The Precipice of our Lives

Imagine for a moment…

We’re standing on the precipice of our lives and looking out over the landscape of our past and present pain.  Over to the left is our hidden shame (we can still feel its presence) and peeking out to our right is our fear.  Right in the middle is our pain – bold and confident in our defeat.  Sprinkling the entire terrain are our tears (our regrets for what might have been yet failed to become).  Dark clouds that make up our doubts cover everything and block out all light, all hope.  And everywhere we look, darkness threatening to consume us and yet there is so much to see. The story of our lives is played out below us over and over and we wish we could just change the scene that is before us.  How did we get to this point? If there were only some source to light to dispel the shadows and the darkness but there is none.

But there is a rumbling in the heavens as if the very clouds are being shaken and dissolved.  And there it is in the distance – a single solitary shaft of light pierces the clouds and the causes the darkness to flee.  And as that beam of light increases in size and intensity, the darkness is consumed and the clouds make way for the light.  And then the miraculous happens – the shame, the pain, the fears and the tears – all gone!  By a single touch of the Master’s hand.

All we need is a touch from God.  No matter where we are in life or what we’re going through or what we have gone through, the frustration we feel or the desperation we live out, all we need is a touch from Him.  No matter whether you’ve stumbled and fallen, whether you’ve fallen short of your potential, no matter how great your sin has been that you think God could never forgive you, ALL YOU NEED is a touch from Him. Like that single ray of light from Heaven that can brighten our lives and turn our lives around, all from a touch of the Master’s hand.  Reach out to Him and He will reach out to you.  All you’ll ever need is Him.  Have faith!

There was someone in the Bible that just needed a touch from the Master.  You can read their story here:

As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her.  She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” - Luke 8:43-49 (NIV)

Be blessed and be a blessing!

Ernest M.

There is a song that sums up this devotional. It is: “All I Need” – Brian Courtney Wilson

(link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_SKO_pCn1A)

Levels of Christian Discipleship and Taking Up Your Cross

And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:27 NIV)

There are various people in the world back in Jesus’ day as there are today. There were sometimes vast crowds (“multitude” In the KJV) of people numbering in the thousands. (Luke 12:1) The size of these crowds of people apparently ebbed and flowed. Sometimes there were just a few followers, and sometimes it was in the thousands.

Then there were the unnamed disciples. These apparently sometimes numbered in the hundreds. (John 6:66-67, Luke 6:17 NIV)

Then there were the twelve. (Matthew 10:1-4)

Then out of the twelve, there was an “inner circle”: Peter, who was given a promise that nobody else was given — namely that he would be the rock that Jesus would build His church upon (Matthew 16:18). Then there was James and John, the disciple that “Jesus loved” who were the only disciples present to see the transfiguration. (Mark 9:2)

Present day is little different. We all have different stations. There are evangelists, such as Billy Graham, teachers, like Joyce Meyer, and pastors of huge churches like Pastor David Yonggi Cho, and pastors of small community churches. There are elders and deacons and the congregation. There are people minister to youth, and the little old lady who brings the wonderful dishes to the pot luck dinners… All the way down to people who only go to church on Easter and Christmas.

Notice also that Jesus made promises and demands of the general populace that are different than the promises that he made to his closest disciples. The sermon on the mount was for everyone including the disciples, but the command to Peter to “feed my sheep” was directed at Peter. Sure it applies at some level to all of us. But God is very smart. Why would he make the same requirements for the poor old blue-collar worker as he does for an internationally-known evangelist? That would not make sense, would it?

Bloom where you are planted. Do not lay a greater burden upon yourself than even God does. You know your station in life and you know God’s requirements. You will do well to fulfill those and don’t expect to be able to walk on water — at least before your time.

So. How strong of a walk with Jesus do you want? It is up to you. Though God calls many, He is very polite. If you are among the called, He leaves it up to you how close you want to draw to him.

Sure it sounds great in theory – but in practice, you will find there is a cost. Sure the reward is great but so is the cost. And the devil will remind you of all the things you are “missing out on” in hopes of discouraging you.

You have to take up your cross. Not a fun task as anyone who has seen or heard about Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ will know. What is the “cross”? I misunderstood this for years. Your cross is not suffering for your own sins – though you will reap what you sow – everyone, believers or not, will in some fashion will reap what they sow. The cross that Jesus carried was a burden that he carried for others. If you take up burdens for other people, you are bearing your cross.

