Truth Unashamed

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes..."  Romans 1:16

In this world of political correctness the message of Jesus Christ is becoming more and more controversial.  Why?  In a conversation with a Hindu priest several years ago, he told me that he believed Christians were narrow-minded.  His reasoning was that he did not have any problem accepting our Jesus as one of his gods.  However, Christians told him that there was only one God and only way to have everlasting life.  This was too exclusive in his way of thinking.  Why not be more diverse?  Why not be more accepting of the opinions of others?  After all, aren't we all God's children?
Let me defend the gospel of Christ in two ways.  First, the gospel of Christ is not a message of hate that excludes people.  I believe the message of Jesus Christ is inclusive in its invitation but exclusive in its application.  That is another way of saying that the offer is open to whosoever will, but only those who turn to Jesus Christ can have true life.  Some have the false idea that Jesus came to this world to condemn those who did not believe on Him to hell.  That is a misunderstanding of why Jesus came.  He said in John 3:17 that He did not come to condemn the world but to save the world.  Our sin is what condemns us.  A judge passes a sentence on a criminal, but it is the crime that condemned the person.  Our Judge, Jesus Christ, offered Himself as the payment of our penalty if we would accept Him and turn our lives over to Him.  Secondly, the gospel of Christ has a life changing power that is unparalleled by any other system of belief.  This message has turned lives upside down for over 2,000 years, and it will do the same for eternity.  It has been a message that has stood the test of time.  It has withstood the persecution of its believers.  It has outlasted the fads of belief that come and go.  As a believer, don't hesitate to boldly proclaim the truth of God.  Man may try to change it, pollute it, and insult it, but its power is eternal.

Why Should I Rejoice?

"Rejoice in the Lord always.  Again I will say, rejoice!"  Philippians 4:4

 Do you have someone in your life that always seems so perky that it is annoying?  Maybe it is that coworker that has already had way too much coffee when they get to work.  Maybe it is a family member that is without doubt a "morning person" and thinks that everyone should sing in the shower.  This kind of "happiness" just seems over the top.  It grates on our nerves.  Paul is telling us to rejoice, but is this what he means?  Surely it couldn't be.

As a matter of fact this kind of rejoicing has nothing to do with "positive thinking" or "seeing the cup as half full".  Many Christian authors almost sound like self-help gurus instead of Holy Spirit dependent people.  They instruct people to manufacture something that is not there with the idea that what they construct will become their reality.  This just isn't realistic though.  We all face difficulties and trials.  There are times in our life that the only way we could smile was if it was fake.  We are literally living in hurt and anguish.  So we turn to the Word of God for comfort and read that we are to rejoice always.  How can we do that?  Don't leave out a key phrase for this whole passage.  We often get stuck on the word rejoice.  Paul's admonition was not to rejoice in your circumstances.  Your circumstances may be overwhelming and difficult.  Paul's admonition was not to rejoice in your relationships with people.  Relationships can be trying.  Paul encouraged and instructed us to rejoice "in the Lord".  That changes everything.  Just a couple of verses earlier he had challenged two individuals that were at odds with one another to unify together.  He understood that relationships were difficult, but we are not to rejoice in relationships.  We are to rejoice in the Lord.  Paul's circumstances during this time were horrible.  Philippians is what we call a "prison epistle".  Yes, he was writing these words from a damp, dark, rat infested dungeon.  He was bound by his captors and not sure what the next day held for him.  Yet, if you listen closely, you can hear these words echo off of the block walls of that cell:  Rejoice in the Lord always.  For emphasis he repeats the admonition:  Again I will say, rejoice!  Paul was not caught up in his circumstances.  That was not the most important thing in his life.  Paul was enraptured with the thought that his name was in the book of life.  He was a child of God.  There are no chains that can bind the heart that has been set free by Christ.  There are no shackles that can be wrapped around the soul that has been delivered by the blood of Jesus.  In the midst of our circumstances let us rejoice always in the Lord.

