"Peace Before Or After?"

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee".  Isaiah 26:3

The key to keeping in peace is keeping your mind on the Lord.  When situations arise, you can either keep pondering the situation or ponder the greatness of the Lord.  You can either fear the situation or trust the Lord.  You can either allow the situation to consume you and overwhelm you or you can turn to the Lord.  You can either focus on the problem or focus on the Lord.

When the disciples were in the boat during the storm that threatened to drown them, they focused on the storm.  They forgot the words of Jesus that they were going to reach the other side.  As a result, they became fearful.  The disciples were afraid, but Jesus was in the back of the boat asleep.  When they woke Him, He calmed the storm and peace returned to the sea.

During the storms of life, which would you rather be like--- the disciples who had peace after the storm or Jesus who had peace during the storm?  It is possible to have peace during the storm.  (That is what the Lord wants for us.)  Storms will always come to our lives, they will always threaten to destroy us, they can stir fear in our hearts, they may last longer than a night, but we can still have peace while they are raging.  Jesus did.  If He is living in your life, then know this-- He still has peace today, He is the Prince of Peace.  Allow His peace which passes understanding to give you peace during the storm.  You do this by keeping your heart and mind focused on Him, on His word, on His promises and on His power instead of the storm.

Have a great day.  Would you rather have peace during the storm or after it has passed?

"A Voice In The House"

"Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet...". Isaiah 58:1a

A pastor friend of mine called me a while back and was telling me how the Lord protected him and his family during a tornado.  He took his family into the hall of the house and there he prayed for the Lord's protection, quoted scriptures and encouraged his family by reminding them of what God had said in His Word.  Then he made a statement that leaped out at me.  He said-- "he was the voice in the house" during the storm.  He was the one voice for them all that called out to God above the storm, above the fear and above the situation that was taking place around them.   

There has to be a "voice in the house" when we are going through difficulties.  There has to be a voice to remind us of God's goodness, faithfulness and promises.  There has to be a voice to encourage us.  Someone has to proclaim and say what the Lord says.  Someone has to lift up their voice in praise.   Someone has to quote the scriptures to the circumstances.  Someone has to cry out to and call upon the Lord.  We can't be quiet.

Our own nation's history has taught us that there has to be a voice for things to change or to make things happen.  Behind every worthy cause there has been a voice.  The Founding Fathers had a voice against the King of England in order to bring about our independence.  The Civil Rights movement had a voice in its leaders to bring about equality for all men and women.  The Bible records that God sent a voice, Moses, to Pharaoh to let His people go.  God used a voice/shout to bring down the walls of Jericho.  God sent a voice in John the Baptist to prepare the way of the coming Messiah.  In the end of time the Spirit and the bride lift up their voices with an invitation to come and take of the water of life freely. 

We can't keep quiet when the storm is raging, when the enemy is fighting, when sickness is attacking, when the fire is burning, when the lions are roaring, when the situation looks hopeless.  We must BE the voice in the house and call out to God, praise Him, declare His goodness and speak His word. 

But we can't be the same kind of voice as Eve who carried on a conversation with the enemy.  We must follow the example of Jesus who "voiced" to the devil in the wilderness-- "It is written".  Jesus was the voice in the boat-- "Peace Be Still!".  Jesus had a voice at the cross that secured our salvation-- "It is finished!" Be the voice in your home.  Be the voice which speaks to the situation.  Be the voice that speaks life, freedom and victory.  Don't stay quiet.  Speak to those things.  Open your mouth, the word of faith is in it.  Speak to that mountain.  Be not silent.

Have a great day.  Is there a voice in the house? 

"Blessed But Not Exempt"

"Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience". James 1:3

I take issue with those who teach that because we are a Christian we will never go through any trouble or problems.  If we do, they accuse us of having a lack of faith or sin in our lives. 

I want to make it clear this morning-- Christians are blessed; blessed by the Lord.  His blessings are upon our lives.  They even chase us down and overtake us.  But just because I/you/we are a Christian, just because the Lord's blessings are upon us, doesn't mean we are exempt from trouble.  If so, what are we to do with the words of Jesus Himself who said, "In the world you shall have tribulation" and "it rains on the just and the unjust"?

What are we to say to the Apostle Paul who said-- "Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.  Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches". (2 Corinthians 11:23-28) This was Paul's testimony of his own life experiences.  Will you tell him that he has sin in his life or no faith?  How many of you have raised the dead?  Healed the sick?  Cast out devils?  Been persecuted for the cause of Christ? 

