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Everything has life cycles. We humans, as do empires, nations, ideologies, political parties, businesses, economies, even churches, all ebb and flow, or rise and fall. Humans compared to the other examples I offered, are not organizations and differ in the fact they are created in the image of God, possess a soul, and are capable of experiencing eternity, thereby exempt from the typical life cycle demise.

Most unique and so disturbing to the evolution crowd not wanting to recognize the innate qualities and capabilities God has physically endowed into humans over their animal cousins, and what’s even worse for that crowd, is the fact when humans are in relationship vertically with the Trinity known as Christ Followers, they are empowered by the Spirit and are known to exhibit recognizable supernatural dimensions.

For some reason, while driving the scenic back country roads during my route days, I’d stop when time permitted, in the parking lots of either these evidently failing or already closed churches, and read the signs: you know, the grass not mowed, no gravel, either no sign of identity or welcome; or if so, gravely faded; weeds well rooted and in full bloom, etc. And that is just what I could see. Then my imagination kicks in, and I imagine this churches cycle of life; who were the persons and the events that drove its formation, who were all the individuals and families that came thru its doors for the churches dynamic good years, for weddings, baptisms, funerals, revivals, prayer meetings as they sent young men and women off to war, or during the Cuban missile crisis, or for celebrations such as the ending of wars…

And then I would imagine the leaner years, after the attendance dropped, members were no longer drawn to worshiping, or praising God; evident first in their homes likely because the TV became the family altar replacing Bible reading and prayer, and then as years passed and when the culture lost its morals, followed by the subsequent proliferation of additional addicting forms of entertainment, perhaps even professional sports, accentuated by loss of leadership, whether in the pulpit, or among the elders and deacons, but especially in the pews and the surrounding community.

And once the congregation lost standing, influence or respect throughout the community, whether slowly thru assimilation, or quick and decisive, by such as devastating moral failures, or perhaps discouraging times such as we are witnessing since covid, hospice appeared to be their only option. Their last valiant ditch effort from the three remaining members, all in their upper 80’s, was to donate their edifice to an upstart fellowship in need of their building, but alas, no such qualified individuals could be found anywhere capable and interested in continuing the building’s decaying legacy.

But my vivid imagination observed one of the three had found several of Dr. Terry Teykl’s five books in his home library that he had long forgotten, giving outstanding insight and guidelines into establishing successful prayer in the local church. Sharing these books with the other two remaining members, they decided it was best they tackle the book on establishing a prayer room first. Below are the words of Dr Teykl:

Making Prayer visible in our churches makes it more likely to happen and encourage more people to participate. We must do everything we can to make prayer appealing, from investing in first-class prayer materials to raising up comfortable, inviting places for people to seek God. Prayer does not need to be mercenary to be spiritual.

One of the simplest and yet most profound things a prayer room offers is a place to be alone and still before God. It promotes humility and a visible dependence on God. Prayer rooms also generate and facilitate other prayer ideas given by the Holy Spirit to affect the whole ministry of the church in the community.

Ten Reasons Your Church Needs  A Prayer Room

1. It allows us to schedule prayer in a systematic manner, making it likely to happen. Scheduled prayer is Biblical. If you read in the book of Acts, you will see that the disciples had scheduled times of prayer – 9:00 am in Acts 2:15; 3:00 pm in Acts 3; 12 noon in Acts 10: 9; and 3:00 pm in Acts 10:30. Also, scheduled prayer tends to be inspirational prayer because it is based on a conscious decision to seek God at a given time each week, not merely during a crisis or a feeling.

  2. A prayer room provides an excellent place to keep a record of all the deeds of God in the life of the church – a reminder to thank and praise Him for all He does.

3. Prayer rooms provide places where information can be gathered and prayed over, promoting agreement in prayer.

4. Prayer rooms provide ownership of the church vision and serves as tangible, visible reminders of our commitment to pray.

5. The compassion of Jesus is displayed to the community while we make a statement to them about the importance of prayer.  

