Saturday, December 29, 2012

Looking at the new year.


Each year at this time we are challenged to right the course of our lives.  Anyone who takes an honest inventory of his life knows that he/she has not lived a perfect life.  We see ourselves in a negative light in many ways, and rightly so.  It is only as we are honest about ourselves that we can make changes to improve ourselves. 

 

The frustration we often we run into is that most of our good intentions do not make it very far in the new year.  We try to be better and do better, but we fall victims to our weaknesses and often fail.  Resolutions are good, but they are not much good if they don’t stick and we revert back to our old ways.

 

One of the passages of Scripture that always encourages me as I take an inventory of how I am doing in my life is Philippians 3:7-14.  In this passage we are reminded that we need to let go of the past and pursue our future will great zeal and energy.  There is no value in reliving the past and bemoaning the fact that we are not perfect.  It is good for us to learn from past mistakes so that we don’t repeat them, but when we linger in the past, we keep ourselves from moving forward. 

 

Our future is brighter and will be better than our past only if we passionately pursue Christ and let him help us to change.  We don’t have the willpower or ability to make necessary changes in our lives without Him.  There is nothing we can’t do when Christ is in control.  If there is but one resolution that you make that you need to make stick, it is to let Jesus be your Lord.  Seek the Lord passionately, love him passionately, learn from him passionately and serve him passionately and you will have a great new year.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Why do I write?


Sometimes I have to pause and reflect on what I am doing and why I am doing it.  I find myself getting frustrated by the slowness of sales of my book and I have to ask myself, “Why?”.  Am I trying to market my book for personal gain or for the good that I believe it can do in people’s lives?  I strive to do what I do for the good that it may do, but if I am focused on the amount of books that are being sold, have I gotten off track?  Perhaps to some extent I have.

 

I am first and foremost a servant of Christ.  I seek to honor Him in all I do.  I write for the good that it may do.  I really don’t have a drive to sell a lot of books just for the sake of selling them.  The recognition from selling a “successful” book is not something I care about.  I don’t crave wealth from being a successful author.  If many books sell, then it means to me that potentially many people are being helped by the things I write about.

 

I have many things that I am hoping to get into the marketplace for people to read that I think will be helpful to those who read them.  If the Lord allows me to, I will strive to get them out there.  For me, my life has purpose in the good I do for Christ.  Writing for now has become my pulpit.  I will continue to write to make known the things the Lord has taught me and I will strive to not let the sales of what I write concern me.  It is enough to obediently do what the Lord has laid on my heart to do.  It is in His hands what he wants to do with it.  It is my prayer that He will be pleased with my efforts to honor him.

Friday, December 21, 2012


THE WISE MEN OF CHRISTMAS

 

WISE MEN LOOK FOR JESUS  1,2

A.       Look in the Scriptures and you will find Him.  Luke 24:25-32

B.      Look in the heavens and you will find Him.  Ps. 19:1-6; John 1:3; Col. 1:16

C.      Look at the cross and you will find Him. 

1.       Consider Isaiah’s prophecy  Is. 53

2.       Consider Matthew’s declaration.  Matt. 27:32-56

D.      Look at the redeemed and you will find Him.

 

WISE MEN OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MAN  3-9, 12

A.       Being in the presence of God troubles man.  3-6

1.        God causes us to see ourselves as we really are—sinners in need of a Savior.

2.       God causes us to realize we are responsible for our sins. 

3.       God causes us to admit we will answer to him for our sins. 

B.       Being in the presence of God transforms our thinking.  7-9, 12  (Ps. 46:10)

1.        It matters not who we think we are (wise men or otherwise).

2.       It matters not what our agenda may be.

3.       It matters not what others may think. 

4.        