Other Little Boats

"Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him." Mark 4:36

Jesus and His disciples are headed straight into a storm. This storm is going to test the faith of the disciples. It is going to teach them once again of the almighty power of God, the Lord of creation. They will be shaken by what they encounter. They will learn a multitude of hard lessons in a short amount of time. Storms are never easy to go through. Most of us dread the storms of life.
I am sure that we have all heard numerous people share their stories about the storms that they have been through. There are many kinds of storms, and they affect all of us differently. However, I would like to take our eyes off of ourselves for a moment. The one drawback that can happen to us when we are in a storm is that we become very self-centered. We begin to believe that no one has it as bad as we do. We become fixated on our pain and discomfort. We relate everything that is going on around us to our personal crisis. We wonder why others don't see things the way we see them. What we fail to realize is that there are "other little boats" that are affected by our storm. In our passage, we do not know who was in these other little boats, but they experienced the wind and the waves as much as the disciples. They were in a crisis as well. We can imagine what kind of fear and anxiety had crept into their hearts.
I believe that God is calling on each of us to recognize the others that are caught up in our storm. Some of you have spouses, children, family, friends, and coworkers that have experienced the waves of your storm. They have been taking on water and felt like they were going under, but you didn't notice. You were understandably so caught up with what was swirling around you that you could not hear their cries. I would like to challenge you today to listen over the noise of the howling wind and hear their frightened voices. Look over at their little boat and recognize the difficulty of their situation. Then, once you have seen and heard them, ask God to calm not only the storm for your sake but for theirs as well. Reach outside of yourself and love those in the other little boats. Find the peace of God together!

The Shepherd's Work

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd." Ecclesiastes 12:11

There is a power in the words that we speak. We all know that at times our words can be utterly destructive. However, when we use "wise words" we are able to build people up as Christ would. All of us can remember something said to us that not only encouraged us but more importantly taught us. These words have been a guiding force during our lives. I personally can remember several things said to me by a man name Charles Whetsel. Susan and I had only been in ministry for a brief time and desperately needed someone wiser to share with us what they had learned from God. I am still thankful today for the things that I heard Charles speak into my life. Some of them were said directly to me, while others were things that I heard him say to others.
The Scriptures compare these words to three things: 1)They are goads. These wise words prod us on and encourage us to not quit. The driver of the mule or ox knows his animal. He knows exactly when the animal is laboring and faltering. It is at this time that he wisely uses the goad to push the animal forward. If he were to use it all of the time, the beast would kick against it and rebel. However, because the master is wise, the goad is always right on time. Maybe you are ready to throw in the towel. You have labored and are discouraged. Listen to the words of our Master and be steadfast and unmovable, continuing in the Lord's work with the knowledge that your labor is not in vain. 2)Wise words are well-driven nails. A carpenter knows that the placement of a nail is crucial. He knows that you place the nail at a joint or a place of weakness so that it is held fast and strong. Placing a nail at a position where there is nothing to nail into would be futile. God knows our weaknesses, and according to Scripture it is there that He places His strength. He told Paul that His grace (the nail of God's goodness) was made perfect in his weakness. (Just a side note, it was the three nails of faith, hope, and charity that held our Savior to the cross.) 3)Wise words come from THE Shepherd. That wise voice that calls you to Himself is our Shepherd, Jesus Christ. It is His voice you hear, because the sheep know the voice of the Shepherd. When He calls you to Himself, do not hesitate but run to Him. When you fall at His feet, listen intently to His Word and apply those things that you learn their in that place. At times, He will use others to teach us, but always listen to the wisdom of the Shepherd as you hear the words.

Daily Light - May 22, 2012

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold."  Proverbs 22:1

"I don't care what anyone thinks" is a popular mantra for those with a rebellious spirit.  Life is lived with a disregard for the opinions of others.  Granted, our first concern about how we live our lives should be what God thinks and not others, but there are numerous admonitions in Scripture for God's children to live so that others may see Christ in us.  We are called to live in holiness so that our reputation may be one of blamelessness.  We are admonished to let our light shine so brightly that when others see it they will glorify our Father in Heaven.

Solomon knew that a reputation of godliness was far greater than all of the wealth in the world, something which he had.  A godly reputation must be diligently sought and finely crafted.  This thought occurred to me while working in the yard the other day.  As I was passing by with the mower I saw an old bird's nest that had fallen out of a palm tree.  It was obvious that it had been used some time ago, but it was still completely intact.  When I came by it again, the mower chewed it up and spit it out in a thousand tiny pieces.  That is when I started to reflect on that nest.

At some point in time a bird carefully knit that nest together.  It gathered twigs and other debris to make it exactly right.  The time and the effort alone are incredible to consider.  Strong winds and rain cannot tear apart that beautifully crafted nest.  However, in just a split second the blades of that mower tore all of that work apart.

Such is a reputation.  We can work for years doing what is right, saying the right things, and submitting our will unto the Lord.  A finely crafted reputation is a thing of beauty and more valuable than anything on this earth.  However, sin can suddenly tear that reputation to shreds.  What was once thought of as seemingly indestructible can be scattered as tiny pieces of ruined hopes and relationships.  What was once a thing of beauty and honor is now a pile of worthless rubble.  Oh, let us not only build a reputation that honors God but let us be determined to protect it each and every day!

For those who have had their reputation ruined by sin, do not lose hope.  That bird's nest will never be the same, but we are given the promise that our God is one who restores and redeems what has been broken.  He can take the pieces and mold them back together to be of great beauty once again.  It will surely take plenty of time, and the process will most likely be painful, but listen to the Savior say, "I make all things new!"