6. A prayer room provides a place where prayer can be practiced and matured – a training center for both corporate and individual prayer.

7. An inclusive impact is made on the church because a prayer room brings everyone to one place to pray.

8. Prayer rooms minister the presence of God to those who come, providing a place where people can be quiet and hear the voice of God. Church staff and prayer counselors can use it when a quiet, private place is needed.

9. Prayer rooms encourage soaking prayer – prolonged periods of prayer – persevering prayer. Sometimes it takes persistent prayer to reach a spiritual breakthrough. It is sobering to realize how many prayers fell just short of the mark because we gave up too soon.

10. A prayer room provides a control center for strategic prayer evangelism, for warfare and other prayer ministries.

A prayer room needs to provide privacy and be closed off from outside distractions. It should be comfortable, with a pleasant atmosphere,  – an inviting place to enjoy the Lord’s presence. It’s important that it be safely accessible 24 hours a day, with a telephone and preferably a separate outside entrance that is well-lighted and has a combination lock. It should be inspirational and should have helpful information to guide people as they pray.

Blueprint for the House of Prayer, pp. 48-49

PS

From where I sit at my writing table, I can see Marcus A Yoder’s book, Cathedrals, Castles, and Caves on the shelf. I’ve not read it yet but I always want to inject barn haymows into the three C’s. Part of my anabaptist genealogy I guess, resists the ten point footwork and says that the shop, the summer kitchen, the backyard swing, the spring house, the garden bench, the apple tree crotch in the far corner of the orchard, and the multiple barns, all offer the needed seclusion for engaging times of prayer. But I must remember the most folks do not have access to such organic prayer sites as many of us rural folk do, and  neither do many worship facilities, and neither do too often our homes. Perhaps if we offer such in our corporate worship centers, our homes will follow the example of restoring the Family Altar for praise, prayer, Bible reading and especially, the art of conversation. No devices allowed!  

1.) Define good;

2.) Spiritually, are you more “form” or real “substance?”

Though the title was to get your attention, the questions have merit and I hope they clarify your evaluations of your current spiritual race. Perhaps it is best if we first define the word “good.” The Hebrew word for good is tob. A few of the definitions found in The complete Word Study Dictionary are: “to be happy, acceptable, to do well, right.” The New International Encyclopedia of Bible Words takes it deeper by stating:

“This simple word means “good” in the broadest sense. It includes the beautiful, the attractive, the useful, the profitable, the desirable, the morally right.

The concept that links all these uses of “Good” is evaluation. To determine the good, one must  compare things, qualities, and actions with other things, qualities, and actions.

The account of the Creation introduces tob biblically as God views each day’s work and pronounces it good. God too evaluates. It is in fact because God shared His image and likeness with mankind that human beings have the capacity to make value judgements. But Sin has distorted humanity’s perceptions. (there is that perception word again!) Because of this, only God is able to evaluate perfectly. The writers of the OT were convinced that not only was God the giver and the measure of good but also that He alone knows what is truly beneficial for us and what is morally right. Only because God has shared His evaluation of good in His Word are we who rely on Him able to affirm with confidence that a certain thing, quality, or course of action is beneficial.“

I suggest the key word from the above is evaluation. Adam and Eve chose to evaluate good and acceptable apart from God’s counsel. They made an assessment according to a different set of standards: their own. This has been the root of man’s hostility with the Creator ever since. It has taken various shapes and forms, but it always comes down to this underlying motive: “I know what is right for my life and don’t need anyone to tell me otherwise.” Yet God declares: There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death”(Proverbs 16:25).

God certainly knows how easily the line between good and evil can be distorted. If it happened in the garden, how much more easily can it occur today? God warns there will be ways – behavioral patterns, thought processes, beliefs, customs, and yes, even traditions – that seem acceptable by our evaluation but will eventually prove faulty in the building of our lives, and will in time, extract its toll. The results may take months or years to appear or sometimes not even show up until the Day of Judgement. Paul says, “Remember, the sins of some people are obvious, leading them to certain judgment. But there are others whose sins will not be revealed until later” (I Timothy 5:24 NLT). I can’t speak for you, but the second part of that verse causes me to tremble. Not that I’m scared of God, but rather, I’m terrified to be away from Him, outside His loving presence.