WISE MEN WORSHIP JESUS  10,11

A.       We are humbled when we recognize we are in the presence of God. 

B.      We are moved to offer him our best when we are in the presence of God.

C.      We are moved to praise him when we are in the presence of God.

D.      We are awestruck when we are in the presence of God.  Wow!!!  God!!!

1.        God, you are awesome in your holiness.

2.        God, you are awesome in your glory.

3.        God, you are awesome in your majesty.

 

Wise are those who bow before Christ and worship him all the days of their lives.

Monday, December 10, 2012

What Christmas is not to me


The Christmas season means different thing to us.  I just want to share a few things that Christmas is not for me.

 

1.       It is not a time to pretend to be care about Jesus’ birth when you really don’t.

2.       It is not a time to party with people who are not your friends in order to make an impression on them.

3.       It is not a time to pretend to be happy and joyful, either you are or you’re not.

4.       It is not a time to proclaim to celebrate the birth of a Savior you don’t believe in or live for.

5.       It is not a time to persuade people to go into debt buying stuff they can’t afford for someone they love.

6.       It is not a time to ponder on the monetary value of gifts received instead of the love of the giver of the gift.

7.       It is not a time to pass on the opportunity to really get to know the Savior whose birth we celebrate.

8.       It is not a time to promote selfish interests over the interests of others.

9.       It is not a time to pretend that many people are suffering greatly over the Christmas season.

10.   It is not a time to pass on the opportunity you may have to reach out to someone in need.

11.   It is not a time to pass judgment on those who have no real reason to celebrate Christmas.

12.   It is not a time to ponder lightly the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ birth.

13.   It is not a time to pass on the opportunity to be reconciled with those you need to forgive or be forgiven by.

14.   It is not a time to proclaim peace on the earth when you have no peace in your heart.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Ps. 119:152

Ps. 119:152 I have known from my earliest days that your decrees never change.
God’s Word and ways never change. God never goes back on his Word. He had written exactly what he meant to be written. It is sin to try and adapt the Word to fit our times or understanding. God’s Word is absolutely true from beginning to end. We do not have the wisdom, right, or authority to try and make it say what we want it to say.
It is becoming increasingly popular to question what God says. Many people take things out of context to make the Scriptures say what it doesn’t say. Many pick and choose what they want to believe and live by. Many will adapt the Word to our culture and times in order not to offend certain people. Many refuse to believe that the Scriptures are indeed truth from God.
If we don’t have absolute confidence in the authenticity of the Word, we have nothing to stand on and live by. If God has not spoken clearly to all people of all time in the same way, man becomes his own god. There is no absolute truth; everybody is able to determine for themselves what is right and wrong. We see the end result of this way of thinking all around us. There are a multitude of belief systems, all claiming to be truth from God. There are a multitude of religions who deny the Word as God’s final authority for belief and practice. Truth is adapted to fit the sinful desires of people, all in the name of God. God’s character is distorted and deemed to be a God of love who embraces all people and invites them into his kingdom.
God’s Word is non-negotiable and non-changeable. God says what he means and means what he says. If you have a problem with that, then you have a problem with God. Take your complaints to Him, not me. I stand unmovable on the absolute authority and authenticity of God’s Word. ALL Scripture is given by inspiration of God. He didn’t need man’s help in deciding what is truth when he moved man to write it, and he doesn’t need man’s help in deciding now what is truth.
God has spoken. It behooves us to accept it, learn it, and strive to live by it.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Psalm 119:59-60


Ps. 119:59-60 I pondered the direction of my life; and I turned to follow your statutes. I will hurry, without lingering, to obey your commands.


When was the last time you pondered the direction of your life? Have you ever done it? Take a moment right now and give it some thought. Are you going in the direction you want to go? What do you really want to do with the rest of your life? Are you heading in the right direction? What about your spiritual life? Are you heading in the direction you want to go? Are you doing what you need to do in order to get there? You will never reach your goals when heading in the wrong direction.

