorrow, unbelief…

Thanks be to God the lover of our soul has a plan as well! His plan includes praise, worship and freedom. His plan keeps us safe, keeps us free of terrors and lets us live without concern of the enemy. We don’t have to be taken captive as we learn to apply God’s Word to every situation that comes our way. Ropes are designed to capture us, but we can use them as walkways to greater living.    God’s plan of living even includes rescue when we’ve let ourselves be captured!  He will not allow us to remain captive unless we choose to. He is our Redeemer, Savior and Friend and His Spirit is strong on our behalf to break every chain and loose every bondage we’ve ever had. Brute force, natural strength won’t relieve you, redeem you or set you free. But God’s power is the overcoming victory for every believer.

Oh beloved, God has a wonderful plan for your life! That plan includes walking in freedom no matter what road you are on. It includes walking in strength and power of the Holy Spirit even in the jungles of life.  God is wooing you with His Word this morning to listen and live free. He will lovingly untie every fetter that seeks to control you and keep you down as you give each one to Him.  He’ll even take away the fear of the only natural enemy you have – satan – and replace it with His assurance. You never have to walk in dread of capture as long as you walk in the light of His Word.

God loves you and He’s for you and He provided your ultimate freedom on the Cross so that you can live free and in the power of His might all the days of your life!

Isaiah 43:1-3 Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.   When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.  When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown.  When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.  For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

Psalm 119:45 I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments.

Psalm 59:17 O my Strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love.

Psalm 18:1 I love You, Lord; You are my strength.

Psalm 18:39 You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have subdued my enemies under my feet.

Psalm 89:15 Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of Your presence, Lord.

Your Strength is From God Himself!

Two of our grandsons spent the night with us last night. We rented Jack the Giant Slayer.  It was pretty good but the best party of the movie was at the very end. The special affects were outstanding, the actors were good and the plot was wondrous. But that ending…

There were gruesome fights, a captured princess and fights for freedom. As the giants in the land were about to take over the entire kingdom, killing all the people who lived there, including the people’s king – they suddenly stopped in their tracks. Beginning with the leader, one by one they all knelt and bowed. Elmont, the king’s elite guard leader, looked incredulously at the sight of those giants in such a position.

He spoke out loud and everyone heard him, including the King, “There’s something behind me isn’t there?” As the soldiers and the King turned around, Jack came up with the princess. He was holding the crown of an ancient king Erik, who had reportedly defeated the giants one time before. He put the crown on his head and the fight was over. Not one of the giants was able to come against the crown.

Let’s face it. We all have battles in our lives. Some of them are quite gruesome. There are battles we don’t want, but find ourselves in anyway. There are battles of the heart, the mind and the spirit. We may love with abandon, only to find ourselves struggling to keep love fresh and real. We give ourselves fully to friends and family but there are times when even the closest of kin will turn and walk. We battle heartaches, loneliness, sorrow, despair. We come up against fearsome foes – fear, anger, rejection, doubt, indifference and more.  We may start out strong, but find ourselves holding on for our life as we see that we are no longer winning but actually up against things we can never overcome…on our own.

But just like the final battle in the movie, we have something behind us! We have Someone Who will come in like a flood and wipe our enemies from the land before us! Our King of Kings promises so many vast and wonderful things for us so that we can be more than conquerors and absolutely victorious in any battle we face! If He weren’t behind us, we’d lose for sure – but He is! And so because He is behind us, we can face everything that comes our way knowing through Our God we win!

God’s battle cry is full of love so that when we feel unloved and unlovely we can rejoice in the victory of His never ending love! God’s battle cry is full of hope – the hope that never disappoints, never loses and always overcomes! God’s battle cry is full of victory, for it is in our weakest moments that He is the Strongest in us and through us!

Oh beloved, are you barely holding on this morning! Don’t despair, but rather declare!  Declare the works of the Lord, speak out the Word of the Lord and gather up the Truth of God’s Word as your sword and shield! You may have thought you were all alone facing your giants, but behind you is God and He promises to rises up on your behalf and overcome everything because He loves you and He’s for you and that’s where the true Victory is!

Learn His Word completely, embrace His Word as your banner in the battlefields of life and watch as through God you will be valiant and find yourself in a win win situation always!

Jeremiah 15:20 They will fight against you like an attacking army, but I will make you as secure as a fortified wall of bronze. They will not conquer you, for I am with you to protect and rescue you.
I, the Lord, have spoken!

Psalm 59:17 O my Strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love.

Psalm 34:7 For the angel of the LORD is a guard; He surrounds and defends all who fear Him.

