The Parable of The Campfire

One thing being in Boy Scouts taught me when I was a kid was how to build a fire. You start small with the tinder and get the fire started with a spark from a piece of flint and steel bar. Once the spark ignites into a flame, we put on dried pine needles or birch bark to build it up. Then came sticks and eventually the firewood. Our faith in kind of like that.

The spark is the moment we come to believe and we receive the Holy Spirit. After that the fire grows as we find a Bible-believing church, get involved in a Bible study, and immerse ourselves in God's Word.

But what do we do if our faith becomes stagnant? We can't just sit around waiting for our faith to be renewed, for it to catch fire again. We must fan the flames somehow. Blow on it. Add some more wood. Poor a little gasoline on it! Read the Bible, pray, go to a Bible study. Do something! The Bible says that Jesus stands at the door and knocks. That's true. But WE have to open the door. WE have to do something.

Our Scout Leader had a wonderful concoction he called Boy Scout Juice. It was half gasoline and half kerosene. That got the flames burnin'! Lol!

I have heard people say, "I feel so distant from God." Listen, God hasn't gone anywhere. He is everywhere. WE have left HIM and wandered off.

"We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way." - Isaiah 53:6

Searchin'

A series of events has been happening in my life lately which makes me wonder, "Is the Lord trying to tell me something?"

In Genesis 24, Abraham sent his servant to get a wife for his son Isaac. The servant prayed for a sign to happen. And when it did, the servant knew that the woman at the well (Rebekah), who was watering his camels, was the right one for Isaac.

"Then he prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. ¹³See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. ¹⁴May it be that when I say to a young woman, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too’ - let her be the one YOU have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.” - Genesis 24:12-14

Have you ever had that happen to you? Prayed for something, and then received a confirming sign?

I am beginning to wonder about a task I am working on. Things have been happening that are impeding my progress. Are these events from the Lord? Or, are they from the devil? Hard to tell.

So, how can we find out if something is from the Lord?

1. Pray - Ask God for answers to your questions.
2. Is it according to God's will? - Is what you are doing something that God would desire?
3. Consider the fruit - What will the outcome be? Does it bring glory to God?
4. Seek Godly counsel - Talk to your pastor or a brother or sister in Christ about it.
5. Trust and Obey - Wherever the outcome of the above steps leads, trust it.

We can't be so fixated on doing something that we forget who we are doing it for - God. 

A friend of mine once told me, "It's hard to turn a parked car. Take a step. Move! If it's the wrong direction, you'll know."

So, whether you are thinking about switching jobs or starting a new ministry, begin to move in that direction. If blessings occur, continue on. But if nothing happens, perhaps more prayer is warranted. It may not be what God wants you to do.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." - Matthew t:7-8

Searching So Long - Chicago

The Battle Is The Lord's

Christian theologian Karl Barth (1886-1968) once said, "We must hold the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other." That's good advice. Especially these days with Iran, the U.S. and Israel trading missles and drones every day.

So, why aren't the world leaders reading their Bibles? I'm not sure. If they did, and inquired of the Lord, perhaps the "conflict" could have ended already, one way or another. However, this is not your stereotypical war. It is a spiritual battle. 

"All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.” - 1 Samuel 17:47

That was King David ranting against the Philistines shortly before he killed Goliath. Trump and Netanyahu should read rheir Bibles every morning before breakfast IMO. Maybe they do, but their actions say otherwise.

Have you noticed how Iran talks the big talk and rattles their saber every chance they get? They are like Goliath. They are all about delaying and delaying while they restock their ammo and rebuild their defenses. They don't negotiate for peace. It's merely a tactic. They negotiate to delay.

“Because they lead my people astray, saying, “Peace,” when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash, ¹¹therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall." - Ezekiel 13:10-11

And Trump is more interested in his team winning the November election than in obtaining victory in the Middle East. Let's negotiate! He wants to be portrayed as a man of peace come November. He should have finished the job, but he won't. 

Have you noticed how Trump posts on social media on Thursday about a peace deal so the market can soar a thousand points before the weekend?

Persia (Iran) will still be there in the final battle. Meshek and Tubal (Turkey), and many others are also mentioned in Ezekiel 38.

This present-day skirmish is a Satan vs. God battle. What we are witnessing today is just a stirring of the pot. The ingredients have all been added. And soon it will come to a boil.

Want to know how the story ends?

"Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war. ¹²He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on Him that only He Himself knows. ¹³He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is The Word of God.