In order to get to where you want to be, you must have a plan on how to get there. There are important steps to follow. Spiritually, it begins, not stops at the cross. Spiritual growth involves consistent Bible reading and study. It includes time consistently spent in praise. It involves Christian fellowship and worship. It involves serving the Lord and being witnesses for him. Without these key elements in your life, you will never move forward and get to where you need to be.

The key to making progress is to take the first step in the direction you want to go. You can pick up steam as you begin your walk. The more you walk, the more able you are to walk faster. Now is the time to do something to help you achieve your goals. Hurry, don’t delay! Don’t mess around Begin your journey today.

Do what the Lord has given you to do today. Don’t listen to the voices that say you can’t do it. The world is full of people who aren’t doing it because they believe those who say they can’t. Don’t be one of them! You can do all things through Christ who is our ever-present strength and helper. Begin your journey of faith today. You will be glad you did.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Ps. 119:35


Ps. 119:35 Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found.


We need help don’t we? We don’t always live by God’s Word. We tend to forget, neglect, ignore, or downright refuse to obey what God tells us to do. We struggle with living by God’s Word because we want to do things the easy way or we want to satisfy our own pleasures. We think sometimes that God’s Word is too demanding. Whatever we may think about God, we find it hard to want to obey him. Therefore, we must seek the Lord’s help. We are at war with our sinful thoughts and desires and we must have God’s help if we are going to obey him. The Psalmist said, “MAKE ME WALK ALONG THE PATH OF YOUR COMMANDS.” We need to pray the same prayer. We must have God’s help if we are going to obey him.

Sometimes the Lord has to make us walk in his Word. Because of our sinful leanings, we don’t always want to do what God wants us to do. We would wander away from God if it were not for his intervention. We must have His restraints on our lives if we are going to obey him.

Why do we need to obey the Lord? Because that is where happiness is found. God’s way is the only way to true happiness. The joy we get from obeying God has staying power. We find in obedience peace with God. We find satisfaction of soul that is not found anywhere else. We find that as we obey Him we want to obey him. Our desire for Him increases. We see through obedience gratitude for God’s blessings.

You can look for happiness all over the world and within the things of the world, but you will never find it. Happiness can only be found in walking along the path of God’s commands.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Ps. 119:29


Ps. 119:29 Keep me from lying to myself, give me the privilege of knowing your law.


Reread today’s Scripture. How might we lie to ourselves? One thing we tend to do is to think we are better off spiritually than we really are. We look at others and compare ourselves to them. We realize that we are better than many and become convinced that we are alright with God. We believe that the Bible is true and we might even read it and pray. We might be involved in various ministries in the church. We see ourselves in a good light.

But, what does God say about us? Are we really living holy lives before God? As we read and hear the Word can we honestly say that we are like that, doing that? Can we? God commands us to be holy and holiness is living free from sin. It is having godly thoughts, speaking in godly ways, acting in godly ways. No one can say that they have arrived and have no room for improvement in their walk with the Lord. No one who sees himself through the eyes of the Lord can do anything but be humbled before him and recognize his need for God.

It is a privilege to have at our disposal God’s Word. Some of us have several copies of it in our homes. We are blessed with the opportunity to not only become aware of God’s law, but to know it. We have no excuse for not knowing how the Lord wants us to live. Our ignorance is nothing but our laziness. We must be actively spending time in the Word so we can know how to live. We must meditate on it and discover ways to apply it to life. If you are too busy to spend time in the Word, you are too busy and your priorities are in the wrong place.

It is a privilege to get to know the ways of God. Let us not take it for granted or abuse it.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Ps. 119:9

Ps. 119:9 How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word and following its rules.


How can anyone stay pure? Note first of all that the question is not, “How can a young person become pure?” We are made pure before God the moment we accept Jesus as our Savior. Jesus forgives all of our sins and makes us pure before God. In Christ the old nature that causes us to sin is changed into the new nature that causes us to want to not sin. We desire to please God and live under his guidance and influence.