Psalm 139:5 You go before me and follow me. You place Your hand of blessing on my head.

Exodus 14:4 The LORD Himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.

God is On Your Side and He Adores You!

 

My father was an independent man. He left home at age 16 and joined the Navy. He visited home occasionally but never returned to stay. I was born when he was 56 years old. He had traveled the world and showed up in the drug store of the Driscoll Hotel in Corpus Christi Texas where my mother worked.  He swept the 41 year old woman off her feet and the rest is history.  Not all of my father’s history was good. Looking deeper into the layers of his life you’ll find a father who was distant and unforgiving.  My father’s mother died after giving birth to him. My grandfather held it against him all of his life.  One of his most sorrowful moments as a child was when, in anger, his father hit him in the head with a well pulley. My father was out for days and the family wasn’t sure if he’d survive. But survive he did. His grandmother protected him while she was alive but eventually she died and he was left to fend for himself. As soon as he could he escaped.

I know the past can be hard to overcome. You may have been too sheltered and find it hard to deal with life. You may have been abused physically, emotionally or verbally.   You might never have been told that God even existed, much less that He loves you and has a marvelous plan for your life. You may have turned your back on your raising because it was just not good. Just as my father became independent, you too may have vowed “I don’t need anyone”. 

Oh beloved, it’s time to escape! Escape to the One Who can heal you of all scars, protect you from all harm and see you through all troubles!  His Name is Abba Father and He knew your name before you were born! His plan for you began before the world was formed.  Although life can be harsh, trials and tests can appear for a while, you have nothing to fear for your Father God is watching over you.  Your independence will not get you where you really want to go, for without the Lord of Heaven and Earth guiding your steps you will continue to fall short.  Let Him love you today! Let Him heal you in every way! Let Him hold you close as He whispers to you: I AM the Lord Who heals you and I will take whatever happened in your past and turn it out for your good and My Glory! All you have to do is give Me the opportunity by turning it all over to Me. I love you and I AM on your side and that’s all that really matters, in the past, right now and in the future!

1 Chronicles 29:11 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O LORD, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things.

Revelation 4:11 “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For You created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”

Exodus 6:7 I will claim you as My own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I AM the LORD your God who has freed you from your oppression in Egypt.

Psalm 75:3 When the earth quakes and its people live in turmoil, I AM the one who keeps its foundations firm.

Isaiah 45:3 And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness— secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I AM the LORD, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.

Isaiah 57:19  bringing words of praise to their lips. May they have abundant peace, both near and far,” says the LORD, who heals them.

Storms are Inevitable but We Can Survive!

It’s coming up a storm this morning. I haven’t seen rain yet, but off in the distance I’ve heard the approaching rumble of thunder.  Thunder is always a harbinger of weather.  I might have noticed it earlier but we had the air conditioner running and a fan as well. Lots of background noise makes for drowning out the alerts.  Now that the coffee pot has quit gurgling and Danny’s off to work I hear it approaching, each sound getting a little louder than the one before.  I’ve also looked at the radar to see if there are any storm reports or warnings yet. It helps to be prepared, especially in the early morning before daylight.  Somehow when Danny’s here I don’t mind a little storm, but by myself I’m not as brave. Because Danny remains calm I find great comfort in being with him while the storm rages.   

Oh beloved, maybe you have found yourself right in the middle of a storm. You wonder where it came from and why it’s here now. You might have seen the signs but the noise of life drowned out the warnings. Just as we cannot pick the storms that develop in nature, we don’t pick the storms that come into our lives. But just as in nature a storm is inevitable now and then, so too storms are inevitable in our lives. Unprepared we are like sitting ducks waiting to be picked off by the enemy. But prepared we can withstand storms and hold fast until they pass. Not only that, but we can come out of the storm stronger, fearless and more knowledgeable.  It’s hard to be brave alone, but when God is with us we can be valiant and overcome the storm.   Run to the safety of His Word this morning! Seek His Truth and abide in it. His Word is your storm shelter and His love will cover you completely so that when the storm has passed you and He together can rejoice that you overcame! He loves you and He’s for you so there’s nothing to fear!

Psalm 9:9  The LORD is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.

Isaiah 25:4  But you are a tower of refuge to the poor, O LORD, a tower of refuge to the needy in distress. You are a refuge from the storm and a shelter from the heat...

Joel 3:16  The LORD’s voice will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth will shake. But the LORD will be a refuge for His people, a strong fortress for the people of Israel.

Proverbs 18:10  The name of the LORD is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe.

Psalm 18:2  The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.