Pastor David

mydailylight.blogspot.com

Daily Light - February 28, 2012

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think,

according to the power that works in us."

Ephesians 3:20

We live in a world that is full of limitations.  There are those of us that hate to admit it, but we are limited in what we can accomplish in this life.  We are limited by factors that are out of our control.  There are only so many hours in a day.  We have a limited number of days in a week.  Physically there are restrictions on our bodies and in our minds.  If we could only break through these barriers, the impossible would become reality.
It would be good for us to remember the story of Gideon and the 300 men that went with him into battle.  They faced an army that outnumbered them by more than was even fathomable.  Gideon's mighty army of 32,000 had dwindled to just a handful in comparison.  They had no swords, spears, or shields with which to fight.  Their weapons consisted of lanterns and trumpets.  To win a battle in such was would be impossible except for one powerful fact:  God was with them.  As a matter of fact, He had purposely reduced their numbers and chosen their weapons for the express purposes of them being dependent on Him and His receiving the glory for the victory.
There was not a soldier including Gideon that could have fathomed what would take place in the valley below them, but when they blew the trumpets and let their lanterns shine they saw the God of the impossible do wondrous works.  This is what Paul is praying for in His letter to the Ephesian church.  This young church does not realize how great the resource of God's power is in their midst.  They possess an inordinate amount of blessing and strength, but all that they can see are their limitations.  Paul commits them to the Lord who can do "exceedingly abundantly above all that they ask or think".
How similar we are to the church of Ephesus!  We have the great and mighty God that created all things through the power of His spoken word living within us, but we are bogged down in the mud of sin and self.  We struggle with the limitations of what we can and can't do and forget to turn our lives over to the power of the Holy Spirit.  We live in defeat as if Satan is more powerful than God and therefore we will always be in bondage to the sin which does so easily beset us.  Let us remember the words of Scripture, "Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world!"
Call now more than ever on the only One that can do what you cannot do and even what you cannot imagine.  He is not limited but limitless!

Daily Light - February 23, 2012

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"The LORD our God, the LORD is one!"

Deuteronomy 6:4

When Jesus was asked which commandment was the greatest, He came back to the well-known declaration of the Hebrew Shema, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength."  This great commandment was preceded by the words, "The LORD our God, the LORD is one!"

Society today has a buzzword that flows through our media, corporate human resources, athletics, etc.  That word is "diversity".  It is an important word because we live in a very diverse world, especially in the United States.  People from all walks of life, socioeconomic backgrounds, cultures, races, and homes live, work and exist together.  Walk into almost any large or medium sized city and you will see diversity on its grandest display.  You can see it through physical characteristics, religious backgrounds, societal behaviors, etc.  People have differences in taste when it comes to clothing, food, and habits.  They look different, act different, and even smell different.  Diversity in our day and culture must be understood as normal and accepted.

However, in all of this diversity there is one thing and one thing only that remains consistent:  there is, always has been, and always will be ONE God!  Throughout the pages of Scripture and the years of history He has been on display for all to see.  From the beginning as we know it He was the Creator and Giver of life.  He declared Himself to be the I AM to Moses as He led His chosen people out of captivity.  As Jehovah (I AM) He showed Himself to be Shalom (peace), Tsidkenu (righteousness), Rapha (healer), Rohi, (shepherd), Jireh (provider), and Nissi (banner).  This same God as the fulfillment of prophecy came to this earth in the form of man (Jesus) to be the Suffering Servant that would take the sins of the world upon Himself and be the Sacrifice that was needed for sin to be cleansed.  One of His disciples would rightfully declare Him to be the Messiah.  Today we learn of Him as He (the Holy Spirit) teaches us and convicts us.  We also await the day that the clouds will be gathered at the four winds of the sky and the whole world will watch as He steps out as King of kings and calls His children to spend eternity with Him.

There may be many people with many differences, but God is the only One that can truly unite us.  Jesus came to draw all men to Himself.  He did not come for a particular race, nation, or people group.  He came because He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.  Jesus Christ and He alone is the Hope that this world desperately needs.  We who have been changed by Him must shine the light of His salvation like a city set on a hill.  Let us declare to every man, woman, and child that there is one God and He loves them!

Daily Light - February 22, 2012

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"If you love Me, keep My commandments." 