Remember Love is a choice of behavior – not a warm fuzzy emotion. Emotions go away. Love is eternal.

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.(John 13:35 NIV)

Why Prayer Makes The Demons Tremble

Demonic forces come to attention when people get into God’s Word, but they have a greater fear than Bible study. They shudder when God’s people begin to pray.

Chip Ingram The Invisible War Chapter 13

Why is prayer so powerful?

As everyone knows, Bible study is indispensable. You have to know God’s word before you can wield it (See Ephesians 6:17). But Satan has been around for much longer than the Bible has. He knows the Bible better than you do, and he is much smarter than you. Left alone with your knowledge of the Bible – strong as it may be, Satan will run circles around you — laughing. You don’t stand a chance.

But prayer to God is like having radio contact in combat with a general who has a spy satellite. The General (God) can see the big picture. He can see where forces are advancing and see weak points in the adversary’s positions. God is much smarter than Satan (God runs circles around him. The Old Testament prophets had told the world including Satan that Jesus would be crucified — hundreds of years in advance, yet Satan could not figure out what was really going on, and went ahead and crucified Jesus anyhow… sealing his fate.)

Better than a general, God spans time and space. He knows what is going to happen before it happens and He is much smarter than the devil. (Imagine how smart God is to have designed the eye that connects to the brain, which can interpret what it is seeing… and you will get a small glimpse of how smart God is. It is overwhelming.)

If you have direct “radio” contact with God, you can cause some serious damage to the enemy. The demons know that so they will try a million tactics to keep you from praying. They can make you feel tired, too busy, any number of things. But pay no attention pray anyhow. No matter what worldly thing you have before you. No matter how urgent, if you want to make a difference for the Kingdom of God — and in your own life, and the lives of your friends family, and the church as a whole, your little tasks suddenly pale in comparison. Nothing is more important than your prayer life.

Remember to strengthen the things that remain (See Revelation 3:2). The things of this world will be burned with fervent heat. But the things that will not burn you will be rewarded for all eternity — other people. If you are instrumental in saving other people, they will not burn, and you will get a reward (See 1 Corinthians 3:13-14). All else is vanity.

Better Biscuits – A Story of a Child’s Faith

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Greeting and blessings to you one and all! I am often convinced that in this day and age we have forgotten about the power of prayer. Sure we have more people talking about prayer; we even have more books written on prayer. And we as believers should be doing more as prayer warriors but prayers seem to barely squeak out as a last ditch effort.

Prayer is no longer the first thing we think of to do. Prayer is relegated to being one of those niceties that ‘Christians’ extend to others as a common courtesy; “Your child is sick . . . I’ll pray for them.” Or “I’ll put them on my prayer list.”

James 5:16 [KJV] states, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” Put another way, this could be stated, “The effective [producing or capable of producing a result], fervent [with great intensity of feeling] prayer of a righteous man avails much.”. Translation: If your prayer is generated with great intensity of feeling or great belief, it is capable of accomplishing the desired result if you are in right standing (righteous and without doubt) with God.

My story today is about the simple prayer of a child, uttered without fear or doubt. I hope you enjoy it.

Back in the depression days of the early 1930’s, my husband pastored a small country church. We then had three little children. Many times our weekly income was less than $10. One day, we found ourselves out of bread and with only some rancid bacon grease for shortening. I used it, however, in making some hot biscuits and we managed to eat some of them for lunch.

Later, as we put the remaining biscuits on the supper table, our five-year-old daughter prayed very earnestly, “Dear Jesus, help us to eat these biscuits or else send us some better ones. Amen!”

Later, that evening, the doorbell rang. There, at the door, stood a member of our church who had a bakery route. Before we could tell him our story he began unloading his hugh bakery basket with all kinds of sweet rolls, buns and biscuits, besides dark and white bread.

“You know”, he said rather apologetically, “I was tired tonight and seven miles out here in the pouring rain seemed so far. I was tempted to wait until tomorrow evening and bring these bakery things on my way to prayer meeting as I usually do.” Then he added, “But I was strongly constrained to come tonight! I hope you can use these things!” – Anne S. Alexander in Power Magazine

The effective, fervent prayer of the righteous avails much. Be blessed this day and know that you are a blessing to God.

Ernest