What Is Your Will In Christ?

"Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." Romans 12:2 (NLT) I've been nagged with certain thoughts for a long time now that press on my mind regularly and breed a deep abiding concern in my heart. I'm simply sharing them in the hope that they may find a profitable home with someone. You've probably heard the fairy tale about a frog who was transformed into a prince when kissed by the right girl... Well, I'm sure you know that our transformation - becoming more like Christ doesn't happen quite like that. And I'm concerned here about the possibility of some princes living like frogs and some actual frogs who may be purporting themselves to be princes just trying to lure a sweet kiss... We're called not only to examine the letters contained in the word of God, but to observe and l

“Listen to me, O family of Jacob, Israel my chosen one! I alone am God, the First and the Last. It was my hand that laid the foundations of the earth, my right hand that spread out the heavens above. When I call out the stars, they all appear in order.” Isaiah 48:12-13 (NLT) In a world that seems to be more than capable of finding itself in increasing trouble, we as true followers of Christ could find a cause among the countless made available to be taken with worry or fear - but we'd be forgetting, if even for a moment, who we are if do. It's so easy these days to get caught up in the promoted fear mongering and the challenging things of this world ... and let our grasp on our true identity slip in the process.  But to lose our confidence, even in this world's darkest hours, might mean that we've lost our focus on the unshakeable anchor of our hope and confidence. And if that's true, it's time to reexamine where we've placed our faith in that moment of fear

“Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength." Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (NLT) Words have meaning. We use them, misuse them and abuse them commonly, ... but however we use them, we confer a certain power upon them and use them to transfer, or express, that meaning to another or others. Among other uses, words carry emotional message, verbal contract, information. They frequently carry the intended expression of our hearts and the revelation of our character. We  sometimes use them most powerfully in the songful expression and revelation of our hearts.   Other times, and unfortunately in some instances the meaning carried by words is lost in the transference or found altogether lacking. Sometimes they become nothing more than a shell for familiar recital, lacking any power of meaning because of their worn commonality to us or when uttered merely in obligatory repetition...  ... but to

"Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:11-12 (NLT) It would be so easy to just fade into the background and blend into the tapestry of this world, just riding the current... ... but that's not who we are, what we do, or how we serve and obey the God who created us and called us out of the world - selected us as His own holy people.  "But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light." 1 Peter 2:9 (NLT) We were part of the world once and were heirs to its destiny. We were dispersed into the mass o

"For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds." Titus 2:11-14 (NLT) All hail to the King of Kings who arrived in perfect time!!!  Christ the Lord humbled Himself to arrive in a form held among the least - far lower than any citizen of Heaven. He cast aside His heavenly robes of divine glory and stepped down from ultimate majesty to arrive in the weakest of human states and wrapped in the humiliating rags of mankind. Pity for those who will not recognize that the ultimate power in heaven walks among them, for He came to seize the

This year has led us through paths wrought with the pestilence of a virus, manifold occasions for fear, the devastation of loss, seething frustration and unrestrained violence... And all of these things have at least one thing in common - corrosion. It's been a year filled with corrosive opportunity - opportunities for the corrosion of body, mind and spirit, the corrosion of faith, hope, love and contentment... ... but the God who is love, the anchor of our hope and the champion of our faith in Him is absolutely not changed. "Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation." Exodus 19:5-6 (NLT) "Understand, therefore, that the LORD your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands. But he d

We've entered a season of what should normally be true thankfulness and celebration ... in the midst of a worldwide pandemic. As followers (disciples) of Christ, we may be facing some uncommon struggles due to this, along with a host of other potential troubles, this time around. Things may appear darker and harder, but if this is what you're seeing and experiencing, ...as you might have guessed if you know me at all, I have a message for you... Jesus is still on the throne.  I'll let you in on a little personal secret - I think the calendar - holiday date organizers, messed up. I've thought for a long time that Thanksgiving should actually follow Christmas. Why? Simple - because when Jesus came down He made everything possible for us. Prior to His arrival, we really had no hope - no real reason for joy because our destiny then was a horrific death and eternal separation from Father God. And if that thought doesn't get you right in the giblets, take a minute and thi

I often try to put myself in the shoes of someone I might be speaking to. I don't always do it perfectly, but it's something I'm working on. It's not an inherent talent, but rather a learned habit from previous moments of self inflicted embarrassment, division and ill aimed points. It's also been learned from being on the receiving end of the comments and misguided judgments of others. In other words, I've had the experience of being on both sides of conversations that didn't go well and I learned from them... ...But there are times when I read comments or commentaries from Christian brothers and sisters and still at times even my own - written in haste and begging to be revised, that seem to lack an element necessary in my own mind at all times if we're to continually replicate Christ's spirit ... ... Humility. "humility  noun Definition of humility: freedom from pride or arrogance : the quality or state of being humble." - Merriam Webster

As a father and grandfather many times over, I find myself these days increasingly concerned about something that I think some might understand... "Direct your children onto the right path,  and when they are older, they will not leave it." Proverbs 22:6 (NLT) What we do or fail to do as parents may one day have the opportunity to either bless us or grieve our hearts deeply, based on our thoughtful planning and true, constant efforts ... in what little time that they allow us. "Now I lay me down to sleep" - the opening  of a child's prayer taught to so many innocents in their youth. I'm not going to cast shade on the innocence of a simple prayer for safety here. Instead, my aim is only to encourage the teaching of a different acknowledgment and deeper conversation... "Now I lay me down to sleep.  I pray the Lord my soul to keep.  If I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take." In the heart and mind of some loving parents this may seem a c