“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

There are several beautiful, majestic ‘Live Oak’ trees at our church. These trees seem to defy gravity as their long, thick limbs can grow over 30 feet and directly parallel to the ground. Even though one limb could literally CRUSH my truck if one fell on it, I still park under its cool shade in the summer. Every once in a while their limbs get so large that their branches rub the tops of vehicles or the even church roof. It is then that they need to be trimmed.

Several years ago I purchased a pole saw to be able to reach tall limbs. The construction is literally a 10” electric chainsaw that attaches to a long pole that can extend out to about 186 feet! Well, at least it FEELS that way! The further out it extends, the heavier it gets. I have discovered there is a direct proportion between the saw’s weight and my age. Trimming them last Friday, I felt 104!

When I pulled into my driveway, I made a mental note to take the pole saw out of my truck so that no one would be tempted to STEAL it. Being hot and sweaty, I decided to first get something to drink and jump in the pool. When I went back out to get it, I noticed the saw was GONE! I had been ROBBED!!!! In an instant my humanity erupted as I felt anger toward the person who stole it AND at myself for not securing it immediately upon arriving home! All I could think of was how foolish I had been!

It took time, but as I cooled down, I replayed my steps over and over in my mind. Try as I may, I could not actually REMEMBER placing the saw into the truck in the first place! Then it hit me, “is it possible…?” When I drove back to the church, the saw lay right where I had left it, under the shade of that beautiful tree!

In the shadow of today’s verse, you’re probably smart enough to know where this is going. If you are thinking that powerful tree, in its beauty and strength, is parallel to God… and that old weak and failing ‘me’ represents my tiny life here on earth, you’d be right. Except for one thing. I am NOT the ONLY one who forgets things! God does too!

God deliberately paid a visit here and hung on a tree, securing my life under the strength and shade of His powerful Grace. If that wasn’t enough, He DELIBERATELY FORGOT about my weak and failing past. I am assured that no attempt by the devil to remind God about my past will work either. I AM a NEW creation in Christ, no matter WHAT I THINK or HOW I FEEL! THAT makes me smile! I think I’ll park right here and rest in HIS work instead of mine!

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42

I have a perpetual and irritating conundrum with weeds! So yesterday I decided to DO something about them instead of just pushing the problem to the back of my brain. Denial is not just a river in Egypt, and as mature believers, ‘weed’ NEVER choose to simply dismiss any REAL problem… right? Yet… here I was.

As I gathered the recommended materials for solving my own problem, I could almost hear the weeds screaming for mercy! With ‘Weed & Feed’ in my lawn spreader, I cranked up the dial setting 2 numbers past the recommended (if 5 is good, 7 is better, right?) and started pushing! With music playing in my ears and a smile on my face, I figured my lawn would be green and weed free by nightfall! I could almost sense the real grass crying out…”our hero!” But vanity quickly brought me back down to earth and I realized it doesn’t take much to become a legend in my own mind!

There are a few of my professional lawn friends out there who will read this and roll their eyes. I had consulted a few of them and was even told what to do… “HIRE SOMEONE!” The problem is the COST! Living with my weed problem is less painful than paying the price to eradicate them. But now, all I HAVE are weeds!

The definition of a weed is a plant growing where it is not wanted. Simple right? Yet even that definition is subjective, as some of us would prefer green weeds over brown grass any day! So I looked up some of the characteristics of weeds and here is what I discovered:

• Plants that produce an abundant of seed
• Plants that have an extensive root system that spread above or below the ground
• Plants that grow quickly
• Plants that can cause bodily harm to other plants, humans or animals

It is interesting to note that ‘weeds’ are ‘plants’ first BEFORE they are determined to be weeds. Which makes me think about Christians! How does one DEFINE a Christian. My dad used to say that, because it is so hard to tell, “a Christian is anyone who CLAIMS to be one.” But over time and like weeds, THAT definition doesn’t work either.

The verse today literally puts a ‘smack down’ on false Christianity. There are 5 characteristics, that make up a true disciple of Jesus Christ. By now you have gone to the verse and discovered only 4. But you might want to look again! I would NOT have such a big weed problem if I was truly ‘devoted’ to being weed free! In fact, I don’t really have a WEED problem at all now, do I?

“No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made Him known.” John 1:18

Arriving home from church and pulling into the driveway, I was was overcome with guilt because of lawnlessness! Walking into the house I shut the door with the final thought, “but it’s Sunday… a day to rest!” The excuse seemed to do the trick, until I saw the weather forecast calling for several days of rain. When the clouds started rolling in, conviction turned to motivation and got me up and out to cut my grass before the rain came. Before too long, I I was Willified!

Willie is pretty much the neighborhood lawn guy, and maintaining the yards on both sides of me. Over the years Willie has become my friend. I’ll often hear him outside on his mower, stop what I am doing and take him a cold drink so he can take a break and WE can talk about out mutual favorite subject… Jesus! Even though Willie is an expert in lawn care, he has NEVER criticized my lawn. He doesn’t have to. Being between 2 Willie maintained lawns is conviction enough! Which was WHY I was cutting my grass on Sunday! My yard was not even CLOSE to Willie standards!