The bottom line is simply this: do I truly believe God’s wisdom is perfect and trust Him for what’s best for my life? Every human being must solidify the answer to this question in their own heart. And this core conviction cannot vary from one matter to another. Either God’s wisdom is perfect in all cases in my life, or it’s flawed, and if the latter, we will consequently attempt to operate independent of Him.

So what is the standard of good we are to trust? What leads to the way of life? The apostle Paul tells us: All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. (II Tim. 3:16 NLT)

Perhaps this is an appropriate time to examine several key elements of Paul’s statement.

All Scripture. Notice, it does not say some. And definitely not just the ones we like or agree with. Or those that fit with our way of thinking or believing. Be honest. Do you view God’s wisdom as right in some areas but out of date or irrelevant in other cases?

Consider Eve. She knew God was Creator. She enjoyed the riches of His goodness along with the wonder of His presence. She lived in the ultimate Garden of Eden in peace, harmony, and abundance. Yet – and this is huge! Once convinced by the serpent an area of God’s wisdom wasn’t right, she fell directly into Sin and was removed as was Adam from the garden. So, if Eve could be swayed in a flawless environment of abundance, whatever will be our protection in the midst of the corruption in our culture? Only Scripture and the promised Comforter can and will suffice!

                Consider Scripture an absolute must to teach us what is true and right! Yes, it is so possible for something to have the appearance of good yet be just the opposite. You’ve all experienced concepts, assumptions, opinions, qualities, ways of reasoning and thought patterns that can seem so good and right; yet, not are all so endowed. For these hidden dangers, God has given us a complete play book (manual) so we do not unknowingly veer away from truth and be consumed with the seductive compelling bunny trails frequently leading to death. You know by now of course, the only viable playbook is the Bible. And unfortunately, as with instructions for the assembly of Christmas gifts on Christmas Eve, it is often ignored until it becomes a last resort life preserver event, requiring God’s exquisite gifts of grace and mercy. Perhaps even, again!

                It is pertinent for us to ask ourselves when free from deadline stress and such chaos, am I consistently reading my Bible? Answer honestly. Recall I’ve been giving numerous invites in recent blogs to join the 2022 For LIFE family in reading The One Year Bible! Next, do I actually study it? Do I spend time searching out God’s wisdom for the specifics of my life, my family, my peers? Or do I, like Eve, just presume I’m fluent in His Word, you know, I show up all decked out in my Sunday morning sometimes fake smile (my form) too often accompanied with little or no internal  “spiritual substance of merit?”

So in summary, perhaps the big question is just this: while living on this uniquely corrupted planet earth while also battling the ever conniving tempter Satan – do I really believe I am better than the historical Eve in her Garden of Eden, at understanding and obeying God’s truths, staying relationally aligned both vertically with the Trinity and horizontally with peers, community, and other Christ Followers?  May God have mercy on my soul as I struggle to stay in the race!

Good or God? Why Good Without God Isn’t Enough. John Bevere Pages 29-31. My apologies to John as I exercised considerable latitude and license in editing his text this time. Just seemed appropriate as I read tonight but you’ll never know the extent unless you have a copy.

I am fully aware much of my material of late is perhaps too elementary for many of you, so on this blog I attempted to reintroduce the basics with a different twist.  John Bevere has an amazing testimony and God has richly blessed him and his family as world class faith facilitators with their renown Ambassadors International organization. I do admit though I occasionally will swallow hard at times when reading some of his writings, and having read most of his books, I know that is rare and I’m deeply indebted to John and  owe him much gratitude for his teaching, wisdom, and encouragement that he has imparted to me over the years.    

Too often of late I’ve heard the phrase “All we can do is pray.” That misguided statement reminds me of the amazing role played by some Czech citizens in World War II.