John 14:15

Much of Jesus' ministry was in direct opposition to the religious zealots of His day.  The Pharisees did not like the message of Jesus because it did not fit in to their self-righteous doctrine and way of life.  They believed that every one should adhere to the rule of law in the way which they did.  If a person do not live as they lived they were not right with God.  This is by definition what the term legalism means.
Today we are not much different although we would like to say that we are.  We tend to interpret Jesus and His words based on our opinion and not necessarily on what He meant in the context of what He said.  There are three schools of thought on this simple passage, and two of them are more concerned about self than Christ.
First, there are those that focus entirely on the phrase "keep my commandments".  They would emphasize that if you really call yourself a Christian you would act, talk, walk, and look like one.  The external is every thing with this crowd.  They believe that they can identify "real" Christians with their eyes.  They stress the importance of going to church, having your hair cut a certain way, wearing certain types of clothing, etc.  The problem here is that the heart may not be right but that doesn't matter if all you are looking at is the outside of one's life.  Jesus sees what no one else sees, and He values the heart condition over the surface areas of life.
Second, the pendulum then swings completely the other way to those who concentrate on "if you love Me".  This group doesn't care anything about the external.  Their entire emphasis is in how they feel about Jesus.  They spend most of their time wrapped up in the emotional side of things.  It doesn't matter if you go to church, because as long as you love Jesus that is all He cares about.  You can look any way and do any thing you want, because Jesus knows how much you love Him.  Their favorite phrase is "don't judge me".  The problem with this way of thinking is that our love for God does not give us permission to abandon principles that are clearly given in the Word of God.  God is completely loving, but He is also completely holy and just at the same time.  We must love God, but we also must demand holy lives of ourselves.
Finally, there is the crowd that balances these two phrases and does not see them as contrary to one another.  The Bible tells us that a false balance is an abomination, and we are instructed to not be double-minded.  We are to live by the whole counsel of God's Word and to take it in its entirety as it meshes together.  We are to keep God's commandments, because we love God.  The evidence of our love for God is a changed life.  We love Him so much that we want to be like Him, and we will therefore live according to His Word.  We don't do what we do to please man.  We live our lives to bring glory to the Father through Jesus Christ.  Christ is our motivation!  We don't allow others to bind us into their religious mindset so that they are pleased.  This love we have for Christ gives us the liberty to live out loud our faith.  There will always be those who say that we aren't doing it right, but we do not answer to them.  We answer to One who is above all!
Jesus desires for His children to know His love and return that love.  The evidence of our love for Him will clearly be known by Him through our hearts and displayed by our obedience to Him.  Love and obedience to Christ work hand in hand and liberate us to become what He desires us to be!

Daily Light - February 21, 2012

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain."

2 Corinthians 6:1

Do you remember as a child receiving something wonderful unexpectedly? It didn't have to necessarily be any thing of great value to others, but it meant the world to you. Perhaps a parent or grandparent took you to get an ice cream. It was such a treat that even now you feel joy as you reminisce about that moment. You cherished every lick or bite of that ice cream. You didn't want to waste any of it. You even went to all the precautions to make sure that none of it escaped through that little point at the bottom of the cone. Wow! That is special!

As Paul wrote to the church at Corinth he knew that they had been through great trials and difficulties. They had been on the front line battle with sin, pride, and self. These things had done damage to the entire body of Christ. However, they have dealt with these things and have seen that God's grace is abundant especially in their weakness. With joy they have received this grace and are now moving on to live daily in that grace. Paul feels it necessary to encourage them and even admonish them about this grace.

Perhaps grace is a word that we have used so much that we have lost the meaning. It is popularly sung in many songs and said in phrases by those in religious and secular realms. When grace is referred to in Scripture it is not an empty word. It is a word that bestows love and forgiveness to the unlovable and the guilty. Grace pours out hope and peace to the hopeless even through the chaos of their circumstances. Grace is the unexpected and undeserved gift of God to desperate and undeserving man. When received it is cherished beyond words or emotion. No amount of intellectual musing can fathom the expanse of its borders.

Paul, in recognition of this great grace, implores the recipients to not waste one drop of it. Guard your hearts from those things that would make you get used to this grace. Never let a day go by that you do not return to God and give Him thanks. Live each day to please the one who found you in your unworthy state and made you worthy. This is no mere ice cream cone that will eventually melt away. This grace is eternal, and we will live in it not only in this life but for eternity.

Daily Light - February 16, 2012

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you."

John 14:27

"Peace be with you."

John 20:19

The night before Jesus was crucified He sat with His disciples and tried to prepare their hearts for what was about to take place. While they did not understand all that He was saying, in that moment they were given the greatest gift that He could offer them: peace. Jesus knew that for the next few hours and even days they would be fearful and doubtful. They would face an uncertainty that was unimaginable at the moment that He offered them this peace.

Fast forward to several days later and you will find the disciples huddled into a room with the door shut tightly. Somehow they have survived the horror of the last few days. One of their own was found to be the one who betrayed Jesus. The unspoken leader of the group is in great distress after having admitted to denying that he even knew Jesus. The rest of them were no better because they fled in their Messiah's hour of need. Suddenly, in the midst of their turmoil, Jesus steps into the room and offers them peace once again. His offer is not one of prosperity or better times but simply peace that passes all understanding.