We stay pure by obeying God’s Word and following its rules. Our unwillingness to do it hinders our growth and discolors our souls. Every time we disobey God we put a chink in our armor of purity. Disobedience darkens our soul. It impacts our relationship with God. It pulls us away from God and the farther we get from God, the less pure we become.

In order for us to remain pure we must obey God’s Word. We must purposely strive to know God’s Word and obey it. We can’t put into practice what we don’t know. So, we must constantly stay connected with the Word. We must read it, meditate upon it, and ask the Lord to help us live it out. We won’t be able to perfectly do it, but we will be able to do it more than we don’t. Our ability to live in obedience is directly connected to the effort and time we put into studying the Word.

There is no sugarcoating it. In order to stay pure before God, we must invest our lives in his Word. We must strive daily to put into practice what we know and seek to learn more.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God, both now and in eternity.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Psalm 119:8

Ps. 119:8   I will obey your principles. Please don’t give up on me!


The Lord never gives up on those who are determined to obey him. He knows whether or not we are sincere and whether or not we are really trying. He knows that it is a demanding way of life. He never meant it to be anything other than that. We are in a war, not a cakewalk. The forces of evil are a formidable force, not easily conquered. There are many obstacles in our way to obedience. We can find a lot of excuses to not obey. We are easily convinced that to obey God is too hard or not in our best interests. It takes a strong will to follow up on our commitment to obey the Lord.

To obey God’s principles mean that we are constantly changing. We cannot stay who we are and still be who God wants us to be. God’s ways are the way of holiness. He is constantly at work in us to make us who we can and should be in him. God doesn’t give us principles to live by to make us feel good. He gives them to us to make us fit for the Kingdom. We are messed up because of sin. We have become ugly and sin hardens our hearts. So, it often is painful as we go through the change process. The Lord has to soften up our hearts in order to gain control of us. He takes His time to make sure it gets done right. He is persistent because he knows that there will be resistance. He is patient because he knows we don’t always understand what he is doing or why it needs to be done.

In order for the Lord to make us holy, we must do our part. We must submit to His authority over us and obey his principles. We must be determined to make His way our way. If we don’t give up our fight, the Lord won’t give up on us. He will always be on our side to help us gain the victory, one battle at a time.

Great is our victory in Jesus! Will you obey the Lord and share in it?

Sunday, April 1, 2012

INTO THE DARKNESS

Matt. 27:45-46

THE JAIL OF DARKNESS
    A.  Sin keeps us from knowing we are enemies of God.
    B.  Sin keeps us from knowing where we are going.
    C.  Sin keeps us from knowing where God is--because sin drives us away from God.
    D.  Sin keeps us from knowing who God is.
THE VEIL OF DARKNESS
    A.  Darkness veiled Christ as he waged the war for our souls.  Eph. 6:10-12
               1.  The fate of humanity rested on Christ's shoulders.
               2.  Think about what was at stake.
    B.  Darkness veiled Christ as he tasted a sin he never knew.
    C.  Darkness veiled Christ as he suffered the agony of being separated from God.
THE WAIL OF DARKNESS
    A.  From the dark recesses of Christ's soul is heard the cry, "My God, my God...."
               1.  What could be more painful than to hear your only son on his death bed crying out for you and knowing there is nothing you can do to make the pain go away?
               2.  What agony, to know that your son is dying for something he did not do!
               3.  What greater love can there be than to allow your son to lay down his life for a people who did not deserve it?
    B.  From the dark recesses of Christ's soul is heard the cry, "Why?!!!"
               1.  Why?  Why have you forsaken me?  I don't understand.  Don't you love me anymore?
               2.  Why?  Why do I have to do this all alone?
               3.  Why?  Why does it have to hurt so?  Is. 53:5-6

Friday, March 30, 2012

Ps. 19:7-8

Ps. 19:7-8 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight to life.


Why should we read the Bible? Reread these verses before us today. The Word of God does for us what nothing else can. They reveal to us how to connect to God, stay connected to him, and connect to the world in which we live. The Bible is God’s life manual. There is no way to understand life apart from it. There is no way to figure out who we are and why we are apart from it.

