Sheep Food

  If you ask any random ‘believer’ today who professes to be a follower of Jesus what their thoughts are regarding ‘the law’ that we hear so much about in our Bibles, chances are you may get a variety of answers that all lean in the direction of dismissing the law, or at best setting it aside, given we live in the ‘dispensation of grace....and are no longer under the law’. (Or so you have been told) If you point out to them that Jesus Himself, said that He did not come to ‘do away with’ or ‘abolish’ the law, then they will be quick to point out that “But Jesus fulfilled the law”! (Matt. 5:17) Now most will admit that the Ten Commandments are ‘important’, and would even like to see them hanging in public schools, if not being ‘taught’ to our kids. But they will also be quick to point out that the ‘law’ has nothing to do with our salvation in relation to ‘inheriting eternal life’. Yet, when asked on several occasions by others when Jesus was going about preaching what one must ‘do’...

  An 18-year old student graduates from High School and then enrolls in a four-year university in a nearby state. This private college is known for being able to get students through their business degree program in four years and at the cost they advertise; provided of course, that the student attends classes and meets and passes all the course requirements. If all goes according to plan, they walk the stage in four years upon completion and receive their diploma affirming their bachelor’s degree. I can remember hearing a statement made that is not uncommon for incoming freshmen to hear on the first day of classes, that basically tells them to look around at the students sitting immediately next to, in front of and behind them. Then they are told that chances are high that none of those students will walk the stage with them in four years for a variety of reasons. It seems that statistics support this theory. And like most new students, they tell themselves “that won’t be me wh...

  I don’t understand how electricity works, but I sure do make use of it, and appreciate being able to flip a switch and have light, and A/C and all the other benefits it provides. But I don’t have to understand it to use it. And as often as I have flown over the years, I have never felt compelled to understand all the intricacies and science that make up aviation and the ability to fly a giant plane across sea and land possible. Nor do I ever feel a need to interview the pilots before we take off asking for a full explanation of how the cockpit works and what all those switches and knobs and screens mean and do. I simply sit back, close my eyes and enjoy the flight. I will also tell you that my good friend who is a financial advisor and set us down years ago giving us some very good advice, can get my eyes to glass over quickly when he starts talking how all that investing and such works. I just know I trust his advice and have reaped the benefits of it. But...when it comes to...

  It really is not hard to obey God, if/when He has your whole heart. It can be hard  to obey God when the flesh nature, or that ‘old man’, is still alive and calling the shots, but he is supposed to be ‘dead’. (Gal. 5:24; Rom.6:2-6). Why is it necessary to put that ‘old nature to death’ death, you ask? Well, aside from the fact we are commanded to put him to death, (Col.3:5,9), that carnal man/nature is hostile towards God and will not submit to God’s law. (Rom. 8:7-8). (Imagine trying to swim across a lake with a hundred pound ball/chain tied around you.) If we continue to live for the flesh nature, we cannot please God (Rom. 8:8). Oh, and one other little detail many have overlooked is where Paul writes and forewarns us that if we continue to ‘live for the flesh, we will die’. (Rom. 8:13). And also....if we continue to practice the deeds of the flesh, we will not...inherit the kingdom of heaven. (Gal. 5:21) I know his can sound confusing and even alarming, if this informat...

  He called it a ‘highway of holiness’ in Isaiah 35:8. This ‘lane’ I was speaking about yesterday, that I liken to what ‘abiding in Him’ is all about...it’s the Highway of holiness. It’s also the pathway of peace. (Luke 1:79). One nice thing about this highway that might appeal to you, if you are like me, is there is not much congestion or heavy traffic. Do you know why? Jesus said it was pretty narrow and not many people were on it. (Matt. 7:13-14) Now I know this term ‘holiness’ can trigger all kinds of alarms and bells in us for a host of reasons. And before you want to question me as whether I think I am ‘holier than thou’ simply because I bring it up...just settle down there for a moment and let me ask if you could give a good, simple explanation or definition as to what ‘holiness’ is that we can benefit from? I only touch on this because we are commanded to “be holy in ALL our conduct because God is holy’. (1 Pet. 1:14-16) For centuries, we have seen all the various ways s...

  Friends....it is hard to believe this ...but it was four years ago this month, that I had my personal ‘awakening’ where I know God called me out of my darkness and began doing a new work in my life. I can assure you it has only gotten better and I will never be the same again. I like to refer to it as my ‘Lazarus Moment’; and when you have been brought back from the ‘dead’, it’s hard to keep something like that to yourself. I have shared with others that it feels like I ended up back at ‘Square One’, sort of like where you might end up in that old board-game called ‘Chutes and Ladders’. You think you are really getting somewhere high up and then you hit that big slide and end up back at the start, or ‘square 1’. But this time, I’m on this journey learning day by day and He is right there at my side teaching me. And it’s all about abiding in Jesus. Like I mentioned yesterday, it’s easy to say we ‘believe in Jesus’, but that does not equate to abiding in Him; that...I can assu...

  It is impossible for a professing ‘believer’ to abide in God’s peace, a peace that passes all understanding, while at the same time they continue to practice ‘sin’. If anyone tells you differently, they are lying to you. We simply cannot have both. And if...you claim to be a ‘follower of Jesus’, and you have been led to believe this Jesus ‘gets you’ and understands that you are ‘not perfect’ and will just encourage you to try harder next time to do better, but no worries...all remains well with your soul, then there is a good chance you might be following...’another Jesus’. (2 Cor. 11:4; Matt. 24:5) Now please here me out on this next statement: Continuing to practice ‘sin’ does not change God’s love for you, as His love for the whole world is unchanging and unconditional. (John 3:16). But it changes everything else when it comes to His promises that are...conditional. We are told that “the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but He is longsufferin...