¹⁴The armies of heaven, dressed in fine linen, white and pure, follow Him on white horses. ¹⁵And from His mouth proceeds a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. ¹⁶And He has a name written on His robe and on His thigh:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." - Revelation 19:11-16

The time is short my friends. Jesus has promised to return for His bride (The Church). Are you a member? Have you repented? Do you abide in Christ?

He Was Pleased?

There are many different translations of the Bible's ancient manuscripts. This can sometimes cause confusion. Here is one such example from the Book of Isaiah.

"Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand." - Isaiah 53:10, NIV

Here's the same verse in the New King James Version:

"Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand." - Isaiah 53:10, NKJV

I can understand it being God's will to "crush" Jesus for our sins (NIV). He is a just judge. But honestly, I struggle with the NKJV, saying it PLEASED God to do it.

Also, "crushed" vs. "bruised." Would you rather be crushed or bruised? Personally, I'd choose to be bruised rather than crushed, but that's just me.

Romans 6:23 says, "The wages of sin is death." That sounds more like "crushing" than "bruising."

Anyway . . . why would it PLEASE God to kill His only begotten Son? I have no idea.

One thing to consider is that Jesus is part of the Trinity. Jesus IS God. Jesus is LORD and LORD is the name used in the text, so really Jesus pleased Himself.

Look, God loves His children. He loves Israel and all of the Gentile believers who have been "grafted in." Yet every one of us is a sinner, doomed to destruction witbout Jesus and His sacrifice. Here's a thought.

What if Jesus, who assumed human form, lived a perfect life, offered Himself as a spotless sacrifice for all of mankind. Do you suppose THAT would please God the Father? Jesus sacrificing Himself so that we could live?

We, God's creation, would then receive eternal life and could commune with God, just like Adam did at the very beginning.

"And they heard the sound of the LORD God, walking in the garden in the cool of the day." - Genesis 3:8

And could "bruising" Jesus, rather than crushing Him, be equated with a temporary death? Because a "bruise" heals, and Jesus was resurrected. 🤔

Or, perhaps it's because that, after thousands of years, God's plan of redemption was finally revealed to His children, in Christ on the cross. I could see where that could be pleasing.

I'm no biblical scholar. Maybe there's a perfect explanation for these differing translations. But I DO know this: God is perfect, His plan is perfect, and it doesn't really matter what we think. All things happen according  to His will. And I'm okay that.

The Parable of The Fawn

The Scene: Central Wisconsin, early June, another beautiful day. I was nearly home, driving my big, noisy F-250, when out of the woods came a slow-walking doe. I slowed down, and then stopped. So did the doe. We were both waiting. And then there it was - a newborn fawn.

This little one was brand new! Maybe a couple of hours old. I watched as it approached the edge of the road and stopped. I looked at the mom. She was watching her baby. Then, with utmost confidence, the fawn crossed the road. Extremely wobbly, yet determined, it went. It's goal? Just to get to mama. It didn't care about the big, noisy truck. It's focus was on it's goal. Mom, or perhaps breakfast.

When the fawn had disappeared into the tall grass, the mom looked directly at me, as if to say "Thanks for stopping." Then it turned and was gone.

There is a hidden story here. I encourage you to stop and wait for it, like I did with the fawn the other day. Are you ready?

We are all born into this world. Wobbly and uncertain at first to be sure. But eventually we are walking and finding our way. Our goal at such a young age is to be with with our mother. She has the nourishment we long for. We also find peace and security in her presence. Life is good.

There is also a second story, hidden in the tall grass. One of a SECOND birth. You and I are the fawn. Our "mother" is Jesus. 

We too must "cross over". Jesus waits for us on the other side. When we place our faith in Jesus, we can hold our head high, confident of our destination, in Christ.

We must keep our eyes focused on the goal, then step into the grass, to be with our Lord, forever.

"Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls." - 1 Peter 1:8-9

"For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made." - Romans 1:20

Perfect Love

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." - 1 John 4:18

There is a desire within the human heart to be loved. You have that desire. So do I. When we are loved, our hearts are filled with joy. When we are NOT loved, no amount of sunshine can brighten up our day.

"A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another." - John 13:34

"No one is perfect," says the world. Is that true? Of course not! The world does not know Jesus. If it did, we wouldn't have any of these horrible, divisive stories on the news every night. What would the news media do then?! Lol!

Jesus demonstrated His love for us by sacrificing His own life for us. Think about that for a moment. Think about a world filled with His unconditional, sacrificial love!