The Bible is God speaking to us. It is perfectly true. God has given us his Word through many different people over a span of some 1600 years. It is authoritative over our lives because it comes from God alone. God did not allow anything in it that is not absolutely true and appropriate for our learning and walk.

When we are consistently in the Word with receptive minds, it will revive our souls. Guaranteed. We will never benefit from it when we have closed minds or selfish agendas. No one perfectly understands it or applies it perfectly. All of us have much to learn. We will benefit from it as long as we want to learn from God. We must leave our preconceived ideas at the door before we enter into its treasure rooms.

He who has ears to hear will always hear what God has to say.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

II Sam. 22:29

II Sam. 22:29 O LORD, you are my light; yes, LORD, you light up my darkness.


Two issues we must address today. First, can you honestly say that the Lord is your light, and secondly, does he light up your darkness? What do we mean when we say that the Lord is our light? The Lord is your light when you no longer walk in darkness. Without Christ, we are influenced and controlled by sin. Sin is what drives us. We think sinful thoughts and do sinful things. In the dark we have no hope or help. We are stuck where we are at. We can do nothing to change our situation. We will never be good enough to get ourselves out of the darkness. In fact, we like it there and have no desire or intention of leaving. In the darkness we live for the moment and don’t even consider that maybe there is a heaven or hell.

When we are in the light, everything that is true of us in the darkness changes 180 degrees. In the light we desire to live for and please the Lord. We want our sins exposed so that we can confess them and get rid of them. We strive to not let anything hinder us in our relationship with God. We focus our eyes on eternal things and consider the things of this world as rubbish. In the light, we know that all of our goodness and godliness comes from the Lord and not us. We see our way clearly to the Lord. We invest our time and energy pursuing Him through his Word, prayer, Christian fellowship, and service.

When we are in the light, it lights up our darkness. It dispels our darkness. It is an environment in which we live that enables us to grow in grace and our knowledge of the Lord. The more light that shines on our souls, the more victory we enjoy over sin.

Are you living in the light of God’s presence today, or does darkness cast a shadow over your soul? If you are struggling with sin in your life, the only way you are going to overcome it is to enter into the life and live in the light. You can’t have it both ways. Shut the door on darkness and let the Light shine in.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Judges 6:12 Believe and Trust

Judges 6:12 The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the LORD is with you!”


Gideon was a nobody, both in the eyes of society and in his own eyes. Like most people, Gideon didn’t see himself as anybody other than a common, everyday, hardworking, and loyal part of his family. He was a farmer and he was okay with that.

However, the Lord saw something in Gideon that he didn’t see. The Lord knew what he was capable of doing. The Lord had a job for Gideon to do that did not fit into his experience, a job that would require more out of Gideon than anyone would think possible, including himself.

When God called Gideon into his service, he spoke to Gideon’s potential. He knew what Gideon could do. Don’t ever second guess what the Lord calls you to do. He knows what he is doing when he gives you a job to do. He doesn’t ever ask us to do something beyond our ability. No one else may believe in us and we may not believe in ourselves, but we can do all things through Christ our Savior. If you simply cannot believe that you are up to the task, trust in Him who calls you into service.

In the early stages of my ministry life, I was told that I would never make it, that I would not be a pastor. However, I knew what God had called me to be and do. Forty years later, I am still preaching and teaching. The Lord saw in me what that pastor did not see. The Lord knew what I could do and because I believed in him and not man, I did it.

Dear friend, there is no calling of God that is beyond our doing. Don’t deprive yourself of the joy of serving because of your fears and doubts. Don’t listen to those who say you can’t do it. Don’t deprive others of the blessings that you can bring to their lives. Don’t make the Lord use someone else do your job because of your lack of faith in him. Don’t miss out on the blessings that come from fulfilling God’s will for your life.