In Elmer Bendiner’s book, The Fall of Fortresses, he describes one bombing run over the German city of Kassel: “Our B-17 (the Tondelayo) was barraged by flack from Nazi anti-aircraft guns. That was not unusual, but on this particular occasion our gas tanks were hit. Later, as I reflected on the miracle of a twenty-millimeter shell piercing the fuel tank without touching off an explosion, our pilot, Bohn Fawkes, told me it was not quite that simple.

“On the morning following the raid, Bohn had gone down to ask our crew chief for that shell as a souvenir of unbelievable luck. The crew chief told Bohn that not just one but eleven had been found in the gas tanks – eleven un-exploded shells where only one was sufficient to blast us out of the sky. It was as if the sea had been parted for us. Even after thirty-five years, so awesome an event leaves me shaken, especially after I heard the rest of the story from Bohn.

“He was told that the shells had been sent to the armorers to be defused. The armorers told him that intelligence had picked them up. They could not say why at the time, but Bohn eventually sought out the answer. Apparently, when the armorers opened each of these shells, they found no explosive charge. They were clean as a whistle and just as harmless. Empty? Not all of them.

“One contained  a carefully rolled piece of paper. On it was a scrawl in Czech. The Intelligence people scoured our base for a man who could read Czech. Eventually, they found one to decipher the note. It set us marveling. Translated, the note read: “This is all we can do for you now.”

All we can do?! The pilots on that B-17 certainly didn’t have a small opinion of what those Czechs had done. Nor did the wives, children, or grandchildren of those airmen. Not to mention the lives they saved in the future as they helped deliver the world from Adolph Hitler. “All we can do . . .!”

This is often what I think when I hear people bemoan their helplessness or lack of contribution as they pronounce, “All we can do is pray.” What better activity could a person possibly do? We can impact the world, secure destinies and affect eternity through prayer.

Watchman Prayer: How to Stand Guard and Protect Your Family, Home, and Community. Dutch Sheets Pages 108-110.

“Happy is the man who finds wisdom…. All the things you desire cannot compare with her. Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are those who retain her. (Prov. 3:13-18)

Scripture shows that God’s wisdom to our lives results in fruitful living, productivity, success, a long life peace of mind, and honor. A tree is something others partake of. According to this scripture, if we follow the way of life (wisdom), we become a tree of life – a source of nourishment to those who partake of what we produce. Conversely, if live by the wisdom of man, we will become a detrimental tree, and those who partake of what we produce will gravitate toward toil, stress, insufficiency, sickness, selfishness, and other byproducts of spiritual death.

Returning to Proverbs 14:12. We read, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” When we examine the first part of this verse, we know it can easily apply to anyone, Christian and nonbeliever alike. There is a way that seems right – it seems good, wise, beneficial, strategic, acceptable, profitable, and so forth. Yet the warning is clear: what seems good may actually bee detrimental, harmful, and nonproductive – the way of death.

The author of Hebrews writes this sobering exhortation to believers: …We have much to say…. Since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food…. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Heb. 5:11-12, 14).

It is clear that discernment is a key factor in determining what is truly good and what is truly evil. In other words, what’s truly good is not always clear to our natural thinking, reasoning, or senses.

You may ask, “Didn’t the author of Hebrews say that our senses can be trained to tell the difference?” He did, but what senses was he referring to? You’ll notice at the beginning of these verses, the author said he was writing to these Christians whose hearing had grown dull. What hearing was he referring to? Did all the Hebrew believers need hearing aids? Hardly. He was referencing the ability to hear in our hearts. Jesus constantly taught, “he who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Matt. 11:15). Virtually all those who received this teaching had physical ears, yet not all of them had a discerning heart to hear the Word of God, which was best for their lives.

One of Jesus’s main team member, Peter, spoke of protection and long life to Jesus. It seemed certain that he was giving his Boss good counsel. Yet Jesus reprimanded him sharply by stating his interests were clearly not God’s (see Matt. 16:21-23). This is only one of many scriptural examples I could give illustrating how good and evil are not openly evident.

