In Ephesians 6: 10-13 Paul tells us several times to stand against the devil. However in Ephesians 6:12 Paul says, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." It might seem strange that Paul uses the metaphor of wrestling against evil. Today, you and I, envision wrestling as something done on the floor with one person trying to pin down the other. However, back in Roman times wrestling was done standing up. The winner was the person who threw the other to the ground preventing them from standing. Wrestling Against Evil Not Flesh and Blood Paul explains in this verse that our struggle is not against flesh and blood men. We may war against one other, we may struggle against other humans, other humans we think of as the enemy, but that is not where the real struggle lies. The real struggle is not with the humans but with the forces that hold sway over them. These people may be violent or angry toward us, but if we treat them the same way they treat us then all that proves is that our true enemy has defeated us as well. What Should We Really Fear? The Lord says in Matthew 10:28, "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." The true thing to fear in this struggle, this wrestling match, is the one who destroys the soul. Jesus says not to worry or be fearful of someone who can kill you, what you need to be concerned about is the one who can drag you to hell. The Devil's Influence We can read in the Bible about the influences of the Devil on people who were demon possessed. We read of demon possessed people who were blinded, had symptoms similar to epilepsy, or were unable to talk. Sometimes they caused people, like Judas, to do evil. They may be troubled by an evil spirit like Saul. They may have super human strength like the Gadarene demoniac. Obviously a person does not have to be demon possessed to be influenced by the Devil or demons. The Three Temptations of Satan I John 2:16 describes the 3 main areas that Satan uses to tempt people; lusting in our flesh, with our eyes and in the pride of life. Lusting is an intense desire for something - sex, food, power, money, etc. Lusting in our flesh, Satan takes our physical weaknesses and tries to convince us to meet our needs our own way, ignoring God. Lusting with our eyes is pretty obvious. We often see things that we want. We don't ask God should I have this thing or person. We just know it looks like what we think will satisfy us. Lusting in the pride of life we want to place ourselves at the center of our life instead of God. What we want becomes more important than what God wants. We Walk According to the Spirit In Romans 8:4 Paul tells us that Christians walk according to the Spirit, not the flesh. God's desires should be our desires. Satan attempts to make evil things look good. He makes us feel guilty over things we shouldn't. Things that God has forgiven us of. The Devil manipulates scripture in our mind to mean things that it doesn't. He convinces us to believe lies. The Devil tries to make us doubt God's love. When we walk in the Spirit we can see through Satan's deceptions. In all things we should humble ourselves before God to resist the Devil's temptations. Our Adversary Satan, the Devil, is our accuser before God, our adversary, the one who slanders us. Slander is a lie that hurts a person's reputation. In Revelation 12 we are told that the Devil is the "accuser of our brethern". He goes before our Lord and points out our every failing. I Peter 5: 8 says that the Devil is an adversary that wants to devour us. He is patient, waiting for just the right moment to attack. Satan is clever, wily, full of trickery. He is the "father of lies" (John 8:44). Thank God for Jesus who is our wonderful advocate. Our Strength Comes from God Humanly we have no ability to defeat Satan, only God can do that. Like David before Goliath, we must know that our strength comes only from God. I John 4:4 reminds us that the Holy Spirit who lives inside of us is greater than the evil one of this world. Colossians 2:15 tells us that the cross has triumphed over principalities and powers. Romans 8:38 tells us that the principalities and powers mentioned in Ephesians 6:12 can NOT separate us from the love of God. Unseen Evil These principalities, powers and rulers of darkness are the evil spirits influencing humanity to strive against God. Principalities are demons that control huge areas of the world, cities or even countries. Satan is called the "prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2). These unseen evil forces are around us and at this moment they control the world. Satan, who is described as a prince, cannot however be king because there is only one King Jesus. The Devil's time will soon be over. As R.C. Sproul explains, The devil's "power is restricted, limited, and temporal. What has happened briefly is this: The power and authority of Satan has been dealt a fatal blow by Christ. The Cross, the Incarnation, the Resurrection, and the Ascension tremendously weakened any power or authority that Satan enjoyed, but it didn’t annihilate him. That will come later, when Christ completes his work of redemption with the consummation of his kingdom. All things will be brought into captivity to him, and every knee will bow to him, including the fallen angels, who will bow in submission to his authority." Jesus Strengthens Us for Battle As Ephesians 6 continues, Paul describes the armor that we must put on to defeat Satan, to literally throw him down. If we don't put on this armor we will be defeated. Satan attacks us at the weakest place in our armor. He is always looking for a way in. Every part of our armor is necessary for our successful defense. Our armor is created and fashioned by our Father. He knew that we would need a strong defense to protect us from the Devil. To wrestle successfully you must be very physically fit. To wrestle spiritually you must be spiritually fit. You should feed your soul on the Word - the bread of life - on Jesus who strengthens us for the battle.