I read that If God were to sit for a portrait, the painting on the canvas would be of Jesus. The Bible verse today tells me as much. Because of sin and failure, there was NO way I could measure up to God’s standards. So when I could not reach His level, He came down to MINE by sending His Son. Now, Jesus’ purpose and goal is to make me a perfect replica of Himself… to turn me into a Child of God, remade in His image.

Godliness (God-like-ness) is an inside job. It is not just an outward appearance. Liquid is defined as a substance that takes the shape of its container. But liquid can STILL be foul! God is interested in my heart condition as well as my outward appearance. I have to admit that, having Jesus Christ INSIDE me and other believers living AROUND me, there are times I become convicted of UNgodliness. Which is the FINAL step before my cooperation in allowing Jesus to work on ME.

The idea that I can KNOW God and that I can be transformed to LOOK like Him is not foreign. All religions make that claim. But there is ONLY ONE method where the process of Godlikeness can be completed. And it begins with the Person of Jesus Christ! And even Willie won’t find fault with that!   

Got Godliness?

After last Wednesday’s Bible Study at church, there was some confusion and questions about where we’re are going with what we were studying.  This devotional I received today sums it up perfectly and better than I could right now.  This is not me… this is Jesus call to His church on how we are to live. Enjoy!

After his resurrection, Jesus sends us all out to do what he did: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you” (John 20:21 NRSV). And he gives us his authority to do it: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go” (Matt. 28:18-19). Why else would he have given us his authority if we weren’t supposed to use it?

The attitude of so many Christians today is anything but fierce. We’re passive, acquiescent. We’re acting as if the battle is over, as if the wolf and the lamb are now fast friends. Good grief—we’re beating swords into plowshares as the armies of the Evil One descend upon us. We’ve bought the lie of the Religious Spirit, which says, “You don’t need to fight the Enemy. Let Jesus do that.” It’s nonsense. It’s unbiblical. It’s like a private in Vietnam saying, “My commander will do all the fighting for me; I don’t even need to fire my weapon.” We are commanded to “resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). We are told, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him” (1 Peter 5:8-9); “Fight the good fight” (1 Tim. 1:18); “Rescue those being led away to death” (Prov. 24:11).

Seriously, just this morning a man said to me, “We don’t need to fight the Enemy. Jesus has won.” Yes, Jesus has won the victory over Satan and his kingdom. However, the battle is not over. Look at 1 Corinthians 15:24-25: “Then the end will come, when he [Jesus] hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.” After he has destroyed the rest of the Enemy’s works. Until then, he must reign by bringing his enemies under his feet. Jesus is still at war, and he calls us to join him.

Taken from: 

Ransomed Heart Daily Reading <dailyreadings@ransomedheart.com>

“No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and have given us over to our sins.” Isaiah 64:7

It was time for my normal checkup with my doctor and I had a few questions for him. I always look forward to seeing him because I am blessed to have a doctor who is also my friend. That means I can trust him to be honest with me. Soon, I was in his office and bantering with the nurses. I love that place and hardly noticed when they took my credit card for prepayment!! I did NOT expect what happened next!

I heard his voice before I saw his face. Unlike a dog that cowers and shakes at the vet’s office (could they be smarter than me?), I was jovial and was glad to see my friend. As we talked I asked him my questions. “My wife says I get lethargic too often, would B12 shots help?” His reply was direct. “Do you want what I think or the medical facts?” I soon learned that I am just plain old and lazy and that there is no magic shot for that! I told him that I guessed there was no need anyway, since I take multi-vitamins everyday. His next words shocked me!

My doctor friend told me, with a smile, that I was killing myself! He could see I was shocked and doubtful so he got up, went to his cupboard and pulled out several articles to prove his opinion with fact. Taking multivitamins, especially after 65, kills you sooner! I said, “Well it’s a good thing I’m only 64, you just saved my life!” He smirked cuz.. that’s what he does! For my last question, I lifted my shirt! “What’s this!???” He immediately responded, “WHOOOAH!”

I became nervous when he looked at the sore on my back and said.. “don’t touch it” and reached for some rubber gloves. My brain quickly put 2+2 together and I said… “Don’t you DARE tell me I have shingles!” He said… “you have shingles!” Friends don’t lie to each other! When I reminded him that HE had given me the shingles vaccine, he said, “That’s why it is so small!” GREAT! I guess there’s no warranty on vaccines!

I am honored to have been called by God to represent Him to people. I love Him very, very much and want to share facts, AND my opinion, to anyone who wants to listen. It is a fact that God loves us and wants a close relationship with us. It is also a fact that sin is the disease that prevents relationship from happening. It is my experienced opinion AND Biblical fact that when anyone ‘strives to lay hold of God,’ He will come in love and bring His promises with Him. But WE are the ones that must ask Doctor God for His help… first. No ask or seek? No get or find!