It seems very reasonable to come to this conclusion when looking at these offers in context: If Jesus promises and gives peace before and after a trial, there is no doubt that we have His peace in the midst of the trial. He is completely aware of what you will face this day and the days ahead. He knows every "bump in the road" and every tragedy that may strike. His gift to us is peace before we ever face the difficulty. When the trials come, He is with us in the midst of our storm. As a matter of fact, while we are busily bailing water from the boat trying to keep it from sinking, Jesus is peacefully asleep. Why? Is it because He doesn't care? No. It is simply the fact that He knows the outcome. There is no panic on His part. We have to learn to rest when He rests, and be still and know that He is God. Finally, when He speaks and the once troubled waters are as smooth as glass, we bow before Him with a peace that passes all understanding and say, "My Lord and my God!"

Peace is only as good as the source of the peace. We will be offered it from multiple sources in this life, but at the end of all things we will conclude that the only peace that amounted to any thing was from the One that we call both Everlasting and the Prince of Peace.

May you have peace through His name today!

http://www.mydailylight.blogspot.com/

Daily Light - December 28, 2011

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"Be transformed by the renewing of your mind..."

Romans 12:2

Alexander Hamilton is credited with saying, "He who stands for nothing will fall for any thing." The desire to not conform to the standard of this world or the standard of the self-religious is commendable. However, we must not get so caught up in what we will not do that we are doing nothing. Paul's admonition to not conform was not designed to develop within us an attitude of a rebel or maverick. It was clearly taught in the context that God alone is the standard by which we should live.

Therefore, the encouragement of nonconformity is followed by an admonition to be completely transformed in the most internal part of our being. The word transformed is taken from the familiar yet miraculous process of metamorphosis. We see this amazing transformation when a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. That horrible little creature that no one would at one time touch is now the desire of every one to see and capture. Entire conservatories and atriums are built so that people can observe these beautiful butterflies with their exotic shapes and colors. How many buildings do you know of that are dedicated to observing caterpillars?

There is a truth that is inescapable. Every caterpillar has the potential to develop their wings and fly, but this will only take place if they go through this process of metamorphosis. In other words, they cannot become the beautiful creature that they were designed to be unless there is significant change.

When Christ truly enters a life, there is significant change that takes place. He works in such a way that a person who receives Him undergoes a metamorphosis of the heart and mind. With the heart they believe on Christ and with the mind they change the direction of their lives. All of this is initiated by God Himself through the power of His Spirit. Faith and repentance walk hand in hand so that a new creature is the product. The old man passes away and all things become new. Very simply, an individual cannot come into relationship with Christ and not experience change.

It seems that in every generation there are many caterpillars that are claiming to be butterflies. They are still grounded with no ability to fly because they have not come into a faith and repentance relationship with Jesus Christ. Why do we think that we can force God to accept us when we are not willing to accept Him and the change that He must bring into our lives?

Daily Light - December 27, 2011

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"Do not be conformed to this world..."

Romans 12:2

Conformity is a demand that is made on all of us at different times. There are certain standards of what we do, what we look like, and how we think that are expected of us in certain environments. As the environments change, so do the standards of conformity. The pressure to conform comes from without (those who want you to be just like them) and from within (the feeling that we have to be like every one else). I have a t-shirt that is based on this verse, and the front of it simply says, "Don't Conform". The reactions that I have gotten from this shirt by complete strangers are amazing.

What is it then that Paul was telling us that we should not conform to? He uses a phrase which simply says "this world". The word "world" here refers to a period of time and the culture within that period of time. The "world" that Paul is referring to in the Roman culture of the 1st century is different from the "world" in which we live today. These believers lived in a very different culture from ours. The point that Paul is trying to make is not about the period of time or the culture of that time, but the fact that we should not allow those things to dictate our mind and heart in relationship to Jesus Christ.

This next statement may be surprising, but it is most definitely true. Conformity has very little to do with the outside of us that every one sees. We could line up 20 young men all dressed exactly the same, but that does not mean that they are all alike. Conformity in the sense of how Paul is using refers to the mind. The "world" does not want you to simply look like them; they want you more importantly to think like them. If someone can get you to conform to their way of thinking, then all of the other areas will fall into place.

As believers our ultimate and primary goal is to think like Christ. He is the pattern by which each of us should live. There is no man-made pattern or religious standard that will ever measure up to the stature and fullness of Christ. Seek to know Him and be as He is.

Where do you feel the major pressures to conform in your life, and how do you handle them in the light of Jesus Christ?

Daily Light - November 2, 2011

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him."