What an indescribable blessing. In Luke chapter two the Angel of the Lord tells the lowly shepherds that he brings good news that will bring joy to ALL the people. The Angels' news was for everyone. Not just those who were powerful, or rich, or intelligent, not just for those who were "good enough" but for ALL the people. And then a Heavenly host of angels appear and announce, Glory to God! This glory is honor and worship of our great Father. But there is more, much more. The angels continue and tell the shepherds, "and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests." Luke 2:14(b) NIV This peace is for those on whom His favor rests. This peace the Heavenly host announced is for those who believe in Him and come to know Him. What peace are they talking about? First is peace with God. This peace saves us, sanctifies us and makes us holy. Without it nothing else matters. Peace with God is reconciliation with our Savior, not based on our worthiness, but based on His. Secondly is inner peace. Today's world holds so much stress, so much anxiety, and so much depression but it doesn't have to. John 14: 27 says this peace Jesus offers is beyond understanding. When we are going through the deepest sorrows of our life Jesus offers us this peace. The Holy Spirit Himself is our Comforter. Jesus says you can't find this peace in the world, only in Him. Isaiah 48:22 says there is no peace for the wicked. Second Thessalonians 3:16 says, "Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you." Our Savior is described as the Lord of peace and He offers us peace in all our circumstances. Even when we feel it is impossible to find it. So many in the world today turn to alcohol or drugs trying to find peace but they won't find it there - ever. Peace is a fruit of the Holy Spirit of God working in our lives. Romans 8: 6 says that being spiritually minded brings peace and life. God has us, as we say today. He cares for us and truly knowing that soothes the soul like nothing else. Thirdly is peace with others. When we understand that Christ has forgiven us of so much we can show the same forgiveness and kindness with tender hearts towards those who have hurt us deeply (Ephesians 4: 31-32). Will this forgiveness always be returned? Sadly no. It wasn't toward Christ and it won't be always returned to us either. Don't let that make you bitter. Keep remembering God's forgiveness towards you instead thinking about how often you have been hurt. Romans 14: 19 tells us to do all that we can to promote peace with others. In Romans 12: 18 Paul says that as far as it depends on you, live peaceably with others. We can't force peace on someone else. Jesus reminds us in the Sermon on the Mount that peacemakers are blessed, so blessed that they will see God (Matthew 5:9). What about world peace? That won't happen until the end of the age (Isaiah 11: 1-10). In Matthew 24: 6-7 Jesus tells us that until He returns there will be "wars and rumors of wars" and "nations will rise against nations". But in our own way we can bring peace to those around us by sharing the word of Christ, the joy of Christ and the peace of Christ. Those who trust in God can have peace now. Today let's make Colossians 3:15 our prayer, "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. " Let's join with the angels in saying, Glory to God in the Highest! How we thank our Savior for His peace this Christmas.

The Bible tells us to pray without ceasing but are there times when it is time to stop praying and do something? There are several examples in the Bible of when this was the case. However, every time there is a delay in our prayers being answered doesn't mean we should jump head first into 'doing something'. It might mean though, that we should prayerfully reflect if we are being obedient. In Exodus 14 we read where Moses and the children of Israel stand before the Red Sea with the Egyptian army pursuing them. Afraid, they cried out to God. What did God say to them? "And the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward." Exodus 14:15 In other words, the time for prayer is over and the time for doing is at hand. They have prayed and now they must act in obedience. They must "go forward". Is this where we are with our prayers? Do we know what we should do but we are afraid and continue to cry out to God when we really know it is time to act? In Joshua chapter 7 we read of Joshua's defeat at the hand of the people of the city of Ai. Having defeated Jericho, Joshua turned his sights on Ai. Thinking this would be an easy victory the Israelites attacked Ai only to be routed. Joshua prayed to God, more like complained to God, concerning their defeat. How does God reply? “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? " Joshua 7: 10 (b) God tells Joshua there is sin in their midst. No victory will be had until that sin is dealt with. The people must repent first, then they will see victory. No amount of prayer will gain them victory until they repent. Is this not so like us? Don't we pray for months, even years without having prayers answered? Certainly God delays at times, but have we reflected on ourself? Have we asked God to show us any sin that we must repent of? In Matthew chapter 5 in verse 23 and 24 our Lord tells us to first be reconciled to our brother before we present our offerings. We are not Jewish. We do not go to the temple with offerings, but we do go before God in prayer to offer our gifts of money, love, time and praise. In Romans 12:1 we are told to offer our lives as a sacrifice. We do this prayerfully. Our Lord tells us before we do this we must reach out if there is someone who we have ill will to, to seek reconciliation and forgiveness. Whoever it is, parent, child, friend or someone we barely know, we should be reconciled. Like I John 4:20 reminds us, if we don't love our brother, we can't love God. In Acts 22 we read how Ananais came to Paul. Standing before Paul, Ananais restored Paul's sight, informed him of God's plans for him and then had this to say in verse 16, " And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord." Ananais wants Paul to know that the time for prayer is over, that the time for obedience has come.  Have we prayed for salvation? Have we been obedient to the word? Have we repented and been baptized? Cornelius was another example. In Acts 10 and 11 the angel told Cornelius to send for Peter who would tell him what to do to be saved. When Peter came, he preached Jesus to Cornelius and his household and told them to be baptized. A.W. Tozer was a well-known American pastor and author. He says this about prayer, “Have you noticed how much praying for revival has been going on of late and how little revival has resulted? We have been trying to substitute praying for obeying, and it simply will not work. To pray for revival while ignoring the plain precept laid down in Scripture is to waste a lot of words and get nothing for our trouble. Prayer will become effective when we stop using it as a substitute for obedience.” So while prayer should be our way of living, obedience is as well. What are we actually doing to promote revival ourselves? What are we doing in our family and among our friends to spread the word? Often, we pray for healing while at the same time we are doing things that make our health worse. What is it that we know God would have us do or change that we are stubbornly refusing to do? Should we go to the doctor, have surgery, change our diet or get more exercise? Never underestimate the power of prayer but also remember that there are times when action is required on our part. My prayer is that God will show me when it is time to stop praying and DO something. This post was inspired by the sermon, "When God Said, "Stop Praying".