Solomon prayed, “Give me an understanding heart so that I can … know the difference between right and wrong. (I Kings 3:9 NLT). It takes an enlightened heart, one that is trained, to identify what God calls good and evil. Eve was perfect in every way, and in the garden where she resided the presence of God was powerful and strong. However, what she discerned to be good, pleasant, and profitable was actually evil and detrimental for her life. She was deceived and suffered because of it.

And thus, we are brought to the purpose of this book: To illuminate, through the Scriptures and the help of the Holy Spirit, the difference between what is good for your life and what ultimately will be detrimental. If Eve, who was perfect and living in a flawless environment, could still be deceived, how much easier is it for those of us with imperfect minds and living in a corrupted world – a skewed society –  to be deceived into judging what is damaging to be good?

Good or God? Why Good Without God Isn’t Enough? John Bevere pages 10-12.

In these times the terms good and God are seemingly synonymous . We believe that what is generally accepted as good must be aligned with God’s will. Generosity, humility, and justice are good. Selfishness, arrogance and cruelty are evil. The distinction seems pretty forward. But is that all there is to it? If good is so obvious, why does Hebrews 5:14 teach that we must have discernment to recognize it?

The apostle Paul writes, “ Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Roman12:2). We cannot discern what is truly good for our lives without first having our minds renewed. Without the transformation that comes through the renewing of our minds, we miss out on the amazing, God – infused life available to us in Christ.

Before the foundation of the world, God designed a plan for your life, one that is overflowing with fulfilled purpose, immense joy, and great satisfaction. His will and plan for you are perfectly and completely good. But there is a counterfeit good that can keep you from embracing God’s best.

Sadly, many of us have settled for the knockoff. We’ve unknowingly (and at times knowingly) rejected God in pursuit of what’s apparently good.

The early church leaders repeatedly warned us about this deception. To be so deceived is to believe we’re aligned with the truth, when in actuality, we’re not. (OUCH, Careful now!) Jesus Himself warned that deception would be so cleverly concealed in our time the elect could fall prey to it. Can we treat these warnings lightly? Can we brush them off, assuming we are above deception and instinctively discern good from evil?    

The good news is that God is not trying to hide His best from us. He’s not in the business of pulling the shades over our eyes. He promises that those who seek will find. If we commit to the journey of seeking truth, we will not be duped by its counterfeit. The question is, will we look to the Source of truth, or will we settle for a superficial knowledge of God and His good will? My hope is that in reading this book, we will solidify our resolve never to settle for less than God’s best.

May we pray before we begin:

Father, in Jesus’s name, open my eyes, ears, and heart to see, hear, and perceive You will for my life. Holy Spirit, teach me, deeply and profoundly, the ways of Jesus Christ as I read this message. I look to You as my Teacher. May You speak to me from every sentence of this book. May my life be changed forever. Amen.

John Bevere, author of “Good or God? Why Good Without God Isn’t Enough!”                                                 

Prayer Changes Everything… Two True Accounts Offering Eternal Perspectives….

When George McCluskey married and started a family, he decided to invest one hour a day in prayer, because he wanted his kids to follow Christ. After a time, he expanded his prayers to include his grandchildren and even great-grandchildren. Every day between 11:00 AM and noon, he prayed for the next three generations.

As the years went by, his two daughters committed their lives to Christ and married men who went into full time ministry. The two couples produced four girls and one boy. Each of the girls married a minister, and the boy became a pastor.

The first two children born to this generation were both boys. Upon graduation from high school, the two cousins chose the same college and became roommates. During their sophomore year, one boy decided to go into the ministry. The other didn’t. He undoubtedly felt some pressure to continue the family legacy, but he chose instead to pursue his interest in psychology.

He earned his doctorate and eventually wrote books for parents that became bestsellers. He started a radio program heard on more than a thousand stations each day. The man’s name – James Dobson.

Talk about the power of prayer! The next time you’re blessed by Focus on the Family or one of Dobson’s books, thank God for a generational watchman, George McCluskey.