Exodus 2:4

This passage of course is in reference to Miriam the sister to baby Moses as he was hidden by his parents in the river in order to protect his life. Moses' parents had already demonstrated great bravery and courage as they defied the clear order of Pharaoh to kill their son. They believed not simply in life but that each life was a gift from God that had an eternal purpose.

There is also a power shown in the fact that Miriam is standing watch over the basket that contains her little brother. It would seem that she has been given a responsibility to see what would take place. Surely Moses' parents did not go through all of the risk of saving his life to place him in a basket in the river to let the elements have their way with him. Miriam is there for a purpose. Recently while reading a new book this line stood out to me: Miriam was in a position to watch the Lord show up. Take a deep breath and let that sink in for a second.

There are great considerations that come with that statement. First, do I allow myself to settle into positions of uncertainty where all I can do is wait for the Lord to show up? So often we try to figure out every thing about life even before we have all of the information. To sit still for many of us is wasted time, and we can't allow that. Aren't we instructed however to be still and know that He is God? How are we going to get to know what God wants if we already have all of the answers?

Second, are we like Moses' parents placing our children in a position to see God? So many Christian parents try to hide the difficulties of life, the reality of sin, and the gravity of trials from their children. They never discuss difficulties and tough issues with their children out of the fear that children will not understand. Our children need to see pain and struggles, so that they can also see a God who heals pain and gives strength to endure the struggles. Children of all ages need to see God at work!

Miriam saw God mightily work that day by the river. She also saw God use that little baby to become the man of God that would lead his people out of bondage.

May you be in a position to watch the Lord show up today!

Daily Light - November 1, 2011

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"[I pray] that the sharing of your faith may become effective

by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus."

Philemon 6

One of the greatest frustrations that many believers have is being able to effectively share their faith with others. While faith in Christ Jesus is the most life changing aspect of our lives, it can be terribly difficult to share with others. There are many factors as to why that is.

Most people battle with some things internally. We all face fears that seem to surface when we are about to speak up for the name of Jesus. There is also a pride factor that is most definitely present as well. Others complain that they fear being rejected by people, especially those that they love. Human factors enter into this conversation also. "What if I don't say things just right?" "I know what I believe but it is so hard to get all of the right words into the right order. "There are other people that are so much better at sharing their faith than I am. Where are they when we need them?" "If I could just get them to church, then they could hear the pastor and understand."

If you will notice, there is one theme in all of these reasons and excuses. Somewhere along the way, we have been convinced that being a witness for Christ is all about us. We fear our failure. We recognize our deficiencies. We don't feel like we have the right words to say. We are not sure that we are able to do this. Paul understood this and expressed to Philemon and his household that being an effective witness for Christ would only happen if we acknowledged the One that mattered in our life, Christ Jesus.

For years we have used the term "soul-winner" to refer to those that witness for Christ. While that term may be well meaning, it often seems to put too much emphasis on the one doing the witnessing instead of the One that does the saving. There should be no emphasis on who "won" a soul to Christ or how many were "won". The emphasis should be placed on sharing our faith effectively and letting the Holy Spirit do the work in the individuals heart through Jesus Christ.

Who is a successful witness for Christ? Three individuals commit to sharing their faith with one person a week over the next year. At the end of that year the first person has seen 10 people come to know Christ as Savior. The second person saw 5 people come to a relationship with God through His Son. The third person was never able to see an individual converted during that year. Which of these three was successful? If you answered all three, you are right. It is our job to share our faith and leave the results to God.

May you share the greatest story ever told today!

Daily Light - October 11, 2011

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"Woe to you who are at ease in Zion!"

Amos 6:1

There is not a one of us that does not like to get comfortable every once in a while. For some there is nothing quite like laying in a hammock suspended by two palm trees while listening to the ocean waves crashing on the beach. Maybe others would describe comfortable as a warm bed on cold, rainy day. Whatever comfortable may sound like to us, we all enjoy it from time to time.

Comfortable however can be quite dangerous when it comes to our spiritual lives. When we get too comfortable, we tend to lose focus. The ease of our situation lulls us into a place where we don't look for any thing to challenge us. We settle for what we like or just simply what we know. It is even possible to get comfortable in a bad situation, because that is all that we know.

A highly respected man of God spoke of this subject and referred to how God's people can get so comfortable with their lukewarmness that they don't notice the tragedy that is going on around them. He spoke of how that even within the church we can excuse sin, hypocrisy, and lies because we are afraid that if we confront these things it will take us out of our comfort zone. The danger of ignoring this tragedy can be catastrophic, because we are sacrificing our relationship with God for our own comfort. This pastor said, "When these things happen, we have come near or crossed a line into a spiritual stupor that no amount of divine mercy can awaken."