We are told repeatedly in the Bible to give thanks to God. In good times it's easy to see God's blessings but often when things are not going well, we find it hard to do this. The Bible has many examples of people who thanked God even in the midst of very difficult and dangerous circumstances. In Acts 27 we read the story of Paul and the shipwreck. Paul attempted to warn his Roman captors that the voyage would end in disaster but they wouldn't listen. As the voyage continued and the seas became more violent they feared shipwreck. Paul was told by an angel that they would all survive but only the ship would be lost. "So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me." (Acts 27:25) Finally they listened to Paul. Two more weeks passed. The men had not eaten but Paul encouraged them to have a meal to sustain them. They gathered together and in the midst of the storm Paul gave thanks (Acts 27:35). All 276 men survived the shipwreck just as God had promised. The story of Jonah is another example of someone who gave thanks in the midst of trials. Jonah's rebelliousness had caused him to flee from God leading to him being swallowed by a giant fish. In the belly of the fish Jonah cries out to God in chapter 2. He prays saying that he will sacrfice to God with "shouts of grateful praise" and he acknowledges that "salvation comes from the Lord." Jonah prays this prayer without knowing that God would have the fish spit him out. Jonah prays this prayer fully believing that he is at the end of his life. The great prophet Daniel praised God in the midst of trials in Daniel chapter 6. The King had outlawed praying to any other God but himself, but Daniel, whose habit was to pray three times a day giving thanks to God, continued to pray. Daniel certainly knew the risk he was taking. When he was found praying he was placed in the Lion's den as punishment, but God miraculously shut the mouths of the lions. Because of Daniel's faithfulness, King Darius decreed that his kingdom should fear and reverence Daniel's God. As we face our lives we all experience trials. These three men faced potentially the loss of their lives, but in all cases that did not deter them from thanking God for the many blessings He had given them. That did not stop them from praising Him for being faithful and true, loving and just and gracious beyond measure. All three men were used by God after these experiences. Paul continued spreading the gospel, Jonah preached repentence to the Ninevites and Daniel received prophetic words from the Lord. How will God use us after our trial if we are faithful to Him? Our faithfulness is often a measure of our gratitude. Are we truly thankful for the blessings that God has given us or do we let ourselves be overwhelmed by the cares and trials of the world? No matter what happens to our physical bodies we can pray with Jonah, "When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple." Jonah 2:7 In Revelation 19:11 we read that Jesus is called "Faithful and True". In the cares of this life we can always be thankful for that. Thank you Father, for your Son Jesus that is always faithful and true. In His name we pray, Amen

Greed and deception. They seem to go hand in hand today just like they did several thousand years ago. No, there is nothing new under the sun. In 2 Kings 5: 20-27 we read the story of the prophet Elisha's servant, Gehazi. Elisha had just healed Naaman of leprosy and took no money for it even though Naaman was prepared to pay him handsomely. Gehazi, thinking he would be sly, decided to run after Naaman and ask for money and clothes. Naaman thought this was a request from Elisha and obliged by giving more than was asked, 2 talents of silver and clothes. This was no small amount of money. In today's money it was well over $34,000. And now enters deception. Gehazi stashed his goods and stood in front of Elisha. Elisha asked him where he went. Gehazi, of course, lied and said, nowhere. Gehazi was foolish enough to lie straight to the face of a prophet of God. Elisha had seen, in the spirit, what his servant had done. Elisha pointed out that seeking gain from Naaman would devalue the lesson that God had healed him. Gehazi had already planned in his mind the many possessions he would purchase with the money. So since he wanted the wealth of Naaman, Elisha promised he would be cursed with the leprosy of Naaman. And not just Gehazi but all his generations forever. We are provided a second example of greed and deception in the New Testament. The ones who lied suffered an even worse fate than Gehazi. In Acts 5: 1-11 we read the story of Ananias and Sapphira. A very sobering story it is. Just previous to this we read in Acts 4 that Barnabas had sold his land and given the money to the Apostles. Now Ananias comes in to do the same. Ananias probably wanted to be as respected as Barnabas, he wanted to be considered as generous as Barnabas but his greed caused him to withhold a portion of the proceeds for himself. As he laid the money at the feet of Peter, he appeared to have brought the full amount, but Peter, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, knew better. Peter informed Ananias that it was Satan himself who tempted Ananias to lie to the Holy Spirit. Peter reminded Ananias that it wasn't required to give the whole amount but what was required was honesty. Even more frightening Peter tells Ananias that it wasn't to men that he was lying but to God Himself! At this