Many kids are not as blessed with praying fathers.

At a 1994 Promise Keepers’ Conference in Denton Texas, Pastor James Ryle told his story:

When he was two years old, his father was sent to prison. When he was seven, authorities placed him in an orphanage. At 19, he had a car wreck that killed a friend. He sold drugs to raise money for his legal fee, and the law caught up to him. He was arrested, charged with a felony and sent to prison.

While in prison James accepted Christ, and after he served his time, he eventually went into the ministry. Years later he sought out his father to reconcile with him. When they got together, the conversation turned to prison life.

James’s father asked, “Which prison were you in?”

James told him, and his father was taken back. “I helped build that prison,” he said. He had been a welder who went from place to place building penitentiaries.

Pastor Ryle concluded, “I was in the prison my father built.”

Indeed! In more ways than one. These are amazing stories, powerfully contrasting two possibilities. We can either build prisons for our children or through prayer build fruitful lives that bless others.

Watchman Prayer: How to Stand Guard and Protect Your Family, Home and Community by Dutch Sheets, pages 105-107.

Utmost For His Highest November 20

Perhaps we need to be to be reminded in our lethargy just how perverse our culture’s lackadaisical view of the fatherhood of God has become: That God is so kind and loving that of course He will forgive us. That thought, based solely on emotion, cannot be found anywhere in the New Testament. Perhaps this notion is similar to the erroneous concept developed in a recent post, The Legend of the Social Justice Jesus.

The only basis on which God can forgive us is the tremendous tragedy of the Cross of Christ. To base our forgiveness on any other grounds is unconscious blasphemy.  The only foundation on which God can forgive our sin and reinstate us to His favor is through the Cross of Christ. There is no other way. Forgiveness, which is so easy for us to accept, cost the agony of Calvary. Although we must take the forgiveness of sin and the gift of the Holy Spirit by simple faith, we must never forget the enormous cost to God that made all of this ours.

Forgiveness is the divine miracle of grace. Never accept a view of the fatherhood of God if it blots out the atonement. The revealed truth of God is that without the atonement He cannot forgive. He would contradict His nature if He did. The only way we can be forgiven is by being brought back to God through the atonement of the Cross, possible only in the supernatural realm.

Compared with the forgiveness of sin, the experience of sanctification is actually, quite small, being simply the wonderful expression or evidence of the forgiveness of sins in a human life. But the transcending realization that awakens the deepest fountain of gratitude in a human being, is that God has forgiven all our Sin. Apostle Paul never escaped from this. Once you realize all that it cost God to forgive you, you will be held as in a vise as was Paul, both constrained and empowered, by the love of God!

No doubt by now since I have rapidly highlighted three Utmost devotionals centering on aspects of forgiveness, some of my readers may well be questioning my theology. I simply did so because my decades of misunderstanding and under appreciating both the simplicity and complexities of forgiveness have cost me and my family dearly. I have faith that if I at least point you in the right direction, that God in his love, grace & mercy, will provide you the needed wisdom from his vast storehouses to spare you the years of wandering in wildernesses as did I. Have you ever used a vise on a work bench to secure an object? How about a simple Vise-Grip? If so, you can better comprehend Paul’s “being gripped.”

Paul said that he was so gripped by the love of God that people could perceive him as mad or sane – he did not care. There was only one thing he lived for – to persuade people of the coming judgement of God and to tell them of “the love of Christ.” This total surrender will always leave the mark of God’s holiness and His power on the messages’ recipients, drawing minimal attention to the messenger’s personal holiness. “…. And He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” II Cor. 5:15

Perhaps it was no accident that my business card highlights the verse from I Peter 2:9 “That you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” I am simply telling my story as we Christ Follower’s are encouraged to do. Blessings as you GO FORTH Today in HIS LIGHT even though the world calls it Black Friday! Again, it is all a matter of His PERSPECTIVE! >>>>>merlin

Utmost For His Highest November 19

Very few of us know anything about conviction of sin. We know better only the experience of being disturbed by our sin, because we do know we have done some really bad things. But the conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit uniquely blots out every relationship on earth and makes us aware of only one – “Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight” (Psalm 51:4). When a person is convicted of their sin to this magnitude, they know with every bit of their conscience that God does forgive all sin, and that it cost Him the breaking of His heart with grief to witness the death of Jesus Christ ultimately enabling Him to complete his mission, total and complete forgiveness!