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." - John 15:13

One might say, "A world filled with that kind of love is not possible." To that, I would say, "All things are possible . . . with God." - 

“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” - Matthew 19:26

My friends, if you are not feeling loved, if your world is filled with darkness and pain, please consider Jesus. He beings light to the darkest day. He brings hope to the lost, and love to those who have none. Be perfected in love. The love of our Savior.

Great Are You Lord - Casting Crowns

Really Moses?

"The Lord was angry with me because of you, and he solemnly swore that I would not cross the Jordan and enter the good land the Lord your God is giving you as your inheritance." - Deuteronomy 4:21

Really Moses? Was God really angry with you because of the Israelites? Let's turn back to Numbers 20 and take a closer look.

"Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. ³They quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the Lord! ⁴Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here? ⁵Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!”

⁶Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. ⁷The Lord said to Moses, ⁸“Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.” - Numbers 20:2-8

God said, "SPEAK to that rock." What did Moses do? Let's keep reading.

"So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him. ¹⁰He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” ¹¹Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank." - Numbers 20:9-11

Moses didn't get to enter the Promised Land because of his OWN disobedience. Yes, Moses was angry with the Israelites, and the were a stiff necked people, but they didn't keep Moses from crossing the Jordan. His sin did.

When we examine our own lives, can we find things that might keep us from enjoying God's blessings? What about the infertile woman? The Bible says that he closes and opens rhe womb. Upon occasion, God allows Satan to cause us problems. All for His ultimate glory and our good.

Sin is a bigger problem in our lives than most of us are willing to acknowledge. Our next step should be repentance, and let Hod take it from there.

Is there something in our lives that needs to change in God's eyes? Do we need to eliminate certain foods and drinks to live a healthier, happier life? Perhaps it's a relationship that needs to end.

We should be constantly examining ourselves, searching for ways to become more holy. That's a very basic command from God.

"Be holy, for I am holy." - Leviticus 11:44, 45, 19:2, 20:26, 1 Peter 1:15

Why Speak At All?

Let's face it. We're all different. We look different, act different, and even think differently. Why should it surprise us then when we don't agree? And why does it matter so much to some when we don't?"

Look at our country's government for example. It is run by people who cannot seem to agree with one another. Only rarely does that ever happen.

Some people's opinions are so important to themselves that they lie and cheat and even kill to get their own way. Why?

Why should we Christians care when someone doesn't believe in God? I mean, we're chosen, right? Our future is secure for all eternity.

The reason is this: it's Christ, in us. It's the Holy Spirit. We have compassion and mercy for the lost because of what we have in us.

"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. ²⁰We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." - 2 Corinthians 5:17, 20

It seems as if we are to be certain of conflict as we try to speak to those who don't want to hear what we have to say  The reward however is worth the fight.

Yesterday in church I saw a young family talking with our pastor after the service. There were smiles on everyone's faces. The center of attention seemed to be their oldest daughter. Could it be that this young soul wanted to be baptized at our church picnic in August? It could!

And that is the reward. The crown we lay at the feet of Jesus. This girl must have heard the Gospel enough times to finally connect. What a wonderful thing to behold.

"How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." - Romans 10:14, 17

We must never stop sharing the Gospel. Who knows. One day, you may be the one who the Holy Spirit uses to deliver His nessage of hope and love at just the right moment. And, in that moment, someone crosses over from death to life, and they become saved - forever changed.

Only The Lonely

I played a song for my wife the other night. She was unimpressed. Yet the song reminded me of something . . . something. But what was it?

I played it again just the other night after seeing it pop up in my YouTube feed. Again. Then it came to me. It was a Bible verse.

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters - yes, even their own life - such a person cannot be my disciple." - Luke 14:26

That was Jesus telling us that if we don't hate everyone on earth we cannot be His disciple.

What?!? Why does Jesus want to us to hate everyone? Wasn't He the one who told us that we were supposed to love our neighbors as ourselves?

"You shall love your neighbor as yourself." - Matthew 22:39

The operative word in this verse is "hate." So, what does this mean? I'm confused.

Basically, the Greek word translated as 'hate' means 'to love less.' The context surrounding the verse is about the cost of discipleship. We must be willing to leave everything for Jesus.

With that concept in mind, we can begin to see how discipleship is a game that 'only the lonely can play.'

In another place a rich young man came to Jesus and asked, "What good thing must I do to inherit eternal life?"

"Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

²²When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth." - Matthew 19:21-22

Jesus must be #1 in our lives - our highest priority. The question we must ultimately ask ourselves is this:

"Do you love me more than these?" - Jesus, John 21:15

That's a tough question to answer, given the world we live in today. Do we love Jesus most of all? Our answer must be, and HAS TO BE, "Yes, Lord! I love you with all of my heart. Sacrificially, unconditionally, with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength."