Ananias fell down dead. Some little while later, Ananias's wife came in, not knowing Ananias's fate but very aware of the deception they agreed to, she lied to Peter as well. At this she also fell down dead. In the Bible's understated way it says that, "Great fear fell upon all the church." Deception, greed and lying would not be tolerated by God in the church. There would be punishment for those foolish enough to try. In Proverbs 6: 16-19 we are told that one of the six things God hates is a lying tongue. Revelation 21: 8 says that liars will find themselves in the lake of fire. And in Proverbs 19: 5 it says that lying will not go unpunished. Greed also has its punishment. In I Corinthians 6: 9-11 it tells us that greedy people (along with other sins) will not inherit the Kingdom of God. I Timothy 6: 10 says that the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil. We have an expression, "Follow the money.", in regards to uncovering political corruption. But it seems that we could use the expression for almost any corruption. I Timothy 6: 9 says that desiring wealth causes us to fall into temptation, to be snared by it, which leads to destruction. One interesting thing about both of these stories is who these people were around, who should have influenced them. Gehazi was the servant of the great prophet Elisha. He had seen miracles performed. He supposedly knew the God of Israel, but that didn't stop him from lying to seek gain. Ananias and Sapphira sat at the feet of the Apostles. They had probably seen first hand many of the miracles of the early church. All of that didn't stop them from allowing the Devil to creep in and tempt them to make terrible choices. You and I may be in a great church, we may have loving Christian friends, we may study the word, but we can still be influenced by the Devil. We still need to guard against the wiles of the enemy. Satan succeeded in infiltrating the congregation of the apostles themselves, but those who yielded to temptation paid a heavy price. The disobedience of Gehazi was in stark contrast to his obedient master, Elisha. The disobedience of Ananias and Saphira also was totally opposite of the apostles they followed. Normally people who are in direct contact with those of great faith, people who experience miracles, would be expected to be more obedient to God, but these examples show us that is not always the case. We would expect them to be true believers. Were they true believers? Almost certainly not. We know this because Peter says to Ananias that Satan had filled his heart. Satan cannot fill the heart of a believer because the Holy Spirit lives there. Also, earlier in Acts 4:32 we are told that the congregation was of one heart and soul. So Ananias and Sapphira couldn't have truly been part of the congregation. There are often two kinds of people in the church. We may not be able to distinguish them but God certainly can. We can't hide from Him. They may say, "Jesus is Lord" but God knows if there is truth in it. Proverbs 4: 23 warns us to guard our hearts. The NIV translation says we do this because everything we do flows from our heart. Some of us might think we are never tempted to do anything like what these people did. But are we sure? Does cheating on income taxes and insurance claims tempt you? We should be careful how we present our offerings. When we tell people we tithe, are we really tithing? Do we give for show or out of love? Are we greedy for things of this world? Are we jealous of our neighbors who have more than we do? Are we fully aware that God knows our heart in all things? Perhaps we should have just a little more of that fear of the early church. Fear of the Lord is a good thing. As Christians, the separation that unrepentant sin causes in the life of a believer is a sad and damaging thing. "For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil." Ecclesiastes 12: 14

Psalm 107: 23-32 has often been referred to as the Seafarer's Psalm. It speaks of stormy seas being calmed by the Lord out of His love for the seafarers until they have been brought safely to their desired haven. But there is a deeper meaning here than even that. In verse 23-24 we read, "Those who go down to the sea in ships, Who do business on great waters, They see the works of the Lord, And His wonders in the deep." As we each go about our daily lives, we should all be able to see "the works of the Lord and His wonders" wherever God has placed us. When we see the beauty of the land, the animals, the birth of a child, the soft kiss of our children, the moon and stars at night, in all of this and so, so much more we should recognize the wonders created for us out of His love. In verse 25-26 we read, "For He commands and raises the stormy wind, Which lifts up the waves of the sea. They mount up to the heavens, They go down again to the depths; Their soul melts because of trouble." God commands the seas as He commands our lives. There are moments when we are lifted up, full of joy, our hope seems to be unlimited but then something changes, something terrible happens and we go down, down and feel like we are drowning and alone. We are troubled to the point that we are so afraid our very hearts and minds seem to melt. It seems as if all hope is lost. To whom do we turn when things go so badly? To our friends, to drink, or drugs or to God? The anguish can be so deep that in verse 27 it says, "They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, And