The Lord never asks us to do something beyond our ability. Don’t ever forget it or doubt it.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Our house.... we will serve the Lord.

Josh. 24:15c “……..But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.”


Joshua made a very bold statement. This was not done lightly. He understood what he was going on record to do. He declared before the whole nation of Israel that he was going to be the spiritual leader of his home. He wanted everyone to know that he was not going to be one person in public and another one at home. He understood the importance of being consistent in his walk with God.

It is easy to be one thing in public and another thing at home. At home, we are seen for who we really are. Our family sees us in our weaknesses more than our strengths. They are not fooled by how we appear in public.

It takes a lot of guts to go on record and take responsibility for the spiritual life of our home. Not only will people be watching us, but our families will also. In order to pull it off, we must first take personal responsibility for our own relationship with the Lord. We must seek the Lord passionately. We must grow in our love for Him to the point where he is the number one priority of our lives. We must desire Him to the point where everything else in life falls in line behind him.

It is easy to hide who we are behind what others see of us. But, we can’t hide from ourselves or our families. We are exposed, warts and all. It would be interesting to take a survey of the families of spiritual leaders and seek to find out how consistent they are in their walk with the Lord. Would they be declared righteous? Why is it that so many children of pastors and other church leaders wander away from faith and the church? Do they see enough of what others don’t to turn them away?

What about you? Are you living well enough at home to encourage and inspire your family to live for the Lord? We can’t control the decisions that our loved ones make for the Lord, but we certainly can influence their decisions by the way we live with them. Do you love the Lord and your family enough to take responsibility for the spiritual environment of your home? Are you a godly example to be followed, or are you an example to be spurned?

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Joshua 1:9

Josh. 1:9 ‘I command you---be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

How strong and courageous are you? Do you face life boldly and with confidence, or are you afraid and discouraged? Isn’t it interesting that God commanded the Israelites to be strong and courageous as they prepared to go into battle? He expected them to not be a bunch of wimps, but to be mighty warriors. He expected them to not be hesitant as they faced their enemies. He expected them to fight with purpose and zeal.
We ought to be strong and courageous as we live out our lives for the Lord. We ought to live like we were soldiers in war instead of spoiled citizens living in comfort. A soldier is always on alert, ready to face his enemy in a life or death struggle. He is aware of the dangers of battle and refuses to give in to his fears. He is well-trained and prepared to face whatever he may face.
Most of us live like we are spoiled citizens of the Kingdom. We like our comforts. We don’t want to live like we were soldiers. We try to ignore the fact that we are at war with Satan. We would rather cozy up to the darkness that surrounds us than be lights that shine in it. We would rather run, hide, or cave in when confronted by Satan than stand up and fight.
The Lord wants you to be strong and courageous today. He wants you to not cower in fear or let Satan discourage you. The Lord wants you to live like you know he is with you each step of the way. He wants you to have some guts and resist Satan. The Lord has already won the war you are in! The little skirmishes we face are but a futile attempt by Satan to keep us from claiming the victory that is ours in Christ. Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. Let us act like it today.

Friday, February 3, 2012

God's Secret Things


Deut. 29:29 There are secret things that belong to the LORD our God, but the revealed things belong to us and our descendants forever, so that we may obey these words of the law.


There is something very important in today’s verse for us to know: God never tells it all. There are things about God, life, and the future that we will never know. No matter how hard you may try or how well connected to the Lord you may be, there is a mystery about God we will never unravel this side of heaven.

It is good for us to give frequent thought to the mystery of God. We need to consider how incomprehensible the mind of God is and how powerful he is. The Bible tells us that God conceived in his mind all that exists and he put everything in its place by the mere utterance of his word. He not only put it all together, he holds it all together. Everything He has created has its place and purpose in creation, no matter how small or large it is. We don’t see it all, and never will. No matter how hard we try, there is always more to discover and see. We may not understand why some things exist, but God created them for his purposes and they are necessary.