What about all of those whose names and life stories are recorded in the "Hall of Faith"?  Are we to accuse them?  The Bible says their faith was so great that the world wasn't even worthy of them. (Hebrews 11)

How is it that we don't understand that the Bible is talking about the Christian when we read the words:  "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.  For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh". (2 Corinthians 4:8-11)

Don't get me wrong.  I believe we are blessed.  We are not under the curse.  I believe in healing, deliverance, abundant life, goodness and mercy follows us, no weapon formed against us shall prosper and we have victory through Christ Jesus our Lord.  But we can't take away from the whole truth of the Word of God.  We have to "rightly divide" it. The truth is-- clouds have rain, roses have thorns, night follows day and Christians aren't exempt from trouble just because we are blessed.... no matter how strong our faith is. 

Have a great day.  Just because we are blessed doesn't mean we are exempt from trouble.  And it doesn't mean we don't have faith.   
 

"Holding On To Jesus"

"But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose".  Mark 9:27

I woke up with a song on my mind:  "I'll keep holding on to Jesus, I'll keep holding on to Jesus.  I'll keep holding on to those precious nail scarred hands.  I cannot see the way too clearly, and my path becomes so weary.  I'll keep holding on to those precious nail scarred hands".

Life is not always a bed of roses.  It is not always easy.  Sometimes it is hard and rough.  Sometimes life throws us a curve ball.  Sometimes it brings pain, grief and sorrow.  Life is unpredictable.  It is subject to change-- it can go from a really good day to an awful day in a split second. 

So, what do we do in the highs and lows of life?  In the ups and downs?  In the good and in the bad?  In times of joy and times of pain?  In times when our faith is being sorely tried?  In times when we are on the top of the mountain or down in the valley?  What do we do when the storm rages, the fire burns, the lion's roar and the earth is shaking beneath us?  We do what the lyrics of the song encourage us to do--- we keep holding on to Jesus!  We keep holding on to Him no matter what.

Whatever you are going through, keep holding on to the hands of Jesus.  They are the same hands that reached out and saved Peter when he was sinking in the sea.  They are the same hands that touched blind Bartimaeus and gave him back his sight.  They are the same hands that held the little children when the disciples tried to send them away.  They are the same hands that touched the lepers and healed them.  They are the same hands that were nailed to the cross so that you could be forgiven of your sins and receive eternal life.   

What are you holding on to for help?  Your money?  It won't help-- riches take wings and fly away.  Your own understanding?  It is limited.  Other people?  They are flesh and blood just like you are.  The system?  It will fail you.  The only hands that will never let you go and will hold on to you in the worst storm, the deepest pain, the most horrific tragedy and in the darkest pit are those precious nail scarred hands of Jesus.

Have a great day.  What are you holding on to for help in life?   I'll keep holding on to those precious nailed scarred hands.        

"Visit The Prisoners"

^"For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me."  Matthew 25:35,36

This verse admonishes us to minister to people in their time of need-- in hunger, in thirst, in sickness, in prison, to the stranger.  I want us to look at the part about visiting those who are in prison.  I have had a jail ministry in the past, and I have gone to the prison on a few occasions and preached.  I've had friends who are actively involved in prison ministry-- that is their particular calling.  Not all of us are able to go to the jailhouse or prison and minister to the inmates.  But we all are able to go to those who are in "prison".

There's more than one kind of prison.  Not all prisons are made of brick, mortar or steel.  There are people who are being held prisoner who are out walking around freely, and not behind bars. They are all around us.  They are in our families, among our friends, our fellow employees, our school mates and even our neighbors.

The ones I am talking about are being held as a prisoner to sin.  They are prisoners of addictions such as alcohol, drugs and pornography.  They are being held a prisoner by fear, condemnation, remorse, depression, anxiety, grief and guilt.  These are the ones we can go to.

We need to be going to these prisoners.  We need to be proclaiming liberty to these captives.  Jesus came to set the captive free.  He came to open the prison doors to those who were bound.  He breaks every chain. He destroys yokes.  He destroyed the internal prisons.  He defeated the power of sin so that it has no hold on us any longer.  He pulls down strongholds.  He has the keys to open any and all prison doors that we may be locked up behind-- whether it is in our minds, our emotions or some besetting sin. 

No, you may not be able to go to prisoners at the local jail or state prison, but you can go and preach deliverance to those who are being held as prisoners behind bars we cannot see.

Have a great day.  I was in prison and you visited me.  Jesus sets captives free.  Are you letting the prisoners know this?