are at their wits’ end." Has it ever been so bad that you have come to the end of what you can figure out on your own? Haven't you had the experience of not knowing which way to turn, like "reeling to and fro"? Many of us have. Many of us have reached a point where we gave up. We just didn't know what to do to make things different, to make things feel safe again. But when we seek God, He is near. In verse 28-29 the Psalmist says, "Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm, So that its waves are still." In our fear and turmoil God rescues us. Why? Because we "cry out to the Lord". We realize finally that only God can save us. He calms our storms and stills our waves and our fear washes away. And then in verse 30, "Then they are glad because they are quiet; So He guides them to their desired haven." It is our Lord and Savior, the quieter of our storms, who will then guide us to our "desired haven". A haven is someplace where you can feel safe, your loved ones would be there, your heart's joy would be there. For Christians, that haven is called Heaven. When death comes for us, we can feel calm and serene, safe from the danger and turmoil of this life, as we go to our safe haven to be with the Lord. Finally in verse 31-32 the Psalmist sings, "Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people, And praise Him in the company of the elders." If we would only remember our Lord's faithful promises to us, we would give thanks. We would thank Him for His goodness towards us and for His magnificent works that He has given us. We would give thanks not just in private, but in public, in the "assembly of the people". We would exalt and praise Him in the "company of the elders", those who are wise and in positions of authority. We would not hide our thanks and praise, but it would be on display for all to see. At the very end of this Psalm in verse 43 we are told, "Whoever is wise will observe these things, And they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord." If we see and understand these things it will be evidence of our wisdom. The wise "understand the lovingkindness" of their Lord and Savior. Dear Father, Help us to be wise. Guide us to know and realize the depth of your lovingkindness towards us. Father, please send your Holy Spirit to calm our storms. Finally Father, help us to find our safe haven with you in Heaven. In your Son's name, Amen Enjoy One Thing Remains (Your Love Never Fails) sung by David Wesley

When we are young and growing up it seems so important to "fit in" . According to the dictionary to fit in means to "be socially compatible with other members of a group". A synonym for "fitting in" is to "conform". To put it in simple terms it is when you try to be like everyone else. According to an article in Psychology Today, " If we’re doing the same as everyone else, we must be doing it right, and finding a reflection of ourselves in those around us is a form of validation. The need for acceptance is a basic human instinct – although some value it more than others. We all want to fit in, to belong. " This is how the world views "fitting in". This is not how we as Christians should view it nor is it how Christ viewed it. “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." John 15: 18-19 Doesn't it seem strange that Jesus, who loved people and healed them of sickness, who taught in the temple, "as one who had authority" (Matthew 7:29), would be hated. Jesus would be hated, despised, and rejected to the point where He would be given a criminal's death on a cross. And for what? Because His teachings were not of "the world". Jesus tells us that we are also not "of the world". In John 16: 33 Jesus tells His followers this: "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Jesus doesn't say you may have tribulation, He says you will have tribulation. He says that in the face of this tribulation you can still have peace. Where will we find this peace? In Him. Our peace is not of this world. Our peace comes from trusting God. We are to take courage in our tribulation because Jesus has "overcome the world." The word overcome is from a Greek word that we translate in English as the word "Nike". Nike was a Greek goddess who represented the victory of a conquering hero. Notice that Jesus says "I have" overcome the world, which shows that His victory is ongoing, not a onetime event. In John 17: 14-16 in Jesus's wonderful prayer for His disciples (and for us) He says: "I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world." Jesus prays to the Father and asks Him for our protection from Satan. We live in this world, we work, we marry, we live our day to day lives like those around us, and yet Jesus says again that we "are not of the world." In Romans 12:2 Paul reminds us: "And 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." Paul says don't be conformed, in other words, don't fit in. Maybe you have heard the expression that Christians should be "in the world, but not of the world". What does that really mean? It is difficult, not just difficult but extremely difficult, because we are called as Christians to "not fit in". We are representatives of Christ on earth. The only thing many people know about Jesus is what they see in us when we interact with them. Some people choose to try and follow Christ by completely removing themselves from the world. If we do this then we remove our influence on the world. Some people choose to try and compromise