It would do us well to follow the example of David and ask God to search us and know our hearts, to try us and know our thoughts, and reveal any thing contrary to His nature. Those things to which He is opposed that we have become comfortable in must be removed if we plan to move forward for His purpose.

May you allow God to move you outside of your comfort zone today!

Daily Light - October 5, 2011

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Philippians 4:13

We live in a world full of "I can't" people. The number one excuse for why people do not do certain things is "I can't". We are so focused on our perceived limitations that we have let those views creep into our spiritual life. Granted, there are certain physical impossibilities in the natural man. Man has come to the conclusion that he cannot fly completely unassisted. The tragic results of gravity combined with the limitations of the human anatomy have taught us this. There are, however, many things that we say are physically impossible that are only impossible to us because we cannot fathom it. What if you were asked to run approximately 3,000 miles in 75 days? Impossible, right? Recently, a man named Dean Karanzes did just that. He ran from California to New York in 75 days! That is a mind-blowing feat, but here is the real question: Is it impossible? Obviously not.

When the angel of the Lord appeared to Mary to tell her she would have a child, she said that it was impossible. She was a virgin, so there was no physical way possible for it to be so. What was the angel's response to her? With what I like to think was a smile on his face because he knew the power of the Almighty, he replied, "For with God nothing will be impossible." Each of us has different doubts about what we can do for God. Some of us cannot even understand His grace being so great that it would save our sinful souls. We, of course, are unworthy of this grace but through His love Christ has made us worthy. Others cannot imagine that God would use us to be a witness of His light to shine into the lives of others. Then, we are reminded that He has chosen to use the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. There are those who cannot fathom that God would give them the ability and the privilege to minister in His name. However, we all along with the Apostle Paul recognize and "thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled [us], because He counted [us] faithful, putting [us] into the ministry.

It is true that when the possibilities within us come to an end, God's ability to do the impossible begins. When we allow the thought of impossibility to enter our mind, we doubt the power of Christ who strengthens us. He sees the impossible for us and joys in the fact that He can accomplish it through us.

May you do through Christ what you see as impossible today!

Daily Light - October 4, 2011

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"Lord, do not charge them with this sin."

Acts 7:60

Dying words say much about the person who is speaking those words. The life, love, and character of Stephen are on full display as the rocks pile up around him. He is hated for doing nothing more than preaching the message of repentance and the love of Christ to a group of people that desperately needed to hear it. The description of unjust murder would certainly fit this scene. It would seem more appropriate for Stephen's last words to be "Why? Why?"
Instead, we see him model the very One that he openly proclaimed: Jesus. As Jesus hung on the cross after suffering from the cruelty of those who indicted Him and those who mercilessly beat Him, He said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." It would seem clear that the greatest gift that we could ever give to others is forgiveness. It is also true that we are never more like Jesus than when we exercise this blessed gift of forgiveness.
It is true that for most of us it is not a natural impulse. The natural man within each of us wants vengeance. We live with a "how dare you" chip on our shoulder. We don't deserve to be treated the way we were treated, and those that have hurt us so greatly deserve to face the full justice of their transgression. We have turned Jesus' words of turning the other cheek into a byline or a joke, but Jesus was serious. He proved that on the cross of Calvary. Now, one of His closest followers is modeling it for us again.
Think about the stones that were piling up around Stephen. They were thrown by those who shouted insults. Their faces were gnarled with hate and disdain for Stephen and his faith. This was not a group of people looking for forgiveness; they were looking to kill with no remorse at all for their actions. Much of the confusion of forgiveness comes to the fact that so many have been taught that they can only forgive when the person who committed the offense seeks forgiveness. It is just the opposite that is true. A disciple of Christ learns to forgive far before the forgiveness is sought. A disciple is to carry no records of wrong done against them. Jesus taught that the forgiveness we receive is directly linked to the forgiveness that we give. If there is forgiveness that you need to give to someone, don't delay in freely giving it today. It may not feel natural, because it is not. It is super-natural.
May you breathe words of forgiveness today!

Daily Light - September 27, 2011

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid;

and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field."

Matthew 13:44

What do you have that is valuable? Perhaps there is a family heirloom that has been passed down over time that holds some value. Maybe you saved your money to buy something that you always have wanted. Whatever it may be, those things that we consider valuable are also thought of as precious. It holds a value that others may not immediately recognize or understand.

Jesus' simple parable about the kingdom of heaven in this passage is incredibly profound. A man finds a treasure so valuable to him that he is willing to sell every thing that he has in order to attain it. All that he owns cannot compare to this treasure that he has found. Obviously others know that the fields exists, but they do not understand the value contained in it. They see it as just any other field, but he knows something that they do not.