The great miracle of the grace of God is that He forgives sin, and it is the death of Jesus Christ that enables the divine nature to forgive and remain true to its itself in doing so. It is shallow nonsense to say that God forgives us because He is love. Once we have been convicted of sin, we will never say this again. The love of God means Calvary – nothing less! The love of God is spelled out on the Cross and nowhere else. The only basis for which God can forgive me is the Cross of Christ. It is there that His conscience is satisfied.

Forgiveness doesn’t merely mean that I am saved from hell and am made ready for heaven. No one would accept forgiveness on that level, such as possessing the necessary ticket. Rather, forgiveness means that I am also empowered and transformed into a newly created relationship which identifies me with God in Christ. The miracle of redemption is that God turns me, the unholy one, into the standard of Himself, the Holy One. He does this by putting into me a new nature, the very nature of Jesus Christ.

Perhaps this is a good time to give you some personal history. I was introduced the first time to Oswald Chambers classic devotional Utmost For His Highest by Dr. Jim Miller in early ’97 during our congregation’s LIFE (Living In Faithful Evangelism) process as he gave each member a copy. Next to our Bibles, it has been our daily inspiration for Loretta and I more than any other one book. Frequently during the events of our days, we refer to that morning’s reading amazed at the appropriateness of its comments, or even after being through it repeatedly over the years, the wonder and the freshness of that day’s reading. And even when a reading is recognized, and the supporting events for its processing recalled from prior years, I find a freshness and even a new interpretation forthcoming to add yet another dimension in our Utmost legacy arsenal.

I invite you to consider reading Utmost during 2022 whether from a printed copy or subscribe online. Enhance your legacy arsenal! Blessings as you go forth on this 2021 Thanksgiving Day>>>>> merlin

“If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” John 8:36

If there is even a trace of individual conceit left in us, it always says, “I can’t surrender,” or  “I can’t be free.” But the spiritual side of our being never says “I can’t”; it simply soaks up and absorbs everything around it. Our spirit or personality hungers for more and more. It is the way we are built. We are designed with a great capacity for God, but sin, our own individuality, and wrong thinking keep us from getting to Him. God delivers us from sin. However we have to deliver ourselves from our individuality. This means offering our natural life to God and sacrificing it to Him, so that He may transform it into a spiritual life by our simple obedience.

God pays no attention to our natural individuality in the development of our spiritual life. His order runs right across our natural life. We must see to it that we aid and assist God, and not stand against Him by saying “I can’t do that.” God will not discipline us; we must discipline ourselves. God will not bring our “arguments … and every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (II Cor. 10:5) – we have to do it. Don’t say “Oh Lord, I suffer from wandering thoughts.” Don’t suffer from wandering thoughts! Stop listening to the tyranny of your individual natural life and win freedom into your amazing spiritual life.

“If the Son makes you free… Do not substitute Savior for Son in this passage. The Savior has set us free from sin, and this is the freedom that comes from being set free from myself by the Son. It is what Paul meant in Gal. 2:20 when he said “I have been crucified with Christ … His individuality had been broken and his spirit had been united with his Lord; not just merged into Him, but united and made one with Him..  “… You shall be free indeed” – free to the very core of your being; free from the inside to the outside. We tend to rely on our own energy, instead of being energized by the power that comes from identification with Jesus.

This 11/18 Utmost post and the next two Utmost devotionals, also to be posts, from November 19 & 20 are a continuation of the theme, “Winning into Freedom” that actually for me began with the recent post, The Legend of the Social Gospel Jesus. For decades I had quietly struggled before I experienced an intimate relationship with the Son and last evening when I read the final paragraphs in The Serving Leader book by John Stahl-Wert, the dilemma of my former decades was succinctly revealed to me in three points and I’m compelled to share the page with you now through Mike’s eyes.