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ³¹(and) . . . ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” - Mark 12:30-31

Only The Lonely - The Motels

Hate Father & Mother -

 GotQuestions.org

Go To Your Room!

"But your dead will live, Lord; their bodies will rise - let those who dwell in the dust wake up and shout for joy - your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead.

²⁰Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until His wrath has passed by.

²¹See, the Lord is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will disclose the blood shed on it; the earth will conceal its slain no longer." - Isaiah 26:19-21

What did we just read? Yes, it was the prophet Isaiah. But what was he talking about? It sounds like he is describing God's wrath (v20), but he also has God telling his people to "enter your rooms" until God's wrath has passed. 

And in verse 19 Isaiah prophesied about the dead rising. This is the Resurrection!

Two verses immediately come to mind.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. ²My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ⁴You know the way to the place where I am going.” - John 14:4

And also . . .

"For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." - 1 Thessalonians 5:9

And previously, in Paul's letter to the church in Thessalonica, we find this . . .

"Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope. ¹⁴For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.

¹⁵By the word of the Lord, we declare to you that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise. ¹⁷After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.

¹⁸Therefore encourage one another with these words." - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17

Why is this not preached from every pulpit, every Sunday?! This is incredible news!!

I encourage you to watch the following video (from which the inspiration for this story came). It's an hour plus, but fast forward to the 30-minute mark. Interesting discussion!

Live Free - Josh Howerton w/ John Bevere

Big House - Audio Adrenaline

Long Ago Far Away

Traditionally, Memorial Day is a day of remembering service men and women who have sacrificed their lives while defending our country. It's good to have a day for that, but honestly, that should be EVERY day.

Today however, I am thinking about another group of "soldiers." They too have sacrificed their lives for something they believed in. Jesus. They're called martyrs.

Blessed are those soldiers, who not only sacrifice their lives for this country, but also willingly suffer death for the sake of Christ and the Gospel. Probably the best-known martyr for the Bible was Stephen.

"When they (the Pharisees) heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. ⁵⁵But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, ⁵⁶and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

⁵⁷Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; ⁵⁸and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep." - Acts 7:54-60

Each of us makes our own decision about how far we are willing to go for Jesus. Some fold when they are persecuted by society. Others leave the faith when they are hurt by their own churches. But then there are those who suffer many things for Christ and refuse to yield to Satan and his minions, no matter what. We need to be one of those.

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:35-39

Remember . . .

Remember - Harry Nilsson

Aaron's Staff

I recently had a conversation with someone about The Ten Commandments movie (clip below). It involved the staff that Moses threw down in front of Pharaoh. In the movie, Moses says, "Aaron, cast down my staff." and hands his staff to his brother Aaron, who threw it down. What does the Bible say happened?

"The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ⁹“When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Perform a miracle,’ then say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,’ and it will become a snake.”

¹⁰So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake." - Exodus 7:8-10

It was Aaron's staff that turned into a snake, not the staff of Moses.

Later on, when God instructed Moses and Aaron to turn the water into blood in front of Pharaoh, God told Moses, "Tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt." - Exodus 7:19

Once again, it was Aaron's staff.

What about the plague of frogs? That came next.

"Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the streams and canals and ponds, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt.’”

⁶So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land." - Exodus 8:5-6

Now, there was no staff involved at all! It was just Aaron! And he keeps going! Exodus 8:16 and the plague of gnats - Aaron and his staff. But things changed at this point. Now, in Exodus 8:21, God alone performs His wonders with a plague of flies.

‘This is what the Lord says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. ²¹If you do not let my people go, I will send swarms of flies on you and your officials, on your people and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians will be full of flies; even the ground will be covered with them.

²²“‘But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the Lord, am in this land. ²³ I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This sign will occur tomorrow.’” - Exodus 8:20-23

Finally, in Exodus 9, Moses' staff gets involved.

"When Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, the Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed down to the ground." - Exodis 9:23

My point is this: we should not be getting our theology from Hollywood.

Did you ever see Aaron with HIS staff in the movie clip? No. Yet God had Aaron to use it extensively in the Bible. It was Aaron's staff that budded in Numbers 17, not the staff of Moses. But whether it was Aaron or Moses that Pharaoh encountered, it was ALL the power of God at work.

Finally, in my opinion, any movie about biblical times and people should be watched with a Bible in your lap and a steaming cup of discernment in your hand.

Let My People Go - Ten Commandments movie