One can think of God's kingdom that eternally exists through this passage. We are told in other places that the kingdom of God is within us. Those who are in relationship with Jesus Christ are not waiting for a future kingdom, but they are in reality living in that kingdom at this very moment. The impact of what they do in the kingdom life here on earth will have an impact on their kingdom life for all of eternity.

Jesus is continually calling on us to give all that we have for His sake so that we mighty truly enjoy all that He has prepared for us. Stubbornly we hold on to the things of this world as if they had a value beyond what Christ has offered. Many are paupers clinging tightly to their rags of the flesh while the King is offering to robe them in His righteousness. Jesus told the one that we call the rich young ruler to give every thing that he had to the poor then come follow Him. Unfortunately, the young man saw what he had for himself as more valuable than what Christ could do for him.

There is nothing in this life that will bring you full joy! No amount of money, ease, wealth, fame, or possessions will begin to compare with the joy unspeakable and continual peace that you receive from God. You have a treasure in Christ. Let nothing keep you from experiencing the pleasure of God.

May you see what is really valuable in your life today!

Daily Light - September 23, 2011

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away;

blessed be the name of the LORD."

Job 1:21

I usually do not make the Daily Light personal, but I have to share with you something that the Lord has shown me this past week. Some of you may know that this past weekend our home was burglarized. Any of you that have faced such an experience knows the feelings of vulnerability, anger and even fear that come with such an experience. Unfortunately we lost a good deal of cash and some of Susan's jewelry which had as much sentimental value as monetary.

The back story is what could have been and what God has shown me through it. The burglary took place on Saturday evening. Our family was spread out in different places that night. Susan and I had gone with some friends out to dinner. The girls were at the church teen activity, and the boys were playing at a friend's house. Dinner went a little longer than we thought, so some of our friends graciously took the kids home. Our oldest daughter takes care of the kids when we are gone out normally, so it was no big deal. When they got home, the friend that took them home was kind enough to wait until they were inside with the doors closed before he left. We came home just a little while later.

To make a long story short, when we realized our home had been burglarized we thought that there was a possibility that the thieves could have been in the house when the kids came home. At that point the stuff didn't matter no matter how valuable it was. We were so grateful that our children were okay and that nothing had happened to them. That night we went to the Lord and thanked Him and gave Him glory for protecting our family. We even claimed the above verse. We told God Almighty how good He was in spite of all that had happened!

As I lay in bed that night, I felt a burning question in my heart. A question that I do not like to even consider, but one I must ask. "What if your children had been harmed, would God still be good? Would you still bless His name?" I found myself in a great crisis of faith. The one part of me wanted to say yes, but those words would not come so easy. There in the darkness of my room I cried out to God with my heart that no matter what was ever taken from me that I would bless His name. Years ago we gave our children and all that we had to the Lord to do as He pleases. We have surrendered ourselves and all that we have to His will. I am grateful today that my family is well and safe, but I am even more grateful that they are in the hands of the Almighty.

May you be able to say this day, "Blessed be the name of the LORD!"

Daily Light - September 21, 2011

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"And do not be drunk with wine wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit."

Ephesians 5:18

This is a powerful passage of Scripture that goes well beyond dealing with the subject and issues surrounding alcoholism. Drunkenness is an analogy to demonstrate the idea of control. When an individual has become drunk on wine, they have given themselves over to the control of that substance. It affects their walk, their speech, and every other area of behavior.

The call here is for believers to come under the control and influence of the power of the Holy Spirit. The term "filled with the Spirit" could be also stated as "controlled by the Spirit". At the moment of salvation the Holy Spirit takes residence in the life of a believer, but that does not mean that we have each given Him control over our lives. We must learn to yield to the Spirit of God on a daily basis. A life that is yielded to the Spirit and therefore controlled by the Spirit shows forth the indelible marks of Christ in each area. When the Spirit is in control, we live out the will of God and reflect the Father's glory.

What does this practically mean in the context of the passage? Paul is encouraging the believers in Ephesus to walk in the light. Therefore, if they are controlled by the Spirit they will walk in the light and not walk in darkness. Sin will not have dominion over any area of their lives. One pastor recently said, "There has never been a husband or wife that are each controlled by the Spirit of God that has gotten a divorce." How far can we carry that? Would it be safe to say the following as well: There has never been a man that is controlled by the Spirit of God that has committed adultery? There has never been a teenager that is controlled by the Spirit of God that has rebelled against their parents? There has never been a woman that is controlled by the Spirit of God that has allowed her tongue to become a tool of gossip and slander?

How much we need men and women in the church today to be filled with the Spirit of God and yielded to His control! The world desperately needs to see light in a dark world, and the children of God have within them that light from Jesus Christ. Let us not be controlled by the foolish and beggarly elements of this world. Let us instead yield ourselves to the power of the Almighty through His Spirit.

May you be filled with the Spirit today!