with the world. They don't want to look "too different". They may go to church on Sunday but they aren't going to stand out from their friends as being that different. But how can we live this differentness out? How can we "be in the world but not of it" successfully? By praying every day that we would be guarded from temptation and by studying the word. Jesus continues in John 17: 17 to pray this: "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth." Sanctified means "set apart" or "holy". This sanctification comes from the word of God because the word is truth. Like John says at the very beginning of his gospel, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. " When we become a Christian, we are signing on to be hated, persecuted and to endure tribulations. Doesn't sound much like "fitting in" does it? Can we expect to be treated any differently than our Savior was? And yet we can still find peace, the peace that "passes understanding" (Philippians 4:7), and we find that peace by living our lives in Christ. For more on this topic click here. Image by rawpixel.com on Freepik

~There are two paths - the broad one to destruction and Hell. And the narrow way to God and to Heaven.~ "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 7: 13-14 The easy path is broad and the gate is wide that leads to destruction. It is made to make us feel good about ourselves. On that path the focus is on myself. I am successful. I am beautiful. I am happy. I am wise. The broad path seeks to flatter us. The broad path is popularity. The broad path tells us that we must tolerate evil. That we must accept evil and never speak against it because doing so is "judging". The broad path says there is no absolute truth. The broad path says your truth is yours and my truth is mine and it doesn't matter. The broad path beckons us with temptations to sin "just a little". "No one will know," it tells us. No one will see. No one will get hurt. And then we are sucked into a pit of destruction that is difficult to crawl out of. The broad path says to just "be nice" and everything will be fine. The broad path says faith in Jesus isn't necessary. "All religions teach the same thing," you will hear people say. We'll get to Heaven (or someplace good) just by being a nice person. The narrow path with the narrow gate is a path that is lonely. Few people are on it. It makes us humble ourselves. It tells us others are more important than we are. This path doesn't seek fame or fortune. This path is sacrificial. This path has someone in front of us, a Shepherd who leads us. A Shepherd we must look to so as not to stumble along the way. In Psalm 125:5 David tells us: "As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways, The Lord shall lead them away with the workers of iniquity." So for the wicked their way is crooked but for the righteous we follow God in whom "there is no variation or shadow of turning" James 1: 17 says: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." Th narrow way is a path that is difficult for many reasons. When we take the narrow way, we testify to the love of Christ in our lives and to love our enemies, the very enemies of Jesus. We take the narrow path knowing that "we are more than conquerors" (Romans 8:37), and yet we face our enemies unwilling to do wrong to any of them. We take the narrow path and acknowledge that there is sin and weakness in others (and in ourselves) and at the same time not judging them. It is hard. If we look at the path and not at the shepherd, if we look to ourselves and not at the shepherd, and if we are afraid all the time trying to find our own strength to walk this path, then we are doomed to failure. We know that the path is narrow and the way is right when we focus on the One who is the Gate. There were few disciples that followed Jesus. Many of His followers turned away when His words were too difficult for them (John 6:66). Many turn away today. Why do we pin our hopes on numbers? There were few disciples in the beginning and there will always be few. This narrow way is the only Way to our Father. Our Jesus is the truth! Without Jesus there is no life with God. Only Jesus can remove the burden of sin from our life by his Cross and resurrection. "Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." As we travel our narrow path there is someone else lurking in the byways. This evil one requires us to "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." I Peter 5:8 Jesus tells us that Satan is the "deceiver of the whole world" (Revelation 12:9) and the "father of lies" (John 8: 44). Why would anyone knowingly follow a liar and a deceiver? Maybe because following the liar takes a person down the easy road, the broad road that has few obstacles. The road that is all about themselves. Jesus, however, promises us an abundant life. This life that Christ promises us in Him is beyond our expectations, beyond even our imaginings. "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 Paul acknowledges that the way is difficult. He says that he has "fought the good fight". Paul didn't just drift, easily down the narrow path. He fought his way to the end. Why do we think our way should be easier than Paul's? "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7 When we take the narrow way even though we face "tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword" we know that "nothing will separate us from the love of Christ!" (Romans 8: 35).