In the car, I asked Dad one remaining question. Given my own track record, was I fit to be a Serving Leader? He knew exactly what I needed to hear.

“We’ve all made mistakes and wasted lots of time and talent, Mike,” he said, reaching over to lay his hand on my arm.

“But mistakes aren’t the issue here. What we do with them though, is the issue.”

I nodded.

“We’re all faced with three choices in life,” he continued. “First, we can pretend that everything’s always been just fine. If we make this choice, we have to spend all our time putting on a front for people, acting like we have it all together, and making up excuses for our meaningless lives.”

Dad let the point hang in the air. I was thinking back to the years when I had finally quit attending church, mainly to lessen the pain of my hypocrisy.

“We become smaller people when we do this, Mike. We’re justified in our own minds but useless to anyone else.”

Secondly, and just as bad, we can destroy ourselves in lament and self-recrimination. Since we’ve wasted so much of our lives, we figure it’s too late to get back on track now, thinking we don’t really deserve another opportunity and so we slide into a perpetual spiritual oblivion.

This description, actually fit my condition better better than the first one, I realized. Dad had just cut to the quick of my fundamental struggle.

“Again, this is wrong, and just makes us small. What good can a groveling, self-whipped soul be to anyone else?” he asked, the question needing no answer.

“And the third one, Dad?” I asked trying to hide how desperately I needed to hear a better option.

Dad squeezed my arm. “Ask to be forgiven for the past, Mike. And then seize your future with all you’ve got. Join the team! Live empowered!”

It wasn’t clear to me if he was just giving me his third point or if he was giving me a command. I liked it either way. I was ready.

Go Forth gratefully renewed >>>>> merlin

The Bible contains the mind of God,

the state of man,

the way of salvation,

the doom of sinners,

and the happiness of believers.

Its doctrines are holy,

Its precepts are binding,

Its histories are true,

and its decisions are immutable.

Read it to be wise,

Believe it to be safe,

And practice it to be holy.

It contains light to direct you,

Food to support you,

And comfort to cheer you.

It’s the traveler’s map,

the pilgrim’s staff,

the pilot’s compass,

the soldier’s sword,

and the Christian’s charter.

Here Paradise is restored,

Heaven opened,

And the gates of hell disclosed.

Christ is its grand subject,

Our good the design,

And the glory of God its end.

It should fill the memory,

rule the heart,

and guide the feet.

Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully.

It is a mine of wealth,

A paradise of glory,

And a river of pleasure.

It is given you in life,

Will be opened at judgement,

and be remembered forever.

It involves the highest responsibility,

Will reward the greatest labor,

And will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.

Merely 184 words but worthy of being memorized or read frequently! Consider the perspective of your life at this moment. Is dispensing love to all you meet your dominant theme? Unsure? Perhaps you need to read the above document again. Perhaps you could gain key insights were you to decide to to read scripture daily. Perhaps you are being prompted to join the 2022 FOR LIFE (Living In Faithful Evangelism) movement to read your One Year Bible daily for the rest of your life. Relax! It’s actually not that radical! According to God’s clock, none of us have that much more time left on this planet anyway. Ever figure out how many more Sundays you may have left?

Ken Hawkins of Really Recovered spoke this morning at KMC of his extreme hunger for scripture when he first met Jesus. Even if you were there, I suggest you go to the Kidron Mennonite Church website and listen to his words of encouragement again regardless if you have known Jesus for 7 years as Ken, or as some, for 65 years. A few of his quips: I Cor. 4:20 “For the kingdom of God is not in WORD, but in POWER.” When we experience God’s healing presence, the “before” picture brings value and credibility to whatever the “restoration.” “Do you think God saved (restored) you for you? This is FOR you but not ABOUT you!!”Daily prayer and Bible reading is not an option for the perilous times ahead.