The time for putting trust in my friend the doctor came quickly. What would I do? Well I’ll tell ya! I drove home, walked into the house, went straight to the cupboard and threw those dang killer vitamins into the trash! THAT is called exercising my faith! Now…What will YOU do with God’s words? Remember… to see His face you must first must choose hear His voice!

“But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away.” Matthew 13:25

They used to call a person who tends plants a husbandman. The job entailed the care for the GOOD plants, and removal of the BAD ones… weeds! Looking out the back of the house along the fence, there was a war going on which now required a husbandman. Since I am the husband… that would be me!

YEARS ago my bride saw a viney plant, with yellow flowers, covering a portion of someone’s yard. Since we had a small unsightly part of yard, she plucked a piece and planted it. BIG mistake. 20 years later, that vine grows over the back fence and even throughout my grass. Last year, while wanting to attract butterflies, she discovered and planted a passion vine. Not only does it smell great, it attracts butterflies AND produces great tasting fruit. But now, these 2 vines are at warring for fence dominance! Their collision silently called for a simple husband….man. An inter’seeder’ if you will. I stepped forward.

I say ‘simple’ because in this case, I didn’t have to be very smart about plants. Which is a good thing, since I’m not. Even ‘I’ could EASILY tell the difference between the two competing weeds. The job? Rip out the bad and secure the good. Simple, right? Yes… but! When temperature collided with humidity and it felt like 107 degrees, the easy task turned into hard WORK! Which made me think about Grampa Adam and his TERRIBLE decision. After all, this is all HIS fault!!

God had placed Adam in the garden to ‘rule and reign.’ With 1 caveat… “Don’t eat ‘that’ fruit!” Adam did and got what he deserved. But THAT is not the story! The story is about GOD… not Adam! God had intended man to do a job, which forced GOD to become the Husbandman. He had created man to co-rule and reign with Him, and BY GOD THAT was what was going to happen…even if it killed Him! Flash forward!

The Church and mankind today are a bunch of simpletons who have forgotten God’s original plan. Hence, non-believers don’t care and believers don’t care enough. God even sent His Son on a deadly rescue mission to get us back on the track of working His garden! Yet it seems, all we want to do is go back home and get some rest! And the weeds continue to grow!

God is PASSIONATE about us, friend. And NOT for the purpose of saving us for Heaven where we’ll get a harp and wings! He created us to rule and reign WITH HIM. Not just THERE… but HERE as well! There is a WAR going on and we have a job to do. But how many of us really know what that role is? And… how many of us really WANT to know?

“For through him (Jesus Christ) we both (Jews & Gentiles) have access to the Father by one Spirit.” Ephesians 2:18

In front of my house is a palm tree. Palm trees need trimmed once a year. Over the 30 years I have lived here, I have noticed there is a direct correlation between that tree’s height and my age. The older I get, the taller the tree becomes! I have an extension ladder that used to reach to the top. Then I started putting the ladder in the bed of my truck. When that didn’t reach, I bought an electric saw on a pole which I STILL had to use from the extension ladder which was set in the bed of my truck! I noted yesterday… that I need a new plan!

You may tell me I’m too old to climb ladders! And you are partially right. But my sense of ‘do it meself’ hasn’t gotten any sense… yet! Some may sat that I should just HIRE someone to do it. And yes I have. But tree trimming businesses come and go, and yesterday I was not in the mood to rid myself of $40 and the time to find someone. So I thought and thought and… BING!!! I found a solution!

Our church is building a building, and inside that locked building is a tall extension ladder that has been sitting there for a LONG time. I don’t know whose it is, but I know WHERE it is. Since I am the Pastor, I am one of only a very few people who have access to the inside of that building by way of a key. And that key is in my truck. As soon as the idea hit me, I was headed to the church, in my truck, with the key to get into God’s building! Why? Because I CAN! I have ACCESS!

Earlier yesterday, I was talking with a member who has an aluminum business. Having been in that business myself years ago, we started swapping ‘ladder’ stories. Funny stories that left us BOTH happy to even be alive! But it didn’t deter me from my plan. I am now delighted to tell you that the ladder reached, the tree got trimmed and that now, I have a different story to tell.

I am NOT the ONLY person who has access to the church. But I AM 1 of only 3 people who can be called, should anyone need to get into that building. You can say that to know me is to have access… MAYBE! In other words, as long as our goals are the same (to build the church) then I will gladly open the door for you.

Before Jesus Christ died to save mankind from the death of their sin, NO one had access to His Father… God. But because His Son paid the price, we ALL now have access to His Father. But ONLY with the key of the Spirit. God’s saving mission depends upon the lost WANTING to be found. We know God desires ALL to be saved. But NO ONE can be rescued if they don’t WANT to be… AND in HIS WAY! The question is, are you willing?

I already know that some folks may be thinking I used my special access to take unfair advantage in order to borrow a ladder I never owned. And all for my own personal interest! To those folks I say… YUP! And if you think THAT’S crazy, because of my special relationship as a son of God, HE has given ME free access to eternal life, the keys to the Kingdom AND a seat WITH Him to Co-reign it all! Are you Jealous? Don’t be… YOU have the same access as I…if you will only take advantage of His offer!