There are secret things about the future that only God knows. We have no ability at all to see into the future and declare what is going to happen and when. The Lord has told us some things that are going to happen, but when and how it’s all going to come together, we have no clue.

There are secret things about who God is that we will never know in the flesh. We know that He is perfect in every way, but we are not able to understand that perfection due to our sinful nature. When we get to heaven and see the Lord face-to-face, we will bow before him in awe and worship him in ways we can’t even imagine of doing now, because then we will understand just how worthy he truly is to be worshipped. When we see Him, we won’t want to know what we don’t know now about him because just to be with him will be enough for us.

It is okay to not know all things. It is a good thing we don’t the secret things of God. If we knew the things we don’t know, we would lose our desire to know Him better. We also would not be able to handle what we don’t know. Let us marvel in what God has chosen to let us know, and let us marvel in that which we don’t know. Let the mystery of God inspire us on to even greater faith and worship.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Resisting Satan

     I had quite a time of it last night.  My wife had a flat tire on her way home.  She was all alone and it was after dark.  She called me and I had to borrow my daughter's car to go help her.  A wonderful state trooper was there when I got there to make sure she was safe.  I changed the tire and we came home, only to discover that I had dropped my cell phone somewhere.  I drove back to where my wife had her flat and found it in the grass.  I got home about 11:30.
      I was up shortly after 5:30 to have my devotions.  When I went to get on my computer this AM, it would not co-operate.  After about a half hour, I finally managed to get online.  Needless to say, I was feeling like I was under attack.  Maybe you know the feeling as well.
      The Lord reminded me of Peter's observation that Satan is like a roaring lion roaming around seeking whom he may devour.  Peter reminds us to stand up to him and not back down.  It is normal behavior for Satan and it should not catch us by surprise.  I have discovered that he really gets agressive when we are experiencing the blessings of the Lord.  He takes offence at our enjoyment of life in Christ and wants to make us as miserable as he can.
       James tells us to resist him and he will flee from us.  Paul tells us to put on the whole armor of God so we can withstand the fiery arrows of Satan's attacks.
       In Hebrews we are admonished to keep our eyes focused on Christ, the author and finisher of our salvation.  I have found indeed that as long as I am fixing my thoughts on Christ, keep my armor on and intack, and resist Satan, he will indeed flee from me. 

Monday, January 30, 2012

So, you want to be an author.

      It has been said that the life of an author is a lonely one.  I didn't quite know what that meant until I became one.  Two things that happen drives an author into solitude: the writing of his book and the marketing of the book.  No one knows what it is like to manufacture something from your heart and try to sell it unless he has been there. 
      I find that the marketing end of it is perhaps the most difficult thing I have ever done.  I enjoy what I do, but it is very hard getting the word out about your writings, let alone convince people you don't know they should get your book(s).  It is astronomical the number of books currently on the market.  Depending on your source, there are over 8 million titles to chose from.  One out of 8 million books is not very many.  Unless you have a public name that is recognizable, it is a very grueling process. 
       It takes money to get good books published these days and most authors are not able to just publish their works out of their pockets without great sacrifice. 
       I share this to just encourage you to not just think about buying a good book that catches your interest, buy it and help support the author so that he/she can continue to offer great books for the enjoyment and edifcation of others.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Look and Live

    
Num. 21:8-9 Then the LORD told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to the top of a pole. Those who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!” So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to the top of a pole. Whenever those who were bitten looked at the bronze snake, they recovered!


Whatever God provided for his people, it was never enough. They complained to Moses about what God had given them, as if it was Moses’ problem. God had enough of their ingratitude and had sent a plague amongst them. The people were terrified by God’s discipline and pled with Moses for help. When Moses took the matter to the Lord, he gave him the instructions in today’s verses. I am struck at how quickly Moses had to act. People were already being afflicted and were dying. There was no time to do anything but obey God. When God tells us to do something, the time to act is now not later. We don’t know what will happen if we delay. We don’t who’s life will be affected by our messing around. It is sin for us to put off until tomorrow what the Lord tells us to do today.