When people don't believe in God, trying to explain the love and forgiveness of Jesus isn't usually well received. Many people come to God in their need. Often the need has to be overwhelming before a person realizes that there is something, someone, outside of themselves that is an answer. When all else fails that's when many of us reach out to Jesus. When we hit rock bottom in our lives, we come to realize who it is that is the real rock. For some people rock bottom comes from addictions, some the tragic loss of a loved one, some money woes, others failed marriages, infidelities, or betrayal. Those of us who have found God in other ways, as a child walking down an aisle or on a high school retreat or summer Bible camp should never look down on those who come to God in their greatest need. As Jesus says in Luke 5:32, He says, "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance. " And to those who have hit bottom, especially because of their sins, the Lord has this to say in Luke 7: 47 "Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” The realization that "Christ died for us while we were still sinners." (Romans 5:8) can be overwhelming. The thought that Christ loved me that much is almost unbelievable. We grow up hearing that God loves us. But when we realize this as total truth, truth for me personally, that is when we, in profound humility, can finally accept Jesus as who He truly is. That is when our life is truly transformed. (For more on a transformed life click here.) When the Prodigal Son hit rock bottom Luke 15 tells us he found himself feeding pigs and so hungry "he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything." (Luke 15:16) Once he realized his great need he returned to his loving father. Instead of relying on himself he relied on, his Rock. Instead of building his house, his life, on sand, on his own strength, the Prodigal built on the firm foundation of his father. His life built on sand had washed away but the solid rock of His father would never wash away. "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”" Matthew 7: 24-27 When we see those we love struggling it is hard not to reach out and protect them from reaching rock bottom. But many times this is what they actually need so that they can find their way to their Savior. Even the Prodigal Son's father did not stop him from reaching that lowest of the low places in his life. These difficult times, these low places that we have been through and the love and graciousness of our Lord to bring us out of them, are OUR story. It is what Jesus tells us in Mark 5:19, ...“Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” People need to hear your story. And importantly, you don't need to forget it yourself. No one wants to repeat those rock bottom moments. God reaches out to us even now. We don't have to be at rock bottom. If you haven't sought Him, now is the perfect time. "Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon." Isaiah 55: 6-7

She arrived at church with one thought. She would love those she saw. It was difficult because she knew what many had said or done behind closed doors but then who was she but a sinner saved by grace. She spoke to those around her and then felt the chill of someone who had made it quite clear that they did not care for her. She extended her hand, with genuine warmth, and was met with an obligatory hand shake. She held the eyes of the person for just a moment. Thinking to herself she wanted to will the person to see she cared, but off they went to speak to someone they liked. But love not returned was still love. Going home she saw the news and was horrified by the evil on display. She saw it for what it was. Those who did those things with no regard were serving the evil one. She had to turn it off. She couldn't stand to see such things paraded as good. She began to think of the blessings she had. Her family, her home, her food, her health, her salvation. She thought of those who loved her and thanked God for the good in her world. As she went about her chores that day she tried to put others first. She opened the door for the stranger, she gave to the poor on the street corner, she prayed for the friend who was ill, she spoke kindly to the grumpy neighbor. She spent time studying God's word. She repented of her sin for not being fervent enough for God. She served God in the simple ways she was able to. She was not a famous TV evangelist, nor was she a learned scholar, but she could bless those who made fun of her faith, she could show others her hope was in God and she could show people the virtue of patience when things did not go well. She was known as a good listener. Her joy was genuine. When you were happy, she was happy for you. When you were sad, she wept with you. Her friends came from all walks of life. Those who were well to do and powerful, just as much as those who had little and weren't valued in society. She was a true friend to all and opened her doors to each. When she was wrong, she would gladly admit it. She did not think she was "all that". She was quiet more than she spoke. Many of her friends considered her wise. She herself thought others were wiser. When she was mistreated for being humble and kind to all, she wished no evil on anyone. She longed for them to love God as she loved God. She longed for them to receive His forgiveness as she had. She didn't worry about "getting back" at someone because she knew that God would repay evil. Her goal was peace. Peace between herself and those who mistreated her. God indeed had said that she should overcome evil with good. So who is this woman? Oh to be like her! To put God first and self last, to show true love, to be kind and generous. She is a person like Paul was describing in Romans 9: 12-21. In this passage Paul describes the ideal behavior of a Christian. If I take out the word 'she' in the paragraphs above and replace them with my own name how much of what I read would still be true? In Romans 13:12 Paul tells us: "The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light." We can't just read the passage in Chapter 9 and give up. These words should be our goals. We can't say living a life of virtue and righteousness is impossible. Paul tells us "the day is at hand". We have armor - it is the light of Christ - let's armor up and go love! There is a beautiful old hymn called "Make Me A Channel of Blessing" by H. G. Smyth. Listen to it here The chorus to this hymn goes like this: Make me a channel of blessing today, Make me a channel of blessing, I pray; My life possessing, my service blessing, Make me a channel of blessing today.

What does the cross mean to you? Is it a fashion statement that you wear? Does it remind you of your faith? When Jesus preached and said, "Take up your cross and follow me." What did the cross mean to the people who heard those words? Jesus was telling them that to follow him meant death. The cross was, at the time, viewed as a cruel and horrific way to die. Did Jesus mean that to follow Him guaranteed a literal death? No, of course not, although for some followers it would mean that. He meant that to follow Him you would have to die to self every day. Dying to self means giving up what you want and wanting only what Christ wants. Dying to self means doing those things that we might not want to do. Or not doing something that we want very much to do. Do I really have to forgive the person who betrayed me? Yes! Do I really need to abstain from sex before marriage? Yes! Do I really need to step out in faith, outside of my comfort zone, and speak to people about my faith? Yes! In Luke 14: 27 our Lord says this, "And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple." So is the Lord saying that the only way we can be His disciple is to be miserable and without joy. No! In fact quite the opposite. In Matthew 10: 38-39 Jesus tells us, "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it." So Jesus tells us that to find our life, to find our purpose, to find our place in God's plan we should lose our life. Bearing your cross and denying yourself, this is where our true joy can be found. In being obedient and willing to give up our desires and our plans and take on God's desires and God's plan. Our true joy is to die to self. The joy of the cross is that it brings reconciliation with God. Remember that when Jesus was saying these things the crucifixion had not happened yet. The ones who heard him speak at that moment only knew the cross as an instrument of death. They could not look back like we can to see what the cross symbolized. Only after His death and resurrection could they look back on those words and understand what following Christ really meant. Suffering is a part of being a Christian (emphasis added). Suffering isn't always physical. Sometimes I believe when we see the word 'suffering' we only imagine it in that way, but suffering can also be emotionally and mentally. "But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you." I Peter 5: 10 "Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." Romans 5: 3-5 "But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." Philippians 3: 7-11 When was the last time you heard a sermon about suffering? It is not a popular topic. We want to go to church, at least it seems, to learn how to be a good person, to learn how to get what we want from God, to learn how to be happy. Most people today don't seem to want to know that suffering is, and was, an expected part of the Christian life. The purpose of suffering is to produce the ability to endure, to have a Christian character, to have hope and to know that the Holy Spirit lives within us and allows us to, as Paul says in Philippians, count the loss of all things as rubbish so that we can gain Christ. If we have righteousness according to Paul it is not our own but it is "from God by faith". In James 1: 2-4 he tells us, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." So when we suffer, we need to look at what comes from it. Patience, endurance, and hope. Our dying to self, our suffering helps us to remain faithful and to wait on the Lord knowing that in the end, when we endure, we shall have the "crown of righteousness" as Paul tells Timothy in Timothy 4: 8. We can join in prayer with the words of this old hymn, A Sovereign Protector I have : “Inspirer and hearer of prayer, Thou Shepherd and Guardian of Thine, My all to Thy covenant care I sleeping and waking resign. If Thou art my Shield and my Sun, The night is no darkness to me; And fast as my moments roll on, They bring me but nearer to Thee.” Amen

Have you ever been at a place in your life where you were ready to give up? Have you ever prayed for something for so long and so hard only to seemingly never see it happen? Have you been so sad, so angry, so distraught that you have thought to yourself: "If you (Jesus) really loved me, if You were really there for me, You would have answered my prayer." David probably had similar feelings when he says in Psalm 39:12, “Hear my prayer, O Lord, And give ear to my cry; Do not be silent at my tears; For I am a stranger with You, A sojourner, as all my fathers were." God Alone Sometimes we have to come to the end of our rope, the end of ourselves, to see that God alone answers prayer. Too Late? In John Chapter 11 we read the story of Mary, Martha, Lazarus and Jesus. Lazarus was loved by Jesus and very sick. Mary and Martha knew that if Jesus would come to him Lazarus would be healed. Jesus, however, waited. He was too late and Lazarus died. When Jesus finally arrived mourners were around the tomb. Lazarus had already been dead four days. Martha and Mary both tell Jesus, "Lord if you had been here my brother would not have died." Were they angry? Probably. They knew Jesus was a mighty healer. They had complete faith in His ability to heal. But now, it was too late, or so they thought. Do you feel, like Mary and Martha did, as if it is too late for your prayer to be answered? Do you feel like God has abandoned you? That He did not come to help you when He should have? But what did Jesus say when he heard of Lazarus's illness? In John 11: 4 He says this, "When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”" Jesus knew what was going to happen. Yes, Lazarus would die, but Jesus knew fully that Lazarus would be raised to life again for the glory of God. Remove the Stone Jesus tells them to remove the stone that sealed the tomb. Without removing that stone Lazarus would have been trapped, unable to walk out. Are you trapped by something in your life? Is there a burden, a sin, a thought that is sealing you in and that needs desperately to be removed. Listen to the Voice When Jesus cried out, "Lazarus come forth." The dead man became alive again and walked among the living. Are we dead in sin and wrongdoing? Are we dead to the glory of God? Do we need to heed the voice that is calling us? Only God When we come to the end of our ability to fix things, when there is no hope left, there is God. Sometimes we need to be reminded that God alone can heal, can bring back the dead, can give life everlasting. It is not ourselves that can do anything, only God. Perfect Timing Mary and Martha had given up. Their brother's only hope, they thought, was in the resurrection. Jesus reminded them that His timing is perfect. Lazarus was raised from the dead, free of illness and Jesus was glorified through this miracle. Wherever you are and in whatever circumstance , don't give up. Wait on the Lord. God's timing is perfect. In Psalm 38:15 David tells us, "For in You, O Lord, I hope; You will hear, O Lord my God." When we pray the will of God, never give up believing and hoping that God will hear you and answer because "... God is greater than our heart, and knows all things." I John 3:20 Dearest Father, In all things we seek your will. You know our needs and desires. You know what is good for us better than we do. Let our will and yours be the same. Grant us the grace to wait patiently on You. Grant us the ability to not give up hope, knowing that You hear us. In your Son's Holy and glorious name we pray, Amen. Today's thoughts were inspired by a sermon from Carter Conlon entitled. "Is Jesus Groaning Over You" You can watch it here