The Lord sent a plague of poisonous snakes to roam among the Israelites. They had sinned in their hearts against God and now they were paying the price. They were powerless to stop the discipline of the Lord. There was a price to pay for their sin and the day of accountability had come. Be careful so that sin does not bite you! There always is a day of accountability for sin.

The Lord is merciful to those whom he loves. When the Israelites humbled themselves before God, he heard their cries for help. He told Moses how to stop the plague from killing them. They still had to obey the Lord. They still had to act by faith and not by sight. If they looked at the bronze snake God had provided through Moses, they would live. If they looked elsewhere for help, they would die. They had to choose between God’s way or some other way. We too must choose.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Why I Write

     There are many different reasons why someone writes a book, many different audiences for a book, and many different ways to make one's books known.  In today's world, it is very easy to write a book and very hard to sell it.  With a current inventory of over 8 million books, it is very difficult to try and make one's book stand out from the rest.  There are many marketing tools that are used and more being tried every day.  The industry is very competitive and unless you have a ready made audience, it becomes a real struggle for survival.
      Most of my time is spent on trying to market my book.  I am online a lot, contacting those whom I think might be interested in it.  I am connected to various groups on facebook, tweet, and write on this blog.  The work is endless, and oftentimes become wearisome.  So, why do I do it?  Because I know that this is the ministry the Lord has given to me to do at this point of my life.  I persevere because I am determined to do as much good for Him as I can before he calls me home to heaven. 
       I do not ever expect wealth or fame from my efforts, nor do I want them.  My goal is to serve the Lord, to seize the opportunites he gives me to do good. 
       I do not expect to sell enough books to pay off the money borrowed to get it published.  If it happens it will be a blessing I certainly don't deserve.  I do want to get my other works published, but that is certainly in the Lord's hands. 
       It is my daily prayer that someone will be blessed through my writing ministry.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Blessed

     I am so blessed!  Several of my fellow Christian authors volunteerd to donate some of their books to a local Christian school where my son attends.  They have an annual auction to help defray the costs of tuition for the school.  I did not expect to get much more than a response or two and instead the offers have just been overwhelming.  The Lord is amazing in how he works amongst his people!  I don't know what He is up to, but I know it's good.  To God be the glory!l
      I am so privileged to be a part of what God is doing!  I give Him all the praise and glory.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Calamity

     In my book, C Through Marriage, I discuss the subject of calamity.  Calamity is the tragic times of life.  It can be natural disasters, physical, financial, emotional, mental, and even spiritual in nature.  Calamity is no respector of persons.  Sometimes it is personal in nature, and sometimes its not. 
      Every couple goes through times of calamity in their marriage.  I believe that marriage is a buffer zone for us when calamity strikes.  It is much easier to deal with it when you are connected with the heart of your soul mate. 
      For a deeper look at calamity and how marriage is affected by it, be sure to pick up your copy of C Through Marriage. 

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Update

     I am going to write more about the two things that matter most to me in life, my faith and marriage.  Sometimes I will speak from my book or future books, and other times I will speak exclusively about things the Lord lays on my heart.  I will try to be more diligent in posting that I have been in the past.  Much of my time is spent marketing my book online, so I have to discipline myself to do this.  Please be patient with me.
      I post a daily devotion called Gems on my site at www.cthroughmarriage.com.  I would love to have you check it out and tell others about it.
      If you have read my book, C Through Marriage, I wouldbe very interested in what you think about it.  You can comment here or post a review online at Amazon books, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, etc.  I also tweet at 4248 on blogger dashboard.
      C Through Marriage is one of those books which should be in every church library and pastor's library.  It contains a lot of common sense advice from a Christian's perspective.  It is not the best book you will ever find on